Villa View: Issue 29

Dear Members of the Villanova College Family

This year, Social Justice Sunday will be celebrated on 30 September. The 2018-2019 Statement titled, A Place to Call Home: making a home for everyone in our land, is a response to the growing problem of homelessness in Australia. The Scriptural basis of this year’s statement is Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke10:30-35), about the outsider who stops to help a man in desperate need, takes him to safety and pays for his care.

Earlier this term I attended the Year 12 Retreat and the group of students I accompanied walked through West End and visited a number of agencies that supported people who were homeless. Meeting the people who were struggling with life challenges was a very humbling experience. The selfless workers who give generously of their time to support those who are most in need were an inspiration to us all. What we heard repeated so many times was the simple message –“Do what you can to help others- one person can make a difference.”

For further details about the Social Justice Statement, visit the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council website www.socialjustice.catholic.org.au

Mid-Semester Exams
Assessment Block has commenced for Year 11 and Year 12 students and all students will be engaged in preparations for assessment tasks. It is important our young people understand the need for self-care and a balanced approach during this busy time. Crucial to exam success is adequate sleep, good diet and exercise. There is always the temptation to ‘pull an all-nighter’ and cram for the exam the next day.

Here are eight tips for exam success

1. Make the most of your study time
2. Don’t just study solo
3. Deal with your stress- exercise is a great strategy
4. Ask for help- see your teacher
5. Get plenty of sleep
6. Prep the night before
7. Make the most of your morning -eat a good breakfast
8. Take your time when in the exam room- do not rush

There are many good sites on the internet that are available to parents and students to help get through this hectic, stressful time.

Parents and Friends Association
Villanova College Parents and Friends Association is an extremely important and crucial body of our College. The P and F is the key group for parental engagement in the College and performs many functions including communication between families and the College as well as providing numerous social functions to build community.

The Annual General Meeting of the Parents and Friends Association will be held next month on Monday 15 October in the Tolle Lege Library. Is a role on the Parents and Friends Association something of interest to you? Can you give time to make a difference to this school community? Many of our existing Executive members have been serving for a number of years and are keen to see new faces, new ideas and new energy brought to this important body. Please consider if a role on the Parents and Friends Association is for you. All are most welcome.

Basketball and Tennis Season
As the basketball and tennis season concludes this Saturday we thank all coaches, manager, venue convenors, officials and spectators for their support of our students. We have enjoyed much success during the season and many teams will compete for a premiership this weekend. It has been pleasing to see the many Old Boys who have returned to coach teams again this year, we are certainly grateful for their involvement. Thank you also to the many volunteers who have worked in the canteen during Saturday fixtures.

You have made us for Yourself O Lord,

And our hearts are restless until they rest in You.

God bless

Mr Mark Stower, College Principal

Our premiership quarter is almost done – just over a week until holidays bring us the welcome relief of pyjama mornings, going to the movies, beach days and cooking meals that extend past the normal repertoire of midweek time limits.  Term Three is often known as the “business term” of the academic calendar, and this is the prime time for boys to really get deeper into their learning – and communicate their highest order of thinking back to their classmates.  Their actions upon feedback and attention to the criteria set needs to match their set goals for each learning area.  Combine this side of College life with the many co-curricular opportunities, and we have many students and staff happy for the spring break we know as September holidays.

Today is RUOK? Day – a national focus on mental health and wellbeing across Australia – https://www.ruok.org.au/ is just one resource worth your time today.  We have been promoting the yellow wristbands in the Junior School to raise awareness of checking in on our mates, colleagues and family members.  A smile and a hello are simple signs of greeting each other as we busily carry on with our lives – but how often do we pause and “see” the person in front of us?  Do we make our relationships a priority and give the living, breathing souls in front of us the recognition that might just help with a little more perspective and balance?  There are some ideas worth giving our attention today that could very much make the difference with the next person you see.

1. Smile, use the person’s name in your greeting and share a compliment – make it unique to them.
2. Use a memory to remind them of a great experience you have had together – “Hey, remember when we….”
3. Invite people to join you to eat lunch, watch the kids play sport or to go and get a coffee before a meeting. Adults need invitations just as much as kids do to feel connected.
4. If people cannot make social gatherings – send them a “we wish you were here” message – if they have family or work commitments it lets them know they are not forgotten and their presence is valued.
5. Share something positive, funny or a recent good news story you know – bring a little light into the busyness of the lives we lead.

RUOK? Day is also about taking more care and action if we notice someone is particularly worried about something – especially over a period of time – beyond a “tough day”.  This can be dependent upon how familiar your relationship is, however, at the end of the day it is always encouraged to be brave enough to try to help.

1. Start by asking, “Are you ok?” – Try to avoid the “You look exhausted/awful/terrible” line – it may just add to their stress levels. This of course also means we need to be honest if asked this question – how good are we at saying “Actually, I might need a little help”?
2. You might have to wait for a response – do not jump in.  Give the person time to see you really mean the question and you want an honest response if they are comfortable.  Let them speak uninterrupted – nod and be reassuring that you can hear them.
3. Encourage a way to move forward. Small steps they might be able to put into place – or better yet, what you can do to help.  When we feel “stuck” by circumstances, or a run of negative experiences, then it can be a lonely time.  Distractions are good, but forward thinking and planning is better.
4. Follow up – the next hour, evening, day or week – whatever you can manage. Remind them that you remember, that they matter, that you care.  Keep that thread of connection between you held just tight enough that they can feel a community beside them.
5. If you are truly concerned, then seek professional advice – we have professionals who will have strategies and more explicit ideas to provide the help that could make the difference.

This is the time to remember our own mental health is a priority.  Sleep, diet, exercise and time with friends are paramount for being our best selves.  The contributions we make need us to engage a growth mindset – one that finds solutions, together as a team.  We are never alone.  God is with us always.  We have far more friends and people who care about us than we will ever realise.  We just need to lift our heads up and open our eyes to see the millions of miracles around us in the smallest of things – let the big things be lifted by everyone standing together.

Stephen Rouhliadeff, Head of Junior School

Over the past weeks, our Year 9 students have been exploring character and identity in their Personal Development lessons. They’ve been hearing life stories from various teachers who have captured the moments, experiences and people who have shaped their identity.

As the adults shared their stories, five common messages emerged:

The importance of:

• Resilience in overcoming adversity
• Developing empathy and tolerance
• Having meaningful relationships
• Life-long learning
• Good adult role models

As educators and parents, these are the things we strive to make a part of our guidance and nurturing of your sons as they develop into young men. We want our students/children to have the skills to respond to hardship, misfortune or failure. We want them to understand how others feel and accept people for who they are. We want them to have safe, supportive relationships with their family, friends, and teachers. We want them to value their education and we want to surround them with adults who can model appropriate behaviour and values.

My fear is that this final aspiration (adult role models) may well be the most challenging.

In a tech-heavy, social media saturated environment where peer acceptance is often the be all and end all, our boys’ mates are not always the best role models. In fact, they can often intentionally or unknowingly reinforce the opposite messages to those we want to get across.

Whenever quizzed, our young people often nominate sporting ‘celebrities’ as role-models. However, for every John Millman-style news report of success, there are unfortunately countless media reports of our sports men and women who have behaved poorly on or off the playing arena. Of course, the media play their part in bringing forward the negative rather than the positive behaviours exhibited by our boy’s various heroes.

When Naomi Osaka won the women’s US Open Tennis Final this week, much of the world’s media turned immediately to who she defeated, rather than celebrating Osaka’s first Grand Slam victory, and the first in history by a Japanese woman. While the poor behaviour of a rugby league team celebrating their end of season captured as many headlines as the impending start to the NRL finals.

In fact, the sporting celebrity landscape is an increasingly unreliable landscape for creating role-models for our young people. Steve Smith and Dave Warner as a case in point.

We often need to look closer to home for our role models. Every parent (mum or dad) typically plays the most critical role. On a daily basis, they model behaviour, attitudes and values. I am told at the most recent Year 12 retreat, when the boys were asked about their role models, they often responded by naming one or other or both parents.

Beyond this, every other family member, be it sibling, uncle, aunty, cousin, grandparent, etc.  are potential role-models.

As teachers, we do more than teach lessons. We model a love for learning, we model effective relationships, we model conflict resolution, and we model Christian values.

So, who are the adult role-models in your son’s life and how aware of it are they?

Greg O’Neill, Head of Middle School

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens
This week, I would like to return to Sean Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens. I have already outlined the habits associated with ‘the private victory’ so now we turn to ‘the public victory’- the steps to interdependence and working cooperatively with others. One of the foundational elements associated with habits four through to six is the power of relationships- a fundamental principle of our formation programs at Villanova College.

Covey speaks of the Relationship Bank Account and asks the following question- what is it like to be in a relationship with you? The RBA reflects the amount of trust and confidence underpinning your relationships. We continually reinforce with our young men the importance of their relationships with teachers as the key driving force in the learning and teaching process. Relationships grow when students take responsibility for their learning, are engaged in class by asking questions and proactively communicate with their teachers about how they can improve. In contrast, relationships are compromised when students are disruptive in class, fail to meet reasonable expectations and display a poor work ethic. Our philosophy of restorative practices at Villanova College addresses the situations in which relationships are damaged and explores ways in which they can be restored.

Habit Four of Highly Effective Teens is Think Win-Win and is associated with a mentality of collaborative success. Covey challenges the fragilities of character when the sole focus is winning at the expense of others. The win-lose attitude can be expressed as follows:

• Using other people, emotionally or physically, for your own selfish purposes;
• Trying to get ahead at the expense of someone else;
• Gossiping or spreading rumours about someone else;
• Always insisting on getting your way without thinking about other people’s feelings;
• Getting jealous when something good happens to someone close to you.

A win-win attitude is expressed through compassion, helping others succeed and a humble approach to success. These values and beliefs underpin the Villanova man and our Catholic tradition.

Podcast of the Week
What does it mean to be a man? Certainly a pertinent question within the context of the education of boys. As I have outlined frequently in my column, the importance of developing a culture of positive masculinity within the Senior School is a key focus of my Pastoral Care team.

Over the last few weeks, I have been listening to the podcast ‘Be a Man’. The following is the purpose of the podcast as outlined by the presenters Gus Worland (Triple M Grill Team co-host) and Dr Tim Sharp (The Happiness Institute):

For generations, we’ve been raised to believe that to ‘be a man’ we must be strong, brave and stoic but the stereotype is stopping us from asking for help. Now, it’s time to redefine our own perception of masculinity.

The podcast episodes explore topics including health, career, women, sexuality, social media and the taboos surrounding mental health. You can access these episodes by following this link: https://www.podcastone.com.au/be-a-man

“I hope I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man.”

– George Washington

Mr Matt Levander, Head of Senior School

Oliver Phommavanh 

Next Wednesday 19 September, Oliver Phommavanh will visit Villanova College and address Years 5, 6 and 8 students. His publishers, Penguin Random, have sponsored Oliver’s visit and he is promoting his new book, Natural Born Leader Loser.

We are always looking for opportunities to expose our students to successful authors and Oliver is certainly a successful, young, and by all accounts, entertaining author of humorous novels which appeal to a wide audience. Villanova has been fortunate to be selected as a host. Included here is the link to an order form for his new book as well as the other, very popular, books he has written. The bookstore, Where the Wild Things Are, will be supplying the books and donating ten percent of all sales to the Tolle Lege Library. The books will be supplied on the day of Oliver’s visit and will be signed by him; they would make a terrific Christmas gift idea. Please return the Order Form and payment to the Tolle Lege Library by Friday of this week.  There will also be another opportunity next Wednesday to buy the books for cash or card.

AFAS Elders: Melbourne Storm Jersey Raffle
There has been a wonderful and generous response to the raffle for a chance to win a Melbourne Storm jersey. This signed jersey has been donated by Christian Welch (College Captain, 2011), who went on the AFAS Exchange in 2009. Christian is delighted that the proceeds will go to the practical, community-building program that he engaged in with AFAS. The draw will occur during Pastoral on Monday 17 September. Thanks to Christian’s housemate, Cameron Munster, the Storm are still alive in the NRL Competition.

RUOK Day (Thursday 13 September)
Initiatives like a cupcake sale and a sausage sizzle created a buzz around our RUOK Day last week, while the day itself falls today.  The key is for the students themselves to take ownership of making this a safe and welcoming campus, including their online behaviour. Secondly, each student who shares vulnerability, for example when he is “not OK” – shows great courage in giving others permission to do the same.

The Church in the World of Today and Tomorrow
What is the state of the Christian Catholic Church roughly 2000 years after its formation? What will the Church look like tomorrow for the students currently at Villanova College? The Church under Pope Francis has recognised that the map must change because the terrain has. Hence the Synod for Youth in Rome later this year, and the 2020 Plenary Council in Australia. From today, I would like to devote a section of the Villa View to some discussion and stimulus on these questions. It is important for our community to understand the viewpoint regarding the 2020 Plenary Council. I welcome feedback and contributions.

My personal faith story is probably quite common to my generation. When I grew up, it was obvious that I would go to church with my father, as he had with his parents and grandparents – right back to when the family were (allegedly) converted by an Irish serving girl, who came to Yorkshire in the 1840s. We were led by “leading-strings of love” over many generations. The experience was that God works through the love of families over generations:

When Israel was a child I loved him…..I led them with reins of kindness, with leading strings of love. I was like someone who lifts an infant close against his cheek; stooping down to him, I gave him his food. (Hosea 11: 4)

This was my humble experience, of being led by family to a source of nourishment which continues to last. But what will be the food and the leading strings of love for our children and their children? The best hope that change will be navigated according to the Gospel is Pope Francis. Here is the first part of a wonderful editorial about his first five years, from The Tablet:

“The world needs popular leadership, but not the sort that exploits cynicism and resentment. Yet that type of populism is increasing across the globe. The one great exception is Pope Francis, who for five remarkable years has provided a civilising, humanising, compassionate influence wherever he has turned his gaze. He has, to put it crudely, weaponised God’s merciful love as a moral and political force to be reckoned with. And it has made him popular: as much, if not more so, outside the Church than in.”

John Holroyd, Dean of Mission and Identity

Wieneke Family Bursary
Last Thursday evening, we held the finals of the Wieneke Family Bursary in the Hanrahan Theatre.  Our external adjudicator, Miss Ashleigh Porter from Brisbane Girls’ Grammar School, had some very difficult decisions to make after listening to our 15 amazing soloists.  After some excellent performances, I would like to recognise our 2018 Bursary winners:

Junior School:       George Audet – Drums

Middle School:     Henry Barras – Flute

Senior School:      Xander Caulfield – Flute

I would like to take this opportunity to recognise the efforts of all instrumental teachers who were involved in educating all of our finalists.  I would also like to thank the parents and families of our students who continue to support their music education.  Thanks must also go to Mrs Megan Stuart, our College Accompanist, and Mr Alex Ranieri who assisted our students in their fine performances.  Finally, thanks to Mrs Alison Schrauf in the Music Office for the assistance provided in making our bursary program run smoothly yet again.

Auditions for 2019 Ensembles
Audition material for all band and string students have been forwarded home via email.  To ease pressure on time out of class during a busy academic period, we are trialling audition via video submission.  Students are required to prepare the material and film themselves playing this at home.  Please do not be concerned about the device used to film the performance footage; most smart phones or tablets will suffice for this purpose.  Should your son require assistance with the videoing of his performance, please contact us through the Music Office.  The data collected during this process is not the only evidence used to assess student progress; we will be also relying on observations of your child’s teacher across the current year.

Please contact your child’s teacher or myself through the Music Office should you have any questions or concerns regarding this process.

Preparation for 2019
Shortly we will be distributing information regarding re-enrolment for 2019.  We encourage our students to continue their music education, confident in the academic, cognitive, and academic benefits gained from learning an instrument.  There is current research in Australia published that recognises that learning a musical instrument rewires a child’s brain such that it enhances receptivity to learning in the classroom.

If you have four minutes, I strongly recommend you make a coffee and find a comfortable chair to view this video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0JKCYZ8hng.  Anita Collins is the face of a new music education revolution backed by the ABC.  She is a music teacher and researcher, having completed a PhD in music learning and brain function.  Anita is Australian and at the forefront of this important development – I recommend her story.

Information regarding the operation of next year’s program for all year levels, our new work program, and re-enrolment will be sent home via mail.  As always, should you have any questions or queries regarding our program and the opportunities available to your son, please do not hesitate to contact me through the Music Office.  I am more than happy to speak with you in person or over the phone.

We will be seeking re-enrolment forms be submitted early next term so that we may effectively plan our new schedule and staffing requirements.

Date Claimers
As per tradition, we cast our eyes over the last weeks of Term 3 and the upcoming term.  Please note the following in your diaries:

Michael Jones, Director of Music

As predicted, Villanova had a mixed round of results against St Peter’s Lutheran College on the weekend. Essentially, we had the number one AIC basketball school (Villanova) up against the number one AIC tennis school. Overall, Villanova won all basketball games played. However, our fortunes in tennis were not as favourable.

The final round of AIC basketball and tennis will be played this weekend against Ashgrove. Villanova trialled against Ashgrove in both basketball and tennis earlier in the season and from those results the Villanova boys can go into this round feeling confident of their abilities. I am pleased to report that our lead in the AIC basketball aggregate is very substantial heading into the final round. Although it seems we have the basketball aggregate under-wraps, we still require all teams to finish the season off well this weekend.

Overall, we have an astounding 23 basketball teams in a position to take out a premiership this weekend. In addition, we have a good number of teams who need to win this weekend as well as hope some other results go our way to take out a premiership. At the end of the day, we can only control what we do this weekend and hope things go our way elsewhere. Nevertheless, the expectation is the same for all students. We train hard, play hard and give our very best for our team and the College. I am sure that our boys will not take the opposition lightly as I know they have a hunger to come away with the silverware after this weekend.

I ask all boys to keep up the good efforts at track and field training and after this week, we can solely give track and field our full attention.  Last weekend we saw our Year 5, 6 and 7 boys compete in the first AIC Track and Field Meet for the season. Given the Year 6 Father/Son Camp and AIC tennis and basketball commitments, we knew the numbers would be low. This Friday we have the first Year 5 -Year 12 Track and Field Meet at SAF. We expect full attendance by all squad members. After this week, we only have three more weeks of training before the Track and Field Championships are held in Week 3 next term. Not long to go now, so our full attention and commitment to training and to all meets must be high on our priority. Track and Field training will continue next week on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons at QSAC.

The Villanova Swim Program commenced this week with two sessions offered to all boys from Year 5 – Year 12.  We had a reported 14 students in attendance on Tuesday morning (plus another eight or nine training with Jets) which is not a bad start. Traditionally, most of the boys within the College (as well as those who are enrolled in 2019) will commence training in Week 1 of Term 4.  At a total price of $150 for the season, it is certainly good value for money. I encourage as many students as possible to avail themselves of this program. One thing is certain, if we want results we must put the work in now!

As mentioned above, the final round of AIC fixtures this weekend will see Villanova up against Ashgrove. This will be the final time that our Year 12 students will play basketball and tennis for the green and gold. I thank these men for their contributions given over the years and wish them, as well as all other teams, the very best this weekend. Let’s go hard until the end boys and please enjoy!

AIC Tennis and Basketball Round 7 v Marist College Ashgrove, Friday 14 and Saturday 15 September – Times and Venues
All Year 5 and Year 6 basketball games are played on Friday afternoons. All Year 7 – Year 12 basketball and Year 5 – Year 12 tennis games are played on Saturday.  Please refer to the College’s website  to view all times and venues for this weekend’s fixtures against Ashgrove.

Villanova Swimming 
Please be advised that the Villanova Swim Program has commenced for all students from Year 5 – Year 12. The numbers participating so far have been pleasing despite many of our students currently involved with basketball, tennis and the track and field training programs.

We are hoping many more students will join the program as of Week 1 next term. The cost of these sessions will be a one-off fee of $150 per student for the entire season leading up to Week 1 of the school year in 2019. This is outstanding value for money as students can access up to three sessions per week for nearly four months plus the two sessions offered up until Week 1 next term. You cannot get better than that!

All interested students must complete a swimming rego/payment form available from the Sports Office or on the College website. We encourage as many boys as possible to participate. Our success in 2019 is dependent upon the work put in this year!

Villanova Swimming Training Schedule
Below is the initial training schedule as from Tuesday 11 September 2018 – Thursday 4 October 2018.

As from Week 1 of Term 4, the training schedule listed below will be in place until the conclusion of the Villanova swim season in 2019. All Villanova students will compete in the AIC Competition from Year 5 – Year 12. Training sessions will now be split, that is, Year 5 – Year 8 sessions and Year 9 – Year 12 sessions (year level based on which year the student will enter in 2019).

The training schedule commencing Tuesday 9 October 2018 and onwards is below:

Fees: A flat fee of $150 will be charged per student for all training sessions up until the start of the 2019 school year. This includes all sessions over the summer holiday period. Students are then entitled to attend as many training sessions as possible throughout this period. Altogether, those who join the program could have access up to 53 training sessions throughout this period for only $150 (less than $3 per session by highly skilled and qualified swim coaches). The more sessions you attend the more value for money you receive. This represents outstanding value.

Kerry Holland has asked all members of the Jets swim club to participate in at least one of the Villanova squad sessions each week and the Friday morning session.  These additional sessions will help build team spirit and provide further skills training for Met East squads, and relay practice.

Please Note: All payments are to be made through FlexiSchools www.flexischools.com.au.  The link is available on the school’s website.  Parents with boys commencing at the College in 2019 can pay via FlexiSchools using the ‘Guest’ option.

Flipper/Pool Buoy and Bag: All students are required to purchase their own flippers and pool buoy for training. Langlands Pool will supply your son with a training pack at a cost of $70. Please find attached the order form, which must be lodged with Langlands Park Pool (not Villanova College) to receive your training gear at a discounted price.

Special Welcome Breakfast: A breakfast will be held for all squad members on Friday 12 October at the Villanova College Pool (not Langlands Pool). This breakfast will replace the training session scheduled that day. All squad members are invited to join including the students entering the College in Year 5 and Year 7 in 2019. Breakfast will commence at 7am and is simply a meet and greet breakfast, which all coaches and managers will attend.

For those who wish to take advantage of this opportunity, please complete the attached forms and return them to the Junior School Office (Junior School students) or the Sports Office (Middle and Senior School students).  Late comers will be accepted; however, they will be required to pay the full fee.  Students entering Villanova College in 2019, particularly our new Year 5 and Year 7 students are asked to either email the form through to the Sports Office email sportsoffice@vnc.qld.edu.au  or post to: Director of Sport, Villanova College, PO Box 1166, COORPAROO DC 4151.

If you have any further queries please contact the Villanova College Swim Coordinator, Mrs Juanita Jacobs via email jjacobs@vnc.qld.edu.au.  Alternatively, please contact the Sports Office on 3394 5621.

AIC Water Polo
Students from Year 7 – Year 12 who are interesting in playing AIC water polo in Term 4 must register their interest via the sign-on sheets located outside the Sports Office. At this early stage, it is likely that water polo will be played on Wednesday afternoons after school on the following dates in Term 4:  October 17, 24 and 31 and November 8.  Levels are Open/Year 9-10/Year 7-8: three age levels. If we do not get enough interest, we will not nominate teams. Registrations close tomorrow.

AIC Tennis – Mrs Kath Underhill, AIC Tennis Coordinator
Last Saturday saw a mixed day of results and weather! While the early morning games were cancelled, some teams soldiered on as limited sunshine provided a few playable surfaces. Quite possibly the strongest tennis college in AIC, St. Peter’s were dominant in most matches played. Special mention to Michael Gordon, Year 8, whose intense battle against a powerful opponent, was victorious because ‘Gordo’ kept his cool and remained focused!

With just one week to go, teams are preparing for the final round against Ashgrove and I wish all players the very best.

I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge our Year 12 players and thank them for their dedication to Villanova College tennis over the year/s.  Well done boys, your College is extremely proud of you.

AIC Tennis Results v St Peter’s

AIC Basketball – Mr Sean O’Neill, AIC Basketball Co-ordinator
Round 6 versus St Peter’s was a crucial round as we looked to ensure we remained ahead of the pack for Champion School and in the hunt for many premierships. We were able to come away with wins in all 23 games we played which is another fantastic effort. It is the second round this year where we were able to win 12 – 0 on aggregate. Unfortunately, due to the weather, several teams were unable to get on court and means the chances of a premiership was hindered. The First V had a tightly fought contest that was won on the back of some great composure in the last minutes.

This week sees us play the final round of the season against one of the toughest schools in the competition, Ashgrove. It should be a very tough day for both schools and I hope we can come out on top.

I would like to acknowledge our Year 12 basketballers who will be playing their final game of AIC basketball. I congratulate and thank them all for the effort and support of the basketball program over the year/s. Some boys will be playing their eighth season as a Wildcat basketballer and have given so much of themselves.  Congratulations, thank you and good luck. I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the coaches.  It is important that all players find a moment after Saturday to personally thank their coach for the season. It is a big effort to take on a schoolboy basketball team on top of normal work commitments. As a program, we would not be able to survive, let alone succeed without their passion and commitment, and I thank you all on behalf of Villanova College.

Good luck to all teams this weekend and I hope next week to be able to report good news on many individual premierships and the Champion School trophy.

Be humble and hungry.

AIC Basketball Results v St Peter’s

AIC Track and Field
The second AIC Track and Field meet for the season will be held this tomorrow at SAF. This meet will be for all students from Year 5- Year 12 and we expect all boys to attend. Bus transportation will be provided. Year 5 and Year 6 students will depart Villanova by bus at 2.00pm and return by bus at 5.30pm. Year 7- Year 12 students will depart by bus at 3.15pm and return to the College at 8.15pm. Parents are welcome to collect their son from the venue. The full program for this week’s meet is below:

SCHEDULE OF TRACK EVENTS FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 14 AT SAF

SCHEDULE OF FIELD EVENTS FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 14 AT SAF

AIC Track and Field Meets – 2018

Craig Stariha, Director of Sport

TUCKSHOP ROSTER
Monday 17 September

Tuesday 18 September

 Wednesday 19 September

 Thursday 20 September

 Friday 21 September

 LIBRARY ROSTER
^{Monday 17 September
Sylvia Wright}

^{Tuesday 18 September
Anastasia Bailey}

^{Friday 21 September
Gab Byrne
Melanie Pickering}

Junior School Disco – Friday 12 October – 6.30pm – 8.30pm

Junior School Parent End of Year Celebration  – Friday 9 November

2019 AFAS EXCHANGE
A reminder to those students wishing to attend the 2019 AFAS Exchange that a booking deposit of $700.00 is required by next Friday, September 21 and is payable through FlexiSchools.

 2018 ELDERS PROJEST –  KINATARCAN ISLAND
 Donations
Thank you to all the generous families who have contributed towards the AFAS Elders project in the Philippines. A recent anonymous donation of $300.00 will go a long way towards the construction of a community hall, which will also be used for the mat weaving business thereby ensuring a sustainable business for the people on Kinatarcan Island.

At present, we are just under half way towards our target of $8000.00. If you would like to donate as little as one of the four sheets of THK marine ply ($12.60) or the 12 roof beams ($201.60 in total) – it would be greatly appreciated. Please click here to see a list of the costings of all materials required to complete the Elders project.

Donations may be deposited into the following account:

BSB                                     064-786

Account Number         019232109

When making deposit/transfer, please put ‘AFAS Elders’ in the description as well as what item you are donating plus your name:

AFAS Elders        concrete            Smith                           

If you would like to remain anonymous, please put “anon” instead of your name.

Unfortunately, AFAS Elders is not a registered charity, so donations are not tax deductible but if you require a receipt, please email Tony Hindmarsh at thindmarsh@vnc.qld.edu.au.

EVERY LITTLE BIT MAKES A DIFFERENCE!

Fr Peter Wieneke OSA
Rector: 1987 – 1994

   
Peter James Wieneke was born in Brisbane in 1944, the only child of Keith and Dawn.  He attended Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Toowoomba for his primary schooling then Villanova College for his secondary education.  His studies for the priesthood were completed at Villanova University, Pennsylvania and at the Augustinian College, Washington.  Peter took a break from study to teach at Villanova College before completing his studies at Kensington Seminary, Sydney.  In 1972 he was ordained at St James’ Church, Coorparoo.

Father Wieneke was on the staff at Villanova for eight years, before moving to St Augustine’s College, Brookvale as Vice Rector for five years.  He returned to Villanova College as Rector in 1987.

As Rector, Father Peter kept alive the community spirit, so characteristic of the College since its foundation.  The general improvement of the College grounds and environment were features of his leadership. He encouraged all students to lift their standards of dress and to take pride in wearing the College uniform.  The academic curriculum diversified during his time as Rector, as did changes to the governance and administration of the College.

Moving to Sydney in 1995 Fr Peter was attached to various Parishes in the western suburbs.  He returned to Villanova College in 2011 as Chaplain.