Villa View: Issue 5

Dear Members of the Villanova College Family
The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has highlighted the need for all schools to have very clear procedures in place to ensure Child Safety is the highest priority. Last year as part of the Non State Schools Cyclical Review process held every five years, the College was required to show evidence to external validators that the College is compliant with State and Federal legislation to operate as a Non State School in Queensland. An important component of meeting compliance is a regular review of our Student Protection Policy and Procedures.

The Student Protection Policy and Procedures document can be found on the College‘s website- www.vnc.qld.edu.au under the tab – Our College, Policies and Documents. At the College Assembly tomorrow, Friday 24 February the Student Protection Officers will be re-introduced to the student community.

The Students Protection Officers for 2017 are shown below:

Mr Mark Stower – Principal

Mr Steven Bremner – Deputy Principal

Mr Stephen Rouhliadeff – Head of Junior School

Mr Greg O’Neill – Head of Middle School

Mr Matthew Levander – Head of Senior School

Mr Adrian Hellwig – College Counsellor

Mr Tass Sakellariou – College Psychologist

Mrs Julianne Shaw – Drama Teacher

Within each classroom at the College is a poster reminding students to be proactive and to speak to the Student Protection Officers or a trusted adult if they have any concerns.

Building Update

The rectification work on the Fr Michael Morahan Staff Centre and Veritas Building continues and progress is being made. In consultation with the College Board the decision has been made not to construct the same wall on the east side as was there prior to the collapse. The recommendation to the architect has been to design a wall using lightweight materials. The architect is currently developing concept drawings to be tabled for comment.

At all times the College Leadership Team and the College Board have taken the view that the highest priority is the safety of all persons on the campus. We are striving to have the highest safety factor in all areas and we continue to work with the builders and engineers to achieve this goal.

Scholars Assembly

Last Friday we welcomed back to the College members of the 2016 Senior Cohort to recognise their outstanding achievements in their Senior studies. Twenty-six students were recognised for placing in the top 10 % of OP Eligible students in the State of Queensland.  Recently I was informed Matthew Reece (Senior 2016) has been successful in securing a QUT Vice- Chancellor’s Scholarship for 2017. We congratulate Matthew on his scholarship.

Prayers

We ask for your prayers for the families of Mr Greg O’Neill and Mr Sean O’Neill following the passing of their Grandmother, Mrs Helen O’Neill and Mrs Sandy Foster (School Officer – Reception) and Dylan (’15) and Trent (Year 11) following the recent death of her father in law and their grandfather, Mr Reg Foster.

May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen

You have made us for Yourself O Lord,

And our hearts are restless until they rest in you.

God bless

Mr Mark Stower, Principal

This week we begin a formal inquiry and exploration of Restorative Practices in our Year 5 classes.  In simple terms, we hope to begin expanding the boys’ emotive vocabulary and highlight the benefits of honesty, accountability and making amends with our behaviour and actions.  We need to identify the feeling and emotions as words and images.  We have to start to appreciate that how we show and share our emotions might be different to others.  We must remember that every student and teacher has a different background story that might need our understanding each day.  As much as we want every interaction to be positive and encourage feelings of self-worth, there are times in our lives when disagreements or conflict occur because our stories are all unique.

Through Restorative Practices we believe that building a rapport and connection with others will enhance our working and social relationships.  Scientific study and research confirms that our brains release endorphins when we are happy, examples might include being noticed, understood, appreciated and celebrated.  We thrive when we feel that there is social justice and equality.  Boys develop stronger connections where there is humour, competition and high levels of support.  If we can be conscious of how to stimulate our own self-worth and that of those around us, we stand a far greater chance of maximising our capacity to learn, because we have the mental “space” to do so.

If we feel self-conscious, unnoticed or experience the feeling of shame or embarrassment our minds automatically go into a mode of self-preservation.  Our non-verbals communicate a lack of eye contact, our head tilts down and our participation in life around us is minimal at best.  We disengage and send out signals that might deter others inviting us to work or play – this cycle of low self-esteem spirals quite quickly into a sense of helplessness and feelings that we don’t belong. It is a very obvious in society today that we have far more incidents of mental health issues than ever before.  This can be due to our increased awareness and education, however, we have been reminded to keep our focus on our neighbours since Jesus was here on Earth.

Our Villanova Community is such that we all belong the instant we commit to being a staff member, parent or student.  There is no “earning our place” or long queue of moving to the “front of the line” here.  We gather to share all our talents and gifts through our own modes, be it in front of a class or in the many supporting groups that coordinate sporting teams, music performances or cultural celebrations.  I am already hearing about some incredible emails that parents are sending to support their classroom teachers as we move into the middle of our curriculum work in Week 5.  The words in Week 1 have been consolidated by camps in Weeks 2 and 3, and we now see how precious the relationships become back in the classroom with our learning and achievements.

It would be fair to think that boys today should “just know” how to be their best selves as we all have a pretty good recollection that our own childhoods taught us how to play fairly, share evenly and contribute happily at school.  However, it is obvious to see just how much more our sons have in today’s world compared to ours, how could they not be more comfortable?  The reality is that as human beings we will always benefit most from one on one love and attention.

In the Junior School, our Focus of the Week topics give us small steps in developing manners and courtesy in what is a very busy world.  Being given someone’s time and focus is the most precious gift of all.  Being available for a conversation, and being ready to be comfortable in pausing is always   going to help your son develop his identity.

It’s a long-term goal, that balanced and happy individual who can be proud of who he is, what he has achieved and what inspires him in the future.  The time to make that happen is now, in the faithful and positive partnership between the family and the College.

Mr Stephen Rouhliadeff, Head of Junior School

How would you describe your personality? How much do you know about yourself and how you present and relate to others?

These are just a few of the questions posed to our Year 9 students as they commenced their Personality Types unit in PD this week. Over the next month in PD, the boys will be completing an ‘enneagram activity’ as they learn more about their own personality and most importantly, what it means for them and the people in their lives.

Activities such as these help us teach and promote ‘Social Awareness’, one of the five broad Social Emotional Learning (SEL) competencies. Social Awareness is the ability to take the perspective of and empathize with others, and to understand ethical and social norms.

Over the past number of years, the College has taken a number of strategic steps to further and deepen its understanding of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) and its implications for both educators and parents.

What is SEL?

SEL by definition is “the process through which we learn to recognise and manage emotions, care about others, make good decisions, behave ethically and responsibly, develop positive relationships and avoid negative behaviours” (Elias et al. 1997).

These learnings, at both school and beyond, help integrate our thoughts, feelings and behaviours to achieve life’s duties, meet our interpersonal and intrapersonal needs and develop the skills necessary to function successfully in society.

For students of all ages, the current research suggests that improving an individual’s SEL competency will enhance their academic development and can open pathways for success beyond their Senior year.

CASEL or the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, is one of, if not, the leading organisation devoted to promoting SEL in schools, homes and communities.  CASEL have grouped these skills into five broad competencies which form their own SEL Framework.

These five competencies include:

• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness
• Relationship Skills
• Responsible Decision Making

At Villanova College, an SEL Working Committee developed Villanova’s own SEL framework that adopted CASEL’s five competencies but have devised 37 skills or ‘sub-competencies’. Over 2017 and beyond, the College community will be called upon to engage with this framework and wrestle with its implications, both at school and at home.

For those eager to read more, www.casel.org would be a great place to start.

Mr Greg O’Neill, Head of Middle School

Maximising academic success

As we enter the mid-point of the first term, it is extremely important that students are taking full advantage of the support structures and processes that provide opportunities to maximise academic success. I have continued to reinforce with students that a strong relationship with their classroom teacher is the primary platform for realising their academic goals.

Students who are struggling with their understanding of key concepts in their subjects should proactivity seek out the support of their teacher to ensure they do not fall behind in their work. Furthermore, the additional tutoring offered by various curriculum area leaders and staff offer further opportunities for students to cement their knowledge and understanding of both content and approaches to assessment tasks. I strongly encourage all Senior School students to take full advantage of these opportunities to improve their academic results this term.

Deeper engagement within the assessment process is another area in which students can improve the quality of their assignment work. The drafting phase should be valued and reflect the student’s best work at that point in time, to maximise the value of teacher feedback. When students submit incomplete drafts of poor quality, they limit the scope of feedback available to them which compromises the strength of the teacher-student relationship.

Senior School Vision

Last week, I introduced the first component of the Senior School vision that underpins the formation and development of our young men. This week I want to share with you two more core components – Be True to Yourself and Be a Man of Faith.

Be True to Yourself

‘The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.’ The core value underpinning Carl Jung’s quote is authenticity. At Villanova College, we are committed to allowing all students to walk their own path to become the men they aspire to be, free of judgment or prejudice from their peers. All Senior School students are encouraged to follow a learning pathway reflective of their subject interests and to engage in the various co-curricular programs to share their unique talents within a supportive community.

Be a Man of Faith

One of the gateway values underpinning our Augustinian education tradition is Interiority – the inner process by which the truth of what is taught is tested by the ‘teacher within’, which is the presence of God within each person. This is a challenging concept for our students, one which requires a maturity to appreciate the importance of their spiritual formation and personal faith journey. Within the religious education curriculum and through engagement in the College’s liturgical, ministry and retreat experiences, students are offered opportunities to nurture their inner selves.

“To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek him the greatest adventure; to find him, the greatest human achievement.” Saint Augustine

Mr Matthew Levander, Head of Senior School

It has been a productive week for Villanova College Ministry, with the dual success of the annual Ministry Expo sign on and the Ministry BBQ both exceeding expected goals.

More than 190 Middle and Senior School students signed on to join a Ministry and the barbecue raised $200 in funds for future St Vincent De Paul (Vinnies) endeavours. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the following for their continued dedication and commitment: Ms. Amanda Waterson, assisting with Rosies – friends on the street, Mrs Kath Underhill for her spectacular work on the props and presentations of all Ministry groups, the Villanova College IT Department for the hours put into the technical aspects of our presentation, the Library staff for allowing us to greedily snatch up a large portion of their floor and Fr. Peter Wieneke for coming in on late nights to adorn the area with banners,  as well as providing a good source of information for any  students curious about Ministry.

I would like to especially thank the Ministry planning team for the hours of collaborative planning and finally Mr John Holroyd for his invaluable assistance which enabled us to have one of the best starts to the year for Villanovan Ministry.

This week all the Ministry meetings will have been “open door.” It is never too late to walk in and get involved. Some events require “sprinters” and some “stayers”, so there is room for all. Best wishes and Good luck to all Ministry groups.

Fabrice Ragoo, Villanova College Ministry Captain

Time flies and this weekend marks the half point of the cricket and volleyball season. Our swimmers are making their final preparations for the up-coming AIC Swimming Championships and we are already looking ahead to next term’s sporting program which includes rugby, football, cross country and chess. There are certainly plenty of opportunities for our students to become involved. By now all students from Year 5 – 12 have been given a ‘Trimester 2 Sport Sign-On Form’. I ask all parents to ensure that their son has completed the appropriate form and it has been returned to the Sports Office promptly. The information collated from these forms is used to plan and prepare the season ahead. This form is available on the College’s website and is due this Friday 24 February. 

Once again, we are in need of parents and old boys to assist the College by coaching and refereeing teams/games for both rugby and football this year.  If you are able to assist please make contact with Mr Blake McLauchlan (rugby) – bmclauchlan@vnc.qld.edu.au or Mr Chris Everding (football) – ceverding@vnc.qld.edu.au.  We would like to finalise all coaches/referees for the up-coming AIC rugby and football season as soon as possible.

To assist families with their forward planning, please find below a full schedule of the ‘Term 2 AIC Sports Training Schedule’. All teams training at Villanova Park will be transported to the venue by bus and parents will be required to collect their son/s promptly after training.

Our wish as a College is to utilise Villa Park as much as possible. The training schedule is designed so that all rugby and football teams from Years 7 – 12 have enough space to train adequately and are at the same location at the same time in order for our skills coaches in both rugby and football to monitor/assist coaches and player development. 

On behalf of the College I wish all swimmers the very best in their preparations for the up-coming AIC Swim Championships. The College will send out all Year 7, 10 and 12 students to support our swim team on the day of the Championship. We ask all parents to support the College by ensuring your son/s attend school on this day and attends the AIC Swim Championships if required. Our swim team would certainly appreciate the support of their College in the stands as they take to their events.

Villanova had another strong weekend of results against St Edmund’s, winning all games in cricket and narrowly losing the day in volleyball. It was great to see both First teams win their games in sensational fashion. I was particularly impressed with the level of school spirit displayed by the Villa boys in Goold Hall. Our Year 12 leaders led by example with music and great cheer to assist our volleyball teams. Well done to the 10A volleyball team who won their game in an absolute thriller in the last set. I have no doubt the inspiration from this game fuelled the fire for our First team to take victory as well. Special mention must also go to our AFL boys with the 6A team in particular playing great footy with dominating performances over the first couple of rounds.

I know our boys are looking forward to putting on the green and gold this weekend as we take on Padua in cricket and volleyball and Ashgrove in the AFL. The opposition will be tough and every Villa boy will have to stand up and be counted this weekend to ensure success. I’m backing the boys in green and gold, good luck to all and please enjoy!

Round 4 Fixtures – Saturday 25 February, AIC Cricket and Volleyball v Padua, AIC AFL v Ashgrove

Please refer to the College’s website to view all times and venues for this weekend’s fixtures against Padua and Ashgrove. Simply scroll down on the College’s home page to the ‘Latest News’ section and click the ‘Weekly Fixtures’ section.

AIC Cricket

A large number of our cricket teams are in premiership contention after the first three rounds of the season. Villa produced another pleasing round of results over the weekend winning all games against St Edmund’s.  I ask all players to remain focused on the round ahead as Padua have a number of competitive teams across the board who will challenge us. I wish all teams the very best!

AIC Volleyball – Ms Barbara Dewis, AIC Volleyball Co-ordinator

Volleyball is certainly a game of ‘ups and downs’ and Villa experienced that last week against SEC with 10 losses and 9 wins. Year 7, 8, and 9 struggled to adjust to the narrow serving space, however the rallies for points were brilliant.  Players were chasing balls off court as well as flexing their bodies to ensure they got the ball back over the net to have a chance at winning the point.  It was a tough day but teams will need to regroup and focus for this week’s games against Padua.

The senior volleyball teams did themselves proud with hard fought battles on the court. I was fortunate to see the end of the 10A game in which their coach was wanting the players ‘to keep your composure and win some points’.  The 10A’s certainly did and went on to win the game 2 – 1. With this result in hand it was enough momentum to give the firsts a boost as they progressed to the start of their game.  The Firsts came away with their first win of the season 3 – 0.  This is the result the players needed heading into Round 4 against Padua.

When all players stay ‘strong in mind and heart’ on their way to supporting and encouraging each other the winning feeling may come sooner than you think. So this weekend let us all unite with good results and remember ‘Carn the Cats’!

Year 7, 8 and 9 photos will be taken next weekend – 4 March.

AIC Swimming – Ms Kate Alexander, AIC Swim Coordinator

Well done to all boys who attended Friday night’s swim meet at St. Peter’s Lutheran College. It was very well organised and ran like a well-oiled machine! Congratulations to Brandan Frail in particular who posted a number of PB’s on the night.

I attended training last Friday morning and was excited to see the boys working hard. I would like to remind all boys that their behaviour is on show and they are representing Villanova College when at swimming training at Langlands, alongside the general public. Please ensure you are showing the coaches the respect they deserve and following directions. There is only two weeks left until the Championships, so all boys need to be giving it their all.

This Friday the boys will attend a swim meet at Iona College. There will be two buses leaving the College at 3.15pm.  However, there are NO buses returning to Villa at the conclusion of the Carnival. Please arrange to collect your son from Iona promptly by 6.30pm.

Date:  Friday, February 24 – Iona College Invitational Meet

Venue:  Iona College, entry via North Rd

Time:  Warm-up at 4.00pm

Carnival commences at 4.30pm

Carnival concludes at 6.30pm 

Bus:  Depart Villanova College at 3.15pm

(NO BUS RETURNING TO VILLA, BOYS MUST BE COLLECTED FROM IONA COLLEGE)

Please keep in mind we only have one meet left to get times from the boys.  These times are used to determine the boys who will swim at the AIC Swimming Championships at Chandler. The competition is tight in many of the year levels so it is important the boys are training hard and as often as possible.

Note – If you are not able to attend the Friday carnival for any reason please contact myself or your relevant swim manager.

Friday Breakfast

A number of boys have not yet returned forms or money for their Friday morning breakfast, please ensure your son brings these to the Sports Office this week.

AIC AFL – Mr Adam Fry, AIC AFL Co-ordinator

It was a mixed weekend for Villa AFL last weekend, with both Year 6 teams having outstanding wins against some quality opposition.  Unfortunately, the Year 5 results didn’t go our way, however both Mr Conlan and myself are extremely proud of the efforts of all players and are looking forward to playing this weekend against Marist College Ashgrove.

This weekend games will again be the same time as the previous weekend, with our B teams kicking off at 8am and both A teams beginning at 9.15am. This week’s games are on Fields 1 and 2 so hopefully the showcase field brings out the best in our boys. Thank you to all parents for their continued support, it is truly appreciated. Just a reminder that if your son cannot attend training or the game, please advise the coaches.  We look forward to seeing you all out at Yeronga this weekend.

Results Round 3

5A Padua 8.5.53 def. Villanova 7.3.45

5B Padua 8.6.54 def. Villanova 6.4.40

6A Villanova 20.16.134 def. Padua 0.2.2

6B Villanova 10.5.65 def. Padua 5.4.34

Week 4 AFL Fixtures

AIC Rugby and Football Training/Trials

The first training/trial session will occur the very first week after Round 7 of cricket, AFL and volleyball, Monday, 20 March.

All Year 5 and Year 6 students will be involved in some skill and drill sessions during Friday sport commencing on 10 March. All players must have boots, mouthguards and a suitable jersey (this does not have to be a Villanova jersey). Staff will notify boys when they will be doing contact drills and require extra protective gear.

All training times and venues for all Year7 – 12 teams are listed on the College’s website. All Year 5 and Year 6 teams will train at Langlands or Whinstanes, specific days and times will be advised.

Please see the divisions below, in each division the players will be graded from A, B, C etc. Opens will be graded from 1st, 2nds, 3rds etc.

Football:  Year 5, Year 6, Year 7, Year 8, Year 9, Year 10 and Opens

Rugby:  Year 5, Year 6, Year 7, Year 8, Year 9, Year 10, 16 years and Opens (students from Year11 onwards are to play in their age group not year levels)

AIC Rugby and Football Trial Games – Date Claimers

Monday 20 March, 1st XV and 1st XI Football trial v Iona (after school)

Saturday 25 March AIC Rugby and Football v SLC (full school trial)

Saturday 22 April AIC Rugby and Football v SPLC (full school trial)

AIC Rugby, Football and Chess Training/Trial Schedule

The schedules below will be applied all season:

Rugby Training

Year 7, Year 8, Year 9, Year 10, 16years and Opens at Villa Park 4.00pm – 5.15pm, Monday and Wednesday afternoons

Year 5 and 6 at Little Langlands, morning session 7.00am – 8.00am

afternoon session 3.15pm – 4.45pm (specific days will be advised)

Football Training

Year 7, Year 8, Year 9, Year 10, 3rds, 4ths and 5ths at Villa Park 4.00pm – 5.15pm, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons

1sts and 2nds at Villa Park on Monday and Wednesday afternoons

Year 5 and 6 at Whinstanes/Little Langlands, morning session 7.00am -8.00am

afternoon session 3.15pm – 4.45pm (specific days will be advised)

AIC Chess Training

Chess Club will continue Wednesday and Friday mornings in Term 2 from 7.30am – 8.30am. Lunchtime time sessions will also be available at first break every day for game practise. The Chess Club sessions offered this term will also double as the trial process to select AIC teams.

Rugby and Football – Coaches/Referees 

As the winter football season is fast approaching, the Sports Office at Villanova is asking all parents and old boys who indicated last year they wished to assist in 2017 to confirm that they still wish to do so. If you have an interest in refereeing or coaching, please contact:

Year 5 – 12 Football – Chris Everding email: ceverding@vnc.qld.edu.au

Year 5 – 12 Rugby – Blake McLauchlan email: bmclauchlan@vnc.qld.edu.au

AIC Rugby, Football, Cross Country and Chess Sign-Ons

Please be advised that all boys from Years 5 – 12 will be given the opportunity to sign-on for the up-coming Villanova rugby, football and chess season. We expect that when a boy commits to a team he follows that commitment through until the end of season.  Both parents and players are to sign off on the ‘Sign on Form’ indicating they are aware of the College’s policies and expectations with regards to school sport. The College’s Selection Guidelines and Code of Conduct are found overleaf on the sign–on form. Please note that school sport is given priority over club sport as written in the College diary. Sign on-forms were distributed during Pastoral last week and are also available on the web page.

We hope to provide all teams from Years 5 – 12, two training sessions weekly. Year 5 and Year 6 teams will train at various times before and after school at Little Langlands and Whinstanes.  All games are played on Saturdays as per College Calendar. Please refer to the Colleges’ website under AIC Rugby and AIC Football to view further details including training times.

Representative Sport

Well done to Angelo Natale and Franco Natale who were both recently selected into the Met East Under 18 Baseball Team. Angelo and Franco will now compete at the State Championships to be held in Ipswich later this month. Great efforts boys!

Mr Craig Stariha, Director of Sport

Sport Club News: Mega Raffle

Would you like to win $10,000……you have a chance to win when you buy a Megaraffle ticket and even better, there are only 200 tickets printed.

The Megaraffle is one of the main fundraising events organised by the Villanova Sports Club.The Sports Club is a voluntary group of parents, old boys and friends who provide support  for the development of sport at Villanova by fundraising.

Megaraffle tickets will be ready for purchase from the 6th February. The money raised by buying your Megaraffle ticket has built the Villa Park cricket nets, has helped renovate the Outdoor Basketball Courts and paid for specialist coaching in recent years.

Tickets can be bought individually or you will be able to purchase through your son’s sports team in a syndicate to make it more affordable.

To buy a ticket call Jeremy Meredith Mob 0407895207, Robyn Gunning from Tuckshop rgunning@vnc.qld.edu.au and Allyson Smith in the Finance Department asmith@vnc.qld.edu.au

2017/18 Entertainment Book Drive

The 2017/18 Entertainment Book drive commences this week with the distribution of presale envelopes to all Year 5 and Year 6 students, as well as all Middle and Senior School students participating in ensembles at Villanova College.  Prizes are available for the most Entertainment Books sold during this period.  Please support our fantastic Music Support Group with this annual fundraiser.

Lessons and Rehearsals

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our students for their attendance at lessons and rehearsals thus far this term.  We are now half-way through Term 1 and I encourage you all to maintain the momentum right through to the Easter Break.

Junior School Music

Year 5 students have been assigned their instruments and loan agreements were sent home on Tuesday.  We currently have a class competition running where the class with all forms returned wins a ‘sweet’ prize from Mrs Sleep.  Please ensure these agreements are signed by a parent/guardian and the student before returning.  One copy is to be returned to the College, while the other stays at home for your records.

A reminder that Year 6 Ensembles are now up and running.  Band meets on the Hanrahan Theatre Stage and String Ensemble rehearse in the String Room on Level one of the Augustine Centre.  Students are to arrive for a 7am start.

Music Ministry Group to the Cathedral

Our fantastic Music Ministry group will be providing the music for the Mass celebrating the launch of Project Compassion for 2017.  This Mass is to be convened next Tuesday, 28 February in St Stephen’s Cathedral.  Students will need to be available before school for early travel so that we may sound-check prior to the Mass.  We will return to the College during morning tea in preparation for the remainder of the day.

Further information will be sent home via email this week.  If you are available, please come and join us.

Tour Information

Tour information has been sent home electronically to students in our String Ensembles and Bands (excluding Junior School Ensembles).  We would appreciate prompt return of these documents so that decisions may be made regarding tour viability and staffing.  If you have not returned these yet, please do so by the end of the week.

Should you have any queries or concerns regarding your son’s involvement in any of these events, please don’t hesitate to contact me through the Music Office on 3394 5691 or via email at music@vnc.qld.edu.au.

New Students to the College

New students enrolled at Villanova College in the Middle and Senior Schools are most welcome to join our co-curricular Music program.  All other interested students are encouraged to come down to the Music Office to introduce yourselves or alternatively contact us during business hours on 3394 5691 or via email at music@vnc.qld.edu.au.

There is an opportunity to learn all brass and orchestral string instruments as well as guitar, piano and voice at Villanova College.  Information regarding our program is available from the College website, on Parent Lounge or through the Music Office.  Please don’t hesitate to make contact!

Communication

As per 2016, information regarding the general running of the program and upcoming events will be communicated through the College newsletter, Villa View.   Information relating directly to your son’s ensemble involvement in a performance will be communicated via email and or a letter sent home at rehearsal times.  Emergent matters relating to urgent changes to routine will be communicated via the Skoolbag App.

Mr Michael Jones, Director of Music

Over the past week students and parents have been viewing and discussing the Acceptable Use of Computer Network Resources Agreement (College Diary pp. 12 – 13) at home. This agreement highlights the need for individuals to use network resources fairly and equitably. Sometimes, the gloss of technology distances us from the reality that technology still involves human-to-human communication. When we use technology it often involves a type of dialogue, whether we are playing networked applications/games, emailing, blogging, social networking, collaborating, sharing, reviewing, ‘liking’ or watching/creating videos it still involves people communicating with others. This vital fact must remain at the front of our minds (and intentions) when we use technology.

It is hoped all students never use the internet to bully, harass, intimidate, deceive and cheat other people. Certainly, the Acceptable Use Agreement and our Gateway Values expects this of our students. However, the same cannot be said of others who use the internet and connected services to cause harm to others. Villanova College is fortunate to have a strong partnership with Task Force ARGOS to help guide and support our community. If you are unfamiliar with Task Force ARGOS, it is a division within the Queensland Police Service that exists to catch online predators and people who intend to deceive and ultimately harm young people through social networking sites and connected services such as game chat rooms.

How do these predators harm young people? By pretending to be the same age, with the same interests, using the same language, with the same family/friend/school life issues as our sons and daughters. These predators are experts at assimilating and blending in with the ebb and flow of chatrooms, social media site and apps such as Music.ly, Instagram, Roblox, Star Stable, Facebook, etc.

What can parents do? It is important for parents to strategically plan discussions surrounding online behaviour and social media apps. If handled poorly, a parent can force a child’s use of social apps underground. It is better to be open and non-confrontational. Parents are the moral compass but children know the technology. We need to meet our children in the middle in a non-threatening manner so we are “invited” into their socially connected lives. Only then can we seek to guide them with our learned perceptions of what is good, bad, real, fake, threatening and non-threatening about the real world we live in.

The key messages from Task Force ARGOS to students and families are clear and direct.

• NEVER meet a person you encounter online.
• Delete contacts and people you do not know face-to-face.
• Regularly review and cull your social media contacts and groups.
• If you feel something is suspicious, trust your instincts and discuss the situation with others.
• Make all your social media profiles private, never public (this includes access to profile photos).

If you have a concern or questions regarding particular online behaviour, are suspicious of fake profiles or anything related to the safety or your children with particular sites, apps or profiles, please reach out and contact Detective Grant Hughes (Task Force ARGOS) via his email address Hughes.GrantA@police.qld.gov.au or phone 3364 4142. Grant is both an Old Boy of the College and current parent and has been very generous with his time in delivering presentations to both students and parents during 2016. Villanova College is fortunate to have this ongoing partnership with Task Force ARGOS through Detective Grant Hughes. I will update you on opportunities to learn more about online safety and Task Force ARGOS as the year progresses.

Mr Jason Lane, Elearning Pedagogy Leader

YEAR 10 NET RETREAT 

Last week, the entire Year 10 cohort participated in a retreat experience with the National Evangelisation Team (NET) as part of the College’s Religious Education and Personal Development program. The retreat was certainly a success and the boys thoroughly enjoyed themselves. It was even more pleasing to see the maturity in the way each of these young men dealt with the challenging issues that were placed before them. Each individual was given the opportunity to explore their own personal faith in Christ and made aware of God’s love and acceptance of them and they certainly embraced this opportunity with open arms.

Below are some reflections of the day from a couple of our Year 10 students:

The opportunity to become closer to, and amend our relationship with God does not come around very often, so when we did receive this opportunity at Villa Park, we seized it with both hands.  All Year 10 classes had the opportunity to grow closer to both God and their peers through a series of games and activities, followed by talks and dramas by the NET team about everything from God and his message to what it means to be a real man. We were placed in small groups with an instructor, where we spoke about our relationships with God and what God thinks of us.  This provided us with an opportunity to pray and reflect on our path towards becoming the best Villanova men possible under the guidance of God. At the end of the day we sat as a group and reflected upon what the day had meant to us and what messages we took out of this spiritual day of prayer and reflection. Matthew Rolls, Year 10 student.

Last week, a group of eight faithful and enthusiastic young men and women arrived at Villa Park for the Year 10 NET Retreat.   Their purpose was meaningful, yet simple –  to strengthen the relationship between God and us as young Catholics. These men and women are known as a part of the NET, National Evangelisation Teams, a ministry group that promotes the meaning and purpose of life through the team members’ experience with God’s transforming love.

The retreat day is divided into many individual sections, including warm-up, small group games, morning tea, member’s story, small group discussion, lunch and then final reflection and prayer.

Upon arrival at the park, the students were introduced to the team members and the four goals of the day after a short warm-up: positive, fun and invest. These were all, I believe, achieved through the sections of the day.

Something to be mentioned during the retreat is the creative and fun interacting games. First, the students paired up, then ‘’tangled’, a group of students had their hands holding one another’s and attempted to untangle them and form a circle; last but not least, the ‘Crazy Olympics’, as the name suggested, had some crazy games suitable for the energetic Year 10 boys: best yell/Tarzan, best animal noises, weird talents and others. Among these games, ‘tangled’ required teamwork, cooperation and thinking. It incorporated the topic ‘bulletproof’, depicting the hardship in life and the great effort to solve the problems. This game is the starting point of the day’s reflection. 

After some fun during the morning tea, the team presented the first drama. One of the members was looking for how to be a true man, his crew gave him several answers. Chris, a team member, gave the best answer: to be yourself and love others. He shared his stories with the boys, he was trying to act tough and be a real man despite his physical characteristics. However, he had been a bully-like figure and didn’t treat his classmates well until he was sent to a Christian camp during the holidays. There he found his true self and apologised for his behaviour. Alex Wang, Year 10 student.

Tuckshop Roster

Monday 27 February

Michelle Dixon, Alicia Maunsell, Sue Godwin, Jody Fazldeen, Kyle-Ann Walsh, Heather Martin, Michelle Lewis, Leah Coogans, Jude Johannesen

Tuesday 28 February

Kate Hartley, Jo Phillips, Lisa Meredith, Sally Wearne, Jilane Anderson, Deanne Perrier, Debbie McWilliam, Nicole Binney, Victoria Lenton, Nicky Rosso

Wednesday 1 March

Lisa Prendergast, Jayne Solomon, Tina Taylor, Lisa Moroney, Clare Godwin, Paivi McIntosh, Jean Egan

Thursday 2 March

Silvana Abraham, Christy Grigson, Wendy Wallis, Tracey Wells, Diana McGregor, Luisa Pigozzo-Brown, Janine Pugh, Natalie Beare, Maria Horton, Suzanne Littleton, Deanne Lawson

Friday 3 March

Andrea Seymour, Lesley Stevens, Heather Cormack, Amanda Robinson – Ilka, Rachael Pascoe, Meeta Lal, Melissa Paterson, Louise Bukowski, Rachel Zanatta, Amy Nolan, Bridget Manning, Vicki Rossi, Patricia Tanks (Giannino), Irene McCarthy, Kelly Rigby

ASH Wednesday Tuckshop Menu

Tuckshop menu and price list

Library Roster

Monday 27 February

Cristina Palacios

Tuesday 28 February

Maria Perez

Thursday 2 March

Kelly Stassi, Maritsa Malanos

Friday 3 March

Anna Egert

While promoting and providing a safe and supportive learning environment is an essential function for all schools, we have particularly strong and clear reasons for doing this at Villanova College.  In Catholic Education the desire to protect children and young people is based upon the belief that each person is made in the image of God and that the inherent dignity of all should be recognised and fostered.  For us, making the College a place of safety, a nurturing community of care, is an essential part of our ethos and underpins our commitment to the protection of students.  We strive to ensure a culture where all acknowledge and understand that student protection is the responsibility of everyone.  Important in developing this culture is the education of our students about personal safety strategies and a focus by the College on the safety and wellbeing of students being at the centre of every preventative and protective action they take.  We believe that student protection is an integral part of student wellbeing and that this focus can inspire hope and a positive vision for the future of our students.

How can all members of school communities work together to ensure that students are protected?

• In all matters to do with the protection and wellbeing of students the whole College community must work together cooperatively for the most effective outcome.
• It is recognised that parents/carers are the primary educators and carers of their children and they are encouraged to work in partnership with the College in these important tasks.
• The importance of supporting parents/carers in their efforts to protect their children from harm is acknowledged.
• All members of the College community work together to empower students through modelling appropriate behaviour and teaching them about personal safety strategies.
• All staff participate in student protection professional learning in order to assist them to understand their legal, policy and pastoral responsibilities and to respond appropriately to student protection concerns.
• The College has selected staff members nominated to act in the role of Student Protection Officers (SPOs). Students know they can go to an SPO with any concern about something happening at school or away from school.
• This contributes to making Villanova College a safe, pastoral environment in which students feel able to seek help if they feel they are at risk.

Pastoral, policy and legal responsibilities

In fulfilling its pastoral, policy and legal responsibilities, Villanova College:

• Complies with all relevant Queensland child protection legislation
• Develops, maintains and supports a student protection policy and related processes which reflect the pastoral and legal responsibility of College staff
• Provides specialist support personnel and resources
• Develops and maintains relationships and partnerships with relevant statutory, government and non-government agencies in the support and protection of students
• Adheres to relevant internal and external regulatory accountability requirements
• Meets the current professional expectations of schools in Australia.

All students have a right to expect that the College will always act to protect them from any kind of harm.

Further Information

Legislation which underpins student protection in Queensland Catholic Schools

• Child Protection Act 1999
• Education (Accreditation of Non-State Schools) Act and Regulation 2001
• Education (General Provisions) Act 2006
• Working with Children (Risk Management and Screening) Act 2000
• Education (College of Teachers) Act 2005
• www.legislation.qld.gov.au

Assistance can be accessed on the following telephone numbers:

Queensland Police Service

Police – Emergency (free call) – 24 hours: 000

POLICE LINK: 131 444

Domestic and Family Violence Support Services

DVConnect Womensline – 24 hours: 1800 811 811

DVConnect Mensline – 9am – 12pm: 1800 600 636

Immigrant Women’s Support Service: (07) 3846 3490

Department of Communities – Child Safety and Disability Services

After Hours Service (free call) – 24 hours: 1800 177 135

Legal Services

Legal Aid Queensland: 1300 651 188

Support Services

Centacare Catholic Family and Community Services: 3252 4371

Parentline: 1300 30 1300

Kids Helpline (free): 1800 551 800

Statewide Sexual Assault Helpline (free): 1800 010 120 (women) or 1800 600 626 (men)

Lifeline Crisis Counselling Line – 24 hours: 13 11 14

Stay up to date with the College events please proceed to the event calendar.

We now have just over three weeks to go until the Villanova International Carnival.  Thank you to all new and old volunteers who have taken on running a stall. We still have two vacancies which we urgently need to fill, as the Silent Auction and  Indian Stall are currently without convenors.  If you are able to assist us, please contact Cameron Clelland.  

This year, we are hoping to make contributing to the Carnival easier for families.  We have incorporated a list of preferred items that each stall would like to receive and allocated this to a year level of the College.  We thank you in advance for your contributions.

However, there are also general stalls i.e. Cakes, Sweets, Publican’s Purse, Silent Auction etc. that require contributions from the whole College community to ensure our 2017 International Carnival is successful.

Let the fun begin – Ride Tickets can now be purchased via Flexischools.  

All the details are in this week’s International Carnival newsletter.