Villa View – Issue 8, 16 May 2024

It was with great pleasure that on assembly this week we acknowledged and presented our Trimester 2 Firsts teams in Chess, Football and Rugby and the Senior Cross-Country squad. As each Captain gave a short address and presented their team it was notable that in each address there was a clear alignment to our identity as a Catholic school in the Augustinian tradition and the purpose of Sport.

As one may expect First level teams will have a focus on performance excellence and winning outcomes. What was of note though was the highlighting and detail of the value and importance of preparation, attitude, relationships and reflection. Each Captain spoke, in the vernacular of their sport, of what the important ‘stuff’ was; and it was not steeped in notions of at all costs victories or self-indulgent sorrow and blame fuelled loss analysis. Our boys understand and share with community what being a part of a team, a firsts team, means at Villa and what every boy regardless of the level they play should be looking to extract from the experience of representing Villanova.

I congratulate each of the boys but would like to give you an opportunity to experience the day by sharing below the text of Daniel Egert, our Chess Captain:

The team captain’s speech is usually given with great anticipation of success.   As we gather in community to wish all players a successful season, it’s also important for us to acknowledge another valuable aspect of our shared journey – the encounters with loss and defeat. In chess, it’s the heartache of seeing a carefully constructed plan crumble before our eyes, the sting of a miscalculated move, and the bitter taste of resignation. When we invest so much of ourselves into a game, setbacks can feel like personal failures. That’s where the support of our Villanova community serves to lift us up, in our success, and in defeat.  

Our Firsts have faced sickness and our share of unlucky losses. But as any sportsperson will testify, the scoreboard fails to capture the dedication and hours of training put in behind the scenes by every player. 

The Chess team to be presented to you today has practiced tirelessly. Whether it’s Jack’s casting of pawns at the opposition, Jackson’s ingenious 1.b4, or Oliver’s fancy checkmates, we play the game with unyielding determination, a commitment to serve the needs of the team, and with genuine humility.

To paraphrase Mr Beggs’s address from an earlier sports assembly this year: ‘the way in which a game is played should be as notable as the result.’  With Chess, if you think the game is not worthwhile unless you’re winning, then Chess is not for you.  It requires a tougher mindset. It’s the toughness to improve, show humility, respect the opposition, and enjoy the game regardless of whether you win or lose. In short, we must be humble in victory and gracious in defeat.

To echo my sentiments from last year “we must refuse become casualties of the very game we play.”

I am very proud to announce that this year at Villa, we have 80 players, which is a phenomenal record for the College, with 10 Chess teams.    I am confident that our younger students will continue to build upon this strong growth and momentum into future years. 

The past three weeks has seen our chess teams face tough competition in very close matches. The intermediate A and B teams are enjoying success with both being undefeated thus far.  The Junior A, B and C combined have contributed great wins to the program.

On behalf of the Chess squad, I would like to express our gratitude to Mrs Underhill, Director of Chess, for her continued support and effort in coordinating and promoting Chess at Villanova, and to Ms Belson, Mr Flemming, Mrs Mascadri and Mr Pereira who dedicate their time and expertise to the program.

Good luck to Michael and the football boys, Jackson and the rugby team, and also Kyan and the Cross-Country boys.                                                  

                                                                                                Dan Egert 14 May 2024

Unpacking the renewed Strategic Plan

ELEMENT 3: Forming and Supporting Young Augustinian Men
In this the third edition of breaking open the renewed Strategic Plan for the College I would like to share with you the third element which has as its focus the spiritual, social and psychological formation of our Villanova gentlemen and the focus and intent that we have in this space to provide best practice formation and support of the boys in our care.

Strategic Intent:
Implementing an Augustinian informed, evidence based, program that assists the College to accompany boys, through encouragement, support and challenge, to develop their character and actions toward being men who understand and can respond to the world around them and the relationships that they need to develop and sustain.

Elaborations:

1. Further develop and embed a College wide formation program that responds to the developmental and social needs of our boys, encourage positive behaviour for learning and engages staff and students into positive relationships.
2. Implement a longitudinal vertical house system that encourages knowledge of, support and mentoring of each boy in character, intellect and service.
3. Provide broad based and high quality co-curricular and sporting programs that compliments and supports our College values, encourages participation, provides opportunity for excellence, and is founded in the G.R.E.A.T.S model of development for our students.

The focus on the development of the character of our young men, to become the best people they can be for the world that they will operate in, and lead is a very important facet of the Villanova education. Certainly, from an anecdotal perspective as I speak with parents it is of the highest priority. Most trust that the academic education in a number of schools will be of a strong standard but it is the quality and level of challenge and accountability that the school places on the values development of the students that is the key differentiator of an outstanding education and at Villanova this is what our Leadership Team and staff are committed to facilitating and delivering.

Key to the achievement of this strategic element is the effort and commitment we show toward the development of the pastoral house system, wellbeing structures, including counselling and of course the formal academic element presented through the wellbeing lessons that provide direct and specific topic analysis in areas that generally are not reached in the curriculum. Strongly attached then is the relationship between Mission and Identity and boys’ development, reinforcing the College Augustinian gateway values of Humility, Interiority, Community and the Restless Search for Truth through our behaviour support programs and discipline responses, alignment with service-learning programs and very importantly this is where our Sport program fits into the strategic plan. The way that we include, challenge, develop and play is a central mechanism for giving a practical reality to our values and their tangible expression. This is where the G.R.E.A.T.S concept is of importance. The idea that each day, in all activities, every boy’s goal is to work toward:

1. Growth
2. Respect
3. Effort
4. Accountability
5. Teamwork
6. Service

It would be my position that this is also where a beautiful alignment with home can be reached. If your language to your sons in the fostering of their development was shrouded in conversations about these five expectations of behaviour. That your actions and/or responses should at their core be motivated or reflect these considerations. As a total concept it is these that we believe are the actions that encourage boys to ‘step into’ and produce the consistency of behaviour that will have them leave the College as Augustinian graduates. Through these boys have the ability to display and enact those gateway values.

We will as a College community commit resources and effort over these next three years to ensure that we have in place a robust and responsive program that challenges and moves our boys forward with positivity and strong relationships towards maturity and a manhood that is motivated by St Augustine’s principle of kindness, gentleness, intellect and respect; to “Love, and do what you will”.

Mr Paul Begg, Principal

It has been another eclectic fortnight within the Senior School shaped by community engagement and infectious school spirit. In the midst of a very busy calendar of events, the focus needs to be primarily directed towards the core business of learning and academic engagement. Our Year 11 and 12 students are in the middle of a heavy assignment load which is the nature of the Term Two program across Units 1 and 3. It is vitally imperative that our young men are well organised and implementing proactive study habits so that they manage their workload and are able to engage in the entire assignment process so that positive and diligent plans and drafts lay the platform for complete teacher feedback and ultimately strong final submissions.

As a Film and Television teacher, I have always likened the process of assignment writing to that of the production phases of a film. The pre-production phase- the design, shaping and idea formation is of paramount importance. It provides the solid platform to enter into the production phase. Ultimately, the post-production phase is for final touches and editing to ensure the final product is a Spielberg Oscar winning masterpiece. Lack of attention to the pre-production aspects of assessment may result in a film or assignment that flops at the grading box office.

Next week, we enter Red Candle Week and Mission Day on Friday where the College focuses on our charism, identity and purpose as a Catholic school in the Augustinian tradition- standing in solidarity with those at the margins and making a difference to ignite and create positive change in the world. The culminating event on Mission Day is the House Choir Competition and I look forward to sharing with you next fortnight the way in which our boys and young men have shown courage in embracing the event and finding their inner voices.

Cor Unum Spirit
Last Saturday at Villa Park saw our Footballers and Rugby players face St Laurence’s College in the traditional rivalry round. Earlier in the week, the Student Leadership Team and Cor Unum Spirit Committee branded the Home Opener as an opportunity for our Year 12s to powerfully enact their Senior motto of ‘Seize every Moment’. And that they did with a wonderful display of cohort unity, brotherhood and community. Furthermore, the Seniors commenced their Legacy Project by starting the painting of the tunnel of the grandstand. This project will see the creation of a mural that expresses our rich sporting history and the sports played at Villa Park. I would like to congratulate College Captain Tiernan O’Neill, Cor Unum Captain, Harry Innes and members of the SLT and Spirit Committee for their energy and commitment to leading the initiatives in making the day a success.

Student Voice
This week’s College Assembly was primarily focused on the affirmation of our sportsmen, with an acknowledgment of Trimester One achievements as well as the presentation of the Trimester Two Firsts Teams and Open Cross-Country squad. In delivering their addresses as Captains, Daniel Egert, Michael Fotinos, Jackson Connor and Kyan Simpson all articulated aspects of their team culture underpinned by our College values and the guidance and support of their coaches. Chess Captain Daniel Egert in particular gave a poignant address on the character-building aspects of his sport that are a reflection of our College values:

“As we gather in community to wish all players a successful season, it’s also important for us to acknowledge another valuable aspect of our shared journey – the encounters with loss and defeat. In Chess, it’s the heartache of seeing a carefully constructed plan crumble before our eyes, the sting of a miscalculated move, and the bitter taste of resignation. When we invest so much of ourselves into a game, setbacks can feel like personal failures. That’s where the support of our Villanova community serves to lift us up, in our success, and in defeat.

To paraphrase Mr Beggs’s address from an earlier sports assembly this year: ‘the way in which a game is played should be as notable as the result.’  With Chess, if you think the game is not worthwhile unless you’re winning, then Chess is not for you.  It requires a tougher mindset. It’s the toughness to improve, show humility, respect the opposition, and enjoy the game regardless of whether you win or lose. In short, we must be humble in victory and gracious in defeat.”

I wish all students engaging in the second trimester of sport all the best in holding themselves to a higher standard of conduct, despite the external and un-controllable barriers they may face.

“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.” Muhammad Ali

Mr Matt Levander, Head of Senior School

As we reach the midpoint of the term, there is an important [and I raise this because some fail to see that importance] topic I want to spotlight – the significance of wearing our school uniform with pride and purpose. Wearing our school uniform well is not just about following rules; it is about showcasing our pride in belonging to this school community. The uniform represents our identity as members of this College, and by wearing it smartly, we communicate our respect for our College, its values, each other, and ourselves.

Our school uniform unites us in a common identity, with common values and priorities. When we all dress similarly, it removes distractions based on appearances and promotes equality among students. It helps us focus on what truly matters: learning, growing, and forming meaningful connections with each other.

Wearing our uniform well contributes to positive relationships with our teachers. When we present ourselves neatly and respectfully, it allows our teachers to focus on teaching rather than on enforcing dress codes. This creates an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding, where the emphasis is on learning and supporting each other’s growth. By wearing the uniform with care and attention, we strengthen our sense of belonging to this special community.

Just because things are perceived as little does not mean that they little matter. Brushing our hair and wearing it smartly, doing up the top button of our shirts when we wear our ties, having the knot of the tie pushed up to the collar, having our shirt tucked in, wearing a belt, socks pulled up and shoes polished with laces done up. These things should be the check-in that is required before departing home, at the end of each lesson and break and when departing at the end of the day.

On a different note, last week was the social afternoon with All Hallows. 150 students from both schools had a fun filled afternoon getting to know each other and completing activities that inspired meaningful and respectful relationships. Our students were excellent ambassadors of the College. My special thanks to Mrs Sheridan Carey, Mr Justin Feuerriegel and Mr Blake McLauchlan for their assistance on the afternoon. I know the students appreciated the opportunity and enjoyed their interactions.

Just two examples of how respect takes many forms, and when it is there then there is the possibility of everyone walking away richer for the experience.

Have a great week.

Mr Sean O’Neill, Head of Middle School

Last Thursday, was our Year 6 Mother Son Evening.  A ritual to celebrate the women in our life that give above and beyond, in every aspect of life, to ensuring our students reach their potential every day.  It is an event that is planned meticulously, with every consideration possible to treating our Mums to an evening that is all about them.  It was such a thrill this year that we had past Year 6 Mums help set up, serve and clean tables, allowing the opportunity for 160 Year 6 students and their Mothers, dining, laughing, and enjoying something very precious, the gift of time together.

In classes, the Year 6 students worked on writing letters to their mothers.  First, the boys must brainstorm memories and experiences they have shared over the years.  I was able to proofread some letters last week and what a privilege it was to listen to the stories the boys recalled.

What matters to these boys – how do they know they are loved?  One word became the common theme – cuddles.  This wasn’t just a word the boys chose quickly to write about.  Our boys love the way their Mums cuddle them – they can re-enact your arms, the tilt of your head, the rotation of the classic spin move that Mums have with the 180 degree turns.  The safety and love that cuddles provide – even when it happens in front of mates – is second to no other thing that Mums can do best.  Know this.

As I read through the letters with boys, I realised the pride that came with sharing their Mums with me.  The eyes widen, the smile lengthens and the breath gasps as they “must tell you” their memories of holidays, board games, cooking (spaghetti, roasts and brownies the top three) and watching movies together.  There are details stuck firmly in their minds of being slathered in sunscreen when the weather was hot at the beach, screams of panic in a downpour after hair was blow dried and the ability to produce snacks at any given minute.  A definite consensus was reached – the time that Mums give up driving the boys to sport.  Our students might race out of the car as soon as you arrive to a field or court, and they might very well say they didn’t hear you scream support from the sidelines during the game, but they love that you were there.  “They could be doing heaps of other things” agreed many students, nodding like the wise old eleven-year-olds that they are.  “Like what?” I asked, just to see what they would say.  Catching up with girlfriends – coffee, shopping, exercise – the top idea, then came reading a book (apparently very challenging when every time you pick it up the boys are hungry or need you for something important) and also included was working – our jobs in the 21st Century are no longer from nine to five.

There is an opportunity in the letters to apologise, for “that time” when the boys stepped over the line – perhaps they never really told you that in hindsight, they can now see how they have hurt your feelings or behaved in a less than acceptable manner.  I know from personal experience, that my mother Rachel, is still owed many of these – it is true, I was very mischievous and highly spirited in my younger days.  She can share stories with my all too delighted wife and sons about my antics, and I have no choice but to nod my head and admit my selfish ways here and there growing up.  Of course, your son’s mouths drop open when I try to explain this – because a Head of Junior School has always been on a path of service right?  Wrong!  So I assure them, that when they use their emotional vocabulary and words such as “frustrated” and “irrational” come up, then I understand.  It’s ok.  In particular, one student shared a story about impatience when his Mum was trying on clothes in Target.  How annoying it was to hang around the change rooms, watch the same shirt and dress on and then off, and then in different sizes, watching other people come and go.  So, he lost his cool, let his non-verbals and tongue loose right in that moment but now he looks back and can’t understand why he couldn’t give 15 minutes in exchange for the hours, days and weeks his Mum has given for him.  That’s a moment of clarity for him.  Beautiful.  It’s an act of humility that boys appreciate more than we might ever know – the chance to step back and see Mums as real people who deserve to know that we could be better sometimes.

The last part of the letter is my favourite – the PS moment.  Often a witty, in-joke between Mother and Son.  This can be a time of “the great reveal” and I can only say the chance to admit that perhaps a few last-minute confessions (think money spent on Apple ID) so be prepared!  I would bet that by this section, there was not a dry eye in Goold Hall, under the fairy lights, as sons wait eagerly for their Mums to give those hugs that they love most.

Maria Mascadri, the Year 6 staff, Parents & Friends and College Groundsmen have made this evening possible – thank you, from every Year 6 Mother and Son of 2024.  Maria, without your planning and attention to every detail, we could not possibly bring this all together – we applaud your generosity of spirit and time.  To all our Year 6 Mums, may God bless your every step and cuddle.

Mr Stephen Rouhliadeff, Head of Junior School

Mission Week has begun!  This year we celebrate 31 years of AFAS partnerships with Augustinian schools and ministries in the Philippines, and the benefits for both communities has been immense.  We have really been part of a Global VILLAge.   Joining us for the Week are key representative partners on tour from the Philippines: Judith Fe Pilongo, Altha Diopido and Des Diel. Together with our visitors we have a unique opportunity to illuminate our annual immersion experience alongside the College’s commitment to numerous projects and scholarships. We will seize the occasion to raise valuable funds and celebrate as a community.

Families have already made a significant donation of $40 per family through levies this year.  One hundred percent of these donations go directly to students and families that need it. The immersion group of 2023 met and visited the homes of many of the families we support, and we were privileged to see the extraordinary difference our Villa community is making in the lives of families that are really struggling!

The success of Mission Week lies now in how we all engage to make it a great week! Many thanks for the support and encouragement already given to our AFAS students, Ministry teams and our Mission team.  Here are keyways to be involved:

Friday 17 May students will bring home their Red Candle and an accompanying guide.  We ask all Villa families to set aside a family meal to light the candle, share the prayer and read the stories and information.  This is a great act of solidarity with our friends in the Philippines who gather at the Basilica regularly to light a candle and pray.

Sunday 19 May your family is welcome to join our visitors at the 9am Mass at St James Parish.  Bring a plate if you would like to join us for brunch in the Parish Hall after Mass.

Tuesday 21 May we have our College Mass honouring Saints Rita and Thomas who were champions of charity, solidarity and justice during their lifetime.

Throughout the week in classes our visitors will spend time getting to know our staff and students and how learning happens for us at Villa.

Finally, on Friday 24 May we celebrate Mission Day.  Students will be provided a celebratory lunch; they are running stalls with a mix of community building activities and fun fundraisers including crazy things such as a dunk tank where staff will take the plunge to raise AFAS funds.  The day will finish with our inaugural House Choir.

It is a week that involves everyone.  As Mission Week begins you may ask: Why are these global connections important? Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the great faith and justice leader from South Africa, wrote of their importance:

 Much is spoken about thinking globally and acting locally. And sometimes thinking globally with all its manifest complexity can defy our comprehension as to where the overlap occurs and where we, as individuals, might make a difference. Linking communities across the world offers that opportunity; the opportunity to understand the impact of global decisions within a local context. This knowledge brings with it the opportunity to act constructively to redress the imbalance that exists, and which globalisation can exacerbate.

Through linking, the complex and asymmetrical nature of global interdependence becomes evident as people from varying economic, political and social situations, connect and challenge each other’s understanding of the world. Improved security, justice, prosperity and peace are possible only once we have mutuality, reciprocity and respect and value the worth of others equally.

It is important to reflect upon the ways in which our own perspectives, experiences, political commitments, wider aims in life and social identities shape our understanding. Linking equips us to learn more; not just about people who have different religions, cultures and beliefs, but also allows us to take a step back and analyse our own behaviour — how do our actions, whether we think them to be small or large, negative or positive, affect those in other nations who may live half a world away?

This squaring of the relationship — from ourselves to those we link with, which is then reflected back onto us so that we can learn about ourselves and see what we look like in the eyes of others, is a key outcome of linking. The changes, in some instances will be small, but when all these are added together the impact can be groundbreaking. In the same way that technology has changed the way many live on a day-to-day basis, so the fostering of relationships through linking can alter for the better the way the world works and how people view others, within their own country and in different nations, so that together we can achieve a different and better world.

Please take the time to reach out to our partners over the coming week and welcome them to our Global VILLAge.
As we come towards Pentecost this Sunday we return to our Easter Prayer:
Loving God, stretch our hearts and minds.
Encourage us and challenge us
To reach out to a heartbroken friend.
Encourage us and challenge us
To listen the voices of the ignored.
Encourage us and challenge us
To stand up against injustices.
Encourage us and challenge us
To call ourselves Christians when it is unfashionable to do so.
Encourage us and challenge us
To remember that we should be ‘washing one another’s feet.’
Encourage us and challenge us

Mrs Kate Garrone, Dean of Mission and Identity

There is no question that young people live in a digital world. Their interactions with each other centre around social media and they develop in a world of internet-enabled devices and screens. I remember making the mistake of asking my class recently to list the apps they use and explain their purpose. The number that is used for communication was eye opening to say the least. I discovered a few things:

• there is an app for everything – some of which seem pointless but had great merit to the boys,
• social media is an incredibly important part of their lives as it helps them stay connected,
• it is imperative they have guidance and education to ensure their relationship with social media remains a healthy one.

I feel like things were simpler without all the apps and technology, but it also made me think about how much has changed. How it was normal to approach someone and start up a conversation, face to face. This of course, was a crazy revelation to the class.

It must be noted that the digital world can and does provide many innovative and child-friendly learning opportunities, and young people use social media to socialise, experiment with their identities, exercise their voices and learn about the world. As parents and caregivers, we need to be vigilant about what online forces permeate into our children’s lives at an early age, and if it affects their behaviour and attitude towards themselves and others. They need to be reminded over and over that whatever is put on social media is there forever, and there is no such thing as a delete button.

The webinar presented by Wellio in the Empowering Parenting Workshops this week, covered the topic of Reality vs Social Media and discussed how students compare their lives with what they see on social media and the impact this has on their self-esteem. Some simple strategies were offered to help keep them on track:

Parent Toolkit Strategies
Mindful use of social media

• Remind them to consider their intentions, remain present and that things might not be real
• Point out the impact of comparison

Encourage your child to remove or unfollow accounts

• Model the behaviour, segment into positive, neutral and negative, be ruthless and encourage and reinforce

Limit phone use and gaming before bed

• Set a bedtime alarm, phones away one hour before bed in a joint spot, and plan another activity

Don’t sleep next to your phone

• Remove the temptation, put it in a different room (as a family), use a real alarm

Complete a digital declutter

• Define your rules, take a break, reclaim leisure, and add back the good bits

Use built-in parent settings

• Set expectations and explain why, enforce expectations with parental controls, and model the same behaviour

If you registered but couldn’t make the session, a recording will be available to download.

Last Friday, Villanova hosted an afternoon with All Hallows and there was not a phone in sight. The students played a round of trivia, which became somewhat competitive once the prize of chocolate was revealed, and then moved outside to play a friendly game of mixed dodgeball.

The students interacted so well, despite only meeting each other that afternoon, and by all accounts had a great time. They were engaged the whole time and couldn’t believe how quickly the time went by. Both cohorts represented their schools incredibly well, and the staff that attended were proud of the respectful and mature way the boys and girls conducted themselves.

It is so important to continue giving young people the opportunities to connect with each other in a relaxed and fun environment. If the interactions are normalised early on, the hope is that it becomes second nature when they connect outside of a school environment.

I’d also like to acknowledge the eight Year 11 boys who gave up their Friday afternoon to help the staff facilitate the sessions. Thank you for being wonderful role models to the younger students.

Wishing you all a great Week 5.

Mrs Sheridan Carey, Director of Student Wellbeing

Whilst we are only half-way through Term 2, the Teaching and Learning Office is already working with our Heads of Faculty on subject selection for the various year levels for 2025. Most of the dates for activities are in Term 3 so there is plenty of time between now and then for students to start considering their study options for next year.

Year 10 students, however, will commence some preliminary work in preparing for their subject selection (SET Planning) this term. In Week 7, all Year 10 students will hear a series of messages from staff in the Teaching and Learning Office and the Heads of Faculty in terms of subject selection for 2025. As a result, Year 10 students will be out of Period 1 on Monday 27, Tuesday 28, Thursday 30 and Friday 31 May to receive this important information.

Below are key dates for subject selection for all 2025 cohorts:

Year 8, 2025 Subject Selection
Key Dates and Information

• Year 7 into 8 Subject Information Evening – 6 August
  • Presentation by staff from the Teaching and Learning Office in Hanrahan Theatre at 6.00pm
  • Subject Selection Expo to be held in Veritas classrooms from 6.30pm
• The subject selection online portal will open 7 August
• Subject selection to be completed by 13 August

Year 9, 2025 Subject Selection
Key Dates and Information

• Year 8 into 9 Subject Information Evening – 6 August
  • Presentation by staff from the Teaching and Learning Office in Hanrahan Theatre at 7.00pm
  • Subject Selection Expo to be held in Veritas classrooms from 7.30pm
• The subject selection online portal will open 7 August
• Subject selection to be completed by 13 August

Year 10, 2025 Subject Selection
Key Dates and Information

• Year 9, 10, 11 and 12 Careers Expo – 11 July
  • Universities, TAFE, Defence Force, and other bodies will be in attendance and located in the St Thomas of Villanova Learning Centre Commons
  • Located in classrooms will be industry / faculty-based presenters from a variety of fields available to speak with our students
• Term 3, Week 3
  • Monday 22 July, Period 1: QCE Information session
  • Tuesday 23 July, Period 1: ATAR / Non-ATAR Pathways Information session

• Year 10 into 11 Subject Information Evening – 23 July
  • Presentation by staff from the Teaching and Learning Office in Hanrahan Theatre at 7.00pm
  • Subject Selection Expo to be held in Veritas classrooms from 7.30pm
• The subject selection portal will open 24 July
• Subject selection to be completed by 13 August

Year 11, 2025 Subject Selection and SET Planning
Key Dates and Information

• Term 2, Week 7
  • Monday 27 May, Period 1: Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) information
  • Tuesday 28 May, Period 1: ATAR / Non-ATAR Pathways and Heads of Faculty presentations
  • Thursday 30 May, Period 1: Introduction to the SET Plan document and Heads of Faculty presentations
  • Friday 31 May, Period 1: Heads of Faculty presentations
• Year 9, 10, 11 and 12 Careers Expo – 11 July
  • Universities, TAFE, Defence Force, and other bodies will be in attendance and located in the St Thomas of Villanova Learning Centre Commons
  • Located in classrooms will be industry / faculty-based presenters from a variety of fields available to speak with our students
• Year 10 into 11 Subject Information Evening – 11 July from 6.00pm
  • Presentation by staff from the Teaching and Learning Office (Hanrahan Theatre)
• SET Planning Form to be completed by 19 July
• SET Plan meetings will take place on 24 July
  • Year 10 students will be in class until Period 3. Following Period 3, students will be able to remain at school for private study or go home.
  • Parents will book a 30-minute SET Plan meeting between 12.30 to 7.00pm (parent and student in attendance – face-to-face)

It is vitally important that parents understand that whilst subject selection is the responsibility of the student (and supported by the parent), the College will carefully consider the student’s suitability for the course chosen. As a result, students should be ‘putting their best foot forward’ in demonstrating their suitability. Staff looking at subject selections will not only be looking at academic suitability to the subjects chosen but also if a student’s application has been good enough for the selection to be approved. Studies guides will be published in the coming weeks; some prerequisites are listed in the guides which students need to be aware of.

Please do not hesitate to contact the staff in the Teaching and Learning Office if there are any questions with regards to upcoming subject selection events (tandl@vnc.qld.edu.au).

Mr John Christie, Dean of Teaching and Learning

Music Support Group
Our next Music Support Group meeting will be convened on Monday 20^th May commencing at 6:30pm.  We will be meeting in the Music Classroom on Level 1 of the Augustine Centre.  Please access the room via the Music Office lift.  All parents are most welcome to attend.  We encourage you all to come along and learn a little more about what happens behind the scenes in music here at the College.

Strings and Bands Workshop
I would like to take a moment to thank Mrs Duncan and Mr Cavallaro, and their Loreto College counterparts, for organising our MS Bands and Strings workshops last Tuesday.  From all accounts the students had a great time working with each other and staff found the event beneficial to our program.  Thanks must also go to the respective Music Support Groups for assisting with the feeding of participants and families.

We look forward to more opportunities like this in the future.

Ball Park Music Workshop and Showcase
Mr Campbell, Mrs Casey, and our contemporary ensemble program have been working diligently over the past couple of weeks with our special guests, Paul and Dean, from Ball Park Music.  We have 6 groups working on their original song with our guest clinicians, whilst also preparing a cover song for their showcase performance on Thursday 30^th May.

The Showcase is going to be a great rock show with all 6 groups debuting their new chart and performing their covers for a gathered audience.  Our guest artists will be selecting the ‘winning’ group, assisted by technologically enhanced audience voting, with our winners spending time in a recording studio with Paul and Dean recording their new single.  It’s a great opportunity for our musicians and will be a great night for our community.

The event will cater for parental seating, and a standing room only for rock fans.  All tickets can be purchased via the following site:  VNC Battle of the Bands (raiselysite.com).  The Villanova College Music Support Group will be running a BBQ and drinks stall on the night so families will not need to purchase dinner prior to the vent.  The BBQ will be running from 6pm.  We look forward to seeing you all there.

Term 2 Concerts
We have a busy period coming up in Music-land for the next 3-4 weeks.  Due to some staffing availability due to tours and events, and the inclusion of our Ball Park Music event, we have had to shuffle our concert dates slightly.  The following table indicates when your son’s concert will be convened.  We are expecting more concerts to allow shorter events and therefore a smoother run through our season.  We will reflect on the effectiveness of this at the end of term.

Gig-sheets and logistical information will be distributed to families regarding each of these events shortly.  MSG are running BBQ’s at each event – they will be reaching out accordingly seeking support from parents.

We look forward to seeing you at these concerts over the coming month.

Grandparents Morning Tea
On Tuesday 4^th June, our Year 5 Band and String Orchestra will be performing as part of Grandparents Morning Tea.  This event is a big one in the Junior School calendar, and a concert we look forward to preparing for each year.

Further information will be distributed to families from the Junior School office regarding the event.  Our music team will be in contact via email regarding the logistics and instrument movement shortly.  We look forward to sharing this event with our community!

Key Dates Term 2
As we look ahead across the term, please ensure we pencil the following dates into your diary:

Villanova Camp Chairs and Wildcat Coolers
Our fantastic Music Support Group have organised an innovative fundraiser for Villanova College.  You may have heard the buzz about our Villanova Camp Chairs and Wildcat Coolers…  the MUST HAVE items for the beach/cricket/park/fishing/BBQ/etc. this Summer! (flyer attached).

Villanova Branded Camp Chairs – $35; Wildcat Coolers – $30
All items can be purchased via trybooking through the following link:  https://www.trybooking.com/BMEML
Purchases can be collected from the Music Office and all profits go to the Music Support Group.

Entertainment Publications Memberships
Entertainment memberships are one of the Music Support Groups main fund-raisers.  Just click on the link to purchase a membership and obtain ongoing special deals throughout the year.

Thank you all for your ongoing support of Music at Villanova College.

Mr Michael Jones, Director of Music

Director of Sport Summary
Old Boys weekend was a fantastic opportunity to showcase our amazing facilities and community. With ten Chess teams in action on Friday afternoon and fifty-four Football and Rugby teams running out onto the fields on Saturday, it truly was a positive and vibrant round of fixtures versus St Laurence’s College.

A special mention to our First XI Football team for their herculean effort, drawing 2-2 with the premiership heavyweights. Following a very entertaining first half of Football with four goals scored, our Villanova boys created several opportunities to close out the match, but unfortunately, they were unable to find the back of the net. Well done to the team and coaches for an outstanding effort. We look forward to facing an unbeaten St Edmund’s College team in Round 4.

On Tuesday 14 May we acknowledged our Trimester 1 Awards and Trimester 2 Captains at our Sports Assembly. The school community heard from our leaders with regards to how the GREATS framework pillar of ‘Accountability’ relates to their preparation and performance, and how as leaders of their programmes, they plan to leave a positive lasting impression on students across all year levels and teams.

Round 4 Chess has already been played with our five teams across three divisions performing exceptionally on Tuesday evening 14 May. It was a clean sweep for Villa Chess and well done to our First IV for a well deserving first victory of the season.

We look forward to the rest of Round 4 versus St Edmund’s College this Saturday 18 May.

Livestream Links
Please note the livestream link for Firsts fixtures in Term 2:

• Football – Football – AIC Live Streaming
• Rugby – Rugby – Explorer Live Streaming

Draw – Round 4 vs St Edmund’s College, 18 May
The Round 4 Draw is now available on the Locker Room Overview page.
For all future rounds, the draw will be posted to Locker Room by the Wednesday prior to the round ahead. This is the earliest possible time we can post this information.

Results

Chess Round 3

Football Round 3

Rugby Round 3

Team Photos
All Junior Football teams photos will take place on Saturday 1 June at Villa Park. First XI Football and First XV Rugby team photos will be at school on Tuesday morning 4 June, with any catch up teams if required – this will include the Junior Chess photo that was missed on Friday 10 May.

Team Lists
Team lists for Round 4 will be posted by Thursday 16 May to Parent Lounge and Student Cafe.
Team lists will be posted by Thursday prior to the round ahead. This is the earliest possible time we can post this information.

Sports Club – Villa Park Canteen Volunteers
The Villa Sports Club will be looking for volunteers to assist on the Villa Park canteen in Term 2. There will be a registration link sent out to the community each week for parents to sign up. Proceeds from the Villa Park canteen go directly to the development of all our AIC sporting programmes.

To register your assistance for Round 4 at Villa Park, please click on the link below to register. Senior Rugby and Football (Years 7-Open) will be at home this Saturday 18 May. We really do appreciate it.

 AIC Round 4, Sat 18 May – Villa Park — Volunteers sign up here

Trimester 3 Sport Sign-Ons
Registrations for Trimester 3 Sports, Basketball, Rugby League, Tennis and Track & Field will be available by Friday 17 May. Registrations will be due by Friday 31 May.

AIC Draw 2024
Please find attached the AIC Draw for 2024.

Communications
Families are reminded to access all Sport information via the Villanova College website and the Villanova College App. The Locker Room Overview tab provides updated information regarding training schedules and current AIC/trial draws.

Training Schedules
For all updated information regarding training and selection trials schedules, please visit the Locker Room Overview page of the Villanova College website.
The Term 2 Training schedule for Weeks 1-8, Term 2 is below. This schedule will commence from Monday 15 April.

Term 2 Training Schedule – Weeks 1-8 (commences Monday 15 April)

Chess players, please refer to the training schedule below. These sessions commenced from Week 9, Term 1 (from Monday 18 March) and continue through Weeks 1-8, Term 2.

Chess Training Schedule 2024

The Term 3 training schedule will be available by Monday 3 June, with selection trials starting for Basketball, Tennis and Rugby League in Week 9 (from Monday 10 June).

Villa Park pick-ups – Football and Rugby
Football is on Monday and Wednesday, Rugby on Tuesday and Thursday.

Transport for all players is organised ‘one-way’ from the College to Villa Park straight after school. Buses will depart Sixth Avenue promptly from 3:05pm. All buses will be supervised by a Villa staff member/coach.

Parents are reminded to please collect their son/s from Villa Park between 5:00-5:15pm. A staff member will be on site until all students are collected. The hope is that we do not need to ask our staff to remain past 5:15-5:30pm at the latest. We appreciate your consideration here.

A letter from the Principal has been distributed to all Years 7-Open Football and Rugby families regarding the expectations around pick-ups at Villa Park by no later than 5:30pm. Principal letter attached here.

Save the dates – Sporting Tours, Camps and Clinics

• St Augustine’s College Tour – Sydney – 17-19 June 2024.
• Rugby League Confraternity Carnival – Townsville – 22-29 June 2024.
• Christmas holidays 2024/2025 – Cricket Oblate Tour to Perth, Volleyball AVSC Tournament Gold Coast and Swim Camp at Tallebudgera.
• ** International Tour ** – Football and Rugby Tour to Japan – Easter 2025.
• ** International Tour ** – Basketball and Volleyball Tour to USA – Christmas holidays 2025/2026.

An expression of interest was sent to all current families of Year 11, 10 and 9 students for the proposed Japan Football and Rugby Tour, Easter 2025. EOI’s close this Friday 17 May.

EOI for International Tour – Japan 2025

Sport Uniforms
Families are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the Villanova College Uniform Look Book. This information is found on the College website Uniform Shop page. Opening hours for the Uniform Shop can also be found here. All students selected in AIC teams are expected to wear the correct uniform for AIC fixtures each week.

For those students participating in Trimester 2 Sports – please see correct uniforms below.

Sport Contact List
If you are requiring information about a specific Sport, in the first instance, visit the website Locker Room page. If you need further clarification, please contact the relevant Coordinator below. For any training or game absences, please contact your Sport Coordinator.

Director of Sport – Shaun McLean, smclean@vnc.qld.edu.au
AIC AFL Coordinator – Matt Conlan, mconlan@vnc.qld.edu.au
AIC Cricket Coordinator – Chris Everding, ceverding@vnc.qld.edu.au
AIC Swimming Coordinator – Juanita Jacobs, jjacobs@vnc.qld.edu.au
AIC Volleyball Coordinator – Todd Kropp, tkropp@vnc.qld.edu.au
AIC Cross-Country Coordinator – Brian Pascoe – bpascoe@vnc.qld.edu.au
AIC Chess Coordinator – Kath Underhill, kunderhill@vnc.qld.edu.au
AIC Football Coordinator – Nathan Dufty, ndufty@vnc.qld.edu.au
AIC Rugby Union Coordinator – Chris Everding, ceverding@vnc.qld.edu.au
AIC Golf Coordinator – Todd Kropp, tkropp@vnc.qld.edu.au
AIC Basketball Coordinator – TBC – contact the Director of Sport
AIC Rugby League Coordinator – Alex Russell, arussell@vnc.qld.edu.au
AIC Tennis Coordinator – Nathan Dufty, ndufty@vnc.qld.edu.au
AIC Track & Field Coordinator – Anthony Kemp, akemp@vnc.qld.edu.au
AIC Water Polo Coordinator – Juanita Jacobs, jjacobs@vnc.qld.edu.au
Composite District Sport – Todd Kropp, tkropp@vnc.qld.edu.au
Lytton District Sport – Chris Everding, ceverding@vnc.qld.edu.au

Wet weather cancellations
If there is any reason to cancel training sessions or weekend games, this information will be posted to the Villa App in the Notices section. Please ensure you have downloaded the Villa App and updated your preferences and settings.

The Villa Sports Department will endeavour to cancel morning training sessions by 6am and afternoon training sessions by 1pm. If a training session is cancelled, boys are not able to be dropped off to the training venue as there will not be supervision present. Please check the Villa App regularly for these notifications.

If any AIC fixtures are cancelled, we will follow the same procedure above. Timing will be dependent on when that information becomes available.

Chess Report
Following the wonderful encouragement of the Spirit Committee and their tunnel, our lads were primed and ready for action. Thanks to Tiernan and the team for taking the time to support your Villa brothers.

There was a variety of results across the board on Friday, and the final results were not indicative of how close some of the matches were. Our incredible Intermediates continued their winning style, so we wish for them continued supremacy for the remainder of the season.

Despite the ‘Checkmates’ not falling in our favour, a great afternoon of Chess was had by all.

Due to the Ipswich holiday, this week we played Eddie’s on Tuesday, so stay tuned for the report next week!

Mrs Kath Underhill, Chess Coordinator

Cross-Country
I would like to thank Mr McLean and the Sports Office who made Wednesday’s warm-up Cross-Country Trial 2 a ‘compulsory’ meet for all runners. Just for this week, the meet took precedence over Football training/other Wednesday afternoon commitments to allow all runners the opportunity to familiarise yourself with the Curlew Park course which will host the AIC Championships.

The Cross-Country squad appreciates the intentions of the runner’s coaches and teammates in Football in allowing them to miss training to familiarise themselves with the AIC Championship Cross-Country course.

Further information is also now available on the Locker Room Overview page and the Cross-Country page regarding the final warm-up trial at St Laurence’s playing fields next Wednesday afternoon.

Last weekend the 2024 Queensland All Schools Cross Country Championships were held with several impressive runs by members of Villanova’s ‘Running Wildcats’ Cross-Country squad including,

• U13 (3 km) Harris McPherson – 10^th and Cooper Lane – 18^th
• U14 (4 km) Nathan Hannah – 15^th
• U16 (6 km) Bailey Horvath – 7th
• U18 &19 (8 km) Kyan Simpson – 4^th

Congratulations boys great results on a very challenging course at Toogoolawah.

Every second Friday the Cross-Country team undertakes a 2 km time trial. This allows the runners to track their progress. The following boys have shown the greatest improvement over the four time-trials thus far which is reward for the intent and effort they have displayed in their running training.

I look forward to the intent and effort of the Cross-Country Squad continuing right up to the AIC Championships to see how much further they can better themselves.

Mr Brian Pascoe, Cross-Country Coordinator

Football Report
First XI

After a disappointing defeat in round two to SPC, the boys were fired up for their first home game against longstanding rivals SLC. With a strong crowd supporting the First XI team and the experience of the young Year 5 boys walking through the tunnel with the First XI players, the Villanovan spirit was in full effect.

The game was underway, and it was obvious the boys had come out with a clear purpose to dominate SLC. Despite going down an early goal from an unforced error, the First XI team-controlled possession, held strong and played a brand of football that was of the highest order, equalising with a simple but effective combination of passes between Jordan Solomon and Gianni Laurito that saw the SLC defence crumble as Gianni finished the play in magnificent fashion. Not too long after, the grit of Will Makridakis proved the difference as he leaped above the pack to bury a header straight into the net to make it 2-1 in our favour. SLC weren’t backing down, eventually finding a goal through a breakdown of communication in the Villanova defence.

The Villanova men continued to take the fight to SLC all the way until the end, creating chance after chance, and almost finishing the play on numerous occasions, but it was not meant to be. The First XI team walked away with a 2-2 draw and a very well-deserved point towards their AIC season total, unlucky not to get more out of the match.

Be sure to get around the boys for the second home game of the season this Saturday against top of the table SEC, see you there!

Mr Hudson Rogers, First XI Head Coach

Picture above of Denzel N, Charlie G and Harry M. All members of the Football Development Programme, who, through their hard work and consistent performances, each have earned a starting position in the First XI.

Football

Round 3 Football saw us up against SLC who have one of the strongest Football programs in AIC. Unfortunately, it was a tough weekend for our program with us only winning five matches across the day mostly in the Junior ages. In what has been a chaotic start to football season, it was still very pleasing to see our teams remain positive and most importantly – play the game fairly and in the right spirit.

This weekend we will be taking on SEC in our Round 4 fixtures. Could I please remind all parents and players to check the draw carefully this week for game times and venues, we have a few “supplementary matches” against different opposition at various venues, so it’s very important to always double check the draw.

I would like to remind all players about arriving at least 30 minutes before your game. There were several situations on the weekend where players arrived just before kick-off, this makes it extremely tough for coaches to plan for the game and it also puts a lot of unwanted pressure on your teammates. It’s clear that last weekend was a tough weekend results wise for the Villanova Football program, I personally ask for all players to continue to put in the hard work at training and to always respect and listen to your coaches, this weekend is a great opportunity for all teams to respond from last weekend with a positive attitude and show that true Villanova spirit.

Good luck to all the players and coaches this week in your matches.

Years 5-8 Football  Junior Football Coordinator – Mrs Maria Mascadri, mmascadri@vnc.qld.edu.au

Years 9-Opens Football Football Coordinator – Mr Nathan Dufty, ndufty@vnc.qld.edu.au

Mr Nathan Dufty, Football Coordinator

Rugby
First XV
Round 2 Report: In tough wet conditions, we came against a very spirited and desperate Saint Patrick’s team. For the first time this year, we got out to a flyer with some great tries to get to a 20-point lead early in the first half. Unfortunately, we took our lead for granted and let in some soft tries in the 15 minutes either side of halftime 20 creating a tense arm wrestle midway through the second half. Thankfully a well-executed penalty move try to Sam Binney got our nose in front and we held on to a very exciting finish and victory, our first the season 33 to 32.

Congratulations to Will Gallagher being awarded the Doubles Daley Medal. Other notable mentions got to Captain Jackson Connor and bookends Sam Binney and Harry Higgins.

Round 3 Report: We came ready to play an undefeated Saint Laurence’s outfit, in what was our first home game of the year. The boys ran onto the field through a massive tunnel and what turned out to be fantastic supporter group from the College for the whole game.

Unfortunately, as with Ashgrove a few weeks before we got off to an error riddled slow start, which the very disciplined opposition took full advantage of, forcing us to defend for the most of the first half and scoring three unanswered tries to lead us 19-0 at halftime.

In the second half the boys showed lot of grit with outstanding goal line defence, continually repelling a very determined Laurie’s side. With the boys finally executing components of our game plan, we got some points on the board but unfortunately it was too little too late.  Laurie went on to score an additional two tries from our mistakes, to come out convincing winners 31 to 5.

Congratulations to Ned Godwin the Doubles Daley winner, other notable mentions go to Harry Higgins, Jackson Connor and Sam Binney.

Mr Eddie Harris, First XV Head Coach

It’s very rare that we get the whole rugby community at Villanova Park for one fixture round and last Saturday saw all our 26 teams play at Villa against our traditional rivals St. Laurence’s College. It was a great day had by all, with the parents socialising and staying around longer to watch and support other games and assist on the BBQ or in the canteen.

The day didn’t begin so well on the rugby field with our Year 7s and 8s finding the going tough against bigger opposition. The Year 5s and 6s were evenly split as were the Year 9s but it was the Year 10s and Opens who won seven out of eight games that brought us home. It was worth being there to see the excitement on the boys faces in each of these games, as the fulltime whistle went.

Overall, Villa won 15 matches and lost 11, also winning seven of the 12 aggregate games on offer, which is a great result and will have the boys humming moving into Round 4 against St. Edmund’s College this Saturday. All rugby teams from the Year 7 to Opens, except the 5ths will be playing at Villanova Park. The 5ths will have a rematch against St. Laurence’s College at Runcorn. Year Five and Six teams will be at either Marist College Ashgrove or Iona College.

A reminder to all players to stay behind as a reserve or to support the next team playing. Some sides have been left with no subs because boys are leaving straight after their game. We want to build on the support that some teams experienced last week, and particularly the support shown to our 1st XV. Get behind your mates this week and get out to Villa Park and support the Green and Gold.

Mr Chris Everding, Rugby Coordinator

Strength & Conditioning
Refer to the Locker Room Overview page for the Term 2 Training Schedule, which includes the S&C schedule. Students attending LTAD (Long Term Athlete Development) sessions do not need to register prior to attending. Just arrive with your towel and water bottle.

Mr Marco Mastrorocco, Strength & Conditioning Coordinator

Speed & Agility Training – Years 5-8 students
Term 2 registrations are now closed. Information regarding the Term 3 programme will be available soon.

And always remember, kids Sport is meant to be fun…

Mr Shaun McLean, Director of Sport

School Photos

2024 Photo Date: Thursday 30th May | Sibling Photos from 8am

Upcoming Event: Villanova Community Carnival
Save the date: Saturday 20 July
Villanova Community Carnival 2024 | Villanova College (vnc.qld.edu.au)

Join us for our Weekly Breakfast Café!
Every Tuesday morning, our talented Year 11 Hospitality students take charge and run a delightful breakfast café from 7:30am to 9:30am. We have built a fantastic following of students and teachers, especially between 8:00am and 8:30am. However we would love to extend a warm invitation to parents to join us, particularly between 8:30am and 9:30am, to keep the boys busy and enjoy a delicious breakfast.

Check out below the wonderful menu our students have prepared!

Students With Disability Travel Rebate – Semester 1 2024

• Was your child included on the latest Commonwealth Census as a student with a disability requiring supplementary, substantial or extensive adjustments?
• Does your child’s Personalised Learning Plan confirm their transport needs are demonstrably different to those of their same aged peers by reason of their disability?
• Has your school’s learning support teacher assessed your child’s Travel Capability Rating as ‘semi-independent’ or more dependent?Visit our website to see if you qualify for financial assistance to help with the cost of transport and apply at www.schooltransport.com.au during May. 

Late applications cannot be accepted after 31 May.