​​​​

From the Pen of the Principal ​

Dear Parents and Caregivers

Student Voice Council 2021

Each year the students at Xavier Catholic College put forward representatives from Years 5 to 12 to form the Student Voice Council. This is a very important group because it enables me to hear the ideas, suggestions and concerns of students and it also allows me to gain a student perspective on policies and changes that we are considering implementing.

For example, the Student Voice Council has made significant contributions to the following:

• The move to paper diaries.

• Input into the Mobile Phone policy.

• Input into the Hair and Jewellery policy.

• The proposal to clean the picnic tables daily (now in our Cleaning Contract).

• Advice about the placement of tables around the campus.

• The introduction of girls' formal trousers.

• Advice on changes to the Uniform (e.g. new shirt and better/stretchier shorts).

• Improvements to our toilets.

• Advice on our Traffic Management Plan.

• Suggestions about how best to retain students and create a more welcoming culture.

• Input into the new Values, Vision and Mission Statement.

This list is not exhaustive by any means but serves to illustrate the impact the students can have on XCC. It also shows the importance of Student 'Agency'. In the educational context, agency refers to a respectful and more empowered positioning of students to be active agents in their own learning lives. Student agency encompasses both the power of possibility and the personal desire and will to act. It is an essential part of a well-rounded education to empower students to think for themselves, to articulate their ideas and contribute to the improvement of their school.

Congratulations to the following students who make up the 2021 Student Voice Council:

Bullying Survey 2021

Over the past two weeks students in Years 4 to 12 have participated in a Bullying Survey designed to ascertain the amount, type and location of bullying that students observe, as well as their ideas as to what works best to minimise such instances.

The preliminary results are very encouraging and illustrate that while bullying happens occasionally, it is not widespread and students have confidence in the school to respond to it when it occurs.

Once the survey closes I will further analyse the data and report this back to the community early next Term.

Reminders to Parents and Caregivers about Policies and Procedures

Each year one of the requirements of a Principal is to remind parents and caregivers of key Policies and Procedures.

The following can be accessed both through our Website and through the Parent Portal:

• Student Protection Processes

• Complaints about Non-compliance with BCE Student Protection Processes

• Complaints Form for reporting Non-compliance with BCE Student Protection Processes

• Student Protection and Code of Conduct Training for Volunteers and Other Personnel

• Acceptable Users Policy (Information Systems and Resources)

• Privacy Policy

• Student, Parent and Guardian Complaints Management

• Student Behaviour Support Plan

In addition, the Parent Portal provides access under the 'Update Your Details' Tab to change your:

• Media Consent status for your child or children

• Medical Information for your child or children

• Your contact details (address, phone, email etc.)

Easter Blessings

I hope the Easter break will be a happy and holy time for all. The Easter Season is one of the most profound periods of the Church's year as we celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus. Easter is a time to rejoice that, in Jesus, God fully embraced humanity, in order that humanity could fully embrace God. The mystery of Easter has the power to transform lives and to see the world in a new way.

While we focus on the last few days of Jesus' death and his subsequent resurrection, this only makes sense when we consider the message of his whole life. In Jesus' words and actions we are presented with a radical love that announces that God's reign is breaking into history. It is the kind of radical love that transforms lives and breaks through barriers. The outcast, be they a leper, a tax collector or a Samaritan, is invited into relationship with Jesus as a full and complete human being. In many ways, Jesus announces that the artificial distinctions that are used to separate people and place their value on some kind of tiered scale do not represent God's way of looking at human beings.

Instantly, those who accept this invitation to relationship are transformed from within as they now enter into that relationship as full human beings. Their mindsets are radically altered and their innate beauty as a creation of God begins to shine. Likewise, Jesus challenges those whose power relies on enforcing such artificial distinctions in order to maintain their status. He embodies a God of radical love for humanity. In Jesus we encounter the God who liberates through love. In announcing the reign of God, Jesus reveals a God that loves humanity so deeply that God desires to touch creation directly and completely. In Jesus, that God-initiated process of individual and social liberation begins. In Jesus, God touches creation.

Easter begins with God's action and invitation. But the acceptance of Easter into our lives is not an individual action that will be fulfilled in personal isolation in heaven. By accepting the invitation of Easter we become connected to God's activity in this world and God's desire to transform this world. We join a communal acceptance of becoming agents of God's radical love that seeks to transform the world. In this way, we allow ourselves to become Christ to our world and, through our communal actions, Christ continues to transform our world to bring it to full communion with God.

May the blessings and transformational power of Easter be with each of you.

Simon Dash

Principal

 Upcoming Dates   

From the Head of School – Secondary: Mr Chris Relf    

As Term One draws to a close, I would like to thank all students and staff for their efforts throughout the term. It has been a challenging time in many ways and has finished with similar uncertainty to the equivalent time last year.

Lady Elliot Island Excursion

Congratulations to our Year 12 Marine Science and Aquatic Practices classes who returned from Lady Elliott Island on Friday after a three day excursion. Once again this camp was an amazing experience for these students and a perfect place to develop a deep understanding of the marine environment. Thank you to Mr McQuaid, Mrs Glass, Mr Ninnes, Mr Riggs and Mrs McGovern for your invovlement in organising and leading this camp.

Experience Xavier Day - Year 6 Students

On Thursday, 22nd April we will be hosting a day for Year 6 students to experience Secondary Schooling. 'Experience Xavier Day' is an opportunity for Year 6 students across the Fraser Coast to join with our current Xavier Year 6 students and Year 6 students from Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School to spend a day in our Secondary School.

The goals of this day include:

1. Experience what Secondary School is like and what Xavier Catholic College has to offer.

2. Meet other Year 6 students from local schools and start to build friendships across the district.

3. Engage in a rotation of subjects/activities to assist each student with their transition into Secondary Schooling.

​If you are aware of any Year 6 students from other schools who may like to attend this day can you please forward the link below for them to register their interest.

 Event Registration (xavier.qld.edu.au)

Round 1 Enrolment applications close on the 24th May. Round 1 Interviews will be conducted on the 10th June.

Cross Country

A reminder that our Cross Country has now been moved to the first day back next term due to the school closure this week. Xavier Day activities have also been postponed until later in the year.

Finally, as we head into the holidays I wish you a holy and blessed Easter. This is the pivotal component of our Catholic faith and Jesus rising on the Sunday is perhaps the greatest example of his power to turn sorrow into joy. Have a great break and I look forward to seeing you all back next term ready for the next stage of the 2021 school year.

CARE & CONCERN COMMITTEE --- WHAT THEY DO…

Xavier Catholic College has a group of parents who volunteer their time to welcome and help other members of the school community. They do this by:

• Holding first day morning tea (Meet and Greet opportunity)

• Providing meals for school families experiencing a crisis

• Providing information about the school to families

• Assisting the College Board in planning and reviewing the Pastoral Care Policy of the College

• Working closely with the Campus Minister

​

At all times we encourage you to explore the Parent Portal or to talk to your child's classroom teacher or Pastoral Care teacher about any questions that you may have as your first point of contact. Each House has parent contacts and they range from P-12.  If you wish to contact anyone of our parent contacts their details will be published each term in the College Newsletter. We are in need of parent contacts in our P-6 area so if you would like to nominate yourself or to ask further information of what is involved please do not hesitate to contact myself, Carmel Donnelly (Campus Minister). Confidentiality is utmost for our committee and any information shared with our parent contacts will not be passed on unless you so desire it.

HOUSE PARENT CONTACTS
Narwari House Parents

Anna Anderson (Jack Anderson)  aanderson4283@gmail.com

Claire Sinclair (Alex Sinclair) 41295730

Jo O'Neill (Kate O'Neil) 0422942289  

Ellen Geldard (Lachlan & Matthew) 41286910/ 0400499508 egeldard@gslaw.net.au

Mary Arnold (Riley/Corey/Joey) 0418729967

Karen Grumley (Stewart) 41243034 / 0413306540. 

Cassie Wilson (Max/Anabel/Imogen Wilson) 0409761207.

Malina Blakely (Ryan Blakely) mblackley@bne.catholic.edu.au (0478 410 180)

Rachael Trevillion (Luke/Sadie/Abbie Trevillion) rach.trev17@gmail.com

Nikita Falconer (Lily & Mia Falconer) nikita.beattie@live.com.au (0432 265 632)

Buthu House Parents

Michelle Wiegmink (Reece Wiegmink) 41287941/0409890188

Karen Goffinet (Patrick Goffinet) 0421 322 121.

Allison McGovern (Georgia McGovern) 0411 416 943

Shelly Hislop (Jordan/Lincoln Hislop) 0423 506 675.

Dirum House Parents

Rachel Loague (Oscar/Sophie Loague) 0417792179

Melissa Lynch (Mya) missyjane300@gmail.com

Helen Hatchett (Summer/Sam Wilson) 0438347153

Kellie Robinson (Alysha Robinson) 0448623963

Kondari House Parents

Michelle Begaud (Blake/Kyle Begaud) 0438242252

Carole Dewhurst (Freya Golik) 41206240/0400793188

Alison Keal (Angus/Seth) 0466250799

Emma Pearson (Dylan/Ava /Shayli) 0403599406

Blessings, Carmel Donnelly  cjdonnelly@bne.catholic.edu.au  41971165

Homework Club

This term our Indigenous homework club has run each Thursday after school. The students were encouraged to finish class work, practise sight words and reading or expand their skills with writing tasks.

We have been extremely lucky to have a number of Secondary students come along to assist and tutor the younger students. Our Indigenous Homework Club will start up again week 2, Thu 29 April.

​Narwari Mission Week

A massive thank you to everyone for you your support of Narwari Mission Week, we have raised so much money the final amount is still being counted. The Narwari students enjoyed doing the activities for the other students and all students seemed to enjoy the activities on offer. Samantha Bennet in 2.1 was the lucky winner of the massive Easter Raffle, I'm sure her family will have a great time on the holidays eating all that chocolate. Caritas will be very grateful for the money we have raised to help them in their efforts to help those less fortunate than ourselves. I wish you all a Happy and Holy Easter.

Work Experience 2021

As part of our commitment to preparing our students to make informed career decisions, we deliver a unique program in year 10 titled Greatly Enhancing Career Knowledge & Opportunities (GECKO). As part of the program, students complete one week of work experience. The GECKO program will be run in the last 2 weeks of Term 2.

Many of our students had hoped to gain some work experience in the Construction Industry. In Queensland if you are on a construction site, it a requirement to have completed an induction and have possession of a general construction induction training card (previously called a white card).

Last week 22 Xavier students embraced the opportunity to complete a general construction induction training course, with TAFE East Coast.

This training gave our students a basic knowledge of:

• work health and safety laws

• common site hazards and

• how to control the associated risks.
  

These students were presented with their card at a year level class. Congratulations to all those that completed this course.

Visit by Registered Nurse for Free Prep Vision Screening

Good vision is important for a child's educational, physical and social development. Vision screening checks for common eye conditions that may impact your child's ability to see and therefore impact their learning and development.

A Registered Nurse will be visiting the school on/between 10 and 11 May 2021 to conduct vision screening for children in their prep year. Your child does not need a Medicare card in order to participate in screening. If you wish to have your prep child participate in this free vision screening program, please complete a consent form by 2nd May, 2021.  Online or paper consent forms are available and will be distributed to you. Parents do not need to be present for screening, however if you would like to be, please contact the school to arrange this.

If your child's vision is screened, you will be advised of the results in writing. If a vision concern is found, you will receive a phone call from the nurse to discuss referral to an eye health professional for further assessment. If a vision concern is identified and your child requires glasses, eligible health care card holders may be assisted with free basic glasses through the Spectacle Supply Scheme.

Participation in vision screening is not compulsory. If you do not wish for your child to participate in screening, please complete the consent form and indicate that you wish to decline screening.

If you have any questions, please contact the Primary School Nurse Health Readiness Program on 1800 687 372.

Primary School 'The Arts'

Term 1 in 'The Arts' has been exciting in the Primary School.

Prep have explored nursery rhymes through music, drama and visual arts.

Year 1 have been engaging in popular song stories and creating matching visual art works.

Year 2 explored their emotions through drama, music and visual arts.

Year 3 took a trip in their imaginations in music, drama and visual arts.

Year 4 explored sea shanties and ocean art.

Year 5 loved their mythical monster unit and created outstanding collages and filmed dramatic presentations.

Year 6 wove their way around some of the world with some cultural music, dance, drumming and a weaving project.

Mini-Singers had an amazing term of excellent fun and great attendance, culminating in a beautiful performance last week on assembly.

Stay tuned for news on our upcoming musical auditions and well done to all the students for having excellent behaviour and a great attitude in 'The Arts.'  Being creative makes life more interesting, fun and opens our minds to different ways of thinking. 

SPORTS NEWS   

Senior Primary GALA Day Fun

Great sportsmanship and teamwork were displayed by our Year 5 and 6 students who represented the College at the recent Gala Day. The XCC students played various sports - netball, hockey, touch football, soccer, rugby league and tennis. The students have been participating in weekly training sessions this term leading up to the GALA Day competitions. A great day of fun, fitness and friendly competition was had by all.

HB DISTRICT SWIMMING – XAVIER WINS CHAMPION SCHOOL

It is pleasing to be able to finally announce that Xavier won the Senior Trophy (15-18yrs) and Overall Trophy (12-18yrs) at the Hervey Bay District Secondary Swimming Carnival held on Monday 8th February. This is a particularly pleasing result and is a direct consequence of Xavier students being so willing and committed to represent the College at these events. Xavier had a student swimming in every event available to us – there was not one Xavier lane left empty. Congratulated to all students that represented the College at this event. Xavier's Age Champions were:

14yrs Girls – Alix Woods

16yrs Girls – Alana Woods

18yrs Girls – Alysha Robinson

18yrs Boys – Kyle Begaud

XAVIER CROSS-COUNTRY

A reminder of the schedule of events for the cross-country (below) which will now occur on Monday 19th April. At this stage, spectators are permitted to attend after signing a covid register. However, the recent outbreak and subsequent lockdown in Brisbane means we await updates from Brisbane Catholic Education that may impact the attendance of spectators at this event. To stay up to date, please visit Xavier's Facebook page.

Primary Cross Country Schedule

Secondary Cross Country Schedule