PRINCIPAL'S ADDRESS

Dear Parents and Carers
As we approach the end of another busy and industrious term, I extend my thanks to you for your ongoing support in our efforts to provide the highest quality education for all students. Education is a partnership and progress as a school is dependent on support at home.

I also wish to say a special thank you to those parents who were able to attend our second Parent Engagement committee meeting. The feedback I have received from this group, along with the Student Voice Council and the Staff Consultative Committee, has been invaluable in understanding the culture of Xavier Catholic College and the desire for change and improvement. As a result, we have some exciting changes ahead which I look forward to announcing early next Term.

On Thursday I will join the group of staff travelling to Europe for the Ignatian Study Tour. I am sure that this will further deepen my appreciation and understanding of the charism of our College and how we can continue to live and work within a spirituality inspired by St Ignatius of Loyola.

It has been a disjointed end of Term for me personally. Last week I travelled to Cairns for 3 days to attend the funeral of my sister-in-law and spend some time with my brother and his four young children. It was a sad time as we celebrated a life cut short by cancer at the age of 45.

My son, Jacob, travelled with me. Jacob is now 24 years of age and working in Emerald. He was wonderful company and great with his young cousins. I was so impressed with his maturity and reflected back on the many mishaps Clare and I had to work through during his teenage years.

It reminded me of the following story which I hope many parents can relate to:

Dog And Cat
I just realised that while children are dogs -- loyal and affectionate -- teenagers are cats. It's so easy to be a dog owner. You feed it, train it, boss it around. It puts its head on your knee and gazes at you as if you were a Rembrandt painting. It bounds indoors with enthusiasm when you call it.

Then around age 13, your adoring little puppy turns into a big old cat. When you tell it to come inside, it looks amazed, as if wondering who died and made you emperor. Instead of dogging your doorsteps, it disappears. You won't see it again until it gets hungry -- then it pauses on its sprint through the kitchen long enough to turn its nose up at whatever you're serving. When you reach out to ruffle its head, in that old affectionate gesture, it twists away from you, then gives you a blank stare, as if trying to remember where it has seen you before.

You, not realising that the dog is now a cat, think something must be desperately wrong with it. It seems so antisocial, so distant, sort of depressed. It won't go on family outings.

Since you're the one who raised it, taught it to fetch and stay and sit on command, you assume that you did something wrong. Flooded with guilt and fear, you redouble your efforts to make your pet behave.

Only now you're dealing with a cat, so everything that worked before now produces the opposite of the desired result. Call it, and it runs away. Tell it to sit, and it jumps on the counter. The more you go toward it, wringing your hands, the more it moves away.

Instead of continuing to act like a dog owner, you can learn to behave like a cat owner. Put a dish of food near the door, and let it come to you. But remember that a cat needs your help and your affection too. Sit still, and it will come, seeking that warm, comforting lap it has not entirely forgotten. Be there to open the door for it.

One day your grown-up child will walk into the kitchen, give you a big kiss and say, "You've been on your feet all day. Let me get those dishes for you."

Then you'll realise your cat is a dog again.

The teenage years can be trying but they come through it in the end. To all parents of teenagers – hang in there – they do grow up eventually!

God bless
Simon Dash
Principal


HEAD OF COLLEGE ADDRESS

CHANGES TO THE NEWSLETTER
The Leadership Team has made the decision to change our newsletter production from weekly to bi-weekly. This will allieviate the time pressures in accurately releasing information to you each week, along with the obligation of parents to read it weekly. We trust that supplemented by our regular social media releases and the BCE Connect Phone Application notifications we can continue to provide timely information and news.

The next newsletter to be published will be in the first week of Term Four followed by the next in Week Three.

YEAR 12 FORMAL
What an amazing night of cars, gowns, dancing and enjoyment for all involved in the Formal evening. The red carpet was again a highlight for all involved as parents and friends came to see the spectacular cars that brought our students to their Formal and watch them walk the carpet. We thank all involved in organising this evening especially Mrs. Leonie White and Ms. Stacy Sullivan who led this team.



STAFF PILGRIMAGE
During these holidays nine teaching staff, two administration staff and three partners will be undertaking a Pilgrimage to follow in the footsteps of St Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus. We will visit Rome, Florence, Venice, Paris and many towns in Spain to visit sites of both spiritual and Cultural significance to the Jesuits. We especially thank Kerry and Loretta Swann for taking on the roles of leading this valuable experience for us.

TERM 4 START DATE
A reminder to all families that the first day back is Tuesday 3rd October and wishing you all a very happy and safe holidays.    


UPCOMING EVENTS
September 11-15 – Year 10 Work Experience
September 15 – End Term 3
November 6 – Junior School Grandparents’ Day Liturgy

 

Dear Parents
Commencing in Term 4 the Absentee phone line will no longer be available.
To ensure the safety of students and to provide accurate records, from the start of Term 4, student absences and late arrivals should be lodged via the Parent Portal, BCE Connect or by email to xavierabsentees@bne.catholic.edu.au 
This can be made easier by ensuring you download the BCE Connect App which can be downloaded from the App Store for Apple devices or Google Play for Androids.
 
Alternatively, a written note is acceptable.


SAVE THE DATE!
Next term, on Monday 6th November, the Junior School will hold its annual Grandparents' Day Liturgy at 9:00am in GOA! All grandparents are welcome to join us for a liturgy and morning tea. Please pass this information to your children’s grandparents so that they can plan accordingly.


FOR SALE BY TENDER
The College vehicle is for sale by tender.  Please email psherveybay@bne.catholic.edu.au for tender documents containing full details relating to the vehicle and conditions of sale.
Tenders will close on Wednesday 20 September, 2017.


XAVIER PLAYGROUP
What:  Playgroup @ Xavier
When: Our first session will be on Friday 20th October
Time:  9 – 11am
Where:  In GOA in the Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) room, just along the path from the main car park (follow the signs)
Why:  To have a play with your children in a happy setting, to come along to meet other mums and dads, to enjoy a story together……….
What to bring:  Morning tea for your children, and a hat for outside play.  We will provide a cuppa and some morning tea!
 
 
OFFICE HOLIDAY CLOSURES
The College Office will be closed Monday 18 September until Wednesday 20 September and will reopen on Thursday 21 September and will be open for the remainder of the school holidays from 9am – 3pm.
 

P&F SECOND HAND UNIFORM DONATIONS
Xavier's P&F community is calling for second hand uniform donations, that can then be sold at discount prices to our families which also contributes towards fundraising that directly supports our College community. Donations can be handed into College Reception. We please ask that any donations are clean and in good order, suitable for re-sale.  


READERS CUP TEAMS, 2ND & 8TH IN THE STATE!
What an amazing feat by our Years 5-6 & Years 7-8 Readers Cup teams, both competing in the incredibly challenging State Finals last week in Ipswich and Bundaberg respectively. Our 7-8 team finished 2nd in the state, and the 5-6 team 8th, positions we are incredibly proud of. Congratulations. The students were also rewarded with an array of inspirational author talks following the competition.




YEAR 4 RELIGION
This term Year 4 have been learning about different communities. As part of Religion they were learning about the history of Jewish communities and the importance of the Jewish Temple to the community. Students were asked to build a diorama of either First or Second Jewish Temple. Their efforts were amazing.

Towards the end of term Year 4 were visited by our Year 11 leaders. They spoke with their house about the charities we support during Mission Weeks and the importance of the charities to the wider communities. They spent the afternoon educating all the students on the importance of caring for the marginalised in our society. Thank you Year 11.




FROM THE SCIENCE CLASSROOM
Matt Jones and James Coster demonstrating a teabag rocket to the rest of their year 9 class.



YEAR 4 UNDERWATER WORLD EXCURSION
Sleep! What does that word really mean? The Year 4's had an amazing adventure when they visited and slept over at Sea Life, Mooloolaba last week. The students did a brilliant job of representing Xavier with the staff at Sea Life commenting on how well behaved and respectful they were.  Students were granted backstage access and shown sick and injured marine creatures. They learned how these situations can be avoided by the proper disposal of rubbish, and the banning of plastics bags, which look like jellyfish to sea creatures. Sleeping in the underwater tunnel allowed some students to drift off to sleep while watching graceful rays, sharks and fish. Other students who camped in the Billabong, relaxed to the sound of cascading waterfalls.  Teachers were revived with their 3-4 hours sleep (except one who we now call 'Sleeping Beauty') and arose ready for more exploring of this incredible Underwater World.



JUNIOR CHOIR STOCKLANDS PERFORMANCE
Well done to Xavier's Junior Choir & Mini Singers who sung at Stocklands on Saturday. The students sounded and looked amazing! Thank you to all our choir parents, family and friends for taking time out of your busy weekend to bring the students down and listen to them sing. Also, a big thank you goes to Mr Davey, Ms Sidaway, Mrs Grumley, Mrs May and the ever amazing pianist -Mrs Jensen for helping out on the day.








WOOLWORTHS EARN AND LEARN

The Woolworths Earn and Learn program is back for 2017 and once again Xavier College is participating.
The program works like this – if our community saves their stickers when they shop at Woolworths we can use these to ‘purchase’ educational resource items from Modern Teaching Aids at the end of the promotion.

The program runs from 26 July – 19 September.
Staff, grandparents, neighbours and friends can all support our school by collecting stickers and placing them on a sticker sheet and dropping them into the boxes marked ‘Xavier College” at each Woolworths store or in the box in the college foyer.
Last year we were able to supplement our PE equipment for junior school and this year we would love to be able to use the resources in other learning areas.