From the Pen of the Principal

Dear Parents and Carers

Heads Up for Heads Down

With a little over two weeks to go until we break for holidays, it is timely to offer our students a heads up that the rules and expectations do not change just because we are entering the last weeks.

Many students are getting excited at the prospect of holidays.  I am sure that many of the staff would share similar sentiments.  It has been a long term and the finish line looks enticing.  However, finishing well is an important life lesson.  It is important for all students to stay on track until the very end.  In terms of study, it would be a shame for a student to dip in their results through lack of focus, after all the hard work that has been invested throughout the term.  Likewise, in terms of behaviour, to let standards slip would be disappointing.  I have reminded students that the rules do not change for the last weeks of school.  Our expectations of behaviour and effort are high and will remain so to the very end.  Youthful exuberance is no excuse for poor behaviour.

When I was a child there were times when I would get a little over-excited or carried away (hard to believe I know).  With four older brothers, one sister and a big back yard, I'll admit to having some very loud and active fun when I was a kid.  When my mother sensed that things were getting a little “over the top", she would lean out the window and say “If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you".  It was a quote from Rudyard Kipling's poem “If".  It brought an instantaneous response from everyone to “tone it down".  It may not have been so much the wisdom of the words, as the fact that we knew the consequences if we did not respond.  As our students face their final days of Term Three, I suggest that they “keep their heads" right to the end.

The Magic Pebble

One thing that most teachers will report is that, from time to time, students will ask the question “Why do we have to learn this?"  More regularly is the question “How is this going to be useful to my life?"  The following story entitled “The Magic Pebble" illustrates that we can never predict the value of what we learn as it impacts further down the journey of life.

One night a group of nomads were preparing to retire for the evening when suddenly they were surrounded by a great light. They knew they were in the presence of a celestial being. With great anticipation, they awaited a heavenly message of great importance that they knew must be especially for them.

Finally, the voice spoke, "Gather as many pebbles as you can. Put them in your saddle bags. Travel a day's journey and tomorrow night will find you glad and it will find you sad."

After having departed, the nomads shared their disappointment and anger with each other. They had expected the revelation of a great universal truth that would enable them to create wealth, health and purpose for the world. But instead they were given a menial task that made no sense to them at all. However, the memory of the brilliance of their visitor caused each one to pick up a few pebbles and deposit them in their saddle bags while voicing their displeasure.

They travelled a day's journey and that night while making camp, they reached into their saddle bags and discovered every pebble they had gathered had become a diamond. They were glad they had diamonds. They were sad they had not gathered more pebbles.

(by: John W. Schlatter, A 2nd Helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul)

When speaking to students, I regularly remind them to keep their focus on their studies.  While co-curricular activities are beneficial to a well-balanced life, the main game happens in the classroom and the need to identify academic goals is a priority.  Academic Character is an important concept for school students.  Like sporting character, it is not necessarily defined by ability.  Rather it is defined by commitment. 

Every student at Xavier Catholic College is expected to strive to use their God-given abilities to the fullest.  For some, this will mean seeking and attaining A+'s, while for others it may mean an almighty effort is placed into the necessary work required to attain a C.  It is not the natural ability of our students, but the level of commitment and dedication that defines the academic character of our College. 

At times students may struggle to see the relevance of their studies and find it difficult to stay focused.  That's when they need to remember the “magic pebble" and trust that, by remaining attentive to their studies, they will be benefited in the long term.  The holidays around the corner and the final Term of 2019 looming large, I hope that every student will feel challenged to give their best and, as an academic community, we will soar to new heights.  

God Bless

Simon Dash

Principal

Heads of School Address

Fathers' Day Breakfast

A very big thank you to all the families that joined us for the Fathers' Day breakfast on Friday.  It was wonderful to see so many Dads and special men on GOA oval enjoying the company of our students. It was also pleasing to see all involved in the students v parents soccer match which was played in good spirit.  My thanks to Mr McDonald for his efforts towards ensuring the breakfast and liturgy ran smoothly and to all staff who assisted throughout the morning.

Limited Vacancies remaining for Prep 2020

We encourage our XAVIER families currently considering their child’s first year of education to ensure they have submitted and/or completed their enrolment application. Vacancies are now very limited for our Prep intake for 2020. We value our relationship with current families and would like to ensure all current families are able to access a position at the College. Enrol or confirm your enrolment today to secure your child’s future education.

Principal's Afternoon Tea

Last week the College recognised another group of students who live out the Xavier way each school day.  We congratulate the following students on being recognised for their efforts over the course of Term three. Each student was invited to join Mr Dash for a special afternoon tea and received a certificate acknowledging their achievement. 

Assembly to Recognise Application & Effort

Last Wednesday the secondary school took time to recognise and celebrate those students who consistently apply themselves to their studies and in class. More than 200 students were awarded certificates as a result of obtaining  almost all “Consistently" as a rating on their Semester One Report.

Unfortunately our Year 12 students were taking part in a theatrical production so were not able to participate so we mailed home their Certificates.

2019/20 Student Leaders Induction

On Sunday 11^th and Monday 12^th August our newly appointed Student Leaders took part in their Induction Retreat at Campialba. The students were taken through a series of workshops by senior staff as well as being provided with time to get to know each other and identify their skills and talents to be able to work as a team to lead the Xavier student body.

Senior School Subject Selection Process

Year 10 students have been investigating their career options and possible subjects for next year in the Personal and Social Development classes. Two weeks ago Mr Chris Relf organised a session for parents to hear about the process and also provided the opportunity for parents and students to meet with the teachers of the senior subjects. The next step was the development of the students' Secondary Education and Training Plan (SETP). All year 10 students were assigned a staff member as a mentor and met with them on Tuesday 27^th August to discuss future plans and subjects. We thank those staff who acted as mentors and worked with parents and students to assist in this very important process as students move into their final years of schooling

Teachers monitoring their practices

Students in Years 4 -12 will undertake the Classroom Climate Questionnaire over the next two weeks in order to provide feedback to their teachers on their practice. This feedback will alert staff to areas where they can better meet student's needs or identify possible areas for improvement. When staff receive their feedback they will meet with their colleagues in Professional Learning Teams to share ideas to address these concerns. Staff will then survey the students again in 6-8 weeks to monitor any progress in these areas. As a school we will receive the whole school feedback and Mr. Dash will highlight these findings in a Newsletter next term. If you are interested in finding out more about this process please visit https://www.nsipartnerships.com.au

"Our Teachers Love Books" - Book Talks

On Thursday and Friday last week, some of our senior teachers spent some time with the Year 4 to 6 children sharing their own unique “Book" related stories from their personal experiences. Topics ranged from Graphic Novels to Tom Sawyer, to the Dark Emu series. No stone was left unturned. INSPIRATIONAL and SENSATIONAL were two words resonating from the Book Talks. The children returned to class inspired by the depth of knowledge that they witnessed. Many thanks to Drew McLean, Angela Vanner, Tilly Davis, Jo Kliendienst, Dr. Gary Turner, Kerry Sidaway and Sarah Love for giving of the time to share their love of literature within our school community.

Upcoming Calendar

Wearitto - Uniform Shop Price List

Open Monday 8:00am to 10:30am Tuesday 8:00am to 11:00am
Wednesday 8:00am to 11:00am Thursday 8:00am to 10:30am
xaviercatholiccollege@wearitto.com.auClick to view the full uniform price listWearitto XAVIER 2020.pdf

P&F Second Hand Uniform Sale

The P&F are holding a uniform sale next Monday, 9 September from 2pm until 5pm.

The sale will be in GOA boardroom and cash only sales available.  If anyone has any clothing donations to contribute to the P&F, please drop them into the office this week.

Shrek Jr Musical Tickets

Tickets to the Shrek Jr Musical are now available for purchase. Two shows only so get in quick.

https://www.trybooking.com/BFDBM

Making Payments to the College

Unfortunately, we are no longer able to accept payments by credit card over the phone.  There are however many ways in which you can make payments to the College.  These are:

• Direct debit or credit card authority – weekly, fortnightly, monthly, quarterly or annually

• BPay – for payments over $50.  Our BPay details are on the top right hand side your School Fee Account

• At the front counter we accept EFTPOS, cash or cheques

• Via an online transfer – our bank account details are on the bottom left hand side of your School Fee Account.

• Via the Qkr! which can be downloaded from the App Store onto your phone, iPad or tablet.

 

National eSmart Week

Welcome to National eSmart Week.  This year we have joined more than 1000 organisations from all around Australia taking part in National eSmart Week to raise awareness about cyber safety and help educate and empower all Australians to be safe online.

This initiative has come at an appropriate time because we have been speaking with students who have had concerns of late with social media including; being asked to post images, creating Instagram group chats that have turned into negative forums and other forms of cyberbullying. Whilst these incidences have not occurred at school, the fallout can often be observed at school.

During extended Pastoral Care Class this week, all students will participate in an awareness program which includes watching a video and engaging in discussions about being safe online.  The clear message of the program is THINK BEFORE YOU POST.

For more information check out the eSmart website - www.esmart.org.au or the ThinkUKnow website for more tips at www.thinkuknow.org.au

Lions Youth of the Year

Congratulations to Sara Faraj for her outstanding success in the 2019 Lions Youth of the Year Competition. Sara made it through three rounds of the competition and was awarded for her efforts by the Lioness Club of Maryborough at our assembly this week. We thank the Lioness Club volunteers for supporting Sara throughout the competition.

Formation Day

On Thursday 30th August, some Year 5 and 6 students, accompanied by some Senior Leaders, went to St Patrick's Gympie for a Formation Day. They did lots of activites and sung their lungs out! Some activities were full of teamwork and others were independently done. They sang songs with loads of actions, laughter, and beautiful voices, all lead by the seniors of multiple schools. There were lots of welcoming schools at St Patricks and it was great to meet new people along the way. They did fun skits about being loyal and loving others, all of which had to portray what Jesus would do in certain situations. They wrote prayers on delicate seed paper that will be planted in the school so it will grow into a dazzling tree. They also made mosaics with mini canvasses, designed to reflect how they see themselves as young people, and how Jesus was reflected in their day to day actions. They made colourful yarn bracelets and listed four or five marginalised groups, and worked out ways in which to support these groups. Overall, everyone said it was the highlight of their year and they could they would do it again. Special thanks must go to the Seniors who accompanied us on the day, Henry, Aylee, Ruby, Georgia, Isabella, Meghan and Sarah. 

STEM

Students in Year 9 STEM performed part one of their show. Students were able to select a STEM related demonstration, of special interest to them, to perform for their class mates. Edible slime, glowing washing powder, spinning engines, miracle wire, dry ice ice-cream making, rainbow solutions and magic sand were some of the demonstrations prepared and explained by the students.

Year 9 Food Tech

Year 9 Food Technology students have been in the kitchen creating delicious vegetable dishes and an array of healthy snacks as part of their Eat Well, Be Well unit.

Dessert Design

Senior Hospitality students have been very busy over the past month developing their knowledge, skills and techniques in creating, producing and presenting desserts. They have been so good with their trialling and practising, we can't wait to see what they create for their assessment task!"

Coast Excursion

As part of their studies, Senior Hospitality students were lucky to spend some time at COAST Restaurant where they were treated to Mocktail demonstrations, a delicious lunch featuring an array of locally sourced fresh ingredients as well as an informative masterclass on plating and presentation of desserts. Students also had the opportunity for a hands on experience in the production of mocktails. We all enjoyed sampling the quality fare. This experience offered students an invaluable insight into the components of a balanced dish as well as techniques of presenting mouth-watering and visually exciting plates of food. Our visit will hopefully inspire students as they work on their own dessert menu for their current assessment task. We extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to Julia and her team at COAST for taking the time to provide this valuable experience for our students.

Maths Pathways – Year 7 & 8 Growth Gurus
Each fortnight we will be recognising the students who have mastered six or more new mathematical concepts for the cycle. These students have achieved rocket status for their growth rate.

Addressing Body Image Issues at Xavier

A promotional message from Year 11 Health

What is body image? According to the 'Mirror Mirror' organisational webpage, body image is that which includes a person's beliefs, thoughts, perceptions, feelings, and actions about their body and appearance. Body image is important because the way we see ourselves influences every aspect of our lives: our mental health, our physical health, how we take care of ourselves, and also how we interact with and relate to other people.  

People suffering from eating disorders often have negative or distorted views of themselves, their bodies, and their appearance (This is NEGATIVE body image). For example, a person with anorexia nervosa may perceive himself or herself to be “fat," despite being significantly underweight, and a person of normal weight with bulimia may perceive himself or herself as overweight and in need of losing weight.

A person with a healthy body image has an objective, undistorted view of their body and appearance. They do not spend a large amount of time checking their body or perceived flaws or comparing themselves to others. Having a healthy body image may mean that a person is able to engage in their social, work, or private lives without body image concerns getting in the way; Or, it may mean accepting some dissatisfaction with one's body image or appearance and engaging in life's day-to-day activities anyway, despite this concern (This is POSITIVE body image).

Here are some basic effects of positive and negative body image in youth, according to the Headspace homepage:

POSITIVE	NEGATIVE
Greater Confidence	Eating Disorder Development
Heightened Charisma	Worsened Mental Attitude
Places Less Value on Appearance	Poor Socialisation
Reduced Judgment of Others Appearance and More Focus on Character	Fear of Leaving Private Spaces  (Such as Home)
Engages with Others Frequently	Self-Isolation
	Suicidal Thoughts or Self-Harm

 

Our year 11 Health class developed a short questionnaire to gather statistics about what YOUR kids had to say on this topic. Over 400 students out of 600+ students in years 7-12 answered this survey about body image, here are some results:

• 34% of kids say they're negatively affected by images on social media

• 31% of students say they're unhappy with the way they look

• 56% of students would change something about their body if they could.
  

• Around 60% say they take the most influence from their family…that's all of us!

Some helpful tips for parents to improve body image have been provided below.

• Place less emphasis on your child's appearance and more on their abilities and skills.

• Be a role model by accepting your body and maintaining a positive attitude towards food and exercise.

• Make time for family meals and enjoy the time spent together.

• Encourage your child to think critically about messages and images they see and hear in the media.

• Help your child understand that their body will change, especially throughout puberty.

• Promote activities that make your child feel good about themselves and that don't focus on their appearance.

• Teach your child that it is OK to show emotions such as sadness, anger, and frustration.

These are taken from the government “Raising Children" webpage:

Vietnam Veterans Bursary Applications

Please see below the DVA Factsheet in relation to The Long Tan Bursary

https://www.dva.gov.au/factsheet-gs04-long-tan-bursary

Children, and now grandchildren, of Vietnam Veterans are encouraged to apply for funding under The Long Tan Bursary Scheme for the 2020 educational year. Applications close on 31 October 2019.  For more information visit the DVA grants website.

Sports News

Year Three and Four GALA Day

Students in Years 3 and 4 will be involved in Interschool Sport Gala day this Friday 6^th September.  The competition is organised by Hervey Bay District School Sports and is aimed at providing all students with the opportunity to participate in a sport of their choice for the day. Students are required to wear their normal day uniform for Gala day.

Year Five and Six GALA Day

Students in Years 5 and 6 will be involved in Interschool Sport Gala day on Friday 13^th September. This competition is run by Hervey Bay District Sports and provides students with the opportunity to be involved in age appropriate physical activity.  Students are required to wear their normal day uniform for Gala day.

XCC Girls Touch Teams Make Impression at All Hallows Carnival

On Sunday the 25^th of August the three XCC Girls Touch Teams participated in the All Hallows Touch Carnival in Brisbane. The girls all showed great team spirit with the Opens and 13 girls successfully making it into Championship Finals, only to be knocked out in the Semi Finals. All round, a very successful day in preparation for our next carnival in October.

Hockey – Wide Bay Cup

On Wednesday 21^st August the Xavier Open Boys Hockey team competed in the Wide Bay Cup. This year games were played in Maryborough. They played teams from Maryborough and Gympie throughout the day in a round robin competition. After 4 games with 2 narrow losses, a draw and a win they finished second overall to a combined Maryborough team. The games were all extremely close and the boys played very well throughout the day. Their behaviour on and off the field was exemplary. Congratulations to all players on their efforts for the day.

The Australian Cricket Mascot Challenge

All students in Prep to Year 2 are taking part in the Australian Cricket Mascot Challenge until the end of term 3. This challenge promotes the development of fundamental movement skills while encouraging students to be physically active.

Each week students are given 4 activities to progressively work through.

At the conclusion of the entire challenge, all students who have taken part in the challenge will get a Challenge Certificate to take home. We encourage your child to practise these activities throughout the challenge period.

Community Events