PRINCIPAL’S ADDRESS

Dear Parents and Carers
Welcome back to Term 4 and the race to the finish line for the 2017 academic year. The Term promises to be a busy one as we consolidate and extend our students’ learning. We have placed a great deal of emphasis on continuous improvement and raising academic standards throughout the course of this year. Much of this has involved working with staff in their professional growth and development, looking at ways to analyse and utilise student feedback and providing resources for staff to focus on areas of improvement. Staff have engaged with this process wholeheartedly and we a seeing the signs in terms of learning outcomes.

Equally, our language around student expectations has been a focus. High expectations are the foundations of a successful learning culture. While every student is at a different point on their learning journey and possesses a unique set of gifts, every student can strive to be the best that they can be. Success is not always measured by the number of ‘A’s’ on a report card, but more by whether students are progressing and moving ahead in their learning. This takes self-discipline, organisation and resilience. These are the qualities upon which I hope Xavier will build its reputation as a school of excellence and the school of choice on the Fraser Coast.

It needs to be a team effort with teachers and students striving for personal excellence and parents supporting their children in their learning. My desire is to make a very good school a great school which is the envy of other schools, not just on the Fraser Coast, but throughout Queensland.

Over the holiday break I attended the Ignatian Study Tour along with a number of staff. The tour took us to Rome, Florence, Venice, Paris and Barcelona, along with the birthplaces of St Ignatius of Loyola and St Francis Xavier. As a Catholic School in the Ignatian Tradition, it was an opportunity to immerse oneself in the lives of these two key Saints upon whom our spirituality as a school is founded.

Saints are very much ‘heroes’ of our faith who lived out their commitment to Jesus in the context of their times and faced their own struggles along the way. I was particularly moved by visiting Montserrat and Manresa outside of Barcelona. Montserrat is where Ignatius laid down his sword and committed himself to a new direction in his life. Manresa is where Ignatius then spent a year living in a cave, wrestling with his past and writing the Spiritual Exercises that are foundational to the Ignatian way.

I was moved by these places as we all are challenged with the ‘demons’ of our past and yet Ignatius was able face these head on and emerge as a great leader within our faith tradition who went on to become the founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) who still play a pivotal role within our Church.

It was a reminder to me of an old saying that I have often relied on in my own spiritual growth as well as my challenges – ‘You are a product of your past – Not a prisoner to it.’

God bless

Simon Dash
Principal



BUTHU MISSION WEEK
We have exciting news that next week is Buthu Mission week! Every year the amazing students of Buthu house, with your help, work hard to raise funds for Catholic and Social Missions, and this year for the first time, Tassariki Primary School in Vanuatu.

How can you get involved I hear you say? Never fear, as there are plenty of activities throughout the week that we want you to participate in.  These include:



Crazy sock day – Staff and students wear their favourite socks and help ‘sock it to poverty’! Your gold coin donation will assist in providing aid for Ugandan children without access to health care. Pencil crazy socks for next Thursday in your diary!



Coin Challenge - which PC or junior classes will have the highest weight of coins? Join us next Friday to find out which classes take home the pizza and ice cream party as winners.    K1 are the defending champions – who will be the champions in 2017?

Senior School Bake Sale – Sample some tasty treats from the Buthu Bake sale.  Children living in poverty, and your will thank you, as will your tastebuds.

Junior School Ice-cream Sale – Who wouldn’t want to eat ice cream for a good cause? $2 for a deliver ice cream helps Ugandan children to have access to adequate medical care.  Order forms sent home from class.

Crazy Hair Day – B2 can add a touch of colour to your day with their crazy hair day.  Gold coin donation for a splash of colour.

Pepsi-Max Basketball Challenge – B3 will be calling all sharpshooters to test their skills and walk away with icy cold prizes.

On a serious note, please help us to raise awareness and funds for these worthwhile charities.  Our time and effort makes a small difference to our lives but a huge difference to those in need.  Thanks in advance for your support and we look forward to seeing lots or participation next week!





TERM 4 FEES
Term 4 Fees are due for payment Friday 6 October 2017.

Families with Direct Debit and Credit Card Payment Plans:
Please check your account and ensure your account will be paid in full
by the end of the school year  - 1 December 2017.

Instrumental Music for Term 4:
Accounts will be emailed by 13 October 2017.


UNIFORM SHOP HOURS 2017 & January 2018
For the month of November 2017 the College Uniform Shop is offering our regular shop hours in addition to afternoon hours for fitting appointments.
Fitting appointments can be made from 2.30pm to 5.00pm.
Layby & eftpos facilities available.

In 2018 the Uniform Shop will re-open for extended hours, 9am to 4pm from Monday 15th January to Friday 19th January 2018 including Monday 22 January.  From Tuesday 23 January the shop will operate within its regular opening hours shown below.

Regular Uniform Shop Opening Hours:

Mondays:     8.00am to 10.30am

Tuesdays:     8.00am to 11.00am

Wednesdays:   8.00am to 11.00am

Thursdays:    8.00am to 10.30am



SURF LIFE SAVING
Term 3 ended for some of our students by attending the Annual Schools Surf Life Saving Carnival being held at Bargara. It was an overcast, windy day but the students did a great job, in participating in as many events as possible both individual and team. We had one age champion in Kayla Munson who overcame the pain of a nail she broke during the beach events, the great first aide administered to her by Mr Collier, enabled her to participate in the rest of the day. Xavier finished 5th overall and 2nd in the aggregate. Thanks to the students for a great day and Mr Collier for his assistance in driving the bus and help throughout the day.




FUN PALACES - FRASER COAST LIBRARIES
FREE:  7 October from 9 am to 12 noon
Hervey Bay & Maryborough Libraries
Everyone an artist, Everyone a scientist...

Fun Palaces are about creating and making together: they are a space where communities come together and offer people of all ages the chance to try their hands at the arts and science for free. They are as much about getting together to do something in your community, as they are about what it turns into on the day itself.

CODING & ROBOTICS ••STORYTELLING EXPERIMENTS
CRAZY SCIENCE ARTIST STUDIO CRAFT CORNER