Special thanks to Hervey Bay House and Land for their Sponsorship of awards at our upcoming Senior Celebration Evening, Wednesday 31st October.

PRINCIPAL’S ADDRESS

Dear Parents and Carers

Term Four has begun and, while the finish line may be in sight, students have quickly gotten their heads down and recommitted themselves to their learning goals. While we all go through peaks and troughs, when it comes to concentration, establishing good study habits and routines is vital in maintaining focus and coping with the demands of schooling life. Understanding the critical importance of developing good habits in order to do your very best is a prerequisite to success.

One of the things that educational experts stress to students and parents is that before you can even begin to study or start employing study skills to any effect, you need to ensure that the environment for study is conducive to the kind of mental alertness required. The following useful advice comes from a well-known Australian study skills expert and provides a good starting point for parents and students (and good ammunition for parents who face argumentative children who claim they know better!):

QUIET/PRIVATE: It is important that you have a space that allows you to focus and have quiet periods when necessary. Some students find this difficult to achieve at home and have found that staying after school for an hour or so and working in the school library is one way of dealing with this situation. Others find a local library near home and do their more difficult work there before going home. Some students place a sign on their door when they need quiet time or else the family agrees together when the quiet periods will be.

DISTRACTION FREE: We all intend to be strong when trying to deal with distractions, but the reality is that willpower is rarely enough. It is much better if temptation is removed. In the periods when you are working on schoolwork, turn off the television and social media. Turn off your mobile phone and remove all distractions – not for the whole night, just the blocks of time when you are focusing on schoolwork.

MUSIC: You can listen to music if you are doing work that doesn't require much effort or concentration. However, if you are doing anything that is difficult, requires effort, requires you to think, understand or remember information you should switch the music off. If you try and study for a test while music is on, you may not think it is having an effect on you, but it is actually going to take you much longer to learn and remember the information. The only music that helps your ability to concentrate or focus is baroque music (a type of classical music) playing softly in the background. So,this type of music is fine to have on while you are studying, in fact it is better than silence!

COMPUTERS IN BEDROOMS: The general rule is that if you are not very self-disciplined and find it hard to resist the attractions of the computer, then keep the computer in a public space in the house or work in this space where people are more likely to notice you getting distracted from your work.

SUPPORTIVE CHAIR: It is really important that you have a comfortable and supportive chair. The chair you use should be comfortable (but not so comfy you fall asleep like an armchair) and adjustable to reduce strain on your neck and shoulders. Your feet should sit flat on the floor with your legs at a 90 degree angle to the knee. There should be support in the small of your back and your forearms should sit flat on the desk. Considering the amount of time you are going to spend studying, it is a great idea if you can obtain a proper adjustable office chair.

GOOD LIGHTING: Natural light is preferable, but not always available. If you need to have a light on you should have both your room light and a desk lamp on. Try and avoid fluorescent lights. Have the desk lamp situated so the light is shining onto your work, not into your eyes.

CLEAR WORKSPACE: A cluttered workspace means you will waste time looking for things and become distracted by the bits and pieces in front of you. A clear workspace sets the tone for the way you will approach your work. It is best if you have a large space to work on. Take out the work you need for the current task then put that work away before getting the work out for the next task.

STORAGE: You need somewhere to keep your past and current work for each subject in an organised manner. Some students use shelves in their rooms, other students use a cupboard or plastic tubs for storage or even a filing cabinet. Keep all the work and books for each subject together. Also, have somewhere you can keep the current things you need to work on like assignments, in easy reach.

NOTICEBOARD: A large pinboard and calendar are great to help keep important pieces of paper handy and important dates in your focus.

VENTILATION: It is important to have fresh air and oxygen flowing into your room to help keep you mentally alert. If you are unable to open your window, then take regular breaks where you walk outside and get some fresh air.

ERGONOMICS: Ergonomics in the home study environment is mainly about making sure that the space where you work and the equipment you are using work well for you and your body’s needs. It is about making sure that the environment is safe, comfortable, easy to use and helps you work to the best of your ability with the minimum amount of stress or discomfort.

COLOUR: The colours you choose to have around you can impact how you are feeling. Red is stimulating and can give you energy, try wearing a red shirt or putting assignments in red folders. Blue is calming and peaceful and will help when you are feeling stressed or mentally fatigued. Try having a blue object on your desk when you are working. Yellow helps brain function and stimulates your mind, try a yellow study desk or a yellow section of the wall in your study. Green soothes nerves and is good to focus on before an exam or while you are working on the computer. For this reason, it can be great to have a plant in your room. Orange is all about communication and expressing yourself. If you have to write an essay or motivate yourself to action, try wearing orange.

God Bless
Simon Dash
Principal

HEADS OF SCHOOL ADDRESS

It has been a busy start to the new term with students heading off on many and varied activities aimed at enhancing their learning or building their personal and sporting skills. Already in the first week students went to the Sunshine Coast to compete in a Touch Carnival, others took part in the Debating Competition and of course in the local area, students took part in the Spelling Bee in Maryborough. Our staff are very generous in giving their time and energy to organise and run these activities and we thank them.

Prep Playground Project
As many of you may have noticed we are nearing completion of our new Prep playground. This exciting project is the next stage in the College Master Plan and is being funded by our Parents and Friends Association. This is a very exciting development for our youngest students and we look forward to final handover occurring.  Thank you again to the P&F for their support of this wonderful upgrade to College facilities.

Opti-Minds
The Year 4 Opti-minds team travelled to Brisbane on the 13th and 14th of October to compete in the State finals.  After taking out the regional competition the team was met with a significant last-minute disadvantage when their construction was accidently knocked over in transition.  In true Xavier spirit our contestants picked themselves back up and continued with the competition. Thanks to Mrs Bryant and the parents who supported the students involved in attending this wonderful event.  

Spelling Bee
We had several teams compete in the regional Spelling Bee at Station Square over the weekend.  Both of the Year 5 & 6 teams made it through to the finals and our Year 3 team made a valiant effort in the Year 3/4 category but just missed out on a place in the finals.  Well done to all the students involved and thanks to Mrs Davis and Mrs Hislop for supporting students in this competition.

Buthu Mission Week

We are currently enjoying a range of activities being organised by our Buthu Pastoral Care classes.  Buthu Mission Week aims to raise awareness of the work carried out by the Catholic Mission.     

Year 4 Sleep Over/Excursion Our Year 4 students will experience their very first camp on Thursday night when they sleep over at the College.  The evening will include many exciting activities and the students are also looking forward to the excursion on Friday.  Thanks to the Year 4 teachers for planning and organising this exciting event.  We look forward to seeing some very tired faces upon return to school on Friday afternoon.

Year 6 Final Assembly
As part of our end of year celebrations in the Primary Years we will be taking some time to recognise the contribution of our current Year 6 students to the P-6 community of Xavier Catholic College. Therefore, we will be hold a special P-6 assembly for the 2018 Year 6 student cohort on Tuesday 4th December at 9.00am in GOA.  This assembly will be followed by a morning tea for all students and their respective parents and carers.

Last Week for Year 12 students
Monday 12th November will begin the last week of school at Xavier for our Year 12 cohort. We have planned a week of activities to provide opportunities for them to have time to socialise as well as reflect on their time at the College as it draws to an end. The Farewell Assembly on Friday 16th November will provide the opportunity for the College to come together to recognise their contribution to the College. All parents are welcome to attend this special occasion.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
17/10/2018    Holocaust Survivor Q&A Staff and Parents
18/10/2018    Year 4 Sleep Over and Beach visit
18/10/2018    Holocaust Survivor presentation to Year 10s
18/10/2018    P & F, College Board Meeting
19/10/2018    Vaccinations Round 2 (Year 7 HPV2 and Year 10 catch up)
19/10/2018    Year 7-10 A&TSI Boys to Men USC Trip
19/10/2018    Year 10-12 AQU MAR Whale Watching Excursion
23/10/2018    Visit by Author Katrina Logan
23/10/2018    Year 7-2019 Parent/ Student information night
25/10/2018    Years 1,2,3 Swimming Lessons
25/10/2018    Senior Immersion 2
26/10/2018    Family Portraits Fundraising Event - GOA Hall 3pm
27/10/2018    Family Portraits Fundraising Event - GOA Hall - 8am - 6pm
31/10/2018    Senior Celebration Evening
01/11/2018    Years 6 - 12 Sports Awards
06/11/2018    Prep Swimming Lessons
07/11/2018    Year 10 Retreat


PRIMARY SWIMMING INFORMATION

Please find below the relevant information regarding the term 4 swimming programs

INFORMATION FOR PARENTS

Year 7 and Catch-up Year 10 Immunisations
Earlier this year your son/daughter brought home an information pack regarding the Year 7 and Year 10 immunisations. The 1st round of vaccinations was conducted by a team of authorised registered nurses on Friday 9th March (Week 7). The second round of immunisations for Year 7 is this Friday 19th October during period 1 and 2 with catch ups for Year 10 at 8:45am.  


If you require further information, please don’t hesitate to contact me at the College on 4197 1177 or at slove@bne.catholic.edu.au.  You are also welcome to contact the School Immunisation Program on 13HEALTH (13 43 25 84) or visit www.health.qld.gov.au/immunisation.

NAPLAN School Readiness Test
On Tuesday 23rd October Years 2, 4 7 and 9 students will be participating in the NAPLAN Online School readiness test.  There will be no individual student results collected or reports generated for these tests. The purpose of these simulated test sessions is purely to assess the school’s infrastructure capacity to administer NAPLAN online in a realistic setting in readiness for 2019.  

There are two tests:
•    A Writing test (Year 2will be excluded from this test) and
•    An Omnibus test -covering items from Language Conventions, Reading and Numeracy domains

The session times for these tests are:
•    Writing – 9:20 to 10:02am
•    Omnibus – 11:30 to 12:15
Students will be required to bring their own headphones to school for these tests.

In 2019 Years 3,5,7 and 9 students will be provided with opportunities to familiarise themselves with the functionalities of the NAPLAN Online assessment prior to the exams in May. As part of this preparation parents and students are invited to use the demonstration site to familiarise themselves with the type of questions available in the NAPLAN Online assessment.  The address for this site is http://www.nap.edu.au/online-assessment/public-demonstration-site

If you require further information about the upcoming School readiness tests or 2019 NAPLAN Online tests, please don’t hesitate to contact me at the College on 4197 1177 or at slove@bne.catholic.edu.au

Sarah Love

SPORTS NEWS

QLD All Schools Touch Football – Wed 10th to Sunday 14th October
Whites Hill in Brisbane once again played host to the biggest Touch Football competition in the southern hemisphere, with 425 teams competing. After a long dry spell, the wet weather unfortunately arrived during this competition and due to player safety, the competition was abandoned after 3 days. All Xavier teams played with great skill and commitment and recorded very pleasing results. Xavier’s standout team was the 15 Years Girls who were undefeated before the competition was cancelled. The girls were well placed to contest the finals to be played on the Sunday.

Congratulations to all students who represented Xavier in Touch Football this year. Also, a big thank you to parents whose continued support of Xavier Touch does not go unnoticed. Finally, a sincere and heartfelt thank you to the coaches for this season:
13 Years Girls – Helen Hatchett
13 Years Boys – Paul Barker
15 Years Girls – Blaire Roffey
15 Years Boys – Michael Tyrrell
Open Girls – Simone Collins
Open Boys – Nathan Milne

Sports Awards Assembly
The 2018 Sports Awards will be presented at an assembly on Thursday 1st November in JPAC. All parents are invited to attend this assembly beginning at 9am. A list of award winners (not including major awards) has been posted on the canteen noticeboard for students to check. With over 700 sport reps at Xavier each year, it is likely that errors or omissions have been made. Students have been asked to check this list for accuracy and email Mr Milne for any changes required.

GRANDPARENTS DAY

XAVIER PLAYGROUP

Playgroup@Xavier starts again this Thursday, from 8.45 – 10.45am in Goa Hall.  Come along and play together, and make big and little friends.  Bring along morning tea for your children, and a cuppa is provided for the grown-ups!

UNIFORM SHOP

The Uniform Shop will be closed on Monday, 22 October on the Pupil-free day. Normal hours resume Tuesday morning. 

SCHOOL TRANSPORT SCHEME

If your child travels by bus to school and you pay over $20 per week in bus fares you may be eligible for the QCEC Non-State School Transport Assistance Scheme.

Please refer to the Quick Links on the front page of the college website, or the link below for information and how to apply.

https://schooltransport.com.au/  
 

SCHOOL FEE INFORMATION

The following information is an excerpt from the School Fees and Levies brochure.  For further information on fees and levies, please visit the College website or Parent Portal.

BCE CONNECT UPDATE

Update the BCE Connect App on your device today, to stay connected with events at our School.  Please follow the instructions outlined  below.
  



OSHC NEWS

                                                 

COMMUNITY EVENTS

The Orchid Society of Hervey Bay wish to thank all involved and all that attended a very successful three-day event during the September School Holidays.  Congratulations are also extended to Kate Stanton from Burrum Heads as winner of their raffle.