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From the Pen of the Principal 

​Dear Parents and Carers

With Halloween fast approaching it is good to peel away the layers of commercialism and American culture and understand from where this strange day and evening originated. Halloween, or All Hallows' Eve, is a celebration observed in many countries on the 31^st of October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows' Day which is also known as All Saints Day which occurs on the 1^st of November each year. This is followed on the 2^nd of November with All Souls Day.

 Saints often grab the headlines by the stories of the extraordinary deeds they did. It can seem that that they are far removed from our common everyday lives and experiences. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, in the early church, all those who committed their lives to God and helping others, however imperfectly, were considered saints. Hence, I could refer to 'all you saints of Xavier Catholic College' when I speak of our community.

 There is a rather cute story about a small boy who stumbled across the life of a saint called Simon Stylites, who lived in Syria in about 450A.D. This strange gentleman lived for 37 years on top of a sixty-foot pillar. For an equally strange reason, the little boy decided that he, too, was called to perform a similar act of saintly heroism. This led him into the kitchen where he climbed up onto a kitchen cabinet and stayed there all morning. When his mother came into the kitchen and prepared a rather attractive lunch, he decided to get down.

 His mother, who had caught onto what was happening, said to her son, “Now, you mustn't feel bad about this. (Good advice) You have at least made the attempt, which is more than most people have ever done. (True) But you must remember that it is almost impossible to be a saint in your own kitchen." (False and Bad advice) Actually, this is what we are called to be, saints in our own kitchens, saints wherever we are. This is who saints are, people who put their faith into action and lived out their trust in God in their everyday lives.

During the English Civil Wars of the 1600's, Winchester Cathedral, amongst others, was pillaged. Much damage was inflicted including to the huge, round stained glass window which majestically dominated the long Cathedral. With love and care, the people picked up the pieces and, unable to restore the original scene, leaded the pieces together in abstract form. The sun still shines through the colours of the fine stained glass, though somewhat differently.

 The window is a symbol of all who enter the Cathedral for we all have had broken lives at some time, have picked up the pieces with the help of the Spirit within us and put our lives together again. On All Saints Day, we are celebrating what Christ has done in and through us, the saints through the ages. Far from living perfect lives, saints have faults and failings like us so that we can identify with them. Nathan Soderblom was rather insightful when he said, “Saints are persons who make it easier for us to believe in God."

 We remember the lives of the Saints on the day of their death, sometimes called their “heavenly birthday". Interestingly, there is no occupation or group or endeavour that does not have a Patron Saint. Some of the more famous saints are “naturals" for a match up: St Francis of Assisi – animals; St Gabriel the Archangel – broadcasters, postal workers; St Peter – fishermen; St Francis Xavier – missionaries. Some less known Patron Saints are: St Elmo – explosive workers; St Herbert – drought relief; St Polycarp – earaches; St Roch – dogs and dog lovers.

God, our Father, help us to be aware of the promptings of the Spirit that call us to goodness and saintliness. When we fail and fall give us the strength to rise to our feet and try again. Amen.

Peace and Blessings

Simon Dash

Principal

Upcoming Dates

Head of Primary Address – Mr Russell Davey

World Teachers Day

World Teachers Day will be celebrated next Friday at the College. Whilst this is on face value a simple point in time it does ask us to consider the teachers who have had an impact on the lives of the students in their care.  I personally recall two teachers who had a lasting effect on my own education and subsequent life. 

The first was Ms Britain. An amazing teacher who taught myself and 19 other students at a one teacher school just outside of Rockhampton.  Whilst at the time I did not give it a second thought, how she managed to teach each day and ensure all students from Year One to Year Seven were engaged and on task is beyond me. She was obviously very strong at differentiating for her learners however her standout characteristic was her determination to ensure all her students received an education on which was equivalent to that of their big city (Rockhampton was the big smoke for me in those days) counterparts.  She never accepted location or lack of resources as an excuse and ensured we received a vibrant and challenging education each and every day.

The second was Mr Bendall, my Year 7 classroom teacher.  He was a traditional teacher in many ways, a very good classroom practitioner but his real skill was his understanding of his students and ability to form a relationship with each child.  He could give you a detailed account of each child in his room, their likes, their dislikes, and he took a genuine interest in their lives both inside and outside of school.  He is the foundation of my own approach to teaching and school leadership as I will always recall the joy, he gave each student through a simple cheery hello and a little bit of his time. 

I share these stories with the community as it important to remember the positive impact that teachers can and do have on the students in their care. I regularly challenge the staff at Xavier to acknowledge this simple fact and to ensure they approach each school day with this in mind.  I wish all the teachers in our school community both those on staff and those who are parents a very happy World Teachers Day on Friday 29^th October.

I also would like to acknowledge all of our parents and carers as you are the most important teacher a child will have in their lifetime. The lessons children take from their parents are those that ca never be replaced, and they will stay with them for life as they become an adult, have their own families, and contribute to society.  Being a parent or carer to a young person is both the most rewarding and challenging role most of us will have in our respective lives.  My thanks to all of Xavier community for their continued support of the children who attend our wonderful school.

As the famous proverb would suggest….

"If you are planning for a year, sow rice; if you are planning for a decade, plant trees; if you are planning for a lifetime, educate people!

​Primary School - Excellence at XCC Award recipients     

These awards are for students who have demonstrated one or more of the following SAIL Expectations.    

•   We are Safe    
  

•   We Act Responsibly    

•   We Interact Respectfully    

•   We Love to Learn    
  

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Award recipients - Term 4, Week 2

CLASS    AWARD RECIPIENT

P.1         Robbie Paulsen and Aster Bankier

P.2         Charlie Menhinnitt and Sophia Dell

P.3         Lincoln Sabondo and Sebastian Lester

1.1         Hayley Day

1.2         Lily Catterick

1.3         Delilah Gilding

2.1         Summer Nightingale & Kobi Farquhar

2.2         Mieka Kastner and Braxton Switzer

2.3         Leona Murray Hannah Scott

3.1         Ivan Miranda

3.2         Chloe Kaminski

3.3         Maddison Low, Sayo O, Charlotte Brummer

4.1         Eeyora Eayrs

4.2         Will Robertson

4.3         John Cleland

5.1         Logan Franklyn and Chelsea Campbell

5.2         Chase Mckie

5.3         Mattai Muir-Scott

5.4         Claire Thomas

6.1         Angus Sindel

6.2         Marley Lingard

6.3         Brodie Ferguson

Award recipients - Term 4, Week 3

CLASS    AWARD RECIPIENT

P.1         Camilla Easton and Paige Garcina

P.2         Emma Loft

P.3         Isla Porter

1.1         Anthea Cleland

1.2         Isabella Smith-Christison

1.3         Zaharah Thornton

2.1         Samantha Bennett

2.2         Mila Scott and Elsa Turrell

2.3         Jethro Davies

3.1         Jaxson Pearce-Trotter

3.2         Klover Rielly

3.3         Mason Campbell

4.1         No award recipients due to Australia Zoo excursion

4.2         No award recipients due to Australia Zoo excursion

4.3         No award recipients due to Australia Zoo excursion

5.1         Corey Agius and Braithen Gorman

5.2         Emerson Frainey

5.3         Dominic Czinge

5.4         Claire Thomas

6.1         Monique McIvor-Joy

6.2         Caolan Gilbert

6.3         Jasper Heir & Taj Boltong

Day for Daniel Friday 29^th October 2021

The Daniel Morcombe Foundation provides personal child safety education to children and young people to prevent abuse and promote lifelong health and wellbeing. They support educators, parents, and carers through the provision of resources and education and directly support young victims of crime.  Parents are welcome to access these resources via this link. https://danielmorcombe.com.au

To support the Daniel Morcombe Foundation, we are asking students wear RED this Friday 29^th October.  This is a National Day of Action, where Australia unites to raise awareness of child protection and harm prevention.

To support the foundation, we ask students make a gold coin donation on the day or donate via QKR.

Photos of support will be published on the school's Facebook page and in the newsletter after the event.

Thanks for your support.

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Head of Secondary Address – Mr Chris Relf

On Friday last week our Year 12 students began their External Exam Block for the year. We wish them well for the next three weeks as they complete their Secondary schooling. Year 12 parents please ensure that you have read the email that has been sent outlining the activities for the Year 12 final week.

This week we celebrated Buthu Mission Week across the College with many activities organized throughout the week to raise awareness of the work of Catholic Missions and Jesuit Missions. The activities included: Bake Sale; Buthu Grand Prix; Crazy Sock Day; Coin Challenge; Crazy Hair Day.  In addition to the activities the Buthu staff and students led a beautiful P-12 Liturgy on Wednesday. Thank you to all families for your support with the donations, and to Mr Tom Riley and the team of Buthu teachers and students in showing great leadership and commitment to the school community by running these events. 

Key information as we approach the end of the year.

• Year 12 last day and Farewell Assembly - 19th November

• Year 10 and 11 last day – 26th November

• Year 7-9 last day – Thursday, 2 December

In the final week of the year students in Year 7-9 will engage in an alternative program. Detailed information about this will be sent to students and parents via email. As a part of this week our Year 9 students will engage in the 'Coaching Young People for success' program which covers the eight key pillars that form the foundations of a young person's life and enhances their self-awareness, self-compassion and self-responsibility through a process of goal striving. This program will be run at school by Mr John Donnelly.

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Senior Celebration Evening

The 2021 Senior Celebration Evening recognised those students in our College community who had demonstrated the highest level of application and effort, as well as achievement in their studies and co-curricular endeavours. Credit was also given to students in recognition of their Community Service, Spiritual and Sporting involvement.

Prior to the commencement of the evening,  students, parents, staff and guests enjoyed an Art display, and the screening of the Film & Television Showreel. During the evening program we enjoyed performances by the students from the Senior Production, Love and Information and the College Strings Ensemble.

As has become customary, the 'Magis Medal' was awarded, this year saw two very deserving recipients in Ms Julie Westbrook and Ms Sue Gee for their significant contributions to our College. 

The highlight of the evening was, the announcement of the Year 12 Major Awards.

Recipients of the Principal's Awards for 2021:

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THE MAJOR AWARD WINNERS FOR 2021:

​XAVIER MEDAL & AMPOL ALL-ROUNDER

Georgia McGovern

​EDMUND RICE SPORTING EXCELLENCE AWARD

Chantelle McCarthy

THE CAMPION AWARD FOR CULTURAL EXCELLENCE

Poppy McIvor

THE WARD/MACKILLOP COMMUNITY SERVICE EXCELLENCE AWARD

Sarah Garty

THE IGNATIAN SPIRITUAL AWARD

Georgia McGovern

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THE CLAVIUS AWARD FOR VOCATIONAL EXCELLENCE

Grace Waning

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THE CLAVIUS AWARD FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

Georgia McGovern

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OLYMPIC CHANGE-MAKER AWARD

Chantelle McCarthy

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BCE SPIRIT OF SPORT AWARD

Brahe Fletcher​

Divergent Views - Visual Art & The Moving Image Exhibition

Xavier's Senior Visual Art and Film Exhibition was held at GOA foyer and the Boardrooms on Tuesday 12 October from 6-8pm. There was a lovely turn out of support of our artists, their families and friends. It has been important in The Arts this year to take opportunities to showcase the creative talents of our students. Since, it has been some time in having an Art Exhibition at the College, this has become a dedicated way to display and celebrate student artwork. Hopefully, this is an event that can continue and build in the future.

Divergent Views is about working and responding visually in new and exciting ways. Our students live in a fast-paced ever-changing world. All artworks are about creating meanings from the artist as well as how it is viewed by the audience.

Visual Art and Film fuel the imagination and create connections in understanding the world we live in a powerful, real and honest personal methodology unlike any other discipline.

This year, our Arts Judge was Lyn Montgomery, a local artist and manager of Art at the Marina Gallery. She judged student work on the following categories: 

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Also, as part of their award, judge Lyn Montgomery very generously offered a special opportunity to showcase the artworks of the above students at Art at the Marina Gallery from 25-29 October with a celebratory gathering at the Gallery on Friday 29 October at 6pm. All above recipients and their families are invited to attend.

​The student films were judged by Neil McGregor, & Brian Hastings. Neil is a filmmaker and Founder of Brisbane production Company 'Glass Engine' working in creating entertainment and branded content. Neil was instrumental in the construction of Queenslands latest and third largest studio facility while working for Screen Queensland. He has accrued credits in films Deadpool, Aquaman, Godzilla and Thor Ragnarok. Brian is the Managing Director at Nous, a Brisbane advertising agency that deliver strategically led projects from creative concept and design, to complete campaigns, websites, marketing automation and digital marketing. The pair judged student work on the following categories: 

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On Opening Night, our viewing public were encouraged to participate in a People's Choice selection. The winner for the Art division was Ashlyn Skene's “Jealousy, Journey and Joy". Ashlyn received a certificate and trophy as acknowledgement of her success. The People's Choice film was Calista Esposito's Frank TV, a short comedic episodic series about her Grandfather.  

Congratulations to the dedicated and passionate Arts Teachers in putting together this event, Mrs Bronwyn McArthur (Dean of Learning Enhancement of Arts / Technology) and Mr Matthew Ninnes (Dean of College Identity & Promotions) with continual support from Mr Jonathan Dunn (Visual and Performing Arts Coordinator).

Year 4 Excursion

Last week Year 4 students visited Australia Zoo down at the Sunshine Coast. We learned all about African Adaptations in the Wild Connections presentation. One of our favourite parts of the day was the Croc show where beautiful Macaws flew around the stadium. We also enjoyed buying lollies and souvenirs.

Buthu Mission Week - Primary

Buthu Mission Week - Secondary

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Sock it to Poverty​

Mission Week has arrived! I hope you had a wonderful World Mission Sunday and that you'll be continuing the celebrations through this week with your children and our school opportunities that Buthu house will be supporting and running this week here at Xavier.

It's been another great Socktober journey, despite the challenges 2021 has thrown up, and we're nearing the end. I'm so proud of the commitment of Buthu house has made in supporting children in need so far, and I want to let you know there's still time for you and your family to make one final push for our brothers and sisters in Thailand.

Mission Week is our rallying cry. It's our chance to put the winning goal in the net in the final minutes of the game. It's a reminder to ask ourselves: have we done all we can to support vulnerable children and their mothers, who rely on our support to help break the cycle of poverty. Later in this week we will use the home made sock balls to play games with our primary students, just like the ones you saw our students testing last week in the playground. 

Now is the time to encourage you and your family to kick their last lot of goals by making an on line donation directly to our Socktober page and joining in on all the Buthu Mission week opportunities.

https://www.socktober.org.au/fundraisers/XavierCatholicCollegeHerveyBay

I know that, together, we can make Kusa and Samorn's lives, and those of so many others, a little brighter.

Their programs empower women, men and children so they can build lives free from poverty and injustice A ministry of the Australian Jesuit Province, Jesuit Mission partners with Jesuits and other companions in Asia and Africa, where the need is greatest. They support projects which empower women, men and children to liberate themselves from poverty and injustice through participation in programs that build skills, capacity and resilience.

Their International Projects provide: Education, Health & basic rights, Livelihoods training, Services for refugees & the displaced,  Leadership & capacity training and Pastoral care.

Jesuit Mission also respond to requests for support from communities devastated by: Humanitarian crises, Natural disasters and COVID-19.

Jesuit Mission programs break cycles of poverty through teaching and education, protect the well-being of communities by providing medical care and programs that improve access to clean water and toilets, develop independent, strong communities through livelihood training and income-generating projects, and provide vulnerable individuals with pastoral care, social inclusion and advocacy.

Today, Jesuit Mission works in more than 10 countries around the world and responds to global crises as they arise.  Their programs support communities to build full and free lives.

​To find out more or to make a tax donation, go directly to the website. https://jesuitmission.org.au/donate/ 

Buthu Mission week fundraising supports our partners at Jesuit Mission

To Donate please visit the website here  .  All donations over $2 are tax deductable.

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