IONA 14

September 17, 2024

< All Issues

IONA 14

Principal's Message

Prayer

Notices from the Deputy Principal

French Updates

Year 8 Fiontar Students create 'Robo Froog'

Year 12 - Unit 4 Trial Exam Timetable

Whooping Cough - Health Notice

School Saving Bonus

Science Update

Dorothea MacKellar Poetry Competition Results  

Important Dates

Principal's Message

“Who do you say that I am”

This past Sunday, the Gospel of Mark has Jesus asking the questions of his disciples, “who do you say that I am?”.

School Reviews

This year the College has undertaken its regular cyclical reviews (which occur every 4 years):

  • Victorian Regulation and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) Minimum Standards for Registration
    Review
  • A review of our implementation of the Child Safety Standards
  • School Improvement Framework (SIF) Review

A power of work was undertaken to collate evidence for the reviewers to assess the College against the various criteria. The process included three days spent by the reviewers in the College, speaking with staff, students, parents, and Board Directors as they interrogated the evidence provided, and our self-assessment against the SIF Rubric.

It was pleasing that our compliance reviews for the VRQA and the Child Safety Standards came through as a clean bill of health, with many elements operating at a “best practice” level.

The SIF Review Report has recently been received by the College, with commendations and recommendations for the College to consider. It is pleasing that the College improvement plan resonates strongly with the recommendations that have emerged through the review, including our work in aligning Learning, Teaching and Wellbeing for holistic student development.

The Leadership Team will work with the recommendations, assess our progress in meeting the outcomes in the Strategic Directions Statement, review the 2024 Annual Action Plan, as we draft the Annual Action Plan for 2025.

I would like to congratulate all of the staff at the College. A successful review is the result of the work that happens on a daily basis, which is an embedded part of who we are. This includes every facet of the College from learning and teaching, to administrative support, to financial management, to building and maintenance. St Columba’s College is a safe, thriving, and high-performing community because of the efforts of each community member.

End of Term

It is hard to believe we have reached the end of another term. I would like to wish all of our Year 12 students who will be completing trial exams all the very best, as they take another step towards preparing for their VCAA exams in Term 4.

I hope the coming term break affords our students some time for rest and relaxation, as we look forward to another school term.

I will be taking a period of long service leave from 13 September until 15 October. During that time, Brigitte McDonald, Deputy Principal, will be the Acting Principal. Any queries can be directed to Ms McDonald or to my PA, Ms Jo Marazita.

Prayer

Season of Creation

As we commence this year’s Season of Creation, Catholics around the globe are encouraged to reflect on our responsibility towards creation. This special time is observed from 1 September to 4 October every year, and includes activities that enable participants to turn back to the creator and the creator’s work through active, prayerful and meditative actions.

For us Catholics, the Season of Creation means to heed the call by Pope Francis in his encyclical Laudato Si’, that “it is time to care for our common home.” It urges us that caring for the earth should not be viewed as an optional extra for those who have the passion for it but rather an aspect of who we are as humankind.

At St Columba’s College, this sense of duty to the environment is reflected in the Laudato Si Committee made up of students and teachers. Guided by the message of Mary Aikenhead, “We are called to be extensively useful”, they are constantly seeking ways of making our local environment more sustainable, and seeking to educate people in environmentally sustainable practices.

With this Season of Creation, all of us should aspire to fulfil our duty as stewards of God’s creation. Be it changes in personal behaviour, changes in the community, or simple contemplation, every individual can play some role in the protection and healing of the earth. That way, we help not just the planet, but also the marginalised and the most affected people by the ecological crisis.

May this season inspire us to deepen our faith, strengthen our connection with nature, and renew our commitment to being responsible stewards of the magnificent gift of creation.

Prayer for the Season of Creation

Loving Creator, we come before You in gratitude for the beauty of Your creation.

Guide us to be faithful stewards of the Earth, our common home.

Inspire us to act with wisdom and compassion in caring for all living things.

May we heed Pope Francis’ call to protect and nurture Your magnificent gift.

Grant us the strength to make difficult choices for the good of our planet.

Help us to be “extensively useful” in our efforts to heal and preserve nature.

Bless the work of our Laudato Si committee and all who strive for environmental justice.

May our actions reflect Your love for all creation.

Unite us in our commitment to care for the Earth and one another.

Amen.

St Columba, pray for us.

Venerable Mary Aikenhead, pray for us.

Author: Mr Lance Jilbert - Head of Faith and Mission

Notices from the Deputy Principal

YEAR 12 PARENT & STUDENT INFORMATION NIGHT

On Monday, 2 September, we held a very important information night for all Year 12 students. Following the night, families were sent the PowerPoint slides from the presentation, a letter regarding the Eucharist and Graduation, and vital information about the upcoming VCAA examinations. We trust that parents/caregivers and students will read these thoroughly and seek further clarification as soon as possible if there are any questions or concerns. 

Thank you to the parents, caregivers and students who took the time to engage with us on this night.

 

END OF TERM COLLEGE ASSEMBLY

Our College Assembly will be held on Thursday 19 September. Parents are most welcome to attend but must RSVP to the College, no later than tomorrow (Wednesday) morning, so we can ensure that we have enough seats for guests.  

 

PARENT ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE (PEC) 

Every parent in our community is a member of the PEC and we welcome your involvement. If anyone is interested in joining the PEC or learning more about what we do you can join us in person or online – 7.30pm – meet.google.com/fij-hziu-ymk). Here are the PEC meeting dates and events planned for 2024:

  • Tuesday 17 September
  • Tuesday 15 October
  • Friday 15 November – 2025 Yr 7 Parents’ Welcome
  • Tuesday 19 November

If you have any questions or feedback for the PEC, please contact us at parents@columba.vic.edu.au

ALUMNAE COMMITTEE

Our Alumnae Committee meet once per term on a Wednesday night between 7:00pm and 8:00pm. They are working hard to build the College’s connections to our former students so that our alumnae are able to remain in touch with each other and with the college, improving engagement with our staff and students, fostering lifelong relationships and a sense of belonging. 

If you are an alumna and would like to become a member of the Alumnae Committee, please contact alumnae@columba.vic.edu.au. Our next meeting, held onsite at the College, is on Wednesday 16 October commencing at 7:00pm.

Author: Ms Brigitte McDonald - Deputy Principal

French Updates

Year 7 French Scavenger Hunt

In Lesson Four, on Wednesday 11th of September, Madame Clark’s 7B French class engaged in a fun and active scavenger hunt. The aim was for all students to familiarise themselves with the many French resources in the classroom (S001), such as posters, verb and noun charts and even a French clock! Madame Clark also brought in over thirty of her own personal French resources, such as several Les Monsieur Madame books, along with Peppa Pig, Sam le Pompier, le Pat Patrouille, Spot le chien, le Chat au Chapeau, as well as many First Word French picture books. The class had to answer 36 questions, by carefully looking through each resource, thus gaining a greater exposure to French vocabulary, as well as having fun. All students received  a choice of a J’adore français ruler, Bon Effort pencil, France sharpener or Bonjour rubber at the conclusion of the scavenger hunt.

Year 9 French Breakfast

In lieu of the cancelled Year 9 French excursion to ACMI (due to the unrest in the city), on Thursday morning, Madame Clark’s class was treated to a breakfast of delicious French food; croissants, pain au chocolates and brioche and watched a French film; Entre les murs (Laurent Cantet, 2008) about a Year 9 French class learning French in a Parisian high school. The much-anticipated excursion is currently being rescheduled for Term Four.

Author: Ms Fiona Clark - French Teacher, Year 7-9

Year 8 Fiontar Students create 'Robo Froog'

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of sitting in on presentations by Mr. Daniel Kelly’s Fiontar class. Despite being relatively new to the design process, our Year 8 students impressed me with how effectively they navigated it to identify and solve problems. Mr. Kelly had them pitch their products in a ‘Shark Tank’ style format, which was not only engaging and fun but also showcased remarkable creativity and depth. Congratulations to Mr. Kelly and his class for their outstanding work, and to all the Fiontar students for demonstrating impressive knowledge and application of the design process. The article below takes you on the journey of one group that designed a product called Robo Froog:

Our journey began with empathising, as we sought to understand people’s needs and problems. Among the many issues we explored, one stood out to our group: the problem of “iPad kids” and the stressed parents raising them. This issue isn’t just confined to the current generation; it’s a recurring cycle spanning generations. Parents, often too busy to properly care for their children, have turned to technology as a solution—handing kids an iPad, a phone, or a TV to keep them entertained.

To address this, our group brainstormed various ideas and eventually conceived an interactive playhouse, complete with features like cameras for safety, protective triggers, and an app with an internet filter to shield children from harmful content. This led us to develop the Robo Froog™, an interactive educational toy designed to safely entertain children aged 3 to 11. 

To bring our prototype to life we used TinkerCad. Eventually, after many hours of sizing, moving parts, measuring, calculating, modifying and failed attempts we finally created the look and design we wanted. Even after overcoming the initial problems, we encountered issues with the printed product, such as hats not fitting properly on the Froog and parts falling apart. Despite these setbacks, we persevered. After many long nights and frequent visits to the STEAM Lab, our dream project was finally complete.

One of our aims is getting young kids off of technology like iPads or iPhones, so when designing the Activity Mat we wanted to limit screen time so we used LED lights to only light up what we need and not the whole screen like a digital device. The Activity Mat is also made to restrict what kids can do which helps them stay focused and keeps them away from bad content where on a digital device there is no protection from the real world and kids could be doing anything.

However, we weren’t entirely out of the woods yet—we still had to test our product. We did so with our younger siblings and some teachers who are parents at STC, and then it was time to present our dream project.

The Robo Froog also includes a versatile activity pad that doubles as a learning platform and charging station. Shaped like a lily pad, this base connects to the Froog, tracking the child’s progress and adjusting activities accordingly. The pad detects which subject-specific hat the Froog is wearing and displays the corresponding content on a gentle LED screen, protecting young eyes while providing just the right amount of light. The LED keyboard on the pad adapts to the selected subject, offering interactive experiences through letters, numbers, and topic-related activities. The Robo Froog transforms learning into an enjoyable journey, making home education both effective and entertaining.

The froog itself is composed of materials such as plastic and a hard set silicone shell. Its features include a hole in the head to fit the hat attachments, which correlate to different subjects and when attached to the froog control what subject course is being displayed.

Eyes with built in cameras so it can monitor your child whilst it is attached to the froog pad and plugged into power. It has speakers in the head that have pre recorded affirmations that play after a child has completed the lesson/answered a question correctly.

Each froog is individually designed with bright colours and is used to make learning a safe and fun activity for your child. The idea was to create an engaging product on both 2d and 3 dimensional levels so we included the pad which covered the adjustable learning and the froog which helps to keep the child’s focus on the product. 


Written by Myrah Bagasrwala, Charlotte Hinton, Katherine Andres & Olivia De Cesaris

Author: Ms Sandra Boicos - STEAM Leader

Year 12 - Unit 4 Trial Exam Timetable

Please see the link to the Unit 4 – 2024 Trial Exam Timetable

  • Students should arrive at least 15 minutes prior to each assessment.
  • Assessments will be held in Aikenhead Building – Level 1 or the MPC
  • Exams will be subject to the VCAA exam rules

Author: Ms Louise Newton - VCE Leader

Whooping Cough - Health Notice

Whooping cough is a respiratory infection (infection of the lungs) that causes coughing. The coughing can occur in long spells, and often ends with a high-pitched ‘whoop’ sound when the child breathes in. Whooping cough is caused by a bacteria called Bordetella pertussis and is also known as pertussis.

Whooping cough is extremely contagious. It is particularly serious in babies under six months of age, who are at risk of severe complications and will usually need to be admitted to hospital. Children and adults can also get whooping cough, but are unlikely to need hospitalisation. Many babies who get whooping cough catch it from older children or adults who might not even know they have the infection.

Whooping cough is sometimes treated with antibiotics. There is an immunisation for whooping cough.

Signs and symptoms of whooping cough

  • Whooping cough usually starts with cold-like symptoms, such as a runny nose and dry cough, which last for about one week.
  • After that, a more definite cough develops, which may last for 10 weeks or more. The cough comes in long spells and often ends with a high-pitched ‘whoop’ sound when the child breathes in.
  • Some children cough so much they vomit afterwards.
  • Children are usually well between coughing spells.
  • Babies under six months of age may have pauses in breathing (called apnoeas) instead of a cough.
  • In more severe cases, babies and children may have problems catching their breath after a coughing spell.
  • Other infections such as pneumonia (chest infection) and middle ear infections are common while children have whooping cough.

When to see a doctor

Call an ambulance immediately if your child is struggling to breathe or if their lips start to turn blue.

If you think your child has whooping cough, take them to see your GP.

The doctor will often decide if your child has whooping cough by asking you questions about their cough, or by actually seeing one of the coughing spells. They may want to confirm the diagnosis by doing a blood test or testing secretions (fluids) from the nose, but the whooping cough germ may not be detected if your child has had their cough for three weeks or more, or if they have been on antibiotics before the sample was taken.

The time it takes to get better is different for each child.

Treatment for whooping cough

Your child’s doctor will advise different treatment for whooping cough, depending on:

  • the age of your child
  • how severe the symptoms are
  • how long your child has had the symptoms.

Because whooping cough is life-threatening for babies under 6 months old, they are likely to be admitted to hospital to be watched closely. Older children who are quite unwell also usually need to stay in hospital.

Your child’s doctor may prescribe antibiotics for your child, but these are not always necessary. Treatment with antibiotics reduces the amount of time your child is infectious (to five days or less). Even if your child is taking antibiotics, their coughing will continue for many weeks. If your child has been coughing for more than three weeks, they are no longer infectious, and antibiotics are not usually needed.

Care at home

In most cases, children with whooping cough can be cared for at home after they have been seen by a doctor.

  • Give your child small, frequent meals and fluids often (such as sips of water or smaller feeds, but more often).
  • Taking care of a child with whooping cough can be stressful. Ask for help from family and friends so that you can catch up with sleep.

How is whooping cough spread?

Whooping cough is extremely contagious. It is spread easily by droplets of fluid in the air from coughing and sneezing. It can also be spread by hands that have come in contact with the bacteria.

If your child has whooping cough, they will be infectious just before the start of the cough until three weeks after the cough started. If your child is given antibiotics, they can still spread the infection until they have had five days of antibiotics.

Because whooping cough is easily spread, often other family members or close contacts of the child with whooping cough will also have the infection. Antibiotics may need to be given to anyone who has had very close contact with your child while your child was infectious, including women in the last month of pregnancy and babies less than six months old. The antibiotics will help protect them from getting whooping cough. Your GP can advise if this is necessary.

Children with whooping cough should not attend child care, kindergarten or school:

  • for two weeks from the start of the cough, if no antibiotics are given
  • until they have had at least five days of their course of antibiotics.

Whooping cough immunisation

Immunisation is the best way to prevent whooping cough.

  • Whooping cough vaccine is recommended for all babies at six weeks, four months, six months, 18 months and at four years. An adult pertussis booster dose is then given at 12–13 years (in Year 7 at secondary school).
  • All babies less than six months old are at risk of catching whooping cough because they have not completed the three-dose primary vaccine course. This risk period is longer if the six-month vaccines are not given on time.
  • Protection against whooping cough can last for up to 10 years after a booster dose.
  • A booster dose of adult whooping cough vaccine is recommended for all parents of newborns. Grandparents and other carers in contact with children who are less than six months old should also have an adult pertussis booster, even if they have been infected with whooping cough in the past.
  • Every adult is susceptible to whooping cough infection unless they have had a recent pertussis booster. Adults are the ones most likely to spread infection to babies under six months who are not yet fully vaccinated.
  • Pregnant women are recommended to have a pertussis vaccine to protect their baby from developing whooping cough in the first few weeks of life. Vaccination is recommended in the third trimester (at 28 to 32 weeks).
  • All parents should check their child’s immunisations are up to date and ask their GP to catch up on any missed doses.

Key points to remember

  • Whooping cough is especially dangerous in babies under 6 months of age. If a child aged under six months gets whooping cough, they will usually need to be admitted to hospital.
  • Whooping cough is easily spread and often other family members or close contacts are infected.
  • Whooping cough can be prevented by immunisation and by vaccinating adults who are in contact with young babies.

Author: Ms Rachel Rotondo - College Nurse

School Saving Bonus

Have you heard about the School Saving Bonus?

Important information for parents and carers from the Allan Labor Government regarding the one-off $400 School Saving Bonus can be found here: School Saving Bonus.

More information about the School Saving Bonus is also available at vic.gov.au/school-saving-bonus

 

Author: Mr Malcolm Finger - Business Manager

Science Update

2024 Youth ANZAAS Science Conference – Elisa Vigniuoli

Over the term 2 holidays I had the privilege of attending 2024 Youth ANZAAS, a 6 day science conference held in Melbourne for Australian and New Zealand year 10-12 students who are passionate about science. During the conference, delegates stayed on the Melbourne University Parkville campus at Ormond College. During the conference we visited places that are leading scientific advancements in their field such as the Australian Syncrotron (an electron accelerator) and the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (one of the biggest medical research facilities in the world). We also attended a range of lectures, from undergraduates to leading scientists, learning about their work and day to day life as a scientist. I got to meet some amazing people who spend their time working on improving people’s lives. I also got to make some new like-minded friends who are as passionate about science as much as I am. Overall it was one of the best experiences I’ve had and I would strongly encourage anyone who was interested in applying for next year.

image.png
image.png

Science Week – Alannah LoGiudice and Molly Leahy

Science Week was held during Week 5 of this term.

On Monday, Dr Chantal Attard, a biomedical researcher from the Murdoch institute came and spoke to the students and staff about her work in Children’s blood cancer. It was fascinating to hear how her research showed that doctors could now tell whether or not a child was going to bleed during surgery and how this could prepare them for what they needed to do in different scenarios.

On Tuesday, Black Snake Productions came to the school to speak to the students about endangered animals. They talked to students about different animals and their mannerisms, habitats, and lifestyles. The animals included a snake, an owl, and a lizard, some of us even got to hold the animals. It was an interesting experience as it allowed us to observe the animals and learn about conserving life.

On Wednesday, 10 students across years 10 and 11 were given the opportunity to attend Melbourne University and the Gene Technology Access Centre to explore the biomedical pathway. We were able to hear from students studying biomedicine currently at Melbourne University, allowing us to learn more about the biomedical course and campus life at Melbourne Uni. We were then taken to a lab to observe and learn about various biological topics under the microscope such as human skin, malaria, and cancer cells of a mouse. After that, we were given the opportunity to observe a living heart through a virtual reality experience. We finished our day at the Harry Brookes Allen Museum of Anatomy and Pathology, a museum not open to the public eye. This was a great opportunity to explore the human body and deepen our understanding of biomedicine. Meanwhile back at school, a trivia contest was held in the science lab from students in Year 7, 8 and 9.

On Thursday students came to a lunchtime session to see how the DNA or strawberries could be extracted. On behalf of the students we would like to thank the staff that helped make the week a success.

image.png
image.pngimage.pngimage.pngimage.png

For more information about the day, see the website below.

Author: Mr Brad Taylor - Science Learning Area Leader

Dorothea MacKellar Poetry Competition Results  

The results for the Dorothea MacKellar poetry competition have been released. All the students who entered from St Columba’s College should be commended for their efforts. They all demonstrated courage by sharing some very personal and creative poems.  I am pleased to announce two of our senior students made the 2024 Shortlisted, Highly Commended, and Commended Poems list. This is a fantastic result. A big congratulations to Charlotte Mollica and Taylor Navarro. Charlotte has given us permission to publish her poem in this issue of IONA.  

Title:

Jan 26 by Charlotte Mollica 

Acknowledgment of country:

“I acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land on which I am today, which was never ceded by, the Peoples of the Kulin Nation. I pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging.”

 

They landed on these shores, on that date

English settlers brought anger and hate

Let’s choose not to celebrate that history

Commemorating a day based on a story

Blind to the truth of what took place

How can we look each other in the face?

 

To celebrate such a painful day

Offending first people in this way

To claim it as a nation-wide holiday

The Kanga to the Roo

The BB to our Q

What have we done to this land?

It’s time to extend our hand

 

We shouldn’t turn a day of pain

Into a celebration we can’t sustain

Don’t wave blue flags in settlers’ name

And make worse this sense of shame

Let’s not build a day of fun

On the tears made from rifles and guns

 

What began on this day, so long ago

Is a thing from which we need to grow

Not time to celebrate: let the people know

What really happened all those years ago

 

Instead of commemorating the day they arrived

Let’s pay tribute to those before us who strived

To sustain a life on this land

It’s time to extend our hand

It’s time to listen and grow

To accept that our first people know

What really happened all those years ago

Author: Ms Sofie Scollo - English Learning Area Leader

Important Dates

Wednesday 18-26 September – Cape York Immersion

Thursday 19 September – End of Term Asssembly

Friday 20 September – Start of Year 12 Trial Exams

Friday 20 September – End of Term 3

Monday 7 October – Term 4 commences

Take the next step

Request a Prospectus

Make an Enquiry

Apply to Enrol