IONA 6

As the Season of Easter draws to a close

The mass readings this past Sunday remind us about the greatest power of God, and the great power within each of us – the power to love. It can be difficult to be fully aware of God in our lives. From the second reading from 1 John we hear, “let us love one another since love comes from God and everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God”. As I listened, I pondered. When love comes into my life, in the various ways that it does, am I paying attention to God in my life.

Progress Interviews

Thank you to all of the families that made themselves available to meet teachers and hear about their child’s Term One progress. Our renewed approaches to assessing Learning Dispositions has supported students to meet higher expectations. An analysis of the data from Term One reports shows that teachers assessed greater than 70% of our students as “consistently” in each of the Learning Dispositions. Particularly pleasing, was the data in relation to “Respecting the rights of others to learn”, with 85% of students being assessed as “consistently”, and 22% as “usually”. We congratulate all of our students for creating an environment focused on learning.

Right to Disconnect

The industrial tool that governs the employment of staff in Catholic Secondary Schools introduced significant changes to the teacher employment landscape last year. The employment reforms continue at a national level, with changes to the National Employment Standards impacting all work places, including schools. Catholic Schools have recently received the following advice:

“The National Employment Standards will now include a right for employees to refuse to respond to unreasonable work calls, emails or other forms of communication outside their normal working hours. These changes are effective from 26 August 2024.

Under the new right to disconnect, an employee may refuse to monitor, read or respond to contact from an employer outside of the employee’s working hours unless the refusal is unreasonable. In addition, the right will also allow an employee to refuse to respond to communication from parents, students, colleagues or others within the school community if the contact relates to their work and is outside of the employee’s working hours, unless the refusal is unreasonable.”

As we learn more about these reforms, in consultation with staff members, we will refine current policies and make these available for your information.

MILLIE UPDATE

Thank you to those families who have completed the Google Form providing us with
feedback about a range of considerations that we need to make so that our work with our
wellbeing dog, Millie, is inclusive and successful.

Millie made her first visit to the College on Wednesday 1 May after the students had been
dismissed. Millie needs to become familiar with the campus so that she can be relaxed and
healthy in this space. It was wonderful for Millie to meet a small group of students and staff
on this visit. She loved exploring the grounds and saying hello to people and suffice it to say,
the students and staff who met her loved her too. It was excellent to see that our community
understands the 3 Expectations, particularly, the need to say hello to the person that Millie is
with first and the need to give Millie space.

Essential Learnings

Please take some time to access this Q&A For Families

PARENT EDUCATION PROGRAM: Carrots & Sticks – Dr Justin Coulson

We are incredibly fortunate because we will be hosting Dr Justin Coulson at St. Columba’s
College on Thursday 30 May – be sure to save this date so that you can meet Justin in
person. St. Columba’s has joined with Ave Maria to provide this event for our parents. The
session will run from 7:00pm – 8:30pm in the Theatrette at St. Columba’s College.
The session is called Carrots & Sticks – Better ways to build boundaries with your kids

Please view this video from Dr Justin: St. Columba’s & Ave Maria Colleges | 30 May 2024
and use this Trybooking link  to register your attendance at this Parent Workshop.

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:
14 May
Tuesday 21 – May Male Mentor Night
Wednesday 19 June –  Mother/Child Movie Night (more information to follow)

16 July
Saturday 31 August  –  Trivia Night
20 August
17 September
15 October
Friday 15  – November 2025 Yr 7 Parents’ Welcome
19 November

This year, the PEC will use our events as opportunities to raise some funds for the
upkeep of our beautiful wellbeing dog, Millie.

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

Upcoming Webinar | Justin Coulson | Resilience

14 May | 7pm AEST

“How can I help my child be more resilient?” is a question Dr Justin Coulson often hears from worried mums and dads.

In this session, parents will learn the psychological secrets that build their child’s sense of identity, strengths, and growth mindset in order to perform better, be happier, and build resilience.

Based on Dr Justin Coulson’s best-selling book 9 Ways to a Resilient Child, this session shows parents how to help their children cope powerfully and positively with the challenges that life throws at them. This presentation is one of Justin’s most popular ones with powerful stories and illustrations that every parent can relate to. He explains the factors that help and hinder resilience, why common advice such as “toughen up Princess” just doesn’t work, and how competition and praise may undermine resilience.

To join the webinar click the image below and follow the link

In honour of Cahill House Celebration Day 9th May

May we be inspired by the life of Sister Mary John Cahill.
May we follow her example of leadership
and courage and live justly in the same way
she did. May we show this through our
actions of faith and love towards our family,
friends and the community.
We pray for the Cahill community and
hope that we shall always walk together in
the footsteps of the Sisters of Charity.

Sister Mary John Cahill, pray for us.

St Columba’s College is offering Academic Excellence Scholarships for students entering
Year 7 2026 as well as Year 9 and Year 11 in 2025. Students are encouraged to take up
this opportunity and will receive a report of their achievement levels for each area tested.
Further details and online registration are available on the College website.

Registration closing date is Friday19 July 2024

Scholarship testing date is Saturday 27 July 2024

Please note the College does not have practise papers for the testing as this is conducted by
an external organisation, Academic Assessment Services.

For more information please get in touch with Tammy Colson (St Columba’s Registrar)

We are seeking assistance from the St Columba’s College community who are willing to interview Year 9 students for our Mock Interview Program

Dates:

Monday 24 June – 5:30-8:30pm
Tuesday 25 June – 5:30-8:30pm
Wednesday 26 June – 5:30-8:30pm

Location:

Interviewer (Parent/Friend): Home – via Google meet
Interviewee (Student): Onsite – via Google meet

The College has recently launched the Learning Enhancement & Acceleration Pathway (LEAP) program to a small number of Year 7 students, with the aim to grow the program over the next couple of years.

On May 3rd, 8 of these students were given the opportunity to participate in the Da Vinci Decathlon Regional Round, held at Overnewton College in Keilor. The team competed across 10 disciplines – Engineering, Mathematics, Code Breaking, Art and Poetry, Science, English, Ideation, Creative Producers, Cartography and Legacy.

Having never competed in the competition before, our girls arrived with excitement and nervousness. Although the team were a little unsure at the beginning, by the end of the day they were working together as if they had known each other for years, not the one that had met for the first time the week before.

We had no expectations when it was time to announce the overall results for the day. So, it was a pleasant surprise when we were judged 2nd place overall, only losing to 1st place by a small number of points! We are very proud of this result, especially as we were up against some very prestigious schools and teams that have competed before in the past.

After the adventures of the day, we are excited to compete again in future years. It was encouraging to see the girls come out of their shells and give this opportunity a red hot crack. Congratulations to the team for representing the College so beautifully, and word on the street is that they are already starting to prepare for next year’s competition!

The Big Issue and the Big City Search

On the 18th of April, year 11 and 12 VM students attended a workshop at the Big Issue Classroom in the CBD to gain real-life insight into homelessness and the disadvantage, and how it impacts them. We then participated in the Big City Search. The overall purpose of this experience was to understand the real problems that some people face in today’s world and the little things that we can be grateful for.

Our time at The Big Issue classroom was informative and thought-provoking. The presenters; Ellie and Chris, started with how The Big Issue helps people facing homelessness and disadvantage through their work programs, allowing people to have independence and feel accomplished. Afterwards, in an open discussion, we were asked questions about our thoughts on disadvantages, how they affect day-to-day life, and possible support strategies.

Towards the end of the presentation we were asked to line up in order of height, the tallest person was asked to sit down and the rest of us were segregated into groups at four tables with the task of being the first to solve a jigsaw puzzle. It was revealed afterwards that each group had different instructions and a different puzzle, symbolising disadvantages in a hands-on approach. This led to a discussion about each group’s actions, including the person who was left out, and how everyone felt in the end. 

The presentation ended with Chris, a legally blind man who had been homeless in his youth, relaying his experiences with disadvantage and where he is in life now while working with The Big Issue.

After visiting the Big Issue classroom, we were divided into groups with both year 11 and year 12 students. Each team received a pack  with instructions for a scavenger hunt and some tasks that we had to complete along the way. Each team member was assigned a specific job to help out the team. We were instructed to find things like a cheap outfit for a job interview, a place with free wifi and a safe spot in the city where a homeless person could stay. 

A highlight for our year 11 class was having freedom around the city and choosing our own group. Another highlight from the excursion was building relationships with the year 12s and  also being teamed up with the year 12s. 

Overall, the excursion was insightful and new connections were made with the year 12s. 

For many years St Columba’s College and Shin-ai Girls High School from Kumamoto, Japan have shared a sister school relationship. We are pleased to once again be able to host students from Shin-ai from Monday 5 August – Wednesday 14 August 2024.

As part of our exchange program with Shin-ai, we invite and encourage students with an interest in Japanese language and culture to host a student. This experience enables our students to develop friendships with students from Shin-ai Girls' College and gain a deeper understanding of Japanese lifestyle and culture. This opportunity is open to all families of students attending St. Columba’s College.

The students from Shin-ai will be with us for 10 nights. During this time, they will participate in a range of activities organised by the College. Weekends will be spent with host families.

If you are interested in hosting a student from Shin-ai, please contact Ms Scollo at scollos@columba.vic.edu.au

On Monday, April 29th, students from the VCE Year 11 and 12 Art Creative Practice
classes visited the National Gallery of Victoria to see the 2024 Top Arts exhibition.
For three decades, Top Arts has been a beacon of artistic excellence, showcasing
the extraordinary talents of VCE Art students. Top Arts 2024 provided insight into the
diverse talents and innovative approaches of young, emerging artists across Victoria,
with a culmination of works from both Art Making and Exhibiting and Art Creative
Practice.

From sculptures, paintings, photographs to installations, students had the
opportunity to view and engage with a variety of artworks in a gallery space, gaining
inspiration and new perspectives for their own Creative Practice. The exhibition
sparked discussions and reflections on materials, techniques, processes, and
creativity.

We asked our Art Creative Practice students their thoughts on the exhibition:

“It was so fascinating exploring the various mediums and creative styles of art
displayed throughout. I personally enjoyed viewing the artists' portfolios and learning
how research and experimentation lead to the curation of their work. Overall, it was a
very captivating and enjoyable experience, allowing us to gather inspiration for our
own folios and artworks.” – Isabella R, Year 11

“Whilst looking around at all the artworks, it was amazing to see how much time and
effort was put into each artwork, some were so simple yet held such a strong
message, I understood why it was chosen for this exhibition. There were many film
based pieces that showcased an issue using videography, some were massive painted
artworks, some were sculptures and there was even a latex bodysuit. Seeing all these
artworks inspired us as a group so much, as we got to see the level of art we should
strive to produce, but at the same time, how they can take an issue and visually
represent it in an amazing and detailed way. The folios on display also gave us an
insight of how past students documented their Creative Practice. Overall, the day was
amazing and seeing this exhibition gave us more of an insight of how to structure our
folios and create our final artworks” – Frances F, Year 12

The excursion proved to be a valuable experience for our VCE Art students, fostering
a deeper appreciation for art and providing them with valuable insights into building
a folio and body of work. We look forward to seeing how this experience will
influence their creative practice throughout the year.

Year 9 student Anabelle D recently participated in the “Young Women in Aerospace Engineering and Defence” course at RMIT, a comprehensive five-day program that began on April 8. During this immersive experience, Annabelle explored various aspects of aerospace engineering, from designing virtual rockets to engaging directly with advanced military technologies during a visit to the HMAS Cerberus navy base. The program not only deepened her understanding of aerospace and defence but also opened her eyes to potential careers in STEM. 

On April 8, I was given the opportunity to attend and participate in an RMIT course called “Young Women in Aerospace Engineering and Defence” where we learned about rocketry theory, designed our own online rocket, visited the HMAS Cerberus navy base, experimented with virtual reality setups, and, most importantly, built and launched our very own rockets!

This program ran from 8:30am to 3:30pm from April 8 to 12 and not only was it incredibly engaging and fun, but I also learnt a great deal from it. On the first of this 5-day program, we were introduced to Dr Jo Zimpel, her daughter, Isabel, as well as Ash, who is an RMIT student and taught us about the theory behind aircraft operation. The first thing we did was learn about rocketry theory which included designing our own online rockets on a computer aided design software program called Solidworks. We created them based on the stability of the rocket which had to be around 1.3 and ran a simulator where we analysed the results to make our virtual rockets more stable. 

We worked more on these on the second day and used a computer coding program where we added code to control our rockets through a simulator. We also got to design our own keyrings on a computer software that were 3D printed for us.

On the third day, we had the amazing opportunity to visit the HMAS Cerberus navy base where we looked at incredible inventions and projects, as well as seeing students doing their work for their course to become part of the army. We saw things from the water purification system on a ship, to anti-ballistic missiles, from welding machines to engines that have over 3000 horsepower, from people soldering electrical boards to people finding faults in their codes, from fire simulating rooms to flood simulating rooms that trained firefighters, and more. 

The next day we were able to play virtual reality games that were created by technology students, and I used a VR headset and played Beat Saber, flew a plane over cities, and got to look at faults in a game they made. That day, we were given water rocket sets that were, essentially, water bottles with fins for stability and a pump to fill the rocket with air and launch it. We designed our rockets with acrylic markers and included sketches as well as our names with a lot of colour so it would stand out when we launched it.

On the last day, we travelled to the Bundoora campus where we launched our rockets into the sky and watched them as all 21 of them plummeted down – some getting caught in the trees next to us. There was a competition where the three groups whose rocket lasted in the air for closest to 5 seconds won and this was determined by how much water we put into our rockets. 

I gained a lot from this experience and had so many opportunities to learn more about STEM areas and potential STEM careers for young girls like me later in life. I benefited from this because I was able to be surrounded by other girls who were really interested in science and mathematics, but also girls who didn’t know what they wanted to do and so this was a great experience to be opened to more opportunities for us down the road.

“On the 2024 History and Politics Tour, we were fortunate enough to travel to France, Germany and Belgium.

To begin our trip, we first landed in France, where we went to Perrone, a small town in the Saar region north of France. We visited the Somme battlefield and the largest cathedral in France, the Cathédrale Notre-Dame d’Amiens. After exploring the Somme region, we headed to Paris where we visited the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur, the Palace of Versailles and The Louvre. At these places, we learnt of the effects of World War 1 and 2 on the architecture and people living in Paris. We were also fortunate enough to visit the National Archives Museum and La Contemporaine Museum, where we could see photos and archives from the time. These experiences taught us what happened during and after the war and improved our understanding of the 20th century. We were in France for a week and experienced and learnt so much. The highlight was the visit to the Palace of Versailles and when we went on an evening river cruise along the Seine and saw the Eiffel Tower lit up at night.

When visiting Berlin, the capital of Germany, we were able to extend our understanding of the events of World War 2 and the effects it had on Germany in the decades that followed. We visited many different museums and memorial sites, including the Holocaust Memorial which is made of a series of different-sized block structures that form a sort of maze that is meant to unsettle the visitor. We learned that this idea was likely used to demonstrate the confusion of Jewish and other people who were victims under the Nazi rule. The most interesting site was Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp. We were able to learn about the personal experiences of people living in concentration camps, those who were transported to death camps, the victims of cruel medical experimentation as well as many other aspects of Nazi concentration camps and society. In particular, it helped us to further understand the reality of the situation and what these people, less than a century ago, had faced. 

At the end of the tour, our last country was Belgium, and we went to the capital, Brussels. We visited the European Parliament where we saw the famous hemicycle and learned more about the structure of the European Parliament and how it functions. Before dinner one night, we were lucky enough to go on a walking tour around Brussels where we saw many different areas of Brussels as well as old government buildings. We also visited Mini Europe which was quite fun for the whole group and showed us the many landmarks Europe has to offer. We also got to see the landmarks we had seen throughout the tour in mini size such as the Eiffel Tower.

This tour was a great learning experience and the knowledge we gained can be used in all of our senior classes.”

Amelia M, Elizabeth S and Ruby W

CGSAV BASKETBALL COMPETITION
On the 18th and 23rd April we took 6 basketball teams to the CGSAV Competition. Both days were tiring but extremely fun for all those involved. Four of our teams made it through to the semi final, with three teams going onto the grand final. We took away two wins with our Junior A team and Intermediate teams taking out the Division 1 winning titles. We also had a Best Player of the Match with Maddison C taking the medal for the Intermediate team. Everyone gave it their absolute best and should be very proud of themselves.

CGSAV HOCKEY COMPETITION
On the 2nd May we took a small junior team of 9 players to our first Hockey competition. After four tiring games they sat on top of the ladder and won the grand final against St Mary’s College. We also took the medal for Best Player of the Match for the grand final which was awarded to Charlotte H. We are extremely proud of the students that participated and we look forward to watching them compete again next year.

Register for Elevate’s Parent Webinar Series This Term

Elevate Education delivers high-impact workshops to our students that help to develop their study skills, motivation, and exam preparation. Over the next term, you’re invited to join their parent webinar series, where you can help support your child at home by reinforcing the skills they’re learning at
school.

Upcoming Webinars:

How to Get (And Keep) Your Child Motivated – 8th May 6:30pm
How You Can Help Your Child Prepare for Exams – 22nd May 6:30pm
How You Can Support Your Child During Exams – 5th June 6:30pm
Ask me Anything (Live Q&A) – 19th June 6:30pm
Register for the series by clicking the link below and learn some great practical strategies to help support
your child this year.

Parents can register at the link https://go.elevateeducation.com/auswebinars

For more information please below:

Elevate_Education_AU_Term_2_Webinar

The Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on
School Students with Disability (NCCD) takes place
every year.

The NCCD is a collection that counts:
• the number of school students receiving an
adjustment or ‘help’ due to disability
• the level of adjustment they are receiving to
access education on the same basis as other
students.

Pease view the PDF attached for more information

NCCD Parent Factsheet