Beaconsfield Campus – 23 August 2018

Uniform Shop Holiday Hours

The uniform shop will be closed from Monday 24th September and reopen on Tuesday 2nd October.

Learning @ Beaconsfield

The Beaconsfield Campus is a vibrant student-centred learning community. It is our privilege to support the students to become creative, resilient and independent learners.

This week a number of classes have participated in terrific learning opportunities.

The Year 12 Health & Human Development classes packed birthing kits.

On Monday our class created over 400 birthing kits which will be provided to low income countries to make childbirth a safer and easier process for both mothers and babies. Low income countries are the main focus, due to their generalised lack of access to healthcare and sanitary items that prevent disease spread and fatal conditions as a direct result of childbirth for the mother and child. The kits cost $3 to make and included: latex gloves for hygienic handling of the mother and child, a plastic sheet to prevent contact with any unsanitary surfaces, gauze to help stop bleeding, a small blade to cut the umbilical cord, soap to sanitise hands and her body and string to tie off the umbilical cord safely. These kits help to reduce the high maternal mortality rates in these countries as well as under five mortality rates.
Jessamy Gridley

On 20 August we participated in the making of birthing kits for women who live in remote areas of the world.
We packed 400 kits in which they included a plastic sheet, gauze, blade, gloves, soap and string, only costing $3, the cost of your average coffee.
We are hopefully going to help 400 women deliver their child in a safer condition, reducing the effects of disease and therefore maternal mortality. It was an eye-opening experience.
Maddison Hanna

Student Leadership

The 2019 Student Leadership election has begun. I would like to sincerely thank all students who have submitted applications for the various leadership roles available at St Francis Xavier College. The rigorous process has been embraced by many wonderful students who are keen to demonstrate the practice of servant leadership within our school community. These students are keen to take on extra duties so that others may benefit from their gifts and talents. I wish you all the best and have the utmost confidence that your peers will elect leaders who will be exemplary ambassadors for St Francis Xavier College.

Presentation Balls

It is a busy time for many Year 11 students as they participated in the Presentation Ball season this year. Our students were impeccably presented in their formal wear and illustrated their dancing technique in front of family and friends at Merrimu Receptions. Students have spent many hours rehearsing with expert tuition from Mr Peter Head. Thank you to the committee (Janine Butera, Frances Riccehtti, Shani De Prinse, Jacqui Hockey, and Monica Schade) and to staff for volunteering their time. Without your generous support our students would not be able to avail themselves of this wonderful opportunity.

St Francis Xavier Day

We were privileged to gather as a College Community to honour our patron St Francis Xavier. It was quite a sight to behold all students and staff in reverent liturgical space. St Francis was made a saint in 1662. We remember Francis for his courtesy, determination, courage and his commitment to spreading the words of Christ. After Mass, students enjoyed a variety of activities at each campus.

Alumni News

At this time in Year 12 it is easy to believe that the whole world has been contracted into SACs, deadlines, homework and exam preparation – with 18th birthdays and driving tests thrown into the mix for good measure.

Mindful of this, the Year 12 VCE students had an assembly on Thursday which offered them an opportunity to take a step back and listen to some stories from three people who had already taken this journey.

In 2013, Eliza Bartsch completed Year 12 at St Francis Xavier College. She undertook a Nursing degree at Monash University, and while she loved general nursing, she quickly recognised that her passion was for the more challenging end. Eliza shared her story of how today, still as a very young nurse, she is loving her work as a mental health nurse in the challenging environment of Dandenong Hospital.

Matthew Foschini dreamed of playing soccer on the international stage. Matthew made the tough choice to finish his VCE before pursuing professional sport with Melbourne Victory. His is a story of juggling study with elite sport; playing overseas before settling in Melbourne where he plays for South Melbourne.

This year is the 10th anniversary of former SFX student Stacey Colebrook’s diagnosis of leukemia. Her life veered off the anticipated course as she battled the illness, tried to complete her studies, and found chronic fatigue stopped her from doing many of the things she had hoped to do. Gifted with a beautiful voice and an amazing determination, Stacey’s story is one of continuous hope. We were all very moved to hear it.

This was a memorable assembly that assisted us all to keep our perspective as we enter the final busy weeks of third term.

Smiling Mind Parent Evening

St Francis Xavier is continuing to implement a mindfulness program. One in seven primary aged children and one in four secondary aged children are experiencing mental health problems. Society is experiencing major and rapid changes, and this is having an impact on the wellbeing of students. Wellbeing and learning can’t be separated. One supports the other. Wellbeing underpins the way children feel about themselves and how they relate to others.
Wellbeing affects how children think, learn and engage. Mindfulness can help with wellbeing, bringing about strong improvements in attention.
As part of the introduction to mindfulness parents are invited to attend an information evening with Smiling Mind to assist parents in supporting their child’s mindfulness practice at home.

4 September, 7 – 8pm at the Beaconsfield Campus

http://bit.ly/smilingminds

Private Tutoring

At this time of the year some parents / guardians may be considering seeking support for their child from private tutors.

As the College Child Protection Officer, I would like to remind parents of the following Child Protection questions that they should ask of any individual or tutoring organisation before the engage their services.

Private Tutors
Always ask to see the tutors Victorian Institute of Teaching Card (VIT) or Working with Children Card (WWCC) and check that it is current. Those holding a VIT or WWCC card have been checked by government authorities and been found suitable to work with children. I would recommend that parents / guardians do not employ a tutor that does not have a VIT or WWCC card.

Companies providing tutoring
In addition to all staff employed by a tutoring company requiring their staff to hold a VIT or WWCC these companies are now also required to have developed Child Protection policies similar to what we have at the College. These policies should be available on their Web Site. If the private tutoring company does not have these policies I again recommend that parents / guardians do not employ a tutor from that organisation.

Finally, please consider where the tutoring is going to take place. I would advise that any tutoring occur in public areas of the house such as the kitchen or dining room table rather than bedrooms or a private study.

If you have any concerns with regard to a tutoring service I would be more than happy to assist. Please contact me via email jfazzino@sfx.vic.edu.au or by telephoning the College.

Religious Education Department News

What a productive number of weeks we are having in the faith life of our College in the second half of term three. We have had the Gold Remar group complete their final retreat, we have celebrated a powerful Assumption Mass all together at the State Basketball Centre in Wantirna. Six of our Year 11’s and five of our Year 9’s brought energy, insight and great role modelling to the annual CEO Sale Justice and Leadership camp. Over the next few weeks we will host our first Mini-Vinnies cluster meeting, we will have nine Year 9’s form each campus visit St Mary’s Cathedral for the annual Year 9 Day, staff will take part in the second Staff Catholic Identity Retreat Day, with Sam Clear the guest speaker, a series of accreditation and life-giving workshop opportunities, and Mass with Fr John Prest, the beginning of the Ruben Centre appeal to complete the term, and of course the Soup van continues to serve local people.

In all this great work we believe the Jesus walks in front of us, with us and behind us in all our endeavours to make a difference to our community and world. Jesus’ presence with us helps us to find the energy to continue, the compassion to meet each other in a space of human dignity, and the courage to continually look beyond ourselves and share in God’s great work of offering liberation and compassion. I am continually grateful for and amazed by the energy and commitment of our students and staff to work in this space.

This space was evident clearly at our St Francis Xavier Day Assumption Mass. To see students bringing forward their original country’s flags with a sense of pride and belonging, to hear Cantabile sing with passion about God’s love and forgiveness, to take in the scene of our unique, extensive and positive community gathered as one and working so well together, to hear Principal Vin Feeney’s inspirational naming of all the ‘yes’’ that had led us to this special moment in our history, and finally to be encouraged and challenged by Fr Brendan to be vulnerable and united as a community clearly demonstrated our community as unique, united and welcoming.

Let us pray for all those in the world facing natural disasters – fire, flood and earthquake. May God’s presence in those who are struggling and in those who help ease the pain and bring comfort and hope. Amen.