Community News – 30 May 2019

Paren Focus Group

The Parent Focus Group offers an opportunity for parents to gather and share a parent’s perspective regarding school matters such as Catholic Identity, wellbeing, pathways and connectedness to the College. These groups will work to: 

• Assist families to understand the College’s vision, mission and curriculum objectives;
• Assist students to succeed at school;
• Ensure students develop skills to operate efficiently in our constantly changing society;
• Enhance the health and wellbeing of students.

Home/school partnerships provide the opportunity to develop a shared understanding of learning and the needs of adolescents. It is our intention to help parents support their children during their secondary schooling knowing that one of the most influential factors in creating success for students is you.

Parents appointed to the Parent Focus Groups are expected to; 

• support the Catholic ethos of St Francis Xavier College;
• listen the opinions of others with respect, courtesy and fairness;
• be willing to engage in positive relationships;
• have the capacity to work as a team;
• commit to attend scheduled meetings;
• advocate for the College.

Should you wish to join the Parent Focus group please email Jennie Laukart: jlaukart@sfx.vic.edu.au

Victoria Schools Association Competition – Swimming

Our school was fortunate enough to have seven students selected to compete for and represent SIS at the Victoria Schools Association Competition for Swimming. Students selected were Domenic Butcher, Natalie Morgan, Jameson O’Reilly, Leonardo Ly, Laura Ryan, Melissa Woolf and Jessica C.

Students competed in the competition during the afternoon and night of Monday 13 May at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre in Albert Park. The students competed against some very fast competition throughout the night. Overall SIS came 8^th out of 14 School Associations. The students should be commended on the way the represented both SIS but also our college community.

Congratulations to all the students involved. A special congratulation to Laura Ryan who broke the Year 12 Female Backstroke school record with a swim of 33.09 seconds.

Structured Workplace Learning 

We wish our VCAL and Industry and Enterprise students all the best as they begin their Structured Workplace Learning placement. This is the ideal time to demonstrate key skills studied in class in a practical setting. Thank you to the VCAL and Industry and Enterprise teachers for preparing our students. Please do not hesitate to contact the college should you have any concerns or queries during SWL.

Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea 

On Thursday 23 May, staff across all three campuses hosted Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea. It is a great way to bring people together to raise funds that will make a big difference to those impacted by cancer. We gathered our together over some tea and treats along with raffles and a silent auction, to help raise funds for Cancer Council’s life-saving research, prevention, support programs, and information.

So, what does the Cancer Council do? They offer a range of services to support anyone affected by cancer. The Cancer Council funds more cancer research than any other non-government organisation in Australia. In 2017, thanks to the support of communities across Australia, they directed almost $60 million along with our research partners in cancer across Australia. Together we will find a cure.

Spirit of Catholic Education Award for Inspiring Faith

Congratulations to John Fazzino, Deputy Principal Mission, for being awarded a Spirit of Catholic Education Award for Inspiring Faith at Friday night’s Catholic Education Week Dinner.

Teacher-Researchers Pilot Project – Congratulations Megan Ball

On Wednesday 22 May 2019 the Teacher-Researchers pilot project was officially launched at the Melbourne Graduate School of Education. Hosted by Maxine McKew, the launch provided special guests with an overview of the project aims and activities to date. Guests were also introduced to the five teachers undertaking research via the pilot study, our own Megan Ball being one of them.

Megan Ball was appointed as the Year 8 Learning Culture Leader at St Francis Xavier College – Officer Campus this year. Working in partnership with The University of Melbourne to develop a rich curriculum unit for students to engage with, that is representative of the diversity within our community was an exciting prospect for Megan. Her application to participate in the program was a stand out.

At the Teacher-Researchers Pilot Project Launch, Associate Professor Larissa McLean Davies spoke about the importance of diverse Australian literature in educational contexts and the impetus for this suite of work. The event also included a presentation from Stella Prize Chair Seri Rankin about the links between Stella’s schools program and the Teacher-Researchers project and opportunities for teachers and researchers moving forward.

Looking forward to seeing what this project yields, Megan.

Examinations

Many of our students are currently preparing for end of semester examinations and formal assessments. As we all know regular and efficient study routines are far more valuable than last minute cramming for tests and exams. We hope that students have prepared thoroughly with the support of their subject teachers and parents.

I have included some tips from Parentline and Spectrum Education that you may find useful.

How can kids manage their exam stress?

One of the challenges as a parent is that exams are something your child has to do on their own. You can support them by trying the following:

• Have realistic expectations and don’t push them too hard
• Be constructive and positive
• Encourage good sleep patterns and eating habits
• Provide a quiet space for them to study and prepare 
• Teach them the importance of study breaks
• Encourage them to ask the teacher questions if they’re unsure
• Help them know what to expect on the day of the exam
• Help them be on time for the exam or arrive early
• After the exam, listen to their concerns and avoid criticising them