Officer Campus – 1 November 2018

Campus Assembly

On Tuesday, Thomas House led our campus assembly. The theme of the assembly was Gratitude. House Captains Conor Benson and Kirsten McLelland helped the community understand how Gratitude falls under the virtue category of Transcendence. Transcendence describes strengths that provide a broad sense of connection to something higher in meaning and purpose than ourselves. They talked about Benefit-triggered gratitude and Generalized gratitude. They went on to say…

On behalf of every single person here, who is part of our incredible College community, may we thank you. No matter how big or small you contribute to our College community, we are extremely grateful to have each other and know that we are supported in the most vital times of our lives. From our teachers, students, peers, support staff, learning enhancement, wellbeing staff, office staff, maintenance, IT, AV, cleaners, volunteers, parents, crossing supervisors, builders, designers, visitors, God, and everybody in between. Without you all, we would not be the vibrant, diverse and incredible school that we are. As we continue to grow and take steps toward achieving our positive learning partnerships we always have the words, CURA PERSONALIS – care for the individual, in our heads, hearts and actions. When we show gratitude and care we will continue to flourish and be the best versions of ourselves. So make sure you show a little gratitude, it may go a long way.

Student Achievement

We congratulate students who have received College colour awards for their achievements at school. 

We congratulate Bronze recipients: 

Aaron Borg

Carline Tuazama

Ria Kumar

Mitchell Summers

We congratulate Silver recipients: 

Charlotte O’Sullivan

Osanda Wewalwala

Tara O’Sullivan

Olivia Kruger

Holly Dyason

We congratulate Gold recipients:

Mitchell Rook

Alexandra Williams

Shelby McAsey

Australian Mathematics Competition

On 9 August, selected students from the Berwick, Officer and Beaconsfield Campuses participated in the Australian Mathematics Competition. The Australian Mathematics Competition is one of the largest annual events on the Australian education calendar and is now one of the largest competitions in the world, with more than 30 countries participating each year. 31 brave students from the Officer Campus signed up to be part of the 75-minute competition across Year 7 to 9. Overall the competition was a huge success, and it was fantastic to see so many passionate students giving it a good go. I would like to acknowledge and congratulate all students for their participation, as well as thanking all staff who helped with the running of the day. In particular, I would like to congratulate the following students from Officer campus who received a Distinction: Muskan Mongia, Khuushi Mongia, Ishan Joshi and Alyanna Trajano.  

Jarryd Black, Curriculum Leader

Maths Pathways

Our recent assembly saw 23 students from the Officer Campus acknowledged for their outstanding work in Math Pathways during Term 3. These students were presented with certificates congratulating them for achieving growth rates of 300% or greater. Our students had demonstrated a commitment to their learning that allowed them to succeed, irrespective of their current achievement levels.  

In particular, we congratulated Sasan Mannapperuma (Year 9) for completing Term 3 with a growth rate in excess of 700%. This equates to completing and mastering 21 modules per cycle test (fortnightly).

As a campus, we had terrific growth rates across the board, with more than 77% of our students experiencing growth of 100% or greater. 100% growth is the equivalent to one year’s growth. We also are proud of the almost 10% of students who, at the end of Term 3, were above standard in their maths and have embraced their learning and able to work at their pace and ability.

As a campus, we congratulate the following students for their achievement:

For further information regarding your child’s progress, please visit the Parents tab within your child’s Math Pathway dashboard or contact your child’s Mathematics teacher.

Dr Evil and the Basket of Kittens

Junior Play

Junior play can only be explained as an out of this world experience. From death rays to were-hyenas, from Vampires to kittens, and from unicorn slippers to a tank full of sharks, the only way you could describe it is a unique ball of fun and laughs.
Being a part of the junior play was an amazing experience that I will definitely not be forgetting any time soon. I met so many unique and amazing people who played so many unique and amazing characters, which made the experience so much more enjoyable. I got to play a character that I never would have even dreamed of playing, but had the best time performing as her. I would definitely recommend performing in Junior Play to all students. It is an experience that has lead me to grow so much in every way possible, and I wouldn’t have missed it for anything.

Lauren Symmons

Grade 6 Buddy Program

Transitioning from Primary school into Secondary school is an exciting time for students, but they can often feel nervous about the unknown. They have many questions about the new environment, including finding their way around, meeting new people, understanding how a timetable works, and experiencing different teaches for specialised subjects.

In the final week of Term 3, St Francis Xavier College teachers offered a transition meeting with many of the Grade 6 teachers from feeder and surrounding schools. Information about what students are to expect in Year 7 and ideas on how to ease transition were discussed. It gave an opportunity for teachers to collaborate and share ideas on the types of activities that Grade 6 teachers can implement during Term 4 to better prepare them for secondary school.

In addition to this, we offered a Buddy Program to further assist our 2019 Year 7 students a smooth transition. During the second half of Term 3, current Year 7 and 8 students applied to be involved with the buddy program and we had an overwhelming response of students wanting to take part and pass on their knowledge and advice to the new students. After a few weeks of lunch time training sessions on what it means to be a good buddy, and team building activities, it was time to welcome the Grade 6 students.

Each of our surrounding Catholic feeder schools were given the opportunity to attend a one-hour session a week at Officer Campus, for three to four weeks of Term 4. During these sessions they have taken part in a scavenger hunt, the SFX survivor challenge and a STEM activity. We also took 10 of our students to Pakenham Lakeside Primary School, Pakenham Springs Primary School and we will be attending Beaconsfield Primary School too, giving the students there to opportunity to meet our students and to learn more about St Francis Xavier College. We look forward to welcoming all of our Year 7 students for 2019 to the College on the official orientation day on Monday 10 December.

SRC Article – Stress

So, what is stress? 

Stress is the feeling of being under too much mental or emotional pressure. The pressure then turns into stress when you feel unable to cope. People have different ways of reacting to stress, so a situation that feels stressful to one person may in fact be motivating to another. Many of life’s demands can cause stress, especially work, relationships and school work which Mary and I will get into soon. When you feel stressed, it can affect everything you do. Stress can affect how you feel, how you think, how you behave and how your body works. Sleeping problems, sweating, loss of appetite and difficulty concentrating are common signs of stress as well as, headaches, chronic pain, frequent sickness and decreased energy.  

It may seem that there’s nothing you can do about your stress levels.

Homework and assignments aren’t going to stop coming, there will never be more hours in the day for all your errands, and your family responsibilities will always be demanding. However, you have a lot more control than you might think. In fact, the simple realisation that you’re in control of your life is the foundation of stress management. Managing stress is all about taking charge; taking charge of your thoughts, your emotions, your schedule, your environment, and the way you deal with the problems. The ultimate goal is a balanced life with time for work, relationships, relaxation, and fun – plus the resilience to hold up under pressure and meet challenges head on. Stress management starts with identifying the sources of stress in your life. Now, this isn’t as easy as it sounds. Your true sources of stress aren’t always obvious, and it’s all too easy to overlook your own stress-inducing thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. 

Sure, you may know that you’re constantly worried about work deadlines.

Maybe it’s your procrastination, rather than the actual job demands, that leads to deadline stress.  If your methods of coping with stress aren’t contributing to your greater emotional and physical health, it’s time to find better ones. There are many healthy ways to manage and cope with stress, but they all require change. You can either change the situation or change your reaction. When deciding which option to choose, it’s helpful to think of the four A’s: avoid, alter, adapt, or accept. Since everyone has a unique response to stress, there is no “one size fits all” solution to managing it, but the ways that you can cope with stress are: going for a walk; talking to a good friend; sweat out tension with a good workout; writing in your journal; taking a long bath (with a bath bomb); hanging out with a pet; getting a massage; reading a good book; or even listening to music. No single method works for everyone or in every situation, so experiment with different techniques and strategies to focus on what makes you feel calm and in control. 

Everyone needs to find a way to deal with stress.

It is an unfortunate reality of human nature. On top of juggling extracurricular activities and a social life, we have to manage homework and studying while trying to stay sane. Sometimes, when the workload seems endless, we can’t even imagine how we will survive the week. Although stress is unavoidable, there are a few steps you can take to make it a little more manageable. Some ways you can cope with school related stress is by, taking time for self-care, learn to change your thinking, time management, and take assignments one baby step at a time. A little stress around exam time can be a good thing, as it motivates you to put in the work.

Reducing stress during exams.

The importance of taking breaks when studying and working and making time to relax during your busiest and most stressful periods can’t be overestimated.

No matter how hard you push yourself, nobody can maintain constant focus, and you will burn yourself out if you try. Some ways you can manage your exam related stress is by, saying “no” to parties during the weeks close to the exams. This will help to keep you refreshed and energized. When studying, switch your phone off to stop the distractions. Try to keep a focus on your health and well-being by eating well. Practice writing essays and show your teachers for feedback and improvement. Ask teachers the best way to study for each subject. They have many years of experience they can share with you. Take frequent, short breaks for fun activities so that you’ll be able to go back to your writing or studying refreshed.

By Chory Cunha and Mary Wijewardene – SRC Officer 2018

Religious Education News – Kevin Woodhouse

Year of Youth Gathering

At St Peter’s in Cranbourne, our region is holding a final gathering to celebrate the Year of Youth. Bishop Patrick will be in attendance. The agenda for the event can be found here. Students are encouraged to attend this day.

Plenary 2020

Last night I attended the St Michael’s Plenary session. It was led by Sophie Morley from the CEO. Bishop Patrick O’Regan was present at the meeting and provided insightful feedback to a number of questions asked by parishioners from all through our region.

The listening and dialogue process allows small groups to share their views about the question:

“What do you think God is asking of us in Australia at this time?” The responses are collated and sent to the Plenary Council. All viewpoints will be considered. More information can be found at http://plenarycouncil.catholic.org.au/.

We will hold Plenary meetings here at school from 16 November onwards. Details of parent involvement will be sent to you soon. We are seeking parent volunteers to be part of this important process. The Plenary Council, to be help in 2020, has the ability to make recommendations for the future of the Catholic Church in Australia, and so it is important to give feedback about what each of us considers as important for the future of our church. Staff and students will also be asked to contribute.

REALTALK

This week we have welcomed REALTALK to the Officer and Berwick Campuses. This has been an opportunity for our students to reflect on what makes a positive and life-giving relationship. The leader of REALTALK, Paul Ninnes, has been very positive about the response of our students to the topic.

Virtual Reality Unit

Today in a Religious Education class for Year 10 students, we used VR to view a virtual tour of some of the holy sites in Jerusalem. The site allows students to walk through places like the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem, the Holy Sepulchre, and where Jesus died and rose. It brought to life our study of sacred sites and students really enjoyed this opportunity, which will increase when the new classrooms come on line with the support for this type of learning.

All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day

On Thursday and Friday we celebrate All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. While St Mary MacKillop is our first saint in Australia, Mary Glowrey is the second Australian to be considered for official recognition as a saint. She was declared a Servant of God in 2013.

Mary Glowrey’s story is one of courage and commitment to the people of Australia, whom she served as a doctor, and then India, where she left an indelible mark of service and dedication to the poor. The museum at ACU Melbourne is well worth a visit, and her life is well worth knowing about. www.maryglowreymuseum.info/

On All Souls’ Day we pray for those who have passed from this life. Here is the prayer we will share in Care Group on Friday. Perhaps a photo of a loved one in your homes could trigger a prayer to be shared with your family for those whom we love:

On All Souls’ Day, we pray for those who have died – friends, colleagues, relatives; For other leaders whom we have known, worked with, laughed with, wept with, walked with, many of them are not famous. Some of them were part of our community this year. Their statues are not in churches but their pictures are in our homes and their stories alive in our community, and in us. We know of their goodness and their struggles. We now pray for them, and remember them with love, celebrating in faith their journey to God, now within the great communion of saints.

Today we pray:

For all of us, that we may live our lives close to God and meet him in Heaven.

For the deceased, especially those members of our family and parish community, that they may enjoy paradise in Heaven with Jesus.

For those grieving the loss of a family member, that they may feel God’s love and comfort at this difficult time.

For those who care for the dying, especially nurses, doctors, family members, and hospice workers, that God may work through them to touch others.

Lord, we ask you to be with us as we remember all of those who have died, especially those in our own families.

Amen