Officer Campus – 23 August 2018

Uniform Shop Holiday Hours

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

St Francis Xavier Day

Our recent celebrations for St Francis Xavier Day (August 15) were very successful and enjoyed by all at the Officer Campus. Our students at our Eucharistic celebration were terrific and those that were actively involved in the mass, represented our Campus with pride.

All embraced the afternoon activities. Our students, and staff, enjoyed an afternoon of fun and frivolity on the inflatable rides in the hall, basketball and dance activities and the vast array of foods that were available.

The day concluded with our now annual House Dance Competition. While the staff put on a great performance, McDonagh House were our winners.

Arena Shopping Centre Classes

This week, the Officer Campus, conducted small classes at our local shopping centre, Arena. Three small classes were held; an Art, Japanese and Maths class. Members of the community were suitably impressed with not only our students, but also the quality of the work that was being done by our students. Thank you to Lorinda Mutsaers, Steven Medorini and Laura Overdyk for being bold and most importantly, thank you to the students who participated. Thanks too to Arena Cafe who generously provided our students with Hot Chocolates!

Tournament of Minds

And finally, good luck to our two Tournament of Minds (TOM) teams as they complete their preparations for this weekend’s judging at Federation University, Churchill. The two teams have been working for many weeks in preparing their performances to their challenges; both the long-term challenge and the spontaneous challenge that they will receive when there.

Congratulations and best wishes to our two teams:

MADCOOL

Dane Hawkes
Lauren Symmons
Aaron Borg
Olivia Kruger
Osanda Wewalwala
Carline Tuazama
Max Richards

Beyond the Book

Holly Dyason
Kyna Marsiglio
Olivia Balderstone
Shelby McAsey
Ally Williams
Mitch Rook
Charlotte O’Sullivan

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.