Newsletter | Hear the Call of Jerusalem: widen your horizons

A very warm welcome back to Term 3. I hope students and staff were able to enjoy a well-earned break after a very successful and busy Semester 1 and that families were able to spend time together without the busyness of term time. The term has commenced with many exciting opportunities to look forward to and there is a real sense of positivity amongst staff and students. Walking around the corridors I can see that students have settled into their classes very well and I wish them all a very successful term.

Thank you to Christine Kralj and Paul Kerr for taking on the roles of Acting Principal and Acting Deputy Principal of Student Wellbeing while I had a period of leave. My time away would not have been possible without their support.

STEAMD Centre

It was exciting to return to the College last week and see that the scaffolding on the new building had come down and the façade of the STEAMD Centre was revealed. We look forward to it being finished hopefully later this term and are working hard with the construction company to make this a reality. Once completed, work will begin on the complete refurbishment of the current Administration Building and the front of the College. Students and staff can look forward to enjoying some wonderful facilities to support their learning and growth. I will keep families up to date as details become available and milestones are reached.

Sion Day

This week families received a letter from Anna Gionfriddo Deputy Principal Faith & Mission. She outlined how the College is preparing for one of the main events in our calendar, Sion Day. The day is designed for us to celebrate who we are and to give thanks for all we are provided: a long-standing tradition that spans almost 100 years, our families and our teachers, our friends and peers; a safe and welcoming environment and the opportunity to receive a good education and pursue our future goals. We are all fortunate to have this at our fingertips. A major aspect of the day is the fundraising efforts. In recent years we have supported the San Luis Lumad Community School in the Philippines that five years ago was in desperate need of facilities and resources. We are proud of the difference we have made to these students and the staff who have worked tirelessly to provide an education that will open up opportunities for them, their families and the community at large. This year, after much discernment and discussion with the Sisters both here and overseas we will now turn our attention to supporting students in a similar and perhaps more dire situation in Jerusalem and Bethlehem. I hope families and students will enter into this new relationship with Bethlehem University and the Our Lady of Sion Sisters Education Fund knowing that their efforts will bring much needed hope to the families and students we have committed to support at this tragic time.

Our relationship with our international Sion family continues to be strengthened. Exchange students from Notre Dame de Sion, Kansas City have been hosted by Sion families and the College over the last three weeks. Our partnership program presents participating students with the opportunity to enhance their understanding of the Sion culture and traditions. It is also a way to build friendships, and through shared experiences, foster relationships which we hope will last a lifetime. I thank our visiting students and their teacher, Ms Valerie Crook. We hope that your time with us was a positive and enriching experience. I would also like to thank our Sion families and students who hosted the students during their Australian visit. This exchange would not be possible without their generous support.

NAIDOC week

NAIDOC Week was held in the second week of our term break. Nationally, the week is a time to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, culture and achievements and is an opportunity to recognise the contributions that Indigenous Australians make to our country and our society. It is also a time to continue the very important process of learning and dialogue which will lead to authentic reconciliation and inclusion, and strengthen us as a country.

Next Sunday (4 August), our 2024 Indigenous Immersion staff and students will travel to central Australia to learn more about indigenous culture and the issues and needs our first nation peoples continue to face. Having undertaken this immersion in 2022, I believe this is a life changing opportunity. We pray the 2024 immersion is a rich learning experience for staff and students and look forward to their return when they will share with the rest of our school community.

Living God, Draw Us Into Unity

Creator of all things,

both seen and unseen,

speak to us in your great wisdom.

Make us strong as we seek

your help and guidance.

Teach us to love all people.

Regardless of race or colour or belief

may we listen with great care

to the heartbeat of this land

and to its people

who cared for it so well

and for so long.

May the peace these people and their land

have always enjoyed

continue to be strengthened and preserved

by all who wish to come and be a part of

this country and its “Ancient Dreaming”.

Glory to you, God of life,

Creating, nurturing, reconciling.

Glory to you forever.

(Elizabeth Pike)

We also keep in our prayers the families affected by the terrible tragedies that continue to unfold in our world. We pray for continuing dialogue, reconciliation and peace.

Year 7, 2026 Enrolment Applications Now Due

A reminder to all families, that applications for Year 7 2026 close on 16 August 2024. If our current students have a younger sibling, families are asked to submit an enrolment application by this date to ensure a place is held for them. Enrolment applications can be found on our website.

If families are aware of others beyond our community who may be interested in enrolling their daughters in our school, please pass on this information or invite them to contact Robyn McCann our registrar on 8990 9097 or via email registrar@sion.catholic.edu.au.

With every blessing for the fortnight ahead

Tina Apostolopoulos

Term 3 has begun well with much happening in the faith life of the College. The Liturgy team continue to meet fortnightly to prepare our chapel sessions and is currently planning a lunchtime scripture based dialogue session called the Mustard Seeds, for students to attend.

Year 7 Retreat

Preparations are well underway for the Year 7 Retreat Day which will be held on Friday 2 August, at St Paul's Retreat Centre, Wantirna South. In the lead up to Sion Day, it is timely that students will be exploring the theme ‘Making Our Mark at Sion Through Positive Action’ where they will consider what it means to belong to the Sion Family, in particular through the lens of our College motto- Speaking the Truth in Love, and ways that they can use their gifts and talents to inspire positive action to help make change in our world. Currently, the students are preparing different elements of the Retreat Day Eucharist in their RE classes and through the various workshops and presentations, we hope that the Year 7s will get much out of this very special day.

Indigenous Immersion Program

24 students from Years 9, 10 and 11 participating in the 2024 Indigenous Immersion Program, accompanied by Mrs Kralj, Ms Hunter and Ms Dawes will be heading off to Central Australia on Sunday 4 August. Our students have been attending weekly formation sessions to help support their understanding of the significance of what they will be experiencing during the program, and how it connects closely to the vision and mission of our College in regards to justice, truth, reconciliation and peace.
The focus of these sessions has included Indigenous history, culture and spirituality. We wish them many blessings and look forward to hearing about their experiences when they return.

Sion Day

Preparations have also begun for Sion Day which will be taking place on Friday 16 August. This day of celebration will begin with a whole school Eucharist, where we will focus our efforts in raising awareness and much needed funds for particular international social justice projects led or supported by the Sisters of Our Lady of Sion.

This year all proceeds from Sion Day will be used to support two scholarship programs via:

Bethlehem University
Our Lady of Sion Education Fund in Jerusalem for Primary and Secondary Students.

Further information about Sion Day and the process for purchasing tickets will be sent out to families soon.

Wishing all members of the Our Lady of Sion College community many blessings.

Welcome to Term 3! Well done to our Year 8 students for the way that they are participating in the Beyond the Horizons Program. It is these types of interdisciplinary learning activities that support our students to apply their critical and creative thinking, the skills and knowledge that they have developed in individual subjects to real world problem solving. Not only do students get the opportunity to work with others in a collaborative and supported manner, they are living out the Sion Charism of bringing positive change to the world. We look forward to the final presentations in Week 3.

On a side note, it was great fun listening to the older students reflecting upon their experience of the Year 8 Medieval Day. Again, this type of interactive learning experience is not only a whole lot of fun, it contextualises the learning of the topics, shaping each student’s attitude towards schooling more broadly.

Also in week 3, we will be pausing to celebrate the successes of Semester 1. The Principal’s Awards are a great opportunity to showcase the students that are demonstrating the learner behaviours that bring success. It is also a good moment for students to reflect upon how they approached their studies and to make any changes that may bring improvement to their experiences.

Staff are currently in the process of reviewing the Semester 1 academic results and reflecting upon what they can be doing differently to meet the individual needs of students. We are also exploring the ‘Approaches to Learning’ and thinking about ways to ensure that the students feel comfortable in seeking and then applying feedback, and can put language to this experience.

NAPLAN Release

Our Year 7 and 9 families will now have received the 2024 NAPLAN results. This information is provided by VCAA and should be read in conjunction with the information provided in the link.

Subject Selection

Thank you for the manner that all students and families have engaged with this process. The requests to accelerate are currently being processed and the Year 10s are preparing for the Subject Selection interviews in Week 3. Students by now have received their Subject Preference forms and can use this as a guide to planning their subjects. I encourage all families to consider the subject listing as a rank of preference and to be mindful that the reserve subjects should be ones that the students are interested in studying. For your reference, the important dates are included below.

VCE Key Dates

Monday 29 July: Online bookings for Year 11 2025 Subject Selection interview close at 9.00 am
Wednesday 31 July: Year 11 2025 Subject Selection interviews for parents and carers and current Year 10 students (9.00 am – 7.00 pm)
Wednesday 31 July: Web Preferences open, 4.00 pm
Thursday 1 August: Year 11 2025 Subject Selection interviews for parents and carers and current Year 10 students (9.00 am – 1.00 pm)
Tuesday 6 August: Subject Preferences due - Web Preferences close 8.00 am. Web preferences printed receipt to Homeroom teacher.

We hope you had a restful and enjoyable break. As we embark on Term 3, we are excited to welcome our students back for another term filled with learning, growth, and community spirit.

I would like to take this opportunity to revisit the focus on Sion Connect that we introduced to families at the beginning of the year. Our first focus is to increase student engagement, with a particular emphasis on improving school attendance.

In recent years, schools nationwide have seen a significant increase in absenteeism. While we expect our attendance levels to be better than the national average, we have noticed a rise in our median rate of absence, which can impact student outcomes.

I encourage parents and carers to reflect on their daughter's attendance rate. This can easily be found on your daughter’s most recent school report. Consider the number of days absent in terms of weeks of school time or as a percentage of the semester, as this can significantly influence her academic success, quality of friendships, and sense of connectedness at school. For example, twenty days absent is equivalent to four weeks of the semester or 25% of Semester 1 teaching time.

We understand that some students with high levels of absence may need to rest due to chronic illness or family trips taken during the school term. However, it is important to acknowledge that having multiple individual days off can be as impactful as missing a large block of time.

The start of Semester 2 is an excellent time to reset expectations for high attendance so that improvements can be made. Parents and carers should talk to their child about the importance of school. Addressing the underlying issues rather than accepting superficial excuses can help. Take the time to talk with her saying that you have noted that she isn’t going to school as much as she needs to. Encourage your daughter to articulate how she is feeling, as anxiety can often manifest in physical ailments used as reasons to miss school.

Sometimes families can contribute to the overwhelmed feeling by booking their children into too many after school commitments or allowing too many shifts at work. Ensure that after-school activities are balanced to provide enough time for homework and relaxation.

Students need time after school to rest, spend time with family, and complete homework. The College recommends the following homework time guidelines.

If homework is missed, it can become a trigger for further absence as the child may ask to stay home to 'catch up,' resulting in falling behind in class instruction.

If your best efforts are not leading to better attendance patterns, help is available. Start by speaking to your daughter’s Homeroom teacher or Wellbeing and Growth Leader. They can provide feedback on what we are observing at school and listen to your experiences at home. Our counselling team is another valuable resource for getting students back to class regularly, and referrals can be made by staff after consulting with you or your daughter.

Ultimately, there is no single approach to improving attendance; otherwise, we would have already implemented it! Early intervention is important. Attendance problems often have their roots in primary school habits, and a collaborative approach between home, school, and external agencies is key.

Welcome back to Term 3.

The first two weeks of term have been busy for our Year 10 students. Last week saw our students complete their work experience week and a big congratulations to the students for how they conducted themselves during the week. It was a joy to be able to go out and see the students learn and thrive in a space they might consider pursuing. Last week was also about exploring new skills and habits and the challenge for our Year 10s is to bring those new skills back to school and further develop them. This could be around organisation, about being punctual or a willingness to engage with all members of our community more freely.

Work experience is often the catalyst that allows the Year 10s to see what might be possible, or to see what behaviours and habits that need to change or be improved. I encourage all parents and carers to continue to question and guide the positive habits and behaviours that have come from work experience, especially over the next two weeks. Use this time to embed these into day to day practice so that work experience, and all the positivity it allowed, can live throughout the entirety of Semester 2.

World Choir Games

Over the Term 2 break Anna F (10 Gold) and Amelia W (9 Red) represented Australia at the International World Choir Games in New Zealand. They are part of the Australian Children’s Choir who were awarded a Gold medal in the Sacred Music Championship competition and a Silver medal in the Youth Choirs Championship competition. They have both been members of the Australian Children’s Choir for over five years and attend choir practice twice a week. The 13th World Choir games held in Auckland attracted over 11,000 participants from 350 choirs from around the world. What a fantastic achievement by both Anna and Amelia and we look forward to hearing how you go in your next competition.

Ballroom Dancing

Over 100 of the Year 10s commenced their ballroom dancing program with Whitefriars College this week. The first two sessions have been really positive. Positive on two fronts. First, watching the development of their first dance, the ‘Tango’. The students have embraced this challenge really well and it has not taken too long for the ‘Tango’ to come together. There is still a lot of counting to ensure we stay with the beat, but our heads are up with many smiling faces. Secondly, the engagement between all the students has started well. Many conversations are being had and a genuine willingness to help each other get it right is evident. Opportunities such as Ballroom allow skill development, making new friends and increasing a sense of belonging and I am very much looking forward to seeing the coming weeks and the progress that will be made.

Duke of Edinburgh Awards Evening

Shortly, all students and their families who have completed the Bronze award will receive an invitation to attend our Awards evening to be held on Wednesday 14 August in the Miriam Theatre, commencing at 7.00 pm. I take this opportunity to thank all families for their continued support of the Duke of Edinburgh program.

What I’d like you to know….

This is a new section that I will use during Term 3 to share some feedback our Year 10 cohort have given me, so that in turn you can support them and the first thing I’d like you to know is….

‘Students want to improve their learning’

In the data collected, students have said clearly that they would like to improve their learning and they would like to do better at school. This learning ranges from the development of habits, to increasing their scored results. For some students it is about improving their study habits and for others it's being organised and punctual. Over the next two weeks I ask all Year 10 community members to have a conversation around what this might look like and what actions need to be taken to take forward steps.

Three first steps that I see that can support our students are:

1 - Ensuring your daughter is at school everyday and on time

2 - Using their diary/planner everyday to stay organised

3 - Ensuring a dedicated space is used for homework and study each night

There are so many opportunities over the next two weeks for our Year 10s to be involved with: Ballroom, GSV, Music, House, Art and preparation for Sion day. I encourage students to actively engage in as many of these events as possible.

Welcome back to another new term and another chance at a fresh start. In Pastoral our Year 9 students considered the benefits of a growth mindset and strategies to consider how to grow this. Often, we see students in a fixed mindset with the coupling of negative self talk having a detrimental effect on their resilience and ability to self-affirm all the things that make them fantastic and unique individuals. This session explored the growth and development of the brain and how our habits (healthy or unhealthy) can impact our ability to thrive. Each Homeroom will create a poster of affirmation statements that they can use when they feel their mindset becoming fixed. These are also really helpful to have around their home spaces so that they are constantly repeating them and believing them.

Last week we also met for our first year level assembly where we had so much to celebrate. Firstly, our Days for Girls Bake Sale was able to raise over $700! This was a great achievement and our SRC leaders Biddy B (9 Blue) and Amelie P (9 Silver) thanked the Year 9 Class Leaders for coordinating their Homerooms and the bakers of the year level for donating the baked goods. We will have a Days for Girls Period Pamper Pack raffle running this term and we would also like to thank students for the range of prizes that have been donated in support of this.

I would also like to acknowledge the following students in Year 9 for their achievements:

Ava K (9 Blue) for winning the Year 9 House Athletics Year Level Champion Award
Viva M (9 Gold) for winning the Year 9 House Swimming Year Level Champion Award
Sophie F (9 White) for winning the Year 9 House Cross Country Year Level Champion Award
Amelia W (9 Red) for winning a silver and gold medal at the International World Choir Games with the Australian Children’s Choir
Gabriela T (9 White) for her selection to participate in the 2024 Women’s Artistic Gymnastics International Pathway Camp at the Australian Institute of Sport.

Ensembles Concert Night a Triumph!

Congratulations to over 400 students who performed at the Ensembles Concert Night on the penultimate day of Term 2. Sion students from 17 junior, intermediate, senior and combined ensembles performed incredibly well across two ‘acts’ to full houses in the Miriam Theatre. Some students performed in one ensemble; others in four, five or six groups! Again in 2024, the highlight was the combined choirs and symphony orchestra in the performance of ‘This Is Me’ from the movie ‘The Greatest Showman’. It was terrific to have so many of the Year 7 cohort perform at an Ensembles Concert Night for the very first time and the students were supported by a terrific crew that included staff, current students and former students from the Year 12 class of 2023.

Music Week String Masterclass with Rob John

During Music Week, our string players were treated to a dynamic masterclass and workshops with former Melbourne Symphony Orchestra concertmaster and principal violinist, Mr Rob John. Rob's professional career started with the Melbourne Symphony in 1977, when he was 19 years of age. He was the leader of that orchestra from 1986-87 and after a period of time in the UK, from 1987-1989, was offered the leadership of the State Orchestra of Victoria/ Artist-in-Residence at the Victorian Arts Centre in Melbourne. He has worked with artists such as Hugh Jackman, Elton John, Kiri te Kanawa, Placido Domingo, Tina Arena and Natalie Cole, and he has lead orchestras for musical productions such as Wicked, Chicago, The Producers, The Lion King, Les Miserables and The Sound of Music.

Welcome to new Music Staff!

The Music Department welcomes a new music staff member to the team, Mr Oscar Mason, who replaces Ms Hannah Rundell as our teacher of trumpet. Mr Mason has recently finished his PhD at Yale University in the US, and comes to us with a tonne of experience.

Instrumental Music Lessons Semester 2

Please note if any student wants to enrol in Instrumental Music lessons in Semester 2, you can!

The 2024 Music Program brochure can be accessed here
The online enrolment form (which needs to be completed to confirm enrolment) can be accessed here

Victorian Schools Music Festival and Monash Youth Music Festival – Term 3

The ensembles are working very hard at the start of Term 3, preparing their ensemble pieces for their performances at the Monash Youth Music Festival (held at Salvation Army Waverley Temple) and the Victorian Schools Music Festival (held at Hawthorn Arts Centre). The schedule of participating groups, dates and venues are as follows:

Jazz Club VSMF - Monday 29 July 12.15 - 3.45 pm
Senior Jazz Ensemble VSMF - Monday 29 July 3.00 - 7.00 pm
College Vocal Ensemble VSMF - Tuesday 6 August 3.15 - 7.00 pm
College Vocal Ensemble MYMF - Monday 12 August 3.15 - 7.00 pm
Senior Concert Band VSMF - Thursday 26 August 3.15 - 7.00 pm
Intermediate Concert Band VSMF - Friday 6 September 8.45 - 11.45 am

Women In Jazz

The Senior Jazz Ensemble has been invited to perform at a special ‘Women In Jazz’ event featuring renowned American bassist Bethany Robinson, to be held at the Hawthorn Arts Centre on Friday 2 August from 7:30 – 9.00 pm. Tickets (for non-performers) are available here with proceeds from the event will go to supporting Youth Mental Health through Headspace Hawthorn.

Save the dates!

Please note the upcoming performance dates in Terms 3 and 4:

Sion First Year 6 Winter Concert Wednesday 14 August 5.00 pm, Miriam Theatre
Term 3 Music Soiree Monday 9 September 5.00 pm, Miriam Theatre
VCE Unit 4 Recitals Monday 9 September 7.00 pm, Miriam Theatre
VCE Music Unit 2 Recitals Monday 7 October 5.00 pm, Miriam Theatre
Term 4 String Soiree Tuesday 15 October 5.00 pm, Miriam Theatre
Year 7 Music Spring Concert All Year 7 Ensembles and class groups, Tuesday 12 November 7.00 pm, LHC.

We are gearing up for another big term of Sport! Plenty on this term with Weekly Sports (Badminton, Volleyball & Soccer) GSV Track and Field and Strength and Conditioning.

GSV Track & Field Squad

Our GSV Track & Field Squad participated in our first training meet of the season on Tuesday 23 July at Box Hill Athletics Track.

We return to the training meets on Tuesday 30 July (Year 7 – 9 focus) and Tuesday 6 August (Year 10 – 12 focus). Our Monday and Wednesday morning training sessions working on speed, distance, throws and jumps are preparing students well for GSV Prelim on Thursday 15 August for which we have been designated with hosting duties.

Athletes for Hope

On Thursday 18 July our two Year 11 Sport Captains, Hannah G (11 Blue) and Natasha N (11 Blue) attended the Athletes for Hope Workshop hosted by GSV at Melbourne Girls Grammar. Please see below their experience from the evening:

Student Reflection

On Thursday 18 July we travelled to Melbourne Girls Grammar School to attend a Community Leadership Workshop called Athletes for Hope. Founded in 2007, Athletes for Hope have strived to create change within local communities through sport. As Year 11 Sport Representatives, we were fortunate to be invited to this event hearing from three inspiring women who have played sport at a professional level. Rebecca Miller, Richmond AFLW player, spoke about her life growing up in a small country town, her personal experiences and facing personal challenges. We then heard from Mursal Sadat, a player from the Afghanistan Women’s Football team who spoke to us about the challenges and highlights she has faced as a Refugee from Afghanistan, from having to leave her family all the way to her achievement of being able to advocate for both women and refugees rights in Australia and Afghanistan. She explained her commitment to making positive change and using her personal experience to teach others. Lastly, Aimie Rocci, a dedicated basketball player who made her way onto the Melbourne Boomers WNBL team advocating for the mental health of many people and taught us how important it is to care for ourselves and others. Overall, these three young inspiring athletes spoke about how they have achieved a sense of purpose through sport, a cause and great meaning. Hannah G and Natasha N (11 Blue)

GSV Representative Matches

We have three students who have been successful in making the GSV Representative Teams! Ava M (10 Blue) and Olivia M (10 Blue) have been selected to represent the GSV in Netball and Katie D (10 Purple) in Soccer. Teams had their final training session on Tuesday 23 July before taking on the best players from AGSV at Penleigh and Essendon Grammar on Wednesday 31 July at 1.00 pm. Being selected in the final squads from the 24 GSV schools is a huge achievement, we cannot wait to hear how they go!

All Schools Cross Country

Erin M (10 Blue) participated in the All-Schools Cross Country at Bundoora in Saturday 20 July. She crossed the line in 4^th place in the U17’s race which is a fantastic result! She will represent the GSV against the APS and AGSV representative squads on Friday 9 August at Caulfield Grammar.

Aerobics

Our two Aerobics teams are a fortnight away from competing at the School aerobics National Championships on Saturday 10 August at Adelaide Entertainment Centre. The teams have been training consistently in the lead up and we are very excited for their dedication to be rewarded with strong performances at Nationals. The squad will be departing on Friday 9 August and returning on Sunday 11 August, wish them the best of luck!

If you have any sporting achievements you would like to celebrate with our community we would love to hear about them, please contact sport@sion.catholic.edu.au.

Refugee Week

This year’s theme for Refugee Week was ‘Finding Freedom’ with a focus on family, encapsulating the journey of resilience, strength, and unity that defines the refugee experience. Refugee week also coincides with World Refugee Day on Thursday 20 June, the day honours refugees around the world. Social Justice representatives lead a prayer during Homeroom on this day and invited students to reflect on what ‘Finding Freedom’ means to them.

House Social Justice Day

Our House Social Justice Day was a resounding success this year. The day provided an opportunity for House spirit and Social Justice to connect and raise funds for four local charities within our community. This year we held a ‘Bake Off’, where both House and Social Justice representatives baked treats to sell. The charities supported included:

Carmel – Asylum Seeker Resource Centre
Lourdes – Operation Toilets
Loreto – Generosity Collective
Fatima – Opening the Doors Foundation

Congratulations to Lourdes who raised the most money for Operation Toilets. In total, over $1000 was raised for the four charities. Students were also invited to create artwork communicating our 2024 College theme ‘Hear the call of Jerusalem: Widen your horizons’.

Ozanam House

Year 11 students, Ava D (11 Red) and Amber GP (11 Silver), and staff member Mr Rob Steward visited Ozanam House to help with the dinner meal service. They showed enthusiasm and willingness to help with every task, from serving meals to cleaning up.

St Vincent De Paul Conference

Conversation Café ‘Cup full of Facts’

Conference members held a Conversation Café themed ‘Cup Full of Facts’. In preparation, conference members researched facts and statistics on poverty, homelessness, cost of living and food insecurity. These facts were printed on cups and students and staff were invited to the café for a cup of hot chocolate, a biscuit and a chat on these issues affecting the vulnerable within our community and how supporting St Vincent De Paul and their good work helps to alleviate the struggles of many within our local community.

Winter Appeal

The Winter Appeal concluded last term. This was a great opportunity to further support St Vincent De Paul Society and the needs of our local community. Thank you to families who donated blankets, jackets and coats. These have been donated to the Fitzroy Mobile conference. We received a Thank You card from Ann Harley who coordinates the mission shop:

'These donations make a difference by providing members within our community with warm clothing and bedding. Many who visit the conference only have the clothes they are wearing because they are homeless, and their items have been stolen or cleared away. Others find rent takes most of their pension. You have made an enormous difference.' Anne Harley

Casual Day for a Cause

On the last day of Term 2, students and staff donated money to a ‘Casual Day for a Cause’ in support of St Vincent De Paul Society. We raised $1760 which will allow us to purchase 88 $20 Woolworths vouchers which will be donated to the SVDP Fitzroy and Box Hill Conference. These vouchers will be distributed to vulnerable individuals and families within our community.

St Vincent De Paul SnapShot

This issue of the SnapShot provides an insight into the establishment of the society in Australia.

'The first St Vincent de Paul’s Society in Australia was established by Father Gerald Ward on the 5 March 1854. He established the Society after seeing the result of the gold rush, and the homelessness and poverty that came after it.

Fr Ward decided to take action and focus on addressing issues such as homeless children by becoming the first president in the Melbourne St Francis' Conference. Whilst in this position he established the South Melbourne St Vincent de Paul’s orphanage and the conference also addressed and assisted with many other issues Melbournians in that time faced.

Fr Gerald Ward passed away on 14 January 1858 and his legacy continues through the St Francis Conference, and through other conferences all throughout Australia.' Sophie J (8 Gold)

Tuesday 30 July, is the International Day of Friendship. This is an internationally recognised day initially proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 2011. This day celebrates the idea that friendship between people, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace and bring communities together. The assembly’s resolution focuses on young people as future leaders in communities which include different cultures and promote international understanding and respect for each other.

Young people face many challenges as they navigate the period of adolescence. Forming and maintaining friendships is one of the most important developmental tasks throughout this period. Supportive friendships act as protective factors when there are adverse experiences with negative effects. Furthermore, they can contribute to positive psychosocial behaviours such as improved wellbeing, less risk taking behaviours and higher academic achievement.

It's important to recognise that friendships are not static and will evolve over time. Individual life experiences, changes in class groupings and the influence of others, can change the dynamics of these relationships. A long-standing friendship may not remain strong if the values of the individuals begin to misalign. When young people notice shifts in their friendships, parents may notice changes in their child's wellbeing. It is crucial to have open discussions about friendships and their priorities and whether these align with their values for a fulfilling life. If not, what obstacles are in the way, and do they need to reconsider certain relationships? Identifying factors that pull them away and factors that pull them towards a rich and fulfilling life are powerful ways to identify positive and negative elements influencing your child’s life. While these conversations between parent and child can be challenging, they are often the most rewarding as they not only enhance peer relationships, but also improve communication, understanding and relationships within the family.

If you would like any support in having these discussions with your child, or you have any questions, please contact the Counselling Team (counselling@sion.catholic.edu.au).

View Previous Issues

We, the Our Lady of Sion College community, acknowledge that we stand on what was, is and always will be Aboriginal land.
We pay our respects to the Wurundjeri people, their Elders past and present and emerging and commit ourselves to be concerned always for justice, truth, reconciliation and peace for all people.

Newsletter | Hear the Call of Jerusalem: widen your horizons

Important Dates

What's On

From the Principal

Principal's Message

STEAMD Centre

Sion Day

NAIDOC week

Living God, Draw Us Into Unity

Year 7, 2026 Enrolment Applications Now Due

From the Deputy Principals

Deputy Principal Faith and Mission – Anna Gionfriddo

Year 7 Retreat

Indigenous Immersion Program

Sion Day

Deputy Principal Learning and Teaching – Allison Stott

NAPLAN Release

Subject Selection

VCE Key Dates

Deputy Principal Student Wellbeing – Christine Kralj

In Remembrance

Year Level News

Year 12 – Leanne Anderson, Wellbeing and Growth Leader

Year 11 – Beth Amos, Wellbeing and Growth Leader

Year 11 Formal

Year 10 – Adam Rieusset, Wellbeing and Growth Leader

World Choir Games

Ballroom Dancing

Duke of Edinburgh Awards Evening

What I’d like you to know….

Year 9 – Jennifer Tilley, Wellbeing and Growth Leader

Year 8 – Chris Wilkes, Wellbeing and Growth Leader

Learning Area News

Languages – Gail Amato, Learning Leader

USA Exchange Partnership Program News

Mathematics – Libby Kempton, Learning Leader

Maths Challenge

Australian Mathematics Competition

Year 8 Maths Enrichment program

Literacy – Pamela Ioannidis, Coordinator

NAPLAN

Religious Education – Amy Garnham, Learning Leader

Humanities – Sarah Chalmers, Learning Leader

Year 12 Chemistry: Monash Organic Spectroscopy Symposium – Francis Nguyen, Teacher

Monash Organic Spectroscopy Symposium 2024

Denise O'Hara Science Academy – Cassie Marsden, Science Learning Leader

Denise O'Hara Science Academy

Drama – Alex Bleazby, Drama Teacher

Junior Play

VCE Drama

Whitefriars Senior Production

Co-curricular News

Music – Martin Macaulay, Head of Music

Ensembles Concert Night a Triumph!

Music Week String Masterclass with Rob John

Welcome to new Music Staff!

Instrumental Music Lessons Semester 2

Victorian Schools Music Festival and Monash Youth Music Festival – Term 3

Women In Jazz

Save the dates!

Sport – Liam Cox, Head of Sport

GSV Track & Field Squad

Athletes for Hope

GSV Representative Matches

All Schools Cross Country

Aerobics

Social Justice – Lucy Miotello, Coordinator

Refugee Week

House Social Justice Day

Ozanam House

St Vincent De Paul Conference

Conversation Café ‘Cup full of Facts’

Winter Appeal

Casual Day for a Cause

St Vincent De Paul SnapShot

House & Student Leadership – Jennifer Tilley, Coordinator

Careers and Pathways – Brooke O'Hara, Coordinator

Parent News

Significant Men's Breakfast - Save the Date

Sion Day Op Shop – Donations needed