Newsletter | Speaking the Truth in Love

Prayer for flood victims

We pray for those whose homes, possessions and businesses have been destroyed or damaged by floods in the eastern states of Australia.

We remember in prayer:

Those whose lives have been devastated,
Those who are feeling vulnerable and weak
Those who are stranded
Those who are facing both long-term and short-term needs
Those who are homeless

We pray also for all those who are meeting needs at this time:
Volunteers and community workers
Those working to rescue people who are stranded and feed the hungry
Those supplying food, water, equipment, money and urgent supplies
Those working to clear roadways and homes that have been damaged
Police officers, emergency personnel, medical and social welfare responders.

We pray that each of us will play our part in responding to the overwhelming conditions of this time, and particularly in reaching out to those who are struggling to rebuild their lives.

We pray too, that we will continue to urge the Government to play its part in strengthening structures that will heal our land, restore creation, and relieve those suffering homelessness and poverty.

Amen.

Student creativity at Our Lady of Sion College

Over the last two weeks the College community has been spoilt for choice in experiencing the creative talents of our students. Our recent Creative Arts and Technologies Week Launch was once again a chance to showcase their inspiring and thought-provoking work. CAT Week is the culmination of many hours, days and weeks of dedication by our students supported by their teachers to develop their skills and spark their creativity. The calibre of work has been extraordinary as witnessed not only by the art, studio art, media, visual communication and technology work produced by Year 7–12 students but the insightful descriptions that accompanied their work and what they attempted to achieve. We could not be prouder of our students. Thank you to our Arts Learning Area Leader, Ms Tash Borg and the Arts teachers and Mrs Anna Crow, the Technologies Learning Area Leader and the Technology teachers. Thank you also to our Arts Assistant, Mrs Julie Toffolo and the Maintenance Team who supported the set-up of the wonderful gallery of work we enjoyed.

This week, we have seen the extraordinary production of Shakespeare’s Midsummer’s Night Dream. The members of the cast and crew are drawn from Years 7–9 and should also be very proud of the great entertainment they provided their audiences and the significant undertaking in learning their lines and performing our very first outdoor production. It has been a truly magical event, and just in case families would like to see this performance, tickets for this evening and tomorrow night are still available – don’t miss out!

Parents’ Association AGM

I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank our 2022 Parents’ Association office holders - President, Cassandra Hill, Vice President, Vicky Burgio, Treasurer, Melanie Hosie and Secretary, Caroline Athy. Their dedication and passion for the leadership roles they have undertaken not only in 2022 but for Vicky, Melanie and Caroline over a number of recent years, are greatly appreciated. The Parents’ Association is a vital group within the College. We meet once each term to plan events such as Year 7 welcome events, the Significant Women’s and Men’s Breakfasts, year level dinners, and Year 12 Graduation Sion rose wrapping to name a few. The Parents’ Association is also a way for the College and families to exchange news and share opportunities that will benefit the students at our school. It is also a conduit for the College to seek feedback, for example on our recent uniform changes and to discuss important obligations such as Child Safety policies and processes. We look forward to parents and carers joining us over the next twelve months. To this end, we congratulate and thank our newly elected parents who put themselves forward at our recent AGM for the great work they will undertake during their tenure:

President: Cassandra Hill

Vice President: Gina Giusti

Secretary: Jakki Poustie

Treasurer: Belinda van der Lit

Congratulations and good luck to our Year 12 students

Finally, I offer all Units 3 and 4 students our prayers and support over the coming weeks as they complete their final exams. Their written exams began on Wednesday with English/English as an Additional Language and conclude on 16 November with French and Vietnamese. The College will continue to support them during this time with study spaces and access to their teachers and resources.

With every blessing for the fortnight ahead.

Tina Apostolopoulos

Let your light shine

In our last newsletter, I shared in relation to some of the Identity Markers that we have placed around the College in an attempt to enhance our Catholic and Sionian tradition.

This week, I would like to highlight the quotation that has been placed in Upper Notre Dame – the area where our Year 11 students are located.

This is another Scripture passage and comes from the Gospel of Matthew 5:16 and says, “Let your light shine.”

Why this passage and why this space?

At our most recent whole school assembly, not only did we farewell our Year 12 students but it was also the investiture of our new Student Captains for 2023. As part of the ritual, our outgoing Captains light a candle and hand it to our in-coming Captains – passing the role and the light to them. In a very real way, we are inviting them to ‘let their light shine’ as they now begin this significant role of service to our community.

Of course, this passage does not just speak to those who may wear a Captain’s badge. It speaks to all, particularly our Year 11 students, as they now begin their role as the senior student members of our College.

We wish them well and hope and pray that their light shines.

Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Saviour, and my hope is in you all day long. Psalm 25:5

This was the scripture that we have just used as the basis for the Notre Dame policy, a document that outlines the College obligations for our Years 11 and 12 students. I was reminded of this Psalm again as I prepared documentation to support staff, students and families for the upcoming end of semester examination period, and later as I listened to one of the 'Significant People, Significant Lives' presenters, Marie — as she discussed having faith that everything will be alright in the end. When we put in effort, when we strive to live and work as Jesus taught us, God will lead and deliver us to where we need to be.

As you read this, the VCAA exam period will have commenced and our Unit 3 and 4 students will be reaping the rewards of their hard work. The Year 10 and 11 students are preparing their final assessments, applying their revision skills and demonstrating their assessment capabilities during the examination period. Once this is done, they will move into Smart Start, commencing their next year’s learning and ensuring that they have what they need to be successful.

The Year 9 students have launched their Ayin 'Significant People, Significant Lives Projects', showcasing their skills as reflective writers, grounded in the many meaningful relationships and role models that they have around them.

The Year 8 students are finalising their units of learning so that they can fully participate in their camp experience.

Next week the Year 7 students are commencing their Horizon’s Project, an interdisciplinary task calling them to respond to a need in the world around them, and using STEAM skills (as well as collaboration, speaking and communication skills, etc) to address it.

With all of this going on, when we have faith in God, he will lead us to where we need to be.

Families are complex and varied in their makeup. Some have two parents, while others are bravely parented by one. Both parents have an important part to play in the lives of their children but, in this article, I will focus on the role of dads.

Dads and father figures can play an important positive influence in a child’s development, especially in the areas of building a sense of self, good social skills and healthy expectation of others. The presence of an engaged father can help their daughter improve outcomes and expect more from relationships. It is a well-worn saying, but a father is the first man a girl meets and can set the tone for how she seeks approval, accepts affection and builds confidence in relating to males. A positive father-daughter relationship can help a girl set better boundaries when it comes to dating, relationships and reduce the likelihood of experiencing harmful behaviours towards them.

Dads and father figures who want to have a positive influence are more than just present in their daughter’s lives. They are accessible for their daughter to share concerns, they play, laugh, and pick up from school/sport, and help with school projects in equal amounts.

Supportive dads also foster a family climate of equality. They are also clear that roles or chores in the house are not gender based. Healthy risks such as learning to drive, getting a part-time job, going on school camp, should not be treated differently based on a child’s gender.

Having involved and engaged fathers can also have mental health benefits for their children and increases their readiness to seek help when things are not right. Daughters are less worried by disappointing their father if they are struggling with their mental health, and are more confident that mum and dad will love, support and understand their needs.

I am always impressed at the level of involvement Sion fathers offer their daughters by attending Significant Men’s Day, musical performances, sporting events and participating in Student Progress meetings. Their engagement with school life sends a clear message that education matters and support for their daughter is ready and willingly given.

Our particular thoughts and prayers go to 'Akosita L (8 Blue) and Vailaua L (9 Silver) whose father passed away recently.

We remember 'Akosita, Vailaua and their family in a special way at this sad time.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and may your perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace, Amen.

With Semester 2 exams around the corner, the Homeroom team has been working with Year 11 students to consider any preparation for their final assessments. Throughout Pastoral (Tuesday 25 October) students were encouraged to reflect on their progress this semester, whilst also being encouraged to look ahead; consider the subjects they are completing next year, and how they might see this opportunity to refine some study skills, try something new, or hold themselves accountable to the standards they want to achieve. Please see the table at the end of the article for the template. Information about the exam timetable, expectations and other processes will be communicated early Week 5.

Year 11 Students are also navigating the Notre Dame building as the VCAA Year 12 Exam started this week. Some Homerooms have been asked to move lockers to accommodate these exams. We have encouraged students to take home any resources they no longer need, and to consider the essentials for each class to ensure their bag is not too heavy. Students will be able to access their lockers in the morning until 8.30 am, but will need to carry their school bags with the relevant learning resources for the day. Please reach out should your child need other arrangements in terms of health or accessibility.

We thank all Year 11 students for their cooperation during this time. We wish all accelerating students all the best for their final VCAA Unit 3 & 4 Exam!

As we lead into the long weekend, in Year 10 we also lead into our final week of learning Year 10 content prior to our final assessment period (exams), which then leads into our Smart Start week.

This week we have focused on, how can the students further develop coping strategies that will allow them to have success during this time, even when that unexpected challenge pops up, as it will.

On Tuesday of this week we listened to Ms Diana Murphy, one of our College Counsellors, who spoke about how the students can approach the upcoming time. She spoke about leaning in on those around you who can support you. Ms Murphy also suggested using resources from Headspace during this time as a reminder of what you can achieve.

Here is a link to Headspace that talks about how to reduce stress and prepare for exams.

Our Year 10 students then participated in a session focusing on the importance of positive self-talk and they explored what positive self-talk sounds like in action:

• I’m good at this
• I’m having a terrible day but I’ll be ok
• This is difficult but I’ll get some help and I’ll be fine
• I’ll figure it out
• I can do this.

We then looked at the following ways to support our own positive self-talk, by talking yourself up.

Next all students viewed a TED talk that focuses on positive self-talk by posing the question are you a glass half full or half empty person.

The last session that we focused on, in relation to further enhancing our coping strategies revolved around discussions focusing on the following four questions:

• What is it that I need to be paying attention to right now?
• Who are the people I lean in on to support me during these times?
• What are the strategies that I use? Are they always helpful?
• Could I consider another strategy?

The final month for our Year 10 students will be challenging, and that’s ok. How we support, guide and continue to grow and nurture these challenges and associated coping strategies will ensure that our Year 10 cohort will learn what works best for them. As a Year 10 community, we will continue the journey with our young people, allowing them to discern, by trial and error, and to discover what works best for them. And in turn, through this experience, the strategies developed will help with future challenges, getting their learners permit, starting a new job and participating in a new opportunity presented before them.

It’s been another busy two weeks in Year 9 with some of the stand outs mentioned below.

A couple of weeks ago at our assembly, I launched two opportunities for our students for Year 10 2023. Applications were made available for the students last week to apply to be a part of the Peer Support Program and to become a Talk and Tour Guide. Although these roles are very different in nature both promote growth in taking on responsibility and leadership within our school community. It was great to see such interest in these from the students and we look forward to seeing how they contribute to these roles in 2023. Successful applicants will be notified shortly.

The Year 9 students also welcomed their ‘Significant People’ into the College on Tuesday for morning tea, share the figures they created and the biographies they had written. It was great to see the students proud of what they had done but most importantly it was so lovely to see how much it meant to those in our Community who shared in this experience with them and were recognised for all they have done. As always, it was such a special event in Year 9.

We also had our final event for ‘Days for Girls’ on Monday with the students running a Bake Sale to raise money and awareness for this cause. The funds are to go towards purchasing the expensive waterproof fabric they need to buy for the sanitary items and to purchase new underwear for the packs sent out to those in need. I will reveal the final amount raised in the next newsletter.

I also wanted to mention, now that it is week 4 of Term, in the coming weeks, assessments will increase and final tasks will need to be completed.

It is so vital the students are practising good study habits. The Year 9 students this year have had two sessions on study skills, one with their Homeroom Teachers and one with the current Year 12 students. This is a great opportunity to ensure these strategies are being used so you can begin to gauge what does and doesn’t work for your daughters, especially in preparing for Year 10 in 2023.

This week during our Pastoral lesson, the focus was preparing for the most exciting event of the year…CAMP! Below are some key points that were discussed, so please continue these conversations at home to maintain a positive attitude so that camp is a wonderful experience.

1. Part of the permission forms that were signed and returned, acknowledge that if required, a student will be sent home from the camp for not following the expectations/instructions of school or camp staff. The majority of these expectations are in place to ensure that everybody is safe and able to have a great time!
2. 'Be a lobster' – we watched a video by Rabbi Twerski, in which he outlined the process for a lobster to grow. They are a soft animal with a hard shell, that must leave their current shell in order to cast a new shell. During this stage they are vulnerable but is a crucial step for them to grow. We compared this with the idea that through pushing ourselves outside of our comfort zones, we are able to grow. It is a great chance to make new friends rather than sticking to those they already have, in preparation for Year 9 where they won’t be with their Homerooms for most of the time and will be in electives with a variety of different students.
3. Nerves/fear/anxiety and excitement feel the same – we compared the physical responses we have to these different feelings and discovered that there are many similarities. We identified the key difference as being our mindset. Studies have shown that by simply saying the words 'I am excited', rather than approaching a challenge with fear or trying to just calm down, we are on average more successful in completing that task.

We also conducted our SRC speeches for 2023; well done to all students who have put their hands up for this position, along with all other leadership applicants!

In the last fortnight, Year 7 students have been considering leadership roles for Year 8 2023. This has involved providing a written application that outlines their skills and experience and why they think they should be appointed to the position. This will be followed by a shortlisting process, interviews with the College and Portfolio Captains and staff leaders in each department and the final selection process. We had a large number of students apply for leadership roles, and each is to be congratulated for their hard work and communication skills. In our last Pastoral session, we heard the Student Representative Council (SRC) speeches, with many new ideas for life at the College and a common theme of inclusivity.

While the senior students prepare for and undertake their examinations, Year 7 still has many activities and experiences to partake in before the year ends. The upcoming Horizons project (Wednesday 2 November, Friday 18 of November and Thursday 1 December) as well as the Humanities excursion next week are sure to be highlights for the whole year level. We also encourage Year 7 students to look into what other opportunities are available during Term 4, including the Young Writers Club, Debating & Public Speaking and Strength and Conditioning workshops. More information can be found in the Student Bulletin.

CAS Calculator Purchase for 2023

A reminder to Year 9 parents that there are still a couple of weeks to purchase the calculator online via our suppliers, Abacus Calculators. The information was emailed out to families last week and the closing date to purchase is November 13. Students will then receive their new calculator before the end of the school year.

If students have a second-hand calculator, this may be used rather than purchasing a new one, however the model must be TI-Nspire CX II CAS (the one with the blue back).

Maths Assist

As we approach Examinations in Years 10 and 11 and Semester Tests in Years 8 and 9, a reminder that Maths Assist is available to all students during Tuesday and Thursday lunchtimes in room EC 2.6. The Maths team encourages all students to make use of this extra support in the lead up to these important assessment tasks.

VCE Mathematics Booklist for 2023

The Mathematics Study Design will be changing in 2023, hence all Year 11 and 12 students studying a mathematics subject in 2023 must purchase a new textbook – second-hand textbooks cannot be used. Please also note that Year 12 Further Mathematics will now be called Year 12 General Mathematics.

Last week, families were provided the 2023 booklists for students. What we have listed for next year are the texts and materials that are required for the class, however there are several supplementary texts available to purchase online that might be useful to students reading the texts over the school holidays.

Audiobooks

• Through the LRC, students can access Wheelers and borrow audiobooks on their device for a range of texts, including several College booklisted items.
• Audible is a great subscription resource. The app costs $16.45 a month and has a 30 day free trial option for those interested. Please ensure you read the T&C's before subscribing.

Graphic Novels and Illustrated copies

• For students who enjoy visual learning - graphic novels or illustrated texts are a great resource. The LRC, local library or online bookshops, such as Booktopia, stock a range of visual version texts that may be of interest. Note that at times these visual versions are an abridged copy of the original text.

Adapted Texts

• For students who find reading texts challenging, adapted texts such as shortened versions or film adaptations are good materials to access in addition to the booklisted text. Students can use these to consolidate their learning of the studied version to better help them understand the storyline, characters, or settings. Again, the LRC, online bookshops or digital channels such as Netflix have several different versions that may be useful to some students.

Before the end of the term, students are encouraged to speak to their English teachers if they have any concerns about reading the texts so they can gain some tips about completing their summer reading.

There has been lots happening in the Drama department over the last few weeks, with our Year 7 and 8 students creating characters for their group performances. The Year 7s have been learning about how to use their movement to transform into characters through the performance style of Mime. The Year 8s have been learning about the wonderful world of Commedia Dell’arte and developing stock characters. It is wonderful to see the progress the students make in each lesson leading up to their performances.

A few weeks ago groups of senior Drama students in Years 10-12 were offered the opportunity to purchase a ticket to Harry Potter and the Cursed Child through a group booking with the College. The excursion was an opportunity for the students to have access to professional theatre and share with their classmates their love for live performances. The students thoroughly enjoyed the performance, which provided an amazing opportunity to witness such a spectacular show.

Finally, we have been counting down to our 2023 College Musical launch on Tuesday 3 November by releasing hints about what the Musical might be. If you are interested to play along, check out the videos on the College’s social media pages.

Laura Geilings

Junior Play: 27–29 October

The wonderful Years 7, 8 and 9 cast have been working for months on their Junior Production of Sixty Minute Shakespeare – A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Tickets are still available here via TryBooking for performances this week. Come and witness the fun and excitement of this adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic comedy. We are presenting our play outdoors in the Piazza at 8.00 pm on Thursday 27, Friday 28 and Saturday 29 October.

We would love to see you there.

Suitcase Student Performance Day at the Malthouse Theatre

The Art of Theatre class participated in the Malthouse Theatre’s Suitcase Series for 2022 which invites Year 9 and 10 students to create a performance based on a script about climate change. The performance style is minimalist with all props and theatre furniture to fit into a suitcase.

Girls presented their interpretation of ‘Atlantis’ on Wednesday 19 October on a professional stage in the company of professional actors and students from five other schools.

The girls did a wonderful job and enjoyed being immersed in live theatre in a prestigious Melbourne theatre.

Participating in Suitcase was a wonderful experience. I learnt heaps about the inner workings of theatre and how a production gets made. I truly loved every minute of this experience and found great connections with people and with the arts. Madeline S (10 Purple)

Year 11 Drama

Year 11 Drama students presented non naturalistic ensemble performances to an invited audience on Wednesday 19 October. They were student-devised performances on the topic of Technology and whether it has shaped us for better or for worse.

Three groups presented clever and thought provoking scenes, characters and messages. Congratulations to the students on their wonderful performances that were very much appreciated by the audience.

Catherine Bennett

Significant People, Significant Lives Launch

It was with great pleasure that we welcomed to the College our 2023 ‘Significant People’ as part of the Ayin Significant People, Significant Lives Launch on Tuesday morning. We were delighted that so many of our students were able to share the work that they had created, inspired by the lives of their chosen person, with those people on the day and that we, as a College, could acknowledge the wonderful work of these people in the community. Students, staff and guests were treated to the sharing of two such examples in Maria Di Pietro and Angie Rider. Introduced by their student, Sienna G (9 Gold) and Grace T (9 Silver) respectively, Maria and Angie shared their work and their wisdom with all who were gathered. As a psychologist and a fire fighter, these two women both shared the winding pathways that got them to where they are today, the individuals and experiences that influenced their choices and their life’s message to those in the audience. Despite their differing professions, both women were emphatic in their beliefs in the power of kindness, the need to believe in yourself and have courage, and fullness that comes with giving back to others.

On behalf of the Ayin staff, I would like to extend my thanks to Maria and Angie, all those who attended and the staff, particularly the Year 9 English team who supported the writing of the biographies, for their support of this project. Finally, well done to the Year 9 students for their efforts and their careful consideration and acknowledgement of those in our community who are making a difference.

Year 7 Horizons Program

Year 7 students will return on Wednesday next week and begin the first of three days in their Year 7 Horizons Program, continuing on 18 November and 1 December. The program will see students engaged in a collaborative design thinking challenge exploring the question ‘How can STEAM help the community?’ In groups of four to five, students will be encouraged to employ some of their learnings from Year 7 studies to solve a chosen real-world problem for their community using research, ideation, reflection and prototyping. Students have been provided with an incursion form with further information and families are asked to refer to this in preparation. We look forward to working with the students on this exciting opportunity.

Congratulations to Year 7 students who received the most points in the Goosechase Scavenger hunt held during lunchtime to celebrate CAT week.

• Year 7s – 5600 Points
• Years 8-10 – 5400 Points
• Years 9-11 – 3800 Points

Students completed lots of fun activities finding clues around the school and riddles to solve all relating to Food Studies, Textiles and Digitech!

Well done Year 7 students and thank-you to the Technologies Learning Area Teachers for putting this together.

We wish our 2023 School Captain Bettina Z (11 Silver) all the best for an amazing experience as she heads to the National Youth Science Forum (NYSF) in January. Bettina will participate in tours of science and technology facilities, learn about cutting edge research, engage with industry partners and research providers, learn about university and STEM career pathways, mix with other like-minded students from all over Australia, and network with former NYSF participants to further increase understanding of STEM-related study and career experiences. Bettina successfully applied for funding from Rotary and has secured a fully funded place in the program. We congratulate Bettina on her tenacity and ingenuity and can’t wait to hear about her experience.

It has been an eventful and busy time for the Language Department with the end of the year fast approaching! Last week our Year 12 language students completed their VCE oral exams and are now preparing for their written exams, which will take place in mid-November. We wish them all the best with their studies and hope that they will continue their language learning journey.

Last Friday, 21 October our Year 10 and 11 Italian students visited the ‘Museo Italiano Exhibition’ in Lygon Street or otherwise known as “Little Italy”. Students participated in several enjoyable Italian activities. Further, they enjoyed an introductory presentation in Italian and English focusing on Italian migration to Australia after World War II and the contribution of Italians to Victoria.

Reflections

A few of our students have shared their reflections of the excursion with us below:

The sites we visited honour many well-known Italian restauranteurs, cafes, owners, merchants, artists and Italian inspired architecture. For lunch, we ate at Brunetti. We enjoyed a variety of delicious, traditional Italian dishes. After our lovely lunch, we headed back to the museum to listen to an informative presentation on Italian migration. We heard a touching poem written by an immigrant who spoke of his experience, and in addition to this, we learnt a variety of interesting facts. Our excursion to Lygon Street was an incredible opportunity to fully immerse ourselves in the heart of Italian culture. It is safe to say that everybody enjoyed this experience, and we thank Mrs Amato for organising this for us and Mrs Rangelov for attending with us! Sofia F (11 Red)

Our excursion to Lygon Street was informative and exciting. We learnt about Italian migration to Australia. We visited COASIT, explored their museum and engaged in an interesting presentation focusing on the feelings and experiences of Italian migrants. We also had the opportunity to practise our Italian language skills. Overall, it was a great experience that was very much enjoyed! Ciara DV (11 Purple)

During our excursion, we learnt all about what motivated Italians to migrate to Australia. We also went to Brunetti’s restaurant for some lunch and gelati so we could experience the Italian culture. This was one of my highlights of the day. Overall, this excursion was very rewarding! Annabel K (10 Purple)

Instrumental Music 2023

Enrolments are now open and available on-line for Instrumental Music lessons in 2023. All the details including fees, instrument hire charges and conditions are available via the link here. Confirmation of enrolment needs to be completed here. Please note that charges will be applied to your College fees statement in early 2023. Please address any enquiries to the Head of Music at: mmacaulay@sion.catholic.edu.au

Instrumental Music Lesson Scholarship Applications

A limited number of music lesson scholarships, lasting two years, will be made available to students currently in Years 7 and 8 for the following instruments:

• Viola
• Cello
• Double Bass
• French Horn
• Euphonium
• Trombone
• Guitar

Interested students/families should email Mr Macaulay for an application form mmacaulay@sion.catholic.edu.au

Term 4 String Soiree and Spring Music Soiree

Over the past fortnight we have had many girls performing solo and small groups pieces, as well as ensemble performances in the String Soiree, held last week, and the Term 4 Music Soiree, held earlier this week. It was terrific to have so many students present work they have been developing this semester with the support of their instrumental tutors – truly embracing musical life at Sion!

Rock Band rocking the CAT Week launch

The Notre Dame foyer was rocking at the opening of the Creative Arts and Technologies event last week. Congratulations to Rock Band members Maddie B (8 Purple), Charlotte K (8 Blue), Aleisha D (9 Blue), Tiana K (8 Blue), Queena K (7 White) and Alannah V (9 Blue) who wowed the appreciative audience with their performance.

Musicians for ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’

Congratulations to the following Year 9 and 10 students who supported the Junior Drama production of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ this week: Tiana D (10 Silver), Hayley B (10 Silver), Anna S (10 White), Chantelle C (9 Purple), Jasmine C (9 Purple), Lya T (10 Blue). It was a fantastic experience to add a touch of music to the Shakespeare classic.

Year 7 Spring Concert – Book Now!

All Year 7 ensembles, small groups, and those Year 7’s in Intermediate level ensembles will be performing at the annual Year 7 Spring Music Concert, to be held on Tuesday 15 November 7.00 pm in the LHC. Bookings are now open via the TryBooking link here.

Upcoming Music Department Dates

• String Instrumental Internal Exams Friday 28 October
• Year 7 Music Spring Concert Tuesday 15 November 7.00 pm LHC www.trybooking.com/CBUBV
• Year 7 Concert Bands (x2) to VSMF Wednesday 16 November, Hawthorn Arts Centre
• Sion First 2022 Final Concert Wednesday 16 November 5.00 pm, Miriam Theatre
• Sion First 2023 Launch Wednesday 16 November 7.00 pm, Notre Dame Foyer

Term 4 Sport is well underway. Sport has over 150 students from Years 7–11 participating this term including cricket, basketball and strength and conditioning. Last week we said thank you to Siena S (12 Red) and Mia M (12 White), our 2022 Sport Captains, and this week we welcome Ally L (11 Blue) and Lara H (11 Silver). We are already in the process of interviewing the 2023 Sport Representatives and thank all the applicants for their interest.

2023 College Sport Captains

Hey guys! Our names are Lara and Ally and we are your new Sports Captains for 2023, we are so excited to work with Ms Clarke, the sports teachers and our leadership team to make Sion sport extremely inclusive and fun for everyone next year.

For the remainder of this term we have teams competing in basketball and cricket. As they come to the end of their season we wish them all the best in their last few games! Looking ahead to early next year we have the much awaited School Swimming Carnival, we will have to wait and see if Carmel takes home the win for the 24th year in a row! Following this we will have the GSV Swimming and Diving Carnival. Trials are soon underway for Term 1 GSV Sports next year (indoor cricket, softball and tennis) so grab a permission form at the sports office if you’re interested! We would love to see as many people participating as possible. Keep an eye out for more information early next year!

We have lots of new fun and exciting ideas for next year, and cannot wait to get you guys on board. If you ever have any questions feel free to ask either of us or visit someone at the sports office. Ally L (11 Blue) and Lara H (11 Silver) - 2023 College Sport Captains

GSV Cricket

Sion is smashing it in cricket this term! Both Juniors and Seniors have been undefeated so far. It has been great watching everyone’s progress. There have been lots of fours hit and some spectacular fielding. Shout out to Ms Frood, Mr Steward and Grace for coaching both teams so well and bringing out the best in all of us. I have really enjoyed the opportunity to support Mr Steward in coaching the Junior team and have learnt a lot from this experience. Although it is only a short cricket season, everyone has had a great time so far and seized every opportunity.

The senior team competed in finals on Wednesday 26 October. Going in undefeated and finishing top of their table they came up against some tough competition. They played two challenging matches against Star and OLMC where they finished fourth overall. Katie M, 9 White (Senior Cricket player and assistant junior coach)

Academy for Enterprising Girls Workshop

Last Friday, 19 students from Years 7, 8 and 9 took part in a full day entrepreneurial workshop. The presentation and workshop consisted of four key components:

1. Ideate - Creating mindset, brainstorming local problems, community empathy maps and scenarios
2. Research - Competitor analysis, problem solving and how you can learn from research
3. Build - Wireframe, Idea validation, risk Id and names
4. Pitch - Telling your story, the problem, why is it important, your app and your audience. Each group pitched their idea to 7 White and Mrs Apostolopoulos and were able to confidently answer some very interesting and probing questions.

The workshop was facilitated by Bronwyn Covill, co-founder of the social enterprise, Need a Tutor. The groups were able to work with Bronwyn on what it takes to develop an idea and what may lay ahead.

It was interesting to learn about other women who have been successful as Entrepreneurs. This process allowed us to develop a scaffold for an app to solve a particular community problem. The pitch was actually quite stressful as we were facing an audience who asked all sorts of questions. All groups needed to think on their feet and look at ways the app will overcome the issues raised. Overall, this was a great day and a really good experience. We are really glad we were given the opportunity. Ava L, Olivia P and Ella K (8 Gold)

The group is looking forward to meeting up and planning our next market and discuss the learnings we took from the day.

No matter how educated, talented, rich, or cool you believe you are, how you treat people ultimately tells all. Integrity is everything. Author unknown

Students and families can find the fortnightly Careers newsletter here.

In this fortnightly Newsletter there is information relating to:

• Upcoming Events: Year 12 VTAC late applications
• Career in the Spotlight: Where can a law degree take me?
• Things to Consider: 2022 Year 12 students: C.A.S Hawker Scholarship, 2023 Year 10 Work Experience, 2023 Year 10 Work Experience with Austin Health, BMW Automotive Apprenticeships, Young Endeavours Youth Scheme
• Research Ideas: Monash University – Pathways to Education Courses, News from Deakin University, Pathways Finder and New Major in Bachelor Business.

For the majority of us, stress is an unavoidable part of life and one that needs to be actively controlled or avoided. However, some stress can actually be beneficial to performance. Checking in with stress levels is therefore an important practice for students, particularly as they head into tests and exams.

According to research done about the Stress-Performance Curve, humans need some stress as we otherwise become bored, restless, or unmotivated. However, on the other end too much stress can lead to feeling overwhelmed and burnout. Ideally, we want to aim for our optimal level of stress which also leads to an optimal level of performance. Just as an Olympic athlete cannot sit around expecting a gold medal without training, they also must be careful not to push themselves too much in case they get injured.

Optimal levels of stress will depend on the individual, but some things for students to keep in mind while they are studying include:

• Remembering to take care of their physical wellbeing so the body is not under additional stress (e.g. getting enough sleep, eating healthily)
• Breaking large and complex tasks into smaller, more manageable pieces
• Studying in an environment that they feel calm and relaxed in (and removing distractions)
• Noticing when stress levels are exceeding their optimal level and taking a break or speaking to someone if they need support.

If you have any concerns about your child’s wellbeing that you would like to discuss, please do not hesitate to get in touch with your child’s Homeroom teacher, their Wellbeing and Growth Leader, or the Counselling Team (counselling@sion.catholic.edu.au).