Newsletter | Speaking the Truth in Love

Thank you again to staff, students, and families for a positive start to the 2022 school year. A walk around the school reveals busy and focussed classrooms, and lots of discussion and activity. I thank all students for the way they readily share with me what they are learning both within and outside of their classes. It has been wonderful to resume those face to face interactions and activities that we have missed so much. Our GSV program is now underway as are activities such as aerobics tryouts, VCAL Barista, and Preparing and Serving Drinks training courses, student leadership meetings, Library Lovers' Day, the launch and auditions for our Senior Play, Geography excursions, and preparations for International Women’s Day, to name a few. I also thank the students who led us in prayer marking the 14^th anniversary of National Apology; an opportunity not only for remembering but also for learning the significance of the day and committing to reconciliation efforts in our country.

This week, we held another very successful House Swimming Carnival. Our Sports Captains Mia M and Sienna S and House Captains Grace N, Tahlia P, Alexandra P, Victoria S, Ariana C, Georgia W, Jessica D and Chloe L did a fantastic job of energising their Houses and together with our Head of Sport, Ms Monica Clarke, our Head of House and Student Leadership, Mrs Jennifer Tilley and Sports Administration Assistant, Mr Liam Cox, they created a wonderful carnival atmosphere and House spirit for staff and students to enjoy. Congratulations to Carmel for winning the House Swimming Cup (23^rd year in a row), to Loreto for winning the Volleyball competition and to Carmel for winning the Novelty events. I think we saw a record number of students participating in the latter which is a testament to the participation and enjoyment we all experienced.

Today we launched the first of our feast days for the year with Lourdes House marking the day in a student-led Liturgy, a BBQ, and a wide range of activities which I hope all Lourdes students, and in particular, our Year 7 Lourdes students, enjoyed.

Thank you also to the parents who joined us for our first Parents' Association (PA) meeting this week. The PA is a great way for parents to meet and develop friendships while at the same time, contribute to the range of family events hosted by the association. Planning is underway for our Year 7 Eucharist, Open Day and the Year 7 Eat, Greet, and Mingle evening. Details will be shared as soon as arrangements are confirmed. The Term 2 PA meeting will be held on 2 May and we look forward to continuing the home/school partnership in support of all our students.

Would you like to learn more?

In our last newsletter, I highlighted that this year we are refocusing on the traditions and legacy of our Sionian identity to support the sense of belonging that our students and staff value so much. We have started this process with the 2022 College theme, Speaking the Truth in Love. Last week, I shared with staff a new resource being developed by Catholic Religious Australia (CRA) which will eventually include all congregations in Australia. We are fortunate to receive the first piece which features the Sisters of Our Lady of Sion.

For families who have been at the College for some time, this might be a nice way to revisit our Sion story. For new families, it may provide you with further insight into the establishment of the congregation, the Sion charism, and the foundations for some of the features of our school that you will come to learn more about. I have included the two-page article here for your information. The Sisters continue their work in our school and the two Heritage schools (Marist Sion College, Warragul and Catholic College, Sale).

The Lenten Journey begins…

Next week we mark Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent which in the Catholic tradition, is a time of self-reflection, prayer and supporting the needs of those who are marginalised and suffering in our world. Most importantly it is a time of discerning the presence of God in our lives and drawing comfort from this presence that works to sustain us and bring us hope. The Church traditionally uses colours to signify the various times within the Liturgical calendar. From Ash Wednesday we move from green (Ordinary time) to purple (which represents penance, preparation, and sacrifice). Thank you to Mr John McInerney and our Student Liturgy Leaders for supporting our Lenten journey with the Ash Wednesday ceremonies.

With every blessing for the fortnight ahead.

Tina Apostolopoulos

Next week will see our College begin our preparations for Easter.

As a staff, we will gather together on Monday after school for our Lenten Reflection. This is an attempt to provide us with an opportunity to get into a headspace of preparing for the 40 day journey that is Lent.

On Tuesday, we will recognise Shrove Tuesday and pancakes will be on sale to raise funds for Project Compassion. This is a very old Catholic tradition where the word 'shrove' came from the old Roman Catholic practice of being 'shriven' – meaning to confess one's sins. The shriving bell would be rung on Shrove Tuesday to call people to church to confess. Before Lent could begin in earnest, all edible temptations needed to be removed. Pancakes were associated with Shrove Tuesday, the day preceding Lent, because they were a way to use up rich foods such as eggs, milk, and sugar.

In more recent times, the idea of ‘giving something up for Lent’ has increasingly become more of a time of prayer and service. This is largely why all Catholic schools in the Melbourne Archdiocese are asked to raise funds in support of Project Compassion. Through supporting Caritas Australia with this fundraising initiative, the generous support given by Our Lady of Sion College can help to change the lives of some of the world’s most vulnerable people. Our College Mission Statement calls us to ‘actively seek to transform the world’. Our support of Project Compassion is a very real way for us to make a difference now – and for all future generations.

What a wonderful start to the year our students have made. I have had the pleasure of attending a range of different classes across year levels and subject areas and not only have I learnt about Space in Year 8 Science and strategies for creating quality dialogue in Year 12 English, but I have also been invigorated by our students’ engagement, their critical and creative thinking, questioning skills and teamwork.

There is also a great deal happening around the College outside of classrooms that the students can get involved in. Here are just a few to think about:

• Writer’s Club is up and running out of the Learning Resource Centre (LRC)
• The Senior Play is cast and is moving into the next planning stage in readiness for performances
• The Debating Club is fielding multiple teams in the DAV Competition
• Maths Assist supports students with their maths learning
• Denise O’Hara Science Academy is holding lab skills sessions
• The Environment Club is looking at the way we handle our rubbish and recycling
• Game Club is about to launch with Mr McLeod
• STEM Mad will build on the 2021 Year 7 Discovery program
• The Makerspace in the LRC is experimenting with new and advanced technologies
• Actura Ocean school is planning their deep dive into the Great Barrier Reef later in the year
• English Masterclasses are drawing a huge crowd for our Year 9 students
• College Vocal Ensemble and the bands are reaching new musical heights
• GSV is training and competing, beating personal bests

And this is just the start of the list. Students should check the Student Bulletin each day for details and get involved.

Transition for all, not just the Year 7s

It can be easy to forget that it is not just our new Year 7 students who experience a transition from one level to another. Students in all levels move from what can be familiar and secure to a slightly more challenging, new environment within the same school. This has never been more evident than after the last two years.

Moving to the next year level means a change in key Pastoral staff such as the Wellbeing and Growth Leader and Homeroom teacher, new subject teachers, new subjects, the chance to take on an accelerated subject, and for Year 11 and 12 students, new expectations and external accountability for their studies as they undertake VCE or VCAL.

It is true that some students cope better with this change than others. For some, this levelling up is exciting and long-awaited. For others, they can also feel a bit lost and long for the ‘good old days’ as the speed and expectations understandably increase as they move up the school.

Remember that getting used to change takes time and support. Removing the hurdle can give instant relief but doing so does not leave your daughter with any better skills than before the challenge. Parents are encouraged to work with their daughter to use a problem-solving approach. College staff can also help both parents and students work through this period of change and adjustment. As parents, what you say and how you respond to the challenges your daughter faces during transition can significantly change how they settle into the next level.

How can parents partner with us?

• Make sure that you are up to date with the expectations of the level. This can change over the years so, if you have had a daughter through the College, be sure to check expectations, especially for VCE and VCAL.

• Sleep is a significant factor for success at school. Know the appropriate amount of sleep that your daughter should be getting. It will probably be more than you expect.

• Build a good relationship with your daughter’s Homeroom and subject teacher by attending level events and Student Progress meetings.

• Ensure that your daughter has plenty of time to be a student. Don’t overbook your daughter with after-school activities or allow her to take on too many shifts at work.

• Talking about learning is an important role for parents.

• Be prepared for ups and downs. Adjusting to change takes time, but if things don’t settle down after the first term, talk to your daughter’s Homeroom teacher or WaGL. Talk to other parents to see if their daughter has had similar experiences and what has been helpful.

• Encouraging a positive attitude is very important. Encourage your daughter to develop positive thinking about themselves, others, and school.

• Consider your own expectations of your daughter. Ensure that your expectations of your daughter are reasonable with her interests and ability.

• Teachers will assist your daughter in how to revise for assessments, but your support and guidance will be invaluable. Knowing how to study is as important as what to study.

• Talk to your daughter about how to introduce themselves and start a conversation. Some students may need more support than others, depending on their temperament and social skills. Encourage her to take a risk and say hello.

• Have conversations about asking questions of others and listening to what they have to say. Being friendly and interested and making eye contact is essential.

• Encourage your daughter to explore new opportunities such as music, sport, or other co-curricular activities where she will meet like-minded students.

It was so good to see the positive energy and enthusiasm amongst our Year 12 students at the House Swimming Carnival on Monday. I was extremely impressed by the level of participation from so many students. I also had great admiration for our Year 12 Sport and House Leaders listed below who encouraged others to actively get involved. I look forward to the students bringing this level of spirit to other events that are planned throughout the year.

Sport Captains: Sienna S and Mia M

Carmel House: Grace N and Tahlia P

Loreto House: Ariana C and Georgia W

Fatima House: Alexandra P and Tori S

Lourdes House: Chloe L and Jessica D

On a different note, it has also been encouraging to see a number of students taking up the opportunity to attend the after school study sessions on Monday and Wednesday afternoons from 3.30 to 5.00 pm. The students who have been regularly attending have provided feedback that they are getting a solid block of study done before returning home which is helping to alleviate procrastination and working late into the night. All Year 12 students are welcome to attend these study sessions.

In conclusion, I would like to thank you, as parents and guardians of our Year 12 students, for working in partnership with the Homeroom teachers and Subject teachers, to provide a supportive and encouraging environment for our students as they continue on their journey.

Well done to our Year 11 students on making a strong start to the school year. After a few weeks, students are becoming more familiar with the day-to-day movements, classroom expectations, and study requirements for each subject. With so much change and ‘settling in’ to still happen, the Year 11 Pastoral Program for Term 1 will have a focus on transition, study habits, and setting strong routines.

We hope these sessions will provide your child with some strategies and points to consider, to support their own learning and wellbeing. How your daughter is able to navigate the balancing act of study, work, social and family commitments will continue to take time.

Students have been provided with a Pastoral Journal to document their Year 11 Pastoral journey. They are encouraged to use this journal in their own way to reflect on their own experiences, thoughts, and feelings regarding the set learning intention for each Pastoral lesson.

• Lesson 1 (15/2): We looked at life transitions and how to navigate them. We reflected on our learning experiences throughout Year 10, to then set an intention for Semester 1 of Year 11.
• Lesson 2 (1/3): We will focus on International Women’s Day, and learn about organisation and time management. We hope this will help students implement new strategies to assist them with managing their new routine that incorporates time for study.

With these Pastoral lessons in mind, I would encourage you to ask your daughter about the intention they set for themselves. Work with them to remain accountable for their learning and focus for this semester.

The last two weeks have allowed our Year 10 students to commence exploring and discovering their excellence by proactively taking up and creating new opportunities to be involved within our community. Our Peer Support Leaders, Talk and Tour Leaders, Portfolio and SRC Representatives have all commenced planning and implementing a variety of tasks to benefit our Year 10 students as well as students from other year levels.

Ms Dale Hunter and Ms Joanne Robertson also spoke to the students in regard to their next step on their VCAA pathway by completing the first of many forms that will support their journey.

Our College ethos of being 'named and known' along with our focus on discovering excellence, asks of our students to be active in participation, to get to know each other and to use their God-given gifts and talents to inspire those around them. With this in mind, I welcome Year 10 Blue leaders Cara R and Tess D, (Carmel House Representatives), Pippa and Sienna (Sport Representatives) and Emma S (Environmental Representative) to give us an insight as to what the last two weeks have held for our young people, through their eyes.

10 Blue - Prayer and reflection

Dear God

We pray for balance and exchange.

Balance us like trees.

As the roots of a tree shall be equal to its branches,

so must the inner life be equal to the outer life.

And as the leaves shall nourish the roots,

so shall the roots give nourishment to the leaves.

Without equality and exchange of nourishment,

there can be no growth and no love.

Amen

Our Homeroom was asked what we are most looking forward to this term. We discussed this and agreed that the camp in March stands out.

The Adventurous Journey Camp will be both a highlight and a challenge. It is a major event for us as a group because we have not been on camp together since Year 7. We are looking forward to spending time with our friends and having the chance to complete the Duke of Edinburgh's Bronze Award which we started last year.

The Duke of Edinburgh's Handbook has this to say about the camp:

'At the heart of the Adventurous Journey, is the opportunity … to engage in activities that require determination, physical effort, perseverance, problem solving and cooperation. It is intended that all who undertake camp are rewarded with a unique, challenging and memorable experience.'

There was a lot of excitement and anticipation for the House Swimming Carnival among the year level over the past few weeks. It was great to see a lot of participation from the Year 10 students in Carmel including races, diving, volleyball, novelty events and relays. Congratulations to our Carmel Year 10 Volleyball team for winning and to the A and B relay teams, placing first and third respectively. After spending so much time apart over the last two years, we embraced the opportunity to give everything a go and had so much fun participating in as many events as we could. It was a great day for the Carmel community. We had a really fun day and we hope to continue our winning streak next year. Year 10 Carmel House Representatives – Cara R and Tess D

Year 10 Sport

From the moment the Year 10 students walked into the Boroondara Sports Complex, there was lots of excitement. At the start of the day, our Year 10 House Representatives really made an effort to encourage us to get involved in the novelty events, relays, and volleyball which resulted in a high participation rate. The highlight of the day was volleyball. At our year level, volleyball is one of our favourite sports to play. With so many girls cheering, we could hardly hear each other speak. It was truly great to see everyone enjoying themselves so much. The same enthusiasm and positivity carried through to our novelty events. In the afternoon, we saw some of the best year level swimmers shine in their 50 metre races and then we gathered to watch the Year 10 students jump, flip and spin off the diving board. Throughout the day, we heard the Year 10 students say encouraging things to one another like, 'just give it a go, it's okay if you come last', 'I am so proud of you for doing that', 'let’s just do it together' and 'does anyone know where we put the lollies?' The day finished with the relays. Then came the big announcement of who the winner was. The cheers for Carmel were loud and proud as they won for the 23rd year in a row. What a great day we had. Pippa L and Sienna A – Sport Representatives

Year 10 Environmental Impact at the House Swimming Carnival

Sion’s Swimming Carnival is a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate school spirit and enjoy the outdoors as well as the company of our friends. However, most students are not aware of the environmental impact of this event. The total amount of rubbish collected during Sion's Swimming Carnival was 22.7 kg which contributes to the 67 million tonnes of waste Australians produce on average per year. This is excluding any remaining rubbish which was disposed of using the swimming ground facilities or litter that was overlooked. Personally, the environment is so significant to me because it concerns our future. The world we live in is reliant on a healthy environment so that we can continue to appreciate the abundance of gifts Earth has to offer. This includes even the simplest of benefits such as clean air, food and water. So that we can maintain our quality of life as it is, we need to protect our environment from harmful behaviours such as pollution. As a year level, our goal is to adopt a waste reduction mindset because I believe that this is the best place to start making a difference. I hope that throughout 2022 we can help one another to reduce our global footprint. Together we can be the change we want to see! Emma S (10 Silver).

Over the next two weeks, we hope that all Year 10 students will continue to discover their ‘excellence within’ by taking on new opportunities.

Another fortnight has passed and the Year 9 students are settling well into the new school year.

Last week, the Year 9 students received their Duke of Edinburgh's Award packs containing information and forms that are to be completed by both parents and assessors.

We highly recommend that students get started on completing these forms as soon as possible as there are quite a lot to get through.

If anyone has any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact your daughter’s Ayin teacher or Mrs Rebecca Bennett.

At this year’s House Swimming Carnival, it was fantastic to see the participation of so many Year 9 students who used this experience as a great opportunity to connect with others and have fun outside the classroom.

On behalf of the Homeroom teachers and staff who teach this year level, I would like to thank all Year 9 students for the way they have begun an extremely busy start to the term.

We look forward to what’s to come and continue to promote our Year Level theme of ‘Have courage and be kind’.

It has been wonderful to see the Year 8 students beginning to feel more settled and confident in the classroom, as well as making new connections with those they didn’t really know last year. Now that they have had a year at Sion, we are aiming to provide the students with greater autonomy in their learning and extra-curricular activities. Using the bulletin via SEQTA, our year level wall calendar, as well as a list of all the opportunities available to them in Semester 1 that they can get from my office, they are able to plan ahead to see what events and activities are coming up that they would like to participate in.

Last Tuesday during our Pastoral lesson, the students were introduced to the Zones of Regulation, which is a wellbeing framework to support young people with recognising and regulating their emotions as well as impulse control. It is important to note that everyone experiences all of the Zones—the Red and Yellow Zones are not the 'bad' or 'naughty' Zones. All of the Zones are expected at one time or another. The Zones of Regulation are intended to be neutral and not communicate judgement. In Homeroom, we are also creating Zones posters in each classroom and adding different effective tools for each Zone as we try them.

In addition to addressing self-regulation, over the course of the year, students will gain an increased vocabulary of emotional terms, skills in reading other people’s facial expressions, perspective about how others see and react to their behaviour, insight into events that trigger their behaviour and problem-solving/regulating skills.

A critical aspect of this program is to create a comfortable and supportive environment for the student to practice their self-regulation skills. It also helps the student learn the skills more quickly and be more likely to apply them in many situations. In the recent email I sent to parents and guardians, I have provided more resources and information on how families can support this program from home. It may be something students are familiar with from primary school or something completely new. Regardless, we have tailored the program to our students and their particular needs.

If you would like to do any further reading on the Zones, please click here.

As we come to the end of Week 4 of Term 1, it is wonderful that the Year 7 students feel more confident to make connections in and out of the classroom. The enthusiasm for embracing life at Our Lady of Sion College has been fantastic to see. An example of this was the House Swimming Carnival on Monday, with so many students choosing to participate in multiple races and activities.

It is exciting to see new friendships forming and students being more confident in these new friendships. Just a reminder that for some girls these friendships are still forming/beginning and will take more time. This is normal and students should be reassured of this and encouraged to continue making small steps. Parents are asked to talk to their daughters about putting time into fostering these new friendships and encourage them to continue speaking to new people, a simple opening is ‘Hi, how are you, my name is …’. The more this is done the easier it becomes.

We have also welcomed our Peer Support Leaders into Homeroom in the past two weeks. These Leaders are Year 10 students who have elected to support and guide our Year 7 students through their first year of secondary school. So far, they have discussed the community opportunities available to all students in Semester 1, what to expect at the House Swimming Carnival and how Feast Days are celebrated here at the College. We are looking forward to our Peer Support Leaders working closely with our Year 7 students and developing strong connections between the year levels.

Visual Arts Competitions

In 2022, we are offering an array of opportunities for our students to get involved in the Arts, both within and outside of the classroom.

One of the ways for students to get involved and receive Arts points is to prepare work for our Visual Arts Competitions in a variety of mediums.

For an exhaustive list of competitions, please see the poster below. This poster has also been made available to the students via our Visual Arts Representatives in Homeroom

Please note:

• Students can enter multiple entries per competition, however, only one (1) set of points will be entered per competition
• All work entered must meet the competition's particular brief and should take a considered amount of time, planning and creating
  
• The artwork must be a new piece of work and entirely created by the student for each competition.
  

We look forward to seeing all the entries!

Year 8 Art

Moving into the classroom, in this issue, we will take a closer look into our Year 8 Art classes.

Today in Art class, we experimented and discovered a new and exciting way to create artwork. We painted flower vases with black ink and recreated a still life object. We painted three vases, improving on each painting.Then we began the pastel drawing of our flower vase using different techniques to make our layering harder or softer. Coco L (8 White)

In our first Art class of the year, we were working on being expressive with our ink painting. We were copying off a vase of flowers and using thick and thin lines to get the result we wanted. After painting three paintings with ink, we used pastel pencils to draw a vase of flowers with more detail. Next lesson we will be working on using colour to make our drawings more expressive with acrylic paint and POSCA pens. Alexis L (8 White)

Today in Art we discovered how to use ink and create an art piece that expressed our emotions and replicated the still life in front of us. We also learnt that imperfection is okay. Samantha O’D (8 White)

After a couple of years of innovative teaching and learning around lockdowns, we are off to what we love doing best in Humanities in 2022 - getting out in the environment and learning from real world examples.

This week, the Year 8 Geography students complimented their classroom studies of changing landscapes with a field trip to the Dandenong Ranges National Park to continue their learning about forests. This is what they had to say about their day:

The focus of our excursion to the Dandenong Ranges was to improve our knowledge and understanding of landscapes and landforms, in particular, forests. Today we got to see them in real life and learn more, which was great. Angelica N and Charissa V (8 Blue)

Today at the Dandenong Ranges, we learnt about the history of the forest and how it has changed over time. It was surprising to hear that the Mountain Ash trees were about 70 metres tall, making them the tallest trees in Australia. Tiana K and Alannah M (8 Blue)

While we were out today, we learnt how to check the temperature in different types of forests. We measured the humidity and wind speed and noted the aspect (the direction the slope is facing). We were then able to make connections about how this impacts the vegetation type and canopy cover. Eliza A (8 Blue)

Last week was the first session of our Year 9 Literacy Masterclass. We had a wonderful turnout, with 23 students attending the first session. It was delightful to see so many students come along to improve their literacy skills.

For students interested in coming along, these lessons take place every Monday afternoon in the Notre Dame building from 3.30 pm to 4.00 pm. Each session has a particular literacy focus that will directly assist students' learning in their Year 9 English class. If students have any questions about these sessions, they can speak to Ms Smith or their English teacher.

The Notre Dame students are settling into the academic year very well. A recent initiative offered to the Year 12 students has been the opportunity to remain at school for supervised study sessions on Monday and Wednesday afternoons. The chance to remain at school for private study in a quiet and calm environment has been embraced by several Year 12 students and we hope to see the numbers continue to grow over the forthcoming weeks.

Last week, VCAA released the date of the 2022 General Achievement Test, commonly referred to as the GAT, which is being conducted on Wednesday 7 September. This year sees the introduction of a new format for the GAT following a comprehensive review of the VCE and VCAL system and precedes the transition in 2023 to an integrated senior secondary certificate.

As part of the reform of the VCE and VCAL system, Victorian senior secondary students will this year have their literacy and numeracy skills measured against new standards in a reformed GAT.

The GAT will be split into two sections:

• Section A will assess literacy and numeracy
• Section B will assess skills in mathematics, science, technology, the arts and humanities with an increased focus on critical and creative thinking.

All students enrolled in one or more VCE or scored VCE VET Unit 3 – 4 sequences will be required to sit Sections A and B. Students completing Senior VCAL will sit Section A.

We are yet to receive any detail regarding the length and time of the reformed GAT. We will share this information as soon as it becomes available and will work to familiarise students with the new format, in preparation.

2022 is the year of the Tiger in the Chinese zodiac. The tiger sign is a symbol of strength, bravery and ambition. Hopefully, we too can be courageous as we dive into the new year with many fantastic experiences ahead!

Italian Language Assistant

We are extremely excited to welcome our Italian language assistant, Giorgia Bonamassa, to the Sion community. We applied to have Giorgia work alongside our Italian teachers through a program funded by CO.AS.IT.

Giorgia was born in the south of Italy and graduated from the Università' degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, having studied both English and Spanish. Giorgia has lived in Melbourne for over five years and has been working as an Italian teacher and Italian tutor to both adults and children. In addition, Giorgia has completed a CELTA certificate at RMIT University which has enabled her to develop her teaching skills.

Giorgia is always looking for new challenges and opportunities to both grow professionally and personally. She has been with us since 14 February and she feels very lucky to be working at Our Lady of Sion College.

Ultimately, Giorgia’s role at the College is to assist students in increasing their fluency and confidence in the Italian language by providing them with individual support and enriching their learning by broadening their knowledge and understanding of contemporary Italy.

This program is extremely valuable and I am certain that our students will benefit greatly from the involvement of a language assistant. We feel very fortunate to have Giorgia with us at the College and look forward to her contribution to our Italian program.

The Lantern Festival

While our partnerships with our overseas sister schools have been put on hold due to COVID-19, we continue to communicate via Zoom with our friends in China at the Haimen Dongzhou Middle School.

In particular, on Tuesday 15 February, our Year 10 Chinese students enjoyed a session of Chinese culture in celebration of the Lantern Festival. This festival aims to promote reconciliation, peace, and forgiveness.

Two Year 10 students share their thoughts:

Last Tuesday, as part of our Chinese class, the Year 10s had the opportunity to be part of a Zoom meeting with students from our sister school in China. These students prepared an array of performances and kept us entertained throughout the session, some of them being, storytelling, dancing, singing, instrumental talents, and even rapping! It was a great experience, and all of us enjoyed immersing ourselves in their culture. Thank you to all the staff and students in China and teachers at Sion that made this meeting possible. Zaneta S (10 Silver)

Last Tuesday, my Year 10 Chinese class was granted the opportunity to meet online, students from our sister school in China. They started with a narrator who greeted us and who performed some songs in English. There were also two students who performed a beautiful dance in a traditional Hanfu. A performance that stood out to me was the musical instruments two students played. One student played a guzheng and the other student played a pipa, two ancient traditional instruments that have been in Chinese culture for hundreds of years. Sameera K (10 Orange)

Music 2022 Ensemble Rehearsals – Permission Forms

It’s fantastic to hear so much live music being played around the school. Students involved in before/after school ensembles are reminded to please bring back their permission forms and put them in the mailbox outside the music office.

Year 7 Music Program

Over the last two weeks, Year 7 students have been trialling a range of instruments in their Music classes. Some of their reflections were:

‘Trialling the instruments was a very exciting experience. It gave us all an idea of which instrument we get to play.’ Olivia M (7 Gold)

‘I love the cello, and when we tried all the new instruments, there was so much laughter and fun. We learnt all about them and played some new sounds.’ Elouise P (7 White)

‘I love the fact that we have options around what instrument we can play. By the end of the trial, I wanted to play them all!’ Sophie P (7 Gold)

There is so much excitement as all Year 7 musicians have received their instrument allocation for the year and have started learning their first notes. Please note the starting dates for the compulsory ensemble rehearsals:

• Year 7 Junior Concert Band 1 (Monday mornings 7.25 am – 8.30 am). The first rehearsal is Monday 21 March
• Year 7 Junior Concert Band 2 (Tuesday afternoons 3.25 pm – 4.25 pm). The first rehearsal is Tuesday 15 March
• Year 7 Junior Strings (Wednesday afternoons 3.25 pm – 4.25 pm). The first rehearsal is Wednesday 16 March
• Year 7 Junior Choir (Tuesday afternoons 3.25 pm – 4.25 pm). The Year 7 Junior Choir starts next week on Tuesday 1 March!

We had an excellent number of students audition for this year's senior play, Clue, last week. It was great to see so many girls putting themselves forward and taking on the challenge. It was also a wonderful opportunity to see the growth and development of our performing arts students. With lockdowns impacting Drama over the last two years, we were delighted to see the girls on the Miriam Theatre stage once again.

Ms Bleazby and Mrs Geilings

Year 11 Drama

The Year 11 Drama students have been enjoying immersing themselves in various practitioner and theatre-style workshops over the last few weeks. From Kabuki to Absurdist theatre, they have dipped their toes into different worlds of performance work. It has been lovely to witness how inspired this group has been when creating their own work using various techniques and conventions from the styles that they are learning about.

Our Drama Captain, Emma H, and the Drama Representative team have met to discuss Drama events for the year. There was a lot of buzz and excitement for events that will be launched in the near future. All year levels will soon be invited to lunchtime workshops and other exciting events throughout the year. Our Drama Week is also in Week 9 of this Term and preparations are already underway to ensure that this year's Drama Week is even better than the last which, sadly, we had to hold online last year. Look out for Drama events in the Student Bulletin in the coming weeks!

Ms Bleazby

House Swimming Carnival

On Monday 21 February, we held our annual House Swimming Carnival, complete with a range of swimming events, diving, volleyball and novelty. The perfect weather allowed the day to take place as students all got involved and supported their respective Houses.

Congratulations to Carmel House for achieving their 23rd consecutive win in the carnival! All houses showed great House spirit and participation throughout the day! As Carmel proves year after year, House carnivals are all about participation - often we see a large number of yellow caps in some events! House swimming is for everyone to enjoy and at Sion, we’ve developed a culture of getting involved to not only support our Houses but to really make the most of the day as well as make great memories.

A special mention to the Year 12 students who all looked fantastic in their costumes and enjoyed their final House Swimming Carnival. All the House Captains should also be congratulated for their leadership and assistance in enabling the carnival to be an all-around success.

Also, a big congratulations to Mieka V (9 Red) for winning the Fastest 50m race (31.30), where the fastest eight students from the whole school compete for this title.

It was fantastic to start the year with such a great swimming carnival and we look forward to the upcoming GSV swimming events throughout the rest of the term.

Written by Year 12 Sport Captains
Mia M (12 White) and Sienna S (12 Red)

GSV Sport

Our students have been busy competing in the first rounds of GSV Sport. Some highlights have included over 50 students involved in GSV swim/dive training and our first competition, Junior C Softball team hosting and winning their first-ever match, the Indoor Cricket teams demonstrated their skills across many close games, and the Senior and Intermediate Tennis teams wonderfully hosted schools at our new home venue.

The Sion Aquatic Squad recently participated in multiple training swimming meets against other schools at Presbyterian Ladies College and Lauriston. These meets were for our swimmers and divers to get some practice in preparation for more significant competitions later in March. There were a great number of competitors this year, one of the largest numbers we’ve seen in a long time. There was lots of positive energy around the pool with everyone encouraging and supporting one another and building new friendships. Good job girls, hope to see you next session! GSV Swimming Captains Alyssa G and Adele A

The Social Justice team would like to welcome back everyone to a new school year. Congratulations to our 2022 Social Justice Captain Charlotte S (12R) as well as the following representatives who will lead their respective year levels this year in raising awareness and fundraising for the various initiatives throughout the year.

Year 11 – Chiara P (11 Silver) and Scarlett H (11 Blue)

Year 10 – Abby J (10 Blue) and Sameera K-K (10 Orange)

Year 9 – Amelie Q (9 Blue) and Gisele C (9 White)

Year 8 – Eliza A (8 Blue) and Athena H (8 Purple)

14^th Anniversary of National Apology

We started the year by celebrating the 14^th anniversary of the National Apology, where on February 13 2008, the former Prime Minister of this country, Kevin Rudd, made a formal apology to Australia’s Indigenous peoples, particularly to the Stolen Generations whose lives had been blighted by past government policies of forced child removal and Indigenous assimilation. The Social Justice leaders led a whole-school liturgy and carried our sacred Message Stick through the corridors to spread the message of reconciliation, forgiveness, love, hope and peace.

Project Compassion

Next week, the season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, which also marks the beginning of the annual Caritas Australia Project Compassion Appeal. Donations to Project Compassion allow Caritas Australia, the Catholic Agency for International Aid and Development, to work with local communities around the world to end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity.

The theme of Project Compassion 2022 is ‘For All Future Generations’ and reminds us that the good that we do today will extend and impact the lives of generations to come. It invites us to make the world a better place by working together now and finding long-term solutions to global issues. During Lent, we encourage the Sion community to put compassion into action by making simple lifestyle changes and taking action for social and environmental justice.

Donation boxes will be placed in all Homerooms. Students are encouraged to give all they can, in donations and prayer throughout Lent, to assist in the work of Caritas around the world.

Our fundraising initiative will begin on Shrove Tuesday (1 March) which will include a pancake and hot cross bun morning tea for a gold coin donation with all funds going to Caritas’ Project Compassion.

Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are going or learning to do.
Anon

Students and families can find the Fortnightly Careers' newsletter at https://olsccareers.com/newsletter

In this fortnight's newsletter there is information relating to:

• Upcoming Events – Year 12 RSA short course
• Careers in the Spotlight – Firefighting
• Things to consider – 2022 Year 10 Work experience, Year 12 Careers Meetings, University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) and RMIT Virtual tour
• Research ideas – A career in Economics, Deakin University – Bachelor of Health Science, Federation University – New courses.