Newsletter | Speaking the Truth in Love

Last week, we had the great pleasure of welcoming the Class of 2021 and their parents/carers to our Valedictory Cocktail event at the MCG. Well over 300 people joined us to celebrate this important milestone in the lives of our students who completed their secondary education last year. Many commented on how they appreciated this opportunity which they said felt like a ‘mini-reunion’, and how good it was to share their news and experiences and to celebrate their achievements. Once again I thank the Class of 2021 for all they brought to our community. Whether they started their journey in 2016 or they joined us in the subsequent years, all students have left their mark through the gift of the invaluable contributions they made.

I also congratulate all students for their enthusiastic participation in our Athletics Carnival held on 9 May. We were blessed with fine weather which added to the great House spirit that was clearly evident. Congratulations to Fatima House for their success. This is the fourth year that they have won the House Athletics Cup. Fatima House students and staff also enjoyed their Feast Day celebration last Friday. As is our tradition, they came together in reflection and prayer, and to learn a little more about Our Lady of Fatima before celebrating with games and food. Thank you to Mrs Jennifer Tilley for her leadership and planning and to all staff and student leaders who facilitated the day’s activities.

School life continues to offer students many opportunities for engagement and as I walk around the College it is pleasing to see our students focused on their learning activities. As we know, persistence and learning from our mistakes by actively using feedback provide the best chance for learning growth. I thank our parents and carers for the partnership we share in supporting your children to achieve their best. Our recent Student Progress Meetings offered an important opportunity to affirm our students and to also provide advice regarding the ‘next step’. Staff are committed to providing formative feedback so I encourage students, parents and carers to regularly access their advice on SEQTA and to speak with the relevant teacher for further support as required.

While we are almost at the end of Semester 1, I also remind families to encourage their children to participate in our rich co-curricular program which also offers many learning and personal growth opportunities. Most importantly, their sense of belonging and wellbeing is enhanced when they have a variety of experiences that bring them together with others who share their interests.

Finally, I share with our families that in Term 3, Our Lady of Sion College will undertake a whole school cyclical review. Reviews occur every four years and are designed to support schools to engage in ongoing improvement. The process will formally occur in August and will be conducted by Jan Hayes and Mary Bourke on behalf of the Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS). The process has three components:

1. Evaluation against the MACS School Improvement Framework (SIF) Rubric
2. VRQA Compliance which focuses on federal and state government compliance requirements that support the ongoing registration of the College
3. Child Safe Standards which will focus on compliance against Ministerial Order 1359 (updated Child Safe Standards which come into effect on 1 July 2022)

Since the end of 2021, staff have engaged with the SIF Rubric and supported a detailed process of discernment. The Leadership Team supported by Paul Rowley, our Compliance and Risk Leader, is currently collating all compliance requirements so we are ready for the review. The reviewers will also visit the College in August to speak with members of our community. The SIF review outcome will then support us to develop a School Improvement Plan for the next four years. We look forward to this process and the benefits it will bring our school.

With every blessing for the fortnight ahead.

Tina Apostolopoulos

Last week, through a strange set of circumstances, I found myself at school at 6.30 am one morning to transport our two Sports Captains, Mia and Sienna, to Moorabbin for the GSV Annual Sports Leaders Breakfast.

Yes, you’re probably wondering, why is this article appearing in the Faith and Mission section of our Newsletter?

Well – let me explain.

During the breakfast, we were fortunate to listen to two guest speakers. One was the Captain of St Kilda AFLW team and the other had just recently won their Best and Fairest. Both women spoke wonderfully – particularly about setting goals, work ethic, the sense of community and enjoyment sport can offer – and about not giving up in the face of challenges.

So why am I writing about this? Well, it was the message that one of the young women left us with that still sticks with me.

Whenever I read the Gospel stories about Jesus, I’m always taken by how kind He was. If someone needed help, He would be kind to them and provide. If someone needed food or healing, He would be kind to them and support them. Kindness is based on love for others. The Christian message is evident here.

The Best and Fairest winner finished her presentation by recalling the words of her mother as she was growing up. She said that it was these words that motivated her – not just in her sport but in her life. Her mother had said, 'Remember, it’s not that hard to be kind!'

Student Progress Meeting Feedback

A big thank you to those families who provided feedback on the recent Student Progress Meetings. It is always affirming to hear that the meetings are a productive exchange of information.

If you would still like to offer advice I will keep the link active here.

NAPLAN 2022

Our Year 7 and 9 students have had a very positive experience of the NAPLAN assessments this year. The online and adaptive tests ran very smoothly, with no technical difficulties and with students comfortable with the conditions and expectations. As you can imagine, these assessments are a big undertaking. Thank you to Laura Geilings, Jerani Pettikiriarchchi, the IT Team and the teachers who trained and supported students. We look forward to having access to the data and using it to support our understanding of each student.

NCCD 2022

The Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD) is a process where each school provides evidence for the support of students who are receiving adjustments. Knowing our students, and supporting each as an individual learner, is an important part of the ‘naming and knowing’ philosophy of Our Lady of Sion College. If you would like to know more about the NCCD process, please read the document here.

2023 Subject Selection Process

It is that time of year again when Year 10 students and families need to begin thinking about subject selection for VCE and VCE the Vocational Major. To support this, as well as the handbooks and guidance given in classes, Our Lady of Sion College will host a Subject Selection Expo and VCE/VM Parent Information Evening on 20 June.

Other year levels will have student assemblies and parent evenings and dates will be communicated in a timely manner.

If students would like to make changes to their course load for Semester 2, 2022, please complete the subject change form available under Forms and Info on SEQTA.

Child Safe Standards One and Two explained

I take this opportunity to unpack the first two new Child Safe Standards.

Standard One sees the College establishing a culturally safe environment in which the diverse and unique identities and experiences of Aboriginal children and young people are respected and valued.

Examples of enacting this Standard:

• flying the Aboriginal flag
• acknowledgment of Country at all College gatherings
• a clear Code of Conduct that includes never questioning the aboriginality of students or their families
• staff and volunteers encouraging and supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island students to express their culture and enjoy their cultural rights
• celebrating Reconciliation Week and involvement in the Long Walk
• Indigenous immersion and the Firecarrier program
• making links to the contribution of Aboriginal people and culture across the curriculum - Indigenous ingredients in Food Studies
• rigorous Grievance and Anti-bullying policies that enable concerns of racism to be raised and effectively addressed.

Standard Two requires the College to embed child safety and wellbeing in organisational leadership, governance and culture.

Examples of enacting this Standard:

• updated Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy that sets out the College’s expectations and practices in relation to each of the Standards
• a Code of Conduct that sets out expectations regarding the behaviour of staff and volunteers with children and in promoting and maintaining child safety and wellbeing
  
• public statement of the College’s commitment to Child Safety and Wellbeing
  
• staff training including the College Board and all staff undertaking Mandatory Reporting training so as to better understand reporting indicators, processes and obligations
  
• Child Safety is a standing item on College Board, Leadership, Pastoral Care Team and staff meetings
  
• risk documents and registers focus on identifying, preventing and reducing risks of child abuse and harm.
  

Vaping – is it the ‘new’ bad habit?

Adolescent smoking habits were once a significant concern in schools, and it was not unusual to be working with students who had been caught smoking or with cigarettes on them. Over the past ten years with better education programs, increased purchasing costs and smoking being less socially acceptable, the popularity of smoking significantly dropped.

Today, we see the growth of vaping as a health concern for our young people. In 2021, it became illegal to sell e-cigarettes containing nicotine without a prescription but vaping still presents a risk and can be a way of introducing students to smoking. Research from ANU National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health suggests that young non-smokers who engage in vaping are around three times more likely to take up smoking than non-vapers.

While nicotine may have been removed, there is still a concern regarding the other chemicals including formaldehyde, heavy metals, and solvents. Vaping has been linked to lung injury and deaths as early adopters of vaping are being diagnosed with lung cancer. There is still only emerging evidence as to how vaping is affecting teenagers’ brains and bodies. But let’s make one thing clear! Vaping is not healthy and most likely not safe either. While there is still a need for more research in this area, why start a habit that is highly likely to be harmful and difficult to stop?

Another significant concern is the way companies are marketing vaping to young people. Vapes feature flavours such as strawberry or grape and are packaged in such a way to attract adolescents to their use. Vaping is viewed as an exciting new habit. Research shows that the majority of social media content portrays vaping positively. One-quarter of all vaping videos include people who are younger than 18. Vaping tells a story of addiction, delivering a habit that tastes good, is cheaper than smoking tobacco, is easy to use, and doesn’t really smell that bad. Vaping is tempting an entire generation of non-smokers to give it a go.

Even though nicotine has been removed from legally obtained vapes in Australia, the College considers the use of vapes a health risk and their use and possession is banned on school grounds, events including excursions and formals, and at any time a student is in uniform or representing the College. This includes travelling to and from school.

Students found vaping or in possession of a vape will be kept after school to undertake an educative and reflective process while parents/carers will be contacted so that the concern may be shared with the family and support provided by the Pastoral Care Team.

Parents/carers can:

• learn more about the law around e-cigarettes and vaping here
• seek advice on how to have a conversation regarding vaping here.

We have well and truly settled back into term, and the Year 11 students are taking it in their stride! They have established their routine and are navigating the remaining assessment tasks to be completed.

For Lesson 2 of Pastoral (10/5) we looked at the role of physical health and how it affects our overall health and wellbeing. In particular, we asked students to reflect on their overall habits regarding diet, nutrition, exercise, and sleep. Students were able to share with Homeroom teachers some of their favourite meals and shared some recipes. We encouraged the students to consider trying something new, and learning a new skill to cook for their family!

It was apparent many students struggle with their sleep hygiene practices. We also asked them to consider what are some of the factors that get in the way of making healthy decisions. Students spoke about the experience of having a busy mind, not ‘switching off’, staying up late doing homework, or on their devices. Moreover, we considered how our physical health ultimately influences our mood, energy levels, and ability to focus and feel well. As young people navigate the balance between family, school, work and social commitments, this often comes at the cost of sleep. Please reach out, if you feel your child needs assistance in identifying their routine to make healthier choices.

Thank you for your support in completing the relevant permission forms and payments for the Year 11 Formal. All permission forms and payments are due by Wednesday 25 May.

The past two weeks have seen the Year 10 students involved in the House Athletics Carnival, the Shoah excursion, Fatima Feast Day and the GSV Preliminary Cross Country Carnival along with the Student Progress Meetings. These experiences have allowed opportunities for feedback to be sought and acted upon. They have also allowed opportunities for discovering personal excellence. It has been very encouraging to see active participation from both students and parents during this time. There are many steps being taken in the right direction.

During our assembly last week, 10 Silver, represented by Charlie and Helena, presented the following prayer and what it means to them. I think you will agree this is a beautiful prayer and reflection.

Dear God,

Please give us the strength to face the day and to see the many blessings it contains,

Give us the courage to walk on, no matter how long the path is, or how many turns this road holds

Guide our thoughts so that we walk in love and peace and with gratitude within our hearts.

Why we chose this prayer

We chose this prayer because it teaches us that every day is a blessing. No matter how long the day becomes or the challenges we face, we need to have the strength and courage to take on the days that may be challenging. This prayer teaches us that there is good in every single day no matter how small.

Charlie and Helena also presented a quick Meditation video, that reminds us of the importance to take that time for ourselves at the start of each and every lesson.

I’d like to share some resources from reachout.com. The first is around how to communicate effectively with your teenager where Psychologist Clare Rowe gives us some tips on creating quality and effective conversations that can help your teenager to open up about their feelings. You can view the video here.

The second resource is how students can approach changing friendships. While it’s normal for friendships to change over time, they can still be hard to adjust to. We chatted to some young people in our ReachOut Online Community to understand how they manage changing friendships. Reading about others’ stories and tips will help students feel less alone and more capable of coping with shifts in their own relationships. You can view the video here.

The final resource I would like to share with you might help in the lead up to the end of Semester 1 as our Year 10 students complete their final assessment tasks. This might be a resource that as a family you can discuss together; to see what barriers and enablers can be identified and to ensure that feedback and learning can occur.

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

The Snapshot Initiative

Last Wednesday 11 May, the Year 9 students were introduced to a new Pastoral program called, The Snapshot Initiative.

Each Wednesday during Homeroom, Year 9 students will gather as a year level in the Louise Humann Centre (LHC) to participate. They are provided with a bandana (their Homeroom colour) to identify each Homeroom and a small booklet in which they are asked to write in and to reflect on at the end of the session.

The Snapshot Initiative is a quick, easy to run, engaging program. It focuses on the key elements of resilience, community and kindness. Snapshot encourages personal reflection to help achieve considerate and positive outcomes.

The program has a strong focus on the idea of ‘capturing a moment’.

• Capture the good
• Focus on what is really important
• Develop from negatives
• Filter through reactions
• If it does not work, take another shot.

As a teacher, there is nothing more troubling than a student singled out or sitting on their own, unable to connect with those around them. If we do not demonstrate and model ways to fix this, how will the students?

The Snapshot Initiative creates a platform for young people to promote wellbeing through building self-esteem and developing social skills. In each session there is a warm-up, main activity, team building and finishes with affirmations and gratitude writing in their ‘snapbooks’.

I encourage you to have conversations at home about what was covered each week - a great conversation starter!

It has been wonderful to see the Year 8 students interacting so positively with their peers and teachers this term. I think we are really seeing the positive impact of consistent onsite schooling in improving their social skills as well as good learning and study habits.

During our Pastoral session last week, the students explored the concept of empathy and how it can impact positively on developing respectful relationships with their friends and anybody else with whom they interact. The following questions could be conversation starters between you and your child/ren:

• Why do people need to be able to empathise with others?
• What sorts of things can happen when we do not empathise with what others are going through?
• What is the difference between sympathy and empathy?
• What is it like for you when no one empathises with you?
• How do we develop our empathy?
• What do you think helps develop your empathy?
• How do you think it comes about that 13-year-olds are more empathetic than 6-year-olds?

We also discussed the ‘emotions iceberg’. The metaphor is used as a way to explain the way in which some emotions can be happening close to the surface, while others may be buried, but are still affecting us. The emotions that are deeper below the surface may even be causing the ones closer to the top. For example, fear, hurt or shame often cause anger and jealousy, though it might be just the anger that shows.

Term 2 has been just as busy as Term 1 with applications for student leadership well underway. We have received 113 applications from our Year 7 students for our portfolio positions, including liturgy, music, visual arts, drama and House representatives. I have been impressed with the way in which our students have expressed their desire to contribute to the school community despite having only been at the College for 14 weeks. It is also impressive to read about the previous leadership positions students have held, from school captains, environment captains, and peer mentors/buddies. On Tuesday, we began the process of electing our Year 7 Student Representative Council (SRC) members, where each applicant is required to make a speech to the entire year level outlining their vision for the role. It is a big ask, however, each candidate took it in their stride and gave very impressive speeches; each would make an incredible addition to the SRC. The Year 7 team is looking forward to seeing what amazing ideas the Year 7 students will bring to the College throughout the year as we select our leaders.

As we progress throughout the year, I encourage you to continue to support the school and each student in fulfilling College expectations and values. We have several guidelines which are designed to inform and encourage students to make positive choices outlined on both our website and in the student planner. These include the ICT guidelines, the Uniform Policy and the Homework Policy. As our students are exposed to increases in homework and new situations, it can be important to refer back to these guidelines to ensure that students are not completing unreasonable amounts of homework and keeping safe in the digital world. In pastoral lessons, we will continue to look at our ‘digital thumbprint’ as well as what tools and techniques can be used to keep organised.

Senior Play – Clue

We are currently finishing up our final week of rehearsals and are preparing for the craziness that is Production Week! The lines are learnt (mostly), the cues set, the lights are plotted, the costumes stitched, the sets painted; all that is left to do is pull back the curtains on opening night! It has been a long time since we have had a Sion production in the Miriam Theatre and we are all waiting with anticipation for you all to come along and see the show. You can view the trailer here. Tickets are still available through Trybooking so don’t delay, book yours today here!

Year 11 and 12 Excursion

On Friday 13 May, the Year 11 and 12 VCE Drama classes went to see the production of 'Driftwood' at the Alexander Theatre which told the story of an Austrian family and their experiences with WWII. Driftwood was about the resilience of the human spirit, art, family and triumph over adversity. The excursion was in preparation for the Performance Analysis outcomes and the end of year exam for the Year 12 students.

The Year 11 and 12 Drama students also had their Solo and Ensemble Performance Evening on Tuesday. Students presented their self-devised works to community members and the evening was a great success. These nights are so important for building confidence and inspiring our students to strive for excellence in their performance work. Congratulations to all the VCE Drama Students on their fine performances.

A Middle School Extravaganza – all on the one evening: Tuesday 31 May

The Year 9 Drama students have been immersing themselves in the world of Shakespeare. They have learned about the origins of many of the words we use today, the world of Elizabethan England and the theatres Shakespeare made famous. The girls have selected excerpts to prepare and perform from famous plays such as Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth and Othello. They have researched the play, the characters and their (sometimes sinister) motivations. The Year 9 Drama Students will present their scenes at The Miriam Theatre at Sion on Tuesday 31 May at 8.00 pm.

The Year 10 Drama students have been learning about the conventions of non-naturalistic theatre and are devising their own ensemble pieces based on a shared structure. They have researched and found a controversial issue relevant to themselves and today’s society. They are looking at and presenting how people respond to controversial issues. Several Banksy artwork characters also need to be included to help promote a more peaceful society. These performances are non-naturalistic in style and will require multiple transformations, use of symbols, disjointed time sequences and other conventions to create interesting and exciting pieces of theatre. The Ensembles will be held in the Miriam Theatre on Tuesday 31 May at 7.00 pm.

Last Tuesday 10 May our Year 10 Chinese students for the second time this year communicated via Zoom with our friends in China at the Haimen Dongzhou Middle School. Our students prepared a range of different performances to entertain their friends. This is a program that will continue throughout the year to give the students the opportunity to immerse themselves in each other’s cultures and keep our partnership active until we can resume our exchange programs.

Languages Week 23 – 25 May

Our Lady of Sion College will celebrate our annual ‘Languages Week’ between Monday 23 and Wednesday 25 May. This year, Languages Week will be jam-packed with activities in celebration of the Chinese, Italian and French languages and cultures. Students will have the opportunity to taste delicious food, watch foreign films, participate in Homeroom quizzes, competitions, incursions and more!

We have organised for past and present students to share their stories via video, providing insight into their experiences of learning a language and how a second language has benefited them in their lives and careers. Our guest speaker, Mr Matthew Absalom, an Italian lecturer at the University of Melbourne, will talk to our Year 10 language students and visiting students from Marcellin and Whitefriars Colleges about the importance of learning a language in Australia.

All language students will be involved in special activities throughout the week. In particular, the Year 7 students will be entertained by well-known performer Filippo who plays the accordion, sings Italian and French songs, and teaches the students traditional Italian and French dances. Students will also be able to enjoy a gelato from a visiting gelato van or a French crêpe!

We are very excited about Languages Week and look forward to seeing our students showcasing their language abilities, getting creative and having fun!

To learn a language is to have one more window from which to look at the world. Chinese proverb

Year 10 Religious Education

Currently, the Year 10 students are studying the concept 'Humanity' where they are exploring the nature of humanity and what it means to be made in the image of God and what our rights and responsibilities are to ensure that all people feel a sense of dignity and respect.

The Shoah (the Holocaust, 1933-1945) has been a particular focus for the students and to support them with their study, they participated in a virtual workshop hosted by the Jewish Holocaust Centre last week where they had the opportunity to further understand the terrible plight the Jewish population in Europe experienced during this time. As a part of this, the students had the privilege of hearing Holocaust Survivor Vivienne Spiegel tell her story and the students very much appreciated her open and honest responses to their questions about her experiences during the Holocaust and the years after.

The students also visited the Jewish Museum of Australia where they explored Jewish history, faith, customs and beliefs. The opportunity to spend time in a synagogue was certainly a highlight as was learning about the Sabbath Welcoming Ceremony.

The following reflections were shared by some of the students:

Jewish Holocaust Centre Virtual Workshop

It was confronting and difficult to process how some people could treat Jews the way they did during the Holocaust. How could people be so evil? Eva, Jasmine, Zaneta, Caitlin

We should be thankful to be living in a peaceful society, but we should make sure that we protect others and are not simply bystanders. Mary, Alana, Georgia, Sophie

This experience has ultimately given us all a greater understanding of the pain and suffering that the victims of the Holocaust went through and has opened our eyes to what life is like for the Holocaust survivors. Overall, it was a very interesting and insightful experience. Alana and Mary

Jewish Museum of Australia

Visiting the Jewish Museum and going inside a Synagogue was such a rewarding experience. Being able to have the opportunity to reflect on our learnings and take in new information was so important and we are so glad that we had the opportunity to go. One of our favourite parts was looking at all the beautiful artwork and artefacts that have been preserved throughout Jewish history. It was interesting to learn about Jewish tradition and discover the extensive history that Judaism has upheld and the many ways it is celebrated. Overall, it was an incredible experience and we're very grateful to have been taught about the strong Jewish culture. Amy C and Hayley B

As a College community, we pray for peace in our world today.

Notre Dame students are currently working hard at completing Unit 1 and Unit 3 coursework and assessment. It is pleasing to see the way they are approaching their studies, and I encourage all students to make the most of the opportunities provided to them by their teachers in seeking and responding to feedback.

Recently VCAA released details regarding the GAT (General Achievement Test) which is to be completed on 7 September. The GAT is an essential part of the VCE assessment process. While it is important that students attempt the GAT, the test does not count directly towards their VCE. GAT results are used to check that VCE external assessments and school-based assessments have been accurately and fairly assessed. The GAT results are a good predictor of final assessments of VCE studies. If a student is unable to sit an examination, the GAT is used in the calculation of a derived exam score.

As mentioned in an earlier edition of the newsletter, Victorian senior secondary students will this year have their literacy and numeracy skills measured against new standards in a reformed GAT.

The schedule for the different sections is as follows:

Section A (Literacy and Numeracy):

• 9.30 – 9.45 am Reading time
• 9.45 – 11.45 am Writing time

11.45 am– 1.15 pm Break

Section B (General knowledge and skills):

• 1.15 – 1.30 pm Reading time
  
• 1.30 – 3.00 pm Writing time

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.

All students who are required to sit the GAT will complete a trial GAT which will be held on 2 June. Students will be required to remain at school until 4.30 pm on this day. Details regarding this trial will be communicated to parents and students in the forthcoming days.

NAPLAN

Congratulations to all the Year 7 and 9 students on completing their NAPLAN tests this week. The students have completed four tests over the past fortnight and we thank all students for being prepared for each session. The results of the NAPLAN tests are expected to be available in August with students' results sent home to parents.

EAL Support Sessions

EAL students are invited to support sessions every Thursday at lunchtime in the EC building. These sessions are designed to support EAL students with their learning of the English language and provide assistance with their subject work. Students are asked to bring along subject specific work that they would like to receive some help with.

In the Year 10 Computing Class this semester, students are learning how to build a computer system. They are working together on this practical ‘hands on’ activity to increase their understanding of the functionality of computer hardware. Students are building on their knowledge about the relationship between hardware and software and how computers communicate using Binary Code translation.

As a teacher of this subject, I enjoy seeing the satisfaction of achievement when we power up the computer and it loads the operating system as it should! This activity demonstrates to students that they are very capable of building any computer to suit their needs and have the knowledge to research components to suit a particular purpose – not to mention the already acquired practical building skills.

This ‘hands on, learning by doing’ approach enables students like Claudia R and Tahlia C to engage collaboratively to build a computer system.

All-State Jazz Competition

Congratulation to all 34 members of Jazz Club and Senior Jazz Ensemble who represented Sion at the Victorian All-State Jazz Ensemble Championships held at St. Leonard’s College, Brighton last weekend.

Ryan Parks took Jazz Club (the Junior Jazz group) in the non-competitive section, where the girls gained some terrific experience performing their pieces ‘Birdland’ and ‘Take the A Train’. That group had the opportunity to work with Nick Mulder, a renowned Australian trombone player.

The Senior Jazz Ensemble was entered in ‘B’ Grade and although didn’t make the podium, performed very well (probably the best they have played this year!). Ava S (11 Red) was named in the honorary division ‘Superband’ on principal trombone and was also recognised as ‘outstanding soloist’ – an exceptional achievement in a very competitive section.

Ensembles Concert Thursday 16 June

We are very excited to present the annual Music Department Ensembles Concert this year as part of Music Week. All Our Lady of Sion College ensembles, large and small, will be performing. It will run in two acts according to the schedule below. Trybooking links will open on Wednesday 1 June.

• Act 1: 5.00 pm – 6.30 pm Year 7 Junior Concert Band 1 (Monday morning group), Brass Ensemble, Jazz Club, Year 7 Junior Strings, Flute Ensemble, Intermediate Strings, College Choir and Senior Concert Band
• Act 2: 7.00 pm – 8.30 pm Combined Choir, Year 7 Junior Concert Band 2 (Tuesday afternoon group), Rock Band, Jazz Club, Year 7 Choir, Senior Strings Octet, Symphony Orchestra, Percussion Ensemble, Intermediate Concert Band, College Vocal Ensemble and Senior Jazz Ensemble.

Open Mic

Last week, the Music Representatives presented the second Open Mic for the year. We had a full complement of singers who entertained the enthusiastic audience from the Notre Dame deck and the oval. Many thanks to Music Captain Natalie K-S (12S) for organising this opportunity.

VCE Music Class Recitals

Congratulations to the VCE Music Performance students who prepared and presented their Outcome 1 recital programs in the beautiful Notre Dame foyer. The repertoire was varied and the students gained valuable performance experience and feedback in accordance with the VCAA criteria associated with this Outcome. We were fortunate to have Ms Debbie Haskell, Head of Piano at Loreto Mandeville Hall, join us as guest assessor.

Senior Concert Band – live online Masterclass from Canada

This week, the Senior Concert Band was treated to a live online Zoom Masterclass with Canadian composer Cait Nishimura. Cait is a prominent composer and conductor in North America and she gave a deeper insight into her piece ‘Chasing Sunlight’ - a piece that represents the ongoing pursuit of everyone’s goals and dreams. Cait was streamed into the Senior Concert Band session and gave some really valuable insights into her composition and her life as a composer. Many thanks to Mr Parks and Mr Dimitriou for assisting with the set-up.

Our Lady of Sion College Information Evening

The Senior String Octet (pictured below) and Cady L (11 Red) performed music to support the Our Lady of Sion College Information Evening on Wednesday 18 May.

Term 2 Soirée – Monday 30 June

Instrumental students are encouraged to sign-up to perform at the Term 2 Soiree, to be held on Monday 30 May at 5.00 pm. Further details from Mr Macaulay mmacaulay@sion.catholic.edu.au.

It has been a huge start to the term for the House program at the College, with three important events providing the opportunity for competition, community and connection to each student’s House. The term started with the launch of the House Social Justice program – a new initiative for 2022 – and was quickly followed by the House Cross Country on Friday 6 May. Congratulations to all those who participated, especially to students who were their year level champions:

• Year 7 - Sophie F from Loreto
• Year 8 – Erin M from Fatima
• Year 9 – Katie M from Fatima
• Year 10 - Abby H from Lourdes
• Year 11 – Matilda K from Carmel
• Year 12 – Tahlia P – Carmel House Captain

Fatima House was the overall winner of the Cross Country Carnival with an amazing score of 504 points.

The House Athletics Carnival was up next – held on Monday 9 May. Again, Fatima experienced success in winning both the Athletics element and the Novelty events. It was also great to be able to cheer on each other, something we have not been able to do for the last two years. The students supported each other enthusiastically and embraced their House spirit on the day.

Finally, we celebrated the Fatima House Feast Day on Friday 13 May. The day began with Fatima Captains greeting their fellow House mates at the front gates, wishing them a Happy Feast Day and giving them all a ribbon to wear. At morning prayer, Alex P and Tori S – Year 12 Fatima Captains – led prayer over the loud speaker calling for Fatima students to live their House values of appreciation, fairness and dedication, as well as explained the story and symbolism of their House name and banner. The celebrations took place at lunch and included a BBQ, Photobooth, cookie decoration station and Just Dance in the LHC. Congratulations to Fatima Captains and House Representatives for creating such a joyful celebration of what it means to ‘Be Fatima’.

GSV Sports Leaders Breakfast

On Thursday 5 March, we had the honour of attending the 2022 GSV Sports Leaders Breakfast, hosted by St Kilda Football Club, RSEA Park.

Engaging in activities where we got to collaborate with sports leaders from other GSV schools, we were able to meet like-minded people and discuss topics in sport such as overcoming participation barriers and gender equality in sport. Speakers Hannah Priest (AFLW St Kilda Captain 2022) and Olivia Vesely (AFLW St Kilda Best and Fairest 2020) shared their career journeys in professional sport, with Olivia herself expressing the value of the GSV program she too appreciated when she was a student. As Sports leaders of Sion and as young leaders in the future, we’ve been able to take away many powerful messages of encouragement and inspiration that we are keen to apply to our roles here as Sports Captains and share with the rest of our school community. Mia M (12 White) and Sienna S (12 Red), College Sport Captains

Carnival Sport - Cross Country

The Cross Country squad has been training consistently since the end of Term 1 and their hard work was demonstrated at both the Training Meet last week and the Preliminary Carnival on Tuesday 17 May. Big congratulations to Erin M (8 Purple), Sophie F (7 Silver) and Olivia M (8 Silver) who were placed 1st, 3rd and 7th respectively in the junior age group and Matilda K (11 Red) who came 7th in the senior age group. Sion had outstanding team results finishing 5th overall; Junior, Intermediate and Seniors finishing 2nd, 6th and 7th respectively. Well done to all girls involved and we look forward to seeing everyone at training on Monday and Wednesday as well as the Championship Carnival on Friday 27 May! Ally L (11 Blue), Cross Country Captain

Weekly Sport - Australian Football and AFL 9s

This year Sion has extended its winter sport with the inclusion of Sion’s first ever Australian Football team. This exciting addition to the Sion sports program has enabled the girls to try something new or extend themselves further in the sport. The team is made up of students from Years 9 - 12 which is a great challenge for all ages. The team trains on Tuesday mornings before school and plays after school on Friday afternoons. They played their first game on Friday with the girls scoring their first win against Fintona, the final score being Sion 39 to Fintona 17. After round 2, they are still undefeated. We are also lucky to have two Junior AFL 9s teams competing again this year after what has been a tough two years with seasons interrupted. There are two teams made up of Year 7 and 8 students with training and games held on Thursday mornings and afternoons. After round 2, both teams also remain undefeated which is looking promising for the rest of the season.

What's most important about the opportunities Sion has to offer, is the chance for the girls to develop their skills, try new things and have fun on and off the field with their teammates.

The students and coaches are congratulated on such a great start to the season. The intensity they brought to the games enabled the team to work perfectly together. Sienna A (10 Red) and Ally C (10 White), Australian Football Captains

Aerobics

Over the past few weeks, our three aerobics teams have been working hard to perfect our routines before our Preliminary Final. Training began in Term 1 and continued through the holidays where the squad spent ten dedicated hours training during the break, into Term 2. We all contributed to our routines, making them as creative and clean as possible before we headed to Doncaster Secondary College for our first competition on Friday 13 May. After the squad had faced obstacles such as injuries and COVID isolations, it was wonderful to see that each team was able to perform and produce a great routine. Overall, our teams came 6th, 5th and 3rd in a very difficult section and one of our teams also attained a mid-80s score, something not normally achieved this early in the season. All three teams have achieved a high enough score to compete at State finals in Geelong. Congratulations to all girls for the hard work they have put in, and thank you to Ms Frood, Coach Julia and Coach Mia for the time and effort they have dedicated to our training. We are looking forward to the competition at the State Finals! Alyssa M (11 Blue) and Scarlett M (11 Silver), Aerobics Captains

Athletes of the Week

When you can’t control what’s happening, challenge yourself to control the way you respond to what’s happening, that’s where your power is. Anon.

Students and families can find the Fortnightly Careers newsletter here.

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

• Upcoming Events – RMIT Discover what’s new series, Photography Studies College Open Day, ACU upcoming events
• Career in the Spotlight – Physiotherapy, Osteopathy or Chiropractics
• Things to consider – 2022 UCAT reminder, Focus on Melbourne series
• Research ideas – VU Guarantee: Victoria University’s early entry program, VU Bachelor of Outdoor Leadership.

What is your daughter’s reading diet?

During our Wider Reading sessions, we talk about what students like to read and we try to stretch them into age-appropriate books that will increase their vocabulary and understanding of the world. The majority of the books in the LRC come under the 'Young Adult' category and we have a Senior Fiction section for Year 10 students and above, and these books often have mature themes.

It is also wonderful to see that parents are purchasing books for their daughters to encourage them to read, however, parents need to be aware of the content of the books they are purchasing.

Bridgerton by Julia Quinn is quite popular at the moment with the release of Season 2 on Netflix. The series is rated M, which is 16+ and this should give our parents a hint as to the appropriateness of the book for their daughters. The Book Nanny gives an excellent review of the content of the book and why it might not be appropriate for younger students.

Colleen Hoover is another popular author who is gaining popularity amongst the students at Sion. Her first few books were Young Adult books, but her recent books including 'Ugly Love' are not suitable for a secondary school audience and deal with mature themes and representations of sexual conduct which are unhealthy.

What can we do as parents?

• Do your research, check to see if a book is age-appropriate. If in doubt, email the library team at Sion - LRCSupport@sion.catholic.edu.au.
• Read the books that your daughters are reading, so that you can unpack some of the more challenging aspects of the text with them over coffee.
• Just because another student is reading a more mature book, doesn’t mean it is well suited for your daughter.

Many of these 18+ books have themes that we can identify as unhealthy as adults, but for younger students, it normalises the existence of abuse and coercive control within relationships.

House Athletics BBQ to support Sion Day

At the House Athletics carnival held this term, the Social Justice Team along with the SRC held a BBQ in support of Sion Day. This was a real treat for both staff and students who had an opportunity to purchase sausages, soft drinks, water, doughnuts and cupcakes along with other goodies. Thank you to all staff who volunteered their time and students who popped in to help between their events. We raised just over $2,500 on the day with the funds going to support the San Luis Lumad Community High school in the Philippines.

Indigenous Immersion 2022

A few weeks ago, Mr John McInerney and I launched the Indigenous Immersion for 2022 to all Year 10 and 11 students which will be held between Wednesday 14 September to Wednesday 21 September. We had an amazing response from students who submitted Expression of Interest forms. We are currently in the process of interviewing these students and will then have the difficult task of selecting 24 students who will attend this wonderful immersion experience in Central Australia.

Lourdes House Social Justice charity – Operation Toilets

Lourdes House held their House Social Justice initiative day this week. The House and Social Justice leaders educated and encouraged students to get involved to support Operation Toilets, a charity that aims to build toilets and deliver hygiene educational programs to adolescents in schools in developing countries. Students pledged their commitment to support the work of Operation Toilets, participated in a quiz with prizes awarded and donated money. Well done Lourdes House and Social Justice leaders.

Applications for Year 7, 2024 are closing soon

Families already enrolled at the College still need to submit an Application of Enrolment Form for each additional child wishing to attend Our Lady of Sion College. If you have a daughter in Year 5, please ensure you submit her Application for Enrolment by Friday 19 August 2022.

For all enquiries, please contact Ms Robyn McCann, College Registrar, on 9890 9097 or registrar@sion.catholic.edu.au.

Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is the ability to:

• understand your emotions and those of others
• respond with empathy
• use this awareness of emotions to help guide your decision making and problem-solving
• be more able to deal with big emotions such as anger, frustration, fear or worry
• keep distress and feeling overwhelmed at bay, and feel more in control.

Why is emotional intelligence important?

• Greater sense of awareness and self-control
• Lower levels of stress
• Better physical and mental health
• Improved focus and concentration
• Ability to self soothe in a healthy way
• Improved peer relationships
• More resilient because you can work with the highs and lows
• Improved self-confidence because you are more trusting of your instincts and emotional responses.

Emotional intelligence develops from a combination of innateness or temperament and the world that we grow up in i.e., families, friends, life experiences etc.

Can we learn emotional intelligence?

We can learn emotional intelligence. Exposure to opportunities and the teaching and role modelling of emotional intelligence supports the growth of emotional intelligence. For some, it might be more challenging, however, if there is a commitment and motivation to become more emotionally intelligent and you have access to resources and support, anything is possible.