Newsletter | Speaking the Truth in Love

We were fortunate to welcome one of the Sisters of Our Lady of Sion, Sr Patricia Watson last week to speak with our Year 12 students about the special characteristics of our school and what makes us Sionian. Sr Patricia invited senior students to reflect on the things that they felt were particular to the College. Words and ideas such as ‘community’, ‘sense of belonging’, and ‘looking out for younger students’ were among some of the thoughts they shared. Sr Patricia also spoke about the values and understandings that Theodore Ratisbonne, the founder of the Sisters, lived by and encouraged others to follow. The love of Scripture, respect for difference and the importance of inclusivity and dialogue were highlighted. Sr Patricia also retold some of the pivotable moments of Theodore’s life and the influence of his mentor, Louise Humann, who advised Theodore that if he was unsure about marriage, he take the time to reflect. In fact, she told him, 'Never make a decision when you are troubled’, a wisdom that underscores Sr Patricia’s message to the students of the importance of listening with our heart as well as our head. Finally, Sr Patricia spoke of Our Lady’s great strength and courage as she watched her son Jesus die on the cross. She invited them to emulate these qualities as Daughters of Sion.

We are very fortunate to have the Sisters once again able to join us to share their stories and wisdom in this way. They form an important part of our legacy and as heirs to this legacy, it is incumbent upon us to treasure and nurture our Sion story.

So it was with great delight that I accepted the invitation from our two College Captains when they asked me whether we could speak about legacy at our Term 2 assembly. ‘Dialogue with the Principal’ has been a feature of our Term 2 assemblies for many years now and it was a real pleasure to share our thoughts about the values of the College and how they impact our lives now and into the future.

As part of Reconciliation Week and our Term 2 assembly, we also welcomed Leila Gurruwiwi, a Yolngu woman originally from Galiwinku on Echo Island in North East Arnhem Land. Amongst many things, Leila is also a Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education officer.

Leila spoke to students about the diversity among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the importance of listening to and recognising each person’s story, a notion that is so closely aligned with our charism. Her final comment offered us much food for thought and inspiration. She said, 'while it may be challenging, if we are not brave, true change won’t happen.' The journey towards reconciliation should also be part of the legacy we have inherited from our country’s past. It’s a legacy that requires respectful listening and action that addresses the injustices that have occurred.

Last Saturday, we also welcomed to our annual College reunion, many past students who represented the Classes of 2012, 2002, 1992, 1982, 1962 and one past student, Mary Deery who graduated in Year 12 in 1952! It was great to hear their stories and appreciation of their time at Our Lady of Sion College. Once again we were blessed to have Sr Patricia join us and for her to reminisce with those who were students with her as well as students she had taught.

There are many things that make up our personal and collective identity – things that give purpose and meaning and things that require us to act for justice. As a Sion family, we value the past and its traditions, and we also look toward how we can use this legacy to make a difference now and into the future. Thank you to Sr Patricia, our Year 12 students and in particular Alannah and Chelsea, Leila Gurruwiwi and our past students for contributing to this reflective process.

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.

On Saturday night, I was sitting on my couch at home about to watch a football game. Gold Coast was playing Hawthorn. I don’t follow either team but I was pretty tired so thought I’d put the TV on before going to bed.

Then, I saw something wonderful – it was an Indigenous person conducting a Saltwater welcoming ceremony. He was standing in the ocean in Darwin with the whole of the Gold Coast AFL club. He then invited them all to put their hands in the water and wash themselves.

And then, it happened.

He welcomed everyone. He said it didn’t matter where you have come from, you are all welcome here!

I couldn’t help but be reminded of the Christian story. Over 2,000 years ago, Jesus of Nazareth was baptised in the Jordan River and then the Gospels recounted his life and message saying, it doesn’t matter where you have come from, you are all welcome here!

When we hear of acts like we have recently seen in Texas, where innocent children and staff were killed in a local school, never do the words of our Indigenous Elders, and our Lord Jesus Christ, ring out so loudly at Our Lady of Sion College – 'It doesn’t matter where you come from, you are all welcome here!'

Years 10 and 11 Examinations

Yesterday Years 10 and 11 students commenced the Semester 1 Examination process. The exams are an important part of the learning process for students, preparing them for the VCE external examinations. Students learn to revise longer-term learning, recall information and apply skills under timed pressure, and simply sit still for an extended period of time!

It is important for our students and families to know that the exams are part of the learning experience at Our Lady of Sion College. Students have already been assessed and supported to achieve satisfactory outcomes within their classes and in-class assessments. Students should view these exams as a learning process, reflecting on their performances and achievements and making plans to improve.

Subject teachers will actively support students in studying and revision skills. If you have any concerns at all, please make contact with the Homeroom teachers and Wellbeing and Growth Leaders.

2023 Subject Selection Process

As we come to the end of Semester 1, we begin the process of subject selection for 2023. While this seems a long way off, it is very important that the College spends time preparing the students and their families for pathway decision making.

On Monday 20 June from 4.30 pm to 6.30 pm, Year 10 students will be invited to the Subject Selection Expo. They and their parents can speak to the teachers of the various subjects, ask questions about content, skill sets, and pathways and begin to gather the information that will assist their choices for VCE and VCE Vocational Major. Students in Year 9 considering acceleration, as well as Year 11 students who are thinking about making changes to their current selection, are also invited to attend.

The 2023 VCE Parent Information Evening will follow the Subject Selection Expo, commencing at 7 pm in the Miriam Theatre.

The Year 10 2023 (current Year 9 students) will have a Parent Information Session the following evening, Tuesday 21 June at 7 pm.

VCE English has three different streams: English, English Literature and English Language while the Vocational Major English is known as Literacy. These four subjects are quite different in nature. Students can select multiple English subjects with a minimum of one.

English is very much a continuation of the 7-10 curriculum, focussing on the core skills of Reading and Responding to Texts, Language Analysis and the use of persuasive language in texts. Students explore a range of texts; from the media to creative fiction, film and non-fiction. English provides a broad study and skills for students for the processes of analysis and clear communication.

Literature is different again, with less focus on current issues but rather looking at a range of texts to understand how they convey meaning, how they represent different ideas, how we respond differently to them when texts change form, and how we can understand each text when we apply a different lens. If you enjoy a deep dive into film, poetry, plays and novels, this is the English for you.

English Language is an Applied Linguistics course. Students learn about the subsystems of the English language and how when we communicate we use the building blocks of language to express our main intention and our subtexts. Students learn about how we learn to speak, how English developed over time and how we express our personalities within our communication. If you are a student of another language, or you lean towards the Maths/Sciences, this may be the English choice for you.

The Literacy class of VCE Vocational Major (formerly known as VCAL) is a fundamental part of this qualification. This is very much an applied course, where students learn about clear communication, and how to structure and use the appropriate language for any given situation.

Child Safe Standards Three and Four

In this article, I continue to unpack the next two new Child Safe Standards as it is important that parents and carers understand how the school will enact the Standards and the ways parents, carers and students can be involved in the process.

Standard Three ensures that our students are empowered about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously.

Examples of enacting this Standard:

• students in Year 7 - 9 engaging with the ‘Your Safety Matters’ during a Pastoral lesson
• posters in every classroom providing information on help-seeking resources such as the College’s counselling team, Kids Helpline and headspace
• empowerment through the Student Leadership program and student-led initiatives such as House Feast Days and International Women’s Day
• Student Wellbeing and Voice surveys
• Student Voice groups - Student Uniform Advisory group
• City Experience and the Camp program
• Health and Physical Education units that cover sexting, online behaviour, party safe/consent - risk-taking behaviours, sexuality, influence, and identity.

Standard Four requires the College to inform and involve families and communities in promoting child safety and wellbeing.

Examples of enacting this Standard:

• newsletter articles regarding Child Safety matters
• policy review through the College Board and Parents’ Association
• survey to parents and carers that seek their views on Child Safety and Wellbeing matters
• working with parents and carers in the development of Safety/Pathway/Learning/Medical Plans
• parent and carer involvement in Parent Support Group meetings.

College Colours

With the return to consistent onsite learning for our student community, we are now moving back to the pre-COVID expectations for the number of points required to gain a Sion College Colour.

The College Colour requirements document is available on the website. Please click here.

Students can access the reinstated requirements document for College Colours on SEQTA Learn in Forms and Information.

Our particular thoughts and prayers go to Manisha B (11 Blue) and Kara T (9 Gold) whose fathers passed away recently.

We remember Manisha, Kara and their families in a special way at this sad time.

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

Can TikTok have an impact on teenagers’ mental health and what can we do about it?

TikTok is a short video sharing app that was created in 2016 by a parent company, Byte Dance. With an average of over 1.2 billion active monthly users, TikTok has grown exponentially since its launch. Business analysts estimate revenue of $4.6 billion in 2021, which is a 142% increase, possibly due to the large increase in numbers during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

TikTok differs from other social media platforms, which often have a mode of 'the networked self', compared to TikTok’s mode of self-representation and identity creation. This is achieved by using a complex 'For You' algorithm. This algorithm determines the content that appears on the 'For You' page, consisting of an endless stream of videos uniquely personalised to the user. Although the algorithm is a secret, TikTok considers and compiles data from user interactions (likes etc), accounts followed, account settings and many others which then present users with videos most relevant to their interests.

So how can this be dangerous? Some experts believe that the algorithm can promote content related to depression, anxiety and even eating disorders. In 2021, The Wall Street Journal conducted its own investigation into TikTok. They created 100 'bot' accounts, each with different ages, genders, locations and interests. The programming allowed the bots to linger on videos that related to their predetermined interests. One bot was given an interest in sadness and within 36 minutes, the TikTok algorithm had learnt the bots' interests and displayed videos related to sadness and depression-related issues on its 'For You' page. Every second you watch, rewatch or linger on a video, the app is tracking you. To look at the 13-minute summary video of this really interesting project and findings, click here.

What can parents and carers do?

Perhaps do what I did. If you have not already, download TikTok so you can at least have a good look at it. You can then check the privacy settings are understood and utilised. For example, does your child operate on a child or adult account? A great resource site for TikTok and other online safety ideas is the government eSafety site. The following link gives introductory information related to TikTok: click here.

• This article from Cyber Safety Project helps to get you started, however, the site, in general, has some great information and advice in the Blog section.
• Discuss self-regulation with your children. You can show them the techniques you use to remain focused on tasks at hand. There are a number of apps on the market that lock users out of social media for pre-set amounts of time. For example, they might use the app, Freedom, to lock themselves out of TikTok and other social media apps for a number of hours while they do homework and while they sleep.
• Be aware that your child can create multiple accounts on TikTok, which are completely anonymous. If they can, others can as well.
• TikTok is not terrible, it can be great fun and useful, however, all things in moderation and at an appropriate age. We just need to be sensible and scrutinise all technology on our children’s behalf.

Useful resources:

• https://cybersafetyproject.com.au/secondary/parent-guardian-support/
• https://www.cyberwise.org/post/tiktok-and-online-safety-what-parents-should-know

Well done to all of our Year 12 students who have travelled through a very busy assessment period. It is also great to see many students maintaining a steady and consistent approach to their studies regardless of assessments. This is the most effective way for students to stay on top of the workload and to reduce stress leading into SACs. A timely reminder for students that they are welcome to join the after school study sessions on Monday to Thursday from 3.30 – 5.00 pm.

At our assembly on Monday, it gave me great pleasure to acknowledge the Year 12 students listed below who on top of their studies are managing to involve themselves in other aspects of College life. A big congratulations to these girls for their commitment and for sharing their many talents with the College community.

Senior Play

• Natalie K-S
• Emma H
• Elaina C

All-State Jazz Competition

• Rebecca T
• Emma Q
• Bella C
• Lauren S
• Winnie W
• Natalie K-S

GSV Netball

• Mia M
• Sienna S
• Victoria S
• Abbey O
• Holly R
• Georgia C
• Grace N
• Alexandra P

Cross Country

• Mia M
• Sienna S
• Caitlin B

Many of you would be aware that part of the Year 12 tradition is for the students to order a custom-made rugby top as a memento of their graduating year at Our Lady of Sion College. Earlier in the week, I sent an email to parents and carers outlining the ordering process for the rugby tops. I have also uploaded the link to the Year 12 Google Classroom so that students can also access the link. Orders for the rugby tops need to be submitted by midnight on Tuesday 14 June.

A gentle reminder that if students are absent for an extended period of time due to illness it is important for them to communicate this with their teachers so they can receive support to manage the workload. It is also important that a medical certificate is provided if students are absent for a SAC.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Well done to Year 11s who have started their Semester 1 Exams this week. Throughout the past fortnight, the Homeroom team has worked with the students in preparation for their exams. This has involved reviewing their overall study skills and reviewing the effective use of a variety of study habits. Throughout the past years due to COVID and Online Home Learning, students were unable to have the typical arrangement for Year 10 Exams throughout 2021. This will be the first time students will be completing an exam for all subjects, in person.

Throughout the examination process, students have to implement their own study skills - creating a study plan, learning how to prioritise their work, and overall time management in order to feel confident heading into each exam. The Homeroom team, subject teachers, and I have emphasised the importance of this process, as it is an opportunity to practise this Assessment Task format, before the commencement of the Unit 3/4 exams.

We hope that students see this as a challenge and that they are capable of success. The Year 11 students get to determine how much effort they will put in, to meet their own goals or standards. Moreover, every student will have their own standard of what ‘success’ looks like to them. We have encouraged students to consider whether their goals are realistic and achievable. What is something they would be happy with? Would they be proud of their efforts, to do their very best?

For further information about the Year 11 Exam process, please review:

• Final Assessment Task Outline
• Year 11 Exam Timetable

Good luck to the Year 11 VCAL students working on an independent program whilst VCE students complete their exams. We hope that students do well over the next week completing their final assessments! Good luck to our Year 11 students!

Student Reflection

Whilst entering the middle of Term 2, the Year 10 students have been able to access many opportunities provided by the school. These include Cross Country, Fatima Feast Day and much more. Week 6 this term, is the beginning of exams. For the Year 10 students, this is a new experience. Although this may be a stressful time, our teachers have reminded us that there is much support around us including family and teachers.

Recently the Year 10 students also took part in the Morrisby Careers Quiz, where they learned what career path would be best suited for them through a variety of different surveys. By now, you should have received your results which will hopefully assist you to plan for your future. Most students have been finishing up assignments and preparing for exams. Finally, the most important thing we can say to students is to remember that these exams are to prepare us and not to stress us; our wellbeing and mental health at this time should be put first, above all else. This is a time for growing and learning and we shouldn't allow the work to overwhelm us. So, take time for yourself this week and remember everything is going to work out. Lucy S and Aisha I,10 Red

I’d like to share the following resource from La Trobe University to assist students studying for their current Final Assessment (Exam) Tasks. I think it is a good resource for studying right throughout the semester, but now it is timely to have a look through this site to see what will work for your daughter(s). Everyone is different in what approach works well for them. This resource gives plenty of advice to help discern which approach might be best.

Keep calm and keep going.

Although a small amount of stress before exams may aid performance, too much anxiety will negatively affect exam performance.

There are several strategies students can try to reduce anxiety before and during exams:

• Start early and stay on track with your exam preparation to reduce your stress levels. If you have trouble getting organised and making a study plan and would like someone to help you, come and speak to your Homeroom teacher.
• Look after your health. Get plenty of sleep, eat healthy food and try to find time to exercise. Many people find that yoga and breathing exercises can help keep them in tune both physically and mentally.
• Keep things in perspective. Although it may seem at the time that the next exam will be the most important event in your entire life, this is probably not really the case and thinking like this only puts more pressure on yourself.
• Take a break. Notice when you are tired or losing concentration. If you feel like this late at night, you could make more effective use of your time by going to bed and getting up earlier the next morning to study when your mind is feeling fresher. A good way to refresh a tired mind is to go on a brisk 15-minute walk. A 15 minute TV break is mind-numbing rather than refreshing and can easily turn into a one hour break.
• Set rewards for yourself. Rewards for good progress can assist with motivation. Try setting yourself a goal and rewarding yourself when you achieve it. A reward can be as simple as a cup of tea or your favourite TV program.

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

Throughout the past fortnight, our Year 9 students experienced several significant opportunities, providing them with important information about themselves, those around them and even their wider impact on our community. Two of these experiences are outlined below.

Headspace

Headspace is the National Youth Mental Health Foundation and provides early intervention mental health services to 12-25-year-olds. We were lucky enough to have three speakers from Headspace come to the College to discuss with the year level how to recognise mental health concerns, how to look after their own mental health, how to support a friend and contacts to seek external support if required. It was a fantastic opportunity to provide knowledge to all.

Leadership Network Conference

Last Thursday, Ms Jennifer Tilley and I had the privilege of accompanying some of our Year 9 Leaders to Marcellin College for a Leadership Network Conference. The students met with other Year 9 leaders from a range of Catholic schools and participated in a workshop.

The workshop provided our young leaders with the opportunity to engage in dialogue around building a culture of learning together through collaboration and discussing different ways students can be empowered to make a difference in our world.

Here are some quotes from students who attended the day:

It was such an amazing opportunity. We started the day with group trivia, where we mixed with other school leaders and formed teams in order to play. We also learnt about the role of faith in leadership and how important it is when taking on a leadership position. To end the day, the Sion girls worked together to generate ideas that could be implemented as part of our Year 9 program. Overall, I thought the leadership day was an excellent experience that helped me expand my knowledge of leadership and learn what leaders are doing at other schools to make this year better. Zoe F, 9 Gold

At the Marcellin Networking Day, we learnt all about how to use our talents to become better leaders and how to identify our strengths. The knowledge we acquired will greatly enhance our leadership skills, especially in the area of working as a team. As a group, we came up with ideas to improve the cohort's involvement with each other and the school. Scarlett F, 9 Blue

The students are to be congratulated on their participation and contributions on the day and I am very much looking forward to working with and guiding this motivated group of young leaders.

As we are nearing the end of Term 2, I think now is a good time to provide a reminder of some of our expectations. At Sion, we pride ourselves on upholding high expectations of our community and our students are a large part of that. We are nearly at the half way point of the year, so I believe now is a good time to reflect on the year so far and set/revisit goals for the rest of 2022. I would like to ask for your support with the following College expectations:

• No mobile phone use at school - phones must be kept in lockers during school times
• Students should not be emailing parents or friends during class time and if you need to speak with your daughter or pass on a message, please contact Student Reception
• iPads are school property and should be respected - look after them by only using them in the classroom or library
• Students are provided with locks to keep their belongings safe - some students are opting not to do this, so please encourage them to do so
• No jewellery or makeup/nail polish of any kind is to be worn – if you are wearing a cross it must be on a longer chain so it hangs below your school top
• Chewing gum is not permitted at any time
• Showing respect to teachers and peers.

On Tuesday 24 May, the Year 8 students attended their first Retreat Day at Sion and I was very proud of the way they represented themselves. They showed so much enthusiasm and passion for Sion throughout the day along with some engaging discussions. The theme of the retreat was building positive relationships. This has been a theme for the year and will continue throughout their years at the College. Thank you to all of the students involved throughout the day.

2022 Leadership Positions

Congratulations to the following students who have successfully obtained positions of leadership for 2022:

• SRC – Amelie P and Claire R
• Liturgy – Sibella L and Bianca G
• Social Justice – Asha Q and Shaelle L
• Drama – Leticia G and Olivia Z
• Music – Edee G and Jessica Z
• Debating – Ilia P and Lucy P
• Environment – Sophie P and Molly P
• Visual Arts – Laura C and Sophia B
• Fatima – Meg L and Emily B
• Carmel – Avni K and Lucinda H
• Loreto – Maddy R and Alessia G
• Lourdes – Alannah T and Lara R

We are in the process of finalising our Class Captains for 2022 and look forward to what our Year 7 leaders will bring to the College.

During last week's Pastoral session, each student was asked to consider their place and impact on the digital world. Students were first asked to develop a list of all applications that could be used to speak with or communicate with others.

• Roblox
• YouTube
• Snapchat
• Instagram
• Messenger
• Messenger kids
• TikTok
• WhatsApp
• Facebook
• Discord
• Facetime
• Zoom
• Skype
• Omegle
• Minecraft
• Twitter
• Reddit
• Among Us
• Email
• Classroom
• Hangouts
• Google Meets
• House Party
• Pinterest
• Steam
• Microsoft Teams

It is certainly impressive to see how many ways are available for us to connect and communicate with each other, however this then poses the question: How are we ensuring that we are all partaking in respectful relationships in the online world?

Using examples of past viral videos, we explored how uploading, following, commenting, and sharing content of or about others can have a negative impact. In the current cyber world, it is common to share content of our friends and family doing funny things or pulling ‘pranks’ on each other, then post on our social media profiles. All students were given the opportunity to understand that sharing or interacting with this content could be distressing for the subject.

With reference to the ICT policy we have at the College, students were asked to reflect on what advice they would give to others who may be experiencing a disrespectful online experience, or have their image shared without consent. It was fantastic to hear so many students discussing how to seek support from their peers, friends, and trusted adults such as parents, guardians, extended family, and staff members. If you are looking for resources to continue this discussion at home, please visit the following links for more information.

• https://www.digitalthumbprint.com.au/parent-resources/
• https://cybersafetyproject.com.au/
  

Languages Week

Languages Week 2022 was a great success! The focus of the week was to celebrate the Chinese, Italian and French languages and cultures while promoting the benefits of learning a language. Students embraced the three days and participated in the many activities that were organised.

Education Perfect Our Lady of Sion Language Competition

The winners of the 2022 Our Lady of Sion Languages Week Competition are as follows:

Gold Award recipient

• 1st: Sophie W, 7 Silver

Silver Award recipients

• 2nd: Jacinta M, 9 Red
• 3rd: Emma H, 7 Purple
• 4th: Qi Yuan C, 7 Purple
• 5th: Ruiyu Z, 7 Gold
• 6th: Ngo Tsz W, 7 Gold

Students who scored 1^st – 6^th place will receive a voucher to Village Cinemas.

The following students received a Bronze Award: Sarah M, 8 Silver, Ava R, 7 Silver and Keira K, 9 Gold.

The spot prize was won by Abbey R, 7 Blue. Abbey will receive a $50 JB HiFi voucher.

Congratulations to all our students who participated in this competition and achieved excellent results, especially our prize winners and award winners.

Some of our students have shared their experience of the week below:

Last week, Our Lady of Sion College hosted Languages Week, the week that celebrates the Italian, French and Chinese language and culture. On Monday, Year 10 students had the opportunity to attend a Language Forum, which highlighted the advantages of studying a second language. On Tuesday, students were able to purchase a variety of Italian, French and Chinese sweets. The Year 7 students participated in an incursion with a dancing and singing entertainer in French and Italian. On Wednesday we were able to purchase a gelato from the gelato truck. Every day, in the LRC, all year levels were able to take part in badge making and had the chance to watch some videos about Italy, France and China. Every morning, the prayer was read over the speakers in a different language, each Homeroom was able to participate in the Language Quiz, and the winning Homeroom was able to win a prize. It was also great moving into our Period 4 class listening to a song in a different language for three days. Experiencing Languages Week at Sion was highly memorable. Sofia F, 11 Red

During Languages Week, the Year 10 language students were lucky enough to undertake some activities with students from Whitefriars and Marcellin Colleges. We had to introduce ourselves to the visiting students in our chosen languages and had the chance to play some trivia games to test our knowledge of the country we are studying. We listened to some guest speakers who shared their experiences with their language learning. We even had the chance to listen to a Sion student playing a famous Chinese instrument called the Guzheng. Tamara B, 10 White

During Languages Week at Sion, the Year 10 language students were given the opportunity to participate in a Languages Forum with students studying the same languages from Marcellin College and Whitefriars College. At the Languages Forum, we heard prayers in Chinese, French and Italian from the Sion students who studied these languages. We also had guest presenters come to the school or present online about what it is like to study a language and what opportunities those languages could give you in the future. We heard from past students of Sion, Mr Matt Absolom, Lecturer in Italian Studies and Languages and Linguistics at the University of Melbourne, and students from the University of Melbourne who are in their final years of studying Italian as a subject. It was a very enriching experience that gave us an insight into what studying a language in VCE looks like and what opportunities it can give us after high school. Thank you, Mrs Amato and the other teachers, for organising this experience for us and making it such an amazing day. Sienna A, 10 Red

Secondary Schools' Parliamentary Program – Student Reflection

Recently we attended the Secondary Schools' Parliamentary Program. This is a program that provides students from Years 9 and 10, from various schools across Victoria, a chance to learn about Australia's constitution and systems of government. The event gave us the opportunity to participate in a parliamentary-style debate. The event was held at Parliament House and we were seated in the Legislative Assembly.

We were able to meet the Shadow Minister for Education and ask some questions. Our topic was 'Should the Victorian Government retain judge alone trials for indictable offences post COVID?'

We argued that it should not be retained as it is part of our constitution that we are trialled in the court of law by our peers. Having the opinions of 12 different people with different life experiences is better than that of a Judge that would only have one, and also because hearing from a jury gives a more diverse opinion from the community that lessens racial and sexual discrimination within the court.

Something that we learnt on the day was that whatever is said in a parliamentary sitting can't be sued outside the chambers for defamation because they are given special permission to say what they like, to a certain extent. We also learnt that when jurors are chosen for selection, usually teachers and nurses are objected to as they are female-led professions. Overall, it was an amazing experience that provided us with an opportunity to learn from others and have our voices heard. Sienna A, 10 Red, Hayley B, 10 Silver and Hannah D 10 Purple.

Parliament of Victoria is currently running their annual Parliament Prize competition. Do you have an issue that you are passionate about and would like politicians to hear about it? The Parliament Prize gives students the opportunity to prepare a 90-second statement on a topic of their choice. For more details, check out the Humanities Google Classroom. The code for this is advertised in the Student Bulletin.

Clue on Stage

Our Senior Production of Clue on Stage was held in our very own Miriam Theatre last week! We had four shows with evening performances packed full of supportive community members who were so excited to come back to our theatre and watch our talented students perform.

The show featured a double cast to give as many students the opportunity to perform as possible. This choice was not without its difficulties. Often through the rehearsal process, we felt the impact of having students away ill with COVID or any one of the many illnesses that are circulating. Despite these hurdles, our cast and crew were always ready and willing to plug holes, show their adaptability and carry on with producing the show.

With blackmail, deceit, murder and mayhem, audiences were taken on a raucous journey to find the murderer running loose in Boddy Manor. We were treated to two different versions of the play by the double cast which were equally as entertaining as each other. The elation and admiration shared after the performances by the cast and crew, were heart-warming and a testament to how important our productions are to community building.

A huge thank you to the many staff involved in the production including Catherine Bennett, Laura Geilings, Alice Dawes, Jennifer Schwab, Alex Pote, Paul Hamilton, Paul Kerr, Natasha Borg, Tahlia Kloprogge, Vicky Kapourelakos and Julie Toffolo and all the staff who supervised front of house or backstage. Now onto the Junior Play! Calling out to all students in Years 7-9. Listen out for details in the Student Bulletin to hear how you can become involved in either cast or crew for another wonderful Sion show!

Alex Bleazby

Year 8 – Commedia Dell' Arte

Our Year 8 classes have been learning about the performance style of Commedia Dell' Arte for the past few weeks. Each student had to research a stock character to perform, and these characters have very specific voices and movements. The students worked in groups to develop their performances which were energetic, creative and very entertaining. Congratulations to 8 Blue, 8 Gold and 8 Purple on their performances.

Laura Geilings

Ensembles Concert Thursday 16 June – Bookings now open!

Booking are now open on TryBooking for 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:

• 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, Senior Concert Band.
  
  TryBooking link for ACT 1 (5.00pm – 6.30pm) is here

• 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, Senior Jazz Ensemble.

TryBooking link for ACT 2 (7.00 pm – 8.30 pm) is here

Term 2 Soiree

There is no shortage of students willing to perform as evidenced by another large turn-out for the Term 2 Music Soiree held last Monday. 32 instrumental students presented a solo and small group repertoire in Music Room 22 and the Miriam Theatre. It was fantastic to see so many junior students (Years 7 and 8) who performed a piece that they have been working on with their instrumental teacher.

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

In Term 3, the Music department will be very busy presenting their ensemble pieces at both the Monash Youth Music Festival and the Victorian School Music Festival. The schedule of participating groups, dates and venues is as follows:

• Intermediate Strings VSMF (35 students) Wednesday 27 July. Depart Sion 8.45 am.
• College Vocal Ensemble Monash Youth Music Festival (28 students) Thursday 28 July. Depart Sion 6.15 pm.
• Jazz Club VSMF (20 students) Tuesday 9 August. Depart Sion 11.45 am.
• Senior Jazz Ensemble VSMF (18 students) Tuesday 9 August. Depart Sion 3.00 pm.
• Intermediate Concert Band VSMF (48 students) Tuesday 16 August. Depart Sion 8.45 am.
• Senior Concert Band VSMF (28 students) Tuesday 23 August. Depart Sion 12.30 pm.

National Sorry Day and Reconciliation Week

What a busy fortnight for the Social Justice team. Last week we acknowledged National Sorry Day where we remembered and acknowledged the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were forcibly removed from their families and communities. Our Year 11 Social Justice Representatives commenced our celebration of National Reconciliation Week on May 27 by educating the Sion community on the significance of this week and the theme for 2022 'Be Brave. Make Change'. We were encouraged to 'Be Brave' and tackle the unfinished business of reconciliation so that we can 'Make Change' for the benefit of all Australians.

During our Term 2 assembly, we welcomed Leila Gurruwiwi from Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools. Leila is also an Australian media commentator and television show producer. Leila spoke to the whole school community on why reconciliation is important, the history of reconciliation, the issues still impacting the Indigenous population of Australia and what we can do as individuals and as a Sionion community to live out the theme 'Be Brave, Make Change'.

Fatima House also held their Term Two initiative day raising awareness and fundraising for Opening the Doors Foundation, an Aboriginal-led community organisation supporting educational opportunities for Aboriginal children in Victoria. The Foundation enables Aboriginal students to participate fully and equally in education, and supports their families to make their own choices about their children’s future. Students pledged their commitment to support the work of Opening the Doors Foundation and held a BBQ to raise funds. Fatima raised $684.

Sion Sport continues to demonstrate a sense of community, unity and belonging. It is my pleasure to see students grow and develop both on and off the sporting landscapes. Over the last fortnight, senior students have confidently led junior teams by coaching them in netball, hockey and Australian football. They foster the program by teaching them skills, sportspersonship and what it means to be a part of Sion Sport. Additionally, at the Championship Cross Country Carnival on Friday 27 May, there were many special moments shared between the team as student leadership took many forms.

Carnival Sport – GSV Cross Country

The cross country squads' hard work all term showed at the GSV Championship event on Friday 27 May. For the first time in history, the event was held at Cruden Farm, Langwarrin. We had some fantastic results from the day including Juniors coming first in Division 3, Erin M (Year 9) placing 1st overall in the Junior category, as well as another four students, Sophie F (Year 7), Olivia M (Year 8), Teagan M (Year 9) and Matilda K (Year 11) all finishing in the top 10 of their division. Congratulations to all girls who participated! Sion as a whole came 2nd in Division 3 which is an excellent achievement. Thank you to all parents and teachers who have allowed the Cross Country season to happen in regards to training, meets and carnivals. Congratulations to all the girls. We look forward to seeing many of you at Athletics training as we transition into Term 3! Cross Country Captain – Ally L, 11 Blue

Weekly Sport - Hockey and Netball

GSV Hockey

​​Over the past term, I have had the pleasure of coaching the Junior and Intermediate hockey teams. All players are energetic, have great communication with each other and have demonstrated a huge improvement in their hockey skills. The juniors are fifth on the leader board, having won two out of their four games and the intermediates are currently third on the ladder after winning three of their four matches. What a successful season! Senior Hockey Goalie/Junior and Intermediate Hockey Coach – Izzy A, 12 Red

GSV Netball

Over the past fortnight, Sion has had the opportunity to play both home and away matches for Junior, Intermediate and Senior Netball teams. Playing matches at Sion is always a privilege because various students get to watch and we often get to welcome other schools into our wonderful community. The support of the Sionian sport community has been honourable with past and senior students coaching junior teams as well as students from Years 9-12 umpiring our home netball matches. We look forward to our last round of netball next week as well as the up-and-coming finals for the qualifying teams, with Senior A and Senior B starting us off with finals on Monday afternoon.

Athletes of the Week

Other Sport News

Term 3 Sport Trials - Please collect a Permission Form from the Sports Office and return it before your first trial.

Book Bag Design Competition

The LRC has collaborated with the Arts Learning Area to run a competition for all year levels to design Book Bags with themes of sustainability and Sion. This idea originated from Winnie W, the Environment Captain, which we helped put into action.

The brief was to create a design that will be placed on reusable book bags at the College.

Winnie W, along with Alannah W, the Arts Captain, went to Homerooms and did a brilliant job promoting the competition. This competition closed on 23 May, and there were 178 digital entries from students - the most entries ever for an Arts competition!

There will be ten winners selected, and the designs will be printed on the bags. We will display all the Book Bag entries in the LRC space on the television in the near future. Winners will be notified when all is finalised.

Thank you to all the students who entered the Book Bag Design competition.

Some of the entries for the Book Bag Design Competition are shown below:

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. Nelson Mandela

Students and families can find the fortnightly Careers newsletter here.

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

• Upcoming Events - Dates to diarise in Term 3: Monash Business Explorer Program, Discover Monash Seminar Series
• Career in the Spotlight – Clinical Neuropsychology
• Things to consider – Medicine interviews at Monash
• Research ideas – Teach the future, make an impact with a career in teaching; Holmesglen – Diploma of Event Management and Live Production.

School exams can be a very stressful time for teenagers. The recent chaos caused by COVID-19 hasn't made things any easier, with students being forced to adjust to new routines and a changed style of learning. But while the world may be changing and rearranging itself daily, the importance of education, and the role that exams play in that landscape, have not changed. Stress around exam time can not only impact a teenager's mental health but also their physical health and general wellbeing. Having a stressed teenager in the house can also be difficult for the whole family – particularly during this time, with many families spending more time together indoors.

Helping your teenager deal with stress in the lead-up to exams can both benefit their study and reduce the tension at home during the exam period. Here are some tips on how to deal with exam stress with your teenager:

Give them time off from chores

The pressure to perform well in an exam while preparing for it under challenging conditions is tough enough, so take a load off by excusing your teen from chores when they're deep in preparation mode. They’ll appreciate the extra time to study or unwind, as well as the fact that you're looking out for them.

Encourage extracurricular activities

Right now, every day feels a bit like Groundhog Day. While it might sound surprising, given the COVID blur, your teen could easily slip into a routine of overindulging in study. Encourage them to step away from their desk occasionally and keep doing their regular activities. Whether it's taking a bike ride around the block to clear the head, or joining an online gaming session with their friends, it's essential that they occasionally switch off.

Help them set up a study space

Creating order among the chaos by helping your teen to set up a dedicated study space can help give them a sense of control. Get them to pick and choose how the space looks and feels. The more ownership they have over the area, the more likely they are to feel comfortable and relaxed while working there.

Chat with them about life after exams

Talking about the future can seem scary, especially when things feel uncertain, but chances are your teen is more stressed about their life after the exams than you are. By approaching the subject and talking about what comes next, you can take the fear out of the unknown. When your teen knows they've got your support, they'll stress less about what the future holds.

Maintain a regular sleep schedule

While the lead into exam time is usually full of last-minute (and late-night) cramming, getting your teen to maintain a regular sleep routine will pay big dividends for them and the whole family. Disrupted sleep patterns are a sure-fire way to have a stressed-out teen on your hands. Add to that a big exam looming, and that's bad news for everyone at home. If a sleep schedule doesn’t fly, try reminding your teen of the benefits of uninterrupted sleep. If you're also working from home, schedule breakfast together as a family each day, so that everyone is awake and up at the same time.

Take study breaks and walks, cook up a storm

Distraction is often considered a dirty word when it comes to exam preparation, but with everything that's going on in the world, taking the occasional break is a great way to stress less. Go for a walk with your teen and get some fresh air or choose a recipe and get involved in a cook-off.

Let them vent

Sometimes the best way to send stress packing is to let off a little steam. If your teen has been cooped up inside with their books and needs to vent, then be a sounding board. If they're on a roll and just need to get it all out, try not to offer advice or suggestions. Nod, smile and enjoy the show! Chances are that you and your child will feel better after it's all said and done.

Source: ReachOut.com