Newsletter | Live a life worthy of the calling you have received

Tuesday 18 February
School Photos

Friday 21 February
Swimming Carnival

Monday 24 February
Parents' Association Meeting, 7.00 pm

Thursday 27 February
Talk and Tour morning, 9.30 am – 11.00 am
Years 7 and 10 House Spirit Day (lunchtime)

Welcome back for 2025

The beginning of a new school year is always filled with anticipation and the hope that the year will be a great one. Whether we are students or members of staff, it is also a renewed opportunity to achieve our best. In late January, staff and teachers worked to prepare the school and plan learning programs so that all was ready for the return of students. I am pleased to say we have had a really positive start to 2025 and as you will see in this first newsletter, a lot has happened in the last two weeks.

On Friday 31 January we welcomed 183 Year 7 students and their families for their first day of their secondary school experience. It was wonderful to see them organising their lockers, preparing learning materials and ensuring timetables were written into study planners. On their second day they received their devices as well as advice and support for getting the most from the technology and remaining safe online.

On that same day, Year 12 students experienced their final retreat as Sion students at the Foothills Conference Centre. The day was spent in personal reflection, further bonding together as a cohort, supporting the marginalised in Melbourne through the creation of care packages and celebrating Eucharist with Fr Mark. The highlight for me was the admirable way they showed each other respect and support as they received their Year 12 badges. This bodes well for their year and I encourage them to continue to lift each other up so all may experience fulfilment and success this year.

It was also a pleasure on Monday 3 February to welcome the Years 8-11 students on their return and to address them at their assemblies.

Thank you also to the many families who supported our Information Nights and in particular for your personal comments to me about the level of communication you have received and the support your children have experienced upon their return.

A highlight of the first two weeks was also the Top Achievers assembly which saw us celebrate the outstanding achievement of 30 members of the Class of 2024 who attained an ATAR above 90 as well as the Duces of each subject and current Year 12 students who achieved a study score above 40 in their accelerated study. Congratulations to all, what a wonderful achievement.

2025 College theme

Last Friday we celebrated our opening school Eucharist where we also launched our 2025 College theme:

Live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

Thank you to the students who provided me with positive feedback on the theme which I hope will resonate with all students as the year unfolds. The theme comes from St Paul’s letter to the Ephesians verse 4 and calls us to authentically and respectfully support each other so that we remain united and no one is left behind. The theme prompts us to think about ‘who am I now and what type of person do I want to become?’ It alerts us to avoid being arrogant, untrustworthy, selfish, manipulative, prejudiced, deceitful or cruel as that leads to disunity and suffering. Instead, it calls us to be respectful, inclusive, patient, gentle with each other, speak the truth in love, do what is fair and just, and always seek the common good. The theme also encourages us to recognise we are gifted with many opportunities and talents that we are called to use to enrich our own lives and those within our communities. I look forward to sharing more on the theme with families as the year progresses.

Building update

I am pleased to say we are almost there! While we moved into the Ratisbonne Discovery Centre at the beginning of Term 4 last year, it has been wonderful to see the spaces fully utilised now that classes have resumed. The second stage of our project continues to progress well. The front carpark and landscaping are only a few weeks away from completion and are already attracting many positive comments. The refurbishment of the former Administration building which now comprises six new classrooms, office and meeting spaces is complete. This will be known as the Colmar Centre and soon will be the new location for Wellbeing and Growth Leader, Mr Adam Rieusset and the Year 10 students. We hope to receive the Occupancy Certificate for both aspects of this second stage in early March so that students and staff may begin to use these facilities.

Late last year we also refurbished our property on 12 Graham Place into a new wellbeing centre named, the Ein Karem Centre. The College Counselling and Learning Diversity teams are now located within the centre which provides much enhanced facilities for students and staff.

In the next edition of this newsletter, I will provide the background to the names of our new facilities which are all part of our Sion history and legacy.

New staff and students

Please join me in welcoming the following returning and new staff, and new students to our school community.

Returning after a period of leave during 2024 are Ms Morgan Chandler, Mrs Jenny Schwab, Mrs Lynne Shaw, Ms Sofia Stagnitta and Ms Ellie Van Der Westhuizen.

New staff in 2025:

Ms Sabira Ali (Mathematics/Numeracy Coordinator), Ms Rebecca Cusmano (French/Italian), Ms Mary Hennelly (Religious Education), Mrs Antonia Kendrick (English/ Humanities), Mr Allan Kerr (Humanities Learning Leader), Mr Joshua Lake (Health & PE/AYIN), Mrs Breeana Norton (Reception/Admin Assistant), Ms Stacy Noulas (English/Religious Education), Ms Lina Ren (Mathematics) and Ms Eleanor Whyte (English).

In addition to our Year 7 cohort, we welcome the following new students:

Year 8: Eva A, Rani A, Dhyana R
Year 9: Charlotte C, Annika d'R, Dotti P, Viduni J
Year 10: Bellah G
Year 11: Jessie M, Ella R, Kaitlin B, Grace G, Kirrily C, Sophie G, Amina A
Year 12: Maddie P, Sofia K

I wish you all a very positive year as we work together to support the young people in our care.

Tina Apostolopoulos

The Year 12 students began with fresh energy and optimism when they gathered at the Foothills Conference Centre in Mooroolbark for their Retreat Day on Friday 31 January. The theme of the retreat was Who am I called to become? and the students certainly embraced their opportunities to continue to build community within their Homerooms, across the year level, and to support the homeless through packing toiletry boxes for Ozanam House. The day concluded with a beautiful celebration of Mass and the students receiving their Year 12 badges.

Last Friday, the College community came together for our Opening School Eucharist, which was celebrated by our College Chaplain, Fr. Mark Reynolds. We warmly welcomed our new Year 7 students, along with students from other year levels, and our new staff members. It was wonderful to have the Sisters of Our Lady of Sion and Mr Mark Walsh, Mission Coordinator for the Sisters of Our Lady of Sion Australia join us for this special occasion. Our College theme for 2025: Live a life worthy of the calling you have received was officially launched by our College Principal Mrs Apostolopoulos and was the central focus of the Mass. Through listening to Fr. Mark’s insightful homily and reflecting on the questions shared during the Communion Reflection, everyone was invited to think about how they might embody this theme in their everyday lives. These reflections challenged all present to consider how their gifts could bring justice, peace, hope, and love to those around them and to the world. Students from across the year levels took part in different roles throughout the Mass, supported by our Liturgy Captain Aleisha D M (12 Red). The beautiful music and singing added to the warmth of the celebration.

A message from our 2025 Liturgy Captain Aleisha D M (12 Red)

Hello everyone, I’m Aleisha and I am the Liturgy Captain for 2025. I am so excited to embark on this journey and help strengthen the faith of the entire College community throughout the year with various activities that the amazing Liturgy team is working on. Firstly, we hope to make chapel sessions more interactive whilst also having time to reflect and connect with God through this experience. We also aim to have opportunities available for all people through various arts activities, including both visual and musical, so that as many people as possible can get involved. I cannot wait to start holding these initiatives and continue helping to build the faith life of College this year.

Welcome to the 2025 Academic Year

The 2025 academic year has commenced with the normal flurry of activity. It was great to see the Year 10 students able to settle into their learning faster with the BYOD installation taking place the Friday prior to their official start date. We were also able to ensure that our Year 7s received their i-Pads earlier than anticipated, with the requisite training in e-safety and proper use, allowing them to get straight into their learning. Our Year 9 students have jumped straight into all of their subjects, including their choice electives, with a highlight being preparation for the City Experience that commences in Week 5. Our Year 7 students are currently undertaking PAT testing so that we can better understand their strengths as learners. More information will be circulated to the Year 7 and 9 families shortly, regarding the upcoming NAPLAN assessments, which also supports this understanding of their needs. Meanwhile our Notre Dame students have settled into the rigours of VCE life. They have all been issued a copy of the VCE Handbook for 2025, outlining the VCAA requirements for success.

SEQTA Reminder

Teachers are in the process of ensuring that the assessment task, details, and due dates are accurate in SEQTA. Take a moment to explore the learning information available on SEQTA Engage. This is where you will find the student timetables and Learning Intentions and Success Criteria for each lesson. As we move through the term, formative and summative feedback will be released here and you can of course, find staff contact details.

2024 Top Achievers Assembly

When the Our Lady of Sion College community comes together to celebrate - we do it with style. As one of the biggest events on the College calendar, the 2024 Top Achievers Assembly proved to be another triumph with an audience of over 1000 people. 2024 saw the highest number of students achieving an ATAR above 90. 30 students were able to walk across the stage with that honour. We also celebrated the dux of each subject and recognised the Year 11 students, now in Year 12, who excelled in their accelerated subject.

We were gifted with the presence of Dr Kathy Wilson, an alumni from the graduating class of 1983. Dr Wilson shared her experiences of making career changes, of being brave and taking risks, and always with a focus on educating herself and others. Speaking from her heart, Dr Wilson talked about the Sion legacy as always having a sense of belonging, confidence in a future filled with hope and the sense of compassion for others. She talked about how this manifests in her own life and interactions with others.

With much grace and humility, we celebrated our 2024 College Dux, Tianna Duffin. With an ATAR of 99.7 and dux of Accounting, Chemistry, English and Methods, Tianna spoke to the community about the challenges that she faced as a student, and not wanting to define herself through comparisons with others, but rather how she found her own strengths and grew them, all the while accepting that success looks different for each person. She left us with these final words: The best advice I can offer is to go for it, embracing every opportunity even when it feels scary, or you think you’re not good enough. To quote Wicked: “Some things you cannot change, but ‘til you try you’ll never know”. So, just take the leap, put yourself out there, and trust that you’ll find your way.

In her Commencement Address to the community Mrs Apostolopoulos drew our attention to the 2025 College theme: Live a life worthy of the calling you have received, and called us to reflect upon what it is that we have been called to do. The big things, the small things, the now things, and the future things.

We very much look forward to watching the Class of 2024 as they take what they have learnt from the Our Lady of Sion community into their future lives. We wish them well and remind them that they will always have a community that loves them here at Our Lady of Sion College.

Welcome back! It’s hard to believe that we’ve only had students on campus for eleven days, yet so much has already happened.

On Friday 31 January, we had the pleasure of welcoming our Year 7 students for 2025 alongside their families. It was a morning filled with excitement, anticipation, and a few understandable nerves as these young women embarked on their Sion journey. The desire to feel a sense of belonging is natural at this stage, and it was heartening to see how quickly they began to settle in. By the time I visited the Year 7 corridor later in the morning, the students were already engaged—getting to know their classmates, meeting their teachers, and familiarising themselves with College processes.

Meanwhile, our Year 12 students set off on their retreat, a significant milestone in their final year, while Year 10 students attended sessions to set up their BOYDs, ensuring they were ready for the first day of classes.

On Monday 3 February, we welcomed back the entire student body, and many staff commented on how smoothly the transition into the new school year unfolded. A heartfelt thank you to the parents and carers who attended the Parent Information Evenings held over the past fortnight. These sessions provided an important opportunity to connect, share expectations, and explore the opportunities available to students at each year level.

Engaging in College Life

At Our Lady of Sion College, we are committed to fostering a strong sense of community through Sion Connect, and student involvement plays a vital role in this. Engaging in College life allows students to develop a true sense of belonging, build relationships, enhance their skills, share their talents, and contribute meaningfully to the community.

Throughout Term 1, students will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities and begin accruing points for Colours, including:

• SRC initiatives, such as International Women’s Day pin-making
• Leadership opportunities, including Class Leader elections and Year 7 Representatives
• Lourdes Feast Day celebrations
• Library Lover’s Day activities
• House Swimming Sports
• Year 7 Family Mass
• GSV Term 1 competitions

I strongly encourage students to get involved, as these experiences enrich their time at the College and help them grow both academically and personally.

Parent and Carer Webinars and Online Workshops

Safer Internet Day is a global initiative that brings communities, schools, organisations, and families together to raise awareness about online safety. This year, the eSafety Commissioner is hosting free live webinars for parents and carers, providing valuable insights into the latest research and practical strategies to help young people navigate the online world safely.

These sessions will cover:

• Supporting healthy technology use as students transition into high school
• Algorithms and adolescents – understanding the benefits and risks of social media recommendation systems

For more information and to register, click here.

Stop it at the Start, a government initiative working with Tomorrow Men and Tomorrow Women will run free online respect workshops for parents and carers. Click here to find out more and register.

Introducing the 2025 Pastoral Care Team

Finally, I am pleased to introduce our 2025 Pastoral Care Team. This dedicated team, along with Homeroom teachers and myself, is at the heart of student support at the College, ensuring both academic success and personal wellbeing.

Wellbeing and Growth Leaders

• Year 7 – Jade Goss
• Year 8 – Chris Wilkes
• Year 9 – Jennifer Tilley
• Year 10 – Adam Rieusset
• Year 11 – Beth Amos
• Year 12 – Kathryn Steward
• Director of Pastoral Care – Paul Kerr

College Counselling Team

School Psychologists – Vanessa Cheng, Claire Jenkins and Sofia Stagnitta.

We look forward to working closely with students, parents, carers, and staff to ensure a positive, enriching, and supportive school year for all.

Wishing everyone a fantastic start to 2025!

Our particular thoughts and prayers go to Sienna P (12 Red) for the recent passing of her grandfather.

We remember Sienna and her family in a special way at this sad time.

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

Transitioning Smoothly to Secondary School

Much has happened since the beginning of the year. Each year level has held a Parent Information Evening, we have celebrated our Opening Mass, Top Achievers assembly and Lourdes have celebrated their Feast Day. This doesn’t include GSV or rehearsals for the College musical. We have also welcomed the Year 7 cohort and a range of new students from Year 8 to Year 12. I would like to add my welcome to the Year 7 students, who I had much pleasure working with on their first day of school and during the Orientation Day at the end of 2024. I would like to add my special welcome to the Sion One students, who have made the solo journey from their primary school to Our Lady of Sion College. I was in a similar position when I started high school, so I completely understand the challenges of this new and exciting beginning.

It is natural for students to feel some level of anxiety about starting at a new school. We emphasise that moving to Our Lady of Sion College is a natural progression in their education. The expectations, both socially and academically are not an unreasonable jump for most students, and hopefully after Open Day, Talk and Tours, Orientation Day and the first few weeks of school under their belts, they have a familiarity with their physical space. You may like to share stories about your high school days. I certainly did in the past with my Year 7 class and will do so again this year. I shared the positives and differences of my schooling and the camp stories and friendships I had made along the way.

They may not find close friends straight away; however, they will have many instant acquaintances in their Homeroom and in the Emmanuel Learning Centre, where many of their classes take place. As the year progresses and the students participate in their classes, Friendship Day in June, the music program, sport, House activities, art and creative competitions and of course the annual camp in March; friendships will naturally develop within their classes and the array of other co-curricular activities we offer at the College. Even with the array of activities, new friendships take time. Some suggestions that may support our Year 7 students include:

• Encourage your child to keep in touch with their old friends, so they feel socially connected. Different friendship groups are important rather than just one best friend.
• Talk to your child about how to introduce themselves and start a conversation. Some children may need more support than others, depending on their temperament and social skills. Encourage her to take a risk and say hello!
• It is easier to make friends with individuals than with a group, so often, having a chat in class or on the bus is more productive than approaching a large group.
• Encourage your daughter to explore new opportunities such as music, sport or other co-curricular activities where she will meet like-minded students.
• Seating is changed every two weeks in class, so she will get to meet many new friends.

Throughout this year, the team will strive to give our students the belief, resources and capabilities to manage challenging situations. One of the keys, will be teaching them to be organised for the day, managing a locker that is not in their classroom, and a timetable that may take time to get used to. If possible, maintain as many routines outside of school that are familiar to your child including social activities. It is positive to have a wide range of friendships and this can be reassuring for our students when they share stories of their own new beginnings in different settings with their primary school friends.

There is no question that some students may feel uncomfortable letting go of what they know and love. This is normal and we don’t ignore it, we acknowledge it as normal human emotions and encourage the growth that can come in such an exciting year.

I would like to extend a warm and formal welcome back to all Year 12 families as we begin the new school year. Our Year 12 cohort made a very positive start to their final year commencing with the Year 12 Retreat Day at Foothills Conference Centre in Mooroolbark. The day provided an opportunity to come together, reflect, reconnect and build relationships in readiness for the year ahead. The theme, Who am I Called to Become? encouraged self-reflection and the opportunity for students to engage in a social justice initiative creating care packages for those in need at Ozanam House. It was lovely to share this day together which culminated in the students receiving their Year 12 badges.

Thank you to those who attended the Information Evening. If you were unable to attend, the presentation was sent to you via EdSmart and contains important details and contacts specific to Year 12. Please do not hesitate to contact Dale Hunter, Brooke O’Hara or myself if you have any queries or would like further clarification regarding the content of the presentation.

The evening also provided the opportunity for the Year 12 Homeroom teachers to be introduced.

• 12 Blue: Karen Read
• 12 Gold: Ben Kelly
• 12 Purple: Tabitha Southey
• 12 Red: Kate Apostolopoulos
• 12 Silver: Melissa Walsh
• 12 White: Amy Garnham & Stacey Noulas

We are very much looking forward to supporting our Year 12 students and sharing in the events and experiences that will be part of their final year at Our Lady of Sion College.

Welcome back to all Year 11 students and their families for 2025! After a much-needed summer break, the Year 11s now start the new year as senior students residing in the Notre Dame Centre. Returning from the summer break always brings a sense of hope and excitement for the year to come, but also can bring a lot of worries regarding the ‘unknown’. The unknown of VCE and VM will soon become familiar to our students, but for now, there are new routines, processes, and plenty of questions to be asked. So far I have been impressed by this group of young people, stepping into a new space with new teachers and peers with confidence and energy, ready to engage in their learning.

During this transition period, the Year 11s have the opportunity to develop new relationships with their peers, find their feet in Homeroom and their new subjects. Moreover, they will be working closely with their subject teachers to navigate their approach to learning and engaging in subjects that they enjoy.

The Year 11s also have the support of their Homeroom teacher throughout the year. We thank them in anticipation for their ongoing support, assistance, and guidance for your child.

• 11 Blue: Stephanie Mainwaring and Carolyn Anderson
• 11 Gold: Jerani Pettikiriarachchi
• 11 Purple: Alice Dawes
• 11 Red: Eleanor Whyte
• 11 Silver: Despina Filippidis
• 11 White: Robert Steward

The support and care for your child rely on a partnership between the College and the broader community. Please contact your child’s Homeroom teacher or myself if you have any concerns or questions throughout the year. We are happy to help and redirect you or child to facilitate further conversations with the relevant staff.

If you were unable to attend the Parent Information Night on Thursday 13 February, the presentation will be shared to parents and carers via EdSmart Broadcast.

Welcome to all families and Year 10 students.

On behalf of the Year 10 Pastoral team, Mr Allan Kerr, Miss Hannah McLean, Ms Morgan Chandler, Mrs Renae Prendergast, Mr Terry Tan, Ms Laura Malone and Ms Cara Callum, I’d like to share with you all that the Year 10 cohort have made an excellent start to the year. Some of the words that we have heard about this cohort are that:

• The students (Year 10s) have been very helpful and supportive
• They have been enthusiastic to be involved with Homeroom and class activities
• Students have got into the flow of school life and they are developing strategies to support their learning
• The Year 10s are enjoying their classes and are responding to making new friends in Homeroom and subject classes.

We have already been working hard on ensuring that we maintain high standards with uniform and presentation. Attendance is also an area that we are emphasising with the students and we are supporting them with organisational skills. Overall it has been a very positive start and we can see the work ethic and willingness to try new skills and take on board new opportunities by all.

Over the next few weeks we will continue to develop and create skills that will support our Duke of Edinburgh, Adventurous Journey. Participate in the College Swimming Carnival and continue to cultivate our learning and personal strength in our subjects. It will be action packed and I cannot wait.

Finally, I’d like to thank all families who were able to join us at our Parent Information Evening, it was lovely to see and meet you all. The Year 10 Pastoral team and I look forward to working with you this year.

Until next edition be curious and inquisitive.

Welcome to Year 9 2025! It has been such a pleasure to meet the Year 9s and begin working with them on the journey ahead. A big welcome to the our wonderful Year 9 Pastoral Team (Homeroom teachers):

• 9 Blue: Hannah Muller
• 9 Gold: Leanne Anderson
• 9 Purple: Joshua Lake
• 9 Red: Jemima Stafford
• 9 Silver: Courtney Madeira & Kim Elliott
• 9 White: Yuxi Liu

I would also like to extend a warm welcome to the new students starting in Year 9 this year, Charlotte C (9 White), Annika d'R (9 White), Dotti P (9 Purple) and Viduni J (9 Silver).

Our year level theme for 2024 is Curious, Kind & Courageous. We want to encourage the students to have curiosity in their learning and in getting to know each other, the courage to create new friendships, try new activities/opportunities and to not be a ‘bystander’ if they see poor behaviour from other students. We also want the students to show kindness and gratitude, to parents and carers, staff and their peers and to actively seek to make others’ days brighter.

Year 9 sees the students participate in mixed elective classes, the dynamic AYIN program, weekly SnapShot and also have the opportunity to support the Days for Girls charity. I look forward to seeing their enthusiasm in these various offerings.

I would like to thank the many parents and carers of our Year 9 students who attended the Parent Information Evening. We hope you found this useful, and we look forward to working with you throughout the year.

Last week, we had our first Pastoral lesson where we unpacked the AIR (autonomy, independence & respect) program with the year level. Along with their Homeroom teachers, the students completed some self-reflections and were guided through what each concept entails, along with some practical scenarios. These were based on the slides shared with you from the Parent Information Evening. Please have a read through these if you haven’t already to further these conversations with your children at home and work with them to set some goals for areas that they would like to focus on improving for this term.

It is also with great pleasure that I announce our student leaders at Year 8 for 2025:

• SRC Representatives: Lila E (8 Red) & Maia F (8 Silver)
• Social Justice: Emily B (8 Gold) & Evdoxia S (8 White)
• Visual Arts: Emily H (8 Gold) & Zoe S (8 Gold)
• Drama: Sienna D (8 White) & Sophia Z (8 Purple)
• Music: Ava M (8 White) & Grace T (8 White)
• Debating: Lola M (8 Red) & Eliza N (8 Red)
• STEM: Aashirya M (8 Blue) & Sofia T (8 Blue)
• Environment: Aanya G (8 Blue) & Sophie K (8 Blue)
• Sports: Annie M (8 White) & Carla P (8 Red)
• Carmel: Tiffany E (8 Purple) & Chloe G (8 White)
• Fatima: Diaz C (8 Silver) & Evelyn T (8 Silver)
• Loreto: Hailey C (8 Gold) & Emma R (8 Silver)
• Lourdes: Tessa C (8 White) & Issy E (8 White)

I am looking forward to seeing all that these students can bring to the year level and wider College community in their leadership portfolios. Class leader applications are due on Friday 21 February for those who would like to apply for these remaining positions in our community.

Welcome to Our Lady of Sion College! I would like to extend a warm welcome to our newest members of the Sion community, our Year 7s and their families. The new school year is officially underway, and our Year 7 students have made a fantastic start to their Sion journey. Over the past few days they have settled into their classes, made new friends, and are excited for the challenges ahead.

Student Reflection

Friday was all about Orientation, setting up our timetables and getting to know the people in our Homerooms. We also got our locks and set up our lockers. I personally could not understand my lock on the first day, but after a while, I got the hang of it. Tuesday was really the first full day of classes and getting to know our teachers. I had my first sessions of PE, Italian, Maths, Drama and Humanities, which were fun. One of the challenges of starting high school was the task of taking public transport. Overall, I really enjoyed my first week of school and I am really excited for my journey of high school ahead. Phoebe D (7 Purple)

The Year 7 2025 Homeroom teachers:

• 7 Blue: Francis Nguyen
• 7 Gold: Josh Larkins and Ryan Parks
• 7 Orange: Sabira Ali
• 7 Purple: Lorena Raspa
• 7 Red: Margaret Lawson
• 7 Silver: Kirsty White
• 7 White: Isabelle Rebecca

The beginning of the year always brings much excitement for what is to come. Already we have had our first week of rehearsals for our 2025 School Musical "Mamma Mia" and the energy was electric. Staff and students are so excited about this show and it’s set to be another brilliant showcase of the extraordinary talents of our students.

We are now calling for students to apply for crew roles for the musical. Mrs Bennett will be calling a meeting to launch the roles we have available and provide all of the information that students will need in order to apply for the available roles.

Our 2025 Drama Captain Chanel T (12 Red) will be meeting with her new Drama Representatives to discuss plans for the year. We have our Drama Week very early this year in Week 8 of Term 1 and students from all year levels will be invited to attend the special events we will have running through the week.

The Year 12s are starting to plan and devise their ensemble works. This year their prescribed structure centres around Artificial Intelligence and how it will shape our world. They will explore the possibilities and the challenges of this tool in our world at present and in the future. We look forward to the showcase of these works in Term 2.

As always, Drama at Sion will bring many opportunities. We encourage all students to get involved, attend some Drama Club workshops and support the enriching program that we are so lucky to have at the College.

As we step into the 2025 school year, the Year of the Snake, we extend a warm welcome to all our students, especially our new Year 7 cohort. In just a few lessons, they have already shown remarkable enthusiasm for language learning, setting the stage for an exciting year ahead. The Language Department is more committed than ever to provide students with enriching experiences that enhance their language skills and deepen their appreciation for different cultures.

We are thrilled to share a special glimpse into our recent Partnership Program with our sister school, Notre Dame de Sion, which took eight eager students and an inspiring teacher on an unforgettable journey to Kansas, USA.

Over three weeks, these students embarked on an immersive cultural adventure, experiencing firsthand the beauty of a Kansas winter. They explored a different education system, adapted to life in a new culture, navigated snowy landscapes, and built meaningful connections with their host families and peers.

Throughout the trip, our students proved to be exceptional ambassadors for both Australia and our College. Their enthusiasm, curiosity, and respectful engagement with their new environment made us incredibly proud. They embraced every challenge and opportunity with open minds and hearts, creating memories that will stay with them for a lifetime.

A huge thank you to Mr Larkins, who accompanied our students to Kansas and whose dedication and guidance made this incredible experience possible.

Below, two of our students shares their reflections on this unforgettable journey:

Over the summer holidays, seven of us girls were accompanied by Mr Larkins on a 3-week trip to Kansas City, Missouri, to attend our sister school Notre Dame De Sion and to live with our host family. We had the most amazing time experiencing American culture, including attending sporting events, trying American fast food, and getting to play in the snow. We each tried popular American staples such as Raising Canes, Crumbl Cookie, and Chick-fil-a, which were all delicious. Additionally, we had the privilege of traveling to other states with our host families, including New York, Washington, Arizona, Colorado, and Massachusetts. These adventures created unforgettable memories that we will cherish forever. Through this journey, we deepened our connection to the Sion tradition, our host sisters, and their families, forming lifelong friendships that we look forward to maintaining.

Due to the snowfalls that Kansas experiences every winter, there are often snow days where students don’t have to go to school because of the dangerous and icy conditions. Given that in America, students can drive themselves at the age of 16, the safety for students on the road is very important. These snow days were very exciting for us as we could go outside and play in the snow, go sledding, make snow angels and even just step out the front door right into a pile of fluffy and pristine snow.

It was such a real pleasure attending Notre Dame de Sion school in Kansas City with our host sisters. The entire school community welcomed us warmly, with both teachers and students showing great interest in learning about life in Australia and the differences between our schools. They ensured we felt settled and embraced within their community. We quickly became immersed in the culture of their school whether that be through singing their school song complete with hand actions and as loudly as we could, the relaxed uniform rules and the typical American classrooms.

During our time at Notre Dame De Sion in Kansas City, we went on an excursion to explore Crown Centre, where we went ice skating, which was so much fun considering we were trying not to fall! After this, we went for Lunch at Fritz’s, where our food was delivered by toy trains, before we had the pleasure of receiving a guided tour around the NDS middle and elementary school. We all had an amazing time getting to know the students and answering their questions about aspects of Australian culture, as well as getting to deepen our understanding of their way of life.

On behalf of all seven of us girls, we would like to express our unwavering gratitude to Mrs Apostolopoulos for making the exchange possible, Mrs Kralj and Mr Rieusset for all their support and Mrs Amato for handling all the logistics and paperwork, ensuring we were well-prepared for any situations we might encounter with our host families. Thank you to Mr Larkins who navigated us through the airport and showed his support each day by checking in with each of us at school. We couldn’t be more grateful for this once in a lifetime opportunity that has left us with memories we will never forget and friendships that will last a lifetime! Tarlissa H (12 White) and Natasha N (12 White)

Music 2025 is up and running!

We are certainly looking forward to another fantastic year of music-making in 2025. Please note the following times for all ensemble rehearsals throughout the week. Permissions to attend out-of-hours rehearsals will be sent via EdSmart soon.

Music Ensemble Rehearsal Schedule:

Click here to view the 2025 Music Ensemble Rehearsal Schedule.

Instrumental Music 2025 Applications are open – it’s not too late!

It is not too late to apply for private instrumental music lessons for 2025. Singing, strings, brass, woodwind, percussion, drumkit and guitar tuition is still available.

• Access the online enrolment form here
• View the 2025 Music Program brochure here

Year 7 Music Program

During the first weeks of Music classes, the Year 7s will be trialling a range of instruments. The next step will be to complete the instrument preference form, which your daughter will receive in class in Weeks 3 and 4. This process needs to be informed by her availability for one of the following compulsory ensemble rehearsals, that will begin at the end of February:

• Junior Choir (singing/voice students) Rehearsal time Tuesday mornings 7.25 – 8.30 am, starts Tuesday 4 March
• Junior Concert Band 1 (brass, woodwind, percussion) Monday mornings 7.25 – 8.30 am, starts Monday 17 March
• Junior Concert Band 2 (brass, woodwind, percussion) Tuesday afternoons 3.25 – 4.30 pm starts Tuesday 11 March
• Junior Strings (violin, viola, cello) Wednesday afternoons 3.25 – 4.30 pm starts Wednesday 12 March

Australian Music Examinations Board end-of-year results

Congratulations to the following students who completed their external music assessments at the end of 2024, and received their certificates over the holidays for their respective AMEB instrumental music examinations – an outstanding achievement!

• Isabella B (8 Silver) - Grade 1 Viola
• Emily B (8 Gold) - Grade 1 Euphonium
• Ally F (8 Purple) - Grade 1 Trombone
• Emma H (10 Purple) - Grade 1 Violin
• Ella K (8 Red) - Grade 1 Trombone
• Charlotte M (8 Red) - Grade 1 Flute
• Ava M (8 White) - Grade 1 Trumpet
• Judy M (10 Purple) - Grade 1 Cello
• Lola M (8 Red) - Grade 1 Flute
• Adele P (8 Silver) - Preliminary Clarinet
• Milla R (8 Silver) - Grade 1 Eupho
• Zoe S (8 Gold) - Preliminary Clarinet
• Ilana S (8 Silver) - Grade 2 Flute
• Charlotte T (8 Purple) - Preliminary Clarinet
• Claire W (8 Blue) - Grade 2 Flute

Students and families can find the fortnightly Careers newsletter here.

In this issue of the Newsletter there is information relating to:

• Upcoming Events: Year 12 RSA Course, Victorian Careers and Employment expo, Melbourne GAP year information session
• What the Careers Domain can assist you with?
• Careers Industry in the Spotlight – Freelance Journalism
• Things to consider: 2025 Our Lady of Sion College Micro credential courses, 2025 Year 10 Work experience, 2025 Year 12 Careers Meetings
• Researching options: University of Melbourne – new major in Bachelor of Commerce, University of Melbourne on demand video library, Australian Defence force (ADF), Australian Institute of Music (AIM) Melbourne campus 2025, The University of Melbourne Hansen Scholarship.

I would like to extend a warm welcome back to the new school year to all students and families and in particular to those new to the Our Lady of Sion College community. This year is a Jubilee Holy Year, a time to renew ourselves as Pilgrims of Hope. Pope Francis has called on us all 'to be tangible signs of hope for those of our brothers and sisters who experience hardships of any kind'. As we launch into our Social Justice Program for the year, I hope it will be an opportunity for all to be pilgrims of hope, actively engaging in the various initiatives that will be offered to bring justice to this world.

Congratulations to our 2025 Social Justice Captain, Lia C (12 Red) and FIRE Carrier Captain Estella F (12 Purple). Here are a few words of their hopes and thoughts for 2025.

Hello everyone, my name is Lia and I am proud to call myself the 2025 Social Justice Captain at Sion. I am passionate about making positive change in the world that we live in, bringing equality and justice to all in our community, near and distant.

It brings me great pleasure to present the Social Justice representatives for this year:

• Year 8: Evdoxia S (8 White) and Emily B (8 Gold)
• Year 9: Katia C (9 Silver) and Chloe M (9 Red)
• Year 10: Mackenzie H (10 Red) and Madeline I (10 Silver)
• Year 11: Anria A (11 Purple) and Zara T (11 Purple)

With the help of these representatives, along with support from the school community, I know we will be able to achieve great things this year. Our team already has so much planned, especially for the upcoming annual Lenten fundraiser, Project Compassion, and I look forward to bringing the social justice aspect of the College to life for another amazing year in 2025.

Hello everyone! My name is Estella, and I am thrilled to be your 2025 FIRE Carrier Captain at Sion. I’m very passionate about this role as it gives me the opportunity to lead with the spirit of reconciliation, embrace the school’s charism and gain a deep understanding of our country’s history. As a FIRE Carrier, I aim to foster unity by living out our College’s mission statement; to always be concerned for justice, truth, reconciliation and peace and ultimately give a voice to, and advocate for what is right. I am committed to ensuring that we as a College honour and learn from the traditions and wisdom of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Throughout the year I will be writing a series highlighting dates of national significance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and for reconciliation generally. We start this series with the Anniversary of National Apology Day.

February 13 – Anniversary of National Apology Day

On February 13 2008, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd delivered the National Apology to Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for the injustices of past government policies, particularly to the Stolen Generations. In his speech, he called for the nation to right past wrongs and move forward with confidence into a more inclusive and united future. I encourage you all to learn more about this significant event in Australia’s history, so you can spread awareness and as a Sionian community, strive for justice and reconciliation

What does it mean to be a reader?

Summertime allows for leisurely reading without deadlines or expectations, a perfect contrast to the school year when the excitement of new beginnings spurs students to set goals and take risks.

As a new term starts, students often explore unfamiliar authors or genres, embracing the fresh challenges of the unknown. The Learning Resource Centre welcomes all; letting students borrow and read as many books as they wish. When looking at our statistics from 2024, we were excited to notice that there had been an increase in borrowings; from an average of 1.7 books per borrower to 2.59 books per borrower. Go Sion!

Being a reader looks differently for every person; some approach it with the steadiness of a chapter a day, while others binge-read a whole series. Regardless of the method, the cognitive benefits of regular, structured reading are profound, particularly for developing minds.

Students who are struggling to focus on reading, might set themselves goals to read for 10 minutes a day and slowly work up to a 30 minute session per day. Staying focused is hard as a teenager and reading from a 'single focus device' such as a paperback book or a kindle is preferable. Reading from an iPad, 'a multifocus device', doesn’t allow our brains to slow down and focus on the ideas as we are often wondering about emails or going on side quests to look up information about the book.

Encourage your teenager to find the time each day to relax and read.

Resources Update

All students who are enrolled in an Edrolo subject should now have access to their learning space. If students are having difficulty accessing their subject areas, please come to the LRC and ask one of our staff members to check the 'back end'.

eTextbooks can be accessed through the Campion MyConnect platform that is best accessed via Google Chrome: https://sion-catholic.campion.education/login. Students can gain access to the interactive spaces provided by each publisher by clicking on links in MyConnect.

Throughout the next few weeks, subject teachers will be setting up their Education Perfect classrooms and this will be posted on their Google Classroom space.

Welcome back to House for 2025! We are thrilled to kick off another exciting year of House activities and community building. Our House representative teams are eager to create opportunities for both staff and students to connect and feel a strong sense of belonging within their House communities. They come with new ideas and are ready to lead a range of engaging events throughout the year.

We launched the year yesterday with a wonderful celebration of Lourdes Feast Day. Students began the day in House Homerooms, led by their House Captains. The Captains guided students in prayer and explained the significance of Lourdes through the story of Our Lady of Lourdes. Students discussed the meaning of the Lourdes emblem, connecting it to the story and present day. They also provided an overview of the House system and shared a glimpse of the exciting activities planned for the year ahead.

The Lourdes Feast Day celebrations continued at lunchtime with a BBQ for Lourdes students and a variety of fun activities for everyone. Students enjoyed a spirited dodgeball competition and captured memories in a lively photobooth. The day was filled with enthusiasm and peer bonding, creating a fantastic start to the term and setting a positive tone for the year.

Looking ahead, we have the House Swimming Carnival coming up on Friday 21 February. We encourage everyone to get involved, show their House spirit, and cheer on their teammates. We look forward to seeing a fantastic display of participation and camaraderie!

The start of the year has been a dynamic and productive one for the Sports program, and we couldn't be more thrilled with the momentum! We've had a full schedule, including Aerobics trials, weekly sports events, and the return of Carnival training sessions. Behind the scenes, we are also preparing for the upcoming House Swimming Carnival next Friday.

A key highlight of the year is the GSV Sports Leaders Breakfast, where aspiring leaders from the 23 GSV schools gather. This year, PLC had the honour of hosting the event, with 2024 Olympians Grace Brown, Jean Mitchell, and Anabelle Smith sharing invaluable insights into the life of a professional athlete, particularly regarding the balance between personal and professional commitments. Our Sports Captains, Hannah G (12 White) and Natasha N (12 White), were engaged participants, actively contributing to discussions throughout the event.

Sport Leaders in 2025

We are very excited to announce our group of Sport Representatives and Captains. Congratulations to the individuals selected and thank you to everyone who applied for a leadership position, we truly appreciate your interest and enthusiasm in contributing to our team. Your passion for sports and leadership is inspiring, 2025 will be a great year in sport!

House Captains will work alongside individual Sport Captains to deliver our program to students and run the Sports Award Night in Sports Week (Term 3). Individual Captains will be introduced next fortnight in the Newsletter. Information regarding Year 7 Sport Representative applications will be advertised in the coming weeks.

Term 1 Weekly GSV

Term 1 GSV Weekly Sport is here! This week was our first round of competition across age groups with teams competing in Volleyball, Softball and Tennis. Although all Senior teams lost their first matches, the energy and team spirit levels were high. With weather hitting over 37 degrees, Intermediate and Junior games were impacted, but we cannot wait to see our teams take the field/court in future weeks.

GSV Aquatics Squad

Our Swim & Dive squad have enjoyed the early mornings at Aquanation in Ringwood. With the preseason sessions held last year, students have returned with an exceptional base to compete well at our upcoming Preliminary (Friday 28 February) and Championship (Tuesday 18 March) Carnivals at MSAC. Our diving team accessed the dry facilities at Aquanation to learn somersaults before training in the water. Mr Rieusset has been inspiring our swim squad alongside our team of GSV coaches at training meets at PLC and Genazzano in the past week.

Strength & Conditioning

What a start to the year! We had 120 students attend our first S&C workout on Friday morning. Our Year 9-12 students have been blessed with access to Box Hill Hawks Weights Room giving them an insight to a professional sporting environment. The weight circuit each session focuses on fundamental movements and students have the option to use heavy resistance to challenge themselves.

The Year 7 & 8 group use areas around the College focusing on fundamental movements, athletic development movements, core strength and aerobic components. If large numbers continue, we may look to have Junior groups complete S&C at lunchtime to meet demand.

GSV Golf Tournament

Adele P (8 Silver) & Tiahna T (12 Blue) competed in the GSV Golf this week at Box Hill Golf Course. Adele finished in 13^th position and Tiahna in 16^th position from a field of 20+ GSV students with handicaps. We are very proud of our students, they represent our College extremely well, showing skill, sportspersonship and persistence on the course. Adele P provided a recap of the game below:

On Tuesday 11 February our school golf team participated in the annual GSV golf competition held at Box Hill Golf Course. The event brought together talented young golfers from various schools, showcasing their skills and sportspersonship on the green.

Our team of two displayed exceptional determination throughout the afternoon. Whilst it was hot, the weather was almost perfect for golfing. There were clear skies and a gentle breeze, creating an ideal atmosphere for the competition. Tiahna and I played with great enthusiasm, navigating the challenging course and demonstrating impressive techniques.

The competition was fierce, but we remained focused and supportive of one another. At the end of the round we were grateful for the delicious sandwiches provided at the end of a long afternoon.

A special thank you to Mr Cox for his encouragement and guidance. Adele P (8 Silver)

Welcome back! We hope everyone had a lovely and restful break.

We wanted to take this opportunity to re-introduce the Counselling Team at Our Lady of Sion College. The Counselling Team offers support to all students for social and emotional issues and works with students to improve their overall wellbeing.

Over the coming weeks, the Counselling Team will visit each individual Homeroom to introduce themselves and the service to all students. Although many students may not need counselling immediately, situations can arise throughout the year where students can benefit from additional wellbeing support. Support may be needed for mental health issues, school and learning, stress and time management, family and friendship concerns, social skills, and any other personal issues they may be facing. Being aware of the available service at Our Lady of Sion College provides students the opportunity to connect with the service if and when the need arises. Students can self-refer or be referred by a staff member or parents. The service is voluntary, confidential and personalised to the needs of each student.

The Counselling Service is available Monday-Friday and appointments are offered before and after school, during recess and lunch time, and during class throughout the day. There are three College Counsellors in the team, Vanessa Cheng (College Psychologist), Claire Jenkins (College Psychologist) and Sofia Stagnitta (College Psychologist).

If you would like to contact us, please email Counselling@sion.catholic.edu.au or phone us on 9890 9097.