Newsletter | Speaking the Truth in Love

Welcome back to all students, staff and families for what I hope will be an exciting Term 4 and a wonderful conclusion to this year. It is hard to believe how quickly the year has gone and yet there is still plenty to look forward to and celebrate in the final months ahead. Aside from it being a time to complete final learning tasks and assessments, and draw together the traditional final events, Term 4 is also a time of transitions, the movement from what has been to what is to come. It is a time to reflect, to consider and to plan. Ultimately it is also a time to celebrate.

This week we celebrated with our Year 12 students, the end of their secondary education. While they are some weeks away from concluding their examinations and finalising their tertiary pathway choices, in many ways they are experiencing an exciting transition. Most arrived with great anticipation as Year 7 students in 2017 and now as young adults, they are about to embark upon the greatest adventure of their lives as they plan and explore the many possibilities that await them. In speaking with them, I have heard that they are excited and yet sad that this moment has come so quickly. To mark this milestone, on Wednesday we honoured the Class of 2022 at our Graduation ceremony. They were presented with their graduation certificates and gifts from the College, and prizes were awarded. On Thursday the student body also acknowledged them at our Farewell and Investiture assembly. The Class of 2022 handed over their leadership to the Year 11 students and the newly elected student leaders formally accepted their leadership role for the next twelve months. Today was marked by a shared breakfast and joyful activities, a time to take photos, to laugh and reminisce, and to ultimately savour this final moment together.

On behalf of all staff and students, I congratulate the Class of 2022 and wish them every success as they prepare for life beyond Our Lady of Sion College. The Class of 2022 has been part of the Sion family, one which I hope has nurtured and supported them. They have developed into fine young adults, and I hope they now look forward to a future which promises many opportunities. I hope they will fully embrace the times ahead with a sense of optimism and self-belief and I thank them for the many contributions they have made to the life of the College. I also thank Year 12 families for whom this is also a conclusion to their formal connection to the College. We remain grateful for your support in the work of educating your children.

Indigenous Immersion

As highlighted in Term 3, together with Ms Dawes and Mrs Stott, I had the great pleasure of accompanying 23 Year 10 and Year 11 students on our Indigenous Immersion. We travelled to Alice Springs and spent time on the land of the Arrernte people, and with students and staff of the Yipirinya School Community. We then travelled to King’s Canyon and spent time with the nearby Wanmarra Community assisting them with their gardens and indigenous plants restoration project, and learning about indigenous culture and connection to land. The final leg of our immersion saw us travel to Yulara, the land of the Anangu people. We walked the path around Uluru paying attention to the sacred site and learning how indigenous people lived, learned, and celebrated culture within the area. Each evening students and staff were invited to journal to reflect on the day. On the Sunday evening, we experienced a liturgy where students shared their reflection on the immersion experience. I have included two reflections below which summarise the sentiments of all who shared this wonderful learning experience. I thank all students for their openness and their curiosity, and for their respect and commitment to learning and doing more to support reconciliation. Many have described it as a transformational experience which will remain within them throughout their lives.

Indigenous Immersion reflections

Reconciliation is a journey, it takes time. All we can do, at the very least is encourage the healing process and the process of paving the way to a better future for all. Reconciliation is a constant journey that embraces all aspects of human dignity, not only for oneself but for all around us. History calls us to speak this truth and to grow from the pain of the past.

What I hope for reconciliation and what I believe everyone can do to play their part in mending the mistakes of the past, is to respect indigenous culture and be willing to learn about it. Indigenous Australians have lived on this land for over 60,000 years and it is not right to belittle or diminish this. It is the oldest living culture in the world, and it must be respected and appreciated. To eliminate harmful stereotypes and unfair stigma is our responsibility. It is our responsibility to respect how First Nations people were so deeply affected by the actions of our ancestors. When we learn and understand, we can take steps to reconciliation and live together in peace and unity, as our country should.

This term we welcome the return of Mrs Lauren Baldasso (Head of Communication and Development) following a period of Family Leave. We also welcome Mr Aidan Nikakis, Mr Mark Natoli, Ms Sarah Parkinson and Ms Renae Prendegast who are replacing some staff who on leave this term.

With every blessing for the fortnight ahead.

Tina Apostolopoulos

Last week I had the privilege to speak with our Year 12 students at the beginning of their last RE class. Perhaps for many (most) of them, this will bring to an end any formal study of Religious Education that they will ever complete.

We started, as I believe we should, with prayer.

Our prayer centred around the Identity Marker that has recently been placed up in their area in Lower Notre Dame.

To explain, over the past few weeks, based on feedback from members of our community, we have placed certain Catholic Identity markers up in particular areas throughout the school. Some of these are Scripture quotes, some are quotes/reflections from people connected to the charism of the Sisters of Our Lady of Sion – the likes of Theodore Ratisbonne and Louise Humann.

The prayer/quote for the Year 12 students we used last week was, “My soul magnifies the Lord,” and is taken from John’s Gospel.

Why this quote in this space? (We will continually ask all members of our community this question).

Our Year 12 students are our senior members of our student community. They have been on the education journey of “Sion” the longest.

“Magnifies!”

We believe and hope that they are ready. Our College Mission Statement invites our students to be people who will transform the world. Imagine if each of them transformed the world by magnifying what Our Lord, Jesus Christ, had to offer us: Peace; Justice; Compassion; Reconciliation; Inclusiveness; Love!

Our prayer last week with our Year 12s wasn’t just something for them to listen to – it was a challenge for them to live out – to be the soul that magnifies the Lord!

There are a number of other “markers” that we have placed around the school. I hope to share some reflections in upcoming newsletters as to what they are and why they have been placed in the areas they have.

With the arrival of the spring weather, we prepare to say our goodbyes to our Year 12 students. If the graduating class of 2022 take nothing else away from the celebrations that we have prepared for them, let the message be that we as a College see them as courageous change makers that will make a positive difference to the world in whatever challenges they take on in the future. I wish them every success in their exams, but want them to know that they are already successful in every way that matters. May the Lord bless and keep them.

Looking at the calendar ahead, the Year 11 and 10 students are preparing for their final assessments and thinking about the examination timeline. Their subject and Homeroom teachers will work with the students to settle nerves and establish study and revision habits that will support them into the future.

Meanwhile the rest of the school is buzzing with activity. The milder weather is allowing students to work outside, gathering data and recording performances. The DAV debating competition is still underway and CAT week is returning bigger than ever before.

2023 Learning Resources

As we plan for the end of 2022, parents will be able to access the booklist information through their Seqta login from Tuesday 18 October 2022. Parents will be emailed out an instructional letter on Monday. Our new 2023 Year 7 students will get a copy of their booklist in their orientation bag on Friday 2 December 2022.

Parents will need to set up an account through Campion to access the booklist and can choose to use Campion to purchase their students resources. Campion is offering a fee of $11 for delivery to home and $5.95 for processing. Click and collect will be available in January.

2023 Campion Booklists

Any questions about the Booklist can be forwarded to LRCSupport@sion.catholic.edu.au.

Stopping comparisons can improve wellbeing

While it might be human nature to compare ourselves to others it can be an almost overwhelming and detrimental thought process for our teenagers.

This constant comparison is further fed by today’s Influencers and their ‘perfect lives’, and social media to a point that for some students, they can no longer enjoy what they love. They are no longer present and enjoying their netball or singing less but rather focussing on who is better than them.

This type of comparison often results in students not putting themselves forward for opportunities, such as student leadership both formal and informal or stopping an activity they love because they’re not the best at it or worrying what others might think of them. The truth is, for the most part, people around them are too focussed on themselves to care or take note.

Comparing ourselves to others has a strong link to our sense of self; we gain a sense of who we want to be or what we want to be doing. This can have a positive effect if we seek feedback, and set realistic goals to better ourselves. It is detrimental when we stop doing good things because we do not have the skills or attributes yet.

A teenager's sense of identity is very important; understandably many of them want to be like others. As students have more access to money and free choice, they can be weighed down by the pressure to stay on trend through purchases of clothes, mobile phones, or personal styling, making them even more vulnerable to damaging effects.

Comparison problems to look out for:

• Repeated physical comparisons, especially when the look is safely achievable or achievable through photoshop

• Worry about the number of friends or comments on post rather than the quality

• Stopping what they love because others are better

• Not trying because of what others will think

• Word or actions of guilt, envy or resentment towards other who succeed after hard work or good fortune

• Never being happy with the result after trying hard and doing what is needed

While comparing is something we all do, it is important for parents and carers to help their child reframe their thinking when it starts to become a negative influence.

Try encouraging them to limit who they follow online and be realistic about the body, lifestyle or possessions someone purports to have. Foster critical thinking skills so that they understand what they are seeing as not always being real. Avoid regular comparison to siblings or close friends even if the quality is a positive one. Encourage them to work on areas for improvement for their sake not for the sake of being better than others and having an advantage. Help them focus on the strengths they already have and celebrate these.

As a significant adult in your child’s life, be a role model and take the focus off others to a focus on self. Instil the belief that, ‘I don’t have to be the best or just like others; I just have to be me.’

Our particular thoughts and prayers go to Miss Frood (Year 9 Wellbeing and Growth Leader), Rebecca M-N (8 Purple), Sienna S (12 Red), Clementine C (10 Blue), Alana M (10 Silver) and Scarlett M (9 White) whose grandmothers passed away recently. Clementine's grandmother was a past student. Also, to Annabelle E (9 Red), Hannah T (9 Gold), Kristina S (7 Purple) and Angelina S (8 Purple) whose grandfathers passed away.

We remember Miss Frood, Rebecca, Sienna, Clementine, Alana, Scarlett, Annabelle, Hannah, Kristina, Angelina 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.

As we farewell our Year 12 Class of 2022 I congratulate them on their incredible efforts and hard work throughout the year. The week has been travelled with mixed emotions by our students. Excitement about moving on to the next chapter of their lives while coming to terms with saying goodbye to Our Lady of Sion College.

This week has been fittingly one of celebration. Our Year 12 students hosted a beautiful morning tea for staff in gratitude for their contribution to the personal growth and learning of our students. On Wednesday evening, students and their families gathered for Graduation, a special occasion which recognised the talents and achievements of each individual student. It was an emotional evening but one of pride for all present.

On Thursday the whole school gathered for the Investiture Assembly. This provided the opportunity for our Year 12 students to be farewelled by the school community. In keeping with tradition this occasion allowed our current 2022 leaders to officially hand over their roles to the incoming leaders of 2023. I always love the moment at the end of this assembly when the Year 12 students proudly sing the school song.

The festivities continued with Celebration Day on Friday. A time for our Year 12 students to dress up and enjoy activities with their friends and teachers.

As the students enter into a period of SWOT VAC I wish them well with their studies leading into the final exams. I have no doubt they will continue with the commitment they have demonstrated all year and wish them the best of luck for their exam period.

Welcome back to all Year 11s and families! We hope you enjoyed your holiday break, and are feeling ready for one last term. During the first two weeks, students have been settling in to their classwork, working on their final assessments for the year. With one term to go, we are looking forward to spending time together during Homeroom and Pastoral.

This week during Pastoral students competed in the Year 11 Bench Ball Tournament. The energy was high and the competitive spirit was alive. Homerooms faced off for seven-minute games, to take out the House Cup. The student leaders did an excellent job in leading the demonstration of the game and encouraging the cohort to get involved.

Tension was high in the Year 11 Bench Ball tournament, there was a lot at stake. All or nothing. Throughout Rounds 1–3, White, Blue and Silver won their games, eliminating Red, Purple and Gold, respectively. 11 Blue won their round with the largest margin which gained them an advantage moving onto the final round. 11 Silver and 11 White went head-to-head in an intense semi-final. 11 White ended second best and 11 Silver was off to the final round. Both 11 Silver and 11 Blue put up a good fight in a close grand final. In the end, 11 Silver (the underdogs), took home the Homeroom Cup! Ally L (11 Blue), Lara H (11 Silver) and Ella M (11 Silver)

Congratulations to 11 Silver, continuing their legacy from previous wins in 2017 and 2018. Thank you to Mia G (11 Silver) and Mia P (11 Blue) for commentating the event. Well done to all Year 11s for competing and getting involved!

Term 4 will move very quickly for Year 10 students and again we have some significant milestones to look forward to.

In Term 4 our first opportunity to engage with our extended community will be the Year 10 Social, hosted by Whitefriars College, to be held on Wednesday 2 November.

Then on Wednesday 9 November - Wednesday 16 November our Year 10 students will complete their Semester 2 final assessment tasks (exams). Once these are completed the Year 10s will commence a week of Smart Start where all students will complete one week of their Year 11 subjects, giving them the opportunity to get a feel for what their Year 11 year, will look and feel like.

Then finally on Friday 25 November, we will celebrate as a Year 10 community their last day of the year for the students.

Earlier this week we started to investigate how to best approach this term from both an academic point of view and a positive, growth mindset point of view.

The first resource I would like to share is the following YouTube presentation that talks about how to study effectively and what is the difference between homework and study. With final assessments occurring throughout this term, it is the skills that allows our students to complete these tasks that are important to focus on. An example is that cramming for a task is not an effective strategy to prepare, but spreading out that preparation over a few weeks will allow for deeper understanding and a more effective strategy to use. I hope the following presentation will support all families to support their daughter(s) to prepare effectively.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPxSzxylRCI

The second resource I would like to share with you is around a positive, growth mindset and the role that failure plays within this. Failure is a positive element of learning. The more errors we make, the more that we will learn. From failing at a task, we have the opportunity to then persist, to not quit too early, that is, to learn your lesson and do your best, as failure will lead us to success. And I leave you with this final thought: the past does not equal the future, we can all create our now truth, not our past truth.

Failure Is Part of Success: Eduardo Zanatta at TEDxBYU

So, until our next newsletter, on behalf of the Year 10 Homeroom teachers, we hope that all Year 10 families will continue to discover their ‘excellence within’ by taking on new opportunities.

Welcome back to Term 4! We have a busy term ahead for Year 9 students with lots of exciting opportunities and events to be involved in.

On Thursday 6 October many of the Year 9s attended the Year 9 Social at The Karralyka Theatre in Ringwood. You could really feel the buzz during the days leading up to the night. The Social provides students with the opportunity to catch up, dance and meet new students from Whitefriars College, Siena College and Catholic Ladies College.

I would like to thank the students for the mature way they went about the night. Hopefully it was a fun experience for everyone. I would also like to acknowledge all the Homeroom teachers and other staff who volunteered to help supervise on the night.

Below are some key dates for Year 9 students as the year draws to a close:

• Wednesday 19 October - 2023 Leadership Positions applications are due
• Friday 21 October - 2023 Peer Support and Talk and Tour applications are due
• Monday 24 October - Year Level Bake Sale
• Tuesday 25 October - Significant People, Significant Lives Launch
• Monday 28 November - Mind, Body, Soul Day
• Tuesday 29 November - Ayin End of Year Liturgy
• Tuesday 6 December - Final Day for Students

These activities have been scheduled to provide the students with opportunities to socially interact with others across the year level. It will also be a fitting way to celebrate all that the College offers our students at Year 9.

In addition to these planned activities, we are encouraging the girls to maintain a vigorous study program for the remainder of the year as we prepare the girls for their transition into Year 10 in 2023. I know the students have a number of assessments they are currently working on so it is important for them to maintain a committed approach and high levels of organisation.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

And just like that, we’ve arrived at the final term of the year! Term 4 is packed with lots of exciting events, the first of which was the Homeroom Dance and Cheer competition that took place in our Pastoral lesson this week. I would like to congratulate 8 Red, who took out the title for 2022! All Homerooms should be extremely proud of their efforts and incredible teamwork they showed working together and showcasing an amazing performance!

The next major event is of course camp, which myself and all teachers attending are very excited about. It is a wonderful opportunity for our students to make new connections amongst other Homerooms and to have some new experiences. For some, this could be sleeping in a tent for the first time. However, camp is also a time that can bring about apprehension for students in a variety of different ways. In saying this, it is important to normalise these feelings and reassure them that there are staff there to support them along the way. Positive language is key to building excitement rather than nervousness! If your child is feeling especially concerned about camp, please encourage them to speak with their Homeroom teachers or myself.

The camp provider has also recently asked us to ensure that everybody brings their own pillow to camp as a part of their COVID-19 safe plan. Please add this item to the list of things to bring that was provided to students in the camp forms bundle.

Welcome to Term 4 and the final weeks of Year 7! We have, as always, hit the ground running with wonderful opportunities for the year level to embrace. On the second day of term our level was able to enjoy their first Retreat put together by Mr McInerney and our Religious Education staff. Students embraced the day's activities and were able to reconnect as a group after the term break. A highlight was certainly having Sr Patricia Fox come to speak with the students about not only her role as a Sister of Our Lady of Sion, but her experience as a past student and how she was shaped by her time at the College.

As we continue to move through the year and learn our new "normal" in a post COVID-19 world, the Year 7 cohort has experienced many changes. Their first ‘normal’ year of schooling has meant that there have been many challenges in building and maintaining friendships. Whilst these changes and challenges are age and stage appropriate, it is worth noting that a number of students are seeking help and guidance from parents and staff.

Should your child come home with concerns regarding their friendships and friendship groups here at school, we encourage you to take some of the following steps:

• Listening without judgement or preconceived ideas about the other students involved

• Asking about the emotions of your own child as well as the perceived emotions of others

• Asking what steps can be taken to either repair the relationship or remove themselves from the situation

• Reminding students that group chats with students from our school or outside of school rarely result in positive outcomes but rather discussions about friendships are best had face to face to avoid misunderstandings.

The Homeroom team and myself will continue to make ourselves available to students should they need a space to seek advice and guidance. At the College we look to empower students through mutual respect and dialogue with the other. We look forward to working with families to make this a reality for all Year 7 students as they complete their first year of secondary school.

As part of the Sion Writer’s Club, we held a 500 word Short Story Competition over the term break. The challenge was to write 500 words including three words that were randomly chosen; heat, complex and evoke.

500 words doesn’t sound like a lot, but many students said that it was a real task to refine and minimise the word count, while still staying true to the challenge.

I liked doing the short story and writing, I mainly wrote it during homeroom and when I had finished tests or school work. I really enjoyed doing it because I’ve never actually written anything for pleasure before so it was good trying something new. Megan E, (8 Silver)

We had a phenomenal 20 entries from Year 7 to Year 11. The Sion Writer’s Club met last Thursday and identified four stories to be part of our “short list”.

We invite the school community to read through the stories and then vote for your favourite Short Story:

• Silence
• The Hive
  
• Scars
  
• Heat, Evoke, Complex
  

Click here to vote.

Sion Writer’s Club meets on Thursday in the LRC and students can either “stop and write” or they can partake in mini-workshops designed to build skills. Ms Lawson and Mrs Benke are the teachers supporting this group with Isabella H, (9 Purple) taking a leading role at developing interest in the group.

Year 12 Drama Solo Performances

Year 12 Drama students presented their self-devised Solo Performances in a showcase evening for parents, friends and other Drama students in the last week of Term 3.

These performances will form their major Drama exam and will be presented to a panel of examiners at Karalyka Theatre on Tuesday 18 October.

We wish the girls well for their Drama exams and congratulate them on their wonderful performances, the culmination of many months of hard work.

It has been a busy week, with formal classes for Unit 3 /4 students coming to an end, and the period of time known as SWOTVAC beginning. This is the time in which students consolidate their year’s learning in preparation for the written examinations, which begin on 26 October and run until 18 November. During this time students are able to access the College to meet with teachers and utilise the Notre Dame study spaces. Unit 3 /4 classes with Year 11s will continue to run. If students do return to the College during this time we ask that they wear their full summer uniform and sign in and out of student reception.

Whilst we hope for a smooth pathway throughout SWOTVAC and the examination period for each student, there are always unforeseen circumstances which may occur which could hamper the student’s ability to perform to their best on the day of the exam, such as a sporting accident, acute illness or bereavement in the family. In this situation it is imperative that you contact me at the College as soon as possible as there is the ability to apply for Emergency Special Provisions, which provides a provision to enable the student to complete the exam, or receive a Derived Examination Score, if the student’s performance on the exam is compromised. I have spoken to the students regarding these circumstances but will disseminate further details to families about these processes next week.

I wish all students and their families a calm and productive time over the next two weeks leading into the exams.

Significant People, Significant Lives Project

Those who have been past the College in the last week will have seen the beginnings of the Significant People, Significant Lives Project launch with the garden display now on view. The work of our Year 9 students is being exhibited in the form of visual artworks and written biographies that have been completed across their Ayin and English studies. The official launch will take place on Tuesday 25 October with an assembly and morning tea. All Year 9 students have been provided with an invite, designed by Year 9 student Jacinta M, to pass on to their Significant Person and guests are kindly requested to RSVP to the College by Monday 17 October.

Intermediate Strings at Holy Spirit Primary School Fete

Congratulations to the members of the Intermediate Strings (and some Senior Octet students) who played last weekend at the annual fete at Holy Spirit Primary School in North Ringwood. It was really special that some of the girls who performed were graduates of Holy Spirit Primary School. Many thanks to Mrs Jackie Tinsley and Mr Oscar Woinarski who supported the girls.

VCE Music Performance Unit 2 Recitals

Earlier this week, we had the Year 11 Music students performing their major performance recitals which forms a large part of their assessment in Music this year. Students presented solo material, of differing styles and genres, with both live and pre-recorded accompaniment. Many thanks to Ms Adeline Han for her outstanding accompaniment skills.

Investiture Assembly

This week, we farewelled the Year 12’s and welcomed in the new portfolio leaders and captains. Congratulations to the Senior Octet and the College Vocal Ensemble who provided music for this important assembly.

Term 4 Music Soirees

There are two dates for Music Soirees in Term 4. The String Soiree will be held on Tuesday 18 October 4.30 pm in the Miriam Theatre and the Term 4 Music Soiree will be held on Monday 24 October 5.00 pm in the Miriam Theatre. Please email Mr Macaulay mmacaulay@sion.catholic.edu.au if you are interested in signing up (and getting music points!)

Year 7 Junior Concert Bands

Both Year 7 Concert Bands (the Monday morning group and the Tuesday afternoon group) will be representing Our Lady of Sion College at the Victorian Schools Music Festival to be held during the day on Wednesday 16 November at the Hawthorn Arts Centre. This event is open to the public (and free) with more details to be announced in coming weeks.

Year 7 Spring Concert – Save the Date

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

Upcoming Music Department Dates

• Creative Arts and Technology Week Tuesday 18 October 4.00 pm, Notre Dame
• Term 4 String Soiree Tuesday 18 October 4.30 pm, Miriam Theatre
• Term 4 Music Soiree Monday 24 October 5.00 pm, Miriam Theatre
• String Instrumental Internal Exams Tuesday 25 October
• Year 7 Music Spring Concert Tuesday 15 November 7.00 pm LHC www.trybooking.com/CBUBV
• Year 7 Concert Bands (x2) to VSMF Wednesday 16 November, Hawthorn Arts Centre
• Sion First 2022 Final Concert Wednesday 16 November 5.00 pm, Miriam Theatre
• Sion First 2023 Launch Wednesday 16 November 7.00 pm, Notre Dame Foyer

Welcome to Term 4 and an exciting term it will be!

During Term 4, the LRC will be packing up and moving to the large portable on the oval as part of the new building project. This will mean that we will be packing up books, all the makerspace equipment and large photocopiers to the new location.

Students are asked to keep an eye on the bulletin for any changes in opening hours. If in doubt, email LRCSupport@sion.catholic.edu.au if you have any questions about overdue books and borrowing.

LRC Closure Tuesday 18 October

On Tuesday 18 October the Learning Resource Centre (LRC/Library) will be closed from 3.10 pm onwards, as the space is required for another College activity.

As the LRC will not be available, students who would usually use this space after school will be required to make other arrangements. The old IT Green room will be open as a study space and LRC staff will be around to assist students with borrowing. However the space will not be a “hanging out” space.

Overdue Books

Every Monday at 8am an automatically generated notice is sent out to students with overdue books. It is important that if there is a problem with returning a book on time that students have a chat with LRC staff.

Congratulations to our Year 12s

In the past few weeks our Year 12s have been borrowing study guides, photocopying practice exams and taking time out with our puzzle in the lead up to the exams. The LRC Team would like to wish them all the best for their final exams.

We welcome students back to Term 4 Sport and warmly welcome Mr Simon Armstrong into our team as our new Sports Administrator. Students are reminded that they are required to bring and wear their Sion Cap for Term 4 Sport. This week we were excited to watch the first rounds of GSV Sport where students got to represent the College in GSV basketball and GSV cricket for the first time since 2019. It was fantastic to see the enthusiasm and sportswomanship during the matches. We also wish Niquita K, (11 Red) and Natalya B, (10 Blue) the best of luck in their GSV Representative water polo match this afternoon against APS.

2022 College Sport Captains - Mia M (12 White) and Sienna S (12 Red)

A key focus this year has been to ‘celebrate sport at Sion’, whether that be external and individually or within Sion teams. We award the ‘Athlete of the Week’ to girls who have achieved great results across many different sports including golf, netball, cross country, karate and football. The range of these sports speaks to the scope of sport at Sion and reinforces the fact that at Our Lady of Sion, we have many girls who are passionate about sport. It has been incredibly rewarding to see how far sport at Sion has come this year, with our Juniors placing first in both GSV Cross Country and Athletics Division 2 carnivals. We’re sure Sion sport will only grow to new levels after we leave.

It has been an honour to lead Our Lady of Sion as Sports co-captains this year and we are grateful for our teams of supporters; our Year Level Sport Reps, Individual Sport Captains, and all the PE coaching staff, particularly Miss Clarke. It has been an honour to work alongside such amazing people, and we will greatly miss the Sion sporting community. 2022 Sport Co-captains, Mia M (12 White) and Sienna S (12 Red)

Celebrating Sion Sport and Sport Coaches

We continue to celebrate Our Lady of Sion College's sporting achievements. On Wednesday 12 October I was lucky enough to accompany Ms Jordyn Frood to the Whitehorse Sports Awards evening. We heard from guest speaker Hannah Macdougall - Dual Australian Paralympian and Bronze Medallist.

Ms Jordyn Frood was proudly nominated for Coach of the Year for her outstanding efforts with the Sion Aerobics Teams who all competed at the National Championships earlier in the year where her Senior A team won the School Aerobics National competition. Our Lady of Sion College was also nominated for School of the Year.

Last weekend, Ms Cristina Cardaci, Health & PE Teacher and GSV Coach, won the League Best and Fairest award in State League 1 South East Women’s competition. Within her team she was also awarded Best and Fairest and the golden boot (highest goal scorer). We were lucky enough to have her coach our Junior Soccer team last term.

We also wish Mr Josh Larkins luck in his upcoming Karate grading.

SCSA Table Tennis

Students at Sion participated in the SCSA Table Tennis Tournament on Tuesday 4 October. All students showed enthusiasm throughout the day while developing their skills within a new sport for most. Juniors came away with an outstanding grand final win, our Seniors came runners up after a tough grand final, and the Intermediate team enjoyed an amazing competition showing outstanding sportswomanship!

Huge thanks to Mr Rieusset and Ms Flannigan for supporting us throughout the day, ensuring that all students understood the processes of the day. Thank you to Ms Clarke for holding the table tennis trials to provide an amazing Sion team. Amelie N (11 White) – Senior table tennis player

Athletes of the Week

These holidays I went to the Commonwealth Karate Club Championships in England. I won a Gold and a Silver medal. It was such an amazing experience as I got to improve on my skills and meet lots of amazing people. Zara T (8 Gold)

I am very grateful for being able to compete in the 2022 National Clubs Gymnastics Carnival competition in the Gold Coast in October. I was fortunate enough to be placed 4th on floor and 14th All rounder in the Level 9 Women Artistic Gymnastics.

This was my first time taking part in a national competition. I enjoyed the process of the whole competition very much because I could form new friendships and gain more confidence. I also learnt that I need to believe in myself more and strive to perform the best in everything I do. I also wanted to thank the prayers and support of my family and friends who always stand with me. Gabriela T (7 White)

Upcoming Notices

• Thank you to all the students who have applied for Sport Reps in 2023
• Year 9 - 11 students are encouraged to apply for individual sport captains - refer to email sent by Ms Clarke
• Reminder to check the student bulletin for the sport notices and calendar

As we say goodbye to the Year 12s of 2022, I would like to thank the amazing student leaders that I have worked with this year. The Leadership group were able to overcome challenges together through the continued changing COVID rules and create new events and initiatives to promote their portfolio and student belonging in the College.

In particular, I would like to thank the College House Captains of 2022 who continually worked throughout the year to support their House, but also to support each other to ensure the events were run with enthusiasm. Their energy throughout the year allowed for students of all year levels to get involved in a range of ways.

Congratulations to Fatima House for winning the 2022 House Cup and to Alex P (12 Silver) and Tori S (12 Silver) for their leadership of Fatima this year.

On Wednesday our Year 9 students participated in the last packing day to support their charity, Days For Girls. Days for Girls is a non-profit organisation that prepares and distributes sustainable menstrual health solutions to girls who would otherwise miss school or work during their monthly menstruation because of a lack of access to appropriate period products.

On this day, students had an opportunity to assist with the Balwyn chapter of the organisation who sew and pack reusable sanitary items for women around the world.

Students traced out and cut panty liner shields which will go to the Pacific Islands, where ladies are trying to start their own businesses making menstrual cycle kits. They also folded ladies’ underwear which will be added to the packs. In November, there will be a Days for Girls conference in Brisbane where many ladies from our Pacific neighbours will be attending and it is intended to give them these cut fabric liners at this time. These pieces will end up in Papua New Guinea, The Solomon Islands, Fiji, Vanuatu and the Cook Islands.

You may not always see the results of your kindness, but every bit of positive energy you contribute to the world makes it a better place for us all. Author unknown

Students and families can find the fortnightly Careers newsletter here.

In this fortnightly Newsletter there is information relating to:

• Upcoming Events: ACU Talk with Industry series reminder, Outer East Apprenticeship and Traineeship expo
• Career in the Spotlight: Pharmacy vs Pharmaceutical Science
  
• Things to consider: Year 12 students Health Care Cards, Box Hill TAFE Diploma of Nursing Pathway and Year 12 students Tax File Numbers
  
• Research ideas : University of Melbourne – Undergraduate Engineering Majors in 2023, Flinders University, Bachelor of Science (Palaeontology)

This week on Monday 10 October we celebrated World Mental Health Day with this year’s message being, “Look after your mental health Australia.” Central to this idea is ‘Awareness. Belonging. Connection.’ With the rise of mental ill health during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in our young people, the World Health Organisation’s goal is to make mental health and wellbeing for all a global priority.

Mental health involves finding balance between the competing needs of our everyday lives and our individual emotional and spiritual needs. Additionally, having meaningful connections at home, school, and work is really important for mental wellbeing – not only are they protective against mental ill health but are also sources of comfort and support during difficult times.

It can be difficult to know where to start when it comes to looking after our mental health, as well as the mental health of young people in our care. However, making small, achievable, and short-term ‘mental health promises’ can be an easy place to start. These might include making a promise to reach out to an old friend, chatting with a colleague over coffee, or going for a walk when you get home. No matter how you choose to look after your mental health, every small step is important to building awareness and connection with others.

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

Our magazine for past students, Sionians | Beyond the Cherry Red Gates, is out now!

Please click here to read the Spring 2022 edition of Sionians.

In this edition you will read about:

• One of our past students’ journey and success in being appointed by the State government as a Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria.
• We showcase the events we hosted to engage past students with our current students at our Mentors Breakfast and VCE art sessions.
  
• We interviewed another past student, Sandra Rigo who graduated Class of 1988 and shares her experience in being a town planner and how her role has broadened beyond consultant town planner to include legal duties and responsibilities of a company director.
• Our '2s reunion which was a wonderful celebration.
• On the back page there is an invitation for our upcoming '3s reunion.
  

We hope you enjoy reading this latest edition.