Newsletter | Speaking the Truth in Love

Community

One of the many highlights for me as Principal is being able to engage with our parents/carers and get to know families more closely. I believe that relationships are the foundation of any school but in particular within a Catholic and Sionian school such as ours, they are vital to being true to our Vision and Mission. We know that when we have a strong sense of belonging, great things can happen especially within the lives of our young people. So it was with great pleasure that we welcomed families to our Year 7 Family Eucharist last week. I thank all who were able to attend and pray for what we hope will be a great six-year journey for our current Year 7 students and the many opportunities to learn and develop they will have. Following our Eucharist, we were treated to a delicious supper provided and served by our Parents' Association and student leaders. I thank them for their hospitality and welcome of our Year 7 families. The next Year 7 Family event is the Eat, Greet and Mingle evening on 1 April at Bucatini’s restaurant in Mitcham. We hope to see many families on this very popular occasion. Booking details are located at the end of this newsletter.

Another much-anticipated event in our Term 1 calendar is Open Day, a day to showcase College life with prospective and current families and for our students to welcome younger students who are eager to catch a glimpse of high school life. Our school draws enrolments from a wide area that encompasses 17 Catholic primary schools and many state primary schools as well, and as mentioned in the last newsletter, in the lead up to Open Day, I had the great pleasure of taking current Year 8 students with me to our Catholic feeder schools. I thank the following students who accompanied me and were fantastic ambassadors for the College: Anria A, Asmira A, Eliza A, Mietta A, Alexandra B, Elizabeth B, Ananya DS, Abbey G, Chiara G, Aurelia H, Isa H, Maya J, Bani K, Sophie KS, Paige M, Ruby M, Samantha O’D, Zara O, Olivia P, Cilla S, Ella S, Zara T, Sarita T, Amelia W and Nexus Y. I would also like to thank all staff, students and our Parents' Association for their contributions to making our 2022 Open Day another successful day.

Reminder

We have all recently heard the emergence of another Omicron variant. Positive cases within our school have also in recent weeks continued to occur. I would like to remind families that while masks are no longer mandatory in schools, they are strongly recommended and are a simple way to support each other’s wellbeing. Staff and students should feel free to wear their masks at any time.

College life

Once again, I hope families enjoy reading about the events and activities that have occurred in the last fortnight, including our Year 10 Duke of Edinburgh's International Award Adventurous Journey, Year 7 Friendship Day, Year 7 Family Eucharist, St Patrick’s Day Eucharist at the Cathedral, GSV competitions and Senior play rehearsals, and the many social justice activities that are occurring during Lent.

In contrast to the lives and opportunities we enjoy, I ask that we also keep in mind the young people of Ukraine and their families who continue to face the devastating destruction of their lives. We pray for the end of the war, the resumption of peace and the road back to respect for and harmony amongst all people.

With every blessing for the fortnight ahead.

Tina Apostolopoulos

Joyful in hope, your people pray.

Joyful in hope we’re on our way.

Though the road may not be clear,

We believe, Lord, you are near

In the smile and open heart of a friend.

These words are the first verse of the Opening Hymn that our College Vocal Ensemble sang to begin the Year 7 Family Eucharist that was celebrated last Wednesday.

A great deal of time is spent preparing our liturgical celebrations here at Our Lady of Sion College. Religious Education teachers spend time with their classes preparing readers, writing prayers, creating symbols, etc; booklets and powerpoints are prepared by Support staff; the Maintenance staff take care in setting up the space; Homeroom teachers follow up with students; the College Organisation team circulates information to ensure we are kept safe and all runs efficiently and on time.

Alongside all of this, the Music department works closely with Faith and Mission to make sure that the choice of hymns/music is appropriate and matches the significant occasion. The verse above is such an example. The hymn is called, 'Joyful in hope.' As we were celebrating with our Year 7 families, joyful in hope is exactly what we are trying to achieve. The first line in the hymn says, this is our prayer! Yes, we acknowledge in the second line that our Year 7 students are on their way (to education and growth here at our school).

The third line is real – who knows what the road ahead will look like but we will not journey alone for, as lines four and five remind us, God will always be with us and, at Our Lady of Sion College, we pray that we will always be met with the smile and open heart of a friend!

Learning Outside of the Classroom!

Term 1 has been exceptionally busy both inside and outside of the classroom.

Year 9 City Experience and Parent Presentations

Meaning ‘to see’, Ayin is the integrated learning program for our Year 9s that responds to the needs of our students as they move from the middle years into the senior years of schooling. I was privileged enough to attend one of the city days and to participate in just some of the many activities that the students got involved in. This week, I was able to attend the Parent Presentation night where the students applied the many skills they have developed along the learning journey and present their findings from their inquiry questions. Without their knowing, the students were applying their literacy, numeracy, analytical and interpersonal skills. The presentations showcased their abilities to work in teams, to communicate clearly as well as to be more confident in their abilities. A lot of work goes into planning and preparing for these small group experiences and a big thank you must go to all of the Ayin teachers, and to Ms Rebececca Bennet, for making it all seamless for the students.

Camps

Another learning aspect commenced in Ayin, the Year 10 students last week completed their Adventurous Journey as part of the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award. Again, I was fortunate enough to attend some of this camp, and while the focus was on the students challenging themselves physically and applying their camping skills, they also learnt about geography and the environmental sciences, orienteering and map reading as well working in teams and communication skills. Programs like this cannot happen without the support of the teachers and staff both on the camp and working behind the scenes, including Mr Paul Kerr and Mr Adam Rieusset just to name a few!

Student Progress Meetings

As both formative and summative results are released via SEQTA, families will be able to ask more questions, and hear more about their child’s learning progress at the first of the 2022 Student Progress Meetings. Details for how to book through PTO will be released to families shortly. Thursday 28 April will be onsite while the following week, Wednesday 4 May, will be online. This is the pattern that parents preferred in feedback gathered in 2021.

Why our Camp program is so important

With the Year 10 Duke of Edinburgh's International Award Adventurous Journey completed and our Year 7 Camp to The Summit rapidly approaching, I felt it important to highlight the importance of our camps program as a tool for improving social-emotional outcomes, building connectedness between students and fostering a climate of HEALTHY risk-taking.

After a number of years of not being able to run our full set of camps, this year it was a priority to include them in the calendar early or late enough in the year so that they had every chance to run. The Pastoral Care team has noted that some students have been worried about going away for camp as they are concerned that they don’t have the skills to cope. Others have met the chance to go on camp with a level of eagerness and excitement that we are more familiar with seeing. If your daughter is concerned about going on camp, please reach out to Homeroom teachers who can speak about the activities and provide them with support during this time away from home.

A great deal of time and effort has been put into the organisation of the camp with every effort being made to try and ensure that students have been placed with some of their friends and/or in a camp of their choice. Inevitably there are always some disappointments. This is an ideal example of where parents can help to develop resilience by adopting some of the suggestions outlined above. Having said this, I would like to take the opportunity to commend the Year 10 girls on the way they met the challenges of the Adventurous Journey and managed their emotions and worries, and built relationships while celebrating team successes.

Camp is a wonderful chance for the girls to experience new things, set challenging yet achievable goals, develop new friendships and make connections. It is an opportunity for students to develop some approaches and habits that encourage resilience including positive attitudes and emotions, feelings of competence, development of social skills and physical health.

I would like to encourage every student to embrace the many and varied opportunities available to them and wish Year 7 students and staff, a safe and enjoyable camp.

Procedures for the Bushfire Season

Fire danger ratings and warnings are in place for Victoria to provide clear direction on the safest options for preserving life.

While schools identified as being at high fire risk will be closed on days declared by fire authorities to be Code Red, our school has not been identified as being at high fire risk.

While our school has not been identified as being at high fire risk, we do plan offsite activities – such as camps and field trips – during the fire season. The College risk management includes the assessment of off-site bushfire risk. If such activities are considered to be at risk from fire, they will be rescheduled or cancelled.

What can parents do?

Make sure we have your current contact details, including your mobile phone numbers. This is especially important when filling out excursion and camp forms. Some of our students do travel and live in high risk bushfire areas. If your daughter is old enough, talk to them about your family’s bushfire plan. On days of high fire risk, children should never be left at home unattended or in the care of older children.

You can access more information about bushfires and schools on the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria’s (CECV) website.

For up-to-date information on this year’s fire season, visit the CFA website or call the 24-hour Victorian Bushfires Information Line on 1800 240 667.

Our particular thoughts and prayers go to Mr Paul Whitely, Teacher of RE, Science and Physics, whose father Kevin passed away recently.

We remember Mr Whitely and his 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.

A big part of travelling through Year 12 is experiencing the 'last' events and traditions that have been a significant part of the students’ past five years at Our Lady of Sion College.

On Tuesday, the students experienced their last Open Day. Thanks to all our Year 12 students for being such great ambassadors for the College and to our leaders who helped out on the day.

I had the privilege of listening to our Environment Leader, Winnie W (12 Purple), speak about our STEM program at the College and Charlotte S (12 Red), our Social Justice Leader, did an equally good job of sharing with the broader community some of the organisations the school supports in an attempt to bring about justice for all.

Some of our VCAL students including Amy D B (12 Gold) and Elise H (12 Blue) were kept busy as baristas on the coffee cart, showcasing the many ways our College prides itself on being hospitable to all visitors who enter through our gates. Others took part in musical performances on the day highlighting the active music program at Our Lady of Sion College while also entertaining guests as they toured the school.

Chelsea L (12 Purple), one of our School Captains, was a great role model for the Talk and Tour Guides and has expressed below her experience of Open Day:

It's crazy to think that we have already experienced our last Open Day at Sion. It was such a special day where we could showcase student life and the initiatives that we have put in place for the year. Watching primary school children visit our school for the first time encouraged us to focus on the legacy that we as leaders will leave behind, and we are so excited to see how the future generation will flourish in the Sion community.

As young people, our students continue to navigate growing independence and understanding of themselves. As mentioned during the Parent Information Evening, we hope that our young people ‘step up’ to the challenges that come their way, to focus on:

1. Clear communication - across the different facets of their life (personal, social, emotional, academic)
2. To seek assistance when needed
3. To be curious and creative
4. To have a willingness to learn and collaborate.

To ‘step up’, students will inevitably take ownership and accountability for themselves. I would encourage your child to take risks, reach out and ask for help. Whether that is directed towards their Homeroom teacher, subject teacher, or a trusted adult within the school community.

The final Pastoral lessons for Term 1 explored/will explore the following:

• Lesson 3 (15/3): we looked into the experience of stress and coping strategies. We reflected on how students may engage in emotion focussed coping or problem focussed strategies.
• Lesson 4 (29/3): we will look into the role of emotional intelligence, the regulation of self and others. We will explore more about the cognitive triangle of thoughts, feelings, and behaviours.

During Pastoral lesson 3, we talked about how to cope with stress, how to reduce anxiety and negative emotions and feelings from stress. Personally, I feel we have often previously learned more about how to prevent stress, however, I was able to learn more about managing the emotions and feelings in the moment. Isabella P (11W)

We also talked more about positive and negative mindsets. As a class, we realised we mostly have a negative mindset - ‘this is too hard’. I really wanted to consider how I can flip my own mindset to be more positive, to assist with coping, and reduce the experience of stress. Believing that ‘you can do it’ will make you feel better! Charlotte P (11W).

Whether your child is participating in VCE or VCAL - there are a lot of new processes, routines, and questions to be asked. If you need some support and guidance, here are some important people you might need to contact:

• Dale Hunter – Senior Learning Leader (VCE and VCAL)
• Brooke O’Hara – Careers, Pathways, and VCAL
• Nicole Flynn-Jones – Learning Enhancement Leader, and VCAL.

As a team, we work together to monitor and support your child - from an academic and pastoral perspective. Please continue to reach out if you have questions regarding processes and support for VCE and VCAL programs.

Congratulations to all our Year 10 students who participated in our Duke of Edinburgh's International Award Adventurous Journey last week. Also well done to all parents/carers for the way in which you supported your daughter through this opportunity.

It was so encouraging to see the willingness of all students to give freely of themselves and try their very best with all the activities completed. The camp was an opportunity for students to try new things, invest in different ways of thinking and connect with those around them. It was also about looking at what was possible and allowing new skills and talents to emerge by simply doing their best.

Each activity pushed all students slightly out of their comfort zone, even if it was sleeping in a tent for three nights. It is when we are pushed that growth occurs, physically, spiritually, socially and mentally. Our next challenge is to take what we learned from camp about ourselves and about others and apply it to our school environment.

This might be a new start, a new beginning that means you have reflected on your past and you now want to do elements of your life differently. I really encourage all families to continue to have discussions with their child around what is possible, to invest in a new way of being, as a result of the camp.

On behalf of the Year 10 students and families, I would like to thank Miss McLean, Ms Callum, Ms Amos, Mr Steward, Mr Kelly, Mr Whitely, Mr Larkins, Mr Nguyen, Mr Johnstone, Ms Teicher, Ms Gurciullo, Ms Clarke, Ms Stott and Mrs Kralj for their leadership and guidance of our students during last week. I would like to thank them for the kindness and encouragement they showed to the students each day.

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

It has been another busy fortnight in Year 9 with City Experience, Class Leader Applications, Open Day, Pastoral Programs, just to name a few. It’s nice to see the students enjoying consistent face to face learning.

I would firstly like to congratulate the following students on their appointment as Class Leaders for 2022:

9 Blue – Aleisha D M and Scarlett F
9 Gold – Zoe F and Natasha N
9 Purple – Ilaria H and Chantelle C
9 Red – Ava K and Macy C
9 Silver – Sienna L and Vailaua L
9 White – Isla B and Chloe M.

These students should all be very proud of themselves as it is an honour to be selected by their classmates to fulfil a position such as this. For all those who applied but were not successful, this too takes great courage and commitment and is recognised with a Community Spirit point. It is a wonderful experience to apply for leadership regardless of the outcome. We encourage all students to lead in their own way and often voice to the students that ‘you don’t need a badge to lead’.

In the previous newsletter, Rebecca Bennet wrote a beautiful piece on City Experience. I would like to follow on from this by thanking her for all the hard work in putting this opportunity together. City Experience is an incredible learning experience for all students and so I thank Rebecca for making it all possible.

Finally, in our most recent Pastoral lesson, we touched on some very relevant topics: procrastination, organisation and prioritisation.

I encourage all families to have a follow-up conversation with their daughter about this lesson. Due to the amount of Online Home Learning experienced during their Year 7 and 8 years, it is important to develop skills about how to learn effectively to ensure students keep up with the workload and expectations of Year 9.

This is a link to a video that was included in the lesson. Even I could relate to the ‘panic monster’ at times.

Thank you for your support.

Last Tuesday during our Pastoral lesson, we continued to build on addressing the harmful nature of gossiping and rumours. We emphasised that if the answer to any of the following questions is no, what they’re going to say must be stopped and not shared; Is it true? Is it nice? Is it helpful?

In small groups, they were presented with a variety of different scenarios that may occur in their day-to-day lives and given the opportunity to discuss the best way to respond to information about somebody else that a friend might have passed on to them. ‘Stopping the chain of transmission’ is a crucial aspect of reducing this harmful practice and the students were guided through ways to respond to the situations presented. In most cases, the correct response was to not spread the information and keep it to themselves or to speak with a trusted adult, depending on the seriousness of the information.

This lesson also provided the opportunity for reflection on their current friendships and whether gossiping and talking negatively about other people was a significant part of their conversations. If this is the case, it is worth considering whether that friendship can continue in its current form to have a positive influence on their life rather than a negative and harmful one.

Finally, I would like to ask all parents and carers to refrain from communicating with your daughter via their mobile phones during school hours. They are not permitted to use these for any reason during these times as outlined in the College Expectations in their planners and should remain in their lockers. Should you need to contact your daughter urgently, please contact the College and we can facilitate this. If your daughter needs to urgently contact you, she can go to Student Reception to call you.

Please encourage your daughter to approach their Homeroom teacher or me if they would like any further support with any of the above. Your support with maintaining consistent messages about what has been covered is greatly appreciated.

As we come closer to the end of our first term, the Year 7 team has one thing on our minds - Camp! We are ready to depart Monday morning for The Summit Adventure Park. Activities planned include giant swings, flying foxes, laser skirmishes, leaps of faith and a Monster Run!

We would like to remind all students to pack their bags full of old and comfortable clothes, being sure that they have tops with sleeves and appropriate footwear. We return to the College on Wednesday afternoon and notifications will be sent out to inform families of our intended arrival time.

I am excited to see how each Year 7 student continues to embrace opportunities during our time away on camp. It was fantastic to see how each student participated and enjoyed Chesed on Tuesday 15 March - previously known as Friendship Day. Chesed is a Hebrew word meaning 'goodness and kindness'. Staff developed three workshops for students: Tuning into Emotions, Weaving a Friendship and The Power of Words. Each workshop focused on how we can have a positive impact on those around us by consciously choosing kindness every day in our words and actions.

Discovery Learning

Ayin City Experience Presentation Night

On Wednesday evening, we were delighted to welcome our Year 9 families to the College for the Ayin City Experience Presentation Night. The evening was both an exhibition of their learning and an opportunity for families to see and hear more about the student’s week in the city. The students presented their findings to a chosen inquiry topic, demonstrating their skills in research, observation, surveying and analysing. On behalf of the Ayin teachers and myself, we offer our congratulations to the Year 9 students for their efforts and thank the parents and families who attended for their support.

Ayin City Experience Challenges

Along with exciting tours and exhibitions and the opportunity for independence and exploration, the Year 9 students were presented with three challenges in the week of their Ayin City Experience: the Race Around the City, Hidden Object Challenge and Photo Competition. Congratulations to the following winners of each challenge:

• Race Around the City: Carla V, Isabelle W, Sophie L and Paige B of 9 Blue
• Hidden Object Challenge: Teagan M and Alessia S of 9 Gold
• Photo Competition: Isla M of 9 Red

Ozanam House

After two years of cancelled visits due to COVID-19, we finally recommenced our visits to Ozanam House. During the upcoming year, Year 11 students and staff will volunteer their time to support the work of Ozanam house which provides support and services to both men and women who are experiencing or are at risk of homelessness. On a daily basis they provide breakfast, lunch and dinner to approximately 80 – 85 residents. Two year 11 students, Scarlett H, Lexi G, and I, visited Ozanam House last week where we assisted with the meals program, including serving the evening meal, working in the kitchen and assisting with cleaning.

Open Day

On Tuesday, Our Lady of Sion held their Open Day for prospective parents and families to showcase the opportunities available at Sion for their daughters. The Social Justice team set up a stall highlighting the various Social Justice initiatives delivered at Sion. The representatives from each year level answered questions and promoted the Easter Raffle. The girls were able to raise $237 for Project Compassion.

Project Compassion

This week we held a BBQ on 24 March to celebrate the Feast Day of St Oscar Romero who is the Patron Saint of Caritas. The Social Justice representatives produced a presentation that all Homerooms watched which allowed us all to reflect on the dedication of St Oscar Romero. His work in social justice and Catholic Social Teaching earned him the title of Patron Saint of Caritas. We raised $736.

To date we have raised $1867 for Project Compassion. This will provide educational assistance for secondary school students in Mozambique along with a toilet for a family in Mozambique.

Raffle tickets are now available to be purchased. We have six Easter hampers which are made up from donated items from staff and students. Prices for tickets are $1 for a ticket and $2 for three tickets. These can be purchased by your daughters at lunchtime in the piazza. The raffle will be drawn Tuesday 5 April.

Research classes with Year 7 students

We have been supporting the Humanities Learning Area with small presentations on bibliographies and citations. It is a big change in the way the students have been doing inquiry projects from primary school, because we ask them to cite their evidence rather than just list the references at the end of the document.

Library Lovers' Day Book Reviews

There have been a number of students who have completed a book review on their Library Lovers' Day 'Blind date with a book' borrowings. Please enjoy their reviews!

Fright Night by Maren Stoffels

I like this book because there are thrilling and heartfelt moments. Each chapter is from a different character’s perspective. One moment I enjoyed was when Sophia went to Dylan’s old house and school and took photos for an album for his birthday (very heartfelt.) There was suspense in this book that made me want to read on and on. Evelyn B (7 Blue)

MACS - VCE Creative Arts Exhibition

Each year the College enters works completed by our VCE students for consideration for exhibition in the MACS - VCE Creative Arts Exhibition, a showcase of selected artworks completed by students in the Melbourne Archdiocese of Catholic Schools.

This exhibition provides a unique opportunity for students to express themselves and their identity in creative ways and, in doing so, the exhibition promotes the 'full flourishing of each student' across the multiple domains of learning.

We are very fortunate to have all five entries selected for this year’s exhibition including:

• Anja B (12 Purple) Unit 2 artwork: Storyboard
• Chloe L (11 Gold) Unit 1: Self Portrait
• Alannah W (12 Red) Unit 2 Media Film: Perfect
• Emma H (12 Gold) Unit 2 Media Film: Lemonade
• Irene S (12 Blue) Unit 2 Studio Arts dress: Persephone.

We congratulate these students and wish them well with their Year 12 studies.

Viewers can access the 2022 Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools Creative Arts Exhibition Digital Gallery here.

Over the past few weeks, Year 9 students have been exploring the concept – ‘The Spirit of Women’, through investigating what life was like for women Before the Common Era (BCE) in relation to their roles, customs, struggles, and daily lives. The students have focused on female characters from the Old Testament in particular Sarah, Miriam, Naomi and Ruth who are featured as examples of women faithful to God despite their hardships.

It has been pleasing that the students have taken the opportunity to ask deep questions and dialogue about why these particular women faced such hardships and how the status of women during this time had such an impact on their daily lives and their relationships with others within their communities, especially for women who were unable to have children or widowed. The students have also written and shared some meaningful reflections about the qualities these women demonstrated, why they are of significance and what people today can learn from them.

Currently, the students are preparing for their assessment task where they will be completing a scripture analysis on a passage from the Book of Ruth. As a part of their preparation, the students have been learning to refer to biblical commentary to help them deepen their understanding of the scripture.

Moving into Term 2, students will be exploring why Mary, the Mother of God is known as the first disciple. As they journey through this study, the students will be able to reflect and identify why Mary is so significant to the community of Our Lady of Sion College.

Next week is one of our favourites of the whole school year… it’s DRAMA WEEK! We have a fantastic program of special events for our budding performers. There will be Homeroom activities across the school, lunchtime workshops, a drama breakfast, a special movie musicals screening and much more!

We have three competitions running, a costume design competition, mask making competition and the popular One Minute Film competition themed around the stimulus word ‘magic’.

The energy and excitement amongst our passionate and dramatic community are building and we can’t wait for the week to begin!

The Year 9 Drama class has been researching classic realistic plays in order to create a monologue performance on stage, in class. The Miriam Theatre came alive last week with strong characters from plays such as Steel Magnolias, The Importance of Being Earnest, Who’s afraid of Virginia Wolf? and Caravan. After delving deeply into their characters’ back story, motivation and internal dialogue, and then applying appropriate expressive skills and accents, the Year 9 students were able to create effective, believable characters on stage.

Overall, I really enjoyed the entire duration of the monologue performance experience. For my performance, I played the role of Penny, a headstrong, over the top frustrated character from the play, Caravan. I found this character was really fun to portray as I was able to experiment with different movements, gestures and facial expressions in order to make her irritated, loud and dramatic personality as realistic and believable as possible. Martina G (9 Red)

Between 8 – 15 March, our Chinese, French and Italian students competed against other students around the world in the Education Perfect Global Languages Championships 2022. Not only did students have the opportunity to represent their school, but there were also many prizes to be won.

The Education Perfect Global Languages Championship 2022 has concluded and the results achieved by our students are exceptional. The prize-winners are as follows:

• Gold Award winners: Sarah M (8 Silver), Ananya D S (8 Silver) and Giulia C (8 Silver)

• Silver Award winners: Sofia F (11 Red) and ‘Akosita L (8 Blue)
• Bronze Award winners: Zara O (8 Silver)
• Credit Awards: Asha Q (7 Gold), Gemma P (8 Blue), Bridgette L (7 Gold), Ruiyu Z (7 Gold), Remi P (7 Gold) and Claudia R (10 Blue).

Special congratulations to Sarah M (8 Silver) for her efforts as the highest point scorer at Our Lady of Sion College.

Congratulations to all of our students who participated in this competition with such dedication and hard work to obtain excellent results, especially our prize-winners mentioned above.

Literacy and Numeracy

NAPLAN

This week our Year 7 and 9 students will complete the first of two practice NAPLAN tests to prepare them for the assessment period in May. The tests are designed so that each student has an opportunity to become familiar with the platform and trial the test conditions. Students completed the writing component this week and will undertake an Omnibus test (a combination test of reading, language conventions and numeracy) in week 10 of this term. Students will need to remember to have their iPad fully charged and bring along a pen and headphones in order to complete the tests.

NAPLAN Timetable

• Thursday 24 March - Practice Writing Test
• Monday 4 April - Practice Omnibus Test
• Wednesday 11 May - Writing
• Thursday 12 May - Reading
• Monday 16 May - Conventions of Language
• Wednesday 18 May - Numeracy

Makeup Sessions for Absent Students

• Friday 13 May
• Thursday 19 May

Laura Geilings and Jerani Pettikiriarachchi

Pi Day

Pi Day is usually celebrated on March 14 (as the value of pi is 3.14…), however, as this fell on the long weekend, the students marked the occasion on Friday, March 11. Pi Day is a Year 8 event as the Measurement topic is where the students first learn about pi (p) and its significance when working with circles.

Lunchtime activities included a scavenger hunt, a radius parachute drop and Buffon’s needle problem. But the main event was the Homeroom competition which involved reciting the most digits of pi. The overall Homeroom winners were 8 Red, and Siena F was the individual winner, reciting a whopping 169 digits!

I learned the first one hundred digits of pi through ASAP Science’s YouTube song before persisting, by slowly adding and practising small groups of digits at a time, to my final recited total. Siena F (8 Red)

On Pi Day there was this fun activity where you were given a weight, a square piece of paper and some string. You had to cut out a circle, attach a string to it and then wrap the string around the weight. Then you were timed to see how long it took for your weight to touch the ground from Level 1. Your goal was to see if you could get the closest time to pi (3.14159 etc.). My group obtained a time of 3.55s and won the competition. It was a great day and I had a lot of fun. Katie D (8 Blue)

Year 8 students are currently completing a unit on Touch Football. Coaches from Touch Football Australia are coming into classes to run introduction sessions over the next few weeks. The students are learning the skills of passing backwards, effecting a touch and scoring a try. It is wonderful to see the students skills progressing throughout the sessions.

Thanks to Mr Paul Hamilton we now have a new storage hub for our lunchtime sports equipment. Students have easy access to a range of equipment that they are encouraged to use during their lunch break.

GSV Swimming Championships

Tuesday 22 March was the Championship Swimming and Diving Carnival. Sion dominated the dive pool taking out the Intermediate, Division 3 Win, and a fantastic 3rd overall in the dive competition. In the swimming events, we saw the students step up to represent the College with pride finishing 4th overall. Returning to the College, the students enjoyed a delicious squad lunch with their coaches and captains before commencing Open Day.

Well done girls for the outstanding work you put in last Tuesday. With so many students attending the Championships Swimming competition this year, there were great vibes all around and it was fantastic to see the students' hard-earned skills put into play. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone next year. GO SION! Alyssa (10 Purple)

Athlete of the Week

Sport Reminders

• Term 2 Carnival Sport – Cross Country
• Term 2 Sports Trial Fixture Below – please pick up a permission form from the Sports Office and return it before the first trial.

Year 7 Choir debuts at the Year 7 Family Mass

Congratulations to our newest performance group, the Year 7 Choir who performed alongside CVE at the Year 7 Family Mass last week. They performed I’ll Be There and Shalom Chaveirim.

It was great singing at the Year 7 Mass because it was fun to be a part of a large school event welcoming all the Year 7 students to Sion. Sylvie W (7 Gold)

I was a bit nervous singing with CVE and in front of so many people, but I think all the girls did a wonderful job. Isobel C (7 Gold)

Term 1 Autumn Soiree

Congratulations to all the soloists and small groups that performed last Monday at the Autumn Soiree; a particular mention to the Year 7 students who performed for the first time. There were many outstanding moments from all the performers, and it was terrific to have support from a very appreciative audience.

Music everywhere during Open Day

Our Lady of Sion College hosted Open Day earlier this week with music playing in the Miriam Theatre, Piazza and the outside chessboard under the big oak tree; it was fantastic to have so much music filling the air. Visitors were treated to performances from many of the ensembles who displayed some outstanding musicianship and styles. A special thanks must be extended to the Music staff who supported the girls throughout the day.

Sion First Year 7 Music program – the 2022 version!

We welcomed 20 Year 6 students to the College who will be Sionians in 2023, as they start their musical journey as part of the innovative Sion First Music Program. Each Wednesday afternoon, students take instrumental lessons on strings, brass, woodwind and percussion, learning how to read music, make a great sound and play in an ensemble. The best part is that the students get to know students from other primary schools who will be their classmates next year!

Life has two rules: #1 Never quit. #2 Always remember rule #1. Anon

Students and families can find the fortnightly Careers newsletter here.

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

• Upcoming Events – Deakin University school holiday campus tours, 2023 ADF Gap year applications, PSC student experience day, The Masters Of Creative Industries school holiday program in Fashion

• Careers in the Spotlight – Telecommunications Engineering

• Things to consider – 2022 Year 10 Work experience, Work experience opportunity with Zoos Victoria

• Research ideas – RMIT Art and Design, JMC Performing and Music Courses, Monash Explore.

Monday 21 March was World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD), the day selected by the United Nations to signify the uniqueness of the triplication of the 21st chromosome which causes Down Syndrome.

This year’s focus is about asking, ’What does inclusion mean?’ Being a College with inclusion as one of its core values, we are proud to highlight two members of our community: Laura Amadio, our Library and Food Tech Assistant and Year 11 student Sophie A, whose family creates a ‘Celebrating Sophie’ video every year to coincide with WDSD.

Laura is not only a happy staff member but a past student and has just celebrated ten years of service at the College. She was recently interviewed by Down Syndrome Australia about her work life. You can read Laura's story and find out what work means to her on their website here.

We encourage you to watch Sophie’s video here, which showcases Sophie's achievements through the years.

Congratulations to both Laura and Sophie for what they have achieved so far in their lives and we wish them continued success with their life goals and aspirations.

It is important to acknowledge the impact of the past two years on our individual and collective mental health. As we emerge slowly from the pandemic, we are now well placed to reflect. Research indicates that prior to the pandemic, young people aged between 12 to 25 were increasingly vulnerable to developing a mental illness. In fact one in four will experience mental illness. Mental health experts, pre and post pandemic, are telling us that we need to invest in improving awareness, understanding and resourcing the mental health needs of our young people.

To support the mental health needs of young people, The Age has developed a six series podcast called I am Enough. This series shares experiences of young peoples' mental illness over the last two years, aiming to provide a voice for their deeply personal stories. It is in the sharing that we connect with one another and further breakdown the stigmas associated with mental health.

The following article appeared in The Age, Monday, 21 March 2022. By Sophie Aubrey and Jewel Topsfield.

In the past two years, conversations about mental health became more frequent every day. These conversations are part of a series of podcasts developed by The Age newspaper and journalist, Marija Ercegova. They are available for free on Spotify.

Asking somebody 'how are you?' wasn’t just to exchange pleasantries; it was asked sincerely. How are you, really?

As journalists, we were at once reporting on the mental toll of the pandemic as well as living it.

In particular, it was impossible not to recognise the impacts that uncertainty and isolation were having on young people. Many of us at The Age have children, adolescents or young adults in our lives, and we saw their struggle with the loss of normal rites of passage.

It’s why, in the depths of another lockdown in mid-2021, we began working on Enough, a new podcast series about youth mental health. We chose this title because the word 'enough' will mean something different to anybody dealing with a mental illness. For some young people, it meant telling themselves: 'I am enough'.

The results of an exclusive Resolve Poll survey revealed that four out of five respondents aged between 16 and 24 were experiencing mental health issues (82 per cent) compared to half of those aged 25 and older (49 per cent).

Our goal for Enough was clear from the beginning: to elevate the voices of young people. A podcast seemed the perfect vehicle for them to tell us, in their words, what they were going through and what helped them.

Bound by COVID-19 restrictions, we met young people outdoors in backyards and noisy Melbourne parks. Others, we connected with over video calls.

Their comfort in sharing some of their darkest, most private moments was nothing short of inspiring. Many Australians don’t know what it’s like to have a panic attack, feel suicidal battle disordered eating, but the young people we spoke to managed to articulate those experiences with a rawness that had the power to break away lingering stigmas.

‘Urgent national priority’: Pandemic’s staggering mental toll on young Australians

Across six weekly episodes from today, Enough delves into depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, eating disorders as well as the mental health of more vulnerable young Australians, including the LGBTQI+ and Indigenous communities and disadvantaged youths.

There was 18-year-old Alex, who is transgender and dealt with depression and self-harm while seeking acceptance of his identity. We met 19-year-old Molli, who found herself being haunted by her eating disorder during COVID-19 lockdowns. We heard from Anita, who emphasised the preciousness of life after surviving two suicide attempts. And for all their hardships, they still shone with energy and even humour.

The OECD has warned that the COVID-19 crisis has turned into a mental health crisis for young people. And as we were reminded over and over, young people’s mental health is not about to have a snap recovery.

Support is available from Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 and Lifeline on 13 11 14.

CASE Space School

Our Lady of Sion College is excited to announce our participation in CASE Space School Expedition December 2023. All Our Lady of Sion College students are invited to join CASE Junior Space School or CASE Senior Space School and visit NASA in the USA!

The space industry is the most stimulating environment to showcase the impact of STEAM and innovation in our world and inspire students in the pursuit of STEAM studies.

This is a wonderful opportunity for all students to learn beyond the classroom and be inspired!

Information Evening: Tuesday 3 May 2022, via Zoom; Years 7 - 8 at 6.00 pm and Years 9 - 11 at 7.30 pm

For more information and to RSVP to the Information Evening visit: Actura.com.au/olscspace.

CASE Space Academy’s, It’s a Mars Life school holiday program

It’s a Mars Life, is a fun and interactive course where students aged 9-13 will be stranded on Mars! They’ll work in teams to create a new Martian colony and design and build a galactic farm, water filtration system and renewable energy device to help them survive – and thrive – on the harsh red planet!

These April school holidays CASE Space Academy makes STEM fun and achievable for all curious kids. Hosted live by knowledgeable and enthusiastic course leaders, students enjoy loads of hands-on activities, engineering design, science experiments and team challenges in an inspiring and interactive environment, all supported by NASA experts.

• Tuesday 19 – Friday 22 April, 12.30 –3.30 pm
• Live NASA Tour at Space Center Houston on 23 April!

Use promo code CSALSCVIC to receive course discounts. $20 off one course and $50 cashback when you group purchase three or more courses with friends.

To find out more and to book click here.