Xavier College Gawler Belt eNewsletter

Principal's Welcome

I would like to thank all members of our community for the part they have played in ensuring another successful term. I wish all our families a safe and restful break.

School Performance Report
In accordance with the Australian Education Act 2013, I am required to provide a School Performance Report on the previous school year.

The 2022 School Performance Report is now available on the College website and also available in hard copy upon request at all three Campuses.

Mark Flaherty
Principal

Important Changes to College Uniform from 2024

At its’ meeting on 23 May 2023, the College Board agreed that effective from the commencement of the 2024 school year, all students from Reception to Year 9 at all campuses of the College will wear the PE Uniform only.

The formal College Uniform will only be expected to be worn once students enter Years 10–12 (unless required by subject choice).

Please find below a copy of the letter previously sent to all families on 5 June 2023.

Letter to Families - Change of Uniform Policy from 2024

Faces of Xavier – Paint & Sip for Staff

On Friday 23 June, a bunch of brave and courageous Xavier College teachers got creative at our first ever painting workshop. After a long week, including our Swimming Carnival the day before, these teachers joined Adele and Andrea for a couple of hours of fun, laughter, challenges and rewards as they were guided through the steps of creating a portrait of themselves or a partner. We look forward to seeing these works among others for our ‘An Arts Journey’ exhibition on 12 August.

There are still places available for our student/caregiver painting workshop on Friday 28 July (first week next term), we would love to have you join us. A reminder to all students and staff entering our ‘Faces of Xavier’ digital exhibition: all entries need to be submitted to art_exhibition@xavier.catholic.edu.au by 31 July, (details can be found in student notices).

Get creative Xavier, not long to go!

Feedback from staff

“I loved the experience. It is always fun to spend time creating, and I love the opportunity to try something new. I enjoyed sitting with my friends and being present after a long week, and felt re-energized afterwards. What a refreshing and rewarding experience!” – Hannah

“I’m no artist but had a blast learning something new. Look forward to this becoming an ongoing Xavier thing in the future.” – Costas

“It was a great night for raising staff morale. I personally found it to be re-energising after a tiring day of timetabling and other issues and a mindful way of starting the weekend. It was fun and I learnt some new art skills.” - Paul

“This activity could not have come at a better time. I was reluctant at first and worried about whether I could be successful and about judgement, but soon forgot about it and just got involved in putting the paint onto the canvas. Regardless of the result, I spent a great couple of hours and developed a really good relationship with my partner based on fun and laughter.” - Denise

Andrea Duregon
Curriculum Leader - Arts

Paint & Snack Event

Mrs Justice and Mrs Duregon will guide you step by step to complete a painting of your partner in an abstracted Picasso style. We are offering this workshop specifically for students (over the age of 10 years) and a special art loving adult in their life who is over the age of 21 years). The paintings will be photographed for a digital exhibition to be held in August as part of the ‘Art on the Plains’ Festival (also part of SALA – South Australian Living Artists Festival).

Before you exclaim, "No way, I can’t paint, I’m not an artist!" Consider your views on the following statements: exercise is only for athletes, cooking is only for chefs, learning is only for students. Chances are you disagree with all three because movement, nutrition and growth is important for all people, every day. Opportunities for play and creativity are just as critical to fostering positive wellbeing, so stretch your character strengths of bravery, zest, humour and join us because art is for all!

Bring your own non-alcoholic drinks and snacks.

Space is limited so be quick to secure your ticket via trybooking.

Andrea Duregon
Curriculum Leader - Arts

Paint & Snack Tickets

Swimming Carnival

On Thursday 22 June, the annual Xavier College Swimming Carnival was held at the Adelaide Aquatic Centre, North Adelaide. We had the pleasure of welcoming the Two Wells Campus (Years 7 - 9) to the Swimming Carnival for the first time. It was wonderful to see so many students, especially those new to our community, having a great time in the pool, participating in both the race events, as well as the novelty events. It was amazing to see not only our strong swimmers excel in the water, but our younger students as well, plus those students who were not so confident step out of their comfort zone and participate in the freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke or butterfly events. The novelty events took place in the shallow end of the pool and saw the return of some old favourites including the T-shirt Relay, the Treasure Hunt, the organised chaos of the Poison Pool Toss, and the introduction of the inflatable boats was a great success. Congratulations to all students who competed with enthusiasm and demonstrated exceptional sportsmanship. I would like to thank all staff who were involved in the organisation, supervision and general support of this event. Finally, I would like to congratulate the de Sales House for winning this year’s shield.

Milos Banic
Sports Coordinator

Thank you to all those who contributed to our Sausage Sizzle and Donut Day fundraiser this week to support St Vinnies and raise money for Tjindu Foundation. We are so fortunate to be able to support those around us.

Thank you for an amazing Term/Semester. It has been a pleasure welcoming all to our College Community. We have welcomed both new staff and students into our community over the last five months and each and every one has been a wonderful addition.

A huge thank you to all our staff for working tirelessley, ensuring learning and assessment is complete in preparation for the school reports that will be going home this week. Please keep a look out for reports within DM’s and emails.

It is imperative that the students use these two weeks to unwind and enjoy some rest after a fast paced term. Enjoy the break and we look forward to seeing you back at school on Monday 24 July.

Rozanna Elmassih
Head of Campus - Evanston

Evanston - Upcoming School Photos

Orders are now open for school photos, which will take place for Evanston students on 17 August 2023.

How to order your school photos

Evanston - Arch D Podcasting Program

On Wednesday, 21 June we attended the Arch D Podcasting Leaders Day at the Catholic Education Conference Centre. Future podcasters from 32 Catholic schools around Adelaide gathered to learn from the best in the business about how to thrive in the Podcasting industry. The program was facilitated by James Meston and special guests included radio presenters Ali Clarke from Mix 102.3 and Tom Basso from Triple M! We also had the opportunity to learn from multiple Arch D award winners. Throughout the day we worked in teams to complete a podcast challenge based on a group writing challenge. We learnt about how Podcasts are created using Spotify, how to create a cover page using the Canva design tool and how to write a blurb. We really enjoyed and appreciated the opportunity to attend this learning and networking event and we cannot wait for Arch D Radio and Podcasting to come to our school to begin this year's school program!

Serena Hutchins and Baxter Carroll
Year 6s

Evanston - Congratulations Fletcher

We congratulate Fletcher Rieck, Year 6, Evanston Campus, upon his selection to the Under 12 South Australian Hockey Team. Fletcher will compete against other States at the Nationals, which is to be held in Tasmania in August.

In addition to this achievement, Fletcher has made the Gawler/Playford/Salisbury SAPSASA Hockey Team. Fletcher is also looking forward to acting as ‘ball patrol’ for the Hockeyroos vs India matches being held in Adelaide.

Evanston - Italian Language and Culture

As part of the Year 6 Italian program, the children have been learning about La Ricetta Della Pizza (The Pizza Recipe).

Students have been learning about the language used in procedure writing and how to follow a recipe correctly.

They then used this knowledge to translate a pizza recipe from Italian to English. Students were given a reference list and had to identify nouns, verbs of command, and conjunctions in Italian.

We finished the unit with the children following the recipe to make their own pizza from scratch. The children did a great job at making their own pizza dough, adding their favourite toppings and most of all, enjoyed eating their handmade pizzas. Delizioso!

Diana Loprete
Teacher

Evanston - Wellbeing Program: Girl Power

The Year 5 girls from Ms Davis' class have been taking part in the Girl Power Program with Mrs Andrea White. During the last few sessions, the girls have been talking about friendships and what qualities a true friend has. The girls were invited to design a 'wanted poster' depicting the character strengths and qualities they look for in a friend. Girl Power is all about building confidence and resilience in young girls.

Evanston - Year 1 Learning Expo

Last Friday the Year 1 students hosted an exciting Learning Expo displaying their Australian Animal Wildlife Enclosure.

The Year 1 students proudly showcased their recent Design and Technology task of designing an enclosure for an Australian animal. Their unique dioramas were constructed with a range of materials and included a natural, constructed, and managed feature.

There was a sense of wonder as the Year 1 students described the features of their diorama to visiting classes and family members. Congratulations Year 1’s, you were amazing!

Year 1 Teachers

On Monday 5 June, the Year 4 classes ventured to the Living Kaurna Cultural Centre in Bedford Park. This excursion formed part of their learning for Humanities and Social Science, learning about identity and culture of Indigenous people.

The students were welcomed by sitting in a Yarning Circle. They were welcomed to the land by Kaurna woman, Nasyah, and Uncle Belly who performed a Welcome to Country, a Smoking Ceremony and placing ochre on the foreheads of students as a way to connect them to Country.

Students had two activities for the day consisting of a nature walk lead by Uncle Belly along the Warriparinga (Sturt River). Students were introduced to native bush tucker, like Native Lemongrass and Bush Mint. They observed an oven pit which is over 4,000 years old, and a Wodli made of foliage, grass and bark, which Indigenous people used to shelter in. The second activity was lead by Aunty Janice, an Indigenous Elder, who taught the students about weaving. Students had the opportunity to create their own weaving using Kangaroo Grass.

We would like to thank our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Coordinator, Lorraine Lemmens, ESO Dave Barker, and parent Julia for accompanying us on the day. Students and staff learnt many interesting and memorable things about Indigenous Identity and Culture.

Jessica Tripodi and Aaron Probets
Teachers

Gawler Belt - Head of Campus

As the last week of Term 2 draws to a close it is timely to reflect on what has been an extremely busy, productive, and enjoyable term. I am immensely proud of our staff and students’ ability to positively engage in all of the amazing opportunities which have been celebrated during the course of Term 2. From the College Swimming Carnival, the Careers Presentation morning, our range of guest speakers, to the Year 12 Retreat that was held last Friday and finally NAIDOC Week this week, which embraced the theme of “For Our Elders”.

Year 9 Rite Journey
The Rite Journey is a year-long program designed to specifically assist Year 9 students with their growth into young adulthood. Gawler Belt Campus will formally introduce The Rite Journey into our Year 9 curriculum structures at the commencement of the 2024 academic year. The program, which has been running since 1997, is delivered in hundreds of schools across Australia and around the world. As a Catholic school in the Salesian tradition the program aligns with our core values of Respect, Understanding, Affection and Humor along with our holistic approach to education which is underpinned by our collective belief in the importance of preparing young people for life. The Rite Journey program will:
✓ acknowledge and celebrate each student’s shift into adulthood
✓ offer conversations and experiences to guide this transition
✓ foster connections with positive adult role models
✓ educate and include parents/caregivers in the process
✓ connect students with their strengths and build self-awareness
✓ transform school culture by developing responsibility
More information will be provided to our Year 9 parents/caregivers during the course of Term 3 which will include an Information Evening.

Pedestrian Access to the College
During the Term 2 break, work will commence on a dedicated pedestrian pathway that will provide all visitors to the campus with a safe passageway from the gate on Kentish Road that is located in the South-West corner of the Year 12 carpark through to the corner of the College Uniform Shop and our Front Office. This new pathway will be open and operational for all visitors from the commencement of Term 3.

Upgrade to Redbanks Road Pedestrian Access
Work will commence this month on the upgrade of pedestrian access along Redbanks Road. This significant Gawler Council initiative will provide safer pedestrian access for the 300+ students who enter and leave the campus grounds each day and walk along the edge of Redbanks Road towards the roundabout. It is important to highlight that as part of the upgrade works the Morgan Court area will be used for the construction site compound and therefore will not be available for parents to access to use as a drop off and pick up zone. We have been informed that the upgrade works is expected to take four months.

Live Lead Learn Survey - Term 3
In Week 1 of Term 3 all parents/caregivers will be invited to participate in a short (3 to 5 minute) survey about the College’s performance. Similar surveys will be administered to staff and students to enable the College Executive to capture a community snapshot. All responses are confidential and will be used for College improvement purposes. Completion of the survey is on a voluntary basis. To protect your confidentiality all surveys are anonymous. All answers go directly to National School Improvement Partnerships, where the results are analysed and then reported back to the Catholic Education Office. Answers from individual surveys will not be reported back to the College. Parents/caregivers will be sent the survey via email on Monday, 24 July. The email will contain a digital survey portal along with an access code.

Key Dates:
Conclusion of Term 2
A reminder that Term 2 will conclude this Friday, 7 July at 2pm. Term 3 will commence on Monday, 24 July.

Student Free Day
We have a Student Free Day scheduled for Wednesday 6 September.

2023 Year 12 Farewell Dinner Dance
The Year 12 Farewell Dinner Dance has been scheduled for Monday, 4 December at the Adelaide Convention Centre.

John Cameron
Head of Campus – Gawler Belt

Gawler Belt - Barossa Australia Work Experience

This week Liam Brady, Lexi Harrip, Cameron Hayward, and Spencer Strawbridge had the opportunity to undertake work experience with Barossa Australia. They are engaging in operational viticulture activities; learning about Phylloxera protocols, undertaking skills required for the yearly cycle of running a vineyard, including soil and vine nutrition, HP testing, irrigation and soil moisture monitoring, trellising, planting, spraying, harvest, and pruning. This extends on their learning from Agriculture and will provide them with skills for industry employment.

Renee Hutchins
Future Pathways Coordinator

Gawler Belt - Religious Education: Catherine House Outreach Project

In Year 12 Religious Education – Integrated Learning, we were given the opportunity to research Catholic Charities and develop a Community Outreach project in groups. There were a number of Year 12 students across the six classes who selected Catherine House as their focus for their outreach project. Catherine House is a Catholic Charity that aims at helping women who are living in unsafe conditions (such as homelessness or family violence). As a collective group, we were able to make a sizeable donation to the charity including products such as: toiletries, new bedding, new pajamas, new underwear and socks. We also included inspiration cards and activities such as journals and puzzles for the centre. Molly Dyer, the Fundraising Co-Ordinator at Catherine House came to speak to us and collected our donations. She informed us just how much of a difference these donations make to the women in their care. This project allowed us to see that not everyone is as fortunate as others and most of the time it is through no fault of their own. It also gave us the opportunity to help others in our community which was personally rewarding.

Hayley Reid
Year 12

Gawler Belt - Road Awareness Program

This term the Metropolitain Fire Service visited the Year 11 students to present their Road Awareness Program (RAP). RAP gives an open and honest insight into the experience of firefighters working in road crash rescue and provides a hard-hitting, realistic insight into road trauma. The program seeks to actively engage and empower drivers and other road users through positive peer pressure and its core message: “You get to choose the risk; but you don’t get to choose the consequences”.

Students participate in surveys before and after the presentation. Below is a summary of the responses from 137 feedback forms:

87 nominated that they were responsible as road users prior to seeing RAP.
50 nominated that they were risk takers as road users prior to seeing RAP.
0 nominated that they were totally irresponsible prior to seeing RAP.
136 participants checked the box indicating they choose to be a responsible road user after participating in the RAP presentation.
In response to the question, "Following the program will you adopt safer road behaviours?" 137 out of 137 participants said "YES".

Student reflections included:

"When Lisa was talking about her and her son's story that's when everything started to sink in. I feel so much respect for Lisa to be able to come here today and talk about her story. I couldn't imagine how hard it must've been for her."

"I enjoyed the program as it genuinely exposed me to what a simple poor decision can make on both your life and other people's lives. Thanks."

"Even though I am a safe driver, I aspire to be even safer. Thank you!"

Gawler Belt - Thriving Minds

On 30 May, eleven of my fellow senior schoolmates went to Concordia College for Academy Learning - Thriving Minds Excursion. The day had a program full of engaging topics, activities and discussions, which broadened and expanded our knowledge in certain topics. These topics included examining epistemology, working towards our potential real ability, the science of happiness and social physics. While expanding our knowledge, we were also expanding our social environment. By meeting other students from different diverse schools made the experience a whole lot better. The day was full of connections, knowledge, learning abilities that we will now benefit from the information learned throughout that day. Finally, the day was finalised with a debate, "Love is not a commodity to be traded." Seeing everyone's perspective and judgement of how they see this argument, made it difficult to choose a side, as both arguments were impressively convincing. Overall, taking this opportunity was such a great experience that more people should take interest in.

Bleize Lamasan
Year 11

Gawler Belt - Victoria Park Pedal Prix

Xavier College’s three Pedal Prix teams competed at Adelaide’s Victoria Park circuit on Sunday 18 June. The weather was kind and we avoided rain which made the day far more enjoyable.

Bosco 1, crewed by our most senior students finished 17^th in their category field of 48 vehicles. The team worked hard but were impeded by a steering problem which significantly slowed the vehicle. This was only revealed half way through the race and their times were difficult to recover. This has been a learning experience for all involved with the new vehicle and we hope to eliminate the problem for future events. Congratulations to Elijah, Eamon, Tom, Owen, Spencer, and Ethan for being so determined despite the issue and for still bringing the vehicle home in a respectable position.

Bosco II, finished in 45^th position in the same Senior 3 category and this is a worthy effort from a very young group who also lost a lot of time from a blown tyre caused by a piece of glass. We congratulate Cameron, Eddie, Blake, Dean, Rhyley, and Taylor for trying so hard in this highly competitive division.

Bosco III, driven by our very youngest students competed in the Senior 2 category and performed without fault all day to finish in 55^th position in their field of 64. We were so pleased with the efforts of this team of young students because they showed no fear and rode with true grit on a crowded track amongst some very fast vehicles. Fantastic effort Joe, Eli, Oliver, Harper, and Luca.

Scott Crew managed the team’s track monitoring system on the day and we are extremely grateful for his assistance. Our sincere thanks also to family members who undertook track marshalling, mechanical and housekeeping duties on the day. We are most grateful to the generous support from Willaston Autobody Repairs, who did a fantastic paint job on Bosco 2 this year.

Rob Welsh
Library Technician

Jo Bakker
Coordinator - Inclusive Education

Gawler Belt - White Card Training

Sixteen students from Xavier College registered for a new opportunity that we hope to offer again at the College. The students successfully engaged in White Card training facilitated by Adrian Matthews from PEER Education Employment and Training.

The White Card is an essential license for students looking to work in the construction industry. It is legally required to access construction sites when working in several professions including metal or timber framing, concreting, plumbing, electrical, roof plumbing, and tiling.

These students can now undertake work experience in the industry. Recording this training in their resumes also places them in a great position when applying for apprenticeships.

Stanley Varelias, a participant, said, “This opportunity has helped me have the knowledge to work towards my career as a refrigeration mechanic, as you learn a fair bit about safety.”

Renee Hutchins
Future Pathways Coordinator

Gawler Belt - Year 8 Heart Dissection

Our Year 8 students performed heart dissections as part of their unit on organ systems.

Heart dissection offers a practical and interactive learning experience that goes beyond textbook knowledge. It allows students to engage with the subject matter directly, fostering a deeper understanding of the structure and function of the heart.

They can observe the different chambers, valves, and blood vessels firsthand.

Dissecting a heart involves the application of various scientific skills, such as observation, dissection techniques, and critical thinking. Students learn to handle scientific tools, follow procedural instructions, and make careful observations, fostering skills that are essential in scientific inquiry.

Performing a hands-on dissection activity like this can spark interest and motivation among students. It provides a memorable and exciting experience that can stimulate their curiosity about biology, anatomy, and physiology. Such engagement can inspire further exploration and potentially even ignite long-term interest in related scientific fields.

Petone May
Teacher

Two Wells - Head of Campus

What a wonderful Term we have had!

During this Term, we have participated in several sporting events. I would like to acknowledge the fantastic work and dedication of Mr Nick Skewes, especially around our inaugural involvement in Knock Out Sports competitions and the Swimming Carnival for Years 7-9.

In addition to this, our Year 9 students have continued to embed The Rite Journey program into their curriculum and personal development. A lot of grit and determination saw them climb Mount Lofty; something they should all be incredibly proud of.

We have welcomed our Bambinos as they prepare to transition into school life. Thank you to our incredible teachers who have supported them, and for the dedicated work of Mrs Adele Taylor for her organisation around the program, which places them in such a great position to commence their educational journey with us.

As we know, things can change in the life of schools, so we have employed several new staff over the term. This is in part to accommodate changing needs of the campus, however, also to ensure consistency for students. Next term we will welcome Ms Flory Clifford, Ms Nicole Schwerdt, Ms Abbey Kelsey-Evans and Ms Amie Hockenhull to our teaching staff. We have also enjoyed working with Mr Harrison Polito while he has undertaken the role of an Education Support Officer at Two Wells.

Our new building development continues to progress, with some exciting stages reached. We are looking forward to using the Gym space, as well as the dedicated OSHC facility.

You will receive a summary of your child’s progress through the SEQTA portal before the end of the Term. I have had the pleasure of reading each report, and commend students and staff for their holistic development.

As always, our culture and core values of the College are key to us. Aligned to this are our relationships. We thank families for their communication with us, and always encourage parents/caregivers to reach out for clarity or a chat.

I wish you all a safe and refreshing break, and look forward to seeing you all on Monday, 24 July.

Janet Coomber
Head of Campus - Two Wells

Two Wells - Congratulations Lily

Congratulations to Lily Gameau (Year 7) who has been selected to play in the State under 12s netball team. Lily will travel to Perth in September to compete. Well done Lily, good luck!

Nicholas Skewes
Sports Coordinator

Two Wells - Congratulations Mikayla

Congratulations Mikayla for her ongoing participation in dog showing through DogsSA. Mikayla began last year at the age of 11 and has since achieved 36 awards, most notably Best Baby Puppy, Best Breed, and Best Neutering Group. Mikayla has competed in a range of events including Adelaide Fringe and most recently, Winter International.

Matthew Penko
Teacher

Two Wells - OSHC GooRoo Animations

Xavier College OSHC Two Wells made use of the Pupil Free Day on Friday 16 June 2023. Cameron from GooRoo Animations visited us at the Two Wells Campus and talked us through stop motion animation. All the children enjoyed working in small groups or with a partner on a stop motion movie, made from Lego.

The children had an iPad and backdrop provided to them by GooRoo animations, along with Lego sets. All the children worked well together as a team to make a mini movie, using characters and taking pictures of them moving. Seeing the children use their imaginations to come up with their movie ideas was incredible and every child was engaged in the making process.

Karly Keith
OSHC Director

Visit YouTube to watch the animations

Two Wells - Premier's Reading Challenge Author Visit

On Monday 19 June, our Two Wells Campus welcomed Premier's Reading Challenge (PRC) ambassador and renown South Australian author, Rosanne Hawke as guest speaker to present to our Years 3-9 students.

During two separate sessions, Rosanne discussed Premier's Reading Challenge, the importance of selecting texts that nurture a love for reading, and her own journey as an author. For many of our children, this was the first time they had personally met an author and appreciated hearing about the writing, drafting and editing process that occurs over a few years prior to final publishing.

Our Two Wells Campus is very grateful for the time Rosanne took to share her experiences and love for reading with us.

Tammie Haythrope
Library Hub Technician

Adele Taylor
Early Years R-2 Coordinator

Two Wells - Rite Journey Mount Lofty Challenge

Wednesday of Week 9 saw our Year 9 Rite Journey class take on the Mount Lofty challenge as part of their Rite Journey program. It was fantastic to see the determination and resilience of our students as they battled some tricky and cold conditions. We set ourselves the target of 3.5 hours to get from Waterfall Gully to Mount Lofty and back again, with all students completing the walk under the time challenge that was set. We’re really looking forward to our Rite Journey solo camp experience coming up in Week 2 of Term 3.

Nicholas Skewes
Sports Coordinator

Simone Dajeman
Teacher

Two Wells - Sports News

Term 2 Knockout Sport
Students in Years 7 to 9 participated in a range of knockout sports in Term 2, including basketball, netball, and soccer. Students represented themselves and the College extremely well, committing to trials and trainings in their recess and lunch times. Their effort and sportsmanship at the carnivals is to be commended as they played all games in a fantastic spirit. Unfortunately, we haven’t progressed into the next round, but are hopeful of improvement in the future.

Northern Cluster Netball and Soccer
On Thursday of Week 9, over 100 of our Years 4-6 students travelled to Argana Park to participate in the Northern Cluster Netball and Soccer Carnival against other Catholic schools in the northern region. The emphasis for the day is on participation and enjoyment and it was fantastic to see our students displaying RUAH throughout the day.

SAPSASA Netball
In Week 9, two of our Year 6 students represented the Gawler District at the State Netball Carnival at Mile End. Congratulations to Ashlyn Wearn and Emmie Earl on their selection and participation in the State Carnival.

Nicholas Skewes
Sports Coordinator