Avila Newsletter 8 March 2019

News
08 March | 2019 Inspiring today for tomorrow

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FROM THE Dr Michelle Cotter
PRINCIPAL
Principal

Exec. MBA, M.Ed. Leadership, M.Ed. RE, Post Grad.
Dip. IT, Post Grad. Dip. Adult Ed., Grad. Dip. RE, B.Ed

Chiara Smith Happy International Women’s Day 2019! In the spirit of Better
Together this morning more than 150 members of the Avila
Co Captain College community; students, parents, staff, alumnae, local
primary school Principals and young men and staff from Salesian
Alexandra Michael and Mazenod Colleges joined together to celebrate girls, women,
equity and our shared commitment to being “better together”.
Co Captain

35 Charles Street,
Mount Waverley,
Victoria 3149
T 03 9831 9600
avila@avilacollege.
vic.edu.au
avila.vic.edu.au

Cover Image International Women’s Day is an important Year 7 and 9 parents and guardians please
celebration of girls and women and the check your registered email account for an
Cover photo by difference that we make to the world in big important communication regarding the Year
Bella O’Meara, Year 8 and small ways. 7 and 9 Camps.
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Former student Dr Fiona Brownfoot shared Safety for all students is our primary concern
her amazing journey through and beyond and the College is in regular communication
Avila, including her academic studies, with OEG about the fire situation in Victoria
medical reasearch and clinical work as a and if it is impacting on the sites for both
Specialist Obstetrician, working with women, camps.
babies, science and medicine.
At present the advice is positive but we will
Fiona brought a tear to many an eye, an extra continue to monitor over the weekend and
beat of pride to Avila hearts and a sense an email will be sent at approximately 4pm
of optimism and hope to young and older on Monday 11 March to confirm arrangements
minds alike as she challenged each of us as to whether the camps proceed as planned.
to pursue our passions with resilience and
rigour. Happy IWD and Learning to all!

Dr Cotter

Photo by Erin Natoli and Charlotte Brewer, Year 7

Prayer

Dear Lord,

You walk beside us, each
moment of each day.

You know us by name,
see each joy and sorrow.

You created within us a gentle
capacity to love and nurture.

You gave us understanding and
patience in a troubled world.

You laid upon us the
responsibility to carry
and care for new life.

You released us to run and
dance, to sing and create.

You crafted in us sharp minds
that are able to solve problems
and see possibilities.

You desire each of us to live life
to the full, embracing your love
for us and extending grace to
others.

You gave your life so that we
could walk free to build your
kingdom on earth as in heaven.

We lay our lives before you and
trust in your unfailing love.

Guide us, Heal us, Touch us,
And lead us,

To reflect more and more
of you life within our own.

Amen.

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FAITH Ms Carmela Marino
& MISSION
Director of Faith and Mission

[email protected]

Mietta Busscher Project
Compassion
Faith & Mission
Captain Avila College is proud to
support Caritas Australia’s
Monique Mason Project Compassion this Lent.

Faith & Mission The theme for Project Compassion 2019 is
Vice Captain based around Hope and giving Lent 100%
in the name of hope. Hope enables us to
Clare McMorrow rise above our fears and helps those in
great need to shape a better future for their
Reconciliation Captain communities.

Tiara Chandraratne The Faith and Mission Leaders have a
number of fundraising activities planned
Reconciliation Vice Captain in the coming weeks, in support of Project
Compassion.
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Each week during the Lenten period, we
will also be learning about life in different
countries through the personal stories of
people who have participated in Caritas
Australia supported programs. The first
is from twelve year old Thandolwayo in
Zimbabwe.

You can view Thandolwayo’s story and the
other videos here.

It was busy in the Faith and
Avila Kitchen as the Mission
Faith and Mission Important
Captains and other Dates
school leaders
cooked up a batch Sunday's Gospel
of pancakes for Reading
Shrove Tuesday.
Sunday 10 March
Luke 4: 1–13
Filled with the Holy
Spirit, Jesus was led
by the Spirit through
the wilderness
where he was
tempted.

Sunday 17 March
Luke 9: 28–36
As Jesus prayed, the
aspect of his face
was changed, and
his clothing became
brilliant as lightning.

10-17 March
Catholic Education
Week – ‘Growing
Young in Christ’

Monday 18 March
Solemnity
of St Patrick

Tuesday 19 March
Solemnity of St
Joseph, Spouse of the
Blessed Virgin Mary

Monday 25 March
Solemnity of the
Annunciation
of the Lord

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Shrove Tuesday

Avila students launched our Project
Compassion campaign on Shrove
Tuesday with lunchtime pancakes.

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Ash Wednesday

On Ash Wednesday we came together
as a faith community to begin our
Lenten journey with a Liturgy.

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Year 7
Reflection Day

Year 7 students spent the day reflecting on what it
means to be part of the Avila College community
through a series of art, reflections and activities.

Photos by Joelene Cheah 7 Green

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LEARNING & Ms Leah Eekelschot
TEACHING
Deputy Principal Learning & Teaching

[email protected]

Ms Klara Baka

Director of Learning & Teaching

[email protected]

Prakashika Ravi

Learning Captain

Stephanie Skafidas

Learning Vice Captain

USA Academic Tour

Parent Avila College is delighted to announce an exciting international
Student opportunity for current Year 10 - 12 students. The Alliance of Girls’
Teacher Schools Australasia (www.agsa.org.au) is planning to take a group
Interviews of students to the USA in January 2020 for an academic tour.

Thursday Participants wil travel to New York City, • The Metropolitan Museum of Art and
28 March Boston, San Francisco and Los Angeles Smithsonian Institute
3:30pm - 8:30pm and have the opportunity to meet industry
experts, visit leading universities and explore It is a program designed specifically for
Monday some of the world’s most famous galleries female students and tailored to those who
1 April and museums. are interested in exploring future pathways
3:30pm - 8:30pm and meeting with thought leaders and
Highlights of the planned tour include influencers.
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• a tour of Ivy League campuses across The Information Evening will be held
America including Harvard, Yale, on Thursday 28 March at Avila College in
Columbia and Stanford Universities Room 35 (Year 10 corridor).

• The United Nations Book for the information session via this link:
https://www.trybooking.com/BBINP
• Silicon Valley

Humanities Out and About

The Unit 3 Geography class headed to Carnegie last week to The students then observed a criminal trial involving an
investigate land use change along the rail corridor. Students aggravated home invasion. They watched surveillance
conducted a variety of fieldwork activities, including surveys, camera vision of the incident and heard evidence from one
transport tallies and taking photos, to answer their research of the inhabitants of the house.
question “To what extent does the introduction of the
Skyrail in Carnegie impact on the people in the surrounding Year 11 student Gianna Skafidas reported that “it was
region?”. The data collected showed that the impact extremely helpful to see what we had been learning in
has been mostly positive, and the students themselves action and very fascinating and engaging”.
appreciated the benefits of the change.
This week the Year 8 Geography students were lucky to have
Unit 1 Legal Studies students visited the Melbourne County great weather for their trip to Sorrento and Rye to observe
Court. The operation and jurisdiction of each of the courts in the natural and human processes that shape different
the Victorian court hierarchy is explored as part of the course coastal landscapes. The students took photos and videos
and the excursion provides an opportunity to view the court for their group reports, and stopped for lunch at the Rye
in session. foreshore.

The visit began with an address by Judge Frances Hogan who One student observed “it’s actually really beautiful” as she
talked about her experience as a legal practitioner before looked more closely at the rock formations in the cliffs at
her elevation to judicial office. Judge Hogan answered Sorrento.
questions from the group and her insights were interesting
and inspirational. Mrs Andrea McCann and Mr Phillip Cornell
Geography and Legal Studies Teachers

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STUDENT Ms Janine Bauman
WELLBEING
Deputy Principal Students

[email protected]

Mrs Anne Stephens

Director of Student Wellbeing Yr 7-9

[email protected]

Anna Marvelli

Director of Student Wellbeing Yr 10-12

[email protected]

Claudia Chmielewski The Truth about Friendships

Wellbeing Captain Starting at a new school is a great adventure and our new Year
Seven’s are navigating it well. However, along the way, whether in
Anna Zhang Year Seven or in later secondary school years, they may face
a road block in their friendships.
Wellbeing Vice Captain
Knowing how to navigate these roadblocks 5 Truths About Friendship that will Save
Michaela can be as important to a teenage girl’s Your Kids Alot of Pain.
Jansens Ter Laeck happiness as academic success.

Student Representive With this in mind, we would like to share an
Council Captain article with you that was published on the
wonderful website, ‘Knowing Girls’,
Madelyn Janky
It has some fine advice for parents when
Student Representive helping their daughters find their way
Council Vice Captain through the sometimes-complex world of
teenage relationships.
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Anne Stephens
Director of Wellbeing 7-9

Restorative Practice at Avila

Restorative Practice is a whole school approach
to promoting resilience and building positive
relationships.

At Avila, we are committed to this framework,
and helping young people become aware of the
impact of their behaviour on others.

From time to time, incidents will occur when
these relationships need to be healed.

When this happens, we view Student Leadership Leaders also shared in an afternoon
wrongdoing through a relational lens tea and later that evening gathered
and realise that when harm is done A Leadership Seminar was held in together to share in a barbeque dinner
it creates obligations and personal January with the Year 12 Leaders. with their parents and staff.
accountability. A range of guest speakers addressed
the following areas: Leadership in the Year 9 and Year 12
Acknowledging actions in a respectful Catholic Context, Team Building, Public Student Mentor Breakfast
manner, repairing the harm and Speaking, Keeping organised as a
restoring the relationship is the focus Leader. The aim is to pair Year 12 Leaders with
of dealing with conflict at Avila their Year 9 counterpart and form a
Other sessions were allocated to closer connection and work together
Through this process students become “unpacking the 2019 College Theme throughout the year.
better at self-regulating, learn from a - what does it feel and look like”,
conflict situation and become better at creating a “Landscape of Change using Year 12’s shared some of their
problem solving. the Grow Model”, followed by a Team leadership expertise and help guide
Goal Setting Session. their younger counterpart on her
leadership journey.

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Student
Leadership
Seminar

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Isabella O’Meara Sienna Lucas

Year 8 Year 8

First Weeks of
Year Eight!

So far the Year 8 ’s start to 2019 has been
busy, hectic, creative and fun. We’ve seen
our old friends after the summer break
and made some new ones.

There has been a lot of lunchtime/extra activities like music,
orchestra, art club, crochet corner and lots more.

Some Year 8’s have auditioned for the Seussical Musical for which fits well with our 2019 Avila College theme “Better
which only a few girls have been cast, but congratulations Together”.
to all the girls who tried out.
New and exciting things that are coming up this semester
Mrs Kelly has given some Year 8 students in Junior Drama include going to the beach for geography to look at the
Club the main roles for the 2019 Creative Arts Festival so landforms and investigate how our environment and coast
good job to all the girls that came to that as well. works. In Term 2 and 4, the Year 8’s will also go on City
Experience for a week to discover and learn about the City
We also had author Robert Newton come in and tell us of Melbourne.
about his book “Runner”. Some Year 8’s have signed up
for Debating and Public Speaking, Avila Ambassador roles
and other cool experiences and exciting things with friends

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COMMUNITY Mr Justin Cash

Community Engagement Manager

[email protected]

Year 7 and Year 9 Camps Please do not drive down Charles Street
beyond the roundabout or drive down
Avila’s camps program goes into full swing Portsmouth Street. We need these areas
clear from car traffic for bus access. We thank
next week from Tuesday for all Year 7 and 9 you in advance for your cooperation.

students. This program offers students the House Swimming Carnival

opportunity to venture beyond the classroom Avila’s annual House Swimming Carnival
will take place on Wednesday 27 March at
and learn new skills in a collaborative the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre

Kathryn outdoor setting. >(MSAC), Albert Park.
Limeira-Beaton The Carnival begins at 9:15am
> Year 7 Marysville camp departs at and concludes at 2:30pm.
Sustainability Captain 9:00am on Tuesday 12 March and
will arrive back at Avila at 2:30pm Year 7 and 8 students will be given the
Dana Tomljanovic option of travelling from Avila to MSAC in the
> on Friday 15 March. morning and returning to Avila by bus in the
Sustainability Vice Captain afternoon.
Year 9 Eildon camp departs at
Georgia Miller 8:00am on Tuesday 12 March and All Year 9-12 students will need to make their
own way to and from the venue on the day.
Stage Crew Captain will arrive back at Avila at 4:00pm
A CareMonkey form with more details about
Lauren Karipidis on Friday 15 March. House Swimming Carnival arrangements will
be sent to all parents soon.
Stage Crew Vice Captain On the afternoon of Friday 15 March, we also
have Year 10 students arriving back from We look forward to another exciting House
18 the Dandenongs as part of their Service and Swimming Carnival full of participation,
Justice activities. collegiality, House spirit and skill in the pool.

There will be fifteen buses dropping All parents are welcome to attend the
off students at Avila throughout Friday Carnival and join our student community.
afternoon.

We urge all parents collecting their children
to please park away from the College and
utilise street parking near Mount Waverley
Reserve, instead.

State Athletics

Congratulations to Year 9 student
Grace Louey who has qualified for
both the 1500m walk and the high
jump in the Victorian State Athletic
Championships on Saturday 16 March!

Lions Youth of the Year Avila Calendar

Chiara Smith is to be congratulated on her success in the second Tuesday 12 - Friday 15 March
round of the Lions Youth of the Year Competition. Chiara won both Year 7 + Year 9 Camps
the Public Speaking and the Lions Youth of the Year Award for the Year 10 Community Service
zone - a fantastic effort.
Chiara now goes onto the Lions District Final. Good luck to Chiara! Wednesday 20 March
Avila College Open Morning
Government
House Friday 22 March
Chisholm House Day
Year 12 student Vivian and Deputy
Principal Ms Eekelschot attended Thursday 27 March
Government House for the House Swimming Carnival
launch of Melbourne University’s
Hansen Scholarship Program, and Thursday 28 March
were delighted to meet former Parent-Student-Teacher Interviews
students Theresa and Megan who
were at the same function in their Monday 1 April
professional roles. Parent-Student-Teacher Interviews

SECONDHAND UNIFORM SHOP

Wednesday 20 March, 1-4pm

Wednesday 27 March 1-4pm

Year 10 Vaccinations | Apologies for the
missprint in the last newsletter.
The date is actually Thursday 8 August.

AVILA COLLEGE
GENERAL OFFICE HOURS
8am - 4.30pm
PLEASE CALL THE ABSENTEE
LINE BEFORE 10am
on 9831 9696

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PATHWAYS Ms Jenny Dunn
& CAREERS
Pathways Co-ordinator

[email protected]

Mrs Madeleine Franken

Careers

[email protected]

Experience Clever at Latrobe

Latrobe University’s Experience Clever Inside Monash These seminars provide VCE students
program helps make the transition Seminar Series with an insight into the courses and
to university a little less daunting by career options within discipline areas.
offering a taste of life at La Trobe. Get the inside story of what it’s really
Held at the Latrobe Melbourne like to study at Monash. You’ll hear The seminars are held in various
Campus during the Easter school from a current student, a past student locations across the Caulfield, Clayton,
holidays, Experience Clever offers a and an academic. Bring along your Peninsula, and City campuses, and
chance for Year 10, 11 and 12 students parents too! seminars with the same title have
to experience uni for a day. the same program. All seminars
You can choose from over 50 The Inside Monash Seminar Series commence at 6.30pm. Register and
workshops in a broad range of study commences in late March and access venue details online: https://
areas, experience real classroom continues until August. www.monash.edu/inside-monash
environments and interact with
university staff and students.
There’ll also be campus and
accommodation tours, free catering,
prizes and entertainment.
Click here to register online.

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Inside Monash Seminar Dates

DATE EVENT CAMPUS

Thursday 13 June Architecture Caulfield

Wednesday 15 May Arts and Global Studies Clayton

Wednesday 3 April Biomedical Science and Doctor of Medicine (MD) Clayton

Wednesday 15 May Biomedical Science, Radiography, Radiation Science, Nutrition Clayton

Wed 27 March Business Clayton

Wednesday 1 May Business Peninsula

Wednesday 26 June Business City

Tuesday 30 April Criminology Clayton

Tuesday 4 June Design Caulfield

Tuesday 21 May Education Clayton

Thursday 23 May Education Peninsula

Thursday 30 May Engineering Clayton

Wed 28 August Engineering Clayton

Thursday 6 June Fine Art Caulfield

Thursday 9 May Information Technology - IT and Computer Science Clayton

Wednesday 15 May Information Technology - IT Double Degrees and Internships Clayton

Thursday 29 August Information Technology - IT and Computer Science Clayton

Tuesday 30 April Law Clayton

Tuesday 7 May Media, Communication, Journalism, and PR Caulfield

Tuesday 13 August Music Clayton

Wednesday 5 June Nursing and Midwifery Peninsula

Tuesday 23 May Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, and Paramedicine Peninsula

Tuesday 7 May Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Parkville

Tuesday 25 June Psychology Clayton

Wednesday 8 May Public Health and Health Science Caulfield

Thursday 4 April Science - Science Course Information & Student Experience Clayton

Thursday 16 May Science Advanced – Research, Global Challenges & Applied Science

Clayton

Thursday 11 July Science - Science Careers and Industry Engagement Clayton

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PUBLIC
SPEAKING &

DEBATING

Prabhloyan Gill

Public Speaking
& Debating Captain

Rachel Iwuagwu

Public Speaking
& Debating Captain

Trivia Competition!

Jessica Loeding On Wednesday the 27th of February, the Public
Speaking and Debating Captains ran the annual
Year 8 Public Speaking trivia event for the Year 7 and 8’s.
and Debating Captain

It was a great event and a fun opportunity and enjoyable!
for everyone to test their general knowledge
in many different categories such as music, Congratulations to the team Legends from
sport, TV shows, celebrities. We even had a Year 8 who won the Trivia!
category about Avila!
Thank you to Mrs Carroll for adding her A huge thanks to all the Public Speaking
own personal touch, making it a more fun and Debating captains for helping make
everything run so smoothly!

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Melbourne RoboCats is an
all-girls over 13 robotics team
competing in the FRC, the First
Robotics Competition. The team
had to build a robot that could
undertake certain obstacles in
a game. This year’s game was
Destination: Deep Space.

Abbey Cerovac Robocats
building
Year 9 Robots

In the competition we have two alliances with three teams To create the robot, we split the workload into three; coding,
each. We have to use the abilities of each of our robots to electronics and building the robot. I was involved in the
complete the game. electronics. We wired the whole robot, learnt how to solder
and were taught the basics of engineering. It was fascinating
The teams race to place hatch panels on the rocket and to see how it all came together and how important each
cargo ship and load cargo into them. Our robot was able to component is.
climb up steps as well as deliver cargo and attach hatches.
Before this, I have had no previous experience in
We spent three weeks of the holidays and three weekends engineering and it had seemed extremely difficult but
when school started back, building this robot at Swinburne now I have learnt so much. I’m glad I was part of the team
University for our competition in Sydney in March where we and value the new skills I’ve acquired along the way being
compete against teams from all around the world. Teams involved in Robocats.
in prior years have made it to Houston, Texas after being
picked to join a winning alliance at Sydney Competition.

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DRAMA,
MUSIC & ART

Amelia Pawsey Musical
Auditions
Year 10
The annual Avila-Mazenod musical is a proud
Georgie Donnelly tradition of both colleges spanning the last 38 years.

Year 10 I was fortunate enough to have the privilege of partaking in the 2018
production of “All Shook Up” featuring the music of Elvis Presley. This
show was probably the best experience of my time at Avila.
I believe we truly created magic on stage and left the audience with an
unbelievable sense of wonderment.
Being the first time Avila girls in Year 7-9 were allowed to audition,
meant that so many more people got to experience being in a musical.
After months of hard work the show finally came together and it’s safe
to say that all who were involved were all extremely proud of what they
had achieved and made memories we’d never forget.
We can’t wait to see this year’s production of Seussical!

Charlotte Nunn

Art Captain

Hayley Cameron

Art Vice Captain

Chloe Smith

Drama Captain

Aliyah Thomas

Drama Vice Captain

Jade Judd

Music Captain

Emma Gare

Music Vice Captain

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Sea Sponges in the
Ceramics Studio

Drawing inspiration from ceramic artist Courtney
Mattison, Year 9 students worked together to
create their own sea coral art installations.

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Sponge Cakes in the
Food Tech Kitchen

Meanwhile in the Avila Kitchens....Year 10 students
recreated the traditional sponge cake with a
variety of techniques for their Menu class.

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Year 12 Formal

It was an evening to remember at
the Brighton International as Year 12
students dressed up for their final
Formal evening at Avila College.

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SPORT

All Schools Triathlon

Avila College fielded three teams in the Victorian All School
Triathlon in Elwood with great results! Avila Red placed 6th
(Intermediate) Avila Gold placed 3rd (Intermediate) and Avila
Blue was 4th in the Senior competition.

Tricia Cowan

Sport Captain

Sophie Gregson

Sport Vice Captain

Bridgette Roza

Chisholm Captain

Sarah Ang

Flynn Captain

Daniella Fischer

MacKillop Captain

Zoe Gifford

Nagle Captain

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Year 11 Bubble Soccer
and Hip Hop Classes

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CATHOLIC
EDUCATION
WEEK 2019

EXVHISI2BUA0IAR1T9LITOSN
GROWING YOUNG IN CHRIST
GALLERY OPENING HOURS
Tue 12 March to Fri 15 March: 9 am – 4 pm
Sat 16 March: 2 pm – 5 pm
Sun 17 March: 2 pm – 5 pm (invitation only)
Catholic Leadership Centre
576 Victoria Parade
East Melbourne

For more information contact
Emily Fyffe [email protected]

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Young Journalist
Award 2019

Young Writers - Your chance to get Published and win some great prizes.

The theme for the 2019 Young Journalist Award is be published in our Spring edition of Australian
‘The Journey of a Family’. Do you know of any Catholics.
families in your community who have embarked on an
inspiring journey ? This is a journalistic piece - so no creative writing. It
must include quotes from at least one interview
The journey can be a physical trip, such as a family subject and should answer the basic questions of who,
starting life in a new country or area. For example, where, when, why, what and how.
what was the journey like for refugees ? How did they
travel ? How long did it take ? What dangers did the Judges will be looking for an interesting factual story
family face ? with a strong heading (no more than six words) The
article should be of broad interest to Australian
However, the theme is not restricted to travel. Perhaps Catholics readers (i.e.: students, parents and teachers
you could interview someone from a family business. in Catholic schools and parish communities.
How did the idea for the business come about ? What
went into the organisation ? Why ups and downs have Entries must not exceed 500 words.
they faced ?
ENTER NOW: https://form.jotform.com/
Alternatively, do you know a family that has dealt with 90428424638966
sickness or trauma, or one where they play a particular
sport or are involved as a family in a particular Terms and Conditions:
organisation.
Articles must be written by individual students. Only
ENTERING THE AWARD: one entry per student will be accepted. All entries
must be submitted electronically using the above
Year 7 -9 students - Intermediate Section submission form. Closing date for entries is 5 pm
Friday 24th May 2019. Winners will be notified via
The winner of this section will receive $100 cash while their school before the Spring 2019 edition.
the runners-up will receive $50. The winning story will
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