4 May 2019 Avila Newsletter

News
04 May | 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

Welcome back to school and the start of Term 2. I trust that
everyone has had the chance to relax and rejuvenate over the
holidays and spend some time together with family at Easter.

Chiara Smith

Co Captain

Alexandra Michael

Co Captain

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

Avila Vale Fiona Russell Parent and Student Survey
College
Board On a sad note, we were very sorry to learn of For the last few years, Avila College has
Annual the passing of Ms Fiona Russell during the scheduled a three week mid-semester break
General term break. in July. The College Board is considering
Meeting maintaining this for the next five years.
Fiona was a faith filled, generous and
Please be advised committed teacher. She contributed in many We are seeking feedback from staff, students
that the 2019 Avila ways to the school community through and parents as part of the decision making
College Board AGM is 13 years of service as a teacher of French, process.
scheduled for Tuesday Religious Education and English. Fiona also
14 May at 5:30pm in taught at John Paul College between 1986 - A survey has been sent out to all parents and
the Gathering Space. 2001. students (Year 8-12). I encourage everyone to
complete the survey and share your thoughts
All members of Fiona will be missed by us all and we offer and opinions on the length of the break.
the Avila College her family and friends our deepest sympathy,
community are support and prayers. Your feedback is important and will play a
welcome to attend. key role in the final decision.

Please RSVP to
principal@avilacol-
lege.vic.edu.au

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Creative Arts - 2019 | 1920 Photo by Madison Kelly, Amelia Matthews
and Charlotte Brewer Year 7
Congratulations to all the students, staff and families involved in the production
of the Creative Arts Spectacular. It is an Avila institution and an event that I hear
so many Alumnae reminisce about as one of their school career highlights.

This year’s ambitious theme translated beautifully to the stage and was a
tremendous showcase of student talents across a variety of creative platforms.

Congratulations to all involved both on the Besen stage and behind the scenes.
It was an unforgettable performance and a captivating evening of entertainment.

Happy Learning! Dr Cotter

Parent and Student SuMrivdeyYear Break Prayer
SURVEY LINKS
Heavenly Father
We value your feedback! We pray for all who bring
Survey is open until your word of life
5pm Tuesday 7 May. As a light to those in
darkness
Parent Survey: For those who bring your
word of peace
surveymonkey.com/r/62TQZQN To those enslaved by fear
For those who bring your
Student Survey: word of love
To those in need of
surveymonkey.com/r/623JMSH comfort
Lord of love and Lord of
peace
Lord of resurrection of life
Be known through our
lives
Through our lives
And through your power
Christ the Lord is Risen

Amen

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FAITH Ms Carmela Marino
& MISSION
Director of Faith and Mission

[email protected]

Mietta Busscher CNoaPDmnraeoyms2eNu0n1atn9agittiloyen
CentreTogether we celebrated being part of the
Faith & Mission
Captain Presentation story and remembered Nano
Nagle, her story, and her work in Ireland.
Monique Mason
We began the day with a liturgy with a focus
Faith & Mission on the Presentation values and our story as
Vice Captain a Presentation inspired school.

Clare McMorrow At lunch time we fundraisedfor IPA, the
International Presentation Association
Reconciliation Captain working in Papua New Guinea supporting
females and helping them gain an
Tiara Chandraratne education.

Reconciliation Vice Captain

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Faith and
Mission
Important
Dates

Gospel Readings

Sunday 5 May
John 21: 1–19
Jesus stepped
forward, took the
bread and gave it to
them, and did the
same with the fish.
Sunday 12 May
John 10: 27–30
I give my sheep
eternal life.

Important Dates.

Sunday 12 May
Mothers’ Day
Tuesday 14 May
Feast of St Matthias,
Apostle
15–21 May
CatholicCare Family
Week (National
Families Week)
Monday 15 May
International Day of
Families

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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

NAPLAN - Year 7 & 9

The National Assessment Program: Literacy and Numeracy
(NAPLAN) tests are scheduled for all Year 7 and 9 students:
• in the first two periods on Tuesday 14 May
• Period 1 on Wednesday 15 May
• and Period 1 on Thursday 16 May .

In 2019 Year 7 and 9 students will undertake Students have been briefed in Year Level
NAPLAN in year level groups and the tests assemblies of the requirements, materials to
will be facilitated by external invigilators. bring and code of conduct during these tests.

Key staff such as Year Level Coordinators and To ensure that students feel confident and
Homeroom teachers will be present prior to clear regarding expectations for the NAPLAN
the tests to assist students. tests, English and Mathematics teachers have
provided specific information to students
The tests will be held in about the types of tasks and questions that
the Hall (Year 9) and the Gym (Year 7) to may appear in the different tests.
minimise distractions.
Mathematics teachers have reminded
It is important that students arrive to school students that they will need to supply their
with plenty of time on the test dates so own scientific calculator for the numeracy
that they can proceed calmly into their test tests on Thursday morning.
venue. The students are also encouraged to
eat a nutritious breakfast to assist with their
concentration and overall wellbeing.

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> Click here to discover more about
the program and watch the 2018 Avila
College City Experience video

Year 8 City
Experience

Shortly, Year 8 students of Blue, Gold,
Green and Orange will commence their
week-long City Experience.

In speaking to some of the students over the last week Ms Elizabeth Fuller (Year 8 Coordinator) along with other
it is evident that they are excited about the learning staff recently embarked on a practice train trip to Glen
opportunities beyond the walls of the classroom this Waverley station for participating classes. This gave
program will present. the students an opportunity to use their Myki cards to
familiarise themselves with the process.
The City Experience program is an integral part of the wider
Discovery Learning program at Avila and it is vital that I look forward to seeing the student Presentations to
the students are present for the entire week. The Year 8 parents on Friday 17 May as well as reading about the
students have been busy in the past few weeks preparing experience from the students’ perspectives in the next
for the program in Homeroom, Geography, Mathematics, edition of the College newsletter.
and various other classes.

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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 Promoting a Positive
Worldview in our Daughters
Wellbeing Captain
Our young people today are bombarded with messages of what’s
Anna Zhang going wrong in the world, including violence, terror and tragedy.
Access to instant information via all forms of media can be
Wellbeing Vice Captain overwhelming and it’s hard for our young, tech savvy students to
avoid the constant barrage of negative news.
Michaela
Jansens Ter Laeck Their brains are managing a massive amount
of information, their neural pathways having
Student Representive little rest from processing information.
Council Captain
These negative messages impact the
Madelyn Janky worldview that our young people develop,
often creating a perception that the world is a
Student Representive dangerous and fearful place, this contributing
Council Vice Captain to a sense of hopelessness.

As adults in their lives, we can often
unconsciously convey similar messages
in comments made with well-intentioned
desires of ensuring the safety of our young
people. This reinforces the potential for
developing a negative worldview.

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> Malala Yousafzai
> Mary Grace Henry
> Ryan Hreljac
> Campbell Remess
> Drisana Levitzke-Gray

So how can • Have ongoing conversations with • Pass on messages of hope
we help our
young people your daughter which reflect the for your daughter’s potential.
to establish
a realistic, positive situations happening Remember, she is a work in
balanced
view of life? locally and globally; progress, and will flourish

• Maintain a balanced perspective with your encouragement and
yourself – your influence as a affirmation and sense of hope.

parent has a significant impact; Above are links of a few amazing,

• Encourage your daughter to filter positive contributions some young
out some of the “doom and people have made to the world.

gloom” messages by taking breaks However, young people can create

from her online activity, and using change in simple ways by sitting next

discernment about what to focus to the student who is always on their

on; own in class, by saying “that’s not OK”

• As a family, talk about some of when seeing disrespectful behaviour,
the amazing contributions people by smiling at other students as they
of all ages are making towards walk down the corridor, by offering to
changing others’ disadvantaged help another student who is struggling
situations…people who are or upset.

working with the poor, those It’s not hard, but takes courage to step

making valuable contributions outside one’s comfort zone.

to medical science, research, the

environment, homelessness, their Donna Teekens
neighbourhood, etc; Avila College Counsellor

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Year 12
Pastoral

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Respectful Back by popular demand...
Relationships
The
Avila was proud to host the Conversation
first Respectful Relationships Hour |Let's Chat
Student Network Meeting for
2019 last week and welcomed Join us on Wednesday 15 May
students from Salesian at 7pm in the Gathering Space
Mazenod and Sacred Heart for Avila' College's Conversation
Colleges. Hour.

Hosted by Avila College students and based
on your feedback, the topics for discussion
will be:
• Does my daughter spend too

much time online?
• Stresses in High School:

Past, Present and future
• How to push your daughter

without pushing her away
• Understanding the way we learn

- High School Today

Book your seats on trybooking

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COMMUNITY Mr Justin Cash

Community Engagement Manager

[email protected]

UN Youth Listening Tour

Kathryn Elizabeth Dinh Ten leaders from Year 9 to 11 were
Limeira-Beaton fortunate enough to attend the
Yr 9 UN Youth Representative Listening
Sustainability Captain Public Speaking Tour at Scotch College.
& Debating Captain
Dana Tomljanovic
The purpose of this tour is for the United The most important thing that we got out of
Sustainability Vice Captain Nations to give young people a say on the the tour was that the representation of youth
main issues that we are facing and present is low. We as young leaders of Avila, we
Georgia Miller them to the Government in a report later should be raising these issues and trying to
this year. This gave us a chance to speak up find a solution at an individual level.
Stage Crew Captain for what we think should happen to prevent
these issues from happening in the future. We are very grateful for this opportunity and
Lauren Karipidis can’t wait for what we can do to make our
We made an early start to the day by having future better.
Stage Crew Vice Captain to arrive at Avila by 6:45am. When we
arrived at Scotch College, we were provided
16 breakfast while listening to the UN Youth
Representative for 2019 named Kareem
El-Ansary. We then did a spectrum activity
where we had a discussion with the other
schools on topics such as if there enough
opportunities for youth in the future.

We then got the chance to say personally
what our main issue was and think of a
solution for it.

Celebrating Mums Avila Calendar

Mums and the special women in our lives attending the breakfast Monday 6 May
on Friday morning are in for a treat! The Avila Hospitality students House Athletics Carnival
have been busy preparing and packaging a special pink gift for Wednesday 8 May
those who attend. Thet are all packed and ready to go! Nagle House Day
Friday 10 May
Mother’s Day Breakfast
Monday 13 - Friday 17 May
Year 8 City Experience

Tuesday 14 - Thursday 16 May
NAPLAN

SECONDHAND UNIFORM SHOP
Wednesday 8 May 1-4pm

Wednesday 29 May 1-4pm

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

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PUBLIC
SPEAKING &

DEBATING

Senior Public Speaking

Prabhloyan Gill Prabhloyan Gill Last Sunday, I competed in
the Debaters Association of
Public Speaking Yr 12 Victoria Senior Public Speaking
& Debating Captain Public Speaking Competition at St Kevin’s College.
& Debating Captain
Rachel Iwuagwu

Public Speaking
& Debating Captain

Year 11 and 12 students from multiple For the impromptu speeches, we were given
schools in Melbourne came to compete. a topic and five minutes to prepare to speak.
The competition consisted of one prepared It was quite challenging but quite a fulfilling
speech as well as two impromptu speeches. challenge in the end. Impromptu speeches
allowed me to further my skills as a speaker,
For my prepared speech, I chose to address as well as improving my confidence and
the growing problem of Islamaphobia overall ability to think on the spot.
and hate speech in Australia and how our
politicians are fuelling this rather than It was quite interesting to see so many
stopping it. people give different takes on the exact same
topic. I really did enjoy the day.

Congratulations to Lucy Donnelly who was the winner of the Internal Year 8 Public Speaking
Competition. Her judge commented on the life and flair that she brought to her topic. Well
done, Lucy. The Year 7 final is coming up and we look forward to hearing what they would do
if they were Prime Minister for a day.

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DAV Senior Debaters
Best Speaker Awards

Well done to all of our
debaters for their work
in Round Two of the DAV
Senior competition.

Seven out of our fourteen teams won -
which is less than usual, but there were
a number of one point losses on topics
that clearly favoured the opposition.
Overall, it was a difficult round.

Congratulations to those who won Best
Speaker Awards : Prabhloyan Gill,
Grace Munro, Pooja Soni, Emma
Johnston, Talissah Lodge, Colette
D’Costa, Hararu Gunawardena and
Nishara Fernando. Well done!

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Geography
Fieldwork Trip

Marina Kelly

Yr9 Coordinator &
Geography Teacher

On Thursday 21 March, students in the Unit 1 Geography class visited
the town of Marysville to undertake joint fieldwork activities with the
Unit 1 Geography class from Mazenod. Both classes are studying the
significance of Black Saturday as a bushfire disaster in Australia.
Students in small groups to undertake a fuel load assessment to
judge the extent to which the natural environment is recovering from
the bushfires. Students sketched the impressive Steavensons Falls;
undertook a site survey within Marysville township to investigate
changes in house design for bushfire protection; and took photos to
support their fieldwork research question and hypothesis.
The day was a huge success and it was a fantastic opportunity for
Geography students to work with their peers from our brother school
for this investigation.
Thanks to Andrea McCann from Avila College and Michael Pearson and
Adrian De Fanti from Mazenod College for making the day a wonderful
learning opportunity.

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PATHWAYS Ms Jenny Dunn
& CAREERS
Pathways Co-ordinator

[email protected]

Mrs Madeleine Franken

Careers

[email protected]

Food Handling Certificates

Congratulations to our VCAL students who successfully completed their Food Handling
certificates in the Avila kitchens last week.

Crimson Education personal statements, this is the must- Academy campus while getting a taste
US & UK University Expo attend US & UK event for students in of what studying your passion with
Years 9-12. Register here. Australia’s Creative Industries provider
Students and parents are invited to the is like at this fun, engaging and hands-
US & UK University Expo being held at JMC - High School on program!
MLC in Kew on May 25. Workshops
These workshops are strictly for high
Featuring recently admitted students JMC will be holding Introductory school students in Years 9 - 12.
from across Australia, university stall Workshops during the July school
holders and in-depth seminars for holidays at our JMC Melbourne For more information click here
parents, student-athletes and about Campus. The workshops are a great
opportunity to check out the JMC

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Year 11
Formal

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Holy Family Primary School is delighted to present a special workshop for families

Buil ding Resil ience

in Chil dr en&Teenager s
Dr Michael Carr-Gregg

Tuesday 21 May
6.30 for a 7pm start

Bunjil Auditorium, Avila College
35 Charles Street, Mt Waverley

Dr Michael Carr-Gregg is one of Australia’s highest profile psychologists, author, broadcaster and a
specialist in parenting, children, adolescents and the use of technology for mental health.

$5 Tickets available | trybooking.com/BCLQY

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St. Michael’s Ashburton Parish Day

On May 19th we will hold our inaugural St. Michael’s Parish Day. Archbishop
Peter Comensoli will celebrate Mass at 10:30. This will be followed by a
barbecue and sporting activities for children. Come along to help us celebrate
our wonderful parish community!

As part of the festivities, we are inviting all past St Michael’s students, as well
as past and current parishioners, to participate in our mass choir and orchestra
and also to perform music of their choice as general entertainment. We are
also seeking assistance in serving and clearing up morning tea. This is an
excellent opportunity for community service and/or performance for secondary
students.

Any students who would like to participate are asked to email Therese Molnar
on [email protected]. She will provide music to those wishing to
participate in the church choir/orchestra and confirm rehearsal times. She
will also develop and advise the schedule for performances based on chosen
music selections.

Any general questions can be directed to John Whitehouse, Chair of the Parish
Pastoral Council ([email protected]).