Dear Members of the Villanova College Family,
It is a challenge to find time in one’s busy day to make room for God. During this Lenten Season Christians have been challenged to find time to reflect on their own faith journey and their relationship with God.
At Villanova College I personally have many opportunities for prayer and Mass during a normal week. When I go to class, we always say a prayer to begin the lesson. As a member of staff, we begin the week with prayer at our Staff Briefing. Mass is celebrated in the College Chapel from 8.00am – 8.30am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday each week. As you walk around the College you see signs and symbols that focus your attention on God.
Never having worked in a secular organisation I wonder what it is like when you are a Christian working in a place where there is not the opportunity for daily prayer or where prayer is not an accepted practice. I suspect it is more difficult to find time in your day to ‘let God walk with you.’
During this Lenten journey we are all challenged to pause in these hectic times to reflect on our relationship with God.
AIC Aggregates
Congratulations to all cricket teams for their great season. Villanova College has, for the third year in a row won the overall aggregate for cricket. In AFL, College teams placed second and in Volleyball our teams placed sixth overall in the aggregate.
Many teams were undefeated during the season and I congratulate them on this significant achievement.
I thank all coaches, managers, supporters and spectators for their encouragement and guidance of the students during the season. Without the generosity of so many parents, Old Boys and members of staff, our students would not have the sporting opportunities they so thoroughly enjoy.
Organisational Skills
If there is one essential skill I would advocate for all students it would be the skill of organisation. It is the skill to be forward-thinking and to be a planner. Being organised requires a person to take the necessary actions to ensure they are well prepared and ready for what is coming up in the calendar.
I have recently completed an exercise with my Year 12 class where we mapped out their activities, assessment and commitments for the remaining three weeks of this term. Many of the students are not forward planning. They are responding to the demands of each day and not planning ahead. I even had one student who did not know an assessment was due as he must have missed that class when the task was distributed to students. Thankfully, we found out now and not the night before the assignment was due.
I make a passionate plea to parents to assist us in providing some type of planner to their son. There are many free monthly planners on the internet that can de downloaded and filled in. In this way each student will learn the skill of planning ahead and be forward-thinking with their commitments.
Assessment Tasks
Next week our Year 9 – 11 students will be completing their Term One assessment tasks. At this time of the term all students across the College will be completing examinations and assignments. Over the remaining weeks of the term I hope to see students continuing to pay attention to their schoolwork both inside and outside the classroom.
Prayers
O Lord Jesus Christ, by your almighty power you opened the eyes of the blind,
and showed yourself to them.
Turn our eyes away from worthless things,
and lead us to love you sincerely; through your mercy,
O our God, you are blessed, and live and govern all things, now and forever. Amen.
You have made us for Yourself O Lord
And our hearts are restless until they rest in You.
God bless
Mr Mark Stower, Principal
In keeping with the spirit of Reconciliation, Villanova College acknowledges the Yuggera and Turrbal peoples, as the Traditional Custodians of this land on which we stand. We pay our respects to Elders, past, present and emerging. This has always been, and always will be, a place of teaching and learning connected to country, culture and community.