Villa View – Issue 11, 13 July 2023

Welcome to second semester and the wonderful events and functions that are on the horizon in this first portion of Term 3.

This week we welcomed the Vicar General of the Augustinian Order, Fr Joe Farrell O.S.A. to our College. Fr Joe addressed the Ambrose Leadership Team of the College and all staff and shared key aspects of the charism and story of the Augustinians. This was extremely valuable as we move toward shaping our vertical House system next year.

On the events front it is only two weeks until the Villanova Community Carnival. This has such a strong tradition in the Coorparoo area and is a great afternoon and evening. I certainly hope that many family and friends can join us here at the College on Saturday 22 July from 4-10 pm.

Not too long after that we again facilitate the Queensland Catholic Schools & Colleges Music Festival at the College from 11 – 14 August, when, for those four days, we are the centre of Catholic Education in Queensland, particularly in the music sense.

Over the holidays we experienced some fantastic opportunities for our students. Under the leadership of Mrs Julie Duffy our head of careers we saw some 20 boys engage in work experience across a diverse set of industries. This opportunity to shape ideas about ones future pathway is invaluable and the College is most appreciative for her work.

Our First XIII Rugby League team competed for the first time in the Confraternity Shield Tournament. This was a most valuable time for our students to experience the wider world and reflect on their place in it. Yes, it was a Rugby League Carnival but with 52 teams across Queensland it challenged us to think about, and respect, all of those students and schools outside of the AIC bubble. To meet and compete against different people and look to challenge oneself against a different measuring stick. It was a wonderful week culminating in the team winning the Confraternity Bowl Final.

At an individual accolade level we had some wonderful performance by our boys, with Jackson Moloney first representing the state in Rugby Union and as a result being selected for the Australian Schoolboys Rugby team. Cameron Bukowski in the other Rugby code, Rugby League, represented the Queensland Schoolboys in the national Carnival at Redcliffe, and in our younger years, Year 7 student Boris Vukelic represented the state in the national Water Polo championships.

On the academic front our Year 10’s enter into a very important period of their schooling journey when, in these next few weeks they begin the subject selection and SET planning process with their parents. I certainly look forward to this period of the year with great anticipation as it is such a pivotal moment in the way forward for our young men.

In our next Villa View we will announce the new House names that the steering committee have recommend and College Leadership has endorsed. These new houses will give every boy in the College a platform in which to increase his understanding and connectedness to our College, its identity and assist in the shaping of him as an Augustinian graduate. This is a very exciting project!

Mr Paul Begg, 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.

Term 3 is my favourite – the Premiership Quarter; because I was born in an AFL state, Western Australia, the notion of coming out of the ‘sheds’ and giving it your all, to set up a winning final quarter, was instilled in me early on. Using our Semester 1 Report Cards, knowledge about our learning strengths and challenges, united with parent and teacher support – this is the time to set goals and make concerted efforts for change.

Changes need time, planning and regular check-ins.  Everybody needs a support network to move forward.  How do we break down the next 10 weeks of learning into manageable pieces – where do we start?

1. Be honest with yourself. Looking in the mirror and getting “real” about what you can do better can feel unsettling.  Having a trusted person next to you helps.  Sharing any worries or fears together really does remind us that we are not alone.  Everybody has something to work on.  Mums, Dads and teachers have areas to improve on and sharing these with our sons can go a long way with fostering a growth mindset in a Year 5 or 6 student.
2. Write down your goals – visuals keep the challenge as a reminder – display it somewhere that it can be seen. Keep the targets simple, short term to start.  If it’s an academic goal, then consider the homework or revision strategies each week.  Make plans about the best times to work on your vocabulary, textbook responses and then look to work on problem solving or real-world situations that use such information.  Watch videos, talk about concepts with an adult, make a list of new information, construct flash cards to use in the car.
3. Reward yourself for sticking to a plan each week. Negotiate the “carrot” that allows you to feel great about meeting your goals.  You deserve to celebrate the small wins that should ultimately get you to that goal post.  Hit a road bump?  Don’t panic.  Life happens.  Work out how to avoid these bumps (if possible) in the future.  Be kind to yourself but don’t let excuses become a pattern.  If you need to change your plan for the next week then do so, keeping a trusted adult informed.
4. After a month, test yourself. Put together the last 4 weeks of learning and create a simple exam, set the clock, and give your best responses.  Talk into a FlipGrid, draw/label a diagram, make a list, mix and match vocabulary, show different ways to share an idea.  Share this with your parents or teacher – be proud of your “half-time” achievement.  Celebrate the top of the mountain and know that there is still work to do.  Don’t give up now.
5. A solid preparation means you now enter the busiest time of the term with confidence. You will be amazed how much this changes your sense of wellbeing.  As learning tasks and pressure starts to build, you will hold your head up higher and face the challenges knowing you have done your best.  Focus on stress relievers – sleep patterns, eating well, exercise, organised times to have fun with music, movies, gaming, catch ups with mates.  Balance your work and socializing to keep you happy.  Your best is good enough.

The possibilities this term are yours to create.  A helping hand is available.  There are so many ways to make this premiership quarter the success that 2022 needs.  Take charge of one aspect of your schooling – jump into that driver seat and move from first gear to second and find third!

I am particularly looking forward to AIC Basketball beginning tomorrow afternoon, and I know our Debating teams have their palm cards ready for Thursday evening and Rugby League and Tennis lads have their mouthguards and racquets in place for Saturday.  The sun is shining so gentlemen, staff and parents – let the magic of Term 3 rain down on us all.

Mr Stephan Rouhliadeff, Head of Junior School

Welcome back to the start of a wonderful Term 3. I hope as families, there was an opportunity to be together and spend time as a family unit. At the end of last term, staff were able to engage in a meaningful staff week, collaborating and preparing for the term ahead as well as being able to engage in some formation. It was wonderful to see our staff talking so passionately about the College, the students and the future.

This week, I had the privilege of sitting in on a Year 8 Wellbeing lesson that introduced the topic of gratitude. As you know, the Wellbeing curriculum aims to equip students with essential life skills, coping strategies, and a positive mindset to navigate the challenges they may encounter. It encompasses various aspects of wellbeing, including emotional intelligence, resilience, self-care, mindfulness, and the importance of gratitude. Our goal is to empower students to lead fulfilling lives and build strong foundations for their future success.

Gratitude is the practice of acknowledging and appreciating the positive aspects of our lives, the kindness of others, and the beauty that surrounds us. It has numerous benefits for our mental, emotional, and social well-being.

It would have been easy in the class for the experienced teacher to challenge the students that ‘young people don’t know how hard things used to be and young people are never grateful for everything you have.’ I certainly thought it was where the lesson could have headed.  Instead, the lesson was less about being appreciative of the things in their life and more on the benefits of being grateful. It enhances a person’s mental health by focusing on the positive aspects of our lives, it develops resilience by looking for silver linings in challenging situations and it strengthens relationships as we share, connect and empathise with others.

The students will be developing that sense of gratitude through discussions, expressing appreciation and journalling. It is something I am hoping to pop back into throughout the term so that I can see the progression of the unit.

It also challenged me to ask the same questions about what I am grateful for? Who do I really appreciate in my life? I have set myself a challenge of ensuring I write down every day one thing that went well today and what made me smile or laugh today? Perhaps, at your family dinner table, you can ask similar conversations to promote healthy conversation and a positive mindset.

Thank you for your continued support in promoting the wellbeing of our students. With good conversations both at home and school, we can help our young men develop the skills they need to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

Have a great first week in the Middle School!

Mr Sean O’Neill, Head of Middle School

Welcome back all Senior School families to another semester at the College. I hope that all students had the opportunity to enjoy a relaxing and enjoyable mid-year holiday, soaking up the amazing weather. It’s a blessing to live north of the Tweed during this time of the year, not only with the warmer winter conditions but also when you’re winning the State of Origin. Over the holiday period, our First XIII Rugby League played in their inaugural Confraternity Carnival and made an impressive debut, taking out the Bowl with four wins, a draw and one loss. What was also pleasing to see was the wonderful camaraderie amongst the squad comprising of students across the entire Senior School- Years 10-12. The mentorship that our Seniors extended towards the Year 10 players was incredibly powerful.

The third quarter of this year- known in AFL circles as the premiership quarter- is an incredibly important one for our Senior School students. Our Year 12 students will soon complete their remaining internal assessment items before shifting focus towards their external examination preparation program- culminating with the all-important mock examinations in Weeks 8 and 9. Our Year 11 students will largely complete their Unit 2 studies, the final formative phase of their studies before their summative IA1 assessment items commence in Term 4. Furthermore, the cohort will also embark on their leadership program and the selection process for the 2024 Student Leadership Team, which will see the return of House Captains as we continue our transition into the House System next year. Our Year 10 students will complete their Senior Education and Training (SET) Plans and meet with a Senior member of staff to finalise their course of study for Years 11 and 12.

With such an important term ahead, it is vitally imperative that our students return this week with a mindset ready to work and that they quickly re-establish routines of study and disciplined focus in the classroom. The Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences that take place next Tuesday afternoon/evening of Week 2 is another opportunity to discuss improvement agendas for the coming term. I strongly encourage all students to be present online for these important conversations.

Holiday Reading
One of my pleasures over the school holiday period is having more time to devote to reading. Over the last week, I read a short yet profound treatise by James Allen, entitled ‘As a Man Thinketh.’ Considered one of the most significant self-help books, its premise is the mind guides our footsteps as we progress along the pathway of life- the way one thinks determines one’s character and circumstances in life. I would like to share with three poignant quotable quotes:

“Man is buffeted by circumstances so long as he believes himself to be the creature of outside conditions, but when he realizes that he is a creative power, and that he may command the hidden soil and seeds of his being out of which circumstances grow, he then becomes the rightful master of himself.”

“Man is made or unmade by himself; in the armoury of thought he forges the weapons by which he destroys himself; he also fashions the tools with which he builds for himself heavenly mansions of joy and strength and peace.”

“A man’s mind may be likened to a garden, which may be intelligently cultivated or allowed to run wild; but whether cultivated or neglected, it must, and will, bring forth. If no useful seeds are put into it, then an abundance of useless weed seeds will fall therein and will continue to produce their kind.”

Year 11 Semi-Formal
This Friday, the Year 11 students will no doubt enjoy their Semi-Formal occasion. Such events are important in the social development of our young men, and I am confident that they will prove to be most generous and chivalrous in their care of their partners throughout the evening. I appreciate the efforts of Head of Year 11, Mrs Sophie Kenny in her organisation of this event.

‘Sometimes we meet an original gentleman, who, if manners had not existed, would have invented them.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Mr Matt Levander, Head of Senior School

Welcome to Term 3!  I hope that the holidays had the lovely mix of down time, recharge time, friend time and family time.  All of these are so important in the pattern of our busy lives.  As a country last week we celebrated NAIDOC week with a theme this year of ‘For our Elders.’  This is a very important week for celebrating and learning about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and culture.

The theme this year ‘For our Elders’ invites us to consider what elders we know and are listening to and learning from.  If your answer is none – then over the next few weeks it is a great challenge to seek out the opportunities to do this, as our Australian community prepares for the Referendum later this year.  Listening and learning is a responsibility that we all have together.

Community Service During the School Holidays
Across the school holidays Emmanuel City Mission stays open offering a warm place to shelter from the cold, a welcoming community space and a place to share a meal with others.  Our community at Villanova remains committed to our shifts and also in these mid-year holidays we generally fill a few more shifts to provide some additional support.

We are grateful to over 40 students from Year 10 who were part of shifts on Monday and Thursday in the first and last week of the school holidays.  Our students were joined by very generous staff who were volunteering during their holiday period and also some of our families.  A very big thank-you to all involved.

75th Anniversary Prayer Book
Our student council last term worked together to compile a prayer book that celebrates our 75th year as a College.  It contains some of the prayers that are favourites of our students along with pictures and stories of our history as a College.  We commend the students involved for coming up with such a creative way of celebrating our anniversary that is so well aligned to our Augustinian tradition that encourages us to reflect on what is happening around and within us.

Please take a look at the digital copy of the prayer book which is available on our website: https://www.vnc.qld.edu.au/co-curricular/ministry/

A Prayer for our Community (from the original Tolle Lege)
Lord Jesus,
this is our community.
It is a place of work and play.
A place of noise and of quiet.
A place of laughter and of bickering, a place of happy and sad memories.
Most of all, it is ours.
Come into our community, Lord.
Make it your home.
Make it a place of peace and joy, of fun and laughter, of healing and forgiveness, of welcome and belonging.
Let it never be a lonely place.
Make it place full of life so that all who come here may know that it is a blessed place.
We make this prayer through Christ Our Lord,

Amen

You have made us for Yourself, O Lord
– And our hearts are restless until they rest in You.

Date Claimers for Term 3
75th Anniversary Mass
On the Feast of Saint Augustine this year we are celebrating our 75th Year as a College.  Our Archbishop Mark Coleridge will be with us for this occasion, and we will also be joined by a large number of the Augustinians.  We extend an invitation to families, past students indeed all connected with our community to join us via live stream on the day.  Please mark it in your diary – 9.30am Friday 25 August.  There will be more details and the link in our next Villa View.

Pastoral Masses
There is an old saying: A community that prays together, stays together! At Villanova we are extraordinarily fortunate to have Fr Pete and Fr Saldie as Chaplains who are able to lead us in Eucharist together.  Alongside our full College Masses these Masses for our Pastorals and Co-curricular teams is an opportunity to celebrate and deepen our connection as a community. Parents are welcome to attend when their sons Mass is on, and we love it when grandparents come too.  Masses are held in the College chapel commencing at 8am and finishing by 8.30am.

Please ensure that your son is present when his pastoral or team is gathering.

Term 3
Vinnies Sleepout
Our annual winter sleepout is being held on Tuesday 15 August and is open to our Year 11 and 12 students.  Each year students who participate find our sleepout a powerful insight into the causes of homelessness; along with new insights into the issues and challenges people face when homeless. Students are asked to complete the Expression of Interest forms that Ms Jervis will have available.  Our numbers are limited for this experience.

Social Justice Forums
Both Lourdes Hill and All Hallows have invited Senior students to join them in Justice forums being held in their Colleges this term.  Please see the flyers below and register your interest with Ms Garrone or Ms Jervis if you are keen to attend.

Mrs Kate Garrone, Dean of Mission and Identity

ChatGPT Access on Campus
We are pleased to announce that students in Years 9-12 are now allowed to use ChatGPT at school on campus. However, students may only use ChatGPT when verbal approval has been given by their classroom teacher – this is not a blanket permission, but rather lesson by lesson and is based on the learning goals and nature of the activity.

ChatGPT is the most common form of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) available. It has experienced exponential growth, usage and publicity since early 2023 as a freely available platform. Whilst it can help students with creativity, writing skills, research and revision, it is no substitute for one’s own learning. ChatGPT has been ‘trained’ on a huge amount of internet-only text and generates human-like responses. Since the internet contains unvetted information, all ChatGPT responses may look and appear correct, but they must be scrutinised and evaluated by the end user.

To ensure that students understand the difference between ethical use and unethical use of Generative AI, we have developed a module that all Year 9-12 students must complete when it becomes available. The module will cover academic integrity, the benefits and risks of using Generative AI, and best practices for using this technology in a safe and respectful manner.

The module will also cover ‘what not to do’. Here are some examples on what constitutes unethical use of ChatGPT:

• Do not use it to plagiarise. Plagiarism is the act of presenting someone else’s work or ideas as your own, without proper acknowledgment. ChatGPT can generate original text based on your input, but you should always cite the source of your input and give credit to ChatGPT as well.
• Do not use it to outsource your own work. Outsourcing is the act of delegating a task or responsibility to someone else, without doing any personal input, understanding or research. ChatGPT can assist you with various tasks, such as writing essays, summaries, poems, research papers and more, but you should always do your own research, analysis and reflection.
• Do not use it to misrepresent or embellish your abilities. Misrepresentation is the act of giving a false or misleading impression of something or someone. Embellishment is the act of adding fictitious or exaggerated details to something or someone. ChatGPT can generate impressive text on various topics and domains, but you should not use it to pretend that you have a broader knowledge than you are reasonably able to possess yourself.

If students decide to use ChatGPT, they should sign up to the Open AI platform with a personal email address and password – not their College-provisioned email address. This is to protect your privacy and security, as well as to comply with the general terms and conditions of Open AI.

We are excited to work with students as we move into this emerging field of technology, but what remains important is the relationship between teachers and students, the development of knowledge and the importance of the learning process itself. We trust that students will use ChatGPT ethically and responsibly and continue to develop and broaden their general ICT skills in the process. Please contact me or Mr John Christie should you have any questions, reflections or feedback regarding the use of ChatGPT and, more broadly, Generative AI at the College.

Mr Jason Lane, Director of E-Learning

Welcome Back
I trust this offering finds you all well after a few weeks away from the College.  As we begin Term 3, we have a number of big events occurring in the Music Department here at Villanova – with our major focus being the Queensland Catholic Schools and Colleges Music Festival that is occurring in Week 6 from 17-20 August.  Every rehearsal and lesson is vital; more so as we lead up to this important event in the calendar of Catholic education.  A rehearsal schedule has been included with this week’s Villa View  – this was distributed via email last week.  Please ensure your son is aware of the times he will be required for rehearsal each week.

This term we farewell Mrs Alice Tilbury as she takes on a full-time, permanent role at Mt Maria College.  We wish her all the best as she moves on to a new part of her journey.  We have engaged the services of Miss Christina Dobson to assist with Cello tutoring in the interim whilst we commence our search for a more permanent replacement.  We thank you all as we move through this process as quickly and effectively as possible.

We also welcome back Mrs Megan Stuart in the piano studio.  Megan will be returning over this term to continue working with students taking piano lessons at the College; Mr Kelly will continue to work accompanying choirs up to the Festival.

QCMF 2023
The scheduling for this year’s festival has mostly been completed – we have a couple of slight adjustments due to late requests from visiting schools.  As we are the hosts, we are also the pieces of the puzzle that are last to confirm as Villa groups are used to fill holes and move first.  I expect that we will be able to communicate performance times to you all very shortly.  Once this is done, you will begin to hear from us regarding our request for volunteers at QCMF 2023.

Volunteers will receive a free festival pass affording them access to all four days of the event.  If you have family that you know would like to attend that are not volunteering, tickets can now be pre-purchased at a cheaper rate online.  Please visit our website for more information – www.qcmf.com.au.

Villa Carnival – Musicians Involved!
Next Saturday 22 July, the Villanova College P&F are hosting the 2023 Villa Carnival.  Our Drumline, Big Band, Irish Ensemble, and The Shamps, will be performing onstage in the Middle School Quadrangle from 4:30pm.  Information regarding this performance has been distributed to participant student families.  Please contact the Music Office if you require further information.

MS Music Workshop
The MS Music Workshop has been postponed to Thursday 27 July in Week 3.  Students in Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, Camerata String Orchestra, and Guitar Ensemble 2 will be participating in a rehearsal in addition to their regular weekly session after school from 3:15-4:30pm.  We will then travel by charter bus to Garden City to participate in Ten Pin Bowling  from 5-6pm.  Parents will need to collect students from Zone Bowling at Garden City at 6pm.

Information regarding this activity will be forwarded home this week.  We will require gig-sheets to be completed before COB Monday 17 July to ensure your son will be able to bowl and receive a snack whilst at the alley.

Key Dates Term 3
As we look ahead across the coming months, please ensure we pencil the following dates into your diary:

Villanova Camp Chairs and Wildcat Coolers
Our fantastic Music Support Group have organised an innovative fundraiser for Villanova College.  You may have heard the buzz about our Villanova Camp Chairs and Wildcat Coolers…  the MUST HAVE items for the beach/cricket/park/fishing/barbecue/etc.

Villanova Branded Camp Chairs – $35; Wildcat Coolers – $30
All items can be purchased via TryBooking through the following link:  https://www.trybooking.com/BMEML
Purchases can be collected from the Music Office and all profits will go to the Music Support Group.

Thank you all for your ongoing support of Music at Villanova College.

Mr Michael Jones, Director of Music

2023 Weekly Rehearsal Schedule
Term 3, 2023

Director of Sport Address
A very warm welcome back to all families following the mid-year holiday break.

It was fantastic to see so many students engaged in sport and activities over the holidays, with many remarkable team and individual performances. Congratulations to our First XIII Rugby League team for their results at the Confraternity Carnival, winning the Division 2 Bowl Competition. A special mention and congratulations to First XV Rugby Union Vice-Captain Jackson Moloney (Year 12) who was named as starting lock for the Australian Schoolboys Ruby Union team. Well done, Jackson.

In Week 1 we hit the ground running with Basketball, Rugby League and Tennis trials versus St Laurence’s College, St Peters Lutheran College and Padua College. Students and families are reminded to keep up to date with announcements, draws and training schedules on the Villanova College App and College website Sport Locker Room page.

Round 1 commences next Friday 21 July versus Marist College Ashgrove.

Communications
Families are reminded to access all Sport information via the Villanova College website and the Villanova College App. The Locker Room tab provides updated information regarding training schedules and current AIC/trial draws.

The AIC Draw 2023 can also be accessed here. A note that in some cases, draws may not match the AIC draw. Families are encouraged to always check The Locker Room for accurate draws. Weekly Team Lists will be posted regularly to the Parent Lounge and Student Cafe Portals.

Community Events
Saturday 22 July – Villanova Carnival | 4-10pm | Villanova College

Training Schedules
Please see below the the Term 3 training schedule for Basketball, Rugby League and Tennis. This schedule has been updated so please check this document carefully.

Term 3 Training Schedule

Basketball
It is another exciting year ahead for the Villanova Basketball program. Can I start by thanking all families for their time during the trial process, and I thank all students for their effort at the trials and training clinics. As usual, Basketball trials are well attended with many very talented players bidding for a place in an AIC team. Unfortunately, due to the restrictions of playing/training venues, AIC nomination restrictions etc. we can’t offer all students a place in AIC Basketball.

We are working hard at finalising the teams after ahead of our full College trial v SPLC on Friday 14 and Saturday 15 July. Can I take this opportunity to remind families to check the Weekly Fixture information via parent lounge and the Locker Room page each week.

A final reminder that the correct AIC Basketball uniform (listed below) is to be worn to each AIC match. Students will not be permitted to take the court unless they are in the correct uniform. For any students who missed the collection of their hire shirt, they must come to the uniform shop at first break on Friday 14 July. This will be the last opportunity to collect a playing shirt.

• Basketball singlet (collected from the uniform shop)
• Basketball shorts or HPE shorts
• Black College training socks

Mr Todd Kropp, Basketball Coordinator

Tennis
Whilst it has been a cold and early start to AIC Tennis for 2023, this hasn’t stopped our students enthusiasm to return to the court for the 2023 season. Our trials began during Week 9 of Term 2 where students from Year 5 – 12 took to the courts at Morningside Tennis Centre ahead of the season. We also had our First Tennis Development Squad begin early Term 2 in preparation for another successful First Tennis campaign.

Whilst we are working hard to finalise team lists, can we please remind our Tennis community of the full College trial v SPLC on Saturday 15 July, while our First IV team will take on the SPLC First IV team on Friday evening. A friendly reminder to our parents to check the weekly fixture information posted via Parent lounge and the Locker Room page.

AIC Tennis Uniform

• HPE Shorts
• Villanova Squad Shirt
• Black training sport socks
• Villanova Cap (optional)

Mr Nathan Dufty, Tennis Coordinator

Track & Field
The AIC Track and Field (T&F) training program will commence during the first week in August. The training schedules will be posted on the web by the middle of next week and we encourage all students from Years 5-12 to participate and work hard at T&F training to improve.

Session times and venues will change slightly throughout the season, but this is outlined in the schedule. Please check carefully, so you are aware where your son will be training or competing each week. The Villa View will also have up to date times and venues. The College is very much aware that many of our top T&F athletes will already be involved in Tennis, Basketball, Rugby League or other co-curricular activities. Although we try to avoid timetabling clashes, we know that some training sessions will overlap. This is normal and does occur at all AIC schools. Keeping the lines of communication open between coaches and students is the key.

Please be mindful that our Inter-House Track and Field Carnival will be held on Thursday 17 August at Villa Park. More information about the carnival will be advertised in future newsletters.

Mr Chris Everding, Track & Field Coordinator

Villa High Jump Coach Needed
If there are any parents or members of our community who are able to coach high jump, could you please get in touch with the Sports Office.

Lytton District (U10-12) Track & Field
The Lytton District Track and Field trials will be held on the 24 and 25 July at the University of Queensland track. All students who accept a nomination must train and compete for Villanova at the AIC championships in October.  As we are yet to commence our training program this year, Year 6 students will be selected on the sprint divisions they ran at AIC last year and middle-distance runners will be chosen on their performance in AIC Cross Country this year. Year 5 students are doing sprint trials this week in during HPE, and students will be selected from these trials. Students will be notified by the middle of next week if they have been nominated. These selections are just for Lytton and students who miss out are still encouraged to train for Villa’s Track and Field team.

Composite District Track & Field
Information will be distributed next week regarding the Composite District nominations and trials for Track & Field. The trials are on Thursday 24 and Friday 25 August. Any interested students are asked to keep an eye on the daily bulletins for further information and visit the Sports Office from next week to collect nomination forms.

Rugby League
We are thrilled to announce that the Villa Rugby League season has officially kicked off! Our boys have eagerly taken to the field for trials at the end of last term and this week. It is fantastic to witness so many enthusiastic young athletes trialing for rugby league again this year.

We would also like to extend our warmest congratulations to the First XIII Confraternity team on their outstanding performance at the recent Confraternity Carnival over the holiday break. The team’s hard work paid off as they emerged victorious in five out of their six games, securing the Div 2 Bowl Division trophy. This is a fantastic result in our inaugural year of the competition. Playing at the iconic Suncorp Stadium, the boys had an unforgettable experience that will undoubtedly remain etched in their sporting memories for years to come. We applaud their remarkable achievement and commend them for representing Villa Rugby League with such honour and skill.

Trials for this Saturday, July 15, will be taking place at Padua Playing fields, Elliot Rd, Banyo. All teams will be participating in a three-way trial against St Laurence’s College and Padua College. A reminder that all players must arrive at least 30 minutes before the scheduled kick-off time. Please refer to the schedule on the college website for the exact timings.

All players are required to wear the Villanova rugby league hire jerseys, along with the rugby/football shorts and socks. Our Year 10 and Second XIII teams will be required to wear their Term Two rugby/football jerseys for this Saturday’s trial.

On behalf of the entire Villa Rugby League community, we want to wish the very best of luck to all teams participating in this Saturday’s trial and for the AIC season ahead. Remember to support and encourage each other, embrace the values of teamwork and fair play, and most importantly, enjoy the experience.

Mr Blake McLauchlan, Rugby League Coordinator

Dogs at AIC Sporting Venues
A reminder to all parents that due to Health and Safety requirements, all AIC Sporting venues are dog free venues including Villa Park. Please do not bring your dog/s.

Strength & Conditioning
The Term 3 Strength & Conditioning program is now up and running with gym sessions commencing in Week 1 and Speed & Agility Sessions in Week 2.
Students are reminded that S&C sessions are for boys in Years 7-12 only, and boys in Years 7-9 are only permitted to attend the gym a maximum of once per week.
For the Term 3 schedule and sign on links, please visit The Locker Room.

Zone Cricket Registrations Open soon
Zone Cricket registrations will become available in the coming weeks. Some clubs will begin their registration process soon, but we encourage our students to sign on for Villanova and play with their friends. There are different levels available for players who wish to challenge their cricket skills and ideally, we would like to keep our term one teams together to prepare for AIC next year.

External Achievements
A big congratulations to Year 10 student, Will Rasmussen, who was selected for the U14-15 Met Easts Rugby Union team for the QLD State Championships to be played in Cairns from 20-23 July. We wish all the best to Will and the Met East team!

Another fantastic achievement on the Rugby field, we acknowledge and congratulate Year 12 student, Jackson Moloney, who was recently selected as a member of the Australian Schoolboys Rugby Union Team. Jackson competed as a member of the QLD 1 team at the Australian Schools Championships where his performance gained him selection in the Australian team who will take on the Tongan Schoolboys team in September. We wish Jackson and the team all the best!

Jackson (right) pictured with twin brother Connor.

To wrap up a big few weeks in Sport, we congratulate Year 7 student Boris Vukelic, who was selected in the Queensland 13 Years and Under Water-Polo team.
Well done Boris.

Morningside Tennis Centre

Introducing Saturday Tennis League
Join a team in our Tennis League and enjoy all the social aspects of Tennis!

TennisGear would like to call all tennis players to join our Tennis Super League, run by Tennis Brisbane. The Saturday Tennis League is a fun and exciting way to meet similar skill level tennis players, travel the southern areas of Brisbane to play at some fantastic venues. Teams are from 2 – 4 players, so you can join and play with your friends.

For more information, or to register, follow the link below

Register here with Morningside Tennis.

Mr Shaun McLean, Director of Sport

Join us for the highly anticipated Villanova Community Carnival on Saturday, July 22nd from 4pm to 10pm! This fantastic event promises an evening of non-stop fun, delicious food, thrilling rides, and captivating entertainment. Bring friends and the whole family along for an unforgettable experience filled with laughter, excitement, and community spirit. With a wide range of food stalls, exhilarating rides, and engaging activities, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to come together as a community and create lasting memories. Get your tickets now to save at carnival.vnc.qld.edu.au and mark your calendars for the Villanova Community Carnival – it’s an event you won’t want to miss!

2023 Non-Government Schools Census collection notice
The Australian Government Department of Education (the department) would like to advise all staff, parents and guardians that it will collect certain information about your school, its staff and student body as part of the 2023 Non-Government School Census collection (the Census).

How and what information is collected for the Census?
Census information is provided to the department by your school legal entity (the approved authority) via the SchoolsHUB website.
The Census provides information about your school and the number and characteristics of the school’s staff and student body during a specific reference period. Characteristics collected through the Census include:
• teaching and non-teaching staff
• students’ year level and workload
• students’ gender and age (as on 1 July 2023)
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff and students
• students with disability
• students receiving distance education
• boarding and overseas students.
The names of students and staff are not collected, apart from the name, position and contact details of the staff member nominated as the primary contact for the Census.
Census special circumstances applications
Census special circumstances applications may also be made by schools to include a student/s who did not attend during the Census reference period but otherwise meets Census eligibility requirements. Schools will provide the department with information and documents about the student demonstrating their eligibility. The department does not require personal information about a student and asks schools to de-identify any documents before providing them.

Purpose of the Census collection
The information provided during the Census is collected by the department in accordance with the Australian Education Act 2013 (the Act) and the Australian Education Regulation 2013 (the Regulation). The Act and the Regulation require the legal entity responsible for the administration of the school (the approved authority) to provide this information to the department to:
• Ensure the provision of Australian Government funding to schools is properly calculated and appropriately managed.
• Conduct research, statistical analysis and develop school education policy for the Australian Government.
• Meet national and international reporting obligations on school students in Australia.
• Publish and provide information about schools to the public.

Use and disclosure of personal information
Your personal information is protected by law under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act). Personal information is information or an opinion about an identified individual or an individual who is reasonably identifiable.
Any use or disclosure of your personal information must occur in accordance with the Privacy Act, the Act and Regulation and any other applicable laws.
Your personal information provided to the department through the Census may be:
• Used or disclosed by the department for the purposes outlined above under the heading Purposes of the Census collection.
• Disclosed to the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) to publish on the My School website and include as high-level data for ACARA’s National Report on Schooling in Australia.
• Disclosed to state and territory government departments and authorities in accordance with the Act and Regulation.
• Disclosed to Australian Government departments and authorities in accordance with the Act and Regulation.
• Disclosed to non-government school representative bodies in accordance with the Act and Regulation.
• Disclosed to a contracted auditor where the department decides to audit or verify the information provided by an approved authority about a school. The contracted auditor may use previously collected information or request access to individual student records for comparison purposes. The contractors may pass this information onto officers within the department, if there is a discrepancy in the data provided by the school and the school’s records and further investigation is required. The contracted auditor must handle personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act.
• Disclosed to its service providers for the purposes of the provision of information and communications technology support services to the department.
• Used to validate data from other collections undertaken by the department.
• Used or disclosed where it is otherwise required or authorised by law including under the Act or Regulation, or otherwise permitted under the Privacy Act.
Other than in exceptional circumstances (for example, investigation of fraud relating to overseas students), the department does not disclose any of the personal information collected to overseas recipients.
You can find the department’s privacy policy on the Department of Education website or request a copy from the department at privacy@education.gov.au. The privacy policy includes information about how to access or correct personal information held about you or your child, how to make a complaint about a breach of the Australian Privacy Principles and how the department will deal with such a complaint.

What do you need to do?
You are not required to do anything. The approved authority of the school is responsible for providing the information to the department.

Contacts for further information
Your school can provide information about data provided for you or your child for the purposes of the Census.
To find out more about the Census collection and reporting, visit SchoolsHUB.