Term Three is moving along at a rapid pace. We have so much to be grateful for in the Loyola College community.

St Ignatius Day:

Wednesday, 31 July was once again a wonderful day, marking the life of St Ignatius of Loyola, raising funds for others through our 'Walk for Others' and ultimately celebrating the strength of our community through concert, rides and other festivities. The day started with a beautiful liturgy celebrated by Father Paul Mullins SJ. Concelebrating alongside Father Paul were Father Gerry Healy SJ, Father Rob Davoran SJ and Father Michal Ryan SJ. On St Ignatius Day it was a real privilege to have four Jesuits celebrating our liturgy.

After the Mass, students took off on a seven kilometre walk with great spirit. I am proud to say that in total, the College generated just under forty thousand dollars for our House charities.

I would like to thank all of the staff and parents who were involved in the organisation of the day.

ACS Public Speaking and Debating:

On Monday, 5 August, three students represented Loyola College at the ACS Public Speaking Competition held at St Leonard’s College, Brighton. The students were well prepared and presented beautifully. I would like to thank Ms Shannon Staub, who accompanied the students and the following students who represented the College:

Junior: Marco Parpinel (8/KME)

Intermediate: Mackenzie Davies (9/XJLT)

Senior: Imogen Phillips (12/XDMA)

Annual Music Concert:

It was a delight to see our Music students perform at the Annual Music Concert across two evenings on the 6 and 7 August. Each of our Year 7 BLG groups played a group piece. 'Hot Cross Buns' was once again a favourite! Another group performed the well-known 'Tequila' but took great delight in calling out “Lime Cordial!” I would like to thank Mrs Jennifer Taylor (Head of Music), Mr Matthew Thomas (Head of Performing Arts) and Mrs Antonella Dalla Vecchia (Performing Arts Secretary) for their hard work and organisation in the lead up to the performance and on the night itself.

It is really wonderful to see the growth in our Music Department and the evolving talent of our students.

Alumni Reunion:

On Friday, 2 August I was privileged to attend our annual Loyola College Alumni Association (LCAA) Annual Reunion. The night was well attended and took place at Glasshouse Brücke in Richmond. A different approach was taken than in previous years, with Loyola College Alum Vic Bonacci (L: 89-94) providing live entertainment courtesy of his band 'Rat Pack' and many Alumni danced the night away. It was entertaining to hear some of the stories of times gone by. Lots of happy memories shared! Thank-you to Mr Matthew Luczek and to the LCAA Committee under the leadership of Mrs Rebecca Andonovski for their organisation of the evening.

Right to Disconnect:

On 26 August, Right to Disconnect legislation is being enacted. This means that Loyola College employees, teachers and support staff have a right to disconnect from devices outside working hours. Specifically, our employees are not obligated to monitor, read or respond to emails outside of work hours. The primary responsibility of our teachers is to prepare and teach our students.

Parents are reminded that we ask our staff to respond to parent communication within 48 hours of receiving it. As such, parents will not always get an immediate response to communications.

As always, we are committed to engaging in respectful partnership with parents; however, it is important that parents are aware that this new legislation must be enforced.

Senior Programs Evening:

I encourage parents/guardians of our Year 9 - 12 students to attend our Senior Programs Evening on Tuesday, 13 August (6:00 – 8:00pm). This evening has been reinvented to include representatives from various tertiary institutions. On the same evening, a VTAC (Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre) evening will take place, which will assist parents and students with information related to the VTAC process.

Working Bee:

Thanks to all the parents who attended our Working Bee on Saturday, 27 July. As always, a great amount of work was done in great spirit. We are blessed with a wonderful and generous community spirit at Loyola College!

Loyola Parents and Friends Association:

Thank you to the Loyola Parents and Friends Association who have donated money for the Music Department to purchase a new piano.

They have also agreed to financially support the provision of a new bus shelter, built into the College on Grimshaw Street, to protect students from rain and traffic. This project is underway.

Don’t forget to look out for the LPFA Bogan Bingo evening, an opportunity to connect with our parents and to also help with the fundrainsing efforts of the LPFA.

Thank You – 2024 'Walk with Others':

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the college community on behalf of our House charities, for the exceptional funds raised as part of this year's 'Walk for Others' which took part on St. Ignatius Day last week. I am happy to report that we have raised just under $40,000 which will be donated across our six House charities in the coming weeks – a tremendous effort!

These funds will go to those living at the margins of our society and who are struggling to make ends meet. THANK YOU!

Mary MacKillop:

This week, we celebrate the feast of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, Patron of Australia and MacKillop House at Loyola College. Help each of us to follow in Mary MacKillop’s footsteps, to be a person of action and faith. Fill us with the same spirit that moved her to serve others selflessly. Let her spirit inspire us to build a community of mutual understanding, respect, and care. May we bring hope and light to those around us, as Mary MacKillop did.

As mentioned in our previous Ignatian Newsletter, Term Three is an extremely busy - but exciting - time in our academic year! The coming weeks will feature the following teaching and learning related events:

• 2025 Subject Selection

• Parent Teacher Interviews

• The release of Mid-Semester Reports

The information below will help families prepare for the weeks ahead:

Subject Selection 2025:

This will be an extremely busy time of the year for all students, staff and parents, including year level assemblies, a Subject Selection Evening and Web Preferences becoming available. Over the coming weeks, you will receive letters regarding the various important areas related to your child’s education. These letters contain essential information and updates.

Senior Subject Selection Evening: Tuesday, 13 August 6:00pm – 8:00pm: This year, the evening will take on a slightly different feel compared to previous years. It will be face to face and will take place in the MPAC, Universities will be available in the foyer for students to meet and discuss future pathways, a VTAC presentation will be available to parents and students, and subject selection information will be presented for parents and students in Years 9-11.

Web Preferences open on the evening of Tuesday, 13 August.

Course Guide 2025:

It is important that our students make their decisions about subject choices in an informed manner. An important stage of this process is to carefully read the 2025 Course Guide. The format is new this year as we transition to an electronic and interactive version. This change aims to make the Guide easier to use by centralizing all information in one location. We value any feedback you may have regarding this new format. The link to the Course Guide will be available to parents and students in the coming weeks.

Please be aware that not all units listed in the Course Guide may be available in 2025. Furthermore, whilst the School aims to meet the needs and wishes of all our students, there may be occasions when we are unable to accommodate student preferences. Reasons for this may be timetable constraints, demand for certain subjects or limits to class sizes.

Subject Selection Conversations: 

During the Subject Selection Process, all current Year 9 and 10 students will meet with a member of the Learning Pathways Team.  Students are provided with a copy of their career plan and are strongly encouraged to discuss their Learning Pathways conversation with you.

Parent Teacher Interviews:

A reminder that our Parent Teacher Interviews will take place on Wednesday, 21 August and Thursday, 22 August. In response to feedback, we are continuing the hybrid approach for interviews, with the format listed below:

• Wednesday, 21 August: 3.40pm – 7.30pm (face-to-face)
• Thursday, 22 August: 2.30pm – 7.30pm (online via MS Teams) - Please Note: Students will be dismissed at 1.15pm

Parent Teacher Interview Bookings: 

• Opened on Tuesday, 6 August at 7pm (Y11 & 12)

• Opened on Thursday, 8 August at 7pm (Y7-12)

• Will close Tuesday, 20 August at 1pm (Y7-12)

Parent Teacher Interview Locations:

• LCH (H032 on your booking list): All subjects with the exception of those listed below:

• Portable Classrooms (T1-7 on your booking list): Maths & Science

• iCentre (L069 on your booking list): Humanities

Parent Teacher Interview Appointments:

Appointments will last for 6 minutes with 2 minutes provided to move from one appointment to another.

If the occasion arises whereby parents/carers miss the 2-week booking window, then they are asked to contact staff directly. Please do not ask staff at reception to book appointments for you.

Clarification for Online Appointments (Thursday 22 August 2.30pm – 7.30pm):

• Your interview schedule will be the same as it is when the interview is face to face.

• The interview will occur on MS Teams using your child’s Loyola account.

• At the scheduled time, the teacher will ring the student on their MS Teams account – please be available to receive the call.

• Cameras will be required to be switched on by the teacher and student/parent.

• If unanswered, the teacher will call for a second time during the designated appointment time.

• If the call is still unanswered, then the teacher will not attempt to call again.

• The student may message the teacher in the chat if they wish, explaining the reason for the absence. Depending on the reason, the teacher may call again.

• Interviews will last for 6 minutes with a 2-minute gap before the next one.

• We acknowledge some families have special circumstances. If both parents wish to attend these Conversations, we ask that you make one mutually agreed interview time.

• If you are unable to attend together, but both still wish to meet with your child’s Subject Teacher, please make an alternative time directly with your child’s Subject Teacher.

Assessment & Reporting Codes:

Thank you for your support as we aim to uphold consistency and fairness for all our students with the recent changes made to the requirements when your child is absent from an assessment. We value your input and recognise that obtaining medical certificates can be challenging. In light of this, we have introduced the acceptance of Pharmacy Certificates and Statutory Declarations in circumstances where a medical certificate was not able to be obtained.

We ask that documentation of medical absence is provided to the class teacher at your earliest convenience, either via email or hard copy.

It has been a successful 2024 year for Christian Service! In Term One, Young Vinnies hosted an Easter Egg Drive, collecting decorated Easter baskets of chocolates, which were later donated to needy families. At Loyola College, we focus not only on helping local communities but also on assisting global communities. Therefore, we place a strong focus on Caritas Project Compassion donations, raising funds to create opportunities for developing countries.

Term Two included a visit and tour of the Exodus Community - with members of Young Vinnies visiting and gaining insightful knowledge about the difficult reality of Australians living below the margin. In return, Vinnies and members of Exodus enjoyed a night of companionship with a dinner at Iggy’s Restaurant, hosted by our VET Hospitality students.

During the holidays, six students enjoyed Lunch with Seniors at Sacred Heart Parish, Diamond Creek. Students were able to play games and try their luck to win a game of Scrabble.

Term Three brought the highly anticipated St. Ignatius Day. The annual Walk for Others fundraiser was a huge success, as students and staff managed to smash the $30, 000 target, raising close to $40,000 for our six House charities. On 26 July, in celebration of the Feast Day of Saints Joachim and Anne, a Grandparents' Mass was held in the Old Loyola Chapel. We thank all the grandparents for attending and for the support they provide to their grandchildren during their schooling.

The annual winter Paying it Forward evening is set to run in place of the Winter Sleepout this term on the Friday, 30 August. This involves a barbecue dinner in West Heidelberg with the Exodus Community followed by a walk in the CBD guided by Brother Doug, to distribute necessities to those sleeping rough in the city.

Our chosen student of the fortnight is Blake Wheeler (9/FADB). Blake is involved in the Young Vinnies group, where he enthusiastically works with other students. Blake attended the Sacred Heart Luncheon with Seniors and also joined the Celebration of 50 Years of St Vincent De Paul Society event. Your efforts do not go unnoticed. Well done, Blake!

By Edan O'Dowd & Christiana Sison
2024 Christian Service Captains

Loyola College's new integration with CDFpay offers parents and students a cash-free solution to Canteen purchases at school. With CDFpay, parents can conveniently top up funds online, linking them directly to their child's ID Card.

To get started, simply visit: https://shop.loyola.vic.edu.au and log-in with your existing Parent Portal credentials.

If you require any assistance please contact cdfpay@loyola.vic.edu.au

CDFPay Parent Guide

At Loyola College students have the unique opportunity of studying Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) subjects in Year 9 and Year 10. In Year 9 students can study CLIL Humanities and CLIL Religious Education.

In effect, CLIL is a type of immersion into the language, also known as bilingual education.

I would like to invite current Year 8 families to attend our upcoming CLIL Celebration Evening where they will have the opportunity to hear more about the CLIL program, ask current students about their experiences within CLIL and participate in some CLIL activities.

The CLIL program is a wonderful opportunity for students to extend themselves with their language learning. I strongly recommend students who enjoy languages or who have a natural flair for languages to attend the CLIL Celebration evening to learn more about the program.

Details:

CLIL Celebration Evening

When: Wednesday, 14 August 2024, 7:00pm

Who: Families of current Year 8 students

Where: Functions Room in the Old Loyola Building

Please check your emails to RSVP for the event.

Cybersafety Part 7: Cybersecurity – “Who goes there, friend or fiend?”:

Is Social Media a tool for evil or for good? Both, actually. It is a great way to keep in touch with friends and families, particularly those overseas. But unfortunately, it is also a medium through which scammers hope by ply their nefarious trade!

What should parents/guardians be teaching their children to help keep them safe as they navigate their online world?

1. Keep their contact information and location private or protected by privacy controls;
2. Never send pictures to strangers;
3. Passwords are private (except to parents);
4. Don’t trust anyone in cyberspace unless you know them personally;
5. Don’t post or email any picture that they would not want the world to see;
6. Don’t post or email any material containing hate speech, alcohol or drug references. This may be detrimental to their future job prospects;
7. Agree on downloads. What apps are okay? Which video sites? What games?
8. Encourage critical thinking. They should ask "who posted this and why?" This will help them find trustworthy information, and it will also help avoid online scams that deliver spyware and viruses directly to your home;
9. Don’t respond to unpleasant or suspicious communications. If it is of a criminal nature, save it and report it to the police; otherwise, trash it.
10. Remember that parents/guardians are role models and as such they need to be mindful of their own online habits;
11. Keep channels of communication open. Prevention is better than cure.

How do you protect yourself from online scammers?

When you engage in online social networking, you may post pictures of yourself, make catch-up plans with friends, and generally chat about what you have been up to and where you have been.

But sadly, it also offers a plethora of unscrupulous individuals and organised cyber-crime syndicates an irresistible opportunity to gain access to people (e.g. via Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram, online gaming or via email) in an attempt to exploit and defraud them of their money, or influence them in some way for some political gain.

Scamming is where one person, a cyber thief, pretends to have a legitimate financial need and exploits the generosity and naivety of another in order to obtain that person’s bank account or credit card details, with the ultimate aim of ripping money off that person.

How effective is a home antivirus at stopping electronic scum and villainy such as viruses, worms and trojans from infecting and spying on the home computer and passing personal information back to cyber criminals? The truth is that there is no antivirus software or firewall in the world that is capable of securing confidential data on a computer if these details are unknowingly and freely offered to scammers! How? Read on…

Ever gone fishing? You cast out a line and wait for a bite. Hopefully, the hook does its job and, hey presto, you have a catch! On the Internet this is called ‘phishing, smishing or vishing’ – same sound, different spelling; fishing may be legal, but the others are not, at least in most developed nations. It is what cyber criminals do – they try to trick children (and adults) into freely handing over their parent’s or their own credit card details. A firewall is useless in this situation.

What’s interesting about one type of scam is that it is not asking for money; actually, it is asking to put money into your bank account, and promises to then withdraw it at a later date but leave some money in there as a ‘thank you’ for being so accommodating. But do not be fooled! If the person is a stranger, then the person is most likely not a ‘friend’, but a ‘fiend’, intent on convincing you to allow them to basically give their money away to you for nothing, when in reality what they intend to do is steal money out of your bank account. These scams usually originate from organised crime syndicates operating in countries such as Nigeria and Russia, where there are no laws forbidding such practices, meaning there is no way you are going to be able to get your money back!

What should you do? Add the sender to the email or phone ‘blocked list’.

There is no substitute for parental involvement in a child’s online activities. Parents/guardians should establish an ongoing conversation with each of their children about his/her various experiences, providing guidance whenever necessary. Importantly, parents/guardians should go online themselves and join a social networking site or get involved with friends in a chat room. Parents/guardians should be familiar with the space their children are playing in.

To learn more about banking scams, go to Online Scams | eSafety Commissioner (https://www.esafety.gov.au/key...). 

Complaints about general content on the Internet can be made to the How to Report Abuse or Content to eSafety | eSafety Commissioner (https://www.esafety.gov.au/rep...).

Bogan Bingo (Loyola Parents and Friends Association Annual Fundraising Event):

A reminder that tickets are now on sale for our LPFA annual fundraising event - Bogan Bingo - to be held on Saturday, 7 September.

Bring your friends together to enjoy a night of bingo calls to '80s and '90s tunes, comedy, tributes, best dressed competition and a spontaneous air guitar competition. It's the interactive, fun game show that gets everyone rocking! Tables of 12 are available, BYO food only with all drinks at bar prices. Please CLICK HERE for tickets

Please Note: This is an adults only event.

Host Families Required – Short Term Cultural Experience:

We are currently looking for volunteer Host Families to welcome one or two of the visiting students from Jesus Good Shepherd School in the Philippines into their homes from 1 - 15 September; and to give these students the opportunity to experience Australian family and school life by providing a home and buddy experience.

Whilst the short-term cultural experiences are a rewarding learning experience for the visiting students, we have also seen how host students and their families benefit from these programs. Hosting offers opportunities to learn about and experience another culture and improve language skills at the family level through the visiting student, as well as assisting guests with their English speaking skills. Forming lifelong friendships is an added benefit to hosting. There have been many past host students and their families who have stayed in contact with the visiting students; and in some cases, have even visited their host brother or sister during their own travels.

If you are interested in being a Host Family to one these students please contact Monica Agius at community@loyola.vic.edu.au or 9433 0228 for more information.

Donation of Loyola College Uniform:

Thank you for the generous donations of second-hand uniforms at the end of last ter. We are currently seeking donations of girls’ winter uniform for the second-hand uniform supply. If you have any items that you no longer require, please leave washed items with Reception. The second-hand uniform sales assist families in need and are greatly appreciated. For more information, please contact Monica Agius at community@loyola.vic.edu.au or 9433 0228

2024 Entertainment Guide:

Support LPFA fundraising efforts and enjoy hundreds of everyday savings!

Entertainment Guide is the easy-to-use App packed with incredible savings of up to 50% off and 2-for-1 offers, so you can save on takeaway, dining, shopping, groceries, gift cards, activities and more! And what’s more, 20% of every membership purchased via the following link goes towards supporting the College through the Loyola Parents and Friends Association (LPFA)

Digital memberships can be purchased HERE.

For Your Calendar:

For more information about the above dates, please contact Monica Agius at community@loyola.vic.edu.au or 9433 0228

MIT STEM Research Program:

Applications for the new Cohort of the STEM Research Program are open!

Led by MIT researchers and alumni, the STEM Research Program introduces ambitious students like you to the cutting edge of your scientific field of interest. You'll work 1-on-1 with a PhD mentor and create an independent research project.

Explore cool topics like astrophysics, quantum mechanics, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, robotic control, game theory, genetic engineering, and many more!

Timeline
Week 1: Introduction to your mentor and align on a topic
Week 2-4: Explore the topic and identify the research question
Week 5-9: Compose research paper with 1-1 support from research mentor
Week 10-12: Complete final edits and submit the paper for final evaluation

Complete this application to be considered for participation and receive more information.