Mentor Conversations

On Tuesday, 11 February parents would have received information regarding the upcoming Mentor Conversation evening. This year, we have implemented a new model aimed at enhancing engagement from our parents.

In response to feedback from families, we will also be offering several half-hour sessions that will run concurrently with the mentor conversations throughout the afternoon and evening. A schedule of these sessions, including their respective times, can be found below.

The booking form for these sessions may be accessed by CLICKING HERE

In addition, the College will also run a second-hand uniform sale (2.00pm – 6pm) for families wishing to purchase extra items of uniform. This will occur in the Two Wolves Hub area.

We look forward to seeing you at this evening.

School Advisory Council

The School Advisory Council (SAC) provides a forum for discussion and discernment, where the parent/guardian voice and perspective are available to inform and support the decisions made by the principal and parish priest for the good of school and parish where the wellbeing and outcomes for students is paramount.” (SAC Terms of Reference)

The SAC is primarily composed of parents, alongside the involvement of the Principal, Business Manager, and Father Steve Rigo (Custodian of Mission). Additionally, a staff representative attends SAC meetings annually. Typically, the council convenes for six to seven evening meetings each year.

At the conclusion of each academic year, we invite interested parents to submit expressions of interest for membership in the Loyola College School Advisory Council. Last year, we received applications from three parents, and I am pleased to announce the new members who will join the School Advisory Council for 2025.

1. John Perizzolo
2. Angela Rogers
3. Jade Scibilia

Each year, a member of the Loyola College staff represents the staff body at the School Advisory Council. This year, I am pleased to announce that Mrs Jacqui Di Stefano, Head of Visual Arts, will take on this responsibility.

Complaints or Concerns

Loyola College is committed to building a school community that features positive and respectful relationships. Within our school, relationships are founded in the gospel values of justice, compassion, reconciliation, and kindness. Such relationships support the learning and development of students and value the innate dignity of each person. It is important that each member of the community, including staff, parents, and students, are contributors to the building of the school community. A timely and professional response to complaints is an effective means of encouraging communication, building trust, and resolving issues for the betterment of all concerned.

Loyola College understands that from time-to-time concerns arise regarding aspects of our school’s operation of programs and activities and that it is important that all members of the community have the opportunity to be heard. Loyola College commits to ensuring procedural fairness is observed when dealing with complaints and grievances.

The nature of the complaint will determine who is the most appropriate person or body to manage the concerns raised. In having specific concerns/complaints addressed we recommend that initial contact be made with the relevant College personnel in the order below:

Swimming Carnival

We extend our best wishes to our students as they participate in the annual House Swimming Carnival today (Friday, 14 March), competing for House points. This event marks the first major House competition of the year and offers many of our new Year 7 students the opportunity to represent their House for the first time. Our House-based pastoral care system is designed to foster a sense of belonging among all students, both within their House and in the broader school community. The swimming carnival serves as an excellent opportunity for students to connect with one another, develop their skills, and strengthen their ties to the community.

Best of luck to all Houses!

Loyola College Launches Caritas Project Compassion Fundraising Campaign

Loyola College is excited to announce the launch of its annual Caritas Project Compassion fundraising campaign. This initiative, which runs throughout Term 1, aims to support Caritas Australia’s efforts in providing aid to vulnerable communities worldwide.

Our College Principal, Mrs Leutchford, expressed enthusiasm for this year’s campaign, stating, “Project Compassion is a wonderful opportunity for our students, staff, and families to come together and make a tangible difference in the lives of those in need. Our community has always shown incredible generosity, and I am confident this year will be no different.”

Student Involvement

Students at Loyola College are at the heart of this campaign. They will participate in various fundraising activities, including pancake sales, Zooper Dooper fundraisers and cash donations in Mentors. These events not only raise funds but also foster a sense of empathy and social responsibility among students.

How You Can Help

The Loyola College community is encouraged to support Project Compassion by:

• Donating: Contributions can be made at school or through the school’s fundraising events.
• Participating: Join in the various activities organised by students and staff.
• Spreading the Word: Share information about the campaign with friends and family to increase awareness and support.

About Caritas Australia

Caritas Australia is a leading international aid and development organisation. Project Compassion is one of its key initiatives, focusing on long-term development programs in marginalised communities. The funds raised help provide essential services such as education, healthcare, and sustainable livelihoods.

We invite everyone to join in this meaningful campaign. Together, we can make a significant impact and bring hope to those who need it most.

Let’s come together and show our compassion in action!

Upcoming Events

Senior Programs Information Evening:

Thursday, 27 February 7:00pm. Inigo Theatre - Magis Performing Arts Centre.

The purpose of the evening is to provide an overview of VCE procedures for 2025, in the hope that any concerns or questions you may have will be answered and addressed.

More information regarding this evening will be provided shortly by our Head of VCE, Mr Stephen Brasier.

Student Services Information Evening for Year 7 Parents:

Wednesday, 26 February 7.00pm

The purpose of this evening is to communicate the various academic, social, and environmental supports available at Loyola, and discuss how these may alter as your child grows.

This is a parent only session for those with children with an identified individual need.

More information regarding this evening will be provided shortly by our Director of Students Services, Mrs Kelly Hussey.

Assessing Student Curriculum and Assessment Grades – New Students to the College

Both students and parents/guardians have access to curriculum material via our Learning Management System. Teaching Staff post course work, homework and resources to help our learners as they travel through this year’s curriculum. It is possible to track student usage, and we aim to support parents to a level of comfort with using the LMS as a means to view what their child is working through in class. Assessment marks will also be placed on the LMS within three weeks of being collected, moderated and marked.

School Assessed Coursework (SACs) are Part of Assessment

As the term progresses student assessment becomes more frequent. It is during this period that students can start to feel the pressure of assessment(s). It is important that we keep in mind what assessment is. Assessment is the opportunity for students and teachers to assess what they have been learning in class and receive important feedback on their strengths and areas for improvement. Assessment only tests or examines what students have already been studying.

At Unit 3/4 level, each SAC is often only worth a small percentage of the total year’s overall assessment, with the majority of the end of year results weighted heavily on examination results.

Some hints to avoid assessment stress:

• Complete all set work
• Complete a regular homework program
• Use your class time well
• Revise consistently
• Attend out of class help sessions, such as master classes held after school
• Meet with your teacher to go over the feedback after SACs/SATs
• Set achievable goals
• Attend Homework Club on a Tuesday/Wednesday after school
• Use the Study Design to guide learning and revision

Students should discuss any concerns that they may have with their subject teacher, mentor or the relevant Student Programs Coordinator.

Immediate S for Units 1- 4 SACs

Students will receive an immediate S for a SAC when they have demonstrated the following:

• Produce work that demonstrates achievement of the outcomes
• Submit work that is clearly their own
• Observe the rules of the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) and the school. (School rules may include, for example, Attendance or Submission of Work policies)

If any or all of these are not satisfied at the time of the SAC/SAT a student can be awarded a ‘Provisional N’. There are many options to redeem an S for any missed Learning Outcome(s). Students will need to consult with their subject teacher about the best way to proceed.

Year 7 and 9 NAPLAN

Please note that NAPLAN will now take place in the week beginning 10 March. Further details will be available nearer the time.

Dates are:

• Wednesday, 12 March: Writing
• Thursday, 13 March: Reading
• Friday, 14 March: Language Conventions
• Monday, 17 March: Numeracy
• Tuesday, 18 March: Catch up Session

Session Times:

Year 7: Periods 1 & 2 each day

Year 9: Periods 3 & 4 each day

As the 2025 College Captains, Marlo and Kai, we want to express our utmost welcome to the Loyola College community. We both hope you had an enjoyable break over the summer, getting much deserved rest after the busyness of last year, and have started the year off amazingly.

To the students reading this, hopefully the early starts haven't been too hard to tackle - I know we miss the sleep-ins. We would also like to extend our welcome to our new Year 7s and their families and any new family joining us at Loyola in 2025. We hope the first few weeks of transition have been smooth, and definitely a special one as the Year 7s start a new chapter in their life’s journey. We wish you all a wonderful year filled with triumph and positivity.

As we lead into the new year, we’d like to touch on the College theme for 2025, Companions of Hope. We are all gathered as one community to share our journey together, uplifting one another with the hope to inspire us in each of our days. We hope this theme can resonate with the whole community, connecting all members of Loyola College together.

As College Captains, our biggest goal for this year is to make school a more engaging and enjoyable environment to be in, as well as trying to bring excitement to the College, whilst continuing our proud traditions. This will include trying to boost the overall engagement within the community and continuously building positive connections with students, staff and families. The College Committee will also be working on multiple different initiatives to try and benefit the College community. We also want to continue to promote and enhance the student voice here at Loyola.

Loyola’s calendar is always loaded with many events, and as we jumped into this first term, this was no exception. To start, we had both the Year 7 Picnic and the Year 12 Breakfast. In addition, today we held our annual House Swimming Carnival (Go Chisholm & MacKillop). House Eisteddfod rehearsals are in full swing as each House prepares a 12 minute performance of a film or musical. There are also many other exciting events planned for the rest of the term, so stay tuned for more information about them.

As always, we are both here to help and are more than happy to have a chat, so please don’t feel frightened to say ‘hi’! We would love to get to know you all a bit better and understand what you want to get out of this year. We look forward to working with you all.

As we journey through this year together, let’s strive to bring the best out of not just ourselves, but others. Let's make 2025 a year to remember, and one that we will look back on to say ‘that was a wonderful year’.

Marlo Johnson and Kai Simpson
2025 College Captains

Year 7 Family Get Together - Friday March 15

The LPFA once again look forward to welcoming all Year 7 families to a fun filled Year 7 Family Get together. This is a great opportunity to meet other Loyola families. Both students (siblings included) and parents are welcome to attend.

WHEN: Friday, 21 March

TIME: 6.00pm – 8.30pm

WHERE: Loyola Companions Hall

Bookings are essential at www.loyola.vic.edu.au/tickets

Tickets $15 per family – includes pizza, drink, ice-cream, games and entertainment (free entry to door prize draw and raffle tickets available for sale

2024 House Masses

We invite students and families to their House Masses in Term One, celebrating the Eucharist and fostering faith and connection within our Catholic community. Parish Priests will bless our new Year 7 students and their senior Mentor buddies as they embark on their academic journeys at Loyola in 2025. It is therefore compulsory that Year 7 students and their Senior Buddies are present at these Masses, however students and families from all year levels are welcome.

Each Mass concludes with a shared morning tea, and we encourage families to bring a plate to share. Join us for this meaningful community celebration!

Good as New Uniform Sale

The Loyola Parents And Friends Association will be holding the first “Good As New” Uniform Sale on Thursday, 20 Februray from 2.00pm – 6.00pm. This is a great opportunity for parents to pick up items of second hand uniform as discounted prices. Please note that stock and sizes are limited. All proceeds from the sale assist the LPFA in supporting the College through their fundraising efforts.

Working Bee – Friday, 14 March

Join us for our Twilight Working Bee on Friday, 14 March, from 4:00pm to 6:30pm. We warmly welcome and greatly appreciate the assistance of our parent community to help with various tasks around the College.

This is a fantastic opportunity to get involved, meet other parents, and contribute meaningfully to the College by helping to beautify our grounds.

To ensure the safety of all, we kindly ask that only parents attend the Working Bee.

As a token of our gratitude for your hard work, dinner will be provided at approximately 6:00pm.

To help us with planning and catering, please let us know if you can attend by emailing Monica at community@loyola.vic.edu.au at your earliest convenience.

Thank you for your support—we look forward to seeing you there!

LPFA Winery Tour – Save the Date!

The Loyola Parents and Friends Association (LPFA) invites you to join us for a delightful, scenic Winery Tour in the Macedon Ranges on Saturday, 24 May. Gather your friends for a relaxing day exploring some of the region’s best wineries, enjoying great company, and supporting our school community.

More details, including itinerary and booking information, will be available soon. Mark your calendars—we look forward to seeing you there!

Donation of Loyola Uniform

Thank you to all the families who generously donate second-hand uniforms throughout the year to support our Good As New Uniform Sales. As we prepare for 2025, we are accepting donations of washed uniforms. If you have any items that you no longer need and are in excellent condition, please leave them with Reception. Your contributions help support families in need and are greatly appreciated.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE OLD STYLE SPORT UNIFORM CAN NO LONGER BE WORN BY STUDENTS AND MUST NOT BE SENT TO RECEPTION. Parent co-operation in this matter is kindly appreciated.

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

2025 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-fr-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

School Fees

The Annual Fee Account was emailed to all families on or after 31 January 2025. There is only one account issued for the yearly tuition fees and levies, regardless of the Fee Paying Arrangement selected. Accounts are also available to view on the Parent Portal under the Finance tab. If you require assistance with accessing the Portal or have not received / misplaced your login details, please contact ICT Support on 8548 9499 or via email at iCentre-ICT@loyola.vic.edu.au.

Please note that the due date for the Annual Account is Friday, 28 February 2025. Where an account is paid in full by 5:00 PM on 28 February 2025, an Early Payment Discount (EPD) of $300 per student will apply. Where an account has been split, the EPD should be calculated on a pro-rata basis. No extensions will be granted.

Fee Paying Arrangements

Confirmations of the arrangement applied to accounts were emailed to families on or after 25 November 2024. Please take a moment to check this email and confirm that the arrangement listed is your preferred payment option.

Parents and guardians who do not have an active Fee Paying Arrangement in place, are automatically listed for an annual payment, due 28 February 2025.

If you wish to change your listed arrangement, please complete the relevant forms and email your request to fees@loyola.vic.edu.au. For any queries, please contact the Finance Department via email at fees@loyola.vic.edu.au.

It is the expectation of the College that all arrangements are adhered to, or immediate contact made if there is any concern. Where arrangements are not adhered to, the College will be bound by the Fees & Charges Policy. It is encouraged that all parents/guardians take the time to read the policy and familiarise themselves with its contents.

Any additional charges incurred throughout the year (eg music, library charges, specialist camps and/or excursions), may not be included in your arrangement and should be paid by the due date of the account issued. Alternatively, please contact our Finance Department at fees@loyolal.vic.edu.au to adjust your arrangement accordingly.

Families that have selected the Semester or Quarterly Arrangement must pay their first instalment (as noted on the Fee Paying Arrangement confirmation email) by 28 February 2025. Reminders will be issued prior to the due date for all subsequent instalments. Where the Direct Debit option has been selected, the instalment will be automatically drawn on the listed dates or if a date falls on a weekend or public holiday, the following business day.

As noted in the Schedule of Fees, an Administration Fee of $30 per child, per term will be applied if payment arrangements are not adhered to.

Parents or guardians facing hardship with payment of fees are asked to make a time to meet with the Business Manager by calling 9433 0292.

Financial Assistance – Camps, Sports, Excursions Fund (CSEF)

The CSEF offered by the Victorian Government to assist eligible families by reducing the costs of school trips, camps and sporting activities included in the Loyola fees, has been increased to $256 annually.

Families that hold a valid means-tested concession card such as a Health Care Card or Pension Card, temporary foster parents as well as asylum seeker and refugee families may be eligible for the CSEF payment.

If you applied for the CSEF in 2024, you do not need to complete an application form in 2025 unless there has been a change in your family circumstances such as:

• new student enrolments; this is your child’s first year at Loyola College and you hold a valid means-tested concession card.
• changed family circumstances; such as a change of custody, change of name, concession card number, or new sibling commencing at Loyola College in 2025.

Please click here to access the CSEF application form or contact the school office to obtain a copy. For queries regarding eligibility, please call 9433 0292.

The Wellbeing Barometer survey is an invaluable tool for schools, providing critical insights into the mental health and wellbeing of young people. This annual survey identifies areas of concern, highlights resilience and adaptability in students, and emphasises the importance of preventative strategies to promote positive outcomes.

Participation in this survey is strongly encouraged, as it offers a comprehensive view of students' experiences, challenges, and achievements. By capturing a detailed understanding of young people's experiences, the survey supports a tailored approach to enhancing their mental, emotional, and social wellbeing. It helps to identify strengths and areas for improvement, as well as pinpoint opportunities for early intervention.

The survey is part of an ongoing longitudinal study, and we encourage you to take a few moments to complete the survey for each of your children. Responses remain anonymous and should be based on your observations over the last 12 months. By working together, we can reduce the long-term impact of mental illness and make a meaningful difference to the lives of our young people for a brighter future.

Click Here to Read the Special SchoolTV Report

Parents are encouraged to check out our school's Learning Pathways page - accessible via the Schoolbox LMS - which will be regularly updated with information about in-school programs for Years 10-12. 

It will also feature the release of our Careers Newsletter.

You can access this page by CLICKING HERE.