The Star

Deputy Principal

Mr Daniel Lapolla

Collaboration with St Mary’s College

In the last week of Term 1, our Senior School Student Leaders attended St Mary’s College for a collaborative meeting with their student leadership group. The connection with St Mary’s College has a long-standing tradition as a brother and sister school.

 

Our student leaders discussed and unpacked a number of combined initiatives that could be explored throughout the year and into the future. In Term 2, we intend to host St Mary’s College to continue these discussions and commence some further planning. I would like to thank our student leadership team for their contribution and also Tom Marr (College Captain) for leading this discussion on behalf of our College.

Being Prepared, Prepared, and More Prepared!!

As our senior students approach their mid-term exams later in this term, it is a timely reminder that revision and preparation should begin now. Meaningful exam revision does not commence the week before exams. Learning the content, themes, techniques, and skills occurs during each lesson. It is crucial that students maximise their time during their lessons. This is the time to ask questions, to unpack terms and topics, and to generate their understanding. Consistent study throughout the term further supports the preparation for exams but more importantly, helps consolidate the learning process. Revision is not the time to learn the content; this happens during lesson time and is supported further through additional study.

 

I strongly encourage our students to have this mindset now and not to wait. Get things started now and utilise the time effectively to minimise the stress that can come with feeling overburdened and underprepared. Mr Webster has opened the CLAB during break times to support this additional study time. I would also encourage students to visit our Head of Department office in the Doyle Wing to seek clarification on any upcoming work.

A Gentleman of St Virgil’s

At the forefront of our work is helping to shape our boys into gentlemen. Our Virgilian Way provides the framework for which we should rise to meet. Our motto highlights the significant role our deeds have; however, within this, it also identifies the impact of our words as well. For young men, they sometimes think and believe that their words carry no weight and cause no harm. They can be just as influential as our deeds. What has been made clear over the holiday period is the need for a gentleman within our communities and within broader society.

 

I will always refer to our students as gentlemen rather than boys because this is the standard I wish for them to achieve. Young men need constant reference and guidance as to what is acceptable. They learn from what they witness and what they are inevitably exposed to in the online world. We have a collective responsibility to uphold what we value within our school community. Disrespect comes in many forms but must always be addressed with what we expect to see. For our community, it is the core values of the Virgilian Way.

 

Community

  • We care for each other
  • We respect everyone in our community
  • We care for the land and the facilities and equipment we enjoy
  • We support others in being the best that they can be in all areas of their life

Integrity

  • We stand up for those without a voice
  • We try to do the right thing – even when nobody else is looking
  • We do not walk past behaviour we know is wrong
  • We model our values in person and online

Justice

  • We are accountable for our actions and the impact they have on others
  • We own our mistakes and look to turn them into growth opportunities
  • We respect and celebrate all the women in our lives
  • We will not tolerate racism and discrimination of others based upon sexual orientation
  • We forgive when a genuine apology is offered

Kindness

  • All our deeds start from a place of kindness and care for others
  • We understand that to be kind, is not to be weak.
  • We look for the good in all people we encounter
  • We do not accept name-calling, bullying or behaviour that hurts others
  • We respect the personal space and feelings of others

Learning

  • We acknowledge that every experience is an opportunity for learning
  • We respect everyone’s right to learn in the classroom and around the College
  • We acknowledge that everyone can be a leader and a force for good
  • We strive to be good men of faith, character and service to others

People will see these values in our deeds.