From the Principal 

Dear Parents/Carers, Students and Friends of St Virgil’s College,

Participation is the Key

Give and you will receive is a truism that covers many circumstances. In a good school it is particularly true in terms of boys joining in all the activities the school offers. Obviously, this applies in learning – do the work and you’ll get the results – but it also applies to sport, music, camps, retreats, student leadership and the myriad of other extra opportunities beyond the classroom we provide. They exist for a purpose – to help the boys learn, grow, develop and broaden their experience. When boys are fully involved, they benefit greatly.

Having worked in secondary schools for all of my career, my own internal research shows that the boys who did best in their studies were almost invariably much more involved in co-curricular (sport, music, etc.) activities. One particular point that needs to be made, is that it is not a choice to not be uninvolved – we require all students to be involved in at least some things (they have choices) and there are some specific activities they must be involved in, as part of the conditions of enrolment. Attendance at the Athletics Carnival, camps, retreats, Edmund Rice and Mary Rice Day is an example of this. St Virgil’s does not provide these opportunities as an optional extra; involvement and attendance are requirements, and there are excellent reasons for this. One particular one that matters a lot to me is that St Virgil’s is one community, and it is not acceptable for a boy to isolate himself or stick only to one narrow group. We welcome all sorts of boys, and in return they all need to join in fully with each other. Accepting that from time to time an exceptional circumstance will prevent a boy being involved in some activity (e.g. sickness), I would ask that parents reinforce to their sons the need to be people who join in – to give of themselves fully. 

Year 11 & 12 Subject Information Evening 

I thank our Year 10 and Year 11 families who joined us for our information evening on Tuesday evening where we shared our plans for Year 11 and Year 12 in 2024. Families were provided with updates with regards to building, curriculum, careers counselling, pastoral care and wellbeing and other cocurricular opportunities available in the Senior Years.  Parents are reminded of the following steps:

I take this opportunity to thank Mr Daniel Lapolla for his coordination of this evening and to the staff that presented and contributed to a very successful night. I also thank our College Captain, Thomas Marr and Mr Andrew Pinelli (current Year 11 parent) for providing their own reflections on the Year 11 journey thus far. The insights they shared were well received by those in attendance and highlighted the positive impact the College is having on those students and families who have chosen Senior Secondary education at St Virgil’s. 

Year 10 & 11 Examinations

Over the next couple of weeks, we will commence Year 10 and 11 examinations. There was a time when exams were somewhat out of favour as a form of assessment – possibly as a reaction against the over reliance on them as the sole or main way to measure a student’s learning (and to some extent, the teacher’s teaching). The use of examinations is an important part of the learning process because, in balance with other forms of assessment, they are one excellent way to objectively measure student learning, relative to expected standards and are free of undue external assistance or influence. Used this way it will be a great way for the boys to test themselves – just as they like to do in so many other ways. We wish all students well in the coming weeks and draw students and families to the following links below where a range of resources are available to assist with exam preparation.

• REACHOUT.com’s exam stress toolkit has stories and practical tips from recent students, checklists, action plans and tips and articles about handling exam pressure and stress in ways that work for you, and secrets to study success. 
  https://au.reachout.com/study-work-and-money/exam-stress...
• The TASC infosheet Managing Exam Stress links to key resources to assist you in managing the very normal feelings of pre-exam nerves. As well as being able to tell if it’s becoming too much and you need more help.
  https://www.tasc.tas.gov.au/.../09/Managing_Exam_Stress.pdf
• Tips for Staying Calm: Some practical tips for staying CALM during written exams. Use these to help you relax, think positively and stay focused.
  https://www.tasc.tas.gov.au/.../tips-for-staying-calm/.

Naming and Blessing of Water Carrier 

A naming ceremony and blessing of the College’s new water carrier trailer – layna lumi was held at the Austins Ferry campus this afternoon. The water carrier trailer along with safety equipment was purchased from prize money the College received as winners of the Narragunnawali Reconciliation Schools Awards in 2021. layna lumi will assist in the managing the College’s Cool Burning program. A highlight was our Prep and Year 1 students’ involvement and singing in the naming ceremony and I thank them for their participation and engagement. My thanks to Mrs Bridget Jenkins, Mr Jamie Graham-Blair, Mr Mark Smith and Mr Trent Prouse for their coordination and organisation, along with the support of many staff and departments to bring this event together. 

Best wishes for the week ahead and safe travels to those heading away this long weekend.

Jon Franzin

PRINCIPAL