From the Acting Principal -

Mr David Ruggiero

Dear Families and Community of Blackfriars Priory School,

Welcome to Assumption Term. The term is named after the Assumption of Mary. The Assumption is a Solemnity which occurs on 15 August as we recall Mary’s assumption into heaven and her example as a mother who accepted life’s challenges with the deepest of faith. It is a day when we reflect on our personal impact on the world and the reality that one day, we too will enter eternal life.

Assumption Term is an exceptionally busy term for our Year 12s as they consolidate their learning and finalise external pieces of work and study for pending examinations. Our Year 12s (and all students for that matter) have the possibility for countless distractions that may require parental intervention.  Gaming, social media and parties are significant issues facing boys.

This week our senior boys participated in the Party Safe Program and in the coming weeks our Year 12s will engage in an Anti-Ice program. In addition, the Carly Ryan Foundation will be hosting a parent evening on 6 November at 7:00pm in the Fr James O’Doherty Performing Arts Centre. Please make note of this in your diary.

Simon Cobiac

The community of Blackfriars wishes our Principal, Mr Simon Cobiac, a speedy recovery following some minor surgery.  We all look forward to Simon returning to our community next week.

St Dominic’s Day

St Dominic's Day will be a joyful celebration, which captures the Four Pillars of Dominican Life at Blackfriars: Prayer, Study, Community and Service. We will begin the day with Mass and give thanks to God for the great work of the Dominicans over the past 800 years ago. Mr Dharmesh Raman ’92 Head Prefect and Managing Director of Peter Shearer Menswear will address the boys.

Students will work in House groups, within different academic faculties, challenging their intellectual abilities. Lunch time will be a celebration of community, as we enjoy multicultural food, games and physical challenges. All of the money raised from St Dominic's Day will be used to support the work of the Dominicans overseas.

Parents and friends of Blackfriars are invited to attend the 10:00am Mass in the Fr John Neill Gymnasium on 8 August 2018. I thank Mr Matthew Crisanti (Assistant Principal: Religious Identity and Mission) for his leadership and organisation of the day. Families are reminded that students will be dismissed at 2:30pm on the day (OSHC facilities available).

An important note for us to reflect on is that St Dominic is not Jesus. In fact, no saint would ever want to cast a shadow over Jesus. Instead, saints point us to Jesus. They give us a mechanism and example to see things anew and place our journey back on track. St Dominic had a passion for redirecting people towards the truth of Jesus. Through the power of preaching, teaching and the spiritually inspired intellect, St Dominic expanded the narrow mindedness of people, to see the world and Jesus Christ from a fresh, life giving, perspective. Ignorance and misinformation was the adversary of St Dominic, and his passion for truth (veritas) meant that he risked ridicule when he publicly and privately argued for his beliefs and that of the Church.

We pray that the example of St Dominic may inspire our boys (and girls in the ELC) to risk ridicule, as they stubbornly stand for life-giving truth and live life with a spiritual abundance.

Vale Fr Matthew Boland OP

Our Chaplain, Fr Matthew Boland OP, was officially farewelled at our whole school assembly on Wednesday 25 July 2018. Fr Matthew will be dearly missed by our community. His deep faith, engaging personality, wisdom and ability to relate positively with students, staff and families have left us better for having known him. We wish Fr Matthew every blessing for his future endeavours at the University of Fribourg in Switzerland, as he embarks on studying a PhD focusing on Trinitarian Theology.

Drama Production

Step aside Simon Cowell, we have some new contenders in town! The Year 12 Drama Production was based on a reality talent show and captured the drama, talents and personalities evident in show business. Congratulations to Mr Robert Becker and the Year 12 Drama students on an outstanding, humorous, talent filled and energetic drama production that had me singing WHAM songs on my drive home!

Student Cast:

Christian Apolloni

Carlos Garcia

Benedict Gbala

Adam Nguyen

Lorenzo Ravida

Restorative Justice Training

A group of our leadership staff engaged in a two day restorative justice intensive training session with Mr Bill Hansberry. The two days focused on role plays, theory, psychology and planning. The aim of Restorative Practice is to maintain the integrity and dignity of the person as we teach students to grow as human beings. It focuses on repairing harm and reducing the impact of what has occurred. It is a highly structure approach that enables those at the core of the issue to become empowered to assist in solving the problem. 

Middle Years Showcase

On Monday 6 August, Blackfriars will be hosting a Middle Years Showcase in Frassati Hall and the Fr James O'Doherty OP Performing Arts Centre. The showcase is aimed at highlighting our broad curriculum and co-curricular activities that are on offer in Years 7, 8 and 9 at Blackfriars. 

Mr Simon Cobiac will address families at 7:00pm in the theatre, followed by subject displays in the Frassati Hall. Curriculum Leaders and Heads of House will be available to speak to. 

The showcase is preceded by the Music Information Evening at 6:30pm, for those families interested in hearing more about the specialist music program.

Primary families who are interested in learning about our Middle School program and structure are most welcome to attend. Please feel free to let any friends or family thinking of enrolling their son at Blackfriars in the future know about this exciting evening. 

Further information is available below.

Student, Parent, Teacher Learning Conversations

• Wednesday 5 September 2018, 2:00pm – 8:00pm
• Please note students will be dismissed at 1:00pm

Shortly you will receive information regarding the login procedures for booking your time slots for the Student, Parent, Teacher Learning Conversations.  When you receive your login, please take the opportunity to book, as the partnership we develop with families is a critical ingredient to your son’s success. 

The conversations are not built on a deficit model but begin from a strengths-based approach. The aim of the evening is to keep your son central to the discussion, to ensure that his needs, developmental stage, strengths and perspective are considered and listened to.

A strengths-based approach is one founded on the following beliefs:

• All people have strengths and capacities.
• People change and grow through their strengths and capacities.
• People are the experts on their own situation.
• The problem is the problem: the person is not the problem.
• Problems can blind people from noticing and appreciating their strengths and the capacity to find their own solutions.
• People have good intentions.
• People are doing the best they can.

A strengths-based approach does not mean issues or concerns are not raised – rather it includes strengths in the conversation and ensures that the negative aspects are not the sole focus of the conversation.  Often solutions to problems can be found when strengths are identified.  It can also be a way to enable the conversation to keep moving forward and not become stuck in negativity and helplessness.

Year 7 Parent Information Session

On the same evening as the Student, Parent, Teacher Learning Conversations, an information session will be held in the Senior Library for Year 7 families. The presenter, Madhavi Nawana Parker, is a published author of social emotional literacy programs including, 'The Resilience and Wellbeing Toolbox' and Madhavi is also a keynote and guest speaker on the topics of social emotional literacy, positive discipline, resilience and wellbeing. She presents to a wide audience including teachers, educators, allied health professionals and parents.

Due to this presentation, all Year 7 interviews will conclude at 6:50pm so families can make their way to the Senior Library to attend this 90 minute session that will commence at 7:00pm It is an expectation from the school, in the interests of each students development, that a representative from each family attends this important presentation. Both parents or other family members are also welcome, students do not need to attend. Further information will be sent home with your son over the coming weeks. 

Mr David Ruggiero

ACTING PRINCIPAL