Head of Junior School 

Who can believe we are halfway through Term 1? Like all school terms, this one has been busy with many highlights. For me personally, I particularly enjoyed the opportunity to engage with so many of you at the Welcome BBQ. Similarly, we had a fabulous turn out of parents at the P&F Quiz Night last Friday. Congratulations to the winning parent team from Prep! The House Swimming Carnival was also a day where we gathered as a school community and celebrated sportsmanship, friendly rivalry, and House spirit. Congratulations to the winning house on the day, Joyce, led by Captain - Oscar Henley and Vice-Captain - Xavier Houston.

The Virgilian Way: Merit Cards explained

Your son may have been awarded a merit card during his first few weeks in 2023. Our merit card system is our way of acknowledging and rewarding boys for living out our SVC values of Integrity, Justice, Learning, Community and Kindness. The merit card system is different to previous years. Previously if a student received five merit cards, they were awarded a Head of Junior School Award. 

From now on, here is what the new system will look like:

• Bronze Badge awarded for five Merit Cards: one each for Community, Integrity, Justice, Learning and Kindness 
• Silver Badge: second time, receiving one of each merit card
• Gold badge: third time for receiving one of each merit card

The aim is for all our students to not be living out just one of our values, but all five. For those students holding on to our ‘old merit cards’ we are asking them to bring them in to the office. We will re-issue them with a new one which reflects our new system.

Mini Commissioning

This week we gathered for a mini commissioning for the following leaders in the Junior School.

Choir Captain: Gurtegh Shergill

Choir Vice Captain: Angus Mulder

Year 6 Band Captain: Harry Dewsbery                  

Year 6 Band Vice Captain: Bradley Muia            

Year 5 Band Captain: Asher Lester

Year 6 Band Vice Captain: Liam Holliday

Aussie Sport Leaders

Doyle: Kieran Bosworth, Charlie Todd

Dwyer: Charlie Bugg, Bailey Siddall

Hessian: William Lowe, Ryder Vagg

Joyce: Finlay Child, Jack Lemm

Uniform

I would like to thank all families for sending your son along to school in his correct uniform daily. The boys are looking very smart indeed. Recently I have contacted some parents re their son’s formal shoes. I would like to express my gratitude for those families who have made the change to formal school shoes. Please remember that formal uniform is to be worn every day, except PE days and days when your son might have JSSATIS soccer, cricket, or tennis after school.

NAPLAN

NAPLAN will be held between March 15 and 24 for Years 3 and 5. NAPLAN is a national assessment. All eligible students are expected to participate. The tests include, Writing, Reading, Conventions of Language and Numeracy. The tests are administered in that order and vary in length but are all approximately 40 minutes. All students are required to complete the writing assessment first. Year 3 students will handwrite their Writing assessment and all other tests are administered online. It is essential that each night, your son’s ipad is charged so that is has 100% charge each day a test is administered. It is also important that your son’s headphones are brought to or left at school each day. All assessments will be held in the morning block. Year 3 and 5 students have been completing online practice tests in readiness.

Formal Photos

This week, Leading Image were onsite to take our formal class, individual and family photos. It was noted that this is the first year ever, that every student attended school in their formal uniform. Thank you everyone. 

Swimming Carnival

Above is the final tally of House Points after the Swimming Selection Trials and House Swimming Carnival. Overall winners were Joyce House, dominating both events. In 2nd place was Doyle House, 3rd Place: Hessian and in 4th place: Dwyer.

Learning Plan Meetings

Over the next few weeks, all Learning Plan meetings will be taking place. In this meeting, we will discuss your son’s needs and set achievable goals for him for this year. 

Circle of Life

Thank you to the many parents in Years Prep, 4 and 6 who turned out to their respective sons’ Circle of Life Nights last week. A shout out to a couple of dads who turned up for back-to-back sessions in Year 4 and 6, on Wednesday and Thursday evenings. This is an important co-curricular program endorsed by Catholic Education Tasmania program and is used for all Catholic schools. It is fully supportive of Catholic perspectives, together with the Australian Curriculum and the Growing Towards Wholeness Policy (Archdiocese of Hobart). Boys learnt about such things as the importance of families, gentle gestures, and ways we show love, friendships, the elements of safe and healthy relationships, body safety, safe and unsafe situations. Thank you to Miss Daun for organising these sessions and the staff, who also attended.

Sailing

This term we have utilised a grant received from the Sporting Schools Program to run a couple of Try Sailing sessions on Monday afternoons at the Royal Hobart Yacht Club. 12 boys in total from across Years 5 and 6 were invited to participate. They have had a fantastic couple of afternoons on the water, learning to steer and tack on the beautiful waters of the Derwent River. We look forward to all these boys continuing sailing as their chosen sport and representing SVC in the years to come.

Junior School Sports Report

Flippa Ball

February 26: SVC Dolphins V Sea Monkeys

A very even game with the boys coming away with a draw, 3 -3.

Player of the Week: Angus Saunder

JSSATIS Soccer Year 1/2

SVC V CCCS

A 2-1 loss against CCCS . Boys played a very even match with the score 0 – 0 at half time. 

SVC scored the first goal in the second half but ultimately lost 2 -1. It was a great first game of the season effort!

Player of the Week: Patrick Hughes for his excellent goal keeping skills.

TENNIS

February 21: SVC Green V Collegiate

Some great tennis played by all boys in the Div B Green competition.

Singles Result: Liam Holliday 6 – 0 win; Angus Newsham-West 6 – 2 win

Doubles Result: Angus Newsham-West + Will Parker 6 – 2 win; Will Parker + Liam Holliday 6 – 3 loss

Player of the Week: Liam Holliday for playing great tennis and chasing down lots of balls.

February 28: SVC Green V Corpus Christi

An even afternoon against Corus Christi with both teams coming away with a win.

Angus Newsham-West + Liam Holliday 6 – 3 win

Will Parker + Asher Lester 0 – 6 loss

Player of the Week: Will Parker for playing his best and doing some great returns.