Pentecost – Absolute Connection

This Sunday we mark Pentecost – the birth of the Church. This moment is an enormous multisensory event; it’s the equivalent of something going viral on today’s social media, but on an even grander scale. From its first preaching, the Good News is addressed to the entire earth, to all towns, cities and kingdoms, from the greatest to the least. The work of the Spirit reminds us that the Gospel is not the possession or right of one people, however great their empire. Furthermore, the beginnings of the Good News are not entrusted to the great, but to those on the margins. The birth of the reign of God is marked by unremarkable places, modest people and minor, insignificant countries.

In the Pentecost event, not only does the Spirit bring the Word to all the nations, but does so respectful of their cultures and languages. The listeners are amazed that they hear about the works of God in their own tongues. Through the Spirit, creativity and unity are achieved within diversity and difference – it’s a moment of absolute connection.

Sr Joan Chittister OSB says:
For the early Christians – and for us now – it is a matter of allowing the Spirit to transform us so that our lives and the life of Christ do finally merge, do really melt into one another, do truly become one, are united both here and hereafter.

Across the coming week, all students and staff will be marking this significant feast with ‘Stations of Hope’ during Pause and Pray, our time of contemplation. We will highlight a different Human Rights issue each day and pray that the Spirit will lead us to become more compassionate, more just, and more aware so that this same Spirit may light up our world around us, within us and beyond us.

Siena in the City Showcase

Thank you to our Year 9 students and their families who attended the Siena in the City Showcase. It is always a wonderful evening enjoyed by students and parents alike as the students share their experiences in the city during Horizons Week. Thank you to Claire Al-Noah, Head of The Arts and Technology, and all our teachers from The Arts and Technology faculty for arranging a thoughtful and engaging week for our students. Congratulations to all Year 9 students for the impressive presentations, a great culmination of many weeks of learning.

Careers Showcase

Our annual Careers Showcase, presented by the Siena Alumnae Association, will be held at the College on Thursday, 9 June. The popularity of the event is testament to the calibre of speakers we engage to discuss and share their career experiences and post-school pathways. It is always a privilege and a pleasure to hear from our alumnae, who have successfully navigated a path to a meaningful career in a variety of fields; they often attribute their success to the high standard of their Dominican Education at Siena College. The event is designed to help students broaden their knowledge and understanding of a wide range of careers that may be of potential interest.

For more information, please read the News Item posted on 13 May.

To register and select your preferred sessions, please click here. Bookings close on Monday, 6 June at 9.00am.

Examination Preparation

On Monday evening we held a webinar for parents and students, focusing on study tips and preparation for examinations. The recording is available on the Examinations Tile on Siena Central and includes the PowerPoint Presentation.

Subject specific revision guides are available on the Siena Central Course Pages.

Examinations

Please refer to the Examinations tile on Siena Central for information about the upcoming Year 9 to 11 Exams.

Students must please arrive at their examination venue ten minutes before the scheduled starting time. They are expected to remain at the College between examinations each day and attend a Private Study Room in the Learning Centre. Students may leave after their last exam for the day.

Full winter school uniform must be worn and mobile phones, smart watches or other unauthorised digital devices are NOT permitted in the examination venue. Students may only take the following materials into their exams:

• Clear plastic bag/pocket as pencil case
• Clear water bottle
• Other allowed materials as per the subject revision sheet

Examinations will not be rescheduled if a student is absent. If they cannot attend an examination, please notify Siena College prior to 9.00am. Send a note/email to the Head of House to explain the absence.

Year 11 Accelerated Study students must attend their Year 11 exam rather than their Year 12 Class. If they do not have an exam, they should attend their Year 12 Accelerated classes.

Please note the following key dates as we approach the end of the term.

Student Reflections on Classroom Learning Indicators

This week, all students commence their learning reflection in each subject based on the Classroom Learning Indicators. As students complete each self-reflection, parents will receive an email notification and may view the responses by clicking on the link.

Semester 1 Reports

The Semester Report provides feedback on the five specific Classroom Learning Indicators and parents and students will be able to see if there has been any progress or consolidation in this area. It also includes a statement of results of all assessment tasks and at Years 7 to 11, an overall percentage score, taking into consideration the individual weightings for each task. If a percentage score is not given, a letter grade is used, such as NS (a school sanctioned absence and no penalty) or NA (not assessed and a score of zero). At Year 12, it will consist of S (Satisfactory) or N (Not Satisfactory) for each assessment task.

Semester reports will not have teacher comments, as the feedback has been throughout the semester and targeted to the assessment task.

Last week of Term 2

Friday, 17 June will be the last day of Term 2 for students. Teaching staff will participate in a Staff Week until 24 June, dedicated to the marking of examinations, preparation of reports and Professional Learning.

Semester 2 / Term 3 commences on Monday, 11 July.

Keeping Exams in Context

Siena College, like many schools, is preparing students for end of semester exams, tests and assessments. Schools and families are placing more emphasis on students performing at their optimum and on achieving good results in exams. This may cause some students to feel pressure and develop unrealistic expectations.

Some experts will say that exams are like a game. Once you know how to play the game, your chances of achieving great results rapidly increase. Parents can learn how to assist their children to maintain perspective and keep their sanity intact during exam time. They may also have picked up a few tips at the ‘Approaching Exams’ Parent Webinar held earlier this week. If you missed it, a recording has been placed on the Siena Central Parent Zone.

Diet, exercise and sleep all play an important part in helping a student balance a busy schedule and study smarter. Keeping stress levels to a minimum and reducing anxiety can be easily achieved through careful planning and having a supportive environment. Parents will find advice on how to help students cope with the pressure and how students can work smarter to achieve the results they desire in the Exam Jitters edition of SchoolTV

Planning for after exams and assessment can also be very helpful and provide motivation and a positive outlook. Your daughter may really appreciate movie tickets, a relaxation massage or some family time away. The point is that having something lovely to look forward to can have a very positive impact on everyone in the home.

Victorian Child Safe Standards

In a previous edition of the Newsletter, I reported that Siena College is in the process of updating policies, documents and practices that are in line with the new Victorian Child Safe Standards and Ministerial Order No. 1359 (MO 1359), Implementing the Child Safe Standards – Managing the risk of child abuse in schools and school boarding premises. This is an opportunity to build on our existing child safety policies and practices to address the 11 Standards.

In recent weeks, a great deal of work has been done to ensure that our policies and guidelines are reflective of the new Victorian Child Safe Standards. We have been working on the following policies:

• Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy
• Student Behaviour Policy
• Mandatory Reporting Protocols
• Reportable Conduct Policy

Once policies have been discussed at the Siena College Policy Committee and ratified by the College Board, they will be shared with our community and published on the website.

Siena College is committed to supporting our students and parents navigate online safety. Social media platforms provide great opportunities for adolescents to connect and socialise and played a significant role in nurturing relationships and friendships during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

eSafety refers to the notion of being safe online: acting responsibly, treating others with dignity and respect, having an awareness of risks to private information and self-protection from unwanted content.

One of the best preventative approaches to managing online safety is education across the curriculum. At Siena, we are proud to offer a subject to each of our Year 7 students that eases their transition into secondary school. Skills for Learning is completed in Semester 1 and covers a range of issues that often present in the first year of secondary school. Each class completes lessons surrounding eSafety; the prevention, identification and response to cyberbullying, managing time spent online, online gaming, pressures from social media, consent for sharing information and keeping data secure.

This learning is further embedded by content from the Victorian Government personal and social capability; Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships curriculum which is designed to develop students’ social, emotional and positive relationship skills. Content from this curriculum is delivered in both the weekly Wellness lessons and throughout faculty lessons year round. Further enrichment opportunities have been provided to students this year that include a drama presentation from ‘Verbal Combat’ in early Term 2 and an opportunity to hear from Susan McLean, an expert in the area of cyber safety in Term 3.

When an incident that causes distress happens online, it is important that parents know there are processes in place so that it is managed appropriately. We encourage students to report incidents of misuse of social media to their Head of House, and to retain any relevant documentation. Parents might like to review the eSafety Commissioner’s support for parents and carers after an online safety incident, which can be found here:

• Tips for parents and carers after an online safety incident

If you or your daughter/s have any questions regarding the management of eSafety at Siena College, please get in touch with our Director of Students, Minna Jewell at mjewell@siena.vic.edu.au

On Monday, 23 May, I was pleased to accompany five of our Respectful Relationships Ambassadors to Avila College to participate in a student forum. They were joined by another eight schools who form part of our Community of Practice in the Inner East.

The student forum was designed to promote student voice and agency in the area of Respectful Relationships. Our Siena Respectful Relationships Ambassadors actively contributed to group discussions and engaged in many different activities throughout the day with students from other schools.

It was pleasing to see students take the opportunity to engage in rich conversation about the major issues that young people are faced with today. The student forum was a great success and we look forward to attending the next forum early next term.

“The forum allowed us to combine with other schools and get a deeper understanding about how we can improve Respectful Relationships at schools. It enabled us to work collaboratively with others and discover new ways to promote student voice. Overall, I learnt so much and look forward to more Respectful Relationships student forums in the future.” – Majella, Year 11

“I really enjoyed the forum. I enjoyed listening to other student opinions on the topics discussed and learning about how other schools implement Respectful Relationships. I also enjoyed collaborating with other students.” – Priya, Year 9

“I really enjoyed the Respectful Relationships forum hosted by Avila College. It was a great experience getting to collaborate with other schools in an inclusive and engaging atmosphere. It was interesting hearing other perspectives regarding different aspects of Respectful Relationships and how we can integrate them into our school community.” – Lila, Year 9

National Reconciliation Week commenced last Friday, 27 May and concludes this Friday, 3 June. These dates follow Sorry Day, Thursday, 26 May, and acknowledge two significant milestones on the journey towards Reconciliation – the date of the 1967 Referendum and the handing down of High Court Mabo decision.

This week Siena College has reflected on our national story in classes and House Groups and realised that, with the newly elected Government committing to The Uluru Statement From the Heart, we now face another significant moment in history as we work towards achieving Voice, Treaty and Truth for our First Nations People.

Our Wellness time in House Group this week was dedicated to learning about The Uluru Statement from the Heart. House Groups also spent time reflecting on and developing definitions of Reconciliation. These statements reflect our students’ understanding that Reconciliation involves truth telling, acknowledgement of past wrongs, forgiveness and a commitment to moving forward together.

In the words of some of our students:

Reconciliation to us means recognising Australia’s past, no matter how confronting it is. It is about acknowledging what has happened and apologising to the First Nations People. Reconciliation is not just talking about it, it’s about taking action. It is not just about asking for forgiveness, but about building trust, and showing that we empathise with them, respect, and appreciate their culture and land. House Group MWD

Reconciliation to us means an ongoing commitment to acknowledge, reflect on, and repair our connection to our Indigenous community. House Group SKD

Reconciliation means to be sorry, to make change together and use our voices for good. It means to reconcile, forgive and to heal the relationships with First Nations People, so we are all treated equally. Lola Castaldi Year 7

Reconciliation involves Indigenous Australians and non-Indigenous Australians working together to acknowledge past wrongs and move towards a future that allows people to heal. This can include expanding the recognition of land rights, equality and unity. House Group SKC

Reconciliation Week has also been a time to for us to learn about and celebrate Indigenous music, connection to Country and culture. In consultation with some of our First Nations students, we selected a range of contemplative Aboriginal music for Pause and Pray each day and more contemporary music by First Nations musicians to celebrate the end of the day. We watched videos from the homelands of some of our students and learnt some words in language. As a sign of support for Reconciliation, students were also invited to wear a Ribbon for Reconciliation, pledging to support The Uluru Statement from the Heart.

We know that the work of Reconciliation is not achieved in one week. It is a process. It takes time. But this week we made further inroads to repairing our relationships and committing to a more inclusive future for all Australians.

Autumn Concert

The Autumn Concert took place on Wednesday, 1 June in the Susan Alberti Auditorium, and for the first time since 2019, our students enjoyed performing to a live audience.

It was a fantastic night featuring all our ensembles: Wind Orchestra, Symphonic band, Junior Band, Senior Choir, Canti Dolci, Junior Choir, Senior Strings, St Cecilia Strings, Junior Strings, Folkus, Stage Band, Sisters of Swing, Groove Train, Guitar Ensemble, Galway Flutes and Clarinet Choir, as well as our VCE Music Performance soloists.

Energy levels were high all night, especially for musicians in our Year 7 Junior Music Program who made their performance debut! Numerous highlights included Symphonic Band performing the Harry Potter Medley, Junior Band’s exciting performance of Hit the Spot and Guitar Ensemble’s version of the 1980’s pop classic, Everyone wants to Rule the World.

Congratulations to all musicians, ensemble directors and staff for all the work you have done over the semester and for the fine performances at the Autumn Concert.

Ross Irwin Bursary

It is our pleasure to announce a new award in the Music Department for 2022. This award has been generously made possible by trumpeter and All State Jazz Creative Director, Ross Irwin. It is intended to recognise outstanding individual commitment and progress in jazz performance. The decision to award the Ross Irwin Jazz Bursary has been made based on a student’s overall involvement in the instrumental music and ensemble programs at Siena and in particular, participation in Siena’s Night of Jazz and at the All State Jazz Championship.

There are two recipients of this award, representing both senior and intermediate levels of achievement. We are delighted to announce that Madison Sykes (Year 9) and Ashling O’Farrell (Year 12) are the recipients of the Ross Irwin Jazz Bursary. Both Madison and Ashling were presented the award at the Autumn Concert.

Siena College and De La Salle Combined Concert (Postponed to 18 July 2022)

Unfortunately, the Siena College and De La Salle Combined Concert had to be postponed to numerous illnesses across both bands. The concert and rehearsal will now take place next term on Monday, 18 July from 7.00pm at De La Salle. This concert will feature Wind Orchestra, De La Salle Senior Band and VCE Music Performance soloists.

AMEB Exams

Congratulations to the following students who have recently sat AMEB Music exams: Madison Sykes (Tenor Saxophone), Hannah Davis (Music Theory), Jacinta Brennan (Flute), Mimi Mangan (Double Bass) and Ella Ukich (Double Bass). We also wish good luck to all students with upcoming exams this term!

GSV Cross Country Championships

On Friday, 27 May, a team of twenty-nine Siena students from all year levels headed out to Cruden Farm for the 2022 GSV Cross Country Championships.

Students lined up with roughly two hundred other students from GSV schools to compete in a 3km (Juniors) or 4km (Inters and Seniors) race through the countryside.

The first race of the day was the Juniors, in which we had fifteen Year 7 and 8s competing. First across the line from Siena College was Nati S in a time of 11.52 minutes, placing 9^th overall out of 232 runners! Nati received a ribbon and medal, as she finished 2^nd in our division. Well done Nati! Second across the line from Siena was Katie H (98^th place) and third was Annabelle M (106^th place). Well done to all Juniors who ran on the day.

Intermediate students ran next, competing in a field of 213 runners. First across the line from Siena was Beatrice Z (77^th place) in a time of 18.15 minutes for the 4km. Second from Siena was Isobel B and third was Kara J. Well done to our seven intermediate runners who competed on the day.

Seniors were the final race of the day and a huge congratulations to our Senior Team who managed to finished 4^th in our division, with only five out of a possible ten athletes running! This was an amazing result. First across the line from Siena was Emily M in a time of 16.52 minutes for the 4km run. Emily came in 22^nd out of 178 runners. Second across the line from Siena was Mia K (33^rd place) and third was Emmaline C in 57^th place. Well done to our Senior cross country runners.

A big thank you also to our staff who attended on the day, Head of Athletics, Angela Phillips, as well as Morgan, Abbey and Scarlet. Whilst we say goodbye to the Cross Country season for 2022, we are really looking forward to seeing many of our Cross Country athletes complete in the GSV Athletics season next term.

GSV Athletics has Commenced

Athletics training commenced on Thursday at lunchtime with long jump, triple jump and throwing technique sessions for students across all year levels.

Running club will continue on Friday mornings, with a 7.00am meet time at the Siena Latingata Morrom Gym.

On Tuesday, 14 June, we will conduct the High Jump event that was unable to go ahead at our Inter House Athletics Carnival in May. Students will take a bus after school to the Bill Seward Athletics Track and compete in Years 7 to 12 High Jump events. Students are encouraged to look out for the sign up link via Siena Central News.

Athletics training will be held on Tuesday and Thursday mornings before school throughout Term 3. Students can commit to one or both sessions a week. Sign up in the GSV link for Term 3 sports.

We can't wait for you to join us for the Athletics season!

Launching: Junior Rugby

We are so excited to be launching our Junior Rugby 7s program at Siena College in Term 3!

Siena will be part of a pilot program under GSV and Rugby Victoria to encourage girls to take up the sport. Rugby Victoria will be sending NRLW players down to run coaching sessions on a Tuesday afternoon in Term 3. Students will then play in a round robin competition towards the end of the term with other GSV schools.

This program is aimed at students who are new to the sport and would like to learn a new sport.

Rugby 7s is a fast paced game and an Olympic sport! We encourage students to sign up and be a part of one of the fastest growing sports in the world for women and girls. Click here to sign up.

For more information and inspiration, you can watch the videos below:

• https://youtu.be/WNaG2CM5Uss
• https://youtu.be/uQPpiZStYjg

Sport Sign Ups for Term 3

All students have been sent an email with sign up information for Term 3 sport. This needs to be completed this week.

The sports on offer for Term 3 are:

• GSV Weekly Sports: Volleyball, Badminton and Soccer
• GSV Carnival Sport for Term 3: Athletics
• Siena Sports Clubs: Strength and Conditioning, Cricket, Rugby

Last week, Year 12 students were paid a visit by RMIT and Latrobe University representatives during their Enrichment session. Students learned more about the Early Offer programs provided by both institutions as well as finding out more about the different courses offered, work integrated learning programs, TAFE pathways and opportunities to study abroad.

A Monash University lunchtime session also was well attended by students in Years 10 to 12. Students were able to ask questions about their preferred tertiary course, find out more about pathways into courses and scholarships available.

The Tertiary Open Day schedule is being finalised and students have been sent a list of dates to diarise. I would recommend students in Years 10 to 12 attend at least a couple of University Open Days to check out different institutions, get a feel for student life and attend a few presentations on courses offered.

Items in the latest edition of Siena Career News include:

• What does a Clinical Neuropsychologist do?
  
• What is a Freelance Journalist?
• Upcoming Monash Seminars
• Discover Monash Seminar Series
  
• Campus Tours – Winter Holidays
  
• Monash Information Evenings
  
• The Bachelor of Accounting and Business Information Technology (Professional) at Swinburne
• Chiropractic, Osteopathy & Remedial Massage Courses in 2022
• Physiotherapy Degrees in Victoria in 2022
• Snapshot of Victoria University Australia in 2022

For further details, see Siena Career News 3 June 2022

Year 9 Fashion and Product Design students have recently completed a unit focussing on Wool Production. Students studied the different types of wool and their uses. They also analysed the importance of merino wool in the Australian economy and the importance of the Woolmark logo on garments globally.

The Chanel Exhibition at the NGV was inspiration for their design of a Woollen Suit, with some fantastic examples student work below:

Year 8 Art students have recently completed a unit on Cubism.

The Cubist painters rejected the inherited concept that art should copy nature, or that artists should adopt the traditional techniques of perspective, modelling, and foreshortening. They wanted instead to emphasise the two-dimensionality of the canvas. So, they reduced and fractured objects into geometric forms, and then realigned these within a shallow, relief-like space. They also used multiple or contrasting vantage points.

There are two styles of Cubism: Analytical and Synthetic. Below you can see a selection of student paintings inspired by Synthetic Cubism.

Applications for the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) are now open. If you hold a valid Health Care Card (HCC), Pensioner Concession Card (PCC), or you are a temporary foster parent or a first time applicant, you may be eligible for a $1,000 fee discount.

If you believe you are eligible, please fill out and return the CSEF Application Form before 24 June 2022.

If you applied for the CSEF in 2021 at Siena College, you do not need to complete an application form in 2022 unless there has been a change in your family circumstances.

For further information regarding the CSEF, please visit the Victorian Government website or refer to this information flyer.

Year 7 2024 Enrolments are now open!

If your daughter is currently in Grade 5, we now warmly invite an Enrolment Application for Year 7 2024.

To submit an Application for Enrolment, visit the Siena website (click here) and click the Apply Now button. After you have submitted your online enrolment application form and all supporting documents, our Head of Admissions, Tracey Lawson, will confirm receipt of your application.

To help you with your application, follow the our handy Enrolment Procedure and Checklist. You can also view our Enrolment Policy for further information.

All enrolments are subject to a successful enrolment interview, during which we hope to learn more about your daughter, including her interests, hobbies and learning strengths. This interview also provides an opportunity for you and your family to learn more about Siena College, including our school values, subject and cocurricular offerings, and expectations of our students.

If you would like to discover the Siena Spirit, register for an Open Morning or College Tour here.

For any enrolment enquires, please feel free to contact Tracey Lawson at admissions@siena.vic.edu.au

Siena Learning Diversity Officer, Anu Pande invites you to her unique cultural dance production, Proclivities. Click image to book: