We are just over halfway through our eleven-week term, and it has been a whirlwind of activity! The busy term has seen remarkable progress in academic endeavours, sports, and co-curricular activities, reflecting our commitment to holistic education and the development of each individual's unique gifts. A wide range of opportunities has been offered to students, many of which are outlined in this edition of the Ignatian.

Open Day

Open Day took place on Sunday, 18 May from 1:00pm – 4:00pm. This day provided a great opportunity to welcome guests into our school and share with them all the things that make Loyola College special. Over 350 families attended the event. This is promising for future enrolments. I would like to thank the Loyola Parents and Friends (LPFA) who facilitated a sausage sizzle to welcome prospective students and their families, the student tour guides who gave up their time to showcase our wonderful facilities and Mr Matthew Luczek, Director of College and Community Engagement, who did a fabulous job in organising the event.

Strategic Thinking

Our co-curricular program is extensive and designed to cultivate the talents of all students. Earlier this week, students participated in the ACS Chess Competition and the Ethics Olympiad. Both activities promote strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, which are valuable both academically and in everyday life.

The Ethics Olympiad poses ethical dilemmas to groups of students and develops skill sin critical thinking, collaboration, and communication.

A team of Loyola College students participated in the ACS Chess Competition. Loyola College was awarded a gold medal for Kevin Xiao 11 M/SBR and a bronze medal for Lachlan Pritchard 11 C/JBO in recognition of their outstanding individual performance, aside from the first, second, and third teams. These students are expected to be invited to the upcoming state finals. Kevin achieved a fourth-place finish overall, while Lachlan secured the thirteenth position out of seventy-seven participants. Playing chess helps students develop critical thinking, problem-solving, decision-making, patience, concentration, planning, emotional intelligence, and resilience, all skills that support classroom learning.

Interschool (ACS) Athletics

On Monday, 26 May, students and staff travelled to Lakeside Stadium in Albert Park to participate in the annual ACS Athletics competition. The school finished in sixth place out of eight participating schools. There were numerous outstanding individual and team performances throughout the event. Special recognition is warranted for the Year 7 boys, who were awarded a pennant in acknowledgment of their success in the competition. The school's spirit was strong as students cheered enthusiastically, encouraging their peers to excel at the athletics carnival.

Performing Arts

Throughout Term Two, our Drama, Theatre, and Dance students have delivered impressive performances at the Magis Performing Arts Centre (MPAC). The Year 12 Theatre class presented an exceptional production of the musical play The Drowsy Chaperone. The Year 12 Drama students delivered compelling monologues to an engaged audience, and our Dance students displayed a diverse array of styles and choreography in a memorable dance concert.

The music students departed on Thursday for Music Camp in Healesville, and select students were earlier invited to represent the college at Generations in Jazz in Mount Macedon. The students who attended the festival described the festival as thrilling, with opportunities to listen to top big bands like Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band The event provided a unique chance for students to develop their musical skills, resilience, and leadership abilities.

Illness

A significant number of staff and students are currently experiencing illness. To help prevent the spread of infection, students are kindly reminded to maintain good hygiene by washing hands frequently with soap and water and using hand sanitizer as needed. Additionally, practicing social distancing, wearing masks in crowded areas, and staying home when feeling unwell can greatly reduce the risk of transmission. We appreciate the support of parents in promoting these practices and hope for the continued well-being of all.

National Reconciliation Week at Loyola College, Watsonia

National Reconciliation Week at Loyola College has been a time of reflection, learning, and community engagement. This year's theme, "Bridging Now to Next", resonated deeply with our school community as we took significant steps towards reconciliation and understanding.

One of the highlights of the week was the launch of our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). This plan outlines our commitment to fostering respectful relationships and creating meaningful opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The RAP launch was a momentous occasion for our College, marked by a range of activities to raise awareness in Mentor period this week, marking the beginning of our new journey.

In addition to the RAP launch, the Long Walk event was another significant activity. Inspired by Michael Long's historic walk to raise awareness about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues, our students and staff participated in a symbolic walk around the MCG grounds. This event not only honoured the legacy of Michael Long but also served as a powerful reminder of the ongoing journey towards reconciliation.

Next week, we will be joined by Eddie Betts, who will speak to our Year 7s and Grade 6s from local feeder primary schools on our own Long Walk Home event, providing students with the opportunity to learn about the rich history and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples from the famed ex-AFL footballer. National Reconciliation Week at Loyola has truly been a time of growth, unity, and commitment to a more inclusive future.

Semester One Examinations:

Semester One Examinations will only involve Years 9 and 10.

Students who are absent will receive a mark of 0% unless a medical certificate, statutory declaration, or pharmacy certificate is submitted to the Head of House or Miss Wilson.

Timetables and communication to families will be distributed in the coming weeks.

Subject Selection 2026

The Subject Selection Process begins in Term 3, week 2 with the VCE VM Evening on 29 July and current Year 8 CLIL evening on 30 July. This will be an extremely busy time of the year for all students, staff and parents, including Year Level Assemblies, a Senior Subject Selection Evening, Subject Selection Conversations and Web Preferences becoming available.  

Year 9 - Application for Accelerated Subjects in 2026 Unit 1/2:

As mentioned in previous editions, whilst invitations and applications are not expected until Term 3, the Unit ½ acceleration process can be found below. Invitations to Y9 students are based on their Semester 1 assessment results. As a result, they only have the remainder of Term 2 to meet the criteria.

Stages of the Acceleration Process:

1. Letter of invite from the Deputy Principal – Teaching & Learning to those students who meet the desired criteria of 5A’s (5 x 80%) (one of which must be English) (75% for Enhanced / CLIL students)
2. Completion of Application Form
3. Completion of VCE Ready Test
4. Invitation for an interview with the relevant Head of Learning
5. Students and parents informed of the outcome by Deputy Principal – Teaching & Learning.

Details are also available on the website and our Online Course Guide.

On Monday, 26 May we took over 100 students – our biggest team ever – to compete in the ACS Athletics Championships, and what a day it turned out to be!

Our students delivered incredible performances throughout the day, demonstrating talent, teamwork, and tenacity. Some of the standout achievements included:

• Jobe Douglas (11/CAMA) breaking the Year 11 boys’ hurdles record – an outstanding feat!
• Jobe, along with Alfie Rowley (7/FSJH) and Franklin McDonnell (7/MJMM), finishing among the top 20 male individual scorers.
• A fantastic 22 1st place finishes, 9 2nd places, and 21 3rd places.
• Year 7 Boys finished 1st overall and proudly brought home the Year 7 Boys Championship Pennant - our first Pennant of any type since 2017!
• Year 11 Boys secured a strong 3rd place.
• Both Year 12 Boys and Girls placed 4th, just 16 points off a combined podium finish.

Overall, we finished 6th, with a total of over 2000 points – a massive 400-point increase from last year. This result puts us right on the heels of the top schools and shows the exciting progress in athletics at Loyola.

These results were a true testament to our students' commitment and preparation, including a number of early morning training sessions at Willinda Park in the lead-up to the event. Their hard work, resilience, and team spirit were on full display and made the school proud.

A huge thank you to all the coaches, teachers, and staff who supported the athletes and made this day such a success. Your guidance and dedication continue to inspire excellence in our sporting community.

Allira Scott & Sean Simpson
ACS Athletics Team

Our senior Art Creative Practice students recently took part in two exciting and enriching experiences designed to strengthen their visual language and technical skill: a painting workshop with Melbourne-based artist Lana Dauberman, and a series of life drawing classes for Unit 1 and Unit 3 students.

During the painting workshop, students from Year 10 and Units 1 and 3 Art Creative Practice explored a range of expressive painting techniques while working from a still life set up. Under Lana’s expert guidance, students experimented with colour blending, brushwork, and composition, producing a series of highly individual and resolved works.

In the life drawing classes, VCE students engaged in observational drawing sessions with a live model. These classes focused on proportion, gesture, anatomy, and mark-making; all vital skills for those pursuing a serious creative practice. The sessions supported their current folio work, aligning with their conceptual thinking in both Units 1 and 3.

Both workshops offered students the opportunity to build confidence, refine technique, and deepen their understanding of how artists communicate meaning through materials and form. We are proud of their enthusiastic participation and look forward to seeing how these experiences influence their future work.

Recently, Loyola College acknowledged Reconciliation Week (Tuesday 27th May- Tuesday 3rdJune). Most aptly, just prior to the beginning of this week, the Loyola College Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) was approved and published by Narragunnawali Australia, the leading program for Australian Reconciliation in Education.

Applying to develop, submit and commit to a RAP is a solemn and tremendous undertaking for any community. A sincere congratulations to all the staff and students who have contributed over the years to this significant process. In particular, the leadership and vision of the previous Intercultural Perspectives Coordinators, Vanda Tolli and Julianne Cummins must be acknowledged, who begun the process of this commitment and ensured that the RAP was submitted.

The commitment to actioning and living by our vision for Reconciliation at Loyola College is an ongoing commitment that has already begun. Our RAP focuses on building culturally responsive relationships, respect and opportunities within the classroom, school, and wider community. As a College, the RAP will provide a shared framework and understanding to help facilitate reflection, challenging conversations, cultural initiative and more. The RAP is yet another step to ensuring our college provides a safe space that is culturally rich, inclusive, and proud of our diversity.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW OUR RECONCILIATION ACTION PLAN

Hello Parents, Staff, Students, and wider College Community,

We are the 2025 Chisholm House Captains and we are excited to share some highlights from Term 1 and Term 2 that have made this year so special so far.

One of the biggest moments of Term 1 was the House Eisteddfod – our much-loved House Musical Competition. This year, Chisholm House proudly performed Hercules, and were proud to come 2nd overall! Even more importantly, we had an incredible time doing it.

We want to give a huge thank you to all the actors, ensemble members, singers, and backstage crew who made the performance shine. A special thank you also goes to Ms. Ray, Ms. Boyle, Mr. Stanton, and Ms. Delosa for supervising and making all those Friday afternoons after school not just productive, but fun.

As we continue into Term 2, we’ve been excited to keep up this momentum going across all areas of college life.

We kicked off the term with an incredible achievement - winning the Athletics Carnival! A massive shoutout to everyone who participated; our House had one of the highest participation rates, and it clearly made a difference on the scoreboard. The energy, enthusiasm, and unity we brought to the field reflected our House motto, "Together with Spirit". It was inspiring to see students cheering each other on, celebrating personal bests, and stepping up with pride and determination.

Public Speaking has also begun, and once again, participation has been outstanding. It’s great to see so many students stepping out of their comfort zones and embracing the challenge. The quality of speeches so far has been impressive, and we’re confident that we’ll continue this momentum and bring home some fantastic results.

In addition to these achievements, we held our annual Chisholm House Celebration. The day began with a meaningful house liturgy, followed by a special morning tea during recess. This event was not only a chance to come together and celebrate, but also a time to reflect on the values that Caroline Chisholm stood for—compassion, service, and unity. It was a successful and memorable day, reinforcing the spirit and strength of our House community.

Olivia Georgiou & Abbey Mills
Chisholm House Captains

Student of the Fortnight

We have chosen William Hartigan (7/CMSA) for our student of the fortnight! At our House celebration liturgy, we were a few readers short, and William stepped up did an amazing job without anytime to prepare/rehearse. He got up confidently and read in front of the entire House, no small feat for a year 7 attending his first House Liturgy. We thank Will for stepping up and helping us out. Keep it up!

LPFA Winery Tour

Our 2025 Roaming the Ranges Winery Tour was another fantastic day out for parents and friends of the College community. Blessed with crisp, clear weather and the picturesque backdrop of the Macedon Ranges, the tour offered a perfect mix of great food, fine wine, and lots of fun.

The day began with a visit to the iconic Bourkies Bakehouse in Woodend, where attendees fuelled up on freshly brewed coffee and a selection of mouth-watering pastries. From there, our group visited six wineries across the region, each offering its own unique charm and tasting experience.

Highlights included boutique tastings at Paramoor Winery and Hanging Rock Estate Winery, followed by a relaxing sit-down lunch at the beautiful Cleveland Estate, where we enjoyed a generous, delicious lunch. In the afternoon, we continued on to Mount Monument Winery and Hesket Estate Winery, before wrapping up the tour at the ever-popular Holgate Brewhouse, where guests sampled local craft beers and reflected on the day’s highlights.

A huge thank you goes to Loretta Baker, Liz Karanfilovski, and Des Mavridis, who generously gave their time to research and coordinate these wonderful venues. A special thank you to Loretta Baker for ensuring the fun continued on the bus with games and a beautiful array of prizes that kept spirits high throughout the day.

We also extend our sincere thanks to Chris Doumbalis, our driver for the day, and to Dianna Alonso, who kept everything running smoothly as the event MC.

Events like these are a wonderful way to build community spirit and enjoy the incredible food and wine culture of our region. We look forward to seeing many of you at the next Loyola Parents and Friends Association event!

LPFA Trivia & Games Night – Saturday, 9 August
Get ready for a night of laughs, friendly competition, and community spirit at the LPFA Trivia & Games Night – the major fundraising event for the Loyola Parents and Friends Association in 2025!

Join us for a fun-filled evening featuring trivia, games, and plenty of opportunities to win great prizes. All proceeds will go towards supporting College programs and initiatives that benefit our students. Book a table with friends or join one on the night – we’d love to see you there!

Tickets NOW ON SALE – Click here to book your spot

Are you a local business owner?
If you or your family own a business and would like to support the night, we warmly welcome prize donations for our games and raffles. It’s a great way to showcase your business to the school community while helping us raise vital funds. All donors will be acknowledged on the night and in our event communications.

To donate or learn more, please contact Monica at lpfa@loyola.vic.edu.au

Experience Loyola College – Join Us for a Morning Tour

We warmly invite families to visit Loyola College and experience our College first-hand. Regular Morning Tours provide the perfect opportunity to explore our beautiful campus, visit our facilities, and hear directly from our students and staff about life at Loyola. Guests also enjoy Morning Tea with our Principal and receive helpful information about the enrolment process.

Our next Morning Tour takes place on Tuesday, 17 June at 9.00am.

To see future tour dates or to book a tour, PLEASE CLICK HERE

We look forward to welcoming you to our College.

Donation of Loyola Uniform

Thank you to all the families who generously donate second-hand uniforms throughout the year to support our Good As New Uniform Sales. We are now accepting donations of washed uniforms. If you have any items that you no longer need and are in excellent condition, please leave them with Reception. Your contributions help support families in need and are greatly appreciated.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE OLD STYLE SPORT UNIFORM CAN NO LONGER BE WORN BY STUDENTS AND MUST NOT BE SENT TO RECEPTION. Parent co-operation in this matter is kindly appreciated.

For more information, please contact Monica Agius at community@loyola.vic.edu.au or 9433 0228.

2025 Entertainment Guide

Support LPFA fundraising efforts and enjoy hundreds of everyday savings!

Entertainment Guide is the easy to use App packed with incredible savings of up to 50% off and 2-fr-1 offers, so you can save on takeaway, dining, shopping, groceries, gift cards, activities and more! And what’s more, 20% of every membership purchased via the following link goes towards supporting the College through the Loyola Parents and Friends Association (LPFA)

Digital memberships can be purchased HERE