Mass of Remembrance

November is a significant month of remembering in both secular and Church calendars. On Thursday 3 November, members of the Siena community gathered in our College Chapel for a Mass of Remembrance to honour those who have died, especially in the past year. Candles were lit and loved ones named during the Gathering Rites; roses were presented to all assembled at the end of our liturgy prior to refreshments being enjoyed in the Staff Lounge. We are grateful to Sr Julianna Drobik OP, Cathy Carr and our celebrant, Fr Kevin Toomey OP for their organisation and support of this special Eucharist.

St Mary’s House of Welcome Outreach

St Mary’s House of Welcome opens the doors daily to over two hundred people living in ongoing poverty. Each year our College undertakes a Christmas Appeal to benefit this community – hampers are compiled in House Groups and staff groups which will then be distributed to the people in need. Please take the time to discuss your daughter’s contribution with her and visit St Mary’s House of Welcome's website to find out more about this important justice initiative.

Awaiting Advent

On Sunday 27 November, we usher in a new Liturgical Year with the season of Advent. Former Master of the Order Timothy Radcliffe OP reflects:

"The whole liturgical year forms us to be a people with the courage to wait until the Lord comes. Advent trains us in the patience not to begin celebrating too early, resisting the temptation to celebrate Christ’s birth before he comes…Christ is a gift and one respects the gift by waiting for the moment when it is given.

The Latin word for ‘to wait’ – attendere – means to stretch oneself forward; we are attentive, opening ourselves to what will come.

During Advent, we are like people gathered around the bed; we await the birth. But God’s coming was not just the birth of a child; it was the coming of a word… though it needed thousands of years before there was a language in which God’s word could be spoken in the form of Jesus."

Congratulations Class of 2022!

The VCAA exams are now complete. The atmosphere has been positive and examinations have been well received by the students. We wish the Class of 2022 a well earned rest before they set off on their next adventure.

Year 12 results will be published on Monday, 12 December. The College will be open on Tuesday, 13 December to provide Year 12 students with career guidance or assist with any change in preferences. Students should contact Ms Timmins to make an appointment.

College Examinations

• Our Year 11 Examinations have commenced and are due to finish on Friday, 25 November
• 2023 Year 12 Headstart begins on Monday, 28 November and finishes on Friday, 2 December (last day of term for Year 11)
• Year 10 Examinations begin on Monday, 28 November and finish on Friday, 2 December
• Year 9 Examinations begin on Thursday, 1 December and finish on Wednesday, 7 December
• 2023 Year 11 Headstart begins on Monday, 5 December and finishes on Thursday, 8 December
• The last day of term for Years 7 to 10 is Thursday, 8 December
• All examination information can be accessed via the Examinations Tile on Siena Central

Booklist and Subject Choices

Subject choices were sent to students this week, in preparation for Headstart and the 2023 book orders.

All booklists are available on the Booklist Tile via Siena Central. The relevant dates and links to Campion are found on this tile. All booklist orders are due on Wednesday, 7 December.

Accelerated Studies Deferred Applications

Students whose Accelerated Studies applications have been deferred will be contacted in the coming week now that exams have finished. The exam result will be included in the formulation of Semester 2 results.

Reports

Parents will be able to access reports via Siena Central on Friday, 16 December.

Night of Excellence

We are excited to let you know that we will be holding this year’s Night of Excellence at Camberwell Grammar School in Canterbury and parking will be available on the school premises. We will be sending out invitations and more information will be provided at the end of the term.

There has been a great deal of work involved in the process of updating policies, documents and practices that are in line with the Victorian Child Safe Standards and Ministerial Order No. 1359 (MO 1359). At Siena College, we have ensured that we have built on our existing child safety policies and practices to address the eleven Standards that came into effect earlier this year.

A number of new and updated policies have been uploaded to Siena Central and the College website.

• Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy
• Student Pastoral Care Policy
• Student Behaviour Policy
• Mandatory Reporting Protocols
• Reportable Conduct Policy
• Student Attendance Policy
• PROTECT: Identifying and Responding to Abuse Reporting Obligations

Another aspect of our commitment to child safety is ensuring that students are aware of changes and policies that exist to protect them. We are also cognisant of the need to learn from student experience which is why we are so grateful to the students on our Child Safe Committee. In 2023, all students will be required to sign the Siena College Code of Conduct which outlines expected behaviours and inappropriate behaviours. Our 2023 College Captains, Hannah and Majella are currently working with our Child Safe Ambassadors, Amy and Abbey to put together a video to explain the reasons and benefits of this document. It will be shared with all students in early Term 1.

We are also delighted that National Manager Prevention Services (Butterfly Foundation) and Siena alumna (Class of 1995), Danni Rowlands has agreed to join our Child Safe Committee. Danni works for the Butterfly Foundation and engages with schools nationwide. Danni’s area of expertise is around mental health promotion, body image, eating disorders and early intervention of these issues.

It has been a pleasure to work with students and staff in this significant work and we look forward to the dialogue that 2023 will bring.

We are delighted to announce that we have been selected as one of The Educator's 5-Star Innovative Schools for 2022. This award recognises schools who have demonstrated innovation and creativity, driving the education industry forward. From teaching approaches to learning spaces and curriculum design, the Innovative Schools report recognises institutions that are shaping the educational landscape of the future.

Click here to learn more.

Continuing from Semester 1, our Year 10 STEAM students designed, analysed, tested, made and raced a small-scale Formula One car as a team. The aim for this car is to encapsulate the respective team's creativity and identity. Although the car has to undergo testing, changes to the car should be motivated by team identity and creativity without impacting race time.

As part of the project, each team was matched with a university mentor who is involved in the Formula SAE competition. Formula SAE is an international competition for university students to design, manufacture and race an electric autonomous racing car. Participation is highly regarded in many industry sectors.

On Tuesday, 15 November, each team wore their uniform (consisting of a self-designed logo on a T-shirt) and presented their finished products to a panel of university mentors. During the presentation, they outlined their learning journeys by showcasing how theory and input from experts had influenced their decision making process.

Each team’s final car was then raced, resulting in 'The Flames' producing the fastest car. It achieved a time of 0.623 seconds along the 9.7m track, a feat which will be added to the STEAM perpetual trophy.

Well done to all students for participating so keenly and embracing hands-on interdisciplinary learning! Thank you once again to Monash Motorsports, Team Swinburne and MUR Motorsports for your support and guidance throughout the semester!

Tune in to SienaCast!

We also caught up recently with Siena alumna, Rebecca Leith (Class of 2017); Head of Science, Nicholas Harvey and current Science students, Maddie and Imogen to talk about all things related to Women in STEAM, in conjunction with our inaugural STEAM Careers Breakfast.

Click here to listen.

On Friday 21 October, staff and students from different year levels celebrated the XXII International Week of the Italian Language. They gathered during lunch to enjoy Italian sweets, cultural videos, card games and bocce.

Below is a reflection from a group of Year 9 Italian students who participated in the celebrations:

Italian

"Il 21 ottobre abbiamo avuto l'opportunità di celebrare la Settimana della Lingua Italiana nel Mondo. Durante l'ora di pranzo, abbiamo celebrato molti aspetti della cultura italiana: cibo, musica, film, giochi, e curiosità. Abbiamo mangiato tanti cibi della tradizione italiana: panettone, raffaelo, savolardi e pandoro; tutto che molto delizioso!

Questo, noi abbiamo fatto quiz Italiani, oltre a molti giochi competitivi di scopa e bocce! Molti di noi studiano l'italiano, ma anche coloro che non lo fanno, hanno goduto di questa fantastica opportunità per celebrare la prevalenza della cultura italiana in Australia oggi, e i numerosi contributi di questa lingua."

English Translation

"On Friday 21 October, we had the opportunity to celebrate the Week of Italian Language in the World. Throughout lunchtime, we celebrated many aspects of Italian culture such as food, music, films, games and trivia. We ate many traditional Italian foods such as panettone, raffaelo, savolardi and pandoro; all extremely delicious!

This was followed by Italian trivia quizzes, as well as many competitive games of scopa and bocce! We all enjoyed this fantastic opportunity to celebrate the contributions of Italian language and culture in Australia today."

Tia M, Amalie C and Megan F

Our Year 8 students took part in a Medieval Day incursion recently. The purpose of the day was to provide students with an opportunity to extend their understanding of the Medieval era through a range of activities.

Students created their own heraldic shield containing a unique coat of arms that had to abide by Medieval rules. Working in groups, they constructed a Medieval town model, cathedral and two different types of castles. Students also had the opportunity to learn some Medieval dances from Lord Lorenzo and the significance of these dances to the different social classes.

The other major highlight was having two knights in armour taking students through their paces in training to be a knight. This proved entertaining and exhausting as students had to master the art of holding a sword at shoulder height for more than a couple of minutes. They then had to carry both the sword and a shield simultaneously; some students recognised very quickly that they required a lot of upper body strength in order to become a knight! Students were also encouraged to use their swords in practice against a pell, a jousting tool similar in purpose to a boxing bag. We saw some extraordinary sword slashes showing considerable determination and effort!

Finally, it was time to try and fight the knights! A number of students managed to land a glancing blow or two on Lady Bronwyn and Lord David from Medieval Education. In the end, all succumbed to the knights’ superior fighting abilities!

Overall, everyone had a very engaging and illuminating day!

Year 10 Costume Design

"This semester, we have enjoyed learning about the history of costumes and how designers use different techniques and surface decorations to portray a character’s personality and behaviours into a costume. At the moment, we are designing our own children costumes, following a design brief and using our own pattern pieces. I have thoroughly enjoyed creating my own costume and having full control of turning my ideas into reality."

Sienna M

"For our final assessment we are creating a children costume for a production. My character is a shy young girl who lives in the mountains. Upon facing betrayal from her village and sisters, she decides to take revenge and teach them a lesson. The colours of my dress are black and green and is based on a snake. The colours represent revenge and betrayal, and the snake represents a mysterious and secretive character. Leading up to the construction of the dress, we researched inspirational images of other costumes and makeup to help us design our costumes and experimented with different sewing techniques like ruching and applique. Overall, I have really enjoyed learning about new techniques, researching and creating final products."

Siena M

"We have explored many forms of costumes through research and practical tasks in this semester. We completed a research assignment on renowned costume designer, Colleen Atwood, learning about the different thought processes that go into creating costumes that establish the personality of a character, and that each element is purposefully added for a particular reason. My costume resembles a fairy princess, and this is reflected through the wings and flower crown in my design. The construction of the product consisted of creating pattern pieces, interfacing, sewing the garment together and adding surface decorations. My character is an advocate for change in her kingdom, with her quest to empower young girls to question stereotypes and follow their interests. Being able to create a character and then bringing it to life through a costume has been a rewarding experience."

Emma I

Year 11 Media

In the Year 11 Media class, students studied the changes in media technology and looked at new developments and hybridisation within media forms, as well as the impact on society, audience, industry and institutions. Students also learned about the changes in the gaming industry and experimented with virtual reality technology.

Interschool Year 8 Enrichment Day, ‘All Fired Up!’

On Monday 23 October, Siena College hosted the annual ‘All Fired Up!’ Interschool Year 8 Enrichment Day with students visiting from Ivanhoe Grammar, Kingswood College and Presbyterian Ladies College.

Head of Science, Nicholas Harvey wowed students with a fiery experiment, using methane gas trapped in soap suds piled high upon his arm. Mixed school groups went on to measure the calorific value of food, by burning it and recording the rise in water temperature from the heat produced. Mr Harvey extrapolated from the energy content of food to calculations showing the amount of energy consumed to power Australia in one year – it’s vast! Students looked at graphs showing the proportionality of coal, petroleum and renewables from which this energy is derived.

Health and Human Development teacher, Haneen Bou Karroum enhanced students’ understanding of the ways in which the human body draws on energy stores during exercise. Students learnt where muscles are located in the body and how the body produces energy for movement. It will no longer come as a surprise when a marathon runner collapses at the end of a race.

Head of Arts and Technology, Claire Al Noah asked students to consider what would make the world a better place. Responses ranged from banning celery, removing plastic from the oceans, improving education, to working together in community like bees in a hive. Mixed school teams produced carefully crafted creations, some of which are shown below.

The camaraderie between students and the calibre of ideas exchanged between visiting staff relating to gifted and talented education was exceptional. A big thank you to all involved.

Year 8 Academic Challenge Day at Kingswood College

"At the Year 8 Academic Challenge Day, we collaborated with the students from the other schools to solve and respond to different areas of interest. We were able to competitively explore various subjects such as General Knowledge, Maths, Science, English, Art and Poetry, as well as participate in an off the cuff Public Speaking challenge. This event was great fun as we got to work with new people and expand our knowledge in many subjects."

Year 8 student, Sagan B

The Siena Alumnae Wall is a special tribute to our alumnae and is located in the Convent Cloisters. You can register here to have your name inscribed on the Alumnae Wall.

Inscription registrations for 2022/2023 will close off at the end of June 2023 and then be unveiled later in the year. Inscriptions are $50 per name.

For further information, you can email Alumnae Coordinator, Imma Boubouras: alumnae@siena.vic.edu.au.

Since 1971, the Siena Parents’ Association (SPA) has been supporting students at Siena by bringing the parent and school community together with events and fundraising activities. Through the support of Siena parents, SPA has raised $229,335 and supported the academic, spiritual, cultural, sporting and social interests of your wonderful daughters.

Each year, SPA hosts an annual raffle and you could be just a few clicks away from winning some fantastic prizes!

We invite you to get online, join in the fun and have a chance to win prizes ranging from a year's school tuition fees (or equivalent amount in a Flight Centre voucher), wine and gift vouchers from our generous sponsors.

A reminder that this year the SPA Raffle is digital: click here to learn more and purchase tickets.

The SPA Raffle will be drawn on Friday, 17 February 2023. Don’t miss out on your chance to win big!

Items in the latest edition of Siena Career News include:

• Dates to Diarise in Term 4
• Final Reminder: VTAC 2023 Upcoming Key Dates
• Accessing VCE Results
• News from ACU
  - Pathways to ACU Webinar
  - ACU Essential for Parents Webinar
• 2024 ANU Tuckwell Scholarship
• 2023 VCE Summer Schools
• University Terminology