From the Head of Senior School

The Year 12 SACE drama production of the play, Anne of Green Gables, in the Flynn Theatre this week was very entertaining. The 11 students in the Year 12 Drama class presented this heartwarming production with great enthusiasm. We are grateful for the work of many staff, especially Drama teacher Miss Katie Gue and the technical team of Mr Allan Turnbull and Mr Warren Bradley.

The Mass of the Assumption was celebrated by Father Hosking on Thursday 15 August for the whole Senior School in the Dennett Centre. Mrs Slattery and Ms Radbone presented their personal and unique reflection on the role of mothers in our lives and how Mary continues to be a model and symbol of the Church for us all.

This week is National Skills Week where we celebrated all things VET. Each day there was a ‘come and try’ activity during lunchtime, including a civil contractors federation simulator, a cooking demo, an individual support demo, a hair and makeup demo, a Born to Build presentation to promote careers in construction, and a new internship program to future accountants. We are grateful for the work of Lisa McDonald, Leader of Learning Pathways and Futures, in organising these activities.

Congratulations to our Intercol cross-country, hockey, chess, soccer, table tennis and netball teams who all won shields against Mercedes. We look forward to Intercol continuing tonight with AFL and AFLW at Norwood Oval and tomorrow with AFL, soccer, and basketball. Congratulations to all involved in this annual competition with Mercedes across a number of activities.

Phil Donato
Head of Senior School

Please take note of some special events at the Senior School during Weeks 6 and 7:

Monday 26 August to Thursday 29 August
Year 9 Igxperience

Wednesday 28 August
Year 12 SATAC Parent Information Evening – 7:00 pm

Thursday 29 August
Casual clothes day for Jesuit Mission

Friday 30 August to Monday 2 September
Aerobics Nationals, Gold Coast

Friday 30 August
Student-free day

Thursday 5 September
Festival of Arts Concert – A World of Music, Futures Church

From Monday 12 August to Friday 16 August, we celebrated Languages Week at the Senior School ‒ a week designed to raise awareness of the benefits of learning a second language and celebrate the linguistic diversity in our community. The week began with a student-led prayer during our Monday morning staff briefing, followed by a Language Kahoot activity in Mentor Groups.

Two new events were introduced to the program this year. At the Languages in Action presentation to students, Old Ignatians Sean Keenihan, James Kitching, and Giordano Raimondo spoke about their language study and how it has enhanced their career as professionals. The key message was that language education helps develop intercultural capabilities; it provides direct access to the culture, values, and knowledge of other people and to diverse ways of seeing the world. Furthermore, commitment to language learning ensures you can learn to operate successfully in culturally and linguistically diverse communities and equips you with the ability to connect with others. It provides opportunities to have impact, to make a difference, and to lead.

The Taste of Spanish event, led by Señor Alessandro Boria and Señor Angelo Picca, was filled with interactive experiences in Spanish. Students engaged in new language learning and sampled the vibrancy of the language of our patron saint.

The week culminated with a Languages Plaza in the Undercroft at lunch. Students were treated with the opportunity to indulge in paella, spring rolls, cannoli, and eclairs while testing their skills in Briscola and Scopa. In addition, a language-themed photo booth was a great attraction for many; here students immersed themselves in the language theme and celebrated all things multicultural. With music abounding, the plaza was a great success and enjoyed by both students and staff.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all members of the Language Faculty for their contributions and support of this celebration. We are very blessed to be part of a community where language study is encouraged and to share our passion of culture and language with students.

Gabby Puntillo
Leader of Learning ‒ Languages

On Wednesday 14 August students from Saint Ignatius’ College took part in the Mathematical Association of South Australia (MASA) Quiz night.

Four teams of accelerated mathematics students showcased their skills and enthusiasm for Mathematics. The quiz featured a variety of categories, including mathematics questions, general knowledge, Sudoku puzzles, and problem-solving tasks. Saint Ignatius’ College had two winning teams on the night.

Congratulations to the team of Agamnoor Kamboj, Shudit Mittal, Jackson Chen and Suen Bajwa for applying their strong grasp of mathematical concepts and problem-solving abilities to receive the Overall Best Team award in the intermediate division.

Congratulations should also go to the team of Yianni Datsopoulos, Piper Chan, Juliet Mazur and Sharon Zhang who demonstrated their extensive knowledge and quick thinking in the General Knowledge section to win the prize for the General Knowledge category in the senior division.

Winning teams receive certificates and monetary prizes. Well done to all the teams who competed for the first time! It was a fantastic evening, and we look forward to seeing them back in action next year.

Dr Michelle Coop
Leader of Learning ‒ Mathematics

This week we celebrated all things VET by hosting a range of Industry groups and Registered Training Organisations at the College for a series of fun and interactive events.

On Monday we launched the week with a visit by Leah and Annie from Civil Train, the training arm of the Civil Contractor’s Federation. Annie explained the many careers and varied pathways within the civil construction industry and students were able to try their hand at operating an excavator in the training simulator.

Tuesday saw students learn how to make spring rolls with Chef Cole from Adelaide Institute of Hospitality and our Certificate III hospitality students.

On Wednesday Anna from Status Education highlighted aspects of the Certificate III Individual Support course through a demonstration of some activities of daily living such as shaving a patient. In addition, we also heard from Equipe Advisory Group who presented careers in Accounting, with a special mention of their accounting internship for school leavers in 2025.

Thursday was all about the beauty industry with a hair and makeup demonstration from Media Makeup.

On Friday we capped off the week with a 2^nd Fix carpentry demonstration as Chris from Born to Build (Master Builders Association) showed students how to hang a door, as well as discussed careers in Construction.

Overall, this week was a valuable opportunity to spark discussion about some in demand skills for the Australian labour market, as well as allow students to experience some hands on fun.

A reminder that if you would like your son or daughter to study VET in 2025 to please contact me as soon as possible to start their VETRO application. Students should be in Year 11 and be turning 16 to access funded courses. Fee for service courses are also available. Email me on l.mcdonald@ignatius.sa.edu.au to make an appointment.

Lisa McDonald
Leader of Learning ‒ Pathways and Futures

SATAC Applications - Parent Information Evening

When: Wednesday, 28 August, 6:30 PM
Where: Senior School, Flynn Theatre

Parents of current Year 12 students are invited to an SATAC application information session hosted by Flinders University. Topics will include:

• Ordering university preferences
• Key dates and deadlines
• Viewing and responding to offers
• Enrolment process

Please RSVP via Edsmart. For enquiries, email Lisa McDonald at l.mcdonald@ignatius.sa.edu.au.

Note: Students will receive information during classes and are not required to attend.

Mentors Breakfast - Monday, 16 September
Bookings are now open for the annual Mentors Breakfast! This year’s theme is ‘Entrepreneurs,’ featuring a Q&A panel of Old Ignatians. Students can also engage with Old Ignatians at each table for insights on various courses.

When: Monday, 16 September, 7:30 AM
Where: Kranewitter Hall

Book here: TryBooking

Enjoy a free breakfast and barista coffee!

Aspiring Teachers - Catholic Education SA Support
Catholic Education SA is inviting Year 12 students and current university education students to connect for support and employment opportunities in OHSC, vacation care, and Catholic schools.

Find more info here: Aspiring Teacher Support

Australian Public Service School Leavers Program 2025
The Australian Government is seeking school leavers for a 12-month career development program with full-time roles and competitive salary. Opportunities are available across multiple government departments.

Apply here: APS Jobs

ATO School Leaver Program 2025
The ATO is offering a 12-month program for motivated school leavers, providing on-the-job training and a pathway to a certificate III qualification in IT or Business.

Details and application: ATO School Leaver Program.

During May this year, a limited number of Year 8 and 9 students participated in the Australian Geography Competition. The results were pleasing and are included below:

Lachlan Palumbo in Year 8 deserves special recognition. 54,000 students across Australia entered the competition this year and his achievement of ‘Top 1% of All Entrants’ sits above a High Distinction. Congratulations to Lachlan, this is an outstanding result.

We also commend Jane Kang in Year 8 and Ella Ma in Year 9 for being awarded Distinctions in the competition.

Year 8
Lachlan Palumbo - Top 1% of All Entrants
Jane Kang - Distinction
Samuel Oddie - Credit

Year 9
Ella Ma - Distinction
Holly James - Credit
Kyle Dulay - Credit

Simon Butler
Leader of Learning ‒ Humanities

Earlier this term we welcomed 16 Italian students and two Italian teachers from the Liceo 25 Aprile high school in Portogruaro, Italy. This reciprocal exchange has offered an educative and cultural experience to many students since 2012. The relationships forged and memories shared for more than 10 years are the driving force of this program.

The Italian students were buddied with our senior students at the College, and during the two-week period they immersed themselves in various experiences and activities. From attending lessons at school, to embracing the beauty of our surroundings, there was always something new for them to see and do. Some of the highlights included cuddles with koalas, an AFL Showdown experience, sampling some of our iconic Australian food, and wetting their feet in our Australian coastline.

The success of this exchange is due largely to the generosity of the host families. The College is grateful for their understanding and effort to ensure that the experience for the Italian students was as authentic as it has been in the past. The many moving parts of the exchange worked in sync, due largely to their efforts.

Some of my personal highlights included the family exchange dinner and the home of Daniel and Gina La Bella, and the farewell dinner held at the San Giorgio La Molara Italian Club. The common factor at each of these events was gratitude: both families and students enjoyed and celebrated new relationships.

An exchange program is one of the most effective ways to improve your language skills as well as explore new cultures and create international experiences. The Italian students’ time spent in our community has fostered these benefits and so many more. The connections formed between the students have created lifelong friendships and the development of intercultural capabilities and awareness.

Gabby Puntillo
Leader of Learning ‒ Languages