Dear Iona community,

Our goal for this year is to use the Oblate Charism to help all Ionians to grow into their potential to achieve personal excellence and make a positive difference.

Like a young plant, our Iona community thrives when the right conditions are created for growth and development. 

Excitingly, 2025 marks another strategic planning year for Iona, focusing on nurturing the potential within our school and each student.

This year, we will delve deeper into establishing strong foundations for sustainable growth and development so all Ionians can grow into their potential.

Last weekend, the Iona Leadership Team and the College Board met to discuss how we will plan for the future.

We were honoured to hear from former Iona Rector, Bishop Mark Edwards OMI, who shared insights on the spirituality of young people today and our responsibility as a Catholic school in the Oblate tradition to keep Christ at the centre of our mission.

His reflections on the challenges and opportunities this presents will be instrumental as we develop our next Strategic Plan.

Bishop Edwards' perspectives are guiding us in shaping an environment and culture that not only meets the spiritual needs of our students, staff and families but also empowers members of our community to navigate the complexities of modern life.

By its very nature, strategic planning is not just about immediate outcomes but fostering an environment where our students and community can flourish long-term.

Our strategies for the coming years must support growth into potential without constraining or casting shadows over other approaches.

Through the development of a new Strategic Plan, we are committed to ensuring that members of our community have the environment and culture to grow into their potential.

In the coming weeks, we will share information on how you can make a contribution to building that environment for growth, and preparing our students for their own faith development and life beyond Iona.

We look forward to working together with you on this plan. Thank you for your continued support and commitment to our collective mission.

God bless,

Mr Trevor Goodwin
Principal

My fellow Ionians,

I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to each of you for your exceptional participation in last week's Commitment Mass. Your presence, dedication, and enthusiasm made this event truly memorable.

A special thank you goes to our Year 12 students, whose commitment and readiness to embrace the journey ahead is truly inspiring. You have set a beautiful example of unity, faith, and determination.

Thanks also to the staff, families, guests and friends who contributed so much to making this day a great success.

Approaching the season of Lent, beginning next week with Ash Wednesday, we enter a sacred time in the Christian calendar.

Lent is a period of reflection, renewal, and spiritual growth, offering each of us an opportunity to deepen our faith and strengthen our relationship with God.

It invites us to reflect on the sacrifice and love of Jesus, and to embrace the practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving that lead us toward personal transformation.

As I’ve said before, we as Ionians are a community defined by faith, love, and service and inspired by the example of St Eugene de Mazenod whose life serves as a powerful model of how Lent can be a time of profound spiritual renewal and personal growth.

St Eugene was deeply committed to prayer, sacrifice, and mission. He dedicated himself to serving others, particularly the poor and marginalised, and his journey of faith was continually nourished through devotion and reflection.

His life was one of transformation, using every moment to grow closer to God and live out his calling.

My Invitation to the Iona Community

St Eugene’s example reminds us that Lent is not only a time to reflect on Christ’s suffering but also a time to renew our commitment to serving others and living out our faith more fully.

To support our Lenten journey, I invite and encourage everyone to join us for a special prayer and reflection on the Stations of the Cross every Friday from 3.15-3.45pm for the rest of Term 1.

This will be a time of contemplation, prayer and unity as we walk with Christ on His path of suffering and redemption.

The Stations of the Cross are a powerful opportunity to reflect on His Passion, and through these reflections, we are invited to renew our commitment to living in His love and grace.

I encourage all students, staff, and families to participate in these reflections as part of our Lenten faith journey.

Let us come together as a community, supporting one another in prayer and reflection, growing stronger in faith throughout this sacred season.

May this time bring peace, renewal and deep spiritual growth to each of you, and may we continue to find inspiration in the example of St Eugene de Mazenod.

God bless,

Fr Joe Antony OMI
Rector

Respect, Responsibility, and Representation at Iona College

At Iona College, we are committed to fostering a culture that upholds the values of Respect, Responsibility, and Representation. These principles serve as the foundation of our expectations for student behaviour, both within the school and in the broader community.

Recently, students were reminded of the importance of treating each other with respect in all interactions. This expectation extends beyond the classroom and into public spaces, including public transport.

By demonstrating respect, our students contribute to a positive and inclusive school environment, reinforcing the strong sense of community at Iona College.

Responsibility is a crucial aspect of student conduct, emphasising accountability for actions and choices. Whether in person or online, students are encouraged to think critically about their behaviour and the impact it has on others. Upholding these values ensures that Iona College remains a place of integrity and excellence.

Representation is about taking pride in being an Iona College student. Wearing the uniform with dignity, behaving appropriately in public, and demonstrating leadership through actions all contribute to maintaining the strong reputation of our school. We expect our students to be positive ambassadors for Iona College in all settings.

Online Safety and Digital Responsibility

In addition to reinforcing these core values, we recognise the growing importance of online safety.

To support our students in navigating the digital world, we welcomed Internet Safe Education to Iona College on Tuesday. Year 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 students participated in sessions tailored to their specific age group, covering topics such as respect online, cyberbullying, social media responsibility, and online legal obligations.

We also extended an invitation to all parents to a special Parent Engagement Evening with Shane Mallory from Internet Safe Education, an expert in online safety. This informative session provided valuable insights into protecting children as they navigate through the digital world. Thanks to those families who attended.

At Iona College, we believe that fostering Respect, Responsibility, and Representation prepares our students to be conscientious and engaged members of society. By reinforcing these values in both face-to-face and online interactions, we help build a positive and respectful school culture.

We appreciate the ongoing support of our students, staff, and families in upholding these principles, ensuring that Iona College continues to work towards being a community of integrity and excellence.

Mr Steven Hohn
Dean of Middle Years

Justice and Mission Expo

Iona's annual Justice and Mission Expo was held in IPAC on Tuesday, and was a great opportunity for conversation and networking with students from other schools in our local community about social justice.

We were again fortunate to be joined by students and staff from All Hallows' School Lourdes Hill College, San Sisto College Carina, St Rita's College, Loreto College Coorparoo, Villanova College, and St Laurence's College - official, who each bought their own perspective on how we are called to live out Jesus’ mission, through the fundraising and outreach work that occurs in every school.

The Iona students who attended have much to debrief as we all aim to take inspiration from each other and improve our social justice programs!

Rosies Chaplain Fr Joshua Nash OMI was our guest speaker and shared his knowledge on our collective colleges' social justice theme this year - 'Encounter, Transform and Advocate'.

We were also thankful to be joined by representatives from St Vinnies Youth and Rosies. They shared with us how the funds we raise can be used to directly improve the lives of the marginalised and disadvantaged.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the afternoon, both in organisation, and by contributing to the lovely atmosphere that was felt by all who attended.

If you would like to be involved with Social Justice at Iona, please feel free to attend the Faith and Mission Portfolio meetings held on Thursdays and first break in Lab 4.

All are welcome.

Can You Help Rosies?

Project Compassion Fundraisers

Please contact Mrs Sam Ryan ryans@iona.qld.edu.au with any questions.

Ms Samantha Ryan
Social Justice Coordinator

Important Information for Years 5, 7 & 9

NAPLAN testing for students in Years 5, 7, and 9 will take place this term, with assessments in Writing, Reading, Conventions of Language, and Numeracy. Testing will be conducted online during school hours.

What Students Need for ALL Tests:

• Fully charged laptop
• Wired headphones
• Pencil / pen, eraser
• Water bottle (optional)

Parents can explore the test platform here and find additional NAPLAN information here.

For queries, please contact:

• Year 5: Brendan Allen (allenb@iona.qld.edu.au)
• Years 7 & 9: Wendy Perera (pereraw@iona.qld.edu.au)

If you have questions regarding reasonable adjustments, you can contact:

• Year 5: Charlie Street streetc@iona.qld.edu.au
• Year 7: Carolyne Kelly kellyc@iona.qld.edu.au
• Year 9: Lisa Logue loguel@iona.qld.edu.au

NAPLAN Online Testing

Last Friday, our Year 5 classes participated in NAPLAN practice testing in The Provence Centre to ensure our technology systems can handle next month’s official testing, and for our students to practice navigating the platform.

A reminder to Year 5 families that official NAPLAN testing will occur on Wednesday 12 March, Thursday 13 March and Friday 14 March.

For all tests, students will need the following equipment:

• FULLY charged laptop
• Wired headphones or earphones
• Pencil / pen
• Eraser
• Water bottle (optional)

Further information has been communicated to families.

Year 5 Wellbeing Day

Last week, Primary Years celebrated our inaugural Year 5 Wellbeing Day to celebrate and nurture the mental, emotional and physical wellbeing of each student.

The Wellbeing Day is about learning, exploring and embracing the tools that can help students feel their best and thrive inside and outside the classroom.

We used Lea Waters Visible Wellbeing Framework to guide our activities. By focusing on each aspect of the framework we can work together to create a positive school environment where everyone feels valued, safe and supported.

Some exciting activities helped bring this framework to life, including a hip-hop dance session led by Dance Curriculum, a rhythmic drumming session by Rhythm Culture and a relaxing meditation experience led by Sound Off For Schools.

Primary Years Social Worker Mrs Vardanega helped our Year 5s understand the things they’re grateful for and each student contributed a Gratitude Leaf to the Gratitude Tree in our Primary Office.

Head of Primary Years Student Wellbeing, Mr Condon, explained the Visible Wellbeing Framework to students with the hope of inspiring them to embrace these practices, at school and at home, so that we can all be the best versions of ourselves.

Our Year 5 classes concluded their Wellbeing Day with Mass led by Fr Lewy in the Chapel.

Continuing on our gratitude theme, thank you to Mr Condon, Mrs Vardanega, Dance Curriculum, Rhythm Culture, Sound Off For Schools and Fr Lewy for a fabulous Wellbeing Day.

Our Year 6 students are looking forward to celebrating their own Wellbeing Day in Term 4 to assist with their transition to high school.

National Young Leaders Day

Earlier this week, Mr Condon escorted our Primary Leaders to the National Young Leaders Day held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The boys had the good fortune to hear from Her Excellency the Honourable Ms Sam Mostyn, Dayne Zorko of the Brisbane Lions, artist and author Kasey Rainbow and 2024 Bathurst 1000 winner Todd Hazelwood.

Her Excellency spoke of her passion for future Australia and the need for young leaders to remain curious. Kasey Rainbow encouraged all young people to be the hero of their own story and know their strengths. Todd Hazlewood spoke about learning from mistakes and 'falling forward', whilst Dayne Zorko spoke about persistence, hard work and not dwelling on setbacks.

All boys represented the school with pride and we look forward to seeing how they continue to develop their leadership qualities within our community.

Term 1 Primary Date Claimers

Primary Cricket/AFL Team Photos: Friday 28 February, during school hours. Students will wear their formal grey uniform for these photos.

Year 6 Camps: 3-7 March. Further information has been communicated to Year 6 parents.

Year 6 Rhythm Culture Incursion: Monday 10 March, during school hours. For classes 6B, 6M and 6S only.

Year 5 NAPLAN Testing: 12, 13 and 14 March. Further information has been communicated to families.

Primary Dream and Lead Conference: Monday 17 March. Further information will be provided to the families of our Primary House Leaders.

Mr Peter Holmes
Dean of Primary Years

Mr Brayden Teece
Dean of Oblate Identity and Community

Volunteers Morning Tea

Thank you to all the library volunteers who attended the St Eugene de Mazenod Library morning tea on Tuesday 11 February. There were over 20 volunteers, and it was an informal meet up to learn more about the library and get to know other volunteers.

Library Lovers Day

To celebrate Library Lovers Day, the library staff gifted a selection of beautiful coffee-table books to Iona College staff. Some lucky staff found themselves on a date with a new book and some treats in the Duhig Staffroom.

Competitions in the Library: Selfie to Shelfie

To celebrate the start of Term 1, we held a fun competition to get students involved where the boys were asked to match the ‘selfie to the shelfie’ by connecting images of library staff to those of their bookshelves and book collections.

It was a tricky task as it turned out! We had many entries, but a duo of siblings – Lucas and Jude Abbott – were the overall winners with the most correct matches. Prizes were distributed in Week 3 to the winners and the runners-up. 

Window to the World

The theme for Queensland School Library Week 2025 is ‘Window to the World’. A drawing and photography competition was held to see students’ interpretation of the theme. Prizes were given to the best Primary and best Secondary entries.

The secondary winner was Jude L’Huillier from Year 8, whose photography showed a clever interpretation of the theme.

From primary, the winner was Vincent Patrick, 6B. His drawing showed how books give him a window to another world.

The winners will go on to the next round and compete with winners from other schools in the state.

Tutoring in the Library

Every Tuesday and Thursday from 3-4pm, Senior students from the Academic Portfolio help younger students complete homework, practise maths questions, or understand science terms.

Students who need some support academically are encouraged to attend.

Bayside Teacher Librarian Network Meeting

The St Eugene de Mazenod Library was delighted to host the Bayside Teacher Librarian Network Meeting on Monday 17 February, involving more than 10 schools including San Sisto, Carmel College and Moreton Bay College.

We talked about all things library such as catalogue records, reading competitions, book fairs and overdue books. It is wonderful to collaborate with such a supportive and creative team of librarians.

School Holiday Writing Camp

St John's Anglican College will host a three-day school holiday writing camp for children aged 9-14 from 8-10 April, with an additional one-day workshop for children aged 7-10 on Monday 8 April.

Young writers will learn:

• How to come up with story ideas
• How to plan and outline a story
• How to come up with interesting, sympathetic characters
• The writing process, how to put it all down on paper

Plus, they'll make new friends and have heaps of fun!

The St Eugene de Mazenod Library team

Term 1 Uniform Shop Opening Hours

Monday          8am-3.30pm

Tuesday          CLOSED

Wednesday     8am-3.30pm

Thursday        CLOSED

Friday             8am-3.30pm

Ordering from the Uniform Shop

Orders can be sent home with your sons.

• Email orders to: uniformshop@iona.qld.edu.au
• Phone orders with credit card details: 07 3893 8863
• Online shop