Welcome back to Term 2.  I hope you had an Easter blessed with prayer, family time and just a sprinkle of chocolate.  The Easter period challenges us to be renewed in our faith, to face the sacrifice of Jesus and all the potential that holds for us as individuals to know that we were created by God and he is present with us on our journey. 

As our journey continues this term, we look forward to the many occasions, events and milestones we will experience.  Life is busy, we know that, there is no avoiding it, so I encourage you to talk to your child about events mentioned in our newsletter and in our Calendar on SZApp (Schoolzine) to be ready and aware of what is coming up.

ANZAC Day 2022

This Friday we will join together as a College for our ANZAC Day Service during our regular Assembly time at 8:50am in the MPC.  Families are welcome to join us for this occasion.  We will be joined this year by retired Australian Navy serviceman, Mr Barry Cullen, he is a grandparent to one of students and will talk to students during the service about his naval career.

On Monday we invite students to join with our local community at the various services around the Western Downs region.  For those in Dalby on Monday, we invite you to join us for the march from Bell Park along Cunninham Street to ANZAC Park.  Please assemble in Bell Park in full College uniform (inc hat) at 9:15am.  Parents are encouraged to leave their child/ren with staff for the march and join the community along the march route and give us a wave as we pass.  All students will then be corralled into Sydney Street (left of March route and across from ANZAC Park) for collection by parents. As a family you are encouraged to attend the Commemorative Service.  Students will be supervised by staff in Sydney St until collected so please ensure you do this promptly as staff would like to attend the service which begins at the completion of the march.  Full details about all of the services around the Western Downs region are on https://www.wdrc.qld.gov.au/living-here/our-communities/anzac-day/

NAPLAN Online – 10 May – 20 May 2022

At the end of last term students in Year 3, 5, 7 & 9 completed practice tests for NAPLAN Online which will be conducted in May.  The aim of these sessions was for students to interact with the NAP Browser online platform and experience the types of questions that will be asked. 

To assist Parents to have the same experience I encourage you to check out the NAPLAN website, in particular the NAPLAN Online page https://www.nap.edu.au/online-assessment.

I encourage all parents of students engaging in NAPLAN this year to explore the Public Demonstration Site on this webpage.  Here you can click on your child’s year level and explore what the online platform looks like, sounds like and how they can interact with it.  Perhaps dedicate some time with your child to explore this together – let them show you around.  If you have any questions about NAPLAN Online not answered by this site I am always happy to meet with parents to discuss it further.  If you would like to discuss your child’s participation in NAPLAN please contact your child’s core teacher, Andrea Gormley or myself.

WINNERS – READY, SET, GLOW

At the end of last year, we entered the Western Downs Regional Council Ready Set Glow competition with a photo of our timber nativity scene and our Mini Vinnies Christmas Appeal.  I am pleased to announce that we won this competition for the Dalby area.  The prize is a movie night for our College community.  Over the next few weeks, we will begin making plans for the date of this event.  Watch this space for news of this exciting prize!

Cate Brennan

Deputy Principal Religious Education