Her Excellency, Governor of Queensland Western Downs Visit

Earlier this week, Dalby was honoured to have Her Excellency, the Governor of Queensland, Dr Jeannette Young PSM, visit our amazing region.  The Governor visited local health services, met with the local Chamber of Commerce, thanked emergency services for their efforts and also hosted a Primary Producers Showcase Dinner at the Dalby Events Centre.  This was a fine affair showcasing the people and products of the Western Downs, particularly in the menu.  Mrs Forbes and an amazing group of young ladies volunteered their time to wait tables for the evening, and to say that they did a great job would simply be an understatement. The ladies plated food, served, waited and collected, as well as filling every spare second by washing up and tidying the kitchen to support the caterers.  This is representative of what we aspire to learn through Praxis, our service learning experience at OLSCC. What a fine example this group of young ladies, Mrs Forbes included, are setting for the rest of the community.  The photos below also show The Governor giving her nod of approval as well!    

Clarification on Uniform

I received a letter from some young ladies at the College who expressed their concern regarding the lack of availability of formal short and trouser options for girls in place of wearing the formal skirt. This is a very valid point.  In the past I have explored various options with the Board and students, and the student take-up was not considerable enough for our uniform supplier to consider supplying a female short.  In conversations with our supplier, they have informed me that the shorts and trousers that are stocked in the uniform shop are unisex. Therefore, students may choose to purchase the shorts or trousers from the College Uniform shop to wear in place of the formal skirt for day to day wear.  For formal events such as College photos and 'full formal' events, it is expected that the formal skirt be worn.

Staff Changes

Today we sadly say farewell to Mrs Bourne who has been the face of the College in reception for the past 8 years, as she moves onto further challenges at Western Downs Regional Council.  Mrs Bourne has seen much growth of both the College and our students, and it has been a pleasure to work alongside such a kind and compassionate Jo for the past 5 years.  We wish Jo all the best as she transitions to council.

Additionally, we welcome Mrs Sandy Brookes to the admin team at OLSCC.  Mrs Brookes will be working mostly with students in her role, so I am sure she will quickly get to know many in our community.  Over the next few weeks, there will be other new members of admin starting at the College, and I am sure our community will be both understanding and welcoming to all of our new staff as we transition to our new ways of working in the office.

QCIS Success

This week OLSCC recorded our first QCIS win at the Cross Country event held at Downlands College on Wednesday. We had approximately 50 students compete from 10 years to Opens, and it was inspiring to see every one of our runners try their absolute best. This was considerable for the Dalby students, as the hilly countryside at Downlands used a lot of muscles that they never knew they had before!  There were some excellent individual results, though more importantly, the active participation, resilience and persistence of our students meant that OLSCC came away with both trophies for the day – Overall Points, and Average Points.  This a great achievement considering the other schools in the competition are Downlands College, Concordia Lutheran College, Scots PGC Warwick and Toowoomba Anglican School.  Well done to all the competitors, supporters and staff who braved the windy and cold conditions!

Assessment Submission

Prior to the reporting period, there is always considerable assessment items due for students, especially those in the Middle Years and Senior Years.  We understand the complexities in trying to submit multiple assessments in the same time frame and are adjusting our 2023 and beyond curriculum mapping with this in consideration.  Importantly though, staff are best preparing students for senior (QCAA) mandated conditions for assessment, which includes no leeway for late submission of assessment.  This semester we have seen an increase in Years 7-12 of students who simply do not attend examinations or submit assessments by the due date, and then expect extension or late consideration.  While we develop this understanding through the Middle Years, students in Year 9-12, as well as their parents, are encouraged to read pages 18-21 of the 2022 Student Diary.  A critical point here is that non-submission of assessment without a prearranged extension will result in the latest submission (ie. Draft) being marked as the final assessment piece. This is partly why the submission of quality drafts is a habitual practice of all successful students in Years 9-12.   

Peter Cuskelly

Principal