This week we celebrate Catholic Education Week as communities of faith, hope and love.  There are 313 Catholic Schools in Queensland that educate around 154 000 students and employ more than 22 000 teachers and staff.  We joined in prayer on Monday as a whole College to celebrate our catholic story as a community of faith, hope and love.  What a privilege it is to be a part of our thriving Catholic community here at OLSCC.

Year 11 Retreats

Last Friday during Praxis, the Year 11 students hosted Retreats for all classes from Prep – Year 4.  This was the culmination of a project as part of their Praxis where they learnt about the importance of Retreats, their structure and then they planned their own retreats for their nominated P-4 class. Retreats are core learning experiences specifically aimed at allowing students to ‘access the sacred’ within their everyday lives.  They involve participation, sharing and engagement.  All of the retreats planned by Year 11 students were based around the theme communities of faith, hope and love.  It was a joy to watch the engagement of our younger and older students and the thought and reflection that was provoked by these retreats. 

AWARD NOMINEES

As part of Catholic Education Week, we celebrate members of our community who have served our catholic school. 

Spirit of Catholic Education Week Nominees

The Spirit of Catholic Education Awards are presented annually in conjunction with Catholic Education Week to recognise individuals or teams making an outstanding contribution to Catholic education in Queensland.

Kathy Crump

Andrea Gormley

Long Service Awards

Each year we acknowledge those members of our TCS community who have provided long service to Catholic education. Thank you to the following people for their long service to our communities!

Michelle Imhoff – 20 years

Kathy Morgan – 40 years

Finalists for Toowoomba Catholic Schools Awards

Kristen Bennie – Excellence in Teaching and Learning – Primary Expert Teacher

Andrea Gormley – Excellence in Education Support – Teaching and Learning Support

eLearning Collective – includes Rod Spain & Tyron Fraser – Excellence in Teaching and Learning – eLearning

The winners of these awards will be announced at a Toowoomba Catholic Schools Dinner in the future. 

Bishop’s Inservice Day

On Friday 29 July, the students have a pupil free day so staff from our College can gather for a formation day as part of Catholic Education Week.  This day would normally be hosted in Toowoomba as a gathering of all the metropolitan schools of the Diocese.  Due to the increase in COVID cases in our state, this year we will gather in Dalby as a College and remotely access this event.  On this day, we listen to keynote speeches by our Bishop, Robert McGuckin, our Executive Director Dr Patrick Coughlan and Br Damien Price. Staff will workshop with Br Damien around the theme ‘Be the Change’. Our College has worked closely with Br Damien over the past three years and we look forward to this opportunity to work with him again this year.  It is also a wonderful opportunity for all College staff to work together, not just teaching staff.  Due to the involvement of all staff in this formation the College office will be closed on Friday for the entire day.

COVID – the next wave

As the next wave of COVID passes through our community, it is timely to be reminded of what we can do to slow the wave and protect ourselves and others.

Mask wearing:

The deputy premier has advised that mask wearing is not mandated in schools, except for those staff and students returning from a period of COVID isolation.  We also understand that mask wearing is an effective level of defense against the spread of COVID. Staff and students are welcome to wear masks as an extra protective measure if the individual wishes to do so.  Masks are available in all classrooms if students would like one during the school day. 

Ventilation:

Although the weather is cooler we aim to ensure good ventilation in our classrooms to allow the flow of fresh air into the rooms.  If your child is sensitive to the cold please ensure they have appropriate jumper for school.

If you are sick stay home:

If your child is experiencing any of the COVID symptoms they should stay home from school until they are well.  These symptoms include

• Fever
• Cough
• Loss of taste and smell
• Sore throat
• Headaches
• Aches and pains

It is important to regularly test for COVID if experiencing these symptoms to ensure you are not positive.  If you do test positive, you should follow the QLD Govt guidelines for isolation.  Children and staff who develop these symptoms whilst at school will be sent home and given a RAT to administer.

Good hygiene:

Good hygiene is a great defence against all germs and ‘bugs’ in our community.  All classrooms are supplied with hand sanitizer and all bathrooms adequately stocked with hand washing facilities.  Students are reminded to practice good hygiene when washing their hands, coughing or sneezing.  Together we should teach our children these good practices for life. 

Cate Brennan

Deputy Principal Religious Education