As we enter the last term of the year, many things begin to count down: 

11 weeks until Christmas  

8 weeks until the end of 2022 Academic Year for Prep – Year 9 students 

7 weeks until the end of 2022 Academic Year for Year 10 & 11 students 

6 weeks until Graduation for 2022 Year 12 students 

2 weeks until Year 12 External Exam Period begins 

We know that this term is filled with many events, milestones and celebrations.  It is important that these occasions do not become our only focus.  We need to finish strong! Strong in our efforts with learning, strong is our resilience and persistence.  We are not yet finished the year but when we do we want to be able to look back and be proud of finishing ‘strong’.   

Term 4 events 

Please spread the word with fellow family members and friends for these upcoming events 

Monday 10 October - Alice in Wonderland (performing Arts Students) 5:30pm PAC 

- Friday 14 October - P-6 Grandparents Day - MPC 

- Under 13-Open Swimming Carnival – Dalby Pool 

Wednesday 16 November – College Awards of Excellence 9:15am – MPC 

Friday 18 November – Year 12 Graduation Mass 10:00am St Joseph’s  

Friday 25 November – OLSCC Christmas Carols 6:00pm-8:00pm  

Monday 28 November – College Fun Run 

Thursday 1 December – Early Years Christmas Play 

NAPLAN  

In 2023 NAPLAN has been moved to March rather than the traditional May test period.  We will again conduct NAPLAN Online with our students in Year 3, 5, 7 & 9 at this time.  NAPLAN assesses the literacy and numeracy skills that students are learning through their regular school curriculum.  NAPLAN is not a test that children can prepare for in the same way they might prepare for an end of unit test. NAPLAN tests skills that develop and improve over time. These are skills that should be continuously developed throughout the year and not just in the lead-up to NAPLAN. 

Keyboard skills are critical for NAPLAN online writing assessment. I encourage families to allow students time to type up stories/work on the computer.  Spend time with your child editing their work on the screen.  Discuss this process with your child and articulate your thinking.  Encourage the use of Write That Essay (WTE) with your students.  Classroom teachers work on digital literacy with our students which assist in their preparation for NAPLAN. 

I encourage Parents to learn more and see the types of questions and related functionalities available in the NAPLAN Online assessment at www.nap.edu.au/online-assessment/public-demonstration-site.  If you would like to discuss NAPLAN further, please contact your child’s core teacher or myself.  Each fortnight leading to NAPLAN we will include general NAPLAN information in the College Newsletter.  If you would like to discuss your child’s participation in NAPLAN please contact your child’s core teacher, Andrea Gormley or myself.  

EdLead 23 

Four Year 11 students attended EdLead23 on the first weekend of the holidays.  This program has been developed by Edmund Rice Education Australia to focus students,  from Edmund Rice and associate schools, on the story of Edmund Rice, the founding brothers and how we can use this leadership example to enhance our own leadership capabilities.  The four students who attended, Charlie, Clare, Sam and Josh volunteered to go to this experience and this is their reflection on the experience. 

"On the first week of the holidays Clare Boland, Charlie Boland, Samuel Garside and I went to Nudgee College in Brisbane, and participated in EDLead with other Edmund Rice schools.  Thirteen Edmund Rice network schools from across the state were invited to learn and participate in multiple leadership, spiritual, and interpersonal connective activities. Activities included memorising everyone’s name, learning various leadership strategies and past leaders experience, playing wheelchair basketball, writing confessions, singing songs, attending mass, learning the schools founding stories, enjoying recreational time with other school members and browsing Brisbane’s Queen Street Mall. We wish to implement the leadership qualities that we have learnt. We are excited to see our progression and the schools through being the best me I can be." - Josh Nimmo

One of the facilitators of the retreat, Br Damien Price, has worked extensively with our staff over the past 4 years.  Br Damien visited our College this week and presented the students with a badge as a symbol of their experience and knowledge they gained.  He then toured the College with the students and was impressed with their pride and the community of Our Lady of the Southern Cross. 

2023 Preparations – staffing, class lists and so much more…. 

This is an exciting time in the administration of the College as we work hard to finish our current year strongly and look strategically towards 2023.  I am currently working alongside my colleagues on the staffing needs for 2023; our subject options across all year levels but in particular Year 9, 10, 11 & 12; and our timetable for 2023.  There are many layers to this work and we are dedicated to ensuring our students have the best opportunities to achieve their future pathways through their educational journey at our College.  This journey begins in Prep.  We have commenced interviewing staff candidates for 2023, to fill our College with staff who are passionate about their subject areas and about the success of their students. 

Class lists - All parents were emailed last term about the process will follow as a College to create our classlists.  The drafts of these are currently being developed by classroom teachers.  Parent input is invited via the Class Consideration form, details on the intention of this input and the link to the form is in the aforementioned email and on the newsfeed of Parent Portal. This form will close at 9am on Monday 10 October.   

So much forward planning goes into the functioning of our College each year and whilst at times it can be challenging it is rewarding to see our students thriving in their learning.  We often speak to our students about our learning dispositions as life skills and about the importance of being life long learners.  Term 4 is an exciting time in the College where as a leadership team, we get to flex, develop and grow our own ability in these learning dispositions. 

Cate Brennan

Deputy Principal Religious Education