Welcome to 2023 at OLSCC

Yesterday we welcomed all our returning and new students to OLSCC for the 2023 academic year. It was simply amazing to have everyone back at school, in classrooms, getting to know one another and their new teachers.  As I visited classes yesterday, I was amazed by how much some students have changed, grown or matured over the holidays! Judging by the tone in the playground, gathering spaces and classrooms yesterday, 2023 is looking to be a stellar year for our College. 

I am very excited about the cohesion of the College staff this year, as well as the new staff to the College.  We continually work hard on our recruitment, searching for the right staff that fit the community of OLSCC.  While the staffing of Mathematics and Science continues to be an ongoing challenge across Australia, we have started 2023 with a very strong team in this regard, despite Mr Cross being on leave for Term 1. The work already happening in our classrooms is both excellent, and very exciting for the future prosperity of our students.

I would like to offer a warm congratulations to all of our 2022 Graduates as well as those students who are leaving OLSCC for new endeavours in 2023.  Our 2022 graduates are all on successful, planned, and well considered pathways that will guide them safely into future careers. Almost every single university applicant received their first preference offer for university in 2023, many have continued their work that they had begun as a School-Based Apprentice or Trainee, and others have successfully begun work since they left our school gates.  There’s no doubt that we continue to “Grow Great People” that go on to know the value of their own lives and contribute positively to the community and world in which they live.

Staff as Learners

Prior to yesterday, staff were engaged in 5 days of learning and working across a wide variety of topics as they prepared for the new school year.  Many of our new staff also participated in the Toowoomba Catholic Schools and College induction days as well as spending lots of time at the College preparing for the year ahead. As a collective staff, much of our training from last week included the following:

• New staff induction
• Visible Learning
• College Leadership Team meeting
• College Direction and Strategic Focus
• Australian Curriculum v9.0
• Mandatory training – Student Protection, Code of Conduct, Workplace Safety
• Deadly Ed Culture
• Fire safety
• Manual handling training
• Subject Discipline Literacy
• Collaborative planning
• Staff Formation through a staff retreat at the Bunya Mountains with an Indigenous Spirituality focus

I truly value the culture of the collective staff at OLSCC.  They aren’t at OLSCC because they have a job, they are here because they love working with our learners of all ages, watching them grow, learn and mature in their journey in faith and knowledge.  The students of OLSCC are blessed to have this team guide them through their education in such a family oriented community. 

I pray that all families have had a great start to 2023!

Peter Cuskelly

Principal