Principals Pen
Bishop Ken Howell
The Most Reverend Bishop Ken Howell undertook his first Parish Pastoral Visit last weekend to St Joseph’s Dalby and surrounding parishes. Included in this was a whole day visit to our wonderful College. Bishop Ken joined us for staff prayer, addressed students at assembly, and visited a vast majority of classes across the College before meeting with the leadership team for period 4. It was insightful to gain Bishop Ken’s perspective on many matters and most importantly, to see him interacting with the students and answering their questions. At OLSCC, our faith is strongly steeped in the tradition of living like Jesus, and seeing Bishop Ken amongst our community reaffirmed the importance of service in all communities.
ANZAC Day
Nothing stops the nation like ANZAC Day. And rightly so. If your family hasn’t already, please take the time to reflect on this great part of the world we live in as well as the liberties afforded to us by not only our servicemen and servicewomen who have offered everything for our way of life, but by the spirit of the ANZACs that lives inside each and every Australian every day. Mrs Skerman reminded me at the dawn service that all other nations celebrate their greatest victories in war, whereas we opt to celebrate the toil, grit, dedication and sacrifice of our ANZACs instead. I was humbled and proud to join the Dalby and OLSCC community in both marches yesterday and continue to be proud of our engagement in ANZAC Day ceremonies across the region. A wise old man once told me that ANZAC Day wasn’t a public holiday, it was a day when everything was closed so we had the chance to remember all that had been given to us in this amazing country in which we live.
Dr Justin Coulson – 2 May
There are many parents at independent schools in Brisbane who pay $180 a ticket to access a glimpse of the parenting and wellbeing expert Dr Justin Coulson. Thanks to our amazing FACE Committee, you can come along to a very personal session with Justin for only twenty bucks! You might even get a snack and a cold beverage thrown in for free! Thanks to Kaitlyn, Kate and all your helpers for providing this amazing opportunity for our community yet again. Justin is full of amazing advice and useful ideas for supporting our youth in a world that didn’t exist when us parents were growing up. See you there – secure your ticket and don’t miss out!
Communication to and from the College
Communication is the key for all parties in a College community to align. The reality is that different parties have different expectations regarding communication. Below is an outline of how the College communicates with parents, students, and the wider community, as well as the best ways for parents to communicate with the College. By having a common understanding and expectations regarding communication, we can work together better for the ongoing improved education of the young people in our mutual care.
How the College communicates with the Community:
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Mode |
Purpose |
How do I access it? |
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Sentral (Parent Portal)
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Sentral for parents App Or via the Parent Portal link on our webpage (bottom of homepage) |
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Social Media – Facebook & Instagram
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Celebrating success General reminders Upcoming events Weekly happenings
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Via apps or internet |
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To your email address supplied to the College. These details can be updated in “My Details” in the parent portal? |
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Text Message |
Urgent notifications or updates |
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Class Dojo (Early years only) |
General updates relating to early years students |
“Class Dojo” app |
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Phone calls |
General communication to discuss student specific information |
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How to best contact the College:
Email – general communication
Phone – time sensitive communication, urgent issues, to book a meeting with a member of staff, or to get general guidance from administration.
In person – generally at drop off time to discuss matters with class teachers relevant to the general organisation of the day.
It is important to note that we value the right of staff to disconnect from their work outside of work hours for their own wellbeing, and that of their family. Accordingly, attached are our College protocols, closely aligned to all Catholic schools in Queensland, to make reasonable expectations and guidelines for our staff and community, titled “Protocols for the effective management of work-related electronic communications”. Please feel free to read so we all have some common expectations regarding communication.
The Dalby Show
There’s no time like show time, and even though Dalby show regularly falls in the autumn school holidays, I continue to be inspired by the OLSCC community and their commitment this age-old community event. Our choir sang at the opening ceremony, our students showed cattle, art, craft, flowers and baking, and many were seen a little worse for wear after a few spins down sideshow alley. Despite the busyness of our world, it is wonderful to see the tradition of the local show still going strong in Dalby. Please consider what part you can play in supporting this tradition to continue in 2025 and beyond, whether it be a spot of baking, a hand in the organisation of the rodeo, or just going along and parting with some hard earned dollars so the kids can grab a showbag and have a go on the dodgems. A special congratulations to all our students who submitted entries and participated in the show in one form or another.
Public Health Updates
Attached to today’s newsletter are two public health information brochures. Please take the time to peruse these as matters of health are a constant frustration for families, students and teachers alike. These updates include useful guidelines for all of us to abide by and consider so that we may keep the most vulnerable in our community safe from everyday illnesses that causes greater impact to many in our community.
Mr Peter Cuskelly
Principal
