Reporting to Parents

I am very pleased with the feedback we have received so far regarding the changes to reporting to parents.  The changes to both the report card structure and the opportunity to discuss student learning and engagement has been extremely well received and we appreciate the feedback we are currently receiving through the form communicated yesterday.  As a parent, I greatly appreciated being asked “Is there anything in particular you would like to discuss today?”  Through this introduction we were able to receive feedback as parents regarding our concerns for our child.  The teacher was able to focus on what she wanted to communicate to us as parents and then we made some future goals.  I also greatly appreciated the general comment where I could clearly feel that the teachers of my children had an invested and personal understanding of my child as a learner, and as a person.

Good Luck to our Confro and QISSN Teams

Our QISSRL/Confraternity Open Rugby League players and QISSN Open Netball players have been preparing for the last 3 terms for an amazing carnival next week in Townsville. Teams from all over the state, across many divisions, will come together to compete against their friends and rivals in each sport. The sportsmanship of this carnival is magnificent, the standard high and the battles sometimes brutal (especially the netball!).  There is pride in the jersey, mate against mate, and for those players and teams that can hold it together for the full week – awards. At OLSCC we have been very privileged to come away with some of the great awards in recent years including The Spirit of Confraternity, The Neil Bloxsidge Plate (Div 2 Champions), and Player with the Most Potential.

This event is significant, and we are kindly supported by many sponsors who make this dream for our students a reality. Travel, accommodation and all associated costs for Confro/QISSN is significant.  I would like to thank all our 2024 sponsors who have kindly given to the College to enable our students to attend at an affordable cost.  I would also like to thank a couple of private sponsors (you know who you are), as well as Mr Lincoln and his gang, for giving generously and working hard to recover from the financial loss we incurred due to the collapse of Bonza Airlines.   

Please keep an eye on our Facebook page for updates, links to livestreams of all rugby league and some netball games, as well as updates of our progress throughout the week.

We wish all our players and coaches the greatest of weeks. We are sure you will represent the College to the best of your ability both on and off the field and we look forward to the stories shared afterwards.

Reminder – Pupil Free Days

Monday 8 July will be a pupil free day at OLSCC.  This keeps with the tradition of all Toowoomba Catholic Schools being assigned additional pupil free days for professional development and collaborative planning on the first day of Terms 1, 2 & 3. 

In addition, Bishop’s Inservice Day will take place on Friday 26 July, which is also a pupil free day and the end of Catholic Education Week. 

Please be sure to keep your eyes on the dates in the newsletter on a fortnightly basis as the calendar is full of amazing opportunities for our students in camps, incursions, excursions, retreats, sport, art, music and much more throughout Terms 3 and 4.

Thank You

Before the term ends, I would like to say a huge thank you to all our staff at OLSCC.  Working with children is a tough gig, and the ongoing pressures of society and government to push everything to be the responsibility of schools is a pressure we feel every day.  On top of this, the curriculum changes and our systems demand more in the way of accountability and administration. However, despite this, our staff at OLSCC shine brightly in our community. There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of things that our staff do for our kids every year because they care so deeply and are so committed to them.  So much so, that many of these things are simply taken for granted.  We are a great school of inclusive education at OLSCC, not because we have to be or are supported to be, but because of the mindsets of the staff that work with our students.  The ones in the gardens providing lifeskills that will make a real difference, our teachers and school officers who spend their weekends learning braille so they can support a couple of kids to become fluent and succeed, the standing on a cold sideline at Oakey Rugby League grounds on a Wednesday night with barely enough players to take to the field, the early morning netball training sessions despite the needs of family members that are left at home, the staff that give up many weekends and holidays to take a variety of kids from across the region away to carnivals for volleyball, netball, touch, rugby league, sevens, optiminds and everything else. The thousands of dollars of personal funds spent driving students around, paying for accommodation, feeding kids, shouting treats, and making sure everyone is very well looked after.

I am forever grateful to our staff who give so much of themselves for the betterment of our students.  Without the kindness and generosity of our ever-giving staff we would not be the wonderful college that we are.  Thank you!!

Introducing: Mrs Leisa Finch – Student Wellbeing Officer 

Mrs Finch was well known as the face of the College prior to commencing in a new and exciting role during Term 2, and you may have recently seen her around the grounds and in our classrooms and wondered why she is there!

Mrs Finch is an experienced Youth Worker and has a natural ability to quickly engage young people and provide support to help overcome social and emotional barriers that may usually lead to personal challenges, school disengagement and/or mental health concerns. Leisa will work closely with Mr Spain (APSY) and Mr Cullen (APMY) and most importantly, the students of our College.

Some of the benefits Mrs Finch will bring to the students of OLSCC:

• assist in providing social, emotional, and spiritual support to OLSCC students
• engages with and provides support to students who may be experiencing personal challenges or mental health issues
• assist in meeting the needs of students, families, and staff in ways that enhance the wellbeing and development of the OLSCC community
• works closely to help staff in key roles of pastoral care, learning support, teachers, and the College Leadership Team
• refers students to the counselling service provided by the College when required
• Works with the families and guardians of students, to arrive at the best possible outcomes for the students’ wellbeing

We are excited to officially welcome Leisa to this role and look forward to positive outcomes for the OLSCC community. Say hi to Mrs Finch when you see her out and about - she’s there for you!

Peter Cuskelly

Principal