Deputy News

Last week we joined 32 Toowoomba Diocese schools, 312 Queensland Catholic Schools and over 19000 staff employed by Catholic Schools in Queensland to celebrate Catholic Education.  We often get asked by prospective families what makes us different or what being a ‘Catholic’ School means?  This is a very large question and not very simple to answer but the most important part is that we have Christ as our centre.  We grow with our young people and staff, so they can experience Jesus in their own lives and try to emulate his values in their own lives, through their interactions with others and the world in which they live.  To capture the essence of our Catholic College is difficult but when you visit us you can feel it, you can see it and you can experience it through the amazing staff, students and families who are part of our OLSCC family. 

Learning Discussions Feedback

Feedback from families about our reporting last semester valued the changes we made to our Learning Discussions.  While there is variance in the feedback on the length, timing, frequency and booking timeframes of these discussions, overwhelming feedback valued the format changes and the extra opportunity to meet after receiving the mid-year report card. One important factor that was heard through the feedback was that ongoing and open communication between home and the college negates the need for major meetings about student progress or challenges.  Accordingly, I continue to encourage both our staff and you, our families, to make contact with class teachers as soon as you notice a change in your child or have something you wish to discuss about your child’s learning and development.  This open dialogue helps to ensure that learning can continue for your child in the best possible way.  All our teachers have work email addresses which is sent home in unit communication. A full list of these has been added to the RESOURCE section of Parent Portal for your reference.  Our expectation is that teachers will reply within 48 hours (in consideration of working days/hours) of receiving your email.

Learning Discussions Term 3

Learning Discussions will be offered in Week 7 with your child’s teacher/s.

• 10 minute discussions will be for parents and teachers (students optional)
• Open Two-way Discussion - This first question the teachers will ask in this discussion is what you, the parent, would like to discuss about your child as a learner. This is to open the dialogue and ensure this is a ‘discussion’ not an ‘interview’.  This two-sided conversation is to discuss your learner’s progress so far this year and opportunities for growth. 
• Time has been allocated for all staff P-12 from 3:30pm-5:30pm on Thursday Week 7. Teachers will then allocate an additional hour around their own commitments throughout the week. These times will all be shown on the Parent Portal booking platform.
• Optional Learning Discussions

These are not compulsory for parents and if you have been communicating with your teacher about your child’s progress you may not feel it is necessary to attend these. We have allocated particular times for these formal Learning Discussions.  For our teachers in Year 7-12, that teach multiple classes and students, we ask that you consider which teacher/s you wish to have discussion with and prioritise booking with these. If you have teachers for multiple subjects, one time will be used to cover all subject questions.  A letter detailing bookings for these discussions will be sent via email to all families and posted on Parent Portal.  Bookings open this Friday 2 August at 4:00pm and will remain open until 9:00am on Monday 19 August. 

COLLEGE EVENTS

We love it when families join us for College events. Our next big College Event is Our Lady of the Southern Cross Day.  On this day we join together as a whole College for Mass at 12:30pm in the MPC followed by an afternoon of whole college athletic events on the Main Oval.  These events include All Age Relay, the Tresillian and Gillespie Gifts.  This is a great afternoon to join us to celebrate the magic that is our Prep – Year 12 College community.

WHY DO WE HAVE PUPIL-FREE DAYS?

Are you curious why we have Pupil-Free Days?  These days are extremely important for our staff to gather and to be lifelong learners themselves.  The Toowoomba Catholic Schools office designates each year which days these will be taken on and over the course of year we have 10 Pupil free days allocated.  Five of these occur outside of the school terms either in the week before students start in Term 1 or after school in the form of extended professional learning sessions until 7:30pm. The other five occur during the school term, one at the commencement of Term 1, Term 2 and Term 3, one aligned to Catholic Education Week and the other a Friday usually in late August or early September.  On these days the staff collaborate and engage in professional learning aligned to directions set by Toowoomba Catholic School Office as well as annual goals and priorities as set by the College each year. Some of these occur here at the College whilst others occur at different locations like last Friday’s Bishops Inservice Day which was held at St Mary’s College Toowoomba.  The dates for Pupil-Free Days for 2025 are:

Week 0 – 21 January – 24 January (before students commence)

Tuesday 28 January

Tuesday 22 April

Monday 14 July

Friday 1 August

Friday 5 September

DATE CLAIMERS – Term 3 and beyond

30 August - Pupil Free Day – Staff Professional Development

2 September – Our Lady of the Southern Cross Day Celebrations

13 September – Grandparent’s Day Celebrations & Last day of Term 3

30 September – First day of Term 4 (10 week term)

7 October – King’s Birthday holiday

21 October – 12 November – Year 12 External Exams

13 November – College Awards of Excellence Ceremony

15 November – Year 12 Graduation Mass

2 December – College Christmas Carols (twilight)

5 December – Early Years Nativity Play (during school day)

6 December – last day of Term 4 (10-week term)

Cate Brennan

Deputy Principal Religious Education