Year 12 Graduation

The highlight of the year is when we reflect on the amazing growth we have seen in our graduating students throughout their collective student life before sending them out into the world to make it a better place. This year was certainly no exception. As I congratulated each of the Class of 2024, it was humbling to think through the challenges and highlights we have all walked with these wonderful humans throughout their schooling here. I am grateful that we can graduate our students from St Jospeh’s Parish Church before gathering around a table to share a meal before going forth into the community. It truly is a magical time of year, and I am so extremely proud of the great people that we send into the world each and every year. It is by far the best achievement we make each year and what makes our identity as a College so strong.

Awards Ceremony

Our awards ceremony gets better and better each year. I am humbled to have the honour of standing and co-presenting each and every award to our students who have earned them through exemplifying the learning dispositions in their daily work habits. At OLSCC, we focus on growing great people, and we certainly witnessed some great people on the stage at the MPC last week! As in life, not everyone gets an excellence award on this day, and that’s okay. It’s important for students to use this opportunity to think about which specific area they may shine some effort on from now until this time next year in an effort towards continuous improvement. It is through this daily grind of persistence and resilience that we build character and strive toward one day achieving the goals that we set. As I mentioned last week, improving at any particular task by 1% each day means that we actually finish a year of improvement over 37 times better than when we start. The compounding impact of gradual improvement is mathematically and realistically significant!

May I also say a huge WELL DONE to Ms Purbrick and Mr De Costa Silva who took some excellent images throughout the ceremony for our community. Unfortunately, there was a bloke in a suit leaning over like a teapot in most of the photos – but we’ll work on that for next year. Also, a huge THANKS to Mrs Lilburne who had the photos sorted and onto the College website by that afternoon. It is absolutely amazing for our families to be able to download their photos directly from the website to share with families and friends. And of course, to Mrs Brennan and her merry band of helpers who start organising this event from the day it finishes the year before and the finished product is a brilliant celebration – GOOD JOB!

The feedback I received from the staff at Toowoomba Catholic Schools was excellent. One of our visitors commented how the learning dispositions were clearly visible in every seat – especially our younger students who were so patient and resilient. Thank you to everyone who came along and shared the celebrations.

Last week of Term + Friday 6 December

The last week of term is a great week of celebration at the College. We have Christmas Carols, Pink Stumps Day, “Up Day”, Nativity Play and of course the last day of Term 4, Friday 6December. The last day of the school year is a day where we finalise our tidy up in preparation for the holidays as well as for the start of Term 1 2025. As such, Friday 6 December will not involve teaching and learning, and the College will be providing “supervision only”. This means that students will be assisting teachers, school officers and other staff with getting the College into shape for the upcoming year. All students in attendance will be required to wear their full sports uniform and will be busy with active tasks throughout the day. Students of all year levels are to attend the College after 8:30am and head straight to the Pavilion, and will be released from the day at 3:10pm, as usual. Please note that there will be no attendance penalty for non-attendance on the day, though we would still love plenty of helpers. If you child is absent on this day, please choose the reason “Last Day 6  December”.

Staffing Update

I would like to announce the following changes to our staffing roster for 2025:

Middle Leader Student Services: I would like to announce Mrs Danielle Skerman to this position. Mrs Skerman is a passionate advocate for inclusive education and currently is the learning support teacher and Middle Leader English & Humanities, as well as Subject Discipline Literacy Coach in secondary. I greatly look forward to Danielle’s contribution to the ever-improving teaching practice at the College.

Specialist Teacher (Primary): Mrs Dimity Whitby will be delivering specialist lessons in the Early Years in much the same fashion as Mrs Sullivan this year. Mrs Whitby has completed preservice placements at the College in the past and more recently has been working in a relief role. 

Groundsman - Agriculture and Coach: Mr Gavin Fazakerley is our new addition to the grounds team, focussing most of his efforts on transporting students on the College Coach and also developing the capacity of the agriculture program in the Paddock, including our work in the Paddock, Vineyard and Winemaking. Mr Fazakerley has much experience across a variety of areas and will be a wonderful addition to our team.

Facilities Co-ordinator: After the departure of Mr Nathan Pretorius to north Queensland, Mr Brian Chiverton has been appointed as our new facilities co-ordinator. This role overseas and coordinates the 3 grounds staff, manages contracts and is generally responsible for the ongoing development of facilities at the College. Mr Chiverton has been here for the past 2 years in a groundsperson position.

Farewell Mr Setch: Mr Casey Setch is moving to the Redlands area where he will be teaching next year. We thank Mr Setch for his work at the College since joining our College community in 2022!

Farewell Mrs Stephen: Mrs Tania Stephen is taking some well-earned time with her husband as they begin the transition to retirement. Tania has played an integral role in supporting our students to be the very best they can since commencing with the College in 2005. All the best Tania to you and your family.

Reminder Regarding Attendance

Attendance is one of the greatest influences of a positive schooling experience for students who attend mainstream schooling. It is where our people learn social skills, how to interact and coexist with others, and where they learn the importance of turning up and giving the best they can – each and every day. Even when assessment is complete and students are engaged in a wide variety of activities at school, like in the last 2 weeks of school each year, attendance is important. We spend all year teaching students the learning dispositions, and when there is less structure and academic rigour in the school day, it is really obvious which students are able to apply the learning dispositions to life, and continue to make a positive contribution to the world in which they live. 

At the start of 2025 we will be communicating our refined and more efficient eligibility criteria for students to attend extra-curricular activities. It is important to note that attendance in 2024, particularly in Term 4, will definitely be considered to determine a child’s eligibility for events in at least the first half of next year. Please communicate this with your child and be sure to support their attendance all the way until the end of the academic year, which for attendance is up to and including Thursday 5December 2024.

Peter Cuskelly

Principal