Growing Great People

As we round out Week 6 of our first term, I would like to acknowledge the amazing work of our students and staff at Our Lady of the Southern Cross College. Walking through the Senior Years today I see hard working people, smiles on faces, enquiry on the mind and challenge in the eye. I hear respectful conversations, care and concern for one another, and a genuine community where each person is invested in the wellbeing of others. This acknowledgement and respect for the innate dignity of all others underpins the HOPE we need to create a better world. 

Our Lady of the Southern Cross College is a special place, and sometimes I wonder if our students and staff take the time to appreciate what an amazing place they come to learn each and every day. We are so blessed to have a place where we can gather as a family to learn, eat, play and pray. 

2025 Census and Student Enrolments

We have just completed our February Census which is the submission upon which the majority of our State and Federal funding for the year is based. Numerically, in 2025 we have 349 boys, 339 girls, a total of 688 students from Prep to Year 12. Of these, 417 students are primary and 271 are secondary, with 308 Early Years students, 222 Middle Years students and 158 Senior Years students. Of our 688 students, 20 students have English as their secondary (or third or fourth) language, and 33 students identify as First Nations Australians. Not identified in the census is the ever-expanding diversity of our student population as we become more understanding of other faiths, inclusive of students with diverse needs, and welcoming of other cultures. 

Currently, we have 256 students in Prep to Year 3 across 12 classes (3 streams of each year level), and we expect this transition to three streams to continue. In 2026 we will have 3 streams for Prep – Year 4, as well as Year 9, and we intend to begin transitioning to 3 classes of Year 7 again also. Our challenge for Year 7 is that we already have full classes in Years 6, 5 and 4 in 2025, so if we don’t expand, we won’t be supporting our wider community. It is really important to note that our decisions regarding number of streams for year levels are based on enrolment applications in Round 1.

Applications for Round 1 for 2026 close at midnight on May 5, so please book in for a Tour, arrange a meeting with a member of the Leadership Team, or submit enrolment applications prior to this date to avoid disappointment. It’s also really important for our families to talk to people from other schools if they express a wish to transition to OLSCC. Many students were placed on waiting lists and ultimately missed out on a spot at OLSCC for this year because they simply didn’t get their applications in on time. Please share some Facebook posts, let your friends know about the timelines and help your family and friends get organised so they too can enjoy being part of the OLSCC family.

DATE CLAIMERS: Our Lady of the Southern Cross College 2026 Enrolments

2026 Round 1 Applications Closing – Midnight, Monday 5 May 2025.

‘Decisions regarding class structures will be made based on Round 1 applications’ 

• YEAR 7 FOCUS Principal Tour – Thursday 20 March 5:30pm to 6:30pm (register at the College Office to attend) 

• PREP FOCUS Principal Tour – Tuesday 25 March 5:30pm to 6:30pm (register at the College Office to attend) 

• PREP Come & Try Morning – Wednesday 2 April 9:00am to 10:30am: NEW FAMILIES to College, Preppie and Parent (register at the College Office to attend)

As our numbers continue to grow, we become a College that can continue to offer more to our community. We are currently working on recruiting new staff in preparation for 2026 so we can expand the offerings in the academic domain of senior secondary. We are also looking for ways in which we can support trade skill development through additional programs in 2026 so we can continue graduating great people that are in high demand in both the workforce and further education. 

Cyclone Updates

A reminder that over the weekend and into next week, all updates regarding Cyclone Alfred will be done via email, or if urgent, by text message. While we expect to be impacted by the rain coming this weekend and into next week, we will continue to plan to be open and running school as usual. I am grateful for the regular attendance of our students in the back end of this week ensuring we can continue our teaching and learning without additional days off.

We pray that the impact of TC Alfred is minimal, and those communities in Southeast Queensland and Northern New South Wales remain united and safe over the coming days. 

Outside of School Hours Care (OSHC)

Our OSHC is going from strength to strength. Throughout this year our numbers continue to grow, and when the numbers continue to grow, there are more kids to play with, more staff to help out, and lots of new, fun and exciting ways to play and create in the mornings and afternoons! Yesterday I watched 17 students playing outside on the oval, hanging out with mates and living their best life.

When we sent out a survey about hosting an OSHC at OLSCC, we received significant feedback regarding the need for our students. Despite this, the usage of the service has not been significant. To maintain an OSHC at the College into the future, we must average at least 15 students every afternoon. It is only when we reach these numbers that the service can be assured to continue into the future. With this in mind, I encourage parents to at least give our OSHC a try – especially those who utilise other services. Our primary location for OSHC from the start of Term 2 will be in the PAC everyday, there will be more and more time outside playing games, there will be some additional staff being employed, and with additional students it is simply more fun for the students in attendance. Please take the bold step of giving it a go for your family! This is a business that relies on client usage, so let’s make sure that we value this resource by using it so we can continue into the future.

If you have questions or are unsure of anything to do with OSHC, including costs, times and days, how to join or anything else, please contact our Outside of School Hours Care TCKC at OLSCC!

Peter Cuskelly

Principal