College Uniform - awaiting stock

Due to changes to our uniform policy as well as issues with supply, we are currently out of stock in a few lines of our College Uniform.  Whilst we await delivery, we understand that we must be accommodating of students who cannot purchase items at the moment.  If you are unable to purchase required items, please send an email to the College and someone will get back to you to make arrangements for the interim.  Apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused.  

Items most affected include: size 8-12 woollen College pullovers, College ties (boys and girls), and some sizes of College formal socks for boys.   

School Review and Improvement Process

Our Lady of the Southern Cross College is scheduled for a School Renewal and Improvement quadrennial school review from 5 August to 9 August.

The Toowoomba Catholic Schools Office has a school renewal and improvement framework in place which has a key element in the quadrennial school review. In this review, a panel consisting of senior staff from the Toowoomba Catholic Schools (TCS) Teaching and Learning Directorate and a peer principal from another school in the Diocese, visits the school for five days. The aim is to assist schools to strategically plan to improve teaching and learning and these reviews occur in all TCS schools.

Through a process of appreciative inquiry, panel members interview staff, parents/carers, students and community members. The questions asked are “In your opinion, what is going well at the school?” and “What could be done better?” The purpose is for the panel to report to the school community its findings and suggested improvement strategies. These inform the process of strategic plan development and the annual action plans which are also linked to the TCS Strategic Plan.

The review team would like to hear from the school community and I encourage anyone who is interested to have their say. Your feedback is important and will help us to continue to achieve the two pillars of TCS; that all students will come to personally know Jesus and that all students will achieve academic success. Feedback can be provided to the review panel in person or by telephone. All feedback remains confidential. Please contact the school office if you are interested in speaking to a reviewer. You may also register your interest by emailing dalby@twb.catholic.edu.au.

Spirit of Catholic Education Awards

The Spirit of Catholic Education Awards, including the Aunty Joan Hendricks Reconciliation Awards, are presented annually as part of Catholic Education Week (CEW) celebrations. The awards aim to recognise those who are making an outstanding contribution within the Catholic education community. Catholic school communities in Queensland are invited to nominate individuals or teams in the community (staff members, parents/carers or volunteers) who are making an outstanding contribution to the life of the community in at least one of the following areas:

• Showing outstanding integrity in leading a school community or program
• Implementing change that improves teaching and learning and supports greater equity in education
• Building Catholic education identity and ethos in ways that support exceptionally life-giving relationships and build hope in school communities or Catholic education agencies
• Demonstrating excellence in team work that supports and builds Catholic education
• Demonstrating outstanding service to others in the school education community and beyond

Aunty Joan Hendriks Reconciliation Award

• Creating positive change for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and staff and/or developing improved understanding of Indigenous cultural heritage in Catholic school communities.

If you believe that someone in our community addresses one or more of the above and deserves a nomination, find out more at: https://catholiceducationweek.com.au/catholic-education-week-awards/ and complete the nomination by scrolling to the bottom of the page and completing the details.

Check the Calendar!

We have many events happening in Terms 2 and 3, and as such, encourage everyone in our community to get onboard with College website and the SZapp.  Through these platforms you can keep up with the news through news feeds and newsletters, as well as see the College Calendar to ensure you don’t miss anything.  In addition you can contact the College, lodge and absence, contact us, order tuckshop (via Flexischools) among many other features.  Both of these platforms are free and require no logins, so all of your family can get involved in supporting your children.

Pete Cuskelly

Principal