Friday 25 November - Under 5 to Under 8 Swimming Carnival

Friday 25 November - College Christmas Carols from 6pm - 8pm

Friday 25 November - Term 4 concludes for Year 10 and 11 students

Monday 28 November - Whole School Colour Run (details in this Newsletter)

Tuesday 29 November - Year 5 Eureka Gold Rush Excursion

Wednesday 30 November - UP DAY

Thursday 1 December - Staff v Year 9 Pink Stumps Cricket

Thursday 1 December - Early Years Nativity Play

Friday 2 December - Term 4 concludes

Tuesday 24 January 2023 - Term 1 commences

Up Day: Wednesday, 30 November. All students will spend the day in their new classroom with their new teacher. All classes should proceed to their 2023 classroom and should have their own pencil case in their bag.

Booklists: These can be found on the College website under the enrolment and back to school tab, Our Lady of the Southern Cross College (dalby.catholic.edu.au) and also on parent portal (for currently enrolled students). Please note every student will bring home ALL equipment from 2022, including library bags and earphones. Some of these items can be recycled for 2023, however will need a check over the holidays to ensure they are in good condition and remain in working order for the 2023 academic year.

Parents are requested to purchase EXACTLY what is on the list, including brands and item numbers, as these have been found to be the most cost-effective, long-term learning tools for classroom use. Purchasing the correct items initially will also save you any extra expense of having to replace inappropriate items. The advice given to us by our local suppliers is that prices for these regular classroom tools drop significantly once wholesalers begin the ‘Back to School’ rollout. This generally begins 1 December, so it would be wise to wait until after this date to complete your purchase. Dalby Newsagency have an online ordering system available for all schools in town should you wish to use it.

Prep - Year 6 Book Drop Off: Families for students in Prep - Year 6 are invited to bring books and classroom equipment to the College prior to the beginning of the academic year. Teachers from Prep to Year 6 will be in classrooms on

• Thursday, 19 January, 3:30pm-4:30pm.

Books and equipment should all be clearly named prior to bringing into the classroom.

Students in Year 7 – Year 12 are encouraged to bring items for their locker on the first day of the Academic year (24 January)

Laptop Pick Up for all Year 7, Year 9 and any new secondary students:

Laptops will be available for collection prior to the commencement of the College year. Students in Year 7, Year 10 (and any new secondary students) will be able to collect their laptops in the times listed below:

Uniform: The uniform shop will be open for extended trading hours on Up day and over the school holidays. Please be mindful of school uniform and grooming requirements over the holidays as you look to return in January 2023. See the website for more information Enrolment/Back to School tab / Uniforms and Opening Hours Our Lady of the Southern Cross College (dalby.catholic.edu.au)

If there is any information that can't see here, please head to the College Website as all information is now current for 2023. The "Enrolment and Back to School" tab contains a great deal of information and what you need to know now and for the new school year.

Last week, we farewelled the 2022 Senior cohort with a number of special events including the final Senior Assembly, the Graduation Mass at St Joseph's and the Formal and Valedictory last Friday night. The final Senior Assembly combined with the Awards of Excellence saw all the students enter the MPC with a Prep student where their candle was lit before an address from Assistant Principal Senior Years, Mr Rodney Spain. At the conclusion of the Assembly, the Seniors exited the MPC for the last time to ring the Journey Bell marking the end of their 13 years of schooling. A guard of honour lined the MPC Plaza and flowed out onto the driveway and footpath at the front of the College. The Senior students took the time as they moved out to acknowledge students from other year levels, staff and families who have been such a huge part of their lives, particularly 2022. 

On Friday, the Seniors and their families and friends gathered at St Joseph's for the final roll call and presentation of graduation certificates as well as a Mass led by Father Jim. Our College Junior Choir attended as well as the Year 11 students making for a special and memorable Mass. Mr Cuskelly addressed the cohort urging them to be thankful for their education and the support of those around them who have walked with them on their schooling journey. There were smiles and tears as the students exited the church and outside, students gathered to give a final farewell to their classmates in uniform for the last time.

From 5pm on Friday evening, the Senior students began arriving at the Dalby Events Centre for the Formal and Valedictory Dinner. What a momentous occasion this was for the students and, particularly their families and friends who were dazzled by some spectacular gowns and suits as well as some magnificent motor cars. A mild, fine summer evening provided the perfect atmosphere for everyone gathered and once inside the Events Centre, guests were impressed by the stunning decorations thanks to the amazing OLSCC staff who put it all together. The evening was one of laughter, memories and celebration as the Seniors gathered as a cohort for the final time. Please enjoy this magnificent gallery of images thanks to Fee Turner Photography. A link is also available for the entire gallery but here's just a snippet of the glitz and glamour of each student.

Gallery Link -

Valedictory Photos

Last Wednesday, the College celebrated the Awards of Excellence for 2022, and for the first time since the COVID pandemic, the MPC was full to overflowing with special guests, families, staff and students. We have created a gallery of all the award winners from the assembly as well as the following link to the PowerPoint that lists all the winners for the various awards as well as the criteria for each award. We congratulate all the students who achieved success in 2022 and thank everyone who attended to support the students on this special occasion.

What a Wonderful Year!

What another amazing year we have had at OLSCC in 2022.  Our Awards Ceremony last week highlighted some of the excellent achievements by our students throughout the year, and a very special Graduation Mass and Valedictory Dinner took place with some amazing graduands last Friday.  Between these three events, a school may make a real judgement of their success in any given time period.  Although not publicly recognised specifically during the awards, many of the students who stood before us are actually in the top echelon of their field in the state.  From NAPLAN results, to maths competitions, to sport, to classroom learning, to university applicants.  Our community, as I emphasised last Wednesday, is outstanding at growing great people. And this was further enforced by the amazing young adults who walked out of St Joseph’s Church last Friday morning- ready to take on the world.  What an amazing group of students we were able to wish the best for their adult life!

Though our year isn’t quite finished yet.  We have Carols tomorrow night on the oval, the Early Years Nativity Play, 5-8 year old swimming carnival, classroom celebrations, and the sharing of report cards.  Our classes will be having parties and our Year 10 and 11 students will be finishing up tomorrow afternoon. UP DAY next Wednesday will be a highlight yet again, and our final whole college assembly including staff farewell will take place next Thursday.  

Thank you to everyone who has engaged in this College this year.  Parents, grandparents, carers, guardians, students, staff, TCS support staff and the general community.  I look forward to an exciting year ahead where we continue to develop into the College that we aspire to be.    

2023 Staffing

Our staff that are new to the College in 2023 are visiting and transitioning to OLSCC over the next 2 weeks, with many attending UP DAY next week.  Yesterday we welcomed Ms Leah Parker (SY Maths/Design Tech) to the Senior Years where she was able to meet some students and also network with her peers prior to the holidays.  Today we have Miss Sophie Twidale (3T) meeting with staff, students and the current Year 3 teachers to get her head around how we work at OLSCC, and Miss Abby Henry (Prep Green) has been visiting and interviewing her students in Prep Green for 2023.  For UP DAY next Wednesday, we will have Mrs Madeline Workman (3W), Mrs Danielle Skerman (Learning Support), Miss Amie Stolz (SY/MY Music), Miss Abby  Henry (Prep Green), Mrs Nicole Horchner (Prep School Officer) and all of our wonderful current staff visiting for a day in next year’s structure as all our students move up.  It’s going to be great!

In addition to the announcements made last week, I would like to add the following welcome additions:

• Ms Lily Johannes – Lily come to us from Kalgoorlie in WA, though has wide ranging expertise in the teaching of English, as well as ELICOS.  Lily will be teaching English and Humanities, and is likely to work alongside Student Services to support students with English as an additional language.
• Mrs Madeline Workman – Maddie comes to us from the State sector where she has worked in small schools.  She is a passionate and enthusiastic educator who is very excited about working alongside Miss Twidale in the Year 3 cohort for next year!
• Mrs Nicole Horchner – While Nicole is no stranger to OLSCC after coordinating playgroup and working in Shooting Stars this year, it is wonderful to be welcoming Nicole to a regular position as a Prep School Officer.  Nicole is a kind and compassionate soul who is perfectly suited to working with our newest additions in Prep Green next year!

We are finalising the appointments of the following positions:

• SY Physics/Maths (we are very close to announcing this once final documents are submitted)
• School Guidance Counsellor (as an addition to Mrs Ballantine as we are now a hub for other schools in our area)
• Admin Officer: Reception
• Admin Officer: Enrolment and Finance

Unfortunately, we are re-advertising the position of Senior Math/Science Teacher.  If you are aware of a great Maths (9/10 + General or Essential)/Science (Science in Practice) Teacher keen to get on board with a great College – please put them in contact with us!

Helping Families Plan for Fees

Last week Mrs Hall, the College Business Manager, distributed the College Fees Schedule for 2023, as well as the direct debit request (DDR) form for families.  In addition to this, the table below outlines the overall costs for fees for the 2023 school year, including planned costs for events such as camps, excursions, retreats and incursions for all year levels.  This document will assist families in calculating how much per fortnight they could be paying by direct debit to avoid periodic large bills for fees and camps etc coming in at one time.  It is important to note that if you are planning on using DDR for your fees next year, the time to start the payments is now.  I often see families start their payment plan after the first fees have been issued, and they are constantly behind by a term because they didn’t plan to start before the fees were due.

It is important to note that Catholic schools across the Diocese continue to have significant outstanding fees, and as such, the Diocese will be introducing more stringent measures to ensure that families choosing a Catholic Education are also choosing to contribute to the education of their children, as Catholic Schools are not funded to the same level as State Schools and require a parental contribution.  Please keep this in mind as you plan financially for 2023 as continuity of enrolment will not be an option for students with ongoing outstanding fees in the new year.  Please see the fee structure below or head to the College website where you can access this information as well as DDR forms and bank details. https://oloscdalby.schoolzineplus.com/college-fees

See You in 2023!

The Cuskellys are heading off to visit Jo’s family for Christmas in the UK, so won’t be around Dalby to celebrate Christmas this year.  We wish everyone a joyful and hope-filled Christmas spent with families and friends.  As was reinforced with the seniors of 2022, our Catholic foundations underpin everything we do, who we are, and what we inspire to achieve at Our Lady of the Southern Cross College.  I trust that our community celebrates the true meaning and significance of Christmas with their friends and families this December.  What’s more, let us all consider how we can in some way walk in the margins this festive season, like Jesus did, and spend some time and energy helping out those less fortunate and privileged than us. 

I’ll leave you for 2022 with a few of my favourite photos from the year.  It’s important in our world where everyone strives for more, that we sometimes take the time to practice gratitude for the amazing world we share with some amazing people. See you next year!

Peter Cuskelly

Principal

Being a part of the OLSCC family plays an important role for staff, students and parents.  Last week we shared a number of monumental occasions with our OLSCC family.  It was great to be able to gather in large numbers to celebrate our graduating class of 2022 and the success of our students Prep – Year 12. The recording of our Awards of Excellence has been uploaded to our youtube page Awards of Excellence 2022.  The PowerPoint from the Awards which lists all recipients has also been uploaded to our College website.

On Friday at St Joseph’s Catholic Church, we held the Year 12 Graduation Mass.  Attended by our graduating class, their families, and the Year 11 students we thanked God for the blessings in our lives and blessed our Year 12’s as they head down their future pathway. 

Today the Year 6 students celebrated the formal end of primary school with their Year 6 Prayer Celebrations.  As a P-12 College, these students transition smoothly from Year 6 to Year 7 but this is an exciting time as they look forward to a few little changes next year like moving rooms and getting lockers!

College Christmas Carols

Tomorrow night we will join together as a community for our annual College Christmas Carols.  This is a casual evening to celebrate the end of our College year and celebrate Christmas.  Don’t forget your picnic blankets and chairs, dress in your best Christmas outfit and bring your singing voice to join in the fun! It begins at 6pm and concludes by 8pm. Families are encouraged to bring along some chairs or a picnic rug and snacks, to sit back, relax and sing along with our performers.  Some bench seating will be available around the oval.    Battery-powered candles will also be for sale for $2 each (cash only).  A cash bar will be running on the evening with funds raised going to Yes Arusha.  All monies raised at this event support the Year 8 support of Yes Arusha and we encourage you to bring along some spare change to pop in our donation boxes. So, dress in your fabulous Christmas outfits and come along and enjoy catching up with our community.

NAPLAN

In 2023 NAPLAN has been moved to March rather than the traditional May test period.  We will again conduct NAPLAN Online with our students in Year 3, 5, 7 & 9 at this time.  NAPLAN assesses the literacy and numeracy skills that students are learning through their regular school curriculum.  NAPLAN is not a test that children can prepare for in the same way they might prepare for an end of unit test. NAPLAN tests skills that develop and improve over time. These are skills that should be continuously developed throughout the year and not just in the lead-up to NAPLAN.

I encourage Parents to learn more and see the types of questions and related functionalities available in the NAPLAN Online assessment at www.nap.edu.au/online-assessment/public-demonstration-site.  The College provides all necessary equipment, pencils, erasers and headphones for these tests to occur.

REPORT CARDS

Semester 2 report cards are currently being edited, printed, and signed.  These will be published on the portal on Thursday 1 Dec.  Hard copies will be sent home with students still at school and posted for those students who have finished the year.  It is great to see the progress of our students this year.  A huge thanks to our staff who dedicate many hours of work marking and moderating student assessments and preparing these report cards.

Cate Brennan

Deputy Principal Religious Education

Matthew 24:42-44 

Jesus said to his disciples, "Be on your guard! You don't know when your Lord will come. Homeowners never know when a thief is coming, and they are always on guard to keep one from breaking in. Always be ready! You don't know when the Son of Man will come." 

In the light of this new day, let us pray for the needs of the world.  

For peace in our world, we pray as one. For those who live with fear or uncertainty, we pray as one. For kindness to comfort those in distress, we pray as one. For those who have nowhere to call home, we pray as one. For the prayers in our hearts today, we pray as one. 

 
May the blessing of God go before you. 

May you grow in the grace of God’s love. 

May God’s spirit live within you, 

May God’s love wrap you round, 

May God’s blessing remain with you always, 

May you walk on holy ground. 

It is important that our community reviews the earlier section in this week’s newsletter that contains information about the coming week and important updates for back to school in 2023.

As we enter into the final weeks of 2022 it has been a very busy time for our College community.

The successes that have occurred this year in academic, sporting and cultural realms have been a true credit to all the students at the College.

I hope that over the holidays everyone is blessed with the opportunity to take a well-earned break to refresh and rejuvenate. Students are also encouraged to engage in the following activities:

• Reading is a great holiday activity because reading fiction aids relaxation but also builds vocabulary, improves reading comprehension and develops written expression, all skills that will assist in future learning. Importantly, reading can also provide students with a vital break from technology.
• Physical activities such as walking, bike riding, going to the beach, going to the gym or playing sport all have great physical benefits but will also aid memory and thinking skills.
• Keeping a journal is a great way to sketch, make lists, keep track of notes, create mind maps, store memorable quotes or pictures or ideas. It doesn’t really matter what is recorded – by regularly putting pen to paper, students think actively and document their thought processes, all habits that help in learning.
• Crosswords, word searches, puzzles and Sudoku books are also great activities as they require you to work through the steps to reason and reach a solution which all help challenge the mind.

I would like to wish all our students and families a safe and enjoyable break. Please ensure you take some time to spend together and reflect on the year that has been. I look forward to welcoming you all back to our community in 2023.

Year 12 Graduation

Last week we celebrated the final days with our 2022 Year 12 Graduates and their Valedictory dinner. We would hope that all the senior students acknowledge that their time at the College has had a positive impact on their lives and we have given them skills that will assist them in the future. They all have such huge potential to make a difference to our society.

As they completed their journey with us we challenged our Year 12s to become the best versions of themselves as they enter the next phase of their lives. We wish them all the best in their future endeavours.

The link below will take you to the professional photos from the Valedictory dinner.

Valedictory Photos

God of wisdom,
We thank you
for all the gifts you have given us throughout this school year.
We praise you for giving us life,
for saving us in Christ,
and for choosing us to be your people.
As we come to the end of this school year, we voice our gratitude
for the good things you have done in us, and we praise you for all who have shared in the work of this Collegel.
We ask you to bless them in your love and give them refreshment and peace.

We praise you, God,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives and reigns forever and ever.
Amen.

Rodney Spain

Assistant Principal Senior Years

The year is almost finished, and the Christmas holidays are just on the doorstep. The light at the end of the tunnel is certainly exciting Middle Years students at this time. It is important to note though, that we must maintain our standards right through the final week. This includes uniform, grooming, and punctuality. Next week still has many important events, such as Up Day, which are important in preparing students for the beginning of the 2023 school year.   

Now as we move into the extended Christmas break, I would like to share with parents some thoughts on a wonderful gift idea that would benefit children immensely – far more than other technological devices on the market. These devices are not very expensive, never run out of battery, are fully portable, and have the ability to transport the user to another world, or back in time, even into the future. I am, of course, talking about books.

Below is some science behind why parents should encourage their children to read more and use other technology just a little less over the Christmas break:

• Improves Theory of Mind – the ability to think about others.
• Improves the reader’s ability to consider the perspective of others and can benefit them in fostering relationships with their peers
  
  
• Boosts memory
• Reading is one of the greatest tools for boosting memory and engaging the brain through imagination. This also has great outcomes for student learning.
  
  
• Improves decision making and emotional processing by activating key areas in the brain:

• Poetry allows for self-reflection
• To challenge yourself, start reading poetry. It engages left-sided regions of the brain responsible for introspection. 
• Improves vocabulary and verbal skills
• Language is constantly evolving. There is a direct correlation between good verbal skills and reading.

Encouraging your child to exercise their brain these holidays – it’s like cardio for the brain. Always remember, a child you read will become an adult who thinks.

Recently, we conducted sessions with students regarding transitions into the next academic year. In particular, the Year 6 students met with myself and Mrs Biggar (Middle Leader Middle Years) as part of the transition strategy for preparing students for the shift into secondary schooling. This session, coupled with the Headspace sessions that were held early this semester, are designed to assist our students by removing many of the unknowns and to help alleviate anxiety that may be related to the return to school in January.

This week, Year 6 and Year 7 students have also been afforded the opportunity to share their thoughts on locker positions, preferred colours, and who they might like near them in the locker area next year. We will do our best to incorporate their thoughts into our planning.

Up Day provides another opportunity for the students to see what school life is like in their future. We are excited about welcoming the new Year 5 students into the fold, but the feeling is bitter-sweet as we also need to acknowledge the departure of our Year 8 cohort into the Senior Years sector. We are very proud of the Year 8 students for the growth and resilience they have demonstrated across this challenging school year. Many have achieved wonderful academic results, which always comes through hard work and persistence. As they say, the only place you can find success before work is in the dictionary. As they move into the next chapter of their educational journey, I trust that they will take the lessons and good habits they have developed in the Middle Years classrooms with them, which will allow them to continue their growth and development.

Camps in 2023

To support student learning and to boost student engagement through the turbulent early adolescent ages that make up the Middle Years, we have worked hard to develop wonderful off-site learning experiences for our students. These come in the form of our excursions and camps. All camps have curriculum focus and provide excellent opportunities for the students to interact with their peers in rich learning episodes outside of the four-walled classroom. They also take students out of their comfort zone so that they can grow and develop independence and confidence in their own abilities. Below is a snapshot of the camps that will be on offer again in 2023.

These camps will be coupled with excursions in various year levels at different times of the year, such as visiting the Bell Biblical Gardens for LYF, a power station visit for exploring science in action, touring Parliament House for understanding in law making and civics,  and examining commercial enterprises found locally in Dalby. These excursions also add to the rich learning experiences our teachers plan and prepare for the Middle Years students.  

I wish all families a happy Christmas holiday period and for those who are travelling a safe and wonderful journey. I look forward to working with you again in 2023.

I urge you to closely ready the earlier section in this week’s newsletter that contains IMPORTANT BACK TO SCHOOL AND TRANSITION INFORMATION.

Please pay particular attention to the uniform guidelines, especially shoes, which need to be consistent with the following:

Formal Uniform Yrs 1-4: Black LEATHER or LEATHER LOOK joggers or LEATHER lace up dress shoes (including ‘Mary-Jane’ style shoes for girls). Currently, some students are wearing black mesh joggers with formal uniform. This does not meet the uniform guidelines. To avoid having to purchase additional sets of shoes next year, please ensure your formal shoe purchases for 2023 are LEATHER or LEATHER LOOK.

Prep uniform and Yrs 1-4 Sport uniform: Black joggers with black or white trim are still acceptable for 2023, however this will be as a transition period. From 2024, sport uniform shoes will be all black. If you are in any doubt how long you will get out of a pair of shoes for your child, I urge you to simply purchase all black joggers from now.

These are acceptable for formal AND sport uniform.

These are acceptable for SPORT UNIFORM ONLY.

Early Years Nativity Play

Thursday 1 December at 12.30pm, OLSCC Multipurpose Centre

Middle Years students, parents and other interested members from the public will be treated to a Nativity performance by the Early Years sector. Every aspiring Hemsworth and Hathaway from Prep to Year 4 will showcase their skills as they recount the story of the Nativity of Jesus, with a modern twist. There is no cost and no set seating for this year’s performance.

Students may wear their clothes for the play to school on Thursday in lieu of their uniform, as far as this is practical. If your child’s costume requirements are not practical to be in for a half day prior to the performance, (eg long flowing robes) you may send them along to school in a named zip lock bag and we can facilitate them changing into these at school. Students may wear simple free dress if they are going to change into their costume later eg, t-shirt and shorts that are simple to wear under their flowing robe.

Congratulations to all students, families and teachers on a stellar year across the Early Years. As I engage in final preparations for delivery of report cards next week, I am so proud of the continued growth of our students throughout the year. In particular, I was delighted to see the final reading data gathered for the year, which places Our Lady of the Southern Cross College amongst the highest achievers across the Toowoomba diocese. It certainly does take a team effort to achieve a result like this. I thank the teachers for their consistent pursuit of excellence and their willingness to work with dedication to ensure every student is reaching their full potential. I also thank the families for willingly working alongside our teachers, ensuring students receive the support and consistency necessary to achieve. I am excited to see what we can achieve again in 2023!

Katrina Walton

Assistant Principal Early Years

Early Years Swimming Carnival

The Early Years Swimming Carnival will be held on Friday 25 November at the Dalby Aquatic Centre. Students will travel on the College Coach leaving at 8.50am. Students will be back at school at 12.00pm. Swim shirts are optional for all races. Students may wear their house colours on the day. Programs will be available at the pool.

Brisbane Broncos Visit

Lat Thursday students in Year 2,3,5,8,9,10,11 participated in skill development and games with staff and players from the Brisbane Broncos as part of their Arrow Energy Western Tour. The College was fortunate to have past and present players engage with our students for the afternoon -  Darren Burns, Andrew McCullough, Sam Thaiday, Corey Oates, Kurt Capewell, Thomas Flegler, Alex Glenn, Adam Reynolds, Emily Bass and Jada Ferguson. Thanks to Darren Burns for organising this visit for our students.

SW Rugby Sevens Competition

Under 13 Boys Results Week 6

7^th Place Playoff

Win vs TGS Green                     14-12

Under 13 Girls Results Week 6

5^th vs 7^th

Win vs Highfields SSC               39-0

5^th vs 6^th

Draw with Mary MacKillop           20-20

Under 15 Girls Results Week 6

Bowl Final 3^rd Place Playoff

Win vs TAS                               26-15

Volleyball

Congratulations to the Year 9 Girls Volleyball Team who won the QLD Beach Schools Cup Competition at Coolangatta. This is the first time the College has entered a team in this event. The girls have been very successful at Indoor Volleyball in the past 18 months and have now transferred these skills to the beach setting. Thanks to Mrs Lincoln for her and time and effort in coaching the girls.

Game Results and Set Scores

Loss to The Gap SHS B             1-2

Win vs Bray Park SHS               3-0

Win vs Genesis CC                    3-0

Win vs Faith Lutheran                3-0 

Quarter Final

Win vs Stretton SC B                 3-0

Semi Final

Win vs Stretton SC                    3-0

Final

Win vs The Gap SHS                 2-1

Primary All Schools Touch

Congratulations to all students who competed at the QLD All Schools Carnival at Redlands. The team had an excellent carnival making the Quarter Finals of the Championship Division (this is the highest division). Thanks to all the families who came to support the team and to Miss McDuff for coaching the team.

Pool 7 – 2^nd Place

Win vs Pullenvale SS                 8-0

Win vs Redland Bay SS             9-0

Loss to Oxenford State School    3-1

This placed the team 10^th out of 39 Teams and into the Championship Final 16

Round of 16

Win vs Mary MacKillop Birkdale 3-2

Quarter Final

Loss to Trinity College                4-1

Return of Sporting Uniforms

As the end of the year is fast approaching, I am making an urgent request for the return of any sporting uniforms that may be still outstanding. Please return them ASAP. Replacement bills will be issued to students with uniforms not returned. This includes Touch Football Shirts and Singlets, Volleyball Shirts, Rugby Sevens Jerseys, Netball Dresses and Athletics Singlets.

Sports Dates Early Term 1 2023

Gold Coast/ Brisbane Sporting Events in 2023

Please use the dates below as guide for the following carnivals in 2023. Accommodation prices have increased greatly in the past 18 months. It may be beneficial, if you think your child will be attending any of the events listed below to look at booking accommodation early (especially if you can get a full refund, closer to the event).

QLD Beach Schools Cup Volleyball at Coolangatta, March 12-13

QLD Intermediate Schools Cup Volleyball Year 9/10 at the Gold Coast, May 26-28

QISSN Netball and QISSRL Rugby League in Brisbane, June 26-30

QLD Secondary All Schools Touch Football at Runaway Bay, October 4-8

QLD Junior Schools Cup Volleyball Year 7/8 at the Gold Coast, October 20-22

QLD Primary All Schools Touch Football at Cleveland, November 4-5

Our School Fun Run is on Monday 28 November starting at 12:10pm. Parents, caregivers and siblings are welcome to run alongside their student, in their class’s designated run time. Year levels will be running together, one year level at a time. For example, the Preps will be completing the colour run as a group without any other year levels. Each year level will have 15 minutes to complete the course. Students have the option to walk around the colour stations or obstacles if they do not feel comfortable completing the obstacle or getting sprayed with colour.

Students are asked to arrive to school in old white clothes and shoes. If they are getting the bus or don’t want to stay in wet clothes, they will need a spare set of clothes to change back into. There will be sprinklers on the day so it is likely that students will be getting wet. We cannot wait for everyone to be involved in the fun.

Colour Run Timetable

The College Christmas Carols are on tomorrow night on the College Oval. We can't wait to celebrate our Christmas Carols with you all on the Main Oval from 6 to 8pm.

The P&F will be hosting a BBQ at the Christmas Carols and are looking for volunteers to help support this event.

If you have an hour or 2 to spare your help would be most appreciated. One-hour slots are available, with setting up, cooking, serving, and pack-up roles on offer.

To volunteer, please click on the following link:

https://signup.com/go/NKRzhrX or alternatively send a message via our Facebook page and let us know where you can help!

Please be advised that the Booklists for all year levels plus calculator order forms have now been uploaded to the College Website. Here's a link - 

https://oloscdalby.schoolzineplus.com/2022-book-lists

You can also go to SZapp and click on the quick link tile for 2023 Book Lists and you will be directed to the webpage for easy access.

The College Uniform Shop will be open for extended hours in December and January with the option to book personalised fittings using the QR code on the flyer below. You can head to the College Website for more details including where the Uniform Shop is and the current uniform price lists. 

https://oloscdalby.schoolzineplus.com/uniforms

Our Lady of the Southern Cross College is scheduled for a Toowoomba Catholic Schools (TCS) quadrennial school review from 27 February to 3 March.  

Toowoomba Catholic Schools has a School renewal and improvement framework which has, as a key element, a quadrennial school review. In this review, a review team consisting of senior staff from TCS’s Education Services and a peer principal from another school in the Diocese, visit the College for three days.

The aim is to assist schools and colleges to strategically plan to improve teaching and learning. These reviews occur in all TCS schools and colleges.`

Through a process of appreciative inquiry, review team members interview staff, parents/carers, students and community members. The questions asked are, ‘In your opinion, what is going well at the College?’ and ‘What could be done better?’.

As a result of the interviews and analysis of data, a report is provided to the College community and the review team share in this report their findings and suggested improvement strategies. These findings and strategies inform the development of the College’s strategic and annual action plans.

The review team would like to hear from representatives of our College community and I encourage anyone who is interested to have their say. Your feedback is important.

Feedback can be provided to the review team in person or by telephone. All feedback remains confidential. Please contact the College Office (Nicole Bryers) if you are interested in speaking to a member of the review team. You may also register your interest by emailing dalby@twb.catholic.edu.au with “College Review EOI attention Nicole Bryers” as the subject.

Please be advised that the College office will be closed for the Christmas period from Thursday 22 December reopening Tuesday 3 January 8:00am.  To commence the school year the office will be closed at different times for all staff to attend professional development. The Office will be closed on the following days:

• Monday 17 January 2023 from 8:50 to 11:30am
• Friday 20 January 2023 all day