Monday 13 March - Year 9 Retreat with Michael Fitzpatrick

Wednesday 15 March - NAPLAN Writing

Thursday 16 March - NAPLAN Reading

Friday 17 March - NAPLAN Conventions of Language

Saturday 18 March - OLSCC Golf Day

Monday 20 March - NAPLAN Numeracy

Monday 20 March 5:30-6:30pm - Family and Community Engagement in the PAC

Tuesday 21 March - ATAR Parent Presentation @ 5.30pm

Friday 24 March - Early Years Bush Dance

Tuesday 28 to Friday 31 March - Year 12 Biology Camp

Thursday 30 March - Year 7 to 10 Immunisations

The Term 1 Calendar of events is now available via the link below. You can print this out and have it at home so you know everything that is happening at our College. 

LENT

Last newsletter, I included a reflection from Angela Travers from the start of Lent.  The article concluded with the suggestion of “giving up, giving to or giving in” this Lent.  Below are some suggestions to keep you going through Lent and how to focus on what this season can teach all of us. This includes making time and space and to focus on the essentials in our lives, sharing our time and worldly goods with those less fortunate, and making time for prayer and reflection in our lives.

Giving up: Fasting, a spiritual practice that has declined in popularity over the years, has made a comeback in a less-than-spiritual way. 'Intermittent fasting' is all the rage lately on nutrition websites and in best-selling books but when fasting is understood not as a weight-loss technique but as a way of letting go of our reliance on things we don’t actually need, it can be a powerful form of prayer. It’s fine to give up desserts for Lent if that helps us reflect on the things we can do without. Perhaps it can be more powerful, though, to 'fast' from gossip or unnecessary spending or an insistence on having the last word. Fasting is a way to experience our own 'lacking' in a transformative way.
Giving to: Almsgiving, which means the giving of money or food to those in need, is another traditional Lenten practice. This, too, is relevant for us today during Lent—and all year long—because it takes the focus off ourselves and is how we recognise that we aren’t the only ones who are vulnerable. The world is full of others just like us in our lacking. They may be vulnerable in different ways than we are, but by reaching out to them in their need, we bear witness to their pain. By standing in solidarity with their brokenness, we take steps toward being healed of our own. Let us reflect on all that we have been given, on all that makes us fully human and then ‘pay forward’ these gifts to others.
Giving in: Prayer as a spiritual practice never goes out of style. Lent calls us to develop a little more of this deep inner reflectiveness, a reflectiveness about our relationship with ourselves, with God, with others and with creation, of which we are a part. By lifting our own broken pieces and those of others in prayer, we attest to—rather than run from—the vulnerable parts of our lives. Prayer connects us with each other and with God. This sacred unity connects our individual broken pieces with those of others, creating a beautiful new kind of wholeness.

Go for Gold!  

This is Stew.  Stew is our College’s 'Go for Gold' Write Thate Essay (WTE) Coach.  Stew comes to OLSCC every year and gives students focussed writing sessions prior to NAPLAN taking place.  Over the 6 days that Stew spends with us this year, he will run workshops for every Year 3, 5, 7 and 9 class regarding how to use WTE effectively so they can put their best foot forward when they have the chance to write in NAPLAN.  We are very proud of our engagement with Write That Essay at OLSCC, as we believe that it provides the structure for writing effectively that so many students need.  Please also note that all students from Years 3-12 have personal WTE Toolkit accounts that they can access online to help them with all their writing tasks, as well as providing valuable feedback. This includes daily challenges, creating, planning and writing, personal learning journeys, self-guided lessons and much more.  This, coupled with the work of Stew and our teachers, provides a wonderful opportunity for our students to advance their writing capability at their own pace.  It’s wonderful to watch students feeling confident and successful in their writing at OLSCC!

Quadrennial School Review

Last week the College underwent its Quadrennial School Review for this 4-year cycle of improvement.  Over 130 students, staff, parents, and community members were interviewed over 2 days and the review team is currently finalising the report before approval and distribution back to the College.  When this report is received, it will be shared on the website for all members of our community to access.

I would like to sincerely thank everyone who gave feedback for the review which will provide the basis for the next OLSCC Strategic Plan from 2024 – 2027.  The immediate feedback reported has seen pleasing improvements over the past 4 years, and that there continues to be areas for focus over the next 4 years to make the College an even better place for the education of our students. 

A big thanks to everyone who took time out of their day to share their thoughts on the College with the review team.  This process of school improvement is well proven to be effective and to give everyone in the community an equal and meaningful voice in the advancement of the College. 

Staff Update

We have had an amazing start to 2023, with stable staffing across the College to begin the school year.  We are working towards filling roles in the Grounds Team, Admin Team and the Tuckshop at present, which will soon see us back to capacity in all of our non-teaching areas.  At the start of next term, we are welcoming back Mr Daniel Cross to the Middle Years.  This will mean adjustments to the timetables of some students.

I am excited announce that Mrs Linzi Smith (Administration), Mrs Hayley Hayllor (Senior Years Teacher), and Mrs Rachel Rockliff (School Officer) have all announced their respective pregnancies and will each be taking maternity leave later this year as they focus on their growing families.  We wish Linzi, Andrew & Addison, as well as Hayley and Robert, and Rachel and Jack, all the best with the health and wellness of their families.  The College will be advertising for their replacement shortly.  We can’t wait to meet some future OLSCC community members throughout the course of the year!

Commencing 21 August, Mr Steve Gillespie will also be taking two months of well-earned Long Service Leave to travel with his family and support his son overseas.  Timetable adjustments will allow the College to use existing staff to cover Mr Gillespie during his absence.

Family And Community Engagement (FACE)

I would like to welcome all interested parents to an information evening in the PAC where we can discuss the new FACE model for parental and community engagement at OLSCC.  It will start with a brief presentation from myself, and then, most importantly, feedback from those present regarding what they would like to see presented and workshopped in Parent Forums.  This is the biggest target of FACE – 1 parent forum every term where parent and community needs are met through presentations, workshops, or discussions around important topics such as Cyberbullying, Internet Safety, Healthy Minds and Bodies, Study Skills, Raising Boys/Girls, Ten-ager (Madonna King presentation), amongst many hundreds of options.  After determining immediate needs, we will also identify what working parties will function (Saints Race Day, Head Heart Hands etc), as well as a few parents who are keen to be involved in the committee to guide the working groups, organise the forums and provide a voice for parents at OLSCC.

This event will take place from 5:30-6:30pm on Monday 20March in the PAC, and from here the future direction of FACE will be determined to support parental engagement in what matters to parents at OLSCC. We hope to see you there!

Outside of School Hours Care (OSHC) & Vacation Care      

The feedback form for OSHC and Vacation Care closes at 8:30pm tomorrow night!  This form is directly connected to the likelihood of Toowoomba Catholic Kindergartens and Care (TCKC) starting this service at the College in the future.  The reality is that we need minimum numbers in attendance every day, and parents to value and utilise the service so it may continue into the future.  While costing is yet to be established, it is important to note that this service will carry similar costs to other local services and is directly paid for by parents to TCKC.  If you haven’t yet responded to the form and would like your interest in utilising this service if it were provided, please do so ASAP.

Complaints Management Link   

There are times when parents and community members wish to resolve issues that occur at OLSCC. In order for this resolution to take place, the Complaints Management Procedure and TCS Complaints Form are available through a link at the bottom of the website homepage.  It is important that our community knows that making a complaint is important when issues arise so that resolutions can be found quickly and effectively so that students can continue learning as best they can. Click on the image below to take you to the Complaints Management webpage.

Recently I was inspired by the story of Paralympian Ezra Frech. As a 9-year-old boy he expressed his belief “You can dream it and you hope for it, or you can make it happen.”  His optimism, persistence, resilience and motivation is written in the moments of his life journey and his story continues through the years.  He made his goal of becoming a Paralympian happen through hard work and dedication.  Nothing happened by accident for him he lives by his motto “finish well”.  As we enter the last few weeks of the term, all students are encouraged to do this, to make it happen for themselves through hard work and determination, and to finish the term well across all dimensions of school life.  Learning does not stop with assessment. Our learning continues, and we begin the work of our next unit and face the next challenge.

NAPLAN next week

With the change of dates from May to March, NAPLAN commences next Wednesday for our students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. The test window for NAPLAN is 15-27 March 2023.  It is important that all students approach these tests like they do their learning, although for NAPLAN there is no drafting or study they can do to prepare themselves.  Students simply need to use the tools they have learnt in class throughout their schooling and focus on this during the tests.  Life should continue throughout NAPLAN as normal. These tests are just another opportunity for our students to demonstrate their learning. 

Being prepared for the day is the biggest thing you can do as a family to assist the smooth completion of NAPLAN:

• Ensure home life is kept as normal as possible. Do not place special emphasis on NAPLAN tests
• Do all the ‘good things to get ready for learning’ - eat a good breakfast and be on time and ready for school (as you would every day)
• Ensure laptops are fully charged at the start of each school day
• Be positive and embrace the opportunity that NAPLAN provides students - to demonstrate their learning and progress.

Confirmation and Communion – St Joseph’s Parish

St Joseph’s Parish is now taking enrolments for the Sacraments of Confirmation & Holy Communion.  To be eligible to enrol in these sacraments, young people must have been baptised and received the Sacrament of First Reconciliation.  Bishop Robert McGuckin will hold Confirmation on Thursday 20 April at 7pm and Holy Communion will be the following Sunday 23 April at 9am.  To enrol or find out more about these sacraments please contact St Joseph’s directly on 07 4662 4011 or email dalbyparish@twb.catholic.edu.au. 

Cate Brennan

Deputy Principal Religious Education

Think for a moment about some of the things you have on your walls at home. They don’t have to be fancy or expensive. They might be photos of your family or perhaps of deceased grandparents. They might be prints of famous paintings or posters with sayings that mean a lot to you. It is very common that Christians have special things: crucifixes or images of saints. All of these things inspire us in one way or another. If ever you have had to pack up to move house and looked at your bare walls as you leave, they will seem empty and colourless.

Art is one of the things that transfigures our world and makes it more beautiful. Other things do this as well: laughter, tears, cooking, music, hugs and sharing stories. They all transfigure our houses and allow us to see them as homes. They unlock the true potential of an otherwise ordinary space.

This week Project Compassion, organised by Caritas Australia, presents us with the story of a 27 year old Indigenous woman from Western Sydney, the area with the largest urban Indigenous population in the country. Tereesa became pregnant at the age of 16.

With your help, Project Compassion has been able to support the Mums and Bubs program run by Baabayn Aboriginal Corporation. This allowed Tereesa to find accommodation, gain skills and continue her education. She was also able to connect with her culture. Her glorious artwork was featured on the Wulugul Walk during Sydney’s Vivid Light festival last year. Her use of light and colour transfigured the environment where it was displayed. In so many places, Project Compassion helps people to achieve their vision.

Of course, the transfiguration of Jesus is unique. We hear in today’s Gospel that Jesus took his closest friends to the top of a high mountain. His face shone like the sun and his face became ‘as white as the light.’ A voice from heaven said, ‘this is my beloved son; listen to him.’ Peter said how wonderful it was to be there. The transfiguration may have only lasted a few minutes, but it was clear that Jesus’ friends never forgot it. Like a work of art on a wall, the memory made the world seem very different. During Lent, we are also called to transfigure the world, to make a difference.

Watch a short film about Tereesa’s story here.

Please support Project Compassion: www.caritas.org.au/project-compassion

Photo: Richard Wainwright/Caritas Australia

We pray for all people who are a source of hope in the world, who help to transfigure darkness into light. May our support of Project Compassion help to keep alive our vision of Christ as the one we should most listen to, the light of the world.

Amen

Over the past and coming weeks, students in the Senior Years have engaged in a variety of school visits to promote their own self-development as learners.

While engaging with our students, it led me to reflect on a reading that I engaged with recently, 'The Tools' by psychotherapists Phil Stutz and Barry Michels. Five key quotes that stood out to guide my engagement with students are:

• “A sense of purpose doesn’t come from thinking about it. It comes from taking action that moves you toward the future.
• “We like to think we react to the world as it is, when really we react to a world that exists in our own minds. This inner world is so powerful, it overwhelms our ability to see reality.
• “There’s a hidden, inner strength that you cannot find unless you push yourself through adversity.”
• “Humans beings are only happy when they are reaching toward their full potential.”
• “Instead of seeing problems as an expression of a “condition” whose cause was in the past, we needed to see them as catalysts for developing forces that were already, present, lying dormant inside us.”

In discussion with students, often the future in unclear and they struggle with a way forward. The greater we push ourselves to meet our own goals, the greater the success we find comes our way.

Year 11 RAAP Program

Our Year 11 students will take part in the Queensland Fire Services Road Attitudes and Action Planning Program (RAAP) on Monday 20 March.

This an initiative of operational firefighters. It is designed as a preventative strategy to provide information to young people about road safety so that they can make an informed decision to mitigate risks and consequences by planning ahead.

RAAP is presented in the school environment by operational firefighters who have experience with the trauma involved with vehicle crashes. They bring the credibility of someone who experiences dangerous situations and incidents on a regular basis with continual exposure to the consequences of road crashes.

Purpose

The program is educational, designed to:

• Use the trusted status of firefighters in the community to provide young people with information so they can make informed decisions.
• Reduce the number of injuries and deaths in road crashes in the 17-24 age groups which is over-represented in the statistics.

Objectives

The program addresses the contributing factors putting young drivers at such a high risk including and not limited to:

• Less developed visual and perceptual skills
• Inability to accurately identify and respond to risks and/or hazards when driving
• Overconfidence
• Inattention caused by inexperience coping with distractions while driving
• Tendency to drive at high risk times (e.g. at night with a number of other young people in the car)
• Alcohol, illicit substances, prescription medication or a combination of these
• Deliberate risk taking (e.g. high speed driving and/or tailgating. 

Year 12 RACQ DOCUDRAMA VIRTUAL CLASSROOM

As a trial for rural Queensland, RACQ will be delivering RACQ Docudrama Virtual Classroom, an online road safety initiative. The program is designed to educate and inform senior secondary students, about the potential risks of travelling in a vehicle as both drivers and passengers.

The program will be conducted virtually and will consist of a series of online lessons, classroom conversation and an interactive, livestream event. Students began engaging in these lessons this week during Year Level connect classes. The livestream event will occur on Monday 27 March during the Period 1 A & B lessons.

Students will explore the Fatal Five; Drink and Drug Driving, Fatigue, Seatbelts, Speeding and Distraction which are the leading causes of incidents and crashes on our roads. They will discuss preventative and reactive strategies and will be encouraged to use these if, and when, they find themselves in a potentially dangerous driving situation.

Participation in this program will provide road users with valuable information and skills that will help them make safer choices as drivers and passengers. Students will benefit greatly from continuing conversations at home regarding the importance of safe driving practices.

Alongside these great opportunities, assessment and classes are continuing to run with students applying themselves well.

A reminder that if your child is involved in SBA’s or TAFE or other external courses, they are expected to attend school for all examinations here at the College on the day it is scheduled.

All assessment and exam timetables can be located on our College website, Our Lady of the Southern Cross College (dalby.catholic.edu.au)

If you have any questions about the assessment, please contact your child's classroom teacher in the first instance.

Our Lady of the Southern Cross College is responsible for gathering evidence of student achievement on or before the due date for internal assessment instruments.

Students are responsible for planning and managing their time to meet the due dates. Teachers are not able to grant extensions directly to students and parents/carers.

Our Lady of the Southern Cross College is required to adhere to QCAA policies about due dates accepting assignments only on or before the due date unless an extension through our College processes has been approved. For example, a student who is absent due to family holidays or sporting events can not be granted an extension for an assignment as this doesn’t meet the AARA guidelines set by QCAA.

I look forward to all the success these next three weeks will bring to our students.

“Energy and persistence conquer all things.” – Benjamin Franklin

Rodney Spain

Assistant Principal Senior Years

Riding to School

Recently, we have seen a rise in students riding bikes to the College. Not only is this an environmentally friendly option, but it can also be a fun and healthy way for students to start their day. However, it is important to remember that riding a bike can also be dangerous if the proper safety measures are not taken. Below are some tips for ensuring that students ride their bikes safely to and from school:

• Wear a helmet.
  This is not just the law but a very important safety precaution for bike riders of all ages. A properly fitted helmet can reduce the risk of serious injuries in the event of an accident while transiting to or from home.
• Plan the route.
  Choose a safe route to and from home, ideally one with low traffic volume. It is also important that students stick to the route that has been agreed with parents.
• Follow the road rules.
  Students need to adhere to the road rules at all times. This includes stopping at stop signs and traffic lights. Students should also not dart across busy roads, such as Nicholson Street in the afternoons, but instead dismount from the bike and use the designated crossing under the guidance of the crossing supervisor.
• Avoid distractions.
  It is vital that riders remain focused. It has been reported that some students are using their phones while riding. This must be avoided. If riding with a buddy, it is also important that riders consider other road users and ensure they are safely traveling to and from home.

Parents should also be aware that some students are arriving at school with significant amounts of treats that they claim have been purchased form shops on the way to school. Consuming large amounts of sugary treats does not constitute a healthy breakfast and should not be used to “top up” if students are hungry after riding their bikes. Our suggestion is to eat a larger breakfast at home before departure or to pack additional food in lunch boxes if the riders feeling famished when arrive at school. By following these tips, students can ensure they are safe while riding to and from home.

Screen Time

Excessive screen time has a negative effect on the brain development of children. Research has shown that excessive screen time can lead to a range of problems, including decreased cognitive functioning, poor academic performance, reduced attention spans, and increased risk of depression and anxiety. It can also play a major role in stunting the development of social skills among our youth as it decreases the face-to-face interactions student shave with others. This, coupled with potentially a decreased amount of physical activity, can impact overall brain health.

Blue light waves come from fluorescent and LED lights and back-lit electronic screens on televisions, computers, tablets, and phones. Exposure to blue light close to bedtime will make it difficult for students to fall asleep and stay asleep as it impacts the body’s circadian rhythm. These circadian rhythms are finely-tuned, 24-hour cycles that help our bodies know when to carry out specific functions. Light is the most important factor in aligning them. For millennia, humans used sunrise and sunset to align these rhythms, but with the advent of artificial light, we have been exposed to much higher amounts of light prior to bedtime. Blue light stimulates part of the brain and makes us feel alert, it can also even elevate heart rate as a response. It also supresses the body’s release of melatonin, a hormone that makes us feel drowsy.

The easiest way to mitigate the effects of blue light in the evening is to turn off sources. This means reducing the use of electronic devices after it gets dark outside and ensuring students do not have technology devices in their bedroom. Better sleep for students will lead to better outcomes at school and in their social interactions with their peers.

Camps 
This week our Year 8 students have travelled to Camp Cooby to work on their interpersonal skills and the College’s Learning Dispositions, especially optimism, motivation, resilience, and persistence. They have been blessed with wonderful weather and appear to be having a great time forging new friendships, strengthening existing ones, and growing more confident in themselves through the completion of challenging tasks.

Next term, our Year 6 students will depart on their Outback Queensland tour which will visit regional towns like Tambo, Blackall, Barcaldine, Longreach, Winton, and Charleville. This is a wonderful experience for our Year 6 students to see parts of Queensland that many will never travel to and to hear the stories from locals on how the towns formed and their rich history. We also visit some of the oldest residents of the region when we visit the fossils laboratory of the Age of Dinosaurs Museum at the Winton Jump-Up.

Just a reminder to parents of Year 6 students, that families will be required to organise their own swag for their child for this camp. Many families have these, but for those that do not, please ask friends or families members for a loan. They are also available at shops in town such as Golders and Camping World if you are looking for a birthday gift for your child this year. Please avoid the large dome style swags. We prefer the flat rolled swags for this trip as the under-coach storage compartment has limited space.

Craig Cullen

Assistant Principal Middle Years

Bookings opened on Wednesday for Early Years Student-Led Conferences in our new revised format as a response to feedback from both families and teachers. These will take place in Week 9, on Wednesday 22 March and Thursday 23 March.

All families should have received an email last week outlining how these conferences will work, and some of the detail is included here again for your convenience.

How will this work?

• Students will continue to take a lead role in the conference setting.
• To begin each conference, students will independently show parents around the classroom, including their own workspace, and share examples of their learning.
• This will look different from Prep through to Year 4 and may include showing you how they learn with concrete materials, a work sample to discuss, sharing some bookwork, or a personal-social goal they are working on. This will be the first 10 minutes of their Student Led Conference.
• Following this, students and parents will have the opportunity to sit with the teacher to ask any questions and discuss progress. This will occur during the second 10 minutes of the Student Led Conference
• 20 minutes will be allocated for the Student Led Conference (including sharing of learning and follow up question time) and both of these times are essential.  Only 10 minutes will show on your Sentral booking for the conference.
• All activities will take place in the student’s classroom, with one student engaged in sharing their learning with parents whilst another student and parent will be engaged in question time with the teacher. An example of this is:

3:50: Student A – independent student led discussion / Student B - Student, parent, teacher discussion time

4:00: Student C – independent student led discussion / Student A - Student, parent, teacher discussion time

4:10: Student D – independent student led discussion / Student C - Student, parent, teacher discussion time

What do I need to do to support my child?

• Book a time through Parent Portal (Sentral for Parents). Bookings will open on Wednesday 8 March at 7:00am and will close at 5:00pm on Tuesday 21 March.
• Let your child know you are an interested participant in the Student Led Conference and are looking forward to seeing their classroom, hearing about what they are learning, and meeting with their teacher.
• Come with your child 5 minutes prior to the actual conference time and wait outside the classroom for the teacher to invite you in
• Listen and look – Your child will be excited to show you what they are learning.
• Prompt to support your child if necessary – your child’s teacher will have prompt cards to help you with this. These will be on display in the rooms. Some ideas for prompts are included at the end of this letter.
• Enjoy the opportunity to see your child in his/her learning environment.
• Celebrate your child’s progress to date.

Important things to remember

Your child is integral to this process. All students have been preparing and reflecting on their learning and are excited to welcome you into their classroom. If you cannot attend, please arrange for another significant adult in your child’s life to come to the conference.

Student-Led Conferences will occur again in Term 3. Formal written reports, with a focus on achievement against the Australian Curriculum achievement standards, will be available twice per year as a written report in Terms 2 and 4. 

We are very excited to welcome you to the inaugural Early Years College Bush Dance and Family Celebration. Students have been very enthusiastic while practicing their year level dances as well as dances that will be performed by the whole Early Years cohort! They are eager to show you what they have learnt this term and we are looking forward to using this opportunity to bring our families together for a social gathering.

When: Friday 24 March 2023

Where: Main Oval (Christmas Carols Location)

Time: 5:30 – 7:00pm

Who: Your whole family is welcome to attend.

What to Bring: BYO a rug and a picnic of your choice to celebrate a wonderful start to 2023.

What to Wear: Students may choose to wear free dress OR a costume of choice appropriate to their year level dance (costumes are not mandatory).

Softdrinks and poppers will be available for purchase, with cash preferred. Please bring some cash along to support the cultural initiatives of the College.

Please remember this is not a drop and go event, it is a stay and mingle event! Parents are responsible for their children at the event.

We cannot wait to see you there with your picnics packed and your dancing shoes on!

Parking – please be considerate.

Drop off and Pick Up can be some of the most frustrating times of the school day – for all of us!! Please be considerate of others. Simply following the rules sets an appropriate example for our students, ensures smooth, safe flow of traffic for all, and eliminates any chance of unwanted  fines. A reminder once again that the first 10 parks in front of Prep are a

LOADING ZONE – 2 MINUTES ONLY. THIS IS A DROP AND GO AREA.

This means it is NOT a place to park if you need to get out of your car. If you do intend to get out of the car, please show consideration to the rest of the community by parking in a different area, as per our regular parking updates.

Katrina Walton

Assistant Principal Early Years

On Tuesday, Prep Red students visited the Science labs. We have been learning about the weather in Science this term. At the Science lab, we conducted a cloud experiment, where the shaving cream acted as the clouds and the food colouring acted as the rain. It was lots of fun! We also got to look at some of the cool things in the Science lab including the skeleton of a dead cat that Mr Cullen found under the old grounds shed a couple of years ago. 

QCIS Swimming Carnival

Congratulations to all students who competed at the QCIS Carnival in Dalby on Friday. The College finished third in the percentage points and fourth in the overall points. Highlights of the day included;

Record Breakers

Charlotte Colquhoun – Girls Under 12- 50m Breaststroke and 50m Freestyle

Archie Stephens – Boys Under 11- 50m Freestyle

Charlie Sullivan – Boys Under 10- 50m Backstroke

Isabelle Manley – Girls Under 11- 50m Backstroke

Relay Winners

Under 10/11 Boys – Charlie Sullivan, Ace Utz, Ben Barwick, Archie Stephens

Swimmers from OLSCC made up the five school sthat were competing at the event along with Concordia, Downlands, Toowoomba Anglican School and Scots Warwick. The results below show the placing for each age group from OLSCC against those other schools. 

Darling Downs Swimming

Congratulations to all swimmers who competed at the Darling Downs Trials in Gatton last week. Charlie Sullivan, Isabelle Manley, Lainey Geiger, Archie Stephens, Charlotte Colquhoun and Lachlan Fraser who were all selected in the Darling Downs Team for the State Championships. Full results from the meets are listed below.

Macie Allen – 6^th 50m Backstroke, 7^th 50m Breaststroke, 100m Freestyle and 100m Backstroke, 10^th 50m Freestyle

Ben Barwick – 4^th 50m Breaststroke,7^th 100m Breaststroke, 13^th 50m Freestyle, 14^th 50m Backstroke

Ava Boland – 29^th 50m Freestyle

Henry Cassidy – 9^th 50m Freestyle

Charlotte Colquhoun – 1^st 50m Breaststroke, 100m Breaststroke and 200m Breaststroke, 2^nd 100m Freestyle, 200m Freestyle and 200m Individual Medley, 4^th 50m Backstroke and 50m Freestyle, 6^th 50m Butterfly.

Lucinda Conn – 5^th 100m Breaststroke, 7^th 50m Breaststroke

Hugo Fraser – 16^th 50m Freestyle

Lachlan Fraser – 2^nd 200m Freestyle, 3^rd 50m Freestyle and 100m Freestyle, 4^th 50m Butterfly, 6^th 50m Backstroke

Lainey Geiger – 3^rd 50m Breaststroke, 4^th 100m Breaststroke, 17^th 50m Freestyle

Myles Gilliland – 19^th 50m Backstroke and 50m Freestyle

Isabelle Manley – 2^nd 50m Backstroke and 100m Backstroke, 15^th 50m Breaststroke, 19^th 50m Freestyle  

Pippa Smith – 17^th 50m Freestyle and 50m Backstroke

Archie Stephens – 3^rd 50m Backstroke and 50m Freestyle, 4^th 50m Butterfly, 6^th 100m Freestyle, 7^th 50m Breaststroke

Charlie Sullivan – 2^nd 50m Backstroke, 6^th 50m Breaststroke, 12^th 50m Freestyle  

Darling Downs Selections  

Congratulations to the following students selected in Darling Downs Teams following trials in Toowoomba this week.

Squash

Emma Cusack, Lucy Cusack, Rory McUtchen  

Under 15 Netball

Monique Smith, Carla Nobbs (Shadow)

Under 15 AFL

Chris Banks

Under 18 Rugby League

Lyucian King Togia

Laura Geitz Netball

Best of luck to the Year 7-9 Girls competing in Division 1 of the Laura Geitz Shield this Sunday in Toowoomba. The girls have games against Downlands College, St Ursula’s College, Fairholme College, St Joseph’s College and Glennie. Thanks to Miss Fry and Mrs Bennie for coaching the team and to Kaitlyn Harms for umpiring.   

Rugby League

Matt Hughes Foundation

This Saturday as part of the Matt Hughes Foundation the Open Boys Rugby League Team will play against Dalby SHS. This game will double as the opening game of the 2023 Berwick / McCullough Shield played between the two schools. The game will be played at 2.30pm at the Dalby Wheatmen Grounds.

Beach Volleyball

This weekend the College will send two teams to the QLD Beach Schools Cup Volleyball Competition on the Gold Coast. Thanks to Mrs Lincoln for coaching our teams at this event.

Tim Lincoln

Middle Leader Sport

We have been running full steam ahead over here in Culture.

Culture/Harmony Day

Friday 24 March (Week 9) our College is celebrating Culture Day in conjunction with Harmony Week. Both Culture Day and Harmony Week are a celebration that recognises our diversity and brings together Australians from all different backgrounds. It’s about inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone.​ We will be organising some lunchtime activities that allow students to appreciate and celebrate the different cultures within our College community. Additionally, students are encouraged to wear orange accessories as traditionally, orange signifies social communication and meaningful conversations. It also relates to the freedom of ideas and the encouragement of mutual respect.

Arts Fest

This year TCS is organising an amazing event called Arts Fest and has invited us to attend. The event will be held over a number of days and will include some great workshops for students to get involved in. Arts Fest will take place in Week 10 of Term 2. We will release some more information soon and collect expressions of interest in Term 2. We hope you’re just as excited as we are!

CECP

The Culture Extra-Curricular Program is going great! The students are loving it and it's amazing so many students engaging with Culture at this level. I personally can’t wait to see the amazing Eisteddfod performances and showcases this year!

Musical

We have been plugging away at our College Musical, The Little Mermaid for quite a few weeks now! The students have been working very hard and it’s starting to look fin-tastic! This year we’ll have three performances over 28 and 29 April and we are so excited to share with you! Keep an eye out for when information about tickets come out!

Tamara Creeley

Middle Leader Culture

Year 10 Work Experience

This week, the Year 10 students were handed both the employer and student packs with the aim to have them to start to approach host employers to attend work experience from 12to 16June in Term 2. Work experience is a compulsory curriculum activity for Year 10 students, and it gives them the experience to be involved in future career planning and career choice making. Below are some important dates that the Year 10 students are required to meet with the organisation of work experience this year. Please ensure that your child/children have their host profile sheet with them in Year level connect on Monday, 20 March.

Timeline – Important Dates

6 to 19 March - Source work experience provider – If you are experiencing problems finding a placement, please speak with Mr Garside or Mrs Boland

20 March - Return Host Profile – Employer fill out these forms.

27 March - You will receive Work Experience Agreement to have signed by parent/student and host employer.

18 April - Return Signed Work Experience Agreement returned to the Careers office.

University of Southern Queensland

On attending a Career Practitioner Information session last week at Uni SQ, it is evident that this academic institution are making university a very viable option for people of all ages to attend and participate in academic pathways. Contact UniSQ - University of Southern Queensland

TAFE, Certificate Course Students and the QCAA Portal

In the short time I have spent in the Careers position, it has become quickly evident to me that there is some confusion regarding students who are participating in an SBA or a certificate course via TAFE or another external provider and the student QCAA portal. When a student from Year 10 to 12 attends a course through an external provider outside the College, these providers are responsible for uploading certificate or diploma course details such as an SBA or certificate information into the QCAA student portal. As a College, (or any other school-based education institution) we have no jurisdiction over when or how these providers upload either completed or completed course subjects for certificates to the QCAA portal. As these are either Government training agencies such as TAFE or other private external agencies, it is the responsibility of these organisations to ensure that all student details and certificate courses are uploaded into the QCAA portal. As a College, we will endeavour to assist where we can with this, but please be aware we have no capability as a College to enter any externally provided courses into the students QCAA portal. Thank you for your understanding in this matter.

Important Dates: Up and Coming Events – Save the Date

• Monday 13 March 2023 St Leo’s & Women’s College (UQ Residential Colleges) - Visit for Yr 11 & 12 Students in Chapel
• Tuesday 28 March 2023 UniSQ Experience Day – Toowoomba Campus

(See below)

• Thursday 30 March 2023 UniSQ Experience Day – Springfield & Ipswich

(See below)

• Wednesday 10 May Industry Dinner (Yr. 9 & 10 Students)
• 12-16 June Year 10 Work Experience
• Friday 21 July 2023 Dalby Careers Expo (information will be sent)

University of Queensland Residential Colleges Visit

St Leo's and Women's College Visit Year 11 & 12 students

Stephen Foley will be visiting the College on Monday 13 March to speak with students who are interested in applying for College Accommodation for University placings (UQ, QUT, Griffith, ACU) for 2024.  Please encourage your child to attend this meeting if they are interested in University Accommodation in Brisbane.

Where:           The Chapel

Who:              Yr 11 & 12 Students

When:            Monday 13 March

Time:             11.30am

2023 Experience UniSQ Days

If your child is in Year 11 or 12, they can get an exclusive sneak peek into study areas to help them explore the different directions for their life after school. They will hear from our world-class lecturers, take part in real-life experiments and activities, and get a feel for life as a university student.  Spaces are limited, so register now to secure their spot by clicking on the link below. 

UniSQ Experience Days

Toowoomba Campus, 28 March      8.45am - 2.30pm

Springfield Campus, 30 March       8.45am – 2.30pm

Ipswich Campus, 30 March            8.45am – 2.30pm

Apprenticeship Opportunities

Golden West are offering an apprenticeship in Cabinet Making in Dalby. Please see the link Golden West Apprenticeships - Current School-based Opportunities (mailchi.mp)

Urban Paddock is offering a School Based Apprenticeship (SBA) in the kitchen in commercial cookery. If a student at the College is interested, please see Mr Garside or Mrs Boland for details or Melissa Harms at Urban Paddock directly.

Work Experience Opportunities

Ergon Energy and Energex are offering work experience opportunities for current Year 10, 11 and 12 students to attend work experience this year in the areas of electrician, communication technician, linesperson, underground cable joiner, or diesel fitting (Cairns only). If you are interested in this exciting opportunity, please contact Ergon at workexperience@energyq.com.au

Mr Dean Garside

Career Development Practitioner

It has been a massive term in the College’s well-being space. In terms of my role, my priority is the whole College preventative education for our students, teachers and parents. Not only is this in my role description, but it is also supported by evidence across many themes of wellbeing, mental health and mental illness. Research is finding that the best protective actions we take to prevent mental illness, bullying, suicidal ideation is our work in preventative education. More particularly, students need explicit social and emotional education, education and development of their resilience, coping strategies and connection with their peers, family and community. It makes sense that if our young people can identify their emotions, thoughts and feelings, practice healthy coping strategies and connect with their support network, mental illness is less likely to occur. Evidence is finding that by upskilling our young people in these areas is more effective than treatments of mental illness. This current evidence in mental health research is the driving force behind the programs incorporated into the College.  

Early Years

We are working on identifying unhelpful and helpful thoughts and how these thoughts influence our feelings and actions. I demonstrate this with puppets. Poison Parrot represents our unhelpful thoughts, sometimes making us feel scared or nervous and sometimes stopping us from taking action. Powerful Puppy represents our helpful thoughts and can be seen as our inner cheer leader – many of our young children imagine their inner cheerleader as mum or dad. How wonderful is that, that they see you in this light. I am hearing student’s comment to each other, “is your poison parrot making you stop?” This concept of identifying thoughts feelings and actions is formed from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy which is a common practise utilsed by many therapists.

Middle Years/Senior Years

In middle years and senior years we have been practising restorative conversations. This is another evidence-based practice that supports the resolution of conflict. Although the outcome is conflict resolution the practice develops our students empathy and connection with their peers. Across the research it is the most recommended practice (that I have found) for bullying. Restorative practise supports actioning current conflicts but also prevents future conflicts. Please find below links introducing restorative practices and an example of restorative conversation. Restorative conversations are not punitive but student led with the intent to understand all parties perspectives.

Restorative Approach Example - Primary School - Bing video

Introduction to Restorative Approaches - Bing video

Year Level Connect

Lessons in the middle years, year level connect is a complete unit on resilience. Some of the topics taught and discussed are: perfectionism, grief and loss, catastrophising, helpful and unhelpful thoughts and dealing with setbacks.

Headspace

Rikki from headspace provided explicit lessons on identifying emotions, coping strategies, self-care and discussions around defining mental health. In the parent session, Riki discussed parents being the first point of call that our young people will model from, in terms of coping strategies and openly discussing mental health (not always mental illness). If talking about mental health is not normalised at home, it is unlikely that our young people will feel comfortable talking about it when they need it. All student’s 12 years and over have free access to headspace. There are multiple modes of support available such as an online account, online chat to therapists or face-face support at the Toowoomba centre. Please find the link below to the headspace website.

headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation

LifeChanger

LifeChanger is a new program being delivered at our school. To be honest, the program delivered beyond my expectations. The main outcomes from LifeChanger are the development of resilience, student strengths and connection. Not only did the team teach these concepts but the students practised and developed their skills in connection and resilience. The student’s got to experience those wonderful neurological pathways of positive emotions and feelings from encouraging each other and connecting as an entire cohort. Our students really did put in 110% effort into these sessions. These sessions will support the prevention of bullying and gossip while fostering positive cohort cultures of peer encouragement and leadership.

For parents, caregivers and educators,

We now have access to this wonderful online resource which has a database of themes and topics around supporting parents and their children. If you are noticing any red flags with your young person or yourself, please access this website for immediate psychologist research and practical advice in your chosen area.  This are presented mostly in 1-hour webinars or articles. Please find below links and a screen shot from the website.

I would like to wish all our staff, families and students a successful end to the term according to their needs and priorities.

Katrina Ballantyne

College Counsellor

Vaccinations for all Year 7 and 10 students will be held at the College on Thursday, 30 March 2023. A team of authorised registered nurses will conduct these vaccinations. Students will receive the following vaccinations:

Year 7:            Human Papillomavirus (HPV) (1 dose)

                        Diptheria-Tetanus-Pertussis (dTpa) (1 booster dose)

Year 10:          Meningococcal ACWY (1 dose)

Year 7 students will now not receive a second HPV six months later. Please advise Sandy at the College Office if your child is unwell on this day.

If you have any queries regarding the immunisations, please contact Sandy Brookes at the College Office or via email Sandra.Brookes@twb.catholic.edu.au

Every Monday

Afternoon

(Starts Monday, 13 March 2023)

3:15pm – 4:00pm

Please meet at the pavilion with your running gear and water bottle.

Look forward to seeing

you there!

Mrs Tresillian

Sock Sizing

The uniform shop would like to clear up some confusion with ordering socks sizes. 

Please know that 5-8 is our smallest size & a lot of people think that it is an Adult size. 

The Sock sizes are:-

Junior  5-8, 9-12, 13-3

Senior 2-8, 8-11, 11-14, 14-16

If you have further queries please contact the uniform shop.

Olsc@wearitto.com.au