Wednesday 29 May - 1500m races for Under 16s and Open

Friday 31 May - Whole College Assembly - Ecumenical Prayer Service

Tuesday 4 June - Dalby Eisteddfod Choir Performance

Wednesday 5 June - 1500m races for Under 12 to Under 15

5 - 7 June - Year 11 Leadership Camp

Thursday 6 June - CECP Showcase Piano, Strings and Choir

Friday 7 June - Year 7 visit to Chinchilla Science Festival

Friday night saw the students of the 2024 Year 12 cohort arrive in style at the Senior Formal which was held on a beautiful evening at the Dalby Events Centre. It was wonderful to see so many members from our College and wider community gather to watch the students arrive in some fabulous vintage and modern cars. Mr Gillespie and Mrs Brennan welcomed the students on the red carpet with a brief chat about what was special about their day or what they were wearing. Once inside, the students and their families enjoyed a wonderful night with delicious catering from Thyme to Plate and refreshments from the bar that was manned by staff from the Confro teams who are raising funds for their up coming competitions.

Mr Cuskelly addressed the crowd highlighting the action of 'turn up' and how important it is for students to always be present and have a go. Past student, Dan Gillespie also addressed the students with the message to follow your passion and don't be afraid to change paths if you find you are not on the right one. We would like to thank Mr de Costa Silva and Miss Purbrick for taking the stunning photos in the galleries below and also Mrs Forbes and Ms Parker who coordinated the event along with other staff members who assisted with the arrivals which made everything run so smoothly. Lastly to the Senior students, thank you for all the effort you put in to look so fabulous! 

On Wednesday night I had the pleasure in presenting at the Churches Together Dinner about the religious life of our College, which we call LYF – Living Your Faith.  In preparing for the night I spent a lot of time in reflection about how our Catholic identity is lived out at the College and the considering the ‘why’ of many things we do at the College.  One part of my presentation was to ask the many people gathered if they have a connection to our College’s story.  It was a joy to hear the buzz in the room, as they shared stories with each other about their involvement as students, parents, staff, grandparents, volunteers, ministers and community members of our College.  We have such a rich history and connection in town and it was celebrated by their discussions. 

National Volunteer Week is currently being celebrated and I would like to thank all who currently volunteer in our College.  Your assistance in our tuckshop, classrooms, on excursions, coaching, umpiring and supporting our students and teachers is greatly appreciated.  Your contributions lighten the load for our staff and your children love having you at the College.

Walk for Edmund – Rice Day 2024

Thanks to Rice House for raising $334.60 for the Edmund Rice Foundation.

Ecumenical Service

On Friday 31 May, we will celebrate an Ecumenical Prayer Service as a whole College community.  We acknowledge the rich diversity of faiths in our College families and gather to celebrate this.  All families are encouraged to join us at 9:00am in the MPC for this prayer celebration.  We praise the love of God in our lives no matter our faith background and we value the contribution of all religions to enrich our Catholic College.

Report Cards

Reporting to parents is one of the most important things we do as teachers.  This semester we are beginning a trial which will involve progressive changes to our ‘reporting’ processes.  A detailed letter was sent home last week outlining several changes to our report cards and reporting process. This letter is also available on Parent Portal. A big change for everyone will be the opportunity for Learning Discussions in Week 10 with your child’s teacher/s.  These 10 minute discussions will be for parents and teachers (students optional) to discuss progress so far this year and opportunities for growth.  These are not compulsory for parents and if you have been communicating with your teacher about your child’s progress you may not feel it is necessary to attend these. We can allocate particular times for these formal Learning Discussions.  For our teachers in Year 7-12, that teach multiple classes and students, we ask that you consider which teacher/s you wish to have discussion with and prioritise booking with these. Bookings for these discussions will be via Parent Portal and will remain open until after you receive your digital copy of the report card.  Please be mindful that parents are always are encouraged to reach out to teacher/s to discuss your child’s progress throughout the year. 

As mentioned previously this year report cards will only be issued digitally via the Parent Portal App, paper copies will not be printed and distributed by the College.  If you need support with Sentral for Parents App – Parent Portal please contact the office.

This trial is a time of change and readjustment for our staff and parents, and we thank our amazing community for their flexibility and willingness to embrace change and work towards a better way of reporting for all.  It is our aim in 2024 to continue gathering feedback about our report cards and make improvements to ensure they are meeting the needs of the parents they are written for.  So, if at any time you have thoughts and ideas with regards to Student-led conferences or Report Cards, please email these to me or your appropriate Sector Assistant Principal.

Cate Brennan

Deputy Principal Religious Education

Laudato Si' Week: Planting Seeds of Hope in our World

Every year the Catholic Church marks the anniversary of Pope Francis’ landmark encyclical Laudato Si’. From 19 – 26 May, we celebrate what is means to care for our common home.

In 2023, Pope Francis released a ‘sequel’ to his famous letter called Laudate Deum which reminds us of the urgent need to act.

This year the theme of Laudato Si’ Week centres around ‘seeds of hope’. We are called to consider how we can plant and nurture seeds to be the hope that the world needs during this time of suffering for our planet (Laudate Deum, 2).

Reflection Questions:

The cry of the earth. Are we considering how our choices will impact the earth and its precious resources?

The cry of the poor. Are we considering how our choices will affect all forms of life, especially those who are most vulnerable?

Ecological economics. Are our economic transactions supporting ecology through sustainable, ethical, and fair production, consumption and investment?

Adoption of sustainable lifestyles. Are we considering ways in which we can use less resources and energy systems as we go about our daily life?

Ecological Education. Are we considering that our actions will educate others? Are we mindfully educating others to promote ecological awareness and action?

Ecological Spirituality. Are we encouraging greater contact with the natural world, bringing others into an awareness of creation and the marvels of it? Are we promoting a spirit of wonder, awe, praise, thanksgiving, and joy?

Community resilience and empowerment. Are we considering ways in which local, national, and international communities can participate in action for care of creation?

PRAYER

God of all creation,

Thank you for the gift of our lives and for the world in which we live. We thank you for the warmth of the sun in winter, and a cool breeze in summer.

We thank you for the great diversity of life, which fills us with wonder and reminds us that we too are creatures.

Carey Twidale

Middle Leader Living Your Faith

As we PASS the midpoint of Term 2, it has been great to see the growth in our students thus far. From strong academic performances to accomplishments in extracurricular activities, our students are truly excelling.

However, we understand that this success doesn't come without its challenges. With assessment due dates upon us, it is essential to ensure students are giving themselves every chance to succeed. We encourage all our students to adopt healthy coping mechanisms and self-care practices to ensure they are looking after themselves. Balancing academics with self-care activities like exercise, mindfulness, and maintaining a proper sleep schedule can significantly contribute to your overall well-being and performance. Remember, your mental and emotional well-being are as important as your grades. 

As part of this journey of excellence at our College, we strive to empower our students by fostering a sense of “Student Agency”. We empower students to take ownership of their learning and actively participate in decision-making processes. Students are not just passive recipients of knowledge but valuable contributors to their educational journey through their attendance and engagement at our College. Through student-led projects, personalized learning pathways, and general discussions, we aim to cultivate their critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, and decision-making capacities. Through “Student Agency”, we are preparing our students to become lifelong learners and confident, responsible individuals ready to navigate the complexities of the world beyond.

With the upcoming Year 11 Leadership camp, many of our students across Years 11 and 12 have been reflecting on their own agency in making strong choices for their future and working towards their individual and cohort based goals.

YEAR 12 Formal 2024

This Friday our Year 12 students celebrate their Formal. I look forward to celebrating and engaging with our whole community as the excitement builds over what will be a wonderful celebration of our 2024 Year 12 cohort. The formal is a wonderful opportunity for our community to gather and celebrate the Year 12 cohort, with one eye looking towards the finishing line and the other firmly focused on finishing well. More reflections and photos will be shared in our next newsletter.

As always, we continue to encourage our parents to communicate with us where students are struggling but also those who are having success. We welcome proactive communication from our parents to ensure we can support and celebrate your child’s educational journey. Parents are encouraged to make contact with their student’s teachers who are always willing to be proactive and support our students through positive communication with parents.

Assessment Calendars and Exam Timetables

Year 11 and 12 Exam timetables for Term 2 and Year 9 to 12 Assessment calendars for Semesters 1 and 2 have been published via the Parent Portal and are available via the College website.

Assessment Calendars Link

It is important to note that assessment adjustments for family holidays and other events are not aligned within the QCAA guidelines across all year levels. Conversations must be had with senior leadership should holidays be taken when any assessment is due.

If you have any questions about assessment, please contact your child's classroom teacher or the relevant Middle Leader Curriculum.

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. All students have electronic access to their assessment, and it is their responsibility to adhere to these due dates. Students are responsible for planning and managing their time to meet the due dates. Students and parents can contact teachers and Curriculum Leaders via phone or email. Teachers are not able to grant extensions directly with 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 AARA processes has been approved.  For example, a student who is absent due to family holidays will not be granted an extension for an assignment as this doesn’t meet the AARA guidelines set by QCAA. Any adjustments requested must be supported by medical or professional documentation.

Rodney Spain

Assistant Principal Senior Years

Atomic Habits
Lately, I challenged the Middle Years students to get 1% better each day. When asked, they will often respond with 1% is an easy amount to change and it something they feel could be sustainable. That’s great. This concept of only changing by 1% each day stems from the James Clear’s book Atomic Habits. In the book, Clear provides 3 lessons:

1. Small habits make a big difference 
   We often underestimate the value of making small improvement on a daily basis and instead focus on the importance of one large, defining moment. Like the people who go on weight lose shows and wow audiences in the first few weeks under intense pressure but never address the underlying cause of their health crisis. They are fine will the show creates an artificial world for them to succeed in, however, when the show is over, they will return to poor habits if they have focuses on changing their daily habits. Small changes can add up quickly and make a large difference over time. For instance, improving by 1% every day for 1 year, you’ll be 37 times better by the time you finish. On the other hand, the same can work in reverse if we are not careful. Success right not is not what is important, its what habits we are working on and putting into place.
2. Forget about goal setting. Focus on your systems instead. 
   Goals are great but they are just what you want to achieve. They are just the result. Systems are about the processes and steps that lead to those results. Bag habits have a tendency to repeat themselves when people are not prepared to change. There is a saying, you do not rise to the level of your goals, but instead fall to the level of your systems. Time to work on great habits and try to break the bad ones.
3. Build identity-based habits.
   Our current behaviours are a reflection of our current identity. What we do now is the mirror image of the people we believe ourselves to be. It seems like a tall ask, telling us to change who we believe we are … change our identity. But perhaps it is not as hard as it sounds. Firstly, think about the type of person you want to be and then prove it to yourself 1% at a time. Small steps is the key here (remember – 37 times better in a single year). 

The book highlights ways to try and build better habits. It does this by introducing the Four Laws of Behaviour Change. There is a process of building better habits that is divided into four simple steps:

• Cue (make it obvious)
• Craving (make it attractive)
• Response (make it easy)
• Reward (make it satisfying)

Small habits can make a meaningful difference by providing evidence of the person you wish to become. Sometimes we have to be prepared to stop doing good things … in order to do better things. A small change to improve a good habit and turn it into a better habit is a great thing. But it seems odd to stop doing what is considered good. But if we all believe we can do better, even just 1%, not because what we are doing is bad but simply because we think we can do better, there will be not limits to what we can accomplish.

We currently have 153 students who have volunteered to be part of the College’s Leadership Passport model of student leadership skill development. This is wonderful! But, just being brave enough to begin your leadership journey is only the first step. We know that great leaders are people of action. People who see a need and do not let it slip by. People who what to be change makers not because it is easy, but because it is a challenge, it will benefit others, and because it is the right thing to do. We also know that being a great leader is something that no one is born as. It is something that can be developed in anyone and many people lead in many different ways.

In the coming months, it is expected that students will be working through their current leadership level completing the challenges their passport outlines. These include:

• Students completing helpful tasks considered to be Above and Beyond what is expected of all students at the College.
• Students extending their communication skills by completing public speaking challenges either here at school or off-site.
• Attendance and participation in College events that are deemed significant to our community. These include liturgies, house days, carnivals, ANZAC Day services and more.
• Community service. Helping others in need by volunteering time and effort. This could be at sporting clubs, nursing homes, the PCYC etc …

What is exciting is at the completion of their current level, these 153 students would have cumulatively accomplished:

 If your child is interested in beginning their leadership skill development, please have them touch base with their Assistant Principal. It is never too late to join, it is something that student can do with their friends, and with enough practice, time, and effort, any student can grow into a wonderful leader.

Here are some of the aspiring leaders we currently have in our College:

Craig Cullen

Assistant Principal Middle Years

Darling Downs Rugby League Competition Results

Round 4

U18

OLSCC defeated Pittsworth SHS       30-10

Round 5

U13

OLSCC defeated St Joseph’s            26-10

U15

OLSCC defeated St Joseph’s            26-12

U18

OLSCC defeated St Joseph’s            36-4

Round 6 Draw

Wednesday 29 May

U13 vs Lockyer District SHS in Gatton at 4pm

U15 vs Lockyer District SHS in Gatton at 5pm

U18 vs Lockyer District SHS in Gatton at 6pm

Round 7 Draw

Wednesday 5 June

U13 vs Bye

U15 vs St Mary’s in Dalby at 4pm  

U18 vs Bye

Year 5/6 Rugby League

Congratulations to the Year 5/6 Rugby League Team who played two games against Dalby State School last week. A further two games will be played next Thursday on the OLSCC Brothers Oval.

Under 10/11

Dalby SS defeated OLSCC 24-0

Under 11/12

Dalby SS defeated OLSCC 20-12 

Bunya District Rugby Union

Congratulations to the following boys who were selected in the Bunya District Rugby Union Team to attend the Darling Downs Trials.

Felix Twidale, Bryce Peterson, Archie Stephens, Flynn Zillman, Bobby Machin, Will Burton.

QCIS Netball

Three College teams attended the QCIS Netball carnival in Toowoomba last week. It was a successful event for our girls with the U13 team finishing Runners Up and the U15 and U18 teams finishing third. Thanks to Mrs Bennie and Miss Price for coaching our teams. Game results are listed below.

Under 13

Win vs Mary MacKillop               5-4

Win vs Concordia                       24-2

Win vs TAS                               14-3

Win vs Scots                             10-8

Loss to Downlands                     9-4

Final

Loss to Scots                             8-7 (in double extra time)

Under 15

Loss to Mary MacKillop             14-7

Win vs Concordia                       15-9

Loss to TAS                              7-4

Win vs Scots                            15-6

Loss to Downlands                     15-3

Third Place Playoff

Win vs Concordia                       12-11

Under 18

Loss to Downlands 1sts             13-3

Win vs Concordia                       16-0

Loss to TAS                              12-7

Win vs Scots                             19-6

Win vs Downlands 2nds             10-8    

Third Place Playoff

Win vs TAS                               13-9

Darling Downs Rugby Union

Congratulations to Archie Stephens who has been selected in the Darling Downs Under 12 Rugby Union Team for the State Championships in Brisbane.

Darling Downs Schools Cup Volleyball

Congratulations to the five teams who competed at the Darling Downs Intermediate Schools Cup competition in Toowoomba. A successful day was had with the Year 10 Boys’ team winning a bronze medal and the Year 9 Girls team winning the gold medal. Macie Allen, Charlotte Bennie, Emmy Harms, Mia Smith, Lachlan Fraser, Ziggy Utz and Travis Collins who were named in the All-Star teams at the conclusion of the carnival. Charlotte Bennie was also named Player of the Carnival. Thanks to Mrs Lincoln, Mrs Harwood and Mrs Sullivan for coaching our girls teams and to Year 11 girls Arabella Donaldson and Summer Buckley for assisting on the day.

Touch Football

Any students interested in representing the College in Touch Football next semester need to see Mr Lincoln ASAP. Teams in the U13 Boys, U15 Boys, U15 Girls and U18 Mixed will represent the College at the Swans Carnival in Toowoomba and the Gold Coast Titans All Schools Carnivals. Trials will be held later this term to select teams.

Darling Downs Cross Country

The Darling Downs Cross Country was held in Toowoomba on Tuesday 14 May. Results from the College runners on the day are listed below. Justin Hemmings was selected in the Darling Downs Team for the State Championships next term.

Under 10 Boys

Justin Hemmings 8^th, Flynn Bennie 14^th

Under 10 Girls

Sophie Lincoln 37^th

Under 11 Girls

Lucy Scott 35^th

Under 12 Girls

Bella Cusack 12^th, Lexie Forbes 37^th

Under 14 Girls

Molly Gibson 13^th

Under 15 Boys

Dylan Peach 15^th

Athletics Carnival 1500m Races

Under 16/ Opens

Wednesday 29 May at 11.40am

Under 12- Under 15

Wednesday 5 June at 2.00pm

Under 10/11 Bunya District Trials

Wednesday 5 June 11.40am  

Tim Lincoln

Middle Leader Sport

College Art Show

Get ready to unleash your creativity! We are thrilled to invite all students from Prep to Year 12 to participate in our upcoming College Art Show. This year’s theme is “Think Big, Act Boldly, Serve Others.”

We challenge you to dive into your imagination and create something truly extraordinary in any medium of your choice. Show us your bold ideas, big dreams, and inspiring visions of service. This is your chance to shine!

Submit your masterpiece by 13 September and be part of an exciting showcase of talent and creativity.

We can’t wait to see your amazing art!

Year 9 Career Industry Dinner

For the last four years, students in Year 9 have been offered an opportunity to attend the Careers Industry Dinner, which is a community event where students from the College are able to mingle and ask employers questions regarding a career pathway in many areas of an industry in the region.

On Wednesday 15May, 12 students and family members attended this annual career event at the Dalby Bowls Club. The students were seated at tables dedicated to various career opportunities and spoke to industry representatives on how they could enter this type of career and what they needed to have in the way of skills or training to succeed. An open question and answer session was also held on the night where students and parents could ask questions of the panel members on how they started in their career and what was needed to be successful on the career pathway. This is always a very positive experience for our young community members as it is a very important stepping stone for young people to investigate their career pathway for the future.

Luke Griffiths presented staff from FKG with a Certificate.

Luke Griffiths, William Barwick, Eric from FKG and Joshua Barwick

(Dalby Allied Health) and Charlotte Bennie

Key Dates for 2024

29 May                       Yr 9&10            Aspire2Health (limited numbers)

10-14 June                  Yr 10               Work Experience

19 July                        Yr 9-12            Dalby Careers Expo

August                         Yr 12              ATAR Registration & QTAC Applications

2-4 September            Yr 12               Barista & RSA

9-10 September          Yr 10               Manual Handling & First Aid Course

11-13 September          Yr 10              Barista Course

17 October                   Yr 12               SBA/Traineeship Employer thank you lunch

Experience UQ Skills Day

Students in Years 9-12 who are interested in vocational education options are invited to attend the UQ Skills day on Friday 21 June. If you would like to take your child to this event, please see the details and registration link below.

Scholarships to Study Tech and Travel

The Westpac Young Technologists Scholarship is specifically designed for recent high school graduates who are passionate about STEM and want to take their studies to the next level. This scholarship is a unique opportunity to strengthen your passion and expertise in technology and inspire new ways of thinking.

The scholarship is valued at $20,000, with $15,000 over three years going directly to you to cover your course fees, learning materials, or living expenses, plus $5,000 to travel to Singapore to attend the Disruptive Leaders Program and learn how technology can be used to tackle pressing global challenges.

You will also receive access to internships, networking and mentoring opportunities, as well as lifelong membership to the W100 Alumni Network.

Up to 35 Young Technologists Scholarships are awarded annually in partnership with five leading Australian universities for approved STEM-related degrees. Ready to take your tertiary studies to the next level? Applications open 2 September. To find out more and stay ahead of key dates, register on the link below:

Register your interest HERE!

University Open Days 2024

UniSC

Moreton Bay                                               21 July

Sunshine Coast                                         4 August

UniSC 2024 Open Days

UniSQ

Ipswich                                                      11 August                         10am-2pm

Springfield                                                 11 August                         10am-2pm

Toowoomba                                               18 August                         10am-2pm

UniSQ 2024 open days

Griffith University

Nathan Campus                                        11 August

Gold Coast                                                  11 August

Griffith University Open Day

QUT

Gardens Point & Kelvin Grove       28 July                           9am – 3pm

QUT Open Day

 UQ (University of Queensland) – registrations open in July

St Lucia Campus                                         4 August               9am – 3pm       

Gatton Campus                                           18 August             9am – 3pm

UQ Open Days

Apprenticeship Opportunities 

Career Development Practitioner

PIE-ELICIOUS!

WOW! Over $16,000 of pies and sweets were purchased by the OLSCC community and friends from our latest fundraising event! This is such an amazing community effort with supporting our fundraising goal of $127k which is going towards the Early Years Playground upgrade. We even blew O’Donnell’s Bakehouse away with this generous order as they don’t normally see orders of this size, so a BIG thank you from the FACE committee to everyone who contributed towards this fundraising event.

Also, just a reminder to mark in your calendars, 6 June will be pie collection day at OLSCC. We will communicate exactly what time on 6 June to all OLSCC families via email in the coming days.

HAVE A FREE COFFEE AND CHAT WITH FACE

On Friday 31 May at 9.30am (after Whole College Assembly), FACE invite you to come and join them for a FREE coffee at the College café. Our school barista students will be making delicious coffees, so come along and have a chat with your friendly FACE members.

BOOK CLUB

Our Fundraising Coordinator Rachel Thompson has been busy preparing for our upcoming FACE fundraiser ‘Book club’. Order forms will be hitting students' bags this week. Orders can be made online through LOOP (refer to back page) or you can drop off your order form with correct money to the College office. All orders are due back on Tuesday 4 June 2024. Any questions or if you need a new order form, please email DalbyFACE@twb.catholic.edu.au

Thank you again to all OLSCC families and their friends for their overwhelming support with our FACE fundraisers. We are so close to reaching our fundraising goal of $127k, so we thank you all tremendously.

Kaitlin Machin

FACE President

Vacation Care is available in the school holidays from 8am to 4pm and bookings are available now. If you would like vacation care for your child/children during the holidays, contact Bethany Nuttall, Coordinator at Our Lady of the Southern Cross Dalby OSHC. DALcare@tckc.qld.edu.au

The Non State Schools Transport Assistance Scheme (NSSTAS) provides assistance to families who transport students to non state schools in Queensland. To find out if you are eligible, please click on the link below. Applications for travel from January to June are open from 1 to 31 May.