Friday 21 June - Last Day of Term 2

Monday 8 July - Pupil Free Day

Thursday 11 July - Year 8 Retreat 

Friday 12 July - Whole College Assembly

Tuesday 16 July - FACE Executive Meeting 5pm

Friday 19 July - Year 9 to 12 Careers Expo @ Dalby PCYC

Monday 22 to Saturday 27 July - Catholic Education Week

Monday 22 July - Catholic Education Week Mass @ 2pm in the MPC

Friday 26 July - Bishops Inservice Day - PUPIL FREE

Reporting to Parents

I am very pleased with the feedback we have received so far regarding the changes to reporting to parents.  The changes to both the report card structure and the opportunity to discuss student learning and engagement has been extremely well received and we appreciate the feedback we are currently receiving through the form communicated yesterday.  As a parent, I greatly appreciated being asked “Is there anything in particular you would like to discuss today?”  Through this introduction we were able to receive feedback as parents regarding our concerns for our child.  The teacher was able to focus on what she wanted to communicate to us as parents and then we made some future goals.  I also greatly appreciated the general comment where I could clearly feel that the teachers of my children had an invested and personal understanding of my child as a learner, and as a person.

Good Luck to our Confro and QISSN Teams

Our QISSRL/Confraternity Open Rugby League players and QISSN Open Netball players have been preparing for the last 3 terms for an amazing carnival next week in Townsville. Teams from all over the state, across many divisions, will come together to compete against their friends and rivals in each sport. The sportsmanship of this carnival is magnificent, the standard high and the battles sometimes brutal (especially the netball!).  There is pride in the jersey, mate against mate, and for those players and teams that can hold it together for the full week – awards. At OLSCC we have been very privileged to come away with some of the great awards in recent years including The Spirit of Confraternity, The Neil Bloxsidge Plate (Div 2 Champions), and Player with the Most Potential.

This event is significant, and we are kindly supported by many sponsors who make this dream for our students a reality. Travel, accommodation and all associated costs for Confro/QISSN is significant.  I would like to thank all our 2024 sponsors who have kindly given to the College to enable our students to attend at an affordable cost.  I would also like to thank a couple of private sponsors (you know who you are), as well as Mr Lincoln and his gang, for giving generously and working hard to recover from the financial loss we incurred due to the collapse of Bonza Airlines.   

Please keep an eye on our Facebook page for updates, links to livestreams of all rugby league and some netball games, as well as updates of our progress throughout the week.

We wish all our players and coaches the greatest of weeks. We are sure you will represent the College to the best of your ability both on and off the field and we look forward to the stories shared afterwards.

Reminder – Pupil Free Days

Monday 8 July will be a pupil free day at OLSCC.  This keeps with the tradition of all Toowoomba Catholic Schools being assigned additional pupil free days for professional development and collaborative planning on the first day of Terms 1, 2 & 3. 

In addition, Bishop’s Inservice Day will take place on Friday 26 July, which is also a pupil free day and the end of Catholic Education Week. 

Please be sure to keep your eyes on the dates in the newsletter on a fortnightly basis as the calendar is full of amazing opportunities for our students in camps, incursions, excursions, retreats, sport, art, music and much more throughout Terms 3 and 4.

Thank You

Before the term ends, I would like to say a huge thank you to all our staff at OLSCC.  Working with children is a tough gig, and the ongoing pressures of society and government to push everything to be the responsibility of schools is a pressure we feel every day.  On top of this, the curriculum changes and our systems demand more in the way of accountability and administration. However, despite this, our staff at OLSCC shine brightly in our community. There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of things that our staff do for our kids every year because they care so deeply and are so committed to them.  So much so, that many of these things are simply taken for granted.  We are a great school of inclusive education at OLSCC, not because we have to be or are supported to be, but because of the mindsets of the staff that work with our students.  The ones in the gardens providing lifeskills that will make a real difference, our teachers and school officers who spend their weekends learning braille so they can support a couple of kids to become fluent and succeed, the standing on a cold sideline at Oakey Rugby League grounds on a Wednesday night with barely enough players to take to the field, the early morning netball training sessions despite the needs of family members that are left at home, the staff that give up many weekends and holidays to take a variety of kids from across the region away to carnivals for volleyball, netball, touch, rugby league, sevens, optiminds and everything else. The thousands of dollars of personal funds spent driving students around, paying for accommodation, feeding kids, shouting treats, and making sure everyone is very well looked after.

I am forever grateful to our staff who give so much of themselves for the betterment of our students.  Without the kindness and generosity of our ever-giving staff we would not be the wonderful college that we are.  Thank you!!

Introducing: Mrs Leisa Finch – Student Wellbeing Officer 

Mrs Finch was well known as the face of the College prior to commencing in a new and exciting role during Term 2, and you may have recently seen her around the grounds and in our classrooms and wondered why she is there!

Mrs Finch is an experienced Youth Worker and has a natural ability to quickly engage young people and provide support to help overcome social and emotional barriers that may usually lead to personal challenges, school disengagement and/or mental health concerns. Leisa will work closely with Mr Spain (APSY) and Mr Cullen (APMY) and most importantly, the students of our College.

Some of the benefits Mrs Finch will bring to the students of OLSCC:

• assist in providing social, emotional, and spiritual support to OLSCC students
• engages with and provides support to students who may be experiencing personal challenges or mental health issues
• assist in meeting the needs of students, families, and staff in ways that enhance the wellbeing and development of the OLSCC community
• works closely to help staff in key roles of pastoral care, learning support, teachers, and the College Leadership Team
• refers students to the counselling service provided by the College when required
• Works with the families and guardians of students, to arrive at the best possible outcomes for the students’ wellbeing

We are excited to officially welcome Leisa to this role and look forward to positive outcomes for the OLSCC community. Say hi to Mrs Finch when you see her out and about - she’s there for you!

Peter Cuskelly

Principal

Well done to all our students and staff for a great first semester.  Time really does fly by and it is amazing how much has happened around our College in Semester 1.  I would like to thank our staff for their continued hard work with ACiQ v9.0 (the updated Curriculum they use to inform their planning and teaching). It has been a big challenge throughout this first semester ensuring our teaching aligns to these new documents. We have also commenced our Reporting to Parents 2024 trial.  It is our aim in 2024 to continue gathering feedback and a digital form will be sent to parents this week to gather your thoughts and ideas on Report Cards and Learning Discussions while they are fresh in your minds.  We look forward to the feedback gathered from families about the new Report Card and Learning Discussions formats. 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.  

Enjoy your holidays and the break you get from school drop off, pick up and lunch boxes!  We look forward to more exciting times in Semester 2.  I continue to include the information below with dates for Term 3 and beyond so you can plan for your families accordingly. 

PUPIL FREE DAYS IN TERM 3

There are three Pupil Free Days in Term 3 for staff professional development.  Please mark these on your calendars in preparation. 

Monday 8 July, Friday 26 July and Friday 30 August. 

OLSCC Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) will be available from 8:00am – 4:00pm on these days.  OLSCC OSHC is also available during school holidays.  Bookings should be made directly with OSHC.

DATE CLAIMERS – Term 3 and beyond

8 July - Pupil Free Day

9 July – First day of Term 3

26 July - Pupil Free Day

30 August - Pupil Free Day

3 September – Our Lady of the Southern Cross Day Celebrations

13 September – Grandparent’s Day Celebrations & Last day of Term 3

30 September – First day of Term 4 (10 week term)

7 October – King’s Birthday holiday

21 October – 12 November – Year 12 External Exams

13 November – College Awards of Excellence Ceremony

15 November – Year 12 Graduation Mass

2 December - Christmas Carols 6pm to 8pm @ OLSCC

5 December – Early Years Nativity Play (during school day)

6 December – last day of Term 4 (10-week term)

Cate Brennan

Deputy Principal Religious Education

Last Wednesday we celebrated School Officers and Volunteers.

Undoubtedly, no large organisation can function without a support team, and schools certainly need so many valuable staff. These include not only our wonderful School Officers in the classroom but also our administration team, tuckshop staff, groundsman, library team, science lab staff, bus drivers, our IT wizards and last but definitely not least, our parent volunteers.

Our School Officers work to ensure that the business of educating our students runs smoothly and are also the same ones who intervene with a student in a variety of ways. These individuals are called to serve in very close relationships with students, often with severe learning issues.

Time and again, these gifted staff members are key to a student’s sense of self-worth. They, just like the teachers, become emotionally involved with the students and tire from the physical and mental demands of the job.

We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; ^if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.          Romans 12: 6-8

 Dear wise and loving Father,

Thank you for the many you call to serve in positions often ignored.

Thank you for the patience, the discipline, and the loyalty of our School Officers.

May they work with confidence that they do make a difference, not only for the students but the people around them.

Hear their prayers for the students in their care.

Hear their prayers for the teachers that they work alongside.

Guide each of us to serve them, to lighten their load, and to thank them for their work.

We entrust them to you for their welfare.

Amen

Carey Twidale

Middle Leader Living Your Faith

I would like to take the opportunity to farewell and thank Ms Lucienne Camenzuli and Mr Michael Du Preez for their contributions to our College. Both Ms Camenzuli and Mr Du Preez have been very generous with their time and efforts to support their classes and this has been greatly appreciated.

We are still finalising our timetable and changes for Term 3, with confirmation of classes and staffing to be finalised very soon.

Best of luck to our students who are participating in the QISSN and QISSRL carnivals over the first week of the break. Thank you to the parents and staff who are supporting these students.

As the mid-year break arrives, may your break be filled with joy, relaxation, and precious moments spent together. Whether you’re planning exciting adventures, catching up on rest, or simply enjoying the winter sun, I hope this break re-energizes you for the upcoming Semester 2. Remember to break out of your routine, embrace novelty, and take care of your well-being. And if Semester 1 didn’t go as planned, focus on small improvements—patience and persistence will lead you to success. Please be safe and take appropriate breaks when travelling. We look forward to students returning on Tuesday 9 July refreshed and ready to participate fully and give their best in semester two.

Toowoomba Catholic Schools External Examination Preparation Program (EEPP).

During October, Year 12 students around the state sit External Examinations which are their final assessment pieces. Each exam is held at the same time and on the same day and so External Examinations can be daunting, especially for those students sitting an examination that contributes 50% of the marks to their result. They can also be very rewarding.

Toowoomba Catholic Schools, through a strong collaborative process, have a proud record of supporting students to achieve their best possible results in these External Examinations. To further consolidate this excellent preparation Toowoomba Catholic Schools and their Principals have developed an External Examination Preparation Program (EEPP).

EEPP brings students from across nine Catholic schools to a central location to refine their knowledge and understanding of content, providing an opportunity to work collaboratively with their peers, and offering suggestions with regard to managing exam conditions. At EEPP students will have the opportunity to be guided in their preparation by an expert mentor. Each mentor possesses expertise in their subject area and, most importantly, experience with the external examination process They are well equipped to pass on the nuanced skills that can make all the difference in a student's results.

EEPP is being conducted over six days in the second week of the September school holidays, from Sunday, 22 September through to Friday, 27 September. The venue for the event is the Toowoomba Catholic Schools Office in Toowoomba (opposite St Saviour's College).

Further information regarding this excellent program is attached, as well as a link to a Registration form to enrol.

If you require further information please contact Mr Paul Herbert (paul.herbert@twb.catholic.edu.au) from Toowoomba Catholic Schools or myself.

Please use the link below to register, once committed all costs will be invoiced to your college account. Please be aware If a student chooses not to attend once registration closes, costs will still apply to families from Toowoomba Catholic Schools.

2024 External Examination Preparation Program Registration (EEPP) Form

QCAA Year 12 External Examination Timetable has been released!

Please refer here for the latest published QCAA External Examination timetable

QCAA external assessment timetable 2024

The external assessment timetable is designed to:

• minimise clashes for students across the examination period. Where there is a clash within a morning or afternoon session, students will be allocated to the alternative session on the same day
• ensure most students sit no more than two external assessments on one day
• provide sufficient breaks between external assessments for popular courses and frequently combined courses
• enable all external assessments to be marked in time for students to receive their final Year 12 results.

 Whole College Student Leadership

Nominations have opened for our Year 11 students to apply for College Captains and Prefect roles. Timelines for students to apply are listed below. Students currently in Year 10 and 11 will be able to apply for House Leaders roles in Term 4.

Our Year 11 students completed the final day of their leadership camp overcoming adversity and working extremely well together. We are really excited to see what this group of great young people is able to achieve.

Rodney Spain

Assistant Principal Senior Years

The semester has come towards a close, and for some I think the timing is excellent. Fatigue levels are creeping higher, and there has been much sickness about. This holiday time will be a great opportunity for students and their families to recharge the batteries before beginning Semester 2. I trust that families enjoyed the new Report card format and we welcome all feedback regarding the changes. 

It was very pleasing to see so many happy faces at the Athletics carnivals these past few days. Below are a series of photos showing just how fun the days were. Also check out the College’s Facebook posts to see your child(ren) in action.

I encourage families to find a balance between children finding outdoor and creative style activities and the use of technology this break. Getting off devices is a great way to have a break from the norm, to get some exercise, to unleash some creativity or explore some new books.

Have a safe and happy holidays. I look forward to working with you all next Semester.   

Craig Cullen

Assistant Principal Middle Years

Darling Downs Rugby League Competition Results

Round 8

U13

OLSCC defeated St Mary’s                16-14

U15

OLSCC defeated Highfields SSC       22-10

U18

St Mary’s defeated OLSCC                24-10

Round 9

Under 15

Oakey SHS defeated OLSCC

Darling Downs Girls Rugby League Trials

Any girls turning 13 or 14 this year who would like to attend Darling Downs Rugby League Trials need to see Mr Lincoln. The trials will be held in Toowoomba on Friday 19 July.

Girls Rugby Sevens

The Girls Rugby Sevens season will begin early next term. This will involve the QCIS Carnival and the Darling Downs Independent Schools Weekly Competition. Any girls in the Under 13, Under 15 and Under 18 age groups interested in playing need to sign up via the Sports Notice Board.

Darling Downs U15 Girls Cricket and Boys and Girls Futsal Trials

Any students wishing to attend Darling Downs Trials in girls Cricket and Futsal need to see Mr Lincoln for more information. The trials will be held early next term.

Confraternity Shield Rugby League and QISSN Netball.

In the first week of the holidays 19 boys and 10 girls from the College will attend the Confraternity Shield Rugby League and QISSN Netball Carnival in Townsville. We also have Gaby Anderton and  Karlie Falvey playing Rugby League with the St Joseph’s College’s Girls Team from Toowoomba. The Rugby League Team is short on numbers in 2024 and are fortunate to have boys from Dalby Christian College (Byron McMillan, Cooper Collins and Preston Bice) and Mary MacKillop Highfields (Sam Lowein and Oscar Spies) joining us for the competition. A list of our fabulous sponsors is attached to the newsletter. All Rugby League Games will be livestreamed. The netball team has three games which will be livestreamed. Updates and links will be posted on the College’s Facebook account during the week.

The Rugby League Team – Lyucian King Togia, Fletcher James, Travis Tia, Will Cook, Cobie Wedrat, Cooper Wedrat, Toby Peterson, Caleb Weiland, Braithen Crothers, Lane Wenham, Tobin Smart, Bronson Barnett, Nate Boundy and Charlie Johansen. The team will be coached by Mr Gillespie, Mr Spain, Mr Fraser Mr Cuskelly and Mr Lincoln.

The Netball Team will be coached by Mrs Bennie, and Miss Fry. The students are – Emma Donaldson, Kaitlyn Harms, Hannah Taylor, Tiffany Ham, Taylor Marshall, Summer Buckley, Chloe Manteit, Emma Cusack, Lucy Chaplin and Emmy Harms.

Touch Football

An Under 15 Boys, Under 15 Girls and Under 18 Mixed Teams have been nominated in the Swans All Schools Carnival in Toowoomba on Sunday 4 August and the Gold Coast Titans All Schools Carnival in October. Teams will be finalised early next term. An Under 13 Boys Team will participate in the Swans Carnival only.

Volleyball

An Open Girls Volleyball Team will attend the Darling Downs Schools Cup Carnival in Toowoomba on Wednesday and the QLD Senior Schools Cup on the Gold Coast from August 9-11. Trials to select this team will be held early next term.

Inter House Athletics Carnival Day 1

Points

MacKillop          868

McAuley            774

Nolan                759

Rice                  670 

Record Breakers

Girls Under 9 800m

Ava Robinson 3.01.50 (Bridget Boland 2004, 3.11.00)

Boys Under 9 800m

Harry Cuskelly 2.54.40 (Archie Smart 2018, 2.54.60)

Catholic Schools Athletics Carnival

The Catholic Primary Schools Athletics Carnival will be on Friday 12 July at the O’Quinn Street Oval in Toowoomba. This will be for students in Years 3-6 only. The College Coach will transport students to the event.

Tim Lincoln

Middle Leader Sport

Work Experience 

During the week from 10 to 14 June, the Year 10 cohort attended Work Experience which is a career pathway activity that the College endorses and encourages Year 10 students to attend. The College believes that this activity provides students with an insight into the world of work and provides students with an opportunity to experience a workplace environment and develop an understanding of the skills and training required to follow a career path. The range of workplaces attended by the Year 10 students varied from Architecture, Aviation, Health, Veterinary, Agriculture and Automotive just to name a few. From all reports provided by the host employers, the students behaviour, enthusiasm, and attitude towards their work experience was exemplary. We look forward to future discussions with Year 10 students and their families regarding pathways in Term 3.  

Key Dates for 2024

19 July                       Yr 9-12            Dalby Careers Expo

August                       Yr 12               ATAR Registration & QTAC Applications

20 August                  Middle School    UniSQ Discovery Day

2-4 September            Yr 12               Barista & RSA

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

9 September               Yr 11               CPR Course (optional)

11-13 September        Yr 10               Barista Course

17 October                 Yr 12                SBA/Traineeship Employer thank you lunch

Empowering Women in Trades Three Day Workshops – Toowoomba

A three-day workshop for young women who are interested in a career in the trades will beheld in Toowoomba on 15-17 July. This is an opportunity to gain hands on experience, meet with trades people in the industry and gain an insight into pathways into the trades. If you are interested in a trade pathway, please see the link attached and sign up for this event. Form (hsforms.com)

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

Mr Dean Garside

Career Development Practitioner

On Saturday, 10 August, the Dalby Events Centre will come alive as Our Lady of the Southern Cross College Year 12 students host the inaugural ‘Our Ladies Long Lunch’.

This year any funds raised will ensure that students at Our Lady of the Southern Cross College will have access to women’s hygiene products and a contribution will be made to the Share the Dignity organisation. Share the Dignity believes that everyone deserves to be afforded the dignity so many of us take for granted.

Our vision is to make this inaugural event continue into the future as a Year 12 legacy!

For further information regarding Sponsorship, or Raffle Donation please contact the College Office or email dalby@twb.catholic.edu.au.

Tickets on Sale – Trybooking Week 1 Term 2! Don’t miss out on the fun!

Sponsor Shoutouts

New State Builders, based in Dalby, is a privately owned Construction Company with suitably Qualified Builders servicing the Building and Construction industry across regional and remote Queensland.

Director of the Company, Tony Carmichael has been involved in the construction industry for over 30 years and has established a hard-earned reputation for excellence in delivering high quality construction projects. New State Builders provides a multi-faceted service to clients, from cost planning and design through to project management and build.

The business continues to grow and operate under a structured management plan, led by an executive team with a combined wealth of knowledge and experience in the construction market. All clients receive professional and experienced advice, priority, and attention, irrespective of the project location and size.

New State Builders is an ISO 14001:2015 environmental, ISO 45001:2018 health and safety management and ISO 9001:2015 quality assured certified construction company, ensuring that all aspects of projects are consistently delivered to the highest workmanship and to the highest standard and regulation. We are also QBuild registered and Queensland Government PQC 3 certified.

At New Sate Builders, what we do matters, and so does how and why we do it. Since our inception, we have experienced a consistent year on year growth rate, demonstrating our proven ability to deliver. We are grateful to our clients and our staff who have enabled us to serve consistently and look forward to continuing to deliver great results.

Dalby Self Storage is located along the Warrego Highway and provides a fully fenced complex with opening hours between 6.30am to 7.30pm to provide security of your belongings as well as security cameras located around the complex.

The glasses pictured below were found on the street in front of the College and no one has claimed them. Are they yours? They are being held at the College Office foe collection.

St Joseph's School in Chinchilla is holding a School Horse Sports Day on Friday 19th July at the Chinchilla Showgrounds. Anyone interested in representing the College at this event must be a financial member of a Pony Club. If you would like more information on this please contact Kelly Muller on kel-michels@hotmail.com or Sarah Lilburne at the College on sarah.lilburne@twb.catholic.edu.au