10 - 18 August - Science Week

20 August - Darling Downs 9 - 12 Years Athletic Trials

20 August - Yr 7 & 8 UniSQ Discovery Day

20 August - Yr 5/6 QAMT Competition

21 August - Yr 7/8 QAMT Competition

21 August - Book Week Parade

22 - 23 August - Darling Downs 13 - 19 Years Athletic Trials

28 August - OLSCC Primary Schools Volleyball Cup

29 August - Highfields SSC Invitational Touch Football Carnival

29 August - Prep Father's Day Breakfast

29 August - Yr 10 Ag - UQ Visit

30 August - Pupil Free Day

Our Core Business

At Our Lady of the Southern Cross College, we pride ourselves on our core business, which is growing great people. We grow great people through the holistic education we provide, and the environment in which this education is provided. This is seen and heard in our walkways and playgrounds, the classrooms and science labs, and it’s what makes our College a fantastic place to learn, play and work. Last Friday at assembly, I shared that this is strongly founded on the reliance for everyone to follow the College expectations. 

Our College expectations are simple. Learn and Allow Others to Learn; Be Safe; Be Respectful; Be Responsible.

These are not aspirational expectations, though neither do we expect everyone to be perfect. Unfortunately, some students have begun to think that these expectations aren’t required all day, every day. The following of these expectations is critical in shaping who we are as a community. 

Please remind your children of the importance of these expectations in their day-to-day interactions and actions. They are basic foundations upon which we can grow great people, and in enrolling at OLSCC you and your child are agreeing to meet these expectations as a core responsibility. It’s just the start of why OLSCC is such a great place to learn, play and work everyday.

Enrolment Strategy 2025

Our enrolments for 2025 are looking very healthy. We have offered 70 places in Prep for next year, which is remarkably close to full. We have a few spaces left in some year levels for 2025, while others remain full with waiting lists. It’s important to note that our timetable for 2025 does not include a third class of Year 7 students, as we have done at times in the past. Accordingly, there will be very few spaces available for students who wish to come to OLSCC in Year 7.

Our sustainable enrolment strategy is to grow the College to three streams starting in the Early Years, and gradually progressing to the Senior Years over time. We have found from past experience that expanding due to interest on an annual basis in Year 7 is not financially viable, and doesn't result in improved learning outcomes or learning culture within the year level. 

Our year levels with 3 classes next year will be Prep, Year 1, Year 2 and Year 8.  I am predicting approximately 692 students for the 2025 academic year, and we are looking to firm up offers for places at OLSCC in 2025 before the September holidays.

While many classes are full, we have shifts in enrolments like all schools. I encourage all prospective enrolments to ensure that enrolment forms and documentation is complete and accurate so that we may progress to interveiw and then offering of places or placement on the waiting list. This process ensures that there is fairness and equity in allocating places, though there are always priorities for the offering of places. These decisions are not made lightly and depend on many factors including: siblings currently enrolled at the College, families relocating from other catholic schools, students enrolling from small schools surrounding Dalby. 

If you would like to discuss enrolment at the College, please contact our enrolment officer (07 4672 4111 or email dalby@twb.catholic.edu.au) for more information regarding the process.  

Staffing for 2025

It’s that time of the year where we have done much of the strategic work in oragnising the teaching roster for 2025, and now begins the exciting process of recruitment. Over the next few months you will see a variety of jobs being advertised on Seek, TCS website and Facebook. Some of these vacancies will be to replace staff that are moving to new adventures, some will be for new roles in the timetable, some for additional needs of year levels and subjects, and some because of growth. As mentioned above, we are predicting over 690 students at OLSCC next year, and I look forward to enacting another great team for ongoing success.  

I would like to announce that Mr David De Costa Silva has made the decision to retire at the end of the 2024 academic year. Since joining the College in 2022 David has been a welcome addition to our team with many areas of expertise including Visual Arts, REE, and our resident assembly photographer! David is an avid artist with many talents and he brings the joy and expertise of the Visual At into his classroom daily. We thank David for the commitment to our College and wish him all the best for a successful transition to retirement, as well as continued success in the classroom for the remainder of the year.

Long Way from Finished!!

Attendance at school is important. Continuity in learning is attained when student attendance is 93% or better. This is a very reasonable target for our students and the vast majority of our students reach this target comfortably. Of course, we understand that circumstances arise where students can't be at school, though the goal should remain to attain at least 93% attendance - which still allows students 15 days away from the College for unexpected circumstances such as sickness. 

Due to these unforeseen circumstances, our eligibility criteria target is a low standard of 85%. This excludes school-approved absences such as school sport, carnivals, camps, retreats, eisteddfods and performances. A student at 85% is away from school around 30 days a year on total. That's 6 full weeks out of 40 weeks not at school.

Continuing to focus on learning and maintaining consistent school attendance is indeed crucial for students. I encourage all families to continue to emphasise showing up to school consistently as there is still plenty of learning left this year.

Peter Cuskelly

Principal

Being a part of a Prep to Year 12 College is special, and a blessing that we often take for granted. Over the past few weeks, I have seen many examples of this that I would like to celebrate.

Our Prep-Year 4 Retreats on Friday Week 4! These retreats were developed and conducted by our Year 11 Students around this year’s Catholic Education Week theme Communities of Faith, Hope and Love. Watching our younger and older students interact is such a blessing and I think they both learn from each other during these times.

Girls Rugby 7s hosted in Dalby. It was great to see our three teams playing in the Independent Girls Rugby Sevens Competition play in Dalby on Friday 2 August. On the sideline cheering them on, were many families from our College community and also past students and families. This show of support really spurs on our players to play their best throughout the afternoon. 

Netball Queensland Netball Gala Day for Years 4-6. The College took 4 teams to this carnival – one Year 6 team, one Year 5 team and two Year 4 teams.  At this event, senior students with a talent in Netball from Year 9-12, were taken to support the staff and four teams who attended this carnival.  These students were critical to the smooth running of our teams on this day as they umpired our games, ran drills and warm up sessions, motivated and guided the younger students and then helped coach from the sideline. 

MacKillop Day. Organised and led by our MacKillop leaders and senior students, this fun celebration highlights that leaders are in all year levels.  Watching the care and interaction between our students across year levels reminds me that role models are not always the oldest people in our midst, they are those around us who guide, support and encourage us. On MacKillop Day there were many role models ensuring that all students of MacKillop house felt valued and involved in the lunch time activities. 

Early Years lunchtime touch started this term. This initiative was developed by Year 4 students to create a more organised lunchtime touch competition. The younger students have recruited Year 12 boys to assist them with this initiative. The comradery of this activity is wonderful to see.

Science Week activities held this week. This week, demonstrations by our College staff, have engaged students to allow them to explore the world of Science. 

Laying of Turf in our Early Years Playground. In Praxis, our Year 10 and Year 12 students laid turf in one of the bare spots in our Early Years playground. Praxis is all about the impact we can have as individuals for the betterment of others, and this was a great example of doing something for others without any direct benefit in return. 

Learning Discussions Term 3

Learning Discussions will be offered in Week 7 with your child’s teacher/s.

• 10 minute discussions will be for parents and teachers (students optional)
• Open Two-way Discussion - The first question teachers will ask in this discussion is what you, the parent, would like to discuss about your child as a learner. This is to open the dialogue and ensure it is a ‘discussion’ not an ‘interview’. This two-sided conversation is to discuss your learner’s progress so far this year and opportunities for growth.
• Time has been allocated for all staff P-12 from 3:30pm-5:30pm on Thursday Week 7. Teachers will then allocate an additional hour around their own commitments throughout the week. These times will all be shown on the Parent Portal booking platform.
• Optional Learning Discussions

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 have allocated 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 a discussion with and prioritise booking with these. If you have teachers for multiple subjects, one time will be used to cover all subject questions. A letter detailing bookings for these discussions was sent via email to all families and posted on Parent Portal. Bookings opened Friday 2 August at 4:00pm and will remain open until 9:00am on Monday 19 August. 

COLLEGE EVENTS

We love it when families join us for College events. Our next big College Event is Our Lady of the Southern Cross Day. On this day we join as a whole College for our prayer celebration at 12:30pm in the MPC. Our 2025 Prefects will be announced at this prayer celebration, followed by an afternoon of whole college athletic events on the Main Oval. These events include All Age Relay, the Tresillian and Gillespie Gifts. This is a great afternoon to join us to celebrate the magic that is our Prep – Year 12 College community.

Grandparents are so special, and we celebrate them as a College on Grandparent’s Day. This year, Grandparent’s Day will be held on Friday 13 September. Official activities will commence at 9:30am with our prayer celebration in the MPC, grandparents are welcome to mingle after drop off from 8:30am for a casual cuppa in the Middle Years Plaza.  After prayer, grandparents will head to classroom visits to see the exciting ways and concepts our students have been learning in 2024. 

If you are new to our College family in 2024 you may not be aware of another big occasion we have in Term 4, our College Awards of Excellence Ceremony. Held during the Year 12’s last days here at the College, it celebrates and acknowledges excellence in all four domains of our College; Academia, Spirituality, Sport and Arts. Awards are presented to students in all year levels as we celebrate our rich College life. At the conclusion of the Awards, we farewell our Year 12 students as a P-12 community and they exit and ring the journey bell. This ceremony will be on 13 November beginning at 9:15am. Parents will be notified via Parent Portal at the commencement of Term 4 if your child is receiving an award. Teachers have already commenced their work on Award nomination and over the coming weeks I will feature the criteria for our Awards in our newsletter.

GRANDPARENT’S DAY – the finer details

Grandparents can be defined in many ways; a parent of one’s father or mother, they are also extended family or even dear family friends who fill the role of mentor and loved one in our lives. We extend an invitation for all Grandparents of our College students (Prep to Year 12) to join us on our annual Grandparent’s Day, Friday 13 September.

The day will flow:
8:30-9:15am - Morning Cuppa offered to grandparents in MY Plaza after drop off
9:15-9:30 - Grandparents and Students move into the MPC
9:30-10:00 - Prayer Celebration
10:00-11:30 Classroom visits - Grandparents asked to go with older students first then they can accompany them to the next one….then the next one….then the next one and so on.
So we can arrange seating we ask all grandparents to RSVP to this event by Monday 9 September using the QR Code below or this link

GRANDPARENT'S DAY RSVP

WHY DO WE HAVE PUPIL-FREE DAYS?

Are you curious why we have Pupil-Free Days? These days are extremely important for our staff to gather and to be lifelong learners themselves.  The Toowoomba Catholic Schools office designates each year which days these will be taken on and over the course of year we have 10 Pupil free days allocated. Five of these occur outside of the school terms either in the week before students start in Term 1 or after school in the form of extended professional learning sessions until 7:30pm. The other five occur during the school term, one at the commencement of Term 1, Term 2 and Term 3, one aligned to Catholic Education Week and the other a Friday usually in late August or early September. On these days the staff collaborate and engage in professional learning aligned to directions set by Toowoomba Catholic School Office as well as annual goals and priorities as set by the College each year. Some of these occur here at the College whilst others occur at different locations like last Friday’s Bishops Inservice Day which was held at St Mary’s College Toowoomba. The dates for Pupil-Free Days for 2025 are:

Week 0 – 21 January – 24 January (before students commence)

Tuesday 28 January

Tuesday 22 April

Monday 14 July

Friday 1 August

Friday 5 September

Biblical Garden update

We have been busy over the last few weeks in the Biblical garden. We have refreshed the plants in the native garden adding more flowering shrubs to the area. Our order of 21 roses arrived and have been planted out.  In designing our garden space, research was explored on plants from biblical times and locations; and plants that hold significant religious symbolism and significance. Roses whilst not named specifically in the text of the bible, the Christian symbolism of the rose is significant as they reference beauty, divine love, purity and life. Red roses often represent Christ’s sacrificial love and the blood he shed on the cross. In Christian iconography, roses frequently appear in religious art, stained glass windows and illuminated manuscripts. The roses we have chosen for our garden are a multitude of colours, fragrances and many are named after values and icons we strive to emulate. Just some of the roses we have included are:

• Gift of grace
• Joy of life
• Pope John Paul II
• Mary MacKillop
• Catherine McAuley
• Peace
• The Children’s Rose

DATE CLAIMERS – Term 3 and beyond

30 August - Pupil Free Day – Staff Professional Development

2 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 – College Christmas Carols (twilight)

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

The Assumption of Mary Thursday 15th August 2024 

On Thursday, Catholics and many other Christians celebrated the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This significant feast day recalls the spiritual and physical departure of the mother of Jesus Christ from the earth, when both her soul and her body were taken into the presence of God. 

The Assumption is one of the oldest holy days in the Church. It recalls both the happy departure of Our Lady from this earthly life and the lifting of her body into heaven. Unlike Christ’s ascension into heaven by His own power, Mary was assumed, or taken up into Heaven, by God. She didn’t do it under her own power. 

The Assumption of Mary can be imagined as her homecoming! Having completed the mission of her earthly life and longing to be with Jesus and Joseph, Mary is now reunited with her son and her husband. What a homecoming that reunion must have been like! 

The feast of Mary’s Assumption gives hope and consolation to many as they grieve and mourn the loss of loved ones, believing that the person is not lost or annihilated, but enjoys eternal life with their God who loves unconditionally. 

Immaculate Mary, assumed into heaven, teach us to trust in God’s plan the way you did.  

Do not let us fear obstacles or uncertainties.  

Inspire us and pray for us today, as we celebrate your Assumption. 

Amen 

Carey Twidale

Middle Leader Living Your Faith

On or Before the Due Date

With our Year 12 students working towards completion of all of their IA’s and Year 11 students finalising, for some, their last IA for Unit 2 and starting their Unit 3 work, I cannot stress enough the level of accountability to the QCAA. This accountability is reflected in all assessment from Year 9 to 12. Unless there is an illness, injury or family emergency, all assessment must be completed on or before the due date. This is the QCAA wording. For submissions in Canvas and hard copies, this means before 3.10pm on the date the assignment or task is due. Assessment will not be accepted after 3.10pm.

I can only reschedule an exam based on an illness or injury and only if I have a medical certificate that meets the QCAA specifications, but it will be a comparable exam and I must report this to the QCAA. The medical certificate must be dated the day of the exam. It must include a diagnosis or symptoms and include information about how the illness/injury will affect the student’s participation in assessment. The school will be required to write a similar (comparable) paper to the one that was missed. Similarly, I can grant an extension for an assignment if accompanied by a medical certificate. Family emergencies will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis, but the QCAA suggest a bereavement as a typical example.

I cannot allow exams to be sat before the rest of the cohort for circumstances that are within the family’s control such as a family holiday or an appointment. If a student misses an exam or misses the deadline on an assignment and it is not supported by a medical certificate (or exceptional family emergency), your son or daughter will receive a Not Rated for that assessment instrument. In the event of an assignment, the teacher will use evidence submitted previously for that assignment to allocate a grade. In most instances that will be the draft or checkpoint submission. The importance of submitting a complete draft is important for teachers to provide feedback and establish evidence of work before the due date. In the event of an exam or if no draft was submitted, there is no recourse for gaining credit for that assessment instrument. If a student receives a Not Rated for any assessment instrument within a subject, they will receive a Not Rated for that subject. In other words, your son or daughter will not receive a subject result, it cannot contribute to their ATAR and they will lose 2 QCE points if it is in Units 3 or 4, or 1QCE credit for Unit 2.

Students must take responsibility for ensuring they are aware of assessments. The assessment calendar is accurate at the time of publication via our portal and the college website. However, it is a live document and students and parents are informed of any changes by their subject teachers and notifications are sent to students and parents. I advise the students to get into the habit of recording their assessments on their computer using an electronic calendar. This way, if you ask them about a suitable time to make an appointment, they will readily have the information to hand and not have to go looking up the assessment planner on the portal and website.

Learning Discussions in the Senior Years

Our teachers are looking forward to seeing our community over the multiple opportunities families now have to engage with our teachers to discuss students learning. If you have not made an appointment, or have missed out on seeing a teacher, please contact them via email and our staff will arrange an alternate time.

SET planning Interviews

Thank you to the parents and carers who attended the SET planning interviews for their child in assisting with planning for Year 11, 2025. It is an exciting time for students as they reflect on their pathways for senior. The discussions with students have been very empowering, as the work staff are doing in supporting students to have the right information to make informed decisions is clearly evident.

More information on subjects and opportunities to engage with myself and our teachers will be available in the coming weeks.

PROOFING YOUR ASSESSMENTS

As you gear up for your next assessment, mastering the art of proofreading is key to ensuring your hard work shines through. There are essential steps to proof your assessments effectively and elevate your academic performance.

1st Proof: To begin, consider relocating to a fresh setting for a focused proofreading session. Find a place that is not your usual study space where you can concentrate on refining your work. Bring along the assessment criteria and question prompts to guide your review.

Your initial proof should encompass the following key factors:

• WORD COUNT: Confirm that your assessment aligns with the specified word limit. Identify any excess words that may need trimming to meet requirements.
• SPELLING / GRAMMAR: While spell check can be helpful, don't rely solely on it. Look out for common errors like 'form' instead of 'from' that may slip through automated checks.
• SOURCES: Verify that all sources for visuals, examples, and quotes are properly cited and listed to support your arguments.
• CRITERIA / QUESTION ANSWERED? Review the assessment criteria and ensure that your responses directly address the requirements. Tick off each criterion as you confirm its coverage in your work.
• REPETITION: It’s easy to repeat points, double check you haven’t done this.
• USEFUL INFORMATION: It’s not uncommon to write unnecessary information. Do you have points that don’t really answer the question? Have you written clearly? Is there any information you could leave out? Is there any information that you realise needs to be added?
• REINFORCE: This is where you need to finalise which words you will bold, highlight, underline etc. so your assignment clearly identifies the main points. Bolding can let the teacher see clearly that you have covered all the parts of the question, that there is a sequence of ideas and you have organised the information well.

2nd Proof: The next day repeat the above steps, but this time - READ YOUR ASSIGNMENT OUT LOUD! If you didn’t print your assignment to proof the first time, now could be the time. Reading and hearing the words spoken in different mediums can sometimes give a new perspective to your writing. Note down any changes you need to make.

3rd Proof: It’s always a good idea to ask someone to proof your assignment after you have proofed it first. It is common for the writer not to pick up typos or silly mistakes because they know what they meant and see the words they intended to write, and not the errors. So recruit a proof reader (parent, relatives, older sibling or friend etc.) to gain fresh insights. Remember, meticulous proofreading is a valuable skill that can elevate the quality of your work and set you on the path to academic success.

Mr Rodney Spain

Assistant Principal Senior Years

Mini-Olympics

Inspired by the Pairs Olympics, in House Connect this week we held a mini event of our own. While there were no gold medals, podiums, drug tests, or world records, it was great to see the students interacting with their peers, laughing, challenging each other and just having heaps of fun. It was a bit different from the modern pentathlon or even the decathlon, here our events involved;

• Nerf gun target shooting.
• Creepy Crawly wall race sprints.
• Rubber band flinging.
• Tossing cards into buckets.
• Stacking mini chairs into the highest stack
• Mini Basketball shooting.

Everyone had a win through the session and we look forward to more events next week. 

Investigating Mixtures – Science

This week our Year 7 students were investigating random mixtures. Beginning with an unknown object in a bag, they needed to use their science brains to infer what could be inside using only their senses. Once it was revealed, they then went about making observations so they could describe the mixture in great detail. Finally, they needed to determine the best way to separate the mixture. It was great to see students working together to complete the task. Well done students.

 

Summative Review - Thank you 

I would like to say a very sincere and heart-felt thank you to all students, parents, community members, and staff who were involved in my review process this past week. Your feedback and perspective are integral parts of the process. I appreciate your affirmations and suggestions on how I can continue to serve the College, the Middle Years, and our wonderful community.

Craig Cullen

Assistant Principal Middle Years

Braille Awards

Prep Excursion

During Week 4, the Year 11 Religion classes split into groups to run retreats for Prep to Grade 4 students. In the lead-up to the retreats, students from the Praxis classes spent time designing their retreat focused on the themes of love, kindness, and care. Students needed to choose activities, prayers, and group activities that developed upon their chosen theme and that prompted students to understand the importance of these themes in their lives as Prep to Year 4 students. The Early Years students engaged well with the Grade 11 students assigned to their class. The EY students enjoyed interacting with the ‘big kids’ and the Year 11’s made some new friends. From the experience of running a retreat with the younger cohorts of our college, the grade 11s gained an insight into how important it is to build relationships and develop connections in our college and how lucky they are to have experiences like this on their doorstep. It was clear that the Prep to Year 4 students understood the importance of treating their classmates, teachers, and families with love, kindness, and care, through these excellent retreats.

Simone Forbes

Teacher

Netball QLD Gala Day Years 4-6

Thanks to Miss Fry, Mrs Brennan and Mrs Pevy for attending the Inaugural Netball QLD Gala Day for Years 4-6 in Toowoomba. The staff were assisted by senior students – Jacinda Smith, Sophie Jeude, Abby Zillman, Emmy Harms, Lucy Chaplin, Summer Buckley, Taylor Marshall and Kaitlyn Harms. Game results for the day are listed below.

OLSCC Black (Year 4B)

Loss to Fairholme                                  10-1

Loss to Pittsworth                                  13-0

Loss to St Joseph’s Stanthorpe               13-6

Win vs Quinalow SS                              3-1

Loss to Geham                                      4-1

OLSCC Red (Year 4HT)

Loss to Gatton SS                                 6-3

Loss to St Joseph’s Stanthorpe               4-3

Win vs Quinalow SS                              5-1

Draw with Gowrie SS                             6-6

OLSCC White (Year 5)

Loss to St Joseph’s Stanthorpe               20-3

Loss to Glennie                                     18-3

Win vs St John’s Kingaroy                      8-4

Loss to Fairholme                                  24-2

Loss to OLSCC Year 6                           9-5

Win vs Texas SS                                   5-2

OLSCC Teal (Year 6)

Loss to Fairholme                                  13-1

Loss to Glennie                                     5-1

Win vs Texas SS                                   12-4

Win vs St Joseph’s Stanthorpe                10-3

Win vs OLSCC Year 5                            9-5

Win vs St John’s Kingaroy                      11-1

Independent Schools Girls Rugby Sevens

Under 13, Under 15 and Under 18 Girls (playing in a Barbarians Team) have participated in the Independent Schools Sevens Competition on a Friday afternoon. Games in Round 1 were held in Dalby, which was a great opportunity for our girls to play at home. Thanks to Mr Garside and Mr Gillespie for coaching our teams.

Round 1 Results

13 Girls

Win vs Downlands 2                   34-10

Loss to Glennie                          22-15

Win vs Downlands 1                   36-10

15 Girls

Win vs Downlands 2                   34-10

Win vs Glennie                          27-5

Win vs Downlands 1                   36-10

Round 2 Results

13 Girls

Loss to Scots Warwick              

Loss to Downlands

Loss St Ursula’s                        

5 Girls

Win vs Scots Warwick                29-7

Loss to Downlands                     35-0

Win vs St Ursula’s                      25-22

Berwick / McCullough Shield Round 2 vs Dalby SHS U18 Rugby 7Aug 2024

Dalby SHS defeated OLSCC 22-12 in Game 2 of the Berwick / McCullough Shield Open Rugby League Game.

The College had a most successful day at the Swans All Schools Touch Football Carnival in Toowoomba. Thanks to Mr Storey, Miss McDuff and Mrs Wilkins for coaching our teams and to Jack and Molly Gibson for refereeing on behalf of the College. Game results are listed below. The highlight of the day was the performance of the 15 Girls Team who made the Final for the second straight year.

Under 13 Boys – finished 4^th

Win vs Concordia                       4-2

Loss to St Mary’s                       6-1

Loss to St Joseph’s                    5-1

Loss to Mary MacKillop             6-2

Win vs Centenary Heights SHS   5-3

15 Boys – Semi finalists

Win vs Concordia                       4-0

Loss to St Joseph’s                    3-2

Win vs Centenary Heights SHS  4-3

Quarter Final

Win vs Lockyer District SHS       5-0

Semi Final

Loss to St Mary’s                       7-3

15 Girls – Runners Up

Win vs Highfields SSC               3-0

Win vs Centenary Heights SHS  3-0

Win vs Faith Lutheran                5-0

Quarter Final

Win vs Glennie                          3-0

Semi Final

Win vs Toowoomba Anglican      3-2

Grand Final

Loss to Fairholme                      6-0

18 Mixed – 2^nd in Pool B

Loss to Centenary Heights SHS  4-3

Win vs Toowoomba Anglican      4-2

Draw with Charleville SHS          4-4

Win vs Faith Lutheran                2-0

Draw with Dalby SHS                 3-3

Volleyball

Congratulations to the Open Girls Volleyball Team who won the Bronze Medal in Division One at the QLD Senior Schools Cup at the Gold Coast. Thanks to Mrs Lincoln for coaching the team. Game results are listed below.

Pool B – 2^nd

Win vs Springfield SHS              2-0

Loss to Burnside SHS                2-0

Loss to Marsden SHS                2-1

Win vs Holland Park SHS           2-1

Finals Pool

Loss to Gympie SHS                  2-1

Win vs Harristown SHS              2-0

Bronze Medal Match

Win vs Harristown SHS              2-1

Tim Lincoln

Middle Leader Sport

QTAC APPLICATION Open for 2025 

On 1 August, Year 12 students who are currently studying for their ATAR and wanting to apply for university placements in 2025, spent the afternoon with the Careers team starting the application process. These students were provided with an information session on how to apply for and navigate the QTAC portal and the application process. It is an exciting time of year for the Year 12 students with the benefit of all their efforts over the last two years of senior schooling providing them the opportunity to apply for a place in a course at their chosen university. We are all looking forward to the university placements that will be offered to these students in the near future.  

Student Education and Training Plan (SET) 2025  

During Week 5, the current Year 10 students and their parents spent time with the careers team planning their pathway into Years 11 and 12 and post Year 12 education. These conversations provide the opportunity for leadership at the College to plan and assist students with their chosen pathways. These pathways could include an ATAR pathway, a school-based apprenticeship/traineeship pathway, a vocational education pathway, or a blend of these pathways. The College endeavours to provide all individuals with their chosen pathway to assist them in reaching their desired careers.  

Key Dates for 2024 

20 August Yr 7 & 8 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  

December Y9 QCAA Portal and USI number applications

Apprenticeships  

Reece Plumbing in Dalby are offering a School based Traineeship his position is open to current year 10 and 11 students to complete the Certificate II in Supply Chain Operations. 

Key points to note: 

• Certificate II in Supply Chain Operations (TLI20421) 
• 18–24-month program 
• Working one day per week along with the Saturday Morning 
• Combination of Warehousing and Retail skills 
• The ideal candidate needs to be outgoing, respectful, willing to work in a team environment 
• The student must be willing to shine in customer service 
• Commitment to complete year 12 is a must 
• Students are encouraged to apply for this traineeship at Reece Group (myworkdayjobs.com) 

Komatsu apprenticeships open on July 1, 2024. If you are interested in a trade/qualification commencing in 2025 in one of the following areas, then click on the link at the bottom to register: 

• Plant Mechanic - Cert III in Mobile Plant Technology 
• Auto Electrician - Cert III in Automative Electrical Technology 
• Electrician (High Voltage) - Cert III in Electrotechnology 
• Automative Sales (CSR) - Cert III in Automative sales 

Register - Komatsu Apprenticeships for 2025 

Energex and TAFE Cadetship Program  

Eligible Year 11 and 12 students in 2025, will be able to apply for this initiative that enables students to undertake UEE22020 Certificate II in Electrotechnology (Career Start) whilst attending work experience at a designated Ergon Energy Network or Energex depot. 

Applications open Monday 15 July 2024, at 9am and close on 30 August 2024. 

How to apply: 

Information about the program, the regional locations, eligibility and workload is available at the TAFE Queensland's Ergon Energy Network and Energex Pre-apprenticeship Program webpage. To submit an application, students will need to ensure they understand the requirements and expectations and are willing to fully commit to this program in 2025. The application portal link will be made available via the website on Monday 15 July at 9am. 

Apply Now 

University Open Days 2024 

UniSQ 

Toowoomba  18 August   10am-2pm 

UniSQ 2024 open days 

UQ (University of Queensland) – registrations open in July 

Gatton Campus 18 August 9am – 3pm 

UQ Open Days 

Dean Garside

Careers Development Practitioner

Wow what a day – if you missed it make sure you mark it in your diary for next year! If you were there, we hope you had as much fun as we did!

Last Saturday we held our first inaugural Our Ladies Long Lunch, filled with dancing, laughs and even a drink or two. With over 150 ladies who attended it was a sea of smiles and excitement, it was great to see the event centre come to life. Our guest entertainer and showman Mark Andrew Tabone (AKA Elvis Presley, and Danny Zuko) stole the show with his sensational voice and dance moves. We would like to thank all our sponsors from the event, New State Builders (Mr Tony Carmichael), Dalby Self-Storage (Mr Phil & Mrs Liz Ryan), Western Downs Traffic Control (Mrs Georgia Barnett), City Country Insurance (Mr Craig & Mrs Krystal Rush) and Tate Auto Electrics (Mr Dave & Mrs Sarah Tate), your generosity is like no other and we are beyond grateful for your support.

A big thankyou must also go to all the local businesses and individuals who were generous in donating goods for our raffle, silent auction, lucky door prize and of course Jo Cuskelly Art who hand painted 27 pots for auction!

We can’t go without mentioning ‘Share the Dignity’ Angela and Cathy who shared their insights and inspiration of what they do and how our donation will help!  Share the Dignity - ensuring that everyone is afforded the dignity in life that so many of us take for granted. www.sharethedignity.org.au

Rachael Thompson, our talented photographer for the day capturing our memories and we look forward to sharing them with you soon.

Mrs Jane Witcombe and her team kept the drinks flowing while Jo Jesse and her team served a delicious meal for all to enjoy! We are grateful for their support and assistance on the day!

The Twidale sisters sang us into the night keeping the party alive!

Finally, a big thankyou to all the beautiful ladies who attended and the staff and students that helped in the days before and after. The day wouldn’t have been possible without the help and support of you all.

This week, our staff organised an exciting array of activities for students to dive into the wonders of science. From making watermelons explode to creating chromatography rainbows, pop-top fountains, and even attempting to melt a Flake chocolate, students had a blast getting hands-on with these experiments. These engaging activities not only made learning fun but also sparked curiosity and a love for Science among our students. It was a week filled with discovery, laughter, and plenty of “aha” and "wow" moments!

Hi Everyone,

As I write this article for Week 6, we are still receiving generous sponsorships from our local businesses, which we are truly appreciative of. It is so wonderful to see our community come together to help raise funds for our school, so thank you all who have contributed thus far.

We recently had our Major Marquee sponsor come on board, which we will acknowledge and celebrate in the coming days. Stay tuned by following us on Facebook and Instagram, as we share up to date information on our 2024 sponsors and the announcement of when you can purchase your race day tickets.

FACE team would like to thank the team at Darbey Building & Construction who have kindly sponsored one of the races on the day. We look forward to seeing one of their team members presenting the trophy trackside!

We are so excited to announce Wambo Fire & Electrical as our 2024 Bar Sponsor! Cheers guys.

A shout out to the amazing team at Brackens Field Maintenance for their generous support of the Saint’s Race Day. They are sponsoring our lawn bar which will be track side!

This year the 'Fashions on the Field' will be brought to you by Andersens Dalby. Thank you Andersens!

You can dance the night away thanks to our 2024 entertainment sponsor.... Greenaway Plumbing & Gas. As much as we would love to see John up on the stage, we might leave it to the professionals! 

We are excited to announce 2 of our Hydrangea Level Sponsors for 2024... Master Hire and Golding Air Conditioning and Heating. Thank you so much!

It’s not too late to join one or more of the 4 wonderful opportunities that your family or business can do to be involved and raise funds, which are pivotal in providing premium resources and facilities for your children. The 4 opportunities are:

1. Sponsorship - We have a new and exciting sponsorship program launched for 2024. We would love the opportunity to introduce and promote your company to the Dalby community. 
2. Live Auction - We are seeking quality donations to be used as part of our live auction. This exciting event will take place on the Race Day in the afternoon. Donators will be acknowledged through Social Media, College Newsletter and announced on the day. 

​** If you would like to make a cash donation, this will be put towards a ‘Holiday Package’ to be auctioned off.

1. Multi-Draw Raffle - We are seeking quality donations that can be part of the Multi-Draw raffle. This year we are putting together 4 raffle packages that will be on display in the College foyer in the weeks leading up to the Race Day. We would appreciate all donations that can fit into any of the following categories:
1. Mens Pack
2. Ladies Pack
3. Childrens Pack
4. Family Fun Pack
2. Attend the Race Day! Tickets are currently available in Sponsorship Packages, and will be open to the OLSCC and Dalby Community in early August. Keep an eye on socials for an update on the release date.

On behalf of the OLSCC Face and Community Engagement (FACE) committee, we extend our heartfelt thanks for considering this opportunity. For any questions or more information, our friendly Committee members are just a call or email away.

DalbyFACE@twb.catholic.edu.au

Kaitlin Machin

FACE President

Hello from the Tuckshop, let me take a moment to introduce myself as the new Convenor. 

I have recently been with another tuckshop in an assistant role and working in a fast-paced food service area, with a background in baking and a huge passion for food, I am looking forward to the next steps in the Our Lady of the Southern Cross tuckshop. 

Please keep your eye out for new food and changes to when some items will be available as we test out some exciting new options, which I would welcome any feedback on. 

The tuckshop is also looking for new volunteers as we move forward so if you think yourself a hotdog hero, or a toastie connoisseur, or are unsure but want to help please see myself or Jo in the tuckshop and we will find the perfect role for you to shine. 

Toni Campbell

This term as a new Re-creation offering, OLSCC has been partnering with Mr. Vincent Bradley or as he is more commonly known Vinnie at the PCYC. Our students have been engaging in the Team Up program. The Team Up program is an opportunity to build student’s confidence, leadership and problem-solving skills in a fun and interactive

afternoon session. The students involved have been running a variety of different group and solo activities. They have had the challenge of working in a team to overcome challenges ranging from creating a cup tower against the challenges of wind and the shortcomings of their supplies which the students very much complained about. They managed a very impressive height, requiring a chair to reach the top until the wind’s intervention led to a catastrophic failure.

By far the most engaging activity has been the boxing session. Vinnie led an interesting and physically demanding session for the students. This was the first time most of them had ever donned the gloves, let alone thrown a few punches. Running the different drills including “working the bag” and jab, hook and feint was a thrilling experience for the students. The students were able to access the boxing gym and learn the fundamentals against the bags while doing some pad work.

The students have loved engaging with this program and are always eagerly awaiting the afternoon session. It has been a great experience so far and I am sure there is plenty more fun to come. We are lucky to have Vinnie as part of our community, running such a valuable program. It would be great to have a larger group for the program next term. It builds so many attributes and skills while having a great time.

Lyndon Vince

Teacher

Join us for the Coleman Family Fun Run, a vibrant colour run and obstacle course event dedicated to raising funds for the Coleman family. Their beautiful daughter, Mackenzie, has recently been diagnosed with a brain tumor, and we’re coming together as a community to show our support.

The event will take place on Saturday, August 17, on the Joey's Primary School Oval, Canaga Street, Chinchilla and continuing into the evening. Enjoy a fun-filled day with food stalls, kids' entertainment, bar, auctions and much more.

All proceeds will go directly to the Coleman family. Let’s make a difference together and show Mackenzie and her family the strength and love of our community.

More details to come

Sponsorship packages available - email ColemanFamilyFunRun@gmail.com