10 March - FACE AGM (5:30pm - College Library or online)

10 March - Kokoda Parent / Teacher Information Night

11 March - Darling Downs Sports Trials

11 March - Bunya District U12 Basketball Trials

12 - 24 March - NAPLAN (Year 3, 5, 7, 9)

14 March - Whole College Assembly

17 March - Year 11 QFS Driver Safety Presentation

18 March - Bunya District U11/12 Rugby League Trials

18 March - Year 7 Principal Tour (5:30pm - 6:30pm)

21 March - 2025 Year 12 Formal

21 March - Early Years Assembly

21 March - Middle Years Assembly

Growing Great People

As we round out Week 6 of our first term, I would like to acknowledge the amazing work of our students and staff at Our Lady of the Southern Cross College. Walking through the Senior Years today I see hard working people, smiles on faces, enquiry on the mind and challenge in the eye. I hear respectful conversations, care and concern for one another, and a genuine community where each person is invested in the wellbeing of others. This acknowledgement and respect for the innate dignity of all others underpins the HOPE we need to create a better world. 

Our Lady of the Southern Cross College is a special place, and sometimes I wonder if our students and staff take the time to appreciate what an amazing place they come to learn each and every day. We are so blessed to have a place where we can gather as a family to learn, eat, play and pray. 

2025 Census and Student Enrolments

We have just completed our February Census which is the submission upon which the majority of our State and Federal funding for the year is based. Numerically, in 2025 we have 349 boys, 339 girls, a total of 688 students from Prep to Year 12. Of these, 417 students are primary and 271 are secondary, with 308 Early Years students, 222 Middle Years students and 158 Senior Years students. Of our 688 students, 20 students have English as their secondary (or third or fourth) language, and 33 students identify as First Nations Australians. Not identified in the census is the ever-expanding diversity of our student population as we become more understanding of other faiths, inclusive of students with diverse needs, and welcoming of other cultures. 

Currently, we have 256 students in Prep to Year 3 across 12 classes (3 streams of each year level), and we expect this transition to three streams to continue. In 2026 we will have 3 streams for Prep – Year 4, as well as Year 9, and we intend to begin transitioning to 3 classes of Year 7 again also. Our challenge for Year 7 is that we already have full classes in Years 6, 5 and 4 in 2025, so if we don’t expand, we won’t be supporting our wider community. It is really important to note that our decisions regarding number of streams for year levels are based on enrolment applications in Round 1.

Applications for Round 1 for 2026 close at midnight on May 5, so please book in for a Tour, arrange a meeting with a member of the Leadership Team, or submit enrolment applications prior to this date to avoid disappointment. It’s also really important for our families to talk to people from other schools if they express a wish to transition to OLSCC. Many students were placed on waiting lists and ultimately missed out on a spot at OLSCC for this year because they simply didn’t get their applications in on time. Please share some Facebook posts, let your friends know about the timelines and help your family and friends get organised so they too can enjoy being part of the OLSCC family.

DATE CLAIMERS: Our Lady of the Southern Cross College 2026 Enrolments

2026 Round 1 Applications Closing – Midnight, Monday 5 May 2025.

‘Decisions regarding class structures will be made based on Round 1 applications’ 

• YEAR 7 FOCUS Principal Tour – Tuesday 18 March 5:30pm to 6:30pm (register at the College Office to attend) 

• PREP FOCUS Principal Tour – Tuesday 25 March 5:30pm to 6:30pm (register at the College Office to attend) 

• PREP Come & Try Morning – Wednesday 2 April 9:00am to 10:30am: NEW FAMILIES to College, Preppie and Parent (register at the College Office to attend)

As our numbers continue to grow, we become a College that can continue to offer more to our community. We are currently working on recruiting new staff in preparation for 2026 so we can expand the offerings in the academic domain of senior secondary. We are also looking for ways in which we can support trade skill development through additional programs in 2026 so we can continue graduating great people that are in high demand in both the workforce and further education. 

Cyclone Updates

A reminder that over the weekend and into next week, all updates regarding Cyclone Alfred will be done via email, or if urgent, by text message. While we expect to be impacted by the rain coming this weekend and into next week, we will continue to plan to be open and running school as usual. I am grateful for the regular attendance of our students in the back end of this week ensuring we can continue our teaching and learning without additional days off.

We pray that the impact of TC Alfred is minimal, and those communities in Southeast Queensland and Northern New South Wales remain united and safe over the coming days. 

Outside of School Hours Care (OSHC)

Our OSHC is going from strength to strength. Throughout this year our numbers continue to grow, and when the numbers continue to grow, there are more kids to play with, more staff to help out, and lots of new, fun and exciting ways to play and create in the mornings and afternoons! Yesterday I watched 17 students playing outside on the oval, hanging out with mates and living their best life.

When we sent out a survey about hosting an OSHC at OLSCC, we received significant feedback regarding the need for our students. Despite this, the usage of the service has not been significant. To maintain an OSHC at the College into the future, we must average at least 15 students every afternoon. It is only when we reach these numbers that the service can be assured to continue into the future. With this in mind, I encourage parents to at least give our OSHC a try – especially those who utilise other services. Our primary location for OSHC from the start of Term 2 will be in the PAC everyday, there will be more and more time outside playing games, there will be some additional staff being employed, and with additional students it is simply more fun for the students in attendance. Please take the bold step of giving it a go for your family! This is a business that relies on client usage, so let’s make sure that we value this resource by using it so we can continue into the future.

If you have questions or are unsure of anything to do with OSHC, including costs, times and days, how to join or anything else, please contact our Outside of School Hours Care TCKC at OLSCC!

Peter Cuskelly

Principal

Today my newsletter item contains lots of friendly reminders. On any given school day we manage 688 students, 90 staff, our extended families and visitors which include guest presenters and tradesmen, on our campus. It is important that we all play our part to ensure that learning is optimised, students are safe, and visitors feel welcome. Please see information below as a reminder for all in regard to before and after school expectations around student arrival and departure, visitors to the College, and notification of absentees. Family support in each of these areas ensures our teachers can focus on learning each day.

Students on Campus Outside of School Hours 

BEFORE SCHOOL 

Supervision at the College begins at 8:15am in the Pavilion and the Senior Plaza. Students should not arrive at the College before this time, this allows our staff to prepare for their day, and it is our preference that students do not arrive on campus until after 8:30am. Students who do need to arrive between 8:15am and 8:30am must drop off their bags and move directly to either the Pavilion or the Senior Plaza to be seated until 8:30am. 

At 8:30am students are allowed to move to veranda areas, classrooms and lockers to get organised for the day or to the MY Plaza/Oval area or Senior Plaza to socialise before first bell at 8:47am. Please note teachers are scheduled on duties before and after school and may not be available every day for parents at this time.

AFTER SCHOOL 

The final bell of the day goes at 3:10pm and students then move to collect their bags and move to parent pick up areas or the bus zone. Teachers rostered on duty after school also move from class to their duty areas. We supervise the front footpath from Senior Years area to the Prep gate end, the bus zone and Cooper Street near the football posts until 3:30pm to ensure plenty of time for collection.  

OSHC is available to support families for students younger than 13 years of age at the College if you need to arrange care for outside of school hours. Our Lady of Southern Cross OSHC Dalby - Toowoomba Catholic Kindergartens & Care 

Visiting the College During the School Day 

The College campus is a busy place during school hours, and it is important that we are aware of visitors on campus between 8:50am and 3:10pm. Parents and visitors attending the College during the “normal” school day are asked to sign in on arrival via the College Office and to sign out when departing. For example, this applies to volunteers, parents dropping off forgotten items eg lunch and laptops, and collecting sick children. This ensures we have a record of who is on campus in different areas of the College for safety compliance.

For attendance at College events such as Assembly or a College Mass that are in one main location, parents and visitors may go directly to the location of the event and do not need to sign in. In case of an emergency when attending events such as these visitors are asked to respond to the staff member in charge of the event and follow their directions to ensure the safety of all.  

Sentral for Parents (Parent Portal) – Absentee 

A great way to let the College know that your child is absent or will be absent in the future is via Sentral for Parents. These can be put in on the day or before the day if it is a preplanned absence. This will then be accepted by administration staff and added to the Sentral system. Logging an absence ahead of time or first thing in the morning assists us greatly to ensure all students are accounted for each day. 

HOW TO

• Sentral for Parents App 

• Choose the Absences Icon 

• In top right-hand corner choose the plus sign 

• Select which child/ren 

• Select a reason from the list eg if sick choose medical 

• Choose appropriate start and end date for the absence 

• Add a comment if needed or desired 

• Then click SEND 

It will show on the absences list as PENDING until it is accepted by Administration staff 

If at any time you have queries or concerns about the attendance data showing in your child’s Sentral profile, there are a number of avenues for parents: 

• Contact core teacher if Prep – Year 6 

• Contact lesson teacher if Year 7 - 12 

• If due to extra-curricular contact the teacher in charge of this activity 

• Contact Assistant Principal of your child’s Sector

• Email dalby@twb.catholic.edu.au 

This issue will then be explored and rectified or explained. 

See a video demonstration - Sentral Parents Explain Absence 

NAPLAN Year 3, 5, 7, 9 

Next week we will take part in NAPLAN, a nationwide measure through which parents, teachers, schools, education authorities, governments and the broader community can determine how well young Australians are developing the literacy and numeracy skills that provide the critical foundation for other learning, and for their productive and rewarding participation in the community. 

Preparation to ensure an understanding of the format and platforms of NAPLAN has been taking place across classes this year. To be ready for Wednesday next week students in Year 3, 5, 7, 9 just need to ensure they are at school on time each day ready to learn. Students in Year 5, 7, 9 should ensure that their laptops are fully charged every day. 

Our schedule for all year levels: 

Wednesday 12 March – Writing 

Thursday 13 March – Reading 

Friday 14 March – catch up tests no formal tests on the schedule 

Monday 17 March – Conventions of Language 

Tuesday 18 March – Numeracy 

19 -22 March - Catch up tests for any students who have missed scheduled tests 

24 March – final day of NAPLAN period

Sacraments of Confirmation and First Communion 

Children who are baptised and have celebrated First Reconciliation (Confession) are eligible to enrol. Please contact St Joseph’s Parish to enrol your child:

Bishop Ken Howell will confer the Sacrament of Confirmation on Tuesday 20 May 6pm. 
The Sacrament of First Communion will be celebrated during 9am Mass on Sunday 25 May. 

If your child is age 7 years and older and you would like them to prepare for First Reconciliation, you can also email the Parish to be put on the First Reconciliation list. At St Joseph’s we celebrate Reconciliation in November each year, you will then be contacted later in the year with additional information. 

150 Years of Catholic Education

In 2027 we will celebrate 150 years of formal Catholic Education in Dalby. It is amazing to consider all the lives that have been educated and have taught in our Catholic schools here in Dalby! One of our goals over the next two years in the lead up to this celebration is to collect updates on “Where are they now?” from students and staff who attended our College, and past two schools, St Mary’s and St Columba’s. Our history is different to so many other schools, we have over the past 140 years varied as an education institution from being co-educational, to primary and secondary, single sex and even boarding at one point, and as such we regard anyone who attended or worked at our College at some point in time part of our OLSCC Family. We do not limit ‘membership’ in our family to only those who graduated Year 12 at our College. We all have different pathways that life takes us and we would like to celebrate them all. If you have a story to share please email it to our College email dalby@twb.catholic.edu.au – please include with it your full name including maiden name and years and school/s you attended or worked here. Don’t forget your best contacts so we can keep you updated about 150 year celebrations. We can’t wait to hear from you. 

Example – my connection with the College is varied across Student, Teacher and Parent. 

Catherine Brennan (nee Ryan) St Columba’s Student 1983-1989 (Year 1- Year 7); Teacher (2001-current), Parent (2015-current). I would also then include my story update on where I am now and what I am doing, where life has led me. Maybe a story or two about the many Spring Fairs I took part in as a student and then as a teacher. 

Cate Brennan

Deputy Principal Religious Education

Pope Francis 

I invite you to join me in praying for Pope Francis, who is currently facing health challenges. Pope Francis challenges us to live with real hope – not just in words but in action. He speaks out for justice, cares for the poor and reminds us that faith about loving, serving and making the world a better place. 

Loving God, today we come together to pray for Pope Francis. He is a leader who reminds us to be kind, to care for others, and to trust in you. He gives us hope by showing us how to love and help our world. We ask you to bless him with strength. May he feel your love and the love of all the people who are praying for him today. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen 

Lent 

Each year during Lent, we support Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion. This year we are uniting against poverty.   

Jesus teaches us to care for others, especially people who are poor or having a hard time.   

In Matthew 25, Jesus said, “For I was hungry, and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”  

This reminds us to always help those who need it most.   

During Lent, we are going to learn about 3 inspiring stories of people from Samoa, Vietnam, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Even though their lives are very different, they’ve worked hard with their communities to make things better and overcome tough challenges.  

Lent is a special time when we pray, fast and share what we have to help others. It’s our chance to say "yes" to God’s call to love and care for everyone and our planet.  

This week, our College came together to celebrate Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the Lenten season. Tuesday saw generosity in the many people gave a gold coin to raise money for Project Compassion and enjoyed a pancake.  

          

God of all life, 

Bless our efforts this Lent to walk humbly with you as we Unite Against Poverty and put our faith into action. 

May we support the work of Caritas Australia, as we journey with our brothers and sisters around the world as pilgrims of hope. 

We pray this in the name of Christ. Amen 

Carey Twidale

Middle Leader Living Your Faith

Learning in the Middle Years

The Middle Years requires an intentional approach to teaching and learning strategies, one that is responsive and appropriate to the full range of needs, interests, and achievements of a diverse group of young adolescents. Our dedicated staff work very hard in this space to develop positive working relationships with our adolescent learners. It is essential they are emotionally predictable and fair, not being drawn into the drama that may be present in the minds of their learners. 

The 10-14 age bracket is a very complex time in the lives of students. Their evolving brain struggles to devleop at the same rate as their body does physically. They may rapidly grow taller and stronger, but they are not equally as developed in their thinking nor their emotional regulation. Students begin to look more like young adults, but internally their decision making and complex reasoning is more akin with that of their younger primary siblings and peers. For many, impulse control is still very much under-developed, time-management is a long shot, struggles with confidence and peer-pressure may hinder their participation rates and then a series of mood swings and disrupted sleep patterns.   

In short, they are simultaneously developing; physically, intellectually, emotionally, socially, and ethically. Like any period of great change, transitioning through this time period comes with its challenges. Our staff work hard along this rollercoaster to provide a consistent, supportive, positive learning environment for our students. Some examples of this are included below:  

Our dedicated educators are knowledgeable, empathetic, passionate and relational – all of which supports our students to be the best version of themselves as learners. As we strive to provide flexible, safe, positive learning environments, our students engage in a range of activities designed to inspire. Check out some of these snaps from our classes:

 

Words out West
On Tuesday, our students from Year 5 - 7 headed off site to engage in sessions at the Dalby Events Centre as part of the Words Out West Festival. I was fortunate to join the Year 6 and Year 7 students for their videography session by Geordie Lillis. As he spoke of his up bringing, as a young lad from Quinalow through to traveling the world working for mega brands like Red Bull Racing and working on Hollywood films, it was not hard to sit and wonder who about all the potential sitting in the room in OLSCC uniforms. When 2040 rolls around, I wonder where some of our students will be, what professions they have embarked on, and what stories they will tell about how they got to where they are then. I wonder if any will be talking to school students like Geordie was, inspiring the next generation of go-getters and innovators.    

Assessment 

We are now very much into the assessment period of the term. Supporting students through this period can make an enormous difference in their experience and success. Here are some tips for families to provide the best support:

Emotional Support   
1) Encourage open communication: Create a safe space for children to share their feelings or concerns. Let them know it is okay to feel stressed or overwhelmed.
2) Stay positive: Offer words of encouragement and celebrate their efforts, not just the outcomes.

Practical Support
1) Establish routines: Help create a structured schedule for study, breaks, meals, and sleep to maintain balance.
2) Minimise distractions: Provide a quiet, comfortable environment for focused study time.
3) Healthy habits: Encourage regular meals, hydration, exercise, and sufficient sleep.

Academic Support
1) Help with organisation: Assist to create to-do lists and use planners to keep track of deadlines and study goals.
2) Be available: Offer to help with study materials, quizzes, or finding resoources if needed - but avoid micromanaging.
3) Encourage breaks: Remind them to take short breaks to recharge and avoid burnout.

Perspective and Balanace
1) Downplay pressure: Emphasise that their well-being is more important than any test results. 
2) Celebrate small wins: Recognise and reward milestones to keep motivation levels high. 

Post-Assessment Support
1) Debrief together: Discuss how they felt about the assessments and what they can learn for next time.
2) Help them unwind: Plan something fun and relaxing to look forward to after the assessments. 

Families play a cruical role during stressful times and your support can empower your children to be their best while feeling cared for. Their teachers are also here to help. If you need to reach out to your child's teacher to share concerns regarding assessment, please do so. Toegther you can plan on the best support strategies to implement, here at school and at home.  

Warm regards, 

Craig Cullen

Assistant Principal Middle Years

Last week Year 5 had the Queensland Museum kit visit them in their Science class. The students explored plants and animals that have adapted to living in the Queensland rainforest. They identified the structural and behavioural adaptations these animals and plants possess. Lots of fun and learning happening!

Melinda Crow

Teacher

Year 11 Sport and Recreation Students with Prep PE classes

Year 11 students are studying Coaching Principles and have completed Level O qualifications in Coaching and Officiating. They are applying their skills in the Prep PE classroom with Prep students currently investigating Movement Concept & Patterns. For example, skipping and galloping.

Col Anderton

Teacher

Harmony Day

Harmony week, 17 to 23 of March, celebrates Australia’s vibrant cultural diversity. During this week, OLSCC will celebrate the respect, inclusiveness and sense of belonging for all Australians, from the traditional custodians of the land to those who have come from many countries around the world. On Friday, 21 of March, all students are welcome to wear orange accessories to celebrate the day. The orange is a symbol of communication and meaningful conversations. It also corresponds to the freedom of ideas and encouragement of mutual respect. Wearing orange during on Harmony Day, shows support for the cultural diversity and an inclusive Australia.

College Prefects

FACE COMMITTEE

You are invited to TAKE 2 OLSCC Face and Community Engagement (FACE) Annual General Meeting (AGM) Monday 10 March 2025 – 5:30pm in the College Library.

Please give some consideration to any of the below – find a friend or a few and commit to assisting in one of the many openings (listed below). 

You will be assisting the College, the community and most importantly build new connections.

The more we have to be involved the more fun we can have!

If you can’t make it Monday, please send us an email or contact the College with your interest.

From Principal’s Pen, Southern Cross Connection Term 1 Week 4 – 2025:

The first attempt we couldn’t form a quorum to have our Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Annual General Meeting (AGM). This is a great shame for our community. Without FACE, the following does not take place any longer at OLSCC:

• Saints Race Day
• Parent Engagement Evenings such as Dr Justin Coulson or Ms Madonna King
• Heads, Hearts, and Hands
• Christmas Carols BBQ
• Book club, Pie Drives, and general fundraising
• Grant submissions for facilities improvement
• Financial support for the ongoing development of the College

Seeing these things evaporate from our College would be very disappointing for Parent engagement and College support.

The challenge we face is simply perspective. Many people have their perspective skewed due to being on other committees in the past where excessive work was required for the duration of their engagement. The structure of FACE (under a P&F constitution) is not this intense, if we get a positive group of people to gather and take on responsibility for one or two items each. 

What are the responsibilities? These are outlined below. The greatest challenge with all of this is we need diversity and input. When there are only a few who will commit to the group, the workload can become large. When we have many, each is required to do little.

Roles in FACE:

• President, Vice President, and Secretary – Come to 4 meetings a year (including the AGM) and generally ensure the other people are on track and supported. Organise opportunities for parent engagement (such as special guest evenings) and liaise with the College Leadership Team.

These are the only roles that are required to attend FACE meetings each term. Other roles are welcome to attend or provide a brief update regarding their portfolio.

• Treasurer – This role is undertaken by the Business Manager of the College – Sarah Hall
• Heads, Hearts, and Hands – Nicole and Bec already have all of this under control, though would welcome others if they wanted to help gathering food and treats to provide to families who could do with a little hand at times.
• Saints Race Day Co-ordinator – engage a team to put together the event of Saints Race Day on an annual basis. It doesn’t always have to be bigger and better than previous years (after all if we have no FACE, we have no Race Day, and it will disappear off our calendar altogether!) Last year FACE booked a professional MC/speaker - great idea to reduce workload and engage the audience! Other roles the co-ordinator would oversee:
• Raffle Prizes
• Auctions Prizes
• Sponsor Engagement
• Design and decoration
• Entertainment (MC / Music etc)
• Set up, pack down and clean up

The ‘Saints” Group would most likely have sub meetings or maybe communicating with a specific app so that the event can be co-ordinated effectively.

• Book Club Co-ordinator
• Fundraising Co-ordinator
• Pie Drive & Other ideas that both help the community and raise funds for FACE
• Carols BBQ Co-ordinator
• Grants writer

If we have a group of around 14 people to undertake these tasks, with a couple of helpers each, our FACE can run in a sustainable manner to continue supporting the College, engaging parents, and ultimately, supporting students in their holistic education at OLSCC.

If you can lend a hand, please come along to the second attempt of the Annual General Meeting on Monday 10 March at 5:30pm in the Library. It’s important to note that the College will not be allocating staff to perform the duties of FACE. 

If FACE cannot be formed, the above functions will cease to exist. Please talk to a friend and find one thing that you could do to assist. If you are unable to make the meeting, please send an email or contact the College Office with your interest.

Fee Concessions

Concessions are available for families who are experiencing genuine financial hardship.

Please contact the College Business Manager, Sarah Hall, for further information.

Sarah Hall

Business Manager

Lost Property

We have several pairs of glasses in our Lost Property in the Office. If any of these look familiar, please collect them from Reception.

Bunya District Under 12 Sports Trials

Sign on sheets will be placed on the Notice Board before each trial date for any students wishing to attend. Information about the trial will be published on the flyer. Depending on numbers interested in trialling, an intra school trial may need to be held in some sports to select a College team to attend the trials. Nominations will close a few days before each trial. These are all representative trials (not come and try days). Students need to be of a high playing standard to attend. Further information will be emailed to parents once nominations are finalised.

11 March – Basketball

18 March – Rugby League

Bunya District Selections

U11 Netball

Samantha Spies, Poppy Martin, Matilda Kahler, Eve Henry, Darci Geiger, Stella Clarris, Elsie Chaplin, Isabel Barnett.

U12 Netball

Pippa Smith, Lucy Scott, Kensei Pain, Harriet Manley, Emily Bundy, Elke Boyes.

Swimming

Amity Darbey, Hannah Lincoln, Harriet Manley, Mia Milton, Ava Robinson, Pippa Smith, Claire Sullivan, Seb Ballantyne, Henry Cassidy, Hunter Hayllor, Jack Neal, Henry Nevell, George Stephens, Ace Utz.

Darling Downs Selections

U15 Boys Volleyball

Kash Hunt, Ausin Sinclair (Shadow Player)

U15 Girls Volleyball

Charlotte Bennie, Lucy Cusack, Jacinda Smith, Abby Zillman, Lucy Bennie

Sophie Donaldson and Lainey Geiger (Shadow Players)

QCIS Swimming

Congratulations to all students who competed at the QCIS Swimming Championships in Dalby last week. The College finished third in the percentage points and fourth in the overall points.

Age Group Winners

Under 10 Boys – Hunter Hayllor and George Stephens

Under 10 Girls – Charlotte Sproxton, Mia Milton and Amity Darbey

Age group results are listed below.

Girls	Age Group	Boys
1st	Under 10	1st
3rd	Under 11	3rd
6th	Under 12	4th
6th	Under 13	4th
5th	Under 14	4th
4th	Under 15	3rd
4th	Under 16	5th
5th	Under 18	6th

Netball

Thanks to St Ursula’s College who travelled to Dalby for games against our Laura Geitz and QISSN Squads. This event has become an annual tradition to help select the QISSN Team and provide match practice before the Laura Geitz carnival. The QISSN game was a close encounter with St Ursula’s winning by one point, whilst St Ursula’s was way too strong in the Laura Geitz game winning convincingly.

QISSN

Congratulations to the following girls selected to represent the College at the 2025 QISSN Netball Carnival in Bundaberg during the June/July holidays.

Hannah Taylor, Chloe Manteit, Taylor Marshall, Summer Buckley, Arabella Donaldson, Emma Cusack, Emmy Harms, Lucy Chaplin, Charlotte Bennie, Abby Zillman.

Shadow Players – Sophie Jeude and Lucy Cusack

Cricket

Congratulations to Wylie Timms who was selected in the Darling Downs Under 12 Country Cricket Team to play against Toowoomba as part of the Darling Downs Trials for 2025.

Tim Lincoln

Middle Leader Sport

Exciting Work Experience Opportunity for Year 10 Students!

We are thrilled to announce an exciting work experience opportunity as part of our College careers curriculum during Term 3, 2025! This program is designed to provide students with valuable insights into the professional world, helping them to explore potential career paths and develop essential skills for their future.

What is Work Experience?

Work experience is a short-term placement with a business or organisation where students can observe and participate in daily operations. It offers a unique chance to gain firsthand experience in a real-world setting, understand workplace dynamics, and build confidence.

Why Participate?

• Career Exploration: Discover different industries and roles to help make informed decisions about your future career.
• Skill Development: Enhance your communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills.
• Networking: Build connections with professionals and gain references for future job applications.
• Resume Building: Add valuable experience to your resume, making you stand out to future employers.

Program Details

• Duration: Term 3, 16 – 20 June, 2025
• Eligibility: All Year 10 students
• Placement Options: Various industries including healthcare, technology, education, finance, and more
• Support: Guidance from our careers team to help you find the right placement and prepare for your experience

Timeline for Work Experience

• 3/3/2025 Students will receive two work experience packs – for both Student & Employer
• 3/3 – 28/3/2025 Students are to source a work experience provider and ask employer to fill in the Host Profile sheet (if they agree to a placement) while you are there – If you are experiencing problems finding a placement, please speak with Mr Garside or Mrs Boland as soon as possible.
• 31/3/2025 Students are to return Host Profile (Employer fills form in) to Mrs Boland at YLC.
• 28/4/2025 Students will receive a Work Experience Agreement (Employer, Parent/Guardian and student to sign) Students are required to take this to the employer to sign.
• 6/5/2025 Students are to return Signed Work Experience Agreements at the Careers Window - MUST BE RETURNED ON THIS DAY!
• 19/5/2025 Employers will receive a confirmation email of placement.
• 2/6/2025 Students, Parents and Employer will receive an email as a reminder of your placement.
• 16/6/2025 Students commence Work Experience

We encourage all Year 10 students to take advantage of this fantastic opportunity to gain practical experience and explore potential career paths. If you have any questions or need further information, please contact our careers team by either phoning 4672 4111 or email careers@dalby.catholic.edu.au  We look forward to seeing you take this important step towards your future success!

Experience UniSQ Days

The University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba Campus will be holding Experience UniSQ Days for Year 11 and 12 students who are interested in attending tertiary studies after school. These days offer students to explore their campuses, take part in specialised sessions in different study fields, and get a feel for student life at UniSQ. If you are interested in attending one of these campuses, you are required to register on the link below.  Please ask your parents to take you to this event if you are interested.

UniSQ Toowoomba   2 April           8.30am – 2.30pm

UniSQ Ipswich         4 April           8.30am – 2.30pm

UniSQ Springfield    4 April            8.30am – 2.30pm

Experience UniSQ Days | UniSQ

University Open Days 2025

Students who are interested in a University pathway are encouraged to explore University Open Days in Year 11 prior to entering Year 12 as it is an extremely busy year and applications for residential campuses generally open earlier than open days.

Toowoomba

UniSQ    Saturday 9 August             Springfield & Ipswich

             Saturday 16 August           Toowoomba

Brisbane

ACU       To be released ? August     Nudgee Road, Banyo

Griffith   Sunday 10 August             Gold Coast & Nathan (South Brisbane)

QUT       Sunday 27 July                  Kelvin Grove and Gardens Point

UQ         Sunday 3 August               St Lucia Campus

             Sunday 17 August             Gatton Campus

Sunshine Coast

UniSC    Sunday 3 August               Sippy Downs

OLSCC 2025 Careers Dates

2 April                      Year 10                 White Card Training

TBC May                   Year 9-10             Industry Dinner

16-20 June               Year 10                 Work Experience

10 September           Year 12                 RSA Course

8-9 September          Year 10                 First Aid & Manual Handling Course

Year 11                     CPR Refresher Course

17-19 September      Year 10                 Barista Course

TBC October             Year 12                 SBA Employer Thank You Lunch

Available Apprenticeships

Dalby General Steel

This work would suit people that want to gain skills in a retail environment and would like to build a career in Sales, Warehousing and Purchasing. Or for people that want to enter the workforce directly after finishing year 12.

• Sales and Retail – Tasks include serving customers across multiple industries both over the counter and via the phone and email sales. There is a wide range of product to learn that can transfer across industries. Our salespeople have built careers where they earn $80 – $100k per year with Dalby General Steel. Other long-term former employees have gone onto become purchasing managers for large manufacturers or to procurement roles in mining and gas earning $100k – $150k.
• Warehousing – Opportunity to learn skills of warehousing and gain licences such as forklift, HR truck and Cert 3 in Supply Chain Operations. Our experienced warehouse people earn approx. $80k per annum.
• Stock Control and Purchasing – As an addition to the sales and retail role we also train our people in Purchasing, Procurement and Stock Control. Building relationships with suppliers and shopping around the best value for products and services.

Dean Garside

Careers Development Practitioner

With oranges being out of season, we have added fresh and tasty pears to our available fruits, and we are eagerly awaiting mandarins to join in the fresh fruits available at lunch and afternoon tea. 

For the rest of the term on Fridays we have the Lent Sub available for lunch which is a crumbed piece of fish on a long bun with the choice of lettuce, cheese, mayo or tartare sauce! Served hot and delicious. Or add a hot serve of fish to your salad for lunch. 

In the tuckshop from now until the end of term we find ourselves in need of a labeling legend on a Friday morning. Just 30 minutes of your morning straight after drop off. So, if you have been wondering what we do to get out all the tuckshop orders now is a perfect time to come and try and see what goes on behind the scenes. Just stop in and see us if you can help for the rest of the term.

Toni Campbell

Tuckshop Convenor

Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent; when we are asked to reflect on and grow in our faith. Linked closely with our College values is the core Gospel work of Caritas and Project Compassion. Each year students support this great work through the raising of funds. If you haven’t visited Caritas Australia’s website, it is well worth having a look at: Caritas Australia | Australian Charity | A Not-for-Profit Organisation

Being a part of the Lenten spirit is an important part of a Christian’s faith journey. When we can see ourselves as a part of the global community. We are asked to aspire to the Gospel values through our everyday actions.

In January I attended the YES Arusha AGM. In Lachlan Miller’s Director’s Report he published the graph below. It shows the trends in Tanzanian education. These statistics, for all intents and purposes, would be similar in the world’s developing nations.

An interesting point to make here is the work of the Millenium Development Goals in promoting universal primary education. Post primary school data above identifies a real decline in the percentages for rates of education.

TAKE A LOOK AT YES Arusha’s DATA.

- Completed primary school: 100%

- Completed O-level: 92%

- Completed A-level: 90%

- Tertiary: 70% (noting that most students still went on to do some form of post-secondary learning)

Our Lady of the Southern Cross is trying to raise annually $6,500 to provide a scholarship to give a child an opportunity to a life of fulfilment and dignity. Please click on the QR Code and give to an organisation that is making a difference.