College Athletics Carnivals

The Athletics Carnivals in Term 2, Week 10 each year are wonderful events and a great way to finish a term! The last 3 days have provided insight into what makes us tick at OLSCC, as I witnessed the students and staff of OLSCC wholeheartedly engaging in Athletics this week. These carnivals are a complicated dynamic. It is a mix of competitiveness, house spirit, support, independence, challenge, participation, wins, losses, surprises and disappointments. Students do a lot of growing up on these days and I am very proud of every student who turned up this week and did their best. As I told my boys, its not all about the wins, it’s about turning up for your house and doing your bit. 

As emphasised last newsletter, these days are a critical component to both student wellbeing and College life. Turning up, having a go, and spending some quality time with your mates not only creates lifelong memories, though also helps significantly in shaping great people who are willing to give of themselves for the benefit of others.

The Executive Director Visit

Dr Patrick Coughlan, our TCS Executive Director, came to Dalby for a quick visit and a walk around our campus on Tuesday. He gave some wonderful feedback regarding: the safe and supportive learning environment that was clearly evident; how well the students were learning both inside and outside the classroom; the quality of teaching; the engagement of students; and the general presentation, organisation and management of the College. Dr Pat is also an avid believer that we must strive to develop high standard facilities so that our students can learn, play and grow in positive environments, and is excited by the facilities projects currently being developed including the Early Years Master Plan, refrigerative air conditioning of classrooms, ongoing refurbishment of ovals and grounds, irrigation project, and the installation of fans in the MPC. Thanks for the visit Dr Pat!

 Farewell and Welcome

This week we farewell Mrs Kelly Muller and Mr Lyndon Vince from our College.

Mrs Muller has been a brilliant addition to our College in Prep Blue on Fridays for the year, and we value all the love, care and education she has provided for our community over the past semester. We wish Mrs Muller all the best as she focusses on her passion for early childhood education. 

We also wish Mr Lyndon Vince all the best as he starts his journey at Columba Catholic College in Charters Towers. Mr Vince has brought much experience to the humanities at OLSCC, and I thank him for his dedication to our College over the last 3 semesters.

On a positive note, we welcome Mrs Dimity Whitby to Prep Blue on Mondays, as Mrs Gleeson changes her days to Tuesday to Friday for the remainder of the year. Mrs Whitby is certainly no stranger to the Early Years in her role of Specialist Art Teacher, and is excited by the opportunity in Prep Blue. 

We are also finalising the processes and look forward to announcing our new Secondary English/Humanities teacher who will start early in Term 3. 

TCS Excellence Awards

Today it has been announced that OLSCC has two finalists in the Toowoomba Catholic Schools Excellence Awards. Mr Rodney Spain has been selected as one of three finalists in "School/ Kindergarten Leadership", while Mrs Louise Pevy is a finalist in "Middle Leadership". It is very exciting that from a staff of over 1600, two of our own are amongst the 25 finalists in our Diocese due to the wonderful work they do in their role. We wish both Mrs Pevy and Mr Spain all the best for the announcement of the winners at the Toowoomba Catholic Schools Excellence Awards Dinner in Catholic Education Week. 

2026 Enrolments

Again, I urge everyone in our community to support their friends and family members regarding enrolment at the College. We are still receiving late enrolment applications for next year, many of which we are now unable to offer a place to. Also, if your family has plans for 2026 that involves leaving the College, please let an Assistant Principal, Mrs Brennan or I know, confidentially if you wish, so we can offer a place to a family on the waitlist.

Confraternity QISSRL QISSN

Finally, I would like to extend my best wishes to all involved in QISSRL and QISSN over the next week. After 3 terms of preparation for our senior rugby league and netball teams, the time has finally come to show up and show the state wide communities what we are capable of at OLSCC. We are very highly respected and regarded at these carnivals with a reputation of punching well above our weight, no doubt a reputation that will continue after next week’s carnivals. We pray for injuries to be few and far between, our game plans strong, our mindsets stronger, and a great time away with thousands of other likeminded individuals. 

A huge thanks also to all our staff who are engaged in these teams. All the preparation, training, organising, and giving up the first week of your holidays every year is greatly appreciated. Many don’t realise that every sport team at OLSCC is coached by teachers who volunteer to provide these opportunities for our kids. Without your kindness and generosity these memories would not be made – so thank you.

See you all in Term 3, 2025. Please don’t forget that Monday 14 July, Friday 1 August and Friday 5 September are Pupil Free Days next term!

Mr Peter Cuskelly

I hope you have a wonderful holiday period with your child/ren home recharging their batteries ready to commence Semester Two on Tuesday 15 July. I am excited to be heading off to QISSN with our girl’s netball team for a great week of warmer weather in Bundaberg and great team spirit. 

Reporting

On Tuesday this week you should have received your child/rens Semester One Academic Report Card via Parent Portal. As mentioned in previous newsletters this term the scale for Application and Attitude to Learning has changed this year. Our intent with any changes we make to the report card structure is that they are clear for parents and students to understand and that they fulfil our reporting obligations as set by our curriculum authority ACARA and Toowoomba Catholic Schools. We also have some flexibility in the structure to be able to include the Contribution to College Life section. This has been a hope of ours for several years to be able to include how each student has contributed to the College beyond Academics. This list will also be included in the Semester Two report.

If you have feedback about the report card layout or structure please email them directly to me, so they can be considered before our Semester Two reports. 

Big Events and College Tradition

Schools are places of ritual and traditions. Throughout the year there are special moments and events at our College that build the culture and life of our College. Some of these date back many years whilst others have been introduced more recently. As we approach our 150-year celebrations in 2027 I will include information that I know about College events and traditions. If you have stories of your own that link you to our history, feel free to share these via email as I love to hearing from past pupils and staff about your time at the College. Today I will outline two big events of Term 4. 

OLSC Day – With the change of name to unify and become one school P-12 our feast day changed to 1 September. On this day we have always celebrated Mass as a community sharing our connection to our parish through our Eucharistic celebration. We have marked this day in several different ways over the years with all day house events, talent contests and then the transformation since 2020 of the inclusion of our whole College Athletics relays and P-4 Ballgames. In the past four years we have also announced our new College Leaders on this day. This year the format of the day will again be transformed to include House based games in the morning session for House Cup Points, Mass in the middle session of the day and P-4 Ballgames and fun House based relays in the afternoon session. College Prefects will be announced at the OLSC Day Mass and then House Leader applications open the next day. OLSC Day is a great day of celebration to highlight the P-12ness of College with all students and staff getting involved.  

Grandparents Day – This is a special day in our College calendar each year as we invite in our grandparents to a special prayer celebration and classroom visit. Grandparents are such a great support to our families, and we love being able to welcome them into our College and celebrate them on this day. This is also a P-12 event. The morning begins with a welcome cuppa and chat with fellow grandparents and a prayer celebration before grandparents are invited to join their grandchildren in their classrooms. This truly is one of my favourite days in our College calendar as the joy on the faces of both our students and their grandparents at being able to share this time together is priceless. This year Grandparent’s Day will be held on the last Friday of Term 3, 19 September. 

Casual Administration Position 

We are currently recruiting a casual administrator who would be able to fill in and replace either of our two admin staff, Terri and Sally when they are absent from the College for either planned absences or relief (on the day) absences. The hours of work would be based around office hours and training in our systems and processes would be available for the successful applicant. The successful applicant will have strong skills in administration, first aid and customer service. 

Casual Administration Assistant Job in Dalby, Toowoomba & Darling Downs QLD - SEEK

Mrs Cate Brennan

Deputy Principal Mission and Identity

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

¹⁰ When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him, and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida, ¹¹ but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God and healed those who needed healing.

¹² Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here.”

¹³ He replied, “You give them something to eat.”

They answered, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish—unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.” ¹⁴ (About five thousand men were there.)

But he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” ¹⁵ The disciples did so, and everyone sat down. ¹⁶ Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. ¹⁷ They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

……..…….

Our Lord needed only five loaves and two fish to feed a multitude—transforming scarcity into abundance. Today, our world still produces more than enough to nourish every person, yet hunger remains a daily reality for one in ten people. Even more tragically, a third of all food is thrown away.

Pope Francis expressed concern that the world was becoming immune to this reality. Describing a lack of food as a serious affront to human dignity, he said, "the faces of the starving remind us that we have failed the purpose of the earth, a gift with a universal destination has become a privilege enjoyed by a select few."

He spoke of how consumerism, rampant materialism and selfish choices were at the root of the crisis, not over-population. "Waste, excessive consumption and the use of food for other purposes means that food is being stolen from the table of the poor and the starving."

Pope Francis also stressed the importance of not imposing solutions when responding to the cry of those who are hungry. Instead, these should be planned and implemented with the involvement of local people. This can be witnessed in Northern Kenya, where local expert Wakera worked with local woman, Lokho and her community, helping them to overcome the challenges of climate change and drought to grow crops in a community garden.

While we may not be able to perform miracles, each of us can still help bring about change—through simple acts of kindness, thoughtful choices, and faithful prayer.

Mrs Carey Twidale

Athletics

Congratulations to all our Early Years students for a fantastic Athletics Carnival. 

Year 2 Local Places Excursion

Year 2 went on an excursion to Lake Broadwater and the Bell Biblical Gardens. As part of our HASS curriculum this term, we have been studying various landmarks around Australia. We have been exploring and identifying the significance of these landmarks to local places and their communities. Our students had the opportunity to learn about the history and importance of Lake Broadwater and the Bell Biblical Gardens.

Year 4 Jondaryn Woolshed Excursion

On Thursday the Year 4's visited the Jondaryn Woolshed. We had a great time hearing about the history of the sheep industry in Australia and why it was so important. We were able to watch a blacksmith demonstration and learn about its part in our history and have a ride in a Horse and Cart. We finished the day off with whip cracking demonstrations, and some of us were able to show off our whip cracking skills. It was  fun day of learning outside the classroom. A big thank you to the Jondaryn Woolshed Volunteers for allowing us to visit.

 

Mrs Kristen Bennie

Assistant Principal Early Years

I would like to take the opportunity to farewell and thank Mr Vince for his contributions to our College. 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.

Semester 1 report cards were published this week; it is great to celebrate with your students this first step in their learning this year. Over half of the students in Years 9 to 12 received at least 1 “A” on their report card. 52% achieved at least one “A” on their report this semester, with 35% getting at least two. Experiencing academic success enhances students’ self-concept and perceived task value, which in turn fosters greater engagement and achievement in future learning tasks. This can really be said about all things our students do that they succeed in.

Learning Discussions are an important part of reporting back to parents and celebrating students’ progress, these are in the calendar for Tuesday Week 6 next term. 

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 15 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 about 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 five days in the second week of the September school holidays, from Monday, 29 September through to Friday, 3 October. 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.

2025 External Examination Preparation Program Registration (EEPP) Form

Please refer here for the latest published QCAA External Examination timetable. It is important to keep checking this link as the timetable can be updated regularly.

QCAA external assessment timetable 2025

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.

Parent Webinar - AI & Digital Generation 11 AUG 2025

Catholic Network Australia (CNA) will be hosting a webinar on Monday 11 August as per details below and attached:

Parent Webinar - AI & Digital Generation 11 AUG 2025

Please see the attached information for the CNA funded Parent Webinar, please share broadly across your dioceses and schools, it will max at 1,000 live participants, though the registration will handle beyond this for on-demand access to the webinar for 21 days post session.

Links:

• Zoom:Parent Webinar - AI & Digital Generation
• Bitly: bit.ly/AICSP25

Assistant Principal Senior Years

Ms Jacqui McIlroy