Catholic Education Week

Last week we embraced the opportunity to celebrate the wonderful world of Catholic Education across our 4 Dioceses in Queensland. Our system has grown considerably from humble beginnings in the 1800’s, when individuals and religious orders established schools for Catholic families who did not have access to any education. As such, we strive to continue the legacy of our founding charisms and continue to educate our communities based on our strong values emphasised by our founders, the Sisters of Mercy and the Christian Brothers. It is these foundations that make us different from other educational sectors. We are not a state school, and we are not an independent school. We are one of thirty-two Diocese of Toowoomba Catholic Schools, and we provide a high standard of education for all of those who choose to join our community. I would like to think that parents choose our College based on our reputation of providing a learning environment that is a direct refelection of our values, and this is why we continue to foster an inclusive, like-minded, respectful, safe, secure, and supportive learning environment where our students can learn and grow.

Father Jim Cronin, Mrs Brennan, five students and I were privileged to attend the Mass at St Stephen’s Cathedral in Brisbane celebrating 150 years of Edmund Rice Ministries in Queensland with other colleges founded by the Christian Brothers. It was a humbling experience to hear a choir of 50 boys singing ancient hymns as well as seeing the procession of students from all our Colleges join together to enter the Cathedral. I thank Brother Damien Price and his team for the invitation to be part of such a momentous celebration.

I was also fortunate enough to support Mr Spain and Mrs Pevy at the Toowoomba Catholic Schools Excellence Awards, where they were both nominated for their leadership in our College. Unfortunately, OLSCC wasn’t represented in the winner’s circle this year, though we continue to be very proud of the leading work being done by our College for the betterment of all schools across the Diocese. As well as Bishops Inservice Day last Friday, which was a wonderful event, our College Liturgy on Wednesday was also a beautiful gathering for us to celebrate with Father Jim as a College community. At the conclusion of the liturgy, Miss Katherine Black, (25 years) and Mrs Nicole Bryers (20 years) were presented with their Long Service Recognition Awards, and for the first time, we presented Catholic School Parent Queensland “Couldn’t Do It Without You Award” to Mrs Anita Jeude. While Mrs Jeude has been a very active volunteer in our College in many roles for many years, this year she was acknowledged for her continued commitment to our College Tuckshop. Every Wednesday, rain, hail or shine, Mrs Jeude gives her time selflessly to support our community serving others.

Last week also reminded me that amongst all the busy things that are bounced around the College, our primary purpose is to provide opportunities for our students to be the best people they can be, to Grow Great People, just like the Sisters of Mercy and Christian Brothers who started our Catholic schools so that Catholic families could be educated out of poverty and make a meaningful contribution to the development of this amazing country. Needless to say, they have achieved their goal remarkably well, and we strive to continue to do so on their behalf into the future.

Tonight, we get to see the many months of dedication and practice by our committed students and staff come to fruition with the opening night of our College Musical ‘Camp Rock’.

Don’t forget to get your tickets (Friday night, matinee on Saturday and finale on Saturday night) it is sure to be a great show! I will see you there!

Mr Peter Cuskelly

Deputy News

The year is flying by! Next week is the halfway point of the term.

Next Friday is the Feast of the Assumption. It commemorates the belief that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was taken up body and soul into heaven at the end of her earthly life. Our College is named after Mary, she is a significant role model for us, as we strive to live lives of service. Whilst we will not celebrate Mass as a College on this day, we will gather to commemorate Mary on Monday 1 September on Our Lady of the Southern Cross Day. Mass for the Feast of the Assumption will be celebrated at St Joseph’s Catholic Church at 5:30pm, our families are invited and encouraged to attend this mass in our parish with Fr Jim.

Learning Discussions

In Week 6 of this term families will have the opportunity to meet with their teachers and discuss your child’s learning progress. An email was sent to families yesterday outlining the times and booking details for these Learning Discussions. Prep – Year 12 will be held on Tuesday 19 August from 3:30 - 6:30pm. Bookings will open on Monday 11 August at 9:00am via Sentral for Parents (Parent Portal) and close at 9:00am on Monday 18 August. The timeslots on the evening are limited so we appreciate when families focus on meeting with priority areas/teachers for your child. Parents are welcome to reach out to teachers at any time throughout the year, as such, this event is not compulsory for families. If you are already in regular communication with your child’s teacher(s), you may not feel the need to attend this evening.

150 Years of Edmund Rice Education in Queensland

This year we join with our wider Edmund Rice community to celebrate 150 Years of Edmund Rice Ministry here in Queensland (1875 - 2025). Our College was invited to join with other Edmund Rice schools and community members to celebrate Mass in Brisbane on Thursday 31 July. Mr Cuskelly, Fr Jim and myself attended this significant event with a small group of student representatives. It was a wonderful experience to take these students to celebrate our history entwined with this wider Edmund Rice community.

Shave For a Cure

Our Year 12 students have committed to World’s Greatest Shave and even convinced a couple of staff to join in the fun, some shaving, cutting and colouring. They are holding a number of events in coming weeks and have set a target of $10000 for fundraising. A huge thanks to everyone who wore their pyjamas and purchased hot chocolates and snacks on Monday. As a College community we raised $3396.35. What a phenomenal effort! All money raised will go directly to the team’s Fundraising efforts. If you would like to donate directly via the official page please use this link World's Greatest Shave - OLSCC2025

Catholic Education Week

Last week we join with Catholic schools throughout Queensland to celebrate Catholic Education Week with the theme Communities of Faith, Hope and Love. Catholic education offers a high-quality, holistic education to one in every five young people Queenslanders.

Thanks to our staff who received Long Service recognition for their dedication to Catholic Education Nicole Bryers – 20 Years, and Katherine Black – 25 years.

Congratulations to our CSPQ “Couldn’t Do It Without You” Award recipient Mrs Anita Jeude and to our two finalists in the Toowoomba Catholic Schools Excellence Awards, Mr Rodney Spain and Mrs Louise Pevy.

CSPQ “Couldn’t Do It Without You” Award

Our school would not run without volunteers! We have many wonderful people who give up their time to help in many ways for example in our classrooms, join us on camp, organise social functions and make our yummy tuckshop food. The Catholic School Parents Group (CSPQ) Diocese of Toowoomba are recognising one volunteer from each of the 31 Diocesan schools in the Toowoomba Diocese. Today we congratulate our 2025 Couldn’t do it without you Award recipient, Mrs Anita Jeude. Anita is mum to four students at our College, and she has showcased a long-term dedication to our College community. Anita has always been an active member of our College community as well as in our parish. Over the years, she has consistently provided assistance for many teachers in the classroom, supported a variety of teams and programs both on the sideline and by providing transport. She is passionately engaged in College life through her attendance at performances, practices, games, assemblies, liturgies and masses. This award, however, is in recognition of her longstanding, reliable commitment as a volunteer in our tuckshop.

Anita has volunteered in the tuckshop for many years. As tuckshop days and staff have changed, she has remained a constant. She has stepped in when the convenor was absent, and she has mentored and assisted other volunteers to learn the ropes. Jesus’ message is about service, and Anita has served, and she continues to serve our College and our students in a humble way. It is hard to quantify the amount of support she gives in this area, but she does so without the need for recognition and praise. We congratulate Anita on being the recipient of this award.

Crutches

In our Senior Years we have several classrooms upstairs. It is important for student safety that when students are on crutches, we relocate their classrooms to downstairs classrooms wherever possible. If your child is in Year 9 - 12 or studying Drama in Year 7 - 8 and they have an injury that requires crutches, please let the College office know so we can make arrangements to move their classes downstairs for the duration of their recovery. Once they are off their crutches we will return their classrooms to their normal location.

Mrs Cate Brennan

Deputy Principal Mission and Identity

Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop – An Australian Brings Us Hope

Today, 8 August, we celebrate the Feast Day of St Mary MacKillop. All students across the college reflect on the amazing contributions she has made to the lives of so many Australians.

Mary of the Cross MacKillop is our first Australian saint. She knew how to trust that God would provide in the face of financial insecurity and rapid change.  When she met with opposition, even from within the Church she loved, she relied ever more on God’s providence! She knew that God’s love and care could triumph over human politics and power.

Mary was born in Melbourne in 1842.  She died in Sydney on the 8th of August in 1909.  Mary took the religious name, Mary of the Cross.  Responding to the isolation of colonial families, she pioneered a new form of religious life to provide education for their children.  She and her Sisters shared the life of the poor and the itinerant, offering special care to destitute women and children especially in rural areas and outback Australia.

Do Not Worry

²⁵ “Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these.                                                                                                            Matthew 6:25-29

 Holy God, source of all goodness, you inspired Mary MacKillop, an Australian woman of faith, to entrust her life and work to you. Teach us to embrace what she pioneered:  new ways of living the gospel that respect and defend the human dignity of all in our land. We pray in the name of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Mrs Carey Twidale

Assistant Principal Early Years

In alignment with the Daniel Morcombe Curriculum that is being delivered this Term, students can:

Hi, I am Zeb Thompson, and this is Jack Cuskelly today we are here to discuss the project our cohort have been working on which is the Containers for Change project. We focused on the benefits this initiative could have on our school. By sorting out the cans and bottles, then taking them to the cash deposit, we received a 10-cent refund per container, judging by the number of students participating and the current refunds, this is achieving promising results thus far.

Year 10 Senior Education and Training (SET) Plans

This week Year 10’s and their parents have been engaging in SET plan meeting with members of the College Leadership Team. It has been wonderful to assist these highly capable students as they work towards their individual pathways. The process not only highlights the dedication of the school to individualised education but also showcases the commitment of students and their families to charting meaningful pathways.

Being an Upstander

This week in Senior Years we gathered as a Sector where we all celebrated the success of our peers in this academic achievements while also challenging us all to hold each other accountable for our own actions.

We spoke about setting ourselves up for success by not standing by and allowing the behaviours that negatively impact on our learning go unchallenged by our fellow classmates. We want to be the Upstander!

What Is an Upstander?

An upstander is someone who takes a proactive role in promoting positive behaviour and intervening when they witness harmful actions. Unlike bystanders who remain passive, upstanders actively seek to prevent harm and support others. Adair Donaldson, a seasoned lawyer and educator, emphasizes the importance of this role in various contexts¹.

Key Traits of an Upstander

1. Awareness and Empathy: Upstanders pay attention to their surroundings. They notice signs of distress, conflict, or unhealthy dynamics. Cultivating empathy allows them to understand others’ feelings and perspectives.
2. Courage: Being an upstander requires courage. It means speaking up when something is wrong, even if it’s uncomfortable. Whether it’s addressing disrespectful language or challenging harmful behaviour, courage drives positive change.
3. Intervention: Upstanders don’t remain silent. They step in to prevent harm. This might involve de-escalating an argument, supporting a friend in need, or seeking professional help when necessary.

Applying Upstander Principles to our own learning spaces

1. Active Listening

Learning thrives through effective communication. Upstanders actively listen to their peers, validating their needs. They avoid interrupting or dismissing concerns, creating a safe space for open dialogue.

2. Addressing Red Flags

Upstanders recognise warning signs early. Whether it’s controlling behaviour, disrespect, or failing to apply with directions they address these red flags. Instead of turning a blind eye.

3. Supporting Friends

In friendships, upstanders stand by their friends during challenging times. They offer emotional support, encourage self-care, and help friends seek professional assistance when needed.

4. Intervening in Toxic Situations

Upstanders don’t tolerate toxic dynamics. If they witness harmful behaviour—such as verbal abuse or coercion—they step in and seek support from the trusted adults in their lives.

Conclusion

Being an upstander isn’t always easy, but it’s essential for creating healthier learning environment. By actively supporting others, addressing issues, and promoting positive behaviour, we contribute to a world where everyone feels safe, respected, and valued, where learning can flourish. Let’s all strive to be upstanders in our lives and make a positive impact.

Adair Donaldson’s commitment to holistic solutions aligns with the upstander mindset. His non-adversarial approach at Donaldson Law reflects the same principles of empathy, courage, and intervention¹.

I’ve drawn inspiration from Adair Donaldson’s work and emphasised the role of upstanders in creating healthy relationships. I encourage you to read this article with your young person and visit @donaldsonadair to continue to foster healthy conversations aimed at being an upstander in a complex world.

Uniform

A gentle reminder, the expectations regarding the uniform will not change. We continue to emphasise with the students that the uniform is important in setting the tone for the College community. A student wearing the uniform correctly shows that they have pride in themselves and pride in the community they belong to. A school uniform reduces incidents of bullying and the stress of peer pressure as all students are the same. Uniforms do not distinguish between socio-economic backgrounds like free dress does.

The uniform also helps the students focus on their job at hand. They are students not fashion statements while at school. Wearing their uniform helps the student 'switch on' to student mode and it provides the students with a reminder of what the expectations of the College are and how they are supposed to behave and apply themselves to their learning.

A student wearing their uniform well in public shows they are proud of being a part of this community. When a member of the wider community sees a student who is proud of where they come from, it often reflects to the student in the way the member of the community interacts with them and their opinion of the school.

Assessment Dates

All assessment dates are available to the students and parents via the Sentral Portals, we also make these dates available to all from the college website Our Lady of the Southern Cross College, Dalby

The Term 3 Exam Timetable was published to our community last week and is available from the same location.

Please note that assessments cannot be rescheduled for family holidays or personal events. We encourage parents and carers to speak with their child to ensure they are aware of their scheduled assessments for the term.

Should a student be ill a medical certificate will need to be provided to ensure students are able to partake in a different (alternate) exam.

Study Tips for Students going into exams

Our Year 12 students are entering a busy time of the term with their final internal assessment tasks completed recently or in the next week. Now is the time where consistent effort will pay off during this peak in the assessment cycle.

Make a plan of attack

Before you even start studying, make and plan out how you are going to study. This will make your life so much easier.

There are a few things you may want to ask yourself when making a plan of attack, these are:

By asking yourself these questions, you figure out where to focus your efforts over the coming weeks. Now, you can structure your plan of attack based on how you are feeling about each of your subjects, and the tasks you want to get done (tasks could include practice essays/exams, touching up on sections of the textbook, reviewing flashcards, etc.). 

Start by catching up on anything you’ve missed out on. So, this means:

• Finishing off any notes you are missing for each subject (please don’t rewrite any of your notes, just fill in the blanks)
• Touching up on content you are struggling with (you can do this by going back over your textbook or by watching some YouTube videos that explain it — you can also check out QCE Together to find videos for various subjects). 

Next, start to study for the subjects that you are least confident in. Then, as the external exams get closer, focus on the exams that are the closest. 

While you are studying, keep in mind the tasks that you want to get done. I would encourage that, for your subjects, you complete practice papers or questions in the 1-2 weeks leading up to the exam. 

Time Management

Managing your time in the 4 weeks leading up to your exams will be key. There will be a lot to do, so getting through each task efficiently and effectively will be crucial to your success.

For example, on a Methods and Physics day I might’ve made a list like this:

Subject	Task
Methods	10:00-10:30am: Review differentiation rules 10:30-11:00am: Review confidence intervals 11:30am-1:30pm: Complete practice paper 1
Physics	3:00-3:30pm: Review electrostatics 3:30-4:00pm: Review the photoelectric effect 4:30-6:30pm: Complete practice paper 1

As you can see, you have the morning and evening off to do whatever you want (hopefully getting a minimum of 8 hours of sleep!!) and you get plenty of breaks throughout the day. Now, these time restrictions aren’t hard restrictions.

For example, if you were really struggling with differentiation after the 30 minutes, move onto confidence intervals and potentially go back to differentiation.

The key things about managing your time are:

• Knowing what you want to achieve with your time (hence why making a plan is essential)
• Having time for fun. 

It is important that you still get to enjoy life leading up to your exams. Give yourself at least one day off a week where you can just have fun and get a break from studying.

Staying Motivated

Potentially one of the greatest challenges you’ll face throughout school, particularly in the lead up to your exams, is maintaining motivation. In moments where motivation is low, it helps to take a step back and look at the broader picture.

Remind yourself of what your goals are and the reason you are studying. If there is a certain subject score you want to get, think about that. It helps to make goals that you can think about when you need a motivation boost. 

Other ways to help you stay motivated are to:

• Ensure you have time for the fun things in life
• Get enough sleep and take plenty of study breaks
• Study in fun and engaging ways
• Rewarding yourself for your efforts 

Assistant Principal Senior Years

Miss Tamara Creeley