During Week 6 I was blessed with two great opportunities to inform my ongoing professional development. The first of these was leading the peer mentoring program development for the Diocese in a collaborative approach with Mr Gabbett from Mary Mackillop Catholic College, Highfields. In recognition of the need for peer mentoring for school leaders across the Diocese, a lead team has embraced the catholic social teachings of subsidiarity, solidarity and community & the common good to develop a mode of professional engagement that enables a reflection on the Emmaus Pilgrimage (Luke 24). I look forward to this work being embedded in the Diocese of Toowoomba to enhance the collective leadership across the system and all schools and colleges for greater Catholic leadership capacity.

Thereafter I attended the Australian Catholic Education Conference in Cairns with 1500 delegates from schools and systems across Australia as well as some from beyond our shores. The theme of the conference was “Hope, anchored in faith”, and the wealth of knowledge and effective practice that was shared through the comprehensive program certainly catered for the learning of all delegates. Hope, the foundation of a Catholic worldview, allows us to place our trust in the promises of God, as well as ourselves to create places and spaces in our Catholic schools for all students to find a place they belong. This hope allows us to be challenged, to aspire to continual growth, and to always strive a better life for each future generation. Sr Nathalie Becquart XMCJ (Xaviere sister, Missionary of Christ-Jesus) was appointed by Pope Francis as Undersecretary of the Synod of Bishops in 2021, and she spoke to the conference in the opening keynote about Synodality, its role in the church, and challenged all leaders with the question: “What if every Catholic school became an ‘Emmaus community’, with Christ walking alongside students, families, leaders, and educators in their search for truth and meaning?” 

This was a strong underlying platform upon which the remainder of the learning at the conference was based. Much inspiration was drawn from world leading education experts such as Dr Simon Breakspear, Prof Dylan Wiliam, Dr Steve Constantino, Federal Minister for Education Jason Clare MP, as well as Most Rev Mark Edwards OMI Bishop of Wagga Wagga, Fr Friedrich Bechina, Most Rev Anthony Fisher OP Archbishop of Sydney, and many others. 

Much of my learning from both experiences will continue being developed throughout the next term and will be incorporated into the planning of OLSCC Annual Action Plan for 2026.

At both Week 5 and 7 assemblies, I addressed the students regarding how blessed we are at OLSCC to be immersed in a safe, supportive learning community each and every day when we step onto our College grounds. The most important aspect of this is that we, as a College community, see one another with a lens of togetherness. Our current world entices us to focus on our own self far too often – social media influences and influencers, marketing, promotion, self-help and wellbeing initiatives. We are constantly bombarded with ways we can be individually better, to stand out from the rest, to make more money and have more material possessions than others around us. The unfortunate reality of this bombardment on us is that we become too focussed on self. As a Catholic school, we have strong connection to the catholic principles upon which we were established. This word, catholic (with a lower case ‘c’) is defined various ways: universal, all-embracing, all inclusive, relating to all people. The greatness of our College is our collective being. I speak with pride of the fact that students are known at OLSCC, our staff have meaningful relationships with our students to support both their academic and personal development, and our collective community embraces all. Accordingly, I ask all in our community to remember that we are all on the same team at OLSCC. We are all striving to support and inspire our students to be the best they can be, and we can only do that when we are all working together on the same team. 

On Friday the teaching staff of OLSCC engaged in moderation of planning and assessment with our colleagues from Mary Mackillop Catholic College Highfields (MMCC). We had a day of highly rigorous, professional discussion regarding our various approaches to education, with much learned and challenged from all perspectives. I have no doubt that the work done on this day makes every teacher better at their work and further enhances the wonderful work that occurs in classrooms every day at both OLSCC and MMCC. 

Mr Peter Cuskelly

Deputy News

What a fabulous OLSC Day celebration we had on Monday.  We began the day with Mass which was led by our Year 9 students and our wonderful choir. When then headed into 12 different activity rotations in our House groups.  These activities were developed, organised and led by our student leaders, both Prefects and House Leaders and they were both fun and challenging.  A huge shout out to these leaders who did an amazing job before and on the day, and to Miss Fry who works with them each week.  Their dedication to College Spirit was really in action on Monday.  We finished off the day with ball games and a few fun relays.  All of these activities earned house points for the teams and these points will contribute to the 2025 House Cup. 

Technology changes and parenting

As a teacher but more so as a mum of a teenager and tween I understand the challenges that technology brings to our children’s lives. We give them access via our smart tvs, our phones or even their own to a world that we do not control. Recently the Australian Government has made some changes to the laws in a bid to protect our children.  Getting our heads around what this means can be daunting.  I encourage parents to access resources available to help you navigate this with your families.  Last week I mentioned this great resource the eSafety website to support your learning and development in this rapidly changing space.  They offer parent targeted webinars on many topics all relevant to us as we navigate this online world alongside our children. Their website is a great support and I encourage others to access these webinars Webinars for parents and carers | eSafety Commissioner. Another great resource was released from CTRL SHFT (previously safe on socials) Join Safe on Social | Leaders in Safe on Social Education | CTRL+SHFT Global that specifically addresses parents questions around what the Australian 16+ Age delay.

Congratulations to our 2026 Prefects who were announced on Monday. 

College Captains: Penelope Doherty and Henry Stephens

Prefects: Emma Cusack, Hazel Fernan, Jack Gibson, Lana O’Callaghan

Grandparents Day – Friday 19 September

Only two weeks to go until 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 a P-12 event, you are never too old to have your grandparents visit your classroom. 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. Please spread the word with your grandparents for this event. RSVP is now open; this assists us with seating and catering for this event. Link to RSVP or use QR Code

College Excellence Awards

On 19 November at 9:15am, we will host our 2026 College Excellence Awards. These awards are nominated and confirmed by staff at the College and encompass all four of our College Domains: Academic, Spiritual, Sport and Arts. We look forward to this occasion showcasing the great achievements of students at the College this year. Parents are notified via Sentral for Parents in Term 4 if their child/ren are recipients of an award.

Each newsletter in coming weeks I will showcase a different domain (or two) with the awards we present.

Arts and Sports Awards

These categories are calculated on participation and levels of achievement in the areas of Arts and Sport.

	Received by	Criteria
The Arts Excellence Awards	Qualifying students	Students are designated points for representing the College in a range of cultural endeavours that may include, but are not limited to, co-curricular activities such as Cultural Extra-Curricular Program, Choir, Public Performances, Art Show entries & prizes. To achieve a Cultural Excellence Award, they must achieve a high level of points.
The Arts Distinction Awards	1 student from Early Years 1 student from Middle Years 1 student Senior Years	This award is presented to one student from each sector, the Early Years, Middle Years and the Senior Years, who has represented the College through various cultural endeavours at the highest level. Students must have achieved a Cultural Excellence Award in order to be considered for this award.
Sports Excellence Awards	Qualifying students	Students are designated points for representing the College in sporting teams and events as part of their school life. To achieve at the Sports Excellence Award students must make a Darling Downs School Sports Team or higher.
Sportsperson of the Year Awards	1 student/ up to 12 years 1 student/ 13-15 years 1 student/ Open	This award is presented to one student who competed up to 12 years of age; 13-15 years of age and in the open age group who has accumulated the highest number of points based on different levels of representation.
Matt Hughes Foundation Sporting Bursary	1 student in Year 10	Awarded to an aspiring sportsperson in Year 10 ·       to assist in the following two of senior schooling years with travel/ accommodation / registrations for continuing their representative sporting journey ·       Must also be a person of integrity, sportsmanship and a dedicated student On behalf of the Matt Hughes Foundation

Timetable and Class structures for 2026

We are currently in the process of reviewing and setting our timetable and class structures for 2026. There are many layers to this process and quite a lot of work in it. Subject choices and future pathways are a large part of this review process. Later this year, students in Year 8-10 in 2026 will be given the opportunity to select some of their subjects. Students in Year 11 will make choices based on their future pathway plans informed by their SET Plan meetings.

Once structures are finalised the creation of class lists for the new school year will commence. Factors taken into consideration when allocating students in each year level include the following

• projected number of students in each year level and past trends
• gender ratio
• spread of students with respect to academic performance, social development and classroom behaviour
• the best educational needs of the student
• special circumstances such as twins or individual family members
• classroom observations

It is acknowledged by all, that friendships are important. However, to ensure balanced classes as outlined above, friendship groups are not a primary determining factor in class allocation. Parents and carers may provide the College with specific information about their child’s learning or social needs that they believe the College may not be aware of. Such information would not include a request for a particular teacher. The information should be provided in writing by completing the Consideration for Class Allocation form to the Principal during the consultation phase in Week 9/10, Term 3.

In future newsletters I will continue to communicate information about 2026, alongside information communicated by APs to students and families that pertains to specific year levels. 

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

At the heart of both R U OK? Day and National Child Protection Week is a call to care deeply for one another—especially for our children and young people. These two important observances remind us that every student deserves to feel safe, seen, and supported.

In our Catholic tradition, we are called to be people of compassion and courage. Jesus reminds us in the Gospel of John:

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)

This fullness of life includes emotional wellbeing, safety, and the assurance that someone is always ready to listen. R U OK? Day encourages us to ask meaningful questions and truly listen to the answers. National Child Protection Week calls us to create environments where children are protected, respected, and nurtured.

As a college community, let us recommit to being people who notice, who care, and who act. Let us empower our students to speak up, support one another, and know they are never alone.

Prayer for Protection and Connection

Loving God,
You call us to be guardians of each other’s hearts.
Help us to build a school where every child feels safe, valued, and heard.
Give us the courage to ask, “R U OK?” and the grace to listen with love.
May we be protectors of the vulnerable, encouragers of the weary, and companions to the lonely.
Through Your Spirit, may we bring light, hope, and healing.
Amen.

Mrs Carey Twidale

Assistant Principal Early Years

UniSQ Discovery Day
Recently, our Year 7 and Year 8 students experienced life as a Uni student for a day by participating in the UniSQ Discovery Day experience. There was a real buzz among the students as they wandered around the campus attending activity sessions that included: nursing, biomedical science, robotics, 3D printing, exercise science, aviation and much more. The hype didn’t end when the day concluded. In the days that followed the experience, students openly talked about this experience and how it has either opened their minds towards a life at university or perhaps galvanised their thinking about their pathways.

 

High Potential Learners
The end of August also brought to a close the end of the ICAS competitions for 2025. Our High Potential Learner group competed in 211 assessments, and we eagerly await the results to see how they fared against the nations brightest. More importantly, drilling down into the results will provide the College with a greater sense of student strengths and limitations, so that our teaching staff can continue to design and conduct lessons and activities that fully support the learning journey of all learners at our College. Challenging this group of students, especially with analysis and critical thinking tasks, is an important step in their progression and we look forward to more opportunities in the coming months.

Student Shout Out
It seems that no one can beat young Will Bryant … but he can certainly beat a drum! Well done, Will for another wonderful performance. This time, he was off in Brisbane rocking the stage at the Oz Schools Instrumental Championships. Showcasing his amazing abilities, Will secured not only first place but also booked a ticket to the National Championships which will be held in November. We also had Sildjian Mendoza (Early Years) competing in the competition, receiving and Honourable Mention in his sections.  

The Sports section of this Newsletter will no doubt also mention the Middle Years students who have represented us and themselves well in Athletics. We have several students who have been selected to represent Darling Downs at the state championships in Townsville. Congratulations to Wylie, Ace, Justin, Scarlett, Lauren, Ava and Olivia for their efforts recently.

Kind regards,  

Late Arrivals & Absences

As we start to enter the Term 3 assessment period, I have been spending time looking through absence and late arrival data. There has been a spike in students arriving late to school, particularly those students who are driving themselves to school. While this may happen once in a while, when you add up the missed minutes, this can equate to over 80 minutes… the equivalent of a double period of Maths for some of our students

Recent research shows that there is a negative correlation between attendance and academic success at school. In addition to missing minutes in the classroom, non-attendance has also been shown to link with:

• early school leaving
• leaving school with fewer qualifications
• reduced opportunities for students to learn and access educational resources, further limiting achievement
• further absenteeism in higher year levels
• increased alcohol, tobacco, and substance use in adolescents.

The development of positive attendance habits is a priority for students in the Senior Years. Students need to arrive on time, ready to learn!

Assessment & Exam Dates

A reminder that parents and students can find the assessment and examination calendars on our College website. Now is the time to start mapping out how students will schedule their independent study time in the lead up to final submissions and exams.

By the time of this newsletter going out, our Year 12 cohort would have completed all internal assessment for their General subjects and teacher will be engaging with QCAA through the process of Confirmation. This means that for these subjects, only the external examinations remain. In Weeks 7, 8 and 9, students will sit mock exams to provide an opportunity to familiarise themselves with the examination format, timing and types of questions. For Applied and Applied (Essential) subjects, student continue to have internal assessment for the remainder of the year. The mock exam timetable has been published to all families through the Sentral Portals.

https://www.dalby.catholic.edu.au/assessment

Ace Your Assessments with Determination

As the term reaches its peak with an array of assessments, it's essential for students to harness their inner determination and focus on their academic goals. The path to success is paved with hard work and dedication, and now is the time to showcase your potential. Remember, each assignment and exam is an opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge and growth. Set achievable study goals, create a well-structured study plan, and maintain a healthy integration between school work and family time. While the road might seem challenging, your commitment and perseverance will undoubtedly lead you to triumph. Stay motivated, believe in your abilities, and watch as your efforts culminate into success.

Year 12 External Examinations

The external assessment timetable for 2025 is located here and can be updated with notice. It is important that all families keep track of this timetable in a digital format.

QCAA external assessment timetable 2025

QCAA has an excellent resource on the myQCE website called the “External Assessment Guide for students”. This is found on the website https://myqce.qcaa.qld.edu.au/external-assessment.html 

How can I prepare?

Senior syllabuses

General senior syllabuses provide information about external assessment for each subject.

Sample papers

View the sample papers for the subjects you study, to get an idea of what external assessment will be like. You can find them in the Assessment tab on each General syllabus page on the QCAA website.

Equipment

Each syllabus details the equipment you will need for the external assessment. It may include:

• Blue or black pens
• Pencils (2B)
• A sharpener
• A clear plastic ruler
• An eraser
• Approved calculator
• Specific equipment

On the day, students may bring your equipment in a clear container or zip-lock bag.  Students may also bring water in a clear unlabelled bottle.

Mobile phones, smart watches and/or other electronic devices will not be permitted in the examination room.

The External assessment equipment list (PDF, 175.3 KB) contains information about the approved equipment for all assessments, including calculators, student devices, subject-specific equipment and prohibited items.

Directions for students

External assessments are administered by schools in line with the QCAA’s requirements. Students must also follow the requirements outlined in the Directions for students (PDF, 243.1 KB).

 

Assistant Principal Senior Years

Miss Tamara Creeley