Friday, 18 September - PUPIL FREE DAY

Tuesday, 6 October - Term 4 commences

Wednesday 7 to 31 October - Art is Escapsim - Art Show @ Gallery 107 Dalby

Tuesday, 13 October - P & F Meeting

Thursday, 15 October - Come and Try Day

Leadership Forum Learning

A fortnight ago, I was fortunate enough to be engaged in the Toowoomba Catholic Schools Leadership Forum, this term, being hosted in Quilpie.  With the absence of such gatherings due to COVID, it was a rigorous week of new learning for principals across the Diocese. We learnt of the new direction for our schools, the support in both formation and teaching and learning, as well as best practice in aligning the two pillars of Toowoomba Catholic Schools: Academic Success and Making Jesus Known. The emphasis placed on the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, as well as the underpinning history of the formation of our schools and colleges, strongly supports the great work happening all around the diocese. 

For me though, the most exciting aspect of the leadership forum was the alignment in the work of Toowoomba Catholic Schools and the needs of our schools, students and communities. As we bring together our 2021 Annual Action Plan in coming weeks, we know we are well supported by our system and the great consistency with the work of other schools and colleges in the diocese to ensure that we are doing the best we can to make a greater impact on the learning and growth of our students. 

Parent testimonials

I may be biased, though I believe that we have a great College here at OLSCC and sometimes I wonder if everyone in our community is aware of just how fortunate we are! As a part of this I would like to welcome any parents who feel passionate about our College to send me a testimonial of what they love and value about OLSCC. It only needs to be one or two paragraphs, and we will use a variety of these testimonials in our prospectus, website, newsletter, marketing and advertising. I am really interested in hearing about all aspects of our community and value any input you may have.  Simply write, type or scribble your testimonial and send it to me at peter.cuskelly@twb.catholic.edu.au or drop it into the Office.

Prep Interviews this week

How exciting it has been to see many of our future Preppies meeting with Mrs Walton for their Prep interviews this week! While all kindy kids love the idea of coming to “big school”, the greatest aspect of seeing all the students before then is getting to see the real them, the individuality that each and every student brings to the College. Whilst the planning of classes and teachers for all year levels for 2021 is in the initial stages, we can confirm that Mrs Kathy Morgan and Mrs Sandra Gleeson will be the classroom teachers of Prep in 2021.  Mrs Walton’s gifts will be utilized in teaching across all Early Years classes in 2021. 

Most of our 2021 Preppies are also attending Shooting Stars on Mondays and Thursdays to assist them in their transition to school and is an absolute blast to say the least! Shooting Stars  currently has a full group of 25 students on Monday while there are still some vacancies on Thursdays. All students join Mrs Morrison for a fun day of ‘school’ focusing on important early literacy and numeracy skills which give the children a great springboard into formal learning in Prep next year. We are fortunate to be able to offer Shooting Stars as a valuable part of our transition as it enables our future students to become familiar with the routines and physical environment of our College, as well as commencing their learning.

End of Year Celebrations

We are currently trudging through the regulations and guidelines in order to confirm the details regarding the the College end of year celebrations for both Year 12 students and the rest of the College. Our plan is to have a schedule out to everyone early in Term 4.

Peter Cuskelly

Principal

Jesus, 

Thank You for the compassion and tenderness that you have bestowed on me. 

I thank you for keeping me. 

I thank you for guiding me and I ask that you continue to bless me in my prayer life that I may according to your word pray for others. 

Keep those I love in my prayers and those who need my love in them more. 

In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. 

Amen 

Daniel Morcombe Child Safety Curriculum - Report 

This week we are starting to implement the final key message of the Daniel Morcombe Child Safety Curriculum: report. This means that when children or young people have been in a situation that is unsafe that they are taught to reportwhat has happened to an adult. Even if a child has been able to make themselves safe, it is vital that they still report what has happened. Adults need to know about unsafe situations so that some action can be taken to help the child be safe again or ensure it doesn’t happen again.  

Students involved in the Daniel Morcombe Child Safety Curriculum will be encouraged to make a list of adult safety helpers. These are adults the children and young people nominate whom they can talk to when they are feeling unsafe or have experienced an unsafe situation or feel they are at risk of something that may cause them harm. This list will include a selection of adults who live in and outside the home. 

Report also includes telling an adult about unsafe or inappropriate incidents which may occur when children or young people are online. This might occur when surfing the net or using social media sites like Facebook and twitter, and can include cyberbullying, viewing or receiving inappropriate images or messages or communicating with unknown contacts. 

It is important that the key safety messages of the Daniel Morcombe Child Safety Curriculum: Recognise, React and Report are reinforced, both at school and home. I encourage you, wherever possible, to talk with your child about safety to help them stay safe now and in the future. 

Information about the Daniel Morcombe Child Safety Curriculum can be found at www.education.qld.gov.au/child-safety-curriculum

Cate Brennan

Deputy Principal Religious Education

QCAA Invigilators for external assessment

The QCAA appoints members of the Queensland community to observe and report on the administration of external assessment sessions at secondary schools and approved assessment venues throughout Queensland.

Invigilators play an important role in promoting public confidence in the new Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) system and ensuring that proper and fair administrative procedures are implemented. Information Applications from Queensland community members for invigilator roles are now open.

Role summary Invigilators are required to:

• attend allocated assessment sessions at assessment venues
• observe and report on the administration of assessments and the collection, counting and packing of materials at the end of assessments.

Eligibility:  To be eligible to apply for a QCAA invigilator role, community members must:

• hold a blue card or an exemption card
• be at least 18 years of age
• be eligible to work in Australia
• have photographic identification
• have a personal email address
• have a mobile phone
• have access to a computer, the internet and a printer Memo
• supply names and contact details of two referees.

Note: • Before applying, community members should read the Position description: Invigilators and Invigilator frequently asked questions available at www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/senior/assessment/external-assessment/qcaa-invigilators

Eligible applicants will need to submit their applications via the Assessor Jobs app in the QCAA Portal (www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/logins/qcaa-portal/landing-page)

For any further information, please email eainvigilators@qcaa.qld.edu.au or phone (07) 3074 7574.

Matt Hodge

Assistant Principal Senior Years

Emotional Decision Making

Emotions are powerful. If left unchecked, they can dominate how we live and how we interact with others. The choices we make, the actions we take and the perceptions we have can so easily be governed by our emotional state. We all should endeavour to better understand our emotions because from this knowledge, recognition and understanding comes greater control and better decision making.

Take anger for instance. It is extremely powerful and can take on many forms. For some, they feel angry much of the time or struggle to stop thinking about something that has made them feel mad. Others get angry less often, but when they do it’s an explosion of Krakatoan proportions. Whatever form it takes on, uncontrolled anger can negatively affect physical health, damage relationships and often leaves people regretting the poor decisions their anger has influenced. Emotions like anger only serve to cloud a person’s judgement.

Our College community is one that promotes mutual respect, self-discipline and a sense of inclusiveness and compassion for others. We continually strive to set the bar high and as such there is no place in our community for decisions driven by emotions like anger.

Strategies to manage anger

Self-Check
It can be difficult to make good decisions when you give in to emotion. Try to identify warning signs that you are getting annoyed and take steps to avoid that situation to prevent things from escalating.

Don’t dwell
There is no point going back over the scenario and focusing on the problem. Work towards a solution instead.

Change the way you think
When you are angry you will see the worst in everything. Replace the negative thoughts. Instead of thinking “everything is ruined”, tell yourself “this is frustrating but it’s not the end of the world”. Use logic to reframe your thinking. Anger is often irrational. The world is not out to get you, so avoid latching on to words like never and always.

Relax
Control your breathing by taking long, slow breaths from your stomach rather than your chest. Visualise a relaxing experience from your memory. Walk away from the situation and think of a fond memory.  

Improve your communication
Students will often jump to conclusions when they are angry. They will assume details and often be very wrong in these assumptions. Stop and think before reacting. Plan how you will respond to avoid regretting your decision later.

Recognise triggers
Give some thought to what makes you mad. Avoid those situations.

Craig Cullen

Assistant Principal Middle Years

Thankyou to our Early Years parents who respectfully adhered to our request with co-operation for the smooth running of our Athletics Carnival in the “new normal” we are experiencing. I acknowledge how many of you were disappointed to miss out on seeing your child run, jump, throw and cheer their way through the day. We, too, missed having you there, but are very grateful for the support our community is showing towards the decision making our College has needed to take.

Learning is in full swing across the Early Years. We have recently rolled out our own College version of The Learning Pit. This tool was developed by educational specialist James Nottingham. We know that learning occurs when you step out of your comfort zone and yet many people are hesitant to take this step for fear of making mistakes or revealing weakness. Nottingham developed The Learning Pit to help normalize the journey. It helps to make our lessons more conceptually rich and thought provoking, making better use of questioning and metacognition (thinking about thinking!) Ultimately, this leads to deeper levels of understanding. You will see we have intentionally linked it to our Learning Dispositions and the 5 B’s that many students already know to use when they find themselves stuck – Brain, Book, Board, Buddy, Boss. We are grateful to have been able to access the creative genius of a special artist in our community, Mrs Jo Cuskelly, who was, herself, thrown into the Learning Pit as she helped to create this masterpiece! Please include discussion around the Learning Pit in your dinnertime conversations – this will assist us in embedding “The Pit” so that it becomes part of who we are at OLSCC.

Katrina Walton

Assistant Principal Early Years

Inter House Athletics Carnival Results

Records

Under 8 Girls 600m

Isabelle Manley 2.20min (Charlotte Crothers, 2001 -  2.22min)

Under 12 Girls 1500m

Carla Nobbs 5.53min (Hannah Pattison 2017, 6.16min)

Under 14 Girls Shot Put

Bree Hoskin 8.75m (Claudia Child, 2018, 8.10m)

Under 15 Boys 100m

Bailey Skinner 11.40sec (Adrian Wilkins, 1999, 11.80)

Under 15 Boys 200m

Bailey Skinner 23.60sec (Paul Hart, 1985, 24.40sec)

Under 15 Boys 400m

Bailey Skinner 53.40sec (Jeff Hart, 1988, 56.60sec)

Under 15 Boys 1500m

Bailey Skinner 4.43min (Daniel Pain 1998, 4.59min)

Under 16 Boys 100m

Cooper Woitowitz 11.50sec (Tim Sullivan 2005, Jonty MacDougall 2018, 11.60)

Under 16 Boys 200m

Cooper Woitowitz 23.90sec (Tim Sullivan, 2005, 24.00sec)

Gillespie Gift

1^st Ky Kirtley

2^nd Bailey Skinner

3^rd Archie Martin

4^th Lachlan Fraser

Tresillian Gift

1^st Emmysen Crothers

2^nd Catherine Carter

3^rd Jessica MacDonald

4^th Maggie Laffy

Points

Rugby League

Darling Downs Rugby League Competition Round 4

Under 13

OLSCC defeated Wilsonton SHS 34-20

Under 15

OLSCC defeated Lockyer District SHS 34-4

Tries – Joe Gillett 3, Bailey Skinner 2, Lyhkan King Togia 2

Conversions – Joe Gillett 5

Under 18

OLSCC defeated Pittsworth SHS 32-10

Round 5

Under 13

Lockyer District SHS defeated OLSCC 32-12

Tries – Eli Harth, Ryan Champion

Conversions – Bronson Barnett 2

Under 15

OLSCC defeated St Joseph’s College 36-6

Tries –Bailey Skinner 2, Bailey Rathmell 2, Lyhkan King Togia 2, Hugh Gleeson

Conversions – Joe Gillette 3, Brock Sankey

Under 18 –

OLSCC defeated Centenary Heights SHS 70-0

Tries - Sam Gillespie 3, Lachlan Wilkins 2, Ryan Welsh 2, Jack Welsh, Lachlan Sankey, Matt Cuskelly, Clancy Biggar, Declan Crothers, 

Conversions - Hunter James 11

Week 8 Bye Round

Week 9

Semi Finals Wednesday 9 September

Games are TBC but likely to be as follows:

Under 13

OLSCC (4^th) vs St Mary’s College Toowoomba (1^st) at Brothers Grounds in Toowoomba 4pm

Under 15

OLSCC (1^st) vs Harristown SHS (4^th) in Dalby 5pm

Under 18

OLSCC (1^st in Pool A) vs 2^nd or 3^rd Team from Pool B in Dalby 6pm

Either - St Mary’s College 2^nds, Lockyer District SHS, or Assumption College Warwick.

Rugby League Tour

Next Wednesday, Thursday and Friday the Under 15 and Under 18 Rugby League Teams will be going coastline tour. Games will be played against Xavier College Hervey Bay on Wednesday, St Patrick’s College Gympie on Thursday and Unity College Caloundra on Friday. Thanks to Mr Gillespie for organising this opportunity for our boys. Results will be in the next edition of the newsletter.

Secondary Touch Football

The QLD All Schools Carnival held at Whites Hill in Brisbane is going ahead as planned. No spectators will be permitted at the fields due to Covid restrictions. Version 3 of the Draw has been released and passed onto students.

Tennis

Unfortunately, the Open Boys Tennis Team of Ben Forbes, Pat Kelly, Hayden Taylor and Harry Coman lost to Toowoomba Grammar School in the final of the Darling Downs Championships.

The boys lost 4 matches to 2 against Grammar A but despite the final loss, the boys are the Number 2 team in the Darling Downs and they are very proud of this achievement. It was a great effort for them to make it so far into the competition.

Thanks to Mrs Forbes for organising this opportunity for our students.  

Senior Netball

Congratulations to the Open Girls Netball Team who went to Roma last weekend to compete in the Mercy Shield. Whilst the team didn’t win any games, they were competitive throughout the weekend. Thanks to Miss Belonogoff for providing this opportunity for pout girls, Amy Pattison for scoring for the team and to the parents who travelled to Roma to support the College. All the best to Charlotte Crothers who suffered a serious shoulder injury whilst playing on the first afternoon. Game results:

Round 1 – Loss to St John’s Roma 44-12 (Runners Up)

Round 2 – Loss to Roma State College 27-23

Round 3 -Loss to Marist Emerald 23-17

Quarter Final – Loss to St Joseph’s College 37-14 (Overall Winners)

Playoff Game 1 – Loss to St John’s Roma B – 24-23

Playoff Game 2 – Loss to St John’s Roma B 30-23

Primary Schools Cup Netball

The QLD Primary Schools Cup Netball Carnival scheduled for September 12-13 at Ipswich has been cancelled due to Covid 19.

Rugby Sevens

Best of luck to the Under 15 Girls Rugby Sevens Team who will compete at the Scots College Warwick Invitational Carnival next Saturday. With Covid 19 restrictions this will be a spectator free event. More Rugby Sevens opportunities should be available next term for other age groups.

Tim Lincoln

Middle Leader Sport

Please enjoy some images from the three days of the College Athletics Carnival. It was certainly a very different atmosphere without parent spectators there but the students still cheered their fellow competitors on and there were some amazing events with quite a few long standing records tumbling. We have created four galleries, Day 1, Day 2 and Day 3 plus the Confro Netball Friendly which was a great spectacle on Friday afternoon before the running of the Tresillian and Gillespie Gifts. 

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Confro Friendly Netball Game

Congratulations to two more of our students for their recent sign up completions. Hayden Taylor has commenced an apprenticeship Certificate III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology with Jeff Hirning of T & H Service Centre.

Kasey Taylor commenced a school-based apprenticeship Certificate III in Hairdressing with Ruth McGovern of Pascal and Co. Well done to these two students ant to these local employers for providing these opportunities.

Family recipes keep part of the legacy of our relatives and loved ones alive. As we record the thoughts, ideas and processes of our traditional family meals, we create an heirloom that will be handed down to our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. This respectful dialog of food passed down from one generation to another is a tool, a family tree of foods, a line that can be traced for decades into the past and the future.  

Here are another two lovely recipes from our College Community that celebrate food from cultures around the world. This week's recipes are from Finland and South Africa.

We would still love to hear from any of our College families who would be happy to share their favourite cultural recipes for our College Cookbook.  If you have a family favourite recipe that you would like to share with our Year 12 Religion students, please email Breanna Tanks at

DALTanksB@twb.catholic.edu.au

Medication Collection

Any medications that are kept at the College Office for your child's use at school must be collected and signed for by a parent after 3.00pm on Friday, 4 December.

2021 Medications

Any students who require medication to be administered whilst at school will need to bring their child's medication, administration for medication forms and 2021 Medical Action Plans (e.g. Asthma, Anaphylaxis, and Diabetes) in to the College Office by Monday, 18 January 2021.

If you have any queries regarding this, please contact Tracey Boland at the Office on 4672 4111.