Reflection - St Eugene College

Term 3, Week 5, 14th August, 2014
Dates to Remember:
Reflection
Friday, 14th August
Holy heart of the Universe, you call us to dream,
Feast of the
Assumption
Queensland Catholic
Colleges Music Festival
Friday, 22nd August
Soiree
to imagine, to yield to your grace, your pressure
from within to evolve.
Help us to see that all we are has come about
through the 13.7 billion year unfolding of your
grace.
Help us to grasp the reality that the entire history
of the universe has prepared us to be the ones
who enflesh your imagination in the material
world.
May we celebrate who we are as we celebrate
who you are, and may we dare to imagine that we
are grace itself.
Amen
St Eugene de
Mazenod Church
Sunday: 9.30am &
5.00pm
Christ the King Church
Saturday: 6.00pm
Sunday: 7.30am
Station Road
PO Box 598
Burpengary Q 4505
P: 07 3491 4600
F: 07 3888 5151
E: pburpengary
@bne.catholic.edu.au
www.steugene.qld.edu.au
ABSENTEE LINE:
3491 4646
From the Leadership Team
Dear Parents and Friends
Congratulations to all the young
people from St Eugene’s, Christ the
King and children from other schools
in our parish who received the
sacraments of First Eucharist and
Confirmation at three masses on
Saturday afternoon.
What a lovely celebration of our
parish faith and community!
The P-12 Soiree is on Friday, August 22. It’s a 6.00pm start. From
6.00pm to 7.30pm all year levels from Prep to 5 will be performing
in the hall. All students in the Junior School are expected to attend.
The year level items on our multi-cultural theme will be
interspersed with items from performing arts groups and
individuals in Yrs 6-12. Adult entry is $2.00. Children and
performers are free. This is of course a bargain entry fee as the
talent on display is worth ten times the ticket price. The money will
go to enhancing the performing arts expertise of our students at
Camp CATEE in Sydney in the September holidays. Following the
Concert there is good food to be had (and drinks) at various venues
with smaller ensembles and groups displaying their talent and
entertaining you. This is a night to get the gloves and tiaras out, a
night to dress up and play ladies and gentlemen! Or you can go
fancy dress and come in your ordinaries! Soiree is a French word
describing a night of food, drink and entertainment. So appropriate
given that St Eugene is from France and his mantra of ‘leaving
nothing undared’ celebrates the gifts and talents of the students of
St Eugene College in a Soiree!
Following the Careers Expo and the Yr 10 Parent Information Night
last Wednesday, our Yr 10 students and their parents meet with
Senior School staff this week and next to select their subjects and
plot their learning future. From Yrs 6 to 10 we have been working
on exposing our students to the opportunities available to them in
subjects in the academic and vocational arena. Crunch time is now
when students need to pick their career pathway.
In the first week of term we held a parent information night to
inform and consult with parents on the curriculum in our Personal
Development and Sexuality Program. This program is being
delivered in all year levels from Prep to 12 this term. Parents at this
meeting asked for assistance in the ‘how’ of talking to their kids
about sex and sexuality in our Christian/Catholic context. Jennifer
Mason is leading a parent workshop to deliver this on Friday August
22 from 1.30 to 2.30 in the Staff Meeting Room, located in the
Tempier Admin building. A wonderful opportunity offered to you by
our Assistant Principals Religious Education, Alison Bates and Peter
Ivers.
This weekend is a big one for our Music students in the
Queensland Catholic Colleges Music Festival at Villanova College
and St James’ Coorparoo. On Thursday night the Concert Band and
Guitar Ensemble are competing. Friday sees our Yr 2/3 and 4/5/6
Choirs, Concert Band A and String Orchestra take to the Stage. The
big weekend concludes with our Vocal Group, Stage Band and
Instrumental Ensemble going for gold on Sunday. Sunday also
sees our Senior Drama students competing in the Drama
Eisteddfod at Beenleigh. Lots of Kids! Lots of Talent! Sing, play and
act up a storm guys!
We pray for St Eugene’s continued guidance as we dare to seek
personal and college excellence in our learning, doing and living.
Wonder and independence and usefulness…
Thirty four years ago Karen and I started an adventure in parenthood. We hoped for three things as we engaged with the
kids who we thought were on loan to us from a higher creative
power and that we had responsibility for a few short years. Like
all parents we really hoped that we would not stuff up this
privileged and magnificent gift.
Firstly we hoped they would learn a sense of wonder from us.
To learn that the world was a marvellous beautiful place that
could delight and enchant them and give them opportunities
that we couldn’t imagine. Adventures were the rule of childhood with holidays, play and a neighbourhood that was to be
explored and experienced. Doing the dishes with Dad and
learning to count in five languages is one of the happy memories they tell me today. They thought it was fun.
We tried to instil independence knowing that in a few short
years they would be old enough to strike out on their own , in
living arrangements, work and play. This was a tough adventure, letting go with enough of a leash that we knew could result in hurt, disappointment and mistakes made. Each of my
three children has left us in tears at various times with the
result of foolish choices and unforeseen catastrophes.
Finally we wanted them to emerge from their childhood with
enough wonder and confident independence to become useful
in our society. Which job didn’t matter, the fact that they would
want to work and be useful did. They have all started meaning
ful occupations and are content. I am proud of my kids. As a
grandad I love the way that they play with their kids, looking
with them with wonder through a magnifying glass at those
amazing ants, or dancing with them in sheer and exuberant joy.
I reflected and spoke to these
thoughts at a daughter’s wedding last
year and this week I am the proud new
grandad of Dylan weighing in at a
healthy 8lb8ounces. I am learning
again the circle of life as I look in wonder at new independence and usefulness. As an educator it has been my
privilege to see all these things
emerge in a generation of young men
and women at various colleges. I know
that I am one of the most blessed and
lucky people on this planet to be a contributor to this most
marvellous miracle called life.
Have a great week!
MARK SHAKHOVSKOY
P-12 HEAD (MIDDLE/SENIOR YEARS)
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT NEXT WEEK
Monday
Tuesday
Blessings and regards
Wednesday
DENIS ANTHONISZ - PRINCIPAL
Thursday
Ashleigh Stewart and Sarah Ralston doing
Observations in St Eugene classrooms
Brenda Todd and Stephanie Canham at REAP
course for rest of week
Alison Bates, Luke McKenna, Peter Ivers, Denis
Anthonisz and Cathy Masotti at Catching Fire
Guiding Lights Retreat today and tomorrow
Denis Russell doing observations at Brisbane
Grammar
Tony Fraser at Biology Panel Training
College News
APRE NEWS
Upcoming Year Level Masses
Each of these masses commences at 9:00 am. Families are always very welcome to attend – We’d love to see you at our Eucharistic celebrations.
 Year 6 – 21 August
 Year 1 – 4 September
 Year 5 – 11 September
Masses for the Feast of the Assumption – 15 August
 Thursday 14th August 7pm St Eugene Church
 Friday 15th August 9am Christ the King Church
 Friday 15th August 12 noon St Eugene Church
 Friday 15th August 7pm St Eugene Church
The year 4 and 5 classes will be attending the mass at 12 noon.
Other students and families are also welcome.
Personal and Social Development Parent Information Session
There will be a session for parents and caregivers with Jennifer
Mason (Life Works in Progress). This session is designed to give
parents and caregivers support and confidence in having conversations with their own children about aspects of growth and development, including sexuality. The session will be held in the staff
meeting room on Friday, August 22, commencing at 1.30pm.
The Assumption of Mary
On Friday, the Church will celebrate the
Feast of the Assumption. The Assumption of Mary is a key Catholic teaching.
Although it was held to be true by Catholics since at least the fourth century, it
was only defined as Catholic teaching by
Pope Pius XII in 1950 in the encyclical,
Munificentissimus Deus (The most
bountiful God). Whilst not universally held by all Christian
churches, it is worth noting that a number of other churches do
accept this teaching.
Essentially, the Church's teaching on the Assumption of Mary
states that, upon her death, Mary was assumed into Heaven (CCC
#966). Prior to declaring infallibly that this was the teaching of the
Church, Pius consulted the worldwide Church in a process that
began in 1946. It was on the basis of this consultation that the
teaching was given. For many Catholics, the Assumption poses at
least two key questions. First, why did it take until 1950 for this to
be declared a teaching? Second, what is the ongoing significance
of this teaching for Catholics today?
To deal with the former question first. Although most Catholics
believed the teaching for centuries, nobody had actually declared
it a teaching and, therefore, part of what is known as the "Deposit
of Faith." From this perspective, the timing for the teaching in the
years immediately following the Second World War was incredibly
significant. As the full horror of World War II began to sink in (e.g.
atrocities in Nazi Germany, dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima), many Christians and people of good will began to reflect
on the sacredness of human life. They wanted to affirm the dignity
of the human person in an era when mankind (and I use the term
deliberately) had the power to wipe itself from the face of the
earth. Against this background, the teaching on the Assumption
came at a time when the Church wanted above all else to reaffirm
belief in a loving God who intervened in dramatic ways in human
history (note the title of Pius’s encyclical, “The bountiful God”).
Now to answer the second question. Some Catholics today wonder
about the Assumption. They struggle to see its ongoing relevance
in the world of the early twenty-first century. Yet, I argue that the
teaching is as important for us today as it was when it was first
proclaimed sixty-four years ago. The nuclear threat of the midtwentieth century has subsided somewhat (apart from nuclear
power plants and tsunamis). In our day, though, we also face the
possibility that we will annihilate the planet through climate
change. Furthermore, in our consumer society, we see people
treated as little more than commodities (e.g. Human trafficking,
pornography, people smugglers). In short, we live in a world where
many people are NOT treated with the most basic dignity that our
humanity demands. For this reason, I suggest that reflection on
the Assumption of Mary is highly relevant to our age. It reminds us
of a loving, bountiful God who never abandons the world. It reminds us of the sacredness of ALL human life. Finally, it reminds
us of our obligation as Christians to live by the fundamental teachings of Catholic social justice that guarantees persons their dignity
as humans loved by God.
Mass times for the Feast of the Assumption appear earlier. A
special Mass will be celebrated at 12.00pm (noon) in the Parish
church. As a Holy Day of Obligation, all students are encouraged to
make an effort to attend Mass. In Middle and Senior Phase, students will be given the opportunity to attend Mass at midday
(subject to subject requirements.
Peter Ivers and Alison Bates (P-12 APREs)
CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations to the Year 8 and Year 9 boys AFL teams and the
Yr 9 boys Soccer team for making the District Grand Final this
Thursday. Also to the Year 10 boys Basketball team who will play
in next week’s Senior Grand Final. Good luck boys and great work
on displaying the college spirit.
Last week a large number of students from Year 5 through to Year
12 competed at the South District Athletics Carnival at Apex Park
over four days. A number of students who performed very well will
now go onto the Regional level to represent the District. Training
will continue each Wednesday and Thursday afternoons leading
up to the carnival on the 9th and 10th of September. We wish
them all the very best.
Further congratulations also go to the following students:

Flynn Coomer (3 Gold) competed in the Pokémon National
Championships in Sydney, and at the end of the season he
is ranked 8th in the Junior division in Australia.

Hayley Calleja (5 Gold) recently competed in the Sunshine
Coast Junior Regionals for gymnastics and has now qualified to compete at the Queensland State Gymnastic Championships in September.

Ruby Gilbert (Year 10) recently won the Junior division (13 17 year olds) of the 2014 Homestead Youth Talent Expo (a
country music competition). This is one of the largest Youth
competitions in the state. She took out 1st in Country rock,
2nd in Australian Country, duet and instrumental. She also
took out 3rd in vocal solo and also won best dressed. Because of her wins, she will be competing at the 2014
Queensland Country Music Champion of Champions, held
in November.
College News
ACADEMIC AWARDS
JUNIOR YEARS—STUDENTS OF THE
WEEK—12.08.14
Congratulations to the following Middle/Senior students on their
recent outstanding academic achievements. They were awarded
to students who got a majority of A’s in their first semester Report. A celebratory lunch is around the corner...
Year 6
 Lucy Burr, Riley Lawrence, Talitha Lee, Thomas McInnes,
Laura McKay, Natasha Pravidur, Kaitlyn Spiteri, Jessica
Stevens, Charlotte Stones.
Year 7
 Lucas Browne, Brady Colvin, Tahleia Garrard, Lisa Green,
Daisy McCartney, Emma Perak, Michael Pimm, Hannah
Poetschka, Laura Poetschka, Zahra Ramm, Aaron Take,
Jessie Whiting.
Year 8
 Danelle Bacalso, Denby Batista, Imogen Beech, Madeline
Blake, Janne Catalan, Alexandra Constantinou, Tiahna
Davies, Benjamin Elliott, Aneena Karakombil, Benjamin
Lawrence, Eliza Mann, Emily Payne, Lauren Pravidur, Charlotte Scott, Tyler Short, Tyler Tevita, Catherine Williams.
Year 9
 Lachlan Bramley, Nicholas Dramac, Alisha Fagg, Con-
stance Grafos, Benjamin Morris, Zena Morrison, Benjamin
Poetschka, Sophie Preston, Paige Reberger, Conrad Tyler,
Kaitlyn Weldon.
Year 10
 Zoe Burr, Oliver Campbell, Khia Chagas, Jack Chapman,
Emma Davis, Bryce Devlin, Gillan Fiorin, Thomas Lynam,
Samuel Medved, William Miller, Robert Parker, Jacob Pratt.
Year 11
 Rebecca Argent, Tameka Bridge, Katie Davis, Brenna
Dransfield, Caleb McDowell, Devon Patterson, Bridget Russell, Antony Tatkovic.
Year 12
 Monique Bramley, Emily Dalton, Brenna Devlin, Brittany
Ely, Samuel Halpin, Jasmine Hutch, Caitlin McBride, Jasmine Pratt, Georgia Robinson, Sidney Shorten, Sarah
Spierings.
PARISH NEWS
Congratulations to all of our students who participated last Sunday
in completing the sacraments of Initiation in our parish. Monsignor
Peter Meneely led the celebration of three Masses where our
young people received the Sacraments of First Eucharist and Confirmation.
Congratulations to the following students for
their fine efforts:
Ryan Ellis
Prep Blue
Isabella Chantler
Prep Blue
Phoenix Gordon
Prep White
Isobel Condon
Prep Gold
Chloe Richards
Prep Gold
Addison Osburn
1 White
Maddison Buckley
1 White
Layla-Marie Sneath
1 White
Zayde Calder
1 Gold
Ella Wellington
1 Gold
Cameron Dutton
2 Blue
Shania Volange
2 Blue
Jhett Stoodly
2 White
Sofie Monostori
2 White
Amy McIntosh
2 Gold
Sarah Whittred
2 Gold
Calleigh Dransfield
3 Blue
Alice Buchanan
3 Blue
Kamryn Roche
3 Blue
Brodie Byrnes
3 Blue
Lachlan Davidson
3 White
Cathal Halpenny
3 White
Bailey Percival
3 White
Ethan Hunter
3 Gold
Maddison Walker
4 Blue
Mason Buckely
4 White
Daniel Gibb
4 White
Stephanie Dunn
4 Gold
Lucas Butt
4 Gold
Jordan Buckley
5 Blue
Rory Hope
5 Blue
Harrison Brown
5 Blue
Lewis Camerlengo
5 White
Ella McCormack
5 White
Declann Geraghty
5 Gold
Fay Ryan-Toner
5 Gold
College News
BEACON NEWS
Last Thursday four of our Year 10
boys attended Holcim Quarry’s Experience day. The quarry was in full operational mode, which gave all participants the opportunity to see this thriving industry in action. Students were
able to interact directly with staff who
provided invaluable information about
entry level employment opportunities.
A special thanks to Beacon for organising this event and for their ongoing support of our students. Look
out for future opportunities to engage in industry experience
events.
Teresa Mochon - Year 10 Co-ordinator
HOSPITALITY NEWS
The St Eugene’s Hospitality department has had a very busy week
showcasing our talented students. On Wednesday, 300 guests
enjoyed Grandparents’ Morning tea with lamingtons, fruit platters
and muffins, Beacon Speed Interviewers an afternoon tea, Careers
Expo Guests cheese boards, and Year 10 Parents, platters for
their information evening. Additionally, year 10 students completed delicious checkerboard cakes with chocolate ganache
decorations and Year 11 and 12 students produced mouth watering Mexican BLT rolls. There is always something worth checking
out in the Hospitality department!
May your kitchen be as warm as your hugs,
Mrs Byrne
ATSI NEWS
QATSIF SCHOLARSHIPS – INDIGENOUS STUDENTS IN YEARS 10
AND 11 IN 2014
To be considered for a QATSIF 2015-2016 Scholarship, students
must:

be a person of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent who identifies as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait
Islander, and is accepted as such by the community in which
they live

be an Australian citizen and resident of Queensland


be enrolled at the school completing the application in 2015

have current school attendance of 85% or more


be under age 35

actively supports school activities which enhances his/her
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural identity

demonstrates willingness to fully participate in the life of the
school and be a worthy role model for other students
intend to undertake and complete their Queensland Certificate of Education during the school years 2015-2016 and
has the ability and confidence of the school to obtain the QCE
by Year 12 Graduation
currently be achieving A-C in Mainstream English and a C or
higher in other subjects
Please note that it is the school who must apply on behalf of enrolled eligible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students. Applications from students or parents will not be considered. Please
either see Ms Mitchell or email your interest in applying for this
scholarship for your child [email protected].
DUNLEA RESOURCE CENTRE
Remember our aim is to have every one of our students read
(anything!) for at least 10 minutes every day of the week.
The Reading Hour
This will be celebrated nationally on Tuesday evening, 19 August.
St Eugene’s Bookweek
Will be held from 25-29th August. The library will be in full decoration and a Bookfair will be held in the library for the week for students and families to browse and purchase new, quality books at
bargain prices.
The Bookweek Parade
This is optional for Preps to year 5 students and will be held at the
Junior Assembly on Tuesday, August 26 where children dress up
as their favourite character or to suit this year’s theme, “Connect
to Reading” or any style. Students need to come to school dressed
in costume but must change into their normal uniform of the day
immediately after the parade. Students go to their class to be
marked off the roll and then assemble at the library with their uniform change ready for the parade. Parents are definitely welcome
to join in the fun with us.
Children’s Book Council of Australia Book Week
The national date is from Saturday 16 August - Friday 22 August
whilst our college will celebrate it a week later (Aug 25-29) to suit
our busy calendar. This year’s theme is Connect to Reading ~
Reading to connect. Connect to reading is about enjoying the experience of exploring story, and travelling to other worlds. Reading
to connect, has a broader social meaning, suggesting that reading
assists in creating a bond with others. Within the world of the contemporary child, this is also relevant as they read books and they
read to connect through a variety of media. For bookings go to:
http://booklinksinc.files.wordpress.
com/2014/08/sharingstories-poster-booking-form.pdf
Chess News
Last Thursday, 28 students ranging from year 1’s to year 7’s attended the Brisbane North Inter-School Chess Championships at
Nundah State School. This has been our largest team ever and we
had many newcomers who played brilliantly. There were over 300
students from many schools competing over 7 games with short
breaks in between. Our students aim of the day was to play their
best, be good sports and beat their former PBs (personal best
score so far). Most students achieved all three of these goals and
7 students won a High achievement ribbon: Haiden Badellino 2G,
Kyle Croghan3B, Jayden Spiteri 4B, Patrick Scott 6W, Joshua
Anderson 7B and Elyssa Paulsen 7N. Michael Pimm won 6 of his 7
games and was awarded a medal. One of our teams also achieved
a third position overall.
The next inter-school Chess Comp will be held in Term 4 and any
student from prep to year 12 who knows Chess rules is welcome
to join the team. Please leave your name with library staff as soon
as possible.
Chess tuition continues every Thursday in the library from 3:154:15pm at a cost of $10 per lesson. All students of all ages and
experience levels are welcome to join.
Janice Chilcott - Teacher/Librarian
Around the World...
Friday, 22nd August in Rodrigo
Hall from 6.00pm onwards
Formal Concert (6pm–7.20pm)
All Prep—Yr 5 & Yr 6-12 year levels
in a variety of performances
Performances in the hall & other venues
Food and beverages available for purchase
Entrance $2/adult and students are free!
Bands
Choirs
Drama
Dance
Enjoy the talents of our brilliant performers!