Newsletter: 14 July 2015

Newsletter: 14 July 2015
‘Go Easy’ Queenslanders
I had a great holiday and I am sure every St Mary's College family member enjoyed having their sons home for the break. I
especially enjoyed reconnecting with family, returning to my home town of Bowral on the Southern Highlands in NSW to
see my parents. Yes, the holidays were wonderful with the exception of that Wednesday night that you are still, no doubt,
gloating about. My eldest brother from Sydney came up with the bright idea of flying to Brisbane to catch up with me and
attend our first State of Origin game together. My state of origin is New South Wales, so I joined my brother, decking out in
blue. I arrived in the grandstand just before kick-off to the continual and overwhelming chant of Queenslander! I was
overwhelmed and definitely feeling in the minority. I‟m sure I have read about such an atmosphere at the gladiatorial battles
at the Colosseum in Rome! I sat next to a middle-aged Queensland footy fanatic who took one look at me and pointed out
the obvious, “You must be going for the blues”. To which I replied, “Yes I am”. “Well, good luck mate” he joked. Then he
said to me, “Don‟t worry, I‟ll look after you”. I certainly appreciated his sentiment as the chant for Queensland became even
louder. If the players were as passionate as the supporters around me, then New South Wales was to have no chance! As the
game progressed, it became obvious that my team was about to be annihilated. In response, I decided to live out the saying,
„If you can‟t beat them then join them.‟ So, together with my new friend, I began applauding the Queensland tries – they
were amazing. In fact, as hard as this is to say, Queensland was brilliant! We especially cheered as Johnathan Thurston (who
gave his alma mater a big mention pre-game on TV) scored an amazing try only to be pulled back for being off-side. When
the score was 42–2, my new Queensland friend sincerely turned to me and said, “I feel really sorry for you mate.” “Don‟t
worry,” I said, “this Queensland team is really great to watch.” As the full time siren rang, we shook hands and he kindly
gave me his old jumper with the tip that I would be best to cover up the blue I was wearing on the way out. I did as he said
and escaped not too emotionally scarred. I appreciate the humility and sympathy that my new Queensland friend showed and
I ask all of you, to please be kind and do the same - thank you.
Seriously though, I trust that all boys are refreshed, reinvigorated and ready to engage in a full Semester 2 at St Mary's
College. Based on the Semester 1 report, I trust that all parents have had positive conversations around your son‟s progress
and have set new and achievable goals with him.
Semester 2 promises to be a full, exciting and busy time for the College. Activities and events of note are as follows:
numerous final ceremonies and important academic assessments for Year 12 students, a number of sporting events and finals,
music concerts, retreats, social justice activities, academic awards ceremonies, Assumption Mass, liturgies, Grandparents‟
and Father‟s Day events, debating finals, Tournament of the Minds, competitions, excursions, Catholic Education Week
celebrations, NAIDOC Week events, subject selection evenings, Art show, Drama presentations, Parent & Teacher
Interviews, camps, work experience, service learning and end of year exams, assignments and celebrations.
I encourage all boys to join in fully, resiliently and positively to what promises to be a very important educational time in
their life. Best wishes for Semester 2 – Conanti Corona- continue to strive to achieve that crown.
St Mary’s College Annual Grandparents’ Day
Thursday, 23rd of July from 8:45am-11:00am.
All grandparents are welcome to attend. The morning will include a tour of facilities,
assembly with drama and music performances and morning tea.
To attend, please RSVP to the College on 4631 7333 or [email protected]
by Friday, 17th of July.
Debating Finals 2015
Best wishes to the St Mary‟s College Debating Teams who have progressed to the finals of the Toowoomba Secondary School
Debating Competition, commencing this Wednesday, 15th July until Wednesday, 19th August. The Year 7 team members include:
Dhyey Shah, Heath O‟Sullivan and Dhairy Shah and their coach Ms Tammy Banks. The Year 10 team members include: Darcy
Coleman, Finn Coleman, Chris Godfrey and Nicholas Joy and coach, Mr Andrew Street (Middle Leader – English). Good luck,
gentlemen and thank you to their coaches.
Being prepared for class.
Please remind your son of the importance of coming prepared to class. Without the necessary resources, good learning is not
possible. The non-negotiable items for each boy to bring to class are:
 A notebook for the subject
 Fully equipped pencil case
 Display folder of handouts
 A charged iPad
In appreciation of your continued support of our important learning program at the College, thank you.
NAIDOC Week
NAIDOC Week is celebrated in the first week of July. NAIDOC stands for National Aboriginal & Indigenous Day Observance
Committee. Its aim is to improve awareness in the wider community of the status and treatment of Indigenous Australians.
To mark NAIDOC week 2015, St Mary‟s College will be holding: a special Assembly where we will unveil a new flagpole in
Centenary Court which will display not only the Australian Flag but the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flags, a NAIDOC
Dinner where Indigenous families will share a meal, prayer and recognition ceremony (Thursday 16th July at 6.30pm in the T.P.
O‟Brien Hall), a half-day painting workshop and a half-day story-telling workshop with Peter Mulcahy. St Mary's College
strongly supports equality and justice for Indigenous Australians and boys at St Mary‟s College.
Congratulations First XIII
Congratulations go to our First XIII Rugby League side who competed in the top division of the 2015 Confraternity Shield. In the
end the boys finished in 8th place out of 48 teams. Well done also to the 2nd XIII who were placed 31st. My sincere thanks goes to
the generous coaches: Mr Robert Anderson (Director of PE & Sport), Mr Sean Albion (House Leader – Purcell), Mr Rod Hickey,
McKenzie Reid (trainer) and Brendan Dolan (Body Fit Physiotherapy) and the many staff who attended to support the boys on
different days. Well done, gentlemen and good luck as you now enter the Quarter finals of the Brisbane Rugby League
competition.
Year 12 Formal
Best wishes to our Year 12 students who will be enjoying their Year 12 St Mary's College Formal with their partners at Rumours
International, this Friday 17th July. The boys will also be listening to an address by Federal Agent Joseph Zeller from the
Australian Federal Police. A reminder to all boys that this is a school related event and normal school expectations and conduct
applies.
Coming Events
Good luck to our Year 11 Religion and Ethics class who will present “This is Your Life” DVDs to residents of Freedom Care
Nursing Home next Monday, 20th July. This is a wonderful project, well done gentlemen.
Sporting Representatives
Congratulations go to Cory Paix, who in the holidays was named in the
Australian School-boys Under 15 Merit Rugby League Team. Well done
also to William Brennan and Cody Liesch who were selected to represent
Darling Downs Schools in Baseball and Touch Football, respectively.
Well done, gentlemen.
L to R: Principal Michael Newman and Cory Paix.
May our loving God walk with all members of the St Mary‟s College family.
Mr Michael Newman – Principal
FAITH SNAPSHOT
PNG visitors
An enormous thank you to all those who supported and contributed to the visit from members of the OLSH International School,
Kavieng. The students and staff were most appreciative of their care packs, and made good use of them in the Toowoomba and
Ipswich weather. It really was an amazing experience for the boys and despite their lack of game success at the Confraternity
Carnival, they most certainly demonstrated strength and courage in each of their matches, and their fighting spirit was admired by
all. Consequently, this earned for the OLSH team “The Spirit of Confraternity” trophy which was a fitting end to a life-changing
experience for the boys.
I would like to make special mention of our students here at SMC. During the week, the PNG boys were visiting the College, as
well as at „Confro‟. Our boys were such great ambassadors not only for St Mary‟s but for Australia. They were so welcoming,
generous in spirit, and provided great comradery to our PNG friends, by taking them into their homes, watching their games and
embracing their presence in the way they did. Thanks so much to everyone involved in this great service opportunity. I am proud
to be a part of such a generous community.
OLSH Team with Ben and Shane Walker, Old Boys and coaches
of Ipswich Jets RL.
SMC and OLSH boys meeting with former ARL great, Trevor
Gillmiester
NAIDOC Week
The College celebrates NAIDOC Week this week and this includes a number of important guests and events, such as our special
Flagpole Smoking Ceremony today which officiates our new College flagpole, erected to proudly fly our Australian and
Aboriginal and Torres Strait flags. Many thanks to Jo Jaenke for her leadership in orchestrating the events for this week. Also,
special blessings to all our ATSI students and their families as you celebrate this special week of recognition of you. And may
this NAIDOC Week be a timely reminder to us all, that “We all Stand on Sacred Ground: Learn, Respect and Celebrate”
(NAIDOC Week Theme, 2015). I look forward to sharing a meal with you on Thursday evening.
Br Damien Price Visit
Monday afternoon, our staff were blessed to have Christian Brother Damien Price lead us in our twilight experience. Br Damien‟s
came to us as a gifted, and truly authentic presenter who has worked with many schools and communities over many years, both
as an educator and wisdom figure. We thank Br Damien most sincerely for the gifts that he brings to our College community and
for his genuine ability to be „present‟ and „gift‟ to others.
Candles in the Dark
This week, we are blessed also to have another visitor. On Thursday and Friday, Fr Richard Ho Lung will be visiting a number of
our RE classes. Fr Ho Lung is the founder of the Missionaries of the Poor (MOP), an order of brothers and priests with 23 centres
in Jamaica, Haiti, India, Kenya, Philippines, Uganda, USA and Indonesia. There is an article in the following link about Fr
Richard. http://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/champion-of-poor-to-speak/2639414/. We look forward to welcoming Fr
Richard and friends to our College community.
Catholic Education Week
Week 3 of this term celebrates „Catholic Education Week‟ (CEW), a state wide initiative that celebrates the gift that Catholic
Education is to our own communities and the wider community. This year‟s theme is, "Engaging Minds. Igniting Hearts. Serving
Others." Our 2015 CEW Ambassador is Mr Dan McErlean, Old Boy and former recipient of the Toowoomba Diocese „Spirit of
Catholic Education Week‟ Award. Mr McErlean will be addressing our community at a special CEW Assembly that will take
place on Tuesday, 29 July, at 12.20pm. More details to follow in the coming weeks.
Grandparents Day
A reminder that Grandparents‟ Day will take place next Thursday, 23 July, commencing at 8.45pm. All grandparents are most
welcome to join us. Please RSVP to [email protected] for catering purposes.
Blessings for the coming term.
Ms Sharon Collins – Assistant Principal – Identity – [email protected]
Prayers:
 Fr. Jeff Scully – old boy during the 1950‟s – ordained 1969 – passed away on Wednesday 24th June.
NAIDOC WEEK
This week, St Mary‟s College celebrates NAIDOC Week. NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia each July to
celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC is celebrated not only
in Indigenous communities, but by Australians from all walks of life. Activities include a half day art workshop on Tuesday for
Indigenous students in years 8 through to 12, as well as a special themed assembly. The day will also include Indigenous games
on the College oval. On Thursday, there will be a range of workshops on offer for Indigenous students from 5 through to 12. The
culmination of the week will be the NAIDOC dinner on Thursday night in the College Hall. Reservations should be lodged with
[email protected]. We hope to see everyone there. – Jo Jaenke (Indigenous Coordinator)
Mrs Josephine Jaenke – ATSI Coordinator – [email protected]
BLOOD DONATIONS SAVE LIVES
A single blood donation can save 3 lives.
1 in 3 Australians will need blood in their lifetime - but only 1 in 30 donates.
If you're aged between 16 and 70 years old and healthy, you may be able to give blood.
Your generous donation could save someone who is:
 battling cancer or other serious medical conditions
 recovering from surgery or an accident
 pregnant or giving birth.
Donating blood only takes an hour of your time, but it could change someone's life.
To find out more about donating blood, visit donateblood.com.au or call 13 14 95.
Jordan Winters donating blood at Toowoomba Red Cross.
Mr Andrew Nielsen – AP – Student Welfare – [email protected]
PRIMARY NEWS
Welcome back to Term Three, I trust that you have all had a relaxing and safe break and were able to spend some time as a family.
Hopefully, you have all had a chance to read through your son‟s report cards and discussed some goals to make some
improvements for Semester Two. Term Three is yet another term, „jam packed‟ with lots of events.
This Friday, we have a social with The Glennie School, at the Glennie Assembly Hall. A note has been given to all of the boys
and it is also accessible on the school website. Please ensure that these are returned ASAP to allow us to confirm numbers with
Glennie. The social starts at 6:00pm and concludes at 7:30pm.
There has been some movement of some boys between maths journey groups for this semester. Please talk to your son about this
and if you have any questions or concerns, please contact your son‟s teacher.
This Friday, for afternoon sport, we will be conducting our trials for Term 3 interschool sport. The sports that we have on offer are
Rugby League (Two Year 6 teams and One Year 5), Soccer (Two Year 6 teams and One Year 5) and the remaining boys will be
participating in weekly rotations at PCYC.
This term, for Physical Education, the boys will be participating in a program conducted by Footsteps Dance. We will have an
external dance instructor come to the school and the boys will use dance as a vehicle to develop their inter/intra personal skills,
fitness levels and to have fun. Due to the fact that it is an external agent there will be some changes in PE days from week to week.
There will be no lessons in Week One.
Please ensure that your son has their full school uniform and that all items are clearly named. As the weather is very chilly,
it is important that the boys remember that their spray jacket can only be worn with their academic uniform if it is raining,
otherwise it is their pull-over. If for any reason you son doesn‟t have the correct uniform, please send them with a note to
explain. All boys must wear the academic hat at all times, except when participating in a sporting game (interschool sport) when
they can wear their cap or bucket hat.
Please don‟t hesitate to contact your son‟s teacher to discuss with them any concerns.
Mrs Terese Dyne – Primary Leader – [email protected]
GRANDPARENTS DAY
The St Mary‟s College annual Grandparents‟ Day will be held on Thursday, 23 rd of July from
8:45am-11:00am. This is a day our boys can proudly show their grandparents around their College
and spoil them. We are quite aware of the contribution, love and care that all grandparents show
their grandsons and we wish to provide a real opportunity to say „thanks‟.
All grandparents are welcome to attend. The morning will include a tour of facilities, a music
concert and morning tea. To attend, please RSVP to the College on 4631 7333 or
[email protected] by Friday, 17th of July.
If you would like to, we would appreciate you supplying us with a photo of your son/s with his grandparent/s. Digital copies can
be emailed directly to me or a printed photo can be handed in at the office (which will be returned to you). We hope you can join
your grandson for the morning.
Miss Rebecca Quinn – Administration Officer – [email protected]
SENIORS PATHWAYS NEWS
St Mary’s College Careers website
At the end of last term the St Mary‟s College Careers website was launched. The site can be accessed via the College website
(teaching and learning tab/career guidance) or at http://www.stmaryscollegecareers.com/. The site provides information on senior
schooling pathways, tertiary studies, University Open Days, School Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships, Work Experience
and much more. Please feel free to explore the site and sign up to receive the online careers newsletter.
Work Experience
Work experience forms for Year 11 students were distributed in report card packages as well as via email at the end of last term.
The work experience dates for Year 11 block placement are Monday 19 th – Friday 23rd October. It is the boys‟ responsibility to
arrange their own work experience placements and return the Expression of Interest form back to the College as soon as possible.
Work experience forms for all Year 10 students are due back to the College by 7th August. After this date, students will be issued
a Work Experience DETE form which needs to be signed by the student, the parent/guardian and the employer, before being
returned to school and signed by Mr Michael Newman.
Copies of the Work Experience documents for Years 10 and 11 students can be found on the St Mary‟s College Careers website http://www.stmaryscollegecareers.com/ in Workplace Learning / work experience.
UQ Young Scholars Program 2105
The University of Queensland's Young Scholars Program (YSP) provides high achieving Year 11 students with a unique and
inspiring opportunity to discover, learn and engage with UQ's academic community and like-minded students from across
Queensland and New South Wales. Designed to nurture and develop our future leaders, the Program presents students with an
exciting opportunity for academic extension and enrichment and is centered on igniting young change-makers‟ passions for
leadership, academic achievement and community development in today‟s global society.
The pinnacle experience for students participating in the Young Scholars Program is the Five-Day Residential Camp run from
Sunday 29th November – Thursday 3rd December 2015. This on-campus experience challenges UQ Young Scholars to think
critically about some of today's major global issues and exposes them to a wide range of potential study areas and career
opportunities. Through guidance from YSP Staff and Student Mentors, UQ Young Scholars are able to grow their networks and
broaden their perspectives for high school and beyond. The costs of the cost of the program is $595, however, fee waivers and
travel bursaries are available with suitable documentation.
Applicants are required to complete an online application form and submit appropriate supporting documentation by post,
including:
 Copy of Semester 1, Year 11 School Report,
 300 word typed personal statement, and
 Evidence of financial hardship (if applicable)
The application must be signed and supported by the student's parent/guardian and endorsed by his School.
For more information on the Young Scholars program please visit http://www.uq.edu.au/young-scholars-program or see Miss
Smeed.
Tertiary Studies Expo
The TSXPO (Tertiary Studies Expo) is held on Saturday 18 th and Sunday 19th July at the Brisbane RNA Showgrounds. TSXPO is
Australia's largest tertiary studies expo and the ideal event for all senior school students and their parents looking to gain further
information on tertiary study and careers. With exhibits from every Queensland University, as well as those from interstate and
overseas, visitors can gain a comprehensive insight into the institutions and programs that best suit them. TSXPO also features
representatives from TAFE, Defence Force, Private Education Colleges, student support services, as well as a significant number
of graduate employers and government agencies recruiting for graduate placements. For more information please visit
http://www.careersevent.com/tsxpo/ .
Miss Jennifer Smeed – Director of Senior Pathways – [email protected]
FINANCE NEWS
Term 3 Tuition Statements have been sent out. If you are NOT on a periodical payment plan your fees are due by 31 July. If you
did not receive your account either by email or by post please contact the Finance Department to update your records and have a
copy sent to you.
Yr 11 Camp: There are still a number of families who have not forwarded their forms and fees. So that we can advise the camp
facilitator of numbers please forward these to us immediately. Please remember that the camp is compulsory and if your son is
unable to attend you must complete a Non-attendance Request Form available from Mr Andrew Nielsen.
Japan Language Tour 2015: Please ensure all payments are made by 17 July.
Yr 9 & Yr 10 Camps: Information for these camps was enclosed with your son‟s report card. Please return forms as soon as
possible. All information is available on our website.
IMPORTANT: If you pay your tuition account by direct deposit into our bank account, please ensure that you use your family
code as the reference e.g. BLOGS01. Also, if paying anything other than term fees, please use your family code together with the
event e.g. BLOGS01yr7camp. The correct reference is necessary to ensure your payment is processed against your account. If
you have any queries please contact Anne [email protected]
Mrs Sonya Lynch – Business Manager – [email protected]
SPORTS NEWS
Gym Program
This term we are opening up the gym program for the primary boys to join, which is exciting. An information flyer about the
program has been emailed to your son. There is a QR code you can scan to join or simply click on the highlighted link in the email
to take you to the sign up page.
The program is not about you lifting heavy weights. It utilises your body weight and our functional training equipment to build
strength. It is run by sport scientists and the program will be on the boy's iPad so you can follow his training. The times for the
sessions come up once you click on the link in the email. If there are any questions please email me.
Confraternity Shield
Congratulations to our Firsts and Seconds Rugby League teams on their performances at the Confraternity Carnival during the
first week of the holidays. The boys loved their opportunity to represent the College in this prestigious carnival. They learned a lot
about themselves, teamwork and mateship over the course of the week, sometimes overshadowing the on-field memories and
performance.
The Firsts finished the carnival in 8th position of the 48 teams at the 2015 carnival. A great result considering the injuries to key
players prior to and during the carnival. During the round games we defeated St Patrick‟s Mackay and Aquinas College and lost
narrowly to Cathedral College, Rockhampton. We qualified for the quarter finals and played eventual winners St Brendan‟s
College losing narrowly.
The Seconds relished the rare opportunity to join the carnival. It was the first time since 2011 that our seconds have been able to
participate. They enjoyed some great wins against St Edmund‟s Ipswich 2nds and St John‟s Roma and performed strongly across
the week. Unfortunately they missed out on the division 2 quarter finals but performed credibly for the rest of the carnival
finishing in 31st position.
Congratulations to Mitchell Revell and Matthew Hart who were awarded players of the week for the respective teams.
Unfortunately we did not get any players in the QISSRL team with Mitchell Revell, Will O‟Gradey, Hayden Bartlett and Sam
Betros well in the mix for selection. Thank you to Mr Anderson, Mr Albion, Mr Hickey, McKenzie Reid (trainer) and Brendan
Dolan (Body Fit Physiotherapy) for their work and time before and throughout the carnival. We look forward to Confraternity in
Rockhampton in 2016.
Confraternity Teams 2015
Left: 2nd XIII after a tough game.
Right: 1st XIII being presented
jerseys by Shane Walker and
Justin Murphy.
All Schools Touch Trials
Trials for the All Schools touch teams (Under 13, Under 15 and Open) will be held this Thursday afternoon from 3:15 to 4:30.
Boys should bring their playing equipment, hat and water bottle. They should only trial if they are able to attend the South West
Carnival on Sunday 23rd August and the Queensland Carnival from Thursday 8 th to Sunday 11th October. Year 9 boys who will be
on camp during this time are eligible to trial. Further training for the Under 13 and Under 15 teams will be during Wednesday
afternoon sport and any other time coaches deem necessary.
Primary Sport
This term, interschool sport resumes for the primary boys. This Friday, they will trial for either Soccer or Rugby League. They are
required to bring boots, rugby league jersey (any is fine this week), playing shorts for rugby league (any), shin guards, socks and
any other playing equipment they require (mouthguards highly recommended for rugby league).
Secondary Sport
This Wednesday the secondary boys will select their sport for the inter-house competition. There are a number of paying and nonpaying options available to all students. Yr 12 OP eligible students will be participating in QCS preparation and the boys selected
in the secondary athletics team will be training during this time. Additionally, those boys selected in the Under 13 and 15 All
School touch teams will train during sport.
Paying Sport Options – Squash/Racquetball ($6), Tennis ($2.50), Lawn Bowls ($3), Indoor Soccer ($6), Rock Climbing
($6), Group Fitness Classes $7 (Willows), Golf ($8), Boxing Training ($5), Rifle Shooting ($13).
Non-Paying Options – Flag Gridiron, Basketball, Touch, 9-a-side Soccer, Badminton, Softball, Core & Functional
Strength, Mountain Biking.
For most sports numbers are limited and students may not get their preferred option so it is advisable for students to come with
two or three options in mind.
Mr Robert Anderson – Director of PE & Sport – [email protected]
REPLACEMENT STUDENT IDENTIFICATION CARDS
Each year, all students are issued with a Student ID
card. However, if these ID cards are lost during the
year, and a replacement card is needed, there will be a
$7.50 fee charged for processing and handling by the
Photography Company.
Monday 13th July:
Tuesday 14th July:
Wednesday 15th July:
Thursday 16th July:
Friday 17th July:
Monday 20th July:
Tuesday 21st July:
Wednesday 22nd July:
Thursday 23rd July:
UPCOMING EVENTS
Term 3 commences
Rugby League – Rd 16 Renouf, Hancock Cup
Naidoc Week celebrations – Assembly, unveiling of new flag pole and Indigenous
painting workshop.
Rugby League – Gee Shield, Devere Cup
Debating Preliminary Finals
Naidoc Week celebrations – Indigenous story-telling workshop and
Naidoc Dinner – 6.30pm – T.P.O‟Brien Hall
Catholic Primary Schools Athletics Carnival
Year 12 Formal – Rumours
Year 5 & 6 Social - Glennie
Rosies Ipswich
Year 11 Religion & Ethics – visit to Freedom Care Nursing Home
College Board Meeting – 7pm – Boardroom
Rugby League – Quarter Finals Renouf, Hancock Cup
Debating Finals – at St Joseph‟s
Grandparents Day – 8.45am
Year 11/12 Economics Student Day at UQ
Once the sticker sheet is complete place it in the collection box, at student reception.