St Saviour's College Newsletter Term 2 Week 4

Principal

MAY – MARY’S MONTH

It was wonderful to see some visitation and travel restrictions lifted over the weekend. One of the great benefits of this was that many of us could rightfully spend some long overdue time with our Mums.  Mother’s Day is a timely reminder to all of us of the great role that our mothers play in our lives. Mothers are our nurturers, carers and champions; anyone who is blessed to have a supportive mum or significant female in their life, has the world.

Our image of motherhood is so beautifully modelled in the life of Jesus’ mother, Mary. Called to mother Jesus at a very young age, in a situation challenged by social ethical norms, Mary is the epitome of devotion, tenderness, and steadfastness. Mary witnessed first-hand Jesus’ joys and sufferings and was with him to the absolute end; from his childhood and adolescence, through to his ministry, his death, resurrection, until Pentecost, Mary remained faithful to her son.

It is for this reason, the loss of a mother can deeply impact a person’s identity and sense of belonging. We remember all those who have lost their mums, particularly at a young age. We ask that they be blessed in a very special way by Mary and her son, and experience that deepened sense of love by those close to them.

May, of course, is the month in the Catholic Church’s calendar where we honour Mary in a very special way and call on her for intervention, through prayer, particularly the rosary. I invite you to take the time to pray the rosary, a very old, repetitive, soothing prayer that has given comfort to many throughout the ages. Please refer to the following link 

WELCOME BACK TO OUR SENIOR STUDENTS

It was wonderful to welcome back our Year 11 and 12 students on Monday and see them transition from the online platform to direct delivery. We most certainly have missed their presence and the joy and laughter that comes with it. There has been a gradual number of additional students in Years 7-10, from the families of essential workers, also returning to the College for supervision. We look forward to a full resumption of regular classes at the College on Monday 25 May. Please note, that while course and learning materials will continue to be housed on Canvas, from Monday 25 May, there will not be direct online teaching for any classes. For those families wishing to keep their daughter/s home beyond this date, these considerations will need to be factored in. Please also refer to the email correspondence sent out last week on Friday 8 May, referring to the College’s ongoing response to the pandemic, and government and educational recommendations.

Please note that Tuckshop will be made available again from Monday 25 May.

YUKANA NURSING HOME VIRTUAL VISIT

Many thanks to Mrs Kim Murray, Mrs Mary Conaghan and the Interact Club for compiling the virtual performance presented to the Yukana Retirement Village as a ‘gift’ for Mother’s Day. Traditionally, students from the College would perform live for the residents, but given COVID-19 restrictions, this was not permissible. Instead, students made individual recordings for the compilation which was later delivered to Yukana. Well done to all involved.

OPEN DAY

With Open Day cancelled due to restrictions around visitors to the College, we are putting together a ‘Virtual Open Day’ which will go live in the coming weeks. Watch this space for further advice.

Thanks to all members of our community for their flexibility, patience and resilience during these uncertain times. It really has been an experience of solidarity, ensuring the continuity of learning for our girls.

Blessings for the coming weeks.

Sharon Collins
Principal

Deputy Principal - Curriculum

WELCOME BACK YEAR 11 AND 12s!

It was with great excitement that we welcomed by our senior students this week. While it has been great seeing these girls engage with learning online over the past few weeks, it is even better to have them on campus.

Over the past few weeks, I have been able to catch up with each Year 12 student via our online platform, Teams. These individual catchups have been great opportunity to speak with he girls about their online learning, their learning progression in their subjects across the year so far and answer any questions the girls have about the remainder of the year. Formal academic interviews for both Year 12 and Year 11 students will be occurring in early Term Three. Notification of the schedule interview time and dates will be sent home in the coming weeks.

ONLINE LEARNING FOR  YEAR 7 - 10

As we welcome back the senior students to our campus, our online learning for Years 7-10 continues. Thank you to all students for the way they have embraced online learning this term. It is wonderful to see very high attendance rates and submission rates of formative assessment tasks across online lessons and classes. We thank all parents/guardians for their support of their daughters during this time and look forward to welcoming these students back in week 6.

I would also like to acknowledge the amazing efforts of our St Saviour’s staff who continually go above and beyond to provide great learning experiences for all our students.

ASSESSMENT CALENDARS

Junior assessment calendars for students in Year 7-10 were emailed to students and their parents/caregivers last week, while senior calendars were emailed in week 3 (click here to view the calendars on our website). These calendars give students and their families an overview of due dates for each subject and allow for students to plan their study time accordingly. Please consider displaying this calendar somewhere highly visible at home and have regular conversations with your daughter about her progress toward these dates. 

YEAR 12 EXTERNAL EXAM BLOCK

The QCAA has officially released the Year 12 External Exam block for General subjects 2020. This exam block was emailed to all Year 12 students and their caregivers last week. The exam block runs from Monday 26 October to Tuesday 17 November. More information regarding these exams at St Saviour’s will be released closer to Term Four; however, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

TITRATION COMPETITION

After a very successful 2019, the 2020 RACI Titration Competition is fast approaching. We currently have three senior teams entered into this year’s competition, which will now be run on our campus (not USQ) after school in Week One, Term Three. More information for students competing will be available later this term. In the meantime, our labs are open for students to practice during any long break (Mon, Tues, Thurs and Fri at first break and Wed at second break). The internal SSC Titration Competition will take place during National Science Week in August. Students from all grades are invited to be part of this competition.

2020 NAPLAN

Due to COVID-19 and the need for schools across the country to focus on the health and wellbeing of their communities, the 2020 NAPLAN tests have been cancelled. Our Year 7 and 9 students will no longer sit these papers during Term 2. Our focussed literacy and numeracy work across all of our learning areas will continue.

If you have further questions about any of the information above, please do not hesitate to contact me at the College or at Jennifer.Smeed@twb.catholic.edu.au

Jennifer Smeed
Deputy Principal

Assistant Principal - Mission and Student Wellbeing

Catherine’s Prayer for Guidance 
Come, O life-giving Spirit, transform us.
Stir up in us the flame of love which is your gift.
Give us wisdom to see as you see.
Give us understanding to hear as you hear.
Give us courage and strength to walk the way of justice and integrity.
Kindle in us wonder and awe, that we may have grateful spirits.
You who dwell within us, praying unceasingly, fill us with love and devotion.
Holy wisdom guide us in the choices we must make.
Give us discerning hearts that we may choose what is good, in accord with your desire.
Lord God of mercy, finish in us the work you have begun.

Amen.

CATHERINE MCAULEY - MOTHER OF MERCY

This month we celebrate all mothers, including Mary, the mother of Jesus and Catherine, the founding mother of our Mercy Order. Catherine recognised the needs of those who were marginalised and oppressed by unjust social attitudes and practices of the day. She responded by establishing a House of Mercy in Dublin which provided educational, religious and social services for women and children who were at risk of homelessness through exploitation and entrenched poverty. Catherine chose this selfless pathway to follow Jesus by responding to God’s call to know God’s loving kindness and share it with others.  Just as the Mercy Sisters, we at St Saviour’s seek to live by the model (or charism) given to us through our foundress, Catherine McAuley, as we undertake faith-filled courageous service.

YOUTH MINISTRY COLLEGIATE - STUDENT TEAMS MEETING

Approximately 25 students from St Saviour’s College, St Mary’s College, Mary MacKillop College joined our hosts, St Joseph’s College in our largest Youth Ministry gathering so far this year…and it was on-line! Our Youth Ministry students are certainly leading the way with initiative, maturity and the compassionate ideas they are coming up with to assist those in our community who may need assistance, especially during Covid-19 times. Mr Baines and I were impressed with the way students led the meeting, addressing some key agenda items:

• Sharing: Challenges and Gratitude (What challenges has social restrictions and Covid-19 created? What are we grateful for in this time?)
• Areas of Need (Who needs help in these times? What examples of good works have you seen? What help can we give individually?)
• Future Planning (Within our own school; together, as a Youth Ministry Collegiate)

WELLBEING

Staff PD – The Art of Flow

Each term staff attend various afternoon staff meetings for Faith, Teaching and Learning enhancement, Wellbeing and planning College events. Recently, we ran a professional development afternoon on Wellbeing, focusing on the Art of Flow (Theory). Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi asks, "What makes a life worth living?" Noting that money cannot make us happy, he looks to those who find pleasure and lasting satisfaction in activities that bring about a state of "flow." Understanding happiness, creativity and human fulfillment and the notion of “flow” – a state of heightened focus and immersion in activities such as art, play and work. Materialistic wellbeing does not affect how happy people are. However, the lack of basic resources and material resources does increase unhappiness.

Funday Friday

Over the last two Fridays we have been keeping the music, the fun and frivolity alive here at the College for those students who are at school. Last Friday we celebrated Ms Hunter’s (College Counsellor) birthday, with a piñata filled with chocolate treats. The girls made short work of the pinyata, especially once they realised there were surprises inside!

Heather Hagemann
Assistant Principal - Mission and Student Wellbeing

Assistant Principal - Administration

OPEN DAY

As we were unable to have our annual Open Evening on April 28, we are currently working on a virtual Open Day. We are filming with ShootNEdit, a video production company. We will run a series of vignettes showcasing our curriculum offerings, sporting and cocurricular offerings and our facilities. These will rollout on our social media platforms and our website later this month. If you know of any families who are interested in sending their daughter to St Saviour’s College, please direct them to our Facebook page. We will let our community know when they become available, so we can spread the good word about our wonderful College and life as a Mercy girl.

SCHOOLZINE 
Our new provider of an integrated approach to communication with our community

We are currently moving to a new integrated platform for our newsletter, app and our website. We have engaged Schoolzine as our provider for this new service. This is our first newsletter using the new program. Over the coming weeks we will inform parents how to access our app. This will be followed our new website will be rolled out by the end of the term. We hope you like the new format of our newsletter; not only is it visually appealing, but responsive on all devices.

SPORT

Over the last few weeks Mr Leathart has been keeping our students in daily attendance the College active on a Wednesday afternoon with a choice of activities. In Week One, with the help of his preservice teacher, the students leant a hip-hop dance routine, which was lots of fun and involved plenty of physical activity. In Week Two, Mr Leathart organised a scavenger hunt. It was designed in alignment with the skills of  orienteering and provided both physical and mental exertion. Week Three saw the students engaged in social distancing games. Students moved between table tennis, badminton, and volleyball.

Linda Creedon
Assistant Principal - Administration

Boarding

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

As we enter the middle of the second term of 2020, let us reflect on the many wonderful blessings that have been bestowed upon us. We are often not afforded quality time with those that we love, during 'normal' times, and our family are too often engrossed in the busyness that is our ‘world’. Current health regulations have enabled us to spend time with those whom we associate as our family; more time than we have been afforded previously. This is true for our staff and families, and is also true for our boarding community. Cherish this time, and the time you have spent together. It is healing for the soul and, as Isaiah communicates; allow this to strengthen your family love and unity.

RESPONDING TO COVID-19

Our governing bodies announced the commencement of regular school on 11 May for  Year 11 and 12 students and the resumption for remaining year levels on Monday 25 May. This has resulted in many changes in the way McAuley House operates, adhering to compulsory regulations required for boarding and residential communities around the state. Many meetings, conversations and debates have occurred to better understand the complexities that are boarding residences, and how we might respond to keep our boarders healthy and free from relative risk. We are extremely lucky to have the support of our St Saviour’s Community, the Toowoomba Catholic Schools Office and the Darling Downs Public Health Unit, who are currently sifting through not only our compliance applications and paperwork, but that of all the boarding schools across the district.

What does this mean for us and our boarders?

This means that we have had to adhere to strict policies and apply rule changes in response to social distancing, cleanliness, hygiene, and leave access to and from our boarding house. These rules and regulations for all boarding schools can be found in the link below:

https://www.health.gov.au/news/australian-health-protection-principal-committee-ahppc-statement-on-risk-management-for-re-opening-boarding-schools-and-school-based-residential-colleges

Even though we have minimal numbers of boarders (six) and staff occupying McAuley House, the processes that have been formulated, documented, and put into place have ensured the students and staff safety and wellbeing. We understand the complexities faced by all our families and aim to continue supporting those who are unable to re-engage with us on the 25 May. If you have questions or would like to discuss in more detail the return of your daughter to McAuley House, please do not hesitate to call the College or McAuley House directly (46371699).

We have had a busy fortnight at McAuley House catching up with academic work, finalising craft projects and celebrating Emily Murphy’s birthday. We would also like to take the opportunity to wish the following boarders a very happy birthday for the month of May- Lanease Mooka, Faith Walsh, Markiza Walsh and Flossy Elisala. Even though we are unable to celebrate with you, please know that we are thinking of you on your special day and will, hopefully, be able to have a big celebration when everyone is able to return to boarding.

Unfortunately, it seems that our beautiful and talented boarders from our Cape and Island Regions are facing a more difficult time of returning to us. We praise the communities they live in for the care and kindness they are exhibiting to our students. We will be continuing to support them and their families in different ways in the coming weeks, as we continue our mission of mercy.

Jesse Bolton
Boarding Manager and Teacher

VET and Careers Coordinator

The uncertain times we find ourselves in have paved the way for Education and Training institutions to develop creative ways to engage with school students and school leavers. Please see below for some opportunities available to our Year 10, 11 and 12 students.

Also note that I am available for Career and Pathway discussions for parents and students via online conferencing. Please contact me via email on christopher.grierson@twb.catholic.edu.au in order to set up a time.

Stay safe and stay connected.

Chris Grierson
VET and Careers Coordinator and Teacher

Sport

St Saviour's College is providing a number of different resources that the girls utilise while they continue to learn at home. For students in Years 7 – 10, next Wednesday 20 May, will see a guest from the fitness industry conduct a circuit for the students both here at the College and online during their Wednesday Sport time.

For more information or ideas about exercise and physical activity while working form home, students should access their Canvas SSC Student Wellbeing course under the 'sport online' page. We are looking forward to seeing our students participate in the House Colours @ Home competition. Student submissions can be uploaded to the assignment page of the sport online module through Canvas.

Greg Leathart
Middle Leader HPE, Sport and Activities

Library

READING AT HOME

Remember our Online catalogue -

1. Go to the library page through the SSC student intranet (search for SSC through the search button or the windows icon menu). There should be a red square with Library written in it, click on this square. OR use the following address:

https://au.accessit.online/STS03

2. Read online: Now when you search our catalogue there are eBooks and audio books available for loan. Look for the icon on the bottom right that tells you it is an eBook or audio book (an example is included at the end of the article).

LIBRARY  SUPPORT

1. Canvas
2. Course: SSC Library
3. Variety of “how to” and other help options there.
4. Link to our Library online page through the AccessIT link in the menu on the left.
   a) Other resources available here.

4 TIPS TO HELP YOU READ MORE!

1. Find your quiet place.
2. Read what you want!
3. Set yourself a deadline.
4. Start looking for more books while you are reading your current choice.

BOOK CLUB

You can look online: check out the virtual catalogue through their website.

ALL ordering for book club for our school is done online via the LOOP system on the Scholastic website.

To order you go to the online site, register with LOOP payments as a Parent (if you haven’t already), order online under our school and pay. The order will then come to the school and will be distributed to your child/ren.

https://mybookclubs.scholastic.com.au/Parent/Login.aspx

“Any book that helps a child to form a habit of reading, to make reading one of his [their] deep and continuing needs, is good for him [them].” Maya Angelou

Andrea King 
Teacher Librarian

Business Manager

Please be advised Instalment 2 Fee Statements were sent out on 1 May 2020 and they are due for payment by 22 May 2020, unless you have previously entered into a payment arrangement. Please watch your email and/or mailboxes. Should you wish to enter into a payment plan, or would like to query your Fee Statement, please contact the office.

Zoe Marks
Business Manager

Request for Testimonials

Thank you to those of you who have already responded to our request for testimonials, it brightened our  week to hear some of your wonderful feedback!

We are still on the hunt for more testimonials. If you would like to submit a response please fill out the online form by clicking here (it takes no longer than 5 minutes).

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thank you for your assistance! 

Melanie Cavanough
Administration Officer

Non State Schools Transport Assistance Scheme

If you wish to apply for NSSTA please visit www.SchoolTransport.com.au

Applications close 31 May 2020.