St Saviour's College Newsletter 2025 - Term 1 Week 6

Principal

Cyclone Alfred and uncertain weather events

I write this newsletter article on Thursday afternoon, my third version of this article, such is the nature of the uncertainty our local community is facing this week. 

Many times, this week my colleagues and I have joked about how this moment-by-moment decision-making takes us back to the days of COVID, where uncertainty was our normality for more than 18 months. I woke this morning to sunny skies in Cambooya, but by this afternoon, the weather is certainly looking more ominous. It is times like these that we are so thankful for our exceptional community of compassion.

I would like to particularly affirm the work of our boarding and catering staff who will weather the storm with our boarding students this weekend. Their commitment to the safety and wellbeing of our boarding students is truly noteworthy. I thank them for their commitment to ensuring that our boarders are somewhat entertained, safe and fed over the weekend, no matter what the weather may bring. 

I would like to thank all members of the College family for your agility and understanding in our decisions this week to cancel important annual events such as the International Women's Day Breakfast and this term's PEN meeting, not to mention the significant truncating of the Year 7 camp, which lasted a whole four hours in the end. 

I hope all members of the College family are safe and secure as we look towards the coming weekend's weather event. Please stay safe. 

Our Lenten journey

Like many of you I enjoyed our social media video of the girls talking on Shrove Tuesday about what they would give up for Lent. There were the usual lollies, chocolate and soft drink but amongst the light-hearted and joyful video, there were some lovely pearls of insight. Students who said they were going to fundraise or donate or bring joy and warmth to others by offering them a compliment.

Often when we think about Lent, our mind quickly goes to what we will give up. But perhaps a better question for each us could be, how do I want to be changed in this season of renewal. Lent is just 40 days, but it is the perfect amount of time to start a new habit or kick an old one that is holding us back.

In his 2025 Lenten message, Pope Francis tells us of the three caveats of our Lenten journey in this year of Jubilee: our role as pilgrims, our need to ‘journey together with others' and our call to be changed in the process.

In his 2025 Lenten message, Pope Francis posed the following three questions (paraphrased by me):

This Lent, am I really on a journey? Or am I standing still reluctant to move out of my comfort zone?

Am I walking alongside others, as our Christian faith calls me to, or do I view myself as a lone traveller?

Do I know that I am unconditionally loved, and am I hope-filled about my capacity to be light for the world?

This week, it is my prayer for our community that we believe in our capacity to be changed through our Lenten journey together.

Open Day

Last Friday, we threw open our doors and shared our community with prospective families and students. It was a wonderful day, and I thank all members of the College community for their involvement in making the day such a wonderful success.

Jessica Wade
Principal

Deputy Principal - Teaching and Learning

Open Day

Last week, our school hosted a highly successful Open Day, welcoming prospective families to experience the warmth and excellence of our community. Our students played a pivotal role, volunteering their time to assist teachers at various displays and engaging enthusiastically with guests, showcasing their pride and dedication to our school. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to all the teachers and students who contributed to the event's success. Their hard work and commitment to creating an engaging and informative experience were evident throughout the afternoon, from the meticulously prepared displays to the warm hospitality shown to every visitor. It was a memorable and enjoyable experience, and we look forward to welcoming new families into our community in the future.

NAPLAN commences next week

Next Wednesday, our students in Years 7 and 9 will begin their first NAPLAN tests, marking an important milestone in their educational journey. NAPLAN is a national assessment that evaluates students' skills in reading, writing, language conventions, and numeracy. For more information about NAPLAN, including its purpose, structure, and how it supports student learning, you can visit this resource. The tests will take place between Wednesday, March 12, and Monday, March 24, 2025. We encourage all eligible students to participate and are committed to supporting them throughout the testing process. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to the school.

NAPLAN schedule:

(Note: catch up tests will take place between 12 – 24 March)

Year 11 and 12 interim reports

Year 11 and 12 students are nearing the completion of their first internal assessments. For Year 11 students, this marks the midpoint of their Unit 1 studies, while for Year 12 students, it is the first of two assessments within their Unit 3 studies. To keep families informed about student progress in a timely manner, we will publish Year 11 and 12 Interim Unit 1/Unit 3 reports at the beginning of Week 8. All senior students should carefully review their reports, focusing on their learning behaviors. For Year 12 students, this is an ideal time to set new goals and develop action plans to achieve them, as Unit 3 and the upcoming Unit 4 are summative and crucial for ATAR students, whose results contribute to their ATAR scores. For non-ATAR students, success in all four units is necessary to achieve the Queensland Certificate of Education, making these results equally important.

For Year 11 students, although the results do not yet count towards ATAR, they do contribute to QCE credits. It is essential for Year 11 students to reflect on their results, as this is a good opportunity to consider changing subjects if they are not engaged in the coursework or wish to explore another area of study. Students interested in changing their Senior Education and Training Plan should first consult with Mrs Delahunty, our Careers Development Practitioner, and then visit the office to finalise any subject changes with me.

Parents, please note that Year 7-10 reports will be published in Week 10, following the completion of their Term 1 assessments.

Eleighta Hannam
Deputy Principal

Assistant Principal - Wellbeing and Engagement

The term has already been fast paced and a whirlwind, so it doesn’t seem to be out of place for a cyclone to be crossing the coast of Southeast Queensland this week.  School terms move swiftly, for 10 weeks at a time it is all systems go.  Each term students enter a new learning pit, where they will need to make new connections, as well as mistakes, and eventually construct deeper meanings as they learn and master new skills. This is often overshadowed by other learnings our teenagers need to make, social and emotional skills. Although school is a safe place to learn how to build positive relationships, it can become blockers in our student’s education when they wish to involve themselves in ‘drama cyclones’.  Rebecca Sparrow uses the term ‘drama cyclones’ for when teenagers involve themselves in gossip and rumours. In these moments, unlike our inability to step away from Cyclone Alfred, we need to encourage our young people to step back and not get involved rather than stepping forward to participate, fuelling the cyclone (often started on pure misunderstanding) to intensify and become more destructive. To help students navigate the world of school, adolescence and relationships, I spoke recently on assembly about Linda State’s analogy of the fishbowl. Linda stated there are seven lessons we can learn from the fishbowl to help us navigate and strengthen our relationships and I encourage you to have conversations with your daughters around these:  

1. Choose carefully who you swim with 
2. Don’t dirty the water you have to swim in
3. A fish belongs to a school of lots of other fish
4. Don’t get too big for your fishbowl
5. Even fish have boundaries
6. Swim in more than one fishbowl
7. Forget to hold a grudge 

Having access to technology can add new challenges to navigating the learning of prosocial interactions throughout adolescences. Often drama cyclones blow up online as students’ response with emotion rather than logic and regard it moments later when it is already out into the cyber world for all to see. For years many experts have been highlighting the negative impacts on the developing brain with Government now stepping in to guide adolescent usage of technology, in particular social media platforms. Listening to an eSafety webinar the other day around ‘Algorithms and Adolescents’ it is very apparent that these social media platforms have many ways to lock in our young people and manipulate their understanding of the world. One resource worth a read is the Qoria Practical Tips for Parents to Prepare for the Social Media Ban (below) which helps parents get a step ahead of the new legislation.  Happy reading! 

Arriving at school 

School starts at 8:30am each day. Monday, Tuesday and Friday students attend home class for the first 18 minutes and use this time for community building, organisation and check-in, as well as to receive important information via notices and forms. On Wednesday and Thursday, students go straight into their period 1 class. It is important that students arrive before 8:30am and place their belongings at their locker and move to their classroom ready for 8:30am to avoid missing pastoral and curriculum time. The library opens from 8am if your student wishes to be here early and want a space to work in. I do understand that there are times when life makes it near impossible for students to arrive on time, but it would be beneficial and appreciated if students arrive before the first bell at 8:25am.

It is also extremely important that students understand that when they arrive at school via drop off via car, walking or bus that they must enter the College grounds immediately. They are not to walk to other businesses around us. For example, students are not to get off a school bus and walk to the Stellarossa Cafe in the Bernoth Centre. This impacts our ability to ensure safety of students and our duty of care. Please ensure you direct students into the College for supervision until the start of classes.

Megan Schulze
Assistant Principal - Wellbeing and Engagement

Assistant Principal - Mission and Identity

Walking Together in Faith: Lent at St Saviour’s College

As we embark on the sacred season of Lent, Pope Francis invites us to "journey together in hope," reflecting deeply on our spiritual path. In his 2025 Lenten message, he encourages us to embrace three key aspects of our faith:

• Journeying as pilgrims – "All of us are pilgrims in this life," Pope Francis reminds us, calling us to reflect on whether we are truly progressing in our spiritual journey or remaining stagnant due to fear or complacency
• Journeying together – "Christians are called to walk at the side of others, and never as lone travellers," emphasising the importance of fostering unity and ensuring no one is excluded
• Journeying in hope – Pope Francis urges us to embrace hope as a guiding force, inspiring us to commit to justice, fraternity, and care for our common home, trusting in God's promise of eternal life

At St Saviour’s College, we are embracing these themes through our Lenten activities, striving to walk together in faith, hope, and love.

Project Compassion 2025: Unite Against Poverty

Last Thursday, our Youth Ministry team launched Project Compassion 2025, an initiative led by Caritas Australia to inspire action during Lent. This season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving calls us to be the "good news for the poor"(Luke 4:18).

During the launch, students heard powerful stories of individuals whose lives have been transformed through Caritas Australia's work. These stories highlighted the impact of education, sustainable livelihoods, and access to essential resources in breaking the cycle of poverty.

To encourage participation, each home class received a Project Compassion donation box to collect contributions throughout Lent. A home class competition is also underway, with the class raising the most funds earning a special reward. Additionally, Zooper Dooper sales will take place next week as part of our fundraising efforts.

Caritas Australia has spent over 60 years working alongside vulnerable communities both in Australia and overseas. By uniting as a school community, we can make a real difference. Let’s come together this Lent to Unite Against Poverty!

Shrove Tuesday: A celebration of community and tradition

The joyous celebrations of Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day, saw our school community come together to embrace a time-honoured tradition that marks the beginning of Lent. This event provided a wonderful opportunity for students and staff to share in fellowship while enjoying delicious pancakes, made from ingredients traditionally used up before the fasting season.

A heartfelt thank you to the Year 11/12 FLI class, Mrs Potter, Miss Croker, and Miss Lindsay for their hard work in preparing the pancakes, and to our Youth Ministry team for selling them. Their generosity and dedication made this event a great success, reminding us of the importance of service, preparation, and mindfulness as we enter this sacred season of reflection.

Ash Wednesday: Beginning our Lenten journey

Ash Wednesday marked the beginning of Lent, a sacred time of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving in preparation for Easter. Our Year 12 students demonstrated leadership and reverence by leading the house liturgies, guiding their fellow students through this significant moment of reflection and renewal.

The distribution of ashes, a symbol of repentance and mortality, invited each of us to consider how we can live more intentionally. This solemn observance encouraged us to reflect on our own journey—how we can grow spiritually, show compassion to others, and live out the Gospel message in our daily lives.

As we continue through Lent, may we embrace Pope Francis’ call to be Pilgrims of Hope—walking together in faith, strengthening our community, and making a difference in the lives of others. May this season be one of renewal, compassion, and shared purpose as we journey toward Easter.

Leah Dempster
Assistant Principal - Mission and Identity

Math news

Discovering the wonder of mathematics: a new way to see it 

Mathematics: It's a subject that can bring up different feelings for different people. Some feel confident, while others might feel a bit unsure. But what if we told you that how we often think about maths isn't quite right? I would like to share a new way of looking at maths – as something creative, beautiful, and connected to the real world around us. 

What is mathematics really about? 

Many people think of mathematics as just doing calculations, following rules, and finding the "right" answer. But real mathematics is much more! It's about: 

• Finding patterns, patterns are everywhere – in nature, in art, and in our everyday lives. Think of the spirals in a sunflower or how dolphins use sound to find their way
• Asking questions, trying different ideas, and figuring things out. It's a journey of discovery, not just a task to finish
• Mathematics is like a web of connected ideas. When we understand these connections, we can better understand the world and solve problems

Why is this important? 

When children only see mathematics as rules and steps, they miss out on how amazing it can be. This can lead to: 

• many children start to think mathematics is boring and doesn't matter in their lives
• children finding it hard to think creatively and solve problems, when we focus too much on calculations
• children thinking "I'm not good at maths ". If mathematics seems like it's all about right and wrong answers, children may believe they just aren't good at it. We want them to know everyone can learn and grow in maths! 

How can we help? 

• Here are some simple things we can do to help our children see mathematics in a new way: 
• Ask your child to ask "why" and "what if" about maths ideas
• Point out maths when you're cooking, building things, or playing games
• Mistakes are a part of learning. Help your child see them as chances to learn and grow
• It's more important to understand how things work than to do calculations quickly
• Encourage your child to talk about mathematics with you, their teachers, and their friends

What we're doing in the classroom 

• We're working hard to make mathematics fun and interesting in the classroom by: 
• giving students problems that can be solved in different ways
• encouraging students to share ideas and learn from each other
• using real-world examples to show how maths is useful and important

Let's work together! 

By working together, we can help our children love mathematics and feel confident in their ability to learn and succeed. Let's show them how amazing and creative maths can be! 

Sports news

Friday night basketball 

Our Friday night basketball teams (Years 9&10 and 11&12) have been committed to playing their best basketball in recent weeks. While success on the scoreboard has been difficult, the Years 9&10 team has been working hard on learning the positions and the roles each player has in the team. Led by Yar and Ofly and coached and supported by Adela, this group will continue to improve if they continue to listen and work for each other.  

The Years 11&12 team lead by Dimercia and Heidi have now had 1 loss, 1 win and 1 draw in their campaign and they are starting to gel as a team. This week the students will complete round games and then move towards a chance at semi-finals. In 2025 there are several host venues, details of their next game will be available soon so check notices and come and support.  

Swimming records  

A special mention goes to Chelsea Cameron (Year 8) and Claire Eckersley (Year 12), who both broke records in their respective events. This included both swimmers beating the record for the 50m free super sprint, Chelsea (31.36R) and Claire (32.79). Their outstanding performances were a testament to their hard work and dedication.  

New records for 2025

1. Super sprint 50m free – Chelsea Cameron 31.36  
2. Aged 13 50m butterfly – Chelsea Cameron 34.41 
3. Aged 18-19 50m breaststroke – Claire Eckersley 44.57 
4. Aged 18-19 50m butterfly – Claire Eckersley 35.73 
5. Aged 18-19 50m backstroke – Claire Eckersley 37.62 
6. All age relay teachers team – 4.35.33  

Student success  

Congratulations to Abigail Lasserre (Year 12) for gaining selection in the Darling Downs aged 13-19 softball team. Abi will head to Brisbane at the end of the month to compete in the 2025 state championships hosted by Metropolitan East.  

Thank you must also go to Poppy D, Claire E and Liv S for their help at our recent open day, the students took the lead and created quite a few new and modified games as they demonstrated sports at the College to our new friends and potential students. A special thank you to Ms Franke for providing an afternoon of warmth, welcome and laughter. #Justice for Poppy. 

Wednesday sport  

Included in this week’s newsletter is our flyer about the Wednesday sport options available. Students have been attending over the last few weeks and should be settled in their sport option. If a student has a minor injury, they will still attend their normal sport and stay with their normal sport teacher. If you have any concerns or questions, please contact the office. 

Monday futsal  

Semifinals will be played next week, and St Saviour’s College will be amongst the top teams in the region as each team will look to finish as high as they can on the ladder for the final round in Week 8. The current standings in their pools are as follows.  

7/8 Team = third (minor semifinal playoff) 

9/10 Team = first (major semifinal playoff) 

11/12 Team = second (major semifinal playoff)  

All games are played at Glennie on Monday evenings and the students would love some support.  

Student success

Congratulations to Chelsea Cameron in Year 8. Chelsea is off to the swimming State Championships as part of the Darling Downs Team at the end of this term.

Chelsea has had some phenomenal swims this week with big personal bests in all four of her events at the Darling Downs Aged 13-19 Swimming trials in Gatton.

Chelsea received a gold medal in the 50m butterfly, a silver medal in 100m freestyle and a bronze medal for her 50m freestyle.

Chelsea has now qualified for the State Championships for 100m freestyle, 50m butterfly and as part of the 4x50m freestyle relay for 13 years.

Greg Leathart
Curriculum Leader Sport and HPE

Arts and Performance news

Special dance workshop with Justin Tamblyn 

St Saviour’s College was thrilled to host a special dance workshop led by the talented Justin Tamblyn on Wednesday. With a rich background in dance, Justin has been performing since a very young age. He has toured both Australia and internationally with the renowned Raw Metal Dance Company, sharing his expertise as both a dancer and a teacher. In addition to his dance career, Justin is a dedicated primary school teacher with extensive performance experience. He has captivated audiences in roles such as Peter Allen in “The Boy From Oz,” Bert in “Mary Poppins,” and Jamie in “The Last Five Years.” 

We were very excited to welcome Justin to work with our newly formed Dance Troupe and Year 9 and 10 dance class. During this workshop, students learnt all-new choreography and dance techniques. The choreography taught will form the basis of a performance piece for the Dance Troupe and serve as inspiration for the Year 9 & 10 dance class as they embark on their own choreography projects this term. 

College Open Day success 

Our College Open Day was a huge success, providing us with the opportunity to showcase the many areas of the Arts that we offer here at the College. Mr Nilon and the rock band jammed out in the music room, entertaining visitors with their repertoire, while Mrs Potter, Ms Pamalaran, and the choir brought a sense of whimsical fun with their Disney sing-along. 

Ms Jensen and Mrs Collins entertained many with their media arts, film television and new media, and drama club displays. Meanwhile, Ms Devenna and the visual arts students created a fun interactive display where visitors got to explore the element of line and colour in a creative drawing activity. 

Mrs Sretenovic and the Dance Troupe worked hard in the dance room, rehearsing the choreography learnt from Mr Tamblyn in preparation for their upcoming Harmony Day performance. 

Thank you to everyone who participated and made these events memorable. We look forward to more exciting activities and performances in the future. 

Jennifer Potter
Program Leader Arts and Performance

Careers Centre

Visit from CheckUP/ Health Gateway  

Last week, Health Hub students had a visit from representatives of CheckUP. It aims to develop school students' knowledge and understanding of the varied roles available in the health workforce and improve their access to learning and experiential opportunities in Queensland's growing health sector.  

Toowoomba Defence Careers Information Session 

Earlier this week students attended an Australian Defence Force (ADF) information session. They had the opportunity to ask questions and learn everything they wanted to know regarding job roles in the Navy, Army and Air Force. They also had the chance to speak with current serving members of the ADF. 

Career Conversations @ Home – Helping parents have positive career convos! 

Organisation: Arrive & Thrive 

Location: Online 

Date: March 20, 2025 

Come join Tyson Day, the Co-Founder and Lead Facilitator of Arrive & Thrive, as he shares the best way to have impactful career conversations in and around your home environment that produce clarity, career discovery, and momentum. Tyson will share concepts and practices that he has learned through his 10+ years of experience in career education and the 85,000 students who have attended Arrive & Thrive workshops since 2019. 

In the webinar, you can expect to learn: 

• How can you positively influence your young person in their career decisions
• How can you effectively navigate the future of work and understand your young person's options
• How to communicate effectively through the GROW model to support your young person in career exploration 

All participants will receive a Career Conversation Kit to kick off conversations with their young person as soon as possible! Find out more and register.  

Library News

Welcome 

What a great afternoon our Open Day was. A fantastic opportunity to see our school and all it has to offer. It was wonderful to host in the library and showcase the importance of literacy in our school for our students whole person development along Catherine McAuley’s values: hospitality, excellence, justice and compassion.  

Our library ready and raring to receive guests touring our school! 

We have started running some lunchtime activities – we had our first one for board games and card games starting.  

Our schedule is: 

Mondays: board and card games 

Thursdays: Jigsaws and Lego 

This will be standard as we begin to see what the uptake is – we will still have our word puzzles and colouring in sheets available every day, and of course our wonderful book resources for students to enjoy. 

Library hours: 

Monday – Thursday 8.00am – 4.00pm 

Friday 8.00am – 3.10pm  

Please note, on occasion there may be unforeseen circumstances, therefore the library may be closed. 

Please keep looking at the library section of the newsletter for further updates. 

What’s happening in the library? 

International Women’s Day celebrations – check out our library for our display of influential women through time. 

Loving your library is a great way to invest in your future through reading.  

To wrap up our Library Lovers’ celebrations check out our photos below: 

Also our competition winners – our Lego notables and winner, our Logo design winner and our Lego and Logo winners: 

Manners in the library: 

Please remember to say good morning or good afternoon as you come into the library, we love seeing the students using our library, especially when they are polite and respectful to both the staff in the library and the users of the area. Please and thank you are expected in asking and receiving help at any time in the library. Also remembering it is a shared space and to keep our voices at a respectful level.

New books in the library!

What’s new in the library you ask? Well, check out our new books on display – shown below or come into the library and see them, ready for you to borrow!

Collections: New books 

Fiction - Graphic books

Fiction - Love books

Fiction - Historical fiction books

Mixed genres

Date Claimers: 

March 8: - International Women’s Day 

March 14: International Pi Day (day of mathematics) 

March 21: World Poetry Day 

March 27: World Theatre Day 

Andrea King
Teacher Librarian