St Saviour's College Newsletter 2023 - Term 1 Week 4

Principal

Project Compassion 2023

Next Wednesday, the season of Lent commences. Lent challenges each of us to reflect on who we are and what we stand for, and dares us to address those aspects of our human condition that do not meet up to God’s or our own standards. During this 40 day period, I am always encouraged that we are gifted with a life full of infinite opportunities to better ourselves. We don’t have to ‘settle’ if there are parts of ourselves that we don’t like. Lent is our time to step up and be people of goodness. Pope Francis’ 2022 Lenten message centred around Paul’s letter to the Galatians 9:10, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” This resonates so nicely with our College Strategic ‘Resolve’, which is captured in the wisdom of Catherine McAuley – “The simplest and most practical lesson I know is to be good today, but better tomorrow.”

At last Thursday’s assembly we launched Project Compassion. The 2023 theme is “For all future generations”. This phrase is a powerful affirmation that the good that we do today will extend and impact the lives of generations to come. It is also a call for all of us to play our part in making the world a better place by working together as sisters and brothers in finding long-term solutions to global issues. On Sunday, the diocese will launch the Project Compassion campaign at St Patrick’s Cathedral at 9am. Mrs Schulze will be in attendance with representative students. All are welcome to attend and stand in solidarity to do good today for the future of all generations.

Enhancing Learner Opportunities

I am encouraged by the ever-increasing opportunities made available for our Mercy Girls to engage in quality learning both inside and outside the classroom. This year, we have a number of Year 11 and 12 students who have access to a broader range of subjects, given the ‘hybrid’ arrangements we have been able to establish through the Toowoomba Catholic Schools (TCS) Office and some of our diocesan schools. These arrangements ensure that we are able to offer a broader range of subjects for our senior students, providing them with opportunities to engage in learning they love. Currently, we have arrangements in place with TCS, St Mary’s College and Our Lady of the Southern Cross College who work in partnership with St Joseph’s School, Stanthorpe. As a result, our senior students have access to Legal Studies, Economics, Film & TV and Specialist Maths. Last week, I travelled to Sydney to visit with students and staff from schools in the Parramatta diocese who are operating under a similar model, through ‘School of Now’. It is an exciting time to be a part of the wider TCS community, as we continue to grow in this space.

In addition, our cocurricular cultural and sporting opportunities continue to grow. Our wonderful Choir and instrumental programs are flourishing. This year SSC reengages in the local schools Debating competition. The sporting program for 2023 has successfully commenced with Friday night basketball and rugby league Darling Downs trials. I thank all our dedicated staff who are committed to see our Mercy Girls enliven their passion in these pursuits outside the classroom.

Enhancing Wellbeing Opportunities

This week, our Year 7 students took part in the annual camp at Camp Cooby, north of Toowoomba. Later this term, our Year 8 students will also engage in a camp experience. Additionally, retreat days have been run for both our Year 7 and 8 students to engage them in opportunities to further connect them as a cohort and grow them as individuals. These experiences will be made available for students from Years 9 to 12 also and are made compulsory, given the value they add to the deeper learning of each individual and the experience of belonging that comes from such encounters. I sincerely thank each of the teachers who avail themselves to our Mercy Girls, supervising during these experiences and to those key teachers, Mrs Juanita Doherty and Mrs Megan Schulze, who have been pivotal to the organisation.

Further to camps and retreats, we provide rich opportunities for our girls to be further versed in social matters. In a few weeks’ time, all cohorts will engage in sessions that serve to keep our Mercy Girls safe, through the Optus Digital Thumbprint program, instructing in such issues as cybersecurity, cyberbullying and digital discernment. Again, many thanks to Middle Leader, Student Wellbeing, Mrs Juanita Doherty, who is pivotal in organising such valuable learning experiences.  

Peace Pole

Rotary Toowoomba East has recently placed a ‘peace pole’ in our garden, displaying four translations of the same sentiment – “May Peace Prevail on Earth”. These translations are representative or the wonderful diversity that exists at SSC. Many thanks to Tony Jarroush from Rotary Toowoomba East for his leadership of the project.

The four translations on the ‘peace pole’ featured are:

May Peace Prevail on Earth (English)

Amani Idumu Duniani (Swahili)

Bangal paudh nidhane ina apa goewanu (Kalaw Kawaw Ya – language from Bamaga)

وأدعو أن يسود السلام في الأرض. (Arabic)

PNG Partnership Program

From 2 March to 7 March, myself, Ms Leah Dempster and Mrs Wendy Collins will be travelling to Port Moresby, PNG, to engage in a PNG Partnership program funded by the Australian government to build relations and partnership between Papua New Guinean and Australian secondary schools. We are very excited to join with staff from our sister school in Bougainville, St Mary’s Asitavi. We look forward to reporting back the great learning that will come from this invaluable experience.

My Leave

Recently, TCS contacted me to see if I would be available to take on the Acting Principalship of Our Lady of the Southern Cross Catholic College (OLSCCC), Dalby, while current Principal, Mr Pete Cuskelly takes sabbatical leave for the first six weeks of Term 2. I accepted this position and see it as a great opportunity, not only for my professional growth, but also, after six busy years at St Saviour’s College, to experience first-hand another educational setting. OLSCCC is a P-12 coeducational College with approximately 700 students. While I will be sad to be away for this period of time, I am grateful that TCS has agreed that I retain my Year 12 Study of Religion class who I will be teaching remotely. I am most confident in the quality of leadership of Mrs Jessica Wade who will assume the Acting Principalship of SSC. Mrs Wade’s replacement, Acting Deputy Principal, is being finalised and will be announced in the coming weeks.

Blessings for the weeks ahead.

Sharon Collins
Principal

Acting Assistant Principal - Mission and Student Wellbeing

Our students have jumped feet first into this term. Our Year 7 students are now reading timetables and adjusting to the responsibilities that high school brings. Our senior grades are straight back into their subjects, whilst our other middle years are enjoying a new range of elective subjects. Schools are a busy place, but it is so important to stop, pause and reflect in our hecticness. Our Year 12 students had the opportunity to do so last Tuesday, when they kick started our weekly participation in the 9am Mass at the Cathedral again, after a period of Covid. It was a lovely half hour where our students were able to be a part of something bigger than themselves. They sat with St Saviour’s Primary School students and other parishioners, whilst Father Michael challenged them to reflect together on the beauty they see in their lives. 

Our Year 7 and 8 students also had the opportunity last week to engage with Dave from Project Hatch in their ‘Community over Curriculum’ retreat days. Dave, is a skilled presenter who is very talented at engaging and challenging students. The purpose of the retreat day was for students to get to know themselves and their peers better and remind them of their God given value. Our students were challenged by Dave to come up with their own “Code” that is based around three values that encourage them to “do life better”. When you find time, I encourage you to sit with your student and ask them about their “Code” and what it meant for them.  You may already have a “Family Code” stemming from the values you find as a family important. At St Saviour’s College, we not only encourage our students to live out our Mercy values of Justice, Hospitality, Compassion and Excellence but strive to find ways in which our students can put these into practical application. 

Our Homeclass teachers are pure evidence of compassion and hospitality. They have implemented, as part of our Berry Street Education Model, Homeclass routines that provide predictability and consistency. This gives our students the grounding to start their day, not only with a Positive Primer but a wellbeing check-in.  Homeclass is not just a process that allows teachers to mark the roll and account for students, it is a time where teachers build strong relationships with students and provide a community where students feel safe and have agency. In a world where connection is often sought online for our adolescents, this is one opportunity that allows our students to make purposeful connections with others, encouraging positive social skills. 

Ensuring that our community is fostering our Mercy values and ensuring that every student has the opportunity to succeed has led me down the path I am currently following. My teaching background is in Health and Physical Education and Science, teaching in other subject matter such as Mathematics and Religion. The forever changing environment that our students face has driven my passion in providing students with a holistic approach to their wellbeing and learning. Over the years, the evolving landscape of Health and Physical Education has grown and I have experienced that even with the most dynamic HPE curriculum implementation, it is still not enough to ensure the wellbeing of students. Years ago, if you asked if I thought I would be in the role I am today, I probably would not have agreed but I know it’s exactly where I need to be and what I’ve been called to do. We have a wonderful Pastoral Team of Juanita Doherty and Michelle Reid (Middle Leaders of Pastoral), Renee Hunter (School Psychologist) and Amii Brown (Cultural Liaison Officer), as well has our wonderful team of Homeclass teachers, all here to help your student have the most meaningful 2023. 

Megan Schulze
Acting Assistant Principal - Mission and Student Wellbeing

NAPLAN Testing

The NAPLAN tests will occur from Wednesday 14 to Friday 24 March. In order to ready our Year 7 and 9 students for these exams, a practice NAPLAN test will take place on Monday 20 February during Period 1. This 45-minute test will assist students in becoming familiar with the online platform and its various tools, enabling them to perform to the best of their ability.

Please find below the 2023 NAPLAN Schedule. If your child is absent on the test session, they will be required to sit the testing during the scheduled catch-up session.

NAPLAN provides opportunities for students to demonstrate their skills in literacy and numeracy that are developed over time through the school curriculum. Students are assessed using common national tests in reading, writing, language conventions (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy. NAPLAN tests broadly reflect important aspects of literacy and numeracy in the Australian Curriculum.  More information can be found at nap.edu.au

What to bring:

It is important that all students arrive to each NAPLAN session with the correct materials. This includes: 

• Laptop (fully charged)
• earphones (must have a cord, no bluetooth)
• pencil case 

Tips for students: 

• Ensure you have a good sleep and a full breakfast before the test. 
• Do your best with every question. 
• Read the whole question before deciding on an answer.
• There will be questions that are difficult. Rather than worrying about this try and step through them, remember your strategies and do your best. 
• Remember all your equipment - fully charged laptop, headphones, pencil case. 
• Complete all questions you can do first, flag the questions you are unsure of and then go back and work on the others - the test does not have to be done in order. 

If you have any questions or concerns about NAPLAN, please don’t hesitate to contact Leah Dempster – Year 7 - 9 Learning Leader. Email address: leah.dempster@twb.catholic.edu.au 

Library

Welcome

What a start to February, being able to celebrate our school library and our love of reading with Queensland School Libraries week and Library Lovers’ Day.

Queensland school libraries positively influence the learning outcomes of students through teaching multiple literacies and encouraging a lifelong love of learning and reading. In 2018, Queensland School Libraries Association introduced the inaugural Queensland School Library Week (QSLW) to highlight the important work of school libraries. QSLW is celebrated in February each year. It provides an opportunity to showcase the excellent work of qualified Teacher Librarians and library staff in school libraries around Queensland.

At St Saviour’s College, we have celebrated this time for the last few years and will continue to support this Association with the good work it does. It is important we recognise the role a qualified Teacher Librarian has in a school library and the positive impact they have on students and staff alike.

What’s Happening in the Library?

Library Lover’s Day occurred on Tuesday 14 February – what a fantastic day as part of our Queensland School Libraries week.

Library Lover’s Day (information retrieved from: Alia – Library Lover’s Day)

The theme for Library Lovers' Day 2023 is ‘Only You’. 

Has your library enriched your life in big or small ways?
Is there something that your library does that no other public service, or space, can do?
Is your world a better place because of your library?

Queensland School libraries Week (information retrieved from: http://www.qsla.org.au/qslw)

Queensland School Library Week will be celebrated from Monday 13 to Friday 17 February. Our theme is School Libraries Devoted to You.

Secondary Competition

Secondary students (Year 7 - Year 12):  School Libraries Devoted to You. What does this look like for you? Take a photo or produce an artwork to illustrate your ideas.

New Books in the Library!

Come and check out our new books – some are on display and others on the shelf. If there is one you would like to read and you are not sure where it is – just ask at the front desk, we love helping someone make a connection with one of the books waiting to be read.

Look for next week’s new books where we will have non-fiction and manga displays.

General Collections:

Date Claimers:

8 March: - International Women’s Day

Reminders

Students must remember to look after their resources, it can be very easy for an item to be damaged:

• a water bottle has leaked or even just having water condensing on the outside of the bottle
• left out on lockers overnight
• thrown into bag on top of fruit/food.
  

Please help us keep our resources in an appropriate state so all students can borrow them for a long time.

Library Hours

Monday to Thursday: 8.00am – 4.00pm
Friday: 8.00am – 3.00pm

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.

Andrea King
Teacher Librarian

From the Careers Centre

Student Spotlight – Sophia Yamasita

Sophia Yamasita is a vibrant young lady in Year 12 at St Saviour’s College. Whilst balancing her academic studies, Sophia is also completing a school-based apprenticeship under the professional guidance of Karon Cumner, owner of Westridge Florist. This involves working 1 day per week at the Florist which has now been ongoing for two years.  

When asked where and when you complete your theory blocks, Sophia responded, “All my theory work with TAFE is completed during any free time I have in and out of school, or when I go to TAFE in Brisbane at South Bank for practical lessons”.  

What is the best thing about your SBA: “The best thing about doing my SBA is the real-life work experience I get. I get to work with encouraging and professional florists with years of experience, and I get to meet all different types of people who want to buy flowers. I hope to work with more florists and keep learning more skills”.  

When questioned how you would describe yourself as an employee, Sophia said, “I see myself as a hardworking and efficient employee. I try my best to get everything that needs to be done finished in a timely manner. One of my greatest strengths is having an artistic eye. It makes creating beautiful arrangements an easy task. I believe Customer service is very important and it is about being polite, helpful, and making a connection with customers”.  

What has been the most rewarding experience of your career so far: “Spending busy Valentines and days leading up to Christmas, rushing to finish everything quickly while also serving customers. The experience is tiring but it’s worth getting to talk with so many people and then going home and taking a nap”.  

Thanks Sophia, for sharing your positive career pathway with us and we look forward to watching your creativeness flourish in the future.

Work Experience: Year 10 – Monday 27 March to Wednesday 29 March

What is work experience? Work experience is where you get to spend time at a workplace and see what the people who work there do. You get to experience the daily operations of a business or organisation. It’s also an opportunity for you to ask any questions you might have.

Start looking now! Some organisations that offer formal programs require you to apply months or up to a year in advance. Or, if there’s a very specific type of work you’d like to try, it can take time to find a suitable host employer. Contact businesses you’re interested in and ask the owner or manager.

Use your networks! Who do you know that can help? Ask all the adults in your life like your family members, friends’ family members, those you know through community organisations and clubs, etc., if they know of employers who may be willing to host you. This is the best way to find placements.

Be persistent and resilient! You may need to ask a lot of employers before one says yes. Most places would like to help students but may not have the time or resources. Remember it’s not personal, so don’t let it discourage you from persisting.

If you have any queries regarding work experience, please contact the St Saviour’s College Career Development Practitioner – Mr Chris Grierson, or the Career Support Officer – Mrs Lisa Cocks.

Current SBA Vacancies

YEAR 11
Certificate II in Supply Chain Operations - Toowoomba Civil and Toowoomba West
Certificate II in Retail - Reece Group - Toowoomba West

YEARS 10, 11 and 12
Certificate III Business - Totally Workwear, Max and Betty, Parisiann Patisserie, Piccolo Papa, Ric and Co, Pattysmiths, Bakery Cakery Noodle Box, Pacific Fuels, Heritage Estate Wines, Spanos Super IGA, Red Rooster, Pack and Send, Action Indoor Sports Stadium
Certificate III Hospitality - Café 63, Subway, Toowoomba Thai, The Rock, 95 Mary Street
Certificate III Commercial Cookery - Muller Bros, Fitzy’s, Kajoku Korean Cuisine, The Rock, Rak Tahi Kitchen
Certificate III in Hospitality - Kingfisher Café Restaurant

Chris Grierson
Career Development Practitioner

Visual Art

In Year 8 Visual Arts, both classes (8C and 8A) have been experimenting with shape collage, ink drawing and colour theory. After examining the work of Henri Rousseau “Tiger in a Tropical Storm” and “Tropical Forest with Monkeys”, along with the shape collage techniques of Henri Matise, students created their own jungle from a variety of cardboard colours and using black ink gave the tiger a set of vibrant stripes. As their first artworks in high school, I’m sure you’ll agree they are embracing the elements of design in sophisticated ways. Students also wrote some wonderfully descriptive narrative texts as a literacy link. They considered the shock one might have if they were stuck in this storm, in this jungle with their fierce tigers. I commend both 8A and 8C groups for their marvellous reimagining of Rousseau’s famous artwork.

Joanne Stewart
Art Teacher

Media Arts

In the world of cinema and animation, persistence of vision is an important concept that explains how the human brain perceives motion from a series of still images. This principle can be traced back to the 19th century when scientists and artists began experimenting with simple devices that demonstrated the phenomenon. One such device was the thaumatrope.

A thaumatrope is a small disk with a picture on each side that is attached to two pieces of string. When the strings are twirled quickly, the images appear to blend together creating the illusion of motion. This simple toy was one of the first examples of the persistence of vision and how it can be used to create the illusion of motion.

The persistence of vision works by keeping the image of the first frame in the mind's eye for a fraction of a second after it has disappeared, making it appear as though the second frame is moving. This illusion is the basis for the creation of all animated films, whether they are traditional 2D animations or modern computer-generated images.

In the world of animation, the persistence of vision is essential in bringing characters to life. Animators create each frame individually, and when the frames are played back in succession, the characters appear to be moving and acting in a believable manner. The persistence of vision is what makes the audience feel as though they are watching a living and breathing world on the screen.

So, next time you watch an animated film, take a moment to appreciate the principles of the persistence of vision and the role it plays in creating the magic of cinema. And remember, the thaumatrope, a simple toy from the 19th century, was the starting point of a revolution in the art of animation.

Wendy Collins
Media Arts Teacher

"Big Fish - School Edition" Musical

Our Musical “Big Fish – School Edition” is shaping up to be an amazing production. Rehearsals began in Term 4 of 2022 and will continue this term. The dedicated cast and staff gave up three days of their school holidays to fine tune and finish Act 1 of the show. It was wonderful to see the cast reunite and throw themselves into some intense dance choreography and vocal training.

Big Fish centres on Edward Bloom, a travelling salesman who lives life to its fullest ... and then some! Edward's incredible, larger-than-life stories thrill everyone around him - most of all, his devoted wife Sandra. But their son Will, about to have a child of his own, is determined to find the truth behind his father's epic tales. Overflowing with heart, humor and spectacular stagecraft, Big Fish is an extraordinary Broadway musical.

Three shows only:

• Thursday 20th April at 7.00pm
• Friday 21st April at 7.00pm
• Saturday 22nd April at 7.00pm

Don't miss this outstanding performance by St Mary's College, St Saviour's College and St Ursula's College students! Tickets on sale now at https://www.trybooking.com/CFGYT

Sponsorship opportunities are available. If you would like to receive a copy of the sponsorship prospectus, please email Mrs Tyhla Roper at ropert@stmaryscollege.com.