St Saviour's College Newsletter 2023 - Term 2 Week 4

Acting Principal

Sharon Collins Appointment to Siena Catholic College 2024

It is with much joy and some sadness that we share the news of Sharon’s appointment to Principal of Siena Catholic College in 2024.

In Dr Pat Coughlan’s email to all parents and families, he affirmed the wonderful gift Sharon has been to our community, saying:

‘What a profound effect Sharon has had in the St Saviour’s College community over her seven years as Principal. Her deep care for students and staff, her wisdom and vision for the way forward has resulted in steady and sustained growth in enrolments to the College and a master plan in facilities development to match that growth. This has placed St Saviour’s College on a trajectory as a school of choice for families in Toowoomba and wider afield.’

The original of this communication can be accessed here.

In her own true style, Sharon ensured that she emailed her beloved Mercy Girls personally and I share this wonderful mark of Sharon’s leadership with you here:

This morning it is being announced to staff and your parents that I will be finishing up at St Saviour’s College at the end of this year. I have accepted the position of Principal of Siena College, Sunshine Coast. Siena is a co-ed 7-12 College with approximately 930 students and is part of Brisbane Catholic Education. I am excited to be moving to the beach (as will be my dog, Walter); however, leaving St Saviour’s will be the hardest. Especially saying goodbye to you Mercy Girls.

But as we know, St Saviour’s is all about empowering young women for a changing world and if I can’t model what I speak to you about on a daily basis, I am not fulfilling my end of the bargain. Catherine McAuley didn’t just stop at Baggot Street in Dublin, and if she didn’t challenge herself to push on and share her quest for Mercy, St Saviour’s wouldn’t be here today. I am inspired by Catherine’s courage and that of the Mercy Sisters as I move onto my next challenge.

I am going to be around for the remainder of the year. I get back from Dalby in Week 7 and will be here for the remainder of Term 2 and Term 3. I have 5 weeks of leave at the start of Term 4 but will finish the year out from there. I am looking forward to making many memories during that special time.

Sharon has led St Saviour’s with love, care, humility, self-deprecation and joy. She has affirmed each and every member in our learning and work here at St Saviour’s College. We look forward to commending her onwards in ways that affirm and demonstrate our appreciation of her life-giving presence and impact here across the remainder of 2023.

Mother’s Day

This weekend, we will all celebrate Mother’s Day and celebrate the incredible role mums play in our community. It’s a day for us to honour the dedication and love mums show every day, we also know that it is not always easy. Being a mother is hard work and it often goes unrecognised. This weekend is a time to acknowledge all the mums, nans, aunties, carers and sisters in our lives and to say we love you and thank you for all that you do.

It is a time to say thank you for the sacrifices that mums make, for the late night pick ups, and early mornings wake ups, for caring enough to fight your daughter on the important stuff, for laughing with them, driving them all the places they need to go. For the love that you give them so freely. And from us as a College, it is timely to say thank you for being there for your daughters, for being their first and constant teachers, for inspiring them, for being their role model and sometimes even their friend.

This morning at Mother’s Day Breakfast, we were addressed by Kathy Claxton, mother to Amelia Claxton, boarder and Year 12 student. Kathy spoke so eloquently and frankly about the struggles of being a mum and gave us all permission to accept that we are all perfectly imperfect! Kathy, your words reminded me of what it means to be a mum – and that the love we give our children transcends all the little things that don’t actually matter. I will be employing the car horn strategy to break up fights in the backseat from now on!

In my usual role as Deputy Principal and in my short time as Acting Principal, everyday I meet passionate mums advocating for their daughters. Our girls know that their mums are their biggest supporters, their confidants and their champions. Thank you for the enriching role you play as mothers, play in this wonderful community and for all that you do to support our great College. Educating your daughters is a privilege, thank you for entrusting her education to us.

Catherine McAuley Day

This week on Thursday we celebrated our 150 Years Catherine McAuley mass. We gathered as a whole school community and were joined by seven Sisters of Mercy, members of Toowoomba Regional Council including the Mayor, the wonderful Year 6 cohort and staff of St Saviour’s Primary School.

As we celebrated Catherine McAuley Mass and our foundress, we were reminded that our great community does not exist by chance. It is not by chance that our school sits on one of the most beautiful inner-city land parcels in Toowoomba, on leafy Neil Street. It is not by chance that when we look out KR 8 windows we see glorious views of these very cathedral spires and it is not by simple chance that when we look out from the back stairs of PD we can also glimpse other beacons of Mercy Charism in St Vincent’s Hospital to the east. And finally, it is not simple chance that this place, our St Saviour’s College, has educated girls since 1873. 

Isaac Newton is often credited with saying, that ‘if I have seen further than others, it is because of on whose shoulders I stand.’ A lovely attribution to the scientists that studied and learned all the physics that enabled him to create his theories of gravity, motion and light. At this mass, in our 150th year, we celebrated the giants of our great College.

In my address of our community I spoke of the great reminders of these giants within our very school. When you stand at the centre of our school, in the veritable beating heart of Dublin Place, you are, I am, dwarfed on three sides by towering two storey buildings.

To the east, the Incredible Ellen Whitty looks over us, one of the first sisters of Mercy, taught by Catherine McAuley herself, instrumental in both the financial stewardship of the Sisters of Mercy in Dublin and instrumental in the establishment of Mercy Organisations in Queensland. She is credited with establishing schools and hospitals as far north as Townsville and to the southern Queensland border town of Stanthorpe. It is right that the spirit of Ellen’s tenacity, willpower, intelligence and prudent financial management and commitment to relationship envelopes the building that holds all our staff and meeting rooms.

To the north, Kate Reardon looks over us. Kate Reardon taught at the school up until the arrival of the Sisters of Mercy in 1873, and upon their arrival, inspired by them, joined the Mercy convent at All Hallows. At this time,  the then St Patrick’s School, was a fledgling outpost and would take all her efforts to bring to life. Her hard work, commitment and faith, was one foundation stone for our great College. It is right that subjects like history, business, literature and our library are housed in a building whose namesake showed such unwavering commitment to education in a time when the education of girls was counter cultural.

To the south, towers Pat Doyle. Named after a forward-thinking and passionate priest, Pat Doyle reminds us of the support and guidance so integral to a Mercy education. Further south,  Mary Rose,  named after our first Principal, Sr Mary Rose,  and Jane Gorry – passionate teacher who spent her life leading Mercy schools around Queensland.

A few weeks ago, Coolock shared a prayer on assembly and read from proverbs, “she is clothed in strength and dignity”. When I think about the incredible legacy of the Sisters of Mercy, I see tenacious women who never doubted their capacity for strength and to ‘do hard things’. I see people who never doubted their worthiness, never doubted their deservedness for a seat at tables of power and decision-making.  No, it is not by chance that we, St Saviour’s College, stand proud in the centre of Toowoomba, as a beacon of empowering education for girls, it is by sheer gutsy determination, by strategic thinking, by hard and fierce negotiation by women who knew their worth.

Click this link to view the photo montage that was shared with the community at Mass on Thursday.

Jessica Wade
Acting Principal

Acting Deputy Principal

Commitment to Learning Awards

At our last Assembly, we proudly recognised students who demonstrated exceptional commitment to learning in Term 1. These students were awarded the Commitment to Learning Award based on their outstanding Term 1 report card – learning behaviours and attendance, reflecting their dedication and focus on academic success. To qualify for this prestigious award, students met the following criteria:

• Over 85% 'Consistent' learning behaviours
• Over 95% attendance

Congratulations to the following students:

We extend our congratulations to these hardworking students and encourage all students to strive for similar achievements in the upcoming terms. Our school is committed to nurturing academic excellence and we are delighted to see the positive results of these efforts.

First Aid Course – 19 June 2023

Years 11 and 12 are invited to apply to participate in a First Aid Course, taking place in June. There are limited spots. By completing this course, students will not only gain a valuable First Aid qualification but also earn two QCE points. This course features both theoretical and practical components and provides students with a micro-credential that can be taken into the workforce, enhancing their employability and life skills.

Interested students can find more information about the First Aid Course by seeing myself or by contacting Mrs Lisa Cocks in the Learning Enrichment Centre. We encourage students to take advantage of this opportunity, as it not only equips them with life-saving knowledge but also fosters personal and professional growth.

Year 11 and 12 Assessment Period Update

As we approach Week 6, we would like to remind parents and guardians that the Year 11 and 12 students will be concluding Unit 1 and Unit 3 assessments during this time. This marks a significant milestone in their academic progress, as they will soon transition to Unit 2 and Unit 4 in their respective subjects. We encourage parents to provide support and guidance to their children during this crucial period, ensuring they are well-prepared for the assessments and can transition smoothly to the next units. Our teaching staff are dedicated to assisting students in achieving their goals and we appreciate your collaboration in fostering their academic success.

Leah Dempster
Acting Deputy Principal - Curriculum

Assistant Principal - Mission and Student Wellbeing

Our community has experienced many opportunities these past weeks to be the heads, hearts and hands of Mercy. It is the accumulation of these little events that makes a Catholic Education so important in today’s world. From the actions that we endeavour to enact from our 2023-2026 Strategic Plan, it is hoped that our students leave the College as “A faithful, hope-filled, compassionate woman who strives for justice and equity, advocates for the marginalised and acts with integrity as her strength”. It is not by chance that our students end up true Mercy Girls, but through participation in many opportunities that we present them. 

Domestic and Family Violence March and Remembrance Ceremony

Last Wednesday 3 May, boarding and day students, along with Ms Nicole, Ms Amii, Ms Kim and myself, joined members of local council, Queensland Police, local support organisations, other school students and general public to take a stance and say ‘No’ to domestic and family violence in our Toowoomba community. On the night, Sergeant Jeremy stated the following statistics:

On average the Queensland Police respond to excess of 260 domestic family violence occurrences each day

1 woman every week is murdered by her current or former partner

1 in 4 women have experienced emotional abuse by a current or former partner

1 in 5 women have experienced sexual violence abuse

1 in 6 women experienced stalking

Nearly 40% of women continue to experience violence whilst temporarily separated

85% of Australian women have been reported to have been sexually harassed

60% of the women who experience domestic violence are employed 

Everyone has the right to not live in fear of domestic violence and it is everyone’s job to help with prevention.  It is our responsibility, “Together, we say No” to a culture where domestic and family violence is allowed to still be present. Not only is taking a stance publicly important, it also highlights to our students that they deserve to be treated with respect and it is my hope that they don’t end up a statistic or they take up the responsibility to be the hand that helps those who are in situations where they can’t help themselves. May is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and I could not have been prouder of our girls’ participation in the event to make it loud and clear that domestic and family violence has no place in our community. 

Catherine McAuley Mass

Each year our Year 7 students in Term 1 Religion immerse themselves into our Mercy Charism and investigate our history, and in particular Catherine McAuley, founder of the Sisters of Mercy. There is a real intent for the location of this unit in our curriculum. Our school is entrenched with the Mercy Story and how it shapes our community, with all students well-rehearsed in it and how our College values were shaped and shape who we are today. Catherine McAuley Mass is another vital part of acknowledging our story and celebrating who we are as a community. Catherine McAuley strived to ensure all women had access to a quality education and welcomed all, something that we still live out as a College, 150 years after our establishment. 

In our celebration of 150 years of Mercy Education, we were blessed to have six current Sisters of Mercy attend. It was a wonderful opportunity to come together as a community in the beautiful St Patrick’s Cathedral and we thank Fr Ray Crowley for presiding and Fr Nathan for assisting our choir. Our Choir, with the lead from Mrs Potter, were amazing, with the vocals in the Cathedral angelic. I also thank Mrs Wade for her moving address and Ms Dempster for her tech ability, not only on the day, but with the preparation of the presentation.  The hard work of our Marketing and Events team, Ms Spork and Mrs Prentice, pulled the whole day together with all girls and staff celebrating a shared lunch together and extending their hand of hospitality, just like Catherine McAuley. All money raised on the day through pizza and softdrink sales will be donated to the Sisters of Mercy.

Connection to the Now

On Tuesday, I had the privilege to attend the Mayoral Prayer Breakfast with our year 12 Student Elected Leaders and Mrs Wade and then attend our Toowoomba Catholic Diocese APRE networking day.  Both events really highlighted the need for us to be present in the now. At the Mayoral Prayer Breakfast, keynote speaker Ken Duncan OAM spoke about how his career in panoramic photography slowed him down to take in the beauty of the day, so to his time with Indigenous communities and his foundation of Walk a While. At the APRE networking, we were also challenged to look for a new spirit.  Rob Bell challenges us as humans to be present every day and make the most of it so when we look back there is no regrets.  He reminds us that after Jesus’ resurrection he tells Mary Magdalene, “Do not cling to me”. A clear message that we must not dwell in the past but move forward into a new day. This is a challenge for all of us as we reflect on the work of Catherine McAuley and the Mercy Sisters and help students become the best version of themselves, not only academically but socially, emotionally and physically, as they move out into the world making it a better place. 

Megan Schulze
Assistant Principal - Mission and Student Wellbeing

Saviour's Sisters - SSC Performance Choir

On Saturday 6 May, the SSC Performance Choir, “Saviour’s Sisters” competed at the City of Toowoomba Eisteddfod, held at the Empire Theatre, Toowoomba.

The choir sang in the Secondary School Vocal Ensemble section. Despite having multiple students unwell, and a choir consisting of several inexperienced students who hadn’t performed competitively before, the choir sang beautifully and made us all very proud.

Although we did not place within the competition, we did not enter these events expecting to win. There is such an incredible amount of talent in this town, and these competitions provide an excellent opportunity for the girls to receive honest feedback from industry professionals and to observe more experienced choirs and conductors perform. We always come away from these events with greater knowledge and experience.

A huge thank you to the choir members, their conductor Mrs Jenni Potter, accompanist Father Nathan Webb, Acting Principal Mrs Jessica Wade and the parents and friends who came to support us.

It's a busy week for the choir with performances at the Catherine McAuley Day Mass, Mother’s Day Breakfast and the Interact Mother’s Day Morning Tea at Yukana on Saturday.

Emily to Represent Australia in Futsal

Year 7 student, Emily Kuhn has been selected to represent Australia in Futsal. She will be travelling to Costa Blanca, Spain where she will play in a tournament-based tour from 28 June to 12 July 2023. Emily and her U12 Australian team mates were chosen from national and regional titles held in Brisbane recently.

The full itinerary has not yet been released but the trip will start off with a training camp in the beautiful coastal town of Lloret de Mar. It's proposed there will be a two-day training camp here before the team moves down to Benidorm for the opening ceremony. After the tournament's closing ceremony, the team is looking to stay in Blanes or Lloret de Mar and travel into Barcelona to tick off a few tourist adventures to round off what is shaping up to be a stunning tournament-based tour.

Emily's dream is to one day represent Australia in football (soccer) or futsal at the Olympics.

This trip is a once in a lifetime opportunity and Emily is looking forward to wearing the green and gold proudly for her country, her school and for her personally.

Congratulations Emily, the College community wishes you all the very best.

Hospitality Happenings

At the end of Term 1, our Hospitality teacher, Mrs Jenni Potter attended the Blueprint Career Development 2-day/1-night Hospitality Immersion experience Teacher Professional Development Program at Emporium Hotel South Bank. This course enables our hospitality staff to gain an understanding of the hospitality industry and to demonstrate vocational currency for the Certificate II in Hospitality. 

This professional development opportunity was provided through Blueprint’s Partnership program with Mantle Group Hospitality.

Mrs Potter undertook real industry work experience shifts in one of Mantle Groups well-known venues, Pig N’ Whistle in King George Square, Brisbane, and dined in another one of Mantle Group’s venues, Babylon Riverside. She also worked a kitchen shift at the Mantle Group Central Production Kitchen, East Brisbane where she prepared fresh food to be served in one of their 15 venues across Brisbane.

This was an ideal opportunity for Mrs Potter to obtain further Hospitality industry experience, as well as a networking opportunity with other hospitality teachers, while receiving Hospitality industry currency, VET Trainers/Assessor currency, and attending a questions and answer session with Blueprint Career Development Trainers and Assessors. Mrs Potter hopes to be able to provide our Hospitality students with a similar experience in the near future.

This week, the Hospitality students looked forward to multiple service opportunities which included the annual Mayoral Prayer Breakfast at Rumours International on Tuesday and the SSC Mother’s Day Breakfast on Friday.

From the Careers Centre

Can all students in Years 10, 11 and 12 check emails regularly for information on scholarships, camps and other relevant initiatives and information regarding opportunities that become available. 

Certificate III in ATSI Education Support Excursion

On Friday 5 May, the Certificate III in ATSI Education Support attended a cultural day. The day began at Gummingurru, Gowrie Junction with a welcome to country, cultural sharing and address from keynote speaker Paul Carmody. Students and visitors then shared art projects and identity stories before we travelled to Peacehaven Park in Highfields where Paul Carmody shared cultural knowledge and connection to country with us. Some information on the Gummingurru site can be found below.

Gummingurru

Today Gummingurru is no longer used as an initiation site. The Jarowair custodians want the site to be open to everyone who is interested in learning about Aboriginal culture and heritage. They have opened the site to all Australians: Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal, young and old, male and female. People can visit the site and can undertake a range of learning activities, such as:

• a journey through the site with a traditional custodian, viewing the original stone arrangements as well as those that have been resurrected;
• looking at stone artefacts found near the stone arrangements;
• grinding ochre in the traditional way using large grinding stones;
• making ground edge axes by rubbing stones on grindstones; and
• playing especially designed games that tell the story of the site to visitors, especially children.

These learning activities are seen by the GAC as an important reconciliation activity to be shared by Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people.

National Careers Week

National Careers Week (NCW) is fast approaching, and we have a host of activities planned. The Year 11 and 12 students will be taking part in various workshops and presentations from guest speakers. On Wednesday afternoon (17 May) your daughter is required to remain at school as we have staff from Toowoomba Regional Council and Power Tynan visiting to talk to the students about various careers as well as scholarship opportunities. Afternoon tea will be provided for students, and they will be able to leave the College at 3.00pm. There will be other competitions happening throughout the next couple of weeks in the lead up to NCW and I encourage all students to get involved in this. See the flyers below for more information.

Scholarships - 5 Tips for High School Students to Find Scholarships that Match their Needs

As a high school student, you may be looking for ways to reduce the costs of university. Scholarships can be a great way to help fund your education. However, with so many options available, finding the right scholarship can be a daunting task. To help you in your search, here are five tips to help you find a scholarship that matches your needs.

Start Early

The earlier you begin your search, the better. Many scholarship applications close several months before the start of the academic year. This means that you should start looking for scholarships as early as the beginning of Year 12. By starting early, you’ll have plenty of time to research and apply for scholarships that fit your needs.

Look for Local Scholarships

There are many scholarships available for students in your local community. Check with your careers advisor, local organisations, and community foundations to see what scholarships are available in your area. Local scholarships often have fewer applicants than national scholarships, which can increase your chances of being awarded the scholarship.

Use Scholarship Search Engines

There are several scholarship search engines available online that can help you find scholarships that match your needs. These search engines allow you to search for scholarships based on your interests, academic achievements, and other criteria.

Check Directly with Universities

Many universities offer a huge variety of scholarships to incoming students. Check with the unis you’re interested in attending to see what scholarships are available. Some scholarships may require an application, while others may be awarded automatically based on your achievements.

Apply for Multiple Scholarships

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Apply for as many scholarships as possible to increase your chances of being awarded a scholarship. Keep track of application deadlines and requirements, and make sure to submit your applications on time.

By following these tips, you can increase your chances of finding a scholarship that matches your needs. Remember, scholarships can be a great way to help fund your education, so start your search early and apply for as many scholarships as possible. Good luck!

Date Claimers:

• 15/5 - UniqYou presentation (Year 11 and 12 students) – permission forms to be completed online
• 17/5 – National Careers Week guest speakers (Year 11 and 12 students) - students to remain at College on Wednesday afternoon
• 19/5 – Dr Andree Wade presentation for students interested in medicine
• 19/5 - Closing date for applications to JCU Engineering Futures 2023
• 26/5 & 27/5 – Brisbane Careers and Employment Expo 2023
• 31/5 – Toowoomba Careers Roadshow - Hospitality students to attendy
• 3/6 – Aviation Expo Brisbane
• 5/6 – Girls can trade up workshop (Year 11 students)
• 12/6 – QTAC Parent/student information session online event – Year 12 Focus
• 13/6 – QTAC Parent/student information session online event – Year 10 Focus

UNIQ You

Two new advisors who are ready to take your calls through UNIQ You:

• Lisa Frost is a Scenes of Crime Officer with the Queensland Police Service - https://uniqyou.com.au/advisors/lisa-frost/
• Melanie Trent is an Environmental officer with Transport and Main Roads specialising in marine pollution - https://uniqyou.com.au/advisors/melanie-trent/
  

So many interesting conversations waiting to be had! Go to Home - UNIQ You to book a call.

Term 2 Date Claimers

Friday 26 to Friday 27 May: Brisbane Careers & Employment Expo 2023.

Saturday 3 June: 2023 Aviation Expo.

Tuesday 20 June: UniSQ’s Year 9 and 10 Discovery Day.

June / July Holidays: JCU Engineering Futures 2023.  

Various Dates: Experience Days at Bond. Walk in the shoes of ‘future you’ with a Bond University Experience Day. Designed for students in Years 11 and 12, Experience Days provide an unmatched opportunity to discover more about your chosen study area – from its facilities to academic staff and everything in between.  You’ll get to don your lab coat, settle in at a Bloomberg Terminal, or take the reins on a project of your own, all with the guidance of our current students and staff. An Experience Day is your chance to ask questions, get up close and personal, and learn the ropes of whatever you’re interested in before you make a decision on what – and where – to study. For further information, visit: Experience Days | Bond University | Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

Alyson Holmes
Acting Career Development Practitioner

Dance Update

In Week One, our Dance students had the fantastic opportunity to perform at our Annual Harmony Day Celebration Concert.

The Year 7 Dance class performed their Term 1 assessment piece “We Don’t Talk About Bruno”. It was wonderful to see so many of the girls’ cultures represented through their clothing during this performance.

The concert was also a fantastic introduction to this term’s “Dance Cultures” Choreography Task, as the girls got to experience dance from many different cultures, giving them some background knowledge prior to their own research and choreography assessment based on a chosen Dance Culture that will be completed this term.

The Year 9 Dance class choreographed and performed their own dance piece to “Bang Bang” by Rita Ora, demonstrating their choreography, collaboration and performance skills. The girls showed great maturity in organising additional rehearsals outside of class time and working together to choreograph their performance piece.

Sport Report

Bill Turner Soccer Cup

On Thursday 27 April, around 15 girls put their hand up to represent our school to play in the Bill Turner Soccer Cup. It was held at Harristown State High School. Over the course of the day the girls played three games. The girls were eager to get into the games and for a young side it was a good test of their skill and fitness. They started off their first game playing against St Joseph’s College, but unfortunately let a few balls pass, losing that game. Next game was against Toowoomba State High School. The girls put their best foot forward winning that game with Ava Anderson scoring two goals and Emily Kuhn scoring one. Lastly, the final game was against Lowood State High School and it was a tough game, however, St Saviour’s created a number of chances with Ava Anderson kicking with her right foot, straight over the goalkeeper and in the back of the net, but unfortunately they couldn’t keep up as their fuel had run out. Overall, it was a fun day and the girls had a ball playing football. The U15s girls came third out of their pool which was a good effort.

Alison Douglas, Year 11

Monday Soccer Competition

The junior girls’ soccer team have started their 2023 season with a 4-3 defeat to Downloads College on a very chilly Monday afternoon. A young side with several players from Year 7, the girls worked hard to create several chances. Downlands had to fight hard to stay in with us, but in the end fitness and experience played a huge part in the result. The girls will travel to St Mary’s next week to take on St Ursula’s.

Tuesday Night Volleyball  

The St Saviour’s College Volleyball program continues to gather strength with three teams entered this term. All teams have begun the season well with excellent play at times. Intermediates are sitting on top after two rounds, Seniors in fifth and the Juniors in third place with one win and a loss. Yesterday we had 28 girls attend training. The Intermediate team are preparing for the Queensland Schools Cup at the Gold Coast from May 26 - 28 and are entered in the Year 10 Division B competition.

Saturday Netball

Our Saturday Netball team has started their 2023 season with grading and will play their first game this Saturday afternoon at Nell E Robinson Netball courts in Ruthven Street. Game times are still to be confirmed. Special thanks to Kym Norman and Jodie Frost for helping with the team. Best of luck girls.

Greg Leathart
Middle Leader - Sport and Activities/HPE

McAuley House Boarding

Term 2 is well under way and the boarders have settled in well and are continuing to embrace boarding life with enthusiasm. We had a “cook up” afternoon with the girls shopping for and cooking some favourite meals from home. We had all sorts of delightful dishes from pastas to brownies to muffins and more.

Year 11 girls attended the Indigenous Leadership Camp at Bunya Mountains recently. It was a great opportunity for our future leaders to gather together and enjoy some activities including grass skirt making, traditional clap stick making, as well as painting and bird feeding. The weather was perfect for some long bushwalks on the traditional lands, learning about how the original custodians cared for and used the land. A very valuable and enjoyable experience for our girls.

Year 10-12 Boarders attended the “Walk Against Domestic Violence” recently. We joined together to add our handprints to the banner which led the parade, along with badge making and painting our own signs. We were very proud of our boarders participation which created awareness about this important issue.

Nicole Booth
Boarding Manager

The Non State Schools Transport Assistance Scheme provides financial assistance for families transporting students to non-state schools in Queensland. To find out more about eligibility requirements for Students with Disability click here: https://www.schooltransport.com.au/