St Saviour's College Newsletter 2023 - Term 3 Week 2

Principal

Celebrating 150 Years of Mercy Education

The 21^st of July 1873 is a very important day. 150 years ago, to the day, the first Catholic teaching Sisters of Mercy arrived in Toowoomba – Sr Mary Rose, Sr Mary Evangelist, and assistant, Rosie Mayne, who herself would later join the order. Their quest was education and their spirit was Mercy.

For this reason, this is a time of great celebration. And to celebrate, we welcomed over 20 Sisters of Mercy to join us here at the College. To mark the commencement of the day, we enjoyed a wonderful Eucharistic celebration at the Convent Chapel, celebrated by Bishop Ken Howell, assisted by Fr Michael O’Brien.

Following this, the site for a statue of Catherine McAuley was blessed and dedicated and a plaque unveiled by Bishop Ken, commemorating the 150-year commitment of the Mercy Sisters to our St Saviour’s College community.

A slab of concrete lies at the base of the stairs outside the Ellen Whitty building, near Student Services. Sadly, the statue didn’t arrive on time, but when she does, Catherine will take her rightful place in this spot, overlooking Dublin place. This is a distinctive statue, whereby Catherine is seated on a bench, with hand outstretched ready to comfort, console and be with all those who sit beside her. We look forward to her arrival and I thank our grounds staff, Warren and Sam for preparing the site and to Ms Leah Dempster for acquiring the statue of Catherine.

After Mass and the site dedication, we delighted in a High Tea for our special guests and the Sisters were able to relay many stories about their time in their various ministries. Following the Mass, the Sisters shared in College Assembly, which captured the essence of St Saviour’s as it is today, sharing in Acknowledgment of Country, Acknowledgment of Mercy, Prayer, Principal’s address, “a step back in time” with our House Leaders adorning past uniforms, Mercy Moments with Maryam and Sr Margaret Norris, Sr Peta Goldburg, Sr Deirdre Gardiner and Sr Cath Reuter. Our Saviour’s Sisters Choir delighted us with a beautiful rendition of “Hallelujah”. The assembly ended with the rapturous singing of our College song, “Mercy Girl”.

After assembly, our Sisters of Mercy made their way to Newtown Park where past pupils, Mrs Sue Englart and Ms Alison Smith, had organised for a plot in the rose garden. It is in this plot, the Catherine McAuley rose had been planted. This garden plot was dedicated before the Sisters gathered, as a special tribute to their 150 years of presence in the Toowoomba community, recognising the significant contribution they have made to the tens of thousands of young people they have educated and impacted across this great span of time.

In addition, we launch our 150 years of Mercy education website. This website will capture the timeline of the Sisters of Mercy and their time at St Saviour’s, as well as serve as a page where past pupils can visit to reconnect with the College. Thank you sincerely to Miss Leah Dempster for all her work with this across the past year. It has been a labour of love and the quality of the website is testament to the hours of research and planning that has gone into the Project.

Finally, as a special treat, I was able to unveil a portrait of Catherine McAuley, gifted to the College by Brisbane artist, Ange McHugh, who graduated from St Saviour’s in 1995. Ange’s painting is a unique and vibrant take on Catherine and will be hung with pride, in recognition of this year of celebration. Many thanks to Ange for sharing her creative talent with us in this beautiful portrait.

I thank most sincerely all the Sisters who were able to join us to celebrate this auspicious occasion. Their ongoing commitment to their ministry is valued and Friday was a great opportunity to celebrate this commitment of 150 years.

Sr Elizabeth Jordan, Sr Mary Tinney, Sr Mary Pescott, Sr Deirdre Gardiner, Sr Maria Sullivan, Sr Jill Stringer, Sr Maura O’Shaughnessy, Sr Irene Callanan, Sr Carmel Martin, Sr Carmel Dwan, Sr Maree Hutchison, Sr Sandra Lupi, Sr Margaret Madden, Sr Cath Reuter, Sr Peta Goldburg, Sr Beverly Smith, Sr Joan Morrissy, Sr Maureen Keenan, Sr Karen Risson and Sr Margaret Norris.

We thank these women with all sincerity, for the gift that they are, for their gift of mercy and for being with us as we celebrated all the Mercy order has been for our St Saviour’s College community across 150 years.

Many thanks to all who were involved in the planning and preparation of the occasion.

Happy 150 years of Mercy education!

Reminder

Parents, please be reminded during drop-offs and pick-ups, that we are in a residential area and driveways are not to be blocked and parking in bus zones is not permitted. These are expected driver behaviours that comply with basic road rules.

Blessings for the coming weeks.

Sharon Collins
Principal

Assistant Principal - Mission and Student Wellbeing

NAIDOC Week

This term, we got off and running with NAIDOC Week celebrations in week 1.  NAIDOC week is celebrated nationwide during our holidays, so it was a wonderful way to start the term and celebrate many of our students’ heritage and engage with our First Nations Peoples celebrating this year’s theme of “For our Elders”. 

“Across every generation, our Elders have played, and continue to play, an important role and hold a prominent place in our communities
and families.”

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders hold a significant and treasured role in our lives and communities. This NAIDOC Week we want to celebrate and honour our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders for being our cultural knowledge holders, community builders, teachers, leaders, advocates and trailblazers paving the way through their love, strength, wisdom, courage, knowledge and guidance. 

We recognise the significant contribution of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Christian Leaders of the past and present.

https://www.commongrace.org.au/naidoc_week_2023

Our Year 7 - 10 students participated in many different cultural immersion experiences on the Wednesday afternoon to grow a deeper awareness of the First Nations Culture. One of the activities allowed students an opportunity to contribute to a mural where they placed their handprint in their house colour in a pledge of support for reconciliation and working towards a community of togetherness. The mural will be used at different times throughout the College as it is a representation of our current College community. The middle symbol symbolises “People sitting/meeting” and the lines coming from different directions represents our College coming from many different walks of life. It is a celebration of our diversity in our First Nations artform. 

Congratulations to Goretti for winning the Mercy Shield Points on our Indigenous Homeclass Quiz and to our Year 10 First Nation students who helped facilitate the afternoon. I also thank the First Nation students who took the time on Friday afternoon to participate in yarning circles to discuss what First Nations currently looks like at the College and what it should look like moving forward. We look forward to sharing this with our new Cultural Liaison Officer when they start. 

Let us pray

Creator God, You delight in many cultures, languages and peoples. Teach us to walk in the way of Jesus, the way of respect and dignity.
We pray for our Elders who are now deceased. We thank God for the light of wisdom and tradition that they passed down to us.
We pray for our Elders of today, who support our students in being the best version of themselves. We ask God for the love and strength to listen, learn and celebrate with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander brothers and sisters.
We pray for our Elders of the future, in particular those who work our College ground. We praise God for continuing to pass down culture and knowledge to each new generation.
May God, the Creator of all life, bless us.
May the Holy Spirit, present in all generations, bless us.
Now for our Elders, let us go in respect and in hope.
We ask all these prayers, through Christ our Lord,

Amen

Catholic Education Week: 23 - 29 July

As we begin Week 3 of the term, we celebrate Catholic Education Week and all that which makes our Catholic Schools truly unique and wonderful. We acknowledge our heritage and look to be communities where we bring Faith, Hope and Love to our society. 

During Week 3, our Youth Ministry will be running numerous activities to capture this year’s theme:  

Monday is “Hope” – During Homeclass, students will reflect on Hope and how they can be vessels of Hope.

Tuesday is “Love” – As an act of service, the College will be using the day to fundraise for our St Vinnie’s Winter Appeal. Students are encouraged to wear their winter pjs for a gold coin donation. Hot chocolate will also be on sale for $1.00 or $1.50 with marshmallows. Students are reminded that they still need to wear either their formal or sports shoes and have their College hat.

Wednesday is “Faith” – In the media room, Faith activities will be run by our senior Youth Ministry students and Religion teachers.

Thursday – Grandparents Mass and Spirit of Catholic Education Week awards.

Friday – Bishops Inservice day: Student free day

I look forward to showcasing the week in our next newsletter. 

Megan Schulze
Assistant Principal - Mission and Student Wellbeing

RACQ Cash IQ Program

On Wednesday 20 July, Year 12 students took part in the RACQ Cash IQ financial wellness program. Over the course of the program topics discussed included the interrelationships between our money choices, our relationships and the attainment of our goals. Several proactive strategies were discussed and explored including real world skills for having money conversations and growing and maintaining a sense of financial control. Students were encouraged to use these strategies when making financial decisions.    

How can you continue this awareness at home?  

We encourage you to ask your child what they learnt in the RACQ Cash IQ financial wellness program presentation and to continue this conversation with them regarding the choices they can make with their money. To learn more about the strategies your child can utilise, please see the information below:

Libary News

Welcome

So much happening this term! It is our big celebration of all things literary. Two main celebrations this term:

During our Library and Information Week we celebrate Harry Potter’s birthday! We are looking forward to seeing what the day brings this year. All staff and students are welcome to dress up on August 2 (Wednesday) as a character from Harry Potter and join in the festivities.

Also in Week 7 is our annual Book Week – Read, Grow, Inspire is the theme and we will be transforming our library around this theme. Our book week quiz will be held on Wednesday during sport in the Hall for Years 7-10. This is also a dress up day – there will be more on this in the next newsletter.

What’s Happening in the Library?

Library and Information Week

ALIA (Australian Library and Information Association) are putting on some events during this week:

PROGRAM OF EVENTS

1 August - Mythbusting Wikipedia: Misinformation, AI and Volunteers

This free webinar will be an opportunity to learn how reliable Wikipedia is, how it’s being used in classrooms, and how it can help people understand referencing, misinformation, and the need for reliable sources. Presented by Belinda Spry, Executive Officer from Wikimedia Australia. Register here. 

2 August - Helping kids become critical media consumers

Join the award-winning team behind Squiz Kids Today, Australia’s premier daily news podcast for 8-12yos, to learn about Newshounds, a media literacy program providing educators with engaging, meaningful and authentic tools to teach primary-school students to recognise misinformation and disinformation when they come across. This is a free webinar, register here. 

Harry Potter’s Birthday Celebrations – Wednesday 2 August

Come dressed up as a Harry Potter character!

New Books in the Library!

Another round of new books are on display – come in and check them out! We have a complete series of Michael Grant’s Gone series:

Summary:

In a small town on the coast of California, everyone over the age of fourteen suddenly disappears, setting up a battle between the remaining town residents and the students from a local private school, as well as those who have 'The Power' and are able to perform supernatural feats and those who do not.

BUT do not forget our new books on display and ready to be borrowed! Check out the images below and our catalogue online to find something that interests you.

Graphic Collection

New Books Collection

Senior Collection - for our Year 10-12 Students

Term 3 Events

Library and Information Week

Harry Potter Birthday Celebration

Book Week

Date Claimers

July 31- August 6: Library and Information Week.

August 2: Harry Potter Birthday celebration.

August 19-25: Book Week.

August 23: Book Week Quiz and Dress up.

Andrea King
Teacher Librarian

From the Careers Centre

Advantages of University Education vs Trade Professions

When deciding on a future way of learning and job preparation, there are many options for students to take. Two such options are University and an Apprenticeship. Both offer unique opportunities for people that choose to take them. Take a moment to look through the information below when considering which pathway is right for you or your daughter.

SBA Vacancies

Aurora – Years 10, 11 and 12: Certificate III Business at 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 at Café 63, Subway, Toowoomba Thai, The Rock, 95 Mary Street.

Certificate III Commercial Cookery at Muller Bros, Fitzy’s, Kajoku Korean Cuisine, The Rock, Rak Tahi Kitchen.

All positions are open until filled. Apply online.

29/23 – Year 10 only: Certificate II in Supply Chain Operations at Reece Group, Toowoomba West. Applicants should be enthusiast with a great attitude, ability to follow instructions, well presented and a team player. The successful applicant will learn how to perform a range of tasks including: Customer service, processing sales, stock management, answering the phone to take messages and orders, communicating with customers and staff, and building product knowledge. One day per week and Saturday mornings.
Apply online at https://reece.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/ReeceCareers/jobs/details/School-based-Traineeship---Plumbing-Toowoomba-West--Showroom-_R-00017804

Open Days

UniSC | Open Day 2023, Moreton Bay (July 23, 2023). UniSC Open Day is all about welcoming community and future students on to campus to check out UniSC’s program offerings, meet staff and explore UniSC’s world class teaching and learning facilities. Find out more WEP | Student Exchange Info Session

UniSQ | Parent Information Session (July 26, 2023). Are you a parent of a high school student who is starting to think about their post-secondary education options? Join us for an informative webinar about the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) and learn about the many programs and opportunities available for your child. During this session, you’ll hear from representatives of UniSQ who will provide an overview of the university, its campuses, and the various faculties and departments. You’ll also get a sense of the academic and social atmosphere at UniSQ and the types of support services that are available to students. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn more about the University of Southern Queensland and what it has to offer! Find out more

ACU | 2023 Open Days  (Saturday 26 August, 10.00am – 2.00pm). Open Day is the perfect opportunity to find out more about your study options, meet our friendly staff and students, and explore our campuses. Find out more

Chris Grierson
Career Development Practitioner

My First Speech Competition

The House of Representatives has announced the national My First Speech competition for year 10 to 12 students across Australia.

This competition will provide the opportunity for three lucky students to be flown to Canberra with a parent or guardian to present their speeches live and undertake a program at Parliament House.

The competition asks year 10 to 12 students to consider what they would say if they were a newly elected Member of the House of Representatives and record themselves presenting the speech on video.

A website has been established for the competition at: www.aph.gov.au/myfirstspeech

Entries for the competition close at 5pm EST 11 August 2023.

For more information on the competition contact the House of Representatives, Information Management Office, email: comps.reps@aph.gov.au

This competition is a wonderful way for our next generation of community leaders to have a say in our national parliament.

McAuley House Boarding News

Focus on our Hope Vale Girls

We have five girls from Hope Vale - Minnie, Kaysharn, Kyomie, Kye and KiKi.

Hope Vale is a Far North Queensland coastal community, 2,029km NNW of Brisbane and is about an hour’s drive from Cooktown. It's population is just over 1,000 residents.

Thubi Warra people are recognised as the traditional owners of Hope Vale and Guugu Yimidhirr is the main language spoken. The region is rich in Aboriginal story places, special geographical landmarks and ancient rock art. Our Hope Vale girls are very proud of their hometown and we love hearing their stories from back home.

Our Hope Vale girls have a long day of travel to arrive at St Saviour’s College, often flying to Cooktown, then onto Cairns, from there to Brisbane before arriving here at boarding.

Nicole Booth
Boarding Manager