St Saviour's College Newsletter 2023 - Term 3 Week 6

Principal

What a treat it has been to see the country come to life as we watch with great gusto and spirit our very own Matilda’s football team rise on the World Cup stage and grow in skill and confidence, from strength to strength. It is refreshing to witness firsthand Australia’s palpable energy around the competition that has not only raised the profile of the sport, but the profile of women in sport.

It was interesting to see the backlash and fierce criticism that Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews attracted over a social media post about women's sport. Journalist and Today Show presenter, Sophie Walsh, expressed frustrations to such remarks. Naturally advocating for all our national athletes, irrespective of gender, should be expected. Such is the ongoing challenge for women, as it has been for time in memoriam.

Our own faith tradition serves as a timely reminder of the esteem with which women are held. The Bible is full of great and heroic women who have had an incredible impact and set the bar high for all women. Just this week we celebrated the Feast of Mary’s Assumption into heaven. Last week, we celebrated the feast of Australia’s first Saint, Mary of the Cross Mackillop. It is energising to see that each day, we move closer towards equality, and equitable recognition for women across all facets of achievement.

Go the green and gold!

Strategic Plan Excellence Awardee and National Finalist

Last Friday evening, I was thrilled to attend the prestigious Australian National Education Awards celebration in Sydney with Deputy, Mrs Jessica Wade, Head of Boarding, Ms Nicole Booth and Business Manager, Mrs Xenia Taylor, representing the College as Finalist and Excellent Awardee recipient of our 2023 – 2026 ‘Resolve’ Strategic Plan.

While we didn’t take out the top prize, it is a credit to the College that we are among the country’s best in terms of strategy. This remarkable achievement is a testament to our unwavering commitment to a progressive and future-focused education.

The St Saviour’s Strategic Plan, launched in February of this year, celebrates both the College’s vision for the future and pays homage to the past.  A huge congratulations to the entire St Saviour's College community - students, educators, staff, parents and supporters - on this well-deserved recognition.

Year 10 ‘Setting Sail Conference’

This week, students in Year 10 are attending the St Saviour’s College ‘Setting Sail’ Conference at the Southport Sports and Performance Centre. This conference aims to develop Year 10 students’ knowledge of self, talents, wellbeing and strengths in preparation for their senior pathway. This conference complements the College’s already robust SET planning processes, careers program and wellbeing program.

The conference includes a range of keynotes, workshops and activities aimed at developing each student’s understanding of themselves, their strengths, their talents and developing a range of wellness strategies that will serve them throughout senior schooling and beyond. The conference will be facilitated by a range of staff and external providers and will include activities such as:

• ‘Unleashing Personal Potential’ workshops
• Evening keynote addresses and reflective activities
• Morning yoga, beach walks and mindfulness activities
• Griffith University Gold Coast visit
• STRONGS character and career assessment
• Other more traditional camp activities such as stand up paddleboarding and bubble soccer.

Many thanks to Mr Chris Grierson, Mrs Jessica Wade, Mrs Berni Gray and Ms Renee Hunter for their organisation and attendance at the camp. We wish our Year 10s well!

150 Years Celebrations

As we move closer to our trifecta of celebrations on Saturday 2 September, I encourage you all to reach out to past pupils of the College you may know with details around the up-and-coming Mass, Luncheon and Race Day. Please make your way to our new College 150 years website for information. Looking forward to connecting with many faces from the past!

AMSSA Conference

On Thursday, Friday and Saturday of this week, myself, Deputy Principal, Mrs Jessica Wade, and Assistant Principal, Mission and Student Wellbeing, Mrs Megan Schultz will be engaging in the Australasian Mercy Secondary Schools Association conference at All Hallows School in Brisbane. The three-day conference is themed 'Mercy in Liminal Times'. We look forward to the opportunity to gather with Mercy schools from across the country and Asia to reflect on our Mercy mission in the 21^st century and further enliven the great charism gifted to us by Catherine McAuley and her Sisters of Mercy.

Blessings for the coming weeks.

Sharon Collins
Principal

Assistant Principal - Mission and Student Wellbeing

Last week on assembly, I challenged the girls about what a Mercy Girl culture looks like. Xavier 3 in their assembly prayer spoke to us of Luke’s words in Chapter 6, verse 35:

“But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.​”

They reminded us that it takes a courageous heart to show love like the Lord, extending forgiveness and mercy. Every individual needs to work on who they are and discover what gifts they bring to our community to help build our Mercy culture founded on the values of Justice, Excellence, Hospitality and Compassion. Those who don’t believe in a culture where this is the norm will often find they are in conflict internally and externally with the environment they are in. In an era where adolescents navigate an online and offline life and are bombarded with messages from not only the media but social media, it is even more important that we as a community build a safe and positive culture where every individual thrives. 

This week at assembly, I challenged the girls to be those who advocate for the culture they want. Be the voice of change when needed and empower others around you. What they walk past and allow to continue is the culture they allow to emerge. Every morning except Thursday, students attend Homeclass. With technology we don’t need Homeclass to mark an initial roll or give students notices. Roll marking is online and is done in every class and students can access the daily notices on their devices, so why continue Homeclass? Because it is a culture breeder. It builds relationships with peers across multiple grades and builds House spirit and connection, something adolescents are constantly searching for. Not only does it build relationships with peers and teachers, it provides students with a time when they can discuss how they are travelling or report when culture isn’t what it should be. To me, Homeclass is one of the most important aspects of setting up students for success for the day.

With the adoption of the Berry Street Education Model this year, our Homeclass teachers have been working hard to implement researched based strategies to help students be ready for learning and feel a sense of belonging. In addition to Homeclass, this term during periods 5 and 6 on Wednesday, students in Years 7-10 will be engaging in Wellbeing Wednesdays. It is a holistic approach to wellbeing, acknowledging that wellbeing incorporates being physically active (physical health), as well as engaging in activities that positively challenges (intellectual health) or recharges our thinking, gives us control over our thoughts (mental health) and those activities that allow us to develop appropriate social skills to thrive (social health).  As well as moving their bodies during this time, students will be engaging in programs that are targeted to each year level:

Year 7: Mental Health First Aid
Year 8: Rock and Water (inter and intrapersonal skills)
Year 9: Blurred Minds (drug and alcohol education)
Year 10: Healthy Habits: preparing for Senior Schooling

Over the next few newsletters, we will highlight each of these programs. 

UniSQ Vinnie’s Sleepout

On 4 August, students and I joined the local community at UniSQ for the St Vinnie’s fundraiser to help combat Homelessness in our region. Our students again showed what it is to be a Mercy girl out in our community and extend our hand of service to those in need.

100 Days Dinner

It was a privilege to attend the St Mary’s 100 Days Dinner with our Year 12 College Leaders. It was a gathering of all the region’s school leaders, where in their final 100 days as a collective group, they discussed their schools and the impact they have had but also how their leadership journey has equipped them to move forward. We thank St Mary’s College for hosting and extending the invitation to attend. 

Uniform Changeover

With the warmer weather approaching, it was announced to students that we are starting the 2-week changeover period for uniform. This means that currently students can choose to wear either winter or summer uniform, but it must not be a mix. By the start of Week 8, all students are expected to be wearing summer uniform. The students' learning journal outlines the expectations around the uniform if you need assistance. 

Megan Schulze
Assistant Principal - Mission and Student Wellbeing

Interact's Mess for Midwives

On Tuesday 8 August, Interact held a fundraiser to raise proceeds for the PNG Midwives' organisation. This event included a sausage sizzle and bake sale, as well as the annual game of ‘pie the seniors and teachers'! This was a wonderful morning with the school community coming together for some food and fun, knowing all the money raised was going to an extremely well-worthy cause.

Visual Arts - Practical Student

Hello parents, carers and the St Saviour’s community!

My name is Isabelle Rose. I am a second year, Practical Student with the University of Southern Queensland completing my bachelor’s degree within Secondary Education. My teaching areas consist of Visual Arts and Drama and I have been lucky and privileged enough to be able to be a part of St Saviour’s College for the last three weeks. Being a part of a small, passionate and diverse school has been an amazing experience, one that only a few University students are able to achieve.

I have been teaching and learning within the Visual Arts space with Joanne Stewart as my supervising teacher, which has been a wonderful and unforgettable learning and teaching experience. Within the Year 11/12 Arts in Practice, we have been studying Photography and learning the fundamentals of what photography is all about. The girls were lucky enough to be able to go on an excursion to the Japanese Gardens and Laurel Bank Park to practice the ten basic shots and angles we had discussed in prior lessons. With Year 9/10A, we have been finishing our lino printing and learning about what dry point etching is and how we can utilise that art medium for our print making. Finally, with Year 8, we are about to start Viewpoints and how we can draw and see from different perspectives with shapes and different styles.

Being able to learn and grow within my own practice with Jo, has been an amazing experience which I am grateful for. Jo is an amazing, passionate and wonderful teacher within the school and has been able to teach me new pedagogies, skills and confidence within myself as an educator. I feel I have been lucky enough to have the support, from not only Jo, but all the staff within the school and I extend my many thanks and appreciation to the staff and leadership team.

I would like to also extend my thanks to the St Saviour’s community for allowing me to educate, learn and grow alongside the wonderful students I have been able to meet and learn from.

Year 12 Visual Art

'Earthed'

This visual art piece created by Lily Barrington was in the form of a 47 second long digital video.

My IA3 work explores the forces of water and earth as the essence of all existence. I was focused on how these elements from Cunnamulla comfort me physically, spiritually and emotionally.

I used water I collected from Cunnamulla when I was home. From these in my IA2 I made my own watercolours and did aerial drawings of the Warrego River and the lower Darling Basin. For exploratory works in my IA3, I buried thick drawing paper in my front yard, in the Visual Art courtyard and in the garden at McAuley Boarding House. I also collected dirt from my front yard which I used in my video performance art.

In my art making, I investigated how the elements of my home in Cunnamulla provides comfort to me in times of aching, longing and yearning. Where I am grounded. Where I am Earthed.

Lily Barrington

2023 Athletics Carnival

The 2023 Athletics Carnival was held last Friday at O’Quinn Street Oval with McAuley House triumphing over last year’s winners, Xavier House, to finish on top in points and claiming the athletics trophy.

2023 Athletics Age Champions

Congratulations to the following Age Champions and runners up.

New Uniform Supplier

We have a new uniform supplier, School Locker, who will commence in Term 4 with first day of trade being Tuesday 3 October. (Please see flyer below for more information)

School Locker is advertising a customer service position at our uniform store and members of our College community are welcome to apply. Please click on the following link:

Subject Support

Students needing support in Maths and Science are welcome to come along to the following sessions:

From the Careers Centre

Defence Careers Australia - Toowoomba: Army Reserve Information Session. 6.00pm – 8.00pm on 29 August 2023

Add an exciting and rewarding extra dimension to your life by joining the Army Reserve. You'll be able to experience personal and professional growth in rewarding part-time roles that fit in with your current lifestyle and commitments.

To find out more about the roles on offer, join us for a local info session where you can speak with current serving members about their own experiences. It is highly recommended you book as soon as possible to avoid missing out as places are strictly limited. Location: Toowoomba ADF Careers Centre. Details and registration: Army - Toowoomba: Army Reserve Information Session (adfcareers.gov.au)

Open Days

iscd | Virtual Info Session (August 24, 2023). The interior design information sessions are a great way to explore the foundations of design and discover if a career in interior design is for you. Join from anywhere, ask questions in real-time.

What to expect at this free 60 min info session:

• Explore the basics of interior design and the many roles and pathways you can take.
• Discover the difference between interior design and interior decoration.
• Find your own personal style by exploring different interior design styles.
• Learn the 7 design principles that govern interior design.
• Explore colour and its role within interior design.
• Learn all about their courses and how you can become a qualified interior designer in just 2 years via our virtual classroom.
• Meet a current ISCD student and hear first-hand about their experience.

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

SBA and Traineeship Vacancies

Aurora: Years 10, 11 and 12 - Certificate III in Health Administration – Middle Ridge Family Practice

Middle Ridge Family Practice Is an accredited General Practice offering a broad range of general health services including preventative health and chronic disease management. They are currently seeking a student to come join their close-knit team and learn all the skills to be a medical receptionist. If this is something you are interested in, apply with the link:

https://form.jotform.com/202741177012041

Chris Grierson
Career Development Practitioner

McAuley House Boarding News

Spotlight on our Cunnamulla Girls!

We have 8 Cunnamulla girls in Boarding ... Holly, Ava, Bella, Felicity, Gemma Paige, Aleisha and Lily. Cunnamulla lies on the Warrego River and is approximately 750km west of Brisbane. Major industries of the area are cattle, sheep and goat farming, along with tourism and opal mining. The traditional owners of this land are the Kunja people and the original language is Gunya. Some fun things to do in Cunnamulla are to visit the Currawinya National Park, take a soak in the nearby hot springs or surf the town’s sand dunes. It takes about 2 hours for our Cunnamulla girls to fly into Toowoomba for school.

As well as the usual weekend sports, some of our girls went to the Brisbane Ekka. The show bag stand was a favourite. It was a lot of fun and a great experience. Thank you to Miss Kym for driving the bus and Miss Jasmine for coming along.

Friday sports carnival day was looked forward to with much anticipation and preparation. Our boarders rocked their house colours and themes and it was a great day.

Resilience Rockstar

Our resilience rockstar this month is Holly Anderson. Holly shows great resilience along with dedication to her schoolwork, kindness and respect. Congratulations Holly!

Nicole Booth
Boarding Manager

Libary News

Welcome

This term keeps moving along at a rapid pace. So much is happening in the coming weeks, coming off our Library and Information Week, more events just keep running!

Book Week is nearly here… is your costume ready?
Australian School Library Day 23 August

Libraries are made by people – students need school libraries.

Dress Up Day - Wednesday 23 August

Come dressed up with the theme “Read, Grow, Inspire” linked with a book character or author. Prizes are for up for grabs for various categories of costumes. We will also have drinks and a small amount of ice-cream/ lollies for sale so bring some money to support the Hummingbird House charity.

Gold Coin donation to support Indigenous Literacy.

Costumes are to be school-appropriate and sun safe.

There is no need to purchase a costume, we love costumes derived from what you already have in the closet at home. Any questions see Mrs King in the library!

We will also have a number of competitions running and activities available through the week.

Take a guess for the book that has been so well-read it has fallen to pieces. Can you identify the book?

We also have teachers and their shelfies – match the shelfie with the selfie.

Check out the different parts of Book Week and find out the winners of the short-listed books – these will be in our next newsletter too, along with pictures of the Book Quiz and dress-up.

Homeclass morning questions will be posed and Mercy Shield points for the houses can be won through the week.

TLs and their Importance in Schools

The role of the TL can have far-reaching implications in a school setting – as seen above the ability to roll out school-wide events that celebrate literature beyond the book and beyond the school library walls. Visit your library today and see what is happening.

New Books

A new batch of Manga has arrived and has been received most positively by our school community. Come and check them out and make further suggestions for future purchases. See our new books below.

Date Claimers:

August 19-25: Book Week – Read Grow Inspire

August 23: Book Week Quiz and Dress Up Day – gold coin donation

Andrea King
Teacher Librarian

Blood Drive 2023

Every drop counts. Can we count on you?

From 1 August to 31 October, St Saviour's College will be supporting Australian Red Cross Lifeblood’s annual QLD & NSW Schools Blood Drive and we’re encouraging all eligible members of our school community aged 18+ to roll up their sleeves and donate.   

Can we count you in?

Every week across our nation, Lifeblood needs to collect 33,000 donations to support patient healthcare needs.  Australia’s donors are lifesavers, they’re indispensable and inspirational. However, with winter colds and flu having an impact, many regular donors are feeling unwell and are unable to donate. That’s where people from St Saviour's College come in!  If you haven’t donated for a while or if you’ve never donated and are keen to give it a try – Lifeblood is counting on you to help fill the gaps.

By giving together, our College can make a difference.

Schools are at the heart of our communities, they bring people together, foster connection and support others when they need it most.  And this Blood Drive is the perfect opportunity for our school to do just that! 

To be eligible to donate you need to be aged 18+ and feeling healthy and well on the day of your donation.  You can check if you’re able to donate by taking the online Lifeblood Blood Eligibility Quiz.  Blood can be given every 12 weeks, while plasma can be given more often – helping even more people. 

And because this is a Blood Drive, hundreds of schools across Queensland and New South Wales will join together as we aim to give 1,000 donations, which have the potential to save up to 3,000 lives.

You can see our school’s donation tally at any time on the Blood Drive landing page.

It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3 to count yourself in.

So, whether you’ve been giving blood for decades or you’ve just started thinking about it, now is the perfect time to start, and it’s as easy as 1, 2, 3.

1. Join St Saviour’s College's Lifeblood Team
2. Register as a donor.
3. Book your life-giving donation.

You can learn more by visiting the Lifeblood website or if you need help please get in touch with Kerri Prentice: kerri.prentice@twb.catholic.edu.au or phone 4637 1600.

Remember, every drop counts - and we’d love to count you in!