SMC NEWS 2024 - Term 2, Week 9
Week Ahead
From the College Principal
Dear Parents and Carers,
Year 12 Retreat
I would like to start by acknowledging our St Mary's College (SMC) staff who contributed to the Year 12 Retreat for 2024. I mentioned to the parents last Friday that the three days at Alexandra Headland was an incredible experience for all involved. Our Year 12 student group came together in a very tangible way and will be left with important memories to take with them in the journey ahead. I would especially like to thank Mr Kev Murphy, our AP Identity, and Ms Lucia Armstrong, his assistant, for the work behind the scenes in the lead-up to the event.
A big thank you also to our parents and carers who met the boys and staff on their return to the College last Friday evening - it was an important way to finish a special week.
125 Years Celebrations this week!
As you may be aware, there are a number of events this week that help us to celebrate our 125 Year anniversary at St Mary's College (1899 - 2024). If you are interested in attending any of these events, please contact Tyhla Roper at the College:
- Past and Present Staff Function - Royal Hotel 6pm this Friday night
- Old Boys V Students Basketball & Pie in a Bun Day - Clive Berghofer Arena 12pm Saturday
- Old Boys' Ball - ERCC 5.30pm Saturday evening
TCS Excellence Awards
A big congratulations to the following four SMC staff members who have been shortlisted for Toowoomba Catholic Schools (TCS) Excellence Awards this year. We wish them well in the Awards Night at Picnic Point on Thursday 25th July! Congratulations to:
- Tyhla Roper - Administration, Finance and Facilities Support
- Kerrie Connolly - Middle Leadership
- Shari Pauli - Middle Leadership
- Jake Weise - Emerging Leader
Our Safety Culture
We have placed new signage around the College to direct all visitors to the Administration area of the College (Brothers' House). As parents and carers, it would be very helpful to have your co-operation in this area. From administration, we will then be able to assist you.
Mr Brendan Stewart
Principal
Deputy Principal
Traffic Around the College
Given our location, traffic is always going to be a consideration around the College. In this situation, we wholeheartedly place student safety above convenience for parents and carers. While we understand that there is frustration around the traffic, the time and the busy-ness of drop-off and pick-up, our first priority is the safety of the boys.
Please remember the following guidelines:
- Follow speed restrictions in school zones
- Drive with caution – you never know what is ahead
- Drop-off and pick-up in designated zones only
- Avoid using bus zones
- Keep space around the crossings
Some of the solutions that you could explore are:
- Consider the timing of your school run, if you can. A few minutes can make a big difference.
- Dropping off at the Stadium or in Herries Street and boys walking across the Oval.
- Using the College bus service, or other town buses where available.
- Dropping your son off with some friends at a location away from the school so that they can walk to school together.
- For older boys, have them walk to you at a pick-up space away from school traffic.
This is also an area where parents can be visible role models to all of the boys – yours and those that attend the College. When you break the law, prioritise your time over safety, or treat others without care, your boys are learning from you. Please work with us to ensure that our boys are receiving the best possible messages at all times.
SMC App
Please download and log in to the SMC App – this is a great resource for families. From here you can easily register your son’s absence, check the College calendar, and receive communications. So much easier to find everything in one place! Concerning absences, please be aware that you can log your son’s absence ahead of time if events are coming up in your family life that will mean that he will be away from school.
Mrs Samantha Parle
Deputy Principal
parles@stmaryscollege.com
Identity
"What would it mean to build a society in which every person is treated as an image of the Divine?" - Rabbi Sharon Brous
I came across this quote a few weeks back which had me thinking about how we see each other.
Rabbi Sharon Brous is a Jewish writer. It’s important to remember that the common root of Judaism and Christianity means that we share a common worldview: all human beings are created in the image and likeness of God.
This means that we all have something of the divine in us. The word spirit- that intangible part of us which makes us who we are - is derived from the Greek word for “breath”. The breath of God we read about in Genesis.
Anyway, this was on my mind as we moved into the Year 12 retreat last week. A formative three days at the coast for our boys and staff. One of the activities was to look at each other, identify each other’s positive qualities, and then articulate them.
It’s powerful, and in some ways quite confronting, for us to hear the good that others see in us. When we look in the mirror, we often hone in on our faults. It is affirming and life-giving to know that other people see the best parts of us more clearly than we do. The eye of the other is more attuned to the divine part of us.
When I was at school, I had to learn the poetry of Robert Burns. In one of his poems, he wrote about how wonderful it would be to be able to see ourselves as others see us. That’s not quite the same sentiment as Rabbi Sharon’s above but it’s close.
If we can see the divine in ourselves, we may be kinder to ourselves. If we are kinder to ourselves, we may treat others in the same way. If we can do that, we can create an inclusive community where all are welcome and all belong.
I hope you all have a restful holiday, and I look forward to Term 3.
Mr Kevin Murphy
Assistant Principal Identity
murphyk@stmaryscollege.com
Curriculum
Assessment Period
The end of the semester is fast approaching, and the student assessment schedule is starting to peak. Students must continue to apply themselves fully to their classwork and assessments to achieve their very best.
Students are reminded that drafts are their best possible response to a topic. Drafting forms an integral part of the assignment process. At this time of year, when the push and pull of exams versus assignments occurs, students tend to favour examination preparation over assignment preparation, saving everything up for the final copy. Planning is important, doing a little bit on each subject each night, is far more advantageous than cramming at the end.
It is important to consider how much time is being prioritised each week for homework or assignment preparation. The Queensland Government has set out guidelines for homework, including the amount of time students should spend on homework each week. The policy briefly outlines the following:
- Primary School: 2 – 3 hours per week
- Middle School: 4 – 7 hours per week (depending on the nature of the assessment)
- Senior School: 10 – 15 hours per week (depending on the nature of the assessment)
The length of time a student may spend on homework will, understandably, differ depending on:
- The student’s ability in a particular subject area.
- The nature of the assessment task – research subjects, for instance, may require more ongoing commitment but fewer examinations.
- The level of commitment a student has to their learning.
- The extent to which work has, or has not been, completed in class.
The students are provided with assignment time during their classes; however, depending on the task's conditions, responses are required to be completed away from the classroom.
Academic Awards Assembly
The College will celebrate our students' 2024 Semester One academic results in Term 3 at our Academic Awards Assembly. Report cards for this semester will be available on Sentral on the afternoon of Friday, June 21. Following the release of academic reports, all students will receive their M-Score report outlining award eligibility for both Term 1 and Semester One academic awards.
Mrs Jade Love
Assistant Principal - Curriculum
lovej@stmaryscollege.com
Primary and Middle School Curriculum
Celebrating Academic Excellence
As we wrap up Term Two, I’m excited to share some upcoming events that applaud the remarkable academic strides our students made last semester.
In Term 3, we’re looking forward to our Academic Awards Ceremony, High Achiever Morning Tea, and Commitment to Learning Awards.
Academic Award Ceremony
In Week 5 of Term 3, we’ll host the Semester One Academic Award Ceremony. This special event brings our school community together to acknowledge and celebrate our students’ impressive academic progress. It’s a chance for us to applaud their hard work, commitment, and development over the semester.
During the ceremony, we’ll present the esteemed Bronze, Silver, and Gold Academic Awards. It’s worth mentioning that students who earn an Academic Award in both Semesters One and Two within a year also receive an academic badge at our Semester Two Academic Awards, held in Term 1 the following year. It’s always a joy to see many of our students wearing their academic badges on their uniforms, a symbol of their exceptional dedication, top-notch grades, and true love for learning.
Commitment to Learning Award Criteria:
Throughout Term 3, our Commitment to Learning and High Achievers Awards will honour students who show dedication and outstanding academic performance. These students will be celebrated on the front lawn of the Brothers' House with a cake for the Commitment to Learning awardees and an afternoon tea for the High Achievers award recipients.
Mrs Shari Pauli
Primary and Middle School Curriculum
paulis@stmaryscollege.com
Student Engagement
Parent Engagement Night - The HopeFull Institute on Thursday 11th July
St Mary’s College is excited to have secured an evening with Glen Gerreyn, key speaker for The HopeFull Institute.
Over the past twenty years, Director and Co-Founder Mr Glen Gerreyn has shared his message of hope with over a million people around the world: engaging with students, parents, teachers, employees, sporting groups, and community leaders. Glen has been invited to speak at events and on national TV and radio. Glen has authored five books and created the “Men of Honour” character development course.
Don’t miss out on this inspiring night with Glen, book through this Trybooking link for the Parent Engagement Night: https://www.trybooking.com/CSMJM
Glen will also be presenting to our Year 9, 10 and 11 students on Thursday 11th July. Year 9 and 10 boys will be inspired by the “Hope Express” session and our Year 11 boys will be experienced “The Leadership Effect”.
These sessions complement St Mary’s College’s positive psychology and well-being programs by highlighting and clearly explaining key concepts such as grit, emotional intelligence, strengths, optimism, empathy, courage, and hope.
School TV – Youth Anxiety
Explore SchoolTV today at the following link: Home Page SchoolTV | St Mary's College - Toowoomba
“Untreated anxiety disorders in children can lead to more serious issues in adulthood. Parents need to educate themselves so they can identify the symptoms early.” - Dr Michael Carr-Gregg
This award-winning resource helps families build relationships, foster connections, enable understanding, and break down barriers to navigate a pathway toward better mental health and well-being for young people.
It will assist you in starting those conversations on topics that can sometimes be awkward or difficult to tackle. Parents and caregivers are the greatest influence on a young person's life and SchoolTV focuses on empowering confident parenting.
Uniform Change - Accessories
Beanie and Scarf
All students are permitted to wear a plain navy blue beanie or scarf with their academic or sports uniform during the Winter months. There should be no print or markings on these items. These items should be named, preferably embroidered.
Haircuts
Parents can you kindly ensure that your son returns to the College at the start of Term 3 with haircuts that meet our policy.
Student hairstyles are to be business-like and conservative. Specifically, haircuts should meet the following criteria:
- Clean, neat, and tidy in appearance.
- Student’s natural colouring only.
- Short enough that it does not touch the collar at the back, fall over the eyebrows at the front, or longer than halfway down the ear on the sides.
- Graduated in changes between lengths so that there is no great change from one length to another.
- Cut no shorter than a number two blade on the top of the head, but can be faded to a one blade at the neck.
For more information please refer to this link: uniform_policy_-_jan_2024.pdf
Have a wonderful break with your family and we look forward to welcoming your son back to St Mary's College in the new term.
Mr Matt Draper
Assistant Principal - Student Engagement
draperm@stmaryscollege.com
Business Manager
Navigating School Fees at St Mary's College
Dear Parents and Caregivers
I hope this message finds you well. The end of term is just around the corner, bringing cooler weather and a reminder that we’re almost at the halfway point of the year.
The June statements will be sent this week, please note that the 2024 Term 2 fees should now be paid unless you have a payment plan in place.
If you are on a payment plan, your account is zero or in credit there is no action required, though would ask you to check transactions on your statement to ensure everything is correct.
As always, if you have any queries or concerns, please contact our friendly accounts team.
Patrick Wilson
Business Manager
accounts@stmaryscollege.com
