SMC NEWS 2024 - Term 3, Week 7

Week Ahead

From the College Principal

Dear Parents and Carers, 

Thank you for your continuing support in a very busy time of the school year.

Firstly

Thank you to those parents and carers who have nominated to speak at the Week 8 school review SRIP.  We are searching for a few more volunteers to provide feedback.  Please send an email to principal@stmaryscollege.com if you are interested.

Our Learning Culture - NAPLAN news 

We have completed a "deep dive" into the NAPLAN data and I have a few reflections to share with you.  Remember, this year, our improvement target was Writing.  We are currently implementing PLD as part of the Diocesan Approach to Reading in Primary and SDL (Subject Discipline Literacies) in Secondary and will continue with these projects into 2025.  I want to thank Shari Pauli, Jade Love and all teachers for their work in 2024 NAPLAN. 

Overall, there were a number of individuals who were very successful.  Also, Writing Growth is a success to celebrate because it was the target area for the College this year and our teachers are using strategies to improve this area.  We will continue our work in Boys' Literacy for the time being through 2024 and 2025.

Our Year 7 group have performed well academically at the College this year.  However, this was not reflected in their beginning of year NAPLAN results overall.  However, a number of student in Year 7 continue to excel and we are looking forward to continue working with them.

As always, we are taking a student-centred approach to our learning and we will recognise NAPLAN top performers on assembly soon.

Our Learning Culture - EduTech

Last week, I had the privilege of visiting EduTech conference in Melbourne on Tuesday and Wednesday.  I would like to share a few reflections with you, and I will speak directly to the IT Committee before the end of term.

• Firstly (not surprisingly), AI is a major influence on Education now in almost every way you could imagine.  Most platforms now are already using or investigating how they can use AI in their work.  We can see snippets already at SMC in Microsoft Co-pilot.
• There is a very big responsibility on cost V benefit for all organisations, including schools.   IT is our biggest capital cost each year and it is important that any further investment shows the benefits required for learning.  There is still a space for paper-based technology (!), especially in reading.
• Canvas was a presenter at EduTech.  After 4 years, I am still unsure whether Canvas can deliver what parents and carers are looking for and need to be engaged in their sons' progress.  Progressive Reporting is common in most non-government schools across Australia, but it is very difficult in Canvas.  I will work with TCS on possible solutions, including investigating other platforms. 

The Arts

Last Friday, 32 boys from the Primary School travelled to Villanova with Benn, Cherie, and Joe.  The ensembles of Year 6 Singer/Dunne’s Voices and Momentum competed, and they both achieved Silver Awards in their sections.

On Saturday it was the Senior Ensembles turn and 44 boys travelled to Brisbane.  Two Year 6 boys, Aiden Turner and Owen Turner-Weise, attended the primary ensembles and also performed with the senior ensembles. Benn, Cherie, Joe, and Darcy were all with the boys.  I am very proud to let you know their achievements:

• Vibratones – Bronze Award
• Drumatic – Silver Award
• Contemporary Band – Gold Award, (Sam Bailey received the ‘Award of Excellence’ for his performance.
• Concert Band – Gold Award
• Show Band – Gold Award (they competed in a second section; however, they had to leave before the adjudication. Benn believes they were likely to receive another Gold).

This would be our most successful year at QCMF.

Thank you also, and congratulations to Eylece Blaikie, who has led SMC's work in Queensland Theatre's The Scene Project.  Queensland Theatre recently shared a social media post showcasing our Year 10 Drama students! The students in the photo were Ben Otto, Lachlan Wallace, and Charlie Stiller. Others on stage you can't really see are Ben Wightman, Noah Pomfrett, and Uri Meneses. The 4 Year 9 students who also participated were Hunter Sweet, Max Allen, Will Pillar and Zeke Drew.  Well done to all involved.

 Looking Back

• Congratulations to new teaching staff member Chris Parker for his coaching of our winning SMC Softball team.  Well done Chris and team!  Some of you would be aware our Year 11 student Michael Pfingst is an outstanding state and national level Softballer. 
• Thank you to everyone involved in Year 11 Camp last week.  The feedback was amazing, given the conditions. Very grateful to our very positive staff and students on the trip.

Looking Ahead

• We have an important Open Evening this Thursday afternoon beginning at 3.30pm focusing on Sports and Cultural work.  We are expecting about 150 visitors this week to the College. 
• Multicultural Week begins this week and thank you to Simon McKeiver for his work in this space.  In our Inclusive Community, it is wonderful to celebrate our boys from a range of different cultures and our diversity is our strength at SMC.

Brendan Stewart 
College Principal 
principal@stmaryscollege.com

Deputy Principal

Generation Gap?

At our Staff Meeting last week, we heard from Dr Caroline Blackley, who spoke to us about the influence that generations can have. She flagged with us that the workforce currently contains five different generations – astounding! This prompted some interesting conversations amongst the staff about our own generation and our observations of others. The days when young people blindly followed instructions have been replaced by an expectation that young people should ask questions, be curious and be critical thinkers. As parents, you don’t want your son to be a blind follower but someone who thinks for himself. That means that as a young boy, he needs to be able to practice those critical thinking skills, question his peers and his teachers appropriately and make decisions with confidence. A tall order!

As I have shared in the past, I highly recommend the work of the McCrindle Institute if you are interested in understanding our generational differences more thoroughly. www.mccrindle.com.au

Keep us up to date!

Parents and families are reminded that it is vital that your contact details are accurate and updated when necessary. If you move house, change phone numbers or have other changes to your life or household, it is important that these changes are reflected in the systems we keep here at the College. This information can influence how quickly we can make contact with families should your son need you and can determine who is able to collect your son from school and/or school events.

There are two ways to make changes to your details –

• Via the App

In the App there is a link to the Sentral Parent Portal. Once signed in here, you can use the menu to review your details and make changes if necessary.  A change of phone number or address can be done here very easily.

• Via College Email

If the change is more complicated, you can send an email to reception@stmaryscollege.com and this will be passed on to our administration staff for processing.

If the matter is confidential, or requires some support for your son, the best point of contact is his Mentor Teacher or House Leader.

Student Absences

If your son is not going to be attending school, the most effective way to let us know about that is to note his absence in the SENTRAL PARENT PORTAL. Here, you can log his absence and provide a reason which then moves directly to his attendance. This system ensures accurate and timely communication with the Sentral system and is the preferred method for absence notifications.

If you are having difficulties accessing the Sentral Portal as a parent, please call the College Reception and we can assist you.

Emailing and leaving a message on the College phone are alternative options if the Sentral Portal is not available. Thank you for your support in this.

Samantha Parle
Deputy Principal
parles@stmaryscollege.com

Identity

Multicultural Week and Inclusion  

As you read this, we will be coming to the end of St Mary’s College multicultural week. Celebrating the diversity of our cultures at the college is a key part of ensuring everyone feels welcome and that everyone belongs, no matter their background.

As an immigrant myself, I have always felt welcomed by our community, and as the world becomes ever smaller it is important to be proactive, radical even, in our welcome and inclusion.

Creating an inclusive community is a key part of our identity and one of our four touchstones. These touchstones do not exist in isolation from each other, rather they are connected and underpinned by each other.

We are inspired to inclusion by the example of Jesus in the Gospels, we work through a sense of justice and solidarity, and we are liberated by this. Dialogue and encounters are a key part of our work, and these conversations with each other are what open the world to our boys.

Please encourage your sons to talk with you about how we create an inclusive community at St Mary’s and the benefits this brings us all.

Kevin Murphy
Assistant Principal Identity
murphyk@stmaryscollege.com

Curriculum

Academic Reports

Students in Years 5- 11 will receive an Academic Report card this term, which will be available on Sentral on the afternoon of Friday, 13 September. Academic reports provide an opportunity for students to reflect on their grades and learning attributes. Following the release of academic reports, all students will receive their M-Score report, which collates their academic progress from both Semester 1 and Term 3. 

 Assessment Guidelines and Use of Artificial Intelligence  

As we approach this point in the term, I’d like to draw your attention to some assessment matters. 

1. Assessment Guidelines: Please take a moment to review our  Assessment Guidelines  for detailed information about assessment processes. You can find it here: Assessment Guidelines 

2. Responsible Use of AI:  We have recently discussed the use of artificial intelligence (AI) across all year levels. It’s essential that we maintain academic integrity and ethical practices. Year 10, 11 and 12 students have also completed the QCAA Academic Integrity course, which specifically addresses the appropriate and inappropriate use of AI. 

3. Implications of Misuse:  Our handbook outlines the implications of misusing AI tools. Let’s continue to uphold our commitment to integrity and responsible behaviour. 

If you have any questions or need further clarification, feel free to contact me. 

 Jade Love 
Assistant Principal - Curriculum 
lovej@stmaryscollege.com 

Student Engagement

Leadership Selection Process for 2025 

The Leadership Selection Process for 2025 is underway, and applications for leadership have been submitted.

The next phase of the process is Identification.

Students identified as making the shortlist this week will be notified to prepare a speech on Assembly next week.

Bullying - No Way - Choose Respect 

Last week our Director of Wellbeing Mrs. Connolly and Counsellor Mrs. O’Sullivan developed a series of activities that were set aside for Year level assemblies and mentor. The common goal of the week is that all feel welcome at St Mary’s - bullying has no place here.

Yr 12 Engagement

The data used to make decisions on attendance at events below marked with * require a minimum of 90% attendance and is based on Term 3 attendance and Weeks 1 and 2 attendance of Term 4.

When calculating attendance, the following do not count as absences:

• Approved Educational Absences

• Medical Absence

However, the following do count as an absence in the calculation:

• Unexplained - absent
• Parent-Approved Absence
• Late to class / Truant from class.

The College looks forward to the following privileged and/or celebratory events with our Year 12 students:

• Monday 2 September - Friday 6 September: Mock Exam Block Privileges
• Monday 14 October - Friday 18 October: SWOTVAC
• Monday 21 October - Tuesday 12 November: External Exams
• Tuesday 12 November - Graduation Assembly and Clap Out* 
• Wednesday 13 November - Graduation Mass and Valedictory Dinner*           

Please note events marked with * require a minimum of 90% attendance

Merit Trip - Reminder 

Every year, St Mary’s College acknowledges the positive efforts and exemplary behaviour displayed by students and invites them to attend a Merit Trip with students who have met the following criteria:

Semester 1 and Term 3 Data will be used to determine attendance on end of year Merit Trip

Criteria

• All Good and Very Good for behaviour learning attributes
• No Ns for any learning behaviours
• Attendance 90%
• No Suspensions  

With this week being Multicultural Week at St Mary’s our SchoolTV special edition this week is  Cultural Diversity | St Mary's College - Toowoomba (schooltv.me)

Matt Draper
Assistant Principal - Student Engagement
draperm@stmaryscollege.com 

Primary and Middle School Curriculum

Primary Book Week Parade

Our students recently participated in the highly anticipated Primary Book Week Parade. The energy of our Year 5 & 6 boys was palpable as they showcased a vibrant array of characters, reflecting not just their creative costumes but also their passion for literature.

Book Week Lunchtime Activities 

Throughout Book Week, our boys eagerly engaged in a variety of lunchtime activities held in the Library. From book-related trivia contests to creative writing workshops with a guest author, the school was abuzz with excitement, reinforcing the joy and educational value of reading.

Author Visit

A heartfelt thank you to our wonderful Teacher Librarian, Ms. Sienna Anning, for organizing a visit from renowned author James Phelan. He worked with cohorts of students on their creative and narrative writing, providing an excellent opportunity for the boys to delve into the writing process and enhance their individual creative skills.

NAPLAN High Achievers

During Tuesday’s assembly, we celebrated the boys who achieved outstanding results in the 2024 NAPLAN. While our entire school performed admirably, we took special time to congratulate those who demonstrated exceptional dedication and focus. Students who received exceeding results in three or more NAPLAN domains—Reading, Writing, Grammar and Punctuation, Spelling, and Numeracy—received recognition during the assembly.

Shari Pauli
Director of 5-9 Curriculum
paulis@stmaryscollege.com 

Head of Primary

Lateness/Absentees

There has been a huge improvement in the punctuality of many Primary boys in the morning.

There is one bus that is consistently late; however, the boys sign in quickly and move to Mentor as quickly as possible.

Well done, boys, and keep it up! Did you know:

Illness has led to numerous students being absent this term. Other students have had other commitments which has kept them from school.

It is important to balance these commitments as they can affect the student’s academic progress. When students are absent, it is important that they check Canvas and/or contact their teacher so they can catch up on any missed work. Did you also know:

Lunches

In recent weeks, I have noted the quality of the lunches that many parents provide their sons – a real difference to the vegemite sandwich and apple I ate each day! A number of the boys even pack their own lunches which is a great life skill to establish.

As a parent, I know that school lunches can be a tedious task, however, a healthy lunch can really set your son up for the day in school. Some students are eating lollies, packets of biscuits or chips when they arrive at school. This will not assist with their learning.

If you would like information on Smart Choices and healthy eating, please visit https://education.qld.gov.au/students/studenthealth-safety-wellbeing/student-health/smartchoices.

Primary Futsal

St Mary’s are pleased to announce that training sessions will be available at the SMC Old Boys Stadium for the remainder of Term 3. These sessions will be led by Mr. Mirko Crociati from Thunder Football, with support from Mr. Dave Nugent.

Training days are Monday and Thursday, 6:45 AM - 8:00 AM.

This training is open to all primary boys interested in enhancing their skills. Participants are required to wear their sports uniform. Futsal shoes and shin pads are preferred.

Stephen Coren
Head of Primary
corens@stmaryscollege.com

Business Manager

Dear Parents and Carers, 

As we welcome the arrival of spring, it’s hard to believe that Term 3 is already more than halfway through. We hope this season brings renewed energy and enthusiasm to our school community.

August Statements and Overdue Fees

August statements have been sent out. If you have not received your statement, please contact our accounts team at 07 4631 7333 (Option 3) or via email at accounts@stmaryscollege.com. Additionally, reminders for overdue Term 3 fees have been issued. If you haven’t responded yet, please do so by the end of this week.

Upcoming Sporting Camps

We have a couple of sporting camps coming at end of Term 3 and start of Term 4. It is a requirement that your account under control for your son to participate. Our accounts team will reach out to discuss eligibility if there are any concerns.

Support from the Accounts Team

We understand that families may face financial challenges. Our accounts team is here to assist you in any way possible. Early communication is key, so please reach out to us if you need support. We are committed to finding solutions to help manage your school fees.

For more information on fees, please visit our website here.

Patrick Wilson
Business Manager
accounts@stmaryscollege.com