SMC NEWS 2024 - Term 4, Week 1
Week Ahead
From the College Principal
Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome back to all of our students and families this week and we look forward to our slightly longer Term 4 being very productive for the community this year.
I am spending Term 4 Week 1 with my son, in Townsville. He has just had a major operation and needs some help navigating his meals, transport and study. Ms Sam Parle is Acting Principal in my absence and I know you will support her in this role.
I sincerely hope Week 1 of Term 4 has commenced well for all students. Being back in familiar surroundings and to the routines of attending school will be a relief for many families - and students. May Term 4 bring great success to every student, and may they reach their full potential.
Term 3 Interim Reports
Most importantly, if you have not had an opportunity to view your son's Interim Report on Sentral, please do so at your earliest convenience. These results, apart from being an important marker in assessing progress, are the final piece in the puzzle for the College's academic awards for 2024. I am happy to say that the reports are a strong reflection of the progress that your son is making this term and year. If you have any queries about the report, please do not hesitate to contact Mr Angela Harris, our Acting AP Curriculum.
Please be aware of the email sent in the last week of Term 3 about the reports. If, for any reason, you cannot access your son's report, please advise the office who will be able to assist.
Student Leaders for 2025
I have the great privilege in sharing with you the 2025 Student Leadership Team. Please see the table below. This is an outstanding group and speaking to each young man, they cannot wait to begin their work!
The students were presented on assembly in the last week of Term 3 and I’m looking forward to the community acknowledging their success at a more formal ceremony during Term 4.
There are 2 new prefect positions in 2025 - Sustainability (part of our current Strategic Plan for the College) and Justice (to align with the Touchstone). The community is now aware of the news, and we look forward to working with the new team during Term 4, Presentation Night and beyond.
Thank you Grounds Staff - Carnival of Flowers Success!
Thank you to Brendan Duerloo and grounds staff for the preparation of the College grounds for the Carnival of Flowers. Many of you will be aware that St Mary's College won the schools award and there was much interest from the community in the College over the holidays. Well done Brendan Duerloo, Dave Beauchamp and Wes Lasserre.
SMC App
New families may not be aware of the SMC App that parents, staff and students can download on IPhone or Android. The App provides all the latest news for the College and is a great source of information and results.
My Reflection this week
A Prayer for our Year 12 Students to Mary
We complete the year with the Liberating Education touchstone as a focus for the St Mary's community. We keep in our thoughts and prayers our Year 12 students who are finishing their learning journey - for 2024 at least! Senior students are now in the serious work of preparing for final exams.
Therefore, this is a critical time for our Year 12 students in preparation for ATAR exams and final assessments for certificates in the coming weeks. I would like to offer a prayer of support to our boys and ask for the intervention of St. Mary in the critical weeks in the preparation for exams.
I look forward to congratulating our students in the coming weeks as their final chapter at the College comes to an end.
Dear Mary,
Keep our Year 12 boys and staff in your care in the coming days in exams and final assessments.
Hail Mary full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
Live Jesus in our Hearts,
Forever.
Brendan Stewart
College Principal
principal@stmaryscollege.com
Deputy Principal
A busy start to the term has meant that we have had a range of reasons to celebrate this week. This week, we celebrated the College’s Birthday and the Generational Assembly, recognized the achievements of some of our First Nations boys, played a competitive T20 cricket match against a visiting New Zealand school and sent our U13, U15 and Open Touch teams off to All Schools. In one week, we have a representative snapshot of life at the College and the diversity that we enjoy here. Giving our boys a wide range of opportunities is a priority for the College, and it’s satisfying to see the results of these efforts.
Over one hundred current students were recognized for their generational connection to the College on Tuesday, but the boys whose families have five generations of connection are listed here. This remarkable achievement is a testament to the enduring heritage and strong bonds within our community. What an incredible milestone to celebrate.
- Ethan Gilbert-Johnston: Year 12
- Huey Geran: Year 9
- Sidney Geran: Year 7
- Archie Geran: Year 5
The Geran and Gilbert-Johnston families also share a significant history with the college with their ancestor Leslie Joseph Gilbert a first day student in 1899.
- Hayden Delaney: Year 11
Remarkably, Hayden is the 13th boy from both his maternal and paternal sides of his family to attend St Mary’s College. Our Old Boy and past Prime Minister, Frank Forde, is one of Hayden’s ancestors.
- Joseph Cullen: Year 12
- Xavier Cullen: Year 8
The Cullen boys make up 10 enrolled or past enrolled family members at St Mary’s College over the past 108 Years. Their family history with the College dates back to 1916, which is a testament to the family.
End of Year processes
Term 4 is only just beginning, but the next few weeks mark the beginning of the end for our Year 12 boys. Details regarding celebrations and end of year recognition will come via the Student Engagement Team in the near future. From an operational perspective, boys will need to consider the logistics of returning laptops, getting school materials back home, emptying lockers and ensuring that their College lock is returned to the office before departing.
Deputy Principal
parles@stmaryscollege.com
Identity
Welcome back to Term 4. How quickly the year has flown by. It hardly seems a year since we were welcoming our new Mission and Identity Leaders. I would like to pay a massive tribute to our outgoing M&I Leaders Nathan Ottobrino and Matthew Thom.
Nathan and Matt have done a wonderful job this year of organizing assembly prayer, leading social justice initiatives, and leading our Anzac Day liturgy, to name but a few. I look forward to welcoming our new Mission and Identity Leaders, Connor Leeson and Ben Moore.
I also look forward to welcoming two new leaders this year. Stephen Shindano is our inaugural Sustainability Leader and Jeramy Skeels is our new Justice Leader. These two new leaders will take charge of exciting new projects in the areas of Ecology and Social Justice.
Year 12 Leadership Induction Mass
The year 12 Induction Mass is on Tuesday 15th October. This begins at 8.45 in the Edmund Rice Cultural Centre.
This is the important rite of passage where our new Year 12s are formally inducted into their role as senior leaders in the college.
All of our new Year 12 cohort will receive their senior ties at this ceremony.
It is important that all new year 12 students have their full academic uniform, including a blazer, for this event.
Hike for Homeless
Hike for Homeless takes place again this year at Jubilee Park, East Toowoomba, on Saturday, October 19th. Last year, we had a team of staff and students take part for the first time. It’d be great to build on this in 2024 if we can. Families are more than welcome to enter as part of the St Mary’s Team.
https://www.mycause.com.au/events/hikeforhomeless
God Bless.
Kevin Murphy
Assistant Principal Identity
murphyk@stmaryscollege.com
Curriculum
Making the most of Term 4
Term 4 is a busy time for every area of our College, and there is excitement as we start this final part of the year. Our Year 12 boys have started to conclude a significant era in their lives. While the end is very close, it is not yet upon us, and the students still have important learning to do and assessments to complete. Often, maintaining focus can be difficult; however, there are simple steps that all students can take to help them and provide parents with an avenue to support:
- Assessment calendars are live on the Portal and provide an invaluable resource for knowing what is being assessed and when for each year level. Please encourage your son to write all relevant assessment dates in his diary.
- Organisation and planning help relieve stress at busy times. Once again, the diary can be used to plot out commitments (sporting, music, personal, etc) and then plan when homework and/or study will occur. Having these things written down (and even placed on the fridge) can prevent ‘I forgot’ moments.
- Seek help early. If your son is struggling with an assignment, or homework then encourage him to speak to his teacher, or if needed then please reach out yourself. Our teachers want all students to experience success and we have multiple support strategies that can be used.
If you have any questions or concerns about your son’s learning in any specific subject, then please contact their classroom teacher by phoning the College or emailing. If you have further questions about curriculum issues, then I encourage you to contact the relevant Curriculum Leader.
Assessment requirements
At St Mary’s College we are responsible for collecting evidence of student achievement on or before the due date for internal assessment items. It is an expectation of students that they adhere to deadlines. As per the Assessment Policy, extensions can only be obtained for extenuating circumstances and must be applied for in advance of the due date. Please communicate with teachers and curriculum leaders to ensure that we support students appropriately.
Angela Harris
Assistant Principal - Curriculum
harrisa@stmaryscollege.com
Student Engagement
It’s such a busy and exciting time of the year and a number of wonderful celebrations. The Year 11 boys – our incoming leaders – will transition to our College Leaders in a few weeks and we will see them around the college with their Senior ties. Presentation Night will be a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the success of our students. The end of Term 4 brings the departure of our Year 12 boys and then the graduation of our Year 6 boys to high school.
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:
Merit Trip is an acknowledgement of those students who have consistently demonstrated high standards in their role as an SMC student. The Merit Trip involves students having the chance to spend the day at a theme park.
There are two steps to be considered if your son is keen to attend the Merit Trip for 2024. The first step is to determine whether or not your son will be invited to attend. The criteria for boys to be invited to attend the Merit Trip is based on Semester 1 and Term 3 Data.
- All Good and Very Good for behaviour learning attributes.
- No Ns for any learning behaviours
- Attendance 90%
- No Suspensions
Boys will have a chance in Week 1 and 2 of this term to work out whether they are eligible and to register that with their Mentor Teacher. Once the lists have been confirmed, families of invited boys will be asked to purchase their son’s ticket to Merit Trip. Please keep an eye out for further information regarding this process as the term rolls on.
Year 12
Term 4 is upon us and it is a very busy term for all families, please note the information below.
Further detailed information regarding Week 7 will be directly sent to you. Please note the dates in your diaries and make plans to celebrate your son’s achievement and success.
Yr 12 Engagement
To ensure that the year ends positively for our class of 2024, their families and the supporting staff, it is important that Year 12’s model our standards by consistently meeting College expectations.
Please note the expectations around wearing the College uniform correctly and personal appearance are unchanged and can be accessed here. Students will be required to meet these expectations to fully participate in college activities.
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
Regards
Matt Draper
Assistant Principal - Student Engagement
draperm@stmaryscollege.com
Primary and Middle School Curriculum
Academic Awards
At the beginning of Term 4, we will be able to recognise and celebrate students' academic success and engagement at our High Achiever & Commitment to Learning afternoon teas. Students who have met the criteria based on their Term 3 Academic Reports have now received an invitation through email. Our criteria for the awards are below:
Awards Criteria
These events will occur on various dates throughout the first few weeks of term to ensure that the boys do not miss critical curriculum time.
We are looking forward to recognising and celebrating our student's dedication towards their students at these events.
Absences for Assessment or Exams
If you are planning an absence this term, please email paulis@stmaryscollege.com if your student is in Years 5-9 so that we can work with you to ensure that assessments and exams can be completed. This way, we can work with your family to ensure that all assessments are completed before departure and inform teachers so that we can plan appropriately for the absence, especially with practical subjects.
Shari Pauli
Director of 5-9 Curriculum
paulis@stmaryscollege.com
Head of Primary
Year 6 Retreat Day
On Friday 11th October during Periods 1-4, the Year 6 boys will participate in a transition to Secondary school retreat run by Mr Kevin Murphy. This day is a great opportunity for the boys to reflect on their journey so far as a cohort and to celebrate the successes they have seen individually and as a group. They will also reflect on how these successes can assist them in their transition into the Secondary school.
Friday Sport
Friday sport will be held in Weeks 4 – 7 in Term 4. The sports being conducted are:
- Mountain Biking (Year 6 students only)
- Touch football
- Chess
- Cricket T20 Blast
Sport will be held at school this week where teams will be announced, and training will occur from Weeks 1-3. Mountain biking will have a safety session without bikes this week, and chess boys will play chess in the library.
Primary Swimming
During Term 4, the Primary students will have swimming lessons at the Glennie School’s Aquatic Centre. Students of all skill levels can fully participate and benefit from this experience. Please note that this is a compulsory component of the academic curriculum. Students will change into their swimming gear at school before walking to Glennie for their lessons. They will change back into their uniform at school.
Relevant Dates:
Week 7 - Monday, 11th November, Tuesday, 12th November, Thursday, 14th November
Week 8 - Monday, 18th November, Tuesday, 19th November
Times:
Year 5B, 5G and 5/6M: 9.15 – 10.00am
Year 6B, 6W and 6G: 10.00 – 10.45am
Please remember:
Stephen Coren
Head of Primary
corens@stmaryscollege.com
Business Manager
Welcome to Term 4!
As we embark on the final term of the year, I would like to take this opportunity to remind all parents and guardians to review their current fee statements. Ensuring that all fees are finalised by the end of the term is crucial for the smooth operation of our school.
Finalising fees helps us plan our budget more effectively, ensuring we can continue to provide high-quality resources and support for our students. Please check your email for the latest statement sent by the school, or contact us if you have any questions or need assistance. We offer several payment options for your convenience, including by phone, bank transfer (details are available on your statement), and in-person payments at the school office during business hours.
If you need to reach us, please contact the school office. Our phone number is 07 4631 7333, and you can email us at accounts@stmaryscollege.com.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. Your cooperation ensures that we can continue to provide the best possible education for our students.
Warm regards,
Patrick Wilson
Business Manager
accounts@stmaryscollege.com
Community Updates
National Parent Survey The CSPA 2024 Parent Survey on Student Wellbeing and Learning is seeking your perspective as parents/carers of children who attend a Catholic School in Australia. More information about the study, how to participate click here.
St Edmund's College Presents - An Evening with Johnathan Thurston Click here to find out more