SMC NEWS 2025 - Term 1, Week 5

Week Ahead

From the College Principal

Dear Parents and Carers,

Thanks again for your support in a very active fortnight at the College.  The last 2 weeks have featured our awards to outstanding academic achievers from late 2024 and the start of our camp and retreat program for the year.  It was wonderful to see so many parents at our recent Academic Awards ceremony at Assembly last week.

Firstly - The Bonyi Bonyi Room

Many of you would be aware of our large gathering space at the College next to the Art Rooms and near the Library.  We use this room currently for year level meetings, sports activities and parent gatherings.

Last week, I received written permission from Dr Pat Coughlan (Executive Director, Toowoomba Catholic Schools) to pursue a name change to “Bonyi Bonyi” for this room.  At this point, I would like to invite any replies from the College community to provide feedback on this change and consult with other groups in the community as to the appropriateness of the change.

I've been advised that Bonyi Bonyi has special significance for our local First Nations community and is appropriate for a gathering space in a school.  Additionally, given Edmund Rice Education Australia's (EREA) interest in pursuing and deepening our relationship with our First Nations community, I believe that the change is appropriate and necessary.

If you wish to contribute please reply by email to principal@stmaryscollege.com this week.  I would like to finalise the change by the end of Term 1 2025 if possible. 

2026 Enrolments

I’m pleased to advise that we are in the middle of our main 2026 enrolments campaign at the College.  Enrolments for all 2026 year levels close Easter 2025.  It is possible that limited spaces will still be available after this time, but it cannot be guaranteed.  Interest in the College for next year has been very strong!

Our First Open Day for the year is on Thursday 6 March with a focus on Aerospace and STEM - All welcome!

Camp and Retreat Program

With our Year 7 camp beginning on Wednesday this week, I thought it was an appropriate time to share the ideas behind this co-ordinated learning program at the College.  The St Mary's College camps and retreats are among the most significant experiences encountered by our students.  Retreats are SMC experiences that give students opportunity to reflect on their own faith journey, within a supportive environment.

Year 5 - Once a Brother, Always a Brother

The focus of this retreat is on building relationships; the life of Edmund Rice, his charism and the spirituality of a St Mary’s College boy. This experience introduces the students to prayer, reflection, ritual and tradition.

Year 6 – How Can I Be a St Mary’s College Hero?

This retreat follows on from Year 5, but moves on to the life and work of both Jesus Christ and Edmund Rice, and how they might inspire our Year 6 students to act and advocate for peace and justice with each other and within our College community. Students reflect on their primary education and use those reflections and learn from others so they can make decisions that make a positive difference to their own lives and the lives of others particularly in their role as leaders of the St Mary’s College Primary School.

Year 7 – Who Am I Now?

Year 7 is a sacred time of new beginnings. It challenges the boys to welcome new people into their journey and to open their eyes to new and different possibilities as they start their high school journey.

Year 8 – “From Little Things, Big Things Grow”

The focus of this retreat is on making the step into responsibility. This retreat will aim to help students become aware of the sacred nature of their story and that of their friends. From this, they will consider what part faith plays in the story of their lives.

Year 9 – Step Up

This retreat will aim to help students grow in their self-awareness, the presence of God, their personal gifts and their ability to make sense of and create their own mark in the world. The retreat hopes to assist them to form positive and life-giving relationships with significant role models in their lives. Boys will learn to discover the “face of Jesus” in different aspects of their lives.

Year 10 – Inspire Through Impact

Using Jesus as an example, we explore the lasting and powerful impact and influence we can have on those around us by doing some small everyday actions. Each boy re-examines themselves and their actions through the lens of some Gospel messages. Students will look at the concept of identity and especially so in the challenge of the Gospel to act justly, to love unconditionally and to serve others.

Year 11 – Leadership Retreat

This retreat aims to strengthen the relationships within the group in preparation for their final year of schooling. This retreat also aims to develop leadership skills within the students and to inspire them to lead the student community with courage and to lead by example, in the spirit of Jesus Christ and Edmund Rice.

Year 12 – Emmaus – When May I See Jesus?

This retreat is a key part of our Retreat Program. It is a voluntary retreat and takes place in the students’ Senior Year. The retreat is essentially experiential and based upon story-telling. Participants on this retreat report it to be among the highlights of their lives.

A Reflection

Many of you would be following the health battles befalling Pope Francis at the present time.  It made me consider my own health and reflect on how my friends and family "are" right now.

Please join me in this healing prayer for healing of our loved ones:

Dear Lord,

You invite all who are burdened to come to you. 

Allow Your healing Hand to heal me. 

Touch my soul with Your compassion for others; 

touch my heart with Your courage and infinite Love for all; 

touch my mind with Your Wisdom, 

and may my mouth always proclaim Your praise. 

Teach me to reach out to You in all my needs, 

and help me to lead others to You by my example.

Most loving Heart of Jesus, bring me health in body and spirit 

that I may serve You with all my strength. 

Touch gently this life which you have created, 

now and forever..

Live Jesus in Our Hearts, Forever.

Amen

Adapted From < https://laycistercians.com/catholic-prayer-healing-sick/>

Sincerely

Brendan Stewart 
College Principal 
principal@stmaryscollege.com

Deputy Principal

This week, the Word of the Week at Assembly was ‘uncomfortable’. While we generally prefer to live comfortable lives, we need those things that make us uncomfortable in order to grow and develop. Sometimes, those experiences are a part of life, and sometimes we need to look for the opportunity. Like eating your vegetables, it’s good for you! In Assembly this week, I spoke about my involvement in the upcoming fundraising and awareness initiative from Protea Place. With many others, I will be sleeping in my car on the night of March 4^th as an act of solidarity for the many women who experience or are at risk of homelessness. I certainly expect that I will be uncomfortable that night, and the next day. Please see the information below regarding Protea Place and the Pink Wheels Sleep Out, as well as a link to my fundraising page.

https://4pinkwheels.com.au/page/Samantha-94303006

Homelessness is a harsh reality for too many women in our region, with over 500 vulnerable women in Toowoomba, the Darling Downs, and the Southern Downs regions estimated to be without a safe and stable place to call home.

These women–mothers, daughters, sisters, and grandmothers–are part of the “hidden homeless,” often forced to live in cars, couch surf, or endure unsafe situations. For many, these hardships are invisible to the public eye, but their struggles are deeply real.

In 2025, we’re bringing our community together again for 4 Pink Wheels, a life-changing event that empowers Toowoomba to take action. This year’s goal is bold but achievable: raising $200,000 to help Protea Place secure a permanent property, providing women with the stability, safety, and dignity they deserve. Every participant, and every dollar raised will make a generational impact, creating brighter futures for women in need.

By joining us, you’re standing with Protea Place and driving meaningful change in our community. Together, we can build hope, restore dignity, and deliver safety for the women who need it most. Will you take the wheel for change?

Parent Access to the Office

If you need to attend the College Office, please note the following –

• Parking is provided off West St for parents attending meetings or collecting students
• The large roller gate that opens onto Margaret St is now closed at 8:30 each morning. This change has been made to improve the safety of the playground and to limit risks around the movement of vehicles and boys.
• If parents park on Margaret Street or Hill Street, it would be preferable if parents walked around to the West St gates to approach the Brothers’ House from that direction. Adults on College grounds during the school day, who are not employees of the College, represent a security and safety risk and may trigger a lock-down event.

Student Attendance and Illness

From a holistic perspective, the College would like to see all students with a 95% attendance rate, and we hope that this is something that all families aim for. However, the reality of life is that your sons will pick up any number of illnesses during their schooling years. In this space, it is important to strike a balance between prioritizing attendance and prioritizing community health and wellbeing. In particular, there are government guidelines that come into play if your son is diagnosed with whooping cough, RSV or Covid-19.

Whooping Cough

It is recommended that students stay at home until they have had five days of antibiotics. As this illness is most contagious in the early days, families are asked to be aware of the symptoms in order to achieve a quick diagnosis.

More information available at Whooping cough (pertussis) | Health and wellbeing | Queensland Government (www.qld.gov.au)

RSV

More information available at Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) | Communicable disease control guidance (health.qld.gov.au)

Covid-19

Recommend that students stay home until

• acute respiratory symptoms have eased
• at least 24 hours since fever
• at least five days has passed since onset or testing positive

More information available at First steps if you have COVID-19 | Health and wellbeing | Queensland Government (www.qld.gov.au)

All of these illnesses can have significant repercussions for the young, the aged and those with underlying health conditions.

In general, please encourage your son to practice these behaviours –

• Cough or sneeze into the elbow
• Wash hands regularly, and for several minutes
• Wear a mask if symptomatic and around other people

Families are asked to keep sick children at home as per the guidelines above, and we appreciate your efforts to ensure that the vulnerable in our community are protected as much as is possible.

Samantha Parle
Deputy Principal
parles@stmaryscollege.com

Curriculum

Semester 2 2024 Academic Awards Assembly 

Last Tuesday, 18th February, the College acknowledged the outstanding academic achievements of a large group of boys. Students were awarded with either a Gold, Silver or Bronze award based on the following criteria: 

Bronze Award: M-Score greater than 80 

Silver Award: M-Score greater than 85 

Gold Award: M-Score greater than 90 

The Mary’s Score (M-Score) is calculated for all students based on their average results across all of their subjects. Students would have received these via email at the end of last year. Any student or parent that has queries about the M-Score is encouraged to contact the College.  

Below is the list of students who received awards based on their results in Semester Two 2024. Congratulations to all of these students on your fantastic efforts. 

Angela Harris
Assistant Principal - Curriculum 
harrisa@stmaryscollege.com 

Student Engagement

Parent Evening - Momentum Mental Health with Shirley-Ann Gardiner

St Mary's College invites you to attend our Parent Information Evening with Shirley-Ann Gardiner.

Momentum Mental Health is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to transforming the mental health and wellbeing of the community. Their purpose is to make mental health and wellbeing accessible to everyone, every day, focusing on prevention and innovative, contemporary support programs.

Shirley-Anne was awarded the Australia Day Citizen of the Year Award in Toowoomba for her work with vulnerable communities.

The presentation will cover three topics:
1. Improving your wellbeing (The “5 Ways to Wellbeing”)
2. Setting healthy boundaries
3. How to have a difficult conversation with someone in distress

Date: Monday 10th March 2025
Time: 5.45pm - 7.00pm
Venue: Edmund Rice Cultural Centre, Hill Street, Toowoomba

Light refreshments will be served, and drinks will be available for purchase for a donation to the Waterford Fund.

For catering purposes, please RSVP using this Trybooking link: https://www.trybooking.com/CYZPG

I encourage all parents to take full advantage of cutting edge resources and speakers in our School TV section of St Mary’s Website. This weeks focus is   The State of Youth Mental Health | St Mary's College - Toowoomba

"Mental ill-health represents a major threat to the health, survival and the future potential of young people around the world. The neglect of youth mental health is a form of self-harm that society has inflicted on itself."

World Economic Forum: 'A Global Framework for Youth Mental Health'

Year 12 Formal - Thursday 27th March 2025

This is a reminder if you are wanting to attend the formal, please book your tickets this week as bookings close Thursday 6th March 2025. Refer to the college broadcast going out this week.

As the college formal draws near, excitement builds for a night of grace and friendship. High hopes are raised for a magnificent evening complete with beautiful décor and sparkling lighting. We look forward to celebrating this milestone with our students and their partners looking their best and hearing lots of laughter and vibrant discussions coming from the night. Every aspect of the event, from the delicious food to engaging music, has been carefully thought out to guarantee a remarkable night. Our hope is that this evening will create memories that will last a lifetime.

Formal Arrivals

The venue at Picnic Point opens at 5pm and all boys must be inside and seated by 7pm. This allows a two-hour window for arrivals. Students’ arrival will be staggered with their house groups.

Bowdler from 5pm – 5.30pm, McGoldrick from 5.30pm – 6pm, Purcell from 6pm – 6.30pm, and Waterford from 6.30pm – 7pm. The arrivals will be live-streamed on our Facebook page.

Character Strength of the Week – Honesty

This week, we concentrated on the character strength of honesty as part of our deliberate character development program to develop our boys into men of faith, integrity, action, and excellence.

Mobile Devices policy

At St Mary’s College we believe in creating an environment that maximises learning, fosters social interactions, and ensures the safety and wellbeing of all our students. This is why we have been a phone-free school policy since the start of 2024. Please refer to the policy for further information.

Sign Out Procedures

Important changes:

• Grade 10 and younger

Students in Grade 10 and younger must be collected and signed out by an authorised carer.

Siblings in Grade 10 and younger of a Senior Driver will be granted permission to exit with their brother, so all student names with permission to depart will feature on the St Mary’s College “leave pass.”

• Grade 11 and 12

Parents who request their Grade 11 or 12 students depart college during school hours must provide a written request for early departure.

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

Primary and Middle School Curriculum

Celebrating Our Students Success in Semester 2, 2024

As we reflect on the past term, we are filled with pride for our students’ accomplishments. Their dedication to learning and academic excellence has been truly inspiring. We would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the recipients of the Commitment to Learning Award and the High Achievers Award.

The Commitment to Learning Award recognizes students who have shown consistent effort, active participation, and a strong commitment to their studies. The criteria for this award include no ‘Needs Improvement’ or ‘Satisfactory’ learning attributes and at least 90% attendance.

The High Achievers Award is given to students who have demonstrated exceptional academic performance combined with regular attendance. For students in Years 5-9, an M-Score above 80 is required, while for those in Years 10-12, an M-Score above 75 is needed. Additionally, recipients should have no ‘Needs Improvement’ or ‘Satisfactory’ learning attributes and at least 90% attendance.

Our award winners have expressed joy in immersing themselves in the learning journey. To commemorate their achievements, we celebrated with a delightful afternoon tea, complemented by either a scrumptious cake or a savoury hot dog. Their triumphs stand as a powerful testament to their unwavering dedication to knowledge.

These awards will be running again next term. We look forward to seeing our students engage with the process once more, continuing to strive for academic excellence and demonstrating their commitment to learning.

Here’s to another term of learning, growth, and success!

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

My New Gallery

Head of Primary

Sport Lessons - AFL

Week 6 will be the final week for AFL lessons. Students will need to wear their academic uniform again in Week 7.

Year 5 Camp Photos

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Homework Club

Homework Club is held every Thursday in the library from 3.05 – 4.05pm. Students can complete any homework/assignments and receive assistance from staff. A reminder that Year 5 students should complete approximately 30 minutes of homework per night whilst Year 6 should be completing 45 minutes.

SchoolTV

SchoolTV is a wellbeing resource that can support parents in the challenges relating to modern-day parenting.

This award-winning resource helps build relationships, foster connections, enable understanding and break down barriers to navigate a pathway towards better mental health and wellbeing for young people. It can assist in starting conversations on topics that are sometimes awkward or difficult to tackle.

This fantastic resource can be accessed via the College website https://stmaryscollege.qld.schooltv.me/

Behaviour Expectations

The College has high expectations of behaviour and wearing of the uniform. The Primary students are wearing their uniform exceptionally well. Excessive hands-on behaviour and swearing will result in a removal from class for a day. 

Stephen Coren
Head of Primary
corens@stmaryscollege.com

Business Manager

Dear Parents & Caregivers

The March statements will be sent at the end of next week, and I encourage you to review your statement to ensure all your payments have been allocated correctly and to check if you have missed any invoices.  If your account is not up to date and you have no payment plan in place, please contact our friendly accounts team to discuss options.  Where there is no communication or payment plan in place, we will follow our debtor policy to follow up on outstanding payments.

Extracurricular activities

The College is committed to ensuring that additional costs are not added to accounts where affordability is a concern. To participate in extracurricular activities that involve a cost, it is essential that your account is in good standing. Over the coming months, we will be contacting parents/carers if there are any concerns regarding account status.

Please discuss with your son the financial implications of participating in extracurricular activities, especially if the cost exceeds your household budget. We are available to discuss payment plans if your account is in order. 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 at times. 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.

Census Data Collection Notice

As part of the upcoming census, St Mary's College has been requested to submit data for the 2025 Student Residential Address Collection. Please refer to the following link for more information: Collection Notice for parents/guardians 

Patrick Wilson
Business Manager
accounts@stmaryscollege.com