SMC NEWS 2023 - Term 1, Week 1

Principal's Note

Dear Parents and Carers,

2023 - Today's Boys, Men for Tomorrow

A very genuine welcome (or welcome back) and thankyou to our Parents and Carers of St Mary's College for 2023.  It promises to be an exciting year in 2023, both inside and outside the classroom. I look forward to working with each one of you for the betterment of your son's academic development and wellbeing. It was wonderful to see our boys back at St Mary's College during the week. 

On behalf of the community, I wish to extend to our new students and families a warm welcome and we hope the journey for you and your son is as worthwhile as the many families who have come before you at St Mary's.

Our Vision

Our vision for St Mary's College is Today's Boys, Men for Tomorrow. It conveys a sense that we are on a journey with you and your son, to assist them to become the best versions of themselves. We aspire to develop skills and abilities that will help every young man at the College to take the opportunities that the outside world has to offer. It is an exciting time to be a part of College life. Over the next few weeks you will hear about initiatives such as our new Aerospace programs at the College, our new Parent app, our new Year 7 laptops, not to mention the launch of the College Strategic Plan later this term.

Year 12 Academic Results 2022

Congratulations to our third cohort of students who participated in the ATAR system last year.  Overall, St Mary's College results were excellent. Our students did a wonderful job at achieving their goals and improving their skills and abilities during their final year of schooling, especially given the impact of COVID over the past two years of their journey. This week, I wanted to highlight a few high achieving students. Congratulations to:

Additionally, we had 32 students complete a SBAT in 2022, and we expect this number to increase in the future. This is an outstanding reflection of the diversity of achievers that we have in our community. 

Most importantly, I am proud that 100% of our students achieved a QCE in 2022. 

We wish our 2022 Seniors good wishes as they continue their journey in 2023.

Communication

Our main form of communication in 2023 remains our email system. Our staff are expected to attend to these email queries within 48 hours. If the matter is more urgent, please ring the front office.

I understand that many of our families enjoy the interaction with our College social media platforms.  I want to thank our parents and carers for their engagement with College life and please feel welcome to make an appointment with myself if the matter cannot be resolved by another staff member.

Reflection

Why Catholic Schooling?

Recently, an author argued that the role of a teacher is not only to impart academic information, but also to set an example for what a healthy and holy life looks like. In Mr. Lawrence, I had a model of consistency inside and outside of the classroom. His example taught me the value of good habits (or what was defined in religion class as virtue).

The inescapable reality about education, you see, is that it is inevitably holistic.

Students learning math are at the same time internalizing the value of persistence. Writing an essay in history class helps students to synthesize big ideas. Coaches pushing their players on the athletic field are promoting the value of hard work.

But even bigger in scope and breadth are the lessons attained in a Catholic school setting. 

Every family wants their son or daughter to excel in school; to be the best version of themselves; to Shine Brighter in Catholic schools. And that’s exactly what our schools offer families. Students shine brighter because they’re in a safe community, they are known and loved, and formed to be faith-filled leaders strengthened by the love of Christ.

Helping “students shine brighter” is a weighty responsibility, but simultaneously a great gift. The Congregation for Catholic Education goes a step further in placing a spotlight on the vocational nature of teaching:

“Teaching has an extraordinary moral depth and is one of man’s most excellent and creative activities, for the teacher does not write on inanimate material, but on the very spirits of human beings.”

Have a wonderful week,

Years 5-9 Curriculum

Welcome back to our returning families, and a very special welcome to our new students and families. As we begin Term 1, I would like to inform you of some important information regarding NAPLAN Testing, Homework Club, and our Student Diaries. 

NAPLAN Testing  

NAPLAN (National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy) is a series of standardised tests, conducted annually, for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. These assessments provide important information on students literacy and numeracy skills, and are used to identify areas where extra support may be needed. The NAPLAN Assessment Window is scheduled to take place from the 15th – 27th March.  

Please see below the 2023 NAPLAN schedule:

To prepare for NAPLAN testing, I encourage students to access the Public Demonstration Site. This will assist students to become familiar with the format of testing and the types of questions asked. The Public Demonstration Site can be accessed via the weblink below: 

https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/public-demonstration-site 

College Diary (Years 5 – 10) 

This week, all students in Years 5 – 9 will be issued their 2023 student diary during their Mentor lesson. The College Diary is an important educational tool for the classroom and home, which assist students with their organisational skills and wellbeing.  

Students were informed of the following expectations around the College Diary: 

• Ensure the diary is brought to each lesson of the school day 
• Maintain the diary in a reasonable condition (retain all pages, no signs of graffiti, etc.)
• Ensure all homework and assignments, including due dates, are recorded in student diary
• Understand that teachers, parents, and members of the school administration can request to view the diary to check for appropriate use
• Be responsible for the purchase of a new diary if lost or damaged

As parents, you can assist your child in using the diary by: 

• Ensuring your child brings their diary to school each day 
• Check the homework and assessments outlined in the diary and provide support to ensure this work is completed on time

Homework Club

Homework Club is commencing from Week 2 this term and will be available to all students every Tuesday and Thursday from 3.05pm – 4.05pm in the Library. This is an opportunity for students to receive extra support and assistance with their homework, as well as to develop good study habits and time management skills. Homework Club is supervised by a teacher and is open to all students. 

I am looking forward to a successful and rewarding term. If you have any questions regarding curriculum matters for students in Years 5–9, please don’t hesitate to contact me. 

Mrs Jade Love, Director of Years 5-9 Curriculum - lovej@stmaryscollege.com

Careers

Sport News

Cricket

We are excited to be a part of the new Darling Downs Independent Schools T20 Cricket Competition. This competition will be great for our current Cricket teams to compete in a round-robin format. Games will be held on a Thursday commencing in Week 2. More information will be distributed once the draw has been received.

Gym & Training

Gym and training will commence for our squads in Week 2, Monday 30th January. A timetable is being produced by the Fit Lab, our gym partner and will be distributed to families shortly. Please note that students involved in Squad Training will have the gym costs added to their tuition costs. Students engaging the gym for general or open use will need to make direct payment via the links included in the Fit Lab flyer.

Mountain Biking

We are currently looking for skilled mountain bikers to help with our program. We would require the person(s) to be available during our dedicated sport time (Wednesday from 1.10pm - 3.00pm). At present we have the capacity to increase the number of riders we can take on the trails but the biggest hurdle now lies in the risk assessment imposed upon the sport. If you are consistently available during that time, please reach out directly to myself via email at cowans@stmaryscollege.com.

Sporting Apparel 

Please keep an eye out for the online store for our sporting apparel. We are encouraging our students in sporting teams to purchase a reversible jersey to help the process of trialling and training. Other items are also available for Cricket, Volleyball, Mountain Biking and supporter wear. This catalogue and online store will be available for families soon. Please note that we will close the order window on 10.02.2023 and that the orders take approximately 12 weeks to be made and delivered.

Swimming Trials

New Year 7 students will participate in Swimming Trials on Wednesday 25th January. Students are to bring swimmers, towel and goggles (if needed).

Musical "Big Fish - School Edition"

St Mary’s College Musical “Big Fish – School Edition” is shaping up to be an amazing production. Rehearsals began in Term 4 of 2022 and will continue in Term 1.  The dedicated cast and staff gave up three days of their school holidays to fine tune and finish Act 1 of the show. It was wonderful to see the cast reunite and throw themselves into some intense dance choreography and vocal training.

Big Fish centres on Edward Bloom, a travelling salesman who lives life to its fullest... and then some! Edward's incredible, larger-than-life stories thrill everyone around him - most of all, his devoted wife Sandra. But their son Will, about to have a child of his own, is determined to find the truth behind his father's epic tales. Overflowing with heart, humor and spectacular stagecraft, Big Fish is an extraordinary Broadway musical.

Three shows only:

• Thursday 20th April at 7.00pm
• Friday 21st April at 7.00pm
• Saturday 22nd April at 7.00pm

Don't miss this outstanding performance by St Mary's College, St Saviour's College and St Ursula's College students! Tickets on sale now at https://www.trybooking.com/CFGYT.

Sponsorship opportunities are available. If you would like to recieve a copy of the sponsorship prospectus, please email Mrs Tyhla Roper at ropert@stmaryscollege.com.

First Day Photos

It was wonderful to welcome our Years 5, 6 and 7 students, as well as our Year 12 Leaders to St Mary's College this morning.

Plenty of nerves and excitement from our new students embarking on their Mary's journey today.

We're looking forward to an excellent year at SMC!

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Tuckshop Menu (Term 1)

The St Mary's College Tuckshop is excited to launch a new menu for Term 1. Please note we have increased the hot and cold food options we offer everyday in addition to our menu specials. 

Tuckshop is open for breakfast before school from 7.45am and at both lunch breaks. We offer cash and EFTPOS.

All Families Welcome Liturgy & BBQ

Please join us to celebrate the start of a new school year at the St Mary's College All Families Welcome Liturgy and BBQ.

We would love to see all families attend. It will be a great opportunity for you to meet your son's teachers and other members of the SMC community.

Please RSVP by Thursday 2nd February, 2023 via the following Trybooking link - https://www.trybooking.com/CFKQH  

St Mary's College Choirs

Congratulations to the 2022 Choral Ensembles, Vernados, Vibratones and Dunne’s Voices for their hard work and commitment throughout the year. The boys had the opportunity to perform at numerous school and local communities events, one of these being the Toowoomba Business Excellence Awards.

I would like to invite any student who has a love of singing to come and join us for one of the following ensembles.

If you would like anymore information, please contact Mrs Cherie Runciman at Cherie.Runciman@twb.catholic.edu.au.

School Fees

St Mary's College Fees will be sent to all families in the first week of February. To secure the upfront discount, fees need to be paid in full by 22nd February, 2023. Any financial concerns, please contact the Business Manager, Mr Patrick Wilson on 07 4631 7333.

Facebook Groups

If you are a parent of a student in Years 5 to 7, please join one of our private Facebook Groups.

We frequently share relevant information and photos in these groups. It is also a space where you can directly speak with other parents and ask questions of key staff. 

• Parents of Year 5 or 6 students: Please search "St Mary's College Primary Toowoomba" on Facebook and request to join.
• Parents of a Year 7 students: Please search "SMC Seniors 2028" on Facebook and request to join.

Please note your request will not be accepted if you have failed to answer the security questions.

Soft Shell Jackets

The new Soft Shell Jackets have arrived! You can purchase them at the SMC Uniform Shop located on Hill Street. Opening hours are:

• Monday – 7.30am to 9.30am
• Tuesday – 2.30pm to 4.00pm
• Thursday – 8.00am to 9.00am

Privacy Notice

The Hub

Support is available to all students who require assistance with homework, assignments or reviewing current classwork. Support is available in the Hub every morning before school from 7.00am and at both lunch breaks. Support will also be available after school on Thursday afternoons from 3.05pm until 4.00pm. If you would like further information, please get in touch.

Mr Dave Roy, Learning Support Teacher - royd@stmaryscollege.com

School Zone Safety

With school back, it's a timely reminder to drivers to slow down in school zones and pay attention at children’s crossings.

Coming back after holidays it can be easy to forget what to look out for. School zone signs are displayed as you approach the school and shows both the speed limit and the times you need to reduce your speed around the school. Childrens' crossing are identified by children crossing flags, which are displayed near crossings before and after school hours.

When the crossing is supervised, you as a motorist must:

• wait until all pedestrians, bicycle or personal mobility device riders have crossed the road and the crossing supervisor has returned to the footpath
• abide by the direction given by the School Crossing Supervisor.

If the crossing is unsupervised, you as a motorist must:

• give way to pedestrians, bicycle or personal mobility device riders on or entering a children’s, pedestrian or marked foot crossings
• give way to pedestrians, bicycle or personal mobility device riders on or entering a road you’re turning into
• give way to pedestrians, bicycle or personal mobility device riders on a slip lane
• give way to pedestrians in a share zone
• travel at a speed allowing you to stop safely at a crossing if needed

As a driver, it's important to make sure you give way to all pedestrians, bicycle or personal mobility device riders  such as skateboards, e-scooters. You must also give way to pedestrians using a motorised mobility device such as a motorised wheelchair or a mobility scooter.

Some of our most vulnerable road users are children getting to and from school, so it’s important to slow down and abide by the crossing rules, as it won’t make much difference to the trip time, but it could very well save lives.

Visit the Street Smarts website to find more information about what to do at pedestrian and children crossings.

Notice Board

2024 Enrolments

Do you have family or friends considering St Mary's College? Are you hoping to enrol another son at St Mary's College? The closing date for 2024 enrolments is Easter, 2023.