SMC NEWS 2023 - Term 1, Week 3

Principal's Note

Dear Parents and Carers,

Gateway to Industry - Aerospace

I am very proud to announce that the College has signed an agreement to become a Gateway to Industry - Aerospace school from 2023.  This is a wonderful achievement for the College and more importantly, opens many doors of opportunity for our students.  As we are on the doorstep to Wellcamp Airport, St Mary's College is well placed to take advantage of the development of the facility in the coming years.  I would like to thank Boeing Defence Australia, who has placed their trust in St Mary's College to deliver Aerospace programs in the years to come.

More specifically, this opportunity involves:

1. A partnership with Boeing Defence Australia - a corporate partner based in South-East Queensland
2. New subjects in the curriculum: "Aerospace" subject in Year 11 2024, Science Units in middle school
3. Employment and work experience opportunities for our students at Wellcamp Airport and beyond

To launch the new program, the College hosted a helicopter landing on Tuesday 7th February on the main oval.  This was an exciting time for the school and I'm sure you will see some of the visuals from the event in the coming days through our normal channels of communication.

Enrolment news

Once again, St Mary's College has a healthy enrolment list to begin the year in 2023.  It is clear that the school is, and has been for a number of years, operating well and attracting a healthy clientele from across the Darling Downs and beyond.  To help us in the orderly planning of enrolments, the College will ask this year for 2024 enrolments to be submitted at Easter time this year.  This will allow us to organise interviews in a timely fashion during 2023 and to help all of our families make positive decisions for the future.

Therefore, closing date for new enrolments this year in any year level for 2024 will be Easter Day, Sunday 9th April 2023.  Most of the enrolment process is conducted online.  This date will be heavily advertised.  If you have any questions about enrolling your son at St Mary's College, please contact Ms Kirsty Eckhardt on 07 4631 7333.

Parent App

We have had a positive response to the release of the St Mary's College Parent App. The main intention of the Parent App is to increase engagement with the College. At this early stage of its development, you can view the College calendar for the year, report a student absence and receive links to key information such as Newsletters. Further work is being done on the app to improve it "in the background".  We will release more about the app soon.

If you are interested, the App can be downloaded at no cost from the normal Iphone or Android stores. 

Thank you for your support with this initiative.

Reflection

Who are Today's Boys, and our Men for Tomorrow? This is the question as a staff we challenge ourselves to ask each day in our quest to educate your son.  As a College, this term we focus on the touchstone of an "Inclusive Community".

One of the areas as a staff we have spoken about this year is the fact that we acknowledge the diversity of experiences that our boys and our families bring to the College each day. We understand that it is not enough just to "accept" or "do our job" with those who are well-adjusted and smart enough to perform consistently well at the College. This year, I have challenged our staff to be welcoming in the true sense of what Edmund Rice called an "Inclusive Community".

As a staff, it is our responsibility to find and ultimately listen to those who are poor, marginalised, anxious, on the edges of our community, and to respond in a caring and respectful way.  We believe that this is a key responsibility of our "men for tomorrow", as much as their learning responsibilities will become.  We aim to be an inclusive community in name and in action.

Have a wonderful week,

Student Engagement

What a whirlwind start we have had to the school year! I love the first days of school – an amazing mixture of excitement and opportunity, and a dash of uncertainty. It has been wonderful to welcome back our returning students and to meet some of our new boys. I hope to meet many more at the College Welcome BBQ this week – please make the time to come along. Meeting people face-to-face is something we have missed!

If your son is finding that the new school year comes with ‘more than a dash’ of uncertainty, please let us know. We understand that transitions and changes can be a tricky space and we are here to help. We sometimes find that the first few weeks seem to go well, and the feelings of being overwhelmed might arrive in Week 3 or 4. Please keep an eye on your son and let us know if there are any concerns. The best person to make first contact with is your son’s Mentor Teacher.

Regular newsletter readers would know that I follow a few wise people on Facebook and I am happy to recommend them and their advice to the families of St Mary’s College. Linda Stade is an educator from Western Australia and my top tips for families come from her this week – How to help your child develop new friends. Please read the article later in the newsletter and consider how you might be able to best support your son in this complex area of life.

Reminders of our Expectations

Thank you very much to all of those families who delivered their son to school with the correct haircut, and wearing the correct uniform. We appreciate the effort and time and money that this represents for you as parents. From a few conversations with parents in the last two weeks, I know that getting that back-to-school haircut is often the biggest argument of the summer – so big thanks from us!

There are a few areas that I wanted to point out at this stage of the year

• Student mobile phones are not in use during school hours (8.10am – 3.05pm). If you need to contact your son in this time, please do so via the Office.
• Students must have a College hat with them – all day, every day.
• Embroidery and clear naming is the key to holding on to your son’s uniform items.

The revised Uniform Policy can be found here – please refer to this document if you have questions about our expectations.

How to help your child develop new friends

1. Make sure your child knows they deserve friends.

Some kids don’t have this confidence and will cling to the first person who pays them attention. Confidence and the knowledge that they matter are vital.

I will never forget the primary school graduation speech made by the son of one of my friends. He said, “Be true to yourself, be kind to others, and have confidence in yourself. When I say be confident though, don’t think, “Everyone will like me”. Say, “I’ll be okay if they don’t.”

What an incredibly wise young man.

      2. Empower your child.

Kristina Morgan emphasises our need to equip kids so they can walk into school head high and wings out, ready to fly. That confidence is more available to a child who is organised and engaged.

Kristina says, “Empower your child to make their own way to school and cocurricular if practical. If you are chaperoning them all the time, you are not giving them the opportunity to develop their own skill set, particularly with friendships.

“Let your child walk into school on their own. If practical, let them catch the bus or train so they meet the students also using public transport. Help them to be organised enough that they get to school early so they can connect with peers before school.”

      3. Encourage them to do friendship research.

The first term is really about research... the fun kind! Kids need to meet people, hang out, share interests, talk, and figure out who others really are. Only then should they decide who they want to spend their time and heart on.

That research could result in lots of friends and acquaintances of varying significance, and the understanding that one BFF (best friend forever) is over-rated. Having lots of different friends is much better.

      4. Understand there is no right number of friends.

Parents and teachers often have a preconception about how many friends is ‘healthy’. It is often based on how many friends they had, or wish they had in high school.

The truth is, there is no magic number of friends. Some people need a few close friends and confidantes. Others need many acquaintances and lots of shared time. If your child is happy with their situation, then that’s fine. They do not need to conform to your expectations.

      5. Teach your child friendship skills

If your child wants to make more friends, you may need to teach them some basic skills:

• Be brave and say hello
• Look at people and smile
• Ask questions about others rather than just talking about yourself. Then listen.
• Don’t stare at your phone all the time. Interact with others so they know you’re interested in them

We can help with that last one by leaving them alone. If your child is spending breaks talking to, or texting you, they are not available to make friends.

      6. Make your home open and welcoming… a place that other kids like visiting!

Encourage your child to invite people over. Snacks and a friendly atmosphere can make all the difference.

Final thought…

This is an exciting time for you and your child. Starting a new school is a rite of passage that should be acknowledged. It is a privilege to walk alongside your child as they become more independent. And although they are growing so quickly, they still need you, especially in the realm of social learning.

Mrs Samantha Parle, Assistant Principal Student Engagement - parles@stmaryscollege.com

Curriculum

Academic Assessment Guidelines

To enable our students to reach their full potential and to address the feedback that was received from the school community, we have refined and updated our practices around assessment. This will serve to assist in strengthening our learning culture at St Mary’s College. 

The guidelines can be found on the College website via this link.  Please make note of the section entitled ‘Academic Misconduct’, which outlines the consequences for students who have failed to meet the College’s expectations with regard to their assessment.  The College will be running an ‘Assessment Integrity Centre (AIC)’ on Wednesday afternoons during Sport for Years 7 – 12, and Flex for Years 5 – 6.  Students who engage in Academic Misconduct will be expected to attend the Centre to address this behaviour.

Please review the flowcharts at the end of the document and take some time to go through them with your child.

Mr Mark Watson, Assistant Principal Curriculum- watsonm@stmaryscollege.com

Years 5-9 Curriculum

Assessment Calendars  

Assessment Calendars for this term will be published and sent to students, parents and staff this week. The calendar is also accessible via the College App under the “Links” tab, followed by “Teaching and Learning”. 

The Assessment Calendars are designed to: 

• Assist students to plan their study time 
• Help students to prioritise
• Be an organisational tool
• Communicate due dates to parents/carers and students

Assessment Calendars should inform the amount of study and assignment work needed at different points in the term and the commitments students make. Please see the flowchart to help with navigating student absences around assessment. 

Primary Literacy Development  

Our Years 5 and 6 classes are implementing a new program to support and develop our students reading and literacy skills. The program is called PLD and is an Australian, evidence-based program that focuses on teaching Structured Synthetic Phonics. The program has been developed by speech pathologists, occupational therapists, and educators. PLD advocates that children’s literacy and learning outcomes are maximised when the areas of Literacy, Oral Language and Movement and Motor skills are simultaneously targeted. 

Our Primary teaching staff have had access to training and professional development which will be ongoing throughout this term. At times throughout the year, teachers may send home information about the program and how to support your children’s literacy development. 

For more information and tips and tricks, please visit https://pld-literacy.org/about-pld-literacy/ 

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

Careers

Sport News

Year 6 student, Hunter Cornery, has been recognised by Motorcycling Australia as a prominent young Australian rider and elite athlete in the motorcycling discipline of Road Racing.

Hunter has recently been accepted into the Junior Road Racing Academy Program, Oceania Junior Cup for the 2023 season.

Well done, Hunter. We wish you all the best! 

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 receive a copy of the sponsorship prospectus, please email Mrs Tyhla Roper at ropert@stmaryscollege.com.

Music Lessons

St Mary’s College offers a range of private music tuition in the following instruments:

• Clarinet
• Trombone
• Trumpet
• Saxaphone
• Vocal
• Piano
• Percussion
• Drums

If your son is interested in lessons, please complete the attached form: https://forms.office.com/r/4VWLXBwtMN

Choirs

Well done on a wonderful start to the year! We commenced this year’s program with a workshop on Wednesday 25th January for Vernado’s and Vibratones. This enabled us to get a head start on our program learning. 

We are very excited to be planning to help lead school masses and some of the community performances will be the Toowoomba Eisteddfod (May), TCSO Arts Fest (June), Queensland Catholic Music Festival (August) and many more. 

If you would like your son to be involved in one of the ensembles, please contact me directly via email at Cherie.runciman@twb.catholic.edu.au or send him along to a rehearsal. 

A little about Ms Cherie Runciman our Choral Conductor and Vocal Teacher 

Cherie grew up in Wellington, NSW, on a sheep and cropping farm as the youngest of six children. Her family were heavily involved in community sport and the local brass band. Cherie’s love of the arts continued to grow, and she eventually moved to Toowoomba to study at the Opera Studio at USQ. Since completing her training, she has performed through out Queensland and New South Wales as a soloist, won many competitions and became a specialised Vocal Coach and Choral Conductor. Cherie is passionate about growing opportunities for students at St. Mary’s College who love to sing and perform and sharing her love of singing and making music with all the boys here at St Mary’s College. 

Drama

If you think you have a flair for the dramatic arts, please visit the Drama Rooms (Duhig 14/15) on Wednesday 8th February at First Break. Nominations are open for the City of Toowoomba 2023 Eisteddfod. Mr Condon will be providing information on the Drama Sections available and the expectations for competitors.  Nominations are available for students from Year 5 through to 12.

Chess at St Mary's College

Chess returns to St Mary's College this week!

Students may learn, play and compete during these weekly sessions:

• Wednesday for Sport after lunch (Middle and Senior Years)
• Thursday before school - FREE and NO REGISTRATION
• Friday for Sport after lunch (Primary Years)

Thursday sessions are open to all students and they may come and go as they please. Simply put your bag away as soon as you arrive at school and join us in the Library any time after 7:45am.

We are looking forward to seeing 'old' faces and meeting new students who are keen to play. I'm confident that we'll have even MORE students representing St Mary's at inter-school competitions this year. Here's to a chess-tacular 2023!

Mr Carter (St Mary's College Chess Coach)

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.

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.

New Parent Portal App

We are excited to announce that our new Parent Portal App is now available for parents to access.

To access the app please follow these steps:

• Open App Store or Google Play
• Search "St Mary's Toowoomba"
• Download the app (picture below)

The app includes important information and a live calendar with event information, that will act as our point of truth moving forward. 

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

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

Audiology Testing

Dear Families, 

Good hearing health is essential for children to reach their full potential in all life areas, especially when it comes to school performance. 

Quite often, hearing loss has a profoundly negative effect on academic performance and social and emotional wellbeing. Commonly the signs of poor hearing can be overlooked and mistaken for other behaviours or conditions. 

Children with a history of ear infections, grommets or other poor hearing health are recommended to engage with this service. Other concerns may include: 

• Inattentiveness
• Inappropriate/irrelevant responses to questions
• Ringing in ears
• Exposure to loud recreational activities on a regular basis
• Daydreaming
• Trouble following directions
• Speech concerns and language concerns 
• Phonological awareness delays 
• Ongoing illnesses such as regular colds and runny noses

St Mary’s College is hosting Carbal Hearing Health for Audiology testing in Week 10 of Term 1.  If you would like your child to participate in this service, please contact the Curriculum Leader Inclusive Education, Mrs Louise Kennedy for more information (kennedyl@stmaryscollege.com).

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.

Respectful Relationships Webinar

St Ursula's College Open Day

The Airforce Cadets are recruiting now!

The Chronicle Lifeline Bookfest

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