SMC NEWS 2023 - Term 4, Week 5
Week Ahead
From the College Principal
Dar Parents and Carers,
We work with you to guide and support your son through this critical part of their life journey. From time to time, parents express that they don't know how to help their son at home. Here are a few ideas below to support the work that teachers do in the classroom.
Support our staff
Teachers are degree trained professionals, often with many years of classroom experience. You cannot replace them or do their job, and that isn’t expected of you. The College, through newsletters, parent engagement nights and other information provides guidance to parents on how to support learning at home. You are the critical, home-based person who can help with that learning but follow their lead. There are very important things you can do to set your child up for success.
Set up for success
We will make a big difference for your child’s learning if we:
- Create an orderly environment for learning, for example, by limiting distractions
- Help to set and reinforce routines and timetables
- Support children to be ready for learning, including ensuring they have the materials that they need
- Engage in meaningful conversations about learning
- Communicate with your child’s teacher if they need additional support
Creating confident learners
Build a positive attitude to learning. It begins with children feeling loved, safe, and supported. It incorporates a ‘growth mindset’; which emphasises that people aren’t born with a fixed amount of intelligence. Instead, they can always take their abilities to the next level with perseverance and thoughtfulness. It also helps children see mistakes as a guide for what needs to be learnt next. Parents can model a growth mindset by speaking aloud about their own mindsets (something didn’t go right for me today, so I’ll need to try a different way of doing it tomorrow). This might be particularly relevant when exploring subjects such as maths, where anxiety can be high, and where encouraging persistence might be valuable.
In short: it swaps ‘I can’t’ with ‘I can’t YET’.
Adapted From <https://evidenceforlearning.org.au/support-for-implementation/resources-for-parents/home-supported-learning-concepts>
Reflection
What is All Souls Day?
Thursday November 2 is the Commemoration of All of the Faithful Departed, or All Souls. On this day, we pray that all those who have died— our loved ones, and also those people around the world who we will never meet— through the mercy of God, will rest in peace.
All Souls Day Prayer
Merciful Father,
On this day, we are called to remember those who have died,
Particularly those who have died in the past year,
And pray for their joyful reunion with you, their loving creator.
As your son taught us to call the stranger
neighbour, our fallen are many—
Names we will never know,
Voices we have never heard,
In lands we may never visit,
Yet brothers and sisters all.
And so we pray.
For victims of war, caught in the crossfires of
conflicts we could not quell,
for soldiers and civilians,
adults and children, we pray …
Grant eternal rest, O Lord.
For victims of hunger, denied their share in the
bounty you have placed before us, we pray …
Grant eternal rest, O Lord.
For those refugees seeking asylum from war,
who died in a land that was not their home, we pray …
Grant eternal rest, O Lord.
For victims of emergencies and calamities everywhere,
who died amid chaos and confusion, we pray …
Grant eternal rest, O Lord.
Lord, as you command, we reach out to the fallen.
We call on you on behalf of those we could not reach this year.
You raised your son from the dead
that all may share in his joyful resurrection.
Live Jesus in Our Hearts,
Forever.
Mr Brendan Stewart
College Principal
Deputy Principal
New Timetable Structure
As you may know, over the last two years our timetable structure has changed to best suit our boys. We have moved to longer lessons in the morning (70 minutes) and shorter lessons (40 minutes) in the afternoon. To facilitate two 70-minute lessons at the start of the day we moved our mentor lessons to later in the day. This was traditionally the time our mentor teachers checked in on student well-being and checked our boys were ready for the day in regard to learning materials and uniform etc. Now our boys go to five different teachers each morning and we have lost some of our consistency.
In 2024, we are planning to move to a structure that puts Mentor back in the morning whilst keeping longer lessons before lunch and shorter lessons after lunch. We are going to trial this timetable from next Monday, 30th October, onwards to make sure this is the right decision moving forward. Please find attached the timetable structure we will be using from Monday onwards. Our boys will be guided through the changes to make sure they are aware of any impact.
Mr Stephen Monk
Deputy Principal
monks@stmaryscollege.com
Identity
Year 10 Reflection Morning
The year 10 reflection morning will be next Wednesday 8th November. The purpose of this time together is to revisit the messages of the retreat day earlier in the year, as we move towards the transition to the senior years at the College.
We will explore the meaning and symbolism of what it is to wear the white shirt and in particular, the focus for leadership in Year 11. Year 10 into Year 11 is an important crossroads so this is an ideal opportunity to focus on the future.
The details of the day are below:
Students will assemble at ANZAC Place at 8.30am to have rolls taken, then move across to the Clive Berghofer Stadium under the supervision of their teachers for a morning of activities.
Students should wear sport uniform as they normally would on a Wednesday.
They should bring some morning tea to share as they will not have access to the tuckshop at first break.
The morning will finish at second break so students should bring lunch or arrangements for tuckshop as normal.
An Edsmart has been sent to parents for this important event.
Mr Kevin Murphy
Assistant Principal Identity
murphyk@stmaryscollege.com
Curriculum
Aerospace Professional Development Opportunity
In February, Wayne Williams and I attended an Aerospace professional development opportunity that saw us tour the Gold Coast Airport. One of my key takeaways was the sheer number of different professions around aviation. Everyone knows what a pilot does, but we explored the day-to-day for the managers as they ran the massive logistical operation of a modern-day airport.
Students in Gateway to Aerospace schools are being afforded the attached opportunity. If your son is interested in pursuing the business and logistical side of aerospace, please consider sending them.
Mr Mark Watson
Assistant Principal Curriculum
watsonm@stmaryscollege.com
Student Engagement
Term 4, Week 5
MHFA - Teen for all Year 7
All of our Year 7 boys have been trained in Mental Health First Aid – Teen. One of our College Counsellors – Ms Renee O’Sullivan – is an accredited MHFA trainer and she has delivered this program to our Year 7 boys over the last few weeks. Evidence suggests that young people who are experiencing poor mental health are very likely to share this information with a peer. This training gives our boys the basic skills to appropriately respond to a friend when they are struggling with mental health issues. The College plans to deliver this every year to our Year 7 and Year 10 cohorts, upskilling our boys in this essential area.
Reporting a Concern
When negative interactions happen – and they will – it is essential that boys report that to us here at the College. We are here to help and we work every day to ensure that the College is a safe environment for everyone. If there are things happening that make the College unsafe, we want to know about that.
The options for reporting are
- tell a teacher
- tell a family member
- email your House Leader
- use the Blue Form (no consequences, solution focus)
- complete an Incident Report at the RTC
- use Stymie to give us information anonymously
Merit Prizes
Each week, we randomly select ten students from the boys who have received a Merit during the last week. This week, there were 215 Merits awarded – so good to see! The boys whose names came out of the randomiser were:
Rahkye Ryan | 6 | McGoldrick |
Lincoln Kunkel | 5 | Waterford |
Calan Anderson | 10 | Bowdler |
Brynn Fishbourne | 7 | Bowdler |
Harry Smith | 6 | Waterford |
Cooper Wells | 11 | Bowdler |
Henry Wilkins | 8 | Purcell |
Paddy Evans | 6 | Purcell |
Hunter Knapp | 8 | McGoldrick |
Rainer McKim | 7 | Waterford |
These boys have the choice of a Skip the Line pass, a Free Choccie Milk, a bag of lollies, a handball, or (for the white shirts) the chance to order Uber Eats for lunch. Some very happy boys!
House Points
The House Points totals as of Monday this week were:
Friendships
It’s almost like Stymie has been reading my newsletter articles!
Last week I shared an article about boys’ friendship and the Stymie theme this week is friendships! I have shared the message from Stymie about ‘good friends’ on Assembly this week and I encourage all families to talk to your boys about what makes a good mate – tell them your own stories; they’ll take on more than you realise.
Mrs Samantha Parle
Assistant Principal Student Engagement
parles@stmaryscollege.com
Business Manager
As we find ourselves in the midst of term 4, it's hard to believe that the year-end and the festive season are just around the corner. The latter part of the year typically brings with it increased expenses for many of us, and this can sometimes make managing school fees a bit more challenging.
We understand the financial strains that can come with this time of year, and we want to assure you that we are here to support you. If you're facing difficulties ensuring that your child's school fees are paid, we encourage you to reach out to me or our dedicated accounts team. We are more than willing to work with you to find a solution that meets your needs and ensures that your child's education remains uninterrupted.
Some of the options we can explore together include:
Agreed Payment Plans: We can set up a payment plan that suits your financial situation, making it easier to manage your school fees over time.
Referrals to Supportive Organisations: We can connect you with organisations and resources that specialise in financial assistance and can provide additional support.
Other Flexible Options: If a traditional payment plan or referrals don't meet your needs, we are open to discussing other flexible alternatives.
Our primary goal is to ensure that your child's education is not compromised due to financial challenges. It is crucial that we all prioritise their education and the timely payment of school fees. This not only supports the smooth operation of our school but also helps us plan effectively for the future, ensuring the best possible educational experience for all our students.
Your child's education is a vital investment in their future, and we are committed to working with you to make it accessible. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you need assistance or have any questions. We are here to help you navigate through these financial challenges, ensuring that your child continues to thrive in our school community.
Thank you for your continued support and commitment to your child's education. Together, we can make this year-end a successful and stress-free period for all.
Mr Patrick Wilson
Business Manager
wilsonp@stmaryscollege.com