This week I have been fortunate to attend the Term 2 Principal Leadership Forum in Warwick and it was packed full of brilliant learning.  It was amazing to see the Warwick Learning Communities in particular St Mary’s School.

The shift in the Toowoomba Catholic Schools Strategic Plan for the coming 4 years is both entrepreneurial, innovative, and strongly aligned to the trajectory of Our Lady of the Southern Cross College.

A highlight of the Leadership Forum was co-presenting the amazing benefits of Prep to Year 12 Colleges with my P-12 Principal colleagues this morning.  Whilst we are all diverse in our approach to P-12 education our future networking and future learning will provide greater educational learning and well-being for students at St John’s Catholic School Roma, Mary MacKillop Catholic College Highfields, St Joseph’s School Stanthorpe, and Our Lady of the Southern Cross College Dalby. Beyond this our learnings will have a significant impact on the successful opening of the newest Diocesan College – St Francis Catholic College, Westbrook.

More information from my learning across the 4 days of the Forum will be progressive over the next term.

Have a wonderful weekend and see you Monday for a five-day week!

Yours in education,

Pete Cuskelly

Principal

Mother’s Day is a time to celebrate the joy of being a mother and of having a mother and knowing the warmth of her love. It may also be a day to quietly remember a Mum who is no longer with you - you feel the gap that her passing has left, and you honour her legacy and all that she meant. It is a day to think of Grandmothers and extended families and the link that mothers are in keeping family ties and traditions together. 

"God could not be everywhere, so he created mothers." Jewish proverb 

God of blessing, God of life, we thank you for the gift of our mothers, and all those who are like mothers to us. We place them in your loving care and trust that you will give them all that they need for life. We ask this through Jesus Christ, your Risen Son. 

Amen 

Well after three long weekends in a row I am actually looking forward to a five-day week next week.  It has been wonderful having this extra ‘weekend’ time but to get back into the routine of five days of school will be a real treat next week. 

NAPLAN Online – 10 May – 20 May 2022

Our students in Year 3, 5, 7, & 9 will join with students throughout Australia to sit the NAPLAN tests next week. We are confident our students are ready to give 100% in these tests which provide the school with data that we can use to enhance our teaching to better cater for the needs of your children, our learners.  These tests are another ‘check’ along the student’s learning journey to see how they are learning the essential skills of reading, writing and mathematics. These students missed their NAPLAN in 2020 as it was cancelled due to COVID. 

In 2022 we are excited to use the online platform for our testing, except Year 3 Writing. The test window begins on 10 May and concludes on 20 May.

Below is our schedule for testing at OLSCC, based on guidelines provided by ACARA:

Classes will run as normal in the timetable for all of these students around the testing schedule. 

LAPTOPS for NAPLAN

Students in Year 3 will use College Early Years Laptops that will be stored in the classrooms for the duration of the test. They have been using these to familiarize themselves with the test platform this year. Students in Year 5 will use assigned class computers that are stored in classrooms. 

Students in Year 7 and Year 9 will use their own laptops assigned through the 1:1 program. It is essential that these come to school fully charged each day and that students store their chargers in their laptop bags during this time. We ask that parents support and check that these are being charged each night in preparation for these tests. Your assistance is appreciated.

All other supplies needed for the tests will be supplied by the College.

We wish these students well and are proud of their efforts in their learning that they will showcase next week.

YEAR 10 RETREAT

Last Week Mrs Twidale and I had the pleasure of leading the Year 10 Retreat.  We spent the afternoon exploring the idea of masks we wear and ‘being true to oneself’.  Students created masks that reflected their outside personas and their inner self.  Each one of these students is a gift created by God, each unique, individual and a special part of our Year 10 cohort.  They are all very creative too!

MINI VINNIES

Today at Assembly we presented a cheque to our local St Vincent de Paul chapter from our Easter Egg Raffle.  Thanks to everyone who bought tickets and donated eggs.  You assisted us in raising $1096, an amazing achievement. Well done to Year 5 teachers and students for their Praxis and involvement in Mini Vinnies.

COVID UPDATE - Close Contact Guidelines

Last week the Queensland Government announced and commenced the new close contact rules to ease pressure on our society.  These rules allow close contacts some freedoms to continue to leave their homes.  This change has no impact on isolation requirements for people diagnosed with COVID-19 (ie positive cases). 

You are classified as a close contact if  

• you have been with a person that has COVID-19 for more than four hours in a house or other accommodation, a care facility or similar, or
• you live with a person that has COVID-19 and have had more than four hours contact with them in the household setting.

You are a close contact from the date the person diagnosed with COVID-19 took the test that returned a positive result. 

Close contacts who have COVID-19 symptoms must stay at home until the symptoms resolve. They must not attend work or school. Close contacts (staff or students) who are symptomatic, must undertake testing immediately and quarantine until the earlier of Day 7 or until they are no longer experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19. 

For the most accurate information in regards to quarantine for close contacts we recommend families visit the Queensland Government Guidelines for close contact in Queensland page.  The new guidelines were introduced from 6pm Thursday 28 April 2022.  To assist families we have summarised the requirements that impact on the College, these apply to close contacts who do not have symptoms:  

• Close contacts (staff or students) must inform their employer or school that they are a close contact before returning to work or school. The school does not need to record or store this information to meet Queensland Health requirements, nor do they need to provide this information to Queensland Health. The purpose of requiring close contacts to provide this notification is to support schools and workplaces in risk managing their sites.
• Close contacts (staff or students) are recommended to take a RAT test every two days until Day 7, ensuring they have a negative result before leaving home (eg to attend school). RAT tests will need to start from the day the person becomes a close contact (and then additional tests performed on days 2, 4 and 6). 
• Close contacts must wear a mask while outside their home if they are 12 years or older (or where they are a secondary student) until Day 7. Masks are recommended where safe for students under 12 years. This will apply across the community, including schools. The normal exemptions about mask wearing will remain (e.g. not required for a teacher where visibility of mouth is required or where there is a valid medical exemption). 

RAT TESTS for close contacts 

The provision of RAT tests to meet the close contact requirements is the responsibility of individual close contacts.  We encourage families to ensure they have tests for the purpose of testing close contacts.  We will continue to provide tests to any students or staff where they develop symptoms whilst at school. 

CAMPS and EXCURSIONS 

As we recommence more camps and excursions this term, we are working to ensure that all who attend maintain good health.  If you child is unwell or displaying symptoms of COVID-19 they must not attend an excursion or camp.  Each individual event will have a plan in place to manage any staff or students who develop COVID-19 symptoms whilst away from the College.  

We thank families for their vigilance in following these guidelines set by the government.  As we head into the cooler season it is important that we continue to maintain high levels of hygiene to reduce the amount of illness in our community, both COVID and the flu.  With the reduction of illness we have been able to open our College back up with more events and parental involvement which is fabulous.  We look forward to being about to continue this.

Cate Brennan

Deputy Principal Religious Education

Careers Development

Click on the picture links below to learn about why Careers Development is important and what the role of a Careers Development Practitioner involves. Mrs Baxter, the College Careers Development Practitioner can support students as they develop pathways and work towards VET or University degrees.

Careers Expo

It is on again for 2022. The Careers Expo at the PCYC is being held on Friday 22 July and is open to students from Year 8 to 12. See the flyer for more details.

University Open Days 

Griffith University 

Creative Arts Open Day 

Sunday 12 June, 12pm – 3pm, South Bank campus 

Open Day 

Sunday 14 August, 9 am – 2 pm, Gold Coast and Nathan campuses 

Queensland University of Technology (QUT) 

Open Day 

Gardens Point campus - Sunday 31 July, 9am – 3pm 

QUT Online Evening 

Wednesday 31 August, 4pm – 8pm (TBC) 

University of Southern Queensland 

2022 Open Day dates 

University of Southern Queensland Ipswich and Springfield (USQ) – Sunday 14 August 

University of Southern Queensland Toowoomba (USQ) – Sunday 21 August 

University of the Sunshine Coast 

Open Day – Moreton Bay 

Sunday 24th July 2022 

Open Day – Sunshine Coast 

Sunday 7th August 2022 

Libby Baxter

Careers Development Practitioner

Inter House Cross Country Results

Top Ten Junior Boys Under 12- Under 15

Top Ten Girls 

Top Ten Senior Boys Under 16- Open

Overall Points

Bunya District Soccer

Congratulations to William Barwick, Joshua Barwick, Ben Barwick, Finn Brennan and Khoen Darr who have been selected in the Bunya District Soccer Team to attend Darling Downs Trials on 9 May.

Rugby League

Congratulations to Ryker Filewood, Jasper Filewood and Mason Giesel who have been selected in the Darling Downs Under 12 Rugby League Team for the State Championships.

Netball

Congratulations to Gemma Sullivan and Sophie Taylor who have been selected in the Darling Downs Under 11 and Under 12 Netball Team for the State Championships.

Darling Downs Rugby League Competition Results

Round 1

Under 13

Dalby SHS defeated OLSCC 24-12

Under 15

Dalby SHS defeated OLSCC 50-10

Under 18

OLSCC defeated Dalby SHS 52-6

Round 2

Under 13

OLSCC defeated Centenary Heights SHS 34-0

Under 15

Pittsworth SHS defeated OLSCC 34-14

Under 18

OLSCC defeated Assumption Warwick 54-10

Round 3

Wednesday 11 May

Under 13 and Under 15 Teams have a Bye

Under 18

OLSCC vs St Joseph’s College 6pm Brothers Toowoomba

Round 4

Wednesday 18 May

Under 13 OLSCC vs St Mary’s College Brothers Toowoomba 4pm

Under 15 OLSCC vs St Mary’s College Brothers Toowoomba 5pm

Under 18 OLSCC vs Lockyer District SHS – Venue TBC

QISSN Netball

Congratulations to the Open Girls Netball Team who defeated St Mary’s Kingaroy 26-8 in a game last Wednesday in Kingaroy.

Athletics Carnival

Under 5- Under 11 Carnival

Wednesday 22 June

Under 12- Under 18 Carnival

Change of Dates

Monday 6 June 6 and Tuesday 7 June

Tim Lincoln

Middle Leader Sport

This upcoming election day (Saturday 21^st May) the P&F will be hosting a BBQ at the OLSCC voting polls, and we are looking for some volunteers to help support his event. If you have an hour or 2 spare, your help would be most appreciated. We will be running a 1-hour roster type system so no one will be left there all day. There will be serving and cooking roles available. If you would like to register your interest in helping you can contact Steve Barwick or Kelsie McKelvie by email (dalbypandf@twb.catholic.edu.au) or DM the OLSCC Parents & Friends Assoc Facebook Page. Remember many hands make light work, we look forward to seeing you all there!

Welcome back to Term 2.  

Now in Stock-:

Sports Polos  -  all sizes

OLSCC socks sizes 13-3

Boys Formal Socks sizes 13-3

McAuley Hats - All sizes

Fleecy Jackets sizes 4 & 6