Over the Easter holidays, we are going to close the office for the first week.

We will re-open in week 2 for our usual holiday hours of 10am-2pm, Tuesday 9 April - Thursday 11 April.

A Work of Gratitude

I have visited classrooms of all year levels and subject areas in the past 2 weeks. I have witnessed many sessions of NAPLAN and even a few  senior exams.  I have seen our inspired methodology in the teaching of mathematics (Back to Front Maths) make a real difference in correcting misunderstandings, strengthening simple concepts, and allowing students to genuinely engage in mathematical thinking without a need to sit at their desk and complete worksheets.  I’ve witnessed students as young as seven using a box plan in order to create wonderful narratives, as well as persuading audiences with quality arguments. In the middle years they have begun discovering the history of the Bunya Mountains through Humanities and Social Science (HASS).  Amongst all of this, I have seen high quality teaching practices from excellent teachers, as well as excellent support from our classroom school officers and support staff.  I’ve also seen learners that are actively engaged in their learning, that engage as social beings, and demonstrate behaviours that are supportive of one another and of their learning environment. 

In the last few weeks, I have been extremely grateful for the wonderful community we have here at OLSCC.  It certainly doesn’t happen by accident, and I am proud of the work of staff, students, parents and wider community members who support the direction of the College with their positive dispositions each and every day.  I often talk to students about “getting onboard” as when we all work as part of the same team, we can achieve great things.  I encourage you all to identify an aspect of your life over the Easter break and look for the good in what we have in our world so we may move forward with gratitude and a positive disposition to life.   

Principal Tour

On Monday evening we welcomed many prospective parents and students to our College for our first Principal’s Tour of 2024.  This is always a great way for these families to have a look around the College, learn what we are all about, and ask questions to determine whether the values and ethos of the College align with their own.  It was wonderful to see the considerable turn out, and it was a very special night to introduce OLSCC to new and returning members of our community.  Please ensure you encourage friends who may be considering enrolling here to give our enrolments officer Jean Prow a call at the College to have a chat and answer any questions they may have.  Please also keep an eye out for “Come and Try Day” flyers with further opportunities for new families and our College to get to know each other.  It was evident that there are plenty of Prep students looking at enrolling next year and we will be gradually interviewing for this starting early next term.  Please ensure you don’t wait until the last minute this year as the demand continues to rise!

Facilities Progress

The Preps are loving their new playground, and everyone is very excited to see the new area between Nicholson Street and Pink Block open for play next term.  It feels as though a lot of planning has turned into action this year, and we are excited to see the end result.  Our current challenges with our facilities rely largely on water after a significant pump failure.  There is lots of work happening behind the scenes to ensure our irrigation system is back up and running ASAP so we can begin irrigating the College ovals and grounds again. 

On the bright side, we have been securing water licenses and preparing for the drilling of a bore for many years now.  This morning, we discovered that our bore drilling has been successful and we have water to supplement our dam supply so that into the future, we may irrigate the entirety of the campus so our students have wonderful green spaces to play and learn.  This is a gradual project, though the irrigation of the new Early Years play space behind pink block is a great example of our next steps moving forward.

2-minute Parking Zone & Bus Zone

We have worked with council to create a 2-minute loading zone in the first 10 carparks in front of prep to create an efficient space for dropping students to school in the morning, and collecting them in the afternoon.  The intent is for a 2-minute maximum in these first 10 car spaces. This means that if you use these spaces, you do not have the time to walk your child/ren into school or walk into school to collect them in the afternoon – no matter what grade they are in.  If you would prefer to walk your children into school you are required to park outside of this zone so that other parents have spaces available to use the drop-off and collection zone appropriately.  This space is becoming an area of great frustration for our parental community, especially when people arrive at school 20 minutes before pickup to claim a space, or are seen having a lengthy discussion in the College grounds while they are parked in a 2-minute zone. 

These facilities have been considered, designed and put in place to make drop-off and collection far more safe for our children and time effective for our parents.  Please stay in, or at the front of your vehicle if using a 2-minute zone, or if you need longer, please park elsewhere and take a little stroll into the College.  Believe it or not, our parking range and access at OLSCC is considerably better than the majority of schools our size, we simply need to use it as intended so we can easily have all students collected safely by 3:20pm. 

‘Tip from many families: Ask your children to be patient and simply arrive at 3:15’.

Easter

Nearly two thousand years ago, Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice and died on the cross for us.  On third day, he rose again.

In the northern hemisphere, Easter takes place in the transition from winter to spring, when many egg decorating festivals occur, including pisanki (Poland), Sham el-Nessim (Egypt) and Persian New Year.   Eventually, the decorated egg found it’s way into Christianity as early Christians in Mesopotamia stained hard boiled eggs red to represent Christ’s blood and the resurrection from his tomb.  Over time, and after some magnificent marketing, this transformed into the global market that is chocolate easter eggs.  No matter how you remember and celebrate Easter this Holy Week, please do so remembering the sacrifices that were made for the betterment of our world.  The giving of oneself for others, or almsgiving, is a really important aspect of this.  So this Easter, enjoy your easter eggs, engage in your local parish during holy week, and think of what you can give of yourself for the benefit of others.

I remember clearly my first year at this College when a young boy in Year 4 won the monstrous easter egg basket from the Mini Vinnies Easter Raffle. It was a washing basket overloaded with all types and varieties of eggs.  The basket was kept by his teacher for the day, though as he walked to his car he had but a few small eggs in his basket and a huge smile on his face after gifting away all of his bounty.  This is what Easter is all about.

Have a safe, happy and family-filled Holy Week and Easter holidays, and a fantastic finish to Term 1 of 2024.

Mr Peter Cuskelly

Principal

NAPLAN Year 3, 5, 7, 9 

Over the past two weeks students in Year 3, 5, 7 and 9 have taken part in NAPLAN. It has been great to see the focus amongst students when completing these tests.  They have faced the challenge of sitting online tests in formal exam settings well and it is great preparation for future formal assessment they need to sit as they journey into Secondary and in particular Senior Schooling. We are now just finishing off catch up tests with students who were absent from year level testing times.  We look forward to receiving the data these tests provide to help us determine how well our students are developing their literacy and numeracy skills that provide the critical foundation for other learning. 

Reporting 

Over the past few weeks, we have conducted Student-Led Conferences in all sectors for our students, parents and teachers to discuss learning goals and progress so far this year.  These are the first of two formal opportunities for these conferences.  The next round of formal Student-Led Conferences will be in Term 3.  Parents are welcome to arrange appointments to meet with their child’s teacher at any stage throughout the year and we encourage you to do so especially if you have any pressing concerns or updates for the teacher.  These are best coordinated directly with the teacher or through the College Office.    

At the end of each semester, we issue formal written report cards which report on the students’ progress against the year long achievement standard. This year report cards will only be issued digitally via the Parent Portal App, paper copies will not be printed and distributed by the College.  It is our aim in 2024 to continue gathering feedback about our report cards and make improvements to ensure these are meeting the needs of the parents they are written for.  So, if at any time you have thoughts and ideas with regards to Student-led conferences or Report Cards please email these to me or your appropriate Sector Assistant Principal.   

Biblical Garden 

In the area behind The Chapel, we have the beginnings of our Biblical Garden.  Last year we created the space and this year we have begun to plant the garden out.  

What is a Biblical Garden?  Why do we have one? 

The intent of this garden is to create a space where students and staff can visit, sit, stroll and enjoy, a place of reflection and peace.  It is our aim to grow plants and trees predominantly found in the stories of the Bible, that reflect locations of Bible stories or that are significant to our local area.  

Why is shaped like a cross? 

The garden is set out in the shape of the Celtic cross.  The Celtic cross links to the Irish heritage of our founders the Sisters of Mercy, Catherine McAuley and the Christian Brothers, Edmund Rice.  It is also the shape of the cross on our College Crest.  Like many symbols, the Celtic Cross has different meanings and symbolism attached to it.  Simple connections we make are the 4 arms of the cross representing the four directions: North, South, East and West, they also represent the four elements: fire, water, air and earth.  The ring that crosses around the arms represents continuity, strengthening and support, a sense of belonging and encompassing. We also see the circle on the cross on emblems representing Edmund Rice Education. The symbolism of this cross is rich in faith and reflects hope, thought of by some as a compass guiding us through our spiritual journey. 

This Week…. 

This week we began to plant out the desert section of our Biblical Garden.  The desert landscape appears in many biblical stories and is especially significant in this time of Lent when Jesus went into the desert for 40 days and 40 nights.  Yesterday 8B and Mr Fraser helped, planting over 250 plants into this section.  The garden is quite large when you start digging around in the space. Another load of succulents will be added tomorrow by Year 11 SOR students in their praxis time. We will finish off this section with rocks and mulch.  

We appreciate the support of Craig Brennan, father of Daniel Year 4 and my husband, who propagated and donated to the College all the plants for this section of the garden.   

We are excited to see how this space will evolve over time and through the seasons.   

If you would like to look at the garden, I encourage you to do so before or after school with your children, they should be able to help direct you if you ask them to take you towards The Chapel. 

How can you help? 

As we go through the phases of construction and planting, we will put a call out for assistance.  It may be in the shape of resources and manpower, and I am excited that already many classes are offering to assist and want to be involved.  If you have a particular talent, you think could help us in this space, please reach out we would welcome your involvement.   

Sacraments @ St Joseph’s Parish 

Our Catholic parish, St Joseph's, coordinates the Sacramental Programs for children in our community.  If your child is baptised, they can join the Reconciliation Program in Year 2 (Sacrament received in November), then the following year (Year 3) they can join the Confirmation and Communion Program (Sacrament received in May).  This flow of sacraments may differ from other parishes and from the past.  If you child has missed the opportunity in Year 2 or 3, they may just add into the next year's program. 

The program consists of families working through a child's workbook/s to learn more about the history, ritual and significance of each Sacrament.  This time of preparation is followed by liturgical celebration in which the sacrament takes place or is received.  Reconciliation and First Communion are conducted by our parish priest, Fr Jim Cronin and Confirmation is conducted by our bishop, Bishop Ken Howell.  Registrations are now being taken for Confirmation and Communion so that families can commence the preparation workbooks. 

If you would like your child to be included in these programs, please contact our parish by phone 46624011 or email dalbyparish@twb.catholic.edu.au. The parish will then communicate directly with families regarding the programs before they commence. To register please contact the Parish, or if you would like to discuss the programs further or your child's readiness to take part in these both myself or the parish can assist with these queries.   

Parent Portal – absentee 

A great way to let the College know that your child is absent or will be absent in the future is via Parent Portal.  These can be put in on the day or before the day if it is a preplanned absence.  This will then be accepted by administration staff and added to the Sentral system. 

HOW TO  

• Sentral for Parents App 
• Choose the Absences Icon 
• In top right hand corner choose the plus sign 

• Select which child/ren 
• Select a reason from the list eg if sick choose medical 
• Choose appropriate start and end date for the absence 
• Add a comment if needed or desired 
• Then click SEND 

It will show on the absences list as PENDING until it is accepted by Administration staff 

If at any time you have queries or concerns about the attendance data showing in your child’s Sentral profile there are a number of avenues for parents: 

• Contact core teacher if Prep – Year 6 
• Contact lesson teacher if Year 7-12 
• If due to extra-curricular contact the teacher in charge of this activity 
• Contact Assistant Principal of your child’s Sector  
• Email dalby@twb.catholic.edu.au  

This issue will then be explored and rectified or explained. 

Mrs Cate Brennan

Deputy Principal Religious Education

What a great first term, with so many wonderful opportunities taken by our students. Many of our students are still in the depths of assessment, with assignments and exams running through to the end of term, week 10.  

With the upcoming break so close I am encouraging all our students to stay focussed and make good choices over the next 2 weeks so that we all finish the term on a positive note. The engagement and commitment of our students in Term 1 has been excellent and I look forward to celebrating their successes as we wind down the days until the easter break. 

I wish all our families a safe and joyful break and I encourage all students to get outside and get active!  

The Benefits of Exercise 

Exercise is beneficial for students for several reasons, impacting both their physical and mental well-being, and helping them become better learners! Here are some areas where exercise can make a difference, especially as a brain-boosting activity: 

COGNITIVE FUNCTION: 

• Enhanced Memory and Learning: Exercise has been linked to improved memory and cognitive function. It may also help with concentration and focus, which are crucial for academic performance. 
• Brain Health: Physical activity stimulates the release of chemicals that promote the growth of brain cells, supporting overall brain health. 
• Establishes Routine: Incorporating exercise into a daily or weekly routine helps students develop discipline and time management skills. 

PHYSICAL HEALTH: 

• Improves Cardiovascular Health: Regular exercise helps strengthen the heart, improve blood circulation, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. 
• Enhances Muscle and Bone Health: Weight-bearing exercises contribute to the development of strong muscles and bones, promoting overall physical strength and resilience. 
• Better Sleep: Regular exercise can help regulate sleep patterns, leading to improved quality and duration of sleep. 

MENTAL HEALTH: 

• Stress Reduction: Exercise is known to reduce stress by increasing the production of endorphins, the body's natural mood lifters. 
• Anxiety and Depression: Physical activity has been shown to alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression, improving overall mental health. 
• Sense of Achievement: Setting and achieving fitness goals can provide a sense of accomplishment and boost self-worth. 

SOCIAL SKILLS: 

• Team Sports and Leadership: Participating in team sports or group exercises fosters social skills, teamwork, and cooperation. It also provides an opportunity for students to develop leadership qualities. 
• Opportunities for Socialising: Participating in sports or group exercises provides opportunities for students to make new friends and strengthen existing relationships. 
• Promotes Healthy Lifestyle Choices: Engaging in physical activity encourages other healthy habits, such as maintaining a balanced diet and interacting with other healthy like-minded people.

In summary, regular physical activity can contribute to a healthier, happier, and more successful academic experience. 

School Attendance 

Our goal at OLSCC is for students to experience success by achieving and maintaining a 93% attendance rate. It is inspiring to see so many of our students maintaining their strong attendance over the term. 

Classes and learning begin at 8.50am with students required to be at school ready to learn at this time. Students who arrive at 8.50am or later will be late to class which contributes to their absences. 10 minutes late each day roughly equates to 6 and a half days of learning lost in a year. 

According to a report by the Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation, school attendance is a crucial factor that affects students’ academic performance and long-term outcomes. Students who report positive attendance behaviours in Year 7 are on average 3 months ahead in their learning by Year 9, compared with students who have poor attendance behaviours.

Year 12 IA1 QCAA Confirmation

Confirmation is a quality assurance process that ensures the comparability of results for summative internal assessment in General and General (Extension) subjects. All provisional IA marks have been uploaded to the QCAA. QCAA-trained assessors WIL review a selected sample of student responses to these internal assessments to check that schools have applied the instrument-specific marking guide (ISMG) accurately and consistently. In 2024, confirmation of a school’s first summative internal assessment for Units 3 and 4 in General and General (Extension) subjects will occur from April.

Assessment Calendars

I encourage all parents to check assessment calendars with their children to ensure that they are managing their time and the assessment demands. Should you have any questions or concerns please contact your child’s teacher in the first instance or relevant curriculum leader.

Teachers are currently marking term 1 assessments and planning assessments for Semester 2.  All students and parents & carers have access to the Semester One Assessment Calendar for 2024 via the College website and the Parent Portal App, the Semester 2 Assessment calendar will be available in week 1 term 2. 

If you have any questions about assessment, please contact your child's classroom teacher or the relevant Middle Leader Curriculum.

Our Lady of the Southern Cross is responsible for gathering evidence of student achievement on or before the due date for internal assessment instruments.

All students have electronic access to their assessment, and it is their responsibility to adhere to these due dates.

Students are responsible for planning and managing their time to meet the due dates.

Students and parents can contact teachers and Curriculum Leaders via phone or email. Teachers are not able to grant extensions directly with students and parents/carers.

Students are required to sit exams when scheduled unless prior communication and approval has come from the College for students to sit and alternate or comparable exam. Students will not be able to sit the same exam as their peers. In Year 9 and 10 this must be accompanied by supporting evidence to the college for approval. In Year 11 and 12 a submission for a Principal Approved AARA must be made by me with supporting evidence to the QCAA for approval for an alternate or comparable task to be administered. Approval is not guaranteed.

Our Lady of the Southern Cross College is required to adhere to QCAA policies about due dates accepting assignments only on or before the due date unless an extension through AARA processes has been approved.  For example, a student who is absent due to family holidays will not be granted an extension for an assignment as this doesn’t meet the AARA guidelines set by QCAA.

Community Participation in Students Learning

Staff at OLSCC want to be actively communicating with families rather than providing a notification. Heather Wolpert-Gawron talks about “The Equation of Student Success”; “Family + Student + School = Student Success”.

“The difference between communication and notification is that communication is the act of communicating anything, while notification is (uncountable) the act of notifying. Communication requires two parties to engage, whereas notification is one way”.

All our staff welcome our parents on being partners in their childs education. Please reach out to your child teachers if you have any questions or wish to provide any information on your childs learning needs.

RAAP – Year 11

Year 11 students began their road safety awareness journey with us by taking part in a discussion with officers from the Queensland Fire and Emergency Service this week. The Emergency services personal presented the Road Accident and Awareness Program (RAAP) to the students. For further information on the RAAP presentation please visit, Road Attitudes and Action Planning | Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (qfes.qld.gov.au).

Students engaged very well and were offered great insight into not just road safety but into making good and safe choices as they grow.

RACQ Docudrama Road Safety Program

Over the past 2 weeks, students have been working with our staff as part of the RACQ Docudrama Road Safety Program which culminates on Monday in a live-stream event with RACQ. The Docudrama is designed to be engaging, interactive and aims to empower your students to make safer, well-informed choices both as a driver and passengers. Students explore and are equipped with, real-world strategies for combating the ‘Fatal Five’ road safety issues; Drink and Drug Driving, Fatigue, Seatbelt Use, Speeding and Distraction.

For more information please follow the link below:

Secondary school programs | RACQ

Mr Rodney Spain

Assistant Principal – Senior Years

By Emma and Olivia

Friday, 8 March, was International Women’s Day. In recognition of the significant event, Emma Donaldson, Olivia Koehler, Mrs Bennie and Mrs Brennan attended a breakfast in order to learn more about the successful women in our district. There were three empowering guest speakers at this event, each with their own success story that ranged from childcare to pre-cooked meals. All three of these women upheld qualities such as positivity, resilient, optimise and many more. They discussed the challenges that they faced and how they overcame them, as well as their goals for the future. They presented themselves as role-models for their entire audience and left every single person truly inspired and informed on women empowerment. The breakfast allowed men and women to congregate in a space where appreciation for women was upheld with a variety of people ranging from school students to adults in attendance. 

Leadership Passport

Check out our latest graduate from Level 1 of the Leadership Passport:

We have also had some new students volunteer to become part of this system. Annabelle Debney (Year 7) and Abi Ryan (Year 7) also have chosen to take the brave step of putting their hands up to improve their leadership skills. Well done!

If your child would like to begin their leadership development journey, encourage them to chat to myself or one of the other Assistant Principals at school.

Thinking about road safety at Easter has prompted my thinking about other dangers that lay lurking nearby, particularly over the holiday period and much closer to home. These are the dangers associated with online activity. While technology can provide us with entertainment, forms of education, and degrees of connection with others, excessive use over the holidays can pose several risks to individuals, especially our vulnerable children. Here are just some of the more obvious dangers:

Isolation from Family and Friends	Spending too much time on a device can lead to isolation from family members and friends. Excessive screen time prevents any meaningful interactions and bonding opportunities. This holiday period, try to make some memories with your children by going somewhere or doing something together that is not technology based.
Mental Health Concerns	Excessive technology use has been linked to many mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, and decreased self-esteem. The data suggests that this is heightened in children and adolescents. Isolation feeds depression as well. Real-life connection is one way of trying to combat the negativities associated with over-use of technology. Poor habits around technology use also impacts sleep patterns making it difficult for children to sleep well. Poor sleep habits can also feed mental health issues.
Risk of cybersecurity threats	The holiday period is well advertised across the country. It is also a well-known fact that there is a spike of internet and device use at this time. In fact, research indicates that during the school holidays, Australia children (aged between 9-10) spend 39% more time using screens than during the school time.  Online predators know this too. While online, your children are potential targets. While many believe cyberbullying to be the biggest threat to their children (data suggests that around 1 in 5 children have experienced some form of cyberbullying), online grooming is a recognized threat that the Australia Federal Police and various governmental agencies are working hard to combat. Unfortunately, the reports of online grooming and child exploitation have increased in recent years.   For more information about the threat of online predators, please read the section below.
Loss of creativity and imagination	Excessive reliance on technology for entertainment can hinder the development of creativity and imagination in our young people. Instead of engaging in imaginative play or creative activities, individuals often passively consume content via screens. This decrease in creativity can impact academic performance, especially for problem-solving tasks,  when back at school.

 

Queensland Police Service – Who’s chatting to your kids? / Think U Know?

In terms of social internet use, children are some of the most prolific users, but also some of the most naïve. This combination unfortunately results in increasing numbers of school-aged students finding themselves caught up in dangerous online situations. It is scary to think, but up to 70% of all new sexual exploitation content online is actually victim-produced.

Online gaming has increased dramatically in recent years. Parents must be aware that modern devices, including many gaming consoles, provide online chat capability enabling anyone (including predators) to communicate with your children.  Task Force Argos, a branch of the Queensland Police Service, was established in 1997 to investigate child exploitation and abuse. As technology advanced, the task force began to focus more of their energy into child exploitation across the internet. They have identified potential threats to children in online chat rooms and online games that have chat functionality, such as Roblox, where sexual predators were grooming children by playing the games and pretending to be kids.  

From their investigations, once a friendship has been established, the predator suggests that the conversation move to another online chat platform or social media site. Once communication moves to other platforms, the grooming can intensify. The Task Force Argos  advice for parents is to investigate what communication functionality are on children’s devices and to limit interaction with strangers online. Talk to your children about who are their friends online as the reality is, if they have never met the person in-person, they need to consider them a potential threat.

Combined research published by the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation, Our Watch, Bravehearts, The Carly Ryan Foundation, and more highlight some alarming statistics about internet use and teenagers here in Australia. Please carefully review the information below:

For more information regarding safeguarding your child online, please check out the following links:

Child Safety Handbook

This publication is compiled, produced and distributed by the QLD Police Legacy with forewords by the Commissioner of Police, Premier & Minister for Police. In keeping with the focus of caring for children and families, QLD Police Legacy are producing the ‘Child Safety Handbook’ as a much needed and vital resource guide for children, parents and teachers. It will be distributed to Year 6 students this coming week.

The goal of the campaign is to reach family homes and parents, raising awareness of child safety issues: from child-proofing the home and traffic safety, to how to respond to strangers, bullying at school and drug and alcohol abuse. In addition, each area handbook contains emergency phone numbers, specific to the local area, for children to use if they are home alone, feel threatened, hurt themselves or are in danger etc.

For more information, check out this site: https://www.childsafetyhandbook.com.au/

In a time-poor world, the best gift you can give your child is to spend quality time with them. They may not be able to articulate it well, but kids don’t really want things, not deep down, instead they want time with you. At the end of a person’s life, people often say I never really had the time to …. or I wish we had more time to … Spending quality time with your children when they are young is a great way of shifting from those regretful statements into a far more positive Remember the time we …. (followed by laughter or feelings of joy).  

By now many of the students are counting down the days until the holiday break. They are excited in telling me where they are going for Easter or who they will be spending the break with. For some, many kilometres will be covered across that two-week period, for others not so much. Whatever end of that spectrum you find yourself and your family at, I wish you a safe and happy holiday period. Easter traditionally has high volumes of vehicles on our roads and the incidents of accidents spikes. If you are travelling, please be safe out there on the roads.

Students – Big ideas

On Tuesday, a small group of Middle Years worked with a consultative team organised by the Western Downs Regional Council looking at upgrading the Diplock Park area here in Dalby. 63 students in the Middle Years submitted their ideas for this space and then small group from the photos worked closely with the consultants to share their thoughts on how to make this space better for the young people in our community into the future. Well done students.

Craig Cullen

Assistant Principal Middle Years

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/r4t5_gTzQxc

Kristen Bennie 

Assistant Principal Early Years 

Dalby Show

It’s that time of year again, Dalby Show is coming up on the Easter holidays. It is the Friday before we come back on the 12 April 2024.

There are some really great opportunities for students to enter into some competitions in their passion area.

I have gone through the show schedule and highlight some categories that might be of interest to our students. I have highlighted any entry cost associated with these categories and also the nomination dates. This is not the extensive list, you can access all categories on the Dalby Show Website at https://www.dalbydistrictshow.com/

Dalby_Show_Schedule

As the show takes place over school holidays it will be up to parents to complete the nominations and take in their student’s entries at the appropriate time.

For your convenience here is the nomination form.

NOMINATION_FORM

Choir

Well done to our choir for their amazing performance at the Early Years Bush Dance. They will be following this up with another performance at Dalby Show, please keep an eye out for communication with details from Miss Twidale.

Miss Tamara Creeley

Middle Leader Culture

Bunya District Under 12 Sports Trials

Sign on sheets will be placed on the Notice Board before each trial date for any students wishing to attend. Depending on numbers, a school trial may need to be held in some sports.

26 March – Tennis

Bunya District Rugby League

Congratulations to the following boys selected in the Bunya District Rugby League Teams to play against Inner Downs Zone next week.

Under 11

Jett Price, Gene Eggers, Ace Utz, Alex Rasmussen, Zac McVeigh.

Under 12

Archie Stephens, Felix Twidale, Will Burton, Henry Flynn, Riley Burton, Flynn Zillman, Nate Schloss, Lyjah King Togia, Brax Hunt, Bobby Machin.

Inner Downs Touch Football

Congratulations to the following students selected in the Inner Downs Touch Football Teams for the Darling Downs Trials early next term.

Under 15 Girls

Lana O’Callaghan, Mia Smith, Molly Gibson

Under 15 Boys

Jasper Filewood, Ryker Filewood, William Barwick, Joshua Barwick, Noah Cook, Travis Collins, Khayden Hall

U18 Girls

Karlie Falvey

Darling Downs Representatives

Congratulations to the following students selected in Darling Downs Sports Teams:

Under 11 Netball

Pippa Smith

U12 Netball

Lainey Geiger

U12 Boys Netball

Charlie Sullivan

U18 Girls Rugby League

Gaby Anderton

U15 Girls Volleyball

Lucy Cusack

Squash

Lucy Cusack, Emma Cusack, Jack Gibson

Netball

Laura Geitz Shield

Congratulations the Year 8/9 Girls who competed at the Laura Geitz Shield in Toowoomba last weekend. The team had a fantastic day finishing with the Bronze Medal in Division one. Thanks to Mrs Bennie and Miss Fry for coaching the team and to Emma Cusack for umpiring all day.

Game results are listed below.

Win vs TAS                               19-1

Loss to Downlands                     6-7

Loss to Fairholme                      8-14

Win vs Chinchilla SHS                22-4

Draw with Mary MacKillop          11-11

Loss to Glennie                         6-15

Semi Final

1^st vs 4^th

Loss to Glennie                         10-16

Bronze Medal Game

Win vs Downlands                     9-7

QISSN

Congratulations to the following girls selected to represent the College at the 2024 QISSN Netball Carnival in Townsville during the June/July holidays.

Emma Donaldson, Kaitlyn Harms, Chloe Manteit, Tiffany Ham, Hannah Taylor, Taylor Marshall, Summer Buckley, Emma Cusack, Emmy Harms, Lucy Chaplin.  

Cross Country

The Inter House Cross Country will be held on Wednesday 17 April (Term 2 Week 1). All students from Prep – Year 12 will run on this day. An outline of the day is attached to the newsletter.

Upcoming Representative Cross Country Dates in Term 2 are listed below.

Friday 3 May – Bunya District Trials (Dalby Christian College)

Tuesday 7 May – QCIS Carnival (Scots College Warwick)

Tuesday 14 May – Darling Downs Trials (Toowoomba)

Rugby League

Trial games against Dalby SHS will be held next Wednesday at the Dalby Leagues Club. The U13’s at 4pm, U15 at 5pm and U18 at 6pm. The Darling Downs Interschool Competition will begin next term. Games will be played on a Wednesday afternoon in either Toowoomba or Dalby.

Mr Tim Lincoln

Middle Leader Sport

Career Education- Career Expos  

With the support of the Dalby BEST (Bringing Employers & Schools Together) Group and the Career Development Team at the College, planning and organising for this year's Careers Expo is taking shape. After the success of the 2023 Dalby Careers Expo at the PCYC, the Dalby BEST group has assigned OLSCC to organise this career education event. Career Expos are an opportunity for students to assess their options and seek answers to the information they require to make the best choice of career in the future. As a part of a person’s lifelong learning, Bond University explain that Career Expos are an excellent opportunity for young people to connect with Education Institutions and Industry to discuss their strengths and weaknesses. It is also an opportunity for students to explore what is important to them and to be able to discuss their values and interests with industry and education institutions. As the Dalby Careers Expo is an annual community event, we look forward to providing all Dalby and surrounding regional students from year 9 to 12 an opportunity to discuss their career options with exhibitors who attend the event on Friday 19th of July at the Dalby PCYC.  

Future Careers – Minerals and Exploration Industry 

For students interested or want to know more about careers in the minerals and exploration industries, Central Queensland University have information for students wanting more information on these possible pathways. Please click on the link below. 

Shape Your Future Innovate Our World – Start your career in minerals and energy.  

Apprenticeship Opportunities 

Jimbour Beef and Bacon Pty Ltd are offering a traineeship in Certificate (11) Meat Processing at their business located in Jimbour. Any students interested or seeking a career in the agriculture sector please contact the business owner Mr. Steve Donovan on 07 46636137 or contact Mr Garside when school returns in 2024.  

Key Dates  

19 April                               Yr 10 White Card Training 

15 May                                Yr 9 Industry Dinner 

29 May                                Yr 9&10 Aspire2Health (limited numbers) 

10-14 June                          Yr 10 Work Experience 

19 July                                Yr 9-12 Dalby Careers Expo  

August                                Yr 12 ATAR Registration & QTAC Applications 

2-4 September                     Yr 12 Barista & RSA 

9-10 September                   Yr 10 Manual Handling & First Aid Course 

11-13 September                 Yr 10 Barista Course 

17 October                           Yr 12 SBA/Traineeship Employer thank you lunch  

University Open Days 2024 

UniSC 

Moreton Bay             21 July 

Sunshine Coast         4 August 

UniSC 2024 Open Days 

UniSQ 

Ipswich                         11 August                        10am-2pm 

Springfield                  11 August                        10am-2pm 

Toowoomba              18 August                        10am-2pm 

UniSQ 2024 open days 

Griffith University 

Nathan Campus 11 August 

Gold Coast 11 August 

Griffith University Open Day 

QUT 

Gardens Point & Kelvin Grove       28 July               9am – 3pm 

QUT Open Day 

UQ (University of Queensland) – registrations open in July 

 St Lucia Campus                         4 August                 9am – 3pm         

Gatton Campus                           18 August               9am – 3pm 

 UQ Open Days 

Mr Dean Garside 

Career Development Practitioner 

St Joseph's Primary, Chinchilla, is hosting a School Horse Sports day on Friday 19^th July. This is a day where OLSCC horse riders can compete in gymkhana events. To be eligible to enter, children must be a financial member of a pony club for insurance purposes,  own your own horse, be a capable independent rider unless on lead and follow all pony club rules and regulations. If you are interested or would like to know more, please make contact with the team manager Kelly Muller via email: kel-michels@hotmail.com 

If you are interested in joining the Dalby and District Pony Club, please make contact with Sarah Lilburne  via email: sarah.lilburne@twb.catholic.edu.au

We are an OSHC, we provide before and after school care Mon-Fri 6am-830am and 3:10pm-6pm. We are looking into starting vacation care as well in the near future. We offer this service at the school and have plenty of areas for the children to play including, MPC, PAC room and both ovals. We have plenty of resources provided for the children to play depending on their interest, including: arts and craft, building blocks, balls to kick around and cooking experiences. We also offer breakfast and afternoon tea for all kids.

We will buy more resources depending on what the kids ask for or show interest in.

Thanks,

Diocese of Toowoomba Catholic Kindergartens and Care 

https://tckc.qld.edu.au/

DALcare@tckc.qld.edu.au

International Day of Mathematics 2024

The International Day of Maths (IDM) is a worldwide celebration of all things mathematics!

To mark this event, students were able to come to the library and complete some "maths origami" with teachers from the MY and SY maths team.

IMD_poster.pdf

IMD_poster _pdf 662.96 KB

Expressions of Interest

Catholic Debutante Ball

Dalby

25 October 2024

We are seeking expressions of interest from you ladies who would like to participate.

ALL expressions of interest in by 28 March

Further information will be provided.

To register your interest contact Alicia Cook

Phone 0411 094 858

Email: cookliss81@gmail.com