Prep students have been learning about geography recently and have just completed the final task in their project on mapping. Students had to decide which features they would like in their map such as buildings, bridges or roads and then record them using drawings and writing in their books. They were then required to create a map using all the geographical features they had chosen which was also recorded in their geography book. The final task involved using 3D shapes and blocks from the classroom to create a 3D version of their map with all the features they had chosen. The students took great care with their work and paid specific attention to the detail of all the features. Well done Preps.

Click on the gallery to see the work of Amara Sim and Benjamin Barwick including their project work and their 3D creations.

Saints Race Day

What a great day was had by all at the Saints Race Day on Saturday.  A massive thank you must go out to all of the Saints Race Day committee members who worked tirelessly to create such a beautiful setting for our 400 strong crowd to unite and enjoy a wonderful social day. There was great enthusiasm in supporting the raffles, auctions, social banter and the dance floor on the day and I now understand the hype behind the greatness of this day and the community which it supports.  This was a very proud day for me as the Principal of this amazing College, though I feel I need to brush up on my bike riding skills before next year! If you would like to see some more photos from the day, hop over to the College Facebook page where a few of the snaps have been shared.

Queensland Core Skills Test

Our Year 12 cohort completed their QCS test on Tuesday and Wednesday.  I was very proud that all Year 12 students were in attendance, whether completing QCS or not, to support their peers and create a sense of comraderie during a testing time.  This is testament to the leadership of our amazing group of Seniors in 2018 and we wish them all the best on their results from their testing this week!

Enrolment – The time is NOW!

We are currently confirming our staffing structure for 2019.  Whilst we have had many 2019 enrolments already, we require everyone applying for enrolment at our College to make their intentions clear over the next 2 weeks so our predictions can be accurate to meet the educational needs of our students next year.  Most critical are our 2019 Prep enrolments.  We have almost filled 2 classes for next year and need to make decisions on whether to cap our intake or open another class.  This decision will be made over the coming holidays based on the enrolments we have.  If you are aware of anyone who has not yet enrolled, it is urgent they register their intent with the office to ensure that there will be a place available for them in 2019. Likewise, if you are aware of others wishing to begin their education at OLSCC in 2019 in any year level, the same courtesy will mean that we can plan accordingly and won’t need to turn anyone away.

Senior Schooling

The College timetable is being configured currently to align with the lines we currently have in draft.  The Senior school subject selections will take place prior to the upcoming holidays to ensure students have their timetable for next year by the time they return for Term 4.  This has been a challenging process as we look at the configuration of the timetable to cater for all year levels at the College, and despite some technical issues earlier on, we are very confident with our current draft which caters for the needs of all students, especially our current Year 11 students who will continue with the OP system as we transition to the new ATAR and QCE systems.   

2019 Student Fee Structure

We are making minor changes to our student fee structure that aligns with the changes made by the Diocese of  Toowoomba Catholic Schools and to better align with the structure of the College from 2019.  This means fees will be organised by 3 brackets, Early Years (Prep – Year 4), Middle Years (Years 5-8) and Senior Years (9-12). This essentially means that the fees will gradually increase throughout your child’s education rather than have a significant jump from Junior to Senior.  It will also mean that the Capital Levy will be applied at an individual level rather than at a family level, though this will be offset by a variance to the discount rate for families, also aligned to the direction of the Diocese.  There will be consultation with the board regarding the updates and then further details will be sent to families. 

The College has also developed a Scholarship and Concession Guideline which will allow us to make more purposeful consideration of the concessions and scholarships made for our families. While our preferential option for the poor and our Catholic values always guide us in looking after families in need, it also creates the opportunity to reward our high achieving students and families to receive scholarships to support them in continuing their education at OLSCC. In 2019 some students will be invited to apply for scholarships for excellence in attitude and achievement in the following aspects: religious life of the College or Parish; academia; and either culture or sport.  If you are currently on a concession, details of the new process will be communicated to you early next term.

Peter Cuskelly

Principal

This week our focus Virtue is Humanity the Character Strength is Kindness.  Be Kind this week  

 Father,  

we are grateful for the kindness and generosity you show us every day and we ask that you help us to see those around us in the same way you do - as loved and treasured people.  

 Conform our hearts to be like yours and activate our hands by your Spirit at work within us, to participate with you in showing kindness and generosity to others today.  

Amen 

OLSC Day

Last Friday we celebrated OLSC Day with the whole College coming together for an afternoon of activities in House groups and concluding with whole College Mass led by Father Jim. Students were able to demonstrate their community spirit with older students helping younger students, and vice versa on a few occasions! It was enjoyable and encouraging to see all our students taking the opportunity to interact and participate in some fun activities while still recognising the namesake of our College, Our Lady of the Southern Cross.

INTERESTING FACT ABOUT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH 

Our Lady of the Southern Cross College is one of 95 P-12 Catholic schools in Australia. 

(facts compiled by Rev Dr Richard Leonard SJ) 

ST JOSEPH'S PARISH RECONCILIATION 

The sacrament of Reconciliation will be celebrated at St Joseph's during the week beginning 19 November 2018.  The Sacramental Program of preparation will begin with a group meeting on Thursday 11 October at 7:00pm.  

Who is eligible?  Children who  

• Have been baptised, and  
• Are currently in year 2 or above. 

If you would like to enrol your child in this Sacramental Program please contact St Joseph's Parish with your child's name and parent/guardian contact details, 46624011 or dalbyparish@twb.catholic.edu.au  or Cate Brennan via OLSCC Office.   Enrolment forms and payment will need to be completed at the information night. If your child was not baptised in St Joseph’s, please bring to the Information meeting: 

a copy of the baptismal certificate or an extract which can be requested from the Parish where your child was baptised.   

LOST PROPERTY 

The amount of unnamed Lost Property at the College is growing each week as it warms up.  Please check the Lost Property Box on the Junior Blue wing for any unnamed items that may belong to you.  All unclaimed, unnamed lost property will be put up for sale during the last week of term at unbelievable prices so please check before the Monday of the last week. 

Cate Brennan

Assistant Principal Mission

Middle Years Father’s Breakfast

On Monday morning our students gathered with their fathers, grandfathers and brothers to celebrate Father’s Day. This provided us with a great opportunity to acknowledge the importance of these men in the lives of our students as well as share a delicious barbecued breakfast. Here is the prayer that we prayed;

Lord, thank you for all our fathers

For the new ones

who endure sleepless nights with infants in arms.

For the busy ones

Who juggle the pressures of home and family life,

For the patient ones,

Who always seek to forgive and engage with their pre-teens.

For the persistent ones,

Who cleverly find ways to connect to their mini-adults.

For the steadfast ones

who nurture and care for our special, vulnerable children.

For the uncles,

Who step in to cradle and care for nieces and nephews.

For all the grandfathers

Who love and support their precious grandchildren.

For the foster dads

who are called to gather and cover the fragile ones.

For the Sunday dads

Who care for our children and lead them in faith.

For the dads who give far beyond their own resources,

Who overcome disability to cherish and love.

Thank you Lord for all our beautiful fathers.

Help us to support them and keep them in our prayers.

May you bless them.

Amen

All the special fathers and grandfathers of our Prep students were invited along for a Father's Day breakfast and prayer celebration last Friday morning. 

Thanks to Mr Gillespie, Mr Gleeson, Dan Gillespie, James Hegedus, Ailee O'Shea and Hugh Clarke who assisted Prep staff on the morning particularly with the cooking of the delicious bacon and egg burgers.

Please enjoy our gallery of images of all the special fathers and grandfathers with our Prep students.

Junior

Touch Football

Year 5/6 students who have registered their interest in representing the College at the SWQ and QLD All Schools Carnivals trials will be held early next week at lunchtime to finalise our teams.

Athletics

Available Results from the recent Darling Downs Carnival

Xavier Gibson – 1^st Long Jump

Gabby Banks – 3^rd 1500m

Archie Smart – 5^th 800m

Carla Nobbs – 6^th 1500m

Jack Gibson – 9^th Multi Event

Chris Banks – 10^th 1500m

Xavier Gibson and Gabby Banks have been selected in the Darling Downs Team for the State Championships in Cairns.

Senior

Futsal

Any students Born in 2006 or 2005 who wish to attend Darling Downs Futsal Trials please see Mr Lincoln for more information.

QLD All Schools Touch Football Carnival

Version 2 of the QLD All Schools Touch Football Draw has been released and placed on the Sports Notice Board. At this stage all games are on Thursday Friday and Saturday (October 11-14) with finals only on Sunday.

Cricket

Any Boys Born in 2005, 2004 or after September 1 2003 who would like to attend Inner Downs U14 Cricket Trials please see Mr Lincoln for more information. 

Water Polo

Any Boys or Girls interested in attending Darling Downs Water Polo Trials for 2019 please see Mr Lincoln for more information. Students must be born between 2002 – 2006 and be enrolled at school next year.

Triathlon

Any Boys or Girls interested in attending Darling Downs Triathlon Trials for 2019 please see Mr Lincoln for more information. Students must be born between 2002 – 2006 and be enrolled at school next year.

Rugby Sevens

Unfortunately the Scots Warwick Rugby Union Competition has been capped with a limited number of teams per division. At this stage only our U16 Boys, U16 Girls and Open Boys have been guaranteed entry. Travel will be via Bus to Warwick next Saturday leaving the College at 6.00am. If this does not occur the College will organise some other games for our teams to compete in next term.

Athletics

Results from the Darling Downs Carnival held last week are listed below. Congratulations to Harry Coman, Jonty MacDougall and Eliza Bradford who have been selected in the Darling Downs Team to attend the State Championships in Brisbane in October.

Harry Coman – 1^st in 110m Hurdles Final, 1^st 400m Hurdles Final (new meet record)

Jonty MacDougall – 1^st in High Jump

Jack Henningsen – 2^nd 800m Final

Eliza Bradford – 3^rd in High Jump

Bailey Skinner – 3^rd 200m Final, 100m Finalist

Michael MacDonald – 3^rd in 100m Final

Sophie O’Connor – 6^th in Javelin, 13^th Discus

Cody Wenham – 8^th in Javelin

Hannah Pattison – 17^th in 100m

Tim Lincoln

Sports Coordinator

We would like to acknowledge and thank our Major Sponsors, Shine Lawyers, Milli and Robe, Dalby Herald, Golding Air Conditioning, The Criterion Hotel, HEQ Services, SNAP and Urban Paddock. We also thank our Gold, Silver and Bronze sponsors who are listed below.

The Saints Race Day Committee worked extremely hard to provide a stunning atmosphere in the Marquee and around the track and the fun and laughter continued right throughout the day. The raffle was drawn and the live auction generated some keen bidding from the crowd for an incredible array of prizes that were generously donated by our sponsors.

A huge thank you also to Ange Strling who has allowed us access to her stunning images from the day.  Please enjoy this beautiful gallery of Ange's images.

I write to publicly thank the Dalby and Western Downs community for the incredible support of this year’s Saints Race Day.  

Today I was sitting in my classroom and looking at the students in my care.  I know they are receiving an education in changing times and feel secure that our College will be able to meet the challenges that lie ahead of them and me, their teacher.

The long tradition of the Saints’ Races has provided St Columba’s, and now Our Lady of the Southern Cross College, with an opportunity to raise much needed funds for the essential resources needed by our staff and students.  Each year we allocate our funds raised to different initiatives.  We have installed Sound Field Systems that allow hearing impaired students to hear in a busy classroom, we have bought fridges for little peoples’ lunches and created beautiful areas for quiet reflection in a student’s day.  This year we will allocate funds to purchase and access much needed technology and online resources for our College.  As educators, we prepare our students for their world not ours and technology is essential in this endeavour.

On behalf of the Saints Race Day Committee and our entire College community I would like to say a big thank you to all who have helped with our big day. Saints Races just seems to get better and better and my buttons burst with pride that I am part of this fabulous College and wider community.

Elizabeth Carter

Year 5 Teacher & Saints Race Day Committee Member

Visit by Registered Nurse for Prep Vision Screening

Good vision is important for a child's educational, physical and social development. Vision screening is therefore vital in early childhood, particularly for conditions such as 'lazy eye', which if not detected early can lead to blindness.

A Registered Nurse will be visiting the College in 2018 to commence vision screening for all Prep children. If you wish to have your child participate in this vision screening program, please complete and sign the consent form sent home with your child and return this to your child's class teacher as soon as possible. You will be advised in writing of the outcome of your child's screening.

Please note that if your child has had a vision assessment in the past 12 months, it is not necessary for him/her to participate in this screening program. If this is the case, please complete the consent form and indicate that you do not wish your child to participate and ensure that you follow the schedule of reviews recommended by your eye health professional.

Primary School Nurse Health Readiness Program

Child and Youth Community Health Services

Qhildren's Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service

CAPS FOR SALE

College Caps are available for $15 from the College Office. Students are able to wear these caps at certain sports events (eg Touch, Tennis, XC, Cricket). They are not to be worn instead of the College hat at lunchtime. Click on the link button to check out the desing from ZOO Sport.

UNIFORM SHOP NEWS

Please note, there has been an increase in the uniform prices which will be effective from 1 September 2018. Click on the link button for the new price list.

TUCKSHOP ROSTER