Last Friday evening, students, families and staff gathered on the College Oval to enjoy Christmas Carols performed by our class groups, the Contemporary Vocal Group and staff. Despite the very hot day, the evening cooled off and the atmosphere was relaxed and festive with many students purchasing a battery powered candle to light up the night. The crowd enjoyed the BBQ hosted by the College P & F Association and there was a gathering around the bar for those to enjoy a cold drink while listening to our talented students perform. Santa came in from the North Pole to sweat it out handing out sweets to the children and Mrs Baxter kept the running order of performances flowing. To all who came along, we thank you for your attendance and hope you and your family enjoyed our Christmas Carols.

Yesterday, our students from Early Years performed their Christmas Nativity in the MPC and what a beautiful representation of the Christmas Story it was. Mrs Garside wrote the script and guided the students through their acting and class song in front an adoring audience of mums, dads and grandparents. All the sparkle of the choir in glittering headbands and the delightful costumes of the characters from the play added to the charm and it was certainly a bright and festive performance. Well done to all those students and staff members involved in helping retell the story of the birth of Jesus and the reason we celebrate Christmas.

The 2019 Academic Year at OLSCC

2019 has seen many challenges for our College as we have implemented the Living Your Faith program, the new QCE system and the new College Leadership structure.  As is a common issue for rural and remote schools across the nation, we have also had many staffing challenges to meet in addition to the narrowing focus on the improvement of student learning outcomes across all sectors.  Underpinning all of this is the development of both staff and students as lifelong learners.

Our LYF program has progressed significantly over its first year in a staged sequence where we aspire to develop faithful, confident learners into a world where a sense of purpose is formed for all students.  Through the gathering of community, faith development, Praxis and re-creation, we have seen students and staff grow in leaps and bounds in their efforts to live like Jesus, and come to realise their Christian values through active service to the community. 

The implementation of the new QCE system has been demanding for all staff in the Senior years, and under Mr Hodge’s guidance, we have seen the staff reach very high standards of performance with over 60% of initial tasks being endorsed in the first round, a challenge met by very few Colleges. In doing so, the teachers continued to enact the existing OP system concurrently in composite classes, of which we are extremely proud.  This composite challenge sees our 2020 students in an even better standing as we look forward to the first external assessment period at the end of 2020.

Our new College Leadership Team, formed in January of 2019, has been very progressive in meeting the feedback provided to the College through the 2017 independent review.  Feedback from the School Renewal and Improvement Review in August (available on the website) clearly showed that parents, students and staff have far greater clarity regarding the roles and responsibilities of staff, and greatly appreciate the simplicity and accountability that comes with this structure.  The aligned implementation of Early Years, Middle Years and Senior Years sectors are also greatly appreciated in providing clarity, and we look forward to this structure aligning further with individual teaching staff from 2020 and beyond.

I am proud to say that as of today, we have a full roster of teaching staff for 2020, and have only 1 school officer position to fill for 2020, as advertised in this newsletter.  In addition, timetables and class lists have been completed and communicated well in advance compared to other Colleges across our state, and this is greatly valued by parents, staff and students alike.  Accordingly I would like to announce the following positions:

Year 6 – 6M – Miss Leah McDuff – Leah is a talented graduate from a strong educational family who has already taken 6M during Up Day.  She shows great initiative in utilising modern pedagogy to engage students in learning.

Year 7/8 Math and Science – Ms Louise Connellan – Ms Connellan has worked at OLSCC as a relief teacher and comes from a scientific and humanities background deeply embedded in real life learning enacted through industry.

Year 9/10 Maths, Science, HPE and STEM – Miss Amy Parker – Miss Parker taught many of her classes on Up Day and has great experience both as an athlete and as a teacher at Assumption College Warwick in 2019. 

Senior Years Humanities – Mr Tyron Fraser – Hailing from South Africa, Mr Fraser has been a deputy principal before immigrating to Australia and comes with many, many years teaching across various subjects both in South Africa and in Western Australia.

Senior Years Science – Mrs Nikhat Fatema – A recent graduate as a specialist senior Science teacher, Mrs Fatema is looking forward to settling down her roots with her family as she embarks on the start of her teaching career.

Middle Leader Culture and The Arts + Year 2-12 Music – Mr Neill Thacker – Mr Thacker has extensive experience in this role across Catholic, independent and international Colleges, as well as being an active musician.  His experience complements the current staff at the College and adds further promise to the development of Culture and The Arts at OLSCC.

Assistant Principal of Middle Years - Mr Craig Cullen - Mr Cullen comes to us from Marist College Emerald where he was Deputy Principal and head of the Pastoral Care Team and previously Head of House. Prior to that he gained 5 years experience at St Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace. Mr Cullen has experience teaching Junior HPE, Religion, Science, Geography and History and has been instrumental in implementing many improvements to enhance student learning outcomes. 

Our progress as a Visible Learning Lighthouse College has also been significant in 2019, and we greatly look forward to consolidating consistent expectations in this regard in 2020.  The mindset and development of staff is ever-increasing and I couldn’t be more proud of the effort, dedication and the growth mindset of the staff in this regard.

We sadly say farewell to Mrs Melissa Irwin, Ms Anne O’Reilly, Mr Aaron Aislabie, Mrs Maree Cannavan, Mrs Cesari and Mrs Ruhle this year.  Our College will not be the same without the experience and capability of these staff as we head into 2020, though we know that their skills will continue to make a difference for children across the state as they move to new challenges.  I would like to thank and recognise their work in making our College the great place it is, and wish them all the very best for the future. In addition, we wish Mr Garside, Mrs O’Brien and Mrs O’Shea all the best as they embark on leave for 2020.

Lastly, I wish everyone in our community a safe, happy, and holy Christmas period.  As we spoke about yesterday at the Early Years Nativity performance, we should focus our efforts on presence rather than presents this year so as to make the world a better place where people take the time to genuinely care for and support one another.  May God bless everyone and keep them safe until we meet again for an even better year for OLSCC, 2020! From my family to yours – Merry Christmas!!

Pete Cuskelly

Principal

Merry Christmas Everyone 

Dear Lord, don't let us miss You this Christmas season.  

Help us to simplify our activities and traditions 

so we can focus our celebration on Your birth.  

Thank You for being the Prince of Peace,  

and I ask You for peace to reign in our hearts.  

Thank You for the simple but life-changing message of Your love for us.  

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

Christmas events and Mass Times for Christmas 

Other Special Christmas Events

Dalby Community Christmas Carols - Thursday, 12 Dec 6 to 8.30pm

Dalby Presbyterian Church Christmas Light Display 16 to 24 Dec from 7pm

Dalby Baptist Church Christmas Tree Festival - See below

Mini Vinnies Christmas Appeal 

On Friday night we presented representatives Marie Burton and Carmel Hart, from St Vincent de Paul with the donations collected from our Christmas Appeal.  They were very thankful for all we collected on their behalf. Mr Kaveny and Mr Petersen loaded all the hampers into the College ute on Tuesday and delivered them to the St Joseph's Parish Centre. It was a fantastic effort and we thank each family who made a dontaion.

On behalf of all at St Joseph’s Conference members I would like to thank you all for the Christmas donations we have received from you and for all the support through the year.  When we have appeals you, at Our Lady’s always contribute.  Every year we, as a conference, are blown away by the amount of Christmas goods we receive especially at Christmas.  You can rest assured that you all make a huge difference to people less fortunate than ourselves.  I would really like to thank all the parents as without your generous support this would not happen.  I would just like to finish by wishing you all a happy and safe Christmas and holidays and many blessings in the new year.  Carmel Hart 

Dalby Baptist Church Christmas Tree Festival 

Each year the Baptist Church holds a free event, the Christmas Tree Festival, in the lead up to Christmas  where community members are encouraged to create trees to display.  Last year we were involved and created two trees for this display.  This year we have SEVEN trees ready to be displayed.  These trees will be sold in silent auction style with money raised going to charity.  I encourage members of our community to visit the festival and bid on our amazing trees or others in the display.  It truly is a great way to get into the Christmas spirit.  From Wednesday 18 – Monday 23 December 7:00pm –9:00pm each night, 143 Hayden Street Dalby. 

Christmas Carols  

Thanks to all who joined us to see our star singers under the stars at our Christmas Carols on Friday evening.  It was a wonderful to join with families from our community for this celebration.  Thanks for the behind the scenes efforts of our Grounds staff Andrew and Dave to ensure that we were all set up and ready to roll at showtime.  A huge thanks to the P & F and all their parent helpers for running the delicious BBQ and to Steve Gillespie and his helpers for the bar.  Thanks must go to the music teachers, Michelle Garside, Maxine Hetherington and Libby Baxter for their preparation of students before the event and extra thanks extended to Libby and her sound and musician helpers for their musical coordination on the night.  Thanks to staff for joining in the fun with their rendition of Santa Claus is Coming to Town and manning the candle sales. Many hands make light work and the success of this evening can be credited to everyone who helped out in these and many more ways.  It was great to sit back, listening to the singing and watch the children running around with candles flying high having a brilliant time.   

Cate Brennan

Deputy Principal Religious Education 

As we near the end of the 2019 academic year, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all members of our Senior Years community for their contributions and dedicated work over the course of the year. In particular, our Senior Years students have continued to prove themselves as trustworthy and respectful young adults who have each given of their best to uphold the values that underpin all that we do. Our College is a very special and unique community and I continually feel privileged to work with our young people.

I thank our Senior Years staff who always give so much of themselves for the benefit of our students. Thank you also to our supportive parent community. It is so vital that we all work together for the benefit of the young people under our care, and this will remain our priority in 2020.

I wish all Senior Years students, families and staff a very safe and holy holiday period.

Matt Hodge

Assistant Principal Senior Years

The year has come to an end and the holidays are upon us. I thank all my staff, students and family for their support throughout 2019. I have enjoyed the challenge of the role as Assistant Principal Middle Years. We look forward to the leadership in the Middle Years of Mr Cullen; he brings a wealth of experience to the position. 2020 will be a great year as we build on the work of the past.

We wish Ms O’Reilly all the best as she moves to teach with Ms Carroll at Mary Mac in Highfields. Ms O’Reilly has been a long-term advocate for the Middle Years at the College. Her input over this time will leave a mark for years to come.

The Year 8 Poverty Prayer Gathering this morning was a wonderful experience. The class showed the close connection of our Christian values and those less fortunate in our world. The class’ efforts were on show for family and peers. It brought into focus the ongoing support of Kelvin and Baraka as they continue their education in Tanzania through the work of YES Arusha. Congratulations to these young people as they truly live their faith at OLSCC

Year 10 Praxis, not technically the Middle Years but another wonderful group of young people that I have been involved with this year. We have worked through a programme with the outcome being the making of wooden trucks for St Vinnies to give to children at Christmas time. Along the way we have developed and modified our plan, enhanced our skills of formal letter writing, entertained guest speakers, made mistakes and come up with solutions. The most valuable lesson was that without the full team working as one an ambitious plan will not come to fruition. We are proud of our efforts and even more proud of our learning.

Melrose putting the finishing touches on one of our wooden trucks. We have been lucky that a few of the Year 10’s have come in on their holidays to lend a hand.

Have a wonderful Christmas and I look forward to seeing many of you in the New Year.

Steve Gillespie

(Acting) Assistant Principal Middle Years

Junior

Swimming

Early Years Carnival

Age Champions

Under 6 – Charles Sullivan & Pippa Smith

Under 7 – Tom Carter & Lainey Geiger / Isabelle Manley

Under 8 – Myles Gilliland & Ava Boland / Gemma Sullivan

Runners Up

Under 6 – Jett Price & Ella Smart

Under 7- Bob Machin & Ella Ramage

Under 8 – Ethan Koehler & Charlotte Colquhoun

Record Breakers

Under 7 Girls 50m Butterfly

Equal Record

Lainey Geiger 1.10.90 (shares with Ava Boland 2018)

Under 7 Girls 50m Breaststroke

Isabelle Manley

1.01.06  Monique O’Keeffe 1.06.25 in 1998)

Under 12 Sports Dates February 2020 v3

• Under 9- Under 12 Swimming Carnival Friday 7 February
• Primary Catholic Schools Swimming Carnival Wednesday 12 February (Dalby)
• Bunya District Swimming Trials Tuesday 25 February 9.00am – 11.30am
• Bunya District Under 12 Basketball Trials Tuesday 25 February 3.30pm-4.30pm

Return of Sporting Uniforms

As the end of the year is fast approaching, I am making an urgent request for the return of any sporting uniforms that may be still outstanding. Please return them ASAP. Replacement bills will be issued to students with uniforms not returned. This include Netball Dresses, Touch Football Shirts and Singlets, Rugby Jerseys and Athletics Singlets.

Senior

QCIS Sport 2020

In 2020, Our Lady of the Southern Cross College will be joining the Queensland Combined Independent Schools Sports Group (QCIS). This will be a fantastic opportinity for the students at the College to compete against quality opposition on a regular basis throughout the year. Three major carnivals will be held next year for students from Under 10- through to the under 18 age group for both boys and girls.

• Toowoomba Anglican College (TAS)
• Toowoomba Christian College (TCC)
• Concordia College
• Downlands College
• Scots PGC College Warwick
• Our Lady of the Southern Cross College

2020 Carnival Dates

Swimming

• Monday 16 March at Milne Bay Pool Toowoomba

Cross Country

• Friday 15 May at Scots PGC Warwick

Track and Field

• Friday 7 August at Downlands College

Senior School Sports Dates February 2020 v3

• Thursday 6 February Inner Downs Cluster 1 Trials (Dalby - Tennis, Touch Football, Cricket)
• Thursday 13 February Darling Downs Cluster 1 Sports Trials (Tennis, Touch Football, Cricket)
• Friday 14 February Under 13 – Open Swimming Carnival
• Wednesday 26 February Inner Downs Cluster 2 Trials (Highfields) Sports Include; Rugby League, Netball, Soccer, Basketball

Touch Football

2019 has been a successful year for the College in Touch Football. The Under 15 Boys team made it through the Preliminary Final of the Mens’s A Grade Competition, the Under 15 Girls team narrowly missed a spot in the Women’s A Grade Final Series and the Under 18 Mixed Team just lost the A Grade Mixed Grand Final. Planning has already started for 2020 and any students wishing to be involved in Under 15 Boys, Under 15 Girls or the Under 18 Mixed College Touch Football Teams need to register their interest with Mr Lincoln. Trials will be held early next year to finalise all teams who will compete in Season 1 of the Dalby Touch Association fixtures which will begin in the early February.

2020 Confraternity Shield Rugby League and Netball

The 2020 QISSRL and QISSN Carnivals will be held in Brisbane in the first week of the June/ July holidays. The Rugby League Carnival is open to any boys turning 16 or older in 2020. The Netball Carnival in open to any girls in Years 9-12 in 2020. Morning training for both teams will recommence in Week 2 of Term 1 next year (Monday 3 February 7.00am). Currently there as 16 girls in the Netball Squad before a final team of 10 players is selected along with 27 boys trialing in the Rugby League Squad before a final team of 20 is selected.  Final team selections will be announced during mid Term 1 next year.

Tim Lincoln

Middle Leader Sport

The College recycling effort is is well and truly on track with a range if initiatives implemented this year. At the start of the year, we introduced the Ecobin system for recycling which includes separating soft plastic, containers, compostible waste, paper recycling and landfill. This system has seen a reduction in the amount of landfill waste being dropped into our big skip bins and more waste being recycled.

Our tuckshop has introduced the use of wooden eco-friendly spoons and forks for lunches and our College chooks are really enjoying all the scraps generated from the tuckshop every day.

This week, Mr Petersen and Mr Kaveny collected up all the containers for recycling. From the amount gathered from the container bins around the College and the waste from the Christmas Carols, they delivered 7 large wheelie bin sized bags to the depot. Each bag sees a return of around $25 which means an income of about $175, and this is just for one term! Parents can still help by encouraging their children to recycle as a quantity of containers and other recycling is still being dropped into the general waste bins. You can also help by putting sandwiches and snacks into reusable containers and reducing the amount of plastic being consumed. 

For the last week of the Term, only the Year 9 students have been in residence over in the Senior Plaza and they have been occupied with a range of fun activities organised by our wonderful teachers. They have participated in a trivia session, the egg drop challenge, Christmas biscuit making, fun sports games and Science experiments to name a few.

In Science, Mr Garside carried out the practical activity of making an 'edible' water bottle from sodium alginate and calcium lactate. The activity began with just a small ice cube which formed into a capsule containing water and then later, the students dropped a large frozen block or calcium lactate combined with red cordial into their sodium alginate to eventually form their 'edible' water bottle. The activity was interesting and gave a rough idea of how a natural 'plastic' could form.

Tomorrow, the Year 9 students will participate in the Pink Stumps Cricket match against the staff so make sure your child comes with their finest pick clothing or accessories and their $2 donation for the McGrath Foundation.

	Position	School officer | Student learning (Teacher aide)
	Location	Our Lady of the Southern Cross College Dalby
	Position type	term time | fixed term
	Reason for advertising	position arising from leave replacement
	Hours per week	20hours 50mins (per week)
	Commencement date	from 20 January 2020 to 4 December 2020
	Closing date for applications	Monday, 23 December 2019

School Officer | Student Learning (Teacher aide) | Our Lady of the Southern Cross College Dalby

Applications close 9.00 am Monday 23 December 2019

Applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible; applications will be reviewed prior to the closing date

Term time | 20.83 hours per week

Fixed term | 20 January 2020 to 4 December 2020

Our Lady of the Southern Cross College, Dalby | P-12

The College encourages each student to pursue personal excellence in all aspects of their development: spiritual, academic, social, cultural and physical. The College is committed to developing partnerships with parents across the 13 years of education at the College as we work together to enable them to grow in wisdom and maturity. Candidates with proven experience working with students that present with complex needs will be highly regarded.

Further details can be obtained from the Role Description. 

• a cover letter, outlining your experience and suitability for this role
• your resume
• the names of two referees (one must be your current or most recent principal / manager)
• Suitability Declaration
• Employment Collection Notice.

To discuss this role, or any difficulties submitting your application, please contact the Principal, Peter Cuskelly by phone 07 4672 4111 or by email dalby@twb.catholic.edu.au

Employment will be in accordance with Catholic Employing Authorities Single Enterprise Collective Agreement Diocesan Schools of Queensland 2015 – 2019.

Expression of Interest

Our Lady of the Southern Cross College is pleased to be able to once again, offer lessons in our Instrumental Program to students in Year 4 to 11. Mrs Baxter will be offering tuition in Woodwind, Brass, and Percussion and Mr Dore will have some vacancies in Piano. These vacancies are filliing very fast so if your child is interested in Instrumental or Piano lessons, please return the Expression of Interest forms to the College Office as sson as possible.

Once accepted into the Program, students will be placed into a group lesson for 40 minutes each week, depending on the type of instrument. Groups will have 4 – 8 students. 

Fees will be charged and collected by the College. Tutor books will be loaned to students through the College library. Students will also require a display book for copies of extra music that they will be given. The hire of instruments, where applicable, will be facilitated by the College and this will cost $25 per term to allow for servicing of the instrument. Lessons will cost $15 per lesson and this will be charged to parents through the school fees by the College office. Mr Dore's Piano lessons have a different pricing structure so please see the College Office for more details.

If you are interested in enrolling your child, please sign the attached form and return it to the College as soon as possible. Copies are also available at the College Office for collection. Please contact Mrs Baxter  (libby.baxter@twb.catholic.edu.au) if you have any queries.

Libby Baxter

Instrumental Music Teacher

College Staff

• Melissa Irwin
• Peter Cuskelly
• Luke Holmes

TCS Staff

• Peter Simpson
• Barbara Woods