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My name is Charlotte Crothers and I am really looking forward to the year ahead. My main interest at the College includes my passion for Science and playing school Sport. At home I love water skiing and spending time with friends and family. Whilst being College Captain will be a challenge in itself, this year I face going through the new ATAR system. Although this makes me slightly nervous, I hope to develop several skills on this journey and contribute to a College community in which everyone can feel valued.
Welcome back everyone, my name is Bree Tanks and I am very excited to be working with you all this year, as your College Captain. I truly do love the culture of the College and am proud to be a member of this school. One of my many interests include having a love of all sports, such as touch football and netball where I had the opportunity to compete at the All Schools Touch Competition and the Netball Confraternity Shield last year. What I am looking forward to most as your leader is seeing students grow and lead with a dignity which will encourage them to step outside of their comfort zones in both College life and outside of the walls of the school. As a student and a leader of the College, this is a goal that I want to achieve and exceed at, as it’s an important quality of life. I look forward to meeting you all.
The legacy of our 2019 Senior Graduates is the magnificent Journey Bell that is mounted on the wall of the Library in the Plaza area. It has been rung on many occasions this week as new students to our College have started their journey in faith and knowledge. It is a significant sound to hear as we know what an important occasion it is for those who are new to our College. Even though we don't necessarily see, we hear they have begun because of the beautiful toll of the bell ringing out in the heart of our campus.
Yesterday, both Prep classes started their first day and by mid morning each and every one of them had climbed up to ring the bell. They were lucky enough to be joined by new student, Harrison Quinlan, who started Year 12. Harrison joined line to step forward and ring the bell to commence his journey. New students in the Middle Years Sector were also given the opportunity to begin their journey with the ringing of the Journey Bell on Tuesday.
We thank our 2019 Seniors for their significant contribution to our College and their legacy of the Journey Bell. This symbol will provide a unique and memorable moment for each and every student who starts and finishes their journey at Our Lady of the Southern Cross College.
Welcome to 2020 at Our Lady of the Southern Cross College
What an amazing start to the school year! We have 2 full Prep classes and their first day on Wednesday was absolutely action packed. I spent some time talking with the preppies about their learning today, and was quite amazed at what they had learnt already. Answers went from “How to hold my pencil”, to “I learned how to learn”, numbers, and most importantly, how to treat others. I am amazed at how well our youngest of students have transitioned into school and am greatly looking forward to their next 13 years of education.
Besides our Prep students, we also have over 50 new students in other year levels in 2020. It may not seem like a big number, though the College certainly feels a lot more full now that our enrolments are well over 600 again. This also creates great excitement as new faces means more friends, more playmates, more perspectives and a greater sustainability in the years to come. I will be hearing many of these perspectives when I catch up with the new Year 1 to 12 students at lunchtime tomorrow. I look forward to receiving some feedback regarding their transition to our College.
It has also been wonderful to hear the tales and woes of the holidays from all of our returning students. They are excited by the changes in the Senior Years, all the new staff and moving to new classrooms. We have heard of holiday escapades, sunburn at the beach, visits to theme parks, overseas vacations and a holiday of nothing but work. No matter what the students did on the holidays though, they are certainly excited about being back at their home away from home.
2020 promises to be another great year at our College. In coming weeks we will be launching the 2020-2023 Strategic Plan where we will celebrate the journey of continual renewal we are focused on. Outside of teaching and learning this year, we will have significant focus on enhancing the Catholic identity of our College, engaging parents and community members including the development of an OLSCC Alumni, and increasing opportunities for students to engage in extracurricular activities in both academic pursuits and culture.
Over coming weeks we will be introducing new staff via profiles in the newsletter, though please feel free to come to the College and catch up with everyone on Monday afternoon for the P&F Welcome BBQ and Open Classrooms event from 5-7pm. See you there.
Peter Cuskelly
Principal
WELCOME BACK TO 2020
As we begin the 2020 Academic Year, we pause to think about God’s vision for us. This year is filled with potential and the rain over the past few weeks has filled us with more hope. We pray that we will be able to fulfil our potential as God has planned:
Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.
Teresa of Avila (1515–1582)
UPCOMING COURSE FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH
BISHOP ROBERT BARRON’S EUCHARIST: SACRED MEAL, SACRIFICE, REAL PRESENCE.
Christ is alive and fully present in the Eucharist. Join us as we delve into the “source and summit” of our Faith with Bishop Barron’s DVD-based program: Eucharist: Sacred Meal, Sacrifice and Real Presence. This spiritual study will give you a deeper understanding of the precious gift of Christ’s body, blood, soul and divinity that you can receive at each and every Mass. On Sunday February 23rd from 5 to 6.30pm, our parish will begin this six session Eucharist program. Stay tuned for details of how to register!
STUDENT LEADERS’ RETREAT
This Friday, the Student Leaders will gather to explore their role of leadership in our College and set plans into action for 2020. We wish them well in this preparation and in their roles this year.
STAFF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAYS
The Staff of our College are to be commended for their hard work last week on the Staff Professional Development days. Whilst students enjoyed their last moments of holidays and parents finalised books and school items, the staff of our College returned to work and delved into preparations for classes in 2020. It was a very productive week for all with staff training and work being completed in areas of Curriculum Mapping, Unit Planning, Writing Skills, Visible Learning, Spiritual Formation, Workplace Health and Safety and organisation. We are very excited about the year ahead.
BUS TRANSPORTATION
We are currently compiling lists of students who catch buses from the College in the afternoons to assist with smooth transition from school to buses. If your child is planning on using bus services in the afternoon to get home please complete the attached form by scanning the code below or returning the slip sent home with students earlier in the week. Additional copies of the slip are available at the College office.
Cate Brennan
Deputy Principal Religious Education
Welcome back to a new school year and, in particular, a warm welcome to our new families and those students entering Year 9 as they become part of the Senior Years community. We look forward to supporting our students this year as they develop greater independence and self-reliance in their education.
It has been very exciting to see all students settle quickly into their lessons and to start building relationships with their new teachers. All parents should anticipate an email from their child’s teacher outlining each subject and the expected classroom behaviours over the coming weeks.
We start the year with an extra 44 students in the Senior Years. These extra students, in addition to all Year 9-12 lessons and the new teacher workroom now being in the Senior Years, there is a definite increase in the buzz within our learning environment. Our Senior Years community is growing in both size and presence.
Class of 2020
It is a momentous year for our College in that our Year 12s will be the first cohort to graduate in the new QCE system. It will be a huge year for this group of students, and I know that you all join me in wishing our Year 12 cohort all the best. We look forward to celebrating their achievements throughout the year.
Controlling the Controllables
One of my key mantras that I often mention to our students is about ‘controlling the controllables’. At our first assembly, I asked students to be in charge of all the actions that they control. This includes punctuality, appearance, attitude and respect for others. I look forward to our students rising to the challenge of always looking and acting their best throughout the year.
If you would like to read through our College expectations, you can find this information in your student’s diary.
Communication and Pastoral Concerns
Throughout the year, parents are encouraged to communicate with their child’s subject teachers as an initial point of contact for any pastoral or academic matters. For further pastoral or academic matters, please contact me through the College Office or by email matthew.hodge@twb.catholic.edu.au
I certainly look forward to working with the Senior Years students, staff and parents in 2020. I wish all our students a fulfilling and successful year.
Matt Hodge
Assistant Principal Senior Years
This year we welcome Mr Craig Cullen as our Assistant Principal of Middle Years. Mr Cullen has come to us from Emerald where he was the Deputy Principal at Marist College, a Year 7 to 12 high school in Central Queensland. His speciality teaching areas are Science, History and Geography and , this year, he will be teaching Year 7 and 9 Science as well as carrying out his duties as the Assistant Principal of Middle Years.
Mr Cullen has a family with wife Kate and two children, Millie, 31/2 and Finn, 1 and they have settled in to Dalby and are enjoying being closer to family in Brisbane and on the Sunshine Coast. They love that Dalby is also a similar in size to Emerald and enjoy the same friendly community atmosphere. in his spare time, Mr Cullen loves to play cricket and golf and has already signed up to play for a local cricket side.
In his role, Mr Cullen hopes to further promote the Middle Years Sector and assist the the students as they transition to high school. He looks forward to overseeing the completion of the Middle Years Plaza which will enhance the experience for Middle Years students providing them with their own space as well as outdoor learning areas thus giving them a true sense of identity as a sector within our College.
Mr Cullen can be contacted via email anytime craig.cullen@twb.cathlic.edu.au
Over the next few Newsletters, we will be rolling out introduction profiles of all our Middle Years teachers and this week we will meet our Year 7 and 8 teachers.
Tim Lincoln is excited to be teaching in the Middle Years for 2020. He will be seeing the majority of Year 7 and 8 students as he teaches 7 HASS, 7 HPE, 7 Religion, 7 LYF, 8 HPE plus continuing in his role as Middle Leader Sport. Please feel free to contact Tim either through the College Office or email Tim.Lincoln@twb.catholic.edu.au
This year sees Steve Gillespie back full time in the class room after a stint in administration. Mr Gillespie has always been passionate about the Middle Years of education and looks forward to his role teaching a range of subjects in Year 7. Mr Gillespie will be working across the LYF Programme, English, RE, HASS and HPE. Something new for him will be teaching Year 6 English to Miss Crow’s class. This will be Mr Gillespie's 18th year at the College and he hopes to continue his work with the young sportsmen and women of our College. He looks forward to interacting with both students and parents as they build a communication network that creates a supportive environment for the children in his classes. Please contact Steve through the office or email, steve.gillespie@twb.catholic.edu.au.
Jacinta Willocks is super excited to be teaching Years 7 and 8 in 2020 and has been part of the OLSCC community since August 2019. She will be seeing 7B in English and HASS and 8B in English, HASS and Religion. Please feel free to contact Jacinta at Jacinta.Willocks@twb.catholic.edu.au or by calling the office with any queries.
Michelle Patterson is excited to be teaching in the Middle Years for 2020 and will be seeing the majority of Year 7 and 8 students in Year 8 English, 7/8 HASS, 7/8 Visual Arts, 8 Religion, 8 Praxis and Year 7 Year Level Connect. Please feel free to contact Michelle either through the College Office or email michelle.patterson@twb.catholic.edu.au.
Louise Connellan is a new addition to the Middle Years teaching team for 2020 and will be teaching 7B Science, Maths, and Religion; 8A Maths and Science; Year 8 Connect; and Year 7 Business and Praxis. Mrs Connellan is always happy to talk to parents/carers, and invites you to contact her directly at louise.connellan@twb.catholic.edu.au or via the College office anytime.
Neill Thacker has been appointed as Middle Leader Culture and The Arts and will be teaching Years 2-6 and 9-12 Music and Years 9/10 Drama. Please feel free to contact Neill either through the College Office or email neill.thacker@twb.catholic.edu.au. Mr Thacker is looking forward to lots of new initiatives in Culture and The Arts during 2020.
Jodie Biggar is thrilled to again be teaching in the Middle Years for 2020 and will be in the class room with many of our Year 7 and 8 students teaching Maths, Science in 7 and 8 and Year 7 HPE and Year Level Connect. Please feel free to contact Jodie either through the College Office or email jodie.biggar@twb.catholic.edu.au.
All these teachers are looking forward to meeting students' families and working towards a successful year both in the classrooms and outside. They are excited to be part of a strong and experienced team of teachers in the Middle Years sector for 2020.
Crain Cullen
Assistant Principal Middle Years
With our increased numbers, there has been a noticeable congestion along the Orange and Pink block verandahs in the afternoons. We have looked at ways to ease this congestion whilst also keeping the safety of our students as a priority. During these first few weeks parents are asked to assist in establishing good routines for our students by arranging a designated pick up area for your child that is not the Orange or Pink block verandahs. The large crowds on the verandahs can be very distracting for the students as they attend to organisational tasks at the end of the day. In addition, the congestion makes it difficult for class groups to reach their classrooms as they return from specialist lessons.
We will be moving some of our bench seating to the covered paved area situated south-east of the cubby house in the back Prep playground. This would be a great place for you to meet your child, allowing them the independence to walk there themselves, whilst adults have a reasonable line of sight. Please note that whilst this is a suggested meeting area, it will not be supervised by teachers after school. Thankyou for continually supporting us as we work together to create exceptional learning environments for our students.
Katrina Walton
Assistant Principal Early Years
Junior
Inter House Swimming Carnival
The Under 9 to Under 12 (Born 2011 – 2008) Swimming Carnival will be held next Friday morning, 7 February and should finish by 1.00pm. Buses will leave the College at 8.50am. All students who are swimming in the 100m Freestyle event need to be ready for a 8.45am start. It will be best if these students get dropped off at the pool and do not catch the bus. Order of events for the Carnival is 100m Freestyle, 12.5m Kickboard, 12.5m Freestyle, 25m Freestyle, 50m Freestyle, 25m Backstroke, 50m Backstroke, 25m Breaststroke, 50m Breaststroke, 25m Butterfly, 50m Butterfly and Relays. Programs will be available at the College Office on Wednesday.
Catholic Schools Swimming Carnival
The Catholic Schools Swimming Carnival will be held on Wednesday, 12 February at the Dalby Aquatic Centre. Students will be notified shortly after the school carnival if they have been selected to attend.
Bunya District Swimming Trials
The Bunya District Under 9-12 Years Swimming Trials will be held on Tuesday, 25 February at the Dalby Aquatic Centre. Students who meet qualifying times to attend this carnival will be notified after our school carnival.
Secondary
Inter House Swimming Carnival
The 13- 18 Years Swimming Carnival will be held on Friday, 14 February from 9.00am to 2.30pm. Buses will leave the College at 8.50am. Order of events is 100m Freestyle, 25m Freestyle, 50m Freestyle, 25m Backstroke, 50m Backstroke, Boys Belly Flop Competition, Girls Bomb Dive Competition, 200m Individual Medley, 25m Breaststroke, 50m Breaststroke, 25m Butterfly, 50m Butterfly, All Age Relay, House Captains / Staff Relay. Programs will be available at the College Office in Week 3.
Touch Football
Season 1 of the Dalby Touch Football Competition starts on Monday, 10 February for the Open Mixed Team (Stingers) and Wednesday, 12 February for the Under 15 Girls Team (Vipers). Students interested in playing in these teams at the SWQ and QLD All Schools Carnivals need to sign on via the Sports Notice Board and are invited to play in the first two rounds of the Dalby Touch Competition. If required trials maybe held to finalise teams after these two rounds. The draw for the games will appear on the Dalby Touch Football website. Please note, an under 15 boys team will still be attending the School Carnivals later in the year but the team will only play in Season 2 of the Dalby Touch Football Competition due to the majority of the boys having many other football commitments in Semester 1. Trials to select this team will be held later in the term. Any queries please see Mr Lincoln.
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. Morning training for both teams will recommence in on Monday, 3 February at 7.00am. Final team selections will be announced by the end of February.
Netball
The Laura Geitz Netball Competition will be held in Toowoomba on Sunday, 23 February. This is for girls in Year 7-9. The College will be sending one team to attend this carnival. Girls interested in playing need to sign up via the Sports Notice Board.
Inner Downs Cluster 1 Trials
- These Trials will be held on Thursday, 6 February in Dalby
- Sports involved will be U15 Boys and U15 Girls Touch Football, Open Boys and Open Girls Touch Football, Open Boys and Open Girls Tennis, Open Boys Cricket.
- Inner Downs Teams will be selected to attend the Darling Downs Trials on 11 February for Cricket and 13 February for Touch Football and Tennis
- Students interested in attending need to sign on via the Sports Notice Board.
Darling Downs Cluster 1 Trials
- Students will nominate directly to Darling Downs Trials in Open Girls and Boys Softball and Boys and Girls Under 15 and Open Volleyball.
- Students interested in attending need to sign on via the Sports Notice Board.
Tim Lincoln
Middle Leader Sport
On the front of the Prep building facing Nicholson Street is the mural completed by Year 12 and some Prep students in 2019. It was put up over the Christmas holiday break. The overall framework of the design was driven by the Year 12 cohort and depicts a silhouette scene of children running together as they journey through their education at the College. The deliberate use of the same colours as the primary buildings certainly is a sophisticated design feature and, as one drives past the mural into the College carpark or past the school, they will notice the impressive continuity achieved. In the background strips of colours are drawings completed by several Prep students of things they like and enjoy. The Year 12s added key symbols of the conclusion of their thirteen-year journey of education and their move into the wider community. At the base of the image are Year 12 hand prints overlaid to create the appearance of grass, suggesting their individual and collective involvement in all aspects of College life. This collaborative mural was undertaken as a Praxis activity within the Living Your Faith (LYF) program. All students involved enjoyed the process and end product of their work together.
Art is made to be shown,
Mrs McArthur
Visual Art Teacher
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
Photographs are due to the College Office by Friday 14 February.
Conditions of entry:
- Preferred photo size is 5” x 7” (13cm x 18cm). The smaller size of 4”x 6” (10cm x 15cm) is also acceptable.
- The same image may not be entered into more than one class.
- A maximum of 3 entries per entrant in each class.
- All entries must be securely mounted on black A5 cardboard to allow for the entry to be pinned. Use glue which does not buckle your photo.
- All entries must have the Exhibitor’s Name, Address, Phone Number and Class Number clearly marked on the back of the cardboard at the top left-hand corner. Hint: use sticky labels or white marker pen.
Section K- Photography
Junior Section (15 years and under)
K21 Flower
K22 Coloured Pencils
K23 Eyes
K24 Leaves
K25 Pet animal
Note: any person can enter the Open Section.
OPEN SECTION: COLOUR PRINTS (Amateur Photographers only)
K1 Hats and Boots
K2 Sunset
K3 Signpost
K4 Wrinkles
K5 Tree bark
K6 Any parrot species
K7 Fence posts and/or gates
K8 Metal
K9 Shadows
K10 Leather
Bell Show is on Saturday 29 Feb and Sunday 1 March, so check out your photos there.
There is currently a severe virus thought to have originated in Hubei Province, China which is proving to be deadly in many instances. The current advice, as attached to this newsletter, is for all people that have had been in Hong Kong or China to isolate themselves for a 14 day period. Please read the attached advice and as a matter of courtesy, contact the Office and let us know if you have been in China or Hong Kong, particularly the Hubei Province, over the Christmas period.
Please see the below timetable for College Photos on Tuesday and Wednesday, 4 and 5 February. Please also click on the link to the letter from Queensland School Photography with instructions on how to place an order.
Please ensure your child/children are neatly presented in their formal uniform (excluding Prep) with neat hair, matching hair ties and polished shoes. Year 5 to 12 students will require ties.
