After a huge two weekends of working bees, the Prep Playground has had an amazing revamp including the tunnel which was facing being demolished due to the area being unsafe from erosion and exposed concrete edges. Thanks to the hard work of our amazing Parents and Friends Association and all the parents who came along to help, the tunnel now looks fabulous as does the cubby and the covered cement area. The tunnel has been reinforced with new cement edges and artificial turf has been laid over the top making it safe and durable. The cubby has had some repair work done with fresh paint added and the surrounding gardens have been planted out to look bright and colourful. Over in the covered area, some cool new hop scotch figures have been painted on the ground. It is very pleasing to see this area come back to life with the help of our families and some students as well. A huge thank you goes to Peta Spies for her work in organising the project and to the McKelvie's who came along with their machinery and materials. To all the other families who donated time, materials and equipment, we also thank you. The Preppies were so excited to see their playground looking so amazing when they arrived at school on Monday.

Winter holidays are almost upon us and I trust everyone is looking forward to a break before jumping into the last half of the year! Already this year we have had so much success at the College and we are very excited to reap the rewards of the hard work the staff, students, parents and community have invested in 2021 already.   It has been a pleasure to be reviewing the Academic Reports and seeing the wonderful achievement of so many students.  It has also been an opportune time to again consider ways we can adapt our teaching to enhance the learning of many of our students who are not achieving at a level that they are satisfied with. 

During next term, we see the Year 12 students complete their Internal Assessment 3 (IA3) before beginning the journey to their External Assessment Examination Block in Term 4.  This is the first cohort who has completed the full array of Year 12 assessment due to the interruptions of COVID in 2020, so this continues to be exciting times for us.  In addition we are eagerly awaiting the release of the 2021 NAPLAN data to celebrate our many improvements since our last NAPLAN assessments in 2019.  Of particular interest is our writing data, which we expect great improvements in considering our focussed work with 'Write That Essay' over the past 2 years.

I hope all the students and their families have a refreshing holiday period and are ready for Term 2 to commence on Monday 12 July. We are the only Diocesan school/college to return on this date due to our offline pupil free day on 26 March.

Great Moments:

Year 4 Jondaryan Woolshed Camp

P&F working bee to fix up Prep “Back Playground”

USQ Open Day and Tour

Year 2 Pioneer Park Excursion

1500m events

Open Rugby League Victory in Gio Cup semi-final vs Assumption College Warwick (40-4)

Year 10 Work Experience

Year 11 Camp @ QCCC Brookfield

Student Reports

Twice a year we provide Academic Reports to families regarding student progress and Overall Achievement against the appropriate curriculum.   We also include information about Application to Learning, Attitude to Learning, the Cohort Distribution of grades in the class (if there are more than 15 students enrolled in the subject/class) and Attendance.  It is very important that parents/carers and students take the time to work through the Academic Report to determine areas of strength as well as areas of greater focus for the future. 

I am very proud of the quality of our reports at OLSCC and the effort that teachers invest in communicating so clearly with our community regarding individual student progress.  I trust that families find great value in this high standard of reporting and can have open and honest discussions with their children to support future learning. Please be sure to read Mrs Brennan’s section in this newsletter as it explains the details of the Academic Reports in far greater detail – including the early release of digital reports.

Staffing Update

This week we welcomed Miss Siobhan Houghton as our new School Officer – Organisation and Finance.  Siobhan was raised in Northern England, though has lived in Dalby for a few years working in hospitality administration.  She’s had a very intense week coming to learn and know all the systems and processes at the College and is really enjoying her role.  Please make sure you stop and say hi to Miss Houghton if you see her around the College.

Next Friday we say farewell to Mr Dave Kavney as he settles into retirement.  Mr Kavney has been an invaluable member of the grounds staff for the past 2 years and our students, staff, hedges and trees will be missing his positive attitude around the place next term.  We have made some changes to the structure of the grounds staff at the College and are expecting our advertisements for these 2 new roles to be advertised shortly on Seek. 

We also welcome Miss Hayley Kidd to the staff at the start of next semester.  Miss Kidd is a specialist Agriculture and Agricultural Science teacher who has the qualifications and expertise to develop our Agribusiness Pathways Program into the future.  Miss Kidd will begin teaching next semester as well as preparing the Ag Precinct for even better things in 2022. 

Sadly, Mrs Michelle Garside has resigned from the College as our Music and Performing Arts teacher in order to explore new business opportunities.  Mrs Garside has been a part of the OLSCC way for many years and has made considerable change in The Arts for our Early Years and Middle Years students.  We wish her all the best for a prosperous future! We are currently advertising to fill this position.  

Have a wonderful end to the term and I look forward to seeing everyone back on Monday, 12 July!

Peter Cuskelly

Principal 

ACADEMIC REPORTS - DISTRIBUTION OF REPORTS 
College Report Cards for Semester 1 will be uploaded to Parent Portal on Monday morning.  Hard copies will be sent home with students on Tuesday. If your child is absent on the day of distribution, the report will be held at our College office until Friday 25 June.  Uncollected reports will be posted home on Monday 28 June 2021. 

NEW LAYOUT 

This semester, our College has used our new system ‘Sentral’ to generate report cards for all year levels.  You may notice some layout and design changes.  We are constantly refining these so if you have any feedback I would love to hear from you.     

ATTENDANCE DATA ON REPORT CARDS 

Our new system is also used to calculate student absences and although we try to be fully accurate with this information, we have discovered over the last 6 months that a simple code entry can alter the data.  If you notice any anomalies with your child’s attendance data, please contact your AP or me so we can work further to ensure these official records are correct.  Many students and parents have already been in contact to discuss attendance data now that this may be viewed in Parent and Student Portal, and we encourage this interaction with the system and our College to refine our processes.   

REPORTS ON PARENT PORTAL 

Reports will be uploaded to Parent Portal on Monday 21 June.  They can be viewed and downloaded from this location at any time after the initial upload.   

COVID ACTION PLAN 

Although we may not notice the effects of COVID in our community, the recent situation in Victoria and the tourists at the Sunshine Coast does remind us that this pandemic is not over.  As a College, we are committed to maintaining the standards set in our COVID Action Plan.  I encourage parents to reread this action plan and accompanying document - 2021 COVID Impacted Changes for Parents. 

ATHLETICS 

Next week the College will host the Athletics carnivals so please see below for some important organisation points for Athletics: 

• Student may wear House coloured clothes on all days they are competing.  These clothes should be appropriate to compete in. 
• All students in Prep – Year 12 may wear House coloured clothes or Sports uniform on Friday 25 June as they will all attend the WHOLE COLLEGE EVENTS to cheer. 
• All students should have a brimmed hat and water bottle with them at the carnivals
• Tuckshop ordering will be as normal with Flexischools ordering or beginning of the day bag ordering.  No walk up orders or purchases.  Parents attending may purchase through their child’s account/class
• Parents and extended family are welcome to attend these days. QR Code sign in points will be at entrances to oval areas – please look for coloured signs and tables and ensure you check in.  You do not need to sign out
• Students are expected to attend all of these days in full and not depart once their events are complete.  If your child is unwell and not attending school on these days please notify the office.
• Mobile Phones – normal mobile phone rules apply.  Students should not have their mobile phones at athletics
• Details about the events and schedules for the days can be found in the sports section of this newsletter
• Schedules for these days will be uploaded on the SZAPP on Tuesday. 
• Programs will be available for purchase at the Carnivals (limited number available).  

Cate Brennan

Deputy Principal Religious Education

As we approach the end of the term, we take time to be thankful for the term, those who have supported us and to pray for God’s protection over our break. 

We thank you Lord, for this term. 

For our challenges, our successes, and the mistakes from which we have learnt.  

We thank you for our classmates, teachers, parents and a community that cares for us. 

Be with us as we spend time with family and friends.   

Give us strength and courage to do what is right: to be witnesses of our faith.  

Help us to be a practical Christian these holidays, to appreciate what others do for us, to give time and effort to help others. To be peacemakers in our family. 

Keep us safe in our activities; give us good rest and good fun.  

Bring us back refreshed and ready for a new term.  

May we always be conscious of you in our lives. 

Amen  

Students have been busy finalizing assessment tasks and teachers have been equally busy collating information about your children to present to you as a formal school report which will be sent home as per the information provided elsewhere in this newsletter. Reports can be a time of highs and lows for all involved. Take the time to read through your report with your child and celebrate their achievements. This includes enthusiastically “celebrating the C!”.  Remember that the definition of a C is that the student has shown evidence of demonstrating the targeted knowledge as outlined in the Australian Curriculum Achievement Standards, as well as the expected conceptual understandings, expected application of skills and the ability to transfer these to familiar situations.  

It is equally as important though, to identify areas for future growth. At OLSCC, we aim to provide an environment where your child feels safe to take risks with their learning and view mistakes, or missteps, simply as a means to finding better ways to be successful. I hope that this view may help shape our thinking prior to reading reports. We have much to gain by discussing things that have not gone to plan in a manner that looks towards improvement. Additionally, allowing our children to solve their own problems, or fix their own mistakes, builds the necessary skills to develop into happy, productive adults who take responsibility for their actions. Einstein said it best when he stated “A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.”

Our learning opportunities outside the classroom continue this week, as our Year 4’s headed off on their very first overnight school camp to Jondaryan Woolshed, undertaking a program that links directly to their HASS lessons. This is also an excellent opportunity to work on the College Learning Dispositions, especially resilience and independence. It also sets the foundations for future experiences and camps that involve some time away from home. I spoke to the students as they headed off on the bus about the importance of being ambassadors for our College in their time away and was filled with pride as I looked across the group heading off, as well as thanks for the excellent teachers who have facilitated this opportunity for them. Our Year 2 students will also be heading off campus this week as they venture to Pioneer Park on Friday, and next week our Year 1 students head into Toowoomba to attend the Olden Days Festival at Cobb and Co museum. What a great way to consolidate learning across the Early Years!

Katrina Walton

Assistant Principal Early Years

On Friday, 4  June, all the Year 3 students went on an exciting excursion to Australia Zoo. It was still dark at 6am when we  boarded the coach and left school super early. Some students were sick on the bus as some of the roads were very windy.

When we arrived at the zoo, we headed straight to the Africa part. The animals were amazing. We saw giraffes, zebras, rhinos, and meercats.  Then we went and watched the tigers lazing around. One even opened its mouth super wide to show us his very sharp teeth. A man named Allister talked to us all about classifying animals and how we can use their features to classify them. We talked all about what makes an animal a marsupial, a reptile, or a mammal. We talked about crocodiles, kangaroos, snakes, and how the boa constrictor actually has its babies live and doesn’t lay eggs.

The Komodo dragon is a very cool, big reptile that can weigh up to 100kgs and is 3 meters in length. We saw the alligators and the crocodiles and saw how much bigger a crocodile is than an alligator. Next, we explored the Binturongs, dingoes, and tortoises before heading into the reptile shed. Inside the reptile shed, we saw all kinds of snakes. Some have very good camouflage to protect themselves and to attack their prey. Some snakes were very active and followed us through the glass. We also saw some brightly coloured poisonous dart frogs, however, their bright colours mean they are in fact very dangerous.

When we saw the wombats, there was a wombat called Kayo who was actually blind. She was going for a walk around the zoo, however she doesn’t like to walk very much so the keepers have a wombat wagon to take her back to her house when she gets tired. Hurrying to our seats in the Crocoseum, we ate our lunch while we watched the Croc show. There were birds flying above our heads, a man walking around with a snake, and then we saw Scrappa the crocodile 'tail walk' to get its piece of meat. 

On the way out we saw the echidnas, koalas, and patted the kangaroos. There was a very cheeky rock wallaby called Harvey that kept kicking the zookeeper. We then hopped back on the bus and while watching movies we travelled back to Dalby. All the Year 3 students loved their visit to Australia Zoo. We saw so many animals and had the best day ever!

Kristen Bennie

Year 3 Teacher

After an engaging term of Critical and Creative Thinking Club, the following students are to be congratulated for being selected in the OLSCC Optiminds Teams for 2021. Each team will meet with their facilitator next week to plan for when the challenges are released early in Term 3.

OLSCC Middle Years Optiminds Team – Facilitator: Jacinta Willocks

Penny Cartwright, Hayden Koehler, William Barwick, Joshua Barwick, Ethan Koehler, Louie Machin, Matthew Brennan

OLSCC Early Years Optiminds Team – Facilitator: Joelyn Smith

Sebastian Mole, Eva Althoff, Benjamin Barwick, Charlie Sullivan, Matilda Kahler, Lauren Barwick, Daniel Brennan

In 2021, Year 5 and Year 6 classes have been timetabled for their Science lesson to be held in the Science Labs and this has provided these students with an opportunity to explore equipment and practical activities not available in a normal classroom setting via their Primary Connections Science boxes. Over the last two weeks, Year 5 students have been using the Hodson light boxes to experiment with light rays using coloured slides, different shaped lenses and mirrors to begin learning about reflecting, refracting and colour blending light.

The Year 6 students have had fun playing with the STELR kits which are all about different forms of energy such as hydro power, wind generation, solar power and battery power. The kits include a test panel with a small motor that drives a fan, an LED light, dimmer switch, buzzer and normal light globe and the students have been able to explore how each form of energy can make their test panel light up. It has been some time since any students have used the kits and we hope to see them out more often as students learn about renewable energy sources across many year levels.

By allowing our Year 5 and 6 students to have their lesson in the Science Lab, we are able to extend their Primary Connection Science units to include many more practical and fun activities. By giving our Middle Years students this experience, we hope that Science is something they will be keen to explore as they move into Senior Science in the next couple of years.

Rugby League

Darling Downs Rugby League Competition Week 8 Results

Under 13

OLSCC defeated Wilsonton SHS 32-30

Under 15 Quarter Final

Faith Lutheran defeated OLSCC 30-24

Week 9 Under 18 Semi Final

OLSCC defeated Assumption Warwick 40-4

The team will play Lockyer District SHS in the Darling Downs Final in Week 1 of next term

Netball

Congratulations to our Junior and Senior Vicki Wilson Cup Netball Teams who competed at the Darling Downs Championships. The Junior Team had a fantastic day making the final series. The Open Team was missing three Year 10 players, however still managed a few wins on the day. Thanks to Miss Nicholson and Miss Price for coaching our teams. Game results from the day are listed below.

Open Girls

Loss to Lockyer District SHS 10-3

Loss to Goondiwindi SHS 8-3

Loss to Downlands College 13-4 (Runners Up overall)

Loss to Highfields SSC 8-7

Loss to St Ursula’s 16-2 (third place overall)

Win vs Chinchilla SHS 9-5

Win vs St Joseph’s 5-4

Loss to Centenary Heights SHS 8-3

Draw with Concordia College 10-10 

Junior Girls

Win vs Toowoomba Anglican School

Win vs Highfields SSC

Win vs Lockyer District SHS

Loss to St Joseph’s Toowoomba (Overall Winners)

Loss to Fairholme College (Runners Up)

Win vs Mary MacKillop Highfields

Win vs St Ursula’s 2

Win vs Chinchilla SHS

Win vs Concordia College

Win vs St Joseph’s Stanthorpe

Win vs Centenary Heights SHS

Semi Final

Loss to Downlands College

Rugby Union

Congratulations to Harry Burton and Ryan Elder who have been selected in the Darling Downs Under 12 Rugby Team to attend the State Championships in Brisbane in July.

Bunya District Girls Rugby League Trials

Any girls born in 2010 or 2009 who wish to trial for the Bunya District Girls Rugby League Team need to see Mr Lincoln for more information. Girls born in 2011 are unable to trial.

Dalby Touch Football

Congratulations to the Under 15 Girls and Open Mixed Team who have competed in Dalby Touch Association fixtures this semester. The Under 15 Girls made the Semi Finals of the Ladies Competition and the Open Mixed Team made the Preliminary Final of the Mixed A Grade Competition. Season 2 will begin early next term. With Rugby League commitments now finished the Under 15 Boys team will play in the Men’s Competition on a Wednesday night next season.

Primary All Schools Touch Football Championships

The QLD Primary All Schools Touch Football Championships will be held at Cleveland from November 5-7. The College has been most successful at this event since it began in 2006. Depending on numbers, a Boys and Girls Team will be nominated. Teams will be organised after the holidays for our Year 5/6 students.

State Touch Football Championships

Congratulations to Brock Sankey, Dylan Nobbs, Claudia Child, Michael MacDonald and Bailey Skinner who recently competed at the State Under 18 Touch Football Championships.

Catholic Schools Netball and Touch Football Carnival

The Year 5/6 Catholic Schools Netball and Touch Football Carnivals will be held in Week 3 of next term. Class teachers are this week taking nominations for students who wish to attend. Trials to select will be held after the holidays.

Catholic Schools Athletics Carnival

The Catholic Primary Schools Athletics Carnival will be on Friday 16 July at the O’Quinn Street Oval in Toowoomba. This will be for students in Years 3-6 only. The College Coach will transport students to the event. Students who have been selected to attend will be notified by the end of term.

SWQ Rugby Sevens

The SWQ Schools Sevens Competition is held in Term 4 each year. Nominations are due in by the end of Term 2. Boys and Girls interested in playing in the Under 13 / 15 / Open Age Groups need to sign on via the Sports Notice Board.

Athletics

1500m Race Results

Age Group Winners

Under 12 – Lauren Ramage & Lachlan Fraser

Under 13 – Carla Nobbs & Rory Peters

Under 14 - Taylor Marshall & Eli Harth

Under 15 – Emily Griffiths & Clay Lawson

Under 16 – Chloe Donalson & Bailey Skinner

Open – Claudia Child & Dylan Nobbs

Record Breaker

Under 13 Girls

Carla Nobbs 5.42.50min (Hannah Hegedus, 2012 5.45min)

Points

MacKillop          122

Rice                  114

McAuley            109

Nolan                103

Inter House Athletics Carnival

• The timetable for the athletics carnival is attached to the newsletter
• Programs will be available from the College Office on Tuesday afternoon
• Parents will be able to attend the carnivals
• Parents must socially distance and sign in on arrival
• Students may wear house colours on the days they are competing

Confraternity Shield Rugby League

In the first week of the holidays 21 boys from the College will attend the Confraternity Shield Rugby League Carnival in Brisbane. The students are Brayden Falvey, Michael MacDonald, Bailey Skinner, Bailey Rathmell, Cooper Woitowitz, Lyhkan King Togia, Wil Brady, Hugh Clarke, Dylan Nobbs, Jack Henningsen, Hunter James, Joe Gillett, Jack Welsh, Jaiken Crothers, Charlie Cooper, Clancy Biggar, Toby Harms, Brock Sankey, Tom Gillespie, Harry Maunder and Ben McElroy. The team will be coached by Mr Gillespie, Mr Cuskelly, Mr Grayson, Mr Fraser and Mr Lincoln.

QISSN Netball

Next week, 10 Girls will compete in the QISSN Carnival in Brisbane. The team will be coached and managed by Miss Nicholson, Mrs Pascoe and Mrs Lincoln. The students are – Claudia Child, Maggie Laffy, Claire Harth, Abby Marshall, Maddy Hayes, Maddy Pascoe, Hannah Pattison, Lily Schloss, Mackenzie Wedrat and Charlotte Wood.

Tim Lincoln

Middle Leader Sport

News from the Arts Department

Instrumental Music News

Last Tuesday a group of our talented instrumental music students participated in an improvisation workshop with John Babbage from Topology Music Inc, who travelled up from Brisbane to lead this exciting opportunity. John recorded an original musical idea from each student and will compose these into a score for them to practice, ultimately performing an arrangement of these original ideas with the Topology Quintet on stage at the Festival. OLSCC instrumental music students will join with those from schools all across Dalby to take part in this performance. Stay tuned for more information about this exciting event taking place on the weekend of 27-28 August!

COMING UP!

Dalby Delicious and Delightful Festival in Week 6 of Term 3

OLSCC is excited to have received an enthusiastic response from families wishing to participate in this year’s Delicious and Delightful Festival lantern parade! We ask participating students in Prep to Year 6 to please pay the $7.00 cost of lantern purchase directly to their class teacher as soon as possible, and students in Years 7 – 12 to pay directly to the College Office, placing money in an envelope with student name written on it please. During Weeks 1 and 2 of Term 3, lantern decorating workshops will be organised for all students taking part in the parade.

Another new and exciting part of the festival this year is “Stars of the Stage” Talent Quest for all aspiring performers. Entries for this event need to be made by 30 June. Registration and entry details can be found on their website at https://www.deliciousanddelightful.com.au/talent-quest

Glisten Deepwater

Work Experience

What a wonderful week our Year 10 students had last week! All our Year 10 cohort spent time gaining valuable insights into the world of work via their Work Experience Program. As I visited students, I was so happy to see the big smiles and the incredible work they were carrying out. We had students in many different jobs from construction, plumbing, electrical, green keeping, accountancy, marketing and  solicitors to name just a few. Students were given real world opportunities last week, not just watching their hosts but being hands on and relishing the experience. The students who were doing their work experience at Dalby Christian College and Dalby South School were absolutely amongst the teaching opportunities, working with individual and small groups of students.

As a College community we can be very proud of the achievements of our students last week and the College sends a great big thankyou to all the businesses and education providers who gave them all these wonderful opportunities.

USQ Career Open Day

Yesterday, 70 students from Years 9 – 12 visited the University of Southern Queensland for a specially prepared ‘Open Day’ opportunity. Students were able to visit the new Agricultural precinct and learn about the many new course opportunities as well as the Bachelor of Agricultural Engineering that is offered. USQ is the only University to offer Agriculture as an Engineering Degree and this year Isaac Haaling (Graduate 2020) is enrolled in this course as part of his double degree studies. Students also got to visit the University Hospital Ward and were able to see the ‘patients’ in action as well as the engineering faculty where they saw some of the latest developments in water engineering. The College is very grateful to the University, in particular Helen Nolan (Executive Director Strategic Liaison Education Community), Jaime O’Rielly (past student Jaimie Bailey in charge of School Relationships) and Jack Maunder (past student completing Psychology studies) for taking our students around the university. The day ended at the Residential Colleges with a lovely lunch supplied by the University.

These days are fabulous opportunities for students to see what tertiary opportunities look and feel like. I hope that this has given the students something to think about and as always, I am always very happy to speak to them and parents about all the options and pathways available. Next term, there will be three more opportunities for students and parents to visit universities. We will be sending home information as soon as it is available. The visits will be to Griffith University (Gold Coast), University of Queensland and Queensland University of Technology. On 23 July, there will be a Careers Expo at the PCYC for students from Years 9 – 12 and for parents to visit as well. Again more information will be sent home about this opportunity in the first week back at school.

Libby Baxter

Careers Development Practitioner