28 February 2025

Important Dates

Academic Support

From Acting Principal - Melissa Carr

Dear College Community,

As we continue to navigate what has been a very unique start to the year, I am pleased to share several highlights and updates that are reflective of the dedication and resilience of our students, staff, and community.

Staffing Updates
As you may be aware, Mr Kevin Barnes, our Principal, has extended his medical leave until March 25. During this period, I will continue to serve as Acting Principal. I would also like to take this opportunity to announce some key leadership changes within our school whilst Kevin remains on medical leave. Maddyn White has been appointed as our Acting Deputy Principal for Pastoral Care. We are pleased to welcome Maddyn into this role, where she will continue to foster a caring and supportive environment for our students. Additionally, Jaidyn Spina has been appointed Acting Principal for Curriculum and Administration. Jaidyn, who has been a valued member of our middle leadership team as the Physical Education Academic Leader and Sports Coordinator, is already stepping into this role with enthusiasm and a strong commitment to excellence. Cassandra Venturato will continue as our Acting Assistant Principal for Religious Education. I have full confidence in our leadership team and look forward to their continued guidance in shaping the future of our school.

Celebrating Our 2024 Dux, Regan Carr
We were proud to celebrate and present Regan Carr, the 2024 recipient of our College Dux Award, who achieved an impressive ATAR of 90.7 with her award at our Induction ceremony yesterday. Regan’s hard work, dedication, and academic excellence are an inspiration to all, and we are excited to see what the future holds for her. Congratulations, Regan, on this outstanding achievement!

Year 12 Senior Leaders and Year 11 Peer Support Leaders Induction Mass
Yesterday, we also celebrated our Induction Mass for our Year 12 Senior Leaders and Year 11 Peer Support Leaders. It was an inspiring and uplifting ceremony, and I would like to commend our students for their exceptional behaviour and beautiful presentation. Their commitment to upholding the values of our college is evident, and I am confident that they will continue to build on this strong start, both academically and personally. Their leadership will play a vital role in setting a positive tone for the year ahead. I would like to thank Mrs Cassandra Venturato and Mrs Erin Cerutti for their dedication to ensuring our students were both well prepared for this event and that it ran seamlessly. Cassy worked very hard with three of our talented students, Kaitlyn Rapista, Talhia Devietti and Lani Davis, to also include a live singing and guitar performance during our Mass. Thank you very much to all involved in making this a memorable occasion for our students.

Community Response to Recent Severe Weather
It has been a challenging start to the year with the recent severe weather event, but our community has truly shown its strength and unity. We have been humbled by the overwhelming generosity of donations, including food and stationery, which have been invaluable to our students who have lost possessions. It is heartwarming to see how we all come together during such times, and we are deeply grateful for your support.  Please do not hesitate to reach out if you require any assistance.

Vertical Homerooms and New House Shirts
A new initiative this year - our vertical homerooms on Wednesdays - has quickly become a favourite among students. It has been wonderful to see our senior students running the morning homeroom sessions and creating activities that promote inclusivity and relationship-building. These sessions have fostered a positive environment where students of all ages can interact and grow together. In conjunction with this, we also introduced a new House Shirt, which has been a great success. Students are looking fantastic in their shirts, and it adds to the sense of excitement and community on Wednesdays - more information re House Shirts in this newsletter.

NAPLAN Practice Testing
Today marked the beginning of our practice NAPLAN testing for Year 7 and 9 students, which will continue tomorrow. These practice tests are a vital opportunity for our students to familiarise themselves with the format and expectations of the upcoming NAPLAN testing in Weeks 7 and 8. I encourage all parents to ensure that their child has a fully charged Chromebook and a set of headphones for the testing days. Although we’ve experienced some disruptions due to the weather, it is important that we remain focused on academic progress, and NAPLAN testing plays a key role in measuring our students’ literacy and numeracy skills. Attendance is critical, as the school day will continue as usual with regular classes and learning.

Assessment Planners Update
Given the disruptions to our calendar, we have updated the assessment planners for the term. These are attached to this newsletter and are also available on our website. I encourage all families to review these documents and stay informed of any changes to upcoming assessments.

Exciting News – Arts Retrospective
We are also eagerly anticipating the upcoming Arts Retrospective next term. Georgia Dametto and her team are hard at work preparing for what promises to be another exceptional event. Last year, I was in awe of the incredible talent displayed by our students, and I know that this year will be no different. The Arts Retrospective is a community event that highlights not only the artistic talents of our students but also the contributions of our Hospitality Department. There are some exciting new additions planned for this year, and I encourage everyone to purchase their tickets early to avoid missing out. Keep an eye on our Facebook page for more details!

Other Upcoming Events
As we look ahead, there are several key events to be aware of:

• Year 7 Camp and Year 12 Retreat: We are working to reschedule these events, and updated dates will be shared soon.
• Interschool Swimming Carnival: We are in discussions with the Ingham Pool to reschedule this event for later in the term.
• Year 12 Tracking Interviews: These interviews will provide valuable feedback for our Year 12 students, with ATAR predictions based on Year 11 assessments. We will also be meeting with our vocational students to ensure they are on track for entering into the workforce.

Stay Connected
As always, I encourage you to stay connected with us through our Facebook page and website for the latest updates. We are committed to keeping our community informed and engaged as we continue to navigate the year ahead.

Thank you for your continued support and involvement in our school community. Together, we will continue to build a positive and enriching environment for our students to thrive academically, socially, and personally.

Warm regards,

Melissa

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Uniforms

House Shirts

We apologise, but we have had some issues with the Struddy's ordering platform in recent weeks. It is now open again, and will close on 13 March.  Shirts will be delivered to school at the end of April (early Term 2). 

SIZING

• Please check the sizing guide CAREFULLY on the Struddy's website (link at top) as there can be no exchanges or refunds on shirts ordered.
• Grab a garment you own that you are comfortable with the fit of, and measure the dimensions of it when it is laid out flat.
• The sizes run small (particularly ladies) so if in doubt, go up a size - please consider growing room too.
• We hope to have some sample shirts available at Student Reception by mid next week.

An information flyer is attached with the QR code and all necessary information, or click here.

School Photos

These will be taken on Tuesday 25 March.  Order envelopes have been sent home with students.  These envelopes give you both cash or online ordering options. More envelopes are available from student reception, as well as family/sibling envelopes. Sibling photos must be ordered before photo day, so your school knows to bring together your children so their sibling photo can be taken. We provide the school with the list of sibling orders right up to the day of photography, so no one misses out. 

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN)

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is a literacy and numeracy
assessment that students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 sit each year. It is the only national assessment all Australian
students have the opportunity to undertake.  

This year, students in Years 7 and 9 at Gilroy Santa Maria College will be undertaking NAPLAN online tests. NAPLAN Online aims to provide a better and more precise assessment that is more engaging for students by assessing a wider range of student abilities and measuring
student achievement.

Dates for NAPLAN Online Tests: Thursday 13 March to Friday 21 March (Practice Tests: Thursday 27 February and Friday 28 February).

UPDATED Assessment Planners Term 1

Assessment planners are valuable tools that help students manage their time effectively, prioritise tasks, and stay organised throughout the school year. By recording important dates such as assignments, homework, exams, assessments, and extracurricular activities, students can plan ahead and avoid last-minute cramming or missed due dates.  Please find the UPDATED Term 1 Assessments.

Prayer

From the Business Manager –Ros Giuliano

An invoice for your child’s school fees will be emailed to you in the coming weeks. Please make sure the email address we have on Compass is current.

If you currently pay your fees by direct debit, see form attached, please check that the fortnightly amount is enough to cover your fees for the year, as there has been an increase. If you are unsure, please contact me.

Just a reminder that our preferred way of payment is BPAY and those details are on the family statement. Payment can also be made by credit card, cheque or cash or we can set up a direct debit through Pay way.

2025 School Fees

MULTI-SCHOOL FAMILY FEE DISCOUNTS

As of 2015, a new fee structure gives families discounted fees for the second, third and subsequent children across both secondary and primary systemic Catholic schools in the Townsville Diocese.

To take advantage of this extended fee discount, parents/carers should contact the principal or finance secretary of the primary school, informing them of older siblings attending a systemic Catholic secondary school.  Diocesan Tuition fee discounts will be applied accordingly.

PENSIONER AND HEALTH CARE CARD HOLDERS FEE DISCOUNTS

In addition to these family fee discounts, parents/carers with a means tested Australian Government Health Care or Pensioner Concession Card may be eligible to receive a 70% discount to tuition fees. Please Note:  Card must be in the name of the parent/carer not the child/student.

Families without these cards who are experiencing financial difficulty should speak with their school principal to apply for special consideration.

No child will be denied enrolment due to financial difficulty.  Parent/carers should discuss this matter with the school principal who will treat the situation with understanding, sensitivity and confidentiality.

As always, if for any reason you are finding it difficult to pay school fees, please contact the Principal or myself to discuss the matter.

Ros Giuliano

Emerging Leaders

Attention Emerging Leader Families! Join us for a 'compulsory' Parent Information Night on Thursday, 20 March in M Block. This is a must-attend event for all.
Time: 4:00 PM
Light refreshments will be provided. This night is very important. We will share exciting updates, our future plans, and ways to help our Emerging Leaders succeed. Your support is valued. We can't wait to see you there! 

St Patrick's Day Celebrations

Give Away & Wanted

We have approximately 2m2 river rock to give away.  We are happy to help with loading, but please ring ahead to arrange pickup.

If anyone has Bromelaid pups (all varieties and colours) that they are willing to donate to the school's front garden, it would be greatly appreciated.  These can be dropped off at the shed on your left hand side when driving into the school.

Term Dates 2025

Student Accident Protection Plan - Claim Form

AIG is our insurer for the student accident policy, with claims managed by CSN. Our WHS Sharehub - Student Accident Insurance page has been updated with all the current information.

The forms can also be found on the main TCE website .  Forms are found under the 'Parents & Community' tab on the website.

Tuckshop

Shrove Tuesday - Tuesday 4 March - Pancakes available at 2nd Lunch - Please order on Flexischools

Ash Wednesday - Wednesday 5 March - No Meat Menu - Please order on Flexischools

What's Happening in the Parish

Position Available: Parish Secretary

Applications are invited for the position of Parish Secretary (approximately 19 hours per week / 5 days school terms and 4 - 8 hours per week / 1 - 2 days during school holidays) for Ingham Region Catholic Parish.
Responsibilities include: responding to in-person and telephone enquiries; ordering of supplies;  maintaining parish sacramental registers; assisting with the production of parish publications and presentations.
On the personal level, applicants must be capable of exercising discretion with regard to parish matters, have effective interpersonal communication skills, and possess a good knowledge of the local community and the Catholic Faith. Professionally, applicants must possess a reasonable level of computer proficiency (demonstrated competence in, or the capacity to develop competence in Microsoft Word, Publisher and PowerPoint) and require good communication skills, both verbal and written.
For further enquiries related to the job description, please contact the parish office on 4776 2600.
Applications are to be address to:
Fr John Kunnathumadappallil
email : parishoffice@inghamcatholic.com
Applications close 31 March 2025

INGHAM REGION CATHOLIC PARISHES NEWSLETTER:

https://inghamcatholic.com/category/newsletter/

Ingham Region Catholic Parishes

The Smith Family

I understand that areas of your community have experienced difficulties with the extreme weather recently and we hope that your school community is doing ok.

We know that cost of living pressures are continuing to put extra stress on households, with families in particular feeling the effects. Could the parents / carers at your school use an extra $500 to assist with education costs?

 What is Saver Plus?

Saver Plus is a program for people on lower incomes. It’s about bolstering their financial skills, so they can develop (and keep) good savings habits.  Since 2003, Saver Plus has supported more than 62,000 people to start saving. It’s helped overcome the barriers around education expenses. And it’s set them up for a brighter future.

 What are the eligible savings goals?

Eligible savings goals are education related products or services that:

• Assist a primary or secondary school student’s education;
  

The Smith Family
QLD
www.thesmithfamily.com.au 

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