16 November 2023

Gilroy Santa Maria College Office Closures - Christmas Holidays

Here are our opening hours over the Christmas period:

• Closed Friday 1 December for staff function
• Closes for Christmas break on Monday 11 December 2023
  • For urgent matters during this time, please contact Townsville Catholic Education Office on 4773 0900 or email admin@gilroysm.catholic.edu.au 
    
• Reopens after Christmas break on Monday 8 January 2024
  
• Closed for staff training Monday 15 January (8am-12pm) & Friday 19 January (all day)
• Textbook collection from Library: Tuesday 16, Wednesday 17 and Thursday 18 January (8.30am-3.00pm)

Orientation Day

Students who have enrolled and completed an enrolment interview for 2024 are invited to attend  Orientation Day on Tuesday 28 November 2023.

We Are Now Accepting Enrolments For 2024

Wet Weather Disruptions

Important Dates

Essential Emails

From the Principal - Kevin Barnes

Dear Families,

Our Year 12 students are in the final week of their schooling journey.  Last week, students sat their final exams as part of the state-wide external exam period.  This week, all Year 12 students were expected to be at school to be part of the ‘Grad Week’ activities.   The highlights at the end of the week are the send-off assembly and graduation mass on Thursday, and the gala graduation dinner on Friday night.   During this week, there has been an engaging range of activities to prepare students for life beyond school, and we look forward to celebrating the remainder of the week with them.  We wish all students well throughout this final week and I send another reminder to be respectful, be sensible, and be safe.

These last two weeks of learning and teaching are critical times for Years 7 to 10 students as most subjects have exams or major assessment tasks due.  This is a time where students can make a positive difference in their overall achievement by staying focussed and performing to the best of their ability right up to their last lesson.  This is not a time to slacken off, or move into holiday mode too early.

Year 11 students must also remain on task as they have now transitioned into the next unit of study as they prepare to hit the ground running at the start of Year 12.    

Recently, as I was preparing to write my article for the College magazine,  I was reflecting upon the past year and it was amazing to recall the number of events and functions that occur throughout the year.  Each of these events provide opportunities for students to make their learning journey an engaging and inspiring experience.  Whether that experience is an educational, cultural, spiritual, or sporting activity, it is an opportunity for students to try new experiences, operate outside of their comfort zone, be exposed to unfamiliar activities or reflect upon how others interpret the situation.  These are all opportunities for students to broaden their horizons and make memories that may last a lifetime.     

As this is the final newsletter for 2024, I wish to say thank you to everyone who has contributed to our College throughout the year and let you know that we do sincerely appreciate your support and your ongoing encouragement as we strive to make a difference for every child, every day.  Whilst each year seems to bring a new set of challenges for schools, it is always rewarding to see students develop into young adults who are the future of our community.   

I request parents to contact the school if your child will not be returning to Gilroy Santa Maria College in 2024. This can be done by emailing admin@gilroysm.catholic.edu.au or by phoning the administration staff. The information allows us to accurately plan class sizes and staffing for next year.

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to you all.

 God bless
Kevin Barnes

Last Day of the School Year

The last day of the school year, Friday 24 November 2023, will be a Fun Day for all Year 7 to 11 students.  The program for the day is:

8.30am  Students to be dropped off to Hinchinbrook Aquatic Centre (Ingham pool) by parents/buses (there will be no buses from Gilroy)

8.30am – 12.00pm    Swimming, games, sausage sizzle/spaghetti cups

12.00pm    Transported by bus back to College

12.00pm – 3.00pm  Variety of activities including archery tag, sporting activities, Just Dance, movies, arts and crafts

3.00pm   Normal pick up from College/catch bus transport home

Students are to bring their own morning tea/snacks, water bottle, sun safe clothing, hat, towel, swimming togs and closed in shoes for afternoon activities.  They are also welcome to bring a small amount of money to purchase items from the pool kiosk.

The cost of the day will be $10 per student.  

We look forward to a great end to the school year!

2024 Stationery List

Please click on the link below, to access the 2024 Stationery List.  The list can also be found on the College website. 

Protect Your Children Online

People usually know how to keep themselves safe offline, but it's not always the case when we go online. In our latest initiative, we compare online safety to everyday objects that keep you safe – just like eSafety does when you go online.

When it comes to online safety, we can help. We educate Australians about online safety risks and help to remove harmful content such as cyberbullying of children and young people, adult cyber abuse, image-based abuse and illegal and restricted content.

Help get the word out about online safety! Forward this email to friends and family to let them know there’s support available if they experience online abuse.

The eSafety Commissioner can support with:

• Advice for parents, kids and young people on staying safe online
• Digital skills needed for staying safe in games and apps using the eSafety Guide 
• Webinars for parents and carers to help children have positive online experiences 
• Investigating reports of serious online abuse and help with the removal of this content.
  
  

From the Guidance Counsellor - Kate Stringini

During the school holidays, students may not have access to their school-based support networks but here are some additional supports that they can access during this time.

Report Cards on Compass

From this semester onwards, all report cards will only be available via the Compass parent portal.  Paper copies will no longer be mailed home to families.  Parents will receive an email notification when report cards become available from Thursday 7 December 2023.  Parents will be able to download and print copies of all report cards from the portal.

If you are having issues accessing the Compass parent portal or require your login information again, please do not hesitate to contact the College office.  If you are having issues with the app, it sometimes helps to delete it from your device, and reinstall it.

VET certificates for Year 10 and 11 students will still be printed and mailed home.  VET certificates for Year 12 students will be in their graduation portfolio.

Prayer

We thank you Lord, for this school year. For our challenges, our successes, and the mistakes from which we have learnt. Be with us as we spend our 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. We thank you for our classmates, teachers, parents and a community that cares for us.

May we always be conscious of you in our lives.

Amen

From the Business Manager –Ros Giuliano

The school office will close on Friday 8 December and we will reopen on Monday 8 January 2024.
Keep an eye out on Facebook and emails for times and dates for when the library is open to collect your textbooks.

PAYMENT PLANS
If you are currently on a payment plan. Please check that your current repayments will be enough to cover the increase in fees and adjust them accordingly. Do not hesitate to contact me if you have any queries.

2024 School Fees

MULTI-SCHOOL FAMILY FEE DISCOUNTS
As of 2015, a new fee structure gave 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. Cards 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 the College 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.

Just a reminder that our preferred way of payment is now BPAY and those details are on the statement. As always, you can pay by credit card, cheque or cash or we can set up a direct debit through Pay way.

If the statement does not look quite right, you do not agree with balance or if you have any issues or questions regarding the statements, please do not hesitate to see me.

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

Ros Giuliano
rgiuliano@gilroysm.catholic.edu.au

Year 11 Biology Camp

The weather was calm, the water was clear and Year 11 Biology students had an amazing three days and two nights at Orpheus Island Research Station on the annual Gilroy Biology Camp. Students snorkelled from the mangroves to the reef on their first afternoon to get comfortable in the water and saw some amazing marine life including three giant cuttlefish, two barramundi cod, a decent sized black-tipped reef shark and loads of colourful fish. JCU Research Scientist Sasha presented a lecture on identifying different coral growth forms and how to collect data using belt transects under water. Thanks to Galipo's Midtown Meats, students cooked up a BBQ dinner under the watchful eye of Mr Cianciullo and then called it a day. 

On day two, students were introduced to some research projects that were being conducted at the station by scientists from NSW. They were investigating factors that affect coral spawning, in particular the genus Acropora (branching coral). Students boarded the research boats and spent all morning sampling the coral colour and growth forms at two sites: a bay at Pelorus Island and Cattle Bay at Orpheus. This data was then entered into the 'Coral Watch Citizen Science' database to keep track of the health of the reef and students will use it for assessment. After a lecture about mangroves, students were eager to try out the paddleboards and kayaks, followed by a walk around the point to watch the sun set. The drone was sent up and got some great footage of the students. Spaghetti bolognese was on the menu thanks to the Gilroy tuckshop ladies and while a movie night watching JAWS in the lecture theatre sounded like a good idea, almost everyone fell asleep before the second scene.

Day three students got stuck into collecting their data in the mangroves (to be used for assessment) and then persuaded staff to go for one more snorkel before going home. This time, a crayfish and lionfish were spotted, along with some large sweetlips. By the end of the camp, students commented that their snorkelling and breath-hold diving had improved.    

A big thank you to all students for being so enthusiastic and helpful - you made this such an enjoyable camp. Thank you to Mr Cianciullo for graciously volunteering his time, to Galipo’s for their generous donation of delicious BBQ goods and to Jodie Lino and her team for preparing the bolognese sauce. To Sasha, Azri and Jimmy, the staff at OIRS, for your knowledge and expertise - thank you! Biology Camp was a wonderful educational and skill building opportunity where students made some incredible memories that will last a lifetime.

Mrs Belinda Strong

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Student Accident Protection Plan - Claim Form

Accidents will happen and they can be costly.  Student Accident Protection Plan is a student accident insurance policy specifically designed to help cover the costs.  Please click on the link above for more details and how to make a claim.

What's Happening in the Parish

St Patrick’s, Ingham
Saturday Vigil: 6.00pm
Sunday: 8.30am and 7.00pm

St Peter’s, Halifax
Sunday: 7.00am

Canossa Chapel, Trebonne
Sunday: 10.00am

St Teresa’s, Abergowrie
Sunday: 10.00am

INGHAM REGION CATHOLIC PARISHES NEWSLETTER:

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

Father Damian McGrath
Parish Priest
Ingham Region Catholic Parishes

Around the District