8 May 2025

Mother's Day - Sunday May 11

Mother's Day celebrates all caregivers who nurture and raise children, including biological mothers, stepmothers, foster parents, and even those who step up in other ways to support a child's well-being. It's a day to recognize the diverse ways in which people fulfill the role of a mother figure and to appreciate their love and dedication. 

ANZAC Day - Lest We Forget

Gilroy Glimpses

Prev

Showing images 1 - 8 of 20

Next

Coral Sea Commemoration in Cardwell

The Coral Sea Commemoration is an important annual event that honours the brave men and women who participated in one of the most significant naval battles of World War II—the Battle of the Coral Sea. Fought between May 4 and May 8, 1942, the battle marked a turning point in the Pacific War, preventing the Japanese navy from advancing further towards Australia and the South Pacific.

We at Gilroy Santa Maria College feel honoured to be allowed to pay our respects to those brave men of our armed forces who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Important Dates Term 2

Sports Stars

Year 7 (2026) - Expo

Acting Principal - Melissa Carr

Dear College Community,

Welcome back to Term 2! I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful Easter break filled with family time and a sense of renewal. It has been fantastic to see our students return refreshed, ready to embrace the opportunities that lie ahead.

Term 2 is shaping up to be a busy and exciting time in our College calendar. I encourage all families to regularly check our College Facebook page and Compass notifications to stay up-to-date with upcoming events and important dates.

Parent/Student/Teacher Interviews – Thursday 8 May

One of the key events this week is our Parent/Student/Teacher Interviews. These interviews are an invaluable opportunity for parents and students to meet with teachers, discuss academic progress, set goals, and work together to support each student’s learning journey. It is vital that both parents and students attend, as students play an important role in reflecting on their learning and developing accountability for their growth.

Important Information:

• Interviews will be held onsite at the College.
• A floor plan showing where teachers will be located has been shared with families and is attached below. Paper copies will also be available on the day from the Library.
• Bookings are closed on Compass, please contact your teacher by Compass to schedule an appointment on a day that is suitable for all.

Please note: due to some staffing changes, where possible, your child’s Term 1 teacher will attend the interview. However, if their Term 1 teacher is not available, their Term 2 teacher will be available to meet with you.

Upcoming Events

We have many exciting events happening this term, including:

• Gilroy Cross Country – Friday 9 May:
  Students are encouraged to participate, have fun, and enjoy an afternoon with friends. The event will commence at 12:00pm (Period 5) and conclude at 3:00pm. Students may come dressed in their House Shirts for the day.
• Year 7 Expo – Week 4:
  One of our major events for the year, our Year 7 Expo will formally commence our enrolment campaign for 2026. Families are invited to the Santa Maria Centre from 7:30am for breakfast and coffee whilst engaging in subject activities and chats with our teachers. An information session led by our Senior Leadership Team and a tour of our College facilities will follow and Students will stay with us for the day. We look forward to welcoming both familiar and new faces!
• Arts Retrospective – Thursday 5 June:
  Last year’s debut Arts Retrospective was a huge success thanks to the vision of Ms Georgia Dametto and her team. This year promises to be even bigger, with new sections celebrating written arts and more opportunities for students to showcase their talents.
  Families can also enjoy delicious food catered by our Hospitality students — a night not to be missed!  Tickets will be on sale from Wednesday 7 May through Compasstix.

Post-Flood Update

Following the significant rain event in Term 1, our College sustained damage to several buildings.
Most classrooms were restored quickly to safe standards for students, but repair works are ongoing. We have now received the scope of works and are working closely with the insurance company, supported by Townsville Catholic Education, to complete the restoration process.

Annual School Improvement Plan

As part of our ongoing commitment to improvement, our staff are working toward four major goals for 2025:

1. Catholic School Identity: Deepen the whole school's understanding and practice of prayer and scripture through dialogue. 
2. Literacy Focus: Improve literacy through targeted intervention for all Year 7 and Year 8 students, with flexible student groups based on learning needs.
3. Student Engagement Framework - Facilitate meaningful consultations with the school board, parents, and other key stakeholders to gather feedback and input on the DRAFT GSMC School Wide Engagement Framework for implementation later this year.
4. Culturally Safe Learning Environment: Create a learning environment where all students feel culturally safe and supported.

This term, I particularly want to highlight Goal 3 with our Gilroy community.

Throughout 2024, Ms Maddyn White and Ms Kate Stringini, in collaboration with many of our teachers, have been developing a draft Student Engagement Framework. This framework will guide how we promote positive student engagement and manage behaviour transparently and fairly. In Week 5, at our Parent Board Meeting, Maddyn will present this draft for consultation and feedback. Following this, we will hold a Parent Information Night, where all families are invited to provide input. It is important to us that this framework reflects the shared vision and expectations of our College community, and your feedback is a critical part of that process.

Thank you once again for your ongoing partnership and support. I am looking forward to a positive and productive Term 2 with all of you.

Warm regards,

Melissa Carr

Assessment Planners Term 2

Academic Support

Prayer

Father Most Holy,
Our God and King,
Protect Your Church in this time of transition.
Guide the Cardinals in their sacred duty.
Grant them Wisdom and Courage,
Hope and Charity,
and the Faith they need to discern Your Holy Will.

Creator of all that was, is, and is to come—
You alone know the heart of the one You have chosen
as the next successor to Saint Peter.
Reveal Your will to the College of Cardinals.
Open their hearts to Your inspirations.
Open our hearts to receive, with faith and obedience,
the one whom You will raise up to sit on the Chair of Saint Peter.

May he be a man of deepest compassion,
a man of profound faith and hope,
a man whose charity shines forth,
permeating the darkness of this world with the light of Christ.

You are God Most High,
the God of the living and the dead,
the Great I AM,
the Alpha and the Omega,
Eternal Being and Source of all that is.

May Your holy will be done,
now and forever. Amen. 

From the Business Manager –Ros Giuliano

Welcome back to Term 2!

Invoices for Term 2 fees and levies will be emailed by the end of next week. If you do
not receive them, please check your ‘junk’ or ‘spam’ file or contact the office.

A timely reminder to please check your contact details are correct on Compass. In accordance with the mission, values and ethos of our school, we remain committed to providing an education to all of students regardless of their financial circumstances.

BPAY is our preferred method of payment. The details are on the family statement. You can also pay weekly, fortnightly, monthly or by term by Payway, direct debit,
credit card, cash or cheque.

As always, if you have any questions or queries, or your financial circumstances have changed please contact the Principal or myself to discuss the matter. The sooner you make contact the sooner we can work together for a solution.

Ros Giuliano

Advanced Life School Photography

20% Discount on Sports & Co-Curricular Group Photos available before 21/05/2025

Dear Parents,

These school groups were photographed on 25/03/2025:

You can now view and purchase the group images listed above and if you place your order before 12:00pm on 21/05/2025 you will get a 20% early order discount. Just click on the link below. Please note the discount will be automatically applied at checkout.

Images can also be viewed by visiting www.advancedlife.com.au entering the code: 951 AAT NRH and clicking on “Group Photos”

Important

• Sports and co-curricular group photos can only be purchased online, PLEASE DO NOT return payment to your school
• If your child's group or team is scheduled to be photographed at a later date, you will receive an additional email notification when the images are ready to be ordered
• Photos will be returned to your school for distribution approximately six weeks after the discounted early order period has closed
• Past years' photographs including sports, co-curricular and representative groups are also available at your school's advancedorder and your child's advancedyou photo sites

advancedlife would like to express our appreciation to Gilroy Santa Maria College for placing your trust in us. Please remember we offer a 100% money-back guarantee on our products to ensure your peace of mind. We would also love to receive your feedback or resolve any issues you may experience, to ensure your satisfaction. If you have any questions, comments or feedback relating to your advancedlife experience, please contact us at www.advancedlife.com.au/contact

Date Claimers

Sport News

Rugby League

Recently, the Opens Rugby League team travelled to St Anthony’s Catholic College for the first round of the Townsville Blackhawks Trophy. After a very disruptive preseason, the boys were eager to start well in their first game, with Tristan Milan opening the scoring after a nice short-side play by Jack Butcher. St Anthony’s bounced back and scored a long distance try to even the scores. Jack Butcher again provided some attacking prowess when a Connor Matsen offload saw Jack scoring right in the middle of the field to give Gilroy the lead. St Anthony’s again bounced back, scoring a late try to even the scores at half time.

The second half went back and forth for the first 20 minutes and it took a nice offload from Shaun Devietti to get Tristan Milan his second try of the afternoon and give Gilroy the lead once again. Sadly, a few late penalties proved to be costly when St Anthony’s crossed over with a minute to go. The conversion proved the only difference in the game, with the final score 18-16 to St Anthony’s. Jack Butcher was voted best on ground by the coaching staff with Shaun Devietti and Kelin Corrardi being notable performers. The entire coaching staff were proud of the team's efforts and they look forward to the game against Southern Cross Catholic College.

VET/Careers:

Work Placement

Beginning of Week 4, our Year 11 and 12 students will recommence their work placements each Friday for the remainder of the term.

These placements provide students with valuable opportunities to:

• Gain real-world experience
• Develop essential workplace skills
• Explore future career pathways
• Build confidence in professional settings
• Establish meaningful industry connections
  

This term, students are placed across a diverse range of industries — from aged care facilities to mechanical workshops — offering them authentic insight into the world of work and helping prepare them for life beyond school.

Careers 

This term, the Canegrowers Herbert River Link2Country Expo will take place on May 23 and 24. This exciting event showcases the diverse opportunities available within the agricultural and rural industries of our region, while also highlighting their vital role in our community. Our Year 11 and 12 Agriculture students will attend the expo to explore career pathways and engage directly with industry representatives.

Year 10 Careers Sessions will also commence this term, led by Ms Vicki Gardner, GSM Careers Advisor. These sessions are designed to guide students through:

• Career and job exploration
• Senior school subject exploration
• Understanding pathway options into senior studies and beyond
  

Later in the term, GSM will host a Year 10 Information Night for students and parents to attend.

Additionally, Year 10 students will participate in the Find Your Futures Career Expo, held during Week 5 at Link2Country. To conclude the term, they will engage in a three-day Work Experience block during Week 10 – more details will be provided closer to the date.

Sophie Johnson - Queensland Trainee Award Finalist

Year 12 student, Sophie Johnson, has made the TOP 5 in the Queensland Trainee Awards and is in the running for the QLD School-Based Apprenticeship or Traineeship of the Year Award to be announced in September. 

She is also the first rural-based participant in the Deadly Start trainee program, which helps young First Nations Australians gain experience and certification for a career in healthcare. Sophie has been completing her traineeship at Ingham Health Services, gaining valuable insights into all areas of allied health, with a focus on First Nations and Torres Strait Islander health.  

Sophie will attend the North Queensland gala in July and we can’t wait to hear the results later in the year.  Congratulations to Sophie on such wonderful recognition for her hard work and dedication!

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

What's Happening in the Parish

INGHAM REGION CATHOLIC PARISHES NEWSLETTER:

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

Ingham Region Catholic Parishes

Around the District

In preparation for the start of the 2025 crushing season, RSU and locomotive driver training will soon be under way.  Locos hauling empty cane bins will be operating across all of our milling regions during daylight hours from Tuesday 6 May until the production season commences in June.

Please approach all cane railway crossings with caution and obey all signs and signals.

For more information check out our website https://www.wilmarsugar-anz.com/media-centre/public-notices