13 October 2017

Newsletter Articles

Important Dates

Gilroy on the Go

World War I Link Project

Forrest Beach Fun Run and Triathlon

The annual Forrest Beach Fun Run and Triathlon was held on the last day of Term 3. The theme for the day was ‘Around the World’. The students began the day at the beach by watching the bike and run legs of the Triathlon before starting the Fun Run. Rice had the most students complete the Forrest Beach Fun Run with O’Meara only two behind. In total, 200 students completed the Fun Run. Upon completion, they enjoyed a sausage sizzle and a cold drink before hitting the water to cool off. A big thank you must go to the GSMC P & F who covered the costs of the day, including the buses and sausage sizzle. Also, thank you to the Forrest Beach Surf Lifesaving Club for allowing us to use their Gator. Below are the winners of the Triathlon and the Ironman and Ironwoman Fun Run categories.

Triathlon

Winners – Trinity Reinaudo (swim), Harrison Reinaudo (bike), and Andrew Pallanza (run).
Runners Up – Nicholas Di Bella (swim and run) and Seth Valenti (bike)

Fun Run

U13 and Overall Ironwoman – Jade Saxton
U13 and Overall Ironman – Hayden Girgenti
U15 Ironwoman – Jessica Waller
U15 Ironman – Ethan Costabeber
U18 Ironwoman – Zeia Artavilla
U18 Ironman – Danny De Leo

Pen Pals Needed – Mr Price

Grade 8 to 11s are invited to correspond with a US friend. If interested, express your interest by writing to Mr Price at: dprice@gilpin.k12.co.us.

Once received Mr Price will organise someone to write to you.

From the Principal

Dear Gilroy Santa Maria College Community

Last week I attended the Yr 11 Camp at the Echo Adventure Camp near Tully. The Camp had a leadership focus, including discussions and nominating for student leadership positions in 2018. I was impressed with contributions the students made in the various sessions. The highlight for me was the replies they gave when asked about the qualities they admired in fellow students. Nearly every response said that they admired students that made an effort to be friends with everyone and tried to build an inclusive community. It is a quality we should continue to foster in our school, a quality that builds friendships and relationships and can only contribute positively to the wellbeing of all our students.

I take this opportunity to thank the Yr 11’s for their excellent behaviour and participation. Thanks to our generous staff members who attended the camp. Special mention to Ms Karen Board, our Yr 11 Coordinator who did an outstanding job in running such a successful camp. The application and election process for our 2018 leaders will take place in the coming weeks and I hope many of Yr 11’s seriously consider taking on a student leadership role.

We had an exciting event this week at the College with the official launch of the World War I Link Project. This project is a collaboration between our Gilroy Santa Maria College students, the RSL, the Rotary Club, the State Government and the Hinchinbrook Shire Council. Our Yr 8 students have been researching Ingham's World War I Honour Roll soldiers. Their research will be placed onto an interactive digital kiosk situated in the Kennedy Regiment Library at Tyto. The students have spent much time researching our local soldiers and I am looking forward to visiting the Tyto Centre to explore the interactive kiosk. Thanks to Ms Sarah Dunn who has been the driving force behind our involvement in the project.

It has been a busy week; we conducted our Yr 6 Parent Information Evening for next year’s Yr 7 students as well as Yr 8 and Yr 10 Subject Information Nights so students could choose subjects for next year.

A reminder that next Monday 16 October is a Pupil-Free Day.

God Bless

John Nuttall
Principal

From the Assistant Principal

(Religious Education)

I hope you all have come back refreshed from the holidays and are ready for the term that lies ahead. It is an especially busy term which will no doubt fly like the rest. Yr 12 have already started the countdown to the end of their secondary schooling days with great excitement. I wonder if their parents (myself included) are as enthusiastic.

October is the month of Mary. The Rosary is prayed as a devotion to the special events in her life and in the life of her son, Jesus. This week’s prayer is how to pray the Rosary. We dedicated this prayer to Our Lady.

God Bless
Christine Timms

From the Assistant Principal

(Administration & Curriculum)

Welcome everybody to Term 4.

Yr 6 Information Session

On Wednesday this week, we have had our Yr 6 Information Night for 2018 Yr 7 students. We hope that this session was worthwhile and informative for parents. During Yr 7 enrolment interviews for next year, the Leadership Team can see that students are excited and eager to begin their secondary school education. There seems to be minimal anxiety about changing to a secondary school, which is great to see. The transition days held throughout the year seem to have prepared these students well for some of their changes that lay ahead. If you know of any parents who were unable to attend this session, but would like some information about next year, please ask them to contact the college.

Yr 8 and 10 Information Sessions – Thursday 12 October in Function Room

Tonight is the Yr 8 and 10 information sessions in the function room. The Yr 8 sessions will start at 6:30pm and will be followed by the Yr 10 information session at 7:30pm.

For Yr 8 students, they will be given information about what Yrs 9 and 10 look like for them as well as some general information regarding the new ATAR system that will begin implementation in 2019. Yr 8 students will importantly be given information about how the Yr 9 and 10 elective lines will work and ensuring they getting prepared for Yrs 11 and 12.

Yr 10 students will be provided information about subject selections and ensuring that their son/daughter has been given as much information as possible to help them make the best decisions for their future career plans. We will also be discussing what senior schooling looks like in terms of obtaining their QCE, OP and taking advantage of work experience during this time. We hope to see as many parents and students there as possible. Following the Yr 10 information session, in coming weeks, will be individual meetings with parents and students, the Careers Advisor and I to ensure your son/daughter is well prepared for Yrs 11 and 12.

Term 4 Assessment Planners

Term 4 assessment planners were given to students last Friday in their homerooms. These planners outline all assessment for this term and their due dates. It also includes information about what exams your son/daughter will have. This information is also available on COMPASS.

Important Dates Coming Up

God Bless
Melissa Carr

From the Assistant Principal

(Pastoral Care)

Term 4 is here and as is the case with most terms this year, we have hit the ground running. On the first day back myself and four other staff were very fortunate to have the opportunity to attend the annual Yr 11 Leadership Camp at Echo Creek, near Tully. While the students engaged in a number of adventure based activities, the focus of the three-day camp was to ensure that each and every Yr 11 student was well aware of their leadership responsibilities leading into 2018. Although it is a very commonly used cliché that, “you are all leaders”, this aspect was one that they were constantly reminded of throughout the camp. No matter what title they hold next year, all Yr 12 students need to be aware that they are continually under the microscope by their younger peers for the way in which they do or don’t lead.

To help students get their thoughts around this aspect, we were very fortunate to have the “Unleashing Personal Potential (UPP)” team on hand on Thursday to deliver a very strong message about leadership and the importance of beginning their journey on the right note. One of the features that they highlighted as being synonymous with all leaders was that good leaders were first and foremost, nice people who genuinely cared for others. This feature goes hand in hand with the qualities that Gilroy Santa Maria is working hard to instil within all of our students. While we are potentially all good at heart, we often find that pressures in our lives and our inabilities to deal with numerous situations sees us struggling to maintain a caring nature. The UPP team highlighted it was not in the big ticket fundraisers or other significant events that people witnessed good leadership traits. They believe (as do I) that it is our ability to recognise and show genuine interest in the daily interactions with others that people remember the most. To just make the effort to acknowledge others and hold a conversation with someone we are not usually familiar with, has been identified as a significant leadership trait that can make a great deal of difference to others within our school.

A big thank you must go out to our Yr 11 Pastoral Leader, Karen Board. Besides getting married on the holidays and organising an extremely well run camp, Karen was instrumental in delivering her own leadership session which proved to be equally as motivating and enlightening as the UPP team. Thanks must also go to Mr John Barbagallo for his efforts in preparation and catering for the Yr 11’s, while Mr Ian Schifilliti and Mrs Chantal Bullock provided outstanding support to all members of the Yr 11 cohort throughout the three days. There is much potential and hope for the Yr 11’s over the next twelve months and I wish them all good luck as they begin their leadership quest in the next few weeks.

Blessings
Peter Groundwater

GSM Cup

Tuckshop News

VOLUNTEERS ARE ALWAYS NEEDED!!

Tuckshop Volunteers are only needed to work from 8:30am to 11:40am.

Tuckshop Roster 2017

Please note: The lunch times are as follows:
1st Lunch – 11:15am – 11:40am
2nd Lunch – 1:20pm finish 2:05pm

If there is any query in regards to this roster or you are unavailable, please contact Sandra Benedetto Home [4776 5321] Jodie Lino Home [4776 5718]

What’s Happening in the Parish

St Peter's Catholic School Celebrates 90 Yrs

2017 marks the 90th year of St Peter's Catholic School Halifax (formerly St Therese's) educating children in the Lower Herbert district. The school is celebrating this milestone with a special event to be held at the school on Saturday November 18. Celebrations will begin with a Mass at 2:00pm followed by formal proceedings and an afternoon tea. The school then invites the community to stay on and connect with friends, past and present. Food and drinks will be available as well as activities to amuse children (big and small) including rides and jumping castles. If anyone has photographs or memorabilia it would be appreciated if these could be dropped in at the school where photos can be scanned straight away. If you live in the Ingham area items can be dropped in to Chella at the Parish Office Mon - Fri 9:00am—Noon.

Youth Ministry Announcement

Hi everyone, let’s get our Youth Ministry rolling. All are invited, especially young people, to join Youth Mass on 15 October at 7:00pm at St Patrick Church. Youth Mass is very lively with vibrant music that helps to us to praise and friendship that enriches. Another youth activity that will commence is Faith Formation for grade 6-8 on Friday 20 October from 6:00pm -7:30pm at Mercy Hall; supper included. It will be every 1st and 3rd Friday of the month. This Faith Formation program is a great opportunity for grades 6-8 to discover the love of God for each person. There will be a Youth Ministry brochure coming out soon and more youth activities coming for the rest of the year. Dear young people, I use the words of Pope Francis to invite you to think and reflect “The Church and the society need you” so “do not bury your talents”. I invite you to join Youth Ministry of the parish as it is an opportunity for you to explore the gifts of God in you and learn to use them as bridges to build a better world for all. Feel free to contact me, Sr. Thao through my email thaofdcc9@hotmail.com.au.

All Souls

All Souls Day is rapidly approaching so we would very much appreciate it if you could please bring in the names you wish to have on our All Souls list for 2017. All names are to be in by 3.00pm Wednesday 25 October 2017 to enable us to be able to type and print out the list and sent out to our country Mass centres the weekend prior to All Souls. No names will be accepted after that date.

Rosary in the Park

This year we celebrate 100 years of the Apparition of Our Lady to the three children, Lucia Santos and her cousins Jacinta & Francisco Marto at the Cova Da Iria, in Fatima, Portugal. The first Apparition of Our Blessed Mother was on May 13 1917 and She continued to appear to the children until October 13 2017. During that, last Apparition Our Lady performed the Miracle of the Sun. The Knights of the Southern Cross have organised a Public Square Rosary in Rotary Park in Ingham on Saturday 14 of October at 4:00pm to commemorate the 100 years. We believe that the communities of our three Parishes should make an extra special effort to come to pray the Rosary in the Park on this special occasion. We need to pray to Our Blessed Mother in reparation for all the injustices that are occurring in our world today.

Appeal for books by Knights of Southern Cross

The Ingham members of the Knights of The Southern Cross are collecting library and encyclopaedia books, exercise books, pencils, erasers, pencil sharpeners for three schools in the Bariai Region of West New Britain in P.N.G. The collection will take until 22 October 2017. Boxes are provided at the entrance to St Patricks, Ingham and St Peters Halifax, it would be appreciated, but not necessary, if you could place the books in boxes or bags. Should you require further information, please contact Peter Costanzo. Phone 4777 1206 (H) 0407 166 570 (m); pcia62@bigpond.com (email).

Father Damian McGrath
Parish Priest
Ingham Region Catholic Parishes

District News

Advertising with Schoolzine

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