15 February 2018

Newsletter Articles

Important Dates

Important Notices

Road Safety

Dear Parents/Carers

We received the following advice from our local Road Safety Advisory Committee….

It was discussed as an agenda item at the recent Road Safety Advisory Meeting, that the parents who continue to park on opposite sides of the road at Atkinson Street of an afternoon are creating dangers to other traffic, and most importantly, the safety of the children.

They have been observed parking in close proximity to the corner, making it very difficult for buses to negotiate the turn into Atkinson Street, and have also been seen to coax students to run across to their waiting vehicle, directly into oncoming traffic.

Bus drivers have been instructed to pass on registration plate numbers to bus companies, to forward to Ingham Police for attention.

Please be aware: No Standing at the corner or near the corner of Atkinson Street, the bus operators of Ingham will be forwarding details to police for action.

Footpaths

OTL Concreting & Excavations is the contractor responsible for the construction of the Shared Footpath Connectivity Project appointed by Hinchinbrook Shire Council.

OTL wishes to advise that footpath construction works will be commencing in this area Monday 19 February 2018.

The scope of works will construct a footpath on the eastern side of Chamberlain Street commencing at the College and working its way south to join the existing footpath at No.2 Chamberlain Street.

Scheduled works will occur between 6:00am – 6:00pm Monday to Saturday.

OTL wishes to apologise in advance for any inconvenience so caused and ask that you take care when commencing and concluding your day in Chamberlain Street.

Please take the time to observe traffic guidance signage in place and pedestrians walking there also will be some changes implemented for your safety.

For any queries please don't hesitate to contact

OTL Project Manager
Julie Mac Pherson
Ph 0437 402 644
julie@otl.net.au

Gilroy on the Go

Induction Mass

Ash Wednesday Liturgy

Yesterday students and staff participated in the Ash Wednesday Liturgy. Father Damian delivered the Liturgy.

Valentine’s Day

Yr 12 students sold roses and serenaded others yesterday for Valentine’s Day.

School Social

Gilroy Food Technology & Hospitality Classes

This term Yr 7-12 have all been very enthusiastic cooks and recipes designers. Our kitchen has produced some wonderful dishes, both sweet and savoury and each class has been very enthusiastic in participating each week.

Yr 7B have been looking at healthy options for cooking at home and for our lunch boxes. They started the term creating fruit skewers to enhance their knife skill development as well as a delicious chicken and bacon caesar salad with added veggies. This was a hit amongst lots of parents at home as well a few students mentioning it was so delicious, they had to have it for breakfast! Creating lifelong skills to enhance healthy options for family favourites is a skill our children are proudly working on. Students have done a great job adapting traditional recipes by adding healthy ingredients.

Yr 8 students have been designing and exploring muffin recipes and have learnt biscuit cookery. In week 3 students baked banana and honey muffins, which is a fantastic recipe platform to add other fruits and super foods for breakfast, lunch or snack option.

Our Yr 9 students designed a baked potato recipe using the microwave and adapted their fillings to accompany different meals of the day. They agreed that a stuffed potato can be a nutritious meal or lunch box idea, served hot or as a leftover. They have also been looking at ‘batters’ this term and watched some cooking episodes by Chef: Peter Kuruvita, to find out how to make the best fish batter and debunked the myth with what ingredients really makes a fish batter crispy.

Students were impressed that they could easily create a take away meal, instead of store bought battered fish and looked at adding a healthy salad to a popular weekend meal.

This week we produced a sweet batter and created some very fluffy and delicious pancakes in preparation for Shrove Tuesday.

Our Yr 10’s have been busy doing a pastry unit, making their own doughs for sweet and savoury dishes. Last week they made Raspberry and Cream Cheese scrolls, which turned out beautiful. For a savoury recipe, students worked with puff pastry to create a spinach and feta baked triangle, perfect for a lunchbox or dinner dish.

Our senior hospitality class has been busy preparing and designing their dinner menu for next terms hospitality dinner which they are hosting for their parents. Students have been designing a restaurant theme, sourcing decorations and recipes as well as cooking and trialling a final menu. The seniors are very excited and have worked collaboratively to create what will be a stunning menu.

Our hospitality students have joined forces with the Rangers, to work together in providing fresh produce for our kitchen. Our Rangers have kindly taken on the responsibility to grow some edible flowers for garnishing which we can use for some of the upcoming school events, along with providing us with fresh herbs. We’ve also allocated a compost bin in our classroom to collect kitchen green waste, in order to feed the Rangers composting worm farm station, in providing a sustainable and natural fertilizer for the herb garden. We look forward to seeing what else the Rangers can provide us with this year from their garden.

I encourage all parents and caregivers to give students the opportunity to recreate some of the wonderful food at home which they have learnt and created in Food Technology. The skill of cooking encourages independence and supports sustainable eating habits important for teenagers.

Below is the recipe from our Yr 10 class investigation;
Chef Peter Kuruvita- “The Best Fish Batter”- which lots of our fishing enthusiast families will enjoy!

Batter 3-2-1 Ratio by Peter Kuruvita

• 3 cups self-raising flour
• 2 cups plain flour, plus extra, for dusting
• 1 cup cornflour
• 100 ml vegetable oil
• 350ml beer
• 350 ml water

Method

To make the batter, place all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until a smooth batter forms. It should have the consistency of thick pancake batter. Cover and refrigerate.

Fill a large saucepan or wok two-thirds full of oil and heat to 180°C.

Working in batches, dust the fish in extra flour, then dip in the batter, allowing the excess to drip away, and then deep-fry, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp. Don’t overcrowd the pan or the temperature of the oil will drop, making the fish oily. Drain on paper towel.

To serve, arrange a salad onto serving plates. Drizzle with a little vinaigrette, then top with the fish and serve immediately with lime wedges.

From the Principal

Dear Gilroy Santa Maria College Community

Last Tuesday evening we conducted our Meet and Greet BBQ. The evening was an opportunity for new families to meet our community. Our talented musicians entertained the crowd and members of our Parents and Friends Association catered for the evening. Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to the success of the evening. We need to review the timing, promotion and format of the evening as the numbers were down on recent years.

I was very impressed with the spirit demonstrated at our Interhouse Swimming Carnival recently. The attendance and participation was terrific among the students and it was obvious that everyone enjoyed the day. Congratulations to our Senior Leaders who did a great job encouraging their respective teams, their efforts were noticed by many. A big thank you to Ms Castellaro for organising a wonderful carnival and to all the staff who helped on the day. Well done to the Rice House who were again the victors, they again take the lead in our yearlong house competition, the GSM Cup. Congratulations to all the students who were selected for our Gilroy Swimming Team and will compete at the Twilight Interschool Carnival this Monday night, 19 February.

Last week the Yr 12 Retreat was conducted at Genazzano on the shores of Lake Tinaroo. I couldn’t make it this year, but I’m told that their behaviour, spirit and attitude was outstanding. I know all the adults that attended were so impressed and proud of them all. Thanks to all the staff who attended, special mention to Mrs Timms for organising and leading the retreat and Fr Damian for conducting many of the excellent sessions the students participated in. It was a great way for our seniors to begin their final year of school. I must add that our Seniors have made a great start to the year. We have had a number of school activities in the first few weeks and it’s obvious they have demonstrated great leadership, cooperation and school spirit.

I’d like to give notice to parents/carers that the Term 1 Interim Report Card will be ready for distribution next week. The aim of this report card is to give parents an indication of how their child has begun the school year. The report will contain a rating for effort and behaviour in class for all subjects. There is no result at this moment. This Interim Report Card will be uploaded to Compass as well a hard copy being mailed home to parents.

Another important notice for parents is that the results of all assignments and tests will be recorded in the child’s diary for signing. Be assured that if there is a negative trend appearing in your child’s work or attitude, then our teaching staff is committed to contacting you as soon as possible.

God Bless
John Nuttall
Principal

From the Assistant Principal
(Religious Education)

What a busy fortnight we have had at Gilroy.

We celebrated our Induction Mass in Week 2 at St Patrick’s Church. This year we asked that the Holy Spirit give us the grace to have courage, wisdom, understanding, love and compassion for the hard tasks that we are called to do during this year. There are some many people who contributed to this special day. I would especially like to thank Vera Di Bella and the ensemble group of past and present students, as well as band staff members, Yr 9 choir, readers, special ministers, bus drivers, staff and students, and those families and parish community members who came as a sign of support for our Yr 12’s, Peer Support leaders and the college.

Last week it was my pleasure to take our Yr 12 students to Genazzano Retreat Centre at Lake Tinaroo. It is a wonderful opportunity for the senior cohort to take time out from their busy schedules to reflect on what and who has brought them to this point in their lives and look at possible obstacles for the year that lies ahead. Hopefully this gave them the chance to put some goals in place which in turn will lead to a successful final year at Gilroy Santa Maria College. Thank you to Father Damian who led the retreat as well as Mr Peter Groundwater, Ms Karen Lahtinen, Mr John Barbagallo and Miss Roseanne Coyle who helped with the organisation and supervision on the retreat.

Wednesday marked the beginning of Lent with the celebration of the Ash Wednesday Liturgy. During the season of Lent, we are called to seek forgiveness for our sins, to give up or take up something that brings us closer to God, as well as, contribute to making the lives of those less fortunate a little better. This year’s Project Compassion theme is ‘For a Just Future’ and vital funds are raised across Australia which help vulnerable people around the world develop skills and create opportunities to change their communities for the better. All homeroom classes will have project compassion boxes placed on their prayer tables and each class is asked to set a goal for fundraising. You can also donate on line via the link below.

God Bless
Christine Timms

From the Assistant Principal
(Administration & Curriculum)

As we approach the half way mark of this term, all students are well underway with their term’s work and assessment.

Assessment Planners

Assessment Planners for all year levels went out to students on Wednesday of last week during year level assembly. These planners are also available to both staff and parents on compass under the school resources tab and can also be found using the link below. These planners are very useful for both students and parents in organising, planning and preparing for all their Term 1 assessment.

Subject Changes

Students should now be settled into their chosen subjects (Yrs 9-12). If your son/daughter is still wanting to make a subject change, please do this as soon as possible as we are getting to the ‘business end’ of the term. A change of subject form can be collected from student reception. Students must have a new timetable with their changed subject prior to being able to change classes.

Reporting

Next week the school will be sending home student interim reports. These reports will provide an overview of where your son/daughter is at in terms of their behaviour and effort. Towards the end of the term, teachers will also be asking students to write their subject results into their student diaries to communicate to parents where they are currently achieving. Teachers will also contact parents if their child has failed any initial assessment conducted this term. I would like to encourage students to take advantage of the school’s academic support program available at lunch times and after school to ensure that they achieve the best possible results they are capable of.

Exams will begin on Monday 26 March and finish on Thursday 29 March. The exam timetable will be available to students in the next couple of weeks.

In Week 6 of Term 2, we will be conducting parent/student/teacher interviews as well as a formal Semester 1 report being available to students during the Term 2 school holidays.

OP Prediction Interviews – Yr 12 Students

Commencing on Friday 16 February, Nancy Douglas (Careers Advisor), Joan Devietti and I will be conducting OP Prediction Interviews with Yr 12 students. This will be the second of three OP prediction interview students will have. An information letter will be sent home with students tomorrow to be returned by Thursday, so we know parents are aware of the interviews taking place. We strongly encourage parents to attend these interviews and ask any questions they may have. It is also a great opportunity to discuss plans for next year, including desired universities, QTAC applications and accommodation. These sessions are organised to occur during students’ study lessons on Friday to avoid students missing class work. As always, if you are unable to attend the time allocated for your child’s interview, please contact Nancy Douglas as the school to make an alternate meeting time.

Vocational Education (Non-OP) Yr 12 Students

All Yr 12 Vocational pathways students are also being tracked. If your son/daughter is at risk of not obtaining their QCE I would have already been in contact with you. I also welcome you to please contact me if you have any questions in regards to your child’s academic progress.

It is very important that students are making the most of their work placement on Fridays as this is an excellent program that provides students with authentic work experiences and potential career opportunities post school.

God Bless
Melissa Carr

From the Assistant Principal
(Pastoral Care)

Last week I had the pleasure of attending the annual Yr 12 Retreat at Lake Tinaroo on the Tablelands.

For reasons unknown, the word “Retreat” often invokes a feeling of dread in the minds of young students. Yet, time and time again I see our students engaging in the activities and the spirit of the event with a degree of enthusiasm that almost looks like they are enjoying themselves (Believe me, they are). Once again, we were extremely fortunate to have the services of our very own Father Damian as one of the retreat facilitators. Father Damian, along with our APRE, Mrs Christine Timms provided a range of interesting and challenging activities that will no doubt leave lasting impressions on all those students that were able to attend this year’s retreat.

In years gone by we have often resorted to outside facilitators to run our college retreats. In Father Damian and Mrs Timms, we are extremely lucky to have two people who very much provide an experience that is every bit as professional and engaging as those programs offered by our outside deliverers. Congratulations Father Damian and Mrs Timms. Special thanks must also go to Mrs Lahtinen for all her pre-retreat preparation and to Miss Coyle and Mr Barbagallo for all of their hard work and engagement throughout the three days. While we as teachers often baulk at the idea of leaving our homes and loved ones to attend camps, the experience of getting to better know our students away from the rigours of the classroom is a truly rewarding endeavour.

Next Monday evening sees Gilroy Santa Maria College staging the Annual Interschool Swimming Carnival. If the interhouse carnival is anything to go by, we should see a great display by our College Swim Team. A big thank you must go out to our 2018 sports coordinator, Meagan Castellaro for all her hard work in preparing both carnivals. Meagan has taken over the reins from our long-standing sports master, Ian Schifilliti. Ian has done a great job over the past 3 years and is still heavily involved in helping Meagan, as well as coordinating a number of sports within the College. We would ask that Parents support their child to attend the Interschool Carnival. Our aim is to fill all the lanes and compete to the best of our abilities. Good luck to the Swim Team.

Next week will also see the Yr 7’s attend their annual camp at the Lake Tinaroo Outdoor Recreation Centre. This camp is an excellent one for all Yr 7’s and is a place that brings class members together in a friendly and inviting environment. The camp is often well-remembered by each particular year level as being on the of their most enjoyable. We wish all campers a safe and happy journey.

Blessings
Peter Groundwater

Careers

Redmako Diploma in Schools – Virtual Reality

In a first for Queensland, Brisbane based company Redmako Learning, is set to change the education system with the launch of Virtual Classrooms in 2018.

Redmako Learning is fusing Diplomas with an advanced virtual reality (VR) platform to enhance the process and maximise the potential of our Queensland students. The technology can “teleport” students to different environments all over the world to create real industry experiences.

The technology uses Avatars and 3D Hologram models to give students a 360- degree perspective through their VR headsets of the places or environments they could encounter in the real world.

Gilroy Santa Maria College is among the first schools to trial Redmako Learning’s Virtual classrooms in 2018.

Jessica Seri, Rowan McClelland (Yr 12) and Christopher Aquilini (Yr 11) received their Virtual Reality headsets last week and are keen to embark on this new style of learning.

We wish them every success with their studies.
Nancy Douglas & Ashley Spina

Sports News

Interhouse Swimming Carnival Report

Friday 2 February saw Rice, O’Meara and McAuley fight for the right to be crowned ‘the best in the pool’. The carnival was filled with impressive individual performances with Nicholas Di Bella breaking the under 14 100m Freestyle long-standing record of 20 years with a time of 1:04:10. Evan Girgenti also broke a record, beating the 50m Freestyle with a time of 43:59.

Rice house was victorious, thrashing the other houses in nearly all categories, only becoming victim to the Junior Boys, where O’Meara was victorious. Rice was crowned overall winners for 2018, accumulating an overall total of 1045 points.

Congratulations to all who competed on the day. Special mention goes to the following age champions:

The 2018 Gilroy Santa Maria College Swim Team

The success of the carnival then led to the selection of the 2018 Interschool GSM Swim Team. Athletes selected will compete against the other schools in the district on Monday 19 February. The carnival will commence at 5.30pm with all athletes expected to be at the Hinchinbrook Aquatic Centre at 5:00pm

Below is the selected Gilroy Santa Maria College Swim Team:

Even if you are not selected to swim, please come and support our school.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Miss Castellaro on 4776 2888 or mscastellaro@girloysm.catholic.edu .

Key sporting dates TERM 1

** Venues TBA through morning notices / notes to be distributed **

Meagan Castellaro

Academic Support

Indigenous Homework Support

Tuckshop News

VOLUNTEERS ARE ALWAYS NEEDED!!

Tuckshop Volunteers are only needed to work from 8:30am to 12:00pm.

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

Ash Wednesday Liturgy Times

St Patrick’s, Ingham: 7.00am; 9.00am w/ Lourdes; 5.30pm
St Peter’s, Halifax: 8.45am w/ St Peter’s School
Canossa: 9.30am Ashes + Rosary
Gilroy Santa Maria College: 2.00pm Liturgy of Word + Ashes
St Teresa’s, Abergowrie: Thursday 8.40am with College

Lent

Christmas may still be in the rear-view mirror, but Lent is just around the corner. Ash Wednesday is 14 February. Now is the time to start thinking of how you will make this Lenten Season a time for personal renewal.

Some parish possibilities:

Rosary: 9.30am each Monday in St Patrick’s Church
Stations of the Cross: 5.30pm each Friday in St Patrick’s Church
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament: 9am to noon each Tuesday in St Paul’s Chapel 4pm to 5.30pm each Tuesday in St Patrick’s Church
Holy Hour: 7.30pm to 8.30pm each Wednesday of Lent, beginning 21 February, in St Patrick’s Church
Small Group Lenten Program: Reflection and discussion on the coming Sunday Gospel in a small group setting.
9.30am to 11.00am each Tuesday, beginning 13 February, in Mercy Hall led by Sr Rita.
7.30pm to 9.00pm each Tuesday beginning 13 February in Canossa Chapel led by Sr Rita.
7.30pm to 9.00pm each Thursday, beginning 15 February, in Mercy Hall, led by Fr Vitalis.
To take part in these programmes, please contact the parish office, maximum 11 people, cost $10.

World Day of Prayer 2018

On 2 March 2018, the Ingham District Uniting Churches is hosting the Annual World Day of Prayer. This time of prayer is open to all in the community— men, women and students—and we will be praying for the people of Suriname in northern South America this year. World Day of Prayer is an ecumenical prayer event which is held on, or near, the first Friday of March each year, all around the world, and each year a different country prepares the services, highlighting their culture, joys and problems. The service commences at 9.30am on Friday 2 March and all are welcome. Morning tea will be served after the service in the hall next door to the Uniting Church. Come and enjoy the sights and sounds of Suriname as we pray for this country and its needs.

Upcoming Events

• St Peter’s Induction Mass 22/2, 8.45am
• Catholic Debutante Ball 28/4

Father Damian McGrath
Parish Priest
Ingham Region Catholic Parishes

District News

Centacare Nth QLD

Ingham FC

Advertising with Schoolzine

Would you like to advertise in our new Schoolzine eNewsletter? Currently, Schoolzine is working diligently to source family friendly advertising sponsors and will then rebate quarterly 20% of revenue back to the school.

If you are interested in advertising either contact the school office or feel free to email Schoolzine any questions, suggestions or advertising enquiries.

Email: advertising@schoolzine.com.au
Phone: 07 5414 2361