10 May 2018

Newsletter Articles

Important Dates

Gilroy on the Go

Inter-school Cross Country

Congratulations to all the students that competed at the Inter-school Cross Country held at Abergowrie College on Wednesday.

CQU Business Challenge

Congratulations to our Yr 12 Business Team who placed 3rd in the CQU Business Challenge in Townsville.

Danny De Leo, Jessica Seri, Tina Paton, Joshua Giuffrida

Yr 7 Stem Club

The Year 7 Stem Club had their first meeting on Thursday last week. Everyone had a lot of fun and made a lot of mess in an attempt to make slime. Even though we need to refine our scientific slime making formula, something that scientists do in real life, it was great to hear all the laughter and see all the joy on club members faces.

Arts and Languages @ GSM!

This week our Year 7 students have been very busy!

7A have been working hard at work developing their designs with Mrs Pietrobon for their lino printing, which is a form of fine art where the student’s drawings will be cut into lino.

Students in 7B have been studying the unit ‘What’s in a Name’ and been enjoying refining their improvisation skills with Miss Cerqui. They have been focusing on determining the who, what and why of improvisation.

7C are currently studying Italian with Mrs Martin and have been very diligent in learning classroom vocabulary and are working toward being able to conduct a whole lesson in Italian!

School Based Traineeship Sign-ups

CONGRATULATIONS to three of our students who have successfully signed up to School Based Traineeships:

Zara Nicoll - Lou's Food Emporium
Emily Firth – Heavenscent
Lacey Battoraro - Ingham Early Learning Centre

Diploma of Business

Gilroy Santa Maria College has this year partnered with Redmako Learning to enable our students to take part in the Diploma of Business, delivered through Redmako's revolutionary Virtual Reality headsets in combination with email and phone support.

Celeste from Redmako's Brisbane office and Megan, our local Redmako trainer, met with our Diploma of Business students, Rowan and Jessica, in Year 12, who are undertaking the one-year Fast Track, and Christopher, in Year 11, who is undertaking the two year program.

Design Technology - Eco Lamp Project

Year 7 students recently completed their Eco lamp project. Their project involved designing and producing an environmentally friendly LED desk lamp. The approach in this project is to encourage students to think about how they see the world around them and the part that light plays in this, and to also consider how light can be used to change our moods. This project also presents the opportunity to see design as more than merely making a product – it is a way of understanding things about ourselves by way of designing for a personal requirement.

US Penpals

Since February, about 40 grade 8 students have been corresponding with children in the United States via old fashioned letter-writing. So far, the Colorado students have written twice as have the Ingham students.

The American counterparts have been surprised to hear that Australians usually have two lunch breaks. What is more, they were surprised to be informed that these are often spent outdoors sitting on concrete slabs or on the grass. A few American students have referred to Australian lunch breaks as "your two picnics". Typically, the single American lunch break is held indoors in a cafeteria.

The pen-pal project started whilst grade 8 teacher, Mr Price, was working in Gilpin County, Colorado, in 2017. It was here that he asked his adopted students to write (at that stage) to unknown Australian children. Mr Price's daughter, Lizzy, was already friends with many of the American students as she was in the same grade level in the same school, Gilpin County School. Hence, the students wrote to unknown Australians and this has acquainted the students with each other. Some students have gone further and have developed friendships through social media.

Gilpin County School is an equivalent school to Gilroy in demographics and size. It contains around 280 high school students who live in a semi-rural area. However, that is where the similarity ends. Gilpin is the second highest school in North America and is very mountainous, snowy and cold.

It is interesting to note that one of the American students wrote: "I sometimes wish it would get warmer and the snow would melt. My ideal temperature is around 60 degrees [Fahrenheit]". In translation, that equates to about 15 degrees Celsius.

The American students are currently working towards their 'finals' and the end of the school year. Hopefully, once they return from summer break in August they can resume corresponding with their Australian pen-pals.

Gilroy on Show

Transition Day

Parent/Teacher Interviews

Parent /Teacher Interviews will be held on May 17. Appointments can only be made through compass. If you have not accessed Compass please contact the office for your Login details.

From the Principal

Dear Gilroy Santa Maria College Community

Last Thursday we hosted our first Yr 6 Transition Day for the year. We invited all the current Yr 6 students in our district from Catholic and State schools to come and experience a variety of new learning experiences and use our great facilities. We had forty-five students sign up for the morning and we received some great feedback from the students and their parents. The Transition Days will continue for another four sessions every three weeks on Thursday mornings. Our next session is Thursday 24 May. If you know of any Yr 6 child in the district interested in coming to these transition days please encourage them to contact the office, it’s not too late to sign up.

It’s only three weeks away from our “Gilroy on Show” Open Night on Thursday 31 May from 3:30pm to 6:00pm. I can’t stress enough that this evening is for everyone in our community. It’s for our own families past and present as much as it is might be for new families. So, to all our families please spare a couple hours on the evening to come along, you’ll be entertained, dinner will be provided and maybe you could bring along a friend or relative for a chance to see the great facilities we have as well as the tremendous programs that we offer.

Last week we rolled out Chromebooks to our Yr 7, 8 and 9 students. This now means along with our already existing Yr 10-12 Laptop Program each student in our school now has a computer device whether that be a Laptop or Chromebook. It is our intention that in the long term our younger students will be able to take the Chromebooks home, but we are finalising some procedures before this can happen.

Our Yrs 7 and 9 students are involved in the NAPLAN Testing next week. Both grades will be joining the rest of the country in completing Literacy and Numeracy tasks. Results from the testing will provide reports that identify areas of success and areas that might need improvement both at an individualised and whole school level.

Also, next week we will be conducting our Parent/Student/Teacher Interviews on Thursday 17 May from 3:10pm-7:30pm. Bookings for these interviews must be made through the Compass Parent Portal. An email with instructions was sent home this week, but please contact the school if you have any problems. Bookings close next Wednesday 16 May at 4:00pm.

To cap off a big week, Bishop Timothy Harris will be visiting our school next Friday 18 May as part of his visit to our district. It will be terrific to welcome him back to our community. Bishop Tim will be meeting our Yr 7 and Yr 10 students during his time here.

Finally, I write to inform you that I will be away from school from Thursday 24 May to Friday 22 June as I will be taking on an Acting Education Consultant role in the Townsville Catholic Education Office. During this time Peter Groundwater will be Acting Principal.

God Bless
John Nuttall

From the Acting Assistant Principal
(Administration & Curriculum)

Hello to All

NAPLAN TESTING - Years 7 & 9

Last week, Yr 7 and 9 students completed a practice NAPLAN test in preparation for actual tests on Tuesday 15 May – Thursday 17 May. At Gilroy, students’ NAPLAN results are used as an important part of tracking their progress and allowing teachers to both target areas where our students are struggling and also build on areas where they are thriving. NAPLAN data will also be used to provide evidence to support decision making around selection of subjects in the New Senior Schooling. Students are required to bring 2B pencils, eraser, sharpener and a calculator. Students who are exempt from these tests have already been notified and will have an alternate program during these times.

Year 6 TRANSITION PROGRAM

The first Yr 6 Transition Day was held last Thursday. By all reports from students on the day, this was a huge success. These visits provide invaluable opportunities for the students to become familiar with our school curriculum, our environment and potential teachers for next year. Our next Transition Day is on Thursday 24 May. Any new students are most welcome to attend this session.

PARENT/TEACHER/STUDENT INTERVIEWS

Parent/Student/Teacher Interviews will be held in week 5 on Thursday 17 May. Please take advantage of this opportunity to discuss your child’s progress. Bookings are essential and have been opened to parents on COMPASS from Tuesday 8 May until Wednesday 16 May. I urge you to take advantage of this opportunity to speak to the teachers who have an important role in your child’s education. Interviews are 10-minute timeslots and can be made between 3:10 pm – 7.30pm. They will take place in the Function Room and Library. Seating and details of where teachers will be located for their interviews will be at the door of the Function room closest to the road. As always, please do not think that this is the only time you can contact your child’s teacher. Teachers are available via phone or email if you wish to speak to them.

Another gentle reminder to also take advantage of the extensive afterschool and lunchtime Academic Support offered by the college. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s progress, then please do not hesitate to contact myself or their subject teacher.

CURRICULUM EXTRAS

The senior Hospitality class and Ms Danielle Mastrippolito are to be congratulated on their “A Night in Paris” dinner. A delicious meal and a great night was had by all. Congratulations also to the year 12 Business class and Mrs Chantal Bullock who competed in the CQU Business challenge in Townsville and attained a credible third place. Great work by all groups

God Bless
Joan Devietti

From the Assistant Principal
(Religious Education)

As you are reading this I will be on retreat with Year 10 at the Abergowrie Dairy. I always look forward to the time I get to spend outside school time with students from our school. It is a special time when I get to witness the students in a calm, relaxing atmosphere where they get to spend quality time with friends while getting to know others in their groups. Our college sees these retreats as an integral part of each child’s personal and spiritual development which enhances our school community as well as endeavours to foster positive relationships between all our students. This year we are lucky to have The Missionaries of God’s Love Youth Group run the retreat. They are in our diocese as part of the Year of Youth. Prayers for clear skies will be greatly appreciated.

The Gospel passage from last week is about Jesus asking his disciples to love one another as he loves them. He also speaks about how the greatest way to show love is through the action of sacrificing yourself for your friends. In today’s society we come across many different people from different walks of life. We spend time with others, both in and out of school, in jobs and in the wider community. Sometimes we might find it hard to like everyone we come across as personalities, opinions and values may differ from that of ours. This can be tough. But eventually we need to realise that ‘liking’ someone and ‘loving’ someone are totally different things. Jesus asks us to love our neighbour, to put aside our differences and focus on what is important. It is the sacrifice we all need to make to put aside our conflicts and work together to change the world for the better. This week let us put aside our troubles to work together for a happier, more loving world.

God Bless
Christine Timms

From the Assistant Principal
(Pastoral Care)

It has long been acknowledged that physical activity is a major contributor to maintaining positive mental health. Indeed, “Exercise makes you feel good because it releases chemicals like endorphins and serotonin that improve your mood. It can also get you out in the world, help to reduce any feelings of loneliness and isolation, and put you in touch with other people.” (Health Direct, 2018). Too often we associate physical activity with a particular sport. As such, we tend to opt in or out of physical activity based on the level of commitment and effort that is associated with our favourite or preferred sport. On the weekend I was fortunate enough to be able to compete in the annual Over 40’s Herbert River cricket T20 competition. While it is always a week to remember, it also served to help me to experience all of those wonderful items that were mentioned at the beginning of this article. Admittedly I am a little sore today, but I definitely experienced an improved mood, as well as feeling less lonely and more in touch with friends of bygone eras.

At Gilroy we like to encourage all of our students to engage with sport in the hope that they may all experience what it is like to be a part of a team and to represent their house or school in the heat of battle. While I thoroughly enjoy sport, I would be equally happy to see our students engaging in regular fun and active pastimes at lunchtime and before and after school. When I meet with students who are struggling to cope with various aspects of school and life in general, one of the first things that I ask students is what do they do in their spare time and what sports do they play. Many would assume that I ask this because I want them to play sport of some description for Gilroy. In all honesty, the main reason for this line of questioning is to highlight to them that physical activity is the number one thing that they can do to make a difference in their mental health. I would imagine that exercising or walking with a friend would have an even greater effect. While Gilroy has a very healthy-looking group of students, too often, I see students opting out of physical activity and beginning a lifestyle that is not only bad for their physical health, but also their mental. As a genuine practitioner of what I am preaching, I would encourage and support all students to re-engage or continue with physical activity or sport. Although we won’t all play for Australia, we can be a positive influence on those around us and enjoy some of the many benefits associated with sport and physical activity. You never know, you might one day be able to participate in a carnival for those that are old in body, but young at heart.

Blessings
Peter Groundwater

From the Business Manager

Term 2 School Fees are due 25 May 2018

School fees where emailed earlier this term. If you have not received your fees yet, please contact the office as soon as possible. If you received your school fees by mail, it means we do not have your correct email in our system. Please contact the school to check your details.

If you are paying by direct debit, please ensure you include the family code located on your statement.

If you have any outstanding fees, please contact the school. Please do not let them go into arrears. 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

BANK DETAILS are as follows:

WESTPAC Ingham
BSB - 034-187
Account Number – 145 925
Name – Gilroy Santa Maria College
Detail – (Family code from statement)

Ros Giuliano

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 regard to this roster or you are unavailable to attend, please contact Sandra Benedetto Home [4776 5321] Jodie Lino Home [4776 5718]

Winter Uniform

As the weather becomes cooler students often need to wear additional clothes. School Jumpers can be purchased through Duffys Mensland or Ingham Underages. Parents are asked to ensure names are clearly visible on all items of clothing, as it is easier to return an item which is clearly labelled.

1. Jackets / Jumpers
   Girls - Navy Cardigan with School Logo or Unisex Navy Spray Jacket with School Logo
   Boys - Unisex Navy Spray Jacket with School Logo
2. Track Suits / Track Pants
   Track suits / track pants are not part of the compulsory school uniform; however, students may wear a pair of plain blue / navy track pants when they are travelling to school on the cool mornings, but must be removed once at school.
   NO other coloured pants or multi-coloured track pants are acceptable.
3. Beanies / Knit Hats
   These are not part of the school uniform and should not be worn.

What’s Happening in the Parish

High School Mission Trip 2018

In the September/October school holidays, St Patrick’s Parish will again be sponsoring a Mission Trip for Yrs 10, 11 and 12 students to the Philippines to work with the Missionaries of the Poor amongst the poorest of the poor in Naga City. There will be a meeting for those interested in participating on Thursday May 3 at 7:30pm in Mercy Hall.

Upcoming Youth Event

"Breakthrough Youth Camp" will be run by Sr Thao on Friday May 11, for years 10- 12, from 5:30 - 9:30 pm with students sleeping over at Gilroy Santa Maria College. On Saturday May 12, the formation will be for all high school students (years 7-12) starting at 10 am and conclude with a Youth Mass on Sunday at 7pm. All formation will be at The Mercy Hall & meals will be provided. There will be crazy games, inspiring talks, music, drama, sports and stacks of fun. For students at Gilroy Santa Maria college, please contact youth liaison Cassy Venturato, for students at St. Teresa's college, contact Grace Ogoti and for any enquiry, Sr. Thao (0478453647). Registration form will be on the Parish website. Formation night for years 5-6 will be postponed to the 3rd Friday which is Friday 18th May, from 6-8 pm at the Mercy Hall and there will be no formation for years 7-9 and 10-12 in May.

Walk of Witness

Sunday May 20, 2018 We will meet at The Uniting Church at 4pm to walk to Holy Trinity Church via Rotary Park. Please join us as all the Christian denominations come together as one to declare the love of Christ, to pray for the Herbert River district and for each other. This will conclude with refreshments at Holy Trinity Church. (Please drop a plate of food at Holy Trinity Church Hall prior to the start of the walk).

Upcoming Events

• Lourdes Fete 12/5
• St Peters Silver Circle
• Confirmation 16 May
• Youth Mass, Sunday 7.00pm 13 May
• Walk of Witness 20 May
• Relay for Life 26/5
• Feast St Anthony Bemerside 10/6

Father Damian McGrath
Parish Priest
Ingham Region Catholic Parishes

District News

Our Lady of Lourdes Fete

St Peters Silver Circle

Tasman Turtle Picnic Day

The Hinchinbrook Shire Council are seeking students/volunteers for their Annual Tasman Turtle Picnic Day aged 15 Yrs and above.

Tasman Turtle Picnic Day is a FREE family fun day targeted at 5-13 Yr old children and their families or all to enjoy. Enjoy a day of adventure and discovery of art, culture, nature and knowledge with Tasman Turtle and his friends at our annual family Picnic day. The day is jam packed with activities, workshops, games, food and entertainment for you and your family.

Date: Saturday 19 May 2018
Time: 11AM – 4 PM
Where: TYTO Parklands and Amphitheatre

Wet Weather for the following weekend Saturday 26 May 2018

To make this event a success, TYTO is asking for assistance from volunteering on the day. Areas of volunteering could include;

• Assist setting up the event
• Manning the entranceway
• Information Stations
• Helping kids with craft
• Ensuring children stay away from the lagoons
• Water delivery to activity stations
• Handing out programs

We also ask if there is any Hospitality Students that would like to be involved in the cupcake decorating workshop, drama students that may be interested in performing acts, art students that would like to help create craft activities, hair braiding or face painting.

Find your Future in Hinchinbrook

Hinchinbrook Shire Council, TYTO and the Hinchinbrook Chamber of Commerce will host a Careers Expo at the TYTO Conference and Event Centre on Wednesday 30th May 2018 from 11.00am to 3.00pm. This event aims to trigger new ideas and non-traditional avenues, encouraging diversification of the economy within the Hinchinbrook Shire, as well as highlighting current core career path opportunities within the community

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