21 March 2019

Newsletter Articles

Important Dates

Gilroy on the Go

Transition Dates

Musical 2019

Inter-House Swimming Carnival

Inter-School Swimming Carnival

Immunisations Yr 7 & Yr 10

Principal

Dear Gilroy Santa Maria College Community

Last Friday was National Day of Action against Bullying. While I’m not suggesting we are perfect at Gilroy, I do believe generally the levels of overt physical and verbal bullying at school are low. However, I do acknowledge that we must continue to educate our students about other forms of bullying just as hurtful. They include social exclusion, a hidden form of bullying, not obvious to see or hear. Social exclusion can take many forms, from being deliberately excluded from a peer group to having rumours spread about them, being called names and being purposefully embarrassed. Social exclusion essentially involves a lack of connectedness and participation from a peer group.

The other form of bullying impacting at every school is cyberbullying. I would say these days nearly half of altercations, fall-outs and feuds that arise between students would stem from a text or post shared on social media or electronic devices. We too often deal with conflict at school that has originated afterschool, on the weekends or the holidays where unkind comments have been shared in cyberspace.

We are committed to help and assist students deal with all forms bullying. In the coming days Mrs Lahtinen, our Pastoral Assistant Principal, will be sending all our students an electronic and confidential bullying survey. The data collected will allow us to look for patterns and trouble spots within in the school that we can target. This will importantly give a voice to those children who sometimes feel anxious about speaking up. I will share the information gathered and our action plan when it is finalised.

Last Wednesday 13 March, we had our interschool swimming carnival with St Teresa’s College and Ingham State High School at the Hinchinbrook Aquatic Centre. Our students were tremendous both in the pool and on the poolside encouraging peers. Our College took out the Junior Boys, Junior Girls and Senior Girls categories as well as a few district records which you read in the Sports Report in this newsletter. I would like to congratulate all the members of our team, with special mention to the seven students who were named Age Champions.

I would like to thank our Sports Coordinator Mrs Cerutti for the time and effort she put into making this Interschool Swimming carnival a great success. Thank you must also go to our staff who helped on the night as well as the Hinchinbrook Aquatic Centre for hosting the event.

Our Musical cast of forty-five students have been working hard rehearsing ahead of their performance of “Hairspray” in Term 2. This extracurricular activity would not happen without the work of our key staff Miss Cerqui, Miss Slater, Mrs Bullock and Mrs DiBella. I hope the College Community can come along and support our students and watch the production held on Thursday 9 and Friday 10 May, I know it will be fantastic.

Our refurbished, fully enclosed air-conditioned hall with tuckshop, sports and performing arts facilities is progressing well. Our students and staff have been patiently waiting for the finished product and I have been advised that it will be ready for us to occupy it at the beginning of Term 2. Let’s pray we have no major weather event that could potentially postpone these plans.

There is plenty to look forward to here at our College.

God Bless
John Nuttall

From the Acting Assistant Principal (Administration & Curriculum)

Dear Families,

Robert Collier said “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day-in and day-out”. As Term 1 draws closer to an end, I trust that all students are putting in those necessary small efforts day-in and day-out in order to reach their full potential.

All students are presently immersed in assessment due dates. Exams have started for year 11 students. All other students should be well aware of their exam schedule and can go to COMPASS and view their personal schedule. Should students who have any concerns about locating their exam timetables, please seek assistance from their homeroom teacher as soon as possible.

Please also be aware of the College’s procedures regarding missed work and assessment:

• It is imperative that if your child misses an exam for any reason that the College is notified. Students in Years 11 and 12 must also supply a Medical Certificate upon return to school that covers them for any missed assessment.
• Students Requesting Work for Short-Term and Long-Term Absences: The school expectation is that students will see their classroom teacher when they return to school for work they have missed due to any absence. Most learning areas are using Google Classrooms so students should be able to access missed content and course work at any time.
• Parents/Students Gaining Access to Past Exam Papers: No student will be given copies/access to past exam papers as this remains the intellectual property of the school.
• No student can conduct their exam prior to the scheduled date.

A reminder that the school’s Academic Support Program is available to all students Monday-Friday during second lunch and after school Monday and Wednesday. Teachers also meet at the request of the students. Attending these sessions is a very important medium for catching up on work missed and/or gaining additional support when required.

STUDENT ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

As mentioned in the last newsletter, the QCAA website has vital information for both students and parents. In some year level assemblies, the college is asking students to complete the Academic Integrity course for students which is on this website. The course is designed to ensure students are aware of their responsibilities when completing assessment. Parents and students may find the following link useful as it is the student information sheet provided by QCAA at the end of the course.

The following information is being repeated from the last newsletter due to its importance.

DRAFTS

Parents and students often become confused on the level of teacher input that is allowed when students submit drafts. The following is from the QCAA Academic Integrity Course which outlines clearly the rules for all teachers. I hope you find this important information useful.

• Teachers can provide feedback on a maximum of one draft of each student’s response.
• Providing feedback is a consultative process, not a marking process. Teachers should not allocate a result for the draft student response.
• Feedback on a draft must not compromise the authenticity of student work.
• Teacher may not introduce new ideas, language or research to improve the quality of student responses.

Teacher may indicate some key errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation and calculations, and remind students that the draft requires more editing, but should not edit or correct all errors in a draft.

Also Teachers may use a range of suitable strategies to provide feedback on the draft response. Possible strategies include:

• Written feedback
• Verbal feedback
• Feedback provided through questioning
• A summary of feedback and advice to the whole class.
• Reporting

REPORTS

Please be advised of the following dates in relation to student reporting

• Term 1 - no reports issued
• Term 2 - Interim Reports 7 May 2019 followed by Parent/ Teacher/Student Interviews Thursday 23 May 2019
• Term 3 - Semester 1 REPORT (early term 3 - July)
• Term 4 - Semester 2 REPORT (end term 4 - December)

New QCE System

QCAA have a section on their website specifically for Parents and Student of year 11 and 10 students. (See link below) Please take time to explore this section.

QCAA have also compiled important resources specifically for students who are studying General subjects e.g. Biology, General Mathematics, Modern History. These resource include sample assessments. Please take the time to investigate the resources available. They can be accessed via the link below.

NAPLAN

Students in year 7 and 9 will be required to complete NAPLAN Testing in Term 2. This will be held from 14 -17 May throughout Australia. Please use the link below for further information.

God Bless
Joan Devietti

From the Assistant Principal (Religious Education)

During Lent, as a school community, we ask students to contribute to Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion Appeal. It is about justice not just charity. It is about giving those less fortune a hand up, not just a hand out. Each week on the Caritas website inspirational stories show the phenomenal work they are doing to improve the lives of those in need. This week’s story is about Tati.

Tati lives in the remote forest of West Kalimantan. She is a mother of three who was earning an income working in a local rubber plantation. Tati’s Dayak culture is deeply linked to the rainforest and her family has relied on it for sustenance for generations. Over the last few years, communities which depend on the native forests have seen them shrink, along with vital habitats for endangered orangutans, rhinos and tigers. Caritas Australia and its partners are working with local communities to develop alternative sustainable livelihoods. Since taking part in eco-tourism training Tati can now afford to send her children to school. With new hope and commitment Tati aspires to a future free from poverty for her family.

If you would like to support Tati and any of the other projects in this year’s Project Compassion please donate to the website below:

Creator God,
You fill our world with life. Guide us to cherish what you create so that future generations may experience all of your creation. We pray for Tati and her community who are working hard to preserve their rainforest for the future. Walk with us as people of hope as we unite and work to care for our common home.

We ask this prayer in your name. Amen

God Bless
Christine Timms

From the Acting Assistant Principal (Pastoral Care)

Week eight can often be a stressful time for students. We are well into the thick of the term, it can seem like assessments are due left, right and centre, and holidays are still three weeks away. With this is mind, I would like to offer some advice to students who might be feeling a bit overwhelmed.

• Prioritise: Spend time each day writing a list of things you need to do and then make sure to prioritise it. What are the things that need to be done first and what is not as important?

• Re-energise: Schedule short, frequent, brain-breaks. It is better if these involve movement or are outside in order to get oxygenated blood to your brain. Most importantly though, make sure they are something you can look forward to. It is also critical that you are eating a well-balanced diet and getting enough sleep (the recommended amount for teenagers is 9 hours).
• Talk to someone: If you are feeling anxious about your school work, chances are there are people who can help. Talk to a trusted family-member, teacher or friend about how you are feeling. Do you need help prioritising? Should you attend tutoring? Are your friends having the same issues? Simply talking to someone can sometimes be enough to relieve stress.

Feeling overwhelmed by all of the things you should be doing on the list of things that is meant to help you feel less overwhelmed? Start by picking one thing you’re going to work on this week.

Blessings
Karen Lahtinen

From the Business Manager

Dear Families,

School fees are due this Friday 22 March 2019.

Discount amounts are as follows:

A 3% discount is applicable if you pay the term fee by the due date. The amounts are as follows.

One Child - $25.60
Two Children - $44.75
Three or more Children - $59.25

There is also a 5% discount on fees if you pay the full year fees by the due date. Amounts are as follows.

One Child - $170.65
Two Children - $298.40
Three or more Children - $395

This discount is only on the Tuition fee not the subject levies.

There are still a few year 7 and year 12 retreat payments outstanding, please pay ASAP. Confro deposits are also due now, payments may be made direct to the school bank account. Please include the student name and confro in the detail.

There are a number of ways to pay for school fees either weekly, fortnightly, monthly or by term and a number of ways to pay, direct debit, credit card, cash or cheque. If paying by direct debit please do not forget to enter your Family Code (found on your School fee Statement). If you have paid without entering a family code, please contact the school to verify payment.

BANK DETAILS are as follows:

WESTPAC Ingham
BSB - 034-187
Account Number – 145 925
Name – Gilroy Santa Maria College

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. The sooner you make contact the sooner we can work together for a solution.

Ros Giuliano

Careers

Sleep – Ensuring our Physical and Emotional Wellbeing (Diary Page 54)

A good night’s sleep does wonders for overall wellbeing. Achieving 8 to 9 hours of sleep each night helps decrease stress levels and increase memory, energy levels, alertness, motivation, decision-making skills, problem-solving skills and concentration.

To ensure that you achieve a good night’s sleep, you should try to go to bed at the same time each night, wake up at a regular time each day, reduce your caffeine consumption, and avoid strenuous activity in the evening.

Sleep Continued – Switching Off (Diary Page 130)

Phones and laptops are marvellous inventions that help us in our day-to-day lives. However, some of us are spending far too much time in the technological web, where we begin to avoid our real lives in favour of viewing things through a screen.

We begin to reject and distort our needs, such as meal times and sleeping, and it has a progressively detrimental effect that we may barely notice.

“Switching Off” on Page 130 of the Student Diary contains many thought provoking and useful pieces of information relating to the measured use of technology. These sections are:

• Reviewing the role of technology
• Deleting unnecessary apps and programs, and turning off notifications
• Keeping your devices out of sight
• Setting aside certain times of the day for technology
• Asking “Why should we remove ourselves from technology?”, and
• Asking “Why consume when you can create?”

There’s so much to do on a computer other than staring blankly at a screen and scrolling through a newsfeed filled with the mundane details of other people’s lives; use your technology to start trying to write a story, create artwork or music, and be creative!

TAFE Profiler – Careers Quiz with links to TAFE courses

Find the right career for you by clicking the hyperlink to TAFE’s quick and easy Profiler.

There are only 11 questions and you can answer simply by clicking on the photo showing an aspect of a job which most appeals to you.

Reach your full potential by matching your personality profile with the study journey that is right for you. This Profiler only links to current TAFE courses, so if you have further questions about more career possibilities, please email me at ndouglas1@gilroysm.catholic.edu.au.

Nancy Douglas
Careers Advisor

Guidance Counsellor

Kate Stringini

School Social

Sports News

Inter-school Swimming Carnival:

The Inter school swimming carnival was held last Wednesday 13 March with St Teresa’s College, Gilroy and Ingham State High School battling out for the right to be named Herbert River and Districts Champion for 2019. All Gilroy swimmers swam valiantly on the night, with vocal support from their fellow students. This year, Gilroy was extremely successful coming away with being crowned the Junior Girls, Junior Boys and Senior Girls. A big thank you must go out to all the teachers and parents who helped on the night along with Kate Tento and the Herbert River Swimming Club volunteers who officiated this event. I would also like to give a special thank you to Ash Spina, Andrea Groundwater and all the QISSN volunteers who catered for the Interschool carnival on Wednesday night.

Finally, congratulations go to all the students who represented Gilroy Santa Maria College on the night by swimming for our school. It was great to see students willing to compete and represent Gilroy, despite in some cases, not having the swimming experience or skill of their opponents. This is such an admirable quality that we as parents, teachers and friends of students within our school community should be fostering and encouraging. This starts with students’ accountability and acknowledgement of representing our school in not only sporting events, but every time Gilroy students wear our uniform. As role models for our students not only should we look to encourage students to represent our school when specifically chosen to do so but encourage the concept of resilience. Resilience being that regardless of the result when our students represent our school, the important thing is that they stood up and were counted on when their school and their peers required. This is a value that Gilroy Santa Maria wants to be known for, yet we as a school community need to develop.

Congratulations to our 7 Inter-School Age Champions:

Lucy Tento 12 Girls
Grace Moloney 13 Girls
Sean Moloney 14 Boys
Bonnie Molloy 14 Girls
Nicholas Di Bella 15 Boys
Trinity Reinaudo 16 Girls
Cheylsea Molloy 17 Girls

Congratulations to the following swimmers who broke records on the night:

12 Boys Codey Masters (50m Freestyle)
14 Boys Sean Moloney (50m Breaststroke)
12 years boys team also broke the 4 x 50m Freestyle relay record.

Our next opportunity to develop this quality at the Inter House Cross Country, Wednesday May 1.

Herbert River Secondary School Sport:

Recently, Northern Region trials for Under 15 and Open Boys and Girls soccer trials were held in Townsville. Although we didn’t have any of our students selected, they all tried their best and should be proud.

Trial dates for NQ Touch and NQ Squash will be Tuesday 19 of April in Townsville, there will be no bus for this trial and students will need to find their own transport to and from the trials.

Netball:

On March 9 and 10, nine young ladies trek to Charters Towers to compete in the annual Columba School Netball Carnival. Overall, the carnival was a success with the girls winning two of the five games.

The girls gave it their all and left nothing on the court, taking many positives from the experience. Our team played with spirit and determination and showed excellent sportsmanship and behaviour on and off the sporting field. Well done Gilroy students, we are very proud of you!

Rachel Morelli was named Best and Fairest Player of the Carnival for 2019. Congratulations Rachel, what a wonderful achievement.

Thank you to the supporters and parents who made the journey. Your support over the two days was much appreciated.

Our next competition on the calendar is the Vicky Wilson Cup against Ingham State High School.

Erin Cerutti
Sports Coordinator

Academic Suppot

PLEASE NOTE: All students welcome for Homework, Assignments, Academic Tutoring and Organisation.

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 NEW lunch times are as follows:

1st Lunch – 10:55am – 11:25am
2nd Lunch – 12:55pm finish 1:25pm

Start time is preferably 8.30 am- 12.00pm or until when you are available. Thank you and we look forward to seeing you all again this year.

If there is any query in regards to this roster or you are unavailable please contact:

Sandra Benedetto [0427 765 321] - Jodie Lino [0407 904 918]

What’s Happening in the Parish

Ingham Region Catholic Parishes Newsletter

UP Coming Events:

• Mass of the Holy Oils, 7.00pm Thursday 11 April, Sacred Heart Cathedral.

Father Damian McGrath
Parish Priest
Ingham Region Catholic Parishes

District News

THANK YOU to Ingham Agencies for the donation of resources and Personal Protective Equipment to the Trade Training Centre.

FOR SALE:

Athletics spikes:
Size 7½, Good condition, $20-00

Athletics spikes (no spikes)
Size 8½, $10-00

Please see Mrs Woolley if interested

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