20 March 2020

Newsletter Articles

Important Dates

Essential Emails

Gilroy on the Go

Transition Days

STEM CLUB

Principal

Dear Gilroy Santa Maria College Community

As I write this newsletter article, our community along with the rest of the world is doing its best to contain COVID-19. It all seems very surreal and unbelievable something like this could have such a widespread effect on all we do. Be assured we are monitoring the situation at our school and are constantly in communication with the Townsville Catholic Education Office who in turn are getting frequent updates from government and health authorities.

The latest advice is that schools will remain open and respond to local issues as required. So far, at Gilroy we have no positive cases among our students and staff but that could change at any time and I will communicate this to you immediately as well as any response and actions that may follow.

In the meantime, we have taken steps to minimize interactions including cancelling whole school assemblies and postponing Yr 7 Camp and Yr 12 Retreat. These just might be the beginning of things to come and again we will just have to respond and notify our community as things play out.

Another important note I wanted to share is that our teachers are preparing as best they can for online learning if that eventuates. We already have a Google Classroom platform for all our classes that students can access from home via the internet. The Google Classroom platform will contain notes, resources and other helpful items so students can continue with their studies if we get to a stage that school is closed at a later date.

Finally, from a COVID-19 point of view, I just want to share that we have been given advice not to communicate to our wider community each time a student or staff member are undertaking a COVID-19 Test. Authorities advise that transmission of COVID-19 is expected to rise in the community and it will not be possible to send a whole school communication every time a student or staff member is tested or self-isolated as this may potentially involve multiple communications per day and will not be sustainable in the future. Be assured, as mentioned previously, if a member of our school community does tests positive that will be communicated immediately.

Last Thursday, we conducted the Herbert River 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 Overall Girls as well as setting new 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 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.

Last week we conducted our Parents and Friends Annual General Meeting. It is with great pleasure to announce the following members of the Parents and Friends Executive.

President: Trevor Nowak
Vice President: Brenda Oats
Treasurer: Jane Bortalanza
Secretary: Kylie Girgenti

I take this opportunity to thank outgoing president Peter Staples for his excellent leadership and his wonderful example of service that he bought to the position.

I wish everyone the best in these uncertain times. Please look out for updated communications and practice safe measures.

God Bless
John Nuttall

From the Assistant Principal
(Administration & Curriculum)

Hello Parents and Caregivers,

Despite the uncertain times surrounding the spread of the COVID-19 virus, teachers are ensuring that students are continuing to be delivered quality learning and teaching experiences. Teachers are ensuring that online learning can continue at home in a safe and focussed manner, IF the school needs to be closed for a period if the virus does spread to the school. An online platform will be accessible by students at home. We are well-placed in terms of online learning as many of our classes are already using Google Classrooms. This platform provides an avenue for learning and teaching to occur at home if the need arises.

Students in year 11 are currently completing some exams throughout the coming weeks. As was notified earlier in the week, we are also scheduled to have exams in Week 10 of this term. Again, this schedule is located on the Compass homepage. Also during Week 10 (and included in the exam schedule), we will have the NAPLAN Online Practice Tests for years 7 and 9. Parents of students in these year levels will receive an information letter by next week outlining important information about the tests and a schedule for when both the practice and actual tests will occur.

There is also lots of new things happening for Year 12s as we continue to immerse ourselves in the New QCE System. An information letter will be emailed to parents of year 12 students in the coming days.

Kind Regards,

God Bless
Melissa Carr

From the Assistant Principal
(Religious Education)

Happy St Patrick’s Day for Tuesday 17 March!

At this point in the term all Religion classes will be busily completing their assignments. All assessment tasks in Religion are designed to give students the opportunity to show what they have learnt during the term and reflect on how these impact their lives today. Students are given two weeks in class to complete these tasks, however, if they wish to work on it at home, they can. In saying this though, it should not take away from any other homework or study that they are required to complete for other subjects. Hopefully, everyone is working hard in all their subjects in the lead up to exams.

This week’s Project Compassion story:

Thirty-two-year-old Sakun lives in the rural area of Chhattisgarh, India’s poorest state. She developed polio as a child and has difficulty walking. Until now Sakun, an indigenous Gond woman, has been isolated in her community, unable to earn a livelihood and without knowledge of government schemes that could help her.

In 2018, Sakun joined a Caritas Australia-funded program which is implemented by Caritas India and its local partner, Samarthan. Through their strategic guidance and support, Sakun learned new skills and gained important mobility. Sakun now earns her own income and makes a small profit which goes towards her family’s basic needs. She is more resilient, more confident and more independent.

“I can move around my village, visit community members and talk to them, I feel happy and my social life and network has improved,” said Sakun. “It has also given me the opportunity to keep in contact with other people living with disabilities which enabled me to express solidarity with them. Today I am given due respect in the village and community.”

For donations please go to https://lent.caritas.org.au/ and follow the links.

Today’s prayer is the prayer of St Patrick. It seems very fitting in this time of uncertainty and fear around the spread on COVID-19.

May God bless you and keep you all safe.

Christine Timms

From the Business Manager

School fees are now DUE

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

2020 Next Step survey for Yr 12’s of 2019

The Queensland Government is conducting its annual state-wide survey of all students who completed Year 12 in 2019. The Next Step survey is a brief, confidential survey that gains a comprehensive picture of the employment, study and life choices made by Queensland school completers in the year after they finish Year 12.

Between March and June, all our students who completed Year 12 last year can expect to receive instructions to complete a web-based survey or a telephone call from the Queensland Government Statistician’s Office. Please encourage them to take part. If their contact details have changed, please assist the interviewer with their updated details or forward the survey to their new address so they can participate.

Thank you for your support of the Next Step survey in 2020.

Further information on Next Step is available online at the link below or on toll free telephone 1800 068 587.

Nancy Douglas

Sports News

Vicki Wilson Netball

Last Wednesday our Gilroy Netball team took to the courts to play game 1 of the Vicki Wilson Cup The game took place in the Santa Maria Centre against Ingham State High School. It was a difficult game, with many of our players playing as a team for the first time. Although we didn’t come away with a win, the girls played well and showed great sportsmanship on and off the court. The girls will play again this Wednesday at ISHS, family and friends welcome to come along with the main game starting at 4pm.

Unfortunately the next game of the Vicki Wilson has been cancelled.

Columba Carnival Netball

Gilroy Santa Maria College competed on the weekend at the Columba Catholic Schools Netball Carnival. It was a great carnival with wonderful sportsmanship and team spirit. The girls came away with two wins and two losses. In the final round the girls played against Southern Cross Catholic School for 3rd and 4th position on the ladder. Extra time saw the grind continue between the two teams, but unfortunately, we did not come away with the win. The girls gave it their all and left nothing on the court, taking many positives from the experience.

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

Inter school Swimming Carnival:

The Inter school swimming carnival was held last Thursday night with Abergowrie College, Gilroy and Ingham State High School battling out for the right to be named Herbert River and Districts Champion swimming school for 2020. All Gilroy swimmers swam valiantly on the night, with vocal support from their fellow students. The night saw Gilroy students take out the Junior Girls and the Junior Boys division and Overall Girls.

Well done to the following students who received Age Champion for their respective ages:

12 years Boys Ryan Elliott
13 years Girls Cara Elliott
14 years Girls Adele Jensen & Claire Groundwater
15 years Boys Michael Russo
15 years Girls Dana Kaurilla
16 years Boys Nicholas Di Bella
Open Boys Ethan Costabeber
Open Girls Trinity Reinaudo

A huge congratulations goes to Ryan Elliott who broke the 12 years Boy record for 100m and 50m Freestyle, Backstroke, Breaststroke and Butterfly. He has had a tremendous year so far with his swimming records and we wish him all the best in his future swimming endeavours.

A final thank you and congratulations goes to all the Gilroy students who represented Gilroy Santa Maria College on the night by swimming for our school. It was really great to see students willing to compete and represent Gilroy, despite in some cases, not having the swimming experience or ability 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. Our next opportunity to develop this quality at the Inter House Cross Country, in Term Two.

NQ SELECTION

Congratulations to Alicia Galipo on her selection into the NQ Open girls Volleyball team.

Please read important information regarding school sport:

Released: 17 March 2020

A decision was made this afternoon, by the Department of Education Central Office and QLD School Sport to cancel ALL school sport events. This includes district, regional, state, national, interstate and international competitions, effective from March 17th.

For Northern Region this includes;

• ALL District Trials
• ALL Regional Trials
• ALL Interschool ‘Block Sport’ fixtures
• The 10-12yrs NQ Netball cup, scheduled for April 3

The above events have been postponed until further notice.

This has been a very difficult decision and not one taken lightly. This decision has been taken in line with the Australian Government directive to minimise non-essential gatherings in order to reduce exposure risks associated with COVID-19,

and have also become operationally necessary based on participants; available staff coaches, managers, and supports; umpires and referees; venues; as well as a clear school sport pathway.

From the Guidance Counsellor & the Assistant Principal (Pastoral Care)

This can be a very overwhelming and anxious time for parents and for our students, which is normal. Please read the below information and visit the links on ways to help your children manage their Coronavirus anxiety and your own.

Student Fact Sheet

Headspace tips for young people on coping with the COVID-19 virus

• Be mindful of over exposure to the 24 hour news cycle
• Give time in the day to acknowledge what you do have control over and are grateful for
• Keep up coping strategies for mental health management

Factsheet & advice for adults:

• Limit the amount of media coverage
• Provide reassurance and spaces to talk about the impacts
• Teens may show increased arguing and fighting and need help to identify the underlying thoughts and feelings of no control or fear

On a positive note there are plenty of great things happening around Gilroy at the moment. Our new buildings are really starting to take shape and students and staff can’t wait to get in and use these. Our students did extremely well at the interschool swimming carnival winning the Junior Boys and Junior Girls division as well as taking out the Girls division overall. There are also some exciting projects going on in the different departments both during class and at lunchtimes and I we can’t wait to see how these turn out.

Kate Stringini – Guidance Cousellor
Matthew Schrodter - Assistant Principal (Pastoral Care)

Mulkadee

Academic Support

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 – 11:20am
2nd Lunch – 12:50pm - 1:30pm

Start time is preferably 8:30am – 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

Father Damian McGrath
Parish Priest
Ingham Region Catholic Parishes

What’s Happening Around the District

St Peter’s Primary School Silver Circle POSTPONED

The St Peter's P&F Committee have decided the safest option at this time is to postpone their annual Silver Circle until later in the year.

Thanks for your understanding

Ingham Arts Festival 2020

Ingham Arts Festival for 2020 will be held from Sunday 23 – Thursday 27 August, 2020.

Friday 21 August will be the collection of Music, Art, Craft and Photography.

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