2 April 2020

Newsletter Articles

Important Information:

COLLEGE OFFICE HOURS Easter School Holidays

ONLINE LEARNING and VIDEO CONFERENCING CONSENT

Attention: A letter was sent to all parents & carers on 31 March regarding important information about Online Learning and Video Conferencing. CONSENT must be returned as soon as possible.

A copy can be found here:

SCAM ALERT

There has been several reports of parents of the diocese receiving recorded phone calls saying they were from the school and have to pay to sign up to the online learning platform. The recording then asked for the parents bank account details so their child could access the platform next week. It came from a regular mobile number.

This is obviously a SCAM.

P & F Committee

Due to current circumstances, there will be no P&F Meetings until further notice.

Parents and Friends AGM held on 11 March went very well and all committee positions are filled.

Thank you to all the parents who attended.

Trevor Nowak is now the P & F President
Brenda Oats is our Vice President
Kylie Girgenti is our Secretary
Jane Bortolanza is our Treasurer

The P & F Committee congratulated Peter Staples on 30 years of working at Gilroy and presented him with a sign for his shed at the College. The P & F appreciates the support that Peter gives to our group. Thank you Peter!

Essential Emails

Gilroy on the Go

Transition Days

If there are any changes to the current Year 6 Transition Day dates, we will advise the community as soon as possible.

Principal

Dear Gilroy Santa Maria College Community,

In the last two weeks since our last newsletter, the effect of the COVID-19 restrictions as they pertain to our schools continues to evolve. The major change was the extension of the school holidays for students, which began this week. While the students have been on holidays our staff have been working very hard to ensure we are prepared for online learning in Term 2 beginning on Monday 20 April.

It has been a very busy week with most teachers having to learn more thoroughly how the online learning programs work as well as planning work they want the students to complete. It has been a steep learning curve for many, but it has been terrific for me to witness the collaboration and wonderful spirit our staff have exhibited throughout the week. I’m very proud of them.

I’m going to send out an online learning information sheet for parents in the coming days, but I’d like to highlight a couple of points now.

These include:

1. At this point school will be open in Term 2 for students of parents who work in essential services. Also, any student who cannot access internet at home will be welcome to attend school.
2. All students whether they are at home or at school will access the same online program.
3. All students will access their online program through our Google Classroom platform. Each subject has their own separate Google Classroom site.
4. Students will be given a Weekly Task for all subjects by 9:00am each Monday morning.
5. The Weekly Task will describe the learning intention for the week, criterion for measuring success in their learning and their learning experiences for the week.
6. On the Weekly Task, students will also be informed how their teacher will check for understanding and how the teacher will provide feedback to them.
7. Finally, on the Weekly Task there will be extension activities which will be optional for students to complete.
8. Each teacher will conduct at least one “live” session with their class during the week. The time and method of this “live” session will be communicated to the respective classes. These “live” sessions for some classes may not begin till Week 2.
9. Our teachers will be working from 8:30am to 3:00pm. Most, as is their usual practice will work longer hours than this. However, please be aware that many teachers have approximately one hundred different students across multiple classes and subjects, they therefore may not be able to respond immediately to queries from students and parents. I can assure you they will do their absolute best to answer emails, questions on google classrooms or other forms of communication as soon as possible.
10. Importantly, we have purposefully made the decision to start small. Online learning will pose many challenges for teachers, students and families. Therefore, we have asked teachers to be mindful not to give too much work in the initial weeks. We believe it is more important for everyone to ease themselves into these new routines and practices. Remembering there are extension activities for those students who do fly through their weekly tasks and are seeking more work.

We are indeed living in uncertain times. My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone in our community who have lost their job, forced to close their business or have been impacted in any other way. Put simply, it’s awful.

On a positive note, I welcome Ms Jennifer Birch to our staff as our new Digital Technology Teacher. Jennifer has years of experience in many educational contexts and I know she is enthusiastic about her new role. In what is a strange way for a new staff member, Jenny will have to introduce herself to the students online.

In what will be a different kind of Easter for everyone, I invite you to enjoy your times together as families. Maybe a time for more conversations and connectedness, I’m hoping that will be the case in my family as well.

I also invite families to remember the significance of Easter, Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Although there are no Masses in Church currently, Father Damian is celebrating Mass online at regular times during the week.

I wish everyone the best over the Easter. Please continue to look out for updated communications in the coming days and weeks.

God Bless
John Nuttall

From the Assistant Principal
(Administration & Curriculum)

Hello Parents & Carers,

In the past few weeks, COVID-19 restrictions have caused a lot of changes to the way we conduct our lives. Throughout this week, staff have spent their student-free days busily developing their online programs ready for online learning in Term 2. As per John’s article, as a College, we are ensuring that we deliver a consistent approach to the way online learning is delivered through the Google Classroom platform. For our Year 7-10 classes, all weekly tasks will be posted by 9:00am on a Monday morning with detailed information and instructions on what learning experiences students will complete and how feedback will be provided. Our staff have risen to this change in how learning and teaching is delivered and worked very hard to ensure that weekly tasks still address the Australian Curriculum or their Senior Syllabuses whilst engaging students in online learning. I too, would like to congratulate our staff on such a great effort. Whilst junior classes will only have one weekly task each week, senior classes may operate a little differently so that teachers can still ensure that their students are gaining exposure and experience to all the aspects of their syllabuses. More specific information and guidelines will be sent home to families in the coming weeks.

Reporting

The College aims to issue student reports early in Term 2; however, given that Week 10 of Term 1 was announced as a student free week, many of our subjects did not complete their assessment for this term. Therefore, please be mindful that for some subjects, NA (not assessed) may be written as a result of this. A date for when reports will be issued will be communicated next term.

Year 12 Students – Adjusted internal assessment in General & Applied Subjects

QCAA has now published advice for schools on removing an internal assessment from syllabuses in each learning area. This means that one of the summative internal assessment in each General and Applied subject would be removed from the assessment requirements for senior students. This decision has been made to alleviate the pressure and disruption currently faced by our students, teachers and school communities.

This development means that final subject results in General subjects will be calculated from two internal assessments and one external assessment. In Essential English and Essential Mathematics, it will be two internal assessments and a common internal assessment developed by the QCAA. In all other Applied subjects, it will be three internal assessment.

Below is a table listing our General and Applied subjects:

• Note that Certificate subjects and Independent Living Skills are neither General nor Applied subjects

In the coming weeks, subject specific teachers will be communicating with their students what internal assessments they will still undertake and what the best sequence will be. This will be communicated via google classroom and through emails to parents.

Our College, along with QCAA, will continue to provide assistance and support to ensure that disruptions to students’ learning experiences are minimised as much as possible.

I hope everyone has a safe holiday and you can still be with your families. We also celebrate this time over Easter to remember the significance of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

God Bless
Melissa Carr

From the Assistant Principal
(Religious Education)

Dear Parents and Carers,

No one could have imaged that our last week of school looking like it does. It truly reflects how unpredictable the world is for us all.

In these times of uncertainty and chaos, it is easy for us all to become consumed by the negative aspects of the world around us and the global crisis which is now a part of our everyday lives. At this time especially, we need to look at finding those things in our lives that we can be grateful for, identifying the little things that continue to bring us happiness. It is also important that we continue to connect with those around and share our conversations, our love and support.

Father Damian is also providing our parish with continued spiritual support through the parish website at the link below access to daily streamed masses and other ways to engage God in your life through prayer.

This Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week. It begins with Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, then leads to the Last Supper, the crucifixion of Jesus and his glorious resurrection on Easter Sunday. Of course, our celebrations of Easter will not be as per normal, but this does not stop us from taking the time to reflect on our lives and the ways in which, we too, can revive aspects that may need same changing.

I hope everyone enjoys the Easter break and has a happy and holy Easter. I leave you with two prayers today, one for Easter and one for the safety of everyone involved with the pandemic.

Here is a range of beautiful family prayers that we all can use for the end of Lent through to Easter Sunday. They provide a way of praying at home with our families in our time of isolation.

God bless
Christine Timms
Assistant Principal
(Religious Education)

Sports News

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 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.

Careers

Hello everyone,

As your Careers Adviser I continue to receive updated information electronically and will send out links to information via email.

Year 12 students have been emailed a link to the MyCareerMatch careers questionnaire and it would be fantastic if everyone could complete that over the Easter break. The reports it generates contain very interesting information relating to your own strengths and interests along with occupations that might match. There is also a workbook that you can complete to equip yourself with more career development information that will become even more relevant towards the end of the year.

Students of all year levels are able to investigate careers and take a career quiz through the Job Outlook website at the link below. There are hundreds of occupations to explore, along with the learning pathways students will need to follow to get there.

I will continue to email as I receive information from tertiary institutions and government organisations, and will be checking my emails regularly.

Students who would like to update or create a resume are welcome to email me to get the process started, as it is easy to do online.

Please be advised that:

• All work placement / holiday work experience will cease until further notice
• The College has advised your workplace of this information
• All School-based apprenticeships and traineeships are encouraged to speak to their employer about their working arrangements

Best wishes for a safe break!

Nancy Douglas
Careers Advisor

Mulkadee

In light of the unprecedented and ever-changing situation with the global COVID-19 pandemic, Townsville Catholic Education has made the very difficult decision to postpone Mulkadee’s production of The Wizard of Oz to July 2021.

All information regarding Mulkadee moving forward will be distributed via our Mulkadee Representatives.

The Mulkadee team will continue to work on writing the music and script for The Wizard of Oz. We will also be planning a series of workshops that will be offered towards the later part of the year if possible. Please keep an eye on the Mulkadee Facebook page and TCEO website for updates.

Term 1 in pictures:

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

Emergency Relief Service Hinchinbrook Community Support Centre

Ingham Show

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