14 May 2020

Newsletter Articles

Essential Emails

Transition Days

Take a walk with us:

Link to enrolment information:

Around the school

Year 12 Design students working on their prototypes:

New Hospitality Centre and classrooms in the final stages of construction!

Food Technology

Although term two has proven challenging with students being off campus, the Food Technology students have been cooking up a storm in lots of Ingham kitchens. Our year 9 students started the term cooking Anzac biscuits, while paying tribute to the history and origins of how this iconic biscuit came to be.

Year 9 students have also learnt the art of making fresh pasta from scratch along with learning about the industrial food production of dried pasta, by exploring Italy’s Barilla factory in Parma. Students are currently learning about how to make pasta sauces including Bolognese and Pesto. Each week, students upload photos of their wonderful cookery skills, which have been impressive.

Our year 10 students are studying yeast cookery this term and have produced some wonderful loaves of bread, which they have learnt how to make from scratch. They have also looked at the various combinations of how bread is used to make focaccia, pizza and calzones. Last week, students investigated the scientific fundamentals in the art of baking and how to perfect the ultimate rise in cakes and sponge cakes.

Our senior students are continuing their Independent Living Skills cookery tasks, by cooking dishes related to Soups, Cooking for Crowds & Breakfasts. Students have come up with various dishes under these categories and have impressed us with their culinary skills at home.

Besides the wonderful learning and practical cookery occurring at home, our department is also celebrating the progress of our new centre. It will be a very exciting time ahead for students upon their return, to see the progress being made in what will be an outstanding food technology and hospitality building.

Ms Danielle Mastrippolito (Teacher)

From the Principal

Dear Gilroy Santa Maria College Community,

It was wonderful to be able to welcome our Yr 11 and 12 students back to school this week. There were mixed responses when asked whether they had enjoyed online learning, however, overwhelmingly they were happy to be back with their classmates and their teachers. I congratulate our Yr 11 and 12 students, whether they had enjoyed online learning or not, the feedback from their teachers was that most of them had successfully engaged in online learning and had been working hard and getting through their work. If there is a positive to be gained from this experience for our students, it is that many were forced to manage their time, be more independent, solve problems themselves, read instructions and questions more thoroughly and be self-starting. All of which are great habits for future schooling and life in general.

As for our Yr 7-10 students, we are planning on those year levels returning on Monday 25 May. As I write this, it has not been confirmed but I am expecting this news at the end of the week and I will inform everyone once I hear confirmation. From talking to staff, students, and parents, the sooner we return to normal schooling, the better.

Last week all families were mailed Interim Report Cards, additionally they were loaded onto the Compass Portal. This report card is designed to give parents and carers an indication of how their child has started the year. It includes a rating or score on the assessment completed so far, their effort and their behaviour. Additionally, there is notification if a teacher recommends an interview. Please note that we are waiting for the confirmation of normal schooling to recommence before advertising parent/student/teacher interview times.

We are also waiting for confirmation regarding the recommencement of schooling to confirm if the first of our Yr 6 Transition Days planned for Thursday 28 May will go ahead. Our Transition Days have been popular sessions for the Yr 6 students in our district. It enables us to showcase our beautiful school but also to give the primary school students a taste of the subjects they will experience here at Gilroy. It is also important because it alleviates the stress of beginning secondary school in 2021. As we have found in previous years the Transition Days result in the young students being confident in our environment and reassures them that Gilroy is a safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environment for them. If you have a Yr 6 child or your family or friends have Yr 6 children, please look out for confirmation in the coming days if the first Transition Day on Thursday 28 May will go ahead.

I am pleased to announce that our new hospitality and classroom blocks at the entrance to the school are nearing completion. The project is due to be finished in mid-June and will be fully functional by the beginning of Term 3. It will be a wonderful facility for our school community, and I look forward to people using it for years to come. It will be as a place to gather, entertain, study and importantly learn in. I am confident everyone will be impressed.

Closing on more good news, our Guidance Counsellor Ms Kate Stringini, had a baby boy recently. We congratulate Kate and husband Scott on their wonderful news.

John Nuttall
Principal

From the Assistant Principal
(Administration & Curriculum)

Hello everyone,

It has been great having our senior students back in classes this week. Talking to our senior students, they are happy to be back, and they are working hard to ensure they are keeping up with their learning and assessments. Last week, I sent a Year 12 Letter out via Compass which included some important messages for these students. If you have not yet had a chance to read this letter, please take the time to do so. It is also attached below. Years 7-10 students are also working very well with their online learning. Teachers are impressed with the level of commitment and work ethic so many of our students have towards their studies whilst learning from home. This said, we are also looking forward to having all year levels back at school from Week 6.

Confirmation for Year 12 students

QCAA are scheduled to release confirmation results for our year 12 students on May 12. Once the College receives this information, we will be communicating confirmed results with students and parents.

This letter was sent to all Yr 12 students and parents last week:

Interim Reports & Student/Parent/Teacher Interviews in Week 7

Interim reports were sent out Friday of last week. They were both posted home to parents and put onto Compass. It is evident that many of our students have done very well both industriously and academically. There are, however, students who need to reflect on their Term 1 efforts and how they can bring a renewed focus and commitment to their studies from this point forward. In Week 7 we will have our student/parent/teacher interviews. These meetings allow for very important discussions about a student’s level of progress and achievement. Therefore, it is imperative that both students and parents are present at these interviews. In the hope that COVID-19 cases continue to plateau, and restrictions are being lifted, these interviews will take place in the usual face-to-face setting at the College. If you do have any health or medical concerns with coming to the College for these interviews, please contact the College. The process for booking interviews on compass will be the same as in previous years. The Compass portal that allows parents to book their interviews will open soon. A compass notification along with instructions on how to book your interviews will be sent out when this portal is open.

New Hospitality Centre and Classrooms

We are now in the final stages of construction for our new Hospitality centre and classrooms. The building, to say simply, is AMAZING! The Hospitality centre has a fit out for both the junior Food Technology students as well as meeting industrial standards required for delivering a Certificate II in Hospitality for our senior students. Staff have also been investing a lot of time in researching the best furniture for our flexible learning areas that maximise learning and teaching. These types of environments allow teachers to work more collaboratively as well as give students a degree of choice and control in their working environment. In one of our rooms, we are also creating a Senior Centre where we hope our senior students will enjoy a safe place to learn and study. Furniture in this room will allow for concurrent individual, paired and group work to occur. Works are currently on track for students to start using it for Term 3.

Assessment Planners

Years 7-12 Assessment Planners are now available for this term. Students and parents/care givers will be emailed their specific planners as well being available from the links below. This is an important document that can be printed and put somewhere (i.e. the kitchen fridge makes a perfect spot) as a reminder of what assessment you have and when it is due. If you would like a printed copy, please contact the office and they will print one out for you.

God Bless

Melissa Carr
Assistant Principal
(Administration & Curriculum)

From the Assistant Principal (Pastoral)

Dear parents and carers,

Just like students, teachers are looking forward to returning to the normal routine of school life after weeks of self-isolation and online learning. Schools educate our students in many ways and not just inside the classroom. The skills of making new friendships, students learning to approach and talk to adults to hold conversations, respecting others, being polite, and learning to have patience, are just a few skills that are taught inside and outside of the classroom. It is these social interactions that a lot of students say that they are missing.

If your child has not already done so, please take a minute to look at the resources on the Pastoral Care pages on Google Classroom. The school counsellor (Mrs Simone Cook), myself and the Pastoral Leaders have put together week by week activities for students to help with self-care tips, mindfulness, exercises to help with wellbeing and mental health as well as surveys to gain valuable feedback on how students are going. These surveys have given us the ability to find out and check-in on those who might be struggling. It has been a very valuable tool.

A big congratulations to all the students who have been working so hard recently and doing a great job with their studies, hopefully we are all back to normal in the near future.

God Bless

Matthew Schrodter
Assistant Principal
(Pastoral)

From the Assistant Principal
(Religious Education)

Dear parents and carers,

Happy Mother’s Day to all our mothers in the Gilroy community. I hope your day was as enjoyable as mine. My family welcomed that fact that we were able to travel to Townsville to share the day with family we had not seen in a while.

Welcome back to our Year 11 and 12 students this week. It was wonderful to see the extra faces at school. Now I cannot wait for the rest of the school to return to normal classes. It is amazing how important human contact is and the need for us to be in community. One of the many Catholic Social Teachings established in our Church is ‘The Common Good’. It outlines that we can only live the fullness of life if we live in relationship with other, in community. Only when we are faced with this deprivation of interaction that we truly can understand the importance of the many relationships we surround ourselves with daily. It is only when these are taken away that we realise the treasures of family, friends, community, and others.

The month of May is typically dedicated to our Lady, the Mother of God. It is also a time when we are invited to pray the Rosary. Pope Francis is also encouraging us to join in prayer and rediscover the beauty of the Rosary. There are many websites and videos dedicated to the Rosary that can be found on praying the mysteries, Joyful (Monday and Saturday), Sorrowful (Tuesday and Friday), Glorious (Wednesday and Sunday) and Luminous (Thursday). Our parish is also praying the Rosary before every mass, so there are many opportunities to encounter this prayer.

In Religion, the Year 10 and 11 classes have started a unit on ‘Heroes and Role Models’. I have been blown away by how engaged the students have been in their work and the insights into the many heroes and role models in their lives. It is especially important to make sure they we acknowledge these people in our lives and share with them the value we place on the qualities they possess and the ones we strive to imitate. Last week’s extension activity was to write a note to an unsung hero in their lives. In the coming week I ask that everyone identify the hero/es or role model/s in our lives and take the time to say:

God bless
Christine Timms
Assistant Principal
(Religious Education)

From the Business Manager

Parents and carers,

Invoices for Term 2 fees and levies will be issued by the end of next week. They will not be due until the end of Term 2.

In accordance with the mission, values and ethos of our school, we remain committed to providing an education to all of students regardless of their financial circumstances. If you are having any difficulties, paying school fees please contact the school as soon as possible.

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 you have any questions or queries, please contact the Principal or myself to discuss the matter. The sooner you make contact the sooner we can work together for a solution.

God Bless
Roslyn Giuliano
Business Manager

Counsellor’s Corner

Wellbeing Tip for this Week

CREATE A SELF-CARE PLAN

A self-care plan can help you enhance your health and wellbeing and manage stress, particularly in difficult times. Firstly, identify activities and practices that support your wellbeing as an individual. To ensure you are catering for your wellbeing in a holistic way, try doing at least one activity in each of the following: Physical, Emotional, Social and Spiritual. Here are some ideas you may like, but remember, a Self-Care Plan is personal and individual, so choose activities that suit you! The following template may help you stick to your plan

Simone Cook
Guidance Counsellor

Careers

Sports News

If you would like further information, please contact Mrs Cerutti at the College.

What’s Happening in the Parish

Ingham Region Catholic Parishes Newsletter:

Father Damian McGrath
Parish Priest
Ingham Region Catholic Parishes

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