18 February 2021

Newsletter Articles

Essential Emails

Lions Youth of the Year

Well done to all 4 students who participated in the Lions Youth of the Year Public Speaking Quest held on Tuesday 16 February: Eryn Gusmeroli, Isabella Melara, Tahlia Nowak and Darcie Spina.

Congratulations to Darcie who won both Best Public Speaker and Overall Winner. She will now compete at the Zone level with winners from the Lions District - Ingham and Tully. A big thank you to Ms Rand and Mrs Winterbourn for helping the students prepare.

Good Luck Darcie!!

From the Acting Principal

Dear Gilroy Santa Maria College Community,

As I walk around our College and visit classrooms, it is great to see the rich learning that is occurring. Our after school academic support program has sky-rocketed with attendance which is just fantastic to see! Teachers are opening up multiple classrooms in the afternoons to cater for the number of students attending. Our Gilroy Running Club, run by Matthew Schrodter, has become very popular and has contributed to the success of our academic support programs.

Our Senior students have been very busy this week. On Monday, we had some Valentine’s Day fun. Our senior students, along with Ms Paula Rand, their Year 11/12 Pastoral leader, ran some workshops to ensure they were ready to serenade lucky recipients in their dress up. On Tuesday morning, they were up bright and early, cooking pancakes in our school tuckshop to sell to students and teachers. They were able to fundraise just over $100 that will be donated towards Caritas. Tuesday night, we also had our four senior leaders, Eryn Gusmeroli, Isabella Melara, Tahlia Nowak, and Darcie Spina, who competed in the Lions Youth of the Year Quest. All four ladies presented the school very proudly. Their impromptu questions were very topical and somewhat controversial in our society presently. All four ladies answered these questions in a way that demonstrated poise and maturity. Their prepared speeches were also very well researched, presented and interesting! Congratulations to Darcie Spina who won both the Best Public Speaker and Overall Winner. Darcie will now go on to compete at the next level of judging (Zone level) with the winners from the Lions District (Ingham and Tully) in March. We wish Darcie all the best. Thank you to the Lions Club for hosting this event last night and to Mrs Nicola Winterbourn and Ms Paula Rand who supported our students for this competition.

With all the rain this week, we have sent out some information regarding procedures during heavy rain via facebook, compass and in this newsletter. If buses are not running, the College will be notified in the morning and we will then make this information available via our social media and compass platforms. Please note that all Trans North buses will not deviate from their designated drop off and pick up times. If flood waters do rise during the day and water does go over the road, the Trans North bus services will not be running. Although we will watch these waters at College also, it is the responsibility of our parents to ensure that if they need to collect their child due to rising water that they do so. Both the Stone River and Herbert River bus services will collect students earlier than 3pm if required.

This week we will be holding our Interhouse Swimming Carnival (Thursday). This carnival is always a great day for everyone. It gives an opportunity for our swimmers to excel and compete, it gives students a chance to have some fun in the pool, whether it is in competitive events or novelty events and it also is a day that everyone can simply enjoy and have fun with their friends. Thank You to Mrs Cerutti for organising this wonderful carnival and to all the staff who assist.

Next week we have our Year 7 camp on Magnetic Island. This camp’s focus is on friendship. I still remember coming from Bambaroo State School and then starting at Gilroy. I only had four people in my year level at primary school, so when I came to Gilroy, there was only one other student from my year level. This camp was an excellent opportunity where I was able to get to know other people in my grade and for them to get to know me. It is three days where students will enjoy group activities and planned friendship sessions. Thank you to our teachers who are attending this camp and to Mrs Erin Cerutti and Mrs Christine Timms for organising this.

I know Mrs Joan Devietti, will also be mentioning this in her newsletter article, but I also take this opportunity to invite all families (students and parents/carers) to attend our Study and Assessment Information Evening Thursday 18 February, 6:00pm in G Block. This night will provide both students and parents/carers with tips for success and importantly time to ask questions. I hope many families are able to attend.

COLLEGE BOARD – Expressions of Interest

Next Saturday is our Board Formation day in Townsville – 27 February where our members will travel to attend along with other School Board members in the Diocese. Last year we farewelled two members of our Board; Mr Raymond La Rosa and Mrs Jasmine Pearce. We are therefore seeking interested parents who would like to join the Board to replace these positions. If you are interested, please send me an email to express your interest. We have a great College Board team, where we discuss many things happening in the school. It is important to have these teams where we engage with parents and the community in contributing to good school governance so that school resources are used efficiently, and community expectations and the school’s priorities reflect the needs of students.

Any expressions of interest to be a member of the College Board, please email:

mcarr1@gilroysm.catholic.edu.au

God Bless
Melissa Carr
Acting Principal

Valentines Day Fun

YR 10 Hospitality

From the Acting Assistant Principal
(Administration & Curriculum)

Dear Gilroy Santa Maria College Community,

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

At this stage of the term, all students should be immersed in work. They should be completing upcoming assessments and revising for exams. Due dates should be clearly marked in their study schedule. Students should be organised and have a study plan which plans how they will successfully complete all assigned work. Organisation and planning leads to a stressless but successful student. If students need help in this regard, our school counsellor Ms Kate Stringini and the Careers Advisor Mrs Louise Costabeber are available to support students in this area.

Study and Assessment Information evening

On Thursday 18 February at 6pm, in G Block, an information evening will be held on regarding

• Effective study
• Organisation
• Homework

While this evening is tailored to year 7 students and families, it applies to all students and everyone is welcomed. The skills discussed can ensure that schooling is a smooth and stressless time.

Assessment Guidelines and Procedures

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.

Assessment/Block Exams

Year 12 will have BLOCK exams from Monday 1 March through to Wednesday 3 March. This allows students, who do not have a scheduled exam to remain home to study and work on other assessments. All students are expected back at school on Thursday 4 March. Year 12 students have been issued their exam timetable for these 3 days.

Week 10, Monday 29 March to Thursday 1 April, will see years 7 - 10 sit most of their exams. Year 11 students have assessments throughout the term. Please check the Assessment planners carefully. Assessment planners have been emailed and are available on the school website and on COMPASS.

NAPLAN Online Practice

Years 7 & 9 will complete an online NAPLAN practice test on Thursday 1 April. NAPLAN testing will occur in Term 2 week 4. It is imperative that the students complete a practice beforehand particularly since the test is online and many of the students have not previously experienced this setting.

Subject Changes

As we are now in week 4 of the term, no subject changes will be considered until the beginning of Term 2.

Year 12 Tracking Interviews – Yr 12 Students

Starting in week 6, Louise Costabeber (Careers Advisor) and I will be conducting interviews with ATAR-eligible Year 12 students. The purpose of these interviews is to check on the student’s well being, academic progress and update on possible career pathways. An information letter will be sent home with students so as to ensure parents/carers are aware of the interview schedule. We encourage parents to attend these interviews and ask any questions they may have. It is also a great opportunity to discuss plans for next year, including desired universities, QTAC applications and accommodation.

All Year 12 Vocational pathways students are also being tracked and will also be interviewed. Should students or parents/caregivers have any concerns with QCE status, work placement or academic progress, please contact me. It is very important that students are making the most of their work placement on Fridays as this is an excellent program that provides students with authentic work experiences and definite potential career opportunities post school. Should there be any concerns, contact can be made to Mrs Cassy Venturato (VET), Mrs Louise Costabeber (Careers) and Mrs Julie Zanghi (Work Placement).

God Bless

Joan Devietti
Acting Assistant Principal
(Administration & Curriculum)

Assessment Planners

All Term 1 Assessment Planners have been distributed. They can be found on our College website here:

Assessment Policy & Guidelines have been distributed. They scan be found on our College website here:

Assistant Principal Religious Education

Dear Gilroy Santa Maria College Community,

This week marks the beginning of Lent. We celebrated this with Father Vinoj at our Ash Wednesday Liturgy. Ash Wednesday is a day in which we are asked to reflect on what we need to do to rekindle our relationship with God and others in our lives. The ashes placed on our foreheads symbolise they we now can turn our hearts back to God, through fasting, almsgiving and prayer and clean away the ashes left through time.

We are also starting Project Compassion in our homerooms. This year’s focus is to “BE MORE” and Caritas is asking everyone to demonstrate their faith, love and generosity and be a part of the simple action of charity to improve the lives of many in our world.

Jamila is a twenty-two year old single mother, living in the largest refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh. A Rohingya woman, she fled the armed conflict in Myanmar’s Rakhine State to save herself, her elderly mother and eight month old baby daughter. Thanks to the generosity of Caritas Australia’s supporters and through our partnership with Caritas Bangladesh, Jamila had access to emergency food and shelter. Then, as her stay in the camp stretched on, Jamila joined the Women Friendly Spaces project where she received counselling and emotional support. She learnt about health and hygiene, participated in a parenting program and learnt sewing skills, to help her to earn an income. Jamila now has a sense of community around her and feels less alone and more supported - and she is able to ‘Be More’ to her family.

If you would like to make a donation, please go to the link below and follow the prompts.

This week’s prayer is in preparation for Lent.

God Bless

Christine Timms
Assistant Principal
(Religious Education)

Young Vinnies

Young Vinnies: What is it? What do they do?

Young Vinnies is a social justice group that follows in the footsteps of Saint Vincent de Paul. In the past we have visited the elderly in the Aged Care Homes, supported our local Conference by emptying the donation bins each week, participated in Sleepout for Homelessness, supported the mission trip by buying and donating items needed and more. Young Vinnies is about putting our faith into action by looking at how we can serve people in need.

Are you interested in joining or finding out more about Young Vinnies at GSM?

Bring your lunch and come along to our very first meeting this Friday 19 February at 11am in D1.

Sports News

HR Netball Trials: Any girls 13-19 years interested in trialing for HR for netball, please email Ms Cantoni ASAP with two preferred positions. Notes can be collected from student reception. All notes MUST be returned Friday 12 February.

HR Squash Trials: Any capable squash players who are interested in trialling for Under 15 and Under 19 years HR Squash teams(Wed- 17 Feb) at the Ingham Squash courts can collect notes/forms from student reception. All notes MUST be returned to Mr Giliberto before Tuesday, 16 February.

Golf Trials- NQ 10 - 19 Years

Due to the timing of this year’s QSS Golf State Championship (March 28th – 31st),
The selection of the Northern Golf Team will be done via paper trial.
Nominations due 22 February.
See Mr Mendiolea for further Information and Nomination Forms(student reception).

Northern Region 13-15yrs Boys and Girls AFL teams.
Both trials are being held on March 3rd at Riverway.
Note- At these trials suitably skilled girls will be identified and invited to attend the Peninsula trials on Tuesday 23rd March, or Capricornia trials (for Whitsunday girls only) on March 15th’

See Mr Mendiolea for further Information and Nomination Forms(student reception)- nomination due 24 Feb

Northern Region 14-15yrs and 16- 8 Girls Rugby League teams.
Both trials are being held on March 3rd at Brothers Ground, Townsville

See Mr Mendiolea for further Information and Nomination Forms(student reception)- nomination due 24 Feb

Mr Michael Mendiolea

Lunchtime Basketball

The Grade 12s are organising a Basketball competition in the hall at lunchtimes. This will be starting week 7-second lunch on Mondays and Wednesdays. There will be a junior and senior competition, please write down a team name and members to express your interest.

• Teams of 5
• Each player must be from the same year group (Either 7,8 & 9 or 10,11&12)
• You don’t have to have to know how to play, it’s just a fun competition for everyone to enjoy!

Students must enter their names in Homerooms

Everyone is invited to watch and cheer on!

Mr Matthew Schrodter

From the Business Manager

Dear Families,

Thank you for your patience and understanding with the nightmare that was school fees. Being a new system, it certainly has been a learning curve and hopefully, Term 2 will run a lot smoother.

I have attached again the school fee break down. The one thing you will notice is that the Building fund is a per family fee, the error (amongst others) was that I entered it for the year not term. Please feel free to break this amount over the year @ $100 per term.

School fees are due 12 March 2021.

Discounts are as below. There is no discount on levies.

Due to the new finance system we have implemented, we have had to streamline the way we charge school fees for 2021.

As all year levels attend either a retreat or a camp we have decided to include all school camps in the general levy.

Previously only year 10’s were charged a laptop levy of $250 per student, however all students now have a device so an IT levy of $100 per student has also been included.

The General Purpose levy consists of:

• Subscriptions
• Technology – including licences, accidental insurance and laptop bags
• Subject levies
• Textbooks and other resources
• Camps/Retreats
• Student devices

We have also separated the Building Fund Levy of $400 per family. This was previously included in general levies but this fee is now per family not per student.

If you have any questions or issues with your statement please do not hesitate to contact me. Again as always, if you are having difficulties paying school fees, please contact the Principal or myself.

God Bless
Ros Giuliano
Business Manager

Musical Update

The 2021 Musical dates are set!!

Thursday 3rd June – Matinee & Night performance

Friday 4th June – Night performance

Rehearsals have started for “The Addams Family”. Our amazing cast is working hard to make this Musical special.

We will advertise tickets in the coming weeks.

ZOOM SESSION

Catholic School Parents Qld Diocese of Townsville

Come along and join us in person or via ZOOM for an interesting info evening with Mr Tony Hytch from Townsville's Catholic Education Office.

Tony is the Systems Learning and Teaching Adviser for Secondary. Tony will update us on Year 12 learnings and results.

When: Thursday 18 February @ 6.30 pm. Flyer attached.

Following our guest speaker, we'll have a brief meeting to share the 2021 initiatives planned for parents, carers and school communities.

Each school can have up to two reps attending these quarterly meetings (only one meeting per term, held Thurs of week 4).

It's a great way to keep your school informed and ensure your school's parents/carers have their voices and needs heard.

Ensure your school's parent group (P&F, FACE, PACE, CAFE, CSPA, etc) has a seat at the table on 18 February.

Let's build a strong, connected and proactive Diocesan P&F voice.

RSVP necessary, so drop me a reply email and tell me how you want to join in.

What’s on

Emerging Leaders Info Night

Dancenorth Experience

Congratulations to Georgia Biasi and Indiana Copley (Year 8) who have been selected as members of Dancenorth’s cast of 24 young people in Safety Net. Rehearsals commenced in the January school holidays and continue weekly on Sundays. We are very proud of them!

What is Safety Net?

Safety Net is a new contemporary dance theatre work – created collaboratively between professional artists from Dancenorth, TheatreiNQ and Diffraction Collective – and our cast.

The experience for the young cast members is absolutely unique. They are not only the performers – but also our co-creators. Guided by professional artists from Dancenorth and TheatreiNQ, they are rapidly developing new dance and acting skills, but also their understanding of creative process, as we create an original non-narrative, contemporary performance. We are really proud of the way the cast are approaching this new, challenging experience and have no doubt that their increasing artistry will shine through in their ongoing work in the performing arts at school and beyond.

Safety Net is scheduled for Week 9 of Term 1 – and the performance season includes matinees especially for school groups.

Well done Georgia and Indiana!

Seasons for Growth Program

Careers

Local Job Opportunities

Lee’s Hotel: To apply for the following positions, please email your resume to leeshotelingham@bigpond.com or apply in person to Kyra.

• Casual Bar and Gaming Staff. Must be available to work nights & weekends.
• Restaurant/Wait Staff. Must be available to work nights and weekends.
• Kitchen Hand - Must be available to work Friday & Saturday night and Sunday lunch.

Wild Local Prawns: To apply for the following positions, please email wildlocalprawns@gmail.com Attention: Bec Zaghini. Positions are available at the beginning of March.

Casual front of shop person. Duties include-taking orders, preparation of fresh food, customer service and cleaning. Must be able to work afternoons/weekends.

• Junior person to work after school and on Saturday’s. Duties include taking orders, cleaning and serving customers. 15-20 hours per week.

Career’s News

All students are welcome to email me if they would like any assistance with their resume or to schedule an appointment to discuss career options.

The Australian Defence Force are conducting an information session at school in the near future. I will email students a Google Survey in regards to which topic is of interest to them. These will include: trades, Defence university (ADFA) or the Gap Year Program. Please complete this at your earliest convenience.

CQU are now offering a Bachelor of Medical Science (Pathway to Medicine. This course will be available at Rockhampton and Bundaberg, and provides a provisional entry pathway into The University of Queensland’s regionally-based Doctor of Medicine program. For any further information about this exciting new course, please make an appointment to see me.

Mrs Louise Costabeber
Careers Advisor

Academic Support Program

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

Around the District

Tuckshop News

VOLUNTEERS ARE ALWAYS NEEDED!!

Tuckshop Volunteers are only needed to work from 8:30am to 11:30am.

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 – 11:30am 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]

TUCKSHOP MENU

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