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Columba Catholic College Newsletter Volume 26 No. 12 - 25 August 2023

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Dear Columba Families,

During an enrolment interview we ask a number of key questions of parents/caregivers to build a relationship and seek to understand the reason for choosing Columba for their child’s education. One of the most important questions we ask is “Why have you chosen a faith based education for your child?”. Often the response is “because of the values”.

So what does this actually mean for our students, staff and families?

Our community exists because of the centrality of Jesus Christ. We are a Catholic school founded on the mission of Jesus Christ and we articulate this through the pillars of courage, commitment and compassion. We promote these values through the Gospel, through word and in action.

We are courageous. We do our best and aim to be our best in all we do. We try new things and if we don’t succeed; we try again. We are resilient and hope filled people.

We are committed. Columba is an inclusive community committed to academic excellence; nurturing the uniqueness of each individual and aiming to inspire each other. We do not put others down or look for fault. Each individual is made in the image and likeness of God. Each giving life to another through respectful partnerships.

We are compassionate. We forgive just as Jesus did. We are a voice to the voiceless and stand up for what is right. We care for the poor, the sick and the marginalised and provide opportunities for all community members based on love and hope. We care for those who may not always receive the love, care and respect they deserve.

It is for these reasons that we exist. Let us continue to work in partnership to instill these values in our students so that they too can lead into the future and be the custodians of the light of Christ in our school and in the world.

Book Week: Thanks to Paula Smith, Joanne Andrews and the entire St Mary's Campus staff for leading a wonderful Book Week Parade last Monday. We had lots of families and community members in attendance to enjoy the great costumes being paraded by both our students and staff. Tomorrow Mt Carmel staff and students will be celebrating Book Week with a special parade and a “Decorate a Door Competition”.

Last Friday was the National Day Against Bullying and Violence. Thanks to all staff involved in raising awareness of this in our community. The students engaged in a range of activities and discussions regarding this important issue. Please find here a link to our Pastoral Care Policy and Anti-bullying Policy. The Pastoral Care and wellbeing of our students is at the centre of our work.

Cybersafe Practices: The online world is an ever changing landscape. I strongly encourage families to continue to monitor and support our young people in the use of safe internet practices. There are several resources available via the Esafety Commission website and parents are encouraged to review this and consider implementing parental controls to manage what children are able to search and access. The website can be accessed from the link at https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents

Preparations for the Charters Towers Eisteddfod are well underway with students engaging in final rehearsals and some students already participating in categories such as Dance and Speech and Drama. We wish all of our students the best as they participate and perform across the week.

Special thanks to Maggie Georgopoulos and members of the Science team for their efforts in promoting National Science Week last week. The students had an opportunity to engage in a wide range of activities across the week. Well done!

Thanks to Caroline Jarmey for leading our support of the St Francis Fete in Hughenden last Friday evening. A group of our students caught up with past and present students and families at this wonderful community event. The students competed in competitions, hosted a stall and supported the community with various activities and events.

Special thanks to Christine O'Sullivan, Haydn Champion, Edward Green and Elena Donohue for leading and supporting our Year 11 students as they participated in the Year 11 Retreat program last week. The students had a great time and are now engaging in preparations for the next step in their leadership journey at the College. We keep them all in our prayers at this special time.

I was delighted to travel around the world at St Mary's Campus last Friday as a part of a fantastic Under 8's Day program. Thank you to Lara Burns and Brooke Stevenson for coordinating this event. Thanks is also extended to Joanne Andrews, Jahana Critchley, Brooke Hamlyn, Jessie Buck, Donna McIntosh, Larrissa Crowley, Paula Smith, Emma Hembrow, Lesley Archer, Justine Pickering, Gerard Webber and Darren Hope. Thanks to Belinda Hourston and Bridie Johnson who also assisted on the day. Thanks to Melissa Stephenson for organising the Year 10 students who assisted with activities throughout the morning. What a great team effort. Thank you for all of your hard work!

This Sunday we will be out and about at the Community Market Day with a stall and activities. Please join us at Centenary Park for a great morning!

A reminder that next Friday 1st September is a Pupil Free Day. Staff will be engaging in a Professional Learning day centrEed on Reflective Practice. Professional renewal is an important part of growing as life-long learners and benefits our entire school community.

Thank you for your support.

All the best for the fortnight ahead.

Many blessings,

Melissa Turner
PRINCIPAL

FROM THE DEPUTY PRINCIPAL - PASTORAL/RESIDENTIAL

Dear Parents and Caregivers

No Hat, No Play is a message drummed into children at primary school across the country. But this sun safety message, like the hats, seems to get forgotten by the time they reach high school. It could be because our young people think they are invincible, or too cool, but this week in assembly I spoke to our students about the importance of being safe in the sun. I shared with them the following facts:

melanoma is the most common form of cancer affecting people aged 15 to 39
melanoma is the third most common cancer in Australian men and women
Australia and New Zealand have the highest melanoma rates in the world
2 out of 3 Australians will be treated for skin cancer during their lifetime
Over 2,000 people per day are treated for Skin Cancer in Australia
the most preventable cause of skin cancer is practising sun safety when outdoors

Hats are an integral part of our uniform and they must be worn outdoors. Students will be reminded by staff to wear them on the oval, on the basketball courts or generally just being outside during break times. I encourage you to talk to your son or daughter to make sure about this important part of their future wellbeing.

Clare Stead
ACTING DEPUTY PRINCIPAL - PASTORAL/RESIDENTIAL

YMCA PRECINCT - RYLEE CLEMMONS

Exciting News! Join us for an unforgettable night of music, arts and community with the talented Riley Clemmons at the YWAM Precinct!

Mark your calendars for September 2nd and get ready to be uplifted by Riley’s beautiful voice and inspiring lyrics. With over 527.5 million global streams and 85 million YouTube video views!

Tickets are only $10 and are available here or for more information or to register for music workshops, you can visit our website link.

Christine O'Sullivan
ASSISANT TO THE PRINCIPAL - RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

YEAR SIX NEWS

Anticipation is certainly building for our upcoming camp to Canberra in Week 8. The class have been looking at exhibits we will visit online as excitement grows.

Last week we celebrated our Book Week Parade which was big hit for the class. I would like to commend the class as every single student in Year 6 dressed up to celebrate Book Week.

We have started to complete some assessment tasks in class and recently finished a unit of work in Maths covering units of measurement, shapes, time and reading timetables.

The class is finishing off their information reports in English on a country in Asia which incorporated our work in HASS and will soon start a PowerPoint presentation about the dangers of sugary drinks as part of their Health assessment.

The class have been learning about tsunamis, earthquakes and volcanoes in Science and were able to conduct some experiments on the Mt Carmel Campus with Mrs Brandis as part of Taste of Secondary.

In Religious Education, we have been learning about the Jewish faith, their history and annual celebrations.

Next week the Charters Towers Eisteddfod begins, and we are eager to perform our class poem and wish our singing choir success.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions, with so much happening in Year 6.

Gerard Webber
YEAR SIX TEACHER

YEAR TEN SET PLAN INTERVIEWS

All students in Year 10 and their Parents / Care givers are required to attend a Senior Education Training (SET) Plan Interview to discuss future pathways and subject choices for Year 11 2024. Students are required to attend the interview with their parents / caregivers. Interviews will be conducted from Tuesday 29 August until Thursday 31 August. Please allow 30 minutes for the interview.Bookings are to be made through the Compass Portal.Correspondence has been set to all Parents / Caregivers of Year 10 Parents regarding SET Plan INterviews.

YOUTH GROUP

Please join us for the 𝗖𝗖𝗖 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽

Saturday 26th August at 5.00pm

in the Parish Meeting Room

and then the 𝗠𝗰𝗔𝘂𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘀 afterwards.

𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀:

Secondary students - Formal Uniform

Prep students - Sports Uniform

Years 1-6 students - Day uniform.

IN THIS EDITION OF SCHOOLTV - INTERNET ADDICTION

In today’s digital environment, the internet can be viewed as a valuable tool for education, research and entertainment. Young people today tend to go from one screen to another, but how much is too much? Time spent in the ‘screen world’ has parents concerned that their kids may be missing out on real life experiences. Therefore, it is vitally important to a child’s wellbeing for parents to regulate a child’s internet use.

Internet addiction can cause significant psychological and social problems for children in years to come. The true effects on future generations is not yet known, but there are strategies that parents can implement now.

In this edition, Dr Michael Carr-Gregg discusses what causes internet addiction, who is most at risk and what parents can do to regulate the amount of time their kids spend online each day.

We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this edition of SchoolTV and we always welcome your feedback. If you have any concerns about your child, please contact the Guidance Counsellor for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to the Internet Addiction edition of SchoolTV.

Aleesha Watson
GUIDANCE COUNSELLOR

RESIDENTIAL NEWS

Dear Residential Families,

Last week, we welcomed some visitors from China to our residences. Boarders from both girls’ and boys’ dorms accompanied the Chinese exchange students to school where they attended lessons during the day and experienced life as a boarding student in the evenings and on the weekend. A big thankyou to all students who took part and to Mr Ku, Mrs Burns and Mrs Jarmey for their organisation of the events.

A group of boys accompanied Mrs Jarmey to the St Francis School Fete in Hughenden last Friday to talk about their experience in dorms. They did an excellent job of representing the College and managed to come away with a win in the Jackaroo Challenge.

Whether it’s a simple stroll to the park to enjoy some winter sun or a trip to the Strand, our boarders have been enjoying dorm life. It’s a busy time of term for the students with a number of drafts due and deadlines looming around the corner. They have plenty of support at school to help with their work be it Assessment Support and Homework Help in the library after school, or nightly study sessions after dinner. If you have any concerns about how your son or daughter is travelling academically, please contact their teacher, the Curriculum Middle Leader or me directly.