Columba Catholic College Newsletter Volume 27 No. 9 - 20th June 2024

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Dear Parents and caregivers and Friends of the College,

As the term draws to a close, there is much to reflect on and celebrate. The events over the last two weeks, including both the Primary and Secondary Interhouse Athletics Carnivals, are testament to this very statement. Of course, there is the combined effort of staff, volunteers, parents and friends that enable these opportunities for our students. Congratulations to both Callan Newman (Secondary) and Bridie Johnson (Primary) for overseeing the smooth running of both carnivals. 

Saint Francis School Visit and Richmond Field Days

Special thanks to Mrs Caroline Jarmey (Boys’ Head of Boarding) for her work in promoting our school to the wider community. Last week, Mrs Jarmey attended the Richmond Field Days, as well as visiting St Francis school in Hughenden, to promote Columba Boarding. I thank Mrs Jarmey for her advocacy of the College and her tireless work for the College in general.

Work Experience

This week, the Year 10 students have been participating in work experience either in town or in individual students’ hometowns. From what I have been able to ascertain, the students have been having a wonderful time in their individual workspaces. I would like to thank Ms Rebecca Ebelt, Ms Vicki Kennedy, Mrs Jo-Anne Thompson and Ms Christine Bell and other supporting staff for ensuring that all students were placed in their workplaces. I would also like to extend my thanks to the work experience employers for enabling our students the opportunity to work in their various businesses.  

Spirit of Catholic Education Award

On behalf of the Queensland Catholic Education Commission, I wish to congratulate Mrs Cecilia Louk and Mrs Paula Smith for being nominated for the state-wide Spirit of Catholic Education Awards for 2024. These awards recognise people who make an outstanding contribution to their school community, and this is certainly evident in the efforts of both Mrs Louk and Mrs Smith in their daily work at the College. Both of these staff members go above and beyond in their roles they perform at the school. Mrs Louk and Mrs Smith will be recognised during Catholic Education Week Celebrations in Term 3.

Deus Caritas Award

I take the opportunity to announce that Caleb Kadiko has been awarded the Deus Caritas Est award for 2024. This award is inspired by the encyclical Deus Caritas Est recognising loving service lived out with faith conviction. This award will be presented to Caleb at a special liturgy at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Townsville on Monday 22 July.

School Camps

This week our Year 8 students have been on Camp at Marybank and the Year 9s have been at Camp Gedling, Hervey’s Range. They have been participating in a range of outdoor challenges and team building activities. Special thanks to Miss Madeleine Carter and Mr Jordan Marty, and their willing band of staff for their support of our students across the last few days. The students have had a wonderful time and it has been a fantastic way to end a great term.

Year 7 & 8 Social

Last week Miss Carter organised a social for the Year 7 & 8 cohorts. The theme this term was “ Silly Socks, Sports and Sausage Sizzle Night'. It was a great night enjoyed by all. Many thanks to Misss Carter for organising the event and her willing assistants - Mrs Brandis, Ms O’Sullivan, Mr McFarlane and Miss Moy and Miss Systa. 

Flashing School Zone Signs (FSZS)

It gives me great pleasure to inform our College community that the Minister for Transport and Main Roads has advised the College that it will install Flashing School Zone Signs at the Columbia Street/Gauvin Street zone before the end of 2025. These signs will improve the visibility of the school zone and serve as an active reminder for motorists to slow down when children are out and about.

Staffing Updates: 

This term, we say farewell to Ms Vicki Kennedy. I would like to thank her for the contribution she made to the school, especially in school sports, Year 10 work experience and Abstudy travel. I wish her well in her future endeavours. 

Confraternity and QISSN Carnivals.

Next week our Firsts’ Netball and Rugby League Teams travel to Townsville for the 2024 Confraternity and QISSN Carnivals. I look forward to joining them next week as they represent our College community. I would like to thank Miss Moy, Mr Butler and Miss Systa for taking care of the netball team, and Mr Rohan Dixon, Mr Scott Bliss, Mr Webber, Mr Justin Dixon and Mr Neil Brown for accompanying the Firsts’ Rugby League team. Your roles as coaches, managers and trainers are greatly appreciated by the College community. 

NAIDOC Week

This year’s theme for NAIDOC Week is Keep the Fire Burning!. NAIDOC Week is celebrated nationally from 7-14th July. As this falls in our school holiday period, the College will celebrate NAIDOC in Week 1 Term 3 (19 July) with a special program and scheduled community engagement activities.

Immersion Trip

This week 7 students, along with Mrs Kingham, Mrs Hedges and Miss Donohue, went to Santa Teresa in the Northern Territory for their Immersion Trip. The students had a wonderful and life changing experience. I would like to thank Ms O’Sullivan for all the work she put into making this experience happen for the benefit of our students and staff.

Student Reports

Reports: Next week families will receive Semester 1 Academic Reports via the Compass Portal. These reports are important point in time indicators for our students and will be valuable discussion tools as we head into Parent / Student/ Teacher Interviews in Week 3 of next term. Interviews can be booked through the Compass from July 15 and I encourage you to take time to engage in these interviews to discuss your child’s learning journey in Semester 2. 

As my time as Acting Principal comes to a close at the College, I would like to express my most sincere thanks for the support that I have received from my colleagues, parents and caregivers and students. In particular, I would like to pay special tribute to the Leadership team, for without them my job would have been so much more arduous. It has been an honour and a privilege to have served this wonderful community in this capacity.  Finally, I would like to welcome Jacqueline McNalty and her family to our College. I hope their time here is one that will be blessed and  life-giving.

Dan Kyle
ACTING PRINCIPAL

FROM THE ASSISTANT TO THE PRINCIPAL RELIGOUS EDUCATION - MC CAMPUS

Dear Parents, Caregivers, Staff, and Students,

It is hard to believe that it is the end of Term 2. We’ve managed to fit a lot in, and there is still so much ahead! Here is a snapshot of some of the Religious Life of the School happenings at Columba of late…

Immersion Trip: Since Term 3 of 2023, we’ve been busily planning this Immersion Trip. The process began with information evenings and sessions for parents/caregivers and students, and then an application process. From the beginning of 2024, we than held educational sessions for students about social justice, culture, language, what to expect at Santa Teresa, menus, packing lists, and so much more. In Term 1, students and staff engaged in some initial fundraising activities including selling Zooper Doopers and raffle tickets. In Term 2, we began fundraising in earnest with BBQs at markets and fairs around Charters Towers, selling soft drinks at the Cross Country, and running the SRC van at the Athletics Carnival. This fundraising, in addition with generous donations by Titley’s and Robbie Katter, have significantly reduced the cost of this trip for families. Thank you to all for their generosity.

From Friday 14^th – Saturday 22^nd June, three staff (Margie Kingham, Adonia Hedges and Elena Donohue) and 7 students (Grace Kuhl, Logan Townley, Ashton Townley, Abbey Turner, Charli Hedges, Andrew Mitchell and Isabella O’Sullivan) participated in this week-long Immersion Trip to Santa Teresa in the Northern Territory. This service-learning opportunity has included helping the Marist Brothers with gardening and repainting chairs, and engaging in ministry work in the local school, aged care facility and Spirituality Centre. Staff and students have been fortunate to attend Mass where it was celebrated in Arrernte language. Each evening, students and staff have prayed together and reflected on their ‘God moments’. This opportunity at Santa Teresa has also enabled them to learn more about Indigenous spirituality and culture. Finally, I’d like to thank Mrs Kingham, Mrs Hedges and Miss Donohue for supporting our students on this trip.

Father Will Brennan: On Thursday 13^th June, Will Brennan (a former Columba student), was ordained a priest at the Holy Trinity Church, Mundingburra. Then on Friday 14^th June, Father Will celebrated his first Mass – a Thanksgiving Mass – here at St. Columba’s Parish, followed by a special dinner in the Mt. Carmel Dining Hall for family, friends and former teachers. During his homily, he explained that his chasuble (part of his robes) was designed to reflect the image of St. Columba’s boat which adorns a window in the St. Columba’s Parish. This was an image that he had focused on for many years when he was an altar server and an image that today inspires him in his priestly mission.

Sacraments of Communion and Confirmation: On Sunday 16^th June, 9 students completed their Sacraments of Communion and Confirmation at St. Columba’s Parish. The Parish thanks Mrs Andrews and Mrs Maxsted for preparing these students on their sacramental journey.

Winter Appeal: Throughout this term, we have been calling for donations for the Winter Appeal. We are collecting a range of items that have been shared on flyers and on our Facebook page. These items will then be shared with Prospect and St. Vincent de Paul, and given to needy people in our local community following our Catholic Education Week Liturgy. Again, we thank all for their generosity.

New College Prayer: Over the last couple of years, the Catholic Identity Team has been working on re-writing the College Prayer. This extensive process has involved surveying staff, students and parents, collating feedback and acting on suggestions, and engaging in professional development on the ‘Ten Characteristics of Prayer in a Catholic Dialogue School’. We have finally produced a draft of the new College Prayer which will be sent out in a survey to students, staff, families and Board/CSPA members later this week. Our intention is to release this new prayer at the 2025 Opening Celebration of the Word and Induction of Student Leaders.

Reflection Days and Year 11 Retreat: In Week 1 of Term 3, Year 7, 8 and 9 students will participate in Reflection Days. Based on Catholic Christian values, these presentations will focus on age-appropriate topics of relationships and self-awareness, social justice, self-worth, appropriate use of technology, gratitude and personal identity. The theme or focus for each year level will be as follows: Year 7 – ‘Relationships for the Future’, Year 8 – ‘You Matter’, and Year 9 – ‘Called to Be’. From Monday 5^th to Wednesday 7^th August, all Year 11 students will participate in their Leadership Retreat at Tarmaroo Scout Park, Bluewater. This special retreat is led by the Passionist Youth Retreat Team and is a wonderful opportunity for students to learn about leadership, to engage in prayer, and to spend quality time with their peers.

Catholic Education Week: In Week 2 of Term 3, we will celebrate Catholic Education Week. This will be marked by the Catholic Education Week Mass at the Sacred Heart Cathedral on Tuesday 23^rd July. Then on Wednesday 24^th July, all College staff and students will participate in the Catholic Education Week Liturgy on MC campus at 8.45am. We will also officially welcome our new College Principal, Mrs Jacqueline McNalty, during this liturgy.

Enjoy the holiday period with your children and loved ones. We look forward to seeing you all at the start of Term 3.

God Bless.

Christine O'Sullivan
ASSISTANT TO THE PRINCIPAL - RELIGIOUS EDUCATION - MC CAMPUS

LEARNING AND TEACHING UPDATES ON THE MC CAMPUS

SEMESTER 1 REPORTS

Semester 1 reports will be released to parents / caregivers and students in Compass on Tuesday 25^th June 2024. The report card will provide parents / caregivers with an insight into their child’s progress during Semester 1.

We encourage parents and caregivers to review your child’s report with them and have a constructive conversation to identify their academic achievements, areas of improvement and to set future goals.

TERM 3 PARENT STUDENT TEACHER INTERVIEWS

Prep ‐ Year 12 Parent Student Teacher Interviews will be held on Wednesday 31st July from 3.30pm – 6.30pm. P-6 Interviews will take place on the St. Mary’s Campus and Years 7 - 12 interviews will take place on the Mt. Carmel Campus in the Dining Room. Please allow time to travel between campuses when booking interviews.

Students are requested to attend Parent Student Teacher interviews in their uniform. This will provide students with an opportunity to express their needs and set learning goals in partnership with parents/caregivers and teachers for Semester 2.

Parents/caregivers of boarders who are unable to attend the interviews can request a phone interview with teaching staff.

Please book an interview time with the teacher/s you would like to meet with and then email office@columba.catholic.edu.au to let the College know you would like a phone interview. Provide us with the time booked and best phone number to contact you on.

Bookings will be opened on Monday 15^th July and can be made until Monday 29th July 2024. Parents and Caregivers will be able to book Parent Student Teacher Interviews in the Compass Parent Portal.

COMPASS

Columba Catholic College uses the student management system called ‘Compass’. An important component of this software is the Compass Parent Portal. The Parent Portal is our main point of contact with parents. Each parent is issued with an individual login name and password for the Parent portal.

The Parent Portal allows you to:

• view your child's timetable and the school calendar
• view up-to-date attendance information for your child
• access your child's Semester Reports
• make bookings for Parent Teacher Interviews
• view the news feed of school announcements, alerts and updates
• communicate by email with your child's teachers
• update your contact details (email and mobile phone number)

Parents and Caregivers will need to access Compass to receive your child’s Year 7-12 Semester 1 Report Card and book P-12 Parent Student Teacher interviews.

TERM 3 HOMEWORK CLUB

Years 7-12 Homework Club on the Mount Carmel Campus will commence in Week 2 of Term 3, Thursday 25^th July, from 3:00-4:00pm in the Library.

EXTERNAL ASSESSMENT EXAM INVIGILITATORS – APPLICATIONS OPEN

Apply now: Year 12 exam invigilators

The Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) is now hiring community members to work casually as invigilators to observe and report on the administration of Year 12 exams at Queensland schools from 21 October to 12 November.

Paid training is provided, so no prior experience is necessary.

Applicants must be at least 18 years old, eligible to work in Australia and hold a current paid Blue card, exemption card, or a Queensland College of Teachers registration.

Find out more and apply via the QCAA website.

YEAR 12 EXTERNAL ASSESSMENTS

The 2024 external assessment timetable is now publicly available.

Students’ final results for General subjects are based on their achievement in three internal assessments and one external assessment that is:

• common to all schools
• administered under the same conditions, at the same time and on the same day
• developed and marked by the QCAA according to a commonly applied marking guide.

External assessments are held annually in Term 4. The 2024 External Assessments will be held from Monday 21^st October until Tuesday 12^th November 2024.

Please use this link to access the 2024 External Assessment timetable.

YEAR 10 TRANSITION INTO SECONDARY

During Term 3, Year 10 students will make important decisions about future study and career goals as they plan their QCE pathway and consider the subjects they will study in Year 11 and 12. Students in Year 11 and 12 will work towards achieving their Queensland Certificate of Education. There are many resources available on the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority and myQCE website to assist students in thinking about and planning their pathway. It covers QCE eligibility and helps them to explore future study and career goals.

YEAR 10 DATE CLAIMERS

Tuesday 23 July 2024  Year 10 pathway options and subject information presentations

Thursday 25 July Year 11 2025 Subject Selection Parent and Student Information Evening

All Year 10 parents and students are invited to attend the Year 11 2025 Subject Selection Parent and Student information Evening at 7:00pm in the Mount Carmel Campus Dining Room on Thursday 25^th July 2024. It is important that all Year 10 students and Parents attend this evening as information about the Queensland Certificate of Education, senior pathways available, and subjects / certificates on offer will be shared. The information shared with parents and students will assist in making an informed decision about what to study in Year 11. Curriculum Leaders and teaching staff will be available to provide information and answer questions.

Monday 5^th – Friday 9^th August SET Plan Interviews

Maria Peck
DEPUTY PRINCIPAL - LEARNING AND TEACHING

WORK EXPERIENCE

This week, our Year 10 cohort is undertaking their Work Experience with 47 different employers across Queensland.

As of Tuesday, our dedicated staff began to undertake their Work Experience site visits, speaking with both students and their employers and witnessing the incredible opportunities our young people are engaged with during this important week.

Having undertaken several visits myself, and speaking with other staff members, the feedback from both students and their employers has been overwhelmingly positive. Our students are proud ambassadors for the College and are flourishing in their placements.

Today, I heard employers speak of the initiative shown by our Year 10 students, asking questions and being proactive and enthusiastic whilst on placement. Employers praised our students with their respect for others and themselves, noting their punctuality, pride in their appearance, capacity for independent thought and willingness to try something new. I saw students demonstrate immense pride in the tasks they were able to accomplish under the guidance of their supervisors, from removing plane engines to assisting on a root canal, helping run a tour for Year 5 students, engaging with members of the public, servicing vehicles, and creating engaging activities for young children.

In talking with staff on the visits, many students have found an industry that they now know they wish to pursue as a career. In these situations, Work Experience is an incredible opportunity for students to really understand the industry of their choosing and to help focus them as they prepare for the second semester of Year 10 and their upcoming senior subject selections. Just as noteworthy are those students who have discovered that this industry, whilst wonderful to experience, is not something that they would like to pursue as a career. For these students, Work Experience has provided an opportunity for much needed feedback to refine their career aspirations.

Our students today spoke with joy and pride about their placements. Employers spoke with great appreciation and admiration of our students, with many enthusiastically agreeing to take on more Columba Catholic College students for Work Experience in the future. In this way, our students are not only making themselves proud and representing themselves with dignity and grace, but they are also paving the way for future cohorts to experience these incredible opportunities in the coming years.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Ms Vicky Kennedy for her tireless work in organising Work Experience for our Year 10 students, as well as Mrs Jo Thompson and Ms Christine Bell for their wonderful help as we finalised contracts last week. To our parents and caregivers, thank you for being supportive of our Work Experience program and understanding the role that it plays in both senior subject selection and shaping your child’s future career interests. To our employers who have taken on Work Experience students, the College would like to express our sincere gratitude and thanks, as without your generous placement offers, our students would not be able to experience these incredible opportunities.

Rebecca Ebelt
ASSISTANT TO THE PRINCIPAL - ADMINISTRATION

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SECONDARY INTERHOUSE ATHLETICS CARNIVAL

Athletics Day Highlights: Records Broken and Thrilling Finishes

This year’s Athletics Day was filled with outstanding performances, thrilling finishes, and record-breaking moments that made it a memorable event for everyone involved. Mr Champion was kept busy all day on the video replay.

India Bulsey was a standout in her debut year for Columba, showcasing impressive speed, power, and talent. She broke records in the Long Jump, 200m, and 100m events, leaving everyone in awe of her capabilities. Her performance was truly a joy to watch and set a high bar for future competitions.

The 13 year girls proved to be a highlight, with many close finishes. The level of talent and competitive spirit displayed by these young athletes was remarkable and some healthy rivalries for years to come. 

In the Opens girls' events, the competition heated up with the addition of Ainslie Tonks, who pushed Ashlyn Hoey to her limits. It was wonderful to witness such great sportsmanship between these two athletes. Zander Murray and Nicolas Moore in the 15 Boys age group had some thrilling battles that kept spectators on the edge of their seats. Tom Scholes put on a running clinic across the two days, leaving his competitors in his rear vision mirror. 

Dale Beatty made a significant mark by breaking the Shot Put record, showcasing her strength and technique. Meanwhile, Azariah Hunter continued his streak of breaking records, further establishing himself as a "record-breaking machine." But he should be worried about CJ Knox, who has begun his assault on Azzie’s previous records, by taking home 5 records this year.

The competition among the houses was intense and remained undecided until the very end. In a nail-biting finish, Benjamin House emerged victorious by a narrow margin of 24 points. Rice House took second place, while McAuley and Polding houses finished third and fourth, respectively.

Overall, the day was a success, highlighting the talent, sportsmanship, and competitive spirit of our students. Congratulations to all the athletes and a special thanks to everyone who contributed to making Athletics Day an enjoyable event to finish off a busy Term.

House Champions- Chase Guy, Warwick Kinghman and the Benjamin house.

• Benjamin- 780.5
• Rice- 756.5
• McAuley- 655
• Polding- 465.5

Callan Newman
SPORTS MIDDLE LEADER

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KAREN MURPHY CUP

The Northern Division of the Karen Murphy Cup (Girls Rugby League) was played in Townsville on Thursday 6 June, 2024.

Columba fielded teams in the Year 11/12 and Year 9/10 divisions.

The Year 9/10 team comprised: Ruby King(c); Bobbi Jenkins; Ella Myles; Ava Ramm; Anastacia Johnson; Kayla Tanner Parker; Tahlia Burns; Latisha Spratt; Imogen Dawson-Murray; and Akaila Corporal. The girls finished their 3 matches with a win over Thuringowa State High School, and losses to Kirwan State High School and Ryan Catholic College. Best Forward: Anastacia Johnson; Best Back: Tahlia Burns; and Player of the Carnival: Ruby King.

The Year 11/12 team was made up of Erin Day (C); Bridget Wilson (C); Mikayla Murray; Matilda Peagham; Taelah Morgan, Shahara Spratt, Nika Pros; Shakira Fogarty; Jess Braes-Polke; Zyanne Bartlett; Soleil Watson; and Zikiah Murgha-Miller. The girls qualified for the final after winning 3 of their 4 pool matches. In the final they played valiantly on tired legs, but went down to Thuringowa State High School. Best Forward: Shakira Fogarty; Best Back: Jess Braes-Polke; and Player of the Carnival: Bridget Wilson. Columba’s top try scorer was Shahara Spratt.

Special thanks to Mr Brett Murray who helped coach the teams, and to Mrs Vicky Kennedy and Mr Jordan Marty who helped organise the trip and supervise on the day. Thanks also to Peter Wilson and Aubrey King who ran water for the girls.

Andrew Butler
COACH

TOUCH FOOTBALL - SECONDS GIRLS

After an intense season playing teams twice their age with twice their knowledge and skill of the game, this amazing group of young ladies battled week after week, endured loss after loss, they held their heads high, persevered, attended every training session, listened intently, practised and trained tirelessly. Each one of them gained insight, personal growth and development throughout the season. They are a supportive and beautiful young team.   

Our girls had a convincing win to secure their spot in the grand final against ASSG2 4-1 on Thursday 13/06  (backing up after day one of athletics) . In a nail biting grand final the next night, the score was 1-1 at half time. Our girls came back firing in the second half but hotshots were first over. 10 minutes to go, defence and attack working overdrive  our girls busted the defence to even the score. 2-2.  Full time buzzer, had us deadlocked.   The girls then went into drop out. 4 V 4 for 2 minutes. Our workhorses went back out there and did their team, themselves and their school proud. 

The end result saw Hotshots as the winners in the dying seconds.  Nothing can be taken from this group of amazing people. They went into this competition as the underdogs, they were defeated 3-1 against Hotshots the first time, 4-1 against them the second time and to come into the grand final and draw on the buzzer! What a feat!  

 They have been a privilege to coach. I am extremely proud of all of them.  

 Most Valuable players: Jorja Holznagel and Natayah Kyle-Giakoumi 
 Most consistent players: Bridie Jenkins and Jazarrah Groves  
 Most improved player: Elsie Port 

Congratulations to all the girls for an epic season! Jazarrah, Natayah , Bailee, Bridie, Jorja, Chelsea, Elsie, Ladie, Shylah, Kaitlyn, Latika, Emily. 

Jessie Buck
COACH

PRIMARY INTERHOUSE ATHLETICS CARNIVAL

PRIMARY INTERHOUSE ATHLETICS CARNIVAL

The Primary InterHouse Athletics Carnival was a resounding success, showcasing amazing displays of athleticism, unwavering team spirit, and exemplary sportsmanship. Students set new primary records, with track events being timed for the first time. The carnival was a testament to the dedication and enthusiasm of all participants, making it a memorable highlight of the school year so far.

The SMC Kindergarten students joined our carnival this year and opened the track events with an entertaining and heartwarming 60m dash.

The Groves siblings, Sarayha and Cooper were standout performers, undefeated in all track and field events, setting the bar high for records to beat for years to come. The 11 years boys division was fiercely competitive, however Twins Ned and Charlie impressed spectators with their dominating performances, leaving the crowd in awe as they consistently outpaced their competitors and showcased their remarkable athletic prowess.

This year, Vortex throw and circular relays were introduced for the first time adding new athletics skills to the event. A highlight of the day was the Parent v Staff v Student circular relay. Winning in style was one of our Parent teams, comprised of super  athletes, Andrew Moody, Bec Bailey, Gina Porter and Nick Hall.

McAuley House emerged as the overall winners with a huge 132 point margin. Benjamin house took second place while Polding and Rice Houses finished 3rd and 4th respectively.

Congratulations to all athletes and a special thanks to everyone who contributed to making Athletics Day an enjoyable event to finish the term.

 Prep Class Champions - Frankie Lavery & Kash Martin

Year 1 Class Champions - Stella Crouch & Harvey Griffiths

Year 2 Class Champions - Paizley Casey & Zayden Nye

Bridie Johnson
PRIMARY SPORTS TEACHER

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YEAR TWO NEWS

With holidays fast approaching, we have been reflecting on another busy, yet successful term in Year 2. In amongst all of our engaging learning activities, we have participated in a range of important activities on our school calendar. Some of our highlights have been marching in the ANZAC Day parade, the Country Musical Festival and float, hosting Mother’s Day celebrations on the St Mary’s Campus, Founder’s Day and Athletics Day. What a fun-filled term indeed! 

In the classroom, we have been learning about sound, local landmarks, ways to heal our relationships with God and others, calculation strategies for addition and subtraction sums and number patterns - just to name a few! In English, we have been exploring informative texts, particularly information reports, which means we have  learnt about lots of different animals! This week, to wrap up our learning, we had a visit from Ranger Dan and Ranger Jackie who work with Hands On Wildlife! They brought lots of animals to show us, including a bearded dragon, a shingleback lizard, a turtle, two very small gliders, a snake and a crocodile. Ranger Dan was very knowledgeable about these animals and told us lots of interesting facts about them. We loved getting to see the lizards eat some food - although it was a pretty cold day so they weren’t really in the mood to move around, as they are cold blooded! The gliders were very shy, so we only got to touch their fur to feel how soft they were. Our favourite part was definitely when Ranger Dan trusted us enough to hold Rex the crocodile and Wiggles the snake. Nerves were running high and Miss Stevenson had gone to hide around the corner, but we all managed to overcome our fears and show the animals who was boss! Ranger Dan and Jackie really helped us to achieve success with our writing due to the knowledge and love for animals that they passed on to us. Writing an information report has never been so easy!

We are very much looking forward to a rest these holidays, but are just as excited to return to school in Term 3 to achieve more success and see what fun we can have!

Brooke Stevenson
YEAR TWO TEACHER

YEAR THREE NEWS

In Science recently, Year Three have been investigating a range of conceptual understandings of Heat Energy. On this learning journey we have also researched heat sources and looked at the amazing and miraculous properties of our Solar System. We have learned how heat can be generated, transferred, and measured.  In one experiment we measured the water temperatures of hot water and cold water, in a room, changing over time, and analysed our results in comparison with our predictions. After we discussed our results, we wrote up our explanation and discussed how our new learnings could be transferred to new situations.

Rodney Lane
ASSISTANT TO THE PRINCIPAL - PEDAGOGY AND LEARNING

YEAR FOUR NEWS

It has been great to get to know the students in Year 4 over the last two weeks since joining the class as their teacher. We have been continuing with our literacy and numeracy routines and have explored chemical sciences in detail.

For this investigation, students had to choose four materials. Once they had chosen their materials to test, they developed their investigation, such as whether they were going to test their materials for strength or if they were waterproof. Most chose waterproof, so they could have a play with some water!

Before any testing could be done, we made predictions for each material. The students then went about testing each material and recording their findings. Once the investigation was complete, as a class, we reflected on how the investigation could be improved in the future.

The main learning outcome for chemical sciences in Year 4 is that students understand that natural and human-made materials have different properties, which influence how we use them.

Lyle Patterson
YEAR FOUR TEACHER

BOOK WEEK ON THE SM CAMPUS

RESIDENTIAL NEWS

Dear Parents/Caregivers,

It has been a busy term so far, and this week is no different. Our Year 10 students are engaged in their work experience placements, while our Year 8 and 9 students are all preparing for camp.

Congratulations to everyone who participated in the Interhouse Athletics Carnival. A special mention goes to our residential students who earned Age Champion titles: India Bulsey, Jorja Holznagel, Clay Struckel, Tahlia Burns, and Tom Scholes, and our runners-up: Toby King, Lailana Ned, Tallis McKnight, Ruby King, Latisha Spratt, Shaun Gould, Max Campbell, and Raymond Johnson.

Best of luck to all our athletes who will be participating in QISSRL or QISSN over the holidays. I am sure all of your training and hard work has put you in good stead for the competition. Additionally, safe travels to all students and staff going on the New Zealand ski trip. What a truly memorable experience!

I hope that all our families enjoy the holidays with their children and take this time to refresh and reconnect. Getting to know all our students and their families has been an incredible experience. Most importantly, I would like to thank Caroline Jarmey, Natalie Moody, and Michelle Burns for all their support and assistance during my tenure. These ladies have been of great assistance, and it has been a pleasure working with them and our residences team. It is a memory I will look back on fondly.

Jordan Marty
ACTING DEPUTY PRINCIPAL - PASTORAL/RESIDENTIAL

IN THIS EDITION OF SCHOOLTV - BODY IMAGE

Kids today are more obsessed with their body image than those in past generations. This is partially influenced by the media and their social connectivity. Encouraging kids to have a healthy body image in childhood, can lay the foundations for good physical and mental health later in life.

A recent study highlighted that body image is one of the top three concerns for Australian youth. Over half of girls in high schools have tried to lose weight. One-third of teenage boys wanted to be thinner and another third wanted to be larger. Children need to understand that their body shape and size is not a reflection of their health or success. Parents and schools need to work together to help kids understand that everyone is born with their own ‘body-suit’.

In this edition of SchoolTV, parents will learn how to encourage their child to have a positive body image and why it is so important to their mental health.

If you have any concerns about your child, please contact the school for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to the Body Image edition of SchoolTV
https://columba.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/body-image

Aleesha Watson
GUIDANCE COUNSELLOR | REGISTERED PSYCHOLOGIST
COLUMBA CATHOLIC COLLEGE

JCU OPEN DAY