Columba Catholic College Newsletter Volume 27 No. 11 - 22nd August 2024

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Dear Parents, Caregivers and Friends of the College,

Pope Francis said; “Let us never forget that authentic power is service.” Last week the Mt Carmel Senior Leadership Team had the privilege of supporting our Year 11 students as they applied to serve the College in student leadership roles for 2025. Our Year 11 students reflected and shared their views on servant leadership, and what it means to be a student leader at our College. Members of the Senior Leadership Team were most impressed during the interviews regarding the passion, knowledge and commitment each student demonstrated when speaking of their vision for student leadership at the College in 2025. 

During my recent College Principal’s Address to the Year 11 students in the Chapel, as part of the College Leadership Ritual, I highlighted that our College leadership program is aimed at empowering students to take on significant roles in the College and in the community, valuing social justice. We encourage our student leaders to engage in activities that promote positive change in our world and model our College’s mission and values; Courage, Commitment and Compassion and to be ‘a light to the world’. We pray for God's blessings and guidance as we move forward with the College student leadership process for 2025 and thank Christine O’Sullivan for her leadership of this area. 

This week we will host our second College Student Leadership lunch with our Primary and Secondary student leaders and the Senior Leadership Team. Our lunch together is an opportunity for our College student leaders to discuss their ideas regarding our school with the Senior Leadership Team. It is also a formal opportunity to recognise and thank our student leaders for their service to the College. 

Our College has been a hum of activity, showcasing the wide range of opportunities on offer, via our holistically balanced program. Our thanks to Christine O’Sullivan for leading a meaningful and reflective Staff Retreat last Wednesday evening in the Chapel where we discussed the ‘10 Characteristics of Prayer in a Catholic Dialogue School’ and reflected on our draft College Prayer. This was also followed by professional development, delivered by Lee-Ann Barton and Mary Mudge, on the same topic on Tuesday. These important reflections will continue at College staff meetings. 

Last week at St Mary’s Campus celebrated Book Week ‘Reading is Magic’ with a wonderful Book Week parade on Monday 12th August. Our thanks to Paula Smith and Megan Lucas for helping to lead in our College Book Week events, and to all staff and students participating and demonstrating our love for reading. Our Mt Carmel Campus will host a Book Week door decoration this week and participate in a Book Week Character dress-up parade on Friday 23rd August. 

The College participated in a range of activities last week for National Prevention of Bullying Week, with a focus on promoting positive relationships and respect. Our College secondary debaters did an outstanding job on Tuesday 13th August for the final debating round, hosted at Mt Carmel campus. Our thanks to Leanne Brandis for facilitating debating at the College, and to the staff and students who particpated. Last week the College also hosted activities supporting National Science Week, including ‘Pause for a Minute for Science’. Our thanks to Leanne Brandis and supporting staff, for leading in our activities for Science Week.

Our Ride to School Program last Wednesday 14th August was a great success and our thanks goes to Bridie Johnson, parents, and students for their support. 

Our students have excitedly started Eisteddfod preparations for the Charters Towers Performing Arts Festival. Columba Catholic College is proud to be a Silver Sponsor of this special event. Thank you to Kalinda Large, supporting staff, and students, for helping to coordinate and rehearse for this event. We invite you to book a ticket and see our talented College students, showcasing their performance skills and creativity on display, over the next two weeks. 

Our College Board will formally meet on Thursday 22nd July. College Strategic objectives, school improvement plans, achievements and developments will be a focus for our meeting. We thank our Columba Catholic College Board for their support of our College and in sharing their wisdom and experience. Over the next few weeks the College Senior Leadership Team will be involved with two internal Strategic Planning days, with a focus on College strategic planning for 2025 and recruitment. 

On Saturday 24th August some of our St Mary’s students will travel to Townsville and participate in OptiMINDS https://opti-minds.com/about-us/. Optiminds has a fun focus and supports thinking, problem-solving and creativity skills. We thank Kara Dawson and Sonia Wood for their leadership of this event and wish the best for all our students attending.

Safety, security, and the wellbeing of all our College staff and students is central to all that we do. Over the past few weeks the College has hosted campus-based Fire and Lockdown Drills, testing, practising, and reinforcing our policies and procedures in these important safety areas. My thanks to College staff and students for the calm and efficient manner they demonstrated during these drills. 

Looking ahead, I would like to thank Maria Peck and the supporting team for the planning and arrangement of our upcoming College Secondary Year 8 and 9 Subject Information Evening on Wednesday 28th August at 7.00pm in the Mt Carmel Campus Chapel and the Year 10 SET Plan Interviews that are ongoing. A great deal of time and effort goes into these events and we are most blessed to have Maria Peck’s leadership and curriculum expertise at our College. 

Our thanks to our dedicated College staff, students, families, and Parish community for supporting our school, as we grow together in faith, purpose, and knowledge.

Wishing you many blessings,

Jacqueline McNalty
PRINCIPAL

A Prayer for the Sick

Please keep in your prayers for healing and strength Daryl Paxton and family.

PRINCIPAL UPDATES

SM CAMPUS BOOK WEEK - READING IS MAGIC!

Thank you to all students and staff who participated in our St Mary’s Book Week Parade on Monday 12th August. Well done to all for the creative costumes and for demonstrating your love of reading/ books at Columba Catholic College! Thank you to Paula Smith for her leadership of this event.

ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER YEAR 12 BLAK EXCELLENCE AWARDS

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Year 12 BLAK Excellence Awards will be hosted on Thursday 29th August from 12.30 pm and will be followed by a Graduation Liturgy that evening. I will be attending this special event along with our College’s First Nations Peoples staff, Lorette Tassan and Jessie Huen.

YEAR 6 CANBERRA TRIP 1st SEPTEMBER - 5TH SEPTEMBER

Information has been sent home to all Year 6 families with an Information Evening hosted at MCC at 5.30 pm on Monday 19th August. Our appreciation to Rodney Lane, Gerard Webber, Sonia Wood and Jahana Critchley for their leadership and arrangement of this wonderful opportunity for our Year 6 students.

COLLEGE REFLECTIVE PRACTICE DAY (STUDENT FREE) 30TH AUGUST

The College will host a Reflective Practice Day which is a Professional Development day for all staff (student free day). Staff are focusing on professional development training related to our College’s Strategic Plans in Learning and Teaching, with a key focus on literacy.

UPDATE TO ENROLMENT & FINANCE TERMS

Enrolment Terms and Conditions
When a student is accepted for enrolment at our school, parents/carers/guardians sign a Student Enrolment Agreement which contains important terms and conditions. These terms and conditions are updated from time to time, and were last updated earlier this year.
 
The Conditions of Enrolment are available on our school website here. Please contact the Principal if you would like to discuss the information contained in these documents.
 
Media/Photography/Video Consent for students 
 
During the enrolment process, parents/carers/guardians consent to the use of images of their child. The consent is outlined below. Parents who wish to withdraw this consent should contact the school.
 
Photos, video footage and work samples of students are used regularly by the school for the purpose of acknowledging the efforts of the student/school, or for promotion, marketing or advertising the school or Catholic Education. Parents consent to the student being photographed or filmed for school, Catholic Education or Townsville Catholic Diocese related communication or for education purposes. Parents understand this may include media (e.g. television, radio, publications), school publications (e.g. newsletters, year books), online media (e.g. websites) and social media (e.g. Facebook, Instagram). Please note the student’s name and voice may be included with the photograph/video. Parent’s understand it is their responsibility to notify the school if they do not wish to consent to the student’s photograph/ video appearing in any or all of the above, or if they wish to withdraw this authorisation and consent.

Thank you to all for sharing your gifts and talents and for being a ‘light to the world’.

Jacqueline McNalty
PRINCIPAL

STUDENT FREE DAY

NATIONAL BULLYING PREVENTION WEEK

Last week we participated in activities for National Bullying Prevention Week. At Columba Catholic College we strive to promote positive relationships, feeling supported and connected to our peers, and making sure others feel the same. It was wonderful to see various Mt Carmel staff and students wear purple or dress-up as superheroes, visually representing our College’s stance against bullying and promoting our gospel values of peace, love, and dignity of the human person. Families may like to refer to this helpful resource for more information about this important topic. https://bullyingnoway.gov.au/support-and-advice/for-families

NATIONAL SCIENCE WEEK

From the 12th- 17th August our College celebrated National Science Week. At the Mt Carmel campus, students and staff participated in a ‘Identify the Scientist’ activity during assembly, asking a range of questions to discover who the scientist was, based on a prop. Students were also encouraged to speak about science for 15 seconds to earn a slice of periodic table cake! We thank Mrs. Leanne Brandis and staff for supporting us in this important week.

COLLEGE SPORT

Cricket

The First XI remain unbeaten in the Interschool cricket season with a convincing win against ASSG last week. Captain Harry Pickering led from the front scoring 125 in a team total of 188. Arlo Kempster-Barry was a stand out with the ball with 3 for 5 from his 4 overs, restricting ASSG to 75.

Softball

Our College Opens Softball Team fought a tight game last week, winning 6-5 against ASSG. Great work team!

Rugby League

Congratulations to our College Firsts XIII who are heading to the Gold Coast on the 11th September for the NRL Schoolboy Trophy Grand Final, trying to defend their title from last year. We thank our dedicated coaches, supporters, staff, students and families for their support and wish the team well!

Netball

Last week three of our Columba Catholic College teams began the netball finals. Sadly Columba Juniors were defeated by ASSG and are now out of the competition. Well done to best and fairest player Kalani and congratulations to the team on a fantastic season. Columba 13’s and 14’s both had a win and will now move onto the next round of finals on Wednesday 21st August. We wish our teams in the finals the very best of luck!  Well done to last week's best and fairest players Kaitlyn from 14’s and Kyler-Jane from 13’s. 

BOOK WEEK ON SM CAMPUS

READING IS MAGIC!

Book Week is a special time when schools and libraries across Australia join in the celebration of children’s literature.  During this time, children are encouraged to dress as their favourite book characters to take part in book week parades. However, Book Week is so much more than just another school dress-up day; it is an annual celebration that encourages children to connect with books and reading on a fun, personal level.  Book Week activities are another powerful way to allow children to engage more closely with books and the written word.

The Reading is Magic photo booth was a popular meeting space before the St Mary’s Book Week Parade. A big thank you to all students, families and staff for the marvelous character costumes, I am sure you have checked out the photos on facebook.  During Terms two and three, Mrs Smith read a lot of the short listed books in the Annual Book of the Year Awards and students are anxiously awaiting the national results to see if they chose the same book in each category.  Children enjoyed activities around these books and a favourite was The Concrete Garden.  St Mary’s Campus had many extra colourful gardens that Mr Hope didn’t have to water!  Gymnastica fantastica!, another short listed book, was celebrated during lunch hour.  Students enjoyed their gymnastic activities with flying scarves, hoops and twirling ribbon.

The younger students were treated to an Author Visit during Book Week.  Jodie Pollock, a well know Charters Towers local has written and published a book Amy the Cake Loving Cow.  The students enjoyed Ms Pollock reading her book and then celebrated by icing a special cup cake.  The library was aglow with sprinkles and smiles.

Book Fair has, once again, provided many books and treats for students as well as providing resources for the St Mary’s Library.

BOOK WEEK ON THE MC CAMPUS

Reading is Magic

August 19th – 23rd August

On the Mount Carmel campus, we have been running a Decorate the Door competition. All PC groups have been decorating the door of their PC classroom, ready for judging on Friday 23 August. The best door will win a prize for their PC group!

In addition to our Decorate the Door competition, we will also hold our annual Book Week dress-up day on Friday 23 August. Prizes will be awarded to the best dressed in every year level, as well as the best dressed staff member. I hope you have your costumes ready!

We are looking forward to celebrating Book Week 2024!

FROM THE DEPUTY PRINCIPAL - TEACHING & LEARNING

DATE CLAIMER FOR YEAR 8 AND 9 PARENTS

2025 YEAR 9 AND 10 SUBJECT INFORMATION EVENING: WEDNESDAY 28^TH AUGUST 2024

Parents of current Year 8 and 9 students  are invited to attend a subject information evening on Wednesday 28^th August 2024 commencing at 7:00pm in the Mount Carmel Campus Chapel. For Year 8 students it is a time to choose subjects that may lead to a pathway in the future, while Year 9 students should be starting to narrow a future direction with their subject selection. Students and parents / caregivers will be able to find out information about the elective subjects on offer in 2025. If parents / caregivers of residential students are unable to attend the evening, the information distributed will be emailed to all parents.

YEAR 12 TRIAL MOCK ASSESSMENTS

Year 12 students will undertake trial Mock assessments from Wednesday 4^th September until Tuesday 11^th September 2024. During this time students will attend normal classes unless they are undertaking an assessment. Students may have two assessments on the one day. Students will be provided with an External Assessment Equipment List and will be required to arrange the required equipment for each assessment.

Students are expected to complete the trial mock external assessments as these will provide them with valuable feedback about how they are progressing in preparation for the upcoming external assessments. If students are going to be absent for an assessment please contact the College office prior to the assessment. Students must complete an AARA form and attach the relevant documentation to it for consideration. Please submit the AARA application to the office.

Students enrolled in applied subjects will be continuing with course work and completing assessment as per the assessment calendar.

YEAR 12 YOUNG DRIVER EDUCATION PROGRAM

On Thursday 12 September, all year 12 students will participate in the Drive Safe Schools Program (SKIDS) facilitated by the Advanced Driver Training Centre at the Dalrymple Trade Training Centre and Charters Towers Airport.

FROM THE DEPUTY PRINCIPAL - PASTORAL & RESIDENTIAL

Dear Parents, Caregivers, Students and Friends of the College,

Term 3 has been a very busy term indeed. The numerous events and sporting activities on offer have been nothing short of incredible. Softball, Netball, Interschool Athletics, Debating, Rugby League, Cricket, Touch Football, Taste of Secondary, Taste of Boarding, SET planning, Senior Formal, Validation, Year 10 Student and Parent Information evening and the Year 11 Leadership Retreat are just some of the events and activities that our school has been involved so far this term.  Add in the rigours of the academic agendas, and it is no wonder that our students and staff will be looking forward to that much needed rest and recreation at term’s end. There is so much on offer that all students have the opportunity to become actively involved and contribute to the Columba family. 

YEAR 11 LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

As briefly mentioned prior, the Year 11 students have been engaged in the Senior Student Leadership Program. The program includes the Year 11 Leadership Retreat, interviews for various positions—House Captain, SRC Prefects, College and Residential Captains, presentations from the Year 12 Student Leadership Team and College Leadership Team, and finally the Voting Ritual which took place on Friday morning, 16 August during Lesson 1. I am highly confident that those who are elected into the various positions will lead the College community well. A big thank you to Ms O’Sullivan for overseeing this program. 

BULLYING NO WAY: NATIONAL WEEK OF ACTION

Last week (12-16 August), the College was involved in the National Bullying Prevention Week. This year’s theme was Bullying No Way – Everyone Belongs. There were a range of activities that students and staff participated in with the highlight being Superheroes Against Bullying Day (14 August) when students and staff dressed up as their favourite superhero to signify their support against bullying. Many thanks to Aleesha Watson for her support in this area.

RUOK DAY

Thursday, 12 September 2024, is the national day of action dedicated to reminding everyone that every day is the day to ask, “Are you OK?” and support those struggling with life's challenges. This for the main is known as RUOK Day and this year's message is “Ask R U OK? Any Day” because life happens every day. A lot can happen in a year, a month, a week.  Whether it’s your friend, family member, or teammate, the people you care about go through life’s ups and downs every day. By having regular, meaningful conversations, you build trust and normalise talking about what’s really going on, so when the people in your world find themselves struggling, they know you’re someone they can talk to. So whilst R U OK? Day on Thursday September 12 is the National Day of Action, we encourage you to Ask R U OK? Any Day of the year because a conversation could change a life. 

Adding further, if you feel like something’s not quite right with someone you know, then there is a good chance that something may be going on in their life which may be impacting them in a negative way. Trust that gut instinct and take the time to ask them “Are you OK?”  and if someone indicates or states that they’re not OK, take the time to listen to them, and encourage them to take action. Finally, it is good practice to regularly check in with someone who may have been or is currently struggling to meet life’s challenges, for that conversation could change, or even save, their life. Please take the time to visit the RUOK website at www.ruok.org.au for more information on this very worthwhile cause. 

UNIFORM DAYS

I would like to now draw your attention to the College Uniform Procedure, and I have included the uniforms required to be worn each day as shown in the table below. Please note:

STUDENT UNIFORM SECONDARY CAMPUS

I also refer to several excerpts from the College handbook in reference to the College uniform;

• Jewellery is limited to the following items only:
• girls may wear plain gold or silver ear studs/sleepers, (two small, plain studs or sleepers per ear only – must be a matching pair worn in the ear lobe),
• one signet, gold or silver band ring,
• one watch,
• one simple gold or silver chain with a Christian religious medallion may be worn.
• Make-up and nail polish are NOT permitted.
• Gentlemen must maintain a clean-shaven face each school day.
• Hair colourings/styles should not be outlandish. Long hair on girls MUST be tied back. Boys to have short back and side hair style. Fashion extremes are to be avoided. Students who have excessive hair colouring or cuts may be required to wear a hat until the offending colour or style is removed.

It is not optional for students to digress from the uniform policy unless there is a valid reason. If a student is in the incorrect uniform, then the Pastoral Care teacher must be informed the same morning that the student is wearing the incorrect uniform. Three (3) uniform infringements issued across one term will result in the offending student being issued with a Thursday after school detention. Please note that this comes from a good place as the College has a standard that needs to be adhered to.

UNIFORM COMMITTEE 

Over the course of the last 12 months, the College has been conducting a minor uniform review. A uniform committee was formed with various members across the College community involved in the project. I am happy to announce that there will be a new College blazer and College hat that will be introduced next year. More details in regard to the introduction of the uniform changes will be provided later on in the year.  I would like to thank all of those staff, students and parents who assisted with the process thus far.

STUDY ASSISTANCE

I strongly encourage students who need assistance with their studies to attend Homework Club. This is a valuable program that students can access on a Thursday afternoon from 3:05 to 4:05pm. Homework Club is supervised by teachers who volunteer their time to assist students with completing their homework, assistance with assessment, consolidate work covered in class etc. 

CYBERSAFETY

In regard to social issues, one of the biggest challenges that schools face today is the problem of cyberbullying.  It can be broadly defined as the repetitive and deliberate use of information technologies to intentionally harm another. Cyberbullying behaviour includes the sending of mean and nasty video clips , text messages, pictures and emails to another person either using the internet or mobile phones. The inappropriate use of social networking technologies such as Facebook, Snapchat and MSN can have far-reaching consequences. For the recipient of cyberbullying, the consequences can range from total disengagement at a social and school level to anxiety and depression at a personal level. For the perpetrator (if it is a school related matter), the consequences can range from counselling to suspension and can involve the Queensland Police Service if the cyberbullying is of a criminal nature. 

If a parent/caregiver is aware that a child is the recipient of cyberbullying we encourage you to contact either the appropriate Pastoral Leader responsible for the Pastoral care of that student or myself. Furthermore help can be obtained from the following sources:

• Kids Helpline, on 1800551800 or online at www.kidshelp.com.au/teens/get-help/web-counselling
• Bullying No Way at www.bullyingnoway.com.au
• Cybersafety Contact Centre on 1800880176

DRIVING TO SCHOOL

Driving to School. With an increasing number of the College’s senior students driving to school, it is timely to remind parents/caregivers that “A Permission To Drive Vehicle To School” form needs to be completed and signed off on by all stakeholders first. For those students who have obtained permission from the College to drive to school, their keys must be handed into Student reception on arrival at the College. Students may collect their keys from the same reception area at the conclusion of the school day. Under no circumstances are students to provide other students with a lift without obtaining the appropriate clearance first. 

ATTENDANCE

Education in QLD is compulsory for children between the ages of 6 - 16 years, unless the child has completed Year 10. This means that parents and caregivers of children who are of compulsory school age must ensure that their child is enrolled in a school and attends school on every school day unless the parent has a  reasonable excuse. Reasonable excuses can include illness or medical treatment, doing approved work experience, participating in a school or regional sporting or other events or attendance at a significant family event such as a funeral. Unreasonable excuses include birthdays, shopping, visiting family and friends, sleeping in, looking after other family children, haircuts or leaving early for the school holidays. Please note that there can be consequences for non-compliance in relation to student absenteeism - both legal and loss of learning.    

RUGBY 7S GALA DAY

On Tuesday 10 September, commencing from 2.30 pm, many of our students will be participating in the Rugby 7s Gala Day hosted by Columba. Food and beverages will be on offer during the event. It will be a fantastic event for the Charters Towers local community. Students, Parents and friends are most welcome to attend to cheer our teams on.

END OF TERM 

Finally, it is expected that all students attend classes at the College until the very last day, Friday 13 September. An early mark to the holidays or going home to work are not considered reasonable excuses for an early departure. Every day counts and your child/ren’s education is always the College’s number one priority. Have a great end to the term.

 Regards,

Daniel Kyle 
DEPUTY PRINCIPAL - PASTORAL & RESIDENTIAL

MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT AND MAIN ROADS

The Queensland Government remains committed to ensuring the safety of students travelling to and from schools and will install flashing school zone signs (FSZS) in 100 school zones across Queensland, during the 2024-25 financial year.

It gives me great pleasure to advise you that Columba Catholic College (Charters Towers) will be receiving FSZS in the Columbia Street/ Gauvin Street school zone. A representative from the Department of Transport and Main Roads will contact you to discuss the planned works several weeks prior to the installation and before the end of June 2025. 

Installation of FSZS at Columba Catholic College (Charters Towers) will improve visibility of the school zone and serve as an active reminder for motorists to slow down when children are out and about. Several important factors are considered when assessing school zones for flashing lights, such as crash history, traffic volumes, pedestrian movements, the speed limit and visibility. This ensures FSZS are delivered to priority sites across Queensland. FSZS have been a success since the program was introduced in 2012. Since then, FSZS have been installed at more than 1390 Queensland school zones. 

SMC TERM 3 CLASS AWARDS

WEEK 5 - I GIVE MY PERSONAL BEST

Prep: Samuel Wilson

Year 1A: Pippa Emerson

Year 1B: Deegan Stanford

Year 2: Ava Bailey

Year 3: Adelyn Whitby

Year 4: Jack Maltby

Year 5: Xavier Whyte

Year 6A: Hunter McNalty

Year 6B:  Oscar O’Sullivan

WEEK 6 - I AM ATTENTIVE AND FOLLOW DIRECTIONS

Prep: Kash Martin

Year 1A: Harvey Griffiths

Year 1B: Landan Bramich

Year 2: Zayden Nye

Year 3: Annabelle Sproat

Year 4: Alexiis Bramich

Year 5: Alex Jeffries

Year 6A: Brodie Beatty

Year 6B:  Keisha-Rose Nye

YEAR 5 NEWS

Year 5 has been having a productive and busy Term Three!

In Religion, the students have been learning all about St Mary of the Cross Mackillop which will culminate in them creating a series of story book pages for assessment.  

The class is currently working on the Geography strand of HASS with students learning about our impact on the characteristics of places, and severe Australian weather events. Students will soon begin researching either floods, bushfires, droughts or cyclones and will write an information report which they have been learning about in their genre work in English. Students will then use this knowledge to create a short video on how to prepare for a weather event for Media Arts.

In Science, the students are learning about the properties of matter with Ms Johnson. The students have completed a number of fun experiments looking at solids, liquids and gases. 

Maths lessons have been focussing on Measurement and Geometry. The class has completed a wide array of activities including hands-on experiences, book work and online work (a special favourite of Year 5 is a kahoot quiz).  

With all that has been going on in class, the students have also been preparing for the Charters Towers Eisteddfod this week. A number of our classmates are involved in solo and group presentations, and we wish them the best of luck. 

A big congratulations goes to Harry Peterson and Toa Waerea who have been selected for NQ trials for Cricket. Harry and Toa have also been selected to participate in NQ trials for Athletics, along with Samantha Jackson Patino and Cooper Groves from Year 5. 

Toa, Harry and Samantha, along with Fletcher Scholes, were awarded ribbons for their work submitted to the Charters Towers Show - Well done!

Jemma Webber

YEAR 5 TEACHER

YEAR 4 NEWS

This term, Year 4 has been very busy with a range of learning experiences. Some of our key inquiry topics this term have been on the First Fleet (HASS) and Earth Sciences. 

We have explored the different reasons why Great Britain sent convicts to Australia, and the impacts early settlers had on the land and also First Nations peoples. 

In Earth Science we have looked at the layers of the earth and began to explore the top layer of soil. Year 4 has discovered that different types of soil contain different amounts of humus (organic matter), and that water affects soil in various ways. 

Have a look some of the soil experiments we have done thus far.

We still have some more exciting experiments to do for Science this term. 

Mr. Lyle Paterson

YEAR 4 TEACHER

YEAR 1A NEWS

Hello from Year 1A!

We have been buzzing with excitement as we dive into all our learning adventures across English, Mathematics, Geography, Art, and Religion.

In English, our creative juices are flowing as we work on writing our very own Eric Carle-inspired stories. Each student is busy crafting a tale about a very interesting animal. Among a growing many, we have … ‘The Hide-and-Seek Grasshopper’, ‘The Very Green Cricket’ and ‘The Very Helpful Cheetah’.

In Mathematics, we have been having a blast exploring shapes and patterns. The students have been working together to make 2D shapes with their bodies—how awesome is that? We have also been using 'really cool things' like playdough, toy animals, paddle pop sticks and beads to create some fantastic repeating patterns. It has been heaps of fun!

In Geography, we have been exploring natural, managed, and constructed places in our local area. This week, the students not only shared their favourite local places by drawing pictures, but they described how to care for them. It turns out we have a class full of sports enthusiasts, Macca's fans, and little shoppers!

In Visual Art, we have been getting inspired by contemporary Australian artists. The students recently created stunning landscape water paintings, using the techniques of Bronwyn Bancroft to apply shape, colour, and patterns. They turned out gorgeous and we cannot wait to put them on display at the end of term and invite you to view them at our ‘Art Gallery’.

In Religion, we have been taking a trip back in time to explore what daily life was like in Jewish communities during the time of Jesus. The kids are loving discovering all these fascinating details from the past, especially when they get to act it!

And here is something really cool: Did you know that our class is full of future artists, authors, and mathematicians? We cannot wait to see where all this learning takes us!

Until next time, keep smiling and learning!

Louise Loadsman
YEAR 1A TEACHER

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MYQCE COMPETITION FOR YEAR 10-12 STUDENTS

The myQCE website, e-newsletter, Instagram account and enquiry service provide information and resources for senior students about the Queensland Certificate of Education, pathways planning and successful learning. The Student Portal gives senior students secure access to information related to their senior studies, including subject enrolments and results.

The myQCE competition opens on Monday 8 July and closes on Friday 13 September. It offers Years 10–12 students a chance to win one of three prizes: a MacBook Air, an iPad Air with an Apple Pencil, or a pair of AirPods Max headphones.

To enter the competition students must:

• follow the myQCE Instagram account
• like a myQCE Instagram post
• tag three friends in the comments
• register for the Student Portal (if they haven’t already), log in and check/update their information such as their personal email address and phone number.

Students can enter the competition and find more information here.

Maria Peck
DEPUTY PRINCIPAL - LEARNING AND TEACHING

YEAR 12 MATHS AND SCIENCE - ONLINE ACADEMIC BOOTCAMPS

External exam preparation - Online Academic Bootcamps for Year 12 Maths and Science students

Dates: (September School holidays)

• Mon 16th - Thurs 18th September - Mathematics Methods or General Mathematics
• Mon 23rd - Thurs 26th September - Physics, Chemistry or Biology
• Cost: $90 / subject, includes posted hard copy of student study booklet.

The Online Academic Bootcamps are intensive 4-day courses designed as interactive workshops and are delivered by experienced Year 12 teachers who are subject specialists and are currently teaching these units in schools.  All sessions will be recorded and shared with participating students on course completion, as an additional personalised study tool for their external exams.

The attached flyer provides all the relevant registration information and QR code. Students can also register directly via the direct link  Online Academic Bootcamp or through the 'ONLINE bootcamps: Register now'  tab on website: www.griffith.edu.au/griffith-sciences/science-on-the-go/stem-pathways/academic-bootcamps

Also available are financial support bursary positions for students to cover the registration fees for our 2024 Online Academic Bootcamps. 

CHARTERS TOWERS LANGUAGES SPEAKING COMPETITION 2024

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RIDE TO SCHOOL MORNING FOR THE SM CAMPUS

As part of the Towers Rush lead-in events Adventurethon are again running our very popular Ride 2 School mornings in 2024. Local Police and Charters Towers Council assist with Rides 2 School to help ensure the safety of participants so it would be fantastic if schools also contributed by helping get the message out to students and their parents to ensure we see good numbers of students ride. These events also provide a great opportunity for teachers to ride and interact with their students outside of the school confines and in a friendly communal atmosphere, something that can help build stronger bonds and understanding between students and teachers.

Additionally, in previous years we have noted that some students who would love to have participated were unable to do so because their bikes were not functional. To assist those students we are presently negotiating to try and provide some bike maintenance workshops to enable students to get their bikes working to a safe standard so that they are not excluded because they lack the knowledge and/or assistance to repair their bikes. We will provide more information about the workshops soon.

The Ride 2 School schedule for 2024 is:

RIDE TO SCHOOL IS BACK NEXT WEEK!

Less than a week to go before we hit the streets for the always popular Ride to School!

Tuesday 3 September

 All Souls St Gabriels School, Blackheath & Thornburgh College & Richmond Hill State School

Start from Charters Towers Airport (Corinda Ave)

Wednesday  4 September

Charters Towers Central State School, Columba Catholic College Charters Towers & Millchester State School Cnr Mt Leyshon Rd & Lister St

Meeting time will be 7:00AM.

Don't forget to bring your helmets and enthusiasm!

To register or find information click here https://bit.ly/CTRC-TowersRush

RESIDENTIAL NEWS

Dear Parents, Caregivers, Staff and Students of the Columba Residential Community,

It has been a fairly busy fortnight and the students have settled well and truly back into normal boarding routine. The smell of  finals club footy and club netball is in the air and many of the boarders will be involved. I wish our teams and boarders the best of luck with the upcoming finals.

Last weekend the residential students (boys and girls) traveled to Country Bank Stadium in Townsville to watch their beloved Cowboys take on the Canberra Raiders. Fortunately, the Cowboys put on a show and came away comprehensive winners. Our students also got to mingle with the locals on the footy field at the end of the game. A  big thank you to Mrs Jarmey and Mrs Moody for organising the trip to Townsville. From what I have been able to ascertain, they all had a wonderful time.

The Boarders' Long Weekend (30 August - 1st September) is rapidly approaching and the staff and students are very much looking forward to the extended weekend. The boys will be traveling to Townsville and will stay at Ingenia Holiday Park. The highlight of the weekend will be the students and staff for that matter, playing paintball at Black River. As in past years, the girls will be traveling to Airlie Beach and will reside at the Big Four Caravan Park. No doubt the ladies will enjoy their time chilling around the pool and engaging in the other activities on offer. I would like to thank Mrs Jarmey and Mrs Moody for organising their respective events. 

Last week, Wednesday 14 August, a  number of Year 11 students presented their leadership speeches to the boarding community. All of the students presented well thought out and inspirational speeches and did themselves and families proud. Whoever is appointed to the roles of Residential Captains and Vice Captains, I am highly confident that they will serve their residences with distinction.  

Regards,

Dan Kyle
DEPUTY PRINCIPAL - PASTORAL & RESIDENTIAL

GET TO KNOW OUR RESIDENTIAL TEAM

Name: Bradley Christensen.

Role: Boarding Supervisor. 

Originally from: Charters Towers.

An interesting fact: “I am” is the shortest complete sentence in the English language. 

Hobbies: mainly spending time with my kids, but I squeeze in golf, cricket and video games where I can. 

Favorite Food: Sushi.

Favorite Song: The Shortest Straw by Metallica or The Way I Am by Eminem. 

Favourite Movie: Fallen with Denzel Washington .

How long have you been at CCC?: I am coming up on a year employment with CCC.

Where did you do schooling???: I did pre-school to Graduating year 12 at Columba Catholic College. From 2000-2012. 

Name: Natalie Moody.

Role at Columba: Acting Head of Girls’ Boarding.

Originally from: The Lynd Station. A cattle property 3 hours north of Charters Towers.

An interesting fact: I am actually a triplet!

Hobbies: In my spare time I love to do crossfit or go for a walk up Charters Towers hill with my son Darcy.

Favourite movie: Pearl Harbour.

Favourite meal: Roast lamb and veggies.

Favourite Music/ Artist: Taylor Swift or anything country.

Where did you complete your schooling? I did Primary school at Greenvale State School and high school as a boarder at Columba Catholic College.

Best piece of advice: A colleague once said to me a great leader has to have three things, a back bone, a brain and a heart. This has always stuck with me whenever I’ve stepped into a leadership position.

Most favourite part of your job: I think being able to build so many wonderful connections/relationships with the girls is truly a blessing in our job. Being a House Parent to over 60 girls is such a privilege. We are these girls “acting” mums for most of the year. I truly believe we have one of the most rewarding jobs in the world.

TRANSITION DAYS TO PREP 2025

UNDER 8'S DAY

PROSPECT COMMUNITY DAY

ST JOSEPH'S MUNDINGBURRA - CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS 22-25 AUGUST 2024