Columba Catholic College Newsletter Volume 28 No. 10th- 23rd October 2024

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Dear Parents, Caregivers, and Friends of Columba Catholic College.

A warm welcome back to Term 4!

I hope that you had a restful and enjoyable holiday time with your friends and family. I was blessed to have a few days of family time at beautiful Magnetic Island where fishing was the main focus. I hope that your September holiday time was rejuvenating as well. As we return to school, I would like to mention some of the wonderful events hosted at the College at the end of Term 3. These included a very successful Inter School Rugby 7’s event at our Mt Carmel Campus, our Year 12 students participating in their mock exams, supporting RUOK Day via wearing a touch of yellow and hosting a very successful Under 8’s Day at our St Mary’s Campus. Our sincere thanks to all involved and to those who supported our Term 3 College events. 

We are also very proud of our College Firsts XIII who made it back to the Grand Final of the NRL Schoolboy Trophy on September 11th on the Gold Coast. It was a very close game with scores locked up at 16 all, until Xavier Catholic College kicked a 48m penalty goal after the final siren. We thank our dedicated coaches, supporters, staff, students and families for their support. Our Columba Catholic College team deserves to hold their heads high after an incredible season of schoolboy rugby league. Well done! 

Our prayers are with Sister Ellen’s family. Sister Ellen played a significant role in supporting the College. A Mass for the Dead and her eternal repose was held at 10am at St. Columba's Parish on Monday 16th September. Grant unto Sister Ellen eternal life and let eternal light shine upon her. Over the September holidays we were proud to have two College students, Grace Kuhl and Mollie Ebsworth, participate in the Ignite Catholic Youth Conference in Brisbane with the focus theme of ‘Rise Up’ and they participated in a range of faith formation activities. We thank them for their leadership and representation of our College. 

Our thanks to our College office team, facilities, and ground staff, for supporting our College over the break and maintaining our beautiful grounds. Improvements to our roads at our Mt Carmel campus have been moved to the December holidays, with roadworks planned for St Mary’s in 2025. We have received handover of our beautiful new College school bus and it looks very smart, wrapped in our College logo and branding. 

We wish Maria Peck the very best as she departs for her long service leave. We thank Maria Peck for her service and for her detailed handover to Ben Naughton, who will take over as Acting Deputy Principal Learning and Teaching from Week 2 of Term 4. We welcome back from long service leave Deirdre Martell and thank Louise Loadsman for standing in admirably as her replacement. We will say a fond farewell to Donna Maxsted on Wednesday 9th October as she takes up a Principal position in the State School system. We wish Donna Maxsted the very best and thank her for her service. We thank Mrs. Louise Loadsman for continuing to share her gifts and talents with the College. Louise Loadsman will be taking over as teacher for 6B after Donna Maxsted departs and she has been involved in a comprehensive handover. We thank Christine O’Sullivan for leading in P-12 Religious Education for Term 4 and sharing her APRE experience, gifts, and talents. Christine O’Sullivan will take up the APRE role at St Mary’s for Term 4 after Donna Maxsted departs. We will soon be advertising the College APRE role for 2025. 

Over the break we have been busy with the onboarding and induction of our new staff. In Term 4 we warmly welcome some talented new staff to the College; Nathan Juhas joins us as Middle Leader Health and PE and Sport/ PE teacher; Ben Naughton joins the College as Acting Deputy Principal Learning and Teaching (Term 4 2024 and Term 1 2025); Jasmine Boon joins us as our College Enrolment and Administration Officer (based at our Mt Carmel Campus) and Derryn Oss joins us as School Officer Administration (based at our St Mary's Campus). We thank our new team members for supporting our College and we are indeed blessed to have them share their gifts and talents with us. Thank you for making our new staff members feel very welcome. 

On Friday the 4 October St Mary’s hosted a Neon School disco to raise money to support our College team who have made it to the finals of the OptiMINDS challenge, hosted in Brisbane this weekend, 12-13 October. We thank Kara Dawson, Sonia Wood, Lesley Archer and Gemma Webber for their support. PAT testing will occur in Term 4 and we wish all our students well. St Mary’s campus hosted an informative Prep Information Evening on Tuesday 8 October at 6.00pm. We thank Rodney Lane, Brooke Stevenson, Donna Maxsted, and Lara Burns for leading this event and all who attended. 

On Friday 11 October our First Nations students will attend the Mental Health and Wellbeing Roadshow in Townsville and we thank all our staff who are supporting this special event. This week we celebrated Guidance Counsellor Appreciation Day and our sincere thanks to Aleesha Watson and Bradley Fissore for their dedication and care. This day coincides with Queensland Mental Health Week and emphasizes the important role our counsellors play in supporting children and young people to develop the foundations for good mental health and to support students with mental health problems. This Saturday the 12th of October we invite all our College students and families to our McAuley House Mass at 6pm at St Columba’s Parish. October is Mission Month. Students across both campuses will be participating in ‘Socktober’ on the 23 October to raise awareness and funds for those less fortunate than ourselves. 

We are very proud to celebrate our College student’s success. Our congratulations to Ruby King for being selected for the St George Dragons Lisa Fiola Squad for 2025 in Sydney! We wish Ruby the very best. Congratulations to Cooper Hoare who recently represented Australia in the World Championship Mini Bull Riding finals in Texas USA. Congratulations to Arlo Kempster-Barry on being selected in the under 15 NQ cricket team. Congratulations to Isabella O’Sullivan for winning the Enterprising Girl of the Year 2024! On the 9th October, Isabella will pitch her idea (about conserving water for farmers) to adults, including politicians and the media, at Parliament House in Canberra, and she will receive her prize, which includes flights and accommodation. Isabella has also been awarded a Distinction from Trinity College London Speech and Drama! Congratulations to Dallas Douglas (Year 10)  who won the Gary Player Golf Classic 15 years and under division at the Pacific Golf Club over the holidays!

Looking ahead, Term 4 is full of wonderful College activities, meaningful liturgies, and special end of year celebrations; including our College Awards Night, end of year assemblies, and our College Year 12 Graduation. The College will also host the annual Pink It Up Breast Cancer Fundraiser on Friday 18 October, led by Tonia Burgoine and our Senior Hospitality students. Please keep an eye on our newsletters/ Calendar of Events in Term 4 to stay up to date. 

Thank you to the families who have returned their College Confirmation of Re-Enrolment for 2025. We have been very humbled and delighted with the continued and new interest in enrolment applications and we sincerely thank everyone for their support of our College, as we grow together in faith, purpose, and knowledge. Looking ahead, I will be attending the TCEO Principal Conference in Townsville from Sunday 13 October- Wednesday 16 October. Dan Kyle and Rodney Lane will be the Principal’s Delegates whilst I am away. 

Wishing you many blessings,

Jacqueline McNalty
COLLEGE PRINCIPAL

Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi (Prayer for Peace)

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

FROM THE DEPUTY PRINCIPAL - TEACHING & LEARNING

WELCOME

As we commence Term 4, we are excited to welcome two new teaching staff members to the Mount Carmel Campus:  Mr Nathan Juhas, Health and Physical Education Curriculum Leader and Sports Leader and Mr Ben Naughton, Acting Deputy Principal Learning and Teaching.

2024 NAPLAN INDIVIDUAL STUDENT REPORTS (ISR) IN COMPASS

NAPLAN Individual Student Reports (ISR) have been loaded into Compass Reports for all students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 who completed NAPLAN testing this year. These reports have been made available to parents to view digitally in Compass.

PROGRESSIVE ACHIEVEMENT TEST ASSESSMENTS

Progressive Achievement Test (PAT) assessments measure what students in Prep to Year 10 know,
understand and are capable of across domains and help monitor progress over time. Students in
Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 will undertake PAT adaptive Maths and PAT adaptive Reading tests in Weeks 1, 2 and 3 this term. Students will complete the assessments during an English and Mathematics lesson. It
is important that all students complete these tests and do their best.

YEAR 11 ASSESSMENT BLOCK

Year 11 students will complete assessments that require longer blocks of time during Week 4 of
Term 4 (21 – 25 October 2024). Students are expected to attend school during this block and attend
classes indicated in their timetable unless they are completing an exam. Applied subjects also have
assessment such as projects, investigations, folios etc that will be due when indicated on the
assessment date calendar which can be accessed in Compass and on the College website.

YEAR 11 COMMENCEMENT OF UNIT 3

For the majority of subjects, Year 11 students will complete Unit 2 on Friday 25 October 2024. Unit 3
will commence on Monday 28 October 2024. It is essential that students remain focussed and
dedicated to their studies until the end of the year as students will be commencing new Unit 3
learning and teaching. It is imperative that Year 11 students remain at school and attend classes until
the last day of Term 4. Please plan travel arrangements taking this information into account and
ensure that students remain at school until the last day of term.

YEAR 12 EXTERNAL ASSESSMENT

The QCAA has developed some resources to assist students to prepare for their external
assessments which will take place from Monday 21 October until Friday 8 November. Students
and parents / caregivers are able to access the resources by using the following link to the QCAA Website.

Students should take the time to carefully read the 2024 Assessment Guide available on the
QCAA website to assist them in their preparations for the upcoming external assessments.

Doctor Judith Locke also provides a number of Health and wellbeing tips.

2024 EXTERNAL ASSESSMENT TIMETABLE

Please carefully read the Assessment Timetable and take note of when students are required to
attend school to complete External Assessments. It is crucial that students are present and punctual
to each external assessment. Students must arrive on campus 30 minutes before the assessment is
scheduled to commence. When not completing External Assessments, it is expected that students
would be at home studying and preparing for upcoming External assessments.

The External Assessment timetable can also be accessed online here. Students are also reminded to
arrange all of the equipment that they require to complete their external assessments now and read
over the Directions for Students. We wish our Year 12 students well in their upcoming external
assessments.
Please note that all Year 12 students are required to attend school during Week 7 of this term,
commencing on the 11 November 2024.

MOUNT CARMEL CAMPUS AWARDS EVENING

Please note that the Mount Carmel campus awards evening will be held on Tuesday 12 November at
the World Theatre commencing at 6:30pm. All students, parents and members of the College
community are invited to attend.

NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN FOR THE MYQCE STUDENT REFERENCE GROUP

The Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) is recruiting new members for the
myQCE Student Reference Group in 2025. The group gives students the chance to have their say
about the QCE system processes and senior schooling.
Queensland students who will be in Year 10, 11 or 12 in 2025 are eligible to apply. The group meets
four times per year and membership is ongoing until students graduate from Year 12.
Nominations close on Friday 25 October 2024 — for more information and to nominate, visit the
myQCE website.

Maria Peck
DEPUTY PRINCIPAL - TEACHING & LEARNING

FROM THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Mission Month

October 1 marked the beginning of World Mission Month. By supporting missionaries, in their work, we can create life-changing opportunities for countless children, families, and communities worldwide. The theme for World Mission Month is drawn from Matthew 22:09 –
“Go and invite everyone to the banquet”. This message of inclusion raises the question of what unites us all and presents a valuable opportunity for growth and unity, as it requires everyone to open their hearts and minds to each other.

Guided by the Gospel, we can find answers to creating ways of inclusion and dialogue. The Gospel is made to gather and not divide, to invite and not to exclude. This is the message Pope Francis shares, reminding everyone of the importance of sharing the Gospel, and above all, reaching out to all by inviting them to be part of the celebration we call “life”, as we all have a seat at the table.

Working hand-in-hand with the local communities around the world, Catholic Mission is also
working alongside the Mongolian Church to further develop life-changing projects on the
ground and provide a helping hand to our brothers and sisters most in need. There are many
ways we can get involved in Catholic Mission’s life-changing work and make a difference,
locally or globally.

Throughout October (fondly known as Socktober), we will learn about, pray, advocate for,
and financially support children and communities in need around the world.

On Mt. Carmel campus, we will mark World Mission Month/Socktober with the following
events:

Monday 21 October – House Money Lines Competition (1pm – Edmund Undercover Area)

Tuesday 22 October – World Mission Month Liturgy (8.40am – Dining Hall)

Wednesday 23 October – Crazy Sock Day (gold coin donation and wear your craziest
socks with your uniform), Bake Sale (morning tea – Edmund Undercover Area), and
Socktober Soccer Match (Lunch 1.10pm - House Competition starring St. Columba’s
Parish’s very own Father Emmanuel – Parish Priest and soccer extraordinaire).

We will also be speaking about Mission Month in the Parish and inviting parishioners to give
to Catholic Mission.

All money raised from these events will go to Catholic Mission.

 Regards,

Christine O'Sullivan
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

RESIDENTIAL NEWS

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

Welcome back for Term 4!

I trust that you have had a great holiday with your child/ren. Term 3 was a very busy one for our Boarders, and Term 4 will prove no different. For the Year 12, their lives as students of this College are quickly drawing to a close. I often ask students to really reflect on what it means to be putting their uniforms on for the last time. They will experience a range of emotions including excitement and a fear of the unknown. For many, they will also feel a sense of sadness as they leave their friends and their school as they embark on a new chapter of their life’s journey.  I truly believe that the Boarding experience is something that most will cherish forever more.

Over the course of this term there are a number of important events that the College will host including:

October 12 McAuley House Mass (Parish Church)

October 18 Pink It Up Night (Mount Carmel Dining room)

November 6 Boarders’ Christmas Dinner (Mount Carmel Dining Room)

November 12 Awards Night (World Theatre)

November 12 RACQ Docudrama (Year 12)

November 13 Year 12 Big Day Out (Townsville)

November 13 Year 12 Boarders’ Dinner (The Rix)

November 14 Year 12 Graduation Liturgy (Mount Carmel)

November 14 Year 12 Graduation Dinner (Arthur Titley Centre)

November 29 Final Day Years 7-11

It will be fantastic to catch up with the Boarding parents/care givers at some of these events.

Last Weekend was a long weekend due to the King’s Public Holiday on Monday 8 October. Over this weekend, the boys spent a day in Townsville shopping at Stockland and soaking up the sun on the Strand. The girls also engaged in a range of activities closer to home including arts and crafts, cooking and games. Furthermore, the boys and girls also had the opportunity to spend some time together enjoying a wonderful afternoon of swimming, slipping and sliding on Hempenstall oval on the super slide, and sharing a meal together. 

Over the coming weeks, Year 12 students will become engrossed in completing the final chapter of their academic agendas. I have no doubt that they will maintain the focus required to achieve their academic potential. I wish them all the very best.  

In regards to recruiting, the College Boarding leadership team has conducted a number of interviews over the last week. Successful applicants will be revealed over the coming weeks. 

On behalf of the College, I wish everyone a great term.

Daniel Kyle
DEPUTY PRINCIPAL - PASTORAL & RESIDENTIAL

APPL Newsletter - Term 4, Week 2

Dear Parents, Caregivers, and Staff,

Welcome to Term 4! This is certainly the busiest time of year for both staff and students as we approach the completion of another year filled with growth, collaboration, and a commitment to excellence in education.

Prep Information Evening

This week, we had the pleasure of hosting a Prep Information Evening for families preparing for their child’s first year of schooling in 2025. It was a fantastic opportunity to connect with both new and returning parents, sharing insights about what Prep looks like at Columba Catholic College. Our current Prep teacher, Lara Burns, brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her role and has been actively engaging with our future Prep students to ensure a smooth transition into school life. The children will have one final transition morning this term, setting the stage for their success in 2025.

Step Up Morning

A highly anticipated event to close the year is our Step Up Morning, scheduled for Thursday, December 5, from 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM. This event provides all current and prospective students with an exciting opportunity to "step up" to their 2025 year level, meet new classmates, and connect with their future teachers. We look forward to seeing everyone there for a morning of excitement and new beginnings!

Sounds Write - NEW Literacy Program!

As we move toward implementing Version 9.0 of the Australian Curriculum in 2025, we will be introducing an exciting new literacy program, Sounds Write. Sounds Write is a structured, systematic phonics program designed to enhance students' reading and writing skills through an engaging and interactive approach. By focusing on the relationship between sounds and letters, Sounds Write helps students develop a strong foundation in phonemic awareness, enabling them to decode and spell words confidently. The program emphasizes practical activities that encourage active participation, making learning enjoyable and effective. Through consistent practice and reinforcement, students gain the skills necessary for fluent reading and writing, setting them up for academic success.

The knowledge and skills taught in Sounds Write will be practiced and consolidated through the use of decodable readers. Decodable readers serve as a bridge between phonics and reading. Children need these types of books to build the essential skills required to become proficient readers and access the limitless opportunities that skilled reading provides. We are very fortunate to have already begun the exciting process of introducing decodable readers into our early years classrooms. The students (and teachers!) are loving them

For more information about the Science of Reading, HERE is a graphic guide explaining how we read.

Brooke Stevenson
ACTING ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL PEDAGOGY AND LEARNING - ST MARY’S

80's DISCO

Last Friday, we dressed in our brightest neon's and got our groove on for our St Mary's campus disco. This was to raise funds for our OPTI-minds team who are travelling to Brisbane this weekend. So much fun was had by all who attended and our OPTI-minds team is so grateful for the support.

Exciting 2025 China Trip

Embark on an extraordinary adventure in 2025! Students will dive into China's captivating history and culture, visiting world-famous landmarks like the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and Confucius' birthplace in Shandong. This once-in-a-lifetime experience will spark curiosity, build lasting memories, and enrich language skills. Don’t miss out on this thrilling opportunity! Watch this space!

CELEBRATING STUDENT SUCCESS

Townsville Catholic Education survey

8th October 2024

Dear Parents/Carers

The Townsville Catholic Education Office has in place guidelines for use by schools on reporting student academic achievement from Prep to Year 10.  The guidelines are being reviewed during this term in readiness for 2025 and I would like to invite you to complete a survey to provide feedback on your experience and value in the current reporting processes.

All schools in the Diocese are bound to comply with the Australian Government Education Regulation (2023) which requires schools to provide the following:

   A report must be readily understandable to a person responsible for a student at the school.

   A report must be given to each person responsible for the student at least twice a year.

   For a student who is in any of years 1 to 10, the report must:

• give an accurate and objective assessment of the student’s progress and achievement, including an assessment of the student’s achievement:

                           (i)  against any available national standards; and

                          (ii)  relative to the performance of the student’s peer group; and

                        (iii)  reported as A, B, C, D or E (or on an equivalent 5 point scale) for each subject studied, clearly                                       defined against specific learning standards.

In order to comply with this regulation, schools provide parents/carers with a written report at the end of each semester that includes a grade for each subject, some comments, investment in learning (effort) and days absent. For Prep to Year 10, the national standards refer to the Australian Curriculum achievement standards.

The survey seeks your feedback on the current reporting process and its effectiveness in communicating your child’s progress.  Your input at this point is valuable in ensuring that our reporting practices meet both regulatory requirements and the needs of each school’s community.

Access to the survey can be found here: Parent/Carers Survey

Your responses will be confidential and used to inform the review of the TCE Reporting Guidelines document. Responses to the survey need to be completed by Friday 25 October.

Thank you in advance for your input in this matter.

Kind regards

Peter Stower

Director - Learning and Teaching

Diocese of Townsville

WHAT'S ON AT COLUMBA

WHAT'S ON IN THE COMMUNITY