Columba Catholic College Newsletter Volume 24 No. 15 14th October 2021

A Message from the Principal

Dear Columba Families,

Welcome back to Term 4! A new term of learning and a time of renewal as we recommit to providing the best possible opportunities we can to the students at Columba. 

Learning and teaching is our core business and as the leader of our community, I aim to ensure that the experience of education that is provided to our students is high quality, relevant, engaging and attends to the learning needs of each individual student. Successful learning is fostered through high expectations, best practice, relationships and mutual respect. Walking together on this journey of learning is central to our success and to the individual growth and development of each of the young people in our care. This is enabled through staff learning and leadership within our community. 

On Monday, our staff participated in a Student Protection Protection Training session led by Katherine Olsen from the Townsville Catholic Education Office. It is always important to stop, think and reflect on ways to keep our students safe at school and at home and to recognize the signs when our students may not be fully engaged in life and learning. Next week staff will also participate in learning that is student-centred and directed towards communication via our Compass portal. Leading learning often and with purpose builds a strong team of educators and I am committed to ongoing growth in this space.

Staffing Updates: At the end of last term we farewelled Mr Tui Kitione who was on contract at the College. We thank Mr Kitione for his contribution and wish him well in his future endeavours.  

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Brooke Stevenson who will be joining the St Mary’s Teaching team in 2022. Brooke is a past student of the College and has been working as a teacher at St Mary’s Catholic School in Bowen for the last two years.  We look forward to working with Brooke and welcome her warmly to the Columba. I also wish to announce that Mrs Evelyn Capewell has accepted the position of Indigenous Education Worker. Evelyn is well known to our community and has been on staff in a number of roles assisting student learning. Evelyn will continue to work in supporting our students in the classroom with a focus on community engagement and Indigenous Education.

Last week our Year 11 students participated in their Leadership Retreat. Special thanks to Christine O'Sullivan, Haydn Champion, Jordan Marty, Tiffany Apap, Michael Ku and Cecilia Louk for their support of our students and for nurturing them on their leadership journey. Congratulations to our students for their engagement in the various activities scheduled across the three days. I was blessed to join them for a number of activities and for their Liturgy and I am very confident, that as young leaders, they will serve our community well moving into the future.

Columba is a vibrant community and nourishing this spirit in our students is provided in many different ways. Last week students participated in the Ride to school initiative and on Friday students and staff on the St Mary's Campus participated in a range of fun activities to promote Soctober and raise money for Catholic Missions through Crazy Sock Day. Special thanks to Mr O'Connor and the staff for organising this event. Father Emmanuel had a great time showcasing his soccer skills and I loved watching our students pinning the sock on the Principal! 

Soctober celebrations will take place at Mt Carmel Campus this Friday and tomorrow night students from across the College will come together on the Mt Carmel Campuss to participate in the Vinnies Sleepout. Whilst there is a range of fun activities planned for our students, at the centre of our mission work is providing time to interrupt our daily practice and thinking. Opportunities such as this, call us to be mindful of those who are affected by so many social and family challenges and to seek to understand how as the children of God, we can be more like Jesus and love and serve one another. 

Last Friday evening, Columba hosted a Pink Stumps Cricket match against Southern Cross Catholic College. It was great to see so many students, staff and families in attendance. Thanks to Jordan Marty for bringing this event together and to the staff who volunteered to support this in so many different ways.

Last week we also acknowledged NAIDOC Day with a special liturgy at Mt Carmel Campus. Thanks to Ms Christine O'Sullivan and Mrs Trish Phillips for their organization of the liturgy, the preparation of the prayer focus and for supporting our students. We are also thankful for Father Emmanuel's support and attendance. Special thank you to our students who assisted in the leadership of this liturgy. The theme of Heal Country calls us to continue to protect our lands and waters, sacred sites and cultural heritage for future generations and reminds us of our ongoing commitment towards reconciliation.

On Tuesday, members of our community joined us to bless the new icon which has been installed on the Mt Carmel Campus which reflects the alignment of the history of our schools through our current values of Courage, Commitment and Compassion. Thanks to the students, staff and families who joined us to  celebrate this milestone in our story and to Father Emmanuel for blessing the icon. We are  the “light to the world”.

We are a community of faith and a community of learning. Every member of our community, including students, families and staff, have an important part to play in our story. As we enter into this new term, I wish each of you the very best for a great term of learning. 

All the best for the week ahead.

Many blessings,

Melissa Turner
PRINCIPAL

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From the Deputy Principal - St. Mary's Campus

Dear Parents and Caregivers

A warm welcome back to Term 4 to our returning families and a special welcome to our new families.  Term 3 was certainly filled with so many opportunities for our students to shine and I particularly wanted to congratulate all our students who performed in the Eisteddfod and the College musical for their wonderful contribution to The Arts and for some outstanding performances both individually and shared. Preparing our students for these performances was made possible by our dedicated and committed staff who give of their time to make sure our students have the best possible experiences filled with new learning and fun.   I would also like to thank our parents for supporting your children to make practice and performance times.   Miss Allison is also to be thanked for her preparation of the Optiminds team.  Optiminds is a creative problem solving event and this year a group of our Year 5 and 6 students entered the Science and Engineering section of this competition.  They are to be congratulated for their team effort and dedication to rising to meet the challenge within the spirit of the competition. 

During Term 3 Miss Burns and I have been conducting Prep 2022 enrolment interviews.  Places are filling fast, so if you know of other families that would like to join our Prep class next year, please let them know we will continue to conduct enrolment interviews during Term 4. Our new Preppies have enjoyed their first experiences of Prep during during the three ‘Come and Try’ days and are very excited for the start to their school life next year.

Swimming lessons in PE have started in the first week of Term 4.  Years 3 - 6 swim on Wednesday and Years Prep - 2 on Friday.  Please make sure your child is prepared for their lessons with swimmers, towel, goggles and sun safe shirt. Our program relies on parent volunteer assistance, so if you are able to lend a hand and have completed your volunteer induction course, please contact Mr O’Connor to advise of your availability.   Students will begin preparation for our Inter-House Swimming Carnival this term which will be held on Friday 29th October.  Information regarding this event will be sent home over the next week.  The Inter-School Swimming Carnival on Friday 12th November will finish our competitive seasons of sport for the year.

During the month of October we recognise the work of Catholic Missions and their advocacy in supporting communities of need both locally and internationally.  We have two events across our campuses that will support fundraising to assist these communities.  The first event was our Socktober dress and games day on Friday 8th October.  Students were encouraged to wear crazy socks and donate $1.00 to support the work of the missions. This is our chance to share in God’s mission to reach out and give by sharing our resources to serve people in need.   The Vinnies Dress Up and Sleepout on Friday 15th October is another initiative to assist the homeless within our communities.  The St Mary’s campus will also have a giant bake sale with all proceeds going to the St. Vincent De Paul appeal.

This term we conduct the Progessive Achievement tests (PAT) in Years 2 - 6.   These assessments in reading, numeracy and grammar/ punctuation assist with measuring a student’s knowledge, skills and understanding to help pinpoint where they are in their learning journey and what they need to progress. As our students move into their 2022 classes, this data is integral in planning teaching and learning to meet individual needs and provide growth mindsets for all our students.  

Our Year 5 Leadership Camp to Paluma is building excitement for our students.  Students will be on camp from Monday 25th October to Wednesday 27th October.  The students have been preparing for the camp with leadership sessions each week and these will continue when they return from camp and the formal process of selection begins.

The 29th October marks World Teachers’ Day.  This is an opportunity to celebrate and thank our teachers for their important role in our communities and for the positive impact they have on the lives of students. 

God Bless you and your families for a peaceful and positive Term 4. 

Joanne Andrews
DEPUTY PRINCIPAL - ST. MARY'S CAMPUS

Soctober on SM Campus

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St. Mary's Campus Awards

Term 3 Week 9 - Being truthful in Word and Action

• Prep: Fletcher Strahorn
• Year 1: Maicey Walsh
• Year 2: Sammy Brady
• Year 3: Charli Gundersen
• Year 4: Clayton Walsh
• Year 5: Grace O’Connor
• Year 6: Tyla Kerr 

Term 4 Week 1 - Treats other students with fairness and understanding

• Prep:    Noah Hall
• Year 1: Jack Maltby
• Year 2: Georgia Stout 
• Year 3: Ryhen Butler
• Year 4: Chelsea Archer
• Year 5:  Isabella Grant
• Year 6:  Chloe Archer 

Year Four News

The year has certainly flown by as we enter the final term in Year 4.  

In English, the students are learning to write expositions and focusing on the powerful language used in persuasive writing. Students will write an exposition as part of their HASS assessment later in the term as we learn about the role of the local council and local issues that are important to the class. Reading groups continue to happen 3 days a week and we thank Joan Cox and Jenny Stevenson who have volunteered their time all year.

During Mathematics, the class will focus on Number, Space and the Geometry strands. The class have been working very hard and getting through plenty of work during lessons.

Religious Education lessons have a strong focus on how to use the Bible to locate Scripture and the messages Jesus’ portrayed by using Parables. The class will also be going to the Chapel once a week to focus on Scripture with Mr O’Connor. This is something new this term and the children enjoyed it last week. 

In Science, we are exploring the Biology strand of the subject and looking at the life cycle of plants. The students have begun their own investigation observing the life cycle of bean seeds, which will form part of their assessment.

During Health lessons, the students are learning how to be cyber safe in the digital age that we live in. Students are also learning about the digital footprint they leave behind every time they go online.

The Interhouse Swimming Carnival is approaching and students are doing trials for the 4 strokes in HPE lessons. Please remember to have all your child’s swimming items labelled for lessons every Wednesday.

With so much happening in class, the end of the year will be here before we know it.

Gerard Webber
YEAR FOUR TEACHER

MC Campus Curriculum News from the Deputy Principal - Administration

Welcome back to Term 4. Regular attendance at school every day is an important contributor to a student’s academic achievement and progress, as every day counts. Students are encouraged to reflect on their progress during Term 3 with their teachers and parents / caregivers so as to set goals to strive towards during Term 4. Some reflection questions to consider include:

• This term, I am excited about …
• This term, I will change …
• My goal this term is …
• Who do I trust at school to help me achieve my goal this term …

YEAR 7-10 ASSESSMENT DATES

Please note that the Year 7-10 Assessment date calendar has been updated. Assessment dates for Term 4 are now available on the College calendar that can be accessed through Compass. Students should write the dates that assessments items are due and when exams will be conducted in their student diary, so as to assist in organising themselves to complete assessment on or before the due date.

YEARS 7-12 ACCESS ARRANGEMENTS AND REASONABLE ADJUSTMENTS (AARA), INCLUDING ILLNESS AND MISADVENTURE

Columba Catholic College recognises that some students have disability, impairment and/or medical conditions, or experience other circumstances that may be a barrier to their performance in assessment. Access arrangements and reasonable adjustments (AARA) are designed to assist these students.

AARA are provided to minimise, as much as possible, barriers for a student whose disability, impairment, medical condition or other circumstances may affect their ability to read, respond to or participate in assessment. These barriers could be permanent, temporary or intermittent. Students may also be eligible for AARA where illness and misadventure (i.e. unforeseen circumstances) or other situations may prevent students from demonstrating their learning, knowledge and skill.

Students are required to submit assessment items on or before the due date, especially if the absence is planned and known about in advance. In the event that a student does require an extension or is absent on the day that an exam is held for a valid reason (eg. illness), then an application form to apply for an extension or sit the exam on an alternative date must be obtained from the College Office, completed by the student and parent or caregiver and submitted to the class teacher and curriculum leader for consideration. Extensions or applications to sit an exam on an alternative date will not be approved unless this procedure is followed. Relevant documentation must be attached to the application such as a doctor’s certificate, statement from a relevant professional or a detailed note explaining why the extension is required from parents or caregivers of students in Years 7-10. Extensions and applications to complete an exam on an alternative date may not be approved in the following situations:

• matters that the student could have avoided (e.g. misreading an examination timetable, misreading instructions in examinations)
• matters of the student’s or parent’s/carer’s own choosing (e.g. family holidays, leaving early at the end of the term).

Year 11 and 12 AARA applications for pre-existing medical conditions where special provision needs to be applied for Units 3 and 4 are due.  If there are any questions about the AARA process, please contact Chloe Shaw or Maria Peck.

NAPLAN RESULTS.

Paper copies of the 2021 Years 3,5,7, and 9 NAPLAN reports were posted to parents at the end of last term. Please set aside some time to review your child’s results with them.

YEARS 7-10 PAT TESTING

Students in Years 7-10 will complete the Progressive Achievement Tests (PAT) developed by ACER in Weeks 3 and 4 this term to provide a means of assessing and monitoring student growth over time.

Students will complete 3 assessments:

• PAT-M is a Mathematics assessment mapped against the Australian Curriculum that assesses mathematical achievement across the six strands of number, algebra, geometry, measurement, statistics and probability through a multiple-choice format;
• PAT-R assesses students’ reading comprehension skills, vocabulary knowledge and spelling. These skills reflect comprehension skills described in the Australian National Curriculum for English;
• PAT – Grammar and Punctuation assesses a range of language convention skills including the usage and purposes of grammar and punctuation at the word and sentence level. The skills reflect those outlined in the Australian National Curriculum for English.

It is important that all students complete these tests and do their best. Teachers will spend time analysing students’ performance on these assessments to help inform future teaching and learning.

YEAR 11 ASSESSMENT BLOCK

Year 11 students will complete assessments that require longer blocks of time during Week 4 of Term 4 (25^th – 29^th October 2021). Students are expected to attend school during this block and attend classes indicated in their timetable unless they are completing an exam. Some 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.

YEAR 11 COMMENCEMENT OF UNIT 3

Year 11 students will complete Unit 2 on the 29^th October 2021. Unit 3 will commence on Monday 1 November 2021. It is essential that students remain focussed and dedicated to their studies until the end of the year as students will be commencing new learning and work. It is imperative that Year 11 students remain at school and attend classes until the last day of Term 4.

YEAR 11 SUBJECT CHANGES

Subject changes in Year 11 are not recommended. Examples of why subject changes may be considered include lack of success, the uptake of a TAFE or VET course or a School Based Apprenticeship or Traineeship. As Unit 3 begins on Monday 1^st November subject changes must be finalised by Friday 12^th November 2021 (Week 6, Term 4). Students who would like to investigate the possibility of changing subjects must contact Mrs Peck.

YEAR 12 MOCK EXAMS

At the end of Term 3 Year 12 students completed mock assessments in each of the General subjects as part of their External Assessment preparation.  The Mock Block provided students with the opportunity to experience the conditions and types of assessments they will complete during the external assessment block.  Teachers have marked the mock assessments and provided students with feedback to help guide their revision over the coming weeks.

YEAR 12 INFORMATION

Year 12 students will complete scheduled External Assessments for General subjects between the 22^nd October and the 16^th November 2021, as timetabled by the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA). 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.

Students not completing external assessments are expected to attend classes as indicated on their college timetable between the 26^th and 30^th October. Students enrolled in Applied subjects may still be finalising the completion of course work. Once students have competed their last external assessment they will participate in the alternative program arranged for students. The alternative program is planned from the 1^st November until the 12^th November 2021.

RESOURCES FOR EXTERNAL ASSESSMENT PREPARATION

To support Year 12 students undertaking external assessment for General subjects, the QCAA has updated its online resources:

• External Assessment: A Guide for 2021 Year 12 Students:  A resource to help students understand external assessment, including the updated timetable, what is tested and tips to help them prepare.
• External Assessment Videos: A suite of videos from QCAA learning area managers, with insights and advice to help students prepare.

This term there are many curricular and extra-curricular opportunities available to students to participate in. Students are encouraged to make the most of these many and varied opportunities.

Please contact me if I can be of assistance during the term.

Maria Peck
ASSISTANT TO THE PRINCIPAL - ADMINISTRATION

Meet our Staff

Name:  Murray Griffin           

Hometown:   Townsville (Born in Sale Victoria)       

Subjects Taught:  Information Technology, Mathematics, Design and Technology and Science. 

Favourite Foods:  Seafood, pasta, savoury snacks and pizza

Hobbies:  I enjoy following NRL and AFL plus water sports from sailing to fishing and anything to do with aviation and astronomy.

Congratulations

Congratulations to the following students who competed in the ANQ Championships in Townsville over the holidays.

• Boesha Moore Reid - Boesha placed second and won silver in the Women’s U20 100m.
• Chantel Wilson - Chantel won gold in 80m 13 year girls  Hurdles and came 6th in her long jump.
  
• Maria Wilson - Maria won bronze in under 18 women's high jump and long jump
  
• Blake Bryan - Blake won gold in 13 year boys high jump. Blake  also competed in the 100m and long jump finishing 6th in both events
  

Mt. Carmel Campus - Notable Mentions

Congratulations to the following students who received certificates at Assembly on Tuesday 12th October.

Respect for Learning: Has commenced the term positively and prepared for learning.

• Year 7 – Marcus Winterburn
• Year 8 – Matilda Wilkinson
• Year 9 – Sophia Lyons
• Year 10 – Beau Lavery
• Year 11 – Riley Taylor
• Year 12 – Jack Davidson

Careers News at Columba

For the latest information on Careers, please visit the College Careers Website. You can view it here.  You will find lots of valuable information including the latest Careers Newsletter.

Residential News

Dear Parents, Caregivers, Staff and Students,

Welcome back for Term 4! I trust that you have had a great holiday with your child/ren. Last term was a very busy one for our Boarders, and Term 4 will prove to be no different. For the Year Twelves, their lives as students of this College are quickly drawing to an end. I often say to students to reflect on what it means to them when they put their uniforms on for the very last time. Of course, they will experience a whole range of emotions including excitement and a fear of the great unknown. For many students, 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 students will cherish forever. In saying this though, all past students remain part of the wider Columba family and are always welcome here at the College.

At the beginning of this term the College convened the final Boarder Parents’ Council meeting for 2021. I sincerely thank those who attended the meeting. I encourage Boarding parents to join the group in the future as all things Boarding can be tabled so that optimum residential care can be extended to our students. These meetings take place at the beginning of each term and can be attended online or in person. It is a great way to be involved in the school and your child/ren’s education.

This term we have 5 new boarders commencing at Columba (3 girls and 2 boys). They have all been buddied up with another student resident so as to make their transition into our College that much smoother. I am highly confident that all members of our College community will make them feel most welcome. 

In regards to staffing, we welcome Mrs Gayle Griffin and Stephen Brouff to the staff boarding team. Mrs Griffin will work across both campuses while Mr Brouff will operate on the Mount Carmel campus. I believe that both Mr Brouff and Mrs Griffin will bring a richness to the cultural tapestry of the boarding environment and will execute their roles well. 

Over the course of this term there are a few ‘big ticket’ events that the College will host including:

• November 2 P & F Melbourne Cup Luncheon (Mt Carmel Dining Room)
• November 16 Awards Night (World Theatre)
• November 18 Year 12 Graduation 

It will be fantastic to be able to catch up with as many Boarding parents/care givers at these events as possible. 

Regards

Dan Kyle
DEPUTY PRINCIPAL - PASTORAL/RESIDENTIAL 

Meet our Residential Staff

Stephen Brouff - Boys’ Boarding Houseparent 

Residence:  Ryan (Boy's Boarding)

Previous Workplace/s:  Australian Regular Army (30 years)

Favourite meal:  Pie and Mushy Peas (aka Yorkshire caviar) as the occasional treat

Favourite movie:  Cross of Iron

Favourite Music: Traditional country music (Pedal steel guitar)

The best piece of advice you have received:  Knowing your traditions provides a stable foundation for the future

What do you do in your own time?  Automotive tractor restoration

What excites you about 2021?  Happy to be working at Columba. I am looking forward to mentoring our young men.

Non State Schools Transport Assistance Scheme

CSPA Melbourne Cup Luncheon 2021

Save the Date!

Charters Towers Cricket

Move it NQ Youth After School Program