COLLEGE NEWS

FROM THE CHAPLAIN

Term 4 brings great joy in Mercy Girls in Action. This period allows members to think about and prepare for the St Vincent De Paul Christmas Appeal and collect non-perishable items for our Christmas hampers. This will be launched in week 5. The College recently received a lovely letter of acknowledgement from Vinnies, who praised our “thoughtful, community-minded students…you must be very proud of your students and staff for their efforts”. This has spurred us to continue to find ways to support St Vincent De Paul and all the wonderful work they do to support their client, many of whom are some of the most disadvantaged in the community.

MGIA celebrated its last meeting with the 2021 Community Service Prefects, Harper Weekers and Madyson Wass. Our College Prefects were gifted with flowers and members shared thoughtful words about Harper and Madyson’s service journey throughout 2021. We were very privileged to have them lead the MGIA this year. Both Harper and Madyson demonstrated outstanding communication and encouraged strategic thinking by implementing new initiations, including Eat Up. We are blessed to have our wonderful 2022 Community Service Prefects, Ruby Mitchell and Georgia Dagge, to continue the mission.

Ms Harriett Veukiso

COLLEGE CHAPLAIN. E: hveukiso@stpatscollege.qld.edu.au

 

SENIOR ART INSTALLATION – “ILLUMINATE”

The Library has been transformed with a gallery of stunning, original artworks from our Year 11 and 12 Visual Arts students.

These artworks will remain on display until the end of the term so that everyone gets a chance to see and experience the amazing pieces. Thank you to our incredible Head of Department – Visual Arts & Exhibitions, Ms Walsh, for her tireless effort curating the collection.

Year 12 Visual Arts students will have the opportunity to tour the gallery with their families after the Valedictory Assembly on Wednesday, 17 November. We know they will be excited to share their work with their loved ones.

ANIME CLUB DRAWING COMPETITION

As a part of Anime Club, we have a drawing competition each year. The theme for 2021 was “Imagine” and students could draw their own original anime or include anime they have seen before which fitted in with the theme. Students across all year levels submitted entries for the competition and they should be proud of their efforts. This year, Katrina Parker won the Junior section and Caitlin McPhail won the Senior section.

Well done to all students who entered and a special congratulations to the two winners. Entries from the competition are now displayed in the library.

Ms Anna Kendall

JAPANESE TEACHER. E: akendall@stpatscollege.qld.edu.au

AFL TWO BIRD CUP WINNERS

Congratulations to the following students who played in the annual AFL Two Bird Cup in Cairns on 6 & 7 November.

  • Geraldine Songoro
  • Adrianna Chillagoe
  • Leela Foster
  • Katrice Foster
  • Lynette Boulsen
  • Jusaray Nona
  • Charlize Barrett
  • Isabella Nona
  • Wilimina Misi
  • Jmeillah Barrett
  • Kaitha Wosomo
  • Alison Wosomo

Representatives of the Garbutt Magpies U18 Youth Girls team, they joined with other talented sportswomen and played with great skill and determination to defeat the Cape York House Eagles side.

Not only was the team sensational on the field, but the College was delighted to receive very positive feedback from Campbell’s bus service regarding the exceptional behaviour of our students on tour! We’re so proud of you, Girls.

IRISH DANCING QUEEN

Irish Dancing is characterised by a rigid upper body and intricate footwork. It is both athletic and graceful. Congratulations to Year 11 student, Taliyah McNamara-Thompson, on a fantastic set of results at the recent City of Cairns Feis Competition.

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Taliyah presented with 2nd Premiership overall

  • 1st place – Heavy Jig
  • 2nd place – Reel
  • 2nd place – Own Choice Traditional set Dance – King of the Fairies
  • 3rd place – Slip Jig
  • 1st place – Hornpipe
  • 1st place – Own Choice set Dance – The Humours of Bandon
  • 3rd place – Open Choice dance – Heavy Jig 

REMEMBRANCE DAY COMMEMORATIONS

To commemorate Remembrance Day, students from Years 7-11 have been busy making poppies and have entered the competition “The Crosses of Flanders Fields” where it will be displayed at the Army Museum North Queensland, near Jezzine Barracks.  Special mention to Abby Hamilton, Taliyah McNamara-Thompson, Alyssah-Jane Shephard, Brook Anderson, Lily Crocker, Ms Hyne and Ms Walsh for giving up their lunch times and after hours to finish the College’s submission.

Photo Group: Brook Anderson, Abby Hamilton, Lily Crocker, Taliyah McNamara-Thompson & Alyssah-Jane Shephard

Photo: Year 11 Students, Alyssah-Jane Shephard and Taliyah McNamara

Remembrance Day Liturgy will be held on Wednesday 10 November, and will feature a special guest speaker, Lieutenant Morgan Emmett from 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment. Our 2022 College Captains, representing the St Patrick’s College Townsville, will attend the 103rd Anniversary of Armistice Day at Anzac Park, The Strand. 

DEFENCE MORNING TEA – FAREWELL 2021

Our final Defence Morning Tea was held on Monday 8 November and we had a chance to farewell families who have been posted out of Townsville. They have our best wishes in their new posting.

SUPPORT SERVICES – TIPS FOR MOVING WITH KIDS

Moving is a major life change, and children may face challenges as they leave behind friends, familiar places and activities. To make the process more manageable for children and to help them become more positive and self-reliant, communicating truthfully and openly is important. This will help them understand and cope with the change. Open communications allow children to feel empowered, valued and make them feel a part of the process. 

As a timely reminder, don’t forget that within the first 18 months of starting at a new school, students are entitled to tutoring reimbursement to overcome the immediate difficulties caused by changing schools. For more information about this program, visit the DFMS Website: https://defence.gov.au/members-families/Family/kids/education.asp.

As well as this:

  • Consult your local Education Liaison Officer (EDLO)
  • Email: education.supportprograms@defence.gov.au

If you would like any other tips with guiding children through relocations and/or education support, contact the all-hours Defence Member and Family Helpline on 1800 624 608.

For any assistance, please contact the College’s Defence School Mentor, Ms Gayle Walkom via email.

Ms Gayle Walkom

DEFENCE SCHOOL MENTOR. E: gwalkom@stpatscollege.qld.edu.au

HOSPITALITY NEWS

As 2021 draws to a close, the Junior Hospitality classes are busy completing assessments:

  • Year 7 have been designing their own Healthy Muffin recipe that could potentially be sold from the College canteen.
  • Year 8 have been learning about the importance of a Healthy Breakfast and enjoying preparing a range of breakfast dishes including omelets, pikelets, acai bowls and smoothies.
  • Year 9 have immersed themselves into the topic of Sustainability and Food Waste and how society can minimize the long-term impacts. They have also designed a recipe that features a fruit or vegetable item.
  • Year 10 have been learning about Café Culture, the different roles in Hospitality and preparing some recipes you find in casual dining establishments and cafés.
  • Year 11 students have started a unit Food Trends. As well as learning about current trends, they have been researching food trucks and the different styles of food served from trucks around the world. The class are creating their own Food Truck event, designing dishes they could serve from a Food Truck or pop up café.

Ms Camille Flores

HEAD OF HOSPITALITY & EVENTS. E: clores@stpatscollege.qld.edu.au

NORTH AUSTRALIA CHAMPIONSHIPS

Year 8 student, Charlotte Rosenblatt recently attended the Surf lifesaving North Australian Championships in Mackay where she competed the Pool Rescue Competition and the Open Water Surf events.

Charlotte is no stranger to long distance swimming, having successfully completed the 8km Townsville to Magnetic Island Swim earlier this year. Charlotte used the competition to aid her training for more 2022 Swimming and Life Saving challenges. Congratulations, Charlotte!

 

MERCY PARTNERS STUDENT ART PRIZE

Above is the dynamic yet meaningful artwork into the Mercy Partners Student Art Prize by Jamie Mohr and Ruby Mitchell and submitted on behalf of the Mercy Girls in Action group.

Artists’ Statement: For this artwork of Catherine McAuley, we chose collage as our medium. Drawing on elements of traditional religious styles, we used mosaic and stained glass for inspiration. The unity of all the individual pieces of paper symbolises how every member of our College community is a part of the Mercy tradition. We have also incorporated three yellow Mercy Roses, alongside the Mercy Cross, as symbols of Catherine’s servant leadership, her dedication to Christ, and her continuing impact today. The inclusion of Irish lace acknowledges the Mercy Sisters’ rich history, and connection to Ireland. The bright lamp represents Catherine’s unwavering willingness to follow God’s path. She is a light for those in the dark, bringing warmth and hospitality to all she meets. She offers hope, dignity, and respect to those in need. The words ‘mercy’ and ‘loving’ feature prominently in the piece to describe Catherine McAuley, as we believe that her work for social justice is closely intertwined with her deep sense of compassion and empathy. Furthermore, Catherine’s serene and knowing expression reflects her peaceful temperament, as well as her desire to understand others. We both greatly admire Catherine McAuley, and look to her for guidance in our daily lives.

FROM THE CULTURAL SUPPORT PROGRAM LEADER

QATSIF – ROUND 13

Thank you to those students who have put in applications for the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Foundation Scholarships for 2022 (QATSIF). Students and their families will be informed of the outcome as soon as possible.

In the meantime, I encourage these students, and our current QATSIF students, to familiarise themselves with QATSIF’s strict eligibility criteria: https://www.qatsif.org.au/student-eligibility-criteria

A reminder that students must meet these criteria each semester to remain eligible for their scholarship.

STRONGER SMARTER LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

This year, I have been fortunate enough to be a participant in the Stronger Smarter Leadership Program, through the Stronger Smarter Institute. Founded by Dr. Chris Sarra, the Institute aims to transform education for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. The ‘Strong and Smart’ approach is being used in schools across the country to embrace a strong and positive sense of what it means to be Aboriginal in contemporary society.

I look forward to sharing my learnings with the staff at the St Patrick’s College Townsville in 2022.

FLAG PROJECT

Through our continuing Reconciliation Action Plan, the College has installed flag poles at the front of the administration and boarding buildings. Four Year 11 students, Flora Nona, Jermia Ahmat-Nona, Bethany Savage and Ether Babia, have been leading a project surrounding protocols that need to be followed with regards to a flag-raising ceremony early next year. In 2022, the task of raising and lowering these flags each day will rest with our Boarding Prefects, Cultural Engagement Prefect and Year 12 Boarding students.

I would like to thank Ms Hauff, Ms Costopoulos, Ms Walkom and the RAP Committee for their support of this initiative, and we look forward to seeing the flags flown in 2022 and beyond.

FIRST NATIONS BEDTIME STORIES

Common Ground’s First Nations Bedtime Stories will be running again this year from 22 – 26 November. Every year, they work with First Nations creatives and communities to film five Dreaming stories. These are then shared online and are for everyone – younger and older, families and schools, or even workplaces.

It is a time for all people to come together on a journey towards deeper connection and understanding, to learn from and celebrate First Nations culture and the profound wisdom they hold.

Common Ground states: Dreaming stories are sacred, and have played a central role in First Nations cultures since time immemorial. They are the foundation of First Nations ways of thinking, being and knowing. They carry knowledge and law, and teach us how to care for country.

To sign up go to: https://www.firstnationsbedtimestories.com/

CULTURAL SUPPORT PROGRAM LEADER

This will be my final newsletter article as Cultural Support Program Leader. Our newly-founded role of Community Education Counsellor will take over my duties from 2022, as I move into the Learning Support Program Leader role.

When I began this role in 2019, I had no idea what journey it would take me on. I have been blessed to be immersed in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and stories from day one, and was able to strengthen my own understanding and connection to culture.

It has been my absolute privilege to support, nurture and inspire our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to achieve their very best and to support them to reach for the stars. This is something that I will continue to strive towards every day.

Ms Lauren Newman

CULTURAL SUPPORT PROGRAM LEADER. E: lnewman@stpatscollege.qld.edu.au

YEAR 11 MARINE SCIENCE – ORPHEUS ISLAND

On Sunday 10 October, the Year 11 Marine Science class departed Townsville, travelling up to Orpheus Island’s James Cook University research station to gain skills in coral reef research. Students undertook fish and coral surveys and deployed a baited remote underwater video system to discover more about how the Great Barrier Reef ecosystem works.  

In addition to this, the students also snorkelled through the shoreline mangroves to view the importance of these ecosystems as critical nursery habitats, a topic which was covered in Marine Science in Term 3. The students were lucky enough to experience low tides allowing them to walk out to see the unique clam garden.

This field trip was a crucial component of the data test this term providing students with the necessary experience to actively collect data in the field. The Year 11s will now analyse the data, using different statistical tests such as Simpson’s Diversity Index, Regression Analysis and T-tests.

Ms Holly Whiting

MARINE SCIENCE TEACHER. E: hwhiting@stpatscollege.qld.edu.au

STUDENT TRAVEL REBATES NOTICE