LINKS: Term Three Week Three

From the Principal

Catholic Education Week

Each year during Week 3 of Term 3, Queensland celebrates Catholic Education Week. This week is vital in remembering the important work that occurs in Catholic Education from kindergarten, schools, universities and the work done in support services and the office. This year’s theme continues on from last year with “Communities of Faith, Hope and Love”. In my infancy as Principal at St Mary’s, I have been blessed to witness this in our own community. The staff, students, parents and wider community truly live out the values of faith, hope and love on a daily basis.

This week is full of exciting events, including a visit to Kaloma, Friendship Day on Thursday and Bishop’s Inservice Day on Friday where our staff will journey to Toowoomba to gather, learn and celebrate with colleagues from throughout the Diocese. Please note that Friday 28^th July is a Pupil Free Day. I would like to thank Mrs Karra Suhr for her tireless work in organising Catholic Education Week for our community, particularly Friendship Day. In addition to a number of exciting activities, we have Michael Mangan coming to give us our own private concert. I know everyone will enjoy singing and dancing along to Michael’s music. We also thank Michael for coming to Gundy to share this event with us.

Bishop Ken Installation

We welcomed Bishop Ken Howell to the Toowoomba Diocese with his installation on Tuesday 11^th July. We look forward to meeting Bishop Ken when he comes out for Confirmation on the 5^th August. We also pray for our candidates who will be confirmed.

Family Mass

I had the privilege of attending Family Mass on 16^th July and was so proud of Year 2 WM. They hosted Family Mass and told us all about the Lost Sheep. We were then able to make our own sheep and play a game to find it when it went missing. Thank you to Mrs Tenille White for your leadership with this. I look forward to the next Family Mass in August.

Mobile Phones

I would like to remind students and parents to sign their mobile phones into the office before school begins each day.

Darius Boyd

We had the pleasure of welcoming Darius Boyd to our school on Friday 21^st July. Apart from being an exceptional Rugby League player who has represented the Brisbane Broncos, St George Illawarra Dragons, Newcastle Knights, Queensland and Australia in a brilliant career, Darius is a also huge advocate for promoting positive Mental Health and making communities aware of strategies they can use to prevent poor Mental Health. We thank him for his presentation and the time he took to stay and sign autographs and take photos with the students. Thanks to Care Goondiwindi and Tie up the Black Dog Committee for making this visit possible.

Survey Information

We encourage all of our parents to share their views in the Shaping our future – perception survey. This survey is being completed by parents, staff and students from our school and the other 30 schools that make up the Toowoomba Catholic Schools’ community.  This 15-minute survey closes on Sunday, 6 August 2023.  Please check your email for a link to the survey.

For more information email: Angela.Collins@twb.catholic.edu.au

World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly

Sunday 23^rd July was the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. The day was first established by Pope Francis and this year’s theme was “His Mercy is from Age to Age”. Pope Francis has invited us all to celebrate this day by ‘putting at the centre the overflowing joy of a renewed encounter between young and old’. This is evident in our own community. Last week, our choirs sang beautifully at the Older Persons Network Luncheon and this week students from Years 9 and 10 will visit Kaloma as a part of Catholic Education Week. Thanks to Mrs Benita Klowss and Mrs Karra Suhr for making this opportunities happen.

Vinnies Sleepout

Friday night saw approximately 20 of our Secondary students sleepout in the cold in the Vinnies sleep out. Julie Inskip from Vinnies came and took our students through a variety of activities that raised awareness for what homeless people go though and how they find themselves in this position. Thanks to all the students who joined in this event. Thanks also to Mr Bevin Goodes and Mrs Karra Suhr who braved the conditions to allow for our students to experience a small glimpse into what it is like to be homeless.

Miss Angela Collins
Principal

From the Deputy Principal

Hello St Mary’s community,

Last Wednesday, I had the pleasure of accompanying Mrs Klowss, the Angels Choir and some helpers from Cherubim choir to the Oak Tree Retirement Village. The Angels choir performed on stage at the Older Persons luncheon, to a captivated audience. The students, assisted by member of the Cherubim Choir, did a wonderful job and I was so pleased to hear some of the positive comments and discussion from the “older persons” audience. Thank you to Mrs Klowss and all the students involved!

Warning: W-App

I recently heard about a new social media app, called “W-app”, which is targeting young people. While users are meant to be over 13 to access the app, it has a lot of appeal to younger social media users. It is free to download, but its use is concerning.

Once a user has downloaded the app, they would select their school (geographic location etc). Then they let the app scan/import their contacts. It will then create “polls”/surveys, using the list of contacts.

In doing so, it masquerades as an official school survey, disarming the users. Friends will receive an SMS to their mobile number advising them that “A friend from St Mary’s School, Goondiwindi has sent you a compliment (or survey); click here to view!”. It will provide a link to download the app.

W-app preys on students’ willingness to gain popularity points, find out who likes them, etc.

Our school devices prevent students from installing unauthorised apps/programs, however, some students may be using it on their phones or home devices. Please be vigilant, even if your child is over 13. You may like to talk to your children about this and general dangers of such apps.

God bless,

John Shaw
Deputy Principal

Religious Life

Catholic Education Week! 
 

Happy Catholic Education Week! Catholic Education Week will be held from 23-29 July this year, providing an opportunity for all Catholic education communities around Queensland to celebrate and promote the distinctive mission of Catholic schooling. 

The theme of Catholic Education Week in 2023 is Communities of Faith, Hope and Love. This week we have showcased the activities we have taken part in to celebrate our special St Mary’s Community.  On Thursday we celebrate Friendship Day. The students have each selected an activity of their choice. A huge thank you to our staff and parents who have volunteered to take part in an activity. The overview of the day is as follows:

FRIENDSHIP DAY OVERVIEW:

All families, parishioners and friends are invited to join us in our Friendship Day celebrations. We will also have a shared morning tea from 10:45am to 11:15am for those who can join us.

Please note ALL students are welcome to wear their sports uniform on Thursday. Primary may wear their coloured house shirt (same as Friday uniform) and secondary students may wear their normal sports uniform.

Vinnies Sleepout 

Last Friday, 20 year 7-10 students slept out to raise awareness of homlessness. Julie Inskip from Mini Vinnies Youth, visitied our school and ran through a series of activities with the students around privlidges and preconcieved ideas around homelessness in Australia. Following this, students had dinner in our makeshift soup kitchen, participated in team building games and then prepared their beds for the sleepout. It was quite cold overnight and we even had a visit from the local police asking us to move on. The total expereince was not only educaitonal but extremely humbling for everyone involved.

On Monday, I asked a few students to reflect on their sleepout experience. A few of their responses include:

“The sleepout was fun and cold and the thing that I learnt is that homeless people should be treated the same as others. Homelssness is so hard and very sad”. - Wil Coggan

“The experience of the sleepout was very educational as it showed how homeless people felt in one night. One experience was when the police showed up and woke everyone (I didn’t wake up). In real life, homeless people are actually relocated. I am very grateful in my current life.” - Jarin Charles

“I gained a lot from the sleepout. I learnt that only 25% of homeless people are actually ‘homeless’. I now appreciate the warmth and comfort and all of the privileges that we get. We always have the stereotype of a homeless person being bearded and begging, but they are much more. Everyone has their own individual story.” - Gurshaan Singh.

Next year we are looking to continue the sleepout and make it bigger and better! One idea is to invite community members to take part with us. A huge thank you to this year’s students who particpated in the sleepout with such enthusiasm and maturity. They were absolutely brilliant

Confirmation

We have 24 students who are busily preparing for Confirmation. Bishop Ken will make his first visit as Bishop to Goondiwindi on Saturday 5^th August to confirm the students. We wish keep these students in our thoughts and prayers as they embark on their final preparations.   

Karra Suhr
Assistant Principal Religious Education

Secondary News

Term three has started with great momentum both inside and outside the classroom. To foster a strong emphasis on Literacy across all subjects, secondary students will have the chance to visit the library every fortnight for half an hour. During these visits, they can reacquaint themselves with the school library and its protocols, explore the available book collection, and, if interested, borrow some books. A big thank you goes to Mrs. Petrie and Mrs. Parr for warmly welcoming the students and sharing their knowledge about library protocols while nurturing a love for reading. One valuable lesson learned was that starting a book doesn't bring with it the obligation to finish it.

Another highlight of the past fortnight was the visit from Darius Boyd, who spoke about mental health and well-being. Among other topics, he emphasized setting goals, working hard, and doing one's best, as one's best effort will always be good enough. The excitement was palpable as many students took the opportunity to get an autograph or photograph with the high profile NRL player.

On Wednesdays and Thursdays, students engaged in chess matches in the Science Lab, displaying excellent sportsmanship. They ensured all participants were aware of the rules and offered support to others, encouraging strategic thinking and skill improvement ahead of the upcoming competition in week 6.

As part of the sports rotation, this term introduced clay pigeon shooting as an option, and the students' level of interest and maturity in handling safety and instructional sessions was commendable. Special thanks to Shawn, Steve, and Greg for their outstanding collaboration and guidance, providing students with an exceptional and memorable experience.

The inaugural Vinnies Sleepout offered a unique opportunity for students to spend a night sleeping like the homeless community. The evening commenced with activities and discussions led by Julie Inskip, preparing the students for the experience and fostering growth and learning, with a focus on solidarity, compassion, and gratitude. The night was cold, but the students willingly stepped out of their comfort zones, enjoying the activities and food.

Looking ahead, there are still many exciting events to come this term. All students are encouraged to seize every opportunity, whether it's in the classroom, on the playground, or off-campus.

Mr Bevin Goodes
Assistant Principal Secondary

Let’s Talk about Improving Secondary Literacy

Question: How are we working to improve student literacy outcomes?

Answer: Through the provision of ‘transformative and evidence-based PD’ to our Secondary teachers.

To be successful learners across all subject areas, students require the literacy capacity to make meaning across the whole curriculum. To develop and meet these literacy student needs in a holistic and explicit manner, teachers require highly effective practices. Through Subject Discipline Literacy (SDL) training, our Secondary teachers are developing their skills to become even more effective teachers of literacy, regardless of whether they teach Science, Mathematics, HPE, The Arts…

In Term 4 last year, I was fortunate to undertake training along with school representatives from across the Toowoomba Diocese to become a licensed SDL Tutor. Following this, I was able to deliver the teacher course, along with Toowoomba Education Officers Cathy Peile and Jo Tooley, to John Shaw, Bevin Goodes, Rachael Reeves and Carly Poole in Semester One and as a result, the implementation of SDL approaches is well under way in their respective teaching areas. This semester, Karra Suhr, Abbie Rose and Ina Winter have commenced and will complete their teacher training in SDL.

The undertaking of this training demonstrates a sizeable commitment of our staff, equivalent of 45 hours of professional development, and reflects the dedication they have to their profession as educators and to the wellbeing and success of their students. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their commitment as life-long learners who continue to hone their skills and to congratulate them on the great work they are doing in our classrooms every day! Already, student awareness about the need to develop their literacy capacity across all curriculum areas has been heightened and we look forward to sharing examples of successful outcomes of improved comprehension and composition of texts.

Christine Border

Middle Leader/Secondary Teacher

Sports Report

What’s on Term Three, 2023

Week Three:       Thursday 27^th July   Mac Zone Athletics

Week Three:     Thursday  27^th – 30^th  July State Rugby Union - Brisbane                             

Week Five:       Friday 11^th August -  Jump Rope for Heart – ‘Jump Off Day’

Week Six:       Tuesday 15th  August  -  DD track and Field

Athletics Carnival

Congratulations to the following students who broke records at the recent athletics carnival.

Elkie Wood – 12 years 800m

Lachlan Henderson – 13 years high jump

Jye Bader – 13 years 800m

Parker Dillon - 14 years Javelin, Shotput and discus

Dani Walters – 15 years javelin, discus and shotput

Jack Coggan – 16 years, discus, 800m 100m and high jump

Milly Keeping – 16 years, high jump and shot put

And congratulations to the following age champions.

Catholic Schools Athletics Carnival

On Friday 14^th July, over 40 keen athletes headed to Toowoomba to run, jump and throw against some of the districts best athletes.  Our students performed very well and brought home a swag of ribbons for their efforts.  Well done to all who competed.  The weather was certainly kind to us.

Queensland Cross Country Champs

A huge shout out to Elkie Wood who recently competed in the State Cross Country Championships in Hervey Bay.  Elks finished a close 20^th in her age group.

Mac Zone Athletics

Best wishes to all our students competing in the Mac Zone Athletics Carnival on Thursday, 27^th July.

Best wishes to:

9 years: Oliver Rae, Sandy McClymont, Joey Rocks, Hunter Woodward, Finn Debortoli, Jim Jekyll, Kingsley Reardon, Paisley Wren, Alexis Wiggan, Molly Gleeson, Bridie Doherty, Ivy Offerdahl.

10 years: Hudson Derbidge, Jono Webb, Charlie North, Rocky Heeson, Max Burrow, Bronson White, Lola Tomkins, Emma McDougall, Lotte Persse, Georgia Wild, Abby Pimm, Penny Quinlan and Isobel Pink.

11 years: Rory Wiggan, Harry Baker, Sam Bishop, Fergus Murray, Henry Smith, Polly Wild, Molly Giltrow, Kourtney Perriman, Eadie Moffatt, Annie McDonald, Milly Doherty, Bridie Bate.

12 years: Enzo Van Heerden, Will Corish, Jack Wood, Elkie Wood, Audrey Woods, Grace Pimm, Bella Dowling, Alice Pink and Pip Mooney.

Queensland Rugby Union Championships

Best wishes to Jock Jekyll and Jett Brennan who will compete at the 12 years State Rugby Union Championships in Brisbane from July 27^th to 30^th.  We look forward to hearing all about your carnival on your return.

“Victory is in the quality of competition and not the final score”

Yours in Sport,

Kathy Spicer

(Kathy.Spicer@twb.catholic.edu.au)

School Advisory Council

The School Advisory Council (SAC) had a meeting last week.

First order of business was to welcome Angela Collins to the school.  We are excited to have her as the Principal of St Marys and look forward to working with her within the SAC.

The SAC would also like to thank John Shaw and the School Leadership team for doing such a wonderful job of covering the position of Principal during Term 2.

There was no formal Principal’s report as it is only Angela’s second week in the job. However, she did let us know that she’s hit the ground running and has already started on work related to the School Renewal Improvement Process (SRIP) held last term. The outcome of this process will be a new strategic plan for St Marys for 2024 to 2028.

Father Hermi presented us with his Parish report.

Discussions were held around applications received for the vacant SAC position that we are looking to fill by the end of the year.

The SAC are attempting to become more transparent and visible in their role within the school. Several meetings ago it was moved that the chair would provide a brief summary of the SAC meetings in the Links newsletter. It was also suggested that there should be a photo of the SAC which we’ve attempted to do with the help of a propped-up iPhone and timer.

Regards,

Geoff Webb Chairperson St Marys School Advisory Council

Library News

Please ensure students have their books/bags each week on the following days:

Monday – Prep to Year 2

Tuesday – 6G, 4M, Year 3, 5S

Wednesday – 4K, 4L, 5F, 6R and 6P

Read, Grow, Inspire

Book Week provides moments to celebrate the best of Australian Children’s Literature. It runs from the 21^st to the 25^th August (week 7) and the theme for the year is

‘READ, GROW, INSPIRE’.

Our dress up parade will be held on Friday 25^th August at 9am. The normal assembly process will take place afterwards.

Book Week seems to be one of those things that has exploded outside of schools and is now advertised and promoted as yet another way to spend money. Asking families to spend more money is not our intention! Reminiscing about favourite books and finding new favourites with family is the ultimate goal for us. Costumes can be very simple and effective! For ideas, have a look through your kids favourite books with them or come on in and find something different in the library. Some ideas are:

There will be more costume ideas in Links in week five. Please come on in and see us if you would like some assistance, we’d love to help!

As always,you can search our catalogue at : https://au.accessit.online/STM25/

Thank you for your help to encourage reading! If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail the library staff at:

goondiwindilib@twb.catholic.edu.au

Emma Petrie
Teacher Librarian

Student Support

Enrichment & Extension

Students Looking for a Challenge? 

ICAS at St Marys 2023 for Yr 2-10 

What is ICAS? International Competitions and Assessments for Schools (ICAS), is an independent, skills-based assessment program.  This competition recognises and rewards student achievement in areas such as English, Mathematics, Science, Writing, Digital Technologies and Spelling.  The series of tests are designed to match and test skills that are learned in the school classroom.  

ICAS Assessments are online assessments.  Students are assessed on their ability to apply classroom learning to new contexts, using higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills. Students are asked to demonstrate a deeper, integrated, and thorough level of knowledge. 

For your child to participate in an ICAS test (one or more), please access the parent payment page below and use the school access code. Sign up closes on July 31^st.  

Your parent page and payment link is: https://shop.icasassessments.com/pages/pps 

Your school access code is: EYV261 

Assessments will be held in August from the 7^th-30^th in school time, at a cost of approximately $15/assessment.  Now is the time to discuss this with your child to see if they would like to participate in these assessments.

Lou Cowley
Enrichment & Extension 

Careers

7 Effective Study Techniques for High School Students

As a high school student, you may be facing a lot of pressure to perform well academically. With so much material to learn, it can be overwhelming to figure out the best way to study effectively. Luckily, there are many tried-and-true study techniques that can help you make the most of your study time. Let’s look at some and see if there are any you might like to try.

Spaced Repetition

One of the most important study techniques to keep in mind is spaced repetition. Rather than cramming everything into one study session, spacing out you’re learning over a period of time can help reinforce your understanding of the material and improve your retention. You can achieve this by breaking up your study sessions into shorter, more frequent sessions over a few days or weeks leading up to an exam.

Active Recall

This technique involves testing yourself on the material you’ve learned, rather than just re-reading it. Examples of active recall include flashcards, practice questions, and quizzes. By actively engaging with the material, you’ll be able to identify areas where you need to focus your attention and improve your understanding of the concepts.

Interleaving

Interleaving is another technique that can be effective. This involves mixing up different topics or types of problems during a study session. For example, if you’re studying for a history exam, you could alternate between studying different historical events, rather than just focusing on one topic at a time. This technique helps to strengthen connections between different pieces of information and improve retention.

Elaboration

Elaboration is another technique that can be helpful for retaining information. This involves expanding upon the information you’ve learned by making connections to other knowledge, asking questions, and explaining concepts in your own words. By elaborating on what you’ve learned, you’ll be able to better understand the material and retain it more effectively.

Using Visual Aids

Visual aids can also be a helpful study technique. Using diagrams, mind maps, and graphs can help you better understand and remember complex information. These visual aids can help you organize information in a way that makes sense to you and identify key connections between different pieces of information.

Teaching Others

If you can find someone willing to listen and learn, teaching them what you know can be an effective way to give your studies a boost. By explaining concepts to others, you’ll be able to identify areas where you need to focus your attention and reinforce your own understanding of the material.

Look After Yourself

OK, while this isn’t technically a study technique, it’s still very important to take care of your physical and mental health. Getting enough sleep and exercise can have a big impact on your ability to learn and retain information. Make sure to take breaks when you need them, and don’t be afraid to ask for help if you’re struggling with a particular subject.

There are heaps of effective study techniques out there that can help you improve your academic performance. By experimenting with different techniques and finding what works best for you, you can make the most of your study time and achieve your academic goals.

Rachael Reeves
Career Development Practitioner

Guidance Counsellor

I hope you’ll find this article an interesting perspective on ADHD. Written by Michelle Wotton, Clinical Psychologist-Sessional Academic
Master Clinical Psychology (The Resilience Centre Website)

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects millions of people worldwide. It impacts on an individual’s ability to focus, pay attention, and control impulsive behaviors. ADHD can have its own challenges, but it can also bring unique strengths and abilities that can be harnessed as a superpower! Here are some examples:

Creativity: Many individuals with ADHD have a highly creative mind. Their unique way of thinking can allow them to see the world in a different way, leading to innovative ideas and solutions.

Hyperfocus: While individuals with ADHD may struggle with attention and focus in some areas, they can also experience intense periods of hyperfocus, where they are able to concentrate deeply on a specific task. This can lead to great productivity and achievement in certain areas of interest.

Multitasking: While multitasking is not always recommended, individuals with ADHD have the ability to handle multiple tasks at once, switching between them quickly and efficiently. This can be a valuable skill in certain professions.

Out-of-the-box thinking: Individuals with ADHD often have a unique way of thinking that allows them to approach problems and situations in a non-traditional way. This can lead to breakthrough ideas and solutions that others may not have considered.

Spontaneity: Individuals with ADHD often have a spontaneous and adventurous personality. This can lead to exciting experiences and opportunities that others may shy away from.

It’s important to note that having ADHD as a superpower doesn’t mean that the challenges associated with the condition disappear. However, by focusing on their strengths and abilities, individuals with ADHD can find ways to succeed and thrive in their personal and professional lives. With the right support and strategies, ADHD can be seen as a unique ability rather than a hindrance!

Harness your superpower because others don’t have the abilities that you do.

Paul Fomiatti
Guidance Counsellor

Student Council News

Each meeting we hear from the different class representatives about concerns and ideas from the students perspective. New sports equipment is always a repeated concern we hear each meeting. We then meet with the principal to discuss these ideas and concerns and make a plan forward.  The new equipment is a result of this process. 

 Today there was a lot of excitmenet as some of the new equipment was added to the shed! We had $1000 to spend on the sports shed.  We are still waiting on a few things like the new elastics and handballs to arrive.  

P&F Term Three Meeting

The P&F would like to thank the families who generously sponsored outdoor seating for one of our major School projects this year. We had an amazing response, and it will be wonderful to see the new seating arrive this year with plaques for those who contributed. 

The upcoming Science Fair is the outcome of a P&F meeting agenda item from 2022. It is a great example of why contributing ideas for consideration and when possible, and attending meetings either in person or via zoom can have a wonderful outcome.

The P&F are also helping to fund Sound Field systems for classrooms, which provide a high-quality audio to assist learning, vocal clarity from teachers and decrease background noise.  This is a long-term project to bring our classrooms in line with the standards that optimise learning environments.

Over the next couple of weeks you may see parents, Student Council or staff selling raffle tickets for a Lamb box, donated by Apex Dorpers and kindly supported by Gibsons Butchery. The proceeds of the raffle will go towards upcoming P&F initiatives for the School. As the price of stocking the freezer continues to climb, the few dollars towards raffle tickets may win you $400 worth of high-quality grass-fed lamb. 

Denise Ellis
P&F President