4 September 2017

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Message:

By Mr Kort Goodman – Principal

8 things that make a big difference and require no talent

Last Monday on assembly our four school leaders, Will Gordon, Jane Evans, Evelyn Kelly and Daniel Cooper spoke to their peers and the staff about a recent article written by Luke McKenna (Luke is the founder of the Unleashing Personal Potential organisation who comes to work with our students on Growth Mindset).

Luke wrote the article after having some recent work done on his house, which involved a number of tradies. It reminded him of the difference that can be made by the little things and for our students it was a good opportunity to raise their awareness of the stuff that they can already be doing to a high standard. It will probably help them a great deal in their life if they can be someone who does the little things that make a big difference.

The following eight items are a few of the things that make a big difference, that require absolutely zero talent. These are life principles- they won't be found in most curriculum documents or job descriptions- but they make for a better life.

1. Turn up on time - whatever time of day, just be there when you say you will. It shows respect to others. More than this- it shows that you can manage your time, priorities and you know your job well enough to be realistic about your commitments.
2. Use your manners - say please and thank you, take your shoes off if they're filthy. The stuff that you learned in the home (hopefully), will serve you well in the workforce and in life in general. Show people respect through your body language and how you speak. Look people in the eye and share your thoughts with kindness.
3. Smile - there may be some days and occasions when people are doing it tough and things are not going well. However, for the most part, it is not difficult to greet someone with a smile. If you walk past someone, it seems reasonable to make eye contact and smile. If you're working on their house, cutting their hair, mowing the yard, teaching a child, or treating the patient- greet people with a smile. It's free.
4. Communicate - let people know what your plans are for the job, and let people know when you are done. If in doubt, just ask. Better to chat to people than to be a hermit and leave people in the dark.
5. Own your mistakes- if you mess it up, don't try to hide it. Just let people know and then take it upon yourself to fix it. If you are unsure of the answer to a question, just let people know. Don't pretend that you have all the answers. No one is perfect, and most people would rather you be honest, than to lie or conceal mistakes.
6. Take responsibility for decisions - just like owning mistakes, but going a little further. Own your choices. Take responsibility. Don't live by blaming, denying or making excuses- it's disempowering for yourself. Instead, step up and be counted. Every choice we make has consequences. If it was the wrong one, then own it. Don't pretend you were forced to do it. Often our choices have side-effects or consequences that we didn't intend. That doesn't mean we shouldn't have done it, and it doesn't mean we were forced into it. Be proactive and make a choice.
7. Learn continually - add to the repertoire of things you can do, and how well you can do them. It's not about how smart you are right now, or how well you can do something- what matters is if you are still growing, improving, curious to learn more and keep stretching. This creates an attitude that is contagious in a workplace- and makes people more willing to forgive your mistakes because of a joint understanding that we are all on a journey of getting better.
8. Show that you care - doing all of the above things shows that people care. It might take an extra 2% longer to complete the job, but the result will be a happier customer, client, boss, team member, class mate, friend. If people get the sense that you don't like the work you do, don't care for their property, don't respect your colleagues, etc, it makes it hard for them to enjoy the service you are providing to them. If you don't care about the work you do, it's unlikely you will ever be paid handsomely for it.

Thanks to our four leaders for sharing these thoughts of Luke with us. I am sure that a there are other items that you would add to the list of things that require no talent, that make a big difference?

Dear God this week we pray that;
We demonstrate love for one another.
We continue to work hard, do our best and have faith.
We always use our manner and are respectful.
We always tell the truth.
We give without expectation.
We use kind words and are forgiving.
We look for opportunities to serve.
We say our prayers and count our blessings.
Amen

Father’s Day Breakfast

Last Friday we hosted our annual Father’s Day breakfast. This is a very important annual event for our College as it provided us with an opportunity to say thanks to the significant males in the lives of our students. It also provides our students with the opportunity to spend some quality time with this person. On behalf of the staff of the College, I would like to thank firstly, all the Fathers who made the effort to come along and secondly the staff and students of our College who gave up their time to make this event happen.

QCS Test

Congratulations to our Year 12 students who sat the annual Queensland Core Skills Test last Tuesday and Wednesday. These students showed great commitment and determination in their efforts to achieve to the best of their ability in both the lead up to the test and over the two days of testing. Thank you to Miss Smeed, Mrs Upton and the other teachers who have been involved in the preparation, organisation and support that was provided to the students.

Year 11/12 Exam Block

Good luck to all of our students who are currently completing assessment. In particular, I would like to wish our Year 11/12 students all the best as they begin, what is the Year 12 student’s second last exam block of their senior schooling. For the Year 11 students who have just completed their first set of academic interviews this assessment block is about either maintaining excellent results or starting to make improvements in preparation for term four and their final year of schooling. A reminder to the Year 11 and 12 students to ensure they follow the exam block expectations that are clearly outlined in the letter handed out by Miss Smeed.

Year 8 Camp Kokoda and Year 11 Leadership Camp

In Week 10 of this term our Year 8 and 11 students both head off on their respective camps. On behalf of the students I would like to thank Mr Frattini and the other teachers for the work they have done in preparation for these camps. I would also like to thank the staff members who have made themselves available to assist with the supervision of these camps. I am sure that all of the students who are attending these camps will benefit greatly from the experience.

2018 On Line NAPLAN Readiness Test

On Monday 11th September, our Year 8 students will be involved in participating in a practice session for the implementation of online NAPLAN in 2018. This test will not only provide our students with an understanding of the skills required and the types of questions that will be included in next year’s test but also provide our College with the opportunity to ensure that we are ready for the introduction of the online testing. I thank Mr Frattini, Mrs Wooding and Mr Fern for their work in organising this opportunity for our College.

TERM 3 – 2017 Date Claimers

TERM 4 – 2017 Date Claimers

Pastoral Care News:

By Mr Craig Frattini, Deputy Principal

Father to Father

by Michael Grose

As a father and father-in-law to three young dads, it’s great to see each of them embracing the life-changing nature of fatherhood and becoming fully involved in their children’s lives.

I see myself in these young fathers, and in doing so I’d like to guide them away from making the same fathering mistakes I did. However, knowing that young dads are loathe to take fathering advice from a member of the previous generation, I’ll give the following advice to my younger self instead:

1. Play to your strengths

Men generally parent differently to women, based on their biology. Fathers often parent in a more active or action-oriented way than mothers so games, play and physical activity become important parts of a man’s parenting repertoire. Your partner may not always appreciate your more active approach, particularly if you play with kids just before bedtime then leave it to her to calm them down.

Practical advice: Be yourself, but be smart about it!

2. Lighten up – don’t take yourself too seriously

It’s easy to get caught up in your own importance, taking yourself and your work too seriously. For many men a bad day at work translates into poor or, at best, distracted experiences when they’re with their families. Consider putting a strategy in place, such as exercise, that will help you leave work and the moods it engenders behind.

Practical advice: Be present in mind as well as in body when you’re with your kids.

3. Have something in common with each child

It would be wonderful to say that you can always connect with your kids, but family life is not that straightforward. There’ll always be a child who we struggle to connect with or a developmental stage during which a child seems alien to us. In these cases and times it helps if you share a common interest (such as a love of sport or music) with a child so that you always have something that will bring you together, even though you may not always see eye to eye.

Practical advice: Be prepared to take an interest in your child’s interests.

4. Take it easy on your son

Many dads are tough on their boys and have expectations way above their son’s interest and ability levels. It helps to remember that it takes a little longer for a boy to mature. Resist the temptation to turn every game and every joint activity into a lesson and avoid giving advice when all your son wants is some understanding.

Practical advice: See the boy as he is now, not the future man, when you spend time with him.

5. Enjoy the outdoors with your daughter

The biological nature of fathering causes most men to be very protective of their daughters. But that doesn’t mean you should put your daughter on a pedestal and treat her like a little princess. Expect a lot from her. Play with her, and get her outside into nature as it will do wonders for her confidence levels.

Practical advice: Enjoy spending time with your daughters on a daily basis.

6. Be ready for kids to knock you off your pedestal

Most children in the pre-school and middle-to-late primary school years look up to their dads. “My dad is better/bigger than your dad” is a type of mantra that’s familiar to many parents. Make the most of it as this Superman Syndrome doesn’t last. Young children soon become adolescents and will go to great lengths to prove that you’re Clarke Kent after all. Expect that they will stop laughing at your jokes, raise an eyebrow at your well-intentioned advice and even stop being friendly to you in public. Ouch! It can be hurtful to a man who just wants to be the best dad he can be.

Practical advice: See number 2 above: don’t take yourself too seriously.

7. Give your kids a compass and a map

One day your children will become independent of you. Don’t worry! You won’t be irrelevant, just redundant in a practical and managerial sense. There are two things you can do to help your kids safely navigate the world when you’re not around. First, help them develop a set of positive values including integrity, honesty and respect that will act as their moral compass when they have difficult decisions to make. Second, reveal your personal story over time as this narrative will become a personal map that will reassure them when life gets tough. It’s good to know that they are not in uncharted territory when they finally strike out on their own.

Practical advice: Tell kids your story – don’t make them guess it or learn it from someone else.

Father’s Day is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the contribution that men make to the lives of their children. It’s a very personal reflection as each man’s experience of fathering is as unique as the children they are raising. I invite you to reflect on your own fathering as well as the contribution that

fathers – whether your own dad or someone else’s – have made to your own life.

Michael Grose, founder of Parenting Ideas, is one of Australia’s leading parenting educators. He’s the author of 10 books for parents including Thriving! and the best-selling Why First Borns Rule the World and Last Borns Want to Change It, and his latest release Spoonfed Generation: How to raise independent children.

APRE News:

By Mrs Kate Cullen, APRE

Father’s Day Breakfast

Thank you to everyone who attended and helped prepare the Father’s Day Breakfast to create the opportunity for our students to show gratitude to the important men in their lives. It was great to see Dads, grandparents and their students sharing conversation along with the breakfasts!

I hope Father’s Day weekend went well for all.

Term 3 Interim Reporting

Students will be receiving reports at the end of the term on their work so far this semester. I would like to remind families about the use of Inquiry and Routine tasks within assessment within the junior Religion department.

Students complete routine task in class which can include reading articles/textbook summaries and answering key questions, writing definitions and glossaries, or searching information on prayers and saints and cutting and pasting creative summaries of their influence in Church history and religious life. If students complete conscientiously these tasks they will receive a C overall.

Students have the opportunity to gain a C+ or higher result through completion of their assignments which are inquiry tasks. They receive one of these each Term that challenge students to think through the content they learn to develop an informed and independent answer to a fertile question. In Term 3, the different year levels were asked: (7) How does God inspire the Faithful? (8) What would Jesus do to be present in our lives? (9) What inspires the actions of the faithful? (10) How is change good for us?

Students who gain a C+ or higher in their assignment will receive that grade overall in the subject for the term.

Henri Nouwen Reflection: The Treasure of the Poor

The poor have a treasure to offer precisely because they cannot return our favours. By not paying us for what we have done for them, they call us to inner freedom, selflessness, generosity, and true care. Jesus says: "When you have a party, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; then you will be blessed, for they have no means to repay you and so you will be repaid when the upright rise again" (Luke 14:13-14).

The repayment Jesus speaks about is spiritual. It is the joy, peace, and love of God that we so much desire. This is what the poor give us, not only in the afterlife but already here and now.

Catholic Church's Refugee & Migrant Sunday

This week Catholic Church's Refugee & Migrant Sunday occurs. Take a moment to reflect on the experiences of migrants and refugees everywhere. You may like to listen to this poem by Kenyan-born Somali poet Warsan Shire, who fled to the United Kingdom as a refugee.

Curriculum News:

By Ms Jen Smeed,, Assistant Principal—Curriculum

Year 12 QCS

Congratulations to our Year 12 students who sat the QCS test last Tuesday and Wednesday. It was a big two days, which included four separate tests. All students showed great commitment to the tests and were exceptionally behaved. They should be commended for their efforts. Well done!

Exam block

Our Year 11 & 12 students begin their exam block this week. Year 11 &12 exams run from Tuesday through to Friday. Whilst on exams our Year 11 &12 students have study leave, therefore they only need attend school when they have exams. The idea being that “study leave” means students have the opportunity to go home and study. We do hope that all students use this time effectively and wisely. For those students who choose to remain at school, the College library will be available as a study room. There may be a need for students with outstanding assessment to remain at school during study leave to complete the outstanding assessment. You would have received a phone call from College staff if this relates to your son/daughter. Most of all, we wish all students good luck in their upcoming exams, particularly the Year 12 students as it is their second last block of school exams.

Academic Interviews

Thank you to all the parents and students from Year 11 and 12 who have made the effort to meet with Kort Goodman, Ali Porter and myself to discuss your child’s academic progress this semester. Academic interviews for senior students will next occur at the start of 2018.

Year 11 QCS Practice

Year 11’s will sit their first QCS practice test on Tuesday 3rd and Wednesday 4th September 2017. This is the first two days of term four. A letter which outlines the details of this test, as well as the required equipment, will be included in the term 3 interim report. Please note students not sitting the QCS (non-OP students) will not be required to attend school on these dates.

Interim reports

Term Thee progress reports will be posted home at the end of this term for students in years 7-11. Please make sure the College office has your correct mailing address.

Please do not hesitate to contact me at Jen.Smeed@twb.catholic.edu.au if you have questions about the events above or would like to discuss curriculum at the College further.

Careers News:

By Mrs Ali Porter, Careers

ASSUMPTION COLLEGE STUDENT PATHWAYS NEWS

Noteworthy items:

• Date claimer 31st of October: Graduation morning tea for Year 12 school-based apprentices and trainees, their parents and employers – invitations coming soon
• Year 12 school-based trainees and apprentices need to complete required hours and training by September/October or convert to full or part-time for 2018
• The University of Southern Queensland (Toowoomba) is offering students personalised campus tours over the school holidays – information has been provided to Year 12 students
• Year 12 students can now make application through QTAC for tertiary study in 2018
• Any students wanting to study a VET At School TAFE course in 2018 need to register their interest in their chosen course before September 11th.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Zoe Shield on the recent completion of her certificate studies in beauty. Congratulations also to Gabrielle Hockley on the completion of her certificate studies in hospitality. Well done to both girls!

Year 10 SET Plans

We have been working with Year 10 students to develop their Senior Education and Training (SET) Plans. The Department of Education and Training requires that all schools in Queensland develop a SET Plan with each Year 10 student. The information below, taken from the link below outlines the purpose of a SET Plan.

“What’s a SET plan?

A SET plan is a confidential document that a student develops, in consultation with their parents/carers and their school, to map their learning and career pathways.

What’s the purpose of a SET plan?

The purpose of a SET plan is to help students:

• set and achieve their learning goals after Year 10
• include flexible and coordinated pathway options in their course of senior study
• think about their education, training and career options after Year 12 and make decisions about their learning pathways
• structure their learning around their abilities, interests and ambitions
• communicate with their parents, teachers and career guidance officers about their learning pathways and post-school plans.”

What’s involved in developing a SET plan?

Students develop their SET Plans in Careers lessons by using an online tool that guides them with a series of questions and prompts.

What happens next?

Parents are encouraged to be involved in the SET planning process so you can support your child through their learning. You can do this by asking your child to log onto his/her online careers account and viewing the SET Plan online. Year 10 parents will also be invited to join their child and a College representative at a SET Plan meeting. These will be held early in Term 4 and letters regarding these meetings will be sent home to parents before the end of this term.

VET At School

TAFE Queensland, South West (Warwick campus), is offering school students the opportunity to complete selected certificate courses as part of Year 11 or 12 school studies in 2018. Please see the list below of courses on offer at our local campus.

• Certificate II in Automotive Underbody Technology
• Certificate I in Construction
• Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care
• Certificate II in Health Support Services
• Certificate II in Hospitality
• Certificate II in Kitchen Operations
• Certificate II Rural Operations.

Details of these courses, including delivery and cost, are printed in the TAFE Queensland South West ‘TAFE At School’ 2018 Course Guide booklet. Students can get a copy of this at the college careers office or online at:

Courses are most suited to students studying Year 11 in 2018. Students who would like to study one of these courses next year will need to register their interest at the TAFE portal at https://tafeapply.com/. Please note that registration will only be open until September 11th. All Year 10 students have been provided with registration details and an application code. A letter has also been sent home to Year 10 parents.

Year 12 School-based Trainees & Apprentices

An information session has taken place with Year 12 school-based trainees and apprentices in regards to their traineeships and apprenticeships. The aim of the session was to advise students of processes and timeframes around the completion or conversion of their apprenticeship or traineeship. For those Year 12 trainees who wish to complete their traineeship by the end of Year 12; all work hours, training and training record books should be completed and submitted to the relevant training organisation by early September. For those students whose traineeship or apprenticeship will continue into the new year; these students should be discussing with their employers the ‘conversion’ of their traineeship or apprenticeship to full-time or part-time in 2018. Letters from the Department of Education and Training will be sent to students in regards to this and parents are welcome to ring the college careers office for more clarification around these processes.

Year 12 Sessions

Year 12 students have been involved in careers presentations this week that included information on university application, training options, finding employment and apprenticeships and traineeships. Students were also provided resources to enable them to source information regarding student loans, finance, accommodation whilst studying and general post school support services.

C.A.S. Hawker Scholarship

The C.A.S. Hawker Scholarship is awarded to Australian students, usually those entering their first year of university. It is awarded based on personal qualities, demonstrated leadership and academic ability. The 2018 C.A.S. Hawker Scholarship opens on Monday 4 December 2017 and will close on Friday 5 January 2018.

Australian Defence Forces Information Sessions

Please see below for details regarding Defence Force Recruiting information sessions taking place in September 2017:

• Australian Defence Force Careers Information Session
  Date: Tuesday, 12th September Time: 6.00 – 8.00pm
  Location: Milne Bay Training Depot, O’Quinn St, Toowoomba
• Leadership and Management Information Session
  Date: Tuesday, 26th September Time: 6.00 – 8.00pm
  Location: City Golf Club, 254 South St, Toowoomba

Please visit the link below for more comprehensive careers and pathways information and news.

Sport News

By Mrs Julie Collins, Program Leader Sport

Darling Downs 13-19yrs Athletics Trials will take place this Thursday and Friday in Warwick. We wish all competitors the best of luck.

Darling Downs 12yrs Athletics Trials: Congratulations to all students who competed at the 12yrs trials this week.

Jackson Pitstock has qualified to represent Darling Downs at the State trials later this year.

Congratulations and good luck at the State trials.

SPORTS DATES

Soccer

SSI Red Lions Plate - Boys Semi-final Rundown

On Friday 18/08/2017 members of Assumption College Warwick Boys Football Team travelled to Centenary Heights State High School in Toowoomba to compete in the Semi-finals of the SSI Red Lions Plate Competition.

The Semi-final was between Assumption College Warwick and Centenary Heights State High School. After a sluggish start we began to build some good ball movement, especially with good through balls from Joe Gordon and Will McKay, on to Gift Lisie and Will Gordon. Off the bat the Centenary Heights defence was strong and we weren’t able to penetrate. Further pressure from us, saw us get close to notching up a goal, with a couple of scoring opportunities going by the wayside. Our defensive line was holding strong with good hard work from Harry McMahon and our stoic goalie, Angus McKay. About 15 minutes into the first half, the tide turned and the Centenary boys pushed us to our limits and we allowed them to put a goal on us. This was the catalyst for Centenary to up the ante and continue to apply the pressure on us. With a possible lack of game fitness working against us, we let another goal in and went to the ½ time break 2-0 down. In the 2nd half, our mid field found their legs and thanks to attacking football from Nick Spence and Declan Murphy we again started to press their defence. Unfortunately, we were off target and couldn’t convert our opportunities. It wasn’t long before the fitness became a factor and Centenary began to build consistent momentum. This led to them putting in a couple of goals in quick succession and before we knew it we were down 6-0. With only glimpses of positive play being shown by our boys in the final stages of the game, we ended up with a very hard fought 8-0 loss. Man of the Match; Gift Lisie.

This is our inaugural year of competing in this code of football and overall it was an outstanding effort for our first competition as a team. We would like to thank and acknowledge our whole team which includes:

Angus McKay, Connor Miiller, Cooper Seng, Declan Clegg, Declan Murphy, Dion Firth, Harrison McMahon, Joe Gordon, Josh Forbes, Kyle Collman, Nicholas Spence, Taegan Inmon, Will Gordon, Will McKay, Xavier Richmond Kettlety-Clay. Coach: Mr Simon Mascadri. Manager: Mr Scott Clegg

SSI Red Lions Cup - Girls Semi-final Rundown

On Tuesday 22/08/2017 St Joseph’s Stanthorpe Girls Football Team hosted the Semi-final of the SSI Red Lions Cup Competition at St Joseph’s Stanthorpe. Lisa-Marie Henry from Assumption College Warwick was a part of this team. Lisa-Marie continued to be a very welcome addition to the team and bolstered the St Joseph’s defensive backline.

The Semi-final was between St Joseph’s Stanthorpe and The Glennie School from Toowoomba. This game started at a fast pace, with both teams running from end to end, however no goals were scored in the first 20 minutes due to great goal line defence. On the break of half time our girls, executed great lead up play with a few quick succession passes hitting the right feet and ending in the back of the net. After half time there was much of the same with St Joseph’s racking up another 2 goals early on, however Glennie went on the attack late into the second half scoring one and narrowly missing quite a few more, making the coaches age a little more from the stress of it all. All in all everyone worked extremely hard and they should be proud of their efforts, and are looking forward to the grand final in the coming weeks. St Joseph’s Stanthorpe went on to win this game 3-1 and cemented their position in the upcoming Grand Final.

This is our inaugural year of competing in this code of football and we hope to be able to provide a girl’s team to represent Assumption College Warwick in this competition and other competitions next season. Hopefully Lisa-Maries’s outstanding effort will inspire other girls to want to be part of this great sport.

We wish St Joseph’s Stanthorpe and in particular Lisa-Marie, all the best for their upcoming Grand Final appearance.

Business News:

By Mr Scott Clegg, Business Manager.

Toowoomba Catholic School Privacy Statement

Dear Parents An update has been made to the Toowoomba Catholic Schools (TCS) Privacy Statement. This update has been made in preparation for NAPLAN online from 2018. The new inclusion to the TCS Privacy Statement relates to the sharing of student information and is in bold below.

A school or the Toowoomba Catholic Schools Office may disclose personal information to assessment and educational authorities, including the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) and NAPLAN test administration authorities (who may disclose it to the entity that manages the online platform for NAPLAN). Page 2 of 2 We are obligated by the Privacy Act (1988) to inform you of any changes made to the TCS Privacy Statement.

If you have any questions about this change, please contact the school principal. The full TCS Privacy Statement is available on your school’s website. Kind regards Dr Patrick Coughlan Executive Director: Catholic Schools Diocese of Toowoomba

School Counsellor:

By Mrs Jenny Gillespie

Child Protection Week 2017

Assumption College is committed to ensuring a safe and supportive environment for all students, and is a proud supporter of Child Protection Week.

This year, Queensland Child Protection Week is from 3 – 9 September. The aims of the week include raising the profile of child protection issues, including prevention, treatment, research, education, service provision and support for children, young people and families.

Protecting children is everyone’s business – play your part! If you would like to learn more about Child Protection Week, please visit:

General Notices:

Readers Cup Challenge

Two teams of Assumption College students entered recently in the Readers Cup Challenge held at the Warwick High School. The Readers Cup Challenge requires entrants to read four books prior to the event, and then answer questions based on these books. Our students showed off their excellent comprehension, observation and memory skills against some very hard questions, with one of our teams coming away as Runners Up on the night. Congratulations to the following students involved:

Kaitlyn Newley, Lauren Hutchinson, Annika McAllister, Piper Green, Madelyn Browne, Charlie Millard-Cottee, Alex Hutley & Rebekah Thompson.

It was great to see our students participate with such enthusiasm and to hear our students saying on the night how much fun they had and how much they enjoyed representing the College. Well done !

Fathers Day Breakfast Photo Gallery

Year 12 Biology Excursion

Recently our Year 12 Biology students attended USQ where they had the opportunity to be real scientists for the day. They isolated DNA from a sample of liver and amplified it using PCR. After running the DNA through an electrophoresis gel the students were able to determine the infection source. They were a credit to the Assumption College in their attitude and behaviour, as well as having some fun and experiencing a day at university along the way.

Language and Literature Optiminds Challenge

For the past 6 weeks 7 students, Jorja Stevenson, Annabel Hume, Cheyanne Sanders, Molly Cullen, Frazer Roche, Ben Willett and Declan Clegg have been preparing their response to the Language and Literature Optiminds Challenge.

Teams are required to work together on a Long Term Challenge for up to six weeks without assistance from anyone outside the team. They develop creative & original ways to communicate this solution to others, working within predefined parameters such as limited materials, complex Challenge criteria & the deadlines of The Challenge Day.

Students present the product of their ideas – their Challenge solution – to a panel of judges & an audience on Challenge Day, having 10 minutes in which to present. The teams must also participate in an unseen Spontaneous Challenge on Opti-MINDS Day.

On Sunday these students travelled to the University of Queensland Gatton campus to present their solution along with hundreds of other students from schools across the Darling Downs. They performed incredibly well and the level of research that they had put into their solution was commended by the judges. Their professionalism was also commended by all.

Uniform Shop Convenor Required

The P&F Uniform Shop is looking for a new Convenor for 2018 (this can be a shared role if two people would like to take it on jointly). Currently the uniform shop opens one morning a week from 8:15 – 8:45. If anyone is interested in taking over this position, please see the school office.

Woolworths Earn & Learn

Ours Woolworths Earn & Learn stickers are accumulating rapidly in the office – thank you to everyone who has dropped them in to us so far! Please keep them coming – we are looking forward to being able to redeem some fantastic rewards with our points!

St Mary’s Catholic Parish:

Community News:

Host Families Required

Planet Ark – 10 Waste Reducing Tips from The Planet Ark

Disability Action Week Expo

Disability Action Week

Community Options “Shimmy Shimmy Shake & Sing”

Warwick West Spring Spectacular & Talent Quest

Convent Café

Careers in Disability Expo

Indigenous Youth Mobility Pathways

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