St Patrick's College Mackay Term 2 - Week 10 - 21 June 2024

As the term ends, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all the students. Your dedication, curiosity, and active participation have made this term truly special. Your commitment to learning and growth is inspiring. Thank you for your hard work and enthusiasm. Enjoy a well-deserved break!

I would also like to acknowledge the dedication and hard work of our teachers and staff. They have tirelessly poured their energy into educating, inspiring, and guiding their students. Their commitment to fostering learning, creating engaging lessons, and nurturing individual growth is to be commended. This year one of our teaching and learning strategic goals is for staff to focus on responsive teaching practice and feedback based on real-time students’ needs and understanding of content of lessons. I thank them for their efforts and their hard work is truly appreciated. Teachers use formative assessment and observations to tailor lessons which foster engagement. Immediate feedback guides students progress and promotes a highly supportive learning environment which enables increased learning and understanding. Our goal is to improve all students learning that focuses on the individuals. May all staff enjoy a well-earned break these holidays.

Please note that our students resume Term 3 on Monday 8 July.

Diocesan Director Farewell
Last Wednesday I had the honour of attending Leesa Jeffcoat, Diocesan Director Farewell Thanksgiving Mass and Luncheon held at St Joseph’s Cathedral in Rockhampton. I wish to express my utmost respect and appreciation for the work Leesa has done as our Director for the past 23 years. Leesa has worked for Catholic Education for 46 years. On behalf of the entire St Patrick’s College community, I extend my deepest thanks to Leesa for her exemplary service and leadership. May her next chapter be filled with as much joy, fulfillment, and success as she has brought to our schools.

I wish to congratulate Mr Michael McCusker who will be our new Director commencing Term 3. Also congratulations to Alison Wales who will be acting Assistant Director School Northern Region for the next six months. Best wishes to on their new roles.

Please see media release from Catholic Diocese. Link: CEDR Media Release - Farewell Thanksgiving Mass Leesa Jeffcoat

Community Activities
Once again, many wonderful things have happened this term. We have had great success on the sporting fields, in chess and debating competitions. Our Cultural Ensembles have performed on numerous occasions and our students continue to give to those in need through various acts of community service. It is very pleasing to see the effort and success of our students throughout the term.

Athletics Carnival
Our Carnival was held last week over two days at the ARC. Thanks to all who participated. I enjoyed watching student involvement as well as all the support from staff. Congratulations to our Sports Coordinator Matt Sanders for his excellent organisation for his first carnival.

Subject Selection Evening
It was great to see so many families taking advantage of the Subject Selection Evening held at St Patrick’s College on Thursday 6 June. Formal enrolment and subject selection interviews with a member of the College Leadership Team commenced last week. Please contact the College office if you have not booked an interview for your 2025 Year 11 student.

Year 7 Enrolments 2025
Year 7 (2025) enrolment interviews have commenced. Round One enrolment offers will be sent to families on Wednesday, 10 July 2024.

Round 2 enrolment offers will follow on Thursday 18 July. We look forward to welcoming these students and their families into our school community and supporting them as they embark on this exciting new journey. Thank you to the many staff who have been involved in this collaborative process.

Confraternity Rugby League and QISSSN Netball
These upcoming July holidays, students from the College will again be competing in the Confraternity Rugby League and QISSSN Netball competitions. We wish the players, coaches and support staff involved in the carnivals all the best for the week ahead and extend an invitation to all families to come and support our teams. The draw for the carnivals can be found on the below link.

Link: Confraternity Carnival

Good luck to all teams! I am looking forward to seeing our talented students play in Townsville.

School Funding
The government will be changing their funding model to all schools. Please find below a link to the third of a series of Advice pieces, developed to inform our Catholic Education families of the new Federal Government Funding model (Gonski model) and the impact on funding for Catholic Schools. Over the coming months, further Advice pieces will be shared, with each piece building on the detail of the previous. Please take the time to read each of the Advice pieces, to understand the impact of the changes on the funding for our College and College fees.

Link: What to expect with my School Fees 2025 to 2029?

While vaping has dominated headlines and prompted legislative action, leading to restrictions and heightened awareness it is essential to recognise that this is just one part of a larger issue. The nicotine landscape is rapidly evolving, with new products and consumption methods continually emerging. 

Often these innovations remain unnoticed until they become significantly popular among our youth, at which point they pose a substantial risk. The discreet use of these products presents new challenges for educators, making it nearly impossible to stop students from using smokeless tobacco products (SLTs) in a school setting due to their difficult detection.

It is imperative for parents and caregivers to stay informed, as there are currently no comprehensive plans to address these future challenges.  

Here is the link to your Special Report

 https://stpats.qld.schooltv.me...

The Year 7 students enjoyed a combination of reflection on retreat and an overnight camp. The students were challenged by testing their ability at one high ropes obstacle and many team building activities. It was great to see that all the students had a go at everything they were challenged with. Not to be outdone by the students, there was even enough time for some of our staff to show how wobbly they were on the high ropes course as well. All students enjoyed an evening reflection around the camp fire which concluded with hot chocolates and roasting marshmallows. The staff at Kinchant Outdoor Education Centre along with our staff from St Patrick's College also enjoyed a fun camp which allowed our Year 7 students to make new connections, personally grow, while having some fun.

Head of Sport
We are coming to the end of what was a very busy term for St Patrick's College Sport. We have participated in Interschool Volleyball, Hockey, Soccer, Rugby League, Netball and AFL competitions throughout the term. All of our teams had a great experience competing in the various competitions and a special thank you must go to all the teachers behind the scenes who give up their time in supporting our students succeed and develop in the sporting arena. 

In week 9 we held our Athletics Carnivals. Split across two days, Monday saw the completion of our Senior Carnival (10-12) and Tuesday our Junior Carnival (7-9). Well done to all students who participated and contributed to what were two highly successful days. Please see below the overall standings - well done Argos!

1st - Argos
2nd - Midas
3rd - Oraya
4th - Badila
5th - Triton
6th - Pindar

The first newsletter next term will provide a further breakdown of age champions, events winners and photos.

Queensland School Sport - financial assistance
Students who have made Queensland Representative level may be eligible for financial assistance. Please check out the following links.

https://www.qld.gov.au/recreat...

The Emerging Athlete Pathways (EAP) program supports eligible young athletes, coaches and officials aged 10-18 years to progress on a development pathway by providing financial assistance to help alleviate the costs associated with attending state, national and international events.

Applications can be made from time of selection up until 6 months after the event start date. Applications must be made using the appropriate State, National or International application form.

https://www.magpiesmackay.com....

Magpies Sporting Club getting behind our local community.

Confraternity Carnival 2024
This coming school holidays presents an exciting time for St Patrick's College as we prepare for the annual Confraternity Carnival. Better known as ‘CONFRO’, for many students CONFRO is one of the highlights of their high school journey and a lot of hard work and dedication has occurred in the lead up to this point.

We would like to congratulate all selected students and wish both players and staff the best of luck - the wider school community is behind you.

Confraternity 2024 Boys
Adam, Caleb, Cohen, Cohen, Darcy, Flynn, Izaak, Jack, Jack, Javan, Josh, Kaden, Kooper, Lachlan, Mark, Nelson, Norman, Reuban, Ryan, Saxon and Zane
Coach: Ian Schifilliti, Assistant Coach: Matthew Paul, Managers: Scott McSherry & Matthew Deeth, Head Trainer: William Gilbert, League Safe: Pat Daly & Shane Mau

Confraternity 2024 Girls
Anthea, Ava, Brielle, Charlotte, Ella, Jada, Jaymie, Keely, Maddie, Paige, Ruby, Cianna, Ebony, Keeley, Lucy, Scarlett, Sophie, Tailor, Tayla, Kelsi, Ruby and  Charlee 
Coach: Imogen Healy, Assistant Coach: Duncan Watt & Wayne Large, Trainer & Manager: Tania Attard.

AFL School Cup
We are pleased to share with you the results and highlights of the recent AFL Schools Cup. Our students put in a tremendous effort and represented our school with pride.

Open Girls
Unfortunately, our Open Girls team lost the Grand Final to Moranbah. Despite the outcome, they played exceptionally well throughout the tournament and should be commended for their hard work and dedication.

Junior Girls
Our Junior Girls team gave it their all and did their best in every match. Their determination and sportsmanship were truly admirable.

Junior Boys
In a closely contested preliminary final, our Junior Boys team narrowly lost to Moranbah. They displayed great skill and teamwork throughout the tournament and should be proud of their achievements.

Open Boys
Our Open Boys team had an eventful journey in the AFL Schools Cup. After winning their preliminary final against Moranbah in extra time, they advanced to the Grand Final. Unfortunately, they faced a controversial loss to Proserpine by just one point. Despite the disappointment, our boys conducted themselves with utmost sportsmanship and represented our school admirably.

We would like to congratulate all our students who participated in the AFL Schools Cup. Your hard work, dedication, and positive attitude are truly commendable. Also, much appreciation goes out to our coaches, Miss Matsen, Mrs Martin, Miss Johnson, Mr Jackson, and Mr Cain who gave up their time to assist and support our teams.

Football
Our Open Boys Soccer team enjoyed another great season this year. They have made significant progress, going from a 4-0 loss in their first game against MNBSHS to a 1-0 victory over MSHS, a 3-1 loss to WAS, and a 1-1 draw with HSC during pool games. They were fortunate to reach the semifinals, where they faced the top team but unfortunately were defeated 2-0 by HSC. We also thank Miss Wootton for coaching the boys again this year. Well done, gents!

When the temperature drops it is the perfect condition to sit by the fire, the heater or in a warm lounge chair, with a hot drink and a good book. The library at the Mercy campus has a few reading suggestions for our students before they depart on their mid-year holidays. 

The Write Stuff

Just a reminder about a valuable document and one I encourage parents, students, and teachers to make full use of is The Write Stuff. Originally created in 2001, it has undergone several updates, with the 2024 revised edition available in print (in each classroom within the Mercy campus) and electronic (available through Student café). Its aim is to provide a practical reference document to assist in researching and responding to learning tasks, and to provide access to standardised formats and genres across the departments. Well worth a visit!

When our exterior structure has broken down, we need to reorganise our interior structure. In other words, when the world as we know it has “fallen apart”, we need to reorganise our thoughts, feelings and emotions. When we are not able to change our external situation, all we can do is change our reactions to it and focus on doing that.

Easy enough to say…but when we are already feeling helpless and out of control, it’s not so easy to do, so let me introduce you to a useful tool that may help you to do this.

The tool is called the ‘Circles of Control, Influence and Concern’ which looks at where we focus our time and energy. It looks like this:

The inner circle is known as the Circle of Control. This encompasses those circumstances/issues/problems that we have direct control over. This includes problems involving our own behaviour and thoughts.

The middle circle is the Circle of Influence. This encompasses those circumstances/issues/problems that we have indirect control over. This includes problems involving other people’s behaviour. We can’t directly control them, but there’s a good chance that we can have an impact or influence on them by our own actions and choices.

The outside circle is the Circle of Concern. It is also known as the circle of ‘no control’. This encompasses the wide range of circumstances/issues/problems we have, but over which we have no control. This includes problems we can do nothing about, such as our past or situational realities. It’s the biggest circle because there are so many things that we have no power to change.

If we put our time and energy into worrying about the things that are in our circle of concern we will continue to feel out of control and helpless. But if we put our time and energy into our circle of influence and our circle of control, we will give ourselves a sense of agency and feel more in control. So this is where we need to focus our time and energy.

If you cannot control it, do not stress about it! If you cannot influence it, do not get upset about it! Focus instead on the things you can change, not on what you cannot.

St Patrick’s Senior Campus created a Kindness Wall where every student was encouraged to write something on the wall to spread some love! Kindness is such a vital aspect of our interactions with one another, and this is a motto I hold close -

This activity served as a wonderful reminder to our school community to prioritise compassion and empathy for each other and recognising that even small acts of kindness can have a significant impact on other people’s day. Whether a smile, kind word or lending a helping hand, every act of kindness contributes to making the world a better place. Engaging in acts of kindness has links to increased levels of happiness and ‘helpers high”, improved life satisfaction, reduced stress and anxiety levels, enhanced social connections, improved cardiovascular health and immune function and is likely to cause a positive ripple effect as when individuals witness acts of kindness they are more likely to engage in similar behaviours themselves, creating a cycle of generosity and compassion. Incorporating acts of kindness into our daily lives not only improves our own wellbeing, but also contributes to a more compassionate and connected world.

Our College entered five teams consisting of students from Year 7 to Year 12 in the recent debating competition, debating against other schools in Mackay over several weeks. We tackled some challenging topics in both the prepared and impromptu rounds, and have grown tremendously in confidence and speaking skill.

Although all teams worked hard to deliver persuasive arguments, it was our Year 11 debating team who competed in the interschool debating grand final on Tuesday 11 June against Holy Spirit College and unfortunately lost (but not without putting up a fight).

This was a great experience we all enjoyed, and look forward to participating in this great opportunity again next year.

Debating Students 2024: 

Debating Finalists:

As parents and carers, we all want our children to grow up resilient, able to bounce back from life's challenges with strength and positivity. At St Patrick's College, we have embraced the Resilience Project, which teaches evidence-based strategies to build resilience and promote positive mental health. One key focus is the practice of gratitude.

What is Gratitude?
Gratitude is the quality of being thankful and appreciative. It involves taking the time to notice and reflect upon the positive aspects of our lives, no matter how small they may be. When we practice gratitude regularly, we train our brains to focus on what's good rather than dwelling on the negative.

The Benefits for Our Children
Numerous studies have shown that cultivating gratitude can have profound benefits for children and adolescents, including:

- Improved emotional regulation and coping skills.
- Greater life satisfaction and optimism.
- Better academic performance.
- Stronger relationships and social connections.
- Reduced stress, anxiety, and depression.

By making gratitude a habit, our children learn to approach life's ups and downs with a more positive mindset.

Practicing Gratitude at Home
The Resilience Project provides simple yet effective ways to build gratitude into your family's daily routine:

- Keep a gratitude journal and share entries at meal times
- Play the "gratitude game" by taking turns naming things you're grateful for
- Write thank-you notes to people who have helped or inspired you
- Reflect on three good things that happened each day before bed time

As parents, modelling gratitude ourselves is key. When our children see us expressing appreciation for the big and little things in life, they are more likely to adopt this valuable habit.

At St Patrick's College, we are committed to nurturing the whole child – academically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually. By embracing the Resilience Project's focus on gratitude, we can empower our children to develop the resilience they need to thrive in an ever-changing world.

Early Childhood Studies
During Semester 1, the Year 11 and 12 Early Childhood Studies classes have developed good relationships with children from the Mackay Childcare Centre. Students have conducted investigations and projects for the children aged 2 to 5 years and enjoyed the practical, hands-on nature of this subject. Our classes visited the Mackay Childcare Centre where they implemented play-based learning activities with the children. Children from the centre also visited the College to take part in activities designed and run by the Year 12 students. The Year 11 class welcomed the Kindy and Pre-Kindy classes to play inside and outside as part of their current assessment task. Several  students in both year levels have school-based traineeships at the local childcare centres who, with their continued support, create pathways for our students to achieve in their chosen field.

𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐋𝐘 𝐓𝐎𝐃𝐀𝐘! https://applynow.net.au/jobs/CER1033 

Applications close Friday, 5 July 2024 

Position Vacant
Administration Assistant – Catholic Parishes of North Mackay & Farleigh

The Catholic Parishes of North Mackay & Farleigh are seeking a casual Administration Assistant to provide support to the Parish Secretary, and to fill in for leave absences.

The role supports the Parish ministries and administration. The position will involve approximately 4 hours per week, plus additional hours for leave coverage when required.

Applications close: COB Monday, 8 July 2024. Please submit a brief cover letter outlining your availability and suitability for the role, and a current resume with two references to ken.kelly@rok.catholic.net.au.

For more information or a copy of the Position Description, contact Ken Kelly on the above email or phone 4957 4855.