'God wants us to take fresh courage'. 
Thus wrote St Mary MacKillop in her personal diary on 21 May 1877.  As we are on the cusp of her Feast Day, it is right that we reflect on her words and her actions.  

She was a woman who had to take many brave steps with little but her own faith and conviction supporting her.  Often, she was significantly let down by people who could and should have supported her.  Her commitment to walking in the margins of nineteenth century Australia and supporting those there provided a template for compassion and care.  The schools her Sisters established changed the educational landscape for the better - particularly in regional and remote areas - and the ongoing mission of the Josephites remains committed to supporting those who cannot easily support themselves.  It is a mission that we must take seriously as a College and as a community. 

More literally for our community right now, I can see the need for us to take fresh courage.  I have been involved in a lot of conversations this term about the College's immediate future.  You will have seen via other channels that we are designing and tendering for new buildings, that we are restructuring leadership positions and broadening the curriculum.  Any change - even positive change - involves a degree of bravery.  I remarked to some Board members this week that the movement away from the 'muscle memory' of classrooms and curriculum is an exciting but slightly scary process.

The same is true of our students who are needing 'fresh courage' as they navigate the impact of Covid on education.  On Tuesday, Federal member John McVeigh met with myself, Ms Cridland, Mrs Gillett and the two College Captains.  A lot of conversation focussed on the impact of the pandemic upon learning, exams and hoped for outcomes.  This is to say nothing of the experience of all students who have endured small but significant changes in classroom processes to keep us Covid safe.   It has been a troubling time, and I know a lot of our younger students have had to draw on significant reserves of bravery to negotiate this.  

I had the good fortune to observe briefly some sporting fixtures this week.  Our lower senior girl's soccer team enjoyed a 5-4 victory over St Ursula's on Monday.  This is a really wonderful result, particularly for Mr Naiker who started forming this group last year.  On Wednesday, our U/13 and U/15 rugby union boys defeated St Mary's College at Gold Park in the Darling Downs Super Rugby Cup.  These games were really free-flowing and our boys showed great skill and, just as importantly, real discipline.  A huge thanks to these players as well as Mr Griffiths and Mr Coren who have convened this involvement.  Our senior boys soccer team were defeated by St Mary's on Wednesday, but despite playing against an older side acquitted themselves very well.  

Keeping with the theme of courage - a big shout out to the College members who wear the colours playing 'up' against older, bigger teams. As we grow, this will be a recurring theme, but crucially it will not always be.  

Thank you as always for your support of our work here.  

Communication at the College comes in many forms, and we would like to ensure we are communicating with our community in the most effective way possible.

We are requesting all families to take 5 minutes to complete this Parent Communication & Publications Survey. 

Your response will be anonymous, but every voice counts! 

This survey closes at midnight, Sunday 23 August.

The College is currently making a concerted effort to reduce its carbon footprint so we continue to model sustainability, good stewardship and environmentally friendly characteristics for our students.

Two of our major focuses this year have been reducing the amount of paper we use, and reducing waste.

COVID-19 inadvertently assisted with the paper reduction as we moved into online learning early in Term 2 and new technology was implemented that assist our paper “lite” goal. Introduction of technology such as the interactive screens, lightboards, and use of Surface Go’s in Years 4 & 5’s has also assisted us reaching this goal.

Waste at the College has been reduced by 50% this year utilising our new bin system, consisting of landfill, general recycling, composting and paper waste. However we would love your assistance to reduce this further. Consider using reusable food storage containers instead of plastic wrapping foods. Find alternatives to packaged foods at your local supermarket. And finally, suggest to your children to bring their rubbish home. A “rubbish-less” lunch box benefits us all!

The Junior Office has previously supplied a range of plastic forks and spoons for students who forget theirs in lunchbox.  This practice will no longer continue as we move toward being a Zero Waste school. 

This week we were lucky enough to meet with Groom MP Dr John McVeigh for a chat over morning tea. It was great hearing about his past experiences and talking about the future of MMCC, ourselves and the community. As a school we have been blessed to have been taught by Mr McVeigh’s wife and now his daughter.

Hearing about how much Highfields has changed since he was a boy living at the end of O’Brien’s road, on the walk back we reflected on how the community and school might change as we go off on our next adventures. Space Travel! Ice-cream at the tuckshop? A new science lab! Well, we already know that is definitely happening, and we can’t wait to have a tour with our children in 20 years’ time. Over the coming week, we pray you and your families stay safe, healthy and happy.

Many thanks,

Connor McKerrow and Caitlin Lang

College Captains

Please read the attached letter from the Department of Education, Skills and Employment.

2020 Census Privacy Notice

St Mary MacKillop was a very spirited person.  There is a story that I recall that tells of her riding a horse wildly, to get to a dying person urgently.  She was a very good horse rider and would be seen galloping to other places at times.  In this way, I envisage her as been free spirited.  But I also know that she was a very spiritual person as well, having a strong devotion to God.  So I wonder what Mary would have thought 'A spirited tomorrow' would mean?  I think she lived this in the way that she developed schools for poor catholic children in rural areas - she wanted the spirit of God to be shared with these children who would be the future of the nation, the children of tomorrow!  Her spirit is still evident in the way the Josephites work and live today in communities around the world today.    

This year the theme for Catholic Education Week across Queensland was just this.  So, how does this idea relate for us today?  What does a spirited tomorrow mean to you?  I think it is about how we can be better people, a spirited people, a people of tomorrow.  We need to believe in the young people in our care today, who attend our Catholic schools, that they will be adults who seek justice, seek fairness, seek a joy for living, seek a world that has peace but ultimately a world that values each other.  Last week, we celebrated Catholic Education Week with a liturgy, with activities for religion lessons across the school and a day for staff to reflect on "Community - made for us" workshop, and all students across the school have traced their own hand to write what is great about Mary MacKillop Catholic School.  These hands will be on display on our banner for Feast Day mass next week.

Due to the weather, our Feast Day celebrations were postponed to Friday, 14th August.  This day will encourage students to celebrate the spirit of Mary MacKillop in lots of activities throughout the day - mass, Mary MacKillop chatterbox, lots of games both indoors and outdoors, reflection time, art and school projects.  We thank the P&F for their contribution to our day by the way of some snacks and a drink at break times.  Watch out on Facebook for the highlights of our day.     

Recently, an email was sent asking for any families who would have a child for Reconciliation this year.  Thank you to those who have completed this process by handing in the form and money to the office.  The date for Reconciliation will be in November but the information session will be Tuesday, 8th September.  You will be sent an email with all the details.  

Confirmation will be on Wednesday, 16th September with Bishop Morris presiding at the sacrament.  Emails have also been sent to all the families involved in this as well.  Please contact me if you are missing any information regarding these two sacraments.

Parish Mass will be at 8am this Sunday, 9 August. Please register via the link below before attending Mass.

Register here for Sunday Mass.

And so, to finish today, I would like to share a quote from Mary MacKillop, "The rest I leave to God and the Holy Spirit."  1874

In God's Spirit always.

We now have mountains of blankets thanks to the generosity of the MMCC community! Well done to students and their families who donated new or used blankets, quilts and even some warm clothes. Your contributions will help to make someone else's day brighter (and warmer). I am particularly proud of the AMMA group who spoke to PC groups, Junior classes and on assembly to promote the initiative, and featured in a Blanket Drive promotional video which was seen and shared all over social media. Great work AMMA! 

This Week's Feature Teacher: Mrs Rebecca Lynch!

It is our duty as teachers to know a lot about our students. In fact, we spend a sizeable portion of our teaching week gathering data on our students behaviour, wellbeing, spirituality, academic success and extra-curricular cultural and sporting activities. Each fortnight, I like to feature something great that's happening around the College, particularly around mission and outreach. We've shared fundraising successes, biscuit baking endeavours, the blanket drive initiative, prayer journaling insights and some details about the RE curriculum.

What we haven't shared though are the details of our Religious Education staff who keep faith and mission at the fore of our students' minds. Undoubtedly, you gain little insights into your children's teachers through the snippets of information they allow you to have. So, for this week and future newsletters this term, I thought we'd provide a "Feature Teacher" of our Senior College Religious Education staff. As I said at the beginning–we get to know a lot about your children; now it's your chance to learn a bit about us!

This week's "Feature Teacher" is Mrs Rebecca Lynch. I asked Mrs Lynch to share some of her background and reasons why she loves teaching Religious Education. 

What do you teach at Mary MacKillop Catholic College?

Religious Education to Year 7, 8, 9 and 10.

How long have you taught in Catholic schools?

I have been a teacher in Catholic schools for about 30 years.

I have taught at St Paul’s College Adelaide (Religious Education, Computing and Head of Department Science);

Christian Brothers Agricultural School, Tardun WA (Religious Education, ICT and Computer Systems Management);

Tutong Ya Bana, Galeshewe , Kimberley, South Africa (Religious Education, Science);

St John’s School, Roma, Qld (Dean of Faith Life and Culture - Religious Education, Science and ICT);

St Joseph’s College, Toowoomba (Religious Education)

How do you live out your faith every day?

I use ‘religion’ every day—I think, I meditate and pray each day and I try to treat people with dignity.

Why do you think Religious Education is important for our students?

I have always been passionate about my faith. I have always had the desire to help young people discover their own spirituality. Religion is no ordinary subject - it is one that gives you lessons for life. In Maths in Year Nine you learn Pythagoras’ theorem—a2+b2 = c2  however, I have never had the opportunity to use this in my life. In Religious Education we learn about how we should treat people, justice, meditation and how to live our life according to a moral code.

I have worked in South Africa and in a small town called Tardun in WA. Here I saw and experienced what it meant to have nothing, racism (Black Lives Matter), intolerance, all things that the Catholic religion educates us about—the sacredness of life and how precious we all are.

Which topic/s in Religious Education do you enjoy teaching most?

I enjoy most topics but especially topics that are relevant in today’s modern world such as, social justice or ethical issues that can demand an ethical or moral response. If religion is taught and understood correctly, it will help stop unnecessary discrimination, make people around us aware of our feelings and bring peace and truth to the world.

Thank you to Mrs Lynch for giving the College community an insight into your teaching career and some reasons why Religious Education is important to you! Stay tuned for next fortnight's Feature Teacher – Mrs Megan Puhakka.

We are living in a rapidly changing world and as a result our Education System is fighting to keep abreast of the changes occurring.

COVID 19 forced us to make changes in the delivery of the curriculum. Teachers learnt how to use different platforms to deliver content and our students quickly learned how to use devices and access a platform that housed their learning. In very simplistic terms, this is not Digital Technologies as outlined by the Australian Curriculum, but rather falls under the umbrella of ICT Skills.

It is imperative that we achieve clarity around the difference between using devices to complete a task and using a device to be innovative, i.e. be prepared for a world that does not yet exist.

The Digital Technologies Curriculum is a new curriculum area which offers children the opportunity to become innovative creators of digital solutions, effective users of digital systems and critical consumers of information conveyed by digital systems. This curriculum area provides students with authentic learning challenges that foster curiosity, confidence, persistence, innovation, creativity, respect and cooperation. (Source: Australian Curriculum).

The Digital Technologies Curriculum has been spilt into two areas – knowledge and understanding and processes and production skills. The knowledge and understanding strand teaches children about how information systems represent data and the components of digital systems (hardware, software and networks). The processes and production strand educates students about collecting, managing and analysing data and creating digital solutions.

In comparison, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is a general capability that encourages students to make the most of the digital technologies available to them, adapting new ways of doing things as technologies evolve.

To participate in a knowledge-based economy and to be empowered within a technologically sophisticated society now and into the future, students need the knowledge, skills and confidence to make ICT work for them at school, at home, at work and in their communities. Information and communication technologies are fast and automated, interactive and multimodal, and they support the rapid communication and representation of knowledge to many audiences and its adaptation in different contexts. They transform the ways that students think and learn and give them greater control over how, where and when they learn. (Source: Australian Curriculum)

Students develop capability in using ICT for tasks associated with information access and management, information creation and presentation, problem-solving, decision-making, communication, creative expression and empirical reasoning. This includes conducting research, creating multimedia information products, analysing data, designing solutions to problems, controlling processes and devices, and supporting computation while working independently and in collaboration with others. (Source: Australian Curriculum)

At MMCC our teachers have become proficient in using a variety of platforms to deliver the curriculum. In addition, teachers are beginning to experiment with different peripheral devices to engage students in learning. For example, Document Cameras and LightBoards. We have been fortunate with our request to the P&F to purchase 12 new Document Cameras for the P-6 area. We thank the P&F for their generous support and contribution.

Teachers are using the Interactive White Boards in their rooms to support student engagement. iPads and 1-1 devices are being used to access learning portals such as Mathletics, Reading Eggs, Literacy Planet etc. Some teachers are experimenting with sending homework home digitally. Realistically, the possibilities are endless. We are in the very early stages of our learning journey of how best to deliver Digital Technologies and ICT. One of our dream outcomes in the Junior School is to use technology to ‘Flip Learning’.

These 21st-century skills are more important to students now than ever before. They not only provide a framework for successful learning in the classroom but ensure students can thrive in a world where change is constant and learning never stops.

For on 21st Century Learner click the link below.

Over the next few newsletter articles, I would like to share all the learning pathway options available to students at Mary MacKillop Catholic College. This week, I would like to share with you how beneficial USQ’s Head Start program can be for some students.

Head Start allows Year 10, 11 and 12 students to undertake a university elective. Students can choose electives from Business and Commerce, Creative Arts and Media, Education, Engineering, Health, Humanities, Information Technology, Law, Computer Science and Lab Science. This link outlines the specific electives students can choose from. https://www.usq.edu.au/handbook/current/headstart/courses-in-semester-1.html

By undertaking the Head Start program, students get a feel for what university learning is all about. Furthermore, they get a taste for what study looks like in their field of interest. Students learn to be independent and use the online learning platforms to complete their study.

If a student is successful in passing the elective, they will be guaranteed a direct entry into the related degree at USQ. In this instance, a student’s ATAR score will not be required. Providing a student meets the prerequisites of the university course (passing English in Year 12), they will be offered a place at university in that related degree.

Other benefits of undertaking this program is that the student will achieve 2 QCE points which contributes to them attaining their Queensland Certificate of Education. Furthermore, the first elective a student undertakes is free.

Currently, we have Josephine McQueen, Breanna Langley, Ashlyn Martin and Cassie Lawson undertaking the Head Start program while in Year 10. Should these students be successful, they will have a direct entry into their respective related degree of Lab Science, Law, Creative Arts and Education. Not a bad option at all considering they are in Year 10.

Head Start is one of many learning pathways available for our students. At Mary MacKillop Catholic College, we are committed to finding a learning pathway that suits your child which showcases their interests and talents.

This week, Remi O'Donoghue in Year 7 shares her experiences of Read Aloud in her Pastoral Care (PC) Class with Miss Niemeyer. Remi's enthusiasm for read aloud, and reading in general, is infectious and starting rubbing off on her peers! 

What book is your PC currently reading?

My PC is currently reading 'The Fall' by Tristan Bancks. After 2 and a quarter terms, we are sadly only halfway through the book.

What do you like about Read Aloud in PC?

I like being able to talk to my fellow PC mates (especially Caidence) about what will happen next. There is simply too much time between each Friday.

Do you have conversations with my friends or teacher about this book? How do you discuss the novel?

Most of the conversations I have with my PC is about how the intensity is rising. I always shout 'yay' when it gets to Read Aloud in PC.

What benefits do you get from Read Aloud?

Whenever I read a book on my own I only take in some parts and I might miss a whole paragraph. When Miss Niemeyer reads the book aloud, though it might take longer, I take in every word and get to know the story well. I also get to hear the different voices and expressions that may come from the person reading it. When they read aloud, I can easily picture what is happening in my head. I also get to learn new words and how other words are pronounced. Sometimes when I am reading a book, I skip or make up any words I do not know or understand and when my parents ask about that book I will probably say the word I am thinking/saying wrong.

What differences are their between read aloud and independent reading?

One difference, that is bad, is that I do not learn the spelling of a new word. Maybe Miss Niemeyer should start spelling all of the words or just the hard words that people point out. A good difference is that you get to hear every word of that story. Maybe Miss Niemeyer should read aloud every school day of the week.

Remi, I've passed on your advice to Miss Niemeyer so stay posted!

In Media Arts students are focusing on an Environmental crisis which has largely been caused by human activity. Students are creating a short film, that not only represents environmental crisis, but plays a pivotal role in shaping attitudes to the environment and leads a way of producing knowledge of the human dimension and the motivation for constructing a sustainable future. We are looking forward to sharing some of these short films in the coming weeks.

Ashlyn Martin, Year 10 has written a brief description of her proposed film.

This term in 9/10 Media Arts we have been learning about the effects of pollution on the environment and have made a short film to spread awareness about some of these effects. Our research and filming has really made us think about the decisions we make and how it can have adverse effects for our world. I am currently creating a short film to create awareness about the topic of pollution and litter. My short film follows the journey of how rubbish (in particular a plastic bottle) makes its way from a school yard into a water system. This film has really opened my eyes as to where rubbish actually goes and how human actions create this problem. I hope, once I release this short film, that it resonates with its audience and creates awareness and possibly a change of mindset towards this problem.

Science Week 2020 will be held at the College during Week 6 of this term.  The theme for this year is 'Deep Blue: Innovation for the future of our oceans.'  Many exciting activities are planned both in class and throughout lunch breaks throughout the weeks.  

There will be a quiz run in senior school pastoral care classes and a College wide design competition with prizes to be awarded for the most creative entries in the P-2, 3-6 and senior school age brackets.

Towards the end of last term, all Year 5 class members were involved in a Design project as a part of their units in Design Technology and Health, investigating healthy eating, food production and how technology has influenced agriculture over the years to increase sustainable food production, to meet the demands of a growing population across the world.

We have become accustomed to wanting every fruit and vegetable to be available all year round and this project involved building a greenhouse to enable seedlings to be grown out of season, throughout winter.

The students used their knowledge learnt in the units to research, design, plan, budget, build and evaluate their final greenhouse, according to the set criteria, which had to include a low build cost and the use of recyclable materials.

Many and varied plans came to fruition and there were some innovative designs with inbuilt watering and some very clever uses for old windows! Last week, all three classes were able to view each other’s finished products and see how their peers had interpreted the design task. Some were too large to be brought in and have become an integral part of the family vegetable garden, so photos were shared.

Many of the students commented on how they had enjoyed scavenging through theirs and grandparents’ sheds for materials to create something different, yet useful, to grow their seedlings.

Mary MacKillop Catholic College strives for a seamless transition for students from Junior to Senior schooling. As a P-12 College we believe that a successful transition process is the first step to ensuring students feels safe and secure in their new environment. The Year 6 – Year 7 Transition program has been established to provide support for students who currently attend MMCC and those students who will be beginning their education at MMCC in Year 7.

The formal transition program began in week one of this term and students began engaging in several lessons at the Senior School. Each Year 6 class will take part in several Science, Visual Art, Food Technology and Wood Technology lessons throughout Semester 2. Practical elements of the curriculum will be taught throughout these subjects, aligning with the content being taught in the Year 6 classroom.

Throughout Semester 2, Year 6 students will have the opportunity to be taught by Senior School staff in purpose built learning areas. Science and Visual Arts will be taught for the whole of semester 2 and Food and Wood Technology will be taught for one term each.

Students have found the new experience really enjoyable and engaging. Below are some comments from Year 6 students.

Food Technology :

It was really fun that we could try a drink that we are not used to.

I really thought it was a good idea to do a taste test of the drinks. This links to homework as we have to do activities about healthy eating and drinking.

Science:

It was really fun as we got to make light bulbs. We connected the wires and made all of it light up. I knew a bit about Electricity before I went to the High School as we had learnt some things in class.

We have a very entertaining teacher. I really enjoyed learning how Electricity works and that it was hands on. Working in a group made it easier as I got to ask others for their ideas.

Art:

Mr Chivers is really fun, he made the lesson exciting and fun. I liked how he made it a race to hand out the sheets. I really like Art and I am looking forward to creating things in the Art room.

I really enjoyed looking around and seeing different art in the Art room. I am looking forward to learning about Islamic Art. I really like how this art unit is linked to our last unit where we looked at different patterns. I’m excited about learning different types of Art and it being a step up from Primary School.

Positive Learning Behaviours are used to support a culture of learning throughout all learning environments in the College. At the weekly assembly, students are introduced to a positive learning behaviour that remains the focus for the entire week. Each of the positive learning behaviours is derived from the Head, Heart and Hands Student behaviour expectations. Students who have displayed this positive learning behaviour will receive a Joey point and will receive the following after accumulating points:

10 points – certificate

15 points – ribbon

20 points – badge

Throughout Term 3, the following Positive Learning Behaviours have been the focus:

As at the end of week 4, there have been more than 600 Joey points awarded in the Junior school. Congratulations to the students who have been demonstrating a range of positive learning behaviours. Keep it up.

Sometimes motivating your teenager can be challenging especially when school is low on their priorities. Recently I have been having an increased amount of conversations with students who are struggling for motivation and often unable to articulate why they feel this way. Often there is no one reason or answer and it is a mixture of school, home, friends, workload and currently the uncertainty we are all experiencing with event cancellations and changes to routine.

When confronted with this situation it is easy to get stuck in the negatives and talk about all of the challenges that are holding them back. A great way to encourage your child and rediscover their intrinsic motivation is to focus on the positives, the things they enjoy and find meaningful. On top of these positives it can also be a benefit to consistently reflect on what they are grateful for. This is another way to bring their attention back to the positive and increase their motivation. Often these include:

• Sport
• Friendships
• Favourite subjects or activities they enjoy
• Favourite teachers (let's pretend.......)

It is always great to see a student reflect and find these positives, but sometimes it can be a real challenge and it it isn't as obvious to them without support and guidance. In these instances start small and slowly rebuild the routines to get back to 'normal'. Some basic ideas are below, but please make contact with your child's PC teacher or myself so we can work together to support your child. 

• email a teacher about the assignment that is worrying them
• create a work schedule to break down a task
• choose one piece of the homework to complete rather than doing it all
• suggest they talk to another adult (teacher, family member/friend, counsellor) rather than you, to give an outsiders perspective and support 
• regular breaks from unhealthy habits like social media and screen time

There are so many positives happening in our College and our students lives everyday, giving us so many things to be grateful for. Help your teenager find these things on a regular basis to unlock their intrinsic motivation and achieve their goals. 

We have recently commenced a series of targeted group programs across both the junior and senior schools, supporting students to develop adaptive coping skills for resilience. These groups are designed and developed in collaboration with the students to maximise engagement, and are evidence-based to support psychoeducation, skill acquisition, and the generalisation of learned strategies beyond the group context. These groups also provide the opportunity for students to learn from one another, in a safe and supportive environment, which allows for the normalisation of their experience, whilst gaining peer support to navigate challenging times with the use of strengths and adaptive coping skills. 

Much of the focus of these groups is interpersonal in nature, with peer relationships and associated challenges identified by each group as something that can be difficult at times. Whilst navigating these interactions and learning from mistakes and ruptures is important for psychosocial development, and of particular focus for school-aged children, supporting them to feel empowered and effective (via skill development) enhances their ability to successfully manage this learning curve.

In addition to the explicit teaching of adaptive coping strategies, we wanted to reiterate the additional value of vicarious learning (which includes learning from parents) and the importance of modelling these skills to our children. Specific to the school context, we can support our children to feel supported, connected, and valued within the College community with the use of our own words and actions. How we similarly connect and relate to members of the College community can provide our children with a framework which establishes an expectation and pattern of behaviour that in turn supports their capacity to effectively engage with others at MMCC.

This may include demonstrating efforts to work collaboratively, to proactively problem-solve whilst acknowledging what is within our control, and importantly, what isn't. This may also extend to supporting others and celebrating their success. This is also an opportunity to demonstrate brave behaviour when we experience challenge, loss, or simply are not able to realise a desired outcome. Here instead, we can demonstrate good character and qualities including courage, acceptance, and the capacity to bounce back and to move forward with new knowledge of ourselves and others. 

This aspect of learning will be discussed and encouraged throughout the group programs. 

Please see the attached Sporting Fixtures for:

• Rugby
• Netball
• Soccer

Sport Fixtures By Week

Sport Fixtures

Book Week Celebrations

A reminder that we will be celebrating Book Week in Week 7 with the main events occurring on Friday 28th August. All students are invited to dress as their favourite Book Character on the day with P-6 students competing in the Readers' Cup Competition and 7-12 students competing in the Book Week Trivia competition. A reduced Book Fair will be available in the Junior Library during the week for student purchases, while parents will be provided with details in the coming weeks as to how they may order and purchase online.

Premier's Reading Challenge

Thank you to students who have handed in their completed Reading Challenge Form - it is not too late to enter.

Prep to Year 4 students need to read 20 books at their level, while Year 5 to Year 9 students need to read 15 books. Record Forms are available at both College libraries and also attached. All completed Forms must be handed in by Friday 28th August. All students who complete the Challenge will receive an official Certificate during Term 4 Assembly.

Individual Reader Record Form

Overdue Library Loans

The College is fortunate to have an extensive Library collection for student access. Like all College resources, we request that library loans are cared for and returned on time so that all students have access. Student general loans are a minimum of two weeks and students are able to extend their loans if they require more time to finish reading a book. Senior textbook and novel loans are assigned for longer periods.

Students, particularly in Junior School, are encouraged to store library loans in a familiar place at home, whether a bedside table, bookshelf or book bag and to place their loans in their home links bag (P-3) or school bag on the morning of their borrowing day, to enable timely return of books.

Students (P-6) are reminded weekly about Overdue Library Loans during their library Borrowing time. Senior students receive overdue notifications via College email. Last week, updated overdue notifications were also sent home to parents.

Thank you for your support in encouraging students to return Library loans and care for College resources.

Sport has returned with a bang to the Senior College. Rugby, Girls Netball, Girls Soccer and Boys Soccer have all held fixtures in the last week. 

Rugby

MMCC combine with TAS and HSSC to field teams in the 13s and 15s age group of the Darling Downs Super Schools Cup. This week, the boys traveled to Gold Park to face St Marys, Toowoomba. Both fixtures were played in excellent spirit with MMCC teams winning both games. Congratulations boys on the way you represented the College and thank you to Mr Coren for his dedication and passion for Rugby. Special mention to Riley Zanette (Year 8) who scored two tries in the 13s game.

Netball 

MMCC recorded victory against St Saviours Seniors in their most recent Netball game. A big thank you to coaches, Miss Carroll and Mrs Kingsford who report the team is gelling nicely and the girls are playing with enthusiasm and having fun doing it. Keep up the great work girls.

Girls Soccer

Euphoria last Monday afternoon as the Junior Girls Soccer team won a high scoring affair against St Ursula's, 5-4. Coach Naiker credits the victory to his torturous training regime and impassioned half-time speech. Charlotte Stevenson Hiley (Year 8) scored 3 goals for the good guys in a great performance. Many thanks to the staff who have been attending the games and supporting our students as they represent the College. The Senior Girls team play Glennie at Kratzke Oval this Monday at 4 pm.

Boys Soccer

MMCC played St Mary's in the first round of the Red Lions Cup on Wednesday. The bulk of the MMCC squad are 13 and 14 year old boys, so this Open Age competition is a tough ask but the boys can be proud that they played some nice football against a team made up of mainly Year 12 boys. In the end we were well beaten, but hopefully we learned a little bit about resilience and persistence. Our next game is against Lockyer State High School.

All Schools Touch Trials 

Huge numbers turned up for All Schools Secondary Touch Trials this week. In a positive sign for the College, there are increasing numbers of students willing to step up and have a go at something they don't necessarily play. Sport at the College will continue to grow if students take the opportunities afforded to them by staff who genuinely care about the growth and development of the College as a whole and students as individuals. Emails will be sent home to parents asap regarding the next steps in preparing for this wonderful event that is held in Brisbane each year.

At the Junior School Assembly this week students were awarded 'Making Learning Real' and 'WESTIE' awards.

Congratulations to Mr Chris Bracken on completing 10,000m at the Gold Coast Open State Championships.

Mr Bracken finished in 31:49, not quite his PB, but still an enviable achievement! 

Please see the attached information regarding changes to the Bus Queensland school bus services.

Bus Queensland Letter to Schools and Parents