24 june 2016 - st patrick's college,...
TRANSCRIPT
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Dates to remember:
Holidays
I would like to wish all families a relaxing and happy holiday. All of our students will have a very
busy time in Term 3 and I hope that they are well rested in preparation. We wish our QISSN
Netball and Confraternity Rugby League teams all the best in the carnivals that they are attending
next week in Rockhampton.
Please note that our students resume for Term 3 on Monday 11 July.
NAIDOC Mass
As you may be aware NAIDOC week
falls in the last week of the school
holidays. Each year on the second
Monday of term 3, Catholic Education
holds a Regional NAIDOC Mass. The
Mass provides Indigenous students,
families and community members with the opportunity to reflect on the meaning of NAIDOC
week and share in special prayer for the journey of their people. The Mass is growing each year
and is attended by Indigenous community members along with Indigenous students from our
Catholic schools across the region. We will be taking students to participate in the NAIDOC
Mass and parents and friends of the College are also invited to attend. Details of the Mass are as
follows:
When: Monday 18 July 2016
Where: St Joseph’s Church, North Mackay
Time: Mass starts at 9.30 am
Catholic Education Week Next term we celebrate Catholic Education Week
from Sunday 24 - Saturday 30 July and this year will
focus on the theme: Opening Doors in the Year of
Mercy. Catholic Education Week is an opportunity for
all Catholic schools to celebrate and promote their
distinctive mission and ethos.
We will have more information next term on the
activities the college will undertake during this
special time.
Photo Day
A reminder that we have changed our photo day to Thursday 14 July, which is Thursday of the
first week back. Please return the photo envelope that students have been issued with on this
day.
Reports and Parent Teacher Night
Our staff will be marking over the holiday break and preparing reports to be uploaded to Parent
Lounge in the second week of Term 3. Parent teacher night is Thursday 28 July and bookings
for interviews with teachers will also be done via Parent Lounge. Please contact the college office
next term if you need to check your password.
June 2016
24 End of Term 2
July 2016
11 First day of Term 3
11-12 JCU Experience
14 Photo day
Subject Selection
17 Music Ministry
18 Reports uploaded to
Parent Lounge
NAIDOC Mass
18-22 St Pat’s Writes
22 Athletics Carnival
Enrolment forms for
Year 11 2017 due
24-30 Catholic Education Wk
28 Parent-Teacher
interviews
30 Year 12 Formal
August 2016
3 P & F Meeting 6:00 pm
Board Meeting 7:30 pm
6 QCS Workshop
11-14 Robotics excursion
15 Enrolment interviews
commence
16-17 QCS Practice
21 Music ministry
24 June 2016
NUMBER FOR
SMS
The number to send
SMS messages
regarding student
absence is
0416 906 288
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Weekend Masses
St Patrick’s Family
Today we farewell Mr Michael Comerford who has been our Sports
Coordinator for the past 18 months. Michael is a past student of St Pat’s
so it was very gratifying to have him back as a teacher. Michael was also
the Manager of our Rugby League team and in that role is a wonderful role
model for our students. We are currently interviewing for a new teacher
to commence next term.
Mr Mark Casey has long service leave for term 3. Mr Alan Macaulay will take his classes during
this time. We wish Mark and his family a great holiday.
Enrolments 2017
A reminder that our Choosing Subjects evening for incoming Year 11 students in 2017 is on
Thursday 14 July, which is in the first week back next term. Even if students think they know
the subjects they want to pursue next year, I strongly urge them to come and speak to the
teacher’s teaching who will be teaching those subjects next year.
14 July Subject Selection Evening from 3:30 pm – 6:30 pm in St Patrick’s Hall. Attend
at a time to suit your family.
22 July Due date for Enrolment and Subject Selection forms to be returned to St Patrick’s
College
8 August Notification of enrolment interview date posted in week beginning 8 August
15 August Formal enrolment and subject advisory interviews with a member of the college
leadership team will begin during the week of 15 August.
End term 3 Notification of acceptance
24 November Orientation Day
Readings at Mass, Sunday 26 June 2016 – 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time
First Reading, Kings, 19:16, 19-21 … Elisha rose and followed Elijah and became his servant.
Psalm, Ps 15:1-2, 5, 7-11 … You are my inheritance, O Lord.
Second Reading, St Paul 5:1, 13-18 … Serve one another, rather, in works of love, since the whole
of the Law is summarised in a single command: Love your neighbour as yourself.
Gospel Luke, 9:51-62 … Jesus resolutely set his face towards Jerusalem. I will follow you
wherever you will go.
REFLECTION
The State of Origin series is an important event in the
yearly calender for rugby league fans in Queensland
and New South Wales. Not only is the event about
the good football to watch, it also brings people
together to create a sense of group identity, which in
turn can lead to some good natured banter between
the two groups of followers.
From a religious point of view, I can’t help but notice
that there are thirteen positions in a Rugby League
team, and that Jesus and the disciples also number thirteen. So if Jesus and the Disciples made
up a Rugby League team, what position would Jesus play?
Halfback – He guides the team around the field controlling the play?
Frontrow – Leading from the front, heading straight into the opposition without fear?
Fullback – Creating miracles, as he makes unbelievebal try saving tackles?
One thing I do know from experience, is that he would be a terrible coach. With all those
parables and stories, there is no way that the average rugby league player, especially the
forwards, would understand what he was talking about.
Southside Cluster Saturday Vigil Mass
6:00 pm St Francis Xavier
6:00 pm St Mary’s
Sunday
7:00 am St Patrick’s
7:00 am St Therese’s
Northside Cluster
Saturday Vigil Mass
6:00 pm St Joseph’s
6:00 pm St Brigid’s
Sunday
7:30 am St Brendan’s
9.00 am St Joseph’s
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Despite all the fun and enjoyment around the games, it is important to remember what is
important. Coming together as a community is good for everybody, and whilst it is good to win
should your team lose good manners are important. It is only a rugby league game, there will be
another series next year. Living a life is more important.
I don’t know what position Jesus would play, but I do know what team he plays for.
Queenslander!
The recent passing of Muhammad Ali
provided an opportunity for us to
reflect on what it was that made him a
champion. No one can deny that Ali had
a champion mindset and it was his self-
belief that enabled him to achieve so
much in his life despite the adversity he
had to overcome. Without self-belief,
how can we expect to achieve success
whether it be in school, work or life.
Sometimes to achieve self-belief we need to step out of our comfort zone. We all have our own
fears and doubts and this was obvious when our Year 12 Physical Education students recently
presented their Jive performances in front of the whole school, staff and parents. This was perhaps
a daunting thought for those without any prior dance experience. Despite their initial doubts
about performing in this environment, the students built up the courage to present their
performance, control their nerves, engage an audience and overcome their fears. Experiences
such as this are invaluable in teaching students to step out and take risks. By taking the first step
you are more likely to take a second and third and in doing so realise that it isn’t really that scary.
Ali was fairly blunt when he said, “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish
nothing in life.” He also stated that, “To be a champion you must believe you are the best.” As
our students complete this semester we are all hoping that they achieve the goals that they have
set for themselves at the beginning of the year or term, whether that be to perform a flawless
Jive routine or to achieve a B+ in Maths A. Unfortunately, those who have a lack of self-belief
tend not to set goals in the first place. Setting goals that either excite you or motivate you to
push that little bit harder or study that extra hour is the first step to developing self-belief.
We often place limitations on ourselves. These limitations are usually the boundaries that we
create for ourselves. In 1954, Roger Bannister became the first athlete to break the four-minute
mile. The widely held belief was that it was impossible to run at such a pace and doctors went as
far as to say that, ‘……. one would die in the attempt’. Of course, Bannister didn’t die but what
he did do was he opened the floodgates for other athletes to also break this record in the next
12 months. Our students need to overcome their limiting beliefs to enable them to achieve their
potential. This is the challenge for us as teachers to create an environment where our students
can achieve real progress and achieve their personal best. Otherwise their limiting beliefs will
continue to hold them back.
One of my favourite stories is about the eagle who was raised as a chicken. He looked to the sky
and noticed a group of eagles soaring above. He wished that he too could soar but he had
constantly been told that he was a chicken and, “chickens don’t soar”. He eventually stopped
dreaming about soaring and after living a long life as a chicken, he passed away. The moral to the
story is that you will become what you believe you are. If you live like a chicken and think like a
chicken, how can you expect to fly like an eagle? I think Ali said it best when he stated, “I am the
greatest. I said that even before I knew I was. I figured that if I said it enough, I would convince
the world that I really was the greatest.”
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Sean Geoghegan – Acting Assistant to the Principal: Curriculum
As I write, something momentous is taking place. Britain stands on the threshold of ending one
of the most successful experiments of the twentieth century – the quest for a united Europe.
The British politician and previous leader of the Liberal Democrats, Paddy Ashdown summed up
the awful implications of his country taking the step of leaving the European Union when he said:
“I am a passionate European—not just because I believe in Europe; I find
something attractive to this idea that it has put an end to war of 1,000 years, with
the slaughter of countless millions of our young, by bringing ourselves together.”
It would appear that in the midst of the refugee crises that the world currently faces, the peace
that Europeans have experienced for the last seventy years has caused them to forget how the
contagion of parochialism fuelled the brutality of their continent. Lord Ashdown’s eloquence
serves as a reminder that Europe for a thousand years deservedly earned a reputation as the
most blood-soaked continent because the cultivation of narrow nationalistic sentiments turned
close neighbours into foreigners-to-be-feared. Now it appears that after a mere seventy years,
the learning accrued from a thousand years of trauma is to be erased. The European experiment,
which finds its current political expression in the European Union, was born of a Franco-German
desire to reconfigure the economic map of Europe and interconnect economies in such a way as
to make war mutually ruinous. It worked. Germany and France, locked in a death struggle over
three wars spanning seventy years, have experienced peace for the same period and have achieved
the seemingly impossible, or at least what earlier generations would have considered impossible.
Their collaboration is the bedrock upon which European, recovery, stability and prosperity was
built.
The lesson? Miracles can and do occur in the field of human relations, ancient enmities can end,
new beginnings can be made, old foes can become firm friends – but only when we choose the
path of collaboration. This however can only occur when we recognise our co-dependency as a
species. Unfortunately, whether its Donald Trump in the US or Nigel Farage in the UK, it’s far
easier to work on people’s fears. We are better, in every area, when we are together.
Enormous progress is possible when we seek to focus on what unites us, rather than on what
divides us, if we very consciously seek to identify common goals and work toward them. Whether
the issue happens to be global warming or addressing the issue of refugees, or seeking to improve
an organisation or a school - solutions to the issues that vex us can always be found if we embrace
a collaborative and inclusive mindset.
Aerospace Gateway Schools Direct Entry Scheme
Schools that offer Aerospace as a subject, such as St Pat’s, are able to create a unique opportunity
for those students who wish to study engineering at the University of Queensland.
Background
The Aerospace Gateway Schools Direct Entry Scheme allows students at participating secondary
schools to apply for direct entry into selected engineering and information technology programs
at The University of Queensland (UQ). Successful applicants will be made an offer of direct entry
into a specified degree program, normally early in Term 4. This offer guarantees successful
applicants a place in the specified program as long as the successful applicant has passed their
Queensland Certificate of Education.
Degree Programs
The following degree programs are offered as part of the Aerospace Gateway Schools Direct Entry
Scheme:
a) Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)
b) Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Information Technology
c) Bachelor of Information Technology
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Selection Criteria
The selection criteria for entry varies depending upon the program for which you are applying.
Entry into Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of
Information Technology programs:
Applicants nominated must:
a) Be enrolled in Year 12 subjects English, Maths B and at least one of Physics or Chemistry
b) Have Year 12 results projected by the School Principal or nominee as follows:
(i) Will achieve a VHA in Maths B; and,
(ii) Will achieve an HA or above in four other Year 12 subjects.
Applications must be submitted to your Principal by Friday 2 September 2016.
Students at participating schools must complete the application form and submit it to their School
Principal or nominee by the closing date indicated on the application form. The participating
schools will select students according to the stated criteria and rank students where more than
one nominations are received from the school.
Year 12 students encouraged to log into learning account
The QCAA is encouraging all Year 12 students to log into their learning account on the Student
Connect website. Students will need their LUI number (available from Reception) and password.
Students who log into their learning account before 31 August 2016 will be entered into a draw
to win a Surface Pro 4!
The student connect website is: https://studentconnect.qcaa.qld.edu.au/
Big Science Competition
This year 16 Year 11 and 12 Science students participated in online 2016 Big Science Competition.
Overall 48 000 students took part in this competition. St. Patrick’s students enjoyed the
experience of testing their science skills in competitive situation outside of the normal school
assessment framework.
Our students’ performance was above Queensland and country average. We had several
Distinctions and Credits, and one student, Alex van Lint, received High Distinction which means
his score was in the top 5%. Congratulations to all the students and especially Alex. Well done!
Report from Alex Van Lint
Recently many students undertook the ‘Big Science Competition’ and
produced outstanding results across the board. After my participation
and achievement, I would highly recommend it to anyone who has an
interest in science to give this test a shot. Through this easily
accessible competition, students are able to get a general introduction
into a potentially life changing pathway. The potential to find your
natural affinity for science and the adventures you can have with it are
right at your fingertips.
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Congratulations to Georgia James, Jacob
Boswell, Patrick Blakeney and Ben McCartney
who represented the College at the recent
School Business Challenge at CQU.
The competition involved the team answering
10 multiple choice questions within 10
minutes on each of the following areas:
Accounting
Business and Law
Economics
General knowledge
The team was tied for first position after the forty questions and had to take part in a tie break.
This involved another 10 multiple choice questions. They went down in the tie break by one point
so secured second spot. A very pleasing outcome for the team.
Thank you to CQU for hosting the event and to the parents and staff who supported the students.
Confraternity Shield and QISSN
The upcoming holidays will see the St Patrick’s College First XIII Rugby League team and First VII
Netball team compete in the Confraternity Shield and QISSN carnival being hosted by The
Cathedral College in Rockhampton.
Both teams have put many hours into their training leading into carnivals and will be looking for
strong performances as they will be coming up against opposition from the best independent
schools in Queensland.
A big thank-you must go to Jessica Seymour (Netball) and Chad Buckby (Rugby League) who have
both made a huge commitment to coach these teams throughout 2016.
The following players will be representing the College at the carnivals:
Rugby League – Confraternity Shield
Aidan Beard
Tom Wilson
Caleb Sinn
Logan Stuart
Blake Paskins
Luke Fletcher
Will Cairns
Nicholas Brownsey
Taylor Lamb
Will Lansbury
Hayden Brownsey
Jye Andersen
Liam Meng
Jack Johnson
Nick Williams
Curtis Window
Izac Brown
Zac Fenech
Josh Fletcher
Jack Kippen
Hayden Connor
Hayden Pace
Ryan Stuart
Netball – QISSN Carnival
Lauren Bella
Shanae Best
Natasha Curry
Kelley Du Rand
Shannyn Flynn
Joanna Hodges
Abbi Johnson
Chrysel Reynolds
Ellie Shanks
Daisy Stoltz
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Confraternity Rugby League team
QISSN Netball team
Report from Furnishing department – Mr Warren Bolton
A wake skate will be constructed in the year 12 Furnishing class term 3. To enable this a caul was
manufactured to create the required curved bottom. Three sheets of 7mm plywood were glued
together and pressed with a 2 pack epoxy resin in the caul. The blank was removed and a design
was created to address formal and trick riding with input from Lachlan Elliot and Baiden Brown.
Colour and symbols were incorporated with a final clear coat of polish to produce the prototype
“Scorpion 1”.
It was tested at the cable park by 2 local riders with excellent reviews. In less than ideal windy
conditions, it performed exceptionally well when hitting and landing the jumps and rails.
Comments from the cable park staff and riders were exciting and positive (the design is on the
money!). There was even a request to purchase the board. The Year12 Furnishing class are
excited at this opportunity to build and ride their very own custom wake skate.