By Mrs Liisa Hammond, Principal

Gospel Luke 6: 39-45

A person speaks from what is in their heart.

In this week’s Gospel, Luke synthesises three of Jesus’s teachings to shine a light on how we influence each other. Luke emphasises the importance of recognising that both our words and our actions have an impact and that we are responsible for that impact no matter what our intentions may be. Jesus explores the importance of being self-aware and having integrity through his metaphor of a tree. Jesus explains that a good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. This metaphor highlights the importance of aligning our inner character with our actions, demonstrating that true integrity involves consistency between what we believe and how we behave.

We are urged to consider the fact that before we can help others or make judgments about others, first we must look at ourselves. We must strive to be fair and just in our actions by recognising the flaws within ourselves, so that we can better serve others, creating a more just community.

Luke’s Gospel challenges us to reflect on our own lives and strive to embody the values of Justice, Wisdom, Generosity and Compassion. By doing so, we can enliven our motto of Truth and Love, creating a community where everyone is valued and supported. Embracing these teachings will foster a culture of mutual respect and understanding, where our actions consistently reflect our commitment to Truth and Love.

Term 1 2025 TCS Leadership Forum – You are Salt of the Earth and Light to the World

This term, the TCS Leadership forum ran for three days, making available the option of attending Andy Hargreaves Leadership Workshop.

The Forum began with Spiritual Formation, which allowed for spiritual reflection utilising the Beatitudes as Kevin Treston interpreted in his book, Choices for Life – The Beatitudes for Daily Living.

Dr Pat Coughlan’s Keynote Address explored the metaphors of salt and light, drawing upon each to challenge us to think about and position ourselves within the principles of Christian living and leadership through our work. Pat reiterated our core and essential mission of helping young people learn how to negotiate a meaningful life through the challenging maze that is our contemporary culture.

Furthermore, Pat explored ideas generated from Malcolm Gladwell’s text, Revenge of the Tipping Point (2025), including the question of how we can start our own epidemic, for educational advancement, utilising the qualities of Messenger (super spreader), Message (stickiness factors), and Environment (power of context). The potential to harness the knowledge garnered from the global pandemic is an interesting proposition especially when we utilize this knowledge for a positive educational outcome.

Further topics discussed and examined, at the Forum, included:

• The Talent Acquisition approach to recruitment

• Education Services update – including the key initiatives and programs for 2025, including the continued professional development of staff in Subject Discipline Literacies (SDL), Multi-Tiered Systems Support, and the new Teaching and Learning Framework

• Continuation of the Financial Literacy bites with a focus on capital expenditure budgets as well as updates on Finance, Infrastructure and Information Services, including the pending 2027 opening of the 33rd school within the Toowoomba Diocese – St Francis Catholic College, Westbrook, and a deep dive into the 2024 budget review and audit process

• An update on the Payroll Transformation Project

• An exploration into the Leadership Mindset, include how to effectively switch from System 1 to System 2 brain.

During the Forum, we had the opportunity to say farewell to Julie Payne, Director: Finance, Infrastructure and Information Services. As she is taking up another position in Toowoomba, I would like to acknowledge and thank Julie for her work and support. We wish Julie all the best in her new role and are confident that she will continue to excel and inspire others.

Andy Hargreaves – Leadership Workshop

On Friday, 28 February 2025, together with 11 other leaders from TCS and approximately 50 other school leaders from around the state, I travelled to Brisbane to engage in a Masterclass for Principals and School Leaders, led by the world-renowned education expert, Andy Hargreaves. The theme of the workshop was – Bringing People Back In: Turning Our Schools into Places Where Students and Teachers Thrive and Want to Be, Every Day.

The Topics covered were:

Innovation, Inclusion and Engagement

Engagement is key to achievement. In this session, Andy shared insights from his recent project with the LEGO Foundation, addressing the five enemies of pupil engagement —such as top-down standardisation, irrelevant curriculum, and excessive testing. He presented innovative designs and principles to ensure all students were engaged and excited about learning.

From Safety to Thriving

Andy surmised that the wellbeing agenda has often focused too much on individualistic solutions like self-care and mindfulness, so he discussed the importance of institutional changes that can significantly enhance wellbeing. This included more autonomy in learning and teaching, deeper collaboration beyond data teams and learning sprints, innovative projects with real-world impact, outdoor learning in nature, fewer bureaucratic restrictions, less obsession with testing, and more freedom for school-led curriculum projects and the transformative use of AI.

Extreme Weather Warnings

As a community, we value the safety of our families and staff. We are committed to ensuring our families are always informed and prepared for any potential disruptions to our College’s operations. Please ensure you follow our social media posts for updates or breaking information. We will also inform you via text messages, and for longer messages we will email you.

Many thanks and please stay safe!

May our Mother Mary grant her blessings upon our College Community. 

By Mrs Anna Hardy, Assistant Principal Curriculum 

Assessment Calendars

Assessment calendars are available on the college website under school calendars. These are a great tool to help your child manage their time effectively.

Assessments and Extensions

It is timely to remind all members of our college community of the requirements of our assessment policy. If a student has a valid reason for extra time, they must apply for an extension by meeting with their classroom teacher to discuss their needs. This must be done prior to the due date. An extension will be granted with the required documentation, such as a medical certificate (senior students) or a note (junior students). If there are extenuating circumstances, we urge you to come and discuss it with your child’s PL, Curriculum Leader or a member of the ELT.

Canvas

Parent/guardian access to Canvas is available to all parents and guardians. Use this link to access your child’s Canvas page https://dotcs.instructure.com/login/canvas.

If you are having difficulty with this access, please contact the College office for assistance. Drafts are beginning to be returned to students and parents/guardians can log in and see this feedback to support the assessment process.

NAPLAN

NAPLAN will take place for all of our Year 7 and 9 students from the 12 March 2025 – 20 March 2025. There will be catch up days for students that have missed exams. Information around NAPLAN testing has been sent to Year 7 and 9 parents. If parents have any questions around the testing, please contact the college office.

By Mrs Julie Collins, Assistant Principal Pastoral and Wellbeing

Mid Term Challenges

The middle of the term can be considered a challenging time for students. It is usually the time students have drafts due, there may be an increase in workload or mounting stress of examinations. In turn, this can lead to fatigue from that workload and lack of motivation that may have been present at the beginning of term.

This culmination can show a drop in focus on academic performance and behaviour standards. We encourage students to seek help from their Pastoral Leader, teachers, and support staff who may be able to guide them to better manage their stress levels.

During assembly this week, and through Pastoral Leaders, students are encouraged to find a purpose. At the College, we facilitate this by discussions and goal setting in Pastoral Care classes, catching up with Pastoral Leaders to discuss goals, and revisiting goals as the students focus on changes.

Our high standards, at the College, support students in making sensible choices, having self-control and appropriate communication skills – these skills are essential for everyday life beyond the school yard.

Being able to develop these skills in a school setting offers the support students need to be allowed to make mistakes, recover, and build resilience. All this support can be enhanced by support from home. When we work together, we achieve so much more. So, how can you help your child to find a purpose?

Some suggestions are:

• Talk about what your work means to you – what drives you to want to work. Keep this positive, we know not every day at work is perfect. Discuss the good!

• Ask your child questions about their interests and then listen, show you are genuinely interested in your children and their goals.

• Be positive and acknowledge hardships or failings without catastrophising, this allows children to feel safe to make the mistakes they must, to grow.

You may be surprised to know, these are little things that can make a big difference to your child.

By Mr Patrick Donnely, Assistant Principal Mission and Identity 

Year 7 and 8 Retreat

Year 7 and 8 students have engaged in their annual retreat. Retreats are an important part of the Religious Life of the College, for our students. They are designed to allow students to take a break from their studies and reflect on the benefits of grit and determination as they approach their learning with a growth mindset. Students spent half of the day with spiritual reflection linked to the topic of growth mindset. During this time, students explored their personal identity, reflecting on how they can show strength and personal character. Students spent the other half of the day in a session with presenters from Unleashing Personal Potential, an organisation that provides engaging and interactive workshops that ‘empower students to thrive as they learn, live and lead.’ The Year 12 College and House Leaders also spent time with the Year 7 and 8 students, mentoring the students and sharing their stories. Overall, a great day!

Donovan House Mass

On Wednesday, Week 5, Donovan House journeyed together to St Mary’s Church to celebrate Mass as a House. The purpose of our House Masses is to foster a sense of community and spiritual growth among our students. Each House Mass allows students to come together in prayer, reflection, and celebration of our shared values and faith. These gatherings are integral to our mission of nurturing the spiritual and moral development of our students. The House Leaders worked on selecting the First Reading, Psalms and Gospel, all linking to their value of Wisdom. Each Pastoral Care class worked, as one, to write their prayer for the Prayers of the Faithful. It was a wonderful time, and all the students participated and celebrating the Donovan House spirit that we have come to admire. 

Shrove Tuesday

Shrove Tuesday is the last day of preparation for the season of Lent. This day traditionally is a day to empty the house of ‘fatty foods’ and other sources of temptation, so that we can fast for 40 days. Also known as Pancake Tuesday, it is a time for us to think about what we need to do to prepare ourselves for what I am fasting during Lent, and to consider what we are taking up as well as what our prayer intentions will be. The pancake is merely a symbol for today's world, however, it is one that our students love. This year, our Year 12s came together and made pancakes for the College. Such a great way to start the conversation for Lent and a reminder that we are not alone during Lent. 

Ash Wednesday – Lent

Ash Wednesday is a significant day in the Christian liturgical calendar, marking the beginning of Lent, 40 days of fasting, prayer, and penance leading up to Easter. It falls on the first day of Lent and is observed by many Western Christian denominations, including Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans, and Methodists. At Assumption College, we came together and engaged in a Liturgy. During this liturgy ashes were distributed by having the mark of the cross displayed on our foreheads. These ashes remind us of our human mortality, repentance and renewal.

Lent is a time when we are called to go into the desert, just like Jesus. During these 40 days, we are called to fast, prayer and almsgiving. For many, it is about just giving something up, but it is more than that. For these 40 days, the key word to remember is renewal. This is the time when we prepare for the most important moments in the Catholic Church, such as Jesus being crucified, defeating death, then resurrecting and finally ascending into Heaven. Knowing this, these 40 days allow us to renew our connection with God where we are in the desert, not literally, but in the moments of struggle just as Jesus did. During this journey I will share moments of when people in our community were in the desert and how they built from them, connecting closer to God. This year we are continuing with our work with Caritas Australia’s, Project Compassion. Here is a video to help explain the good work they do.

Introduction to Project Compassion 2025

Cornerstones – Reflection

This week's reflection was on the topic of Vocal Prayer. The group meet once a fortnight and this fortnight was a fun-filled session. Below are snippets of a different staff member from their fortnight’s reflection.

Today’s presentation began with a very cute prayer that used a baking metaphor, for a deeper concept of the beauty with which God takes our imperfect, mundane strands of life and weaves them into tapestries with meaning. ‘Lord I hate buttermilk…but love muffins’. It reminded me of a poem given to me by my grandmother – “my life is but a weaving between my Lord and me, I cannot choose the colours- He worketh steadily, ofttimes he weaveth sorrow, and I in foolish pride, forget He sees the upper and I, the underside. The dark threads are as needful in the weaver’s skilful hands, as the threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned. Not till the loom is silent and the shuttles cease to fly, shall God unroll the canvas and explain the reason why.” To me, the message for how we approach vocal prayer is to trust that God is near and welcomes our reaching out to him, as a friend. If we can impart to students this atmosphere of being particular about who we are talking to and what we are praying, then we can model the authenticity of a daily spiritual walk with our friend and Creator/Father. Mary was not anyone fancy or superior to us ‘mere mortals’, but rather a marginalized ‘peasant’ like most of us, a refugee, fleeing military action in a foreign land. She wasn’t an icon for a peaceful, middle-class life robed in royal blue, but like us, she offered her life to God, for Him to fill her life with Himself and a very special purpose. We too, don’t have to be ‘super mamas’, and should just ‘come as we are’.

Written by Alison Porter - Career Development Practitioner 

Careers News

By Mr Tom Duggan, Sports Co-Ordinator

Term 1 Sport Update

Term 1, for 2025, has been what can only be described as the busiest time for Sport yet. ACW has had over 120 of our students attend District Regional Trials and Darling Downs Regional Trials.

We have also had several other of our students represent ACW teams at competitions including the Warwick Secondary Schools Swimming Carnival, the Toowoomba Basketball Competition, the Warwick Women’s Netball Competition, plus more.

I also know that many of our students, past and present, have been achieving greatness in their chosen sports outside of the school sector.

As we enter the 2nd half of Term 1, we look forward to the Winter Sporting season to begin with more Darling Downs Regional trials, Rugby League Gala Days and Cross Country, all to take place prior to the holidays. I encourage students to keep an eye on Sentral, as well as, listen during PC to the Daily Notices for these opportunities to participate in Sport.

By Mr John Hodder, Curriculum Leader

Sister Act

What an unforgettable night for Assumption College students! They had the incredible opportunity to visit QPAC in Brisbane to see the spectacular show, Sister Act. Before the show, students enjoyed a scenic walk along the South Bank bridge, soaking in the beautiful views.

The performance was nothing short of amazing, filled with soul and gospel music, lively singing and dancing nuns, as well as standout performance by the talented Casey Donovan. Our students were impeccably well-behaved, with a patron even praising their conduct to the staff.

After the show, the excitement continued as students got to meet some of the cast, including Casey Donovan and Rhonda Burchmore. They shared inspiring words and took photos with our students, making it a truly memorable experience. Overall, it was a fantastic cultural outing for everyone involved!

Australian National Busking Championships

Each year the Apple & Grape Harvest Festival committee (as part of the Australian National Busking Championships™ Network) run the Australian National Busking Championships in Stanthorpe, with this year being the 10th Anniversary of the event.

We were very excited to have two of our students, Samantha Shaw and Joshua Gale, take part in this incredible opportunity, to showcase the talents of our Assumption College Musicians. Throughout the event, performers busked in various locations along the streets of Stanthorpe, rotating every 30 minutes. It was incredible to see the talent showcased at this event, with young musicians coming from Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast to compete, as well as adults and professional musicians.

The event culminated in a final concert, where the winners of each category performed, including an incredible hip-hop group that not only sounded incredible, but also included flips and breakdancing into their performance! We are extremely proud of our students who were awarded second place in the Duos category, and can’t wait to visit the competition again next year.

QAGOMA

On Friday, the 28 February 2025, Assumption College embarked on an extraordinary cultural journey to the Queensland Art Gallery, Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) for the Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art. This event, renowned for its diverse array of artworks, provided students with an unparalleled opportunity to delve into the heart of contemporary art from across the Asia Pacific region.

The Asia Pacific Triennial showcased a stunning variety of paintings, sculptures, installations, and multimedia pieces, each reflecting the rich cultural tapestry of countries such as Japan, China, Indonesia, and Australia. Students were able to immerse themselves in the creativity and innovation of artists from these nations, gaining a deeper appreciation of the cultural narratives and histories that shape our world today.

This visit not only broadened the students’ understanding of contemporary art but also inspired them through thought-provoking works. It was a chance to engage with like-minded peers and perhaps even spark their own creative endeavours. A special thank you goes to Mrs. Kate Cullen for her hard work in organising this incredible cultural experience for the students. Her dedication ensured that the trip was a resounding success, leaving a lasting impact on all who attended.

Written by Mrs Amanda McCosker - College Chaplain

Chaplain's Corner

We have officially passed the halfway mark of the term, and what a busy first half it’s been! I hope all our new students have settled well, making friends and enjoying the new things they are learning.

Year 7 and 8 Retreat

Over the last few weeks, many of our students have had the opportunity to participate in some engaging and exciting activities. Our Year 7 and 8 cohort enjoyed valuable sessions led by UPP (Unleashing Personal Potential) and Mr Donnelly,  discussing growth mindsets, during their retreat. They reflected on how they can light the lantern within themselves and the kind of person they aspire to be by Year 12. The feedback from these sessions has been overwhelmingly positive, and I hope everyone took something meaningful away from these experiences.

Shrove Tuesday

This week, I was fortunate to have some enthusiastic senior volunteers help make our house-coloured pancakes for Shrove Tuesday. A big thanks to the seniors who generously gave their time and donned their aprons to help. It was a great surprise for the other students to come to school and find pancakes on offer at the breakfast table.

There are many more events and activities upcoming before the end of the term, so make sure you keep your ears out for those opportunities. Look after each other and stay safe in this wild weather.

By Mrs Carmel Wooding, Teacher Librarian 

Library News

We hope you are having a great term so far!

We’re are so happy to see everyone interested in our lunchtime activities and having fun in the space. Chess has been very popular in the last few weeks, with students working hard on their winning strategies and game plans.

We are also thrilled that the student-led Dungeons and Dragons group is going strong. The players are incredibly engaged, and we are very proud of the students' attempts at being Game Masters. It is  challenging work, it takes a lot of imagination and focus to guide the story, and improvise when players come up with crazy ideas!

With the pointy end of the term approaching, we are encouraging all students to find somewhere to relax, take a break, and read something they enjoy. Not only will this de-stress students’ busy minds, but it will also help them develop stamina for reading through choice, thereby working on the ‘will’ to read and ‘the skill’ of reading!

If you would like to know more about the benefits of reading for pleasure, please visit ourfp.org and look at The Open University’s research on Reading for Pleasure Pedagogy. We would love the opportunity to provide each student with a book they love and encourage them to come and see us in the library for borrowing help and recommendations.

Written by Abigail Hammond - Faith and Social Justice Leader

Leadership

In Wednesday Wellbeing, for Week 6, the Year 12

cohort came together with Maryanne Walsh from TCSO and recapped on what we covered at the end of last year, during our Leadership Retreat. This session was to ensure that we had started implementing what we had learnt, regarding topics such as how we can help lead the college and how we can become more cohesive, to ensure that we can be our best selves as a cohort.

We examined topics from integrity and reinforcing the understanding that the things we walk past is the standard we accept, not only for ourselves, but for our whole community. We learnt how to effectively show respect to everyone, inform people if what they are doing is wrong, respect each other no matter what the circumstances, as well as to saying ‘yes’ to speaking in front of people. We explored what makes a leader a good leader and discovered that communication is imperative to ensure the best for the College and our community.

The session was more than beneficial in empowering the ACW 2025 Senior Cohort to take the next step in becoming the best leaders we can be, whether in a formal position or not.

Written by Bianca Retallick - Curriculum Teacher English

Welcome to Week 6!

The first half of the first term of 2025 has been jampacked with exciting learning opportunities in the English and Languages Department.

Students across Years 7-10 have been interacting with various genres of fiction writing. From fantasy to adventure and Shakesperian classics, students have been engaging with the conventions and structures of these genres, using their understanding, to create their own fictional narratives and spoken presentations.

Students of Senior English are currently working through their first assessment pieces. From novel and film studies to persuasive speeches and presentations, our senior English students have been continuing to develop and perfect the skills and knowledge they cultivated last year.

Spanish

In Spanish, junior students have been exposed to the beauty of the Spanish language, quickly mastering introductory phrases and learning how to read and write in Spanish. This year, we have our first Year 11 Spanish class, lead by the very capable Mr Carrasco. The senior Spanish students have been honing their ability to read, write, speak and listen in Spanish, working towards submitting their first senior Spanish assessment task, where they have to write journal entries in Spanish describing their family members and their relationships.

Pride and Predjudice

Aside from the wonderful opportunities our teachers provide in the classroom, senior students were afforded the opportunity to travel to Toowoomba and see the stage adaptation of Jane Austen’s beloved and iconic novel, Pride and Prejudice. On the 13 February 2025, fifty senior English students travelled to The Empire Theatre. We were lucky enough to see the play’s premiere showing, the very first performance of Pride and Prejudice, in the country. Students and staff watched in awe as the performance unfolded. It was whimsical, entertaining and helped to foster more interest in Jane Austen’s classic novel.

Queensland Debating Competition

The English Department also offers students the opportunity to participate in debating. Once again, ACW is taking part in the Queensland Debating Union’s debating competition in Toowoomba. So far, our Year 10 team has completed their first round of four debates. After intense preparation, our Year 10 team walked away with a convincing win. Congratulations to April Nelson, Summer McKelvey, Aishleen Sidhu and Mackenzie Fritz on their success. Tonight, our Year 9 team will participate in their first round of debating. We wish them the very best in this endeavour.

As we move further into the year, there will be more co-curricular opportunities for students to partake in, so keep an eye out for those.

Happy reading!

Bianca Retallick

Written by Dimity Gardner - Pastoral Middle Leader Year 9

Southern Downs Youth Council 2025

On Thursday 27th February, Samuel Black, April Nelson and Ella Winfield attended our first ever SDYC meeting. We believe that it was an extremely enlightening experience, and through the assistance of Peer Power and the Councillors, we were able to learn a lot about the Youth Council. Over the year, we will be working closely with the Councillors to address key issues that affect adolescents in the Southern Downs region.

We were given the opportunity to meet and interact with other youth members from schools within the Southern Downs region. This gave us the opportunity to not only meet new people but discuss our interests with other young people who have the same passions.

We spoke on topics that are important to us; however, we are not just the voice for our own ideas and would like to hear from you. Please feel free to email any of us with any concern or question you would like to be raised in a council setting.

Contacts are as follows: