By Mrs Liisa Hammond, Principal

Gospel

Matthew 22: 15 – 21

Matthew’s Gospel again addresses a time when people were trying to trap Jesus so that they could condemn him for his work. Given that Assumption College’s motto is Truth and Love, it is important to reflect on the concept of truthfulness.

As we have more experiences and progress on our learning journeys, it becomes apparent that truth is subjective. When we are speaking to the students about their interactions, especially those that cause others hurt, we often encourage them to phrase their narratives around the concept of their perception rather than statements of fact. This positions the speaker and the audience to enter the conversation, willing to seek to understand others rather than to justify their actions. It removes the barrier of people being wrong because people’s perceptions cannot be mistaken; they can only be reshaped through compassion, generosity, wisdom, and justice. 

In this Gospel, when presented with the face of trickery and deceit, Jesus was able to see through it all. Our Marian Charism challenges us to respond to any situation with honesty and integrity. Like Jesus, we are called to engage with others with compassion and wisdom and seek ways to act through radical difference - to act in Truth and Love.

Principal’s Review

At the end of Term 3, I spoke about my Principal’s Review and urged our community to complete the survey that was sent out. I would like to thank the families who took the time to respond to that survey. Further to the surveys, the Review Panel, consisting of Mr Andrew Kendall, Principal of St Joseph’s School Stanthorpe, Mr Chris Golightly, Senior Education Leader – TCSO, and Dr Patrick Coughlan, Executive Director TCSO, met with randomly selected staff, students, parents, our Parish Priest, members of our board and our P&F executive to respond to questions regarding the leadership of the College.

This review was a significant moment for me, and I am genuinely appreciative of the contributions, insights, guidance, and support. I want to acknowledge that the review process is not an easy process, and it is a forum where people have the opportunity to express their perceptions. I am pleased to share that, overwhelmingly, the feedback from this review has been positive. It is heartening to know that our community recognises the commitment, dedication and passion that not only I hold for our students and our College but also the entire Assumption College staff.

To all of you who took the time to offer compassionate and wise words and to those who provided critical feedback, your involvement in the review process was invaluable. It is your honesty and dedication to the success of our College that supports me to continue to serve this community and accept the challenge for continued growth and learning.

School Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships

Assumption College would like to congratulate Jack Coleman on securing a school based apprenticeship (Certificate III in Painting) with Westbuilt Homes. We wish him all the best for his continuing studies.

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

By Mrs Julie Collins, Assistant Principal Pastoral and Wellbeing

Positive Partnerships

Throughout the year we have had positive feedback about the opportunities offered to our College community to be involved with the development of our students and, your most precious gifts, your children.  We look forward to continuing to offer these opportunities next year.

When a trusted relationship exists between home and school, there is a significant improvement in the holistic development of the child.  As this is our common goal, it makes sense to take every chance to enhance this.

Research shows that students do better academically when their parents/caregivers are actively involved in their education.  This is also true for attendance. When we work together to reinforce good habits, students are more likely to follow rules and attend school regularly and hence, improve wellbeing.

Parental empowerment is improved when parents are confident in their ability to support their child’s learning.  We understand the importance of this and will continue to offer workshops, guest speakers and online sessions where appropriate, to support you and your children in achieving the best possible outcomes for success.

When parents share a common understanding of the College's educational goals, expectations and standards, it reduces misunderstandings and creates a more harmonious learning environment.

Collaboration between parents and the College can truly shape a student’s future and help them start strong.  This partnership will undoubtedly contribute to the success and wellbeing of your children.

We look forward to strengthening our partnerships in 2024.

By Mrs Patrice Riordan, Assistant Principal Mission and Identity 

Introduction

“Christ has no hands but ours” Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)

Over the past two weeks I have had the opportunity to see our students and staff through the LENS of our College.  I have witnessed the hands of Christ being Liberating, Empowering and Nurturing. Watching students help, include, and care for one another encourages me to stay focused on our school charisms and continue using my hands for Christ’s work. 

Vinnies Christmas Appeal

One in eight Australians are living in poverty, one in six are children. 

Poverty exists.
Poverty hurts us all. 
We can all do something about it. 

Anti-Poverty Week Coalition

We are launching our Vinnies Christmas Appeal this week. This year, students have decided to go with a “Can-Can for Christmas” appeal, and while we will still accept any grocery items, the focus is on canned goods. This will run until Week 8.  

Some of our Christmas hampers are starting to take shape while some are a bit bear. It is around about this time of the term that donations start to roll in at a good rate and I would strongly encourage every family to think about what they can donate and why it’s important to donate.

Pope Francis reminds us. “Where the poor are concerned, it is not talk that matters; what matters is rolling up our sleeves and putting our faith into practice through a direct involvement, one that cannot be delegated.” 

Praxis – Years 7 - 10

As part of their study of Catholic Social Teaching in Religious Education, students in Years 7 – 10 have been asked to complete a few hours of community service and reflect on how this links to the Catholic worldview. This has been occurring throughout the year, but some students are still yet to complete these service hours. All Years 7 – 10 teachers will be addressing, once again, some options for how these service hours might be completed by students over the next two weeks. Please chat with your child/children and ask them how they are going with their Praxis. If you have any concerns or questions, please contact your child/children’s RE teacher directly.  Praxis tasks are due shortly.

Year Level Mass and PC liturgies

Our Year 11 students attended Mass at St Mary’s Church on Tuesday for the last time this year. Year 10 through to Year 7 will still be attending Mass when rostered on until the last week of term. Mass commences at 9am and parents are more than welcome to join us. Students will return to school in time for period 2.  

PC liturgies will continue each Wednesday throughout Term 4.  PC liturgies are a time for each PC class to pause, connect, embrace and reflect on scripture.

Prayer

Prayer for the Poor

Loving God,

You hear the cry of each of your children,

And especially those who are suffering. 

We pray that we too might hear the cries of people in need:

The family crying out for food…The migrant child crying out for his mother…

The youth crying out for education…

The farmer crying out for rains for his harvest…

The trafficked and abused, crying out for freedom…

All who are poor and vulnerable, crying out for help…

Lord, open our hearts that we may hear

The cries of the poor as you do

And respond as your hands and feet on earth.

In your name we pray,

Amen.

Venerable Catherine McAuley…Pray for us.

Edmund Rice…Pray for us.

Our Lady…Pray for us. 

Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta

(71) Prayer for the Poor by Bd. Teresa of Calcutta - YouTube

By Mrs Amanda McCosker, College Chaplain

What a busy few weeks it has been! We have certainly hit the ground running this term – the Year 11s have tackled their final exams for the year, we have sent our Year 12s off to their final exams with an inspiring tunnel filled with well wishes and lots of good luck thoughts, and we have survived a stairwell filled with balloons and spontaneous water fights as our seniors celebrated before their exams.

This Friday, 27 October we added a touch of red to our uniforms as we paused to recognise Day for Daniel. The Morcombes' message of child safety continues to be a very important one as we navigate social media, issues of consent and keeping ourselves and our friends safe.

It can be tricky sometimes to manage friendships and the interactions we have with other people. There may be some people you have to work with in class, as partners or in a group, who are not the kind of people you would normally keep in your circle – and that’s okay! The teachers aren’t asking you to become best friends, but if you can be kind, polite and respectful to each other, it will make working together so much easier. 

One final thought from me…

HATE has four letters, so does LOVE.

ENEMIES has seven letters, so does FRIENDS.

LYING has five letters, so does TRUTH.

HURT has four letters, so does HEAL.

CRY has three letters, so does JOY.

NEGATIVITY has ten letters, so does POSITIVITY.

Life is two sided. Choose the better side of it.   

By Mr Scott Clegg, Business Manager 

Caution:  Notifications for change of College bank account details

I want to bring to your attention an important matter with regards to how the College would notify you if there was ever a future change in the College bank account. It is important to be cautious about any notifications that you receive for a change in the College’s bank account. 

Please note that there are no plans in the future to change the College bank account and this message is for your awareness only. 

The College would only utilise the following methods in providing formal notification if there is a future change in bank account.

1. Notification in the official College newsletter that would direct you to the new bank account details in the secure Parent Portal.
2. A message would be available within the secure Parent Portal that will include the new bank account details.   Following on from this, the new bank account details would then appear on the future College invoices and monthly statements.

The College would not utilise direct email for formal notification of this change.  If you ever receive a direct email from the College advising of a change in bank account details, please contact the College office as this may be fraudulent activity. 

If you do have any questions, please contact our College office.

Southern Downs Regional Youth Council

by Mrs Jill Hume

On Thursday 19 October, Assumption College Year 10 students Isabella Sullivan, Lincoln Murphy, Amy Ryan and Calum Oloman, attended their final meeting as our College Southern Downs Regional Council Youth Representatives.  Throughout this year, these students have proudly participated in Youth Council meetings and, along with student representatives from other local schools, have been a voice to Council on matters that impact our community, such as waste, road safety, ageism in the community and many other relevant items.  Through their learnings from guest speakers and presentations by council representatives, our Youth Council Representatives have had the opportunity to be the voice of the youth in our community.  We thank the Southern Downs Regional Council for this wonderful opportunity for the youth in our region, and congratulate Isabella, Lincoln, Amy and Calum for their leadership and participation throughout 2023.  You have certainly set the standard for our 2024 Youth Council Leaders!

J W Morgan Article

by Mr Simon Hamlet

The 6 October 2023 edition of Nature carries an obituary to W. Jason Morgan, if you would like to read it you can find it here W. Jason Morgan, discoverer of plate tectonics (1935–2023) (nature.com). Morgan is not well known, but the idea of plate tectonics that he advanced is. To quote the Nature article –

It showed that Earth’s surface consists of about a dozen rigid plates. They are created at mid-ocean ridges, destroyed in subduction zones where they converge, and move past one another along great faults, such the San Andreas Fault in California.

Other papers followed, explaining that volcanoes occur where plates subduct, mountains rise where and when continents collide, and earthquakes result from jostling and shearing at plate margins.

Within a decade, the theory of ‘plate tectonics’ was broadly accepted. Morgan had presented the geological equivalent of Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution soon after being appointed as an assistant professor at Princeton University in New Jersey and had transformed geology forever.

Image Caption: Two tectonic plates, the Indo-Australian and the Pacific Plates, part of a simple jigsaw recently released by Geoscience Australia.

Like so much of what forms today’s science curriculum, the theorists who proposed the idea were still alive when their ideas made it into the curriculum; Plate Tectonics in Year 9 and Big Bang theory in Year 10 are just two examples that are being taught this term. Science and the associated processing of ‘big data’ are continuing to add to our understanding of our world.

The exciting thing about being a teacher is not just that I can teach new things to students, but that I could well be teaching a person who will transform our understanding of the world in which we live, and who, like Morgan, could see that knowledge become part of the curriculum in their own lifetime.

Arts and Design Showcase 5:00- 5:50 pm, 23 November 2023.

Please join us in celebrating our students’ efforts from this year at the Arts and Design Showcase evening. Our static and screen/film displays will be presented at the back of the Assumption Hall for your viewing pleasure while student music performances will be on the stage area. The students' Film Academy short film production will be on show. It will be the first public viewing since the red-carpet event at the local cinemas. Ready to wear textiles and 'Straight to the Pool Room' art, wood and metal work items! We look forward to seeing you there.

2024 Assumption College Variety Concert

Date claimer: 26^th and 27^th April

We are starting to call for students who would like to audition for next year's Assumption College Variety Concert. After the success of last year's efforts we are looking forward to the diversity of creativity, skill, courage and team work that will be showcased on the evening. Students, please look out in the notices for times to catch up with staff working towards the event to talk about possible contributions and anything you may be wanting to prepare. Parents, guardians and friends, mark your calendar to keep either night free to witness ACW Showcase 2024! Look forward to seeing you there.

By Mr Thomas Duggan, Sports Coordinator 

During Weeks 5 and 6 of this term, the Assumption College Jnr Boys Cricket team will be playing two friendly T20 Cricket matches against Scots PGC on a Wednesday afternoon at Briggs Oval. ACW has a strong team with plenty of players so we look forward to seeing how they go during these two matches.

By Mrs Jenny Gillespie, College Counsellor

Peer pressure. 

REACHOUT writes:

It’s normal for young people to worry about fitting in. Peer groups play an important role in young people’s lives, particularly during adolescence. ‘Peer pressure’ refers to the influence that these groups can have on how an individual thinks and acts. Supporting your child to recognise teen peer pressure, when it helps and hinders them, and how they can develop their own individuality, is an important role for parents.

This can help if:

• your child is acting out of character
• your child is constantly worried about ‘missing out’ or not fitting in
• you are concerned about the influence of your child’s friends
• your child tends to always copy others and be a bit of a follower or easily influenced.

How peer pressure works

A young person can experience peer pressure in varying degrees. Sometimes their peers may proactively influence them to behave in certain ways and at other times they may be just following along.  Both of these situations are based on seeking approval.

Who are my child’s peers?

Your child’s peers are those they admire and consider to play an important role in their life. Depending on your child’s lifestyle, they may have several different peer groups. If your child uses the internet, their peers can also include people they meet online through forums and social media platforms.

How does peer pressure affect teenagers?

You may associate peer pressure with negative outcomes such as your child trying alcohol, smoking or drugs. However, peer pressure can also allow certain groups to have positive influences on your child. There is no way of knowing exactly how your child will be affected. Peer pressure can influence any area of your child’s life, from their music tastes to their choice of school subjects.

Positive effects of peer pressure include: a sense of belonging and support, increased self-confidence, introduction to positive hobbies and interests, reinforcement of positive habits and attitudes.

Negative effects of peer pressure include:  using alcohol, cigarettes or drugs, pressure to engage in risk taking behaviours, distraction from schoolwork, distance between family and existing friends and drastic changes in behaviour and attitudes.

Self-esteem and mental health issues

It is important to remember that peer influence and pressure is a normal part of adolescence. As your child starts moving away from the parent-child relationship and seeking their own independence and identity, their peers will become more important to them. However, if you’re concerned about the effects of peer pressure on your child and think that it’s negatively impacting their life, visit Reachout.com.au for things that you can try to support them. 

By Ms Taylor Quinn, Teacher Librarian

Last Thursday we hosted Warwick State High School for the annual Readers Cup Challenge. For this prestigious competition, teams of four students were asked to read four books prior to the day, then, as a group, they had to answer fifteen questions about each book. Mrs Wooding set the questions, Mr Carrasco was our incredible MC and Mr Salter and Miss W were our honourable judges. Big congratulations to the three student teams and two teacher teams who took part. We celebrated our participation this week with a pizza party! 

Our mighty band of chess players attended the second Warwick region interschool competition on Friday. Chess is a great strategic game that encourages concentration and cognitive thinking. All levels can participate in a chess tournament and benefit from playing other skill levels. Students at Assumption College are always welcome to play chess in the library at lunchtime to learn and hone their skills.

Miss Quinn and Mrs Wooding supported our e-sports students on Saturday as they travelled to Brisbane to participate in the QUT sports tech challenge. This was a fantastic day where students competed in the game ‘Rocket League’, learnt about the production and broadcast of e-sports, and engaged in other sports tech opportunities such as virtual motorsport and VR. All students really enjoyed their day, and we look forward to nurturing e-sports further at the College in 2024.

Rare Squid Creative - Exciting Filmmaking Opportunity for Years 11 and 12 Students

McGregor Summer School, celebrating its 56th year of artistic workshops, has added a new film subject, and we're thrilled to be part of it. If any of your Year 11/12 students are passionate about filmmaking, considering media production at university, or just want to explore their creative side, this week-long holiday workshop is a perfect stepping stone.

Here is a link to all the exciting workshops available, including our Music Video Production workshop. Plus, we still have scholarships up for grabs!

https://schoolcreativearts.usq.edu.au/mcgregor/

For a quick teaser, here's a promo clip we made: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/vtpJdhxRLYM

Have questions? Feel free to reach out to us or the McGregor School team at UniSQ for more info.

Paddy Long - Art Director - Rare Squid Creative

Warwick City Band Concert

St Mary’s Catholic Debutante Ball 2024

Calling all girls interested in making their debut at the Catholic Debutante Ball to be held on Friday, 14 June 2024 in St Mary’s Hall.

An Information evening will be held on Sunday, 25 February 2024 in Assisi Place at 7:00 pm. All prospective debutantes and an accompanying family member will be most welcome to attend.

For more information please contact

• Sue Harris at tellsue@gmail.com
• Christine Smith at Andersens, Wood Street or by email at csmith@andersens.com.au

The committee members are looking forward to meeting and greeting you there.