By Mrs Liisa Hammond, Principal

Gospel Mark 6: 7-13

This week’s Gospel tells of Jesus sending the Apostles to spread the Good News, drive out demons, and anoint people. They were directed to do so with nothing but The Word and the clothes and sandals they wore.

Interestingly, Jesus states that if there is any place that ignores the Apostles, then they are to “… leave that place and shake the dust off [their] feet …”. This symbolism is fascinating, as feet, within the Bible, often symbolise humility, stability, service, and yet here, Jesus is basically labelling those who are not willing to welcome the Word of God, to be forgotten about – that they were unworthy.

This is excellent advice for our young people.

If someone is not open to what you have to say or does not treat you with respect, then it is essential to evaluate whether they are worthy of the work it will take to get them to listen or respect you.

In enrolment interviews, I speak to each young person about my two main jobs as their Principal. They are:

1. Keep everyone safe: our young people, our staff, our families, and the community members who join us.
2. Ensure opportunities for success – no matter the pathway – All ways, for Always!

When I speak about the issue of safety, I am firm in my conviction that this is my primary responsibility. If a member of our community feels safe, then they will feel confident, challenge themselves, try new things, and be open to the opportunity for failure without fearing it.

How does this relate to “… shake the dust off your feet”? For me, it represents the fact that if any member of our community makes someone feel unsafe, then I am responsible for working with the person who feels unsafe so they can reengage with their core business at the College. For the individual who is going against our values and making someone feel unsafe, it is my responsibility to work with that person to support them to meet our standards and deal with whatever was causing them to act in a manner that contravenes who we are as a community. Of course, after we have supported this individual in all the ways that we can, if they continue to choose to act in a manner that goes against our values or that does not meet our standards, then I must make the decision to assist them in finding another community to join. This is not my favourite thing to do as the Principal; however, it is my responsibility to do so, and I have and will continue to do this in my role.

“Shak (ing) the dust off …” is not always easy, and in fact, it is harder more times than it is easy; however, when that time comes, it is important that we are able to do so, maintaining the dignity of all involved and accepting that we do not do this lightly or easily, but we must do it for the betterment of all.

The capacity of our young people to know when to hold on and when to walk away is an essential life skill and one that often grows from experience rather than theory. To meet our moral imperative of ensuring our students are able to live full and flourishing lives, it is necessary to empower them to have the capacity to “… shake the dust off their feet” and walk away from anything that does not align with their values or add value to their journey.

Welcome to Staff 

• Brett Hay - Humanities and English 

• Maryann Meek - Business

• Mia Gould - Drama and English

Farewell to Staff 

At the start of Term 3, we farewell, two staff members: 

• Samirah Bahbahani - Mathematics

• Melaine Gibbons – Humanities and Religion 

Advertising for these positions is underway, and can be found here:

Founders’ Day Wrap Up! 

In our final newsletter for Term 2, 2024, I spoke about our 2024 Senior Student Leaders' outstanding work in their leadership and creation of Founders’ Day. As part of that day, our senior students gathered sponsorship from several businesses within our town. As we know, asking people to sponsor an event or activity is never an easy thing to do – especially within our current economic crisis, so it is with great thanks and respect that we acknowledge the following businesses:

• Brownlie Concretors Pty. Ltd.
• DSK Shed Erection.
• Olsens Produce Pty. Ltd.
• Ray White Rural Warwick
• Spano’s IGA 

You will see the banners of these companies on our front fence in the coming week (as well as corflutes), thanking them for their support not just our Year 12s but also of the Rural Firefighters – the charity our Year 12s chose to support. 

Pastoral Care (PC) Liturgies 

As part of our commitment to creating agency within our young people and their own journeys of faith, we are working towards the students taking ownership of their PC Liturgies. As such, staff have undertaken professional development on what a liturgy is and how we can support our students to create meaningful and relevant liturgies.

What is a Liturgy?

Liturgy originally meant “service in the name of/on behalf of the people”, in Christian tradition, it means the participation of the People of God in the “work of God”. 

- It is what we do together 

- It is not something that simply happens, but it is something that we are involved in; we are engaged with and we participate in

- It is sacred 

- It forms the basis of a relationship with other participants 

- It is relevant to lives of the people who enact the liturgy. 

Shaping and forming of faith habits and behaviours, doesn’t happen accidentally. It needs to be the purposeful work of the people.

Transformation through participate is the key to a liturgy that is engaging and significant.

Students need a role within the service – that can be as a reader or as the operator of a computer, but all must be involved in the meaningful expression of the liturgy. We want them to take ownership of the service so that they will be shaped by the experience.

What to do? 

1. In an extended PC lesson, before students are due to host the liturgy, select a theme on which to base the liturgy. It could be a current issue that young people are facing, a global issue that the world is facing, or even the value of the students' House (Rice, Romero, McAuley or Donovan).

2. Each member/pair of the PC will select a section of the Liturgy to prepare/or randomly select if it is hotly contested.

Each member/pair will design a section focused on the selected theme. It is important to note that the reading and reflection go hand-in-hand. It is recommended that a senior student complete the reflection.

Liturgy sections:

• Entrance—We Gather: This could be a song, prayer, or instrumental music while a poem is read. It sets the scene for the sacredness and connection of the liturgy. It does not need to be a religious hymn, but it does need to create a sense of the sacredness and importance of the gathering. (1 – 2 students).

• Sacred Space—We Prepare: Using the House Cloth and the Candles, students will also gather items for the Sacred Space, items that have significance for their PC and relate to the theme. Students will explain the symbols as they bring them forth and set the Sacred Space (2 – 3 students).

• Reading—We Listen: This does not necessarily mean a Gospel verse or a reading from the Bible, although students are encouraged to do so if they wish. Students can select a picture book, a poem, a short film, a visual image, or any type of reading that resonates with their PC and the theme selected. They will need to read out and/or describe what the image is of and why they selected it (1 – 2 students).

• Reflection – We Reflect: Using the reading as a basis, a senior student writes a reflection for the students to consider. This reflection should begin by connecting the reading to the chosen theme and end with a call to action for our students – be it to do something, consider something or do both. The reflection is read aloud and should only take 2 – 3 minutes to deliver. (1 – 2 students – recommended a senior student/s).

• Prayers of the Faithful – We Ask: Students construct their prayer of the faithful – this is an important part of the liturgy as these prayers form both an act of faith and a plea for God’s intercession and grace in the world. (5 – 6 students – with one student taking the role of the presider and the other students constructing a prayer of the faithful each)

The presider is responsible for writing and reading the introduction and the conclusion to the prayers of the faithful. They are also responsible for ensuring that all respond with the phrase:

Lord, hear our prayer or Gracious God, hear our prayer.

To construct their prayer, students should consider their chosen theme of the liturgy and consider the context of their PC, the College, the town, the state, the country and/or the world. Here are some questions that may help guide the content of their prayer:

- What is the theme of our liturgy – what do I want to ask God for on behalf of our PC that relates to the theme?
- What are the noteworthy national or international news events of the week?
- What challenges are our PC, College, town world, etc., facing that we need support to endure/overcome or succeed in?
- What are some of the chronic problems we face at home, at school, in our local community, and in our nation that we would like support for?
- Are there any special events or causes we would like to be aware of this week?
- Would we like to pray for any member of our PC, year level, or family this week?

• Blessing – We give our blessings: Students construct their prayer of blessings – a heartfelt invocation seeking divine support, protection and abundance. Students consider who they would like to give thanks to or those they would like to support. This can be as short or as long as the students would like. It could be an action, such as going to the labyrinth for reflection, exploring the iconography around the College, or the Sign of Peace. (1 – 2 students).

• Departure—We Go: Similar to the start of the liturgy, this could be a song, prayer, or instrumental music while a poem is read. It sets the scene for the sacredness and connection of the liturgy. It does not need to be a religious hymn, but it does need to create a sense of the sacredness and importance of the gathering. (1 – 2 students).

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

By Mrs Anna Hardy, Assistant Principal Curriculum 

Transition From Year 10 to Year 11

As we have just passed the midpoint of the year, it’s time to look ahead to the exciting transition from Year 10 to Year 11. Our upcoming Subject Information Night, scheduled for Tuesday 23 July, 2024, is a crucial event for our Year 10 students who will be stepping into Year 11 in 2025. Here are the key details: 

• Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE): Understanding the requirements and pathways.
• Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR): Insights into how ATAR is calculated and its significance.
• School-Based Apprenticeships/Traineeships (SBA/T): Exploring vocational pathways.
• University Prerequisites: What universities expect from Year 11 students.
• Year 11 Subjects: An overview of the subjects on offer. 

Subject Preferences 

Over the next few weeks, students will select their preferences for Year 11 subjects via web preferences. A link will be sent directly to students. Parents will receive a letter with instructions to assist their child in making informed choices. 

Year 10 SET Plan Interviews: Wednesday July 31– 5 August, 2024 

These interviews provide an opportunity for students and parents to discuss subject preferences and academic goals. If the scheduled interview time does not suit, rescheduling can be arranged through the College office. 

Year 9 and Year 10, 2025 Subject Selections 

Curriculum handbooks outlining subject options for 2025 will be provided to Year 8 and Year 9 students. Students will use a web preference link to make their subject selections for Semester 1, 2025. 

Semester 1, 2024 Reports 

Semester 1 reports for students in Years 7-11 are available on the parent portal in Sentral. If you encounter any difficulties accessing the report, please reach out to the College office for assistance. Open communication between parents and teachers is essential for student success. 

Semester 1, 2024 Academic Pins 

It is exciting that we will be able to celebrate the outstanding academic achievements of 68 students. 

The Academic Pins ceremony will take place during assembly next week, invitations have been sent home to parents. 

Criteria for awards: 

• Year 7, 8, 9: 

- GOLD: 7 A’s and nothing less than a B
- SILVER: 6 A’s and nothing less than a B
- BRONZE: 5 A’s and nothing less than a C 

• Year 10: 

- GOLD: 6 A’s and nothing less than a B
- SILVER: 5 A’s and nothing less than a B
- BRONZE: 4 A’s and nothing less than a C 

• Year 11 and 12: 

- GOLD: A combination of 5 A’s and/or Achieved All Competencies (CA) for certificates, and nothing less than a B.
- SILVER: A combination of 4 A’s and/or Achieved All Competencies (CA) for certificates, and nothing less than a B.
- BRONZE: A combination of 3 A’s and/or Achieved All Competencies (CA) for certificates, and nothing less than a C. 

Year 11 Academic Coaching 

Our recent Academic Coaching sessions have been invaluable. Parents, please feel free to schedule additional meetings to discuss your child’s progress whenever necessary. 

As we embark on Term 3, let’s continue to support our students as they explore pathways and prepare for their next phase of learning in 2025.

By Mrs Julie Collins, Assistant Principal Pastoral and Wellbeing 

Updates For Term 3

As we embark on a new term we are excited to share some important updates and reminders with you. 

College Pastoral Team 

During the year we have had some changes to the Pastoral Team and more recently to the Year 7 cohort. 

We thank and welcome Jacinta Obst to the team. Jacinta will be the Year 7 Pastoral Leader for the remainder of the year and we are confident that her guidance will be invaluable to our students. 

We also welcomed Codie Ellis to the Senior Pastoral Leader role in Term 2. Codie has been providing exceptional support to our Year 11 and Year 12 students as they navigate their final terms at the College. 

As always, if you need to speak with a Pastoral Leader, please do not hesitate to contact them via email or the front office.

Leadership 

Our Year 11 leaders have been preparing for their step up to senior leadership which occurs from the beginning of Term 4. 

Those students interested in leadership positions have submitted applications, had interviews and delivered speeches to the College. Unfortunately, it is not possible for all applicants to make it to the final step of delivering their speeches. 

The students who have been unsuccessful in progressing have shown amazing resilience and support for their peers. This is a great show of maturity. 

House Leader applicants will deliver their speeches during House Meetings in Week 4. 

Once all votes have been counted and leaders elected, they will be announced at the Feast Day Mass and Leadership Induction on Thursday, 15 August 2024. 

Uniform 

The College knitted jumpers are back in stock at Danny Lyons sports store. The jumpers are a poly/cotton blend, perfect for those with allergies. A lined version of the jumper is also available upon request. 

Communication 

We appreciate the ongoing support from our parent community. Communication is the key to ensuring transparency, accurate, and first-hand information is received by parents and the College. Please be proactive in seeking clarity on any information you may be confused about. 

We look forward to a term of learning, growth and community spirit!

By Mr Scott Clegg, Business Manager 

Progress Update of Assumption College Warwick Learning Resource Centre and Year 7 Precinct 

We are pleased to update you on the developments of the Assumption College Warwick Learning Resource Centre and Year 7 Precinct. Currently, focusing on interior areas, we have accomplished several milestones to improve our educational environments. Some of these works include, rendering, joinery install, ceilings T-Bar frame install, planter box seat blockwork and brick cladding having been completed.

In the next two weeks, the project will progress with tasks, including, carpets being laid and suspended ceilings being installed.  

We are excited about the upcoming opening of our new Learning Resource Centre and Year 7 precinct, designed to enhance the educational environment for both students and staff. This upgrade significantly improves our facilities and the academic experience.

To stay informed with the latest updates and news, we invite you to check out our College website and follow us on social media.

Should you need further details, feel free to contact the College office at 4660 4000.

Your ongoing support is valued as we shape the future at Assumption College, Warwick!

By Mrs Alison Porter, Career Development Practitioner 

Warwick Careers Expo 2024

On Tuesday, 16 July 2024, we held our fourth Warwick Careers Expo at Assumption College Hall. Schools within the district were invited and it was open to members of the public. Exhibitors travelled far and wide to provide a wealth of valuable information to students. Exhibitors ranged from Universities, training organisations, employment companies, QLD Police and local businesses. We hope students enjoyed the day and gained some valuable inspiration and information for their future careers.

Year 10 Careers Counselling 

This week Mrs Porter and Mrs Meerdink have been meeting with Year 10 Students for career counselling. The purpose of these sessions are to prepare students for the upcoming SET (Senior Education and Training) plan meetings. Discussions in these sessions focused on students' career interests and pathways into these. 

Year 10 SET Plan Meetings 

A reminder Year 10 SET (Senior Education and Training) Plan meetings are coming up in Week 4, Wednesday 31 July – Friday 2 August 2024. Parents of Year 10 students will be emailed regarding these and invited to attend to discuss and plan their child's senior and future pathways.

AgInspirations Program 

Next week, we have a number of students attending the three day AgInspirations Program. The program is designed to give students a clear picture of pathways into agriculture. We hope the students involved enjoy the program and find it rewarding.

By Mr Thomas Duggan, Sports Coordinator  

Open Rugby League and Open Netball

As you are aware, our Opens Rugby League and our Opens Netball team travelled to Townsville during the Holidays to compete at Confraternity and QISSN. 

The QISSN Netball team coached by Miss Jessica Carey and managed by Miss Ellis, started the week with the Opening Ceremony on Sunday Afternoon. This was a great welcome to QISSN and an opportunity to mingle with players from other schools and see the playing courts. The girls played many games throughout the beginning of the week against some very tough opposition resulting in a series of losses and a draw. The team had their first win for the week on Thursday against OLOSC Dalby. By the end of the week, the QISSN team finished their QISSN Campaign placing 4th Overall in Div 6. Well done to all of the players within this team, especially Imogen Fox who was awarded the Most Valuable Player and Lauren Trotman being a close contender. Well done, to the QISSN Team. 

The Confraternity Rugby League Team coached by Mr Thomas Duggan, managed by Mrs Gardner, and trained by Miss Webb and Mr Jack Duggan, began the week with an Opening Mass and Ceremony at Ignatius Park College on Sunday afternoon. This was a great welcome from the hosting school and an insightful experience for all new players. 

The team had a fantastic start to the week with a mighty win against OLOSC Dalby for our first game. This was followed up with a loss Monday afternoon. Tuesday followed a similar trend as the previous day with a convincing win to start the morning followed by a tough loss in torrential rain in the afternoon. Wednesday's rest day was much needed and we enjoyed a team bonding session playing golf. Thursday, the team had a 12 – 12 draw against St Lawrence’s College which was a gallant effort. Friday we were able to finish the week in style singing the new ACW Frogs team song after an amazing win against St Teresa’s Abergowrie. The team finished 7th overall in Div 2. Well done to all of the team, especially Riley Bacon, who was awarded the Best and Fairest Player and Cooper Morton who was awarded the Spirit of Confraternity award. Well done, to the Confro Team. 

Athletics 

Congratulations to the following students who were awarded as our 2024 College Track and Field Age Champions and Runner Ups: 

During Term 3, Assumption College will be competing in the Warwick Interschool Basketball Competition. This competition will begin in Week 5 and continue for the remainder of the term. Students will be able to sign up to be apart of our teams in the coming weeks. 

Touch Football 

By Mrs Jenny Gillespie, Counsellor  

When Teens Don’t Want to Go to School…  

School Attendance 

In 2022 The Australian Government’s Department of Health commissioned a report on school refusal in Australia. Part of the report examined the links between school attendance and mental health and the report suggested that early intervention, when problems arise, is crucial to positive educational and health outcomes over time. 

School Refusal 

There is no universally agreed definition of school refusal but common to most definitions is student avoidance of school, for an extended period. It is generally accepted that school refusal is complex and comes with multiple contributing factors. 

A definition that may be useful comes from Maynard, et al (2018) defined school refusal as featuring: 

1. Reluctance or refusal to attend school, often leading to prolonged absences 

2. Staying at home during school hours with parents’ knowledge rather than concealing the problem from parents 

3. Experience of emotional distress at the prospect of attending school (e.g. somatic complaints, anxiety, and unhappiness) 

4. Absence of severe antisocial behaviour 

5. Parental efforts to secure their child’s attendance at school.

As a College Counsellor, I would say it is typical for many teens to find it hard to get to school every day OR occasionally miss school OR get back into a good attendance routine after holidays, however, for some students, avoiding school can become a daily battle and if left unchecked, may contribute to mental health difficulties over time. 

Resources 

Many resources exist to support families to understand the nature of school refusal as well as potential responses. These include:

• Understanding school refusal (headspace.org.au)
• School refusal - Be You 

Please contact your child’s Pastoral Leader, Brett Armstrong or myself if further information is required or if you are concerned about your child’s school refusal.

Early intervention and support is very important.

By Mary-Ann Driver, Library Aide

Welcome Back

Welcome back to Term 3, winter is certainly here! With the chilly winds outside, many students are seeking shelter in the warm library. 

We are looking forward to welcoming our friends from Japan, and we have some special events planned for lunch times next week which include Connect 4 and UNO challenges, origami and board games. So, if you are hosting a student, let them know there will be activities running in the library. 

The only roasting we do at ACW is in jumpers at the Warwick Jumpers and Jazz festival. Currently, on our discussion board, we are embracing Jumpers and Jazz and thinking about the notion of roasting. It’s very Australian to rib your friends – it’s often a sign of great friendship BUT it’s not okay to hurt the feelings of other people or to show disrespect. We have found some guidelines to remind us how to treat our friends. Our thanks to Ms Ellis and her class for the great artwork!

We always have a selection of new books on display and currently we have some exciting adventure books, fantasy, graphic novels and some go-to-guides for more hands-on topics. 

The Warwick Regional Interschool Chess competition is being hosted here at Assumption College on Thursday in Week 3. Chess improves cognitive skills, creativity, memory and concentration. It also enhances problem-solving and communication skills and pattern recognition. We look forward to a great day, sharing our great space with schools from around the region. 

Book Week, this term, is in Week 7. We will celebrate with a dress up day on Tuesday, 20 August 2024. The theme this year is Reading is Magic. While students will be encouraged to dress up, it is important that costumes need to be appropriate for classes on that day. Some accessories and parts of the costume may be left in the library or lockers until Period 4 assembly. Watch this space for more details!