By Mr Kort Goodman - Principal

Dear Parents and Caregivers

Early in the year I wrote to you highlighting the fact that societal values and beliefs continue to change and evolve. Whether or not this is for better or worse is certainly debatable. I also emphasised that as an educational system we are striving to continually reflect on our current practices and engage in professional renewal for the purpose of providing the best educational experience for your sons/daughters.

In the same letter I asked for your support in completing a survey, sharing your thoughts on how you view our College in relationship to its Catholic identity and how this identity might be shaped to meet the needs of our community moving into the future.

Today I would like to take the opportunity to thank our community for the wonderful response we had to the survey. The support and interest shown by our parents in completing this survey highlights the great community that we have at Assumption College and the importance that our parents place on their children’s education.

I would also like to explain that the next step in our review of the information provided by our community involves my attendance at the ‘Enhancing Catholic Schools Identity Leuven Study Intensive’ in Belgium from the 23^rd May until the 10^th June. During these two weeks I will be part of the Diocese of Toowoomba Catholic Schools group attending university in Leuven, participating in lectures and tours of local schools, whilst reflecting upon literature provided as part of the course and the data we have gathered through the survey prior to departure. In addition to attending the lectures and excursions each of the participants are required to complete a number of written assessment tasks. These assessment tasks ask us to examine how the learning that has occurred will impact upon our practices as leaders and the Catholic identity of our schools into the future. Upon return to Assumption College I will be sharing this information with our community in order to generate further discussion around the future of our College.

Finally, I would like to inform the community that, when I return from Belgium, I will be extending my absence from the College until the start of week 10. This will mean that I am away from the College for just over four weeks in total. During my absence the following staffing changes will be in place;

• Mr Craig Frattini will be Acting Principal.
• Mrs Anna Hardy will be Acting Deputy Principal.
• Ms Eliza Harris will be Acting Assistant Principal Curriculum.
• Mrs Kristy Searson will be Acting Program Leader for Senior Schooling.
• Miss Rebecca Bastion will be Acting Curriculum Leader for Arts.
• Miss Kait Peters will be taking on a teaching contract for the four weeks.

I thank these wonderful people for their willingness to undertake these roles and I am sure they will do an excellent job. I would also like to welcome Miss Peters to Assumption College and wish her all the best for the time that she is with us.

NAPLAN

Congratulations to the Year 7 and 9 students who sat their respective NAPLAN tests during week four. As a College we encouraged the students to give these tests their best possible shot so that we could use the accurate data gathered to inform our future teaching and learning activities. Striving to achieve to your personal best in all activities is something that we want all the students of Assumption College to do and our Year 7 & 9 students certainly demonstrated this characteristic last week.

Have a lovely week.

Kort

By Mr Craig Frattini, Deputy Principal

Helping Teenagers Manage Friendship Issues 

Having a supportive group of friends plays an important role in the life of young people. They can help your young person negotiate the journey from childhood, where they are reliant on parents, to adulthood, where they need to stand on their own two feet.

The importance of peers

To a parent a teenager’s friendships may seem all-consuming, taking precedence over family, school and even healthy leisure time. While peers may now begin to take a more prominent place in your young person’s life, family is still an important source of belonging and safety for them. It helps if you get to know their friends and discuss any concerns you have about their choice of friends.

We all experience some degree of pressure to conform to the behaviours and norms of our social groups, yet this pressure is heightened in adolescence, when the need to fit in with peers becomes paramount. Ostracism is unthinkable, which makes some teenagers susceptible to the negative influence of some peers. You can help by talking to your young person about peer pressure; helping them resist peer pressure while maintaining status and encouraging them to speak out rather than be reliant on the approval of others.

Encouraging more than one set of friends

It’s helpful to think of friendships as a series of concentric circles. Most young people will have a few close friends in their inner circle but are surrounded by many friends in the outer circles. Encourage your young person to maintain friendship groups outside of school to help insulate against any teasing or unfriendly behaviour that may occur at school.

When you disapprove

Sometimes parents disapprove of their young person’s choice of friends, because of behaviour, poor reputation or the adverse influence they may have on a young person. Young people take criticism of their friends personally so be careful how you handle these issues. If you have worries about your child’s choice of friends: Check that your concerns are real. Encourage diversity of friendships. Be available to take your young person and their friends to outings, sports practice, parties and school formals, to familiarise yourself with their social groups. Many parents have found that, when they get to know their children’s friends, many of their concerns were unfounded.

Differentiate between online and offline friends

In all likelihood, your young person will communicate with their friends in real time or through digital technology. Help your young person understand the difference between the two, discussing how behaviours and norms vary between the real world and online. Discuss the ethics and behaviours appropriate to each format so they can enjoy healthy friendships in both the online and offline worlds.

Friendships can be a source of angst and also a source of joy for your young person. Your role as a parent is to promote healthy friendships and encourage your young person to empathise with others, show they are worthy of trust and treat others with respect – all foundations of mature adult relationships.

By Mrs Carol Sharp, APRE

Mothers’ Day Mass

A big thank you to all the students and staff who helped to make our annual Mothers’ Day Mass a big success. We hope that all the Mums, grandparents and caregivers who attended felt welcome and appreciated. Well done to our students for their behaviour during mass and for their participation – especially considering the minor technical hitch we faced during the service. It was great to see our singers step up to the microphone and lead the responses for everyone while the technical issue was being fixed. Great initiative and leadership!

                              
Zonta – Birthing Kit Foundation

On Saturday, May 11, a group of students and staff donated their morning to help the Zonta Club of Warwick in their annual ‘Birthing Kit Assembly Day.’ According to the Birthing Kit Foundation, the purpose of this day is to organise essential items for pregnant women and newborns so that a clean and safe birthing environment can be maintained.

‘Around 300,000 women and 3 million newborns die each year from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth.  Most of these deaths occur in developing countries. To help address this, we provide an opportunity for Australian volunteers to fundraise for and engage in the assembly of Birthing Kits.

We partner with local organisations and health service providers that work in low-resource and emergency settings to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes. We donate Birthing Kits to approved organisations for distribution to pregnant women and maternal healthcare providers to help enable a safe and cleaner birthing environment. We also provide funding for collaborative and sustainable community development projects, supported by research and advocacy, for improved maternal and newborn outcomes.’

For more information, please visit: https://www.bkfa.org.au/

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the students and staff for giving up their Saturday morning to contribute to this worthy cause. May their efforts inspire others to take advantage of the many opportunities to contribute and grow in their understanding of what justice truly is.

Prayer

May 27 – June 3 is National Reconciliation Week. During this week we are reminded that reconciliation between indigenous and non-indigenous peoples in Australia is an ongoing process that requires the healing power of forgiveness. It is important not to just ask for forgiveness but to be forgiving of others when they have wronged us. This is a difficult, but very rewarding process and we pray that we may be moved by the Holy Spirit to engage with this process.

Aboriginal Our Father
You are Our Father, you live in heaven
We talk to you, Father you are good (repeat)

We believe your Word Father
We your children, give us bread today (repeat)

We have done wrong, we are sorry
Help us Father not to sin again (repeat)

Others have done wrong to us
And we are sorry for them, Father today (repeat)

Stop us from doing wrong, Father
Save us all from the evil one (repeat)

You are Our Father, you live in heaven
We talk to you, Father you are good (repeat)

The Lord’s Prayer from the "Miss Kimberley"

By Mrs Anna Hardy - Assistant Principal - Curriculum 

NAPLAN

Last week our Year 7 and 9 students participated in the online NAPLAN testing.  These are nationwide tests in numeracy and literacy.  The tests were carried out on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.  We would like to congratulate the Year 7 and 9 students for their efforts in, and behaviour during, these tests.  The results of the NAPLAN testing will be sent home in the form of a report.  As we completed these online we should receive results sooner rather than later this year.

SEMESTER REPORTS

Semester 1 Reports will be posted home during the last week of this term.  Please ensure the College has the correct mailing address.  Contact the office to make this change.

TUTORIALS

Just a reminder that tutorials run Thursday afternoons from 3:15pm-4:15pm.  All students are more than welcome to attend.

ASSESSMENT POLICY

Just a short reminder that students who know in advance that they will be absent on the day of an exam, or the day an assignment is due, need to see the class teacher PRIOR to that date.  Other arrangements need to be made for the submission of the assessment and the earlier teachers receive this information, the better!  Our College policy grants consideration for students who are ill or unable to complete exams and assignments due to other exceptional circumstances; however other commitments and early holidays are scenarios where assessment is still expected to be submitted on or before the due date.  Remember it may be possible to email assessment in, however, this must be negotiated with the teacher.

ICAS TEST

Permission slips will be sent home in the coming week for students sitting the ICAS tests.  Please indicate if you child will be sitting the tests and which tests they will be sitting.  We will be sitting the English, Maths and Science test. 

By Mrs Alison Porter, Program Leader Student Pathways

Noteworthy items:

• A local business is offering an interested Year 10 or 11 student a position as a school-based trainee in tyre-fitting
• Permission forms for students wanting to complete the White Card Course should have been returned
• Reminder that Year 12 students interested in university in 2020 should be attending upcoming university open days and considering early entry programs.

General Construction White Card

The College has offered Year 10, 11 & 12 students the opportunity to participate in the ‘Work Safely in the Construction Industry’ course.  Successful completion of the course is awarded with a ‘Construction White Card’.  This card & course are mandatory requirements under Queensland's Workplace Health & Safety Regulation 2008 for all persons wishing to carry out construction type work or frequenting a construction site. Therefore, any students wanting to complete work experience, obtain employment or secure a traineeship or apprenticeship in a trade involving construction or work on a construction site, will need to have successfully completed the accredited course and obtained their ‘white card’.  Such trades that would require the card could include structural steel erection, carpentry, bricklaying, concreting, plumbing, electrical, tiling and painting etc. We are offering the white card course to students on the 31^st of May at a cost of $80 per student. A letter has been provided to interested students. Final numbers will be tallied early this week so any students that have not returned the permission form will need to do so quickly. Please note the course may not go ahead if we do not meet the required number of participants for the course.

Rural and Agricultural Pathways

Students interested in rural and agricultural pathways and careers should consider attending the Ag Inspirations career awareness program currently on offer through AgForce Queensland. The program aims to raise awareness of the wide variety of career options within agriculture in areas such as biosecurity, agronomy, robotic farming, banking, purchasing, transport and logistics. It will involve students from Years 10-12 visiting multiple enterprises; spending about two hours at each location learning about the business and the skills required for the various tasks involved. The program will run over three days, 22^nd to 24^th of July. Information regarding this will be

provided to students. Those students who may be interested, should let me know as soon as possible and register their interest as places in the program are limited.

Year 12 and University

Year 12 students interested in attending university have been advised to start researching possible university courses to which they might like to apply. The QTAC (Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre) is a great place to start the research. The QTAC course guide can be found at www.qtac.edu.au (course search). Part of this research should include planning for the open days at the universities in which students are interested. Information and dates can be found at www.qtac.edu.au (courses and institutions) and www.acwcareers.com (calendar of events). Students have also been provided with an early entry guide for universities. This guide outlines many of the early entry programs universities offer that allow students to apply now for entry into university courses in 2020.

Careers Newsletter

A much more in-depth careers newsletter is emailed regularly to students. This newsletter includes details of state-wide careers events and open days, as well as providing information about tertiary institutions and careers and pathways resources. If parents would like to view the extended careers newsletter it is also available on our school careers webpage at www.acwcareers.com

By Mrs Julie Collins - Program Leader Sport

Foxtel Bronco’s School Challenge

The Broncos cup teams have been organised and training for both Rugby League and Netball is on Wednesdays & Fridays. Students must attend training sessions to be eligible to play at the gala days. 

Darling Downs

Congratulations to the following students who have been selected in Darling Downs teams.

Queensland School Sport Netball

Congratulations to Lily Nolan who has been invited to be a member of the Student Officials Program to participate in the Queensland School Sport Netball Championships in Toowoomba.

SPORTS CALENDAR

Bill Turner Soccer

by Eliza Harris

Last week Assumption had two soccer teams compete in the first round of the Bill Turner Cup in Stanthorpe. Both teams performed admirably and were the epitome of sportsmanship and teamwork, coming away with very pleasing results! The Boys’ team, coached by Mr O’Brien finished the day with a win, a draw and a loss and are to be congratulated on many fine individual performances. The Girls’ team, coached by Miss Harris was thrilled to come away with two wins and a draw – even defeating long-time rivals Stanthorpe SHS.

The girls then progressed to the next round of the Cup, competing against Highfields Secondary College in Toowoomba on Wednesday this week. Highfields had a strong side going in with 4 subs to our team of 11. We played hard and scored early in the first half. By half time the score was evened, and it was a hard fought second half with lots of attempts but no goals. The game ended 1 all and from there progressed to a penalty shootout which our girls came away from victorious! Well done on a fantastic effort and good luck for the next round! 

Confraternity Day at Dalby

by Jack Duggan

Game 1:

The Confro boys took the field against St Johns Roma to kick off the day. As a result of injury and sickness, six of our players had to sit on the sidelines. The team saw the day out with 15 players however that did not worry us. Strong performances around the park saw Assumption come away with the win against a never give up attitude Roma side. A positive mention to Sam Ogden who played his first game back after 12 months on the sidelines with a shoulder injury.

Game 2:

The last game of the day, Assumption took the field against St Joseph’s Toowoomba in a Darling Downs game. Assumption started the game slower than they wanted, leaking early tries to the St Joey’s team. The boys went into half time behind on the score board. Assumption knew what they needed to do in the second half however, did not come away with the win. Great effort to all the boys showing promise for the upcoming carnival at Bundaberg. The Assumption boys aim to take on St Joey’s in the second round of Darling Downs games with a full-strength team and bring home the win.

Open Rugby League State Championships

QISSN Netball

By Amy Harrison

Last Wednesday the school QISSN netball team competed in a round robin at Dalby.  The team put in a great amount of effort and represented the school well.  They came away with two wins and two losses.

Cross Country

Contribution by Parent

Levi Rhodes competed in the Darling Downs School Sport District Cross Country Championships in Highfelds Toowoomba.  Levi place 19th with a time of 12.09 minutes in the 3000m 13 year boys event.

By Mrs Mary-Anne Driver 

Our latest discussion board centres around friendship and how to be a friend.  We are always blown away by the comments our students add, showing they are aware and appreciate what values they appreciate in their friends – including not playing a plus 4 in UNO!

Our display for open day showed just how utilized our library space was, not only for academic purposes but for many social activities as well. 

This term Liam is helping to run a Lego coding challenge which the students are very keen to get involved in.  There are also some old games being rediscovered.

By Mr Scott Clegg - Business Manager 

Term 2 School Fees have been posted or emailed to parents. If you haven’t received your copy please contact the Office. School Fees are due 7th June 2019 unless you have a Direct Debit or other payment arrangement with the College.

Science and Engineering Challenge 

17 students from years 9 and 10 set off on Wednesday morning for USQ Toowoomba to take part in this year’s Science and Engineering Challenge.

Assumption College was one of 8 schools taking part on the second out of three days of competition.

Each school was to enter at least two students in each of the 8 different challenges undertaken during the day. These challenges ranged from building vehicles, bridges, and artificial hands, to coding communication systems.

By lunch time, despite everyone having a good time, we found ourselves in a disappointing 6th place. Undeterred, the students polished off their wraps and fruit picnic and launched back into action with new purpose!

Whilst six of the ACW groups applied themselves to different tasks in the morning and afternoon sessions, two of our pairs had chosen longer projects, on which they would spend the entire day.
Ashtontae Ross and Bridgette Harland tackled the flat pack furniture design, building a table and chair out of cardboard and straws strong enough to support a 1kg weight. So successful was their design, that it won overall for the day!

As if this wasn’t enough success for one day, Kayleigh Waugh and Cortney Carniel’s bridge was the last to be tested in the big finale, infront of hundreds of students attending from schools all over southern Queensland. ‘Testing’ involved driving a small train over the bridge, with ever increasing weights attached. Not one team had managed to carry all five ‘ingot’ weights across all afternoon. Kayleigh and Cortney’s bridge survived the first four runs unscathed whilst all the other teams took the opportunity to turn their bridges upside down in order to prevent collapse, Kayleigh and Corntey’s bridge stood its ground without even flinching. The final run though was The dreaded Super Ingot! The rhythmic clapping started, the countdown commenced, Corntey released the heavily laden train down the ramp annnnnnd IT MADE IT ACROSS! The crowd went wild! Another challenge won by Team ACW!

Now came time for the final tally up, the usual reverse order count down was progressing well, yet we never dared to believe we could actual turn it around. Fifth place, fourth place, third place were given out but no mention of our band of mini-engineers, we had everything crossed.....’Second place’.... ‘Our Lady......’ .We couldn’t hear the rest of the name because our team were too noisy! Rightly so WE’D JUST WON! You Beauties!’

Needless to say Mr O’Brien was true to his word and shouted the team Frozen Coke Slushies from Maccas once we got back to Warwick. Thoroughly well deserved, after a really fun day out. Next year we’ll be defending our title!

Open Day 

It Takes A Spark

On Thursday May 9th, an eager group of 28 Assumption girls and 3 teachers boarded an early bus for a trip to St Saviours College Toowoomba for their inaugural ‘It Takes a Spark’ Educational conference.  This conference was designed to bring together "Girls and their Teachers" to connect with inspiring female industry role models, share their current school based activities and projects using an authentic sharing and experiential model, create networks of teachers and student teams, and solve social justice design challenges.  We had the opportunity to experience and learn about a variety of technologies throughout the day including 3D design & printing, Virtual Reality in the Classroom, Astronomy, and more.  Assumption College is proud to offer all students opportunities in this exciting area of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art & maths) and loved seeing the enthusiasm of the girls towards their learning on this day.

School Improvement Survey 

This year our school will be participating in a School Review and Improvement Survey managed by Research Australia Development and Innovation Institute (RADII). As well as school staff and students from Years 5 - 12, all parents are invited to participate in the survey. The survey provides valuable feedback for the future directions of our school. 

It would be appreciated if parents could update their contact details prior to the 24 June 2019. This will ensure delivery to the correct parent email addresses is available. 

On Monday the 29th July 2019, RADII will send all parents a personalized invitation to complete the survey online. If both parents email addresses are on file at the school, the invitation will be sent to both parents. However, the survey will close once the first person has completed it. If you do not wish to complete the survey simply delete it. 

The survey will take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. You can complete the survey from anywhere you have access to the internet. The survey will close on Sunday, 11 August 2019 for parents. 

We encourage you to be very honest in your responses to the surveys. All responses go directly to RADII so they are confidential and anonymous. When the surveys are completed, and responses aggregated by RADII, overall data is sent to us so that we can then share the findings with you. 

Mental Health Workshop