By Mrs Liisa Hammond, Principal

Luke 9: 11b – 17

Luke tells us of the time Jesus was with a crowd of over 5000 people, healing them and speaking with them. As evening came, Jesus’ disciples tried to send the crowd away to find dinner for themselves and a place to stay for the night.

Jesus instructed the disciples to feed the crowd themselves; however, they only had five (5) loaves of bread and two (2) small fish. Jesus offered what little they had to God, and suddenly there was enough to feed everyone, with some left over.

If I were to take Luke’s words literally, then the only option is to believe in the miracle God performed through Jesus. This miracle reflects God’s capacity to nourish all those who seek Him and who believe in Him. The symbolism of sharing a meal together is representative of the meal that Jesus shared with his disciples where he gave of himself. A sacrifice, in service, for all of humanity. 

If, however, I am to re-contextualise this Gospel for our students, I would look to explain it from a metaphoric point of view. To do so, we need to consider our current context. We are at the end of Term 2, Semester 1 2022. We are tired. In fact, we are all exhausted. With that exhaustion comes the saying, that we are operating on “empty”. With one week to go, we do not have much to bring to the table. Just as the disciples only had a few loaves of bread and even less fish, we do not have much left to give. We ask ourselves, “will this be enough?” Enough to keep our students engaged, enough enthusiasm and energy for the Athletics Carnival and Founders’ Day? Just enough?!

And yet, somehow, we do find enough energy - more than enough energy, motivation, and enthusiasm. I would hazard a guess that this energy and enthusiasm has been found as it is for the Service of others. Just as Jesus and his disciples served the crowd of over 5000 people, our staff serves the community. Instead of bread and fish, we serve opportunities of growth, experience, and most importantly fun and joy through God. Whilst we struggle to understand where this energy comes from, I would link it back to our last newsletter when we spoke to the Holy Spirit of the ‘Will’ to hold on.

The lesson for us in this Gospel is that if we bring all that we have to any situation, then by the Grace of God, it will be enough.

Thank you (and see you soon) to Ms Natalie Smith

As Term 2, 2022 draws to a close, it is time to say thank you and farewell to Ms Natalie Smith. Natalie came to the College in Semester 2, 2021. In a time that will be remembered for COVID lockdowns, Natalie engaged in her role as Acting Deputy Principal after several years at Women’s College at the University of New South Wales.

During Natalie’s time at Assumption College, she has worked closely with the Pastoral Academic Leaders (PALs) to assist them in the development of their new roles whilst supporting the policies and procedures of the College. Natalie has worked to ensure that the high standards of the College are maintained in a manner that privileges the grace and dignity of our entire community.

Personally, I thank Natalie for all her support as I transitioned into the role of Principal – a tough ask given that she only had six (6) months of experience at the College. I am sure the entire Assumption College community will join me in thanking Natalie for her work and leadership during the past 12 months.

It is not goodbye to Natalie and her husband, Tony. Natalie will return to the College in the role of Relief Teacher, affording Tony and herself time to explore the Southern Downs. We wish Natalie a wonderfully relaxing transition into the world of Relief Teaching, and we will be seeing you back at the College soon.  

Goodbye to Staff

Miss Denise Ryan

Denise Ryan is leaving the College in her role as College Chaplain. Denise is looking forward to exploring new adventures and opportunities. Since late 2020, Denise has held the role of Chaplain of Assumption College. During this time, she has proven herself to be a caring, insightful and joyful staff member, who was always willing to bring a laugh, shed a tear, and ensure that the dignity of all members of our community was upheld. The College will miss so much about Denise’s presence as she has ensured that even on the darkest of days, she brought the brightest of smiles. Denise, your Chappy Corner, games, competitions, and Breakfast Club will be your legacy – we look forward to seeing you at the Parish!

Mr. Alex Firestone

Alex Firestone is leaving the College and returning to Cairns. As a College, we would like to thank Mr Alex Firestone, who came to us at a time when the shortage of Mathematics staff was at its peak and continues to be so. He brought a passion for Mathematics and a drive to incite that passion in both teachers and students alike. Alex’s stories of teaching in China and at various universities captured the imagination of many members of our community. Thank you, Mr Firestone, for your wisdom, experience, and willingness to mentor others.

Report Cards

Over the last week, teachers have been finalising results and communicating with stakeholders in preparation for reporting. This reporting period is for Semester 1, 2022 – a culmination of Term 1 and Term 2 results.

As per usual, over the break, I will be reading through each report card. This is an important exercise in identifying positive learning trends and actioning support systems for those areas of challenge.

I ask that parents/guardians take the time to review the report cards and have a conversation with their child or children regarding the comments that have been made, especially the section on how the child could improve their results and their achievements within the Learning Profile section. The overall achievement grade is important; however, the learning journey is about improvement and growth, which is what the entire report reflects.

A report card should be the continuation of a conversation between all stakeholders. As such, I invite you to email or speak to your child’s teachers if you have any questions, queries or concerns that arise from the report.

May Our Mother Mary grant her blessings upon our College community. 

By Ms Natalie Smith, Acting Deputy Principal 

Year 7 Camp

This week we welcomed the return of our Year 7 cohort after their time away at the Sunshine Coast. You may have seen via our social media accounts, the photographs of the wonderful time had by both students and staff. Students challenged themselves and learnt the value of teamwork with ropes courses, rock climbing and other activities. Some students even braved the winter weather to go body boarding! We look forward to the Year 7 students building on these experiences over the rest of the year. A big thank you to Mrs Patrice Riordan, Year 7 Pastoral Academic Leader and to Mr James Cloney, Miss Jillian Meibusch, Mr Mark Rank, Mr Riley Salter, and Miss Sathumi Wijesooriya for ensuring that everyone had a great time.

Year 11 Leadership process

As mentioned in the previous newsletter, the application process to select the student leaders for 2023 is well underway with many applications received by last week’s deadline. Year 11 students who were successful in having their application shortlisted will have the holiday period to prepare for the interview process and presentation of speeches to the school, early next term.

Term 3 Preparation

There are a few reminders about uniform and expectations for when students return after the June / July break to start Term 3. As per Term 2, students are expected to be in their winter uniform. Senior students are reminded that blazers are to be worn to and from school and at assemblies and official functions, during Term 3. With the transition to the new College uniform in train, this will be the final year that girls may wear the older green and gold tartan check, mid-calf length winter skirts, with black socks, or black pantyhose or black knee-high stockings. These winter skirts are being phased out and will not be able to be worn after 2022. Students in Years 7 and 8 are expected to continue to wear the current green/white/navy tartan skirt during Terms 2 and 3 with the white ankle socks replaced with black socks, or black pantyhose.

Other standards relating to hair, jewellery and make-up remain the same. The holidays are time to organise haircuts and check the state of uniforms, particularly if your child has had a growth spurt over the past couple of months. Students are reminded if they are in breach of the uniform standards upon their return, they will be sent home until such time the issue is remedied.

And finally, Thank you.

In Term 3, the College will welcome back Mrs Anna Hardy after her 12-month maternity leave. As I organise my notes to hand back the Deputy Principal job, I cannot believe how quickly my 12 months as Acting Deputy Principal at Assumption College has passed. It only seems like yesterday that I arrived in Warwick, welcomed by the Jumpers and Jazz Festival after experiencing our two-week hotel quarantine in Brisbane. What an amazing year it has been.

I would like to thank all the staff of the College for their support and friendship over the past 12 months. Being new to the region, it was great to get the good oil on so many places and things from the ‘locals. Thank you to the Pastoral Academic Leadership team, Ms Michelle Rohan, Mrs Julie Collins, Mr Bob Bell, Mrs Ali Porter, Mrs Patrice Riordan, Miss Dimity Brackin, Mrs Kait Peters and Miss Carly Cooper. I appreciated your support and advice with regard to the students in each year level. I have been impressed with the care that you each have shown for the students in your respective year levels. To the fantastic school officers and support staff who displayed extraordinary patience as I learnt my way around the school systems, who made sure I was where I needed to be, with what I needed to have. Thank you. I could not have managed without you. To Mr Simon Fleming, my principal for the first 6 months of my year – it was a pleasure to collaborate with you. A huge thank you to Mrs Liisa Hammond for the past 6 months. I have learnt so much from you in such a short space of time and I truly thank you for your support and guidance.

Finally, to the students of Assumption College – I have so enjoyed being your teacher and your Deputy Principal for the past 12 months. Thank you for accepting me and making me feel so welcome. The past year has reminded me why I became a teacher and I wish each and every one of you every success.

Thank you. 

By Mr Michael Simpson, Assistant Principal Curriculum 

Semester Wrap Up

This week we see the close of Semester 1 2022 which has brought many learning challenges, for various reasons. The start of the year began with online learning and a delayed start. The community did well to negotiate these circumstances and students should be commended on their efforts. In the face of sickness and mandated isolation, students have managed to engage meaningfully with the variety of resources provided by their teachers. The teaching and learning process has proceeded with the same high expectations as in previous years and this is no mean feat. As we now look to Semester 2, it is a great opportunity for students to reset their brains, reflect on their report cards, and ready themselves to begin the next part of their learning journey.

Y10 Short Course in Literacy and Numeracy

This year, we have monitored the progress of our Year 10 students closely with a view to offering those who are looking at a school-based apprenticeship or TAFE pathway - an exciting opportunity. 

This opportunity would potentially give students an academic advantage by receiving their literacy and numeracy credit towards their Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE), by the end of Year 10.

The Short Courses in Literacy and Numeracy are designed to be delivered over a semester and students who accept the offer will complete the course during their timetabled English and Mathematics lessons.

Assessment, consisting of two school-developed assessment instruments for each of the short courses, Literacy and Numeracy, will demonstrate an A-E achievement. Successful completion of each course contributes 1 point to the QCE. Should you and your child wish to discuss this further, a time may be arranged to see Mrs Natalie Bennett (Head of English) or Mr James Cloney (Head of Mathematics).

Letters will be sent out this week to prospective students who the College feel would benefit from this opportunity.

By Mrs Carol Sharp, Assistant Principal Religious Education

Year 10 Retreat

On Wednesday, 13 July 2022, Year 10 students will be participating in a retreat day held here at the College. This day is an important part of the pastoral program for our students and is designed to provide them with an opportunity to take a break from their studies and explore ways in which they can be agents of positive change in our world. The day will be led by presenter Az Hamilton who has years of experience in motivational speaking and working with secondary school students in engaging and dynamic ways. As the founder and director of the organisation, Just Motivation, Az works for social justice by ‘Educating, motivating and stirring hearts to connect with small ideas that bring about big change in the world.’ For more information about Az and Just Motivation please visit the website at http://www.justmotivation.com.au/. 

Students are required to attend school on the day and are asked to wear their sports uniform so that they can engage with all activities. We will be having normal break times; however, for second break, students will be supplied with a pizza lunch. Students only need to bring food for their first break in the morning.

If you or your child have any questions or concerns please contact me on (07) 4660 4000 or at Carol.Sharp@twb.catholic.edu.au. If your student has any dietary requirements that we need to be aware of when ordering lunch, please contact me using the above information.

Founders’ Day

As this newsletter goes to publication, we are enjoying our Founders’ Day. This is a great day for building community spirit, but it is also important to remember the contribution of our founders, Catherine McAuley, Blessed Edmund Rice and Our Lady of the Assumption. Their example of how to love and serve others inspires us in our call to live the mission of Jesus Christ. Please keep an eye out on our social media posts and the next newsletter for plenty of pictures from the day’s events and activities.

Catholic Education Week

“Celebrated annually in Week 3 of Term 3, Catholic Education Week is an opportunity for all 309 Catholic schools in Queensland to celebrate and promote their distinctive mission and ethos.

Catholic education strives to make a difference in the lives of those in our schools and in the wider community by challenging young people to live out the message of Jesus and to reach their full potential as compassionate, contributing, life-giving members of society.”

From the Catholic Education Week website.

The Friday of Catholic Education Week (29 July 2022) will be a student free day. On this day, all staff will travel to Toowoomba to join with staff from other Catholic schools in the diocese. Here we will celebrate Mass together, listen to keynote speakers and the Bishop of Toowoomba, the Most Reverend Robert McGuckin. This Bishop’s Inservice Day is an important part of our calendar, allowing for staff to reflect on what it means to be a part of the Catholic story and how that impacts our roles within the College.

For more information about Catholic Education Week please click here.

Prayer

It has been a very demanding semester for us all. As we approach the holidays it is a good time to remind ourselves of the importance of taking time to rest, to clear the mind and to make room for our spiritual growth. Below is a prayer for busy people.

SLOW ME DOWN, LORD

Slow me down, Lord, Slow me down!

Ease the pounding of my heart

By the quieting of my mind.

Give me amid the confusion of my day

The calmness of the everlasting hills.

Break the tensions of my nerves and muscles

With soothing music of the singing stream

That lives in my memory.

Help me to know the magical restoring power of sleep.

Teach me the art of taking minute vacations,

Of slowing down to look at a flower,

To chat with a friend, to pat a dog,

To read a few lines from a good book.

Remind me each day of the fable

Of the Hare and the Tortoise,

That I may know that the race is not always to the swift -

There is more to life than increasing speed.

Let me look upward into the branches of the flowing oak

And know that it is great and strong

because it grew slowly and well.

Slow me down, Lord, and inspire me

To send my roots deep into the soil of life's enduring values

That I may grow towards the stars of my great destiny.

Amen.

By Miss Denise Ryan, College Chaplain

We have made it through Semester 1 for 2022. It has been a bumpy and interesting start to the school year, and there has been some challenging times and some learning curves for everyone. Now is the perfect time to reflect on the semester that has been, and this time gives us an opportunity to talk to the students about the different ways they can reflect on the semester. There are many ways we can encourage them to reflect on this, for example:

• Things I have learned this term/semester...
• I had a hard time when this happened...
• I have discovered these new strengths...
• My proudest moment was...
• I learned I could take care of myself when….
• I am more successful when...
• Behaviours or study habits that I could improve upon...

Once the student reflects upon what has happened or what has been, this will empower them to be able to reflect on any part of their life and be able learn and adapt.

Happy holidays everyone and enjoy this well-deserved couple of weeks of relaxation.

By Mr Scott Clegg, Business Manager 

School Fees

College school fees statements were issued via email previously and we require payment of the account by the 24 June 2022, unless you have a Direct Debit or other existing payment arrangement in place with the College.

If you have a query about your College school fees account, trouble viewing the email or you haven't received the statement by email, please contact the College Finance Officers, via phone 0746 604 000 or email at finance@acwarwick.catholic.edu.au. If you are experiencing any problems paying this account, please speak with our Principal or our Business Manager. 

By Mr Thomas Duggan, Sports Coordinator

Interschool Basketball

On Monday, 13 June 2022, the Interschool Basketball Grand Finals took place and the junior boys and junior girls teams both qualified for the big occasion. Assumption College was fortunate enough to be able to host these two matches in our wonderful facility. The afternoon began with our junior girls taking on a very tall and talented Scots PGC College team. This was a nail bighting game with the score swinging in favour of both teams throughout.

It wasn’t until the final buzzer in the 4^th quarter that Scots took the win by a margin of 2 points. We are all very proud of our junior girls' team for their efforts this season and how well they played, especially coming up against some intimidatingly tall opposition. Special mention to Jazmine Cruda and Imogen Fox who were fantastic all season. I know all the girls are already looking forward to the next season. On behalf of Assumption College, congratulations girls!

Our junior boys' team took on a very classy team from St Joseph’s School, Stanthorpe, which also proved to be too good for the Assumption College boys. Our boys had a slow start to the match and were behind by a fair margin at the half time break. To our boys' credit, they never gave up and continued to play and were able to claw back some points on the scoreboard. St Joseph’s School took away the win with a margin of 16 points on the final score. Special mention to Jordan Kendall and Jack Coleman who were very good all season. This team played very well with one another and deserved to be in the Grand Final and will look to do one better next season.

On behalf of Assumption College, we would like to give a massive thank you to Jonathon Cruda for volunteering his time at both home games throughout the season to referee our matches. Without Johnathon we would have struggled to host these matches and show off our wonderful facility. Thank you very much, Jonathon.

Jim Stevens Cup

On Tuesday, 14 June 2022, Assumption College travelled to Goondiwindi to compete in the Jim Stevens Cup. We sent three rugby league teams away to compete in the following categories: Opens, Under 15 and Under 13. We competed against other schools from within our region. This was a fantastic day of rugby league with our teams playing extremely well.

The Open team had a convincing win over Warwick State High School early in the day with strong performances from Lachlan Collins and Thomas Doherty. The team then came up against a strong Goondiwindi State High School team who we were also able to defeat in an impressive 12-0 win. This was off the back of strong performances from Martin Bell, Harry Boal and Sam Wainwright. Unfortunately, the boys were unable to beat Goondiwindi State High School again in the play off for the Jim Stevens Cup; however, the team should be proud of their efforts in the lead up to their Confraternity campaign which begins in the first week of school holidays.

Our Under 15 and Under 13 teams both finished third overall in their leagues. The Under 15 team was very unlucky to miss out on the final due to points for and against, despite a very impressive defensive team performance against Goondiwindi State High School to keep the score nil all at fulltime in the lead up to finals. The team was disappointed to miss out on finals, but they should all be proud of their efforts.

The Under 13 side similarly missed out on finals footy due to points for and against; however, like the older teams, these young boys played extremely well in both of their games and should be extremely proud. The boys came up against some classy opposition and our younger players really handled it well. 

We look forward to the Jim Stevens Cup to take place again next year.

Steph Hancock Cup

On Tuesday, 14 June 2022, we also had several of our girls travel to Goondiwindi to play rugby league in the Steph Hancock Cup. This competition invites girls to play rugby league for their school and came up against other school teams from within our region. Assumption was very excited to have three teams travel to play in this competition. We fielded one Open team and two Under 15 teams.

The Open team played very well all day and they earned themselves a spot in the final against Goondiwindi. Unfortunately the girls lost this game, however it is a massive credit to these girls considering it was the first time many of them had played rugby league before. Special mention to Denika Murray who was great in cover defence and Summer Eyles, who despite copping a big whack to the nose, continued playing well all day.

Both of our Under 15 teams played exceptionally in their opening fixtures securing wins. The second game of the day saw these teams play each other which made for an ultimate show for all Assumption College supporters. The girls had lots of fun playing with and against their great mates. The winning team of this fixture made it through to the final against Texwood. Assumption is very proud to announce that this team won the Steph Hancock Cup in the Under 15 league after a nail biting match against Texwood. These girls played extremely well and it was obvious that they loved playing footy. Special mention to Bonnie Donaldson and Suzie Spiller who were great across the day.

Overall, this was a great day for girls rugby league in our region and we hope that more opportunities arise for these young girls to continue with their footy.

Assumption College Athletics Carnival 2022

Our Annual Assumption College Interhouse Athletics Carnival took place on Tuesday, 21 June and Wednesday, 22 June 2022, and we were blessed with desirable weather conditions. The carnival commenced on Tuesday with events being held here at our College with plenty of fun had by all. It was an eventful day with many records being broken and plenty of house spirit on display by staff and students, especially at the Tug-O-War.

On Wednesday our carnival continued with events being held at Mayhew Oval. Thank you to the Christian College who allowed us to use their facilities for the day. This was another fantastic day of athletics with more records being broken and the senior students marginally beating the staff in a relay. A big thank you to all of our staff and students for making the two days very enjoyable with plenty of action and spirit. Our carnival could not have taken place with out you all and it is greatly appreciated.

We would like to congratulate Rice house for taking out the Relay Trophy for 2022. The prestigious Lee Gundermann House Spirit Award was awarded to Donovan house for their tremendous displays of spirit shown over the course of the two days. Our overall Inter House champions for 2022 was Romero house, congratulations Romero.

Congratulations to the following record breakers and Age Champions and Runner Ups. 

Records:

Age Champions and Runner Ups: 

Girls 

Boys

By Mrs Mary-Anne Driver, Library Aide

As the term draws to a close, we are reflecting on our successes and looking forward to new opportunities and activities in the Library.

Students have now received their awards for the Drawing and Doomsday Preppers competition that was enjoyed during Term 1. It was great to see everyone’s creativity at work! Ben’s model doomsday bunker is on display in the library until the end of term. Well done, everyone!

Next term we will be looking at other fun activities to do during the lunch breaks. Do you think you have an idea? Email any suggestions to AssumptionLib@twb.catholic.edu.au. We would love to hear from you!

Dungeons and Dragons will be back by popular demand with Miss Quinn continuing to write interesting challenges for the group to work through. Inspired by our first adventure, students have begun to write their own adventures to play through with the group and we are all excited to try them out.

Miniature painting will also start next term using the Warhammer models sent to Assumption by Games Workshop. Miss Quinn will be looking for expressions of interest in this activity early next term. There will be limited spots available, so let us know if you are up for some painting sessions!

Next term we will also have displays and fun during Jumpers and Jazz and Book Week, so watch this space for more details!

From all of us at the library, we hope you have a refreshing break. See you next term for more facts and fun!

By Mrs Alison Porter, Career Development Practitioner

Year 10 Careers and Work Experience

Last week, Year 10 students participated in work experience orientation sessions. This is to begin preparation for the work experience block week in Week 10 of Term 3 (12-16 September 2022). This week is always a great opportunity for students to ‘sample’ careers they are interested in and gain valuable knowledge to support them in the education and future employment pathways.

Students have been provided with a work experience pack that includes guidelines and relevant information for the organisation of work experience. An orientation video has also been uploaded to Canvas. I would encourage parents to review the information with their Year 10 student. In Term 3, Year 10 students will then have further sessions around approaching organisations for work experience, plus work skills development and preparation for the requirements of work experience.

Get a Head Start for University

A reminder that the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) is now taking applications for their Head Start Program. This is a great way for Year 11 and 12 students to study a university subject whilst at school and thereby earn QCE points and guarantee entry into USQ after Year 12. Many other universities offer similar programs and more of these are coming online if students are interested in taking up the opportunity. USQ Head Start applications for Semester 2 close on the 1 July 2022.

Congratulations to our newest school-based trainees and apprentices!

Jack Collman, Steven Malbon and Campbell Jessen have recently been signed up in school-based traineeships and apprenticeships. We would like to thank local employers for their support of our program and wish the students all the best in their work and training.

Year 12 and University

It is that time of year when our Year 12 students interested in university should be beginning their research into options. Early entry programs are open now and applications for university places in Queensland open through QTAC (Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre) in August. A student workshop to explain university applications is scheduled for the 1 August 2022.

At this point in time, students considering university should be:

1. Researching course interests at qtac.edu.au
2. Researching scholarship availability – more information on these can be found at individual university websites and gooduniversitiesguide.com.au
3. Researching and applying for early entry programs – some of these are opening now and soon. The early entry programs are a great way to secure a university enrolment early and sometimes without an ATAR requirement.

I suggest Year 12 students attend upcoming university open days and check out our careers newsletter and careers website www.acwcareers.com for more information.

Upcoming open days:

1 July                  JMC Academy Open Day

16 and 17 July     Tertiary Studies & Careers Expo

28 July                CQ University Open Day Online Chat

30 July                Bond University Open day

2023 Apprenticeships Intake Programs

Year 12 students have been provided with contact details for a number of 2023 apprenticeship programs. Many companies begin their 2023 apprentice recruitment in coming months including Ergon Energy, Hastings Deering and BHP. Students should check out the provided contact details for these programs and be prepared if they wish to make application.

2022 Australian Council for Educational Leaders - Emerging Educational Leadership Award

Our entire College community would like to take this opportunity to congratulate our amazing and hardworking College Principal, Mrs Liisa Hammond, on recently being awarded the 2022 Australian Council for Educational Leaders Emerging Educational Leadership Award. Mrs Liisa Hammond works tirelessly for Assumption College, and we wish to thank her for everything she has done and continues to do for education. This is a wonderful achievement. Thank you, and well-done Mrs Hammond! 

Southern QLD Landscapes First Nations Art Competition

One of our Year 12 First Nations students, Isabel Natividad, has recently had her artwork recognised and she has been chosen as a finalist in the Southern QLD Landscapes First Nations Art Competition. Assumption College wishes to congratulate Isabel on this achievement and we wish her the best of luck for the judging. The winner will be announced during NAIDOC week. Below is some information on Isabel's artwork and the final piece chosen for judging. If you would like to view the artworks in the competition, please click on the following link.

https://www.sqlandscapes.org.au/first-nations-art-competition 

Spanish Class Numbers Champion

Mr Fabian Carrasco 

During Term 1, our Year 8 Spanish class ran a numbers tournament based on how fast you can respond to numbers in Spanish.

The Champion for Term 1 was Adam Harmer, followed by the runner up, Kirra Gowlett, who gave Adam a run for his money.

Congratulations to the both of you! We are now currently determining the winners for Term 2. We will keep you posted as to who will be the winnner this term.

Year 7 Mathematics

Year 7D Mathematics extended their knowledge of Triangles, by going on a Triangle Hunt around the school grounds. Students discovered that Assumption College has many different types of triangles, and they appear both purposefully and naturally. The class determined that triangles are versatile, having uses from reinforcement (strength), navigation, water mitigation, and sometimes just because they look pleasing to the eye. 

Year 12 Engineering

This term, Mr McCosker (ACW groundskeeper) asked the Year 12 Engineering students to design and fabricate a tipping trailer for the back of his mower. The students have completed the design and are in the fabrication stage. Due to interest levels around the project, the students will be producing several trailers. Thank you to those students, and Mr Retallick, for all your hard work with this project.

Stanthorpe Eisteddfod

Our Year 7 student, Tierney Stewart, recently competed at the Stanthorpe Eisteddfod. Tierney performed the following pieces during the Eisteddfod:

• “I Still Call Australia Home” for the Australian composition
• “Stars and Winds” for her piano solo 
• “Just the Way You Are” as accompaniment on piano, while Ms Arlene Bird played the violin

Tierney received highly commended and second (by half a point) for the accompaniment. Well done, Tierney, the College is very proud of your efforts!

State of Origin Doubles

Assumption College wishes to thank everyone who supported the QISSN and Confraternity “STATE OF ORIGIN” doubles.

The 4 winners were:

• Dee Carrie
• Aleisha Bell
• Mick Mahoney
• Chris Wright

Congratulations to our winners!

We would also like to congratulate Nick Minchell, for winning our State of Origin raffle.  

Technology Update

Ms Amanda Stevens (eLearning Committee Chairperson)

With the release of Version 9 of ACARA, and more focus being placed on digital literacy, the iPads are becoming diminished in their capabilities in the classroom. After consulting with the stakeholders of the College, including the P&F, parents/guardians, and students, it has been decided that we will implement laptops to Year 7s in 2023. The 2 in 1 Laptop model allows for greater capabilities in the classroom across multiple subject areas including PowerPoint recording capabilities, and the full range of graphing options in Excel. This would see all iPads replaced with Laptops in Junior year levels by 2025. It is NOT the intention of the program to replace existing iPads. 

The program will see the same 2-in-1 model implemented that is used in the senior years, providing a consistent user experience across all year levels while keeping costs as low as possible. We realise there is a significant cost difference, but this device will enhance the learning outcomes of the students at the College. If you have any concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to contact the College.

Year 11 Early Childhood Studies

Mrs Julie Collins

The Year 11 Early Childhood Studies class have had the pleasure of attending some of our local Early Childhood Education Centres. 

During Term 1, the Year 11’s visited St Mary’s Kindergarten once a week to observe and interact with Kindergarten aged children. 

During Term 2, they attended East State School and were lucky enough to participate in activities from Playgroup through to Grade 2. 

As part of the practical component of the course, centre visits will continue to help the students gain valuable experience working with young children.

A huge thank you to Marie Sullivan, Leone McMahon and the children at St Mary’s Kindergarten; to Chontelle Bruton, the staff and students at East State School, for being so willing to support the ECS class with their studies.  We look forward to working with them again in the future.

Assumption College Transition Program

At Assumption College, we recognise that the transition from primary school to secondary school is an exciting and vitally important time in the lives of students and their families. To help make this move from primary to secondary school smoother and less daunting, we have developed a comprehensive transition program. The purpose of this transition program is to enable students to become immersed in and familiar with the secondary school environment, experience new subjects and lesson changes, and help ease students into their secondary studies.

Transition Afternoons at Assumption College are not only for our new students. We would like to take this opportunity to also invite parents to the College to join us for a welcome afternoon tea and a parent information session. This will be an opportunity for us to provide valuable information to parents on the transition to secondary school, and to answer any questions you may have in regard to your child commencing at Assumption College. Interactive games with Assumption College’s student leaders will be run while the Parent Information Session is in progress.

Our Transition Afternoons are open to all Year 6 students from any primary schools who would like to come and experience Assumption College for an afternoon. Our first Transition Afternoon will be held on Thursday, 21 July 2022, commencing at 12PM, followed by our Welcome Afternoon Tea and Parent Information Session, commencing at 3:15PM. Our second Transition Afternoon will be held on Thursday, 1 September 2022, and our full day Orientation Program will then be held on Thursday, 17 November 2022 for all students enrolled.

Student Alumni News 

A message from our former student, Taylah Hoffman; Student Ambassador and Resident Advisor at USQ.

Today, I attended the ‘2022 Creating Futures Summit’ hosted by Griffith University. This summit drew together a network of over 500 stakeholders with an interest in teaching futures. The focus of the event was to reflect on the impacts of the pandemic on teaching practice and to explore what change is desired moving into the future of education. I was honoured to be able speak at this summit and share my experience with the audience as a University of Southern Queensland pre-service teacher during the pandemic! A big thank you to Dr Tania Leach and Rob Cantle for providing me the opportunity to think critically and reflect upon my teaching practice. #futureofeducation #creatingfutures #education #professionaldevelopment

2022 Census Privacy Notice

Please find attached the link to the 2022 Census Privacy Notice.