By Mrs Liisa Hammond, Principal 

Pentecostal Sunday  

Last newsletter, I explored the role of the Holy Spirit in regard to being Jesus’ Advocate on earth. This Sunday was Pentecost Sunday - a day commemorating the descension of the Holy Spirit onto the apostles, which officially signals the end of the liturgical season of Easter. 

This year, Pope Francis asks us to recognise that the Holy Spirit is that voice inside us that “… urges us never to lose heart and always to start over again.” Furthermore, Pope Francis reveals that the Holy Spirit motivates us to “Get Up! … by jumping in, without waiting for someone else, and by spreading hope and joy, and not complaints …”. 

These words remind me of Rudyard Kipling’s poem, ‘If’, a poem utilised at various times to recognise significant moments, be it valedictory graduations, appointment ceremonies, or funerals. Let’s ignore the obvious contextually referenced gender bias within the poem and focus on the imagery evoked by, “… If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew// To serve your turn long after they are gone, //And so hold on when there is nothing in you//Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’”

For Pentecostal Sunday, the ‘Will’ (note the capitalisation of the word, thereby creating it into a proper noun) in Kipling’s poem is the Holy Spirit. It is that ‘fire in the belly’ that ignites passion and determination to achieve. It is the intrinsic motivation that we want every student to develop so that they can strive to do more and be more. 

Over the past weeks, I have had cause to congratulate many of our community members, including staff, students, and other stakeholders, on their willingness to strive for success and improvement. Be it on the sporting field or court, in the classrooms, or simply in how they choose to engage in respectful relationships with peers. If we were ever to question if the Holy Spirit was with us, then all it takes is a walk through our College grounds, where I have the privilege of witnessing Pope Francis’s call to spread hope and joy – through truth and love. 

Listening Forums

So far, we have held Years 12, 11, 10, 8 and 7 Listening Forums. The topics have been varied; however, common themes are being drawn from each conversation: 

• The impact of COVID 19 on our students’ learning and social-emotional development
• Staffing shortages and changes
• Uniforms
• Subject choices
• Facilities and resources

These are only a few of the topics raised. Once we have completed all Listening Forums for Term 2, we will be compiling a report to ensure that our Term 3 Listening Forums are focused on the issues raised to inform our new strategic plan. 

I would like to thank the several staff members who gave their time to attend these sessions, particularly Amanda Stevens (Curriculum Leader – Humanities), for her attendance and judicious notetaking. I am looking forward to the start of our conversation with Year 9 parents/guardians tomorrow. 

Year 12 Academic Interviews

ELT members, PALs, and Curriculum Leaders have and are currently conducting Academic Interviews for our Year 12 students. These interviews are designed to discuss the tracking of the young person’s latest subject results, their current trajectory for the attainment of a Queensland Certificate of Education – which demonstrates successful completion of their 13 years (on average) of schooling, a discussion of their possible attainment of an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) – if applicable, and their successful attainment of any Certificate courses they have selected to undertake. 

Most importantly, these conversations review the student’s current short-term and long-term goals. These conversations are important checkpoints in the learning journeys of our senior students. As they move into their final semester with us, many exciting opportunities are coming up for them, including applications to universities, TAFE courses, and employment. 

I would like to thank the Careers Department for their work in this area, Michael Simpson, Ali Porter, and Karla Bacon. Their dedication to the success of our young people is truly inspiring. 

Child Protection – it's everyone’s business

Every year, each College staff member undertakes Code of Conduct and Child Protection courses. We are committed to ensuring the safety and security of every member of our community. When things become challenging, we seek to support our students and families to ensure that our entire community can thrive. 

We have several Child Protection Officers available to you and your child on our staff. Our Child Protection Officers are Michael Simpson, Jenny Gillespie, Natalie Smith, Julie Collins, and myself, Liisa Hammond. 

Please note that all our staff are trained to respond effectively and efficiently to any incident or issue that may result in your child requiring assistance and support to ensure their safety. 

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