By Mrs Carol Sharp, Assistant Principal Religious Education

Community Classroom – Date claimer

This term, in an effort to increase connections between the school and the wider community, I will be holding a ‘Community Classroom.’ On Wednesday, 24 August 2022 at 3:30pm members of the community are welcome to join us for a Religious Education lesson, designed and run, in accordance with our RE curriculum. Afternoon tea will be served and there will be a chance for a Q and A session. If you have ever been curious about what happens in RE, come along and join us.

Please see invitation below.

Visitation to Aged Care

Our visitation to the Churches of Christ Aged Care facility is ongoing. So far, the program has been very successful with our students consistently demonstrating their care and concern for the vulnerable in our community. Here are some reflections from our students about their involvement in the program.  

“I loved the experience I had with the aged care home and I would love to do it again. I liked to talk to the residents and just see how they were going and to keep them company.” (Peter Dunn Year 7)

“On the day I attended the aged care home I got to play games of indoor bowls and did some dancing with the residents. I made coffee and tea for the residents during afternoon tea. I got to talking to John about what he did when he was my age. We talked about how he owns a farm out of Warwick and how there were horses and cattle. He was nice and kind. My experience there was amazing, I loved every minute of it.  I was so glad I decided to do it and would love to do it again.” (Thalia O’Neill Year 8)

Year 8 Retreat

We are pleased to advise you that our Year 8 cohort will be participating in a retreat day on Thursday, 11 August 2022. We have been fortunate to secure Br Damien Price as the facilitator of a retreat, and we have decided that the Year 8 cohort will gain the most benefits from this opportunity.

Br Damien Price is a Christian Brother with a deep understanding of the Edmund Rice charism of Presence, Compassion and Liberation. He is a former school teacher, author, presenter and has established multiple social justice initiatives including Eddy’s Van which worked with the homeless and Edmund Rice camps to support struggling youth.

The theme we have chosen for this retreat is that of Connectedness. Students will explore how to build connections with their sense of self, with the peers in their cohort and with the school and wider community.

Catholic Education Week

Catholic Education Week celebrates the contribution that catholic education has made to the lives of our young people over the years. It is also a chance for us to reflect on what it means to be part of a catholic school community. In his address to all schools, Executive Director of Toowoomba Catholic Schools, Dr Patrick Coughlan, explained that catholic schools were places with unique reference points. In a time of change, he explained, it is these reference points that allow us to develop an ongoing response to the big questions in life around meaning and purpose. The anchor points of a catholic school are grounded in scripture and the living tradition of the Church. Dr Pat highlighted two key quotes from scripture that underpin who we are and the purpose we are trying to instil:

“I have come so that you may have life and have it to the full.’

John 10:10

“Act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly with your God.”

Micah 6:8

So, what do we do here at Assumption College to allow our students to develop these values and this sense of purpose? By simply looking at our calendar for that week, a typical week here at school, it became apparent that we do quite a lot. Here are some of the activities that happened during CEW:

We are certainly giving our students every opportunity to live their lives to the full, to act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with God.

The Ponytail Project

Our wonderful Year 11 students have expressed an interest in participating in the Ponytail Project this year. This project is a major fundraiser for the Cancer Council and involves students volunteering to have their ponytails cut off so the hair can be used to make wigs for people undergoing treatment for cancer. We currently have six girls and two staff members who are keen to #rockthechop in support of this cause.

Of course, everyone else can support the cause as well. Simply follow this link to the donation page for our school team ‘ACW 2022 – Sandra’s Legacy.’ All funds raised will go towards essential cancer support services, prevention programs and lifesaving research. This means everything from transport to getting cancer patients to and from their medical appointments, to assisting childcare facilities to keeping kids safe from the sun.

Here are some reflections from students as to why they are participating in the Ponytail Project.

“I’m participating in the Ponytail Project to continue my mother’s legacy. I want to help those in need who are going through the same experience of losing their hair to cancer and undergoing treatment.” (Savannah Ganly Year 11)

“It is such a great cause to be a part of. By participating in it you will be giving those battling cancer confidence through the wigs they are wearing.” (Madeline Gleeson Year 11)

For more information on the Ponytail Project, please visit this site.

Prayer

At our recent subject information night for students entering Year 11 in 2023, we began with a prayer. This prayer was written to help our young people understand the importance of the journey they are about to embark on and that they do not walk this path alone. Please take a moment to pray for our Year 10 students.

Heavenly Father

We pray for our young people as they begin their journey into senior schooling.

May they be wise enough to know where their skills and interests lie, but not so wise that they don’t listen to the advice of their parents and teachers,

May they be confident enough that they set lofty goals, but not so confident that they forget to do the work to achieve those goals.

May they be brave enough to follow their own path, but not so brave that they forget to ask for help along the way.

Father, we ask that our young people make choices about their senior pathway that will liberate them by giving them options in the future, empower them to contribute to the common good and nurture their spirituality so that they may come to know you.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.