It is hard to believe that it was only a week ago when we were gathered as a community in the Sophia Centre to celebrate Mass for Mary Aikenhead Day. Here we are now locked down in our homes with our students and teachers communicating remotely. We never know what tomorrow will bring, but we can always be assured of the enduring love of our God.
 
The MSM Staff Service Awards have become one of the highlights of the Mary Aikenhead Day Mass. The appreciation and affection that was shown by the students for staff that have received these awards was truly touching.
 
Congratulations to the following staff:

Mrs Jan Woods for 30 years of service
Mr Michael Davidson for 25 years of service
Ms Juliette Bentley for 20 years of service.
 
10 year service awards were presented to:

Sue Corley                                                    
Monica Elmer                                            
Alison Larkings                                         
Janelle O’Neill                                           
Priscilla Ruddell                 
Tania Stephenson.
 
Thank you to these staff for their dedication and commitment to the students of MSM.  These staff, in the words of Venerable Mary Aikenhead “Serve God with a great heart and a willing mind”. 
 
The Olympics have been a great source of inspiration during the lockdown.  MSM has had a strong connection with the Tokyo Olympics. Congratulations to Meg Harris on her gold medal in the women’s 4 x 100 metre freestyle relay.  Congratulations to Ashley Moloney on winning the bronze medal in the men’s decathlon last night.   Ash has previously been part of Eric Brown’s athletic coaching squad who have trained our students.  Both Ash and Cedric Dubler are being trained by Eric; MSM is so fortunate to have access to Eric’s expertise.
 
I do recall watching Patrick Tiernan, Australia’s 5000 metre runner, struggle to cross the finish line, after collapsing in the final leg of his race.  He demonstrated amazing grit.  After being taken off the track in a wheelchair and receiving the all clear from the team doctors he faced the media.  When asked why he finished he replied:

"I was just saying, you know, you've got to finish, you've come all this way, it's been five years since my first Olympic experience.

Let’s use this same grit to get through our challenges in the coming weeks.
 
Finally, I would like to say a huge thank you to our community for supporting each other during this past week as we transitioned to “Learning from Home”. We are patiently awaiting advice from the government as to whether we will be continuing to operate remotely or whether we will be on-site.  I will communicate with the MSM community regarding arrangements for next week over the weekend once we have a decision.  In the meantime, may you and your loved ones keep safe and well.
In faith and love,

Sharon Volp
Principal
Term 3 College Community Event

"Picnic on the Green"
Sunday 29 August
1 - 5 pm
Bardon Bowls Club

69 Bowman Parade, Bardon

MSM is excited to announce a new event on the College calendar, ‘Picnic on the Green’ – an opportunity for Mt St Michael’s families to come together for a relaxed afternoon in the lead up to Father’s Day. Join us at Bardon Bowls Club on Sunday 29 August, 1-5pm. This event is open to all MSM families and bookings are essential. Book your tickets today!
Vale Sr Kathleen Munce

It is with great sadness that we share the news that Sr Kathleen Munce, RSC, passed away on Wednesday 28 July 2021. Sr Kathleen would be known to those Alumni who attended Mt St Michael’s in the mid 1980’s right up to the end of 2002 when she retired from working in Reception and moved into Marycrest, Kangaroo Point. She was well and truly part of the fabric of Mt St Michael’s - a gracious, gentle lady who welcomed everyone with a beaming smile that radiated the love of Christ. She was great PR and the personification of our motto. We extend our condolences to the Sisters and we pray for Sr Kathleen – may she rest in peace.
Mary Aikenhead Day
Mary Aikenhead Day House Cookies
Mary Aikenhead Day Mass
Mt St Michael's College Staff Service Awards
10 Years Service Award Recipients
(L to R): Tania Stephenson, Alison Larkings, Sue Corley, Monica Elmer, Priscilla Ruddell and Janelle O'Neill
20 Years Service Award Recipient 
Juliette Bentley
25 Years Service Award Recipient 
Michael Davidson
30 Years Service Award Recipient - Jan Woods
House Spirit Competition
RANZCOG Winner

Congratulations to Year 11 student Matilda Hockey for raising awareness on women’s health and endometriosis in her literacy piece titled Ginger Tea & Yoga. As one of two winning entries in the Liam and Frankie Davison Award, Matilda’s story will be published on The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists website and magazine. What a wonderful achievement Matilda.

https://ranzcog.edu.au/womens-health/foundation/liam-and-frankie-davison-award   

Applications for the 2022 Liam and Frankie Davison Award will open in January 2022. For more information on this award contact the RANZCOG Women’s Foundation - foundation@ranzcog.edu.au
Dignity Drive

This year, Sisters Empowering Sisters is proud to facilitate the first Mt St Michael’s Dignity Drive through the month of August. We kicked off this initiative by listening to Melanie and Margaret from Share the Dignity. Students will be tasked with bringing in period products to help end period poverty!
Australian Brain Bee

On Tuesday 27th July, MSM student Eloise attended the Queensland Brain Institute to compete in round 2 of the Australian Brain Bee Challenge. The day included an individual online quiz in the morning and a group challenge in the afternoon. Eloise also toured the labs to check out the equipment involved in brain research. She finished off the day learning about the use of artificial intelligence and their connection to the brain. She was able to meet new people from across Queensland, speak to professionals working in the field of neuroscience and learn more about exciting new projects in the pipeline. Overall, Eloise found the competition to be an insightful, challenging, and an exciting opportunity. In preparation for the day, she learnt about all aspects of neuroscience: from how vision works, to what causes us to sleep and where our memories go! She encourages future Year 10 students to get involved next year.
Queensland Schools Orienteering Championships

Congratulations to Year 11 student, Sara who participated in the Queensland Schools Orienteering Championships. Over 100 students from all around Queensland took part in three events: a Sprint Distance event at Albany Creek State High School, a one-person Hageby relay at Samford and a bush event at Kurwongbah. Sara came 4th in the Sprint, 3rd in the Hageby Relay and 3rd in the Sprint and 2nd in the Long Distance Event in her respective age-group. Results from these events were used to select the Queensland Schools Honour Team of 20 students and we congratulate Sara on her selection in this honour team in the Senior Girls division. This team will represent Queensland at the Australian Schools Orienteering Championships scheduled to be held in Tasmania in September. Well done Sara!
Bon Apetit with Year 11 French

Year 11 French students really stepped out of there comfort zones recently while dining at Le Coin Bistro where they tasted escargots (snails!), many for the first time. The students were also treated to soufflé au fromage, pâté, tarte flambée (a speciality from Alsace) and the crowning glory, crêpes suzette for dessert. An adventurous night for all! 
Australian Olympic Connect
 
MSM Year 10 Japanese class has a sister class in Japan! The Australian Olympic Committee connected us with a Senior High School in Osaka. Without the opportunity to physically visit a school in Japan, the Olympics has provided the perfect platform to promote the values of friendship, respect and excellence through a virtual connection with a Japanese school. It is our aim to continue this friendship long after the Tokyo Olympics. We will foster a strong relationship based on mutual respect and excellence in language skills. 

Our Year 9 Japanese class recently recorded their class self-introductions for their new sister school in Okayama, Japan as part of the Olympic Connect Program. The girls did an excellent job in preparing and presenting their speeches. We look forward to receiving our Japanese counterparts’ videos and learning about their school life in Japan.
MSM Competed at Dance Life Unite Eistedford

Recently the Mt St Michael's College Middle School Dance Ensemble competed in the Dance Life Unite Eisteddfod. The girls lit up the stage with their beautiful lyrical and sparkling jazz routine. They enjoyed the opportunity to perform on stage and watch the other schools’ routines. A wonderful night of dance!
Finding The Art in Local Architecture
Year 12 Visual Arts in Practice students recently attended a photographic excursion, visiting historical and modern architectural sites within our local community from Ashgrove, Paddington, Red Hill, to Milton.  From this excursion students produced a fantastic collection of architectural photographs, demonstrating colour and interesting compositions, enriching the Project's inquiry process for Module 8: Spaces.
MSM College Community Groups
Please keep up-to-date with changes to meetings during lockdown periods.
 P&F Meetings: Please check the Mt St Michael's College App for meeting update notifications.
Alumni Meetings: Please visit the MSM Alumni Association Facebook page for updates.
Parents and Friends Association
Meetings


Monday 16 August- 6pm
Monday 6 September- 6pm
Monday 8 November (meeting and AGM) - 6pm

For more information about the
MSM Parents and Friends Association,
please click here 

Follow the P&F on Facebook

 
Alumni Association
Meetings


Monday 23 August- 6pm
Monday 13 September - 6pm
Monday 11 October - 6pm
Monday 29 November - 6pm

For more information about
MSM Alumni Association,
please click here 

Follow our Alumni on Facebook
Alumni Association
1980 Class Reunion

Celebrating strong connections 41 years on, the Class of 1980 joined together in the Ionian Centre for a lovely afternoon marking what would have been their milestone reunion year in 2020. It was a fabulous afternoon filled with laughter as many wonderful stories were reminisced upon as our Alumni reconnected again.  The group enjoyed a chat and afternoon tea followed by a tour of the College with celebrations continuing on afterwards for some. 
Congratulations Meg!
MSM students, staff and wider College community share their excitement with a message of congratulations for Alumni, Meg Harris (Class of 2019) following winning GOLD🥇 in the 4 x 100m Freestyle relay at the Tokyo Olympics. A truly magnificent swim from our Brisbane hero, inspiring young athletes to achieve greatness. Well done, Meg, we are so proud! 
Get your Meg Harris Postage Stamps
Have you seen our Alumni, Meg Harris (Class of 2019) and her Gold medal winning teammates on the Australian postage stamp? An inspiring memory from a very successful Tokyo Olympics.
Click here to order your stamps
*|END:WEB_VIDEO|*
Top 7 Moments From Day 2 | Tokyo 2020
P&F Association
2021 P&F Mothers' Lunch

TWO WEEKS TO GO! We look forward to warmly welcoming our MSM Mother’s to the 2021 P&F Mother’s Lunch on 20 August at The Greek Club. The event promises to be a fantastic afternoon. Please note this is a ticketed event and the booking window has now closed.

Sponsor and raffle prize donations are still welcome! Please email pandf@msm.qld.edu.au if you are able to contribute to this year's event. The funds raised at the Mothers' Lunch contribute to the Mt St Michael's Sisters of Charity Scholarship Fund, improving the education of young women.

Purchase your Raffle Tickets via TryBooking - Click here
Notices

Supporting our Community -
Ministry Care Programme

Our College is aware that there are students and families within our community who, from time to time, are in need of support due to a variety of factors. As a community, we respond through preparing meals for families experiencing difficult circumstances. If you would like to contribute to the Ministry Care Programme and support those who are going through difficult times, please contact Stephen Campion: scampion@msm.qld.edu.au
Help Support the MSM Environment Group

Support the MSM Environment Group by donating your eligible containers! Bring your containers to school or use our scheme ID when returning to your local depot. Your donations will go towards funding our current and future environmental initiatives.

Mt St Michael's College scheme ID: C10333591
Now available on the College APP!
Mt St Michael’s College is pleased to bring to you the MSM Business Directory. Accessed through our website and APP, this online portal, profiles businesses and provides opportunities to connect with the wider MSM community to promote your services, sales and special offers. 

Many business owners profiled in the MSM Business Directory are long-term friends of the College. They include current and past parents, local businesses and alumni who, together show a commitment to Mt St Michael’s College and support for MSM events, fundraisers and initiatives. 

If you would like to be included in the online MSM Business Directory, simply email msmnews@msm.qld.edu.au

For more information please click here
2021 Term Dates
Term 1
Wednesday 27 January -
Thursday 1 April (concluding at 3:05 pm)

Term 2
Tuesday 20 April -
Friday 18 June (concluding at 12:30 pm)
Term 3
Tuesday 13 July -
Friday 17 September (concluding at 3:05 pm)

Term 4
Tuesday 5 October -
Friday 19 November
(Year 12 students)

Tuesday 5 October to Friday 26 November
(Years 7-11)  (concluding at 12:30 pm)

Mt St Michael's College Merchandise

Available at the Secondhand Uniform shop
Fabric Tote Bag with words $12
Handtowel $5
Both items for only $15 (save $2)

Fabric Tote Bag also available at The Kaf
Parents are reminded, for the safety of everyone, to DROP students off in the LOADING ZONE area outside the Ionian Centre and avoid areas marked with yellow lines which is against road safety rules. This is dangerous as it blocks other driver’s visibility and obstructs cars from moving around.
Onsite parking in the College grounds; Grantuly, undercover in the Ionian Centre and within the campus near the Sophia Centre is only permitted for staff. In consideration of our neighbours, please refrain from parking across driveways, adhere to the 40 km speed limit and be considerate of those living around the College when dropping and picking up students. Please do not drop off or pick up students within the College grounds.

In consideration for our neighbours, where possible please avoid leaving your motor running, especially when parked outside a home.
Important Links
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Mt St Michael's College - MSM News

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Mt St Michael's College
67 Elimatta Drive
Ashgrove, QLD 4060
Australia
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