It has been a whirlwind start to Term 3. We are still playing “catch up” for some of the events that were postponed from earlier in the year. Our term commenced with “College Photo Day” which is traditionally held at the beginning of the year. A silver lining for having this later in the year was that we were able to organise a second day of photos to capture many of the group photos for our 2022 College Magazine. Thank you to Ms Mason for overseeing the arrangements and to the students and staff for your cooperation.

On Tuesday 19 July our cross country team competed in the CaSSSA Cross Country which had been rescheduled due to inclement weather in May. I heartily congratulate our team on winning the CaSSSA Percentage Cup and for achieving outstanding results in each age group. It has been a mammoth effort for our team to maintain their focus and motivation for so many months, but their determination has been rewarded. Congratulations, we are proud of you!  Thank you to Ms Roy and the cross country staff for their support of our team.  I encourage you to read the article in this newsletter to hear more about their wonderful achievements. 

Music is a very important part of our co-curricular life at MSM. It has been a difficult couple of years for our performance groups due to the many challenges that COVID has presented. It is also a huge yearlong commitment that our students make when they become a member of a music ensemble and they delight us with their talents at many events throughout the year. The students enjoyed a fantastic music camp earlier this week. Thank you to Ms Townsley, Ms Statham and the music staff for organising this opportunity for our students. There is growing anticipation as our students prepare for the QCMF in August.  

College reports were circulated at the end of Term 2 and I thank staff, students and families for their engagement in the recent Year 11 2023 Subject Selection Evening and the Year 10 -12 Parent-Teacher Conferences. These are important “touchstones” during the year as we work in partnership to support your student.
 

Staffing Updates

Welcome back to Mrs Machen who has returned from long service leave. Welcome to Ms Bui who is returning on a contract in the English and Religious Education areas.

We welcome the following school officers who have joined us this term:

  • Ida Fornataro – Teacher Aide – Design Technology/Hospitality
  • Emma Grimson – Finance Officer
  • Nicole Galligan – College Receptionist 
  • Amy Lee – College Receptionist
  • Paula Ovenden – Community Engagement Officer.

A special welcome to Tetiana Khinevych, our latest work placement from Multicultural Australia’s “Work & Welcome” program. Ms Khinevych recently arrived from the Ukraine and has accepted a position as Learning Assistant for Term 3.  

As I announced at the end of Term 2, we have two staff on long service leave; Ms Lilley and Ms Sargent. Congratulations to the following staff who have been appointed to Acting Middle Leader positions: 

  • Mrs Larkings: Acting Program Leader – Middle School. 
  • Mr Cooper:  Acting Curriculum Leader – Humanities.
  • Ms King:  Acting Curriculum Leader – Mathematics.

Ms Megan Mackay (Science Teacher) has resigned as of the end of this week. We wish her all the best for her future.  We are currently recruiting for this position.

Masterplan 

I was very pleased to announce last week (via an email to our community) an update on our master planning.  We have engaged an experienced project team to develop plans for a new learning centre. The proposed learning centre includes a new library, general learning areas and space for the College administration.

A key focus of the proposed project is to provide flexible facilities that can be used for multiple purposes. The proposed project will improve facilities for staff and students. These proposed improvements are intended to accommodate the needs of our existing number of school staff and students.

Mt St Michael’s College intends to seek approval of the proposed plans via the Ministerial Infrastructure Designation (MID) process. The MID approval pathway provides a streamlined, whole-of-government approval process.  

To learn more about our proposed new learning centre and the MID process please visit our project webpage here.
 
In faith and love
 
Sharon Volp
Principal

MSM Mothers' Lunch
Friday 19 August 2022
Arrive at 11:30am for 12pm Start
Rydges Southbank
Click here to reserved your seat or table and purchase your Raffle Tickets
Spirit Of The Arts Festival
Wednesday 31 August 2022
5 – 8pm
Mt St Michael's College
Be immersed in performances and Art works exhibited from all year levels, throughout the campus.
This event is free for all MSM parents and caregivers and bookings are essential. Booking details will be emailed next week.
2022 College Leadership Team
A warm welcome back to all members of our community for Semester 2! 

NAIDOC Week – Stand Up! Show Up! 

During the semester break, the Australian community marked NAIDOC Week. It is wonderful to see the ways that people from many different parts of our community are celebrating the rich contributions to art, media, film, music and culture that have been made by First Nations Artists. This year, Netflix has released a special list of First Nations Content on their streaming platform, including the excellent documentary Firestarter: the Story of Bangarra Dance Theatre and the hauntingly beautiful film Samson & Delilah. The CSIRO has assembled a wonderful NAIDOC Week playlist featuring some of our best known Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists. 

 

Thanks from Sr Christine Henry – Downs & West

At the end of last term, I had the pleasure of contacting Sr Christine to advise her that our MSM family had raised $7800 for Downs & West through our efforts in Term 2. Sr Christine sent her thanks to the College:

Mt St Michael’s College Community is a wonderful College and has really embraced the wider community who have suffered greatly during the drought and floods earlier this year. It is evident that you have worked together as a team, and that you have demonstrated that the College values of Hope, Justice, Love and Compassion underpin everything that you do. This money will be used wisely as we move around rural and remote areas of Southern Queensland and continue to identify people in need of support. 

 

Year 7 & 8 Retreat Days 

On Thursday and Friday this week, our Year 7 & 8 students enjoyed their annual retreat days, facilitated by Dave Jorna from Project Hatch. Our Year 7 cohort's program focused around the question Who do I want to be? As part of the day, the students wrote a letter to their future self. We will keep these letters safe and present them to each student when she prepares to Graduate from MSM in 2027. Our Year 8 students reflected on the special gifts that each person brings to the MSM community, and the ways that we might be able to acknowledge the giftedness in ourselves and others more often. Sincere thanks to our Year 7 and 8 Pastoral Teams for their support of the Retreat program. 

Mary Aikenhead Day – Friday 29 July 

We are busily preparing for our College’s Feast Day, Mary Aikenhead Day on Friday 29 July. This special day will commemorate the anniversary of Mary Aikenhead, who died on 22 July 1858. We will commence the day with a College Mass in the Sophia Centre at 9am. Throughout the day, the students will be involved in mission activities designed to deepen their understanding of the vision and mission of the Sisters of Charity. In the afternoon, we look forward to the colour and excitement of the College’s House Singing Competition. We will be running a sausage sizzle fundraiser at lunch time, with money raised to go towards our Term 3 mission project. 

I wish you and your family every blessing as we embark on this very busy and exciting term! 

Photo Days

After much anticipation and several attempts at rescheduling, our Photo Days for 2022 are officially and successfully complete. I would like to thank the students for their cooperation and excellent behaviour across the two days. The presentation of the girls was very good and a strong indicator that everyone understands our uniform expectations. If you have not done so already, you may order the class and individual photographs online as per the instructions in my email communication on Wednesday 13th July.

MSM Tote Bags
The MSM tote bag have become something of an institution here at the College and over time our students have moved to using these in preference to the College bag which is part of the Mt St Michael’s College uniform. Although the intention is for students to utilise the tote in addition to the College bag, it is not to replace it. The tote is not the appropriate size to safely carry student laptops, within the protective laptop bag, lunchboxes, sports equipment, stationery, and books, further it is not weatherproof in any way. To this end, the College Leadership Team would like to clarify that the tote bag should be used primarily for carrying equipment to lessons and only as an extra bag if necessary to complement the uniform College bag. Thank you for your support and understanding.
I would like to welcome all students back for Term 3 and hope that they had a relaxing mid-year break! As we get back into the swing of school, there are a few reminders that I would like to offer all students.
Semester 2 Assessment Calendars
Semester 2 Assessment Calendars are in the process of being finalised for students in Years 7 – 10 and will be released within the next two weeks. Given that Semester 2 is shorter than Semester 1, it is vital that your daughter start planning her study commitments once she has received her calendar to give her the greatest opportunity to submit her best work. Year 11 and 12 students have their Unit 2 and Unit 4 assessment calendars and need to be revising these regularly as assessment in on the horizon!

Parent Teacher Conferences
Year 10 and Year 12 Parent Teacher Conferences occurred this week and will be occurring for students in Years 7, 8 and 9 on Tuesday 26 July from 3:30pm – 8:00pm. The conferences will be conducted online via Microsoft Teams. 

If you experience any technical issues with joining parent teacher conferences, please call the MSM Helpdesk on 07 3858 4999.

If you are having trouble with making conference bookings in Parent Lounge, please contact Suellen Yung on 07 3858 4210 or email syung@msm.qld.edu.au

Subject Information Evenings
As we commence Semester 2, we now start to consider the 2023 academic year. Our Year 10 students engaged with their Year 11 Subject Selection evening last Thursday evening and are now considering the information presented to them, prior to their SET plan. Year 10 students are required to submit their preliminary subject choices for 2023 this coming Monday in Homeroom. Bookings for the SET plan interviews will also open on Monday at 8:30am.

On Monday 1 August, students currently in Year 8 and 9 will have their Year 9 and 10 Subject Selection evening. This evening gives students and parents the opportunity to speak with the Curriculum Leaders and subject teachers and ask any questions to allow them to make the best decisions they can for their academic journey. Information about this evening will be sent home to families shortly. I strongly encourage all students to get involved with these processes to ensure that they are making informed decisions about their 2023 subject choices.
Start QUT
The College offers its warmest congratulations to Year 12 student Lauren, who has been completing ‘Differential Equations and Calculus’ at the Queensland University of Technology as part of their Start QUT opportunity in Semester One. Lauren devoted herself to her studies and has been awarded a High Distinction, with an overall result of 91%, which is an outstanding achievement and one that she should be incredibly proud of. 
 
College Life
Inter-house Athletics Carnival Results
Thank you to the MSM community for a wonderful and colourful occasion celebrating the 2022 Inter-house Athletics Carnival. Well done to all students who participated in the carnival and congratulations to the following students on their success: 

Congratulations to Grantuly House, brilliantly led by Amelia (Grantuly Captain) for being awarded Champion House for 2022. 

Congratulations to Aikenhead House on winning the House Spirit points for this event. 

We had a number of record breakers and these girls will go down in the history books: 
  • Laura – 12 years 1500m 
  • Claudia – 17+ years High jump, Shot Put and Javelin 
  • Pepper-Jane – 12 years 100m and 200m 
  • Jessica – 14 years Shot Put 
  • Jessica – 17+ years 800m 
  • Stewart team – 14 years 4x100m relay 
  • Stewart team – 17+ years 4 x 100m relay 
Congratulations to our Age Champions: 
  • 12 years: 1st Kate, 2nd Laura and 3rd Pepper-Jane 
  • 13 years: 1st Sophie, 2nd Cate and 3rd Julia 
  • 14 years: 1st Chloe, 2nd Izzy and 3rd Chloe 
  • 15 years: 1st Lily, 2nd Ellen and 3rd Paige 
  • 16 years: 1st Elli, 2nd Emily and 3rd Margaux 
  • 17+ years: 1st Claudia, 2nd Milly and 3rd Jessica 
Our Champion of Champions is awarded to the student with the highest overall personal score. Congratulations to Year 9 student, Chloe for being awarded this years Champion of Champions. 

Our fastest 8 race, involved our 8 fastest students in times over the 100m event at the carnival. Congratulations to our 100m Sprint Champion for 2022, Year 10 student, Elli - fastest girl at MSM!

Thanks to all staff for their assistance in making this day the great success it was! Best of luck to the team selected to represent MSM at the CaSSSA Cup Athletics Carnival in August. 
CaSSSA Cross Country Carnvial

On Tuesday, our committed cross country athletes attended Nudgee College to compete in the CaSSSA Cup Cross Country Carnival. Congratulations to our team on winning the CaSSSA Percentage Cup for the fourth consecutive year and for achieving outstanding results in each age group as well as individual performances. After an extended and very long season, a huge amount of commitment and sheer grit, our MSM cross country team did us #MSMProud in every way! 

  • 12 years – 1st 
  • 13 years – 2nd 
  • 14 years – 5th 
  • 15 years – 1st 
  • 16 years – 2nd 
  • 17+ years – 1st 
Aggregate Cup – 3rd 
Percentage Cup – Champions!   

Special mentions – MSM competitors who finished in the top 10 of their age group races!: 
  • 12 years: 1st Laura, 2nd Zelmarie, 3rd Harriett, 7th Kate, 8th Milly – 5 runners out of 6 in the top 10 places overall.  It was a sea of Navy, Gold and White! 
  • 13 years: 2nd Gabrielle
  • 15 years: 5th Abigail, 6th Lauren and 10th Georgia
  • 16 years: 8th Imogen, 9th Elli and 10th Charlotte
  • 17+ years: 4th Jessica and 5th Eloise.
2022 Music Camp
The Music Camp was a great musical education experience for the 120 students who attended. After many happy years at Duchesne College UQ we had the excitement of a new venue out in the beautiful bushland surrounds of BCCC Brookfield.   

The students worked hard, still going at 9pm on the Sunday and rehearsing all day Monday until 4:30pm. Certainly the choral work was more physical, and all classes very much noisier than most classrooms would get! Study Hall was a popular new feature, with students not in rehearsals set up with desks in a separate building so they could work on homework and assignments. But overall, surrounded by friends, and fuelled by mounds of food, from breakfast, Morning Tea, Lunch, Afternoon Tea, Dinner and Supper, the students also had lots of fun. One student did admit she didn’t know what “supper” was!  

Sincere thanks to the MSM Staff who gave up their personal time, and several sleeping hours on the night supervision shifts, to allow the camp to run. The Music staff were also champions, arriving with loads of energy and a fierce commitment to make the most of the luxury of their extra and continuous rehearsal time. Thanks to Mrs Donna Langford, Ms Kate Littlewood, Mrs Jenny Moon, Mr Thien Pham, Ms Alice Buckingham, Mr Joel Woods, Dr Michal Rosiak, Ms Bella Geeves, and Mr Zac Moynihan, as well as guest staff Mrs Kate Tyson from ATC and Dr Anthony Young from SLC for their inspiring work with the students.  Last but not least a big thank you to the maintenance team who carted all the instruments and stands to and from the venue and set everything up so the camp could start on time and run smoothly. 

MSM groups are looking good for the annual QLD Catholic College Festival. Our next big gig at MSM, and the last for the current Year 12 cohort is the MSM Arts Festival on Wednesday 31 August. See you there! 
Brain Bee Competition
Year 9 students Collete and Holly competed in the second round of the Brain Bee competition. After achieving success in the first round, Collette and Holly were invited to visit the Queensland Brain Institute at the University of Queensland. Along with nearly 50 other students from around Queensland and the Northern Territory, they completed the second-round quiz and had an invaluable opportunity touring research labs and speaking to current researchers on their ground-breaking research in the fields such as neurodevelopment and neuropathology. Congratulations Holly and Collete for your exceptional achievement. 

“On Tuesday, Dr Spanevello accompanied us to the Queensland Brain Institute where we were given the opportunity to learn about the brain and psychology. We really enjoyed the visits to different labs, talking several scientists about their field of work and meeting new people across schools. The team challenge was very enjoyable, as we had the opportunity to discuss the problems with other students. We were privileged to listen to a lecture about foresight, or planning, and how unique this is to the human brain and our evolution.”  
Holly and Collete. 
Year 10 Dance All Shook Up
 
Year 10 Dance students began the term with an energetic musical theatre jazz workshop with Dom from Mad Dance House. Students perfected dance skills and then learnt a stylised Elvis routine from the musical All Shook Up. Focusing on characterisation and strength, students were challenged both physically and mentally. Super work Year 10 dance students!
Year 9 Science
This term, Year 9 students will be learning about electricity. They investigated the difference between static electricity and current electricity. This was done by using balloons to create some “hair-raising” results and a skill-tester, similar to the game of Operation.
Year 12 Music
Year 12 Music and Music Extension students are busily drafting their final summative performance IA3 tasks. The final and more polished versions will be presented at Soiree 3 at 6pm on Tuesday 26 July in the Ionian Auditorium. This is sure to be a fabulous concert. The current unit “Narratives” has resulted in an extremely wide range of musical styles and genres, both solos and in small bands and chamber groups, as students seek to master the art of storytelling through music. The students this year are performing at a very high level, so definitely put this date in your calendar!
Year 10 Visual Art
The Year 10 Visual Art students are well underway developing three-dimensional artworks in the unit Transformation. These artworks explore signs and symbols to communicate a focus which they will resolve into an installation using mixed media.  

Make sure to come to The Spirit of The Arts Festival - Wednesday 31 August from 5 - 8pm to see the amazing artworks that are currently in progress and will be on exhibited on the night.  Click here for more information about The Spirit Of The Arts Festival.
Year 11 Religion and Ethics
Year 11 Religion and Ethics students engaged in a labyrinth prayer in our Mary Aikenhead Chapel. In the unit ‘Religions of the World’ students are exploring how religious beliefs affect adherents in personal, relational and spiritual ways. Experiencing this ancient form of embodied contemplative prayer extended their learning from Year 9 RE and gave students a taste of how religious practices are developed from key beliefs.
Shake & Stir Theatre Company
Theatre troupe, Shake & Stir visited the College presenting to students in Years 9,10 and 12 cohorts. As usual, our girls thoroughly enjoyed their performances of, Ruff Stuff, Romeo and Juliet, and Macbeth.
Year 7 POS-ED
This week, our Year 7 cohort focused on the character strength of appreciation of beauty. 7D and 7B spent their Positive Education lesson on the Convent Lawn sketching things around them that were beautiful. The students noted that this was an important value as it helped them reflect on the important things in their life and that there is beauty in everything.
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Ronald McDonald House
Thank you to the many MSM students and staff who volunteered to decorate a Red Boot in support of Ronald McDonald House Charities and the 2022 Red Boot Hoot charity event, their largest fundraiser of the year. These famous decorated ‘Boots’ which feature prominently on each table and are sold at the end of the night to help raise funds to support seriously ill children and their families. We are happy to report that our decorated boots have been delivered to the RMHC and will be up for auction at this weekend’s event.
Japanese
Japanese students from Years 7 – 12 are preparing to celebrate NAIDOC Week by connecting Aboriginal and Japanese cultures. Students used calligraphy pens to draw a Japanese air, water or earth character on a stone to create story stones. The girls will place the story stones in the College’s Reconciliation Garden.
MSM College Community Groups
Please keep up-to-date with changes to meeting formats.
 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

Next Meeting: 15 August - 6pm

Please click here  for information on 2022 meeting dates and to find out more about the MSM Parents and Friends Association.

Follow the P&F on Facebook
MSM Alumni Inc.
Meetings

Next Meeting: 22 August - 6pm

Please click here for information on 2022 meeting dates and to find out more about the 
MSM Alumni Association.

Follow our Alumni on Facebook
Parents and Friends Association
A Message from your 2022 Mothers' Lunch Committee

Calling on the generous spirit of the MSM Community to assist with prize donations and sponsorship of the upcoming MSM P&F Mothers' Lunch on Friday 19 August, 2022. This wonderful event is open to mothers of current MSM students and is a major fundraiser for the College.

If you are a business owner or family that can support this event by donating valuable products and services, we would love to hear from you. The funds raised at the Mothers' Lunch contribute to the Mt St Michael's Sisters of Charity Scholarships, improving the education of young women.

We hope that you are able to contribute to this year's event and appreciate your ongoing involvement in our school community. Please email pandf@msm.qld.edu.au. 
Notices
2022 Term Dates

Term 1
Monday 31 January – Friday 1 April

Term 2
Wednesday 20 April – Friday 17 June

Term 3
Tuesday 12 July – Friday 16 September

Term 4
Tuesday 4 October – Friday 18 November (Year 12)
Tuesday 4 October – Friday 25 November (Years 7-11)

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
SCHOOL ZONE:
Slow down!

The Brisbane City Council, in coordination with The Gap Ward Office, recently erected an additional 40 km/h school zone limit and traffic signs facing incoming traffic along Elimatta Drive and Aloomba Road following a request from Mt St Michael’s College to investigate the traffic management in the school vicinity. A safety project endorsed by Mt St Michael’s College’s Work Health and Safety (WHS) Committee.
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.
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