Welcome to Term 3!
I hope that all members of our community had some time to relax and rejuvenate before we embark on a very busy term. I am so pleased to be back on-site at the College. At the end of Term 1 I underwent surgery with the intention of returning to our community at the start of Term 2. Unfortunately, during the second week of the Easter Holidays I developed quite a nasty infection that saw me spend the first two weeks of Term 2 in hospital. I ended up spending the remainder of Term 2 recovering from my illness, whilst supporting my father, after the sudden passing of my mother. It has been a challenging few months for me and I have been very appreciative of the prayers, flowers, cards and messages of support that I have received. I would also like to express my gratitude to the College Leadership Team for their commitment to ensuring that MSM continued operations at every level.
Welcome back to Ms Crothers who has returned to her role as Dean of Teaching and Learning after enjoying some long service leave in Term 2. Welcome back to Ms Emblem who is returning to the College. I am pleased to extend a warm welcome two new staff members who commence this week:
- Mr Hughes (Science and Maths)
- Ms Freer (Science).
Over the holidays, we received the exciting news that our Ministerial Infrastructure Designation (MID) application was approved by the State Government. The major project involves the construction of a new Learning Centre comprising a library, a presentation space and four general learning areas as well as the College’s administration. This will allow the College to repurpose some existing buildings, including the heritage-listed Grantuly house (the College’s current administration building). The project is about creating contemporary, flexible facilities to provide better educational outcomes for our existing enrolment cap of 900.
The first step in the process has been the removal of the Innovation Centre, the site of the new building. The “house” has been prepared for removal and this will occur outside of school hours at a mutually agreed time with the removalists. Student and staff safety is paramount to us as we embark on this journey and students have been explicitly told not to enter the barricaded area.
We are currently working on securing a builder and once that is locked in, we will have timelines for when building works will commence. In our planning we are looking at ways to minimise noise and disruption to our student’s learning environment and how to be considerate to our neighbours. There will be inconveniences and we as a community will need to be flexible to enjoy the outcome of a beautiful new facility. Once we have a clearer picture of timelines, further information will be communicated.
We had hoped to have this building ready to celebrate our centenary next year, but now it is more likely that it will be ready for 2026.
Our centenary planning is well underway. At Tuesday’s assembly I launched our special logo for the year.
We have some special events planned throughout 2025 and in coming weeks we will begin to distribute some date claimers. With our Year 5 students commencing in 2025, it is going to be a special year and a new chapter in the life of MSM.
Tickets are on sale NOW for the 2024 P&F Mothers’ Lunch to be held on Friday 23 August from 11:30am – 3:30pm in The Podium Ballroom, Rydges Southbank Brisbane. This event provides an opportunity for Mothers to indulge in a beautiful lunch and support the MSM Foundation’s Light the Way Capital Campaign through our raffle with some great prizes up for grabs!
Tickets are selling fast so gather your friends and book your table of 10, or seats now to avoid disappointment. Bookings are essential and ticket sales will close on Friday 9 August, if not sold out prior.
This event is open to all MSM Mothers.
The P&F Association is seeking donations of raffle prizes to support their event. If you, your business or family can support this event in donating valuable products and services, we would love to hear from you.
The funds raised at the 2024 Mothers’ Lunch are directed to the MSM Foundation’s Light the Way Capital Campaign to assist the enhancement of new educational facilities for our MSM students.
For more information, please contact [email protected]
Your generosity is much appreciated.
Thank you to our MSM families who have purchased a heart in support of our Light the Way Capital Campaign. It’s not too late to be part of our first instalment and secure your permanent spot on our Legacy Wall. Hearts purchased before Monday 14 July will be mounted and blessed on Mary Aikenhead Day on 26 July.
Funds raised will be used to support college initiatives, ensuring that future generations of Mt St Michael’s students can receive the very best education.
All donations are tax-deductible and heart plaques will be mounted and blessed on Mary Aikenhead Day.
Welcome back to all our students and families for Semester 2!
A special welcome to the new families joining our community. I hope the break was filled with relaxation and opportunities to connect with family and friends. As we continue to "Aspire To Be More in 2024," I encourage our students to be ready to explore new co-curricular activities and embrace the opportunities ahead.
Over the break, school activities continued with 19 students from Years 11 and 12, who study Japanese, enjoying a trip to Japan. They home-stayed in Yokohama with our sister school, experienced classes, and participated in a traditional tea ceremony. Following this, they toured Tokyo, Hiroshima, and Kyoto.
A big thank you to Mrs Sue Wiseman and Mrs Natsuko Kawakami for supporting the students during this trip. Students thoroughly enjoyed the experience, sharpened their Japanese language skills, and brought home plenty of souvenirs for family and friends. See the article below for the trip highlights!
Next Monday, French exchange students will be joining our community and attending classes with their host students. I would like to sincerely thank our host families for accommodating the French students during this time.
I wish you all the best for the term ahead and look forward to connecting with you at our upcoming events.
Toiletries Drive for Micah Projects: Thank You!
Our College community has proudly supported the work of Micah Projects for many years. At this time, when cost of living and housing pressures create a dual crisis for the poor, Micah’s work is essential. Micah works with people experiencing homelessness, unemployment, poverty and disadvantage. Sadly, they have found that an increasing number of women and young people are in need of their services.
MSM works closely with Micah Projects each year, and runs donation drives to collect items that are in short supply. In the latter part of Term 2, students in Years 8 & 10 partnered with our College Staff to collect miniature toiletries for homeless women. At our Staff Retreat, a group of generous MSM staff volunteers worked to pack these toiletries into crisis kits. We donated 32 kits and 12 additional bags of miniature toiletries for Micah’s use. I thank the staff and students for their generous support of this drive.
Environment Group Shoe Drive
Our Environment Group is committed to finding creative ways to reduce landfill and fashion waste. This term, in partnership (and healthy competition!) with Marist Ashgrove, the Environment Group will be running a shoe donation drive.
We encourage you to have a good look through your cupboards and donate any good quality enclosed shoes. We will accept men’s, women’s & children’s sneakers, school shoes, boots, and corporate footwear. These shoes will go to Micah Projects, where they will find a loving second home.
The donation drive will run from week 3 until week 8. Students may drop shoe donations into the labelled bins on the Mezzanine Level of the Sophia Centre. I congratulate Yasina, Eboni and the MSM Environment Group on their creativity and leadership.
MSM Welcome Walk
As Mary Aikenhead Day, our College’s significant day of celebration, approaches, I thank our Year 9 students for their efforts in raising funds for the Romero Centre by participating in the annual MSM Welcome Walk.
The Romero Centre is a long term friend of the College, and the work they do in providing care, support and advocacy for people seeking asylum is essential. Recently, care for the Romero Centre was transferred from Mercy Partners to the Archdiocese of Brisbane, and we are delighted to continue to support their work.
If you are a Year 9 parent/caregiver, please ensure that you have logged in to Parent Lounge to give formal permission for your daughter to participate in the walk. We welcome donations from all members of our community, via the Payment Portal Link on our College Website.
MSM Chop
39 students have volunteered to cut or shave their hair in exchange for donations in the MSM Chop. All proceeds from the Chop will go towards our major fundraiser Project Raise the Roof, and all hair will be donated to the Cancer Council to make wigs for chemotherapy patients.
The Chop will be held in August. If you would like to donate to the Chop, please use the QR Code included below, or visit the payment portal on our College Website.
Semester 2 Assessment Calendars
Semester 2 Assessment Calendars will be finalised for students in Years 7 – 10 by the end of next week and will be available digitally in Student Cafe. Given that Semester 2 is shorter than Semester 1, it is vital that your daughter start planning her study commitments 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!
Year 10 2025 Subject Selection Evening
Next Thursday 18 July, students currently in Year 9 will have their Year 10 2025 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 2025 subject choices.
Year 8 and Year 9 2025 Subject Selection Presentations
Year 8 students will hear presentations about their 2025 elective choices from Curriculum Leaders in their Positive Education lessons on Tuesday 16 July, while Year 7 students will hear presentations about their 2025 elective choices in their Positive Education lessons on Friday 19 July.
Year 10 SET Planning
This term, Year 10 students will be involved in a thorough process to assist them to choose the most appropriate courses of study for Year 11, 2025. As part of the subject selection process, all students will be completing a Student Education and Training (SET) Plan.
SET Plan interviews will be held between Friday 19 July – Friday 2 August 2024. Interviews will be approximately 20 - 25 minutes. Students and parents will meet with an allocated Curriculum Leader to complete the SET Plan. This is a compulsory requirement of the senior schooling process. Bookings for a SET Plan Interview are now open in Parent Lounge and will close at 3pm on Wednesday 17 July.
Subject Selection Due Dates
Students in Years 7 - 10 will all be required to submit their 2025 subject selections using the online platform Web Preferences. Students will receive an email after their subject selection event with detailed instructions about how to do this. All web preferences are due by 8:30am on Monday 5 August.
MSM Foundation Careers Conversation breakfast
We hosted our annual MSM Foundation Career Conversations Breakfast with our MSM Alumni this morning. Students and families were able to converse with the MSM Alumni about the wide range of pathways they have followed since graduating from the College. The diversity in careers allowed our current students to reflect on their academic journey so far and consider what the next few years could look like. My sincerest thanks must go to the alumni who so generously gave of their time.
- Ashlyn Dyer (Class of 2000) - National Operational Excellence Manager - Health
- Maddie Eaves (Class of 2008) - Registered Nurse
- Rachel Tierney (Class of 2006) - Criminal Lawyer
- Katie Aroney (Class of 2002) - Biomedical Science and Environmental Management Advisor
- Aleisha MacKenzie (Class of 1995) - Lawyer/Director
- Jasmine McGrath (Class of 2018) - Marketing and Communications Assistant
- Holly McGrath (Class of 2020) Building Project Coordinator
- Erica Meyn (Class of 2014) - Psychologist
- Alice Spies (Class of 2011) - Manager, Professional Services
- Renee Bourke (Class of 2009) - Associate Architect.
Parent Teacher Conferences for students in Years 11 and 12 will occur across two weeks in early August, on Tuesday 6 August and Tuesday 12 August from 3:30 – 7:30pm. Parent Teacher Conferences are an excellent opportunity for families to connect with teaching staff to discuss the progress their student is making in each of their subjects. I would like to thank the parents and students who engage in these conferences – I know that our teaching staff really appreciate the opportunity to develop productive partnerships with students and families. Information about bookings for these conferences will be shared with families shortly.
Contacting Teaching Staff
Parents and caregivers are encouraged to contact either Homeroom teachers for pastoral matters or subject teachers for curriculum matters at any time throughout the year should concerns arise. For matters pertaining to what is occurring in the classroom, the subject teacher is the best person to contact in the first instance, as they are in the classrooms with students. Homeroom and subject teacher contact details are all available in Parent Lounge. Please go to Student Details > Email Class Teachers > Select the teacher’s name that you want to email.
Accessing Progressive Reporting in Parent Lounge
Semester 1 Report Cards were published for all students in Year 7 – 10 at the end of Term 2. Report cards give an overview of how students have performed across the semester. Detailed information about the breakdown of criteria for specific tasks and individual teacher feedback can be found under Student Details > Curricular Activities in Parent Lounge. If parents have any questions in relation to reporting and were not able to connect with teachers at Parent Teacher Conferences this past Monday, I encourage them to contact the relevant classroom teacher.
YEAR 8 HUMANITIES
Year 8 Humanities students have been undertaking a unit on Democracy in Action as part of their Civics curriculum. The task required students to vote on an issue that affects them at the College and use democratic processes and protest to try and enact change.
While students were advised that classes were not to strike or take militant action, they were encouraged to meet with stakeholders to discuss their concerns on what they believe are the pressing issues for Year 8 students, including wearing make-up, earrings, and fake tan. Other issues noted were T2 lanes and how inflation has driven up the price of garlic bread at the Kaf.
Each class devised a campaign featuring posters, videos, interviews, surveys, and a variety of other techniques. We hope our students now feel empowered and skilled to foster genuine change in the real world, inspired by Mary Aikenhead and the spirit of democracy.
YEAR 11 ROSIES OUTREACH PROGRAM
Our Rosies Outreach Program recommenced this week with our Year 11 students visiting the local community to provide drinks, snacks, and conversation to anyone who needs it.
YEAR 12 ANCIENT HISTORY
Ancient History students hit the ground running this term by attending an Experience Day at the University of Queensland where they enjoyed a range of lectures and workshops on the Fall of the Roman Republic.
Students developed their skills in analysing sources – particularly in situations where the sources provide conflicting perspectives on events such as Julius Caesar’s assassination. Their understanding of how to analyse archaeological evidence such as coins was also enhanced as a result of the day.
Most importantly, there were many students who felt inspired enough by the day that they are now more keen than ever to pursue their studies at UQ, including in Ancient history.
Some of the comments from students at the end of the day were:
“I found analysing the literary texts from Plutarch, Cicero and Nicolas of Damascus very valuable and have incorporated the skills developed from that activity into my assessment. The UQ students and assistants provided helpful and supportive assistance, as well as insight into their work and courses.” Neve
“It was an awesome out of the classroom activity and a valuable experience.” Molly
“This was a great opportunity to get back into the term with valuable knowledge about Ancient Rome. The literature and coin analysis activities, with the help of UQ members, was a great way to develop our analysis skills and improve our assignments.” Collette
“I really enjoyed our trip to UQ as I learned more about how I can pursue Ancient History in Uni as an elective.” Zara
“I enjoyed the opportunity to meet a few of the potential lecturers for courses I hope to take next year, and preview some of their content. It was valuable in reaffirming my wishes to further pursue Ancient History as a part of my future tertiary studies.” Lilly
JAPAN TRIP
Yokohama/Tokyo
19 Japanese students from Years 11 and 12 enjoyed their June/July holidays in Japan! Our first stop was the beautiful port city of Yokohama where the girls home-stayed with Japanese families from our sister school and experienced a day of classes with their host sisters. We participated in a tea ceremony and were treated to a special morning tea, a concept that the school adopted after seeing morning tea time at MSM.
After a very tearful farewell to our generous host families, we set off for Tokyo. Meiji Shrine, a nationally significant shrine set in beautiful park surrounds and a stroll down to Harajuku to see Japan’s pop culture in action, engaged all of our senses. A short bus ride to Shibuya to see Hachiko’s statue and the world’s largest scramble crossing capped off a wonderful day in the capital. A visit to the happiest place on earth, Disneyland, was another highlight of our time in Tokyo.
Hiroshima
Our first bullet train on the Japan Trip was from Tokyo to Hiroshima. Armed with ekiben (Japanese packed lunch from train station) and snacks, we relaxed and slept on this comfortable ride to the City of Peace. Many girls were visibly moved by our visit to the Peace Memorial Museum and Park where they honoured all those who lost their lives due to the atomic bomb.
A short boat cruise took us to Miyajima Island known as one of Japan’s “three most beautiful places.” The island is famous for its shrines, tame deer and the spectacular large red torii gate that marks the entrance to the floating Itsukushima Shrine. Of course, we also made sure to sample Hiroshima’s famous savoury pancake, okonomiyaki.
Kyoto
Our final destination on the Japan trip was the once former capital, Kyoto. After a Maiko (apprentice Geisha) dance performance and insight into a Maiko’s daily life, we explored nearby Kodaiji temple. A very knowledgeable guide escorted us around the Golden Pavillion, Nijojo Castle and Kiyomizudera Temple. Many students wished for success in their studies at the stunning waterfalls at Kiyomizudera. The view from Kyoto Tower was impressive and the girls ensured that they had plenty of souvenirs to bring home for family and friends.
DANCE EVOLUTION
Attending the Dance Evolution competition was an exhilarating experience for our Performance Ensemble! Our team had worked tirelessly, perfecting every move and formation, and the excitement in the air was palpable as they took the stage. Each dancer poured their heart into the performance, showcasing their passion and dedication. The moment they announced MSM had achieved second place was incredibly rewarding - a testament to the team’s hard work and unity. This achievement not only highlighted our students’ talent but also strengthened their bond as a team, motivating them to aim even higher in future competitions when they attend Dance Life Unite in the coming weeks.
AUSTRALIAN GYMNASTICS AEROBICS COMPETITION
Congratulations to MSM students, Annalise, Sophie and Louise who represented Qld in the Australian Gymnastics Aerobics competition held at the Gold Coast. Well done to Annalise and Sophie who placed 3rd in Level 9/10 Duo for Aerobics and Annalise who placed 2nd in her Individual Level 9 Aerobics.
MSM FOUNDATION RAFFLE - TERM 2 2024 WINNER
Congratulations to current MSM parent, Tim M (ticket #92) who was the lucky winner of our Term 2, 2024 Foundation Raffle drawn 12 June 2024. Thank you to the MSM College community for supporting our raffle and the Light the Way Capital Campaign.
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
67 Elimatta Drive
Ashgrove, QLD 4060
Australia
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