Today we celebrated Mary Aikenhead Day. Mary Aikenhead formed the Sisters of Charity in Dublin, Ireland in 1815, with the special mission of serving the poor at a time of widespread famine, and growing unemployment. Soon after the establishment of her new order of Sisters, Mary Aikenhead was told about the urgent needs of the Australian Church. Australia’s first Bishop, Bede Polding, asked for some Sisters of Charity to work specifically with the downtrodden and spiritually bereft Catholic women convicts at the Female Factory in Paramatta. Mary was so moved by the stories of the plight of the poor she called for volunteers to the New South Wales Colony. The five volunteers arrived in Sydney on 31 December 1838 – the first Catholic religious women in Australia.
This is the beginning of our story and in 1925 Mt St Michael’s College was established.
As our College’s Centenary year approaches, the Mt St Michael’s College Foundation has launched a “Light The Way” Capital Campaign to raise funds for the enhancement of new College educational facilities. We have been promoting the sale of gold, purple and blue heart plaques that will be installed on our Light the Way Legacy Wall which is located opposite The Kaf. During our Mass today, Father Gerry blessed the hearts using the following prayer.
God of Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,
We give thanks to you for the gift of this College community,
Which has grown strong beneath the jacarandas,
Over the last century.
Bless the Sisters who formed us:
Women of courage and compassion,
Whose love lives in the bones of this place.
We thank them for the gift of our education and for the values that guide us today.
We look today to our future,
With hope and trust in your providence.
Bless these plaques, and those who have donated them.
May your love light the way for growth.
Thank you to the MSM Alumni who have been very generous in their support of this project.
Thank you to the inaugural donors who have purchased hearts in the following names:
MSM Alumni – Class of 2023
Madeleine Martin - Class of 2020
Sinead Martin - Class of 2023
Eliza Martin - Class of 2025
The Williamson Family
In memory of Thalia Martin – Class of 1986
In memory of Minny Sweeney - Class of 1986
Hayley Murdoch – Class of 2023 and The Condon Family
Kate Francis – Class of 2022
Emily Francis – Class of 2025
Anna Tyndall – Class of 2026
The Forde Family
The Cooper Family - Classes of 2025, 2027 & 2030.
At the conclusion of the Eucharist, we acknowledged staff who had reached the significant milestone of 10, 20 and 25 years of committed service to the community of MSM.
Congratulations to the following staff who were presented with their 10 years of service award: Ms Paege Bellett and Ms Francene Power.
Congratulations to Ms Ellen Bow on 20 years of service.
Special congratulations to Mr Marc Bevan for his 25 years of service award. Thank you, Mr Bevan, for your wonderful contributions to MSM.
Thank you to these staff and all our staff members for the care and dedication to our students every day.
Thank you to our staff who supported the various activities, including behind the scenes, throughout the day. I extend a special “thank you” to Ms Simpson and Mrs Harman for their hard work to ensure that we all had a great day!
In faith and love,
Sharon Volp
Don't miss out! Tickets for the 2024 P&F Mothers’ Lunch on Friday 23 August from 11:30am – 3:30pm, Rydges Southbank will close on Friday 9 August, if not sold out prior. 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!
This event is open to all MSM Mothers.
Over $7,500 in prizes to be won thanks to our generous local community. Tickets on sale now and on the day of the event. The raffle is open to everyone, no need to be present to win!
Can you support our 2024 Mothers' Lunch Raffle?
It's not too late to donate a prize. If you, your business or family can support this event in donating valuable products and services, the P&F Association would love to hear from you - pandfevents@msm.qld.edu.au
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.
Co-curricular activities play a pivotal role in the holistic development of students and as we progress into the term, our co-curricular activities are thriving.
Congratulations to all our debaters on a very successful season. Three teams have made it into the first round of the finals, with two of those teams (Year 11 and Year 9) winning their debates resoundingly and going forward to round Two. Best wishes to our Year 11 team: Eloise, Tully, Lucy and Ella and to our Year 9 team: Sofia, Emily, Matilda, Olivia and Lyla.
Our Dance Performance Ensemble recently performed two dance works at the DanceLife Unite competition. We are very proud of our dancers who received a 1st place and 3rd place. This wonderful achievement is a testament to their perseverance and the guidance of our wonderful coaches and the work by our dedicated Dance staff. Congratulations to all the performers and a heartfelt thank you to their families who support them. We look forward to performances by the MSM Co-curricular Dance groups at the upcoming Spirit of The Arts Festival.
Last Friday, fourteen of our Year 10 students assisted with Under 8s Week activities at St Joseph’s Primary School, Bardon. This was an excellent opportunity to strengthen connections with one of our local Primary Schools, and for these students to demonstrate leadership and interpersonal skills with younger students. Our students supported with face painting, arts and crafts, and STEM activities. They were very quickly reminded about how GREAT it is to be Under 8!
A group of students from Year 7, 8 and 9 participated in the Academy Learning Junior Stretch and Challenge day provided by Thriving Minds.
Students spent the day thoroughly engaged in intellectual exploration, manipulating ideas and making connections across school subject areas in an interactive environment, exploring topics at the intersection of Religion and Science including:
- Genetics, epigenetics and transhumanism: a thought-provoking exploration of the frontiers of genetics
- Interactive Guided Community of inquiry: The Ring of Gyges challenge
- Unlocking virtue: A journey into Aristotle’s philosophy
- Great Debate: This house believes that the finely tuned design of the universe points to the existence of God
Students were challenged by the demanding yet engaging content and inspired to think deeply, gain valuable insights, and develop skills essential for future success.
There are also many activities and clubs running during lunch. Students can find information on these activities in the daily notices in Student Café.
Year 11 Leadership Retreat
Congratulations to our wonderful Year 11 students who recently completed their Residential Leadership Retreat at Coolum. This signals the formal commencement of the leadership discernment process for our Year 11 students. Across two very full days, our students shared reflections on their journey through MSM and began to plan for their senior year. The Class of 2025 will lead the College at a moment of great historic significance, as we enter our Centenary year and welcome Year 5 students for the first time.
We sincerely thank our Year 11 Pastoral Leader, Ms Lennon, and the 10 teaching staff who accompanied the students on this Retreat. Please hold our students in your prayers as they continue in their discernment.
Mary Aikenhead Day
This year marks the 166th anniversary of Mary Aikenhead’s passing. On her deathbed, she uttered the prophetic words: when I am gone, the congregation will flourish! And flourish it did! The mantle of Charity now extends across the world, and the Sisters have made it their life’s mission to seek out and serve the poor and forgotten in every corner of the world. As a Mary Aikenhead Ministries College, we are honoured to continue her work today.
Today, our College community celebrated Mary Aikenhead Day. Our celebrations commenced with a beautiful Mass, presided over by Fr Gerry Kalinowski. At this Mass, we gave thanks for the gift of a Charity Education and prayed for the Sisters as they continue in their ministry. We were blessed to be joined by a number of special guests and several of the Sisters, who are always so welcome in our community. I thank the many students who took part in our Mass, generously using their talents to read, sing, dance, play music and perform. Their gifts bring such a special dimension to our Eucharistic Celebrations.
Through the middle part of the day, our students participated in a variety of service learning activities. Year 7 traversed the length and breadth of the campus, completing a scavenger hunt that told the story of Mary and the pioneering Sisters. Year 8 and Year 11 made beautiful gifts for residents at St Vincent’s Aged Care; Year 9 completed a powerful advocacy walk for the Romero Centre, in solidarity with people who are seeking asylum in Australia; Year 10 packed emergency birthing kits for women in developing countries; and Year 12 produced cuddle hearts for the neonatal unit at Mater Mothers’ Hospital. My sincere thanks to our hardworking and capable staff for their work in supporting our students in their work.
The afternoon was given over to the House and Cultural Captains for a spot of House fun! This year, our Cultural Captains Paige & Sophie organised an amazing sustainable fashion parade, featuring talented teams who upcycled clothing to create stunning new pieces. We also welcomed some teams who participated in a Trash to Fash competition, where they were given a bag of recyclable items and 40 minutes to dress a model! Hilarity and creativity ensued! Congratulations must also go to our House Captains Olivia, Sophie, Chanel and Paige for organising an outstanding House Choir competition. Our girls sung and danced their way to glory, creating an highly entertaining experience for all!
Special thanks to our hard working School Officers – particularly my assistant Ms Harman, our Maintenance Team, our Communications Team and our IT Team – for making this special day run so smoothly.
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. Bookings opened for these conferences yesterday and will close on Thursday 1 August at 3:00pm.
Please note that the conference on Tuesday 6 August will be onsite in the Sophia Centre, while the conference on Tuesday 13 August will be conducted online using Microsoft Teams.
2025 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 have all received an email from noreply@selectmysubjects.com.au with detailed instructions about how to do this. All web preferences are due by 8:30am on Monday 5 August.
Year 7 and 9 Individual Student NAPLAN Reports
Year 7 and Year 9 students were given their individual NAPLAN student reports last week. Proficiency standards provide clear information on student achievement. They are set at a challenging but reasonable level expected for the child at the time of NAPLAN testing, based mainly on what has been taught in previous years of schooling.
There are 4 proficiency levels:
- Exceeding - The student’s result exceeds expectations at the time of testing.
- Strong - The student’s result meets challenging but reasonable expectations at the time of testing.
- Developing - The student’s result indicates that they are working towards expectations at the time of testing.
- Needs Additional Support - The student’s result indicates that they are not achieving the learning outcomes expected at the time of testing. They are likely to need additional support to progress satisfactorily.
Attendance at School
Regular attendance at school is critical for your daughter’s learning and development. If your daughter is going to be absent during the term, parents need to request approval for this absence in writing from Ms Volp. While the value of a family vacation is accepted, as is the occasional need for attendance at events in term time, priority must be given to regular school attendance. This is particularly the case if your daughter’s absence will involve missing assessment.
Extension Requests
There are circumstances that arise where your daughter can apply for an extension to an assessment deadline. Please note that, as per QCAA guidelines, family holidays during term time are not valid reasons for an extension. If your daughter falls behind in her studies, generally through illness or misadventure, then she is entitled to apply to modify her assessment deadlines. If your daughter feels that she may need to negotiate her deadlines, then I strongly encourage her to have a conversation with either Ms Larkings, Program Leader Middle School, for students in Years 7 – 9 or Mrs Kean, Program Leader Senior School, for students in Years 10 - 12. Ms Larkings and Mrs Kean are in the best position to ascertain whether your daughter will meet the requirements for adjustments to be made. Please note that any request must be made at least 48 hours before the due date.
Please note that if your daughter is unwell during the term, her focus needs to be on improving her health so that she is well enough to return to the classroom. She can access the content missed through the class OneNote upon her return and ask a classroom buddy to share any other relevant information with her. If she needs to modify her deadlines, she can approach the relevant program leader.
Absences When Assessment is Due
If your daughter is absent on a day when she has an assignment due, your daughter is still expected to submit her assessment digitally using the process required for the specific subject. If your daughter is absent on the day that she is scheduled to sit an examination, please note that she will be required to complete the examination when she is back at the College in a catch- up session during the school day. Students will be expected to complete their missed examination as soon as practicable.
MSM CHOP
The MSM Chop is fast approaching, and our Year 12 students are busy preparing to host a lunchtime market and carnival, where 39 students have volunteered to cut or shave their hair for a good cause. All funds raised from the Chop and market stalls will go to our major fundraiser Project Raise the Roof, and their hair will be donated to the Cancer Council to make wigs for cancer patients. If you would like to support our students, please donate using the QR code or visit the payment portal on our College Website and select “Other School Activities”.
CATHOLIC EDUCATION WEEK
Today we conclude Catholic Education Week. MSM is a proud Catholic community, embracing and welcoming all, creating an environment where our young people can grow into all they are meant to be. We give thanks for the 312 Catholic Schools across Queensland, and celebrate their commitment to providing quality, Christ-centred education.
YEAR 8 SCIENCE
In Year 8 Chemistry students are learning about the properties of metallic and non-metallic elements from the Periodic Table. They used the Bunsen burners to ignite a variety of metal salt solutions to produce a range of different coloured flames. Then they used their observational results to identify the metals in two unknown samples. Through this they learned how scientists can use the particular properties of substances to help identify different elements.
ENVIRONMENT GROUP SHOE DRIVE
At this week's assembly, Yasina from our Environment Group launched the Shoe Donation Drive. Run in partnership (and healthy competition!) with Marist Ashgrove's Environment Group, donated shoes will go to Micah Projects, where they will find a loving second home.
Donations of good quality second-hand shoes (enclosed shoes only: sneakers, work shoes, dress shoes & boots) for all ages can be dropped into the labelled bins on the Sophia Centre Mezzanine between 22 July – 30 August.
The Environment Group is commended on their creativity and leadership for this good cause and commitment to reducing landfill and fashion waste.
FUTURE PROBLEM SOLVERS
Our FPS Teams, comprising Year 9, 10 and 11 students, have been working since Term 1 to prepare for their upcoming competition. This includes engaging in their two-hour Practice Lock-Up. We wish the students all the best for their competition on Friday 2 August.
FRENCH CLUB - BASTILLE DAY
MSM celebrated Bastille Day a little later this year but that didn’t stop the popularity of the Club’s traditional al pain au chocolate stall being the most popular way to commemorate France’s national day at MSM. Vive la France.
YEAR 8 BUSINESS & ECONOMICS
Our Year 8 Business and Economics students recently visited IKEA as part of their Business Decision Making unit. They explored how IKEA addresses market competition through innovative and sustainable practices. This hands-on experience provided insights into resource allocation, market adaptation, and strategic improvements. Students will use this knowledge to analyse IKEA’s business strategies and propose recommendations in their upcoming reports.
YEAR 7 DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY
Our MSM Year 7 Digital Technology classes have been making computer games with Scratch, a block-based visual programming language. Scratch allows users to design projects with an intuitive, block-like interface. Our students utilised the video sensing function to put themselves into the game for a fully immersive experience. Students had the opportunity to play their peers’ games and learn from each other’s creative and technical skills.
FRENCH EXCHANGE STUDENTS VISIT
MSM has warmly welcomed six French students and their English teacher from Sainte-Marie Lyon school. The girls have been joining their host sisters in classes and visiting places around Brisbane such as the Museum of Brisbane, the Brisbane Wheel and the Opal Museum. They enjoyed an iconic Australian film, “Red Dog” which provided an entertaining insight into Australian colloquialisms and culture and have made ANZAC biscuits in the MSM kitchens. The St Marie Lyon students visited our junior classes to tell them all about their home and lifestyle in Lyon. Visits to GOMA, Ngutana-Lui and a Brisbane River Cruise rounded out a very culturally enriching week.
Thank you to our generous host families who have opened their homes to our special visitors.
YEAR 9 CHINESE FAN DANCING
Our talented Year 9 students explored the rich cultural world of Chinese Fan Dancing as part of their current assessment. This traditional dance, known for its graceful movements and vibrant, flowing fans, offers a unique opportunity for students to explore a new form of artistic expression.
Under the guidance of guest artist, Sidney Shen, students not only learnt the intricate steps and techniques of the dance but also gained a deeper appreciation for its cultural significance. The discipline and creativity involved in mastering Chinese fan dancing helps students develop both their physical coordination and their understanding of cultural diversity.
Additionally, as part of their assessment, these hardworking students will showcase their newfound skills at the upcoming Spirit of the Arts Festival. This performance will be a vibrant display of their dedication and the beauty of Chinese Fan Dancing. We look forward to seeing parents, friends, and community members come along and support our dance students and their achievements.
RUGBY 7s
MSM was represented at the Moreton Bay Q7’s competition with five teams of excited and slightly nervous students, across the 13, 15 & 18 years age groups. For most of our players, this was their first taste of Rugby 7’s and they had a wonderful day out, competing hard with their teams and supporting each other. The first competition of our rugby season for 2024 has given the group a sense of excitement for what is to come this season. They all competed with strength and grit, and we can’t wait to see their improvement as they learn the game and put their training into practice!
MSM V MARIST NETBALL
Game 2 and the tradition and rivalry continued with MSM hosting. The Marist team were out to settle the score, defeating MSM 20-15. Thank you to our MSM cheer squad who came out to support our amazing MSM team and to all who assisted in organising the event.
Thank you to our MSM families who have purchased a heart in support of our Light the Way Capital Campaign.
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.
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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