We have reached the end of a very busy first term. We are also approaching the end of the season of Lent, and we turn our thoughts to Easter, which is a pivotal part of our Catholic faith.
This Holy Week is about the way we commemorate Jesus Christ entering Jerusalem, where crowds greeted him with palm branches laying them on the ground as a path. For us as a Catholic Learning Community, Easter represents a time of both sorrow and hope with the death and resurrection of Jesus and also exemplifies the humility and love Jesus showed during His life. Easter is truly a time of celebration as we take a renewed spirit forward with us each day. Today during our Easter Liturgy, we expressed this celebration through the lens of our 2024 theme Compassion: the courage to look, the courage to act, in an act as Jesus did with his friends. We knelt and washed the feet of others to symbolise the extraordinary act of Jesus’ humility and vulnerability.
This term seems to have gone so quickly. It has also encompassed so many events and experiences. Our community has welcomed new staff and students, hosted a P&F Welcome Evening for our new Year 7 parents/caregivers, conducted a Year 11 Information Evening, and Parent-Teacher conferences for Years 7, 9 and 12. Our Year 11 students danced the night away during their Semi-Formal and our swimming team bonded and prepared for CaSSSA swimming, whilst music students rehearsed and performed at Music Camp earlier in the term. The Foundation Year 7 Father-Daughter Breakfast signified the start of the building of our House of Compassion and Mothers and Daughters enjoyed our Foundation International Women’s Day High Tea. Students have played in myriad sporting competitions, performed in Soiree 1 and successfully debated.
Departing Staff
We wish Ms Sally Crothers all the best for a well-deserved break in Term 2 as she embarks on Long Service Leave. Congratulations to Mr John Hamilton who will be acting Dean of Teaching and Learning for Term 2.
Sadly, we farewelled two members of staff who have made the decision to finish at MSM.
- Mrs Jill Tweedie, teacher of Religion and Humanities
- Mrs Lani Weedon, teacher of Art and Humanities
Sharon Volp has been on leave for the last two weeks of term and will be back next term.
May everyone enjoy an Easter filled with Hope, and a holiday filled with happiness.
In Faith and Love
Ros Collier
Have you purchased your tickets for the 2024 MSM P&F Parent Social Evening? All MSM Parents and Caregivers are warmly invited to join us for Sunset Drinks at the College on Friday 19 April from 5.30 – 7.00pm. Bookings close 15 April at 10am.
The P&F Fathers’ Golf Day will be held on Friday 24 May. Open to all parents, regardless of golfing ability, this event is a great chance to meet or reconnect with other school parents. Registrations open in Week 1 of Term 2.
SJC and Year 7 Support Downs & West
Sincere thanks to our Social Justice Council and our Year 7 students, who recently collaborated on a goods drive for Downs & West Community Support. Established by Sr Christine Henry rsc, Downs & West provides vital support for farming families in the Darling Downs and Western Queensland.
Our Social Justice Council worked with our Year 7 students to collect towels and toiletries, and across this week, they bundled them into gift packs, each one carefully wrapped and ready to be presented to a deserving farmer. We are very proud to continue our support of Sr Christine and DWCS and look forward to assisting with other projects later in the year.
Easter Blessings
Our term concludes on Holy Thursday, the date on the Christian calendar where we commemorate the Last Supper. Holy Thursday opens the Triduum, the three days between Jesus’ arrest and his resurrection.
At the eve of the Crucifixion, as he prepared to eat the Passover meal with his friends, Jesus knelt to wash the feet of those he loved, in an extraordinary act of humility and vulnerability. He broke bread with them and reminded them to continue their work in his name.
As the events of the Passion unfold, we witness Jesus’ humiliation and pain, and we stand with his friends in their grief as they struggle to comprehend his death. Ultimately, moved by his example, they find the courage to act, taking his message of love, peace and hope out into the world.
Spiritual writer Sister Joan Chittister says:
To celebrate Easter means to stand in the light of the empty tomb and decide what to do next. Until we come to realise that we stand to misread the meaning not simply of the Easter Gospel, but of our own lives. We miss the point. We fail to realise that Easter demands as much of us now as it did of the apostles then.
Our Easter prayer is that, standing in the light of the empty tomb, we might have the courage to act, to do good, and to bring peace into our homes, our school and our world.
You met unlikely people in unlikely places,
and joined yourself to them in friendship.
May we be like you in this way, finding friends at crossroads and bus stops,
in queues and crises, in kindness and curiosity.
Because, we, like you, need the company of others.
May we do as you did:
Acting justly,
Loving tenderly,
And walking humbly with one another.
In faith and love, we pray,
Amen.
As the term draws to a close, I would like to thank the teachers at MSM for their professionalism and dedication. They truly enrich the lives of all the students at the College.
Teachers are an integral part of a student’s educational journey, and it's important that students value their expertise in the classroom. They have undergone years of education and training to become experts in their fields. They bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the classroom that can help students learn and grow in ways they may not have thought possible. They spend countless hours outside of the classroom preparing lessons, providing feedback on draft assessment tasks, grading final submissions whilst also providing support to their students. It's important that students respect their dedication and hard work.
Teachers can provide valuable insights and advice that can help students navigate their educational journey. So how can students demonstrate their respect for their MSM teachers' expertise in the classroom? Here are some practical suggestions:
- Come to class prepared and ready to learn. This means students should have completed all homework and bring all required equipment to the class.
- Don't be afraid to ask questions. If students are struggling to understand a concept, teachers are there to help students learn, and want them to succeed.
- Be respectful in all communications with teachers. Respectful communication involves treating their teacher with kindness and consideration. This means being polite and courteous in all interactions with them and refraining from disruptive or disrespectful behaviour in the classroom.
By valuing teachers' expertise in the classroom, we can create a positive and productive learning environment that benefits everyone.
Year 8, 10 and 11 Parent Teacher Conferences
Parent Teacher Conferences for students in Years 8, 10 and 11 will occur on Tuesday 7 May from 9:00am – 4:30pm. Please note that this is a student-free day. These conferences will be occurring onsite in the Sophia Centre. 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. They also provide the forum for families or teachers to raise any possible concerns. Students are encouraged to attend these conferences with their parents and caregivers.
FRENCH FILM EXCURSION
French students from Years 9-12 enjoyed the comedy/drama, “Neneh Superstar” at the French Film Festival. They delighted in watching 12 year old ballerina, Neneh break through the racial glass ceiling to gain a place at the prestigious Paris Opera Ballet School. Despite her skill and enthusiasm, Neneh had to redouble her efforts to gain the acceptance of the other students and the Director of the School.
UQ SCIENCE AMBASSADORS
We are delighted to introduce our 2024 UQ Science Ambassadors: Year 11 students Lillian C, Sarah K, Anika M, Amelia W, and Caitlin W. UQ Science Ambassadors are selected due to their high achievement in science and their passion for the subject.
These Ambassadors are committed to promoting science in the MSM Community and will aim to raise the profile of science in the school by bringing science events, activities, opportunities and issues to the attention of fellow students. The activities the students are participating in include: Science display at Open Evening, Pi Day, Bee Day, Dinosaur Day, Science Week and the World Science Forum. In addition to this, they will have the opportunity to represent MSM at science events at the invitation of UQ.
MSM V MARIST NETBALL
During Term 1, we continued the tradition and rivalry of MSM v Marist games and hosted the first netball game for 2024. While Marist played a good game, MSM won 19-15! Thank you to our MSM cheer squad and to all who assisted in organising the event. #MSMPROUD
JAPAN CLUB
Students had a great time participating in Japan Club’s Term 1 activities, including making hina dolls for Girls’ Day and watching the classic anime, “Kiki’s Delivery Service.” Thank you to our 2024 Japan Club captains, Amelia and Alyssa for providing such wonderful cultural activities for MSM students.
YEAR 11 & 12 DANCE EXCURSION
Year 11 and 12 Dance students attended an intimate dance performance titled “Three” by the Australasian Dance Collective.
Here’s what Olvia Bond (Dance Captain and Year 12 Dance student) gained from the experience:
“We were impressed by the innovative and intricate choreography, inspired to incorporate new styles of movement into our future assessment pieces. The abstract dance, ‘Dull Boy’ explored themes about the disconnection created from social media and advertisement, in addition to the societal pressures to conform through media. The second piece ‘Tiny Infinite Deaths’ portrayed the place between life after death through a solo performance. We enjoyed the opportunity to interact and ask questions to the choreographers, dancers and artistic directors to learn more about the creative process. Overall, it was an amazing performance and we feel very lucky to get such an exclusive viewing of a hardworking, professional company”.
JAPANESE
Year 7 Japanese students designed their own nutritious and balanced bento boxes to mark the end of their rotation in Japanese. There were so many clever creations and all agreed that they were delicious!
FOOD TECHNOLOGY
Year 10 Food Technology students are discovering how to incorporate native ingredients such as bush tomatoes, lemon myrtle and wattleseed into contemporary dishes in the unit Food in Australia. Students have completed an assessment task where they were employed by Tourism Australia to incorporate the use of a native ingredient in an airline meal. The menu item had to be a traditional meal from its country of departure but needed to showcase how versatile and healthy our local ingredients can be. Delicious!
DRAMA WORKSHOP
Year 8 Drama students participated in a wonderful Visual Theatre workshop lead by Helen Stephens from Dead Puppets Society. The students are currently working on a story telling unit in Drama. The workshop explored synchronised and canonised ensemble movement, working with abstract ideas and design elements to create and tell a story using objects and the physical environment. The students collaborated beautifully to form and present their ideas. It was a delight to witness their aesthetic choices and for them to have the time to explore and create together. They were all very appreciative of the experience.
YEAR 10 CAREERS DAY
On Friday 22 May, Year 10 students participated in the first of four Careers Days, designed to help them make positive choices as they move into senior schooling and then life beyond school. Equipped with a goodies bag, students learnt about their Digital Footprint and the impact it can have on their future. It was physically demonstrated by squeezing toothpaste out of its tube and then trying to put it back in – a task tougher than it seems!
Students then moved on to look at the difference between careers and work, and the different types of work and how these are changing. They were given the chance to look at different careers and find out how much of this job could be automated by technology in the future.
In the middle session, students engaged in a presentation with young women in non-traditional industries about their career journey and how they never in their wildest dreams expected to be where they are today. This session was run in conjunction with our partner, UNIQYou. Following this, they delved into our individual strengths, weaknesses, interests, values and skills to determine a range of potential occupations unique to each individual in the room to explore.
Finally, our afternoon session explored the importance of having goals to reach our desires and we each started the process of writing a goal to achieve by the end of Term 2. The day concluded by finding out how to find a job and what needs to be included in a resume. Students were given the opportunity to improve or create their resume using the skills, values and strengths that they explored earlier in the day.
Year 10 parents should be encouraged to ask your student about what they learnt about themselves and possible occupations! This will help as they move towards SET Plans in Term 3.
AIKENHEAD DAY
Irish blessings abound at MSM today, as our community marks Aikenhead Day. Students from Aikenhead House celebrated the Irish heritage of their patroness, Mary Aikenhead, with a special prayer liturgy, followed by house activities and a green cake!
DEBATING
Round 1 of the Queensland Debating Union competition has wrapped up and our debaters have enjoyed an exciting and successful start to the year. Overall, we had 9 teams competing, with five of those winning their first debates. Our most notable success was having both of our Year 7 teams win their debates which were hosted by MSM. Congratulations to all the students and their coaches for your amazing efforts.
Round 2 has just commenced, and Year 10 has kicked it off with a huge win against a very strong team. We are now extra-excited about the remaining debates. The Year 7 round will once again be hosted at MSM. If you are interested in joining us, please feel free to come along on 18 May, with the first debate at 6pm when both our teams will be arguing it out. This round is what we call a ‘short-prep’ debate, meaning students are only given the topic an hour in advance.
We wish all our students yet to debate, all the very best!
FUTURE PROBLEM SOLVERS
The MSM Years 9-11 FPS Global Issues Problems Teams completed their first Practice Problem booklet on the issue of Tourism. We wish them all the best as they work on upcoming global issues of Urbanisation, Antarctica, and Autonomous Transportation.
HUMANITIES
Year 7 Humanities have produced some brilliant work showcasing their learning about Water. Students have created some incredible boardgames and have thoroughly enjoyed engaging with them to enhance their learning.
YEAR 8 BUSINESS & ECONOMICS FIELD TRIP
Year 8 Business & Economics students enjoyed visiting Ashgrove Shopping Village as part of their unit on local businesses and the role they play in our community. They had the opportunity to observe and understand different types of operations, learn about the products and services on offer and gain an appreciation for the importance of supporting local business and the impact it can have on the community.
This is what Year 8 student, Zoey L had to say about the experience.
"During our field trip to Ashgrove Shopping Village, we had a private interview with Stephanie Walker, the owner of Home Store Ashgrove. Stephanie was very accommodating and happy to answer our questions about her business including what inspired her to start her business and what was one of the biggest setbacks she had faced when starting her business. This Year 8 business and economics field trip was definitely one of a kind and very fun".
TENNIS
Congratulations to the five MSM Tennis Teams who played for Premierships last weekend. We are MSM Proud of the commitment of our players with three MSM teams taking out Season Premierships. Well done to all who played! #MSMPROUD
RUGBY 7S
Congratulations to our MSM Rugby 7s on the conclusion of their season. Sadly, the wet weather brought the Juniors Pilot Program to an early end with the cancellation of the last round and the disappointment of missing playing in the Grand Final. We wish our MSM Rugby7s all the best for the upcoming Season.
Join the Gallipoli Barracks Challenge Yourself Experience Day and learn more about roles ranging from engineering to communications, IT & intelligence available in the Navy, Army and Air Force.
The Australian Defence Force is a modern, people-focused organisation and one of Australia’s major employers. With over 200 roles on offer, there’s a wide range of specialist military positions, support roles, trades and professions to choose from.
To register, please visit www.adfcareers.gov.au/events or email events@dfr.com.au
The latest Careers Newsletter is out now!
This newsletter is designed to provide you with a snapshot of events, scholarships, study and work options, and some personal skill development ideas. Whilst aimed more towards the Senior School, some of our wonderful Year 9 students may wish to have a read as they start contemplating their futures in our fortnightly careers’ classes.
A reminder that all families must have an arrangement in place to pay school fees, you should now have a Fee Payment Schedule set up via the Parent Lounge.
For instructions to set up a payment plan - Click Here
If you have trouble accessing the Parent Lounge, please contact support@msm.qld.edu.au
If you have any questions about fee payments please contact Emma Grimson, Director of Finance on egrimson@msm.qld.edu.au
EDSTART
Parents/guardians wishing to pay school fees via extended instalment terms may apply for an Edstart payment plan. You can spread your fees evenly across the school year or reduce your repayment amount with an extended plan over multiple years, up to five years after graduation.
Visit the Edstart website to calculate your school fees: CLICK HERE.
The P&F Association has been a wonderful supporter of College for many years. To keep this vital connection going, the P&F is seeking volunteers in any capacity to offer their time and share their expertise.
Ways to get involved now:
Join our Mothers' Lunch Organising Committee - Help with behind the scenes organisation or simply volunteer to help on the day of the event.
Step into the Treasurer role which involves managing simple accounts and presenting these during the four P&F Meetings held during the year. A maximum of one hour of work each month until November 2024.
Attending P&F Meetings - Only three meetings on the College calendar left this year. Come along and share your ideas about bringing our community together.
To further discuss what the Treasurer role involves or for a discussion on how else to get involved, including joining our Mothers' Lunch Organising Committee, please contact pandf@msm.qld.edu.au.
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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