Term 2 - Edition 6 - 21 April 2023
Welcome to Term 2. I hope that all members of our community had a lovely Easter break and have returned relaxed and ready for another exciting term!
Easter Sunday’s Gospel reading was from John 20 and tells the story of Mary Magdalene going to Jesus’ tomb early in the morning while it is still dark. She finds the tomb rolled away and the tomb empty and she is shocked and confused, thinking that someone has stolen Jesus’s body. She continues to search for him and encounters a man that she thinks is the gardener and asks him if he knows where they have put Jesus’ body. The person says simply “Mary” and suddenly and totally unexpectedly she realises that she is in the presence of the risen Christ.
We will have our own encounters with the risen Christ in unexpected moments during the Easter season and as we journey through Term 2. This may be during sacred moments such as prayer and our ANZAC Liturgy next week; it may be during quiet reflection time while taking a walk; it could also be when spending time with our friends, family, and colleagues; or a chance encounter with strangers we meet during our day. These encounters touch and transform our hearts and are different for every person. The real challenge is to be open to these encounters as we strive to be a community that lives the values of Hope, Justice, Love and Compassion.
Easter Sunday’s Gospel reading was from John 20 and tells the story of Mary Magdalene going to Jesus’ tomb early in the morning while it is still dark. She finds the tomb rolled away and the tomb empty and she is shocked and confused, thinking that someone has stolen Jesus’s body. She continues to search for him and encounters a man that she thinks is the gardener and asks him if he knows where they have put Jesus’ body. The person says simply “Mary” and suddenly and totally unexpectedly she realises that she is in the presence of the risen Christ.
We will have our own encounters with the risen Christ in unexpected moments during the Easter season and as we journey through Term 2. This may be during sacred moments such as prayer and our ANZAC Liturgy next week; it may be during quiet reflection time while taking a walk; it could also be when spending time with our friends, family, and colleagues; or a chance encounter with strangers we meet during our day. These encounters touch and transform our hearts and are different for every person. The real challenge is to be open to these encounters as we strive to be a community that lives the values of Hope, Justice, Love and Compassion.
Year 12 Charity Ball
On Saturday evening, our Year 12 students and their guests will be attending their Charity Ball. This is an important milestone in the life of our Year 12 students as they take another step in their journey towards post-school transition. In the spirit of the Sisters of Charity, our Charity Ball is more than just a “formal”. It is an opportunity to create awareness about how blessed our lives are and to reflect with gratitude about all the amazing opportunities that we as an MSM community have. It is also an opportunity to assist families in need. The “Charity” that is the focus of our evening is “Downs and West Community Support”, a ministry of the Sisters of Charity Community Care Ltd dedicated to supporting farming families and their communities in Southern Queensland who are severely affected by climatic conditions or family matters beyond their control. I thank the students for their generous support of this important work of Sister Christine Henry.
Visit from Jonty Bush MP
This morning Emily and Breeze (our wonderful College Captains) along with Ms Mason and myself hosted Ms Jonty Bush (MP and Member for Cooper) for morning tea. Ms Bush was very generous with her time, given her very busy schedule, and demonstrated a genuine interest in the projects that our Student Leadership Team are working on. An inspirational woman who is passionate about advocacy for victims of crime, Ms Bush provided us with some powerful stories to reflect upon. Thank you to Ms Bush for presenting us some new flags for our flagpoles.
Staffing Update
Ms Treasa Kennedy (Head of English) resigned at the conclusion of Term 1. Congratulations to Ms Annabel Bolton who has been appointed Acting Head of English.
Ms Gina Conde (Risk and Compliance Manager) also completed her time at MSM over the Easter break.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank both staff members for their valued service to MSM.
In Faith and Love
Sharon Volp
Principal
Upcoming Events
Parents of Year 8 & 9 students are invited to attend a social evening in the Sophia Centre on Friday 28 April. This event provides an opportunity to meet other parents from the same cohort in a relaxed setting.
Register now to attend the P&F Fathers’ Golf Day on Friday 26 May. The event is open to all parents, regardless of golfing ability and is a great chance to meet or reconnect with other school parents.
Year 10 parents are invited to join together for Sunset Drinks on Friday 19 May from 5 - 7:30pm. Bookings are now open.
The MSM community is invited to enjoy MusicFest1 on Thursday 4 May in the Sophia Centre. Relish the talents of our MSM singers and musicians as they entertain a live audience with repertoire for the Seasons. No bookings required. All welcome!
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM
"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them."
The Ode
.
2023 College Leadership Team
Easter is one of the most significant Catholic celebrations, with an emphasis on faith and renewal. I hope that all families were able to appreciate the beautiful weather over the holiday break, and that it provided a time for reflection that was hopeful and joyful. I also hope that our students were able to unwind and recharge in anticipation for the second term.
Over the break, as part of my recharging, I read widely on what has become an enormous media phenomenon, Artificial Intelligence (AI). However, AI is not new; it has already been around for a while. At Mt St Michael’s College, we embrace new technology because it is a powerful tool that can improve the quality and efficiency of education. Artificial Intelligence can:
- provide personalised learning experiences for students, tailored to their needs, preferences, and goals
- enable new forms of collaboration and communication among learners and teachers, across different contexts and platforms
- help improve the accessibility and inclusivity of education, by offering adaptive and assistive technologies for learners with diverse backgrounds and abilities
- support the development of 21st century skills, such as creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, and digital literacy
- foster lifelong learning and continuous improvement, by creating opportunities for self-directed and informal learning
- contribute to the advancement of educational research and innovation, by generating new insights and solutions from large-scale data and analytics.
A warm welcome back to Term 2. Our Mission space continues to be a dynamic and joyful part of MSM life.
Easter Liturgy
Term 1 concluded with a powerful retelling of the story of Jesus’ passion during our Easter Liturgy. At MSM we are blessed to be able to use the talents of our creative arts students, whose gifts make our liturgies shine. 155 of our students had a role in our Easter Liturgy, through spoken word, drama, singing, music and dance. That equates to nearly 20% of our student body! I thank each student sincerely for her time and dedication to her craft, and also extend our community’s thanks to our wonderful creative arts team, lighting and sound technician and facilities department.
Micah Projects Easter Drive – Years 7 & 8
Thank you to our wonderful Year 7 & 8 students who have donated a ute-load of much needed items to our friends at Micah Projects. At a time when the cost of living places increasing pressures on all Australians, we are mindful of vulnerable and marginalised people who are finding it even more difficult to access essential items. Our students collected sanitary items and nappies for women and children in crisis, along with several crates of Easter Eggs, in the hope that all children could receive a gift from the Easter Bunny this year. Thank you, Year 7 & 8 for living our College values of love and compassion.
Year 12 Retreat
Our Year 12 students opened Term 2 with a milestone event, attending MSM’s first overnight Residential Retreat at Luther Heights Coolum. Residential Retreats allow participants to engage more deeply with the retreat process. As students continue through their final year of schooling, with all of its stresses and responsibilities, it is important to take time to reflect with gratitude for the journey travelled so far, the people we journey with, and to dream of what is to come.
The feedback from our students has been incredibly positive, and I thank them for their excellent response to the Retreat process. I would also like to thank the many MSM staff who journeyed with us: Ms Mason, Ms Brydon, Ms Emblem, Ms Paterson, Ms Bow, Ms Carstensen, Ms Hardcastle, Ms Conway, Ms Wiseman, Ms Sanelli and Ms O’Neill.
Rosies’ Youth Outreach Program
Our Year 11 students will commence their work with Rosies’ Youth Outreach Program this term. Across 10 nights, our student volunteers will work at the Rosies’ van, providing hot drinks and conversations with people experiencing homelessness. Thank you to all of the students who have generously given of their time to support this important program, and thanks to our program coordinators Mrs Thompson and Ms Valmadre, and our accompanying MSM staff.
We will be hosting online parent-teacher conferences next Monday, 24 April from 9am – 6pm. Parent-teacher conferences provide an opportunity for parents to connect with their student's teachers and gain insight into their child's academic progress, learning behaviours and overall well-being.
It is an essential communication platform for parents and teachers to discuss issues, share information, and develop strategies for supporting a student's success.
It is essential to approach parent-teacher conferences with a positive and open mindset. Teachers have valuable insights into your student's progress as well as their approach to learning. It is important for teachers to discuss both a student's strengths, as well as areas where they may need to improve. It is vital that students remain open to constructive feedback as this will enable them to improve.
It is also important to follow up on any action items discussed during the meeting. If the teacher recommends additional resources or activities to support your student's learning, please make sure to discuss how this recommendation can be applied with your student.
Whilst we have a set time for formal interviews, parents and caregivers are encouraged to contact either Homeroom teachers for pastoral matters or subject teachers for curriculum matters at any time throughout the academic 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 contact.
It is essential to approach parent-teacher conferences with a positive and open mindset. Teachers have valuable insights into your student's progress as well as their approach to learning. It is important for teachers to discuss both a student's strengths, as well as areas where they may need to improve. It is vital that students remain open to constructive feedback as this will enable them to improve.
It is also important to follow up on any action items discussed during the meeting. If the teacher recommends additional resources or activities to support your student's learning, please make sure to discuss how this recommendation can be applied with your student.
Whilst we have a set time for formal interviews, parents and caregivers are encouraged to contact either Homeroom teachers for pastoral matters or subject teachers for curriculum matters at any time throughout the academic 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 contact.
Around the College
INTER-HOUSE CROSS COUNTRY
Despite the rainy start, the Inter-house Cross Country was a great sunny success!
Congratulations to our Age Champions who ran a very hot and humid race, producing some outstanding results.
12 Years
🥇 Isla 🥈 Indi 🥉Evalina
13 Years
🥇 Laura 🥈 Zelmarie 🥉 Harriet
14 Years
🥇 Gabby 🥈 Sianna 🥉 Milla
15 Years
🥇 Lillian 🥈 Phoebe 🥉 Georgia
16 Years
🥇 Georgia 🥈 Lauren 🥉 Georgia
17 Years
🥇 Imogen 🥈 Eloise 🥉Charlotte
🏆2023 Champion of Champions with the fastest course time went to Laura.
🏆 2023 Inter-house Cross Country House Champion went to RUSH 🟥
INTER-HOUSE CROSS COUNTRY AND HOUSE CHEER SPIRIT WINNERS
RUSH
RUSH
COMBINED CHOIR PERFORMANCE
The MSM College Choir is looking forward to performing alongside the Marist Senior Choir next week at both the Marist ANZAC Ceremony and the Ashgrove ANZAC Event at Ashgrove Memorial Park after the march. Mrs Alison Braidwood from Marist, and choral students from the two Colleges have enjoyed working together to prepare the evocative “In Flanders Fields”. Everyone is loving the rich, rounded timbre of the full SATB (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) mixed choir.
YEAR 7 STUDY SKILLS PRESENTATION
On Wednesday, the Study Skills provider Elevate Education provided a seminar for the Year 7 students on the skills on how to study and time management. This seminar provides additional support for the Learning to Learn program that runs in Year 7 and 8. The presenters are current University students. The girls found the seminar very helpful and engaging, with 100% of students stating they would recommend the seminar to their peers, and 99% considering the time was well spent. These are some of the comments our students made:
- It was really fun and I learnt a lot of good strategies for studying . I rate it 10/10!I learnt to do the homework I dislike first.
- Incredible tips for studying! On behalf of 7C, thank you very much.
- I learnt why I should break up my tasks and to set up a study sheet.
- I enjoyed the fact that it wasn’t just a lecture, we got involved. The presenter was really nice and we had fun.
- I learnt how to get ready for, and to do, an exam.
- The most important thing I learned was to space out the amount of time you spend on an assignment.
- That you can still get good grades while having fun.
SWIMAUS AUSTRALIAN AGE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Congratulations to the nine MSM students who competed at the Australian Age Championships. With three podium finishes by MSM students, it was a joy to watch all our girls swim live in the streamed competition.
A highlight was watching Year 11 student Hannah swim alongside MSM Alumni, Meg Harris (Class of 2019) in the Women's 50m Freestyle Final A.
Congratulations to the nine MSM students who competed at the Australian Age Championships. With three podium finishes by MSM students, it was a joy to watch all our girls swim live in the streamed competition.
A highlight was watching Year 11 student Hannah swim alongside MSM Alumni, Meg Harris (Class of 2019) in the Women's 50m Freestyle Final A.
GYMNASTICS STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Congratulations to Year 11 student, Zoe, who competed in the Level 10 Women's Gymnastics, all ages. Placing 2nd all around, Zoe has been selected in the Level 10 Queensland team and is currently working towards competing at the Australian Championships in May.
Congratulations to Year 11 student, Zoe, who competed in the Level 10 Women's Gymnastics, all ages. Placing 2nd all around, Zoe has been selected in the Level 10 Queensland team and is currently working towards competing at the Australian Championships in May.
MSM College Community Groups
P&F Meetings: Please check the Mt St Michael's College Facebook page and App for meeting update notifications.
Alumni Meetings: Please visit the MSM Alumni Association Facebook page for updates.
Alumni Meetings: Please visit the MSM Alumni Association Facebook page for updates.
2023 P&F Events Schedule
Term 2
P&F Year 8 & 9 Parents Social Evening Friday 28 April
P&F Meeting Monday 8 May 6pm
P&F Year 10 Parents Social Evening Friday 19 May
P&F Golf Day Friday 26 May
P&F Meeting Monday 5 June 6pm
Term 3
P&F Meeting Monday 7 August 6pm
P&F Mothers Lunch
P&F Meeting Monday 4 September 6pm
Term 4
P&F AGM & Meeting Monday 6 November 6pm
Term 2
P&F Year 8 & 9 Parents Social Evening Friday 28 April
P&F Meeting Monday 8 May 6pm
P&F Year 10 Parents Social Evening Friday 19 May
P&F Golf Day Friday 26 May
P&F Meeting Monday 5 June 6pm
Term 3
P&F Meeting Monday 7 August 6pm
P&F Mothers Lunch
P&F Meeting Monday 4 September 6pm
Term 4
P&F AGM & Meeting Monday 6 November 6pm
Notices
2023 Term Dates
Term 2
Monday 17 April – Friday 16 June
Term 3
Monday 10 July – Friday 15 September
Term 4
Tuesday 3 October – Friday 24 November (Years 7-11)
Term 2
Monday 17 April – Friday 16 June
Term 3
Monday 10 July – Friday 15 September
Term 4
Tuesday 3 October – Friday 24 November (Years 7-11)
Non State Schools Transport Assistance Scheme
Applications for the Semester 1 Non State Schools Transport Assistance Scheme (NSSTAS) will open on 1 May and close on 31 May.
Find out if you're eligible
The Non State Schools Transport Assistance Scheme provides financial assistance for families transporting students to non-state schools in Queensland. To find out more about eligibility requirements click here: https://www.schooltransport.com.au/
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
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
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
SCHOOL ZONE:
Slow down!
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.
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
67 Elimatta Drive
Ashgrove, QLD 4060
Australia
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Mt St Michael's College - MSM News
Our mailing address is:
Mt St Michael's College
67 Elimatta Drive
Ashgrove, QLD 4060
Australia
Add us to your address book