27th June 2014

Principal: Br Bill Tynan

Assistant Principal - Curriculum: Mrs Janine Conolly

Assistant Principal - Mission (Acting): Mr Paul MacCallum

Head of Residential: Ms Veronica Loudon

Business Manager: Mr David Osborne

Office Manager: Mrs Sue Wegert Br Bill Tynan

A quick read of this newsletter indicates the wonders of what has happened this term.

I have visited many classrooms over the past 2 weeks-the progress some students have made during the first two terms is

remarkable. This is particularly true for the year 8 group where some have advanced over 2 years in their maths and

literacy skills. Matthew “raced” me in basic tables last week, and he completed nearly 800 simple sums in 20 minutes

eg 5 X 4, or 26 + 27. Of course, I beat him, but only just!

Please make sure you spend more than 5 minutes as a family reading over the Term reports- what was very good, what’s

OK, what needs to improve. It is an important document, and discussion can set the platform for a good second Semester.

2015

Enrolments for year 7 and 8 are over half full, room for about 25 more in these two new classes.

The decision has been made to expand slowly, to have 210 to 220 students next year, not 250.

Some will miss out because of this, so you need to contact us soon if you wish to be included.

Mid-year

A favourite poem of mine is by TS Eliot. “Little Gidding” , and it ends:

“All things shall be well and

All manner of things shall be well

When the tongues of flames are in-folded

Into the crowned knot of fire

And the fire and the rose are one”

We are half way through the year, some good, some bad.

Probably some of us have been burnt a bit, disciplined, failed an exam.

But try again, from the ashes new life can come, each student, each family we can only try to improve. The newspapers do

keep going over some of our bad experiences, together we can move forward.

Br Bill Tynan

Assistant Principal - Curriculum

Congratulations to all students who have achieved well this semester. I was very impressed to see the level of maturity and conscientious effort put in by students during exam block and assessment time. Student reports have been finalised, and are included in this package. All teachers are keen to discuss your student’s results at the upcoming Parent/Student/Teacher conferencing - this is an excellent opportunity to discuss student’s progress and gain more information.

Parent/Teacher/Student conferencing is to be held on Wednesday 30th July. Interviews are to be held from 4pm until 6pm including refreshments. I will be available during this time to discuss QTAC information for interested year 12 students and Parents/Carers. I will disseminate the QTAC information to all students early in Term 3, so that discussions and investigations into a variety of options can begin. If you have any queries, please feel free to contact me through the MSB office.

Year 10 students – we will be continuing to discuss SET

Plans and Subject selection early in term 3, so that

planning for 2015 can get under way. Please make sure

you discuss your future aspirations with your Parents and

Carers over the coming break. Interview information will

be disseminated early next term. Many thanks, Janine Conolly

Above: Garden to kitchen Program

It is fantastic to see our students learning real life skills, alongside their academic studies.

Left– Visual Art students hard at work

Assistant Principal - Mission (Acting)

As we approach the half-way point of the school year, it is important that our students continue to maintain the high standards which the vast majority of them have displayed to date. A few students have been seen wearing wrong uniform items. All students, parents and carers are asked to ensure that the correct uniform is worn at all times: this includes wearing of jewel-lery, use of hair ties and wearing of prescribed footwear. Where necessary, parents will be advised of uniform concerns. The college views the wearing of its uniform as an indication of belonging to the college community. It conveys a strong message to those around them that the uniform wearer values the culture, ideals and purpose of the college. When the uniform is worn incorrectly it can indicate a lack of wanting to belong or in some cases complete disregard for the values and principles embraced by the college. Uniform expectations are clearly set out in the Student Diary and I ask all parents and carers to once again familiarise themselves with them and ensure that as students return in Term 3 they are fulfilling their expectations. We understand that from time to time circumstances arise which make the wearing of the correct uniform problematic. A written note or phone call explaining the situation can help to ensure that a student is assisted with correcting the uniform. Sacramental Program Mount St Bernard College is looking to provide an opportunity for students to receive the Sacraments of First Reconciliation, First Eucharist or Confirmation in the Catholic Church. Interested students are asked to complete an Expression of Interest Form available from Student Reception early in Term 3, or please contact Mr MacCallum – 40961 444 or email pmac-callum@msb.qld.edu.au Young Strong and Healthy Program – Year 8, Term 3 MSB is partnering with Wuchopperen Health Service in Term 3 to deliver the Young Strong and Healthy program. The program will be delivered to all Year 8 students and will compliment programs already delivered in other subject areas such as Health and Physical Education. One of the goals of the program is to both educate and assist young people in making informed and smart choices regarding tobacco use and healthy lifestyle choices. If you would like any further information about this program, please do not hesitate to contact me or Mrs Rossiter – 40961444. God bless and enjoy the break ahead. Paul MacCallum - AP Mission (Acting)

Pablo Picasso ‘All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an

artist once he grows up.” - Pablo Picasso

The students in Year 8 have been looking at Pablo Picasso’s ‘Weeping Women’ painted in 1937. They conducted an analysis of the shapes, lines and colours used by Picasso and decided that he had used these colours to capture emotion and expression. The students were encouraged to create their own Cubist masterpiece. The following images are from our own Mini-Picasso’s at MSB.

Barry Maitie - Year 8 Jolene Passi - Year 8

Year 10 Visual Art

I created ‘Elemental’ to convey the message of the four elements; fire, earth, air and water. These elements are important for connectedness with spirit. I expressed my ideas in my painting through acrylic paints, canvas, and a medium sized brush to create a particular type of brush strokes like Impressionism. My composition consists of four main figures. The main figure is fire represented as a fire spirit. The second is the earth spirit connecting to the air spirit and finally the third figure is the water spirit which is floating on top and symbolises the purification of the land. I was inspired by Arone Meeks’ ‘breaking the cycle’; his work

is inspired by the Aboriginal people. And I liked it

because the colours are vibrant and stand out well.

Alexis Thompson - Year 10

From left: Jeffrey Maddick, Cody Brooks and James Heritage

Senior IDMT The computer lab, tentatively called the Otaku Lounge by the students, is well on its way to being complete. The lab will be open for other students in Term 3 via bookings for game use. This lab also gives important real life experience of IT support and maintenance (especially when servers or the network stop working).

10 IDMT The year 10s this term have been busy with film editing. A few volunteers bravely stepped forward to learn stage combat and choreograph their own short fight. The editing and sound effects were put together by the Year 10s with pleasing results. The photo to the right is part of Episode 2 of 3 being filmed this semester. From left: Jeffrey Maddick and Cody Brooks.

Graphics Creativity is rampant in the graphics classes this term as students are creating products and buildings for the school. The Year 11 class have designed and printed their phone stand prototypes. The different designs were an interesting collection with two standouts by Moganesh Karupiah and Jeffery Maddick. The Year 10 class are designing a clubhouse for students on MSB grounds. The ideas that have been proposed include 100” TVs, surround sound systems, bars serving soft drinks, gaming machines and pool tables. Now if we had a spare 100 grand….

Mr Brendan Akers

Work Experience—Herberton Hospital During Week 7 of Term 2, I attended work experience at the Herberton Hospital as part of the Work Education program. I tried out a variety of jobs during my attendance there ranging from Aged Care Nursing to Allied Health to Catering. I enjoyed working with Stephanie and Lucy in the Allied Health

Department where I helped out with the Occupational Therapy

side of things. I was offered to taste the thickened liquids that

the older people have to drink instead of normal liquids because

of their swallowing problems. The drinks didn’t taste the best

and now I understand why the patients say they don’t want to drink it. I also under-

stand that if they don’t have thickened liquids they may not be able to swallow properly

and the drink could cause choking or end up in their lungs instead of their stomach.

I also enjoyed working in the kitchen helping Janet and Yvette prepare the meals and watch them puree the food for certain patients. I helped them wash up at the end of lunch and it was great fun getting to use the big industrial washer. What challenged me most was not being able to communicate effectively with some patients due to their speech impairment or other medical conditions such as Dementia. Lucy taught me that the best method is to be patient, show kindness and take the time to listen to each person. What surprised me most was that health care isn’t only about looking after people when they come into the hospital but it also includes a huge range of jobs from Laundry to Kitchen or even just helping the elderly when they need assistance. It also surprised me that in a hospital with 37 patients it was easy to quickly learn and remember all the patients and staff names. Each person had a different personality that helped me to remember them by.

I learnt that while being a nurse is challenging in some aspects

it’s not always hard. It can be heaps of fun and if you work with

the right attitude it can be a humble experience. I have always

wanted to be in a career where I help people, such as a Registered

Nurse or Occupational Therapist, and now that I have tried it

out I can definitely say it’s what I want to do when I finish

school. Some teenagers go on work experience and come out of it

changing their minds in what career paths they wish to take but

I am confident now more than ever that this is what I wish to be

when I graduate.

Ashliegh Hebblewhite - Year 10

Biology Field Study Report

Assessment in Year 11 Biology this term was an environmental field study conducted on the rocky foreshore at Taylor Point just north of Cairns. The aim of the project was to locate, identify and record marine animals and assess the extent to which humans have impacted on the aquatic ecosystem. The first part of the excursion was devoted to mapping the study area and creating a profile of the landscape. Next was counting of organisms present on and under rocks along a transect line down to the water. This allowed the students to analyse how the influence of tides affects the distribution of intertidal organisms. The latter part of the day was devoted to identifying as many organisms as possible. In 1955 an ecological survey was conducted in the area and by identifying the species still present today allowed the students to evaluate the impact humans have had over the intervening years. The students were amazed at the diversity of marine life they found which included a range of shellfish, arthropods, sea cucumbers, sea anemones and even some corals. Some highlights were the discovery of beautiful feather stars (a relative of starfish), large sea urchins and deadly cone shells. A group of very excited but tired students returned to the college at the end of the day having gained a greater appreciation of the incredible diversity of the marine life in the area in which we live. Will Trueman - Biology Teacher

Year 11 Biology students from left to right Tianna Araipu, Neve Krug and

Samantha Brooks.

The study area at Taylor Point

The students collected and identified many organisms under the rocks.

A large sea cucumber

Science Department Report The end of Semester One means lots of hard work for students and teachers as they finalise assessment. End of term tests for Years 8 to 10 make a serious contribution to report cards. Block exams for Year 11 and 12 students are even more serious as they contribute to Exit Levels of Achievement and O.P’s! Apart from study, lots of Science has been happening at MSB, from Agriculture students testing breaking strain of different concrete mixes, to Chemistry students measuring the concentration of copper ions by spectrophotometry or the amount of vitamin C in oranges by titration. As always, many thanks to our Laboratory Assistant Mr Bannister, without whom this level of practical science would not be possible. This month MSB students sat the ICAS science competition and the Australian National Chemistry Competition. Although these competitions present a challenge , they allow students to compare themselves to national benchmarks and provide valuable practice for the QCS test. We eagerly await the results! Keith Smith - Science Coordinator The photographs this month relate to the following reports from Mr Ben Smith. JCU VISIT: SCIENCE ENGINEERING SEMINAR The employment market is only going to be more volatile and students need to be aware of this challenge and to strive to develop the essential skills needed to meet it. On Monday, 26th May, a dozen students were introduced to this opportunity with James Cook PhD student Mason whose field of study is Tropical Rainforest Ecology. Mason told students of the opportunities available provided they were willing to engage in the following: Hard work; Positive behaviour and networking; Having the best attempt at everything Being challenged. MSB would like to thank Mason and JCU for giving this opportunity to the MSB community. A Sweet Experiment Sherbet is a unique product that many enjoy consuming. The tastebuds are struck by the effects of the citric acid, the sodium bicarbonate and the sugar, where moisture has helped in the reaction process. Year 9.2 students made sherbet as part of their study of acids and bases. The experiment also helped their understanding of ratios and the importance of precision in measurement!

Mason tells of helicopter adventures in PNG Completing tropical rainforest ecology.

Sherbet mix reacts with water

Students with Mr Will Trueman

Mr Ben Smith Smith & Yilonda Harris

In conjunction with the Rural Fire Service Queensland

Mount St Bernard College offers students great experience

Far Nth Qld Rural Fire Service Volunteers from the Tablelands Lakes District, along with students from Mount St Bernard College, Herberton, and employees from Tablelands Regional Council and Dept of Energy and Resource Management completed an exercise in Irvinebank on Saturday 14th June 2014 as part of a state wide operation called ”Operation Cool Burn”. 13 vehicles and 54 personnel were deployed to test their operations at a large scale bush fire incident. Training included, Incident Management Control, 4WD skills, Relay pumping, First Aid, Burn over, navigation and finally a live fire exercise. In conjunction with the Rural Fire Service Queensland, Mount St Bernard College has been offering a Certificate II in Public Safety-Fire Operations for three years. The Innisfail Area office of the Rural Fire Service provides trainers to the college for this vital course. College principal Br Bill Tynan said “Mount St Bernard College is very pleased with the schools continued involvement in these exercises and very proud to be part of operations to save houses in late 2012. Each experience like these help students to learn from the Rural Fire Service and grasp the practical meaning of service.” Student Seiji Gabey from Yorke Island in the Torres Strait said “As there is no fire department on Yorke Island I can help at home with the knowledge I gain from this event and training at school. I’ll be able to apply this knowledge back home in the Torres Strait.” Jim Maitie from Moa Island in the Torres Strait said “I feel very

confident and really enjoy doing this course and the training exercise

was great.” - By Deborah Booth

Year 9 Expedition Collins Weir to Herberton along the Walsh River

Upcoming Events - 2014

Fri 27th June Boarders Travel home

School Holidays commence

MSB Office closes @ 2pm

Tues 8th July Atherton Show Local Holiday

Tues 15th July MSB Office Re-Opens @ 8am

Fri 18th July Cairns Show Local Holiday

Mon 21st July Boarders travel to school

Tues 22nd July All classes commence Term 3

Tues 29th July English Skills ICAS Test

Wed 30th July Parent Teacher Student Interviews-MSB Convent Courtyard 4-6pm

Thurs 31st - Fri 1st Aug District Track & Field (Athletics) Malanda SHS

Thurs 7th Aug Australian Mathematics Competition

Tues 12th Aug Maths Skills ICAS Test

Sun 17th - Mon 18th Aug Peninsula Track & Field (Athletics) Barlow Park Cairns

Wed 20th Aug St Bernard’s Day Mass

Fri 22nd Aug Naidoc Day Celebrations

TAX FILE NUMBER

APPLICATION OR ENQUIRY FOR

SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

These forms are available from Student

Reception at the College, for students who

wish to apply for a Tax File Number.