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FROM THE PRINCIPALMrs Dale Morrow

20 FEBRUARY 2020, TERM 1, EDITION 2

2018 YEAR OF COURAGE - LEADING WITH COURAGE2020 YEAR OF HOPE - A LIGHT TO OUR PATH

Dear Parents/Guardians

It’s already Week 4 of the Term and St Rita’s College life has certainly begun with much verve and enthusiasm from both staff and students. I hope your daughters have enjoyed their ‘re-entry’ into school life and the year has started well for them. I am particularly pleased with the way our new Year 7 students have taken up the challenge of finding their place in this large school community. We sometimes

forget how coming to a brand-new school as a Year 7 student can be a daunting experience. There were a couple of incidences, involving Year 7 students, during these first few weeks which I found quite edifying and I would like to share them with you.

I happened to be at the front driveway one morning in the first week of school and witnessed a Year 7 student arrive with her mum. The girl was a little anxious and was not wanting to separate from her mother. A few well-meaning adults (including myself) spoke to her to try and reassure her that all would be well. Just when we were feeling as though we were not getting too far with this little one, one of our Senior girls came down and welcomed her with such warmth you could see the young girl’s fears melt away in an instant. She happily left her mother’s side and entered the driveway with a smile on her face. Then there was a touching moment at our first whole school event of the year, the Interhouse Swimming Carnival. It was during the 50m freestyle events. Such a distance can be a long way if you are not a swimmer and for some of our Year 7 students it can be an especially daunting task. One of the Year 7 students had trouble finishing the race. It was obvious she was struggling but she was not giving up. One of the Senior girls dived into the pool and swam by her side to encourage her to finish the race – and she did to the sound of great applause. I think such acts of care and kindness from our Senior students, especially towards our youngest students, are a hallmark of what it means to be a St Rita’s student.

We obtained further insight from our Senior students on what it means to be a student at St Rita’s when we heard from our College Captain, Caitlin Wasmund Loughnan who addressed the gathering at our annual ‘Welcome BBQ’. With Caitlin’s permission, and by way of concluding this article, I would like to share with you her advice to students starting off at St Rita’s.

God bless

Mrs Dale MorrowPrincipal, St Rita’s College

From 2020 College Captain, Caitlin Wasmund Loughnan:

Good afternoon everyone, my name is Caitlin and I’m the College Captain for 2020. Parents, I have already had the opportunity to become well acquainted with some of your daughters (especially if they are in Kildare) and girls who I haven’t had the opportunity to meet, I hope we can hang out soon. I’m just going to summarise what I have most benefitted from in my time at St Rita’s into the three ‘Ss’, though I could probably list a thousand things.

The first S is Students. Some of you may have made some new friends already, or stayed with or become friends with girls from the same primary school, or have been in sporting teams together. But what you will inevitably learn is your peers - all of your peers - who you get to see every day for the next six years, are going to become more than just your friends. The best cohorts, like the 2020 Seniors, are a family. We support each other, we laugh with each other, and sometimes we don’t always get along! But I can personally say that my fellow Seniors are the motivation for my every late-night planning session or early morning meeting.

The second S is for Staff which at Rita’s, is synonymous with support. Not only do our amazing teaching staff go above and beyond for their students, ready to answer all of our millions of questions, meet with us during their lunchtimes and prepare revision material for us, but the leadership team, administration staff and everyone else working behind the scenes provide us with the academic and pastoral support to survive the ups and downs of high school. Parents should know, and I speak from experience, that St Rita’s girls are always given the support needed to flourish in positive learning environments. We have two Guidance Counsellors, eight Heads of House, our lovely Chaplain, Ms Lenton and our Deputy Principal of Students, Ms Allen. That’s 12 doors which are always open for help when times get tough.

The final S is a piece of advice from me to the Year 7 girls who a little way down the track will be the Senior class of 2025. The final S is for signing up for stuff, which honestly has been the best part of my journey as a student at this school. Since being in Year 7 I have been to Murgon, Arnhem Land, Hobart and Switzerland; I have played in four different school sports; I did guitar lessons; I was in the choir (briefly); I got to help feed the homeless; I got to debate; I went to United Nations Youth events; Gabby and I started our own club to help fight climate change (which you are all invited to join); I have never once missed a sports carnival and I have never regretted it despite my inability to run, swim or do hurdles!

The best advice I can give you is to give every single thing a try, be grateful for the opportunities you have, look after each other and take full advantage of your time at this amazing school. So, like me, when you get to your final year, you never have to say you didn’t give it your all.

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DEPUTY PRINCIPAL - STUDENTSMs Catherine Allen

Thank you to all those who braved the torrential rain and attended the Housewarming last Wednesday evening. It was a wonderful turn out. The evening is designed to allow new members of our community to meet their daughter’s Head of House and House Group teacher as well as meet other parents/guardians and the wonderful Senior students we have here at the College. We loved meeting you too. I hope that your time at St Rita’s is one that you find enriching and enjoyable.

On Tuesday 17 March we have two students participating in the World’s Greatest Shave. This is a courageous and very generous effort by the girls. Please consider donating by following the links below:

Donate to Carmen CatalanoDonate to Jorja FensomDonate to both of the girls - Rita’s Raise your Razors Team

We will also have nine students colouring their hair. All money raised goes towards finding a cure to conquer blood cancers.

The Sports Subcommittee is a proactive and generous committee that works to support sporting ventures at the College, as well as the purchase of sports equipment. We organise team breakfasts some training mornings and event days, coordinate the Years 7-9 Dance, the BBQs for WalkOut and Carnival, host the Father Daughter Breakfast and the St Rita’s College Race Day. This year we will farewell long serving and fabulous committee members whose daughters will graduate. Consequently, we are looking to welcome new members.

If you would like to offer support to this committee please contact the President, Mr Chris Overs, sportsscpres@stritas.qld.edu.au. If you have experience as a Secretary of a club, and interested in offering this experience, please let Chris know.

Academic AssemblyCongratulations to all students who received an Academic Improvement, Diligence or Academic Award at last week’s Assembly. You should be very proud of your effort and results.

Year 7 Learning ConferenceThe Year 7 students have participated in their Learning Conference. They learnt how to complete their Study Planner, the importance of a good study space, procrastination and having a growth mindset. We are looking forward to seeing them put these strategies into practice in their learning journey.

Group TutoringA number of faculties provide free group tutoring at various times throughout the week. The tutoring timetable is located on MySRC/Parents/Curriculum/Tutoring Services.

Private TutoringThe College can provide the names of past students who work as private tutors for our students. We allow this tutoring to take place before and after school in the College Library. For further information regarding tutoring, please call Mrs Kate Timcke at Student Services on 3862 1615 or email ktimcke@stritas.qld.edu.au

DEPUTY PRINCIPAL - STUDIESMrs Maree Trims

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ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL - MISSIONMrs Erica Qureshi

This week our staff, students from Years 10, 11 and 12 and students from Cascian House have offered themselves in service of others by signing up for the Big Brekky Van, Zillmere Homework Help and Ecumenical Coffee Brigade rosters. On Wednesday, our Year 9 girls learnt about the student2student Reading Program and were invited to take part in the program. There are further plans to more formally include our Years 7 and 8 students in Service activities.

At St Rita’s we emphasise the Presentation pillars of compassion, courage and justice - each of which relate to serving others and are a mark of all Catholic communities. We prioritise offering oneself in service of others, as, most simply, service provides us with an opportunity to experience God’s love and grace. Serving others also recognises our interconnectedness and emphasises the Gospel mandate, do to others as you would have them do to you (Matt 7: 12). This is part of the ‘give and take’ of life. There will be times when we are on the receiving end of service and times when we are called to offer service to others. Service may be small and spontaneous, like the opening of a door for someone who’s laden with books, or a more significant planned commitment, like involving oneself in the College’s service activities, contributing to a House fundraiser or going on an immersion. Interestingly, research has found that service to others can add significantly to our own happiness, wellbeing and academic success.

Our hope is that our students are called to serve and love others with humility. This Term’s service rosters are as below:

SERVICE ROSTERS Zillmere Homework Help Roster

Wednesday 26 February: Dr Mayne will accompany Isabelle Walker, Macey O’Brien, Jordyn Keble and Sienna Artuso.

Wednesday 4 March: Ms George will accompany Mackenna Hall, Rois Byrne, Amy Lambert and Alexandra Gibson.

Wednesday 11 March: Ms E Casey will accompany Madeline Ramsay, Jordyn Keble, Sienna Artuso and Elka Barnett.

Wednesday 18 March: Ms George will accompany Hannah Espares, Gabriella Cortes, Mikayla Dillon and Ella Taylor.

Wednesday 25 March: Ms Diamond will accompany Lucy Egan, Madeline Ramsay, Isabelle Walker and Macey O’Brien.

Big Brekky Roster (Semester 1 - Year 12)

Tuesday 3 March: Mrs Murtagh will accompany Erin O’Reilly, Olivia Barnes, Ella Fletcher and Calypso Schlect.

Tuesday 10 March: Dr Mayne will accompany Gabrielle Smith, Brigid Mason, Sarah Weis and Isabella Cuddihy.

Tuesday 17 March: Mrs S Miller will accompany Kate Riley, Ryann Scott and Taylor Wright.

Tuesday 24 March: Sister Elvera will accompany Josephine Barrett, Grace Bottomley, Alessia Catalano and Georgia Gaddes.

Tuesday 31 March: Ms Allen will accompany Emily Schneider, Darcy Reid, Madison Blizzard and Annabel Stone.

Tuesday 7 April (Holidays): Mrs McGrath will accompany Lara Madden, Alicia Miles, Jordan Bennett and Gabrielle Wade.

Tuesday 14 April (Holidays): Mr Babao will accompany Lana Marr, Majella Ross, Ailie McLeod and Sarah Connaghan.

Ecumenical Coffee Brigade Roster

Monday 16 March: Mrs Morris will accompany Caitlin Aquilina, Gabrielle Searle, Erin Aquilina, Isabella Coney, Lucia Coney, Jessica Joyce, Grace Little and Gabriela Green.

Monday 18 May: Mr S Barry will accompany Sammy J Richards, Emily Frost, Tara Frost, Kaitlyn Spiteri, Allie McLeod, Bianca Besly and Briana Freestone.

Below are some important updates in learning and teaching at St Rita’s College:

Learning AnalyticsStudents’ academic results and progress data can be accessed through the Learning Analytics tile in students’ MySRC accounts. I encourage parents and guardians to discuss these results and progress data with their daughters.

Academic and Wellbeing goal settingYear 12 students have commenced entering academic and wellbeing goals into the Mentoring portal in Learning Analytics. Each student’s Mentor will review these goals and provide feedback for discussion during Year 12 Mentoring meetings. Parents and guardians are encouraged to view and discuss these goals with their daughters.

NAPLAN Online Practice Test - 25 MarchYear 7 and Year 9 students will complete a practice NAPLAN Online Writing Test and an Omnibus Test (comprised of numeracy questions, reading questions and language conventions questions). The practice tests will occur during House Group, Period 1 and Period 2 of Wednesday 25 March. The purpose of these tests is to provide further feedback to the College in preparation for students sitting the official NAPLAN Online tests in May. Students require wired earbuds/ headphones to complete NAPLAN Online testing; wireless/Bluetooth earbuds/headphones (such as airpods) are not permitted and will not work for NAPLAN Online testing. Students do not require expensive wired earbuds or headphones to complete NAPLAN Online.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you would like further information about the College’s NAPLAN Online preparation program.

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL - LEARNING AND TEACHINGDr Natasha Mayne

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOWPermanent Closure of College Absence Line Telephone Number - from Close of Business Monday 2 March 2020

The College Absence Line telephone number will stop receiving calls from Close of Business Monday 2 March, 2020. With the introduction of the Online Absentee Form, the telephone line will no longer form part of the College’s daily absence processing procedure.

From Tuesday 3 March, Parents/Guardians are to notify the College before 8:30am via the Online Absentee Form of their daughter’s absence from school due to illness or other circumstance, or the need for late arrival or early departure for reasons such as medical appointments.

The Online Absence form is readily accessible from the College App, the homepage of the College Website and on MySRC. If due to the absence your daughter will be missing a Cocurricular Music lesson or ensemble rehearsal or Speech and Communication lesson, this can be indicated on the form and the relevant staff member will be notified.

If there are any issues with the Online Absentee Form or any concerns regarding your daughter’s absence you can contact the College on the College number 3862 1615.

Emails or text messages to staff, including House Group teachers are not accepted for absentee notification. Should you merely be held up in traffic or experiencing a similar delay, a quick call to College Reception or Student Services will be sufficient.

Students may only be collected from Student Services Reception. Students are not permitted to be collected by parents or guardians at any other location when departing the College for appointments or due to illness.

School Photos - Monday 2 March

House Group, Individual, sibling photos and Student Leadership photos will be taken on Monday 2 March. Please ensure students are in correct uniform, with hair neatly tied back if long.

Route to Hornibrook and 300 Bus Services

Students who catch the Hornibrook Bus in the afternoon or travel to/from school on the 300 Bus from Alexandra Road are to use the Council provided pedestrian facilities across Enderley and Alexandra Roads.

The use of the route is effective immediately.

The College is working with the bus company and the Brisbane City Council to see if the Hornibrook pick up can be moved back to Oriel Road as soon as possible.

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2019 PARENT SURVEY RESULTSMrs Dale MorrowAt the recent Parents & Friends Meeting I presented the results of the College’s 2019 Parent Survey undertaken at the end of last year. All categories across Teaching and Learning, Pastoral, Parent Engagement and General Administration received overwhelmingly positive ratings. The response rate of over 75% from 850 families is one of the best we have had in recent years, and with such a high response rate the feedback we have received provides solid and constructive comment for College Leadership to work with.

• Over 70 percent of respondents indicated they are satisfied with the Teaching and Learning provisions of the College. Topics covered subjects and cocurricular opportunities offered, the range of excursions and immersions, the technology offered and its use and homework. The Survey provided confirmation of some key focus areas for the College in moving forward, including Learning Support, Extension programs and Career Guidance.

• 80 percent of respondents find the Pastoral program fulfilling for their daughter. An overwhelming majority advised that that their daughter feels happy and safe at the College and that a welcoming and supportive culture is provided for both students and parents.

• Parents showed similar levels of satisfaction with communications provided to parents, with the effectiveness of Verbis and with the range of social engagement opportunities for parents offered. Evidence is apparent that MySRC isn’t being embraced as effectively as it should be. Healthy comment was also received in support of parental social engagement within the Year levels.

• Well over 80 percent of parents confirmed their satisfaction with the College Administration processes – to include fees and payment processes and in the current direction of the College. Whilst transport options received an excellent level of satisfaction, this factor was discussed widely within the comments.

These are pleasing results and many parents have provided invaluable comment highlighting the varying views and perceptions about what the College’s priorities should be. These comments will assist the College in assessing and understanding parental concerns and including these perceptions and concerns in our tailoring of programs and services that are comprehensive, accountable, student-centred and results based. The College is looking into greater private bus services – how long away this is I cannot yet foreshadow. A new College App which will better target specific needs and interests is not long away. The positive parent-school relationship is important to the College and parent social action is a constructive element for this development. There has been a strong voice for more parent-led Year level parental social interaction which the College fully encourages. I would also like to see much more attendance by parents at Parents & Friends meetings as these meetings provide the opportunity for parents to hear first-hand of College initiatives and act as the parent voice for the College.

I thank every parent who participated in the Survey. Striving towards the best possible student outcomes are the ultimate measure of our success as a school, and your support of these processes allows us to be aware of the perceptions within the education environment we are nurturing.

Click here to view the summary results of the Survey.

Casual Employment I am often asked the question, ‘When may a student start working and how many hours can they work?’. Please click here to access information from the Queensland Government, as it is important for parents to know the restrictions along with their daughters. We have started to touch on this in our Year 10 Careers lessons this week.

Age restrictions on children workingThe Child Employment Act 2006 prohibits the employment of children below the ages specified in the Child Employment Regulation 2016. Generally, the minimum age for employment is 13. This is lowered to 11 where the child carries out supervised delivery work that involves delivering newspapers, advertising material or similar items between the hours of 6:00am and 6:00pm.

Maximum hours children can workSchool-aged children maximum working hoursThe Act restricts the employment of school-aged children outside of the hours stipulated by the Regulation. The Regulation differentiates between the hours that a school-aged child can work on a day when they are required to attend school and on a day when they are not required to attend school.On a school day a school-aged child can work a maximum of 4 hours. When they are not required to attend school, they can work a maximum of 8 hours.A distinction is also made between the maximum hours a school-aged child can work during a school week and a non-school week. A school week starts on a Sunday when the child is required to attend school on any day of that week. During a school week a school-aged child can work a maximum of 12 hours. During a non-school week a school-aged child can work a maximum of 38 hours.

School-aged and young children maximum working hoursThe following table outlines the maximum allowable hours of work for school-aged and young children:

*A school week is a week commencing on a Sunday, when the child is required to attend school on any day of that week.

What is Casual Employment?Following on from the above information on page 18 of the Options Career Information Bulletin many questions can be answered about casual employment. There is a great article from the myfuture website titled ‘What are your rights as a casual employee?’. I am sure this will answer some questions about work conditions. Refer to the link below for the Bulletin.

Call out for Guest Speakers at our Year 10 Careers Day, Wednesday 19 June We are still looking for guest speakers for our Year 10 Careers Day coming up on Wednesday 19 June. This day features guest speakers working with the girls in small groups for a 30-minute session. Numerous industries are represented, and this is based on the request of the girls. Many of the guest speakers are parents or past students. If you would like to assist us by speaking with the girls so they can discover greater insight into particular jobs/careers please email Mrs Kylie O’Hare at oha@stritas.qld.edu.au

Options Career BulletinThis Bulletin is stacked with the latest information and dates - make sure you get these into your calendar. All Years 10, 11 and 12 students receive an emailed copy of the Bulletin each fortnight and I have asked the Year 10 students to read this as part of their Careers homework each fortnight. It is important to keep up to date with careers events. Click here to read the Bulletin.

PATHWAYS AND CAREERSMrs Melanie Sax-Wood

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PARENTS AND FRIENDS COMMITTEE INVITATIONNotice of Annual General Meeting Tuesday 3 March, 6:00pm, Heritage Room, Stanley Hall

The President of the College P&F, Mr John Fraser, and the P&F Committee invite all parents/guardians of the College to attend Annual General Meeting of the College P&F to be held on Tuesday 3 March, commencing at 6:00pm in the Heritage Room, Stanley Hall.

The Election of Office Bearers for the P&F will take place at this meeting. The P&F provides an essential support resource for parents of the College in sharing information relevant to the education being provided by the College and support to College projects and initiatives. Being involved in the P&F is an enjoyable and rewarding way to take an active interest and involve yourself in the College and support your daughter’s education.

Nominations are called for the P&F Executive Committee 2020 positions of:• President: Convenes meetings and ensures attendees are given chances to

speak.• Vice President: Supports President by chairing meetings in their absence.

• Secretary: Prepares Agenda and Records minutes.• Treasurer: Keeps records of all receipts and expenditure and presents a

financial report at meetings• Committee Members x 6: Support the roles of the above as required.

Parents/Guardians may nominate electronically: click here or nominate from the floor at the meeting. Electronic nominations close at 4:00pm on Tuesday 3 March.The Notice with agenda for the Annual General Meeting and Office Bearer Nomination forms can be accessed at MySRC by clicking here. There are many skills and interests among our parent community and taking a position on the P&F Executive doesn’t necessarily mean overburdening already full lives.

Please take the time to come along to the P&F meetings and/or consider taking on a committee role if you would like to. There is much pleasure to be gained from taking an active involvement in supporting your daughter’s education, whether this be by offering advice, organisational prowess or manpower.

Refreshments will be served. All parents/guardians are warmly welcome.

Last week, all Year 7 students attended a Learning Conference which led them through how to set up their study space at home, stay organised, create a study planner, prevent procrastination and understand the importance of developing a growth mindset. At our Housewarming evening later that day, I shared some tips for parents who want to support their daughters to develop strong study skills. I am including these here for any parent who is interested:

If your daughter is struggling with homework:• Ask questions that may help her to approach the problem differently• Explain concepts• Check that your daughter is willing to ask for help at school and that she knows

which staff member is best-placed to help and where to find that person

Encourage:• Independence• The development of problem-solving skills• Positive self-talk• ‘Chunking’ tasks into manageable parts and study time into 20 minute blocks• Trying a new approach• Just ‘having a go’ (to get over the barrier created by a tendency towards

perfectionism)• Positive self-talk

Try to avoid:• Phones/iPads/television in her study area• Sitting next to your daughter the whole time she is studying so that you can

help with it all• Doing the work for your daughter or engaging a tutor who does it for her

STUDY SKILLSMs Amanda Wallas (Head of Program - Student Study Centre)

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WHAT’S ON?

BUSHFIRERELIEFDAYWhen: Monday 24 February Why: Support families in needWhat: Thong throwing competition and dress in Australian theme with gold coin donations

Hogan Donut DayHogan Donut Day is back for 2020!

Below is the link to purchase your delicious Krispy Kreme donuts by the dozen! All profits will benefit the Presentation Sisters in Papua New Guinea, our Hogan House Ministry.

Orders close on Thursday 27 February, so get in quick! All orders will be handed out on Friday 13 March at lunchtime.

External orders are welcome, but please place them under your daughter’s name for ease of collection.

Click here to place and pay for your order via TryBooking.

Thank you for your support of our Hogan House fundraiser.

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GET INVOLVED WITH CARNIVAL - WE NEED YOU!Carnival Meeting - Monday 24 February, 6:00pm, Heritage Room Stanley HallPlease join us for the first Carnival meeting of the year. There are many spots to fill, ideas to be gathered and planning to commence in readiness for the P&F’s largest annual event. Carnival will be held on Sunday 26 July. All are welcome at the meetings. If you put your name down on the CareMonkey circular for Carnival volunteering, you will receive a personal invitation to attend this meeting in the coming days.Click here to Register Your Volunteering Interest.

Are you of Greek Heritage? Along with the Italian stall, the Greek Stall is a ‘go to’ stall each year for many ardent Carnival-goers. The Greek Stall loves to welcome families of Greek heritage each year to either help with either the planning of the stall, or to do a shift or two on the day of Carnival. If you would like to be involved, please email Anna Roberts at the College: aroberts@stritas.qld.edu.au

Sparky and Site Engineer Skills NeededTrevor Fox, our Carnival Site Manager, needs one or two tradies to undertake the tag and test requirements. He also needs a side kick to assist him with the Site Planning on the Flat on the Friday before Carnival, set up on the Saturday and ironing out any niggles on the Saturday and Sunday. Please help us in these very important areas. Email: aroberts@stritas.qld.edu.au

Raffle Prizes and Lucky 100 PrizesEach year we spend hours mulling over ideas for the Raffle prizes and prizes for the equally popular Lucky 100 stall. If you can assist with a prize, please let us know. The Raffle generally offers 4 ‘big ticket’ items in the value of $500 - $5,000 … or higher! Lucky 100 needs prizes to suit all ages and interests and values. We can even offer exposure for your business. Email: aroberts@stritas.qld.edu.au

Plant StallStart prepping seedlings and cuttings of any kind for the Plant Stall. If you are able to provide some, please let the Stall Convenor know. Contact Kristina: skminehan@outlook.com

There are so many ways to be involvedIn the coming weeks we will release our Carnival Sign Up Site. This will be done once all initial expressions of interest have been collated and we better know what gaps need to be filled; where we need volunteers, etc. Please keep a look out for the Carnival Sign Up email and it will also be posted on MySRC and in Verbis.Email enquiries to Anna Roberts: aroberts@stritas.qld.edu.au

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Music CampIt is hard to believe that it was close to three weeks ago that we were at Tamborine Mountain for our annual Music Camp. This was the first year that we only took away our senior ensembles: Symphony Orchestra, Concert Band, String Ensemble, St Rita’s Chorale, Chamber Chorale, Big Band and Guitar Ensemble. This intensive weekend gave us a strong kick start to the year and reignited our passion to make some great music this year.So much has happened since then and we have been slowly but surely settling into our new facilities. As with anything new, things take time to settle down and for routines to form but it has been exciting to experience our first rehearsals in the spaces. All of the ensembles will benefit from such fantastic acoustical rehearsal rooms. We have already noticed how much better we are able to hear each other, and this can only allow us to continue to make improvements in our playing. We are also looking forward to our first performances in the auditorium which will be challenging for our students until they adjust to the acoustics but will again inspire our ensembles.Hopefully by this point many of our new music students have settled in and are starting to feel comfortable in our Music community. It is wonderful to see all of the bright new faces in and around the Music Centre and involving themselves in rehearsals and lessons. We also welcomed our brand new BIGs (Beginner Instrumental Groups) students who had their very first lesson over the past few weeks. We all cannot wait to hear you at your Debut Performance later this Term.

Term 1 Performances and EventsAll Music Events for the full year are listed on the MySRC Music page with further information for each event being sent closer to the time. Please be sure to check the performance schedule on MySRC to put each of the dates into your family calendar.The first event for our younger ensembles will be the Junior Ensembles Workshop Day on Sunday 8 March. This day will be for Wind Ensemble, Prelude Strings and Nano’s Voices and will conclude with a short performance and BBQ provided by the Music Support Group. Further details will be sent out soon.There are a number of events following after this workshop day which include our BIGs Debut Concert, Autumn Concerts and St Agatha’s Choral Concert. We look forward to welcoming you to any and all of our performances throughout the year. While there is a sense of satisfaction as we make improvements each week in rehearsals, our ultimate goal is performing to an audience. The more the merrier!A reminder that as a member of the Cocurricular Music program, students are eligible for a Music Commitment badge if they attend all performances throughout the year for each ensemble of which they are a member. One addition for this year is that students are also required to be present at the final compulsory rehearsal before a performance. Absence from this rehearsal or a performance will deem a student ineligible for a badge for the current year. If there are exceptional

circumstances that a student is unable to attend a performance, we would ask that you notify your ensemble director as soon as possible and also ask for understanding that the student will not be eligible for a badge this year.

Term 2 Choir PerformancesThere has been one change to the Events schedule in Term 2 that will affect all choirs. We have been fortunate to arrange a combined performance with the Voices of Birralee who will join us to perform in our auditorium on Friday 15 May. This concert will replace the performances originally scheduled for the Queensland Youth Music Awards (QYMA) on Friday 22 May. Please make a note of this change.

MySRC and Music Department CommunicationTo make sure that you receive all of the most up to date music information via the College App, please log in to MySRC and select “Join a Group or Activity” from the left-hand menu and choose “Music” and, if you wish, “Music Support”. You can then receive push notifications directly to your device and not miss all that is happening in the Music Department. All performance and event information will also be posted to MySRC and through the College App.

Music Support GroupWe will always welcome new faces to the Music Support Group. If you would like to find out more about how you could get involved, please join us for our AGM on Wednesday 4 March at 6:00pm in the Music Centre, Level 4 of Trinity. It is looking like an exciting year for the Music Support Group with many people willing to help. You can also sign up to the Music Support Group page on MySRC by choosing “Join Group or Activity” from the menu on the left. This is one way to stay abreast of the Music Support Group if you are unable to attend our monthly meetings.

Upcoming Events - Term 1

MUSICMr Craig Kennedy

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SPORT

School Photos - Monday 2 MarchHouse Group, Individual, sibling photos and Student Leadership photos will be taken.

Swimming• METROPOLITAN NORTH SWIMMING: 10-12 Years – Wednesday 26 February and 13-19 Years – Thursday 27 February. Please note clash with Year 7 Camp.• Lead up meets are listed on the Squad Letter• CaSSSA Cup Thursday 12 March• All information regarding the above is posted on MySRC.• CaSSSA Cup Swimming: Thursday 12 March at Chandler pool – all Years 8 and 9 students will attend to support the team. Students will attend school as per normal

times and will be dismissed at the end of the school day. More information next edition.

Mr Michael BromleyHead Coach, Swimming

Interhouse Swimming CarnivalCarnival held Friday 7 February at Centenary Pool. Individual Results and Swim Squad Invite and Letters have been posted on MySRC.

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SPORT (CONTINUED)Interhouse Swimming Carnival

Apologies to: Nicole Sanders who was announced at Presentations as the winner of the Street Shield – unfortunately an error inputting a previous school record in the computer program caused a miscalculation – it was the closest finish in the past 20 years.

CaSSSA Tennis

Parent/Daughter TennisParent/Daughter Tennis will be held at St Rita’s Courts on Sunday 22 March, 8:30am - 11:30am. See MySRC for information and entry form.

CaSSSA Tri-1 Sport• The weekly draw is posted weekly on MySRC – read MySRC Notices for information and link to Weekly draw – usually sports with Home and Away venues are sorted by

the Friday preceding the round.• A reminder that all team members must ensure they have the correct uniform for Wednesday matches. Details as per the information letter – check MySRC if unsure.

The Boutique hours are posted on MySRC. All team members are warned that failure to have the correct uniform will result in those team members not being permitted to play – they will however attend and assist their team and coach.

• Rd 1 matches are on Wednesday 26 February and arrangements are being made where necessary for teams with Year 7s due to a clash with Year 7 camp. These will be notified via MySRC Notices and the weekly draw and possibly email to school emails.

Water Polo

Many of our students were busy over the Christmas break representing St Rita’s Water Polo at the 2019 Water Polo Queensland State Championships in December 2019, and more recently at the Australian Youth Water Polo Championships last month. Well done to our U12, U14 and U16 teams who competed in the Queensland State Championships in December 2019. It was an enriching experience for all involved and all students represented St Rita’s College with much school pride.Congratulations to our U14 White Team who played in the Bronze medal match, finishing the tournament with a Silver medal, and congratulations to our U16 White Team who played in the Grand Final and finished the tournament with a Silver medal. Congratulations to our U12, U14 and U16 teams who competed in the 2020 Australian Youth Water Polo Championships. A special mention to our U16 team who won Silver at the Championships. Well done to all our students and coaches for their determination and tenacity throughout these tournaments and a big thank you to the team managers who helped organise the teams. We had some outstanding results at both competitions and it has been a fantastic start to the Water Polo season.

All Star Croatia Tour Congratulations to Horatia Schlect who has been selected on an All Star Tour to compete in Croatia from 11-18 August. The All Star Tour is an invitation-only event designed for athletes aged 15-17 that are committed to playing high level Water Polo. Athletes will be fully immersed in an international high level training and competing environment with world class coaches. Congratulations Horatia.

Queensland National League TeamCongratulations to Amelia Watt who debuted in her first National League game on Friday 7 February with the Queensland Thunder Team. Fantastic effort Amelia.

Queensland U16 Squad AnnouncementWater Polo Queensland have announced the State Squad in preparation for the upcoming 2020 WPA U16 National Championships in Adelaide from 21-24 May. Congratulations to Olivia Camilleri, Lily Carrick, Ruby Fox, Abigale Houston, Cate Klinge, Horatia Schlect and Amelia Watt who have been selected in the squad. State Squads will begin their preparation for the Nationals in the coming weeks with the State Teams announced on the Water Polo Queensland website in March. Best of luck to our SRC girls.

Australian U16 Squad Announcement Players from across the country have been selected in the squad, with representatives from Queensland, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia filling the spots on offer. Congratulations to Olivia Camilleri, Lily Carrick, Abigale Houston, Horatia Schlect and Amelia Watt who have been selected in the squad. The extended squad will come together for a training camp during the April school holidays before the squad members compete for their respective states at the 2020 WPA National Championships in Adelaide from 21-24 May. Shortly after the National Championships, a touring party squad will be named ahead of the 2020 FINA 16&U Water Polo World Championships in Larissa/Volos (Greece) and the 2020 Pan Pacific Youth Water Polo Festival in Auckland, both tournaments to be held in July this year. The Australian team selected to attend the FINA 16&U Water Polo World Championships will have the privilege in participating in the event’s inaugural year, set to be one of FINA’s largest Water Polo tournaments with both male and female teams competing at the one location. Good luck to our SRC girls.

Brisbane Water Polo Junior CompetitionBest of luck to our 13 teams who recommenced the 2019/2020 BWPI Competition. It was a very successful start to the season with 11 from 12 teams securing wins in the first round of 2020. For more information about the 2019/20 Water Polo Competition, please contact Head Coach, Miss Jodie Stuhmcke, at jstuhmcke@stritas.qld.edu.au

Miss Jodie Stuhmcke Head Coach - Water Polo

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2020 YEAR OF HOPE - A LIGHT TO OUR PATH

SPORT (CONTINUED)

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SPORT (CONTINUED)Cross Country:

• Pre-season (non-compulsory, but all welcome) training commenced Monday of last week. • Sessions are listed on MySRC - 2020 Cross Country Term 1 Pre-season Squad Training - and are on Monday from 6:30am- 8:00am, and Tuesday and Thursday mornings

from 6:15am-7:45am at the College. No prior sign-up required - just sign in when arriving and out after training on the appropriate age group sheets. • Uniform is gear appropriate to Cross Country with the shirt/top to be either the rep. team shirt/singlet or the PE shirt or the old training singlets sold in 2018/19 (for

ease of identification purposes) – limited numbers of the old training singlets are available for $5 (cash only) at training. All students to bring a water bottle, towel etc. for showering after training. Breakfast is available at the Pantry for normal pantry charges.

• Directions will be given at each session by staff and coaches.

Mr John Mundell and Mr Shaun BarryTeachers-in-Charge, Cross Country

District and Regional Sport TrialsFor District Trials: City – for 12 Years or North Independent District (NID) for 13-15 or 16-19 Years or Regional Trials: Metropolitan North (12 Years and 13-19 Years).Notification of posting of Trials information is only given through News on MySRC.

Students who believe they may be of a sufficiently high standard must check the details – posted in 2020 District and Regional Trial Information and Form Links on MySRC (students who are suitably qualified to attend a trial must be available to attend the Met North Trial if they were to be selected in a City/NID team), report to the Director of Sport who will decide if they are of a standard to attend the District/Regional Trial. The student as well as stating why they believe they are of sufficient standard to attend, must also be able to state where, when and the time of the relevant trial. The trials for NID are very competitive with schools in our District – BGGS; St Margaret’s, Clayfield College and St Paul’s – 15 and Under means students from Years 9, 8 and some Year 10 are vying for selection.

Students permitted to attend a trial will be emailed an Information pack which contains further information plus necessary forms which need to be printed, completed and returned to the Director of Sport for signing off and further information. This must be completed by the due date listed in District and Regional Trial Information and Form Links on MySRC.Parents are responsible for notification of any absence from school (via normal school procedures), any costs, transport and supervision at all trials.

Absence From School Due To Any Sport, School Events Or Other Parents are responsible for notification of any absence from school (normal school procedures) except for CaSSSA and Metropolitan North Swimming, Cross Country and Track and Field i.e. events where some/all students report to school prior to departing and are also supervised by St Rita’s staff members (either teachers or coaches).

ThanksTennis Captains Lara Martin and Renee Spatuzzo for the scoring workshop held on 6 February for new players and those requiring a re-fresher course. The scoring ppt has been posted on MySRC.

CongratulationsCadence Mallet (R1 – Year 10) who represented Queensland in the U15 Nationals Tournament in Perth, playing for the Queensland Flames team and placing 2nd in a very close final against NSW.Ella Vickers (Ca5 – Year 12) who is representing Metropolitan North and Captaining the team to the Qld Schools Triathlon Championships.

Receiving recognition in VerbisWe are only too pleased to acknowledge any of our students for their sporting achievements in school or club/association sport. In order for students to receive recognition of their sporting performance, individuals must meet the following criteria:School sport – Met North and aboveExternal sport - state level reps, medallist and above

We are also happy to give recognition to levels of service e.g. umpiring, volunteering etc. We do not acknowledge Metropolitan North Representatives (or higher) levels until we have received official confirmation from the Metropolitan North Regional Sport Office or relevant Association. If individuals comply with the above, please email the following details to sport@stritas.qld.edu.au

Mr John PendallDirector of Sport

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BreakfastSourdough with Vegemite and butter $3.50Sourdough with Tahini and Honey $4.00Sourdough with smashed avocado $4.50Raisin toast with butter $3.50 or 2 for $5.50 Spelt and honey banana bread with butter $4.00 NY style bagel toasted with cream cheese and bacon $5.00Raspberry, chia and honey yoghurt Parfait $2.50

Coffee/Tea (Years 10-12 only)8 oz Cappuccino, Latte, Flat White, Nine Spice fresh Chai, London Fog, Hot Chocolate $3.5012oz Cappuccino, Latte, Flat White, Nine Spice fresh Chai, London Fog, Hot Chocolate $4.00Long Black, Short Black, Macchiato, Piccolo $3.00Tea – English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Gunpowder Green, Peppermint Herbal Tisane $2.00Hot Chocolate 8oz $3.50 12oz $4.0014oz Cold chocolate $4.00 (Zymil and Bonsoy 50c extra) (Syrups – Vanilla, Caramel 50c extra)

DrinksWater $2.00Sparkling water $2.50Mt Franklin Lightly sparkling varieties $2.50Flavoured vitamin water $3.50Deep Spring flavoured mineral water $3.00Breaka flavoured milk $2.50Emma and Tom's fruit juice $3.00-$3.50Kombucha $3.00Fruit Fix juice $3.50Sugar free soft drinks cans $2.50 600ml bottles $3.00

Snacks and SweetsOat chocolate cookie $2.00Cranberry and white chocolate cookies $2.00Chocolate bliss balls (g/f) $3.50Oat and raisin balls $3.50Cheese and Crackers $1.50Dip and Crackers $2.50Fruit salad (g/f) $3.00Chips (some g/f) $1.50-$2.50Ice creams (some g/f) $1.00-$3.50Yoghurt with berry compote (g/f) $3.50

Cold FoodAsian chicken wrap $5.50 g/f $7.00Panini – Rainbow salad $5.50American corned beef Turkish sandwich $5.00Baguette - Mediterranean Chicken $6.00Sushi (various fillings) $3.50

Salads Chicken, honey pumpkin and cous cous $6.50 Summer pasta salad Korean beef poke bowl

Hot FoodCrumbed chicken tenders (g/f avail) $4.00Garlic bread $2.50Lasagne $5.00Pasta of the day $5.00Toasted sandwiches Ham & Cheese (g/f avail) $5.00 Cheese $4.50Changing daily hot meal $6.00Light meal $4.00/$5.00

Week starting Monday 24 February 2020Monday Pea and ham risotto (g/f) Vermicelli vegetable noodle cakes (g/f)Tuesday Bread cases with savoury mince Korean fried rice (Bimbab)Wednesday Hoki fish with fried noodles Vegetable slice (g/f) Spring rollsThursday Beef with black bean sauce and rice Fried chicken with corn casserole bake Wontons Pasta of the day (v)Friday Crumbed fish and wedges (some g/f) Vegetarian stir fry noodles Margarita pizza (some g/f)

Week starting Monday 2 March 2020Monday Cheeseburger with special sauce and wedges (some g/f) Pulled pork empanadas Tuesday Honey soy chicken and rice Steamed pork bunsWednesday Indian chicken and rice (Biriyani) Stir fry chicken and noodles Arancini pea and mint (some g/f)Thursday Mongolian beef with rice Vegetable tortilla (g/f) Dim sumFriday Tuna balls with wedges Vegan vegetable bake (g/f) Spring rolls

PANAYIA’S PANTRY

S T R I TA’ S C O L L E G E

Pantry Cafe also open Saturday mornings from 8:00am - midday for Water Polo. Offering a selection of snacks, toasts, wraps, bagels and baguettes, drinks, coffees and teas.

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2018 YEAR OF COURAGE - LEADING WITH COURAGE2020 YEAR OF HOPE - A LIGHT TO OUR PATH

NOVEL CORONAVIRUS UPDATE

COMMUNITY NOTICES

QCEC has received two updates regarding the management of Coronavirus this week:

1. Queensland Health has now removed the specific advice for Childcare, school and TAFE students, teachers, and workers, to not attend school, childcare or TAFE for 14 days after leaving Hong Kong. Queensland Health has advised that Hong Kong is no longer a concern as Hong Kong has strengthened their border controls with Mainland China and has not seen the large numbers of cases now being seen in many provinces in Mainland China. A draft message from the DG of the Department of Education to State School Principals conveying this information is provided below.

2. Due to the fact that the Australian Government announced on Thursday 13 February that existing travel restrictions for people travelling to Australia from mainland China will be extended based on the advice of the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC), the Department of Education, Skills and Employment has updated its fact sheets for schools.

The College has no students undertaking a period of isolation; the community will be informed if there is any change in the College situation.

St Agatha’s School Clayfield EnrolmentsSt Agatha’s School Clayfield has limited vacancies in Years 4 and 6 for 2020. Please direct all enquiries to the Enrolment Secretary: wkwhite@bne.catholic.edu.au or (07) 3326 9222.

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