Coming Up Week 8
Our focus on College Assembly next week will be Student Leadership as well as upstanding against bullying and violence. The more students hear and understand that violence, whether it be verbal, emotional, psychological or physical is never the answer, the better. Amongst students, there will be difference, misunderstanding, competition and poor choices from time to time. While it is important to have a low tolerance for these poor choices, it is also important to model and facilitate constructive problem solving and restorative methods of holding behaviour to account to support and empower boys to participate in resolving issues. Please find a copy of our Anti Bullying Policy by CLICKING HERE.
We look forward to the opportunity of our Years 5, 7 and 9 students engaging in the scheduled NAPLAN tests over the coming weeks. It presents an important opportunity for caregivers and staff to see how students are progressing in literacy and numeracy over time. They will also provide the College with information about how our education approaches are working as well as areas to be prioritised for improvement. The results also assist staff by providing additional information to support their professional judgement about students’ levels of literacy and numeracy attainment and progress. Caregivers can use NAPLAN reports, along with other school assessment reports, to discuss their son’s strengths and areas for improvement with their teacher.
Today we gathered to celebrate and recognise our new Junior School House Representatives. The theme for the morning continued the alignment with Year 12s theme of 'Pave the Way'. Mr Stewart spoke about how Jesus was a disrupter, with a leadership style that turned things upside down! Jesus taught and modelled a style that was neither about command and control, nor status and power. It was centred on servant leadership and whilst we all might not wear a badge, everyone is called to serve and be leaders in the #ATCommunity. Aligning with the recent trip to Canberra from our Year 6 students and International Woman’s Day that was held this week, the assembly also took a closer look at Edith Cowan and her contribution in Paving the Way for women in parliament.
CAREGIVERS WE NEED YOUR HELP!
A number of students have been almost hit by cars driven by caregivers whilst on site recently. Please remember to remain vigilant whilst driving on site and keep to the prescribed speed limit. In addition, please only pick up and drop off your son in the designated areas. The area behind the St Francis Xavier Centre nor in staff carparks are not permitted areas to do so given ongoing safety concerns.
UPCOMING DATES
Monday 13 March | Year 11 Music Ableton incursion
Tuesday 14 March | College Assembly (National Day of Action Against Bullying & Violence; Student Leadership Assembly)
Tuesday 14 March | Year 11 P.A.R.T.Y Program
Tuesday 14 March | Year 6-11 SRC Leadership Afternoon
Wednesday 15 March to Monday 20 March | NAPLAN Window
Friday 17 March | Junior School House Challenge
PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE THIS WEEK
Mr Gardiner’s blog recapped the importance of Outdoor Education and also shared important news on an upcoming Parenting Seminar and how we marked International Women’s Day this week. CLICK HERE TO READ HIS ARTICLE.
FORMATION
Free Webinar – Vaping National Drug Awareness
All Catholic School Parents/Carers are welcome to join an upcoming FREE WEBINAR by CLICKING HERE on Thursday 23 March – 7:00pm – 8:15pm on Vaping. Tony Parsons, keynote speaker, works to deliver a down-to-earth approach on the harm associated with vaping.
Year 12 Formal
The Year 12 Formal will be held on Friday 21 April at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Corner of Merivale and Glenelg Street from 6:30pm - 10:00pm. Tickets close today Friday 10 March and are available through Parent Lounge. Please see the ATC App to refer to details of the event and important ticketing links.
Student Background Data Collection
Please refer to the letter on the ATC App requesting parents/caregivers update their background details for the upcoming Student Background Data Collection.
Year 11 P.A.R.T.Y Program
Year 11 Students will participate in a compulsory on-site event - P.A.R.T.Y Program, on Tuesday 14 March. What is P.A.R.T.Y.?... it is an acronym for Prevent Alcohol and Risk-related Trauma in Youth. What is the purpose of the Program? The purpose of the program is to give students a real-life experience of possible consequences of risk related behaviour, and hopefully reduce the number of young people involved in trauma. Alcohol is a large contributing factor to trauma in this vulnerable age group and the program aims to reduce the incidence of alcohol related injuries in teenagers and youth. The program was originally developed in Ontario, Canada in 1986. It now runs in over 100 sites worldwide. The program is an initiative of Qld Health and we are excited that our Year 11 Students will be participating in the program throughout the morning.
CAMP RECAPS
Mountain biking
Just past Cunningham’s Gap, the Mountain Biking crew decamped to destress in a beautiful Aussie farm setting. Early morning animal feeding, midday trail rides, afternoon outback challenges, evening card games, and late-night campfires; a day structured by the rhythms of nature and the land gave students some time away from packed schedules and omnipresent technology. Deprived of the busy materialism of the city, students came to appreciate the simple life. To paraphrase the philosopher Epictetus: “Have you anything better or greater to see than the sun, the moon, the stars, the mountains, the creek?” (The answer is, of course, “Yes! Bacon and eggs in the morning!”)
Science Camp
Year 10 super scientists had a fantastic week exploring the various scientific organisations and investigations happening around South-East Queensland. After exploring all that the science community of Brisbane had to offer at the Botanic Gardens, Planetarium, Seaworld, Queensland Museum, Sparklab, and the Cube, our super scientists finished the week with an adrenaline rush learning about the physics of falling at iFly.
Moreton Island Camp
It was perfect weather for our Year 10’s as they had the privilege of experiencing all that Moreton Island had to offer. From snorkelling the wrecks and discovering life under the sea, to exploring from above in clear bottom kayaks, these campers found the bay buzzing with sea life - all kinds of fish, stingrays, dolphins, turtles, sharks and even manta rays. Other days were spent on land, driving in 4x4s experiencing some of the natural wonders of this unique place. We learnt of the history of Moreton and witnessed the beautiful sunsets and the wildlife. An island of sand hills offered the opportunity for extreme fun and top of the list was sandboarding down the incredible dunes. To top it all off we had a laugh watching as cars got bogged getting off the ferry. It was a week of life changing experiences, mateship and gaining an understanding of the fragility of our land and the bay.
Surfing Skool
Year 10 Surf Camp gave students the unique opportunity to fashion their own Alaias’ (Paulawina timber Surfboards). Some chose to move away from the traditional Alaia shapes and be more creative. To make laminated boards, participants were taught the safe use of different machines, power tools and hand tools in the Construction room before they began the work. Students were able to make a Hand Plane out of left over timber, to assist in body surfing. At the end of the week, we all went on a safari to Coolangatta's Greenmount beach to try out the surfboards. There is a finesse to riding the finless boards, and while no students managed to hang 5, the day at the beach was a great way to relax after intense days in the workshop. Improvements to Surf Skool Camp are being implemented next year and we look forward to seeing next year's board designs.
FAITH & MISSION
Service
All students are invited to take part in The Lenten Project as a way to practically live out the ritual of Lent. In order to complete the project and receive 2 Service Hours, students are asked to complete daily practices that reflect the traditional elements of Lent; Fasting, Almsgiving and Prayer. By committing to this project students fast from convenience, give to our environment and engage with meaningful prayer and reflection that promotes personal growth and an awareness of others. Students are welcome to commence immediately and the project will conclude Thursday 6 April. We love sharing what our students get up to in the area of Service! Please send through any photos or stories of your sons participating in this very practical Lenten Project to signumfidei@atc.qld.edu.au
Signum Fidei story
Mixing Business with Service, Year 7 student Ayden has been busy combining his entrepreneurial skills with Service. Neighbours have flocked to his old-fashioned lemonade stand that he set up in his street and with the high temperatures it’s no wonder he sold out in under an hour! His customers were very happy to support his cause, raising money for the people affected by the earthquakes in Turkiye and Syria. Ayden’s donation to UNICEF will directly assist people impacted by the devastating events. Well done Ayden!
LEARNING
NAPLAN
NAPLAN tests will take place at Ambrose Treacy College between Wednesday 15 March – Friday 24 March 2023 during the morning or middle sessions. The College takes the view that all students should participate in the testing and do their absolute best. We ask parents and students to engage with the NAPLAN schedule in the letter on the ATC App, ensuring students bring their headphones, fully charged device and a pencil to the test.
Maths
Maths Monday Madness hits the Junior School today and we get to see what Year 5s have been doing to expand their maths knowledge. Mr Gordon told us that boys are busily developing strategies to add, takeaway, multiply and divide and are also enjoying completing some of the challenging tasks set in their ICEM Maths textbook!
Maths Monday Madness has guests today! Our friends from Brigidine College Indooroopilly joined us on campus for a Maths competition to stretch their minds and master their mathematical processes. Teams of students completed questions in various competition categories to find out which teams would come out on top. These challenges stimulate student engagement in mathematics by providing them with a high level of challenge in a competitive and collaborative environment where they can build connections with students from another school. What better way is there to spend an afternoon than tackling life's mathematical mysteries?
SPORT
Congratulations to all of the swimmers and supporters that represented the school so well in and out of the pool on Tuesday at the AIC Championships – some great spirit was shown. The boys finished up coming 7th which was 3 points away from 6th. Well done in particular to Andre Venter (Year 8) and Max Milanov (Year 9) who won their respective races.
Term 2 sport registrations are open until the end of this week (Friday 10 March). Please make sure your son has been registered by this date to avoid disappointment – this can be done via Parent Lounge. Pre-season and season information can be seen on the relevant sport pages on the ATC app.
CLUBS
Our Clubs program is back in full swing this week after Camp Week. Please remember to communicate your absence if you are unable to attend your session.
A reminder to subscribe to your relevant club on the app under the Cocurricular, Clubs and Activities tag for any updates that may be posted.
Information for Term 2 Clubs will be posted on the app under the relevant tags from early next week for the following clubs –
- Year 4 and 7 Cooking Club ( please note if you participated in Term 1, please do not register for another term to allow other students the opportunity)
- Chess Club – Emerging Players
- Canoe Polo – Year 6
- Art Club – Year 4 and 5
- Gardening Club – Junior School
- Hip Hop Dance
- eSports
- Golf – Term 2
- Homework Club – Junior School
Registrations will open Monday 20 March at 6:00pm, closing Friday 24 March 3:00pm. Please note that capped numbers are in place for some clubs due to staffing and facilities. We apologise for any disappointment this may cause.
CO-CURRICULAR MUSIC and DRAMA & COMMUNICATION
Last week, Dashiell Solomon in Year 11 performed at the Communication, Speech and Performance Teachers audition monologue workshop where he experienced being directed by Mr Jason Klarwein, from the Grin and Tonic Theatre group. It was an incredible opportunity for Dash to experience being directed by such a well respected and experienced professional. Mrs Shapcott invites applications from Year 5 and 7 boys to join the Drama and Communication Program at ATC. If you would like more information, please email Mrs Shapcott shapcottm@atc.qld.edu.au
Autumn Music Concert | Thursday 30 March
It’s time again for the annual Autumn Co-curricular Music Concert. Come and join us at the Riverside stage from 5.15pm for a sausage and drink and enjoy a night of music from our new and continuing musicians and choirs.
More information will be available to families via the College App next week. If you can assist with serving at the bar or BBQ please email Carla music@atc.qld.edu.au
In the lead up to the concert, please ensure attendance at rehearsals is prioritised by students.
Junior Band Day
The iconic ATC Junior Band Day is back in a big way and we celebrated the commencement of our 2023 Junior Band Program on Friday with a full day of music making. Students learned to assemble and care for their instruments, make their first sounds, play their first notes and read music for the first time. They came together in small groups and eventually the full Junior Band for a performance at 2.30pm. The concert was full of fun as soloists performed outstanding melodies, and the band performed Hot Cross Buns a second time for the big encore finish. We wish our newest ATC Muso’s all the very best for their exciting Journey ahead.
P & F NEWS
Meeting Dates
All are invited to join the P&F President, Mr Ben Prain, and the Principal at our meetings on Tuesday evenings once each month. We meet in Mt Sion Library at 6.30pm. Our upcoming meetings are on Tuesday 18 April, 9 May, 11 July, 8 August, 5 September, 10 October and 21 November. For any queries, please email the P&F Secretary Catherine, pandf@atc.qld.edu.au .
Save the Date
The 8th annual Rugby Family Night Out will be a special night at Suncorp stadium for our community as we cheer on the Qld Reds play and get to see the ATC Taiko drummers perform in front of a large and appreciative crowd. We look forward to you joining us on Friday 19 May when the Reds take on the Auckland Blues. Ticketing and further information will be released at Easter. Keep an eye on the App. Thank you to Mr Andrew Taylor for once again coordinating this event on behalf of the ATC P&F.
Year 12 Casual Parent Event
Please join other Year 12 parents at a casual get together on Thursday 16 March at St Lucia’s Hundred Acre Bar from 6pm to 9pm. It’s a Pay as You Go set up, so join us for one drink or stay on for dinner. More information is on the ATC App.
Year 12 Formal Parent Event
The Year 12 Parent Coordinators cordially invite Year 12 parents and caregivers to attend the Year 12 Parent's Function on Friday 21 April from 7:00 PM - 10 PM during the Senior’s Formal. Make your way to The Charming Squire, just a short walking distance from the Brisbane Convention Centre. Tickets can be purchased via Trybooking and are $43 per person for a 3-hour canapes package (please advise of dietary requirements) Beverages are available to be purchased at the bar at own cost. The Charming Squire - located in the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre - 3/133 Grey Street, South Brisbane QLD 4101 Any queries please contact your Parent Representatives Andi Yeo, Megan Williamson, Nicole Mudgway and Annalinda Robinson.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Local State Member, Michael Berkman is holding a community bike ride to show local support for a completed Indooroopilly bikeway. Join them at 8:20am, Saturday 1 April for a relaxed ride from outside ATC to Robertson Park in Taringa. At the park, hear from a few speakers and have a coffee on Michael. People of all ages and confidence levels riding bicycles, scooters, and other micromobility options are welcome. You can ride on the road if you are comfortable, or the footpath if the road doesn't suit you. You can find out more and RSVP HERE.
See you in Week 8
Mr Conor Finn
Acting Deputy Principal
