Coming Up Week 9
It is with a sense of excitement that I write my final blog for 2024. I would sincerely like to thank the ATC community for welcoming me in to the role with open arms. I have enjoyed a rewarding year and look forward to finishing well with the students.
The Advent season is a special time to celebrate the birth of Jesus and to remember the gifts that he brings to our lives. It is also a time for family, rest and recuperation. I wish the ATC community a safe, happy and holy Christmas and New Year and look forward to seeing your sons in 2025.
Final Week Reminders
Monday 25, Tuesday 26 and Wednesday 27 November.
Normal classes Year 4 to 10.
Year 7 to 10 have exams during the day as per the timetables posted in Student Café and Parent Lounge.
Year 11 Exam block (only attend scheduled exams, no classes).
Year 6 have a transition retreat on Wednesday 27 November.
Thursday 28 November
Year 9 Transition Day
Year 11 students are required at school to participate in Year 9 Transition Day
Year 4 Breakfast, Liturgy and Reflection Morning, Raft Regatta
Year 6 Mass and Celebration 5:00pm
Friday 29 November
Classes finish at 12:00pm. Please refer to timings and run sheet. Students can be collected at the middle and Junior School pick up point from at 12:00pm. Brisbane Bus lines and Southern Cross Transport have amended their pick up times to 12:15pm.
Final Day Activities and Timings
8:30 Homeroom
8:40am – 9:20am Christmas Liturgy in SFXC
9:15am Year 6 Parents arrive at NJ Hall for briefing on Tunnel
9:15am – Years 4,5,7,8 set up transition tunnel for Year 6. Years 9,10,11 Return to Homeroom
9:30am – Year 6 move through Tunnel
9:40am – Classes prepare for Christmas Carnival
10:15am Break for Morning Tea (setup continues for Christmas Carnival)
10:30am Christmas Carnival
11:30am Clean Up
11:45am House/Year Meetings
12:00pm Dismissal
P&F Staff Christmas Lunch
If you are considering the idea of a gift for a staff member, the P&F invite you to say ‘thank you’ by donating to the annual Staff Christmas Lunch. It is a very special day for all staff and one which is looked forward to with great anticipation every year. Thank you to the P&F secretary Mrs Catherine Jackson for coordinating the lunch again this year. The generosity of families who have already donated to this P&F initiative is greatly appreciated. Donations can be made via your Parent Lounge account up until Friday 29 November. CLICK HERE to donate.
COMING UP WEEK 9
Thursday 28 November | Year 4 Reflection Morning
Thursday 28 November | Year 4 Raft Regatta
Thursday 28 November | Year 6 Mass & Celebration
Thursday 28 November | Year 9 Transition Day
Friday 29 November | Term 4 Christmas Liturgy
Friday 29 November | Last Day of Term 4 - STUDENTS FINISH AT 12PM
Tuckshops closed Friday 29 November
On Friday 29 November, the tuckshops will not be open. The Christmas Carnival is on at morning tea time and students will be able to purchase food from a variety of stalls.
College Reception will close at 3pm on the last day of Term 4, Friday 29 November 2024.
The College will be closed for the Christmas period from Monday 23 December and will reopen on Monday 6 January 2024. At all other times, College Reception will be open from 8am to 4pm.
Senior Reception is closed during the holidays and reopens on Monday 1x January.
PRINCIPAL'S BLOG
With an emotion-charged week behind us, Chris Ryan reflects on the traditions, friendships and celebrations that have lasting impact on our lives. Follow the link for read the Principal's Message: ATConnect | Principal’s Message Week 8
LEARNING
Year 5 Art
Students are having so much fun, collaborating, problem solving and creating their response to reading and viewing author and illustrator “Lance Buchin’s Mechanica” trilogy. Recycled materials from the art treasure chest, things brought in from home and loads of feathers are assembled to create their fantasy mechanical army!
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
Textbook Return
Year 7 to 11 students are reminded to return their textbooks to Westcourt Library by Tuesday 26 November 2024. All textbooks still outstanding by Friday 29 November will appear in your Parent Lounge account and incur a replacement cost.
Laptop Return
At the end of Term 4 students in Years 4-10 are required to return their laptops for the annual audit and maintenance of the machines. Year 4 - 10 - Laptops will be returned to all students in Week 1, 2025.
Damage of IT equipment (intentional or accidental) will incur a repair bill for the family. Please refer to the ATC Acceptable Technology Use Policy on Parent Lounge and Student Café under Links for further details. Parents will be notified if a student’s laptop is identified during the initial audit as requiring a repair at the end of the year.
Years 7, 8 & 10 students are required to return their laptops for the annual laptop audit according to the following schedule:
- Year 7, Wednesday 27, during Period 1 and 2.
- Year 8, Wednesday 27, during Period 5 and 6.
- Year 10, Thursday 28, during Period 1 and 2 (or after their Music exam)
Year 9 students are required to return their laptops and chargers on Wednesday 27 November 2024 during Period 3 and 4 for an annual laptop audit. Students will receive their new laptop and new bag in Week 1, 2025.
Year 11 -This year students in Year 11 are not required to return their laptops for the audit and can keep their laptops over the Christmas holidays. During the holidays if your laptop requires a repair, please contact the ATC Service Desk servicedesk@atc.qld.edu.au, or the College Office to arrange a time to drop in the laptop. Please note the Office is closed from 20th December – 6th January.
2025 Stationery Lists
Please be mindful to order your son’s stationery list before midnight 30 December 2024. For your convenience, the relevant stationery lists are available on the College App with further details on how to order via SchoolStuff. This information is also available on TASS under School Links – Stationery.
2024 Christmas Charity Carnival
The last day of school (Friday November 29) will be the 2024 whole college Christmas Charity Carnival. On this day, the students have an opportunity to participate in and help at a stall/activity with other students in their class to raise money for charity as part of our Christmas Festival.
Each class is organizing an activity for the morning. As part of that organization, we are requesting some small donations to hand out as prizes.
Further details for both of these events have been shared on the College App.
Update Your Details in Parent Lounge
Before school starts, it is a good time to update all your contact details in Parent Lounge. If staff need to contact you during the school day, we use this information to reach you. Medical details including Medicare number and expiry date must be updated before the new school year begins, as this information is collated and checked prior to Camp Week (Week 6 Term One) Please login to Parent Lounge to update your child's medical details and if required, your email address, mobile phone numbers and home address.
CLASS LISTS 2025
It is our aim to ensure fairness and transparency for all members of our community as we allocate the students to their 2025 class groups. Class lists will be released on Monday 20 January 2025. The January release date is a change of practice. It is reflective of the College’s evolution and considers the complexities of planning a timetable in a larger Year 4 to 12 setting.
JUNIOR SCHOOL END OF YEAR EVENTS
YEAR 4 NEWS
Year 4 Milk Bottle Raft Regatta: Following on from our end of year Liturgy (details to be sent separately) is our annual Milk Bottle Raft Regatta, Thursday 28 November, 11.15am to 12.15am. Bottles – to be brought in week beginning Monday November 18. Students bring in their saved milk bottles together with packing tape. Race Day - Thursday 28 November
YEAR 6 NEWS
Year 6 2025 Canberra Tour: A reminder to go into Events in Parent Lounge to Accept/Decline the Year 6 2025 Canberra Tour before the end of the school term. Whilst in Parent Lounge please also confirm and update any medical, dietary and allergy requirements. Further details are available on the App.
Year 6 Retreat: On Wednesday 27 November the students will engage in their retreat (wear normal day uniform). The purpose of the Retreat is to provide a reflective opportunity for the boys in this significant time of transition from junior to middle school. Further details are avaialble on the College App. If you have any questions about the Year 6 Transition Retreat, please do not hesitate to contact Mr Michael Stewart Head of Formation and Administration, Junior School, stewartm@atc.qld.edu.au.
Year 6 Mass: Thursday 28 November we come together at 5pm in NJ Hall to celebrate mass (wear school uniform with tie).
Year 6 Tunnel: On Friday 29 November at approximately 9.30 am, students in Year 6 will participate in a ritual of transition from Junior to Middle School (wear House shirt) in the form of a tunnel. Parents are most welcome to come and view the tunnel. We ask that all parents meet at the back of NJ hall prior to 9.15 am. At this time I will conduct a small briefing with information for parents about the ritual.
General Reminders
- Students will be bringing books and work home from school throughout the last week of the year.
- Laptops and chargers will remain at school from the Tuesday of the last week.
- School finishes at 12pm on the last day of school (Friday 29 November).
FAITH AND MISSION
Share the Dignity
Share the Dignity is an organisation that strives to support women in need. In the past week, hundreds of handbags – filled to the brim with toiletries, sanitary products and makeup – have been donated to the Faith and Mission Office. We were so privileged to welcome Rochelle, Kim and Belinda to the College on Thursday, and humbled to donate these items to such a worthy cause on behalf of our community.
St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal
Thank you to our generous ATC community for your kind donations for this year's St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal, supporting those families in need during the holiday season.
MUSIC
2025 Co-curricular Music Enrolments
Co-curricular Music offers lessons in Piano | Guitar | Vocal and Drama & Communication.
Students interested in learning a new skill are invited to enrol now for 2025. Lessons commence in Week 2 of Term 1 and timetables fill quickly! A link to the Fees Schedule and program details can be found at the online enrolment form or contact music@atc.qld.edu.au for further details.
Current students are reminded to ensure they are re-enrolled or have communicated their intentions with their instrumental tutor. We look forward to welcoming you back in 2025!
CLUBS
Thank you to all our students who have participated in our vast and busy clubs program this year. With close to 1200 students participating across the year in 22 clubs, the popularity of our Clubs program continues to grow. A big thank you to our wonderful staff who give up so much of their time and energy to facilitate the clubs each term. We look forward to another busy year in 2025 with the same energy and enthusiasm. Please keep an eye on the App in early 2025 for what will be on offer in the clubs space.
SPORT
A huge thank you to all students who have participated in our Sport program this year, we have seen a huge increase this year with a combined number of 1433 students participating in sport across the four terms, not to mention a countless number of trainings, matches and tournaments. We also wouldn't be able to run our Sport program without the help of our coaches who give up so much of their time and energy to coach and manage their teams, your efforts do not go unnoticed. We're already looking forward to another great year of sport in 2025 as we look to build on a successful 2024 and we strongly encourage every single student at the school to get involved!
Lastly, please keep an eye on the ATC App as the Term 1, 2025 Sport Timetable & Squad Lists will be announced at the end of term.
Term 2 & 3 Co-curricular Sport Group Photos
The Term 2 & 3 Co-curricular sport team photos are now available online for viewing and purchase. Please use the link to visit the Just Photography website to order. Photos ordered will be posted directly to your home address.
All photos taken at the 1 October shoot will be found under "Cocurricular photos Term 3 & 4".
If you have any queries, please email the team at Just Photography.
P&F NEWS
Wanted secondhand uniform donations for our new 2025 permanent secondhand uniform shop, located in the old canteen on Brothers Oval.
Please deliver your secondhand uniforms to the Main College reception between 8am - 3pm Monday to Friday all year round. Please note donations will be accepted up until Friday 6 December 2024 and from Tuesday 28 January 2025. Please contact Melissa - 0426 881 203 or Sasha - 0411 460 351 if you have any questions in regards to donations or the purchase of secondhand uniforms.
Please note further details will be shared in Term 1 2025 regarding sale days of the secondhand uniform shop.
2025 P&F Meeting Dates:
All are invited to join the P&F President, Mr George Patrikios, and the Principal at the scheduled first meeting on Tuesday 4 February 2025 in Mt Sion Library at 6.30pm. Or join us on the following dates in 2025: Tuesday 11 March; 29 April, 27 May, 22 July, 2 September AGM, 14 October and 25 November P&F Planning Meeting. For any queries, please email the P&F Secretary Catherine Jackson pandf@atc.qld.edu.au
Save the Dates for P&F Events:
- Welcome picnics Saturday 8 February
- P&F Kick off Cocktails Saturday 22 February
- Trivia Night Saturday 2 August
- AGM Tuesday 2 September
- P&F Second Hand Uniform Sale Friday 5 September
- P&F Ladies Spring Lunch Friday 24 October
Years 4 and 7 Welcome Events
The annual P&F Welcome afternoon events are being held on Saturday 8 February on the College Ovals for families and students of Year 4 and Year 7 from 3pm to 5pm. BYO chairs, picnic food and drinks (no alcohol please) and relax and get to know one another. Year 12 student leaders will assist with games with the younger children and be entertained on the blow up Ninja course! Siblings are welcome to come along for the fun too! Contact Nicole Moy if you have any details moynicole@hotmail.com.
Jason Sepetauc
Deputy Principal
