Year 12 Honour Wall

Last week saw the unveiling of the 2022 Honour Wall in the Library, celebrating the academic success of the 2022 graduating class. This wall highlights the 99+, 95+ and 90+ ATAR students, listing the subjects studied for the 95+ students.

Homework and Draft Expectations

It has been disappointing to see the number of students who are not completing set homework or submitting a full draft for assignments. Homework is designed to revise the intended learning and is an opportunity to feed back to the teacher if a student has not understood the content taught that day. If a student is not completing the homework, they are losing out on this opportunity to seek further assistance if needed. When a student does not submit a full and complete draft, the teacher is unable to give them feedback on all aspects of the assignment. If a student is unsure of the assignment task, they must ask their teacher questions to assist in their understanding. It is often too late after the drafting stage to catch up on the assignment, as they have lost valuable research and planning time. Communication between student and teacher is vital to ensure successful learning outcomes for our students.

Excursions and Incursions

It has been a very busy start to the academic year with a number of excellent excursions and incursions offered to many year levels:

• Year 5 – Lone Pine excursion
• Year 6 – Planetarium excursion
• Year 7 Camp - Mapleton
• Year 7 Social Science – Abbey Museum (Ancient Egypt Unit)
• Year 8 Social Science - Abbey Museum (Mediaeval Unit)
• Year 9 – First Nations Voices Forum Incursion
• Years 5, 8, 11, 12 Drama – Shake n Stir
• Year 11 Diploma of Business and Hospitality – Sofitel Live and Learn Program, Noosa
• Year 12 Health – P.A.R.T.Y excursions, Royal Brisbane Hospital

Next Step Survey - 2022 Graduates

Each year the QLD Government conducts a post-school destination survey identifying the study, work or other point-in-time destinations of school leavers after completing or leaving all government, Catholic or independent schools in Queensland.

Longitudinal studies track the pathways of specific groups of school leavers over several years. All graduates in 2022 are encouraged to complete the survey by clicking here.

Social Justice and Service Opportunities

Emerging from our profound commitment to the St Rita’s motto, Virtute non Verbis – Actions not Words, all students are given the opportunity to participate in a number of service projects.   

Big Brekky – Year 12 (and then Year 11 in Term 4) (Tuesdays before school) 

A barbecue breakfast for the homeless prepared every Tuesday morning in Fortitude Valley by students from St Joseph’s Nudgee College and St Rita’s College. Compulsory training must be undertaken before this outreach.

Ecumenical Coffee Brigade – Cascian House  

A voluntary organisation providing food, drinks, clothing, blankets and reading material to the homeless and people in need on the streets of inner-city Brisbane. The Presentation Sisters have been involved in this ministry for a number of years and the students assist by making sandwiches that are distributed by the street van. 

Rosies School Outreach Program (Year 12, and then Year 11 in Term 4) (Usually Monday or Wednesday evenings) 

The Rosies Student Engagement Program is a program for Year 11 and 12 students at participating high schools, run in conjunction with Rosies volunteer street teams. Students are given the opportunity to participate in street outreach with Rosies volunteer teams as guest volunteers. Compulsory training must be undertaken before this outreach. 

Student2Student Reading Program (Year 9 and 10) (Ongoing) 

A reading mentor program, facilitated by The Smith Family, in which students who need to improve their reading are matched with peer mentors who are specially trained to help develop literacy skills in others. Students provide at least twenty minutes of reading support over the telephone two to three times per week.  

Homework Club (Year 11) (Tuesdays after school until 4:30 pm) 

Providing homework support to our Years 5 and 6 students onsite at St Rita's.

Ongoing opportunities exist for our Years 5, 6, 7 and 8 students throughout the year as need arises e.g., fundraising for Project Compassion and Catholic Mission. These students take ownership of how these funds are raised from year to year.   

All students in all year levels are encouraged to join the College’s social justice group, Rita’s Rights, the Climate Action Club, and the Indigenous Cultures Club to learn further about social injustices and what we can do to raise awareness and eliminate them.  

All Service Rosters, parent information and permission letters are available via MySRC. Refer to the Mission and Service section on the Parent Portal on MySRC. Parent information and permission letters will also be available via Operoo. Students will be advised of the rosters via morning notices, email and Verbis.

Carita’s Project Compassion

A gentle reminder of our whole school initiative for Term 1 – Caritas’s Project Compassion. Please consider making your donation by clicking here.

Congratulations to our Learner Quality Award recipients!

In our Primary classrooms, students are striving to embody their weekly focus Learner Quality in all areas of their learning. The following students have received an award:

• Eona Wijaya
• Heidi Joseph
• Anugi Ranasinghe
• Olive Burke
• Emilia Whatley
• Sophie De Vita
• Emme Corness
• Sophia Conway
• Claire Carter
• Bridget McQuaid
• Zara Mullarkey
• Elsie Bloom
• Ashvi Ram
• Ava Aspland
• Imogen Andrews
• Olivia Stevenson
• Emilia Hession
• Millicent Hunter
• Amelia Lane
• Ivy Strelow

  

We are excited to begin our Mini Vinnies journey in Primary! A dedicated group of big-hearted Primary students have committed to working together to discuss and raise awareness of social justice issues in our community. As an introduction to the St Vincent de Paul Society, Mini Vinnies provides our Primary students with opportunities to put their faith into action and show compassion and initiative in raising awareness and support for disadvantaged members of our community. Together, they will meet once a week and learn about practical ways to assist those in need.

A reminder to all students and parents/carers:

• Please do not use Stafford Street for drop-off or pick-up. The dogleg and congestion makes it unsafe.
• Please do not park in front of any driveways on Oriel Road. 

St Rita's College is excited to announce a Mental Fitness Seminar with Special Guest Lily Alton-Triggs (Rowing Australia), hosted by the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in conjunction with the Black Dog Institute.

• Mental Fitness Seminar with Special Guest Lily Alton-Triggs
• Thursday 23 March, 3:30pm - 4:30pm
• The Trinity Centre, St Rita's College

This event is open to all St Rita's College students and families. 

The Mental Fitness Seminar program sees current and former elite athletes deliver powerful presentations to high-school aged students about how to keep mentally fit, sharing evidence-based research and stories of resilience.

Registrations are essential by Friday 17 March. 

Click here to register your attendance.

The 2023 Interhouse Cross Country Carnival will be held on Friday 24 March at Nudgee College. This year will see a different format for our Cross Country Carnival, with the introduction of a Fun Run/Walk and an All Age Relay Event.

Students still have the opportunity to participate in an Age Championships race, designed for runners in each age division. Students are required to nominate for the Age Championship event via the link below by Wednesday 22 March.

All information and relevant details can be found at the link below.

For enquiries, please contact the Sport Department.

Click here for full details.

WalkOut is a compulsory Mission and Community event for all Years 5-12 students of the College. The Walk commences at John Wren Oval, Sixth Avenue, Kedron and proceeds along the Kedron Brook Bikeway to the College. WalkOut raises funds for student nominated charities. Each student is asked to give the minimum of a gold coin donation to the charity of their preference. Students and their families are very welcome to give more than a gold coin and/or support more than one charity.  Our fundraising will be warmly received by these charities.

This year’s theme is Music & Movie Madness – dress up in something associated with the Movies and/or Music!

A modified version of the Walk is set for Primary Years students (details will come from Ms Howard).  

Thanks are extended to Mrs Carla Burns for the coordination of the many parents who assist with WalkOut, and our thanks are equally extended to each of these parents. ‘Showstoppers’, with awards for the most innovative in costume is held on arrival back at the College. 

St Rita's College Mother Daughter Dinner 2023

Saturday 20 May 2023, 6:00pm for 7:00pm

Royal International Convention Centre, Halls A&B, 600 Gregory Terrace, Bowen Hills A fabulous evening of dinner and dancing awaits Mums and Daughters of St Rita's for Years 7-12.

• $90.00 per person (plus booking fee). Includes two course meal. Cash bar.
• Dress Code: Cocktail
• Elite Photographics will be located in the concourse area from 5:30pm

Bookings are required by Friday 12 May. 

Enquiries can be directed to Mrs Anna Martini at aamartini@optusnet.com.au 

There are two booking options available:

1. A Table of 10 of booking single seats. When booking a table, full payment for all 10 guests is required at the time of booking (seats cannot be 'reserved', for later payment). Please note: Tables can only seat a maximum of 10. The venue is unable to accommodate tables for 11 or 12, which has been possible in previous years. 
2. Booking individual tickets. If booking individual tickets and you wish to be seated at a particular table, please ensure you tell us who your 'Table Captain' is at the time of booking. If the person booking the tickets is the Table Captain, please place your name in that question box.

If not booking under a Table Captain name, every attempt will be made to seat you with families from the same Year level.  

You will be asked to provide the name, email and mobile number for each attendee. Please take the time to enter this information accurately as it is required under the venue's COVID Safe event management plan.

This is an official College student event and behaviour rules apply. Alcohol will not be served to students of legal age.

Click here to book tickets now.

Be sure to save the date for Rita's Longest Lunch, the premiere social event on The Flat this year. In the tradition of European long lunches, it will be a wonderful afternoon of music, food and fun. Across our long tables, parents, alumnae and friends of St Rita's can indulge in their chosen cuisine for the afternoon, while enjoying the fabulous champagne, wine and beers our Bar has to offer.

Ticket sales will open soon, and numbers will be capped, so organise your group and start planning your menu for the day.

Please note: Rita's Longest Lunch is an 18+ only event and not open to students. As our Longest Lunch is set out in a long table style, individual tables are not available, but groups are seated together. 

• Rita's Longest Lunch
• Sunday 11 June 2023
• 12:30pm - 4:30pm
• Hogan Place (The Flat), St Rita's College

The Queensland Catholic Education Commission (QCEC) is conducting an important survey with parents and carers about the Catholic education system in Queensland. QCEC would appreciate your feedback via a short online survey to gain a better understanding of the factors that influence families in choosing a Catholic school. QCEC are working with Market & Communications Research and the Online Research Unit to compile feedback. You can complete the survey online by clicking on the link below. All responses are anonymous.

Click here to complete the survey.

Thank you for your contribution.

Big Brekky

Students are to meet the supervising staff member at Student Services at 5:55am. Students are to wear modest comfortable clothing. 

Tuesday 21 March: Mrs Qureshi will accompany Taya Kirk, Josie Kropp, Libby Tiffin and Chloe Barron 

Homework Club

Students will meet their supervising staff member in classrooms S07 and S08 after school. 

Tuesday 21 March: Annabelle Roach, Milan Brook, Bronte Flook, Gabi Canty, Ruby Austin, Ava Duggin, Lucy Swan, Izzy Langestraat, Abby Burke, Emma Powell, Beth Taylor and Phoebe Shave

Rosies School Outreach Program

Students to meet their supervising staff member at 6:00pm. Students are to wear modest comfortable clothing. 

Brisbane North Wednesday 22 March: Mrs Chapman will accompany Lucy Hall, Ava Wright, Ali Nightingale and Zoe Dalton 

Brisbane North Monday 27 March: Mrs Balfe will accompany Ella Zappert, Emma Hibberson, Poppy Fellowes and Hannah Cauchi

Last week the Year 7 Social Science Students participated in an excursion to the Abbey Museum, Caboolture, related to their study of ancient Egypt. This excursion provided an unforgettable learning experience that brought history to life and allowed our students to engage with hands-on activities.

During the excursion, our students learned about the ancient Egyptian practice of mummification. They were taught the process of preserving a body and the significance of this practice in ancient Egyptian culture. Our students were able to observe and take part in a mock process of mummification. This hands-on experience gave them a deeper understanding of the ancient Egyptian civilisation and the way in which they honoured their dead.

Additionally, our students had the opportunity to participate in archaeological digs. They were taught how to excavate and record findings, and then worked together to uncover ancient artefacts. They discovered various objects such as pottery, ‘human remains’ and other ancient Egyptian artefacts, which they carefully examined and analysed. Through this activity, our students learned the importance of preserving historical artefacts and the role of archaeology in uncovering our past.

The excursion was not only educational but also an enjoyable experience for our students. They were able to engage with their peers and work collaboratively on tasks, which fostered teamwork and communication skills. Moreover, this excursion allowed our students to develop a sense of curiosity and appreciation for what they are learning in the classroom.

Thank you for the staff that accompanied the students on this rewarding experience.

Mr John Mundell

Head of Faculty, Social Science

On Tuesday 7 March, Prelude voices, our String Quartets and two of our Senior vocal students travelled to the Mercy Aged Care Community to perform for residents. We performed two concerts and it was clear that at each one, the residents really enjoyed the performances. With a few tears shed and joyful singing to Que Sera, Sera, it was wonderful for the students to share their love of music with a different demographic. It was such a special day for all involved.

Mia Hunt – Choral Captain

Congratulations to all choristers who performed at the recent St Agatha’s Choral Concert on Monday night. Each of the performances were wonderful and suited the acoustics of the church beautifully. This concert showcased the depth of our choral program with over 150 students performing in one of five choirs, the audience enjoyed the energy of Prelude Voices all the way through to the sophistication of Chamber Chorale. A sincere thank you to Father Nev Yun and the St Agatha’s Parish for allowing us to perform in the church and to Mrs Lou Wall and Mr Brendan Murtagh for the exceptional preparation and accompaniment of the choirs and soloists.

For further details about upcoming events, please click here.

Our Cross Country captains addressed the school on Tuesday, and with our Interhouse Carnival coming up next Friday we are looking forward to the new format. 

Training has been going well, with regular numbers and a couple of sessions held away from the college at Nudgee College and Melrose Park. Our sessions are now split into two groups in the mornings, but all groups will remain at 6:15am starts.

We are looking to have the best run at winning CaSSSA Cross Country in May and need as many runners pushing towards a great team result. Come down on a Monday, Wednesday or Friday morning to start building some fitness and start the day right.

We will also have information on the Cross Country Camp out on the App/MySRC by the end of the week. Camp is a great team-building experience and a chance to springboard your training.  The camp will be held overnight on Saturday 22 April at the stunning Tallebudgera Creek, Gold Coast.

Please click here for information on the Interhouse Cross Country held next Friday 24 March.

Strength & Conditioning students have been working hard in the gym, completing and advancing in their strength programs. Students complete two 5-week blocks of programming each Term and last week, in Week 7 of Term, we commenced our new programs.

In this new block, students are already exhibiting impressive improvements in their strength, coordination, and balance from their previous block of training. Well done, as a coach, it is always so rewarding to see all of your hard work paying off. Some photos of the students’ efforts are below.

In Week 9 we will be completing the first SEP Performance Testing Session (second of the SEP Year) where we test students’ speed, lower body power (force plate testing, standing long jump and vertical jump) and strength aspects such as max push-ups, pull-ups, inverted rows and plank. We are excited to see where the students are at!

Our CaSSSA Tennis program is entering its final weeks, with just two weekends to go. Some of our teams are well-placed to make the finals. Our Open team won 6 from 6 going into this weekend, while our Junior A is set to secure a place in the finals also in second place along with our Junior C players.

Our development program is also in its last week for Term 1.  It has been fantastic having 60 students over the Term increasing their skills.

The BWPI Grand Finals are this Saturday 18 March! We would love as many St Rita's College players as possible to come and support our teams.

The draw will be posted on the College App, calendar and St Rita's Sport Instagram - check it out and come along to support.