We are already nearing the mid-point of Term 3. I hope the term is travelling well for all. As you will be aware, we celebrated our Twilight Open Evening last Friday. I would like to thank all the students, across all year levels, who generously volunteered to promote the College and share their time and experiences with prospective members of our community. Our students are truly the best representatives of the College, and it was wonderful to hear such glowing, positive comments shared with these visitors.

I have the privilege of working with our wonderful student body every day. It is fabulous to see the many talents and gifts our students are nurturing and sharing. Our future is in good hands. As young people navigate their growth and development they are ‘quietly’ influenced by what and who appears on social media. Algorithms can deliver unwanted content and what is seen and heard cannot be unseen or unheard. As we all know, this is an area of global concern. Some education and proactive action is required to ensure that we are guiding and supporting our youth as best we can. Our youth are our future. Please see below details of an important forum that will focus on the impact of social media on children's mental health and how we, as a community, can come together to protect and support our children online. 

Event: Mastering Mental Health in the Digital Age

Date: Thursday 8 August 2024

Time: 6.00pm for 6.30pm start - 8.00pm

Venue: Southbank TAFE Auditorium

Mastering Mental Health in the Digital Age is a free event that aims to bring together principals, educators, community organisations, policymakers, parents, and guardians to discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with social media use among children. Southbank TAFE has generously provided an auditorium for this gathering where the goals are to:

• Raise Awareness: Discuss the effects of social media on children's mental health, supported by the latest research and data.
• Share Tools and Strategies: Provide practical tools and strategies for educators and parents to help children navigate the online world safely.
• Foster Collaboration: Encourage a collaborative approach to addressing online safety, involving all stakeholders in our community.
• Develop Action Plans: Create actionable plans that schools and families can implement to promote healthy online habits.

We all hope that by coming together, the community can significantly improve our children's wellbeing. Participation and support are crucial to the success of this initiative.

RSVP: Please confirm your attendance by clicking here. 

Further information can be located on the Parent Hub tile on MySRC.

Rosa House Sudsy Challenge

Rosa House’s Sudsy challenge has officially launched. Rosa House will be completing the challenge from Wednesday 11 September to Friday 13 September. By choosing not to change our clothes for three days, and talking about it, we will be helping to change the conversation around homelessness - and the lives of those doing it tough. If you are interested in donating to Orange Sky please click here. 

Congratulations to our Semester 2 House Representatives who were presented with their badges at our Primary Assembly last week. Thank you to Mrs Trims for joining us for the presentation. We look forward to Semester 2 under their leadership!

Year 5 students are required to have a fitting for swimming togs prior to their PE lessons in Term 4. Please see details in MySRC News, or the boutique section below. Please note this is a uniform requirement for swimming lessons.

Congratulations to the students who have received a Learner Quality Award or Pillar Award over the last few weeks.

St Rita’s College is celebrating Arts Week commencing on Monday 5 August. There are a range of workshops and events students can be involved in as part of this week. Some of the events include:

• Ceramics Workshop – students will learn how to use Japanese tissue paper and underglaze techniques to decorate their own Yunomi teacup
• Sound Editing Workshop – students will learn from Tfer Newsome an amazing sound editor and re-recording mixer and lecturer how to create an edited sequence with sound effectively – very practical workshop.
• SFX makeup workshop – This immersive experience is students ticket to mastering the art of creating jaw-dropping cuts and bruises for film or theatre.
• Photography workshop – Presented by Canon, this beginner friendly workshop will show you how to master the exposure triangle and take the images you’ve always wanted with your camera.
• Staff vs Students Theatre Sports Competition
• Arts week Photo competition – students have the opportunity to win some amazing prizes as part of the photo competition – winners will be announced at the Arts showcase afternoon

Some other events include a Year 5 Channel 7 Studio excursion and Year 7 Kaboom percussion performance. 

This week of workshops, competitions and activities will culminate in our Arts Showcase on Thursday 8 August. The Showcase will feature Visual Art exhibitions, Drama and Music performances, as well as an Industry Panel Discussion in the Trinity Auditorium featuring leading Arts professionals Moneth Montemayer (Essential Screen Skills), Bobbi-Lea Dionysius (Producer, Disruptor Studios), Navaz Illava (Screen Editor) and Naomi Price (Artistic Director and Cofounder, The Little Red Company).

*Refreshments will be provided. Bookings close Monday 5 August.

Thank you to Essential Screen Skills for their partnership at this event.

Click here to reserve your seat. 

In July, a small group of Year 11 Study of Religion students travelled to UQ to participate in the 2024 UQ World Religions Symposium. The day involved engaging in lectures led by UQ professors and experts in the field. Associate Professor Tom Aechtner discussed the interconnection of science and religion, explaining how agnotology has resulted in an empirically untrue conflict model between the two. This broadened our perspectives which were previously limited to a belief that science and religion are completely separate. Another lecture on Islamic faith in modern Australian society covered the basic principles of Islamic traditions, discussing life as a Muslim living in Australia and the importance of religious acceptance in Australian culture. Later in the day, a panel discussion was held allowing students to ask questions regarding the relevance of religion in the modern day, the impact of AI on religion and other relevant, impending questions. This experience was a wonderful opportunity and we are grateful for the chance to broaden our perspective and expand our knowledge of religion.

From Elyse B (Year 11 Student) 

To celebrate World Chess Day, the Library held our annual Chess Tournament. We saw some very close matches and high pressure situations as we congratulated two new winners. Emily M in year 5 took out the Primary Championship and Ariel D in Year 10 won the Secondary Championship. Congratulations to all our participants! We look forward to seeing you again next year. 

During the Term 2 holidays, a group of 27 Year 11 students, accompanied by Mrs Specogna and Mrs Kirk, travelled to Cape York with the Red Earth Immersion group. We were immersed in the rich traditional history and culture of the Panamuunjii and Wurrey homelands. On our eight-day trip we saw many amazing sights, connections and conversations.

At the Panamuunjii homeland we met Tim and Elaine, the tradition owners of this area. Tim shared with us many of his stories and the complication of not having a young generation to take up the stories that are sacred to their people. We learnt much of the land and even ate ants! We also embarked on a community project of building the shower block. On our way out from Tim’s place we stopped in at Hopevale to visit the arts centre and had lunch at the beautiful Isabella Falls.

At Wurrey homeland we met Bernie and Cheryl. Bernie told us all about his family’s rich history and the hardship they endured when they were taken from their land. Sheryl taught us some of the Hopevale language and we got to spend some time with her grandkids! We learnt about how to use the environment around us and how Bernie and his people would use these things in their everyday life.

On day 8 we travelled bright and early to harbour at Cairns. We were taken out on a massive boat, and once we arrived, we received a session with the staff about some customs and traditions in First Nations culture. We were shown shields that were used for fighting and received war paint made from natural materials. Then we got to swim with the coral and the fish, and a marine biologist accompanied us and explained some cool and funny things about some of the wildlife. After such an exhausting day and week, it wasn’t surprising that most people slept on the boat ride inland.

Overall, we had the most amazing trip which wouldn’t have been possible without Mrs Kirk and Mrs Specogna and all their hard work.

Earlier this week our AFL Schools Cup Senior team faced Marymount College in the Quarter Finals of the state competition. Our team's resilient and robust defense in the final quarter ultimately allowed them to hold on for a narrow 26-24 win. What made the victory particularly remarkable was the outstanding effort and determination of the students, despite being down five players. This left them with only 17 players, with 16 on the field, making rest a rare luxury.

The team now looks forward to the Semi Finals in September. Well done to everyone involved!

The training season is in full swing, in partnership with Brothers Rugby Club, with CaSSSA in Week 9. Thank you to all students for their commitment to training over the past 4 weeks.

Our final Track & Field meet will be on Monday 5 August, and then we compete at CaSSSA. This final meet is the last opportunity for students to record official results. The team will be announced in Week 5. CaSSSA Secondary Schools is being held on Monday 12 August and CaSSSA Primary is on Friday 16 August. Click here for Meet #4 nominations. 

We have had a terrific start to our CaSSSA Term 3 program, with our Touch, Football and Basketball teams all having great games in their first 2 weeks of competition. It is fantastic to see every player wearing their St Rita’s uniform with pride, with some teams showcasing some new uniforms for Basketball and Football. We congratulate all students for their commitment to training and ask for this to continue into the season. Please remember to notify Mrs Sackree (Football & Basketball) and Mrs Callanan (Touch Football) of any absences each week so we can manage our numbers for passes and fixtures.

Good luck to the players participating in the Senior Schools Cup on the Gold Coast next weekend!

Sign up for the St Rita’s College Tennis Championships is now open and will close on Friday 9 August. 

These will be held at Nudgee College on Sunday 18 August. Click Here to nominate.

We welcomed back our BMTA Touch teams to training in the last fortnight. Although it has been a very chilly return with morning training, we have been pleased with the commitment shown thus far. More information will be communicated shortly once the initial grading draw for the season has been released. Please note that Round 1 grading fixtures start on Thursday 8 August at Whites Hill, Camp Hill.

Every year, all schools in Australia participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). The NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about supports provided to students with disability. These relate to legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, in line with the NCCD guidelines (2019).

Information provided about students to the Australian Government for the NCCD includes:

• year of schooling
• category of disability: physical, cognitive, sensory or social/emotional
• level of adjustment provided: support provided within quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial or extensive.

This information assists schools to:

• formally recognise the supports and adjustments provided to students with disability in schools
• consider how they can strengthen the support of students with disability in schools
• develop shared practices so that they can review their learning programs in order to improve educational outcomes for students with disability.

The NCCD provides state and federal governments with the information they need to plan more broadly for the support of students with disability.

The NCCD will have no direct impact on your child and your child will not be involved in any testing process. The school will provide data to the Australian Government in such a way that no individual student will be able to be identified – the privacy and confidentiality of all students is ensured. All information is protected by privacy laws that regulate the collection, storage and disclosure of personal information. To find out more about these matters, please refer to the Australian Government’s Privacy Policy.

Further information about the NCCD can be found on the NCCD Portal.

If you have any questions about the NCCD, please contact the College.

The Australian Government Department of Education would like to advise all staff, parents and guardians that it will collect certain information about our school, its staff and student body as part of the 2024 Non-government schools census collection.

For full Privacy Notice click here. 

You’ve got to be in it to win it! With just over a month left to purchase tickets, don't miss your chance to win a brand new Mazda2, Apple Products Pack or a Treetops getaway in Montville, all while supporting our wonderful P&F Association.

Tickets: 1 Ticket for $50.00 or 3 Tickets for $100

Prize Drawn: Wednesday 28 August 2024

All proceeds from the 2024 raffle will support the Nano Nagle Library refurbishment project.

Click here for full details of the $29,758 prize pool and to purchase your tickets.

The P&F have been working to develop a 2025 Events Calendar. Shortly we will be distributing a survey seeking feedback to help us deliver successful events targeted to our College community and we are interested in your thoughts.

On behalf of the P&F I would like to thank the parents who volunteered their time for the Twilight Open Evening last week and in particular to Karmen who coordinated our parent volunteers.

Parent contributions towards College events of this scale are greatly appreciated and it was lovely to see so many parents support the school in this way.

Pattie Pozzebon
P&F President

• Tuesday 20 August: P&F Meeting
  
• Wednesday 28 August: Father Daughter Breakfast
• Thursday 10 September: P&F Meeting

For a full list of P&F meeting dates and events please visit the Parents & Friends page of MySRC, accessible via the Parent Hub.

In Week 7, Term 3, starting 19 August, Year 7 students will be participating in Swimming for HPE.

In preparation for swimming, your child will be required to have the following items:

1. St Rita’s Swimming Togs (brown/yellow swirls only)
2. St Rita’s Rashie - St Rita’s has a “no rashie / no swim” policy as part of our Sun Safety Program.
3. House Swim Cap

All the items above are compulsory to participate in swimming lessons. Your child will also need goggles and a towel for swimming lessons (any brand/style is fine), and they are to be brought in either a St Rita’s Havasack or Sports Bag. If your child plays Water Polo for St Rita’s, they may wear their water polo togs for HPE lessons if preferred.

How to Order

Please place an order via the Qkr! App for the items you require no later than 13 August 2024. Please select a random size and tick “Fitting Required” for the items you require your child to be fitted for (ie: togs and rashie)

Once you have placed your order online, please ask your child to visit the Boutique where Ms Plant will fit her correctly and send home the items you have ordered. All orders will need to be collected from the Boutique no later than 16 August, in readiness for lessons starting on Monday 19 August.

Once your child brings the items home, please check you are happy with the fit and remember to label all items of clothing prior to their first lesson.

In Term 4, Year 5 students will be participating in Swimming for HPE.

In preparation for swimming, your child will be required to have the following items:

1. St Rita’s Swimming Togs (brown/yellow swirls only)
2. St Rita’s Rashie - St Rita’s has a “no rashie / no swim” policy as part of our Sun Safety Program.
3. House Swim Cap

All the items above are compulsory to participate in swimming lessons. Your child will also need goggles and a towel for swimming lessons (any brand/style is fine), and they are to be brought in either a St Rita’s Havasack or Sports Bag. If your child plays water polo for St Rita’s, they may wear their water polo togs for HPE lessons if preferred.

How to Order

Please place an order via the Qkr! App for the items you require no later than 30 August 2024. Please select a random size and tick “Fitting Required” for the items you require your child to be fitted for (ie: togs and rashie)

Once you have placed your order online, please ask your child to visit the Boutique where Ms Plant will fit her correctly and send home the items you have ordered.

Once your child brings the items home, please check you are happy with the fit and remember to label all items of clothing prior to their first lesson, which is in Week 1, Term 4.

The updated 2024 College Uniform Policy can be found here.

• Monday - CLOSED
• Tuesday to Friday – 7.30am to 9.00am & 11.00am - 3.30pm (closed between 9.00am and 11.00am). 

 The Boutique is closed during school holidays throughout the year.

Online Orders can be made any time via the Qkr! App and collected during Boutique opening hours.

Orders received before 9.00am Tuesday-Friday will be available to collect from the Boutique from 11.00am the same day. Orders received after 9.00am will be available for collection the following business day after 11.00am.

The Boutique is staffed by Ms Laurinda Plant who can be contacted on 3860 7119 or via email at boutique@stritas.qld.edu.au.

Parents wishing to seek out second hand uniform and school items are encouraged to try the St Rita's Buy, Sell, Swap, Giveaway Facebook Group. 

The site is parent administered and new items are being added regularly by families.

The College Boutique does not trade in second hand items.

Principal, Mrs Maree Trims, is excited to invite all College parents to the inaugural Book Club for Parents & Guardians.

Join us for a rich discussion surrounding The Popular Girls by Dr Mary Kaspar. In this groundbreaking self-help book for parents, clinical psychologist Dr Mary Kaspar deconstructs popularity and its links to our girls' wellbeing.

The Popular Girls comes highly recommended by author Rebecca Sparrow, who will be working with staff, students and parents as part of our Book Week celebrations. Rebecca talks to thousands of school students (and their parents!) every year about friendship, resilience, giving back and how to have a more positive experience online.

The Popular Girls can be purchased on Dr Mary Kaspar's website for those who wish to read it before the event.

Event:

Thursday 8 August

7.00pm - 8.30pm

St Rita's College Library

Wine and cheese provided

Tickets:

The St Rita's College Book Club for Parents & Guardians is a free event.

RSVP:

Please register for this event using this Humanitix link  by Monday 5 August 2024.

St Rita's College has again decided to #ROCKTHECHOP this year for Cancer Council Australia's Ponytail Project. The project raises money to fund life-changing research and ensure Cancer Council Queensland can support communities going through their cancer journeys. Students grow their hair throughout the year while raising money, then have their ponytails chopped in August. The team has raised over $21,000 already! Click here to learn more, donate, and help them reach their goal.

After the Ponytail Chop, don't miss out on our Simply Splendid Talent Show where students showcase their skills and shine on stage. 

Ticket sales are open for the annual St Rita's College Father and Daughter Breakfast, proudly supported by the P&F Association.

Wednesday 28 August 2024
6.15am to 8.30am
Members Lawn, Eagle Farm Racecourse, Lancaster Road, Ascot

Our Father & Daughter Breakfast is a much loved event on our school calendar and a beautiful occasion to acknowledge and celebrate the special bond that exists between fathers/father figures and their daughters.

Ticket price includes plated, table served hot Breakfast, complemented by a selection of fresh pastries, juices, tea and coffee.

*This is an outdoor event. Students are strongly encouraged to wear their winter uniform items. Fathers/father figures are also encouraged to dress warmly.

Participate in fun activities and be in with a chance to win some great raffle prizes! 

Click here to view details and to purchase tickets.

Get ready for an exciting day at the St Rita’s College Race Day. This event is proudly supported by the Sports SubCommittee.

With a fresh event format and trackside venue, guests are sure to enjoy a day of trackside activities at Eagle Farm Racecourse.
Further details will be shared in coming weeks.

Join the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) for a free workshop geared towards supporting supervisors of learner drivers. This workshop aims to:

• Provide helpful tips and tricks to help foster safer driving habits of new drivers.
• Boost your confidence in guiding learner drivers effectively.
• Cover practical advice, insights into key risks facing new drivers, and tips to avoid common mistakes in the practical driving test.

Road safety experts will also be available to answer all your questions. Click here for further details.