MSB Messenger 29th April 2022

Principals Report

Greetings MSB Community.

It has been an absolute pleasure welcoming staff and students back to the college for Term 2. Despite a string of public holidays over the first 3 weeks, this term promises to be a busy time for both staff and students, with a number of planned activities and formalities.

The first of which was our ANZAC Liturgy, held Friday 22^nd April in the college Chapel. This ceremony, facilitated by both staff and students, provided an educative and reflective opportunity for our college community, commemorating our Service Men and Women. Through this, we acknowledged the contributions of all service men and women, including our First Nations Service People. In true community fashion, many of our MSB students represented both our local Herberton and Atherton Services, held on Monday 25^th.  I thank them for their donation of time and representation.

This week, we will host our Interhouse Cross Country Carnival, which was postponed due to unpreventable circumstances in Term 1. Races are due to commence at approximately 9am this Friday 29^th. We wish our students the best of luck as they compete against their peers, whilst navigating tough climatic conditions.

To support our 2022 literacy agenda, the college has developed an intensive reading program for our residential students, which will be undertaken outside of school hours throughout the week. This will include small group instruction and access to a suite of age-appropriate independent literature, providing students with an opportunity to build fluency, stamina and comprehension. To implement the program, the college has employed a team of Literacy Tutors. This team met throughout the week to undergo training and establish processes, with the intent to launch in week 3. We thank all involved in the development of this program and encourage our residential students to embrace this opportunity.

Sincerely,

Matt Brauer - Principal

ANZAC Day

ANZAC DAY APRIL 25 | Mount St Bernard College attended Anzac Day community services in Atherton and Herberton. The College was represented by captains, Emmy Riber in Atherton and Melinda Obah and Haedon Tuhoro in Herberton. Thanks go to these students, staff and parents who assisted them to represent us.- Lest We Forget -

ANZAC DAY LITURGY 2022 | On Friday 22 April our school community gathered to pay our respects and acknowledge the sacrifice and service of current and former service men and women.

ANZAC DAY

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ANZAC Donations

Big thanks to the Herberton Lioness Lions and Herberton Lions for their 2022 ANZAC donations to our MSB Library.

Every year students and staff look forward to these very welcome and generous donations. This year's gifts, a hardback Young Adult novel, 'Rabbit Soldier, Angel Thief' by Katrina Nannestad, and the updated, 'Minecraft Blockopedia' are already on the shelves ready to borrow and enjoy.  Thank you. 

Ms Chris Weedon - Teacher in Charge Library

Deputy Principal - Curriculum & Admin

Dear Parent/Guardians/Carers of Year 7 and 9 students,

In Term 2, students in years 7 and 9 will undertake the National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests.

The official testing window opens on 10th May with students sitting 4 tests - Reading, Writing, Conventions of Language and Numeracy. The schedule for the test window is attached. You will also notice that students undertook a practice test on 22nd April. The purpose of this was to familiarise students with the testing conditions and the NAPLAN platform. Students will also do some in class preparation on the Public Demonstration site.

NAPLAN provides the school, students and families with valuable information showing how the student is progressing in literacy and numeracy. This information is used to differentiate teaching and learning during lessons to ensure all students are learning to the best of their ability.

More information can be found on the NAPLAN website (https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/parent-carer-support) as well as in the two support documents attached.

If you have any questions or concerns with your student undertaking these tests, please feel free to contact the college on 040961444 or email myself at kryan4@cns.catholic.edu.au.

Kind regards,

Kieran Ryan - Deputy Principal - Admin & Curriculum

Parent Teacher Interviews

Parent Teacher interviews are being held next Tuesday, 3 May 2022 from 3.00-6.00pm. You can learn so much about your child’s progress by meeting with their teacher/s for 10 minutes a semester.

At MSB we understand it’s not always possible or convenient to attend in-person so we encourage you to book phone interviews .

You’ve still got time to book in to discuss your child/ren’s progress with their teacher(s). If you’re having trouble accessing the PTO portal please contact Mrs Lylia Edwards for assistance.

Em: ledwards4@cns.catholic.edu.au or Ph: 40 961 516

ENROL NOW

2023 & 2024 enrolment interviews will be held in Term 2. Scholarships for 2022 and 2023 are being accepted now. To enquire, book a tour or require more information visit our website at www.msb.qld.edu.au , email - msb.enrolments@cns.catholic.edu.au or PH: 40 961 586. Apply online now at https://www.msb.qld.edu.au/apply-online-now/

Our schools and colleges are founded on the basis that no child will be denied a Catholic education based on financial hardship. Generous fee concessions apply to holders of means-tested concessions cards and those with genuine inability to pay.

Deputy Principal - Residential

Dear Friends and Families of MSB,

It was certainly a challenging start to the term with many hurdles to overcome in regards to return travel, one of the most difficult travel routines I have witnessed in many years.

We recently had more that 40 Torres Strait Islander (TSI) students stuck on Horn Island for almost 48 hours. This was challenging for many reasons, however, the support provided by our families throughout this time was most heartening.

I wish to thank all the families who went out of their way to support MSB boarders and ensure their safety. Fortunately, all students who travelled made it to the College safely, although very late in the evening.

This recent incident is a reminder to all families to ensure you have a copy of your students travel itinerary and safe travel document prior to the end of each term. All travels details are emailed to each family with both the end and beginning of term flight details.

Please do not wait until the beginning of the following term to call and enquire about your itinerary. All students receive a copy of their itinerary upon departure along with their safe travel plan. Please encourage your students to deliver this itinerary to you upon arrival home.

Any family who misses their allocated travel will receive a no-show against their name in the Abstudy system. This can jeopardise future travel for your students and potentially interrupt their academic progress.

I ask all families to be patient when requesting changes to travel as Abstudy have stringent protocols to follow. Ms Sonya spends many hours each week amending itineraries for families and does an amazing job ensuring all students travel when required (including sorry business).

Below is a recent statement from Abstudy regarding re-booking travel:

Individual travel requests must be submitted at least 10 days prior to travel. Any travel requested within 7 days prior to travel date will be considered urgent and therefore a reason supporting the urgent travel request must be provided. 

Later this week I will be meeting with a team of Abstudy officials to review the recent issues on Horn Island. I will provide feedback to our TSI families in the coming weeks as to how Abstudy plan to address the issues we faced recently.

Kind regards,

Scott Whitters - Deputy Principal - Residential

Residential Admin News

BOARDERS WEEKEND LEAVE REMINDERS

A few reminders regarding the Weekend Leave Process:

• Remember to submit Leave applications to the Residential Office prior to the Wednesday before the weekend leave is requested.

• This can be done electronically by either parent/guardian or the student.

• Leave forms which are submitted after this date will not be approved.

• Students can only be collected from the bus/College by the person whose name is on the Leave Form.

• Please notify the College in advance if the person collecting your child differs from that which is stated on the Leave Form

• Host families are asked to collect students by 6.00pm; any student who is not collected by this time will be returned to the College

• The Leave Bus will depart the College at 4pm on Friday; arriving on McLeod St outside Cairns Central.

• If we have less than 4 students in total traveling to Cairns on a Friday for weekend leave, the bus will not travel due to not being feasible for the College.

• In this instance, the host can come to the College to collect the student OR the student stays at the College for that weekend and can re submit an electronic leave form for the following weekend by the Wednesday.

• If your student misses the bus, please ensure they catch the 3:30pm Trans North bus the following day. We are unable to pick up students from Atherton during the school day.

Sonya Frost - Residential Administration Officer

Assistant Principal - Student Wellbeing

Social Media can be a wonderful thing; it can also be destructive.

Young people (and in fact people of all ages) can spend far too many waking hours looking at the screen. Lately, I’ve spent some of my time hearing situations from distressed students who are being harassed and teased over various social platforms; some even using the MSB school logo without permission! The damage that can be done to a person’s sense of self, is alarming.

I encourage you to check your son/daughter’s social media interactions to see what they are viewing and posting.

Much of this behaviour occurs outside of school; this means that the school refers the person viewing destructive and concerning postings to Queensland Police; they in turn take up the issue with those impacted and those causing the harm. On 24 May, Senior Constable Matt, a Specialist in this area, will be speaking to all Year levels to counteract some of these issues. It is imperative that our young people know their rights and responsibilities in regard to the use of social media.

Pastoral Leadership 

We have restructured two existing Middle Leaderships positions. In the absence of a Middle Leader in Years 9 & 10, Middle Leader Junior & Middle Leader Senior will now encompass Years 9 & 10.

I would like to congratulate both Nikki Symonds (Years 10 - 12) & Kieren Waugh (Years 7 -9) on their appointment to these roles. 

Sharon Boyd - Assistant Principal - Student Wellbeing

Digital Technologies News

Year 7 Digital Tech class have got straight back into work this term.

Student are continuing their journey learning about Computational Thinking. 

This week students have been learning coding through game play:

• Debugging code
• Repetition through loop structures
• Creating art with code

Keep up the great work year 7 Dig Tech!

What a great fun class to teach!

Saffron Belkessa-Wood - Middle Leader of Business and Digital Technologies

Careers & VET News

Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) Education Award

The Australian Defence Force Academy Education Award is presented annually to Year 12 students in recognition of leadership potential and academic and sporting achievements during Year 11. The award comprises of a laptop computer and certificate for you, along with a plaque of recognition for your school. It is presented to you on behalf of the Navy, Army or Air Force if you’re one of the 120 most suitable applicants who have applied for entry to the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA). 

To be eligible to apply for the award, you must:

• be studying Year 11 subjects that meet both the educational qualifications for admission to the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and single service requirements.  
• submit an application prior to 31 December in the year you complete Year 11. 

If you are successful, you will only receive the award if you are enrolled in Year 12 at the time of the award presentation and you meet the age requirements for ADFA entry. Check out the ADFA website for further information or contact your local recruitment office on 13 19 01. 

Get fit and pass the Australian Defence Force (ADF) fitness test

Many competitive applicants miss out on their ADF career opportunity because they don’t meet the pre-enlistment fitness assessment. During the application process you’ll be assessed through (1) completion of a questionnaire relating to your medical history, (2) a physical examination, and (3) a Pre-entry Fitness Assessment (PFA). During the PFA you’ll need to be able to complete a specified number of exercises. It's vital that you continue to maintain an appropriate level of fitness throughout your application process (playing school and club sport usually doesn’t make you fit enough). Are you fit to join the Australian Defence Force brochure will assist you to start preparing for the ADF fitness assessment?

Want to be a pilot in the Australian Defence Force!

The Defence Jobs website (scroll down) has information about being a pilot in the Air Force. You can find out:

• An overview of the job
• Pilot pathway
• Salary
• Services and benefits
• Full job details

You will also be able to see Explore the Air Force in 360.

Upcoming information events

Stay informed about important upcoming Queensland and National ADF events and information sessions by visiting the ADF Defence Jobs  or the ADF Facebook site. Upcoming events are:

19/04/2022        Cairns: Trade Careers Information Session

                         Gold Coast: Army Reserve Information Session

                         Brisbane: Gap Year Information Session

                         Townsville: Trade Careers Information Session

                         North Queensland: Trade Careers Virtual Information Session

20/04/2022       Gold Coast: Gap Year Information Session

21/04/2022       Cairns: Parent & Teacher Information Session

26/04/2022       Townsville: Night in the Army Reserve

27/04/2022       Brisbane: Defence Careers Information Session

                        Maroochydore: Defence Careers Information Session

                        North Queensland: Pilot and Aviation Careers Virtual Information Session

                        Townsville: Pilot and Aviation Careers Information Session

28/04/2022       Mount Isa: Defence Careers Information Session

                        Cairns: Pilot and Aviation Careers Information Session

                        Eatons Hill: Trade Careers Information Session

                        Toowoomba: Trade Careers Information Session

03/05/2022       Toowoomba: Army Reserve Information Session

04/05/2022       Cairns: Indigenous Pathways Information Session

                        Brisbane: Women in Trades Careers Information Session

Maths & Science News

This term all senior science students are developing experiment reports whereby they modify an experiment to explore a scientific concept. In Physics the student are researching electromagnetism and how it relates to electric vehicles including the new TESLA trucks which can not “Jack Knife”. In Biology, the students are researching the health of local riverways including the impact of mining. The skills gained during these learning activities are transferable to the real world and prepare them well for potential career choices. In senior Maths all students are preparing for upcoming exams. Therefore they are encouraged to undertake further study so that they can achieve their fullest potential.

Junior Maths and Science classes will also cover new topics. Our staff use a range of teaching strategies to help students learn such as relating learning tasks to real life and life like activities. In the coming weeks year 9 and 10 Science will look at the impact of simple substances such as paper and alfoil on electric signals sent from remote control devices. In year 7 and 8 the study will focus on forces to explain why a “pull” takes less effort than a “push”.

Maths extension opportunities will occur with select Maths students in year 7 and 9. We have been invited to send four year 7 and 9 students to St Mary’s Catholic College  to participate in a Maths Enrichment Day. Through this day, the selected students will get to solve many mathematical problems with students from other school across Far North Queensland who also excel in Mathematics.

Finally I urge all parents to come to the school to find out how your child is progressing in Maths and Science on May 3.  The growth data we have collected through the Maths Pathways program suggests  that significant progress has been made.

Malcolm Fahey - Middle Leader - Maths, Science and Senior Years

English & Humanities News

With lockdowns over, the Humanities faculty is able to plan some exciting excursions for Term 2. Year 7 Geography students will soon be visiting Tinaroo Dam and investigating water systems as part of their Water in the World unit, and Year 9 students will spend the day at Herberton Historic Village, exploring how 19^th century Australians lived. Year 12 Geography students will travel down to Cairns to complete their major field study on the impact of urbanisation on river systems in the region.

NAPLAN will take place from the 10^th to the 13^th May for Year 7 and 9 students. Our 7 and 9 English program is designed to prepare students for confidence in the NAPLAN test, particularly the writing component, and the creative and persuasive writing assessment that students submitted last term demonstrated that our students have a strong understanding of writing conventions. Year 7 and 9 English teachers have provided additional NAPLAN practice activities for students on our online platform Education Perfect. Students are encouraged to work on these tasks as extension material to develop their confidence and skills.

Sarah Riber - Middle Leader - English and Humanities

Drama News

Atherton Performing Arts Youth Theatre production of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream is on from 14th - 21st May. Several of our students are involved as actors or production team, including Emmy Riber in Year 12, Tae Dempsey in Year 11, Meena Riber, Nate Wagner, Jack Jones and Clementine Barker in Year 9 and several children of MSB staff. Poster attached, with tickets available online here or at the door. Thanks for your support!

Sarah Riber - Drama Teacher

In the Library

Term 1 2022

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Art News

What a fabulous surprise this morning my Year 10 students arrived back at MSB after missing Term 1. It was such a buzz  of excitement we had a productive morning. The girls generated ideas about NAIDOC and started creating a poster.

Traylea Sexton - Middle Leader - The Arts

Year 10 Art Naidoc Posters

Staff Profiles

WELCOME OUR NEW MIDDLE LEADER - SPORT & HPE | Greetings to the MSB Community who have welcomed me so warmly in my first week! My name is Andrea Goetze and I grew up in Tasmania and have lived my adult life in tropical FNQ working in the education and environment sectors across the Atherton Tablelands, Cape York, and the Torres Strait. I am involved in many local sporting associations through my own participation and that of my two beautiful children.I am so very excited to have taken on the role of Middle Leader Sport & HPE at MSB and look forward to working alongside staff, students, and families.

WELCOME OUR NEW COLLEGE NURSE | Hello MSB community, my name is Tanya Davis and I was born and raised on the Atherton Tablelands. I started as an Assistant in Nursing (AIN) in Aged Care and decided to become an Enrolled Nurse. I enjoyed it thoroughly and went on to become a Registered Nurse. For the past five years I have been working in a medical centre where my daily tasks were extremely diverse, one minute I'd be doing childhood immunisation to then doing an ECG or Spirometry Test. I have been very warmly welcomed into my new position as College Nurse and look forward to meeting everyone throughout my stay. 

My name is Leisha Tibbs and I am the Administration Officer in our Health Centre. I have been with MSB for over 6 years and have really valued my time here. 

My role is to liaise with the nurse and make the necessary appointments for the students who need medical attention of any sort. I find my role both challenging at times and very rewarding.

Hello MSB community and thank you for welcoming me into the MSB family! My name is Lauren Colless and I'm a new Learning Support School Officer.  I grew up on the Atherton Tablelands, and feel so fortunate to be still living and working in this beautiful area.  I love reading novels, doing arts and crafts, gardening and spending time with my family and two dogs.  I'm looking forward to meeting everyone and working with our wonderful students!

Parents & Friends Association

The College Parents & Friends Association welcomes Parents and Carers to join us throughout 2022. To register your interest please email hobrien1@cns.catholic.edu.au or phone Hillary O'Brien, Office Manager on PH: 4096 1485

In Term 1 we discussed requests for project funding, including approval for the purchase of lego kits, chess sets, drones and virtual reality headsets. Investigations are under way into options to replace the curtains in the boys residential - Bernards Dormitory.

Our next meeting will be held on Tuesday 31st May 2000 in the College Boardroom from 5pm - 5.30pm. Hope to see you there.

Community Noticeboard

Well Women’s Clinics 

(These clinics are available to Medicare eligible clients)

Service includes Cervical Screening Tests (Pap Smears), Sexual Health Screening, Breast Awareness, also info on Contraception, Continence, Menopause, Lifestyle Issues, Bowel Health, Domestic Violence, etc. All services are provided by a specially trained Women’s Health Nurse.

Malanda Health Centre       Wednesday 4^th May                            Ph:  4096 5339

Atherton Health Centre       Tuesday 24^th May                               Ph:  4091 0263

FEDERAL ELECTION

Read the Australian Catholic Bishops’ 2022 election statement , Towards a Better Kind of Politics, to help you reflect on the good you can do for the community by using your vote for the common good of all. The statement includes a Prayer for the Election and the principles of Catholic Social Teaching. Download a copy from www.catholic.org.au

Upcoming Events

Term 2 - 2022

Monday 2 May - Labour Day Public Holiday

Tuesday 3 May - Parent Teacher Interviews 3 -6pm

Wednesday 4 May - District Cross Country - Tinaburra

Tuesday 17 - Friday 20 May - Year 10 Expedition - Tinaroo

Tuesday 24 May - Cyber Safety Presentation @ MSB

Wednesday 25 May - Year 9 Herberton Historic Village Excursion

Friday 27 May - Year 9 Maths Enrichment Day

Tuesday 31 May - P & F Meeting MSB Boardroom 5 - 5.30pm

Friday 3 June - MSB Athletics Carnival

Wednesday 15 - Fri 17 June - Year 8 Camp

Thursday 23 June - Students end Term 2 @ 3pm

Friday 24 June - Boarders Travel Day