Mount St Bernard College eNewsletter

Principal

Greetings MSB Community,

The past week has been a busy time for both staff and students at the college, especially for our graduating cohort.

This week, many of our Year 12 students started formalising their post school pathways, through the submission of applications to the QLD Tertiary Admissions Centre. These students will make important decisions around their preferred University course and study options. We encourage parents and guardians of these students to be a part of this important decision-making process through consultation with their child and the college team.

In addition to this, the college Student Representative Council met to discuss a number of critical agendas, including the Senior Formal, Year 12 common room and end of year formalities. We appreciate the contribution and efforts of our senior cohort, especially during such a busy and challenging time and look forward to celebrating with our graduates in the coming term.

Sincerely,

Matt Brauer

Principal - Mount St Bernard College

Deputy Principal Admin & Curriculum

Dear MSB Community,

Last week Ms Andrea Gower and I had the pleasure of visiting the Torres Strait Islands on our first community engagement tour of 2022. We visited 8 Islands in 4 days, including; Murray, Darnley, Warraber, Coconut, Horn, Boigu, Mabuiag and Badu.

During the visit we held Parent Teacher Interviews with 25 different families where we discussed students Semester 2 academic and behaviour reports. We also completed 11 new enrolment applications, strengthening our relationships with these communities.

I would like to say a huge thank you to the members of the Torres Strait Island Consultative Committee for their hard work in making this trip a success for Andrea and I. Thanks to these members, the message was passed around the communities ensuring we made the most of our time on the Islands. We were welcomed, looked after and waved off by past students, family members and committee members which made the visit extra special.

In addition to the above, I would also encourage students and families to read the various articles ahead. The college community is already looking towards the end of the year, especially for our year 12s. Coming up we have a variety of in school activities, excursions and expeditions, assessment deadlines and boarding activities.

Kieran Ryan - Deputy Principal Administration & Curriculum

TSI COMMUNITY VISITS

Dear Friends and Families of MSB

I write to request your support with an incredibly challenging topic – Grief and Loss.

I have been reflecting on how we may better be able to support our students when they have lost a loved one. Many of our students have recently had sorry business. The majority of them are informed directly by family or friends. This can be very traumatic for young people who are a long way from home.

It is often best if families inform the College via our Pastoral Care Team about any sad news from home so we can provide support for the young person/s when they are informed about a death. We have numerous staff who are well equipped to support young people through the grief and loss process.

I am wondering if there are ways of supporting students who are unable to make it home for funerals and other ceremonies that commemorate passings. We often open our Chapel to students who have sorry business and assist them to grieve and mourn in their own unique way. The writing of prayers, lighting candles, listening to music and reading scripture are ways we assist students to feel connected to a ceremony back home.

It would be immensely valuable if families could share with us how they would like their young people to undertake the grief and loss process. We recognise and respect each families right to celebrate the lives of loved ones in a way that is culturally appropriate. Often, we have little contact with families when sorry business occurs, this out of respect for all people involved.

Any advice or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards,

Scott Whitters

Assistant Principal Wellbeing

Smoking & Vaping

Our College Nurse, Tanya Davies, has been having some vital, healthy lifestyle, conversations this week with students.

People believe that vaping is less harmful than smoking, but that’s not the case. Vaping has serious health risks.

We encourage the community to consider the following;

Vaping is dangerous for your health and can cause poisoning, seizures, burns, and lung disease.
Nicotine is highly addictive! Exposure to nicotine during adolescence can alter the structure and function of the brain.
The chemicals inside vapes can cause cancer in the long term.
People who have never smoked tobacco and use vapes are 3 times as likely to take up regular smoking than non-smokers who don’t vape.
Are there safety concerns with vaping?
The nicotine in vapes can cause serious injury and death. If you think someone may have been poisoned by nicotine, don’t wait for symptoms. If the person has collapsed or isn't breathing, call Triple Zero (000) and ask for an ambulance. Once the ambulance is on its way, call the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 for first aid advice.

This information is provided by Qld Health. Call the Quitline on 13 7848.

Dr Karl’s Vape truth videos are worth a watch by following this link; https://www.vapetruths.initiatives.qld.gov.au/dr-karls-vape-truths

Sharon Boyd - Assistant Principal Wellbeing

Dr Karls Vape Truths

Residential News

PCYC EMERGENCY SERVICES CADETS VOLUNTEER IN COMMUNITY

MSB cadets volunteered last weekend at a planned hazard reduction in Herberton. Ten cadets, five PCYC Adult Leaders, several members of local council, Rural Fire & Auxiliary Brigade volunteers meant they had five appliances and three agencies represented.The cadets were very well behaved and feed back from all adults was very positive regarding their behaviour, tasking and participation. Six members of the public came and praised the activity and how thankful they were for our participation. All the cadets had various roles during the activities and their feedback was also very positive and that they would like more similar ones.

Deborah Booth - Communications and Community Engagement Officer & PCYC Adult Leader

PCYC Emergency Services Cadets Hazard reduction

A beautiful cool day on Saturday 29 July for our students football outing. Pensio Gela plays in the under 16's for the Herberton Magpies. Here he is showing the opposition, Malanda Eels, how he makes a try, celebrates then converts. The students also attend to support their fellow boarders spectating and cheering.

Religion News

Last week was Catholic Education Week in Queensland. The theme this year was Communities of Faith, Hope and Love. Thank you to all the staff and students who helped us celebrate our liturgy on Friday. The message of the Gospel to “Love God and love others” was enthusiastically proclaimed!

Our College leaders, Emmy Riber, Mackenzie Smy & Haeden Tuhoro joined Principal, Matt Brauer and myself at the Western Deanery Mass held at St Anthony's School Dimbulah. Congratulations to these students for their leadership and active participation.

This Term, many classes are learning to find the deeper meaning in scripture by using the 3 Worlds of the Text process. Year 7 is examining the religious truths found in the two different Creation Stories in the Book of Genesis.

I had the privilege of attending the ASREAP conference in Cairns where we were invited to explore First Nations ways of Knowing, Being, Doing and Valuing, by learning on Country and listening deeply to the wisdom of the Elders.

Janet Wigan - Religion Teacher

Catholic Education Week 2022

A great day at St Teresa's Catholic School in Ravenshoe. Our students shared their culture with the youngsters and allowed the students from St Teresa's to join in with some of the dances. They shared stories, played games and friendships were made.

Kenny O'Brien - Indigenous Liaison Officer

English & Humanities Middle Leader

Year 7 Humanities Excursion

In Humanities, our Year 7 students have been learning about Ancient Rome, and luckily as a result of the Italian festival, the Artillery Museum in Cairns was holding an Ancient Rome exhibition. The students got the opportunity to have a look at how Ancient Romans once lived, what their day-to-day lives were like, what it was like to be a soldier and what they did for entertainment. They also got the chance to explore the artillery museum and look at the many different things it had to offer such as artifacts, weapons and tanks from some of the Great Wars. This was a great experience for the students and they all had a great time - even the teachers had a blast! 

Taylor Bitossi - Humanities Teacher

Mathematics & Science Middle Leader

Year 7 Mathematics

In maths, Year 7 students, have been learning about transforming shapes on a cartesian plane. We started our topic by looking at the types of transformations. We identified reflections, translations and rotations in popular dances; Thriller, Nutbush, and the Cha Cha Slide. Students were then required to dance to the Macarena and list the transformations that were performed during the dance. This was an interactive way to learn the key vocabulary required for our unit.

In the following lessons, students practiced rotations on a cartesian plane. Students choose their favourite dog or cat stickers and rotated them various degrees.

Image Left : Mataias was having fun practicing his reflections and translations with his favourite dog stickers

Biology

Our students were lucky enough to have a student teacher, Ms Breakspear, for the past 3 weeks. In her final lesson, students participated in a hands on review of protein synthesis. Students had to apply their knowledge of the topic by decoding a strand of DNA, transcribing the code to eventually make their own protein strand. The students had a great time running around the hall finding all the essential elements needed to create their protein. It was such a fun way to review a complex topic!

Kieren Waugh - Maths and Science Teacher

Health & Physical Education Middle Leader

District Athletics Carnival

This Thursday 4th and Friday 5th August our students compete in the District Athletics Carnival at Mareeba State High School. We wish each student good luck and encourage them to give their best in every event. Let the talent at our school shine!

Sun 21 - Mon 22 Aug will see selected students from the district trials attend the Peninsula Trials for Track & Field held in Cairns. More information in next fortnight's newsletter.

Year 9 Expedition

Week 6 will see our Year 9 students embark on their first school expedition; parent slips have been issued this week. Students will walk between Davies Creek and Emerald Creek, carrying all provisions. The experience will challenge our students and in turn develop them personally and as a group. The expedition is a compulsory component of the school curriculum, and every student is strongly encouraged to attend.

Andrea Goetze - Middle Leader HPE

The Arts Middle Leader

I am really excited to welcome Bernadette Killen (aka )Miss Bunny permanently to the art department to assist in student learning. She comes with a wealth of knowledge in the arts, holding a Master of Fine Arts - Cultural Leadership degree and many years’ experience as a practising visual artist, arts advocate and arts business owner. We are also fortunate to have another qualified Art Teacher joining us from St Andrews Catholic College, Redlynch. Kathy Almond has been working extensively with Year 7, 9 and 10 on a variety of Ceramic Units. Year 8s are not missing out, they are designing pinch pots that incorporate different animals with myself. This is going to be an exciting term; we are going to fire up the kiln and ignite a passion for clay. We look forward to the process and watching this dream become a reality. Let’s boost this space and create a buzz.

In the senior space, Year 11 & 12 will be designing ideas for a mural in Boys Boarding with famous Contemporary Artist Daniel Wallwork (Wally). Over 3 days students will design their own section of the mural, through mood boards and drawings about positive affirmations and wellbeing topics. They will be busy, in Girls Boarding, a mural will be facilitated by Artist in Residence Tanya Price. They will consider Sally Morgan’s “My Place” as a concept, the students will leave their mark in Girls Boarding for future generations will feel a sense of pride and place. It will be a special ‘Girls Place’ mural.

Traylea Sexton - Middle Leader The Arts

Year 11/12 Industrial Technology Skills
It has been another great week with students working on their individual wood working projects. We have students making bedside tables, coffee tables and round low tables, which is very challenging. Students are practicing a variety of complex joinery and dual-coloured tables and we are seeing some great results. Students are required to design their project, select their materials, and build them. While it is a challenge for them as all of their projects are different, they are up for it. We are looking forward to seeing their finished products.

Year 11/12 Agriculture in Practice

Students chose a particular crop - be it corn, mandarin or many others - and researched it in detail. They explored what conditions the crop needs to grow, the value of the industry in Australia and the history of the crop. Students then had to make a judgement as to what factors contribute to the successful outcome of their chosen plant agribusiness. Students presented in front of class effectively teaching the class about their crop.

Nathan Unwin - Industrial Technology and Agriculture Teacher

Digital Technologies & Business Middle Leader

Term 3 has already been incredibly productive in the Digital Technologies and Business Faculty.

Students are busy working on a wide range of projects, and it is always a pleasure watching students discover new things and develop creative projects in Digital Technologies, Media Arts and Business.

Below is a quick guide to what students are learning this term:

Haeden loves the challenge of solving a coding problem!

Hayden & Javia complete their algorithm challenge

Jake & Taj design coded instructions for Jack

Nancy creates an algorithm to direct her "robot" to Mia

Rhaquiella waits for her next coded instruction from Olivia

Nicholas & Ryan enjoy the outdoor computational thinking challenges

Mia jumps out Nancy's algorithm to complete a task

Tara and Tessa walk the algorithm path created by Rylee

VET & Careers Middle Leader

On the 16^th of August our school will hold its annual Careers Expo for Senior students, years 10 - 12. Invited are a range of Industry heads such as TAFE, Australian Defence Force, Skills 360, Qld Police and Emergency Services and Qld National Parks to name a few. The Expo will give students an opportunity to talk directly with the organisations and assist them if they are interested in pursuing a career.

If you are in Year 10 then you'll be thinking about subject selection for next year and considering future options such as higher education, apprenticeships and vocational education and training (VET). Myfuture, an Australian Government funded organisation, has several resources (links below) to help you explore your options and pathways. You can access resources and information, however you will need to register an account and log in (it's free).

Adrian Baranyi - VET & Careers Middle Leader

Junior Years 7 - 9 Middle Leader

Hi everyone,

Our lunch time activities are well under way! We had our first round of King of the Court last week. A big thank you to our senior girls who stepped up to help organise the teams and referee. This week we will be playing footy.

In Lego club we have started our challenges! It is great to see students working together to create their masterpieces. Here is what a few students had to say about Lego Club.

Lego Masters is fun ~ Lawrence Lego Masters is interesting. ~ Ramona

Lego Masters is awesome because it helps you get good hand eye co-ordination ~ Wyatt

I can’t wait to share the finished masterpieces with you all! Have a great week!

Kieren Waugh - Middle Leader Junior Years

Senior Years 10 - 12 Middle Leader

Year 11

All Year 11 students have now ordered their senior shirts for 2023. Any name changes for the back of their shirt will need to be approved by our Leadership team and will need to be given to Ms Rossiter by the end of term. Costs will be communicated at a later date.

The Year 11 retreat at Genazzano is booked in for Wednesday 26^th till Friday the 28^th October this year. The retreat is an essential part of the holistic curriculum of the college and a vital opportunity for students to develop leadership skills in the Mercy spirit.

Information packs and permission forms will be sent out in the next few weeks.

Year 12

Year 12 Formal is approaching fast and tickets need to be purchased prior to the end of term 3. Tickets are $75 per person and can be paid for over the phone, online or in person at the College by parents/guardians or students.

To purchase or for more information regarding tickets please call Miss Julie at Student Reception on PH:4096 1445. Please remember that only 10 tickets are available per family, however any special circumstance may be discussed with the Principal, Mr Matt Brauer by phoning PH: 4096 1485

Staff Profiles

I teach – I learn – I respect.

I am passionate about working and supporting Literacy and Numeracy with students.

My first real teaching experience was with CQU in the IT Department. I enjoyed it so much I moved to Secondary Education to have a more hands-on-approach and to be able to support my now adult sons. I teach life lessons to my students. I love horses and enjoy riding in the hills of Herberton. Before this my horse Hero and I travelled down to Tasmania and completed many parts on the Tasmanian Trail.

I am always happy to talk so please feel free to phone me at any time.

It is with great excitement that I undertake my new role teaching Industrial Technology and Agricultural Practices. I am passionate about young people having the skills to work with their hands growing some of their own food and building some of their own possessions. After having travelled to some of the world’s most beautiful places including South America, Canada and the Middle East I am excited to be part of the community here on the Tablelands and especially MSB. It is a privilege to spend time with such a diverse group of students and connect with their variety of cultures.

Hi! I'm Olivia Brewster, and I am very excited to be a part of the MSB community. I have a love of nature and the outdoors. I also love to travel and have been blessed to live outside of Australia for most of my adult life. In all my travels, the Tablelands and FNQ always called me back and I am glad to have settled in the area. I look forward to working with the community; please reach out if you have any questions. I'm currently teaching a Year 7 and 10 English class, Year 10 HPE and Year 7 Critical and Creative thinking.

Hello everyone. I am Ms Kathy. I am very thankful to have the opportunity to work at Mount St Bernard College in the art room with Ms Tray. I would like to thank everyone for making me feel welcome.

For the past seven years I have been working in the Art Department at St Andrews Catholic College, Redlynch. I have learnt so much from the teachers and students there. However, my passion for art started when I was much younger.

I grew up on a farm in South Africa. We lived far out of town, and in her spare time, my mother kept herself busy by exploring different arts and crafts techniques and processes. Naturally I wanted to do the same. I developed a passion for art and creativity which changed the way that I experience the world. I love making things with my hands and I value the process, regardless of the outcomes, because we learn through our mistakes. We often discover something new ‘by accident’, so making mistakes can lead to innovation. I personally solve problems while my hands are busy, so art has been my therapy through many difficult situations in life.

I would like to encourage my students to ‘think outside the box,’ take measured risks and stop judging themselves too harshly. It is during making tasks that students are free to discover new things and to develop a personal aesthetic. I love learning from my students, and I hope that they will enjoy learning from me. I value a non-competitive, collaborative environment where students feel free to share ideas and teach one another (including me). I highly regard the way that students are strong in their culture at MSB. It makes me happy when students bring their personal experience into the classroom, that way it is meaningful to them. I look forward to getting to know students and staff at MSB better, and to experiencing the cultures and traditions that make this school so unique.

Hi my name is Tyreece Klarhofer and I am a new Teacher Aide (LSSO) working at Mount St Bernard College. I am keen on working with students as well as helping support them through school. A bit about myself, I was born in Cairns and now live in Mareeba. I enjoy horse riding and anything IT related.

MSB 2022 NAIDOC DAY - Thurs 8th Sept GET UP - STAND UP - SHOW UP

Our Naidoc Day is fast approaching. The College will run a bus from Cairns to MSB and return on Thursday 8th Sept.

Bus Transport from Cairns leaves at 7am sharp - Names are required by Friday 19 August to secure your seat.

Limited seats - get in early.

If you are self - driving to attend please rsvp details for catering purposes.

Please call the Hillary O'Brien on Ph: 4096 1485 or email hobrien1@cns.catholic.edu.au with names asap.

**MSB Naidoc Shirts $55 Each. Phone Julie Titlow at Student Reception on Ph: 40961 445 if interested**

Cairns Diocesan News - Mid-Year Edition

We are pleased to inform you that the Mid-Year Edition is now available on our website www.cairns.catholic.org.au

If you click on the link below, it will take you straight to the magazine flipbook.

https://online.fliphtml5.com/xgvmy/wdav/#p=1

You may subscribe to the editions via the link below.

https://cairns.catholic.org.au/news-and-events/diocesan-news-magazine

Thanks and regards, Editorial Staff - Cairns Diocesan News

Community News

Well Women’s Clinic - (These clinics are available to Medicare eligible clients)

Atherton Community Health – Tuesday 16^th August 2022

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.

For appointments phone 4091 0263

Upcoming Events

Term 3 - 2022

Thurs 11 Aug - Year 10 Geography Excursion

Tues 16 Aug - MSB Pathways Expo Years 10 -12 @ MSB

Tues 16 - Fri 19 Aug - Year 9 Expedition

Sat 20 - Sun 21 Aug - Boarders Exeat (Free) Weekend

Sun 21 - Mon 22 Aug - Peninsula Trials - Track & Field - Cairns

Wed 24 Aug - Year 11 RYDA Driving Education Program - Mareeba

Thurs 25 Aug - BLA Careers Expo - Years 10 -12 - Cairns

Sun 28 Aug- Thurs 1 Sept - AFL Bamaga Trip

FRI 2 SEPT - STUDENT FREE DAY - QCAA

THURS 8 SEPT - MSB NAIDOC DAY 9AM - 3PM

MSB Messenger Friday 5th August 2022