1 SMMC Newsletter 5 February 2025

Principal's Message

They say a week is a long time in politics, but that is nothing compared to a week in January/February in North Queensland. We know that recent days have been extremely challenging for some of our Staff, Students and Families and we hope and pray that people are starting to recover from the floods. If your daughter is still unable to return to school or they require uniforms, stationery or lunch, please contact the College office and we will do whatever we can to support your daughter’s return to school.

We were lucky to only have some damage to rooms from leaky roofs. We thankfully did not have any damage from rising floodwaters in Crowle Street or surrounding areas. Mosquitoes will be ever-present so please see my email about the use of repellent at the College.

We are in the process of rescheduling some key events that have been missed over the last two weeks. Please keep an eye out on your emails and our socials for important updates. By the way if you haven’t connected with our Facebook and Instagram pages, they are useful sources of information for families. We will also always use Compass to share information.  

Next Tuesday (11/2)  is our first Parents and Friends’ Association meeting for the new year and our Annual General Meeting. We love to welcome new members (hint..hint). Our P&F support the College and our families in many ways, including holding special events such as Showcase, Mothers’ Day stall, Fathers’ Day breakfast and every year host a pool party to welcome new Year students. We would love to have some more helpers, so please join us next Tuesday in room E02 to meet some other Parents, get an update on what is happening around the school and to be involved in some fun social events. We can’t wait to see you there!

Next Monday (10/2) is our Year 7-11 Meet and Greet in Bene Place from 5.30pm - 7.00 pm. The Pastoral Leaders of each year level will share important information to start the year. Year 12s will not miss out, as theirs is planned for early Term 2.

I’d like to conclude with a message from our Bishop Tim Harris.

Kathleen McCarthy
College Principal

Dear Friends,

Greetings. In recent days many of you have experienced heavy rain and flooding. It seems for the most part however that Townsville has dodged a bullet in terms of the effects. Other communities have not been so lucky. I am thinking of Ingham and Giru in particular. Damage to houses and property is significant. Sadly, two people have died in Ingham flood waters. I don’t have to tell you that North Queenslanders are resilient given that these events are not new.

Nevertheless, when they do occur a certain amount of trauma and distress is evident. I lived through the 2019 floods and my house at that time was severely impacted.

Centacare North Queensland, our social services agency, has provided a presence in the Heatley and North Ward evacuation facilities reaching out as required. I have communicated with the acting Mayor of Townsville and the Mayor of Hinchinbrook and some parish leaders assuring them of our prayerful support, as well as our support on the ground. The recovery phase will be long and hard so this weekend I ask that we continue to hold close to our hearts our brothers and sisters in their time of need.

God is a God of mercy and compassion, so I trust that we will walk together with those most impacted by being the face of Christ to all. Our God shows us how we are to treat each other. May those calls for help that we may see or personally witness not go unanswered.

With every best wish,
MOST REV TIMOTHY J HARRIS

Inspirited By Faith and Mission

This year our College theme is ‘Pilgrims of Hope’, acknowledging Pope Francis’ official launch of the Vatican's 2025 Jubilee Year, a year to encourage us to dream of a "new world where peace and justice reign." Wouldn’t that be wonderful!

A jubilee year is proclaimed every 50 years - and is an economic, cultural, environmental and communal reset - when the land and people rest! 

In biblical times, this was a year of releasing people from their debts, releasing all slaves and returning property to those who owned it. A year dedicated to rest - the Israelites were not even supposed to reap or harvest during this time! It was a time for people to spend quality time with families and loved ones.

But why 50 years? The bible places special emphasis on the number 7. There are seven days in a week and the seventh day is a dedicated day of rest and worship - a day to bring us back into balance, ready to start the week again. So, turn weeks into years and 7 x 7 equals 49. So the 50th year is marked as a whole year of rest and restoration - a very big reset!

My wish is that 2025 will be a time of reset within the reality of our life today - encouraging us to embrace this year of Jubilee - emphasising the relationship between humanity, creation and God. We are a kind and loving community, a community that models living well. May we thrive as individuals and as a community - shining as a light to the rest of our world. 

As a Catholic College we are Christ centred and our very existence is to be Christ for others. The reality of Christ in the world and the presence of Jesus amongst us will be evident in the way we love and support one another. May we each be strengthened by this and confident in our mission. 

Loving God, as we begin this new school year, we thank you for the renewal of the past months and our safe return to school. We thank you for the promise of the days ahead and for the blessing of your accompaniment. Be with us this year.

Open our hearts to become people of hope.

Keep us safe in body and spirit. Let us be gentle with ourselves while striving to serve and be hope to those we meet. And may we always be a source of support, encouragement and love to others. Amen

Staff Opening Liturgy

Our staff gathered in our first week to celebrate Mass with Father Joshy John. Father reminded us in his reflection to focus on our own renewal and make time for rest. Staff were encouraged to consider what they love about St Margaret Mary’s College and we will be looking at some of these over the coming year.

God Bless,
Rachel Harrison
Assistant Principal - Identity and Mission

Educated Women of Purpose

Welcome back to a new year!  What a disrupted start we have had with the weather as well!  Despite that, most of our new students are finding their way around the College and have met their teachers for the first time.  It is so lovely to see their confidence growing everyday as they learn what it means to become part of the Maggies sisterhood.  It is important to recognise though that not all students feel confident as quickly at the start of a school year.  There are some wonderful tips for how we can support building confidence in both home and school environments in this article by Psychologist, Andrew Fuller https://andrewfuller.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/how-to-build-confidence.pdf

Subject Changes

A reminder to parents and students that Friday 7 February is the last date to change subjects for Years 11 and 12 students.  Years 8 to 10 students’ last day for subject changes is Friday 14th February.  Forms must be submitted by these due dates in all year levels.  Junior students who wish to change one of their subjects should collect a subject change form from outside the Administration block.  They will need to get each part of the form signed by teachers and parents before returning it to the office.  Senior students will need to meet with a member of the Pathways Team (Katherine Truntic, Marianne Milani or Melissa Pearce) to discuss possible changes before receiving a copy of the form. 

Assessment Calendars

Each semester, the College issues assessment calendars to each year level to assist students and parents in planning for assessment.  Parents are reminded that assignment tasks will have a task sheet which will be distributed at least 2 weeks prior to the due date.  More often than not, a draft date will be set to assist students to have access to feedback from their teacher.  If you have any questions about assessment, please contact your child’s classroom teacher in the first instance.

Assessment Calendars will again be part of our Google Calendar. This means that students can add items to their own calendar, set reminders and utilise all of the features of this suite.  These google calendars will also be available on our website for parents to access.  Links to assessment calendars will be made available in Week 3.  The weather and disturbed start to Term 1 has delayed these a little; however, we will endeavour to get these out to you ASAP.

Curriculum Leaders

We are blessed at SMMC to have an incredibly experienced and dedicated teaching team, led by a group of exceptional Curriculum Leaders.  Should you need to make contact with a Curriculum Leader, please find their email addresses below.

Academic Awards Assembly

On Friday, 21st February students will be presented with their Academic Excellence Awards to acknowledge their outstanding effort and achievements in the 2024 school year.  These are in addition to the Diligence and Academic Improvements letters you may receive shortly.  Students will be notified if they are receiving an award and an invitation will be sent to parents very soon. 

Looking forward to a wonderful 2025.

Melissa Pearce
Deputy Principal, Learning and Teaching

Inspired by Community

A Hopeful Year

On Friday, we were fortunate enough to celebrate our new students and staff joining the community at our College Welcome Assembly.  Whilst the weather took an awful turn during the day, we were still able to take delight in the morning and launched the Pope’s theme for 2025, Pilgrims of Hope.  To help celebrate how we can all enact hope, we invited students to share their helpful hints for having hope in the new year.  Here is a selection of our student entries:

Our Helpful Hints for Having Hope

1. Set small achievable goals and celebrate progress, not just results - Big goals can be daunting, and creating smaller goals can help inspire you to help build your way up to something a little bit more challenging.
2. Let go of past mistakes - Challenge yourself to dive into this new school year by letting go of any burdens you may carry with you from the past. Displaying hope and positivity becomes a lot easier when you no longer dwell on mistakes that are now out of your control, but instead focus on what you can control with an open mind. 
3. Have something to look forward to - When situations get rough it can be difficult to deal with those tough days that we all know so well. By having exciting things to anticipate such as a school event, trying a new extracurricular, or even fun plans for the weekend, you may be surprised how quickly time flies.
4. Demonstrate a growth mindset - By showing resilience and truly believing that progress can be achieved from dedication and hard work you can better maintain a hopeful mindset and are more likely to achieve your goals.
5. Surround yourself with positivity - Spend time with people who uplift and inspire you. Seek out supportive teachers, friends, or family members who encourage your growth but most importantly, be a positive influence yourself. Whether you’re trying to set optimistic goals for the year ahead or encouraging those around you, being positive is the best way to be a beacon of hope in your life or someone else’s.

Our challenge for you in this coming week is to actively implement one of our tips for finding hope. It could be as simple as setting a goal to talk to someone you haven’t spoken with before, or forgiving yourself for a mistake you made. We encourage you to think about how you can offer hope to others in the community by living compassionately and justly as we as Maggies are called to be.

2025 College Captains

Congratulations to Afsheen Habib from 8.2, who won the $5 Tuckshop Voucher, for her 5 Ways to Find Hope in the New School Year

Cultivate positive relationships - surround yourself with friends and teachers who support you and give a sense of motivation.

1. Learn to appreciate the smallest of things - for example completing assignments early, or participation in class and celebrating small achievements.
2. Stay curious - rather than seeing school as a chore, approach each subject with curiosity. This will help with engagement and further understanding.
3. Learn to ask for help - don’t be afraid to ask for help with your learning from teachers or peers.
4. Self Care - take time to relax and recharge with activities such as reading or exercising that will allow you to take care of your physical health and mental health and help make it easier to face challenges.

Lucy Johnson - 7.1
5 ways to find hope in the new year:

1. Make new friends.
2. Be grateful to all.
3. Be your true self around everyone.
4. Have goals and set achievements.
5. Accept help from others and help those who are in need,

Sophie Stemp - 8.2
5 ways to find hope in the new year:

1. Create a "Growth Mindset Vision Board"

Instead of just setting goals, create a vision board that highlights how you want to grow as a person this year—not just academically, but emotionally, socially, and creatively. Include quotes, images, and personal affirmations that remind you of your strengths and potential. Each time you feel stuck, revisit it and let it fuel your drive to grow.

2. Embrace the Power of Connection

Reach out to at least one new person each month. Whether it’s a classmate, teacher, or even someone outside of school, you’ll be amazed at how connecting with people can change your perspective. Building a supportive network gives you hope that you’re not alone in your journey, and it can open unexpected doors.

3. Celebrate Small Wins with a "Victory Jar"

Start a "victory jar" where you write down small accomplishments—whether it’s acing a test, having a good conversation with a peer, or just getting through a tough day. At the end of the year, read through all those notes and watch how far you've come. This will keep you grounded and remind you of your progress, no matter how small it may seem.

4. Reframe Challenges as Opportunities

Every tough assignment or obstacle can be seen as an opportunity for growth. Instead of focusing on the difficulty, ask yourself, "What can I learn from this?" Change your mindset from "I can’t do this" to "I will figure this out." You’ll be surprised at how often challenges can spark creative solutions and unexpected strengths.

5. Create an "Inspiration Playlist"

Curate a playlist of songs, podcasts, or audiobooks that inspire you, motivate you, or help you feel grounded. Whenever you’re feeling down, you can press play and let the words and rhythms lift your spirits. This personal soundtrack can serve as a constant reminder that you have the tools to face anything.

An Pham - 7.1
5 ways to find hope in the new school year:

1. Be friendly and be accepting (friends will be your hope through dark times)
2. Try your best and be realistic with your expectations
3. Enjoy new adventures
4. Be brave and courageous
5. Explore new beginnings

Annabel Fone - 7.1
My 5 ways to find hope in the new school year are:

1. To make new friends
2. Get involved in activities and opportunities outside my comfort zone
3. Be inclusive, especially if I see someone has no one to talk to
4. Give my absolute best in everything I do
5. Be grateful every day that I am part of an awesome sisterhood.

Charlotte Denkewitz - 7.5
My 5 ways to find hope in the new school year are:

1. Show resilience
2. Don't be scared to ask for help
3. Always have a positive mind set  
4. Be encouraging to others
5. Help others when they need help

Nariah Iosua - 7.5
5 ways to find hope in the new school year are:

1. Finding hope by making a few good friends to talk to.
2. Being forgiving and loving your enemies.
3. Praying and asking the lord to guide you throughout the school year.
4. Befriending others and helping peers reach their potential.
5. Practice gratitude and being kind to others.

Kiara-Lee Cole - 9.5
5 ways to find hope in the new school year are:

1. new beginnings for the school year
2. learn from mistakes
3. building new friendships
4. achieve goals
5. overcoming challenges

Tahlia Noy - 7.3
Here are some of my ways i will find hope in a new school year:

1. Set goals that are actually achievable for yourself
2. Accept your mistakes, don't get mad about them just learn from them
3. Try out for more activities and sport
4. Be a forgiving person
5. Don't let people control you
6. Embrace everyday experiences

Contacting students and families during the school day

Families and students are asked to make contact via the College Office during the school day.  This includes if a child is unwell, or requests to be collected early for any reason.  The College will not prevent students from contacting their family from the Office if they are unwell, or feel the need to speak urgently with a parent or guardian.  This will ensure the staff are aware of students who are unwell and are also able to provide suitable supervision of children unwell or distressed until collected by their parents or guardians. In line with our College Policy for Telecommunication Devices, students should not be using, or be encouraged to use their personal devices to make or receive communications during school hours.

We thank families for their support and understanding of our policies and expectations.

Michelle Kotzas
Assistant Principal, Pastoral 

College Administration

We are well and truly back in the swing of term life.

School photos

The College’s school photos day on 30 January had to be postponed due to the weather event.  College photos have been rescheduled for Week 8 Thursday 20 March.  Further details about ordering and the schedule will be published closer to the date.

Students are required to be in full formal uniform - they are able to wear the dress OR the formal blouse with the SMMC trousers/shorts.  If there is a practical class requiring a sports uniform, please bring your sports uniform with you on the day and change into this after your photo is taken. 

• Formal uniform with tie and college badge
• Formal black lace up shoes and plain white crew length socks
• Standard jewellery, no make-up or tinted or false eyelashes
• Hair pulled back neatly (remember these are also your formal ID School ID photos)

Vaccinations

Year 7 and 10 vaccinations are being conducted towards the end of Term 2,  Yr 7 Vaccinations are Thursday 12 June. The Year 10 vaccinations are on Thursday 19th June and Thursday 11 September. Information and consent forms will be sent home through Pastoral Care Groups in the coming weeks. Any queries in relation to the vaccinations can be directed to Ms Jenny Walker or jwalker22@smmc.catholic.edu.au

Parking at the College

A reminder to parents and caregivers to park  in allocated spaces and drop-off zones at the College and not to park in surrounding business car parks at drop off, pick up or throughout the day when visiting the College. It is important that we respect the community around the College. 

When parking in the drop off zone at College, remember to drive as far forward as possible.  By stopping part way along the zone, car parking spaces are not utilised and traffic can back up into the intersection added to the congestion. If you can delay your pick-up time by 10-15 minutes, the congestion in the car park has eased.

Upcoming Events

Career Development

How can a Career Development Practitioner working in schools support you and your daughter?  

Career Development in schools is a service designed to empower students and their families to navigate their educational journey and assist in making informed decisions about their futures.

Students, you are more than a number, a mark, a point in time assessment and a job title. You are an incredible ray of sunshine, powerful, kind and empathetic, intelligent and funny. You are able to think and make decisions and inspire those around you. Working in partnership, students have the opportunity to meet regularly for career insights with myself and the Senior Education Team, to ensure that they are empowered and provided with confidential and up to date information to assist them with their own career pathways. 

Services that are offered include; 

• Goal Setting

• Careers Counselling

• Career Testing

• Assistance with tertiary and scholarship applications

• School Based Apprenticeships & Traineeships

• Resume and job application support

• SET Planning 

• Subject Selection

• Volunteer and Work Experience

• Connecting with industry professionals

• Information sessions with major Universities and other organisations, including the Australian Defence Force

Luck favours the prepared so say hello, make an appointment or simply email me. I look forward to discussing what exciting opportunity might be right around the corner for you.

Marianne Milani 
Career Development Practitioner and Teacher
mmilani2@smmc.catholic.edu.au

Sports News

Dear Parents/Carers new to SMMC,

Welcome to the College. My name is Ashleigh Rhodes, and I am the Sports Coordinator at SMMC. Along with the support of Jenny Walker, Bernadette Anderson, and many dedicated staff and community volunteers, my goal is to provide numerous opportunities in school sports for your daughter.

As we begin the year, I would like to outline the opportunities available and explain the ways we will communicate with you and/or your daughter throughout the year.

Northern Sport

Trials for Northern representative teams are scheduled to take place from Terms 1 to 4. Depending on the number of students interested in representing Northern in various sports across the region, initial trials may be conducted at the Townsville representative level. Only students selected for the Townsville team will advance to the Northern trials.

Additionally, each school is allowed to send a specific number of students to the Townsville and/or Northern trials. If the number of SMMC students interested in attending these trials exceeds our allowed quota, we will hold our own trials. Only those students selected in these trials will receive the necessary paperwork to proceed to the Townsville and Northern trials.

Information regarding Northern school sports opportunities can be found in the student’s daily Compass feed and the Student Notices. Typically, students are advised to collect the relevant paperwork from Jenny Walker in Health and Wellbeing. The following steps should then be followed:

1. Take the paperwork home for a parent/caregiver to sign.
2. Return the signed paperwork to Jenny in Health and Wellbeing.

Once the college has received the signed paperwork, we can add the student to our official nomination form, which must be submitted to the convenor of the trials by the deadline set by Townsville Secondary School Sport/Northern Sport. Please note that it is the student’s responsibility to familiarise herself with this process and follow the instructions to avoid missing any opportunities to trial.

Exemptions for trials must be approved before the trial date. If your daughter requires an exemption, it is important to complete the necessary paperwork promptly as the process for approval can take time. For more information, please feel free to email me directly.

College Sports Teams

St. Margaret Mary’s has a proud history of participation in local, state, and national sporting events. We have built a strong reputation in sports such as Touch, Basketball, Netball, and Soccer, and we are actively expanding our programs in Rugby League and AFL.

The duration of competitions can vary, lasting anywhere from one day to one week. Trials may also be required to represent the College. Information regarding trials, training, and events will be communicated through Compass and the Student Notices.

Please note that there are typically costs associated with representing the College at local, state, and national events. While we strive to minimise expenses through sponsorship, it is important to be aware that teams traveling to state events may incur costs exceeding $1,000.

Block Sport

Townsville Secondary School Sport (TSSS) offers various Block Sport competitions throughout the year. The purpose of this competition is to have fun and promote well-being, so students of all abilities and experiences are encouraged to participate. Please note that, depending on the type of sport, the location of the event, and staff availability, there may be limited spots on our College Block Sport teams. To ensure your daughter doesn’t miss the chance to participate, please keep an eye on Compass for updates.

If you have questions regarding the information above, please email me at arhodes@smmc.catholic.edu.au

Thank you,
Ashleigh Rhodes

Arts News

CHOIR

Our school choir - Bella Voce are starting the year off with a sign on/meet and greet morning this Thursday 6th February at 8am in the Theatre L01.  Miss Taylor Fitzgibbon is looking forward to seeing everyone there!  

All are welcome to be part of our choir - come along and make some new friends and start your day singing.

INSTRUMENTAL LESSONS

Students who have enrolled in our instrumental program in Voice, Flute, Strings and Piano will begin lessons in Week 3.  Times will appear in Compass and students will receive a timetable via email.  Flute, Strings and Piano lessons will be held on Mondays, while vocal lessons will be held on Thursdays.  Guitar lessons will resume later in the term.

COMBINED SCHOOLS' MUSICAL ENSEMBLE AUDITIONS

'We Will Rock You' is the Combined Schools' Musical for 2025.  St Patrick's College are the organising school this year.  If you are in Grade 7 or missed out on the ensemble auditions last year, here's your final chance!  See attached poster for details.

Nancy Nicholson
Arts Co-ordinator
nnicholson@smmc.catholic.edu.au

Library News

Welcome back to a New Year in our Library, as we kick-start with Library Lover’s Day, which funnily enough, coincides with Valentine’s Day. To help celebrate we’ve made a date on February 14th to cuddle up with books that we love.  Students are invited to bring a cuddly toy to cuddle up and read in the Library at lunch time.  We’ll take photos of them and pin them up in the library for everyone to see.

In preparation for our special day we’ve decorated our Library with all things ‘lovey dovey’ to get our students in the mood.  We even have a competition to win these lovely hedgehugs and a box of chocolates.  

Library Contacts
Teacher-Librarian - Ms Riitta Booth
Library Aide  - Mrs Katie Lay

Library Hours
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday - 8.00am - 4.30pm
Tuesday - 8.00am - 5.00pm [note change]
Friday -  8.00am - 3.00pm

Riitta Booth
Teacher-Librarian
rbooth2@smmc.catholic.edu.au

Parish News

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