12 SMMC Newsletter 6 August

Principal's News

Dear Parents and Carers,

Last year a Right to Disconnect Protocol for Teachers was introduced at the College. In this increasingly digital world of 24/7 access to emails and mobiles, it is important that our Staff are able to have a healthy work/life balance so that when they leave work for the day, they can enjoy their time with family and friends and relax. Here is an extract of the protocol which outlines a reasonable expectation:

2. Response times for electronic communication

• 2.1 Employing authorities have an expectation that staff replies to electronic communication from the employer, students, parents, colleagues, or others will occur within the school hours of 8.00 am - 4.00 pm following consultation;
• 2.2 Where contact is requested by the employer, students, parents, colleagues, or others outside the span of hours outlined in clause 2.1 above, employees will respond on the employee’s next designated working day. 
• 2.3 Staff are expected to respond to or action requests from the employer, students, parents, colleagues or others within 48 hours (not including the weekend or holiday breaks). These protocols apply on the basis of full-time Staff. Part-time employee times may vary.
• 2.4 Employees may be required to connect and/or respond outside the designated span of hours as provided in clause 9.1.2(c) of the Agreement in circumstances such as:
• 2.4.1 public emergencies;
• 2.4.2 critical incidents.

If you ever have any concerns about communication between home and school, we warmly encourage you to reach out to your daughter’s Pastoral/Curriculum Middle Leader or any member of the Leadership Team. We are always happy to support open, respectful and timely communication that fosters strong partnerships and wellbeing for everyone in the community.

Good Samaritan Schools’ Network

Last weekend Rachel Harrison and I attended the triennienal conference for Good Samaritan Education entitled, Ever Ancient, Ever New - Weaving Tradition with Innovation. St Margaret Mary’s College has a proud tradition with the Sisters of the Good Samaritan and this conference was an opportunity to keep learning about our Benedictine history and to be inspired to keep the spirit of these amazing Sisters alive in our school community. 

Maggies’ Spirit Awards

Congratulations to the following students who received a Maggies’ Spirit Award at our Catholic Education Week Assembly on Friday:

Baika Japanese Exchange Students 

It has been a delight to host the Baika Japanese students this week. They have enjoyed participating in classes, presenting on Assembly and sharing their language skills with our Japanese students. A special thank you (どうもありがとう, Dōmo arigatō) goes to our Languages Middle Leader Mrs Cathy Spencer and Teacher Mrs Marita Townsend for their help in managing their stay.

Media Consent Updates 

At the time of enrolment, parents are asked to consent to the use of their child’s name and image in various forms of media to promote the school/College and Catholic Education. If you DO NOT wish to consent to your child's photograph/video appearing as stated in the below, and you wish to withdraw this authorisation and consent, you must notify the school by phone or email - smmc@smmc.catholic.edu.au.
 
If we do not hear from you to make any changes, your original consent provided will remain in effect.
 
PHOTOGRAPHY/VIDEO/MEDIA CONSENT
Photos, video footage and work samples of students are used regularly by the school/College for the purpose of acknowledging the efforts of the student/College, or for promotion, marketing or advertising the College or Catholic Education.
 
I consent to the student being photographed or filmed for school/College, Catholic Education or Townsville Catholic Diocese related communication or for education purposes. 
I understand this may include media (e.g. television, radio, publications), school/College publications (e.g. newsletters, year books), online media (e.g. websites) and social media (e.g. Facebook, Instagram). 
 
I understand it is my responsibility to notify the school/College if I do not wish to consent to the student’s photograph/video appearing in any or all of the above, or if I wish to withdraw this authorisation and consent. Please note the student’s name and voice may be included with the photograph/video.
 
I understand the copyright of such images will be retained by the school/College, Townsville Catholic Education, the Diocese of Townsville or their contractors, and there will be no remuneration or compensation for the images.
 
Kacey Sinardi
Enterprise Project Manager on behalf of Governance - Townsville Catholic Education Office

Dear Staff and Parents/Carers,

Townsville Catholic Education Office (TCE) collaborates closely with all schools and colleges across the Diocese to consistently improve the Catholic school experience for students, staff, and families. A vital part of this effort is listening to the voices of our school communities.

Over the coming days, TCE will send out a survey to all staff and families, while Yr 7-12 students will complete the surveys during class. These surveys are a vital tool that helps us understand what’s working well and where we can improve. The feedback collected will directly shape future planning, guide school improvement efforts, and foster environments where both students and staff can flourish.

Staff and families received the surveys via email on Monday, 4 August, and we kindly ask that you complete them by Monday, 18 August. If you have children attending more than one Catholic school, or if you work across multiple schools, you will get a separate survey for each.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to share your thoughts and help us build stronger, more responsive school communities.

Have a blessed week

Yours sincerely,
Kathleen McCarthy
College Principal

Inspirited by Faith and Mission

The Story of Martha and Mary

During our Catholic Education Week liturgy last week, our Community Faith and Spirit leaders led us in beautiful prayer and the following Gospel reading from Luke:

Jesus came to a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. She had a sister called Mary, who sat down at the Lord's feet and listened to him speaking. Now Martha, who was distracted with all the serving, said, 'Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.' But the Lord answered: 'Martha, Martha' he said 'you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her.'

To connect our students to something written over 2000 years ago is often a challenge, but I thought I would share with you the reflection I popped together – with our girls in my thoughts as I wrote it.

In this story, two sisters—Martha and Mary—welcome Jesus into their home. One is busy, anxious, caught up in making everything perfect. The other chooses to sit and simply be with Jesus.

I shared the above an image with them created by Eileen Kennedy - a contemporary American artist. In it, Jesus is dressed in a traditional white robe, sandals, long hair, and beard and has his hands held out towards Mary. Mary is relaxed but attentive, leaning towards Jesus, her eyes on his face, her hands clasped. The dozing cat helps add an extra sense of calm and serenity to her space. 

Martha leans over them, dominating the painting with her size, attitude, and the contrasting colours of her clothes. She looks impatient and annoyed, her one hand on her hip, her other gripping the vacuum cleaner, her whole presence is an interruption of the conversation between Mary and Jesus. We can also imagine the noise of the vacuum and the expectation that those in the way should move to allow their space to be cleaned.

A question - girls, how often do you feel like Martha?

Rushing around, trying to get everything done—assignments, chores, friendships, expectations, maybe even trying to make sure everyone else is happy. It's exhausting. And sometimes, like Martha, we can start to feel frustrated, even resentful, especially when it looks like others (maybe even close friends or our siblings) are just... sitting there. Still. Peaceful. Unbothered.

Let’s be honest—many of us have a little bit of Martha in us. We feel like we always need to keep going, keep giving, keep achieving. We often feel the pressure to “have it all together” or to make sure everyone else is okay, even if we’re not.

But Jesus doesn’t get cross at Martha for caring. He loves her. He sees her stress. He understands her. But then, with that love, he invites her to look at Mary. Not with jealousy, but with curiosity. Because Mary has chosen something deeper: presence.

Mary knew that she didn’t have to earn Jesus’ love. She just needed to show up. To sit. To listen. To be.

Don’t get me wrong - this Gospel is not saying we shouldn’t work hard. But it is reminding us that our worth isn’t measured by how much we do. I’m going to say that again – our worth isn’t measured by how much we do.

Girls, you are growing up in a world that tells you to do more, to be everything for everyone. But I want to remind you that the best part - the part that cannot be taken away - is found when you pause, when you breathe, when you listen to who God says you are.

You are not defined by your grades, your appearance, your social media account, or how busy your schedule is.

You are defined by this: You are loved. Deeply. Just as you are.

So be like Mary today. Find some time to sit quietly. To listen. To remember that you are already enough.

Let that truth sink in—it’s the better part, and it can never be taken from you.

What truly matters is our connection with God and with what gives us peace and purpose.

As young women in a world that often tells you to be more, do more, achieve more - hear this truth:
You are already enough.
There is nothing you need to prove to be loved by Jesus.

My final challenge for the girls – and for us all I suspect is this:

My challenge for you all - Let’s be girls who know when to rise and serve like Martha - and when to sit, breathe, and listen like Mary.

Catholic Missions

On Wednesday last week we were blessed to hear from Josephine Cullen, who has been working with Catholic Missions in Zambia. Josephine spoke to some of our Yr 11 and 12 students about the work she had been doing there – particularly with the Chilonga Mission Hospital and the Chalabesa Health Centre and expectant mothers.  At the Chilonga Mission there are problems of overcrowded wards with women forced to share beds with only two toilets for over 50 mothers. Josephine is advocating for upgraded facilities and equipment to allow the hospital to provide a higher standard of care and that the mothers will be able to leave the hospital with their babies in their arms, alive. At the Chalabesa Health Centre, the issue is the lack of adequate facilities and medical equipment needed to provide care mothers need. There is also no dedicated waiting or recovery areas for pregnant mothers and new mothers, away from other ill patients to deliver their babies.

We thank John Duiker – the Townsville Diocesan Director for Catholic Missions – for coordinating this visit. Our Senior Leaders are very keen to have Mission Stalls later this term to fundraise for this worthy organisation. Watch this space for more information.

God bless,
Rachel Harrison
Assistant Principal - Identity and Mission

Educated Women of Purpose

What an incredibly busy but wonderful start we have had to Term 3.  There is so much happening in the Learning and Teaching space in our College at  the moment.  

YEAR 11 AND 12 EXAM BLOCKS

As we head into the middle part of Term, our Year 12 students are beginning to prepare for External Exams.  This is an exciting time as it marks the beginning of the final stage of their Year 12 journey.  During Weeks 8 and 9 our Year 12s will sit their Mock Exams in preparation for these External Exams.  I urge you to be starting conversations with your daughters around how they are preparing for these Mock Exams and please do not hesitate to make contact with the College should you feel they need some extra support.

In addition to Mock Exams this term, we also have our Year 11 students sitting their Unit 2 Exams during Exam Block in Weeks 8 and 9 of term.  Again, I urge you to begin conversations around exam preparation and organisation with your daughters as we enter this phase.   These Exam Blocks present a wonderful opportunity to have a conversation about stress and how to manage the demands of exam time.  Stress is a normal response to challenging situations and can be, at some levels, beneficial to productivity.  However, it can also create other challenges such as not sleeping well and feeling tired and fatigued.  If you feel your daughter may be experiencing high levels of stress there are some things you can do to help:

1. Start a conversation - talking about how they are feeling can reduce stress
2. Make sure they are taking some ‘downtime’ - ensure they take regular study breaks to enjoy themselves
3. Nutrition and sleep - ensuing your daughter is looking after herself in terms of food, drink, sleep and comfort
4. Evaluate expectations - have a conversation around your daughter’s expectations and where these match up to what they can and are willing to achieve
5. Provide tools to manage stress - meditation, relaxation and goal setting are great tools to help manage stress. Reach out has some great tools in this area (https://au.reachout.com)
6. Seek support where needed - seeking support from your daughter’s Pastoral Middle Leader or our College counsellors if you feel your daughter needs some extra support

NAPLAN RESULTS

In Term One our Years 7 and 9 students sat their NAPLAN tests.  These results have now been mailed home for your records.  They are also available in the Reports section of Compass.  Please reach out to the College should you need any assistance with accessing these.

Wishing all of our students a great Term Three.

Melissa Pearce
Deputy Principal, Learning and Teaching

Inspired by Community

Relationships

Learning how to establish healthy positive relationships with the people we work with and see on a daily basis can be tricky at any age.  

At school: 

It is important for young people to maintain respectful and positive relationships with staff around the school grounds and in classrooms.  At times, we can all get a little ‘testy’, but it can help young people to remember that staff want the best for our young people in the community, whether it is: 

• Showing respect for the environment and keeping it rubbish free
• Taking care of our learning spaces and facilities 
• Being on time and organised with equipment for lessons
• Applying courtesy when speaking to staff in class and around the grounds
• Taking responsibility with our learning, assessment and classwork
• Upholding the College expectations for behaviour 

With Friends:

Some of the hardest relationships to navigate are with your friends and peers.  ReachOut.com provides advice on a range of friendship topics, including: 

• What makes a good friend?
• The Mate Breakup: 6 ways to make sure you’re okay when a friendship ends
• A guide to being a good friend online
• How to make friends at school
• When does banter go too far?
• 4 steps for coping with changing friendship
• How to tell your friend they've hurt you
• How to deal with a toxic friendship
• What is peer pressure?

To learn more about these topics, visit:  https://au.reachout.com/relationships/friendships 

Latest SchoolTV Edition - Sibling Relationships

Sibling relationships are often a child's first and longest-lasting social connection. These bonds can offer companionship, support and opportunities to develop important life skills such as empathy, negotiation and conflict resolution. However, like all close relationships, sibling dynamics can be complex. Differences in temperament, age, needs and parental attention can all contribute to tension or rivalry. It's not uncommon for children to compete for attention, especially during times of change or stress.

As a parent or caregiver, your role in shaping the tone of sibling relationships is vital. Creating a home environment that celebrates each child's unique strengths and avoids direct comparisons helps reduce rivalry and fosters mutual respect.

By listening without judgement, teaching emotional regulation, and supporting each child's individuality, you can create a family culture where siblings feel secure and valued. This edition of SchoolTV offers insights to support young people in developing positive, lasting sibling bonds that can remain strong well into adulthood.

We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this edition of SchoolTV and we always welcome your feedback. If you have any concerns about your child, please contact the school counsellor for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to the Sibling Relationships edition of SchoolTV:

https://smmc.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/sibling-relationships-au 

Gentle Uniform Reminder

Getting ready for school or work is a way of mentally preparing yourself for the day ahead, taking control and dressing for success. Being organised with all aspects of our daily ‘uniform’ helps with shaping a professional frame of mind.  

As we approach the halfway mark of Term 3, we ask students to observe the expectations of:

• natural hair colours (this includes artificial extensions and braids)
• complete removal of all facial piercings (covered or clear nose piercings are not acceptable)
• clear ear cartilage piercings only in ears
• the removal of tinted false eye lashes and coloured acrylic nails
• wearing a school hat with their name written on the inside band
• plain white crew length socks devoid of sporting emblems or brand logos
• tie and College badge worn with formal uniforms

Mashed Theatre Recap 

On Wednesday, July 31, we welcomed the Mashed Theatre team back to present their wellbeing shows to our Junior school.  This year our 7s and 8s were fortunate to experience the new show Teenager, which explores identity, social influences and self-worth.  It was a confronting story that invited young people to consider who shapes the blueprint of their developing identity.  Whilst our 9s and 10s were asked to reflect on the impact of toxic behaviours, peer pressure and what it means to take responsibility for our actions.  

We were proud of the engagement of our students during these performances and the Mashed performers remarked on their insightful questions at the end of the performances. 

Catholic Network Australia (CNA) Cyber Safety Webinar for Parents

CNA has teamed up with the Cyber Safety Project to deliver an exclusive online free session for Catholic school parents — all about supporting safe and smart digital habits at home.

Join expert Trent Ray as he unpacks key topics like deepfakes, AI companions and spotting truth online — all in clear, practical language (no tech jargon!).

 Understand the tech your child is using
 Learn simple ways to start important conversations
 Get expert tips on guiding safe, ethical online choices

This is a must-watch for busy parents navigating the digital world with their kids.

Register now via the link below.

 https://shorturl.at/lA4NU

College Administration

Arts News

Maggies' Festival of the Arts is just 2 weeks away.  We have an exciting lineup of student performances from our Drama, Dance and Music departments, along with a stunning display of student Visual Art. Our P&F will be providing some tasty snacks on the night and our high achievers will be recognized with our Arts Awards for 2025.  

Students who are involved in an act will have a rehearsal scheduled during the day on Friday 22nd August. We ask that students have a black t-shirt (or Arts Shirt) and black pants to wear for our finale dance that everyone can be part of.

Please book (Free) tickets via Compasstix for catering purposes.  We hope to see you there!

BELLA VOCE CHOIR

We are very proud of our choir who sang beautifully at the Catholic Education week Mass last week.  Thanks to Ms Sheriff for preparing the choir, along with Ms DiBella and the choir from St Joseph's Mundingburra who joined with our students to create a beautiful sound. We also thank Year 9 student, Maya Carvalho Dalsenter who played 'Ave Maria' on Cello accompanied by Ms Sheriff for the Offertory.  This was a fitting addition to that part of the Mass.

The choir is busy preparing their pieces for upcoming performances at the Sounds of Youth Concert at Carlyle Gardens on 17th August, Maggies' Festival of the Arts on 22nd August and Townsville Eisteddfod on Saturday 13th September.

GUITAR ENSEMBLE

Our ensemble welcomed back Miss Dufficey last week and they are also busy preparing for Maggies' Festival and Townsville Eisteddfod performances.  Term 3 keeps us all busy in the Arts Department.

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

Sports News

Year 7 & 8 AFL Team

Our Year 7 & 8 AFL girls took on Cairns State High in the Grand Final of the AFLQ StreetSmarts Schools Cup yesterday and came away with a win: final score 54 - 08!

- Best on Ground went to Milla Creenaune
- Most Valuable Player was awarded to Finella Keir

The team now advances to the State Finals in Maroochydore this October. We are so proud of all their hard work! 

Year 9 & 10 Team

The Year 9 & 10 AFL students also fought hard in the Grand Final of the AFLQ Streetsmarts Schools Cup against St Monica's College, going down 47-3. Despite the result, the girls showed great effort throughout the series.

The Most Valuable Player award was given to Isabella Robertson.

Vicki Wilson Shield Team

This week, our Vicki Wilson Shield team is off to Brisbane to compete in the Vicki Wilson Finals.

Our livestreamed match will take place on Thursday, 7 August at 12:30pm against St Columban’s College.

You can watch the game live via NetballQTV: https://qld.netball.com.au/vicki-wilson-championship

Please note, the livestream will be a continuous broadcast of the Show Court throughout the day.

Interhouse Athletics Carnival 

The SMMC Interhouse Athletics Carnival took place on Friday, July 25, at the Townsville Sports Reserve. Despite the average weather, students competed well in various athletic events, including javelin, triple jump, and sprints. Congratulations to Anunaka for being crowned Champion House! Your students continue to exemplify leadership and determination, so we also congratulate you for earning the House Spirit Award.

A special thank you goes to the college staff who worked tirelessly throughout the day to run events and supervise the students. Your collective efforts ensured that the event ran smoothly and adhered to all protocols. I would also like to give a shout-out to our maintenance team, our "early birds" Anna-Luisa and Peter Leete, and Jodie Carbery and her wonderful crew for their hard work in the canteen.

Congratulations to our Age Champions:

12 Years: Madalyn McClure
13 Years: Ruby Jackson
14 Years: Mia-Marie Clegg
15 Years: Lucy Whelan
16 Years: Ksenia Dear
17 Years: Vanessa Chebet
Open: Narly Doolah

The highly anticipated event, the Queen of the Track, showcased the top eight fastest students in the 100m sprint. The race provided a fantastic conclusion to our carnival. Congratulations to Zara Nicolosi, our 2025 Queen of the Track!

Lastly, a huge shout out to the girls who broke records in the following events:

Open 100m - Narly Doolah - 13.25 
Open 800m - Georgie Allen - 3:02.82
17 years Shotput -  Evoltia Tuala - 12.29
13 years Dicus - Ruby Jackson - 24.07 (from 1984)
Open 200m - Narly Doolah - 27.04
Open Triple Jump - Narly Doolah - 9.78
12 year Triple Jump - Peyton Smith - 8.99
Open 400m - Narly Doolah - 1.10.25
Open Javelin - Narly Doolah - 24.86 
Open Long Jump - Narly Doolah - 4.24m
14 Year Javelin - Ava Webber -  22.86m

First Nations News

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome to Week 4! We have had a very busy start to the term. Thank you to all of our parents who took the time to come in and meet with your child’s teacher for our Parent Teacher interviews. A good relationship between teachers and parents boosts many areas of a child’s schooling including:

• Better behaviour.
• More confidence and greater self-esteem.
• Higher attendance rates.
• A lower risk of exclusion.
• More enthusiasm about learning.
• Better results.

ATSIMS

On Tuesday the 21st of July, five students and Mrs Zoe Brown attended the ATSIMS program Gudjuda Ranger Day in Ayr. The day included: information about a day out on the boat while turtle tagging, the burial site within the park and Bush Tucker. All of these activities were delivered from the First Nations Rangers. The group completed the day with a shared BBQ.

Upcoming events include:

• August 15th - Australian Institute of Marine Science Visit
• August 29th - September 1st - Orpheus Island
• September 10th - Program Graduation

Garbutt Magpies Cup:

Last week on Wednesday the 30th of July, 7 of our Emerging Leaders travelled to Gill Oval with Mrs Zoe Brown and myself to umpire for the 2025 Garbutt Magpies Cup. This day also recognises and coincides with the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day, this year’s theme being “Little Footsteps, Big Future”. These students displayed leadership skills and their confidence grew greatly throughout the day. We were overwhelmed with the positive feedback we received from officials about the girls’ perseverance and flexibility with the umpiring schedule. A big “SHOUT OUT” to Ava, Tilly, Shaniqua, Kesia, Gemika, Racyna, and Florianna.

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children's Day:

The 2025 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day theme Little Footsteps, Big Future honours the journeys our children take as they grow - each step guided by culture, community and connection to Country.

QATSIF Scholarships Reminder:

Students are reminded to return their applications to the school by Friday the 22nd of August.

QATSIF Graduation

Tuesday 5th August saw four St Margaret Mary’s College students attend their QATSIF Graduation ceremony at James Cook University where they were presented with their Certificates for 2025. Over the last two years these students were awarded the QATSIF scholarship that helped with their last two years of Senior Education. The ceremony was well attended by all schools throughout the Townsville area. All recipients were grateful for the help and support from QATSIF in their educational journey. Well done, Narly Doolah, Ellie Thomson, Rylie Toby-O’Leary and Dakota Namok.

First Nations Committee Meetings Term 4

• Our next meeting is Monday Week 3 20th October 5-6pm in the Library

 Catholic Education Week Spirit Awards

I would like to give a big shout out to Mrs Zoe Brown who received an award in recognition of her nomination in the 2025 Aunty Joan Hendrik’s Reconciliation Award and two of our students, Maria Namok and Kesia Bob, who received a Maggie's Spirit Award at our Catholic Education Week Liturgy last Friday morning.

Well done team!

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me. Have a great week!

Yours in Faith, Culture and Education,
Mrs Louise Martin

Language News

Last week, St Margaret Mary’s hosted 19 students from our Japanese sister school, Baika Girls High School in Osaka. The students spent some time at school joining in a variety of subjects: Dance, Drama, and Music. Of course, it was also a great opportunity for our SMMC students who are learning Japanese to practise their skills. The Baika girls enjoyed spending time with their assigned buddies. 

Exchange experiences such as these offer us all the chance to enjoy and value cultural differences and are important formative experiences for young people. 

We look forward to them visiting again.

Library News

Book Week

Book an Adventure is the theme for this years’ Book Week, so to help celebrate we will be donning our costumes once again.  All students are invited to come dressed for an Adventure or in their favourite Book Week costume on FRIDAY 29th August (rescheduled from the 15th August)!  It promises to be lots of fun and there will be prizes for the best costumes…

Premier’s Reading Challenge continues through until 22nd August for Year 7,8 and 9 students.  Please support your child as they read 15 books, ebooks, graphic novels, audio-books and log them onto their Reading Logs.  The class who reads the most books will WIN A PIZZA PARTY!  

Riitta Booth
Teacher-Librarian

Career News

EVENT: A Holistic Overview for Students considering a career in Medicine

Hosted by Rotary Club Mundingburra and Ryan Catholic College
For: Year 10 students and parents
When: 26th August
Time: 6-7pm
Where: The venue is Emmaus Hall Morindo Drive, Ryan Catholic College
RSVP: Rotarymundingburra@outlook.com by 31st July 

What to expect: We will have short presentations from current medical students, recently graduated Doctors, experienced General Practitioners, specialist Doctors, and most importantly for students, the parents of students who support their children through the process.

After the initial short presentations, each presenter will make themselves available for one on one or small group interactions.

Community News