St Saviour's College Newsletter 2024 - Term 4 Week 10

Principal

Christmas wishes

As the end of the year approaches, and we have entered the season of Advent, we find ourselves looking forward to one of the most cherished celebrations of our Catholic faith: Christmas. It is a story layered with tradition and symbolism and last week, at our Christmas liturgy, I reflected on my favourite aspects of the story.

The story of Christmas has it all: wise men, donkeys, mean kings, angels and salty innkeepers. It’s the story of the Magi or Wise Men - those blokes that brought the impractical gifts - that I want to explore here. These three travellers journeyed from afar, guided by the light of the star of Bethlehem, to find the newborn King.

Their expectations were clear—they sought an almighty ruler, one whose power and influence had been foretold for generations, a King even feared by Herod.

Yet, when they arrived, they found something entirely unexpected: not a warrior or political figure, but a tiny baby - totally dependent on the people around him, powerless, vulnerable, innocent, unthreatening, in the most humble of surroundings.

We are often struck by the contrast of this imagery - the three magi pictured in rich velveteen robes, juxtaposed against the hay and simple blue of Mary and Joseph. The image of richly adorned magi kneeling before a newborn in a manger captures a profound message. It speaks to a new reign, a countercultural worldview, and a call to live differently - a call we embrace at St Saviour's College. The birth of Jesus, our Saviour and the namesake of our College, reminds us to seek justice, show compassion, and embody the values of hospitality and service.

As we look back on the year that has been, it’s clear that 2024 has been a year of growth, achievements, and moments of deep connection within our College community. Our students have excelled in so many ways, from academics to arts, to sport, to service endeavours. Over the break, I look forward to sharing with you the news of our Class of 2024 and their achievements; we keep them in our prayers over the coming weeks as they wait to receive their results.

None of the success that we celebrate this year would be possible without the dedication and passion of our outstanding staff, who have worked tirelessly to support and guide every student, in different capacities across the year. I thank them wholeheartedly in this newsletter. We will gather for a Christmas lunch on Friday - I assure you it will be a great culmination of the year.

I would like to take this opportunity to offer my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the leadership team of this College - Eleighta Hannam, Megan Schulze, Leah Dempster, Di May and Chris Blomquist. Exceptional people who have learned together with such resilience and tenacity this year. I extend my great appreciation to each of them for their ongoing, visible and purposeful commitment to ensuring our community is a place of educational excellence, a faith-filled mercy organisation centred on Christ, where all members are known, nurtured and supported to succeed.

As we prepare for the holidays, I wish you all a restful and joyful break, surrounded by loved ones. May this Christmas season bring peace, hope, and renewal to you and your families. I look forward to welcoming you back in 2025 as we continue to grow as a community inspired by the light of our Bethlehem stars.

Jessica Wade
Principal

Deputy Principal - Teaching and Learning

Year 12 results

QCE and subject results will be available on Wednesday, 11 December. Students can access these by logging into their myQCE student portal. ATARs will be released on Friday, 13 December. Students should log into their ATAR portal via the QTAC website to view their results.

University offers will be released at various times over the next two months. Students who have applied through QTAC need to monitor their emails and respond promptly to offers. Remember, most university courses have second and third round offers. If you do not receive your first preference in the first round, conditionally accept your offer and wait for the subsequent rounds. Stay positive and flexible, as opportunities often arise in unexpected ways. Year 12 graduates are also encouraged to proactively seek assistance through their prospective universities if requiring support as they prepare to commence their tertiary studies.

Reports published for Years 7-11

Reports for Years 7-11 are now available. Parents can access these through the parent portal, and students can view them via Sentral. Please engage with these reports and use them to set learning goals for 2025. Reflect on your progress this year and identify areas where you can grow. Setting specific, achievable goals can help you stay motivated and focused in the coming year.

Year 9 and 10 electives, 2025

Students in Years 8 and 9 have been provided their electives last week. A number of students have sought clarification or made some minor changes to their electives since receiving them. If you would like to discuss your electives for 2025, feel free to email me during the break, or visit me in Week 1 next year to discuss.

Booklists

Booklists are available through the Browns Office Choice website https://browns.officechoice.com.au. Select the “Back to School” tab at the top of the page and select St Saviour’s College to access the various booklists.

Final message

As I conclude my first year at St Saviour’s College, I reflect on my journey with gratitude. I am thankful for the warm welcome from students, their families, and our college staff. It has been a pleasure to get to know everyone individually and to witness the collective embodiment of our College values of compassion, justice, and hospitality. Joining the St Saviour’s College community has been a blessing to me.

Looking ahead to 2025, I am excited to explore opportunities to further enhance our students’ educational experiences. My goal is to inspire a love of learning and to empower our young women to embrace the challenges and opportunities that come their way, to be resilient in the face of setbacks, and to always strive for personal excellence.

Thank you for a wonderful year, and I look forward to what we will achieve together in 2025.

Eleighta Hannam
Deputy Principal

Assistant Principal - Wellbeing and Engagement

We are a student-focused learning institute empowering students for their futures. Innovative ways to engage with the curriculum, with research-based pedagogy, are instrumental in achieving this and our core business. What research has revealed though, is that a connection to the community is an indicator of engagement and success in the learning journey. Relationships with teachers and peers are fundamental. Days like Thursday of Week 8 are true community builders, creating the culture that we want present in the everyday lives of our students. We celebrated many achievements of our various students across many facets of College life and finished the day with our annual ‘Running of the Inspirational Female’ colour run. Throughout the day, I saw girls congratulating and applauding others for their achievements, truly lifting up and embracing the success of other women. I also saw a competitive side where houses showed their spirit and fought hard for their relay race wins. Dancing was a prominent feature, as well as coloured powder and slime. Teachers and students enjoyed the festivities, making it a wonderful celebration of who we are. These are the days that invite students into what it means to be a Mercy Girl and feel a part of our community. As was the trip to Dreamworld for the 138 students who were able to work tirelessly throughout the whole year to maintain our college expectations, ensuring they had the best opportunity to engage in the learning journey. Below are the criteria for next year’s merit trips, which will be communicated again at the start of 2025, but could be useful in your conversations with your daughters as they reflect on their report cards and goals for 2025. It is important if we want students to be intrinsically motivated, that we acknowledge the effort students have put in, not necessarily the outcomes. The merit trips throughout the year are this acknowledgment of effort, which in most cases has led to positive learning outcomes. 

This is year I have been privileged to work with girls who have shown a passion for touch football. It is a pure joy to do something I love with these girls and build lasting memories and opportunities for these girls to challenge themselves. On Tuesday we celebrated the final touch team for this year who have been playing in the Wednesday local junior competition. We celebrated with pizza and trophies, acknowledging the commitment these girls have put in each week, representing our college so wonderfully. If your daughter is interested in playing touch in Term 1 on a Wednesday night, please email me and I will add them to a team. We thank the Rebels Touch Club for their assistance in getting our girls into the local competition and look forward to building the relationship into next year.   

I encourage all girls to find a place in our community where they have an interest and have the opportunity to expand their social circles to others who share their common interests. This could be in STEM club, choir, debating, rock band, dance troupe and any of the many sports available. Again, this builds their connection to our community, enhancing their learning journey and their process of self-discovery.  

Holidays, especially long, extended holidays, can sometimes bring our teenagers some grief as there is a lack of routine and structure and often not the daily social interaction adolescents crave. Encourage your daughter to take time for self-care these holidays but suggest to them that they keep some sort of routine to their days. If over the break students are struggling, there are many online services students can engage with to help: 

Emergency help 

If you’re in immediate danger call 000. 

Kids Helpline 

Phone: 1800 55 1800 (free call from landline) 
Website: https://kidshelpline.com.au/ 

Lifeline 

Phone: 13 11 14 (cost of local call from landline) 
Website: https://www.lifeline.org.au/ 

Beyond Blue 

Phone: 1300 22 4636 
Website: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/get-immediate-support 

QLife (3pm-12am) 

Phone:1800 184 527 
Website: www.qlife.org.au 

Other services that may be helpful for engagement over the break to help set up for 2025 school year:  

Momentum: 

Momentum offers tailored online treatment programs to help children and adolescents (7-17) learn new ways to cope with feelings of anxiety and/or unhappiness. Momentum also offers help with sleep difficulties, as well as information on well-being and help-seeking, and tips and information about substance use for adolescents. 

BITE BACK: 

Six weekly challenges to help you improve your mental fitness, increase your happiness, reduce stress, improve your friendships and your focus. 

Enjoy the break with your families and value the time you have together, whether that be a lot or a little. It is the quality of our interactions that will count. Let us all put our technology away and be truly present with each other this Christmas season. I and the wellbeing team look forward to welcoming your daughters back in 2025. 

Megan Schulze
Assistant Principal - Wellbeing and Engagement

Assistant Principal - Mission and Identity

Year 9 Retreat: Made in the image of God

The Year 9 retreat was a truly memorable and transformative experience for everyone involved. The highlight of the day was a powerful session with Stella from the Butterfly Foundation, who delivered an impactful talk on body image and the pressures of unrealistic appearance ideals. Her words resonated deeply, encouraging students to reflect on their own strengths and appreciate their true worth beyond physical appearance.

The retreat emphasised the belief that we are all made in God’s image, providing a valuable opportunity for students to recognise and celebrate their unique qualities. Following Stella’s inspiring talk, students participated in activities designed to help them identify strengths in themselves and their peers. These activities fostered a deeper understanding and appreciation of the unique qualities that each person brings to the community.

Overall, the retreat was a day of growth, understanding, and connection, leaving students with a renewed sense of self-worth and a greater appreciation for the strengths in others. It was a day that will be remembered for its positive impact and the sense of community it fostered.

Reflection on celebrating Advent at our Christmas Liturgy

The Christmas wreath is a cherished tradition that beautifully encapsulates the spirit of Advent. Advent is a season of preparation and anticipation, spanning the four weeks leading up to Christmas. It is a time for reflection, prayer, and joyful expectation as we await the celebration of Jesus' birth.

Lighting of the Advent Candles

The Advent wreath is a meaningful tradition that marks the weeks leading up to Christmas. On the first Sunday of Advent, the Prophet’s Candle is lit, symbolising the hope of Jesus’ birth and reminding us of the ancient prophecies that foretold His coming. The second Sunday sees the lighting of the Bethlehem Candle, which honours the humble city where Jesus was born and symbolises our faith and preparations to welcome Christ into our hearts and homes. The third Sunday, known as Gaudete Sunday, features the Shepherds’ Candle, representing the joy and spreading of the good news, as the shepherds did upon hearing of Jesus’ birth. Finally, on the fourth Sunday of Advent, the Angels’ Candle is lit, symbolising the joy and celebration of Christ’s birth as announced by the angels, reminding us of the heavenly joy that accompanies the arrival of our Saviour. Each candle on the Advent wreath is lit on the corresponding Sunday, marking the progression through the Advent season and preparing our hearts for Christmas.

We would also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Mrs Rasmussen and her Year 7 Religion class for leading this beautiful liturgy. Their dedication and effort have made this celebration truly special, helping us all to embrace the spirit of Advent with greater understanding and joy. Additionally, our gratitude goes to Mrs Potter, Mrs Parker, and our choir for leading the Christmas songs, adding a wonderful musical element to our liturgy. Your contributions have enriched our celebration and brought us all closer together in the spirit of the season.

Spreading joy this Christmas

During our Christmas Liturgy, Rachelle and Jemica from St Vincent De Paul graciously accepted donations of Christmas gifts and food. This act of kindness and generosity from our students truly embodies the spirit of Christmas, spreading joy and hope to those in need. Your contributions have made this season special for many families, and for that, we are deeply grateful. A special heartfelt thank you goes out to all the home class teachers, students who donated and to Mrs Van De Heever, Ms Lindsay, Mrs Ryan, Ms Croker, and Mrs Cocks for your invaluable help behind the scenes. Your efforts in organising and wrapping presents for our Vinnie's Christmas Appeal have made a significant impact. Because of your dedication, many families will experience a brighter and more joyful Christmas. Your hard work and generosity are truly appreciated, and you have all played a crucial role in making this season one of giving and compassion.

Leah Dempster
Assistant Principal - Mission and Identity

Sports news

Any student wishing to play for the school Saturday Netball team in 2025 should contact the sports office for more details.  

Students should return all external sports uniforms either to student services or the Sports office. Thanks to those who have already done this.  

Current Mercy Shield Points. The mercy shield is a House run competition that fosters excellence through a range of activities and competitions. The current points are as follows: This will continue into 2025, so students are encouraged to engage in as many activities for their house as possible.  

• 1st Xavier: 8pts 
• 2nd McAuley: 6pts 
• 3rd Goretti: 3pts  
• 4th Coolock: 2pts  

External sports snapshot for Term 1 2025 – subject to change.  

Greg Leathart
Curriculum Leader Sport and HPE

Arts and Performance news

Saviour’s Sisters Performance Choir shines at Christmas Liturgy 

On Friday, 29 November, the Saviour’s Sisters Performance Choir graced us with a stunning Christmas Liturgy that left the audience in awe. The choir’s harmonious voices filled the air with festive cheer, creating a magical atmosphere that truly captured the spirit of the season. Their performance was a beautiful blend of traditional carols and contemporary Christmas songs, each delivered with heartfelt emotion and impeccable skill. 

The choir’s dedication and passion for music were evident in every note, making the afternoon a memorable experience for all who attended. The liturgy not only celebrated the joy of Christmas but also brought the community together in a shared moment of peace and reflection. 

Upcoming performance at Christmas Wonderland 

Don’t miss the Saviour’s Sisters Performance Choir’s final enchanting performance for the year at the Christmas Wonderland in Toowoomba Queen’s Park Botanical Gardens. Mark your calendars for Sunday, 8 December, from 7.30pm to 8.15pm. This event promises to be a delightful evening filled with festive music and holiday spirit. 

Join us for an unforgettable night under the stars as the choir serenades us with their beautiful voices. It’s the perfect way to get into the holiday mood and enjoy the magic of Christmas with family and friends. We look forward to seeing you there! 

Celebrating the achievements of our performing arts students in 2024 

2024 has been an exceptional year for the performing arts at St Saviour’s College. Our students have showcased their incredible talents across various platforms, from captivating dance performances and stunning choir renditions to impressive drama productions and musical showcases. Their dedication, creativity, and passion have truly shone through, making this year one of our most memorable yet. 

We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the staff, students, and parents for their unwavering support and commitment. Your encouragement and involvement have been instrumental in our success, and we are deeply grateful for your contributions. 

Looking ahead to 2025, we are excited to announce several new initiatives and expansions within our Performing Arts program: 

• Re-addition of a drama club: We will be relaunching a drama club to provide students with more opportunities to explore their theatrical talents and participate in various productions 

• Expansion of the dance troupe: Our dance troupe will be expanding, welcoming new members and continuing to deliver outstanding performances 

• Formation of performance teams: We will be forming performance teams for students wishing to showcase their abilities in solo and small group vocal or instrumental work 

• Private tutoring: We will continue to seek private tutors for those wishing to learn new instruments or extend their musical prowess 

As we look forward to 2025, we are excited about the potential for even greater achievements. With continued support and enthusiasm, we are confident that our performing arts program will reach new heights, inspiring and entertaining our community. 

Here’s to another year of outstanding performances and artistic growth! 

Jennifer Potter
Program Leader Arts and Performance

Library News

All resources should now be returned 

Holiday reading 

Check out our Christmas dashboard for some fun bits and pieces for Christmas, including some great eBooks and audiobooks to access over the holidays. 

Keep your reading up over the Christmas holidays. What can you do to help your child value reading? 

• Family reading time – create a time when the whole family is reading. Turn off the technology and enjoy the quiet time but together! Make this a daily reading routine – only 20 minutes will help. Even discussing with your child/ren what they are reading or wanting to read
• Book bag (a sports bag would work) – fill a bag with books and magazines to take with you
• Movies that come from books – read the book then watch the movie (with treats)
• Ebooks and audio books – check out our library catalogue (see below) for ways to do this as this engages the technology component that some will like. Maybe even a podcast! 
• Our library catalogue: - https://au.accessit.online/STS03  
• By doing a search you can filter by eBook, Audiobook or Wheelers (provides ebooks, etc). Or you can look for the little symbols for eBooks (a little e on a book image) or audio (a microphone)
• Magazines – a great way to have something that is specific to their likes. Short and sweet snippets of information
• Different Christmas books – get into the holiday spirit, grab some Christmas stories and enjoy this special time
• Play word, board and card games – play ones like Taboo and Conversation Starter games, Articulate or Scattergories. Great ways to read, without reading! 
• Competitions – check out the local library (see the next section) for what competitions they have over summer or create your own and negotiate a prize for achieving a certain number…your own reading challenge!

Our local library! 

https://www.eventbrite.com/o/toowoomba-region-libraries-66571600873  

Reading challenges to try at home 

Download a copy to check off as you go. 

Other challenge ideas? 

New library mascots! 

Our slogan, chosen by students voting, is: 

“Paws for a book, stay for the adventure!” 

We will be using this slogan through next year with our mascots to promote reading in our library. Enjoy your holidays, read lots and see you in 2025 

Stay safe over the holidays and keep reading.

Andrea King
Teacher Librarian