St Patrick's College Mackay - Term 1 - Week 6 - 6 March 2026

Aquatics Carnival
Our annual St Patrick’s College Aquatics Carnival was held on Tuesday and was a huge success despite the damp conditions. With a record number of students in attendance, the House spirit was palpable. It was wonderful to see so many students diving in and cheering each other on. A huge thank you to the staff, student leaders and volunteers who made the carnival run so smoothly.

Congratulations to Argos on being the overall winning House on the day.

Year 7 Social
Our recent Year 7 Disco was a massive hit, with about 150 of our newest students hitting the dance floor and making the most of their first big social event. It was fantastic to see them mingling and making new friends, supported by a great turnout of our Year 10, 11, and 12 student leaders.

Thank you to the teachers and staff who volunteered their time to supervise and help organise the evening. It was a wonderful way to welcome the Class of 2031 into our college community.

Celebrating Academic Excellence – 2025 Year 7-10 Awards Night
Last week, I was privileged to present the 2025 Academic Awards for Years 7, 8, 9, and 10. This event is a wonderful opportunity to stop and celebrate the dedication, curiosity, and hard work our junior students have put into their studies over the past year.

We introduced a new two-session format this year. I was delighted by the incredible turnout; seeing so many parents, siblings, and extended family members there to support and cheer on our students was very special.

Thank you to everyone who joined us to acknowledge these achievements. To our award winners: may you carry this momentum forward and continue to reach for your goals

Please see below for the full list of our 2025 Award Recipients.

St Patrick’s College Open Night
I warmly invite all families considering joining our college community in 2027 to come along to our Open Night on Tuesday 17 March. If you know of any families considering their school options for 2027, please pass on these details to them. Our enrolments are already looking strong.

Between 4pm and 7pm, our doors will be wide open for you to wander through the campus, chat with our wonderful staff and students, and get a true feel for the unique opportunities waiting for your child here. We are now taking online enrolment applications for 2027.

ENROL NOW:
https://enrol.spcmrok.catholic.edu.au/secondary-school-enrolment/start

School Improvement Review
In June this year, our College will undergo a School Improvement Review. The School Improvement Tool used in Australia helps schools assess their performance through evidence, identify areas for growth, and plan targeted actions to enhance student learning, safety, and the overall school environment. It is essential that our school continually strives for improvement, with a focus on high-quality explicit teaching, student well-being, and fostering a safe and supportive community atmosphere.

The review process centres around nine interconnected domains:

1. Explicit Improvement Agenda
2. Data Analysis & Discussion
3. Culture Promoting Learning
4. Targeted Resource Use
5. Expert Teaching Team
6. Systematic Curriculum Delivery
7. Differentiated Teaching & Learning
8. Effective Pedagogical Practices and
9. School-Community Partnerships. (ACER)

I encourage parents to share their ideas and concerns and to support our ongoing improvement efforts by contacting me via email at any time – Janelle_agius@rok.catholic.edu.au.

Our shared goal is to collaborate in providing students with the best possible education and experience. We are dedicated to supporting our students’ success.

I look forward to engaging in this process as we continually refine our practices.

National Success on the Track
Congratulations to Year 12 student Louis C for his performance at the BMX National Series Round 1 held at the Sleeman Sports Centre in Brisbane Recently. Louis showed incredible grit and determination, placing 7th in the National Finals. This result followed a grueling day of competition at the Oceania event, where he went head-to-head with elite riders from New Zealand and Tahiti, narrowly missing the finals. We are incredibly proud of Louis’s talent and his "never-give-up" attitude on the national stage.

On Monday 23 February, we came together to celebrate and acknowledge the outstanding achievements of our Year 7, 8, 9 and 10 students from 2025. Students were acknowledged for their hard work, determination and academic accomplishments.

During the evening, we presented both Academic and Diligence Awards to students. All awards were determined based on report card results from all terms in 2025. To receive an Academic Award, students need to achieve a B+ average over the year. To receive a Diligence Award, students need to average a VG (Very Good) rating in all three areas of Behaviour, Work Habits and Task Completion during the year.

The Awards Evening was a resounding success with over 500 students eligible for awards, highlighting the remarkable achievements of the Mercy Campus cohort in 2025. These exceptional results serve not only as a testament to their hard work and dedication but also highlight that behind every successful student, there is a support system that plays a crucial role in their achievements. Thank you, parents, families and staff, for all your support, work and encouragement of our students. The College acknowledges the important role a strong partnership between parents and educators plays in nurturing student growth.

These award ceremonies highlight the importance of education and strong work habits. I encourage students to continue to do their best not only in their studies but also in how they interact with others. May they lead others by example regarding the importance of education. May you continue to strive to reach high standards and maintain your strong work ethic in 2026.

Year 7 2025 Award Results
Diligence Award:
Galvin A, Stella A, Peyton A, Charlie B, Dimitrios B, Kye B, Jaylah B, William B, Scarlett B, Venice C, Peyton C, Sybella C, Xander C, Gracie C, Lexie C, Bruce C, Addison C, Leo D, Thomas E, Olivia F, Lauren F, Angeline G, Jayde G, Ashton G, Indy G, Lacey G, Coby G, Eddie Green IV, Huanyu G, Rylie H, Blake H, Carley H, Mason H, Athena H, Oliver H, Jaxon H, Celeste H, Brae H, Zoe J, Raidyn J, Reginald J, Kiri J, Rhys J, Lily K, Dhaniela L, Madison L, Lila L, Nathan L, Eva L, Hannah L, Isabella M, Milly M, Ni Putu M, Annaliese M, Jessica M, Flynn P, Aurora P, Samantha P, Naithel P, Chiara P, Aylee P, Kami R, Charlie R, Daniel S, Dylan S, Lauren S, Rahill S, Fiona S, Poppy S, Nikol S, Montana T, Zarli T, Rhys V, Sienna W

Diligence and Academic Awards:
Braydan B, Connor B, Saanvi C, Ruby C, Olivia C, Amani C, Paislee C, Maxwell C, Eleanor D, Sienna E, Kailee F, Lily H, Aurelie H, Isabelle H, Ashleigh J, Oliver K, Jessica L, Bonnie L, Carlos L, Zali M, Patrick M, Rejanne M, Thomas M, Hannah P, Charlotte P, Kimberley P, Franz P, Sophie R, Mark S, Vivienne T, Madeline T and Charlie W.

Year 8 2025 Award Results
Diligence Award:
Porsha B, Katelyn B, Riley B, Malakai B, Patrick C, Hudson C, Travis D, Abigail D, Charlie E, Dhanashri G, Charley G, Charlotte G, Eddie H, Isabelle H, Mila H, Jackson I, Olivia J, Hannah J, Sophia J, Carli J, Ciella K, Austin L, Hayden L, Paul L, Lucy M, Heidi M, Ellie M, Peter M, Sibella M, Jack M, Ruby M, Tavongaishe M, Riley M, Mary M, Mackenzie M, James O, Reegan O, Cameron O, Ella P, Pearl P, Olivia P, Ryley P, Ava P, Hailey Ashley P, Oliver R, Arabella R, Mia R, Nash R, Brinley S, Isaac S, Harriet S, Danica S, Stella S, Sebastian T, Mitchell T, Sebastian V, Mayson V, Rodrigo W, Elizabeth W, Jordan W and Kaheira W.

Diligence and Academic Awards:
Liara B, Ella B, Mia C, Asher Jan F, Sophia G, Hudson M, Navomi N, Lily N, Khloe N, Jessica O, Arella R, Alisha R, Francheska S, Brielle S, Jessica S, Sophie S, Aalia S, Lillie T, Stephanie W and Deepthii Y.

Year 9 2025 Award Results
Diligence Award:
Zara B, Charlotte B, Faith B, Charlotte B, Hannah B, Hailey C, Elijah C, Adalyn C, Jasper D, Gracie D, Taylor D, Paisley D, Stella D, Charlee D, Cassandra D, Cara D, Taliah D, Harrison D, Cooper F, Shania F, Ella F, Lexi H, Cooper H, Junhao H, Elijah J, Indy J, Emma K, Zachary L, Abigail M, Jordan M, Isabelle M, Taylor O, Calvin P, Mia P, Pyiper R, Bailey R, Alice R, Kobie R, Archie R, Ashton R, Matheo S, Dakota S, Amelia S, Jayden S, Piper S, Sammy S, Marley S, Ruby S, Samuel S, Maddox T, Scarlet T, Chloe T, Jimmy T, Harly V, Robin V, Lucas V, Sienna W, Slater W and Liquicia W.

Academic Awards:
Nicole G

Diligence and Academic Awards:
Adrienne A, Lily A, Emily A, Addisyn B, Emmi B, Millie C, Natalie C, Evie C, Erin C, Pascoe G, Emily H, Jorja H, Maddisen H, Charlee J, Grace K, Olivia L, Jack M, Lara M, Zoe M, Dash M, Robert P, Jordan R, Christina R, Ainslee R, Sonny R, Elessa S, Logan S, Learnie S, Thomas S, Isabella S, Brooklyn S, Paytton T, Lucy W, Kyan W and Karis Z.

Year 10 2025 Award Results
Diligence Award:
Jessica B, Holly B, Alyssa B, Eva B, Aidan B, Mackenzie B, Holly B, Isabella B, Audrey B, Klancie C, Seth C, Dale C, Milla C, Mia D, Keara F, Emily F, Mia G, Callyn G, Chase G, Lucas H, Montana H, Mia H, Jack H, De-, Yontrae J, Layla J, Alexis K, Brady K, Zeva L, Tiani M, Max M, Lillian M, Alexis M, Dustin M, Hannah N, Jonathon N, Rachael P, Alyssa P, Gemma R, Jamie-Leigh R, Mckyle S, Rachel S, Victoria S, Lucy S, Jacob S, Tadhg T, Ryan T, Vienna T, Paige T, Dakota T, Jake W, Bardin W, Brooke W and Skye Ava Y.

Diligence and Academic Awards:
Maddison A, Charlotte B, Grace B, Jaden C, Amelia C, Kade C, Kai C, Levi C, Sophia D, Sonny D, Carys F, Khijra H, Ally K, Cobi M, Oliver M, Grace O, Emma P, Mia P, Madelyn P, Chloe P, Zane S, Jack S, Alexis S, Cydney S, Jenny X, Kelsie Z and Jia Z.

Principal’s Medal Award Results

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Year 12 Leadership Days
Five of our Year 12 students travelled to Rockhampton this week to take part in the annual Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership Days. Jayeda, Paige, Amos, Duke and Jayden represented St Patrick’s College with pride as they connected with students from other schools and participated in a variety of workshops and activities.

The first day focused on leadership development, goal setting and exploring future pathways. The day concluded with a celebration dinner featuring guest speaker Mr Lionel Harbin, Head Coach of the Rockhampton Capras. Lionel shared valuable insights about the importance of effort, finishing Year 12 strongly and taking responsibility for one’s choices.

The program concluded with a beautiful Mass at St Joseph’s Cathedral, celebrated by the Most Reverend Bishop Michael McCarthy and Father Samuel.

We extend our sincere thanks to the First Nations staff from our Rockhampton Office for their support and guidance, and to Mrs Leisa Scott for her organisation and dedication in making these leadership days such a meaningful experience for our students.

Peer pressure is a normal and inevitable part of growing up. From early childhood through adolescence, young people are constantly influenced by the attitudes, behaviours and expectations of those around them. As friendships become increasingly important, peers can play a powerful role in shaping how children and teenagers think, feel and act.

In today's digitally connected world, peer pressure extends far beyond the classroom or playground. Social media, messaging apps and online communities mean young people are exposed to constant comparison, instant feedback and unspoken expectations about how they should look, behave and perform. While some peer influence can be positive and motivating, it can also place significant pressure on young people to conform, take risks or prioritise acceptance over their own values and wellbeing.

Understanding how peer pressure works, both offline and online, allows parents, caregivers and educators to better support young people as they develop confidence, resilience and decision-making skills. When families and schools work together to build strong connections, open communication and shared language around peer influence, young people are better equipped to resist negative pressure and embrace positive influences that support their growth and wellbeing.

Here is the link to this Edition:
https://stpats.qld.schooltv.me...

Did you know that St. Mary’s Church celebrates Mass each Tuesday morning at 8:00am? Tuesday morning Mass provides a quiet and reverent space where students can reflect on the Gospel, pray for their families, friends and school community, and deepen their understanding of our Catholic tradition. Beginning the day with the Eucharist is a powerful way to centre ourselves in gratitude, compassion and hope — and to carry that spirit into our learning and relationships throughout the week. We warmly encourage all students and families to consider joining us for this Eucharistic celebration

Another way that students can participate in the Mass is our monthly Youth Masses. These are held at both St Mary’s and St Patrick’s Churches. Please see below for the times of both these Masses this year. It would be wonderful to see students at these celebrations.

Sacramental Program
If your child is considering beginning the process of preparing for the Catholic Sacramental Program run by your Parish, I invite you to contact me at the College. The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) - formerly known as RCIA - is the Catholic Church's formal process for welcoming, educating, and preparing students to receive the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist). The program is a journey of faith involving study, prayer, and community, usually culminating at the Easter Vigil. This year’s program will begin in October - there is some paperwork to complete prior to starting so you are welcome to make contact now.

Amendment to Shrove Tuesday article:
In the last newsletter I included some information about Shrove Tuesday and the referencing information was left out. Please note the below should have been attached to the article:
Catholiccare.org. (2026).

2026 Aquatics Carnival was a fun day of competition, with students bringing great spirit and house pride to the pool. The Carnival broke the highest attendance records, with over 1072 students participating on the day.

The final House point totals reflected a closely contested competition. Argos claimed first place with 2294 points, narrowly ahead of Pindar on 2243. Triton finished in third with 1691 points, just edging out Badila on 1688, while Midas recorded 1668 and Oraya finished on 1487. With the points so close, it is already shaping up to be an exciting contest for the rest of the year.

We also witnessed some exceptional individual achievements. Rourke B delivered a remarkable performance, breaking all four Year 12 records across Backstroke, Freestyle, Breaststroke, and Butterfly. Audrey B also made her mark by breaking the Year 11 Girls Breaststroke record.

Congratulations to students and staff for your commitment and hard work in making this event a memorable one!

A special thank you to our  team from the Sports Department for their organisation and willingness to dedicate time, ensuring a smooth and successful day.

2026 Age Champions

We were very excited to launch Switch4Schools with the Year 7 cohort once again in 2026. Switch4Schools is a simple platform that aims to improve emotional intelligence by helping students clearly identify what emotion they might be feeling, as well as ‘switches’ that can help to dial up or down this emotion. The year 7 students will be completing check ins during their Religion classes that take approximately 1 minute. These check ins will improve their own ability to self-regulate but also provide their Religion Teacher and House Coordinator with data to identify improvements we can make as a College to support our youngest students.

Switch4Schools begins with a question of tiredness. You might be wondering – is being tired an emotion? No, tiredness is not an emotion. You do FEEL tired, but it’s important to separate tiredness from emotion. Tiredness is more like an amplifier of emotion because you have less energy to inhibit or manage the intensity of your emotions when you are exhausted. The more tired you are, the more likely you are to bounce between more extreme emotions. Sleep is a really, really good thing when it comes to managing your emotions.

So why do we have emotions?
Wouldn’t life be easier without them? Emotions are actually designed to help us. They are like our very own superpowers that have helped us become the most dominant species on the planet. They help us identify danger, leap to action, give us energy, attract us to others, and help us work together. They are not good or bad, they just are. The better we can understand and manage these emotion superpowers, the better we will be! The first step in mastering the superpower of emotions is to be able to label them. Our brain needs words in order to think about things, and we can do this using the Switch Emotion Wheel.

The Switch Emotion Wheel is helpful, because our brain needs words and language to be able to think about anything. Try thinking about something now that you don’t have a word for. It’s pretty much impossible! Words are the conceptual vessels that allow us to think. Saying you’re furious is one thing, but knowing that it is the most extreme form of anger helps us think about fury in a new way. Language and intensity levels work together to become a conceptual framework that allows us to better understand and manage emotion. It’s also helpful when we have to use words to better communicate with each other about how we are feeling. Saying you’re happy is good, but how happy? Being able to say “peaceful” is more descriptive and better articulates your emotional state to others. Similarly, apprehensive intuitively suggests low level anxiety, frustrated medium level anger, and disappointed only a little bit sad.

Often when we don’t want to get into a big conversation about how we’re feeling, we say: “fine” or “good”.

It’s kind of code for, “I have no interest in telling you how I feel” or “I have no idea, please don’t make me think about it - I’ve got too much to do”. This is learned behaviour from previous experiences of articulating how we are feeling using simplistic high level emotional descriptors (happy, sad, angry, anxious, scared or excited), making people feel like they need to ask further questions as these high-level descriptors fail to indicate how intense the emotion is. In the absence of intensity, people assume a more extreme emotion is likely and therefore feel compelled to dig deeper. Therefore, to communicate a feeling without prompting an unwanted inquisition, we need to use words that better articulate feeling and intensity.

For instance, instead of say “I’m angry at that decision”, say “I’m irritated that decision doesn’t seem to address the core issue”. This better conveys your true emotional state and leaves much less room for inaccurate assumptions of the listener.

It’s also important to note that somewhere in the third level of each emotion (hopeless, irritated, cheerful, worried, energetic and threatened) we seem to lose control of our emotions, and our unconscious emotional drivers take charge of our thoughts and actions. Our rational, conscious brain checks out, and the more intense emotions run the show for a while. This can be helpful when needing to escape from a lion, but not as useful or helpful in navigating today’s society.

Dialling It Up and Down – Choosing the right intensity for the right context
The other handy thing about the Switch Emotion Wheel, is that we can start talking about “dialling it up and down”. This helps when managing emotion in ourselves and others and is the starting point to build empathy with how others are feeling.

We can use the idea of emotional intensity to help us move up and down the scale as necessary. When you experience highly intense emotions it basically shuts down your conscious thinking and you slip into auto pilot. Emotion has flooded your brain and your rational self has checked out. Simply knowing that you can ‘dial it back’ (ie. from panicked to apprehensive) helps acknowledge your emotion, articulate it, and stay in control.

To help others dial it back, choosing a less intense emotion of the same family to feel with them is a key to having empathy and building rapport. For instance, if someone is experiencing anxiety at an intensity level of panic or overwhelm, choose to be consciously concerned with them about the source of their anxiety. They’ll then likely feel safe enough to dial it back to apprehensive, which is an intensity level that is much easier to manage. When we feel like we’ve been heard and understood, our emotions naturally become less intense. The key is being able to identify what emotion they are experiencing, and what it is exactly they are being emotional about (hint: it’s not always what they say it is at first). This is cognitive empathy in action.

By using this program, our aim is that students will improve their ability to clearly articulate their feelings and the intensity of these feelings, as well as identify ways in which they can work to improve the intensity of their feelings. Over the next few newsletters we will continue to unpack this amazing program so that you are able to imbed some of the knowledge and skills of Switch4Schools into your home routines!

Last week, the Vinnies Committee rolled up their sleeves — and tied up lolly bags — to raise money in support of Caritas Australia’s mission to help communities in need. During a lunch break, committee members worked together to pack and sell colourful bags of mixed lollies, bringing smiles to students at the Aquatics Carnival.

The initiative was not only a hit with sweet-toothed students but also a meaningful way to live out the values of compassion and service. All proceeds from the lollies as well as softdrink and chocolate sales at the Aquatics Carnival will go directly to Caritas, contributing to projects that provide education, healthcare, and support to vulnerable communities around the world.

By turning a simple treat into a moment of generosity, the Vinnies Committee has shown that small actions can make a big difference - one lolly bag at a time.

On Monday 2 March, St Patrick’s College proudly competed in the Mackay–Whitsunday Interschool Chess Competition. With more than 150 students from across the region taking part, this was the largest tournament in recent memory.

St Patrick’s once again demonstrated a strong presence, fielding over 50 enthusiastic players. Throughout the day, it was fantastic to see students deepening their understanding of chess strategy and growing in confidence. Many players successfully applied new openings -particularly the King’s Indian Defence and the London System - to great effect.

Merit Award Recipients
Congratulations to the following students who earned Merit Awards for their outstanding performances:

* Wenlock G
* Pascoe G
* Elijah J
* Lachlan B
* Seth P
* Dustin M
* Darcy E
* Levi C
* Kai C

Top Division Champions
A special congratulations to St Patrick’s Team 1, who secured victory in the top division. Elijah J, Wenlock G, Pascoe G, and Woodley G were crowned champions of the Mackay–Whitsunday region - a remarkable achievement and a testament to their commitment and teamwork.

We are incredibly proud of all students who represented the College, and we look forward to seeing you back at the board for our next competition in Term 2.

Notice for Parents/Guardians and Year 12 Students attending the Mocktail Dance Party:
We would like to inform parents and guardians of Year 12 students attending the 2026 Mocktail Dance Party held at the Mackay Entertainment Centre on Friday 13 March that the event will feature a Live Camera Feed with video captured of the crowd during the night which will be displayed on large AV screens inside the MECC Halls. These images will be live and used only for the purpose of entertainment and enhancing the atmosphere at the event. No live footage will be used on social media or for public display and no video footage taken on the night will be retained. 

Through purchasing a 2026 Mocktail Ticket, patrons accept that live video footage will occur and be displayed at the event.

St Patrick’s College Mackay has a long history of offering excellence in education as a Catholic Coeducational College in the Diocese of Rockhampton catering for Years 7 to 12.

Families looking for a quality Catholic Secondary education in Mackay are invited to attend the St Patrick’s College Mackay Open Night being held on Tuesday 17 March at the Mercy Campus in Penn Street, Mackay from 4.00pm to 7.00pm.

Prospective parents and students are warmly invited to join us for an enjoyable and informative evening filled with activities and opportunities. Explore our diverse range of subject displays, chat to teachers about our curriculum, whilst admiring students’ work and classroom activities.

Don’t miss the opportunity to discover valuable information about our vocational and sporting programs. Throughout the evening, you’ll also enjoy dynamic performances from the College Cultural ensembles, showcasing the incredible talent and creativity of our students in captivating live performances.

For those attending there is a Treasure Map prize draw at 6:30pm at the Pavilion offering:
** First Prize - $200 City Beach Gift Voucher
** Second Prize - $100 City Beach Gift Voucher
** Third Prize - $50 City Beach Gift Voucher

Why enrol at St Patrick’s College? St Patrick’s is a partnership between students, staff and parents, providing an environment of learning, personal growth and faith development while recognising students as young adults.

St Patrick’s College holds as its central character the motto ‘Seek and Serve Christ’.

With strong academic, vocational, sporting, cultural and spiritual, programs, St Patrick’s College offers positive experiences for students in a dynamic and exciting dual campus environment.

The College is ideally located close to Mackay’s burgeoning Sports precinct with Multi Sports Basketball and Netball Stadium, BB Print Stadium, Junior League Fields, Harrup Park cricket fields, netball courts plus soccer and hockey fields nearby as well as the Paget Business District.

If you would like more information regarding enrolment at St Patrick’s College Mackay, please visit our website www.stpats.qld.edu.au or call (07) 4994 8700.

In a world wired for speed and spectacle, St Pat’s has rebels who do something that is neither. 

Cross stitch. Calming, purposeful, expressive and rewarding.

This term, students started with mini Valentines cards and are now working on Easter motifs.

University of Sunshine Coast has three unique opportunities for their upcoming event in May 2026.

The Best Field Trip in the World - to discover Sports, Science and tech and K'gari- Adventure. Please see flyer and click on the Link: .unisc.edu.au/best-field-trip-in-the-world-2026