St Patrick's College Mackay - Term 1 - Week 6 - 7 March 2025

As we progress further into the academic year, it is important for students to establish effective study and homework routines. These routines should be designed to be flexible enough to accommodate significant events, such as family celebrations, while prioritising homework commitments. It is also important for students to dedicate time to working on assignments consistently and to engage in thorough revision for assessments at the end of the term. We recommend that ATAR students aim for a total of 15 hours of study per week at this stage, with an increased commitment applied as exams approach. Students who find it hard to concentrate while studying at home are encouraged to use the College library as an alternative.

Ash Wednesday
Last Wednesday, our College community came together on both the Mercy and Senior Campus for our Ash Wednesday liturgy. As we mark the beginning of Lent, we are all reminded to turn our hearts to God, as we prepare for Easter through reflection, prayer, self-denial and helping others.

Aquatics Carnival
Our Annual Aquatics Carnival was recently held and was another successful event for the College. It was great to see so many students in attendance. There was a sea of colour with students proudly wearing their new House shirts. House spirit was palpable and an enjoyable day was had by everyone.

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

Year 7 Social
It was wonderful to see our new Year 7 students enjoying a social night out and meeting new friends at their recent Disco. This event was a huge success as I witnessed approximately 140 students hit the dance floor! Thank you to all those involved in organising this night and to the students who came along and made it so much fun.

2024 Year 7, 8, 9 and 10 Awards Night
Last week, I had the privilege of presenting the 2024 Year 7, 8, 9, and 10 Academic Awards. My congratulations to all students who received an award. I was overwhelmed by the number of students, parents and extended family members who attended. I appreciate the time taken for all to attend. May our students continue to reach their goals.

Our award recipients are listed further below.

Open Night
Our College Open Night will be held next Wednesday 19 March. We invite all families wishing to enrol for 2026 to join us. This is a wonderful afternoon to showcase all we have and do at the College.

Just One Thing
Thank you to all our families that have already completed our ‘Just One Thing’ questionnaire. Parental involvement in your child's education provides positive benefits and improved outcomes for the students. By attending Parent Engagement meetings, volunteering for social/fundraising ventures or assisting/coaching extra-curricular activities, you build a connection with the College and the wider community. 

We continue to promote this campaign and ask all parents to complete this short questionnaire. Link: 'Just One Thing' We understand that work and family commitments are of high priority, however it would be greatly appreciated if every family could volunteer their assistance at one of the events listed.

Masterplan – Toilet Blocks Completed
The refurbishment of the toilet blocks at both the Mercy and Senior Campus are now complete. Students should be delighted with the new facilities they have at their disposal.

Mercy Campus Toilets

Senior Hall Toilets

Senior Toilets

On Tuesday, 4 March, we came together to celebrate and acknowledge the outstanding achievements of our Year 7, 8, 9 and 10 students from 2024. 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 the report card results from all terms in 2024. To receive an Academic Award, students need to achieve a B+ average of the year. To receive a Diligence Award, students need to average a G (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 2024. 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 2025.

Year 7 2024 Award Results
Diligence Award:
Quinn Ah-Wong, Alsu Aminova, Katelyn Basham, Lachlan Bath, Harrison Bidwell, Judith Bonny, Malakai Briggs, Annabelle Britton, Quintin Bryan, Patrick Chang Llerena, Bradley Chilmaid, Charlie Christie, Jenna Coburn, Brylee Cook, Frankie Cunningham, Hudson Currie, Amara Daley, Travis Dela Cruz, Abigail Delfin, Callum Dern, Arianna Edge, Charlie Edwards, Macey Egan, Dhanashri Gadakh, Riley Gibson, Charley Greskie, Charlotte Grima, Zayn Hall, Kaylee Hansen, Eddie Hardwick, Flynn Hudson, Thomas Hurley, Hannah Jones, Sophia Jordan, Joshua Joshy, Austin Lam, Hayden Lee, Nev Lucas, Paul Lunaria, Lucy Mansfield, Heidi Mapp, Sibella Mayer, Callan McCann, Vesta-Anne McCaughan, Jack McClanachan, Ruby McGuire, Luke McHutchon, Ryan McLennan, Jack McMillan, Tavongaishe Meende, Riley Millard, Mary Moffat, Chloe Moore, Mackenzie Muscat, Tamika Ness, Molly Nicolai, Niranjana Nidheesh, Sasha Nixon, James O’Brien, Chloe Oliver, Cameron O'Neill, Pearl Parmar, Alexis Parsons-Ireland, Thomas Peno, Kai Percy, Malachi Perry, Ryley Plate, Ava Proberts, Hailey Ashley Pula, Oliver Radke, Heidi Randell, Madison Richards, Mia Rovelli, Nash Rovelli, Cooper Ruff, Isaac Sander, Brielle Sellentin, Isaak Sellers, Zac Sheppard, Harriet Shields, Campbell Smith, Danica Spark, Stella Strachan, Armani Summers, Sebastian Teong, Khai Triffett, Mayson Vassallo, Archie Virtue, Sienna Wayman, Jackson West, Rodrigo Whitmore, Elizabeth Wilson, Charlotte Windsor, Jordan Wood, Maddison Woodford, Kaheira Wright and Summer-Jo Young.

Diligence and Academic Awards:
Liara Bailey, Porsha Barry, Ella Battaia, Jacob Cockayne, Mia Cousen, Asher Jan Fiesta, Sophia Grogan, Luka Hanley, Isabelle Harris, Mila Hinschen, Olivia Jasch, Carli Jorgensen, Ciella Kerr, Hudson Mayfield, Navomi Nobi, Lily Norrie, Khloe Noy, Reegan Ohl, Jessica O'Neill, Olivia Pearce, Arella Radke, Alisha Raj, Brinley Samuel, Francheska Santos, Jessica Sibley, Aalia Som Choudhury, Mitchell Thatcher, Lillie Thompson, Sebastian Van Ek and Deepthii Yuvaraj.

Year 8 2024 Award Results
Diligence Award:
Georgia Arbuthnot, Bradley Battaia, Hayden Bone, Sophia Bonny, Faith Bowtell, Mia Bradbrook, Charlotte Breen, Jack Brodie, Hannah Brown, Emmi Burgess, Malia-Rose Campbell, Natalie Caporn, Elijah Clarke, Max Cook, Adalyn Corbett, Bridgette Culey, Laylah Cuzner, Gracie Danger, Taylor Darko, Ruby Deguara, Stella Derbin, Charlee Dickson, Cassandra Dixon, Cara Donnelly, Harrison Dwyer, Zachary Ferris, Ella Finlay, Cooper Finnigan, Shania Fisher, Tahlia Fry, Zarlee Goodworth, Nicole Gray, Zachary Grech, Asher Grigg, Lexi Hall, Cooper Hanson, Gryffin Hooper, Junhao Huang, Zamarah Jensen-Hegarty, Elijah Johnson, Indy Jorgensen, Emma Keune, Fenton Kumani, Bernadette Lalita, Zachary Leahy, Olivia Lucas, Tyler Marteene, Zoe McCarthy, Abigail McCormick, Isabelle Miles, Corbin Minchin, James O'Reilly, Calvin Poelstra, Mia Pullen, Asher Radke, Jordan Ramos, Christina Ranjith, Bailey Reid, Alice Reilly, Kobie Rice, Archie Roney, Ashton Ross, Tayt Rowe, Tayla Ruddell, Logan Sander, Matheo Santos, Learnie Scott, Dakota Scriha, Amelia Scully-Jensen, Thomas Self, Isabella Silman, Piper Simpson, Sammy Simpson, Darcy Smith, Ruby Smith, Ruby Stephens, Samuel Sutherland, Paytton Thompson, Scarlet Tomlinson, Jimmy Turner, Harly Van Gelder, Robin Varghese, Phoebe Walker, Jack Watt, Sienna Whitaker, Jake Wilson, Liquicia Wilson, Nate Yates and Karis Zarb.

Diligence and Academic Awards:
Adrienne Albarracin, Lily Anderson, Emily Archer, Addisyn Barber, Millie Camilleri, Evie Clarendon, Erin Cureton, Pascoe Gould, Jorja Hjort, Maddisen Hocking, Charlee Jansen, Raph Jurd, Grace Keen, Jack Martin, Lara Mayger, Dash McGill, Kiah Ortega, Robert Pozza, Ainslee Richardson, Sonny Richardson, Brooklyn Stockdale, Maddox Takken, Lucy Wiggins and Kyan Woods.

Year 9 2024 Award Results
Diligence Award:
Eden Anderson, Liam Anderson, Ashton Arinas, Abbey Avenell, Jessica Bamberry, Alyssa Battaia, Samuel Bennett, Eva Bishop, Aidan Blaney, Mackenzie Boon, Holly Boulton, Jazmine Bridge, Isabella Brown, Klancie Coben, Milla Considine, Caleb Cook, Jayden Cridland, Levi Crisp, Cooper Currie, Seraph Angelo Dacumos, Mia Davidson, Connor de Git, Felicity Dowton, Archer Durnsford, Emily Franettovich, Mia Germanotta, Chloe Giblett, Isabella Grech, Chase Grogan, Lucas Haack, Montana Hall, Aysha Hammill, Khloe Harris, Chase Higgs, Mia Hill, Tiarna Hoffmann, Jack Hurley, De-yontrae Jacobson, Layla Jamieson, Bethany Johnson, Alexis Kavanagh, Brady Kerr, Harrison Leigh, Tiani Mansfield, Star Matthews, Joshua McDermott, Bodhi McGill, Jessica McLennan, Munotendwa Mhashu, Max Miles, Oliver Mills, Lillian Miotto, Emily Moohin, Dustin Morrow, Jhett Mulhall, Tom Mulherin, Aiden Naumann, Hannah Ness, Ezra Nicholas, Riley Northcroft, Rachael Pace, Mia Peake, Connor Peno, Damon Peoples, Alyssa Pieters, Gemma Richards, Kyla Ryan, Tailam Sambo, Mckyle Santos, Victoria Self, Harper Shields, James Smith, Bronson So, Kian Steyn, Tadhg Tannian, Ryan Thomson, Vienna Thomson, Paige Timbs-Dunn, Kooper Tomlinson, Jarrod Van Scherpenseel, Lincoln Vassallo, Declan Walsh, Holly Wardrop, Aurellia Webster-Mack, Jake Wellby, Jade Williams, Owen Wilson, Brooke Wood, Skye Young and Izac Zamparutti.

Diligence and Academic Awards:
Maddison Archer, Charlotte Basham, Holly Bates, Esther Bonny, Grace Bowyer, Audrey Bryan, Jaden Chimes, Amelia Coburn, Kade Coburn, Seth Collins, Dale Connors, Kai Crisp, Sophia Dela Torre, Sonny Doring, Georgia Elbourne, Emmett Emeny, Carys Ferguson, Keara Ferrer, Cleo Gordon, Khijra Heward, William Keen, Ally Kinnane, Paige Lambropoulos, Zeva Lindemann, Adelaide McGuinness, Cobi Meredith, Alexis Morrow, Jonathon North, Grace O'Neill, Emma Pace, Madelyn Pearce, Chloe Pedler, Zoe Ruddick, Jamie-Leigh Ryan, Claire Saji, Lucy Shaw, Jack Sibley, Jacob Smart, Alexis Sorbello, Cydney Steindl, Bardin Westcott, Jenny Xuan, Kelsie Zarb and Jia Zhang.

Year 10 2024 Award Results
Diligence Award:
Dayle Anderson, Jessica Arbuthnot, Hannah Ashis, Rourke Bagley, Zander Bailey, April Barnes, Earl Barrios, Adyson Bayliss, Kaitlyn (Katie) Bennett, Elizabeth Black, Lydia Bowtell, Cooper Boyce, Skyla Bradford, Lachlan Brown, Grace Camilleri, Eden Catip, Louis Cauchi, Charles Christensen, Treyce Ciantar, Flynn Clarendon, Harrison Clews, Levi Cockayne, Lanz Gabrielle Copo, Harrison Corbett, George Crocker, Gabrielle (Gabby) Culey, Tayla Cumming, Nathan Dela Cruz, Reyshan Dela Cruz, Chloe Delfin, Ethan Dunn, Jayda Earl, Ashanti Edge, Mateo Fatnowna, Mia Ford, Mikayla Ford, Emma Galea, Poppy Goodman, Indie Goodworth, Wenlock Gould, Abbey Graffunder, Charlotte Gray, Chloe Gray, Arddun Griffiths, Jake Hansen, Nate Harding, Kelsi Hazledine, Eva Hooper, Lachlan Ipson, Alexis Jackson, Tahlia Jensen, Kade Jesinowski, William Kay, Matthew Keune, Ryan Kowalczyk, Abigail Laird, Cael Landt, Tayla Lucas, Lily Mapp, Mackenzie Maunder, Mason Mayer, Olivia McDermott, Riley Meigan, Reese Morgan, Connor Muller, Charlotte O'Brien, Mia Pastega, Ava Pearl, Tayah Poli, Zoe Presbitero, Cassian Radke, Charlotte Redfern, Matthew Romal, Oscar Savige, Madeleine Searle, Aston Sellers, Georgia Simpkin, Amity Simpson, Marik Srsen, Braeden Sturdy, Bella Sullivan, Shilan Sun, Brooklyn Swara, Kyra (Kyle) Tatchell, Maggie Thorburn, Paige Tonga, Ellie Townsend, Aimee Trims, Tahlia Vella, Lainey Walker, Lachlan Walz, Ruby Watt, Ayla Wells, Charlise Whitaker, Isabella Whitmore, Jackson Yates, Zoe Ziegeler and Elizabeth Zurvas.

Academic Award:
Sebastian Francis.

Diligence and Academic Awards:
Tahlia Anderson, Eanae de Guia, Bailey Dewar, Lauren Gray, Maddison Grima, Amber Jenkins, Masey Kelly, Dannah Labastida, Michael Mauchline, Milly Mayfield, Rexjan Melocotones, Kahli Moore, Izaac Noy, Cynthia Phan, Adysen Ruddick, Stephanie Silman, Alley Simpson, Mili Smith, Dominic Sorbello, Braden Verroen and Matilda Wiggins.

Year Level Dux Award Results

Year 7 Dux – Jessica Sibley
Year 8 Dux – Lara Mayger
Year 9 Dux – Alexis Sorbello
Year 10 Dux – Milly Mayfield

Shrove Tuesday
Shrove Tuesday, also known as Pancake Day, is a beloved tradition, marking the day before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. For many of our students, it's a fun-filled day, eating up all the rich foods and ingredients they’ll give up during Lent, and nothing says "Shrove Tuesday" quite like pancakes!

Ash Wednesday
Last week, our Student Leaders led our Ash Wednesday celebrations at both campuses. The Lenten Season is a significant time for reflection and preparation in the Christian calendar, leading up to Easter. The themes of selflessness, generosity, and love for others are integral to the observance of Lent and students were reminded of this.

Lent encourages individuals to adopt an attitude of selflessness, reflecting on how they can better serve others and follow the example set by Jesus Christ. This often involves practices such as fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, all aimed at deepening one's relationship with God and fostering compassion for those in need.

It's inspiring to see our Student Leaders taking the initiative to lead their peers in observing this meaningful season, fostering a sense of community and spiritual growth within our campuses.

The College now uses progressive reporting as a form of communication with students and parents regarding assessment from Years 7 to 12. The due dates for all assessment items for all subjects are added to Curricular activities and should be viewable through Parent Lounge, Parent Orbit and Student Café. Assessment due dates are easily seen by students and parents through the ediary tab on these platforms.

Results for each piece of assessment as well as comments, will be added to Curricular activities once they have been marked and moderated by teaching staff. Parents may view results, due dates, and where appropriate, the actual assessment items, through Parent Lounge.

These can be found when using:
Parent Lounge:
- from the top menu Student Details → Curricular Activities
- from the side menu Curricular Activities Due → view all activities or activities due.

Parent Orbit app:
- edairy tab from the front menu → deselecting everything but LMS/Assessment Activities feed from the black funnel at the top of the screen
- Student tab at the bottom of the screen → select Curricular Activities

Parents will also be able to identify if their child has overdue assessment for any subject if the current status for a piece of assessment is written in red.

Aquatics Carnival
The 2025 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 1000 students participating on the day.

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

Special commendation to Mr Matt Sanders, Head of Sport and his team for their organisation and willingness to dedicate time, ensuring a smooth and successful day.

2025 Age Champions 

Netball Trials and 2025 Season
Over the past few weeks, despite some rain delays and rescheduled sessions, our students from Year 7 to 12 have been actively participating in netball trials for the competitive St Patrick’s teams for 2025. It has been inspiring to witness such enthusiasm from all the players, who have given their best in showcasing their skills and commitment to the sport.

This year, there are once again two distinct seasons for school netball. Season 1 for our competitive teams and Season 2 for our social netball players.

Season Dates:
Season 1 - Competitive Teams:
- Start Date: Wednesday, 26 March 2025
- Grand Final Date: Wednesday, 11 June 2025

Season 2 - Social Teams:
- Start Date: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
- Grand Final Date: Wednesday, 3 September 2025

Teams for the second season will be organised early Term 2. Keep an eye out for further details in upcoming school notices.

A special mention goes to Dakota T and Carys F, who have been supporting us as umpires during the trials. At St Patrick’s, we are proud to offer a pathway not only for players but also for umpires. Dakota’s and Carys’s dedication and effort have been invaluable, and we are incredibly grateful for their help. Their commitment to the sport has been exceptional and we look forward to seeing them continue to contribute in the future.

We look forward to another fantastic year of netball, filled with teamwork, passion and growth for all involved!

We are officially over halfway through Term 1 of 2025! Now is the time when students (and staff and families!) begin to fatigue as we work towards our first assessment period for the 2025 academic year. It’s important to remind your child to check in with their progress towards their academic goals but also to remind them to take care of their overall wellbeing. Some suggestions of activities that students and their families can do to improve overall wellbeing include:

- Regular exercise such as a walk or run – why not head to one of our beautiful beaches for a sunrise/sunset walk!
- Eating nutritious food – plan your weekly meals as a family and give everyone the opportunity to contribute to the planning, preparation and cooking of these meals.
- Reduced screen-time in the evenings to help promote healthy sleep habits – schedule in a family board game or card game night instead of watching TV or playing video games.
- Social activities with peers and extended family – have a BBQ with some friends at a local park or head to the Lagoon for some free-family fun.

As always, should you find that you child is struggling to cope with increasing academic pressures at school, please reach out to their teachers, homeroom teacher, house coordinator or a member of the counselling team – we are all here to support you and your family!

Switch4Schools Update!
We are almost 5 weeks in to using Switch4Schools with the Year 7 cohort. Each day in homeroom students complete a simple check in and the students are able to communicate how they are going with their homeroom teacher easily and efficiently. At St Patrick’s College we know that the best way to get buy in from our students and staff is through healthy competition, so we have created the Switch Shield to be awarded at the end of each term to the House with the highest participation data. As of the end of Week 5, Triton House were holding the shield, however all 6 houses are very close in their data! We are excited to see who will be the champion house at the end of Term 1!

We recently welcomed 20 enthusiastic Grade 5 students from Mackay primary schools for our English Extended Learning Program (ELP). This event provides students with a firsthand experience of life at St Patrick's College and builds connections with the community. Students had fun and made new friends as they participated in interactive English skills lessons. Students learnt to creatively incorporate dialogue into narrative writing, used persuasive devices to record engaging advertisements and explored the art of poetry as they created their own poems such as Lillian’s poem 'The Magic Chest.' We look forward to hosting more exciting Extended Learning Programs for other subjects later in the year, providing opportunities for students to discover their potential and connect with like-minded peers.

The Magic Chest

By Lillian Glossop

I will put in the chest
The elemental breath from the scales of the dragons
Fire ash from a fiery phoenix
And the cold snow from Canada

I will put in the chest
A car with the roads by its side
A restaurant with all its food
And the smoke from noisy cars

My chest is fashioned from steel and ice
With leather coloured white
Its hinges are made from oak wood

I shall ski in my chest
On the frosted snow
Then swim in the summer seas
The colour of yellow and blue

Writing is a powerful way for students to express themselves, allowing them to share their thoughts, emotions, and experiences in a unique and personal way. As they develop their writing skills, they not only become more effective communicators but also sharpen their critical thinking abilities. This term, our Year 7 English students have been embracing this creative potential by refining their storytelling skills. They've been learning a range of techniques to craft compelling narratives, from using a range of WTB sentence styles and expressive characterisation to dynamic dialogue. Recently, students have been focusing on incorporating the five senses into their writing, which helps create vivid scenes that draw readers into the story. By incorporating the five senses into their tales, students can make their stories feel incredibly immersive and real. "Hunting Lioness," written by a student in 7C, illustrates how these techniques can transport readers into the heart of the story.

Hunting Lioness
Her paws touched down silently and her gaze fixed onto the fat antelope, her nose twitching with their heavy scent. A faint breeze wafted over her, sending her scent downwind. The long, dry grass brushed her strong, tensed muscles and her honey-coloured fur blended in smoothly. Hunger rumbled in the pit of her stomach and a soft growl escaped as anticipation rose. Antelope grazed, unaware of the threat. She crept forward towards her target and pounced, snarling. Her weight dragged it down and she locked her jaws in a chokehold on its neck. It began to die and she began to feast. The others panicked and ran. She raised her head, blood dripping from her sharp teeth and maw, and a gratifying sensation spread through her.

Get ready to unleash your creativity in the 2025 Literary Competition! This exciting opportunity is open to students from Years 7 to 12, where you can submit your best work in poetry, short stories, or non-fiction prose. With prizes up to $300 on offer, don't miss your chance to shine.

To enter, simply scan the QR code below or pick up a flyer from the front reception. We look forward to reading your submissions!

A big shoutout to the Vinnies Committee for their fantastic effort at the Aquatics Carnival, selling soft drinks, chocolates, and lollies to raise money for Caritas. The stall was a huge hit, keeping everyone refreshed and energised throughout the day!

A special thank you to the dedicated volunteers who helped bag the lollies beforehand and those who worked tirelessly selling treats on the day. Your hard work and generosity truly made a difference. Thanks to your efforts, we are able to support Caritas in their mission to help those in need. Well done, team!

All Year 12 completers from last year will soon receive an invitation to participate in the Next Step survey. This is their chance to help our school to understand the different pathways of the 2024 Year 12 students and to improve our senior programs and supports for future students. The survey only takes five minutes and asks graduates about their study and work activities since finishing school.

As a thank you for participating, Year 12 completers who complete the survey will be entered into a draw to win a MacBook Air.

We ask parents, siblings and friends to encourage our graduates to complete the survey. If their contact details have changed, please assist survey interviewers by providing their updated details or forward the survey to their new address so they can participate. Graduates may receive an invitation by mail, email or phone. The survey can be completed online or by phone.

For more information about Next Step, including previous results, visit http://www.qld.gov.au/nextstep.

Uniform Solutions will be closed over the Easter holiday period from the 18 - 27 April. Please ensure any formal uniform items required for Anzac Day are purchased prior to the closure. 

Sharks Camp 2025 - April. GET IN QUICK LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE!! Sharks Camp is a four-day volleyball camp designed to cater to athletes of all skill levels. With elite development opportunities available and pathways into club and state-level volleyball, this camp has something for everyone!

The Dates:
8th April | 9th April | 10th April | 11th April

We usually hit capacity pretty quickly, so if you're interested sign up today to secure your spot!!

YEAHHHH SHARKS!!

Visit our website for more information https://sharksvolleyball.com/sharks-camp.