St Patrick's College Mackay - Term 1 - Week 8 - 20 March 2026

It has been an exciting week of celebrations here at the College!

St Patrick’s Day
On Tuesday 17 March, we gathered as a community to celebrate our patron saint. Through masses held at both the Mercy and Senior Campuses, we took the time to reflect on St Patrick’s enduring legacy of faith, compassion, and resilience. Following the services, the celebrations continued with student activities and a shared lunch for our staff.

A big thank you to Mrs Andrea Crocker and her team for their organisation, and to Father Matthias and Father Sijo for presiding over our masses at the two campuses.

The Story of St Patrick
When we think of St Patrick, we usually think of parades and shamrocks. But did you know his journey actually began as a prisoner? Before he was a saint, he was a young man who had everything taken away from him.

St Patrick’s life changed forever when he was kidnapped from his home in Britain by pirates and sold into slavery in Ireland. During those long, hard years, he turned to God and spent his days in prayer. This experience taught him a powerful lesson: that you can get through any difficult time if you keep hope and beauty in your heart.

Patrick never gave up on his dreams for the future. After he finally was free, he studied to become a Priest and was ordained a Bishop. Even though Ireland was the place where he had been a prisoner, he felt a "calling" to go back and help the people there.

When he returned to Ireland, St Patrick didn't just preach; he took action. He fought for the rights of others by speaking out against slavery, helping the poor and women’s rights. Today, we would call him a great activist for social justice. His life is a wonderful example for our students today, showing them how to stand up and help those in need.

A Successful Open Night
On Tuesday evening, we opened our doors for our annual Open Night, and the energy on our Mercy Campus was fantastic. It was wonderful to see so many prospective families exploring our facilities and engaging with our many "hands-on" displays including Science, Technology, Languages, Sports and the Arts. Congratulations to our Dance, Band and Choir performers – you were all wonderful!

I was incredibly proud of the feedback from parents who noted not only the wide range of opportunities we offer but also the immense talent displayed in our student performances and exhibits. A truly magical night with so much energy.

Enrolment Reminders
If you are looking to join the St Pat's family for Year 7 in 2027, there is still time!

* How to apply: Visit our website to complete the online form.

* What’s next: Interviews will run through Term 2.

* Offers: The first round of offers will be sent out on 22 July 2026.

Mocktail
Thank you to the many staff who volunteered to supervise the Mocktail event for our Year 12’s. It was definitely a fun and noisy night with much energy. Profits from this community event will go back to community charities.

Thank you to our Year 12 students for supporting this event.

Exams
Best wishes to the senior students as they are entering their exam period. Remember, it all counts.

Looking Ahead: Leadership & "The Pruning Principle"
Next week, members of our Senior Leadership Team and I will head to Rockhampton for the 2026 Leadership Gathering. We’ll be joining colleagues from across the Diocese to hear from keynote speaker Simon Breakspear.

Simon will be presenting "The Pruning Principle"—the idea of refining our focus to do fewer things, better. We look forward to bringing these insights back to our College community.

On Tuesday 17 March, our College community came together in a spirit of faith, reflection, and celebration to honour our namesake, St Patrick, with masses held across both the Mercy and Senior campuses. Students and staff gathered in reverence, acknowledging not only the rich Catholic tradition of the day but also the enduring legacy of a man whose life continues to inspire communities around the world.

St Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was a fifth-century missionary and Bishop who is widely recognised for bringing Christianity to Ireland and helping to shape its spiritual identity. His story - marked by resilience, faith, and a deep commitment to serving others - offers a powerful example of courage and devotion. After being captured and enslaved in Ireland as a young man, Patrick later returned as a missionary, driven by a profound sense of calling to share the Gospel. His life reminds us of the transformative power of hope, forgiveness, and perseverance - values that resonate strongly within our College community.

Following the celebration of Mass, students and staff participated in a range of engaging activities that fostered community spirit and joy. A vibrant “sea of green” swept across both campuses, with College members embracing the tradition of wearing green - symbolic of Irish heritage and closely associated with St Patrick’s Day celebrations worldwide. The atmosphere was one of enthusiasm and unity, as students connected with both the cultural and spiritual significance of the occasion.

We extend our sincere thanks to all staff, students, and organisers who contributed to the success of this meaningful celebration. Events such as these provide a valuable opportunity for our College to reflect on our shared values of compassion, hope, justice, and respect, while also deepening our understanding of the faith traditions that shape our identity.

St Patrick’s Day continues to be a powerful reminder that even the most challenging beginnings can lead to a life of purpose and impact. As a College, we are proud to celebrate a namesake whose legacy encourages us all to live with courage, faith, and a commitment to serving others.

           "May the road rise to meet you,

           May the wind be always at your back.

           May the sun shine warm upon your face,

           The rains fall soft upon your fields.

           And until we meet again,

           May God hold you in the palm of his hand."

References:
O'Raifeartaigh, T., Ostberg, R. (2026, March 13). St. Patrick. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Patrick

Over the past week, our Year 7 and Year 9 students participated in their NAPLAN testing — a process that was certainly made more memorable by the unforeseen national outage of the testing platform. Despite the disruptions, our students, teachers, and support staff responded with remarkable patience, flexibility, and good humour. We thank our NAPLAN cohorts for their resilience and our community for their understanding as we navigated those technical challenges together.

As we look ahead, our Year 11 and 12 students are entering a crucial period of preparation for their upcoming exam blocks. We encourage them to continue managing their time effectively, maintaining balance, and seeking support when needed. Teachers are here to guide and assist as students consolidate their learning and prepare to demonstrate their knowledge and skills. Students will receive an email in the coming days that outlines the materials that are permitted in during exams.

Thank you once again to our entire St Patrick’s community for the cooperation, positivity, and care you continue to show each other during busy assessment times.

At St Patrick's College, we know that learning is about so much more than what happens in the classroom. Every day a child attends school is a day they grow - not only academically, but socially, emotionally, and spiritually. This is why every day counts and is a part of our 2026 Strategic Pastoral Goal.

Belonging Matters
A strong sense of belonging is one of the most important protective factors for young people. When students feel connected to their peers and their teachers, they are more confident, more resilient, and more engaged in their learning. Regular attendance plays a key role in this. Each day at school gives students another opportunity to strengthen friendships, build trust with teachers, and feel part of a community that values them for who they are.

School Connectedness and Student Wellbeing
School connectedness - feeling safe, included, and supported, has a powerful impact on a student’s wellbeing and long-term success. Moments of connection happen in many ways: a kind greeting as they enter the classroom, a collaborative classroom activity, or a conversation with a teacher while on duty who knows them well. When students are present consistently, these small everyday interactions accumulate, creating a strong foundation for both learning and wellbeing.

Celebrating Community: St Patrick’s Day Mass and Activities
On Tuesday we celebrated St Patrick’s Day Mass and the fun activities that followed were a perfect example of how our school community nurtures belonging and of course has fun while doing it. Coming together in prayer at both campuses allowed us to celebrate our faith and reflect on the spirit of St Patrick - leadership, courage, and compassion.

The activities afterwards were more than just enjoyable; they were important moments of connection. Students laughed, worked as teams, encouraged one another, and deepened friendships. Teachers had the chance to interact with students in joyful, informal settings, strengthening those positive relationships that support classroom learning.

A Shared Responsibility
We thank our families for partnering with us to ensure students attend school every day, unless unwell. When children are here, they not only keep up with learning - they feel part of something bigger. They feel known. They feel valued. They feel they belong. Another great opportunity to build community is our Bikeathon on Sunday 24 May for all students and parents to attend. This event can't run without parent volunteers supervising the course and volunteering with the catering. Please take the time to return your form and nominate where and what you prefer to help out with on the day.

Together, let’s continue to make every day count and build on our school community's spirit.

Peer pressure is a natural part of growing up. As children and adolescents place greater importance on friendships and belonging, the influence of peers can shape their choices, behaviour and sense of identity. While this influence can be positive, it can also create pressure to conform or take risks, particularly during adolescence.

In today’s digitally connected world, peer pressure extends beyond face-to-face interactions. Social media and online communication expose young people to constant comparison and unspoken expectations about how they should look, act and perform. Understanding how peer pressure works, both on and offline, helps families support young people to build confidence, make healthy decisions and stay connected to their own values.

Here is the link to this Special Report:
http://stpats.qld.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-responding-peer-pressure-au

Our Year 7 students are working with the Level 3 (proficient) wheel which steps up from a foundational level for students only just learning to use emotional words. In this level we start to learn about the importance of controlling the intensity of emotion. The three most important things to note at the proficient level are:

1.  We have words to help explain different levels of intensity of each emotion.

2.  Words in the centre of the circle are when were are out of control, and we need to know how to dial it back to the outer rim if we  want to stay in control of our actions.

3.  You can match appropriate intensity to different situations. For example, it’s ok to be disappointed you missed out on the food you wanted, but it’s not ok to be in despair. It’s ok to be worried about an exam coming up if it motivates you to study, which is more appropriate than simply being concerned about it but doing nothing about it.

Level Five (advanced)
Level five is where it really starts to get interesting. Here there are enough words to start to have enough levels to ‘dial it up’ when you need to, and can start to notice the nuances in the escalation of other people’s behaviour. It is also complex enough for you to start to experiment with more advanced applications of emotions, such as cognitive empathy and as a motivation map. The three most important things to note at level five are:

1.  There are subtle ways we can dial up the intensity of emotion without losing control.

2.  We can feel different emotions at once, and can jump between emotional states quite quickly at times (ie. energetic can quickly turn into frustration, worry into eagerness).

3.  You don’t need to be happy all the time, but simply being peaceful is a version of happiness. The pursuit of happiness is actually the pursuit of peace.

Level Seven (mastery)
Now we are using and managing emotion in ourselves and others. You can spend a lifetime mastering emotion at this level. Here you learn the emotions are critical in making decisions, motivating action and building a successful life. The three most important things to note at level seven are:

1.  You can feel multiple emotions at once. Happiness and sadness are not opposites, they are related to a sense of wholeness, but it is possible to be grieving and at peace at the same time.

2.  There are times (like getting close to a deadline or preparing for a big event) where you can harness high intensity emotion to move yourself and others toward action. Knowing when and how to dial it back so you don’t stay there for too long is critical.

3.  When you see others in high emotional states, trying to be rational with them will not work. Learning to identify when people have ‘lost their mind’ by being too aroused and knowing how to help them dial it up and down at the individual and group level as appropriate is a master skill. There are times when you want groups to feel high intensity in order to drive behaviour, other times when you need to dial the group down, so they are more consciously and rationally in control.

Our hope is that by regularly using the language of Switch4Schools, our Year 7 students will work their way through the levels and be able to articulate what they are feeling as well as how they can dial up or down this feeling at any given time.

In the next newsletter we will begin to unpack each emotion in more detail to give you some tools and discussion points for when these emotions appear at home.

Our college community continues to show wonderful generosity in supporting those in need. 

During the recent Athletics Carnival, students and staff came together to raise over $500 which will be donated directly to Caritas Australia. This fantastic effort reflects the strong spirit of compassion and service within our college.
Thanks to this support, our college has now raised a total of $800 this term for Caritas Australia. These funds will help support programs that provide vital assistance to vulnerable communities both in Australia and around the world.

Thank you to everyone who supported the fundraising on the day, whether by purchasing items from our stall or by volunteering their time to help sell at the stall. Your support and willingness to get involved helped make the day such a success.

A reminder that donation boxes are still available in homerooms as part of our ongoing support for Caritas Australia. We are very grateful to all students and families who have already contributed so generously. If you are still able to help, donations will continue to be collected until the last week of school. Every contribution, no matter the size, helps make a meaningful difference.

Thank you again to our college community for your continued kindness and generosity.

1. Work Experience Application Form and term time forms signed and returned.
2. Signed Work Experience (Insurance) Agreement signed by all parties.
3. Year 12 ATAR students may attend work experience during the school holidays.
4. Students 14 years and older may participate in work experience.

Application forms must be submitted to the College by:
* The Friday, Week 8 of each term and
* The (Insurance) Agreements must be signed by all parties by the beginning of Week 9 of each term.

The exception is Term 4 Work Experience Application forms are due back by Week 7 and the Work Experience (Insurance) Agreement forms must be signed by all parties by the beginning of Week 8.

Year 10 Career Students
Students who have chosen Career as a subject in Year 10 will complete compulsory work experience.

Semester One Careers: Work Experience Dates: Term 2, Week 4: 11–15 May 2026

If have not secured a placement yet, please reach out to our local community and pre-arrange your placement. Alternatively contact Mrs Krystal Prentice at the College.

If you have chosen Careers as a subject in Semester Two, please begin considering:

* The type of work experience you would like, and
* Where you would like to complete it.

You are encouraged to arrange placements with our local community ahead of time.

Semester Two Careers: Work Experience Dates: Term 3, Week 7: 24–28 August 2026


St Patrick’s College – Career Connections
Current career opportunities are regularly updated on the St Patrick’s College website under the Community tab.

Ergon Energy Mackay
Ergon Energy Mackay has six (6) apprenticeships on offer and Sarina Depot has one (1) apprenticeship on offer commencing in February 2027. Applications open June 2026. Current Year 12 students are encouraged to apply.

To provide further information, Ergon is holding a Depot Open Day for interested Year 12 students on Wednesday 29 April, commencing at 3.30 pm. The address of the depot is 23 Cemetery Road, West Mackay.

This session will be approximately 1.5 hours in duration and will include:

*  An information session on obtaining an apprenticeship with Ergon Energy and our entry requirements
*  A day in the life of an apprentice.
*  The benefits of obtaining an apprenticeship.
*  Live demonstrations on pole climbing, “bucket work”, tool work and lots more.
*  Students must wear closed in shoes if attending.

For those that can’t attend, this link has all the information on apprenticeships and where students can also register for a job alert. https://www.ergon.com.au/network/careers/apprenticeships

For further information, please contact:
VET Coordinator – Helen Moohin
📧 Helen_moohin@rok.catholic.edu.au

Two of our students, together with our Robotics Teacher Mrs Kylie Tudehope, recently travelled to Brisbane to take part in Virgin Australia’s Future Aviators Program, joining schoolgirls from across Queensland for an immersive, behind-the-scenes look at the aviation industry.

The experience provided valuable insight into the wide range of careers that keep an airline operating, from engineering and flight operations to corporate roles, while also offering students the chance to explore training facilities and step inside one of the airline’s newest aircraft.

As an Aerospace Gateway to Industry Schools Program (AGISP) College, opportunities like this are an important extension of learning beyond the classroom, connecting students with real-world pathways and industry professionals.

"The highlight of my day was the flight simulator. It was super exciting to actually have a go,” said Grace. Elessa added, “I really enjoyed seeing all of the compartments of the plane. The Virgin Australia staff have been really amazing.” 

Experiences like this continue to inspire our students to explore future pathways in aviation and beyond.

Z Club Members Celebrate International Women’s Day with Zonta Mackay
On Sunday 8 March, two of our Z Club members, along with our Principal Mrs Aguis and Z Club organiser Miss Hannant, proudly attended the ZONTA Club of Mackay’s International Women’s Day High Tea. The event brought together inspiring women and community leaders to celebrate the global theme for 2026 - “Balancing the Scales.”

ZONTA International is a global organisation dedicated to building a better world for women and girls. Members work together to advocate for gender equality, support education, end violence against women, and empower the next generation of female leaders.

Guests heard from two remarkable speakers, Melissa Westcott and Madelaine Hogan, whose stories highlighted the importance of resilience, leadership, and ongoing efforts toward equality.

We extend our sincere thanks to Accountant Ready Services for generously sponsoring our tickets, allowing us to attend and take part in such an inspiring and worthwhile event.

This year's International Women's Day was marked by a professional lunch held on 6 March 2026. Ms Cook, along with four students from St Patrick’s College attended the event. The occasion provided an important platform for students to engage with experienced women in the workforce, with nearly 600 attendees present. The event was officially opened by Greg Williamson, the Mayor of Mackay. Mrs Kate Davies, CEO of Netball Queensland, delivered an inspiring keynote address. This was followed by a panel discussion featuring prominent local business leaders, including Kate Sommerville (BHP Mitsubishi Alliance), Jacqui Morrison-White (Mackay City Auto Group), and Stacey Kreyts (Barada Barna Aboriginal Corporation).

The theme for the event was ‘Give to Gain’. The panelists discussed the mutual benefits of giving freely, highlighting that generosity benefits both the recipient and the giver. Kate Davies offered three key pieces of advice: 

1. Be clear about your purpose and objectives; 

2. Cultivate a positive relationship within your team; and 

3. Be prepared when opportunities arise.

A big thank you to Resource Industry Network who hosted the event and their student ticket sponsor, Local Buying Foundation, for our students' complimentary tickets.

From left: Ms Kirra Tully and Ms Zoe Knight (GW Innovations), Ms Cook, Carys F, Zoe R, Lilly B and Elena P.

The Year 12 Early Childhood Studies class recently visited the Mackay Childcare Centre, connecting with the children and their educators. Students have produced assessment tasks that focused on Literacy Development in young children. The class read story books to the kindy children and then implemented play-based learning activities with them, enjoying the practical, hands-on nature of the experience.

The Next Step Year 12 Completers survey opens on 17 March 2026. All Year 12 completers from 2025 will receive a letter from the Minister for Education inviting them to participate in this five-minute survey to help our school understand the different pathways of our graduates. This helps us to improve services for future students, and respondents have the chance to win a MacBook Air.

We ask parents, siblings and friends to encourage our graduates to complete the survey. They may also be contacted by email or phone from the Queensland Government Statistician’s Office.

For more information, please visit http://www.qld.gov.au/nextstep.

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