St Patrick's College Mackay - Term 3 - Week 4 - 8 August 2025

I hope everyone enjoyed our Catholic Education Week celebrations! It was truly a special time to come together as a community and reflect on the unique values that define St Patrick’s College. From our Mercy Campus mass, to the student-led service projects, the week was a wonderful reminder of the importance of faith, compassion, and service in our daily lives. Thank you to all the students, staff, and families who participated and made this such a memorable event.

Congratulations to our Spirit of Catholic Education Award nominees, Danika Hurley and Dee Trannore. We appreciate all you do for St Patrick’s College and our community.

NAPLAN Excellence Presentation
On our Mercy Campus assembly this week, we recognised approximately 80 students for their outstanding NAPLAN results. As a new united St Patrick’s College, our Effective Teaching and Learning goals have been to implement a school data plan where we can track the progress of every student and then act to assist. Our NAPLAN data is just one way in which we can track progress and assess areas which may need assistance for a student’s growth. This then leads to both student and College continual improvement. 

Congratulations to those students who received awards and thank you to the many parents, guardians and grandparents who attended the assembly on Wednesday.

Debating Success
Congratulations to all our Debating teams who have represented the College in the Interschool Debating Competition. Special mention to the Year 7/8 Navy team who took out the grand final win against Whitsunday Anglican this week. Thank you to all the teachers who have supported our students with Debating. In 2026, our College will be the host school for debating. I look forward to many more teams competing. 

Netball Success
We had three teams travel to Townsville last weekend for the McDonald’s Carnival and all three teams received Gold in their divisions.

Congratulations
A special congratulations to Mrs Tracey McLeod – Assistant Principal Administration who received a 10 Year Membership Award at the QISSN annual general meeting. The award recognised over 10 years of sharing her passion, dedication and expertise with our students.

College Musical
We are very excited to present Matilda the Musical – JR in three weeks time. Tickets are now on sale for our shows on the 29th and 30th August. Be sure to get your tickets and not miss out on this wonderful college event! Purchase your tickets here: https://www.trybooking.com/144...

Edmund Rice 150 Year Celebration
Last week, Brendan Gunning – Assistant Principal Mission and myself travelled to Brisbane to St Stephen’s Cathedral to celebrate 150 years of the Edmund Rice Ministries in Queensland. The Christian Brothers order was started by Edmund Rice (Ireland) and is part of the founding history of St Patrick’s College, River St Mackay. It was a very special experience and I was particularly moved by the music ministry during the mass.

Brendan and I were joined by two of our 2024 College Captains, Evelyn O’Brien and Will Radke who represented us in the Banner Presentation and Candle Ceremony. 

Pictured below: Janelle Agius, Evelyn O'Brien, Brother Damien Price and Brendan Gunning. 

CQU Schools Jazz Festival
Congratulations to our Stage Band on their amazing success over the weekend at the CQU Schools Jazz Festival. Not only were they the only band to receive a Gold Award on the night, they were also awarded Most Outstanding Trombone Section, Most Outstanding Trumpet Section and Most Outstanding Saxophone Solo! We cannot wait to see them perform at the Mackay Eisteddfod in two weeks.

Formal
Last Saturday, our Year 12 students attended the Formal which was held at the Mackay Entertainment & Convention Centre. What a momentous occasion - not just a celebration of their educational journey but a significant milestone to share with family, friends and staff. Thank you to Miss Sam Nutt and Mrs Juliene Benson who coordinated this event. It was wonderful to view students in their finest outfits.

At our school, we prioritize your child's academic engagement and ongoing improvement. We continuously seek ways to refine our processes to ensure that all students reach their full potential.

With regard to written assessments, we find that the most effective approach is for students to submit drafts by the designated due date. This allows teachers to provide timely, relevant, and constructive feedback to help students improve their work before the final submission. While drafting can sometimes be viewed as an additional task, it is a crucial step in achieving a high-quality final grade for written assignments.

All assignments include a "Draft Due Date". Typically, class time is allocated to help students develop their drafts, and they are encouraged to complete some work at home as well. This provides sufficient opportunity for students to produce a draft and receive feedback from their teacher, which supports improved performance on the final submission. When drafts are not submitted, the final grades often do not reflect the student’s true potential. Additionally, if a student is absent or unwell at the time of final submission, having a submitted draft allows teachers to assess the student’s progress and achievement. As part of our longstanding policy at St Patrick's College, submitting drafts is mandatory for this reason.

Earlier this year, we introduced the Assessment Support Room (ASR) on the senior campus. Students who fail to submit drafts on time are referred to this space, which is scheduled during lunchtime. The lunchtime appointment provides an incentive for students to submit drafts promptly, as they generally prefer not to miss their lunch break. This initiative has been very successful, resulting in more drafts being submitted, more detailed feedback being provided, and overall improvements in student results.

Today, we launched the Assessment Support Room at the Mercy campus. If a student does not submit a draft on time, they will be required to attend the ASR, initially scheduled on Fridays until the draft is completed. Teachers will notify parents via email if their child needs to attend the ASR. Students will also be informed during this week's assembly. We hope this measure encourages students to submit their drafts within the designated timeframe and recognises that completing drafts is essential to achieving better academic outcomes. The room will be staffed by Heads of Department, who are happy to dedicate their lunchtimes to support our students.

Please feel free to contact myself or our Acting Assistant Principal for Curriculum, Mr Dean Andric, if you have any questions.

Last Wednesday, Mercy Campus came alive with vibrant energy and joyful celebration during our much-anticipated House Day. The event was a resounding success, thanks to the dedication and enthusiasm of our staff (who had just as much fun) and our students.

The day began with a beautiful mass celebrated by Fr Mathias, where students demonstrated exemplary behaviour, actively participating through responses and singing. We were very fortunate to have our Senior House Captains join us along with Senior students in our Choir. It was a heartwarming start that set the tone for the rest of the day.

Across various venues, the spirit of fun and camaraderie was unmistakable. From building intricate sandcastles to engaging in lively beach volleyball, soccer and touch football matches, students and staff alike embraced the activities with enthusiasm. One of the highlights was the playful tradition of burying students in the sand leaving only their heads visible which brought laughter and delight to all.

Everyone enjoyed a well-earned break with delicious pizza and refreshing soft drinks, adding to the festive atmosphere. A special thank you goes to our House Coordinators for their impeccable organisation and seamless execution of the day’s events. We also wish to extend our gratitude to parents ensuring their child attended on the day.

House Spirit is truly thriving at our Mercy Campus and House Day was a shining example of the unity, joy and pride that define our College community.

Last week, our school community joyfully celebrated Catholic Education Week with a variety of engaging activities across both campuses.

Each day, students participated in trivia during homeroom, sparking friendly competition and learning. Congratulations go to Midas B from the Senior Campus and Oraya 3 from the Mercy Campus for winning the trivia contests.

Tuesday on the Senior Campus featured a student sausage sizzle followed by a lively lunchbox concert, providing fun and fellowship.

On Wednesday, the Mercy Campus began with the House Day Mass at 9am, beautifully presided over by Father Mathias. Following Mass, we proudly recognised our nominees, Danika Hurley and Donnetta Trannore, for the Spirit of Catholic Education award in recognition of their exceptional commitment to the staff and students of St Patrick’s College and the wider community. The day continued with vibrant house celebrations at Harbour, Illawong, and Bucasia beaches.

Thursday offered a special Senior Staff Lunch held in the administration courtyard, a time to relax and connect.

Friday morning started early with the Leadership Team cooking a Mercy Staff breakfast, after which our students helped host a disco event for St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, fostering community connection and celebration.

Also on Friday, Brendan Gunning and Janelle Agius, along with two of our past students Will Radke and Evelyn O’Brien, had the honour of attending in Brisbane, the 150 years celebration of Edmund Rice Education in Australia,  marking a significant milestone in the legacy of Catholic education in the Edmund Rice tradition.

The week concluded on Sunday with the St Patrick’s Youth Mass at 6pm, inviting all to come together in worship and reflection.

These varied events highlight the vibrancy of our Catholic Education community, celebrating faith, fellowship, and school spirit throughout the week while honouring our rich educational heritage.

Earlier this term, ten Year 11 students from St Patrick’s College joined peers from schools across the Rockhampton Diocese to take part in the 2025 ACTS Leadership Camp. The three-day event focused on developing leadership skills through the theme of service to others, encouraging students to see leadership as an opportunity to make a positive difference in their communities.

Throughout the camp, students were involved in a range of activities designed to build teamwork, confidence, and self-awareness. One of the most impactful moments was the affirmation session, where students shared kind and encouraging words with one another. Many described this as a highlight that helped them appreciate both their own strengths and the strengths of their peers.

The camp also featured visits from Bishop Michael, Father Stephen, and Michael McCusker. Their presence gave students an opportunity to connect with leaders from across the Diocese and to see themselves as part of a much larger community.

Students returned from the camp inspired and ready to bring their new skills back to school life. Their participation reflected the values of St Patrick’s College, and they represented the school with maturity, enthusiasm, and pride.

A sincere thank you is extended to all organisers, facilitators, and staff who contributed to making this experience so valuable for our students.

Earlier this year, the Mercy Campus entered four keen teams into the 2025 Mackay Interschool Debating Competition. Two teams represented St Patrick’s College in the Year 9/10 division, while another two competed in the Year 7/8 division. What makes their achievement even more remarkable is that 13 of our 16 students were new to debating this year!

Throughout the competition, students discovered their voice, not only building confidence but also demonstrating quick thinking and creative problem-solving. The teamwork of students was obvious as they came up with clever, original arguments and tackled some very challenging topics with energy and imagination.

Special congratulations go to our Year 10 Gold team, who made it all the way to the semifinals before a very narrow defeat at the hands of WAS. St Patrick’s College is proud to congratulate our Year 7/8 Navy team on their big win in the Grand Final last week! Their debate was incredibly powerful, and we know this is only the beginning of even bigger things to come!

To celebrate an excellent season of debating, students from both the Senior Debating Competition and the Mercy Campus came together at Sorbello’s last term. It was a wonderful opportunity to not only celebrate their hard work and achievements, but also strengthen the spirit of teamwork across all levels.

Most importantly, we’re incredibly proud of every student who took up the challenge and gave debating a go. The confidence, critical thinking, and collaboration skills they’ve gained will be valuable not only now, but wherever their journeys take them in the future. Congratulations to all our debaters, you’ve done St Patrick’s College proud!

What a season it’s been for the Year 7/8 St Patrick’s College debating team! After a whirlwind of many rounds, big wins and a dozen arguments, we are proud to say that we won the championship title last week. My team members were overjoyed, and we learnt so much along the way.

This season, Issy, Aalia, Pearl and I grew not only in our speaking skills, but in confidence, teamwork, and time management. Each of us brought unique strengths that made our team win. Issy’s calm and positive energy kept us grounded, Aalia’s confidence and powerful public speaking inspired us, Pearl’s thorough organisation and eye for detail ensured we were always prepared, and I developed my skills in improvising rebuttals to keep our arguments sharp. We learnt many skills along the way including managing our time wisely, growing confidence in our speaking, enjoying the process and most importantly working together as a team.

A memorable (and slightly chaotic) moment we shared was when our topic got mixed up and we accidentally prepared the Year 9/10 debate instead of our own. We had to scramble to come up with arguments for a topic way out of our depth, only to realise mid-round that the other team had prepped something completely different. Confusing? Definitely. Iconic? Also correct. This became one of our favourite stories from the season and was a round that we won despite the uncanny circumstances.

We would have never prospered this far in our journey without the help of our wonderful mentors/teachers, Miss Ramsay and Mrs Cureton! They were truly our inspiration and motivated us to grow thus far. We’d also like to extend our thanks to Mr Crocker, Mr Andric, Miss Agius, Mrs Crocker, Mr McSherry, and Mr Attard for coming along to watch our debates and cheer us on.

To celebrate Catholic Education Week and its theme “Communities of Faith, Hope & Love,” the Vinnies Committee set out to spread a little joy and gratitude to some of Mackay’s everyday heroes.

After spending time baking homemade cookies with care, students from the committee delivered them to a range of local first responders and community support services. Visits were made to the Mackay Base Hospital (both the Emergency Department and main hospital), the Women’s Centre, the ambulance depot, the police station, and our very own St Vincent de Paul Mackay charity.

Each visit was an opportunity to show appreciation to those who live out the values of faith, hope and love through their everyday work by supporting, protecting, and caring for others. The warm smiles and heartfelt thanks shared during the deliveries reminded us of the strength and unity within our wider community.

This simple act of service was more than just handing out cookies. It was a meaningful expression of the Catholic mission, to be people of compassion and action. The Vinnies Committee was proud to be part of this week of celebration, connection, and gratitude. Together, we are a community built on faith, hope and love.

As we approach the due date for finalisation of fee accounts, we’d like to share a clear overview of our billing and payment arrangements.

🧾 Billing Timeline
Annual fee statements are issued by Week 2 of Term 1. Families can choose between two payment options:

🟢 Option 1: Full Payment
- Due within 30 days of the statement issue date.
- Eligible for a 2.5% Prompt Payment Discount.

🔵 Option 2: Payment Plan
- Must be arranged before the Term 1 statement due date (unless enrolment occurs after this date).
- Plans can be weekly, fortnightly, monthly, or term-based.
- Payment plans must be completed by Week 4 of Term 4. For Year 12 students, fees must be paid in full by Week 4 of Term 3.
- Eligible for a 1.5% Payment Plan Discount if all conditions are met.

Payment methods: Parent Orbit App, Parent Lounge, Direct Debit Authority, Bpay, or in person via cash, EFTPOS, or credit card.

Want to spread your payments out? Payments can commence early and credited to your account in advance. Contact us to arrange early payment plans.

🧾 Policy
The College has a policy that will be enforced regarding outstanding college fees. Students will not be permitted to represent the College at events unless fees are paid in full, or a working payment plan is in place, along with full payment for the trip and associated program costs.

🆘 Need Help?
We understand that financial circumstances can vary. Families experiencing hardship are encouraged to contact the College Finance Office to discuss their options.

📞 Finance Office Contact:
Phone: (07) 4994 8700
Email: spcm_finance@rok.catholic.edu.au

𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐓𝐒 𝐎𝐍 𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐄 𝐍𝐎𝐖!
Showtimes for the public are:

Friday 29 August at 6:00pm
Saturday 30 August at 2:00pm
Saturday 30 August at 6:00pm.

Tickets available through Trybooking: https://www.trybooking.com/1441837

Tickets are general admission only - early arrival is recommended for preferred seating.

Recently, our students proudly represented the school at the Festival of STEM Robotics, Drones and F1 in Schools competition. This exciting event challenged students to work individually and collaboratively to program robots and drones to complete complex tasks as well as design, test, and create their concepts for the F1 in Schools Program.

Our Senior Robotics Team achieved an outstanding result, finishing as the highest scoring group in their division for Senior Rescue, earning a perfect score by collecting 100% of the points available in the finals. On top of this incredible achievement, they were also honoured with the Spirit Award, a recognition voted on by fellow students for being helpful and supportive throughout the day.

Year 10 Design students from semester one competed on the day and did really well in their category 3DP – Secondary Junior. Students were given a score in three different areas, their reaction time plus performance of car, design poster and working drawings.

1st Place: Sophia D
2nd Place: Georgia E (Remote Entry)
3rd Place: Keara F

All of our teams competed with enthusiasm, creativity and determination. We are proud of their efforts and can't wait to see what they accomplish in next year’s competition.

Our Year 12, Certificate III in Lab Skills students recently swapped their usual classroom setting for state-of-the-art university laboratories. CQUniversity conducted Residential Schools, as part of the compulsory practical component of their senior science studies.

This has allowed our students to engage directly with real-world scientific practices. Over the course of several days, the students worked with various processes and equipment including high-powered microscopes, collecting native plant samples for analysis and conducting biological experiments using agar plates and incubation methods; just to name a few.

CQUniversity staff led the students through their lab techniques and sample handling, emphasising the importance of early lab exposure to foster enthusiasm for careers in STEM.

The team at Boeing are now recruiting to maintain and support Australia’s new fleet of AH-64E Apache’s at RAAF Base Townsville.

The application form, and more detailed information, can be found on Seek here.

Please note these are Full Time roles commencing in January 2026 (ie not school based).