St Patrick's College Mackay - Term 3 - Week 6 - 22 August 2025

2025 Eisteddfod Results
The 78th Annual Macrossan & Amiet Mackay Eisteddfod has been resounding success for our students who have showcased their incredible talent and dedication across a range of cultural ensembles. I have been amazed with the musical talent that our students have displayed and very proud watching them perform and shine on stage. A huge thank you to all the ensemble directors—Molly, Kathleen, Sarah, Tammy, Sam, and Tim—for their unwavering commitment and for inspiring our students to perform with such enthusiasm and joy. Thank you to Marcus for coordinating these events. The awards are wonderful, but seeing our students' eagerness to share their art with the community is truly the greatest reward. A big thank you to our students who assisted backstage.

The Assumption of Our Lady
On August 15, the Church celebrated the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady, a day to honor the belief that the Holy Mother, having finished her earthly life, was taken into heaven, body and soul. Although formally defined as an article of faith by Pope Pius XII in 1950, this belief has been a part of Christian tradition since the earliest days of the Church. It is a beautiful and meaningful feast that reminds us of the hope of our own salvation and heavenly reward.

Subject Selection Evening for 2026 Year 8,9 and 10
It was wonderful to see so many families attend our 2026 Year 8, 9 and 10 Subject Selection Evening on Tuesday night. Students and their parents/guardians have been sent emails this week regarding the online selection process. If you were unable to attend on Tuesday evening, the information provided on the night can be found on our College website or via this link: 2025 Year 8, 9 Subject Selection Information Evening.

St Anne’s Centenary Mass
Last week I was delighted to attend St Anne’s Catholic Primary School Sarina’s Centenary Mass. It was a beautiful celebration of faith and community, commemorating a remarkable 100-year history. We extend our warmest congratulations to the St Anne’s community on this incredible milestone.

Farewell to Erica Brauer and Cathie Williams
This week, we bid a fond farewell to two cherished members of our St Patrick's College family, Erica Brauer and Cathie Williams. Both teachers have been a constant presence and a source of inspiration, leaving an indelible mark on our college community. Erica, a valued member of our community with 20 years service and a dedicated teacher, has moved to Brisbane with her family where she will embark on a new teaching position. Cathie, a long-serving and committed educator, has commenced a well-deserved retirement. Both will be greatly missed by their students and colleagues, and we extend our deepest gratitude for their years of unwavering dedication and commitment. We wish them both all the very best for the future and thank them for their remarkable contributions to St Patrick’s College.

College Musical
We are very excited to present Matilda the Musical – JR next week. Tickets are 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/1441837

Cultural Showcase Evening – Thursday 4 September
I would like to invite and encourage everyone to attend the St Patrick’s College Cultural Showcase Evening on Thursday 4 September. This year’s Showcase will be held at the Bluewater Quay in conjunction with the Riverside Markets, commencing 6:00pm.

Parent Engagement Session
Our next Parent Engagement Session will be held on Tuesday 2 September, commencing at 6pm at the Senior Campus Auditorium, Gregory Street, Mackay.

Our topic will be “Digital Learning Tools Unpacked” and will cover Google Classroom, Writer’s Toolbox, Education Perfect and Maths Space. We hope you can join us for this very informative evening.

Enrolment for Year 11, 2026
St Patrick’s College Senior Campus is now taking enrolments for 2026. If you
wish to enrol or know a family who would like to enrol, I encourage you to
complete our online enrolment application as soon as possible.

Enrol Now: https://enrol.spcmrok.catholic...

Rugby League
Yesterday I travelled to Townsville to watch our SPC boys play a thrilling Grand Final against the in-form Kirwan Bears. We couldn’t be prouder of the effort, passion, and spirit our boys showed throughout the entire campaign.

A huge thank you to our incredible coaches and staff for their dedication and commitment. To our parents, supporters and sponsors who were with the team every step of the way - we couldn’t do it without you!

Congratulations to Our St Pat’s Hockey Team!
We’re excited to celebrate our amazing St Pat’s Hockey team, who have finished the season as minor premiers! Their hard work, dedication, and team spirit have truly paid off, and they’re now gearing up for the Grand Final.

Join them next Saturday morning, August 30th, at 10:00 AM as our team takes on HSC in what promises to be an exciting match. We’d love to see our school community come out in support of our kids.

Good luck to our players !

Anxiety is a natural and expected part of growing up. In fact, it plays an important role in helping young people prepare for challenges, stay alert to potential dangers and adapt to new situations. It can motivate them to study for a test, practise before a performance, or tread carefully in unfamiliar settings. However, for many children and adolescents today, anxiety can shift from being a helpful response to becoming intense, persistent and disruptive.

The world young people are growing up in is fast-paced and often demanding. Academic pressures, social expectations, family changes and the constant presence of digital media can all contribute to heightened stress and worry.

When anxiety is left unrecognised or unsupported, it can begin to affect a young person's wellbeing, learning, friendships and self-confidence. That's why it's so important for adult carers to understand how anxiety may present in children. Everyone experiences anxiety differently, and there's no one-size-fits-all solution.

This edition of SchoolTV raises awareness and provides families with practical strategies to help young people manage anxiety in healthy, constructive ways.

Here is the link to your Edition: http://stpats.qld.schooltv.me/newsletter/anxiety-young-people-au

That’s a wrap on 2025 Eisteddfod!
Our ensembles did incredibly well, so here are all our results/awards:

Choir
Choral singing Secondary Open: Highly Commended
Choral singing Secondary Hymn & Folk: Highly Commended
Folk Ensemble - Secondary: Highly Commended
Jazz/Modern - Secondary: 3rd Place
Novelty/Show choir - Secondary: 1st Place

Instrumental
Stage band
Contemporary Group/Jazz - Open: 1st Place
Concert Band
Developing Concert band - Secondary: 3rd Place
Strings Ensemble
Small group Any Acoustic Inst. - Secondary: Very Highly Commended
Handbells
Acoustic Instruments Trio/Quartet - Secondary
Percussion/Handbell ensemble - Secondary: Highly Commended
Drum Corps
Percussion/Handbell ensemble - Secondary: 1st Place

With these fantastic results come a few major awards! These include:
Novelty/Show choir - Section Award
Drum Corps - Section Award
Stage Band - Most enjoyable open instrumental performance.
Concert band - Most enjoyable secondary instrumental performance.

Although our Concert Band placed 3rd, they also received the Most Enjoyable Secondary Instrumental Performance award, with the adjudicator noting how the story told through their music lingered long after the concert. This marks the first time our Stage Band and Concert Band have won these awards, a testament to the passion and commitment of our staff, students, and parents. I’d like to thank our ensemble directors Molly, Kathleen, Sarah, Tammy, Sam, and Tim, whose energy and dedication inspire our students through rehearsal and performances alike. The awards are a wonderful achievement, but the true highlight is seeing our students’ enthusiasm, artistic growth and joy when performing for the local community.

If you didn’t manage to see us at the Eisteddfod, we still have our 2025 production of Matilda the Musical - Jr on Friday 29 and Saturday 30 August. Our Cultural Showcase is at the Blue Water Quay on Thursday 4 September. So come along and see what St Pat’s has to offer!

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.

The St Patrick's College Cultural Showcase is being held on Thursday 4 September at the Bluewater Quay, in conjunction with the Riverside Markets.

Join us as we celebrate the incredible talents of our students, showcasing captivating performances from a variety of college ensembles. Whether you’re a fan of rhythmic beats or melodious harmonies, the lineup has something for everyone. Including performances from the College Band, Drum Corp, Choir, Percussion Group, Stage Band and the lively Dance Troupe.

Entertainment will commence from 6:00pm and will feature performances from special guests, The Bluewater Big Band!

Bring along your picnic blanket and enjoy an entertaining evening, as our students perform their award-winning routines from the past year and much more. Feel free to wander through the Riverside Markets, where you’ll find a variety of local food and craft vendors.

Whether you’re a parent, friend, or a member of the community, this is the perfect opportunity to support our students and to enjoy an evening of musical entertainment. The St Patrick's College Cultural Showcase is not just an event, it’s a celebration of creativity, passion, and accomplishment.

So, gather your family and friends and come on down to the Bluewater Quay for an evening filled with great performances and community spirit. We can’t wait to see you there!

When: Thursday, September 4
Where: Bluewater Quay in conjunction with the Riverside Markets
Time: Entertainment Commencing from 6:00pm

Don’t forget your picnic blanket and let’s make this Cultural Showcase a night to remember!

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

This year our college Interact Club is pleased to announce that we are raising funds for the Mackay Hospital Foundation. Order forms for Krispy Kreme Donuts have been sent home, with final orders due at the Finance office on Friday 29 August (Friday of Week 7). Last year we were able to raise $5000 for Childhood Cancer Support and we are hoping to achieve a similar outcome to support our local hospital this year. 

Orders will be collected from Mercy Campus on Wednesday 17 September.

On Wednesday 13 August, Year 9 and 10 Geography students attended an excursion exploring tourism opportunities in the Pioneer Valley. We began the day with a chilly walk through the clouds at the Sky Window, then ventured on to observe some platypuses in the wild at the platypus viewing deck on the Broken River. We explored eco-tourism at the Broken River resort and finished off with a stop off at the Finch Hatton MTB Pump Track. Students were able to brainstorm some ideas to help further enhance the work Mackay Regional Council have done to showcase our amazing natural environment and bring more tourists to the area.

UNLOCK YOUR FUTURE TODAY | St Patrick's College Senior Campus is now taking enrolments for 2026.
Enquire today for subject offerings.

𝙀𝙣𝙧𝙤𝙡 𝙉𝙤𝙬! https://enrol.spcmrok.catholic.edu.au/secondary.../start

We are excited to announce that five teams from our school will be participating in the Write a Book in a Day competition during Week 10! This unique challenge requires teams to work creatively and collaboratively to write and illustrate an entire book in just 9 hours. Each team must raise $240 to have their book judged. All funds raided go towards supporting vital childhood cancer research through The Kids’ Cancer Project. Not only does this competition encourage teamwork and creativity, but every book created will be shared freely with children in hospitals around Australia, helping to brighten their day and support their recovery. We wish our teams the best of luck as they take on this rewarding challenge that makes a real difference! If you would like to donate to one of the teams, please follow the links below.

Link to sponsor the Gold Team https://writeabookinaday.com/teams/?id=1701
Link to sponsor the Navy Team https://writeabookinaday.com/teams/?id=1715
Link to sponsor the Red Team https://writeabookinaday.com/teams/?id=1716
Link to sponsor the Teal Team https://writeabookinaday.com/teams/?id=1718
Link to sponsor the White Team https://writeabookinaday.com/teams/?id=1717

St Patrick’s College has been lucky to host exchange students from Japan and France, who are staying for varying lengths of time to experience our country and culture. These students visited Bredl's Wild Farm on Tuesday, spending an unforgettable day getting up close with snakes, wombats and handfeeding kangaroos. Of course the highlight of the day was cuddling our cute koalas and riding the Safari Truck to view the crocodile feeding. As the end of August approaches, these students are preparing to leave and will hopefully take with them lasting memories of their Australian experiences.

Mackay Surf Life Saving Club are having come & try days every Sunday throughout September from 8:45am – 11:30am where nippers and their families will be able to participate in nipper events such as flags, beach sprints, relays, wade races, surf education, as well as a sausage sizzle by the beach.