St Anthony's Catholic College Deeragun eNewsletter

Newsletter Term 2 Week 9

Good Day, Good People,

It has been a busy time at the College as we wind down to the end of Semester One.

Our Padua campus had their Athletics carnival today with Assisi holding theirs next Thursday afternoon and Friday. Plenty of energy all round.

Last week we celebrated St. Anthony’s day where the whole school comes together to reflect on who we are as a College in the Franciscan tradition. Our primary and secondary students buddy up through the day to complete several activities. We started the day with a Mass celebrated by Fr. Vinoj. We ended the day with a drum circle with our students joining together with our conductor Alex to create an awesome sound combination. St. Anthony, our namesake, was a wonderful example to all of us. My impression of St. Anthony was that he was an intelligent man whose thoughts filtered through his heart. I believe that is a wonderful example for all of us to live by.

On Wednesday I was a member of the judging panel for Padua Rocks. This is my toughest job for the year with many very talented students stepping onto the stage. Congratulations to everyone who performed. It was a very entertaining morning.

The talent continued to be displayed all week with a series of musical performances. We had everything from brass, strings, vocals and piano to entertain us. The commitment of our students was obvious on these nights. Thanks to all of them, their parents for their encouragement and our staff for teaching them.

I also saw our College play last Saturday night. We were treated to a great play with some very polished performances by the cast. Thank you to all involved.

Next week our Year 10 students will head out on Work Experience for a few days. This is a great opportunity for our Year 10’s to experience life in the workforce. Next term they will have Set Plan meetings where they will choose their senior subjects. Hopefully the Work Experience will help them in their choice making.

As we come to the end of Semester One, report cards will be issued soon. Please take the time to sit with your child to discuss their report. Look for ways they could improve for next semester. There will be opportunities to meet with their teacher’s next term. I encourage you to do this.

As this is our last Newsletter for the Semester I wish you well and thank you for Semester one and look forward to working with you in Semester Two.

Kind regards,

Barry Horner

Principal

Term 2 - Week 10

Sat - Sun 21-22 June - Dragons Netball and Rugby League Training Camp

Mon 23 June - Year 10 Work Experience

Mon 23 June - Year 9 Retreat Day

Mon 23 June - Year 12CHO The Ville Industry Experience Day

Tue 24 June - Year 10 Work Experience

Tue 24 June - Year 9 Team Building Activities

Tue 24 June - Board Meeting

Wed 25 June - Year 10 Work Experience

Wed 25 June - Year 9 Scavenger Hunt

Wed 25 June - Year 7 Sunshine and Sculptures Day

Wed 25 June - STEM Racing (Kirwan SHS, all day, Selected Year 7&8 students)

Thu 26 June - Interhouse Athletics Carnival

Fri 27 June - Interhouse Athletics Carnival

Fri 27 June - Term 2 Concludes

Semester 1, Unit 1 & 3 Reports released to Parents on Compass

Sun 29 June - Friday 4 July: QISSN Carnival - Dragons Netball & Confraternity Shield - Dragons Rugby League

Term 3 - Week 1

Fri 12 July - JCU Open Day (8:30-12:30pm, Year 10 & 11)

All week - NAIDOC Week

Mon 14 July - Term 3 Begins

Tue 15 July - Assisi Parent - Teacher Interviews

Thu 17 July - NAIDOC Week Celebrations (Lessons 4-5, Padua)

RE MATTERS

Good day, good people,

St Anthony’s Day in Week 8 was a joyful and meaningful celebration of who we are as a Catholic Franciscan community. Based in the spirit of fraternity, the day brought together students and staff from both campuses to share in faith, joy, and connection. Guided by this year’s theme inspired by The Canticle of the Creatures, we celebrated 800 years since St Francis of Assisi wrote his beautiful hymn of praise for creation—a reminder to live with gratitude, reverence, and care for the world and each other.

The day began with a whole College Mass, beautifully led by Fr Vinoj, where we reflected on the life of St Anthony of Padua - his deep compassion, humility, and witness to the Gospel. A highlight was the unveiling of our collaborative Gabul / Canticle of Creation artwork, created by students across year levels as a symbol of unity and shared story. This was followed by Buddy Class activities, filled with laughter and connection, and a Drum Circle that brought over 1,500 students together in rhythm and community spirit.

In true Franciscan hospitality, Padua students shared morning tea with their Assisi buddies—more than just a tradition, these shared moments reflect our calling to be participants in life, engaging with others generously and intentionally. Events like these invite us to live with purpose, to build relationships across our College, and to be present to one another with compassion and joy.

Adding to the vibrancy of Week 9 was Padua Rocks, a variety competition that celebrated the diverse talents of our students—from music and dance to comedy, performance, and creative expression. It was a fantastic celebration of confidence, creativity, and the courage to share one’s gifts with the community. This was followed by the Padua Athletics Carnival at the end of Week 10 - an event full of energy, sportsmanship and House spirit.

We also hold our Year 11 students and staff in prayer as they take part in their Year 11 Leadership Camp - an important opportunity for formation, self-reflection, and service. In Week 10, our Year 9 students will explore identity and belonging during their Year 9 Community Retreat, our Year 10 students will embark on Work Experience, and the Assisi Campus will come together for the Assisi Athletics Carnival.

As Term 2 draws to a close, we pause to give thanks for the many opportunities we've had to grow in faith, service, and fraternity. These events are not just highlights on a calendar - they are moments that form our students into people of courage, compassion, and conviction.

Wishing you and your family a joyful, restful break,

Rachel Bond Rose Fitzsimmons

APRE - ASSIS Campus APRE - Padua Campus

Good Day, Good People,

A Call for Responsibility and Respect

As we wrap up Week 9 and head into the final week of term, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the tremendous effort from our students, staff, and families. It’s been a full and productive term, and the hard work, learning, and growth across the school have been truly impressive. It is important to acknowledge the wonderful behaviour and effort shown by the majority of our students, who consistently demonstrate respect, responsibility, and a commitment to learning. However, it is also necessary to address a growing concern regarding the poor behaviour of a small number of students. Disruptive behaviour, lack of respect for staff and peers, and disregard for school expectations are becoming increasingly evident and are impacting the learning and wellbeing of others. We ask all parents and carers to please speak with your child about the importance of respectful behaviour and taking responsibility for their actions at school. While staff work hard to support students in making positive choices, this must be a shared responsibility between home and school. It is disappointing when the actions of a few overshadow the efforts of so many who are doing the right thing every day. Together, we can ensure our school remains a safe, respectful, and positive environment for all students to learn and thrive. Thank you for your continued support.

Travel Safely to School

Getting to school safely is important, no matter how you travel. If you're walking or riding your bike, always stick to the footpaths, use designated crossings, wear a helmet when cycling, and stay alert around traffic. If you catch the bus, wait calmly at the stop, be courteous to others, and always follow the driver’s instructions.

Remember, whenever you're in a school uniform, even outside of school, you’re representing our school. Wear it with pride and demonstrate the same respectful and responsible behaviour we expect in the classroom. Together, let’s stay safe and reflect the values of our school community wherever we go!

With the holidays just around the corner, thank you all for staying committed and focused right through to the end. You’ve earned a well-deserved break!

A Reminder About Carpark Safety

We kindly remind all drivers that the speed limit within Padua’s school carpark is strictly 10km/h at all times, including outside school hours when many families are accessing OSHC.

This reduced speed limit is in place to ensure the safety of all carpark users, particularly during busy drop-off and pick-up periods when visibility can be limited and children are present.

To help maintain a safe and respectful environment, we also ask drivers to:

Avoid tailgating vehicles travelling at the correct speed.
Refrain from using carpark bays as thoroughfares to overtake or bypass other vehicles.

These behaviours can compromise safety and cause unnecessary frustration.

Thank you for your continued cooperation in keeping our school community safe.

God bless,

Karen Krzelj - Deputy Principal (Acting), Padua Campus

Friday last week we celebrated yet another fabulous St Anthony’s Day. The students were excellent for Mass and Fr Vinoj shared some historical knowledge about St Anthony with us. This year we had all classes contribute to the serpent in a design that is similar to the Canticle of Creatures 800 year anniversary artwork. It certainly looked amazing on the back wall of the stage. The activities in the next session was a great way for Assisi and Padua students to connect with each other and you would be surprised by how long these connections last. I am sure the Preps and Year 12s thoroughly enjoyed their time together. The next time they will see each other is at the Rite of Passage in November. To finish off the afternoon, the Drum Circle entertained the students through the rhythm of percussion.

This week and last week our Arts department has been working overtime. The College Play was another fabulous performance and we were lucky to have Andrea, one of our leads, manage to perform while being unwell to start with. I wonder what will be on the cards next year? Then there were the Sunset Solo Soirees of all of our Instrumental music students. They did not let us down with plenty of great performances. It is great to be able to have these students perform in front of an audience.

This week our Year 11 students started the first part of their leadership preparations for next year. There was a workshop on Tuesday that then led to the Camp. This gave our students some skills and an awareness of what it means to be a leader and to also challenge their comfort zone. Next term we start the process of applications, interviews and selection of our 2026 leaders.

Other great opportunities for our students happened this week with the Readers Cup. The students performed well and had an enjoyable time competing. Unfortunately no podium finish. Then today there was the E-Sports Cup which was held at the College for the first time. Thank you to Eliza for organising this and we hope the students really enjoyed the day. Also tonight our Year 9-12 Drama students are off to watch The Assignment by Theatre Inc. We hope they enjoy this performance and it gives them some ideas to help with their performance on stage. Last weekend our Dragons Volleyball team competed at the NQ Schools Volleyball Cup and this weekend the Dragons Rugby League teams are at a Training Camp in preparation for their statewide carnival in a week. We hope they have a good experience and it sets them up well for their carnival.

Reports are out next Friday and I hope there are no surprises as with our continuous reporting you are aware of how they have been tracking all semester.

Until next Newsletter or I see you, take care.

Nick Antoniazzi

Deputy Principal - Assisi Campus

SHINE Award Winners Prep - Year 3

SHINE focus for Week 10:

URSTRONG – Friendology at Padua Campus

BE A “FRIENDSHIP COACH”

Supporting your child through

the ups and downs of friendship!

Do you often find yourself at a loss for advice when your children come to you with their friendship issues? URSTRONG provides simple but meaningful language and skills to open up a dialogue with your kids.

https://urstrong.com/parents/#component-7-video-1

FIRST NATION NEWS

*Qld School Initiatives NAIDOC Competitions*

Submit your entry by Monday, 23rd June!

2025 NAIDOC Week School Initiatives - Entry Forms - QLD.pdf

NAIDOC Week is a time of celebration across Australia, held each July to honour the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

As part of the festivities, students are warmly invited to participate in the 2025 NAIDOC in the 2025 NAIDOC Week School Initiatives Competitions.

This is a great opportunity to reflect, express creativity, and celebrate First Nations culture - plus, there are some amazing prizes up for grabs!

Competition Categories

Prep – Year 2: Colouring-In Competition

Let your colours shine! Enter your creative colouring for a chance to win:

The Ultimate Kids Gift Card
Movie passes to “How to Train Your Dragon”

Years 3 – 6: Poetry Writing Competition

Write a poem entitled “Respect” that explores what this important value means to you and your community. Prizes include:

Movie passes to “How to Train Your Dragon”
Fuji Instax Camera
Element Skateboard
The Ultimate Kids Gift Card

Years 7 – 9: Creative Writing Competition

Design a creative invitation to the Prime Minister inviting him to attend a NAIDOC Week event - either at your school or within your community.

The invitation must focus on NAIDOC Week, Cultural significance and your local community and its importance to first nations people.

Win incredible prizes like:

PlayStation Portal
Digital Camera
Ultimate Student Gift Card

Years 10 – 12: Essay Competition – “Moving Forward, Looking Back”

Write an essay explaining how justice and health have improved over the years for First Nations people. Highlight one Indigenous justice or health initiative that has made a real difference. Top prizes include:

PlayStation 5
Apple Mac Pro
Digital Camera
Safe Driving Lessons

We encourage every student to get involved - celebrate, learn, and share your voice. Let us honour NAIDOC Week together!

Gracelyn Mitchell

Assistant Principal Administration (Acting) - Padua Campus

LEARNING & TEACHING

One of the best parts of my role as Deputy Principal is going to events that showcase the wonderful learning and teaching that is occurring. I had the privilege this week of attending the Percussion concert on Tuesday night at Assisi. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and was so impressed with the performances. Well done to all students that performed. A special thanks to the instrumental teachers that encourage students to get out of their comfort zone and experience the satisfaction and sense of achievement performing in front of a live audience.

LEARNING AND TEACHING

Learning & teaching is the core business in schools. For this to happen, students need to be ready to learn. All students are aware of the procedures for entering and exiting a classroom that is conducive to the achievement of all educational goals. These procedures are displayed in classrooms and enforced by teachers.

As you can see the procedures are anchored in the SHINE elements and provide a framework for maintaining a culture of learning.

YEAR 10 TRANSITION INTO SENIOR

There is an interactive resource on the myQCE website for Year 10 students who are starting to think about their QCE pathway. It covers QCE eligibility and helps them to explore future study and career goals. Students can also develop a draft QCE plan to discuss with the Career Development Practitioner and parents/carers.

The QCAA has developed information on the eligibility requirements for achievement of a Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE).

Students and parents should be aware of the information outlined in the following link on the QCAA website- https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/p-10/transition-senior-secondary

YEAR 10 DATE CLAIMERS

Tuesday 29 th July: Year 10 Curriculum information presented to students- Period 1 & 2.
Tuesday 29 th July: Year 10 student Subject Expo in the SDC- 5-6:30pm. Parents and carers welcome. (See flyer below)
Tuesday & Wednesday 19 th & 20 th August: SET Plan interviews from 3:30-7pm.
Thursday 4 th September: Year 11 2026 Student Subject Selections Due

Embrace Learning,

Helen Rainnie
Deputy Principal Learning and Teaching

Every year the Design and Technology Teachers Association of Queensland runs a conference where educators from all over Queensland come together to collaborate, share ideas and work together to create excellence in teaching in all areas of Design and Technology. As a part of the two day conference, they have the Teacher Excellence Awards. This year St Anthony’s had two amazing people who were nominated for the two Awards:

Jessica Bauer, who teaches Fashion, Materials Technologies, Engineering Principles and Design was nominated for the Design and Technology Teacher Award.
Leah Mark, who is our School Officer and Administrative Assistant for the Design and Technology Department and supports all of our teachers across all areas we teach in the school, was nominated for the Service to Design and Technology Education Award.

These awards look at excellence in Design and Technology Education and help us to celebrate an area of education in our schools that is critical for our students to help them develop not just skills in ‘making’ things but also critical thinking, design thinking and innovation, literacy, numeracy and entrepreneurial skills.

Jessica Bauer, who is passionate about ensuring students learn so much more about fashion and its associated industries than ‘sewing and designing’ managed to make it into the final two nominations and was the runner up in the Teacher Excellence Award. This is a great testament to her dedication to Design and Technology and our student’s education. Congratulations Jessica on your achievement. A big thank you for all that you provide to the department and our students at St Anthony’s.

Leah Mark, who has been with St Anthony’s as a school officer for over a decade, won the Service to Design and Technology Education Award. This award is in recognition of a person who contributes to the profession, serve as models for their colleagues and demonstrate excellence in the classroom. It should be noted that the term “Design & Technology teachers” is meant to include all teaching areas in the subject area, including areas such as engineering and STEM.

Leah is a pivotal part of St Anthony’s Design and Technology Department, always taking the time to learn the projects so that she can safely help to support and educate the students here at St. Anthony’s to learn the skills they need to learn and apply design thinking skills and become our future in this space. It was wonderful to see Leah receive this acknowledgement for not just all she has given to the St Anthony’s community but also to Design and Technology Education.

The evening was a wonderful testament to the great educators we have in the Design

and Technology Department at St Anthony’s, and it was great to see both Leah and Jessica gain recognition for their contributions to our community and the education of our students in a forum that showcased some of the amazing work they have been doing for us to the State.

Congratulations Leah and Jessica and thank you both for your amazing work and contribution to Design and Technology Education at St Anthony’s.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Studying at university in 2026

Applications to study at university in 2026 open on 5 August 2025.

The Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC) is responsible for managing the undergraduate university and tertiary education admissions process in Queensland. Students can list up to six preferences in their QTAC application. QTAC processes these preferences in order and make offers based on eligibility (for example, meeting subject prerequisites) and merit (for example, the ATAR)

To assist students with navigating the admissions process, our Year 12 students participated in a QTAC How to Apply presentation on Thursday 19 June during Homeroom and Ubuntu time. In this session we covered:

Creating an ATAR Portal Account
Creating a QTAC Application Account
Early Offer programs
Adjustment factors, including the Educational Access Scheme (EAS)
Rural Access Scheme
Alternative admissions and pathway programs

We will also be running a University Information Evening for Year 12 students and parents on Tuesday 22 July from 5.00-6.30pm.

Please see the table below for a summary of the key dates and events for QTAC applications.

Date	Event
Saturday 19 July	JCU Townsville Campus Open Day (Year 12 students)
Tuesday 22 July, 5pm	University Information Evening for Year 12 students and parents (Library)
Friday 1 August	CQU’s Principal’s Recommendation Scheme open
Monday 4 August	Townsville Careers Expo
Tuesday 5 August	Year 12 QTAC Early Bird applications open JCU Early Offer Nominations open
Thursday 14 August	CQU Townsville Campus Open Day
Tuesday 30 September	JCU Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science dual applications due
Wednesday 1 October	QTAC Early Bird Applications close (higher application fee applies)
Friday 10 October	JCU Early Offer Nominations close
Monday 1 December	CQU’s Principal’s Recommendation Scheme applications close
Monday 8 December	QTAC due date to supply and submit supporting documentation
Thursday 18 December	ATAR release
Tuesday 23 December	December (early) Offer Round
Thursday 15 January	January (main) Offer Round

For students who are interested in applying for courses at interstate universities, each state has their own tertiary admissions centre. Miss Tebble is able to assist students with navigating these processes and requirements.

JCU Early Offer program

JCU’s Early Offer program is a pathway to give students some peace of mind knowing they have a place at university next year, and is one less thing to stress about during exam time. The offer they receive will be “conditional” – basically, this means it comes with conditions. For example, an offer might be conditional on achieving a certain ATAR or completing specific subjects.

Students can apply for the JCU Early Offer program from 5 August 2025 by completing a Nomination Form and obtaining the School’s recommendation.

CQU Principal’s Recommendation Scheme

The Principal’s Recommendation Scheme (PRS) provides a pathway for Year 12 students to apply to a range of undergraduate CQU courses based on their high school principal's recommendation rather than ATAR. Students can receive an offer without waiting for their Year 12 results and won't need to apply via a Tertiary Admission Centre for that same course. Open to all Year 12 students, the Scheme is designed to assist capable students to access entry to CQUniversity.

Students wishing to apply for JCU’s Early Offer program or CQU’s Principal’s Recommendation Scheme are encouraged to book a time to discuss this with our Career Development Practitioner, Miss Kathryn Tebble.

For career counselling and information:

Miss Kathryn Tebble

Career Development Practitioner

4751 7300 or ktebble1@sacc.catholic.edu.au

www.stanthonyscareers.com

Key Events

Date	Career Event
1 July	Komatsu 2026 Apprenticeship Intake program opens
Friday 18 July	JCU Townsville Campus Open Day for Schools (Year 10 and 11 students)
Saturday 19 July	JCU Townsville Campus Open Day (Year 12 students)
Tuesday 22 July, 5pm	University Information Evening for Year 12 students and parents (Library)
Monday 4 August	Townsville Careers Expo
Tuesday 5 August	Year 12 QTAC Early Bird applications open for university entry in 2026
Thursday 14 August	CQU Townsville Campus Open Day
Saturday 23 August	TEC-NQ Open Day (places are limited, book your spot!)
Saturday 6 September	Mater Education Townsville Open Day

To stay informed about key dates and receive timely reminders, students can sign up for QTAC’s Remind Me service.

SchoolTV_Diet_Nutrition_T2_WK9.pdf

The pictured glasses have been handed into the Assisi Office, if you recognise any of these glasses, please send your child or call into the Assisi office to collect.

Defence_T2_WK9.pdf

Dragons_fundraiser_3_1_.pdf

Tickets can be purchased at either Padua or Assisi Offices, CASH ONLY.

Does_your_child_love_to_RUN.pdf

"Sharks Camp 2025 - July. 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 July | 9th July | 10th July | 11th July

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."

Queensland Cricket is running two awesome Cricket Blast School Holiday Programs on July 3 and 9. Each 5-hour session at Endeavour Park in Annandale will include two groups: Rookies (5-7 years) and Challengers (8-11 years) to best cater for boys’ and girls’ abilities. As well as a whole lot of cricket fun, sessions also include a Sausage Sizzle Lunch + a Blast pack!

Register here: https://www.playhq.com/cricket-australia/register/4c789a

Contact antony.stewart@qldcricket.com.au or 0466 795 648 for more info