Term 1, Week 3

Last Tuesday, the College celebrated its 134th Commencement Mass. We were blessed to have Archbishop of Brisbane, The Most Reverend Mark Coleridge lead our service. He was joined by our Parish Priest, Fr Rafal Rucinski. As a Catholic community, celebrating the Blessed Eucharist is how we acknowledge important occasions and the level of reverence and respect shown by our students was a testament to them all. It truly was a wonderful way to commence our year.

I have challenged the boys during this coming 10 months to seek ways to show more gratitude in their lives. I firmly believe that the best, most joy-filled and satisfied human beings are those who display gratitude for where they find themselves in this world and to those who help them along the way. Can I please ask that, as a family, you are encouraging your son/s to seek ways to be more grateful for the life they lead. The results will be acutely evident. 

In an attempt to be a practitioner of my own advice, I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the families who have engaged with our numerous community events that have recently occurred. These include our Parent Information Evenings, Boarding ‘Drop-off’ Evenings, Academic Assembly, House Breakfasts, our Debating, Volleyball and Cricket launches, and last weekend’s Blessing of the Fleet for our rowing community. There are many positives that come with being a part of the Nudgee Community but the level of engagement from parents, carers and loved ones is exceptional. Over 200 parents attended our most recent Assembly. 

In the coming weeks, I will start to provide feedback, learnings and intentions from the surveys that our students and families completed in 2023. I have spoken with our staff of the importance of always seeking to improve and the pitfalls of ‘resting on our laurels’. St Joseph’s Nudgee College is an exceptional school. However, we are far from perfect and we don’t always get things right. This is why the voice of our students and the wider community is vital if we are to set an improvement agenda that will see this great school continue to lead the way as an educational institution. 

Finally, thank you to all of the well-wishes that I have received as I settle into the role of Principal. It has been greatly appreciated and I hope that you genuinely feel that your son’s best interests are being placed at the centre of all actions and decision-making. 

I look forward to seeing many of you around Nudgee, or away, over the coming weeks.

Kind regards, 

Scott Thomson

The Archbishop reminded us that at the centre of our lives is Jesus who is the reason we exist, the reason Edmund Rice gave his life to education and the reason we are called together to be a community of faith in his name - Christian.  His Grace’s message made a powerful setting for the formal installation of Scott Thomson as Nudgee’s 26th Principal.  Commissioned by Br Damien Price cfc, Chair of the College’s Advisory Council and blessed by the Archbishop, Mr Thomson was joined by family and friends to mark the occasion.  Later Mr Thomson and College Captain, Oscar Roati, spoke to the College reflecting on the same themes of service and community the Archbishop had begun earlier.

Beginning of the year brings the annual round of Parent Information Evening which kicked off last week with the Year 12 Parents on Tuesday Evening and Years 8 and 9 on Wednesday.  It was great to have parents in the room on Wednesday after the Year 12 event which was completely online.  These events are important information sharing sessions giving parents a sense of what their sons experience in the different year levels and equipping parents to walk the year’s journey with their sons.  Recordings of each of these sessions are available on the Nudgee App.

Celebrating Academic Excellence

This week, we honoured our outstanding academic results from Semester 2, 2023. Our Subject Duces, Apprentice of the Year, High ATAR Achievers and College Dux were presented with their awards as we celebrated our most successful year since the introduction of the New QCE. Patrick Kennedy, our College Dux for 2023, addressed the College community, reminding them of the importance of balance and of embracing all that Nudgee has to offer; a timely message as we look ahead to a year full of opportunity.  

Equally important this week was the acknowledgement of our current Year 10, 11 & 12 Gold, Silver and Bronze Award recipients following their academic reports in Semester 2, 2023. These awards are the result of hard work, dedication, and commitment to learning. Next week, we will gather as a community to celebrate the current Year 6, 7, 8 & 9 Gold, Silver and Bronze award recipients, based on their academic data from Semester 2, 2023. An email has been sent to all award recipients, who are reminded to wear their formal uniform for the occasion. Parents are welcome and should RSVP via the link in the aforementioned email. 

Continued Growth

As we celebrate the successes of the past, let us also look forward to the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. This week, our Years 7-9 students have engaged with a number of standardised tests. These tests provide valuable information to our teachers to plan for the academic growth of each and every student. They allow us to better understand the needs of the students in front of us and to track our impact, as teachers, on their learning progress. Well done to all of the boys involved in displaying grit and resilience through the testing period, and thank you to all staff involved in the implementation and analysis of each assessment.

Learning Pathways

Learning and wellbeing go hand-in-hand and ensuring that a student is on an academic pathway that aligns with their strengths and interests is paramount. Please note that, if your son has found himself in a subject that no longer serves his needs, subject changes remain open until Friday 9 February. We always try our best to accommodate subject change requests where possible and are happy to engage in a discussion about subject options with your son/s. 

For those seeking a change to their subjects, please ensure your son books a time to discuss his options with the Learning & Teaching staff by emailing lnt@nudgee.qld.edu.au, or visiting the Learning & Teaching Office.

Coming up in Learning & Teaching

• Gold, Silver & Bronze Academic Awards assembly (current Years 6, 7, 8 & 9): Tues Week 4
• Biology excursion to Shorncliffe: Mon Week 5

Service Learning

Year 9 
Year 9 students are eagerly considering their options for the Immersion program in September. Immersion serves as a pivotal opportunity for our students to venture beyond their comfort zones, immersing themselves in meaningful social justice activities within the community -  locally, nationally and abroad.

Throughout this experience, students will be actively challenged to broaden their perspectives by engaging with individuals and environments they may not typically encounter. The cultivation of these connections forms an essential aspect of every Nudgee student's journey.

Through the Immersion experience, Year 9 students will embark on a journey of discovery, fostering relationships that not only enrich their own lives but also contribute positively to the communities that welcome us.

In 2024, our Immersion options include Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Reef and Rainforest (Daintree), Wildlife Conservation, East Kimberley, UnOther, and a variety of local experiences. 

Year 10 Tabgha
This year, our Year 10 students are eagerly anticipating their involvement in the inaugural Tabgha Program, an initiative inspired by a significant location in Jesus's narrative. Tabgha holds a special place as it marks the site where the Risen Christ appeared to his disciples, urging them to carry forward his mission—an essence that lies at the heart of this program.

Throughout the program, students will draw upon their past experiences, particularly the insights gained during their Year 9 Immersion, to deepen their understanding of Signum Fidei. Through a series of workshops, students will delve into various aspects of relationships, exploring their connections with themselves, their brothers, others, and God. These workshops will also incorporate elements of careers, personal development, and the importance of serving others.

By the conclusion of the program, our Year 10 students will emerge with a renewed sense of purpose, equipped with the courage and authenticity needed to navigate the challenges of their senior years and beyond. They will be inspired to strive for excellence in many aspects of their lives, empowered by the experiences and insights gained through the Tabgha Program.

Boarding by the numbers:

• 315 boarders
• 77 new boys
• 10 recreation activities
• 8 BBQs
• 2 celebrations of Boarders’ Mass
• 1 Singing Practice
• 1 Rock Around the Clock
• Plenty of tears
• Even more laughter
• Countless cups of coffee (for staff)

And all in…. just 18 days!

As we come to the end of Week 3, it is so pleasing to reflect on the way our community has started the year. No doubt, there have been some tough times, especially for the newest members of the boarding family. However, I have been astounded by the courage demonstrated by these young men and the genuine familial support displayed by our existing boarders – especially our Year 12 cohort.  

I would write more about the start of our year, but as often happens someone else has already said what I would like to… in a far more eloquent way. The speech below was delivered by Grady Turner, our College Vice Captain, Chair of the Boarding Leadership Group and proud Proserpine boarder. The speech was delivered in Week 1 and gives a wonderful insight into our community in 2024. 

Football
Round 4 against Brisbane Grammar School is always a highlight in the football calendar, with two schools with a large number of football teams playing each other. This year was no exception, with 46 Nudgee teams playing on Saturday, with 42 games against Brisbane Grammar and four games against Anglican Church Grammar School. Our Year 6s won all of their games, however at this early stage the focus is on how they play and the very pleasing thing about the performances of the 6As and 6Bs in particular is that the football they exhibited was of a very high standard. 

Our 1st XI and 2nd XI both won on Saturday. The 2nd XI won 2-0 thanks to two goals from Patrick Cook, while our 1st XI won 3-0 with goals from Rylan Brownlie and Jamie Waddington. 

Cross Country 
For our final lead-up meet, 68 runners headed over to the BSHS playing fields at Carina to have one final competitive race against some of the GPS schools before our big day on Thursday! Some impressive 1st place runs included Oliver D (13), Arlen N (15) and Harry W (Open). As we all know though, it is the top six runners in each age group that are the point scorers. Our 13s and 16s managed to be our top point-scoring age groups on Friday, winning their events. Overall, we scored second for the 2024 GPS Cross Country Shield for the season. The big culmination of all of the training and lead-up meets will be held at the Championship event this afternoon.

Tennis
Our Year 7As and Year 9As had strong wins on Saturday and remain undefeated for the season. Congratulations also to many of our players who won individual sets but the depth of BGS tennis program with multiple state level players per age group were very tough opponents.

Our 1st IV competed for over six hours in a very hostile environment but unfortunately came up short with four matches and nine sets each and lost on a count back on games. 

Coming up in sport 

Round 5: 

• GPS Football Round 5 vs GT - Home
• GPS Tennis Round 5 vs GT - Home
• GPS Cross Country Championships

Round 6: 

• GPS Football Round 6 vs ATC- Bye Round Supplementary Matches
• GPS Tennis Round 6 - Bye Round Supplementary Matches

All photos are by Brody Grogan Photography. 

Debating

Round 1 saw a variety of our teams including 9.1, 9.2, 10.1, 11.1, 11.2 and Senior A all emerging victorious in their debates. The Senior A team faced IGS with a triple adjudication panel, and it was a unanimous decision that Nudgee College took the win while debating the topic 'That the Senate should be abolished.' 

In Round 2, there were more strong wins for 8.1, 8.2, 9.1, 9.2, 10.1 and 12.1 all defeating TSS. Unfortunately, the Senior A team just missed out on the win this time. Nudgee Spirit was on display with plenty of boys in Tierney supporting our Senior As as they began their debates. 

Music

Tomorrow evening, many of our students in Concert Band, Big Band and Choir will be competing at the GPS Music Showcase. Boys have been working very hard in the lead up to this Showcase and we wish them the very best of luck.

A general note for all families with sons in a Music program, please see the Music Handbook, as this details what is being offered to support your child’s music development as well as lessons structures and fees. 

Drama

Congratulations to Year 12 student Robbie Fitzgerald. At the completion of 2023 Robbie Fitzgerald auditioned for the QLD Theatre’s Young Artists Ensemble program. He was successful along with 24 other Year 12 students from Brisbane to be selected into this fantastic program for 2024.

Coming up in performing arts

Round 3: 

• GPS Debating vs ACGS - Away

Round 4: 

• GPS Debating vs BGS - Home

Privacy Collection Notice for Parents Address Collection 2024 
The Australian Government Department of Education (the department) would like to notify you that we have requested for your child’s school to provide residential address and other information. Under the Australian Education Regulations 2023, the school is required to provide the department with the following information about each student at the school:

• names and residential addresses of the student’s parent(s) and/or guardian(s)
• student residential address (excluding student names)
• whether the student is a primary or secondary student (education level)
• whether the student is boarding or a day student (boarding status).

The school collects the above information by generating a unique and unidentifiable student reference number (SRN) for each student record. The school only uses the SRN for this collection. The SRN cannot be used for any other purpose. The number only indicates to the department that each record provided is for one student.

Read more here

Brody Grogan Photography

All of the amazing photography you see around the grounds is taken by our fantastic photographer Brody Grogan. If you would like to purchase a photo for yourself you can do so here: 

https://www.brodygrogan.com/Nudgee-College/Youre-Almost-There
Password: 1891

17 May

• Evening on the Green

18 May

• OPEN DAY 

20 May 

• Year 5 Camp 

21 May

• Year 5 Camp 

23 May

• Shaw and Tierney House Mass

27 May

• National Reconciliation Week (27 - 31 May)