Week 6 Term 4 2022

Principal

Schools such as ours stand for a clear set of values. These are inherent when we describe ourselves as a Catholic school in the Edmund Rice tradition. The Charter and the touchstones make these values explicit. Further to that, at Nudgee College we also claim values that are symbolically represented in our Faith star.

It is through all of these that we aspire to be Signum Fidei - A Sign of Faith.

Important as these are, what is ‘mission critical’ to our identity is that our actions, not just our words and symbols, reflect them. Reflecting on our Faith Star, where have our actions given life to these words? I can suggest a few from recent days.

Courage - the battle of one of our Year 10 boys to return to school over the past fortnight after a frightful health scare and time in Intensive Care. A Year 9 student unable to come to school for weeks and now undergoing major lung surgery before a long period of recovery.

Justice - a group of Year 10 boys and teachers heading into the city early Tuesday morning to care for the homeless at Big Brekkie. Later the same day, another group of boys and teachers driving out in the late afternoon to provide the Big Barbie in the local community.

Excellence - the numerous boys who received Learning Habits Awards and Old Boys Awards on assembly on Tuesday along with those who will be acknowledged at next Tuesday night’s Awards Evening.

Community - over 500 present and past Mothers attending the Ladies Auxiliary Christmas Dinner on Saturday evening. More intimate family gatherings generously hosted at family homes in Goondiwindi and St George last weekend.

Authenticity - again at Tuesday's assembly at which we acknowledged the Year 10 Immersion program, Technology students involved in building and racing a race car as well as Musical and Oratory performances. In effect, celebrating a range of boys involved a wide range of endeavours using a range of talents and abilities. These highlights were balanced by some clear messages from the Dean of Students, Mr Connellan, about vaping and respect for property. Areas for improvement for some boys.

Faith - a Chapel full of Nudgee mothers on Saturday night for Mass led in song by the Boarders’ Choir as well as the weekly Boarders Mass on Sunday night.

Of course, there are numerous other examples that could be added to the list. There are also other moments and situations where we have let ourselves down and not lived up to our aspirations. These are learning moments for all of us. In truth, being a Sign of Faith doesn’t require perfection. What it does mean is seeking the best of ourselves and to see the best in others. And when we do, Christ is present.

Mr Peter Fullagar

Principal

Deputy Principal

‘Practise gratitude’: start your day with these seven tips

Every week I get an online runners magazine. There are always some ‘takeaways.’ Last week the magazine had an article on practising gratitude. I thought it was very topical coming to the end of the year.

According to the research highlighted in the article, spending time in the morning wisely is essential. It suggested it is important to get up and do something positive for yourself. It’s about setting the intention to have a calm day. The article suggested these six steps to start your day off right. Some of these may be useful for our boys, or even ourselves, as we navigate our busy lives.

1 - Practise gratitude as soon as you wake up

Think positive thoughts before you get out of bed. Mentally prepare yourself in bed because your mental strength determines the day you have. Do a gratitude exercise as soon as you wake up. Be clear in your own head about the positives you are about to face, and try not to dwell on the negatives.

2 - Dress to impress yourself

Dressing correctly can make you feel powerful. For our boys, it means being proud of their uniform and ensuring they wear it correctly. According to psychologist and wellbeing consultant Lee Chambers, investing in our appearance can be beneficial because it helps us to feel valuable. “We are signalling to ourselves that we are worthy of attention – it gives us a sense of pride,” he says. And for our boys, at the bare minimum, it avoids unwanted attention from the staff!

3 - Mind your smile

I thought this one was really simple. To kill two birds with one stone, try looking after your oral care while practising mindfulness. Smiling is an amazing way to start if you want to make yourself feel good and confident. Be present by appreciating each tooth in your mouth as you clean your teeth.

4 - Write positive affirmations

Try writing positive messages to yourself every morning. Stick your affirmations up on your desk. Then, make a point of reading out positive messages to yourself at least once a day. I must admit I have heard this advice many times but failed to act on it. Once you get past the initial awkwardness, this can be a great way to lift your mood and start the day strongly. And there’s something about writing it down that allows you to process it better.

5 - Start a ritual

Having a morning ritual is essential. Rituals can teach us to trust ourselves. They give us a sense of certainty. It is no secret that I need to get out for a run each morning. It helps me clear my head and start to focus on the day. Find your own ritual, and stick to it and give yourself that time to think and prepare for the day ahead.

6 - Work treats into your schedule

If you’re worried about how much (school) work you have, having a schedule prevents you from feeling overwhelmed. Estimate how much time you need to spend on your (school) work but, more importantly, factor in breaks. And plan events in the week where you can do something you enjoy, too. The key here is balance.

Just trying a few of these may help some of our boys as we head into the final, hectic last couple of weeks of the school year.

Mr David Johnston

Deputy Principal

Learning and Teaching

Term 4 Assessment

Further to previous communications I remind all Years 5 to 11 students that learning and assessment continues right up to the last day of school. It is important that students continue to attend classes, submit assignments (as listed on their Student Cafe) and participate in exams.

Years 5 and 6 students will complete assessment in normal classes under the direction of their teacher. Years 7 to 10 students will attend classes as normal except when they are withdrawn for a cohort exam as listed in the Exam Block timetable. This is available to students via Student Notices and at this link: Years 7 to 11 Exam Timetable

Year 11 students will begin their Exam Block on Friday 18 November. Classes will not run and students are advised to complete private study in preparation. For General subjects, the results contribute to QCE subjects scores that are used for ATAR calculations. For Applied subjects, results contribute towards the QCE.

Day students may use the library for private study and the Boarding house will make alternative arrangements for Year 11 students. The exam block is an important event aimed at developing students’ independent learning habits which will be necessary for External exams in 2023. I remind students of the Elevate Study Skills website they have access to for planning and study tips.

Year 11 students should read their exam timetable carefully as poor organisation is not grounds for Special Consideration. If illness or misadventure leads to an exam absence, a medical certificate or other suitable evidence must be submitted to the Learning and Teaching office at lnt@nudgee.qld.edu.au This complies with QCAA requirements associated with the approval of AARA.

For students in Years 7 to 10 who are unexpectedly absent from an exam due to illness or misadventure, teachers will report ‘No Result’ and use other evidence of their learning to determine a Semester 2 result. This can include other assessments completed throughout the semester, as well as class-based activities. No exams will be rescheduled.

For planned absences during the Compulsory Assessment period, parents must apply for Principal Approved Leave. To do this, parents need to complete the "Principal Leave Form" which can be found either on the Parent Lounge under "School Links" or the Nudgee College App under “Links”. You can log onto the Parent Lounge here.

See Academic Policy here.

We wish all students success for their upcoming assessment.

Mr Jason Sepetauc

Dean of Learning and Teaching

Stationery lists for 2023

Stationery lists for 2023 will once again be available for online ordering through Campion Education.

Monday, 14 November 2022 - online stationery ordering commences.
Wednesday, 14 December 2022 - online stationery ordering to be completed.
Fortnight ending Friday, 13 January 2023 - stationery orders delivered.

Please note orders placed after Wednesday, 14 December 2022 will not be guaranteed delivery by Friday, 14 January 2023.

If you choose to collect your order from Campion’s shop at Salisbury, this can be done from Monday, 9th - Saturday, 14 January 2023.

Online ordering is done in four simple steps:

Go to www.campion.com.au and click the red 'Order here' button.
Login or create a new account (this enables you to save, adjust and track your order).
Enter the school’s resource list code: WKXD
Select your year level and complete your order.

ONLY BOARDERS are eligible to have stationery delivered directly to the College.

Any questions regarding changes to your stationery order and/or delivery of your stationery order can be addressed directly to:

Campion Education

Unit 5, 121 Evans Rd, Salisbury

Ph: 3146 3999

Campion Education’s Parent Support Page

Year 10 Resource List

Year 11 Resource List

Year 12 Resource List

Senior Drama and Music Performance Assessment Evening

Claim the Date: on Wednesday 16 November we will be holding the Senior Drama and Music Performance Assessment evening for our current Year 10 and 11 Drama and Year 11 Music students.

Where: Tierney Auditorium

Time: 6.30pm - 8.30pm (approximately)

Everyone is welcome to attend the evening and see our current students perform their FA1 or IA1 respectively for their course of study in Senior Drama and Music. Bring along family and friends. If you have any questions feel free to contact me on - akilgour@nudgee.com

Ms Alison Kilgour

Head of Faculty - Arts

Year 9 Excursion - Cross River Rail Experience

Last Monday, our Year 9 digital technologies class was given the opportunity to visit the cross river rail experience centre and take a look into the future of the Brisbane city rail. Arriving at the centre, we were presented with a detailed look at what the cross-river rail has to offer in sustaining Brisbane's growing population and the logistics of how such a large development is being made right underneath our feet.

After being briefed about what exactly cross-river rail was and how it worked, we entered the immersion theatre. An array of four projectors lined the walls with a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree video showing us how tunnelling has evolved, using new technology like the tunnel boring machine, capable of digging tunnels fifteen metres beneath the earth's surface. We were then tasked with using our newfound knowledge combined with information from stations located around the centre to answer a variety of questions relating to the cross-river rail system and tunnelling processes. After the winners had been crowned, we were given an opportunity to experience the futuristic underground train stations for ourselves through virtual reality.

Putting on the VR headset you were placed in a virtual station, making your way down flights of stairs to the platforms you could get a sense of how deep the stations went and how grand they were. Stepping back into reality we then made our way into the micromelon workshop. Entering the space, we were greeted by a team of engineers and coders eager to show us how the train's new guidance systems would work on a small scale. Using the robots equipped with ultrasonic and IR sensors, we were tasked with navigating along a path made of blocks intended to represent the path of a train. During this process, we were assisted by the engineers who encouraged us to use our problem-solving skills incorporating all of the resources that were available to us, as engineers would in the real world.

On behalf of Year 9 digital technologies, I would like to thank Mrs Lamb for organising this excursion, Mr Bauer for taking the time to take us on the excursion, as well as all of the staff at the cross-river rail experience centre and micromelon robotics who made this experience as fun and enjoyable as it was.

Fergus Wright

Year 9, McKenna

Boarding

Regional Wrap Up

Throughout the year we have been blessed to visit numerous regions around Queensland and Australia. Visiting these regions gives us the great opportunity to see where our boys come from, connect with families and promote our wonderful boarding school.

Last weekend saw our final tour for the year, as we visited Goondiwindi and St George. We made our annual appearance at the St Patrick’s Fete in St George and soaked in all on offer - including the ‘Moo Poo’, Yabbie Races and the prestigious Tug-O-War (which Mr Jeff Campbell and I participated in!). We thoroughly enjoyed catching up with our families in these regions and look forward to our extensive tour schedule for 2023. Thank you to the Prosser and Bowman Families for hosting beautiful events at their family homes. See some photos from the weekend below.

Outside the ‘Nudgee Bubble’

On the weekend, we had yet another great event with Stuartholme. On Saturday night our Year 10s made their way across to Toowong for a ‘Mocktail’ evening. The boys were well-dressed and respectful. It was particularly great to see the boys and girls singing along to some wonderful music - two great boarding schools connecting!

This is just one of the many events throughout the year that sees our young men connect with fellow boarders from other schools. Over the course of 2022, we have spent time with boys and girls from St Hildas, St Margarets, Clayfield College, Marist College Ashgrove, Churchie, Ipswich Girls Grammar, St Peter’s and more. We look forward to furthering opportunities to connect in 2023.

Goondiwindi Bus

As always, we will be running a Goondiwindi Bus at the end of the term. Please see the flyer below and make bookings HERE

Mr Casey Brealy

Dean of Boarding

In This Newsletter

Principal

Deputy Principal

Identity

Learning and Teaching

Boarding

Performing Arts

Sport

The Locker Room