COLLEGE NEWSLETTER - 13 JUNE, 2025
Message from the Principal
Megan Wuersching - College Principal
Dear Southern Cross Catholic College Community,
Over the last few weeks, our students have showcased their talents and enthusiasm across a range of academic, sporting and special events. Southern Cross Catholic College proudly hosted the Young Speechmakers competition, where students demonstrated incredible confidence and skill in public speaking. Their dedication and hard work were truly inspiring.
Our Year 7 students embarked on their camp experience, building friendships, resilience and teamwork through a variety of outdoor challenges and activities. It was a memorable adventure filled with learning and fun.
Another exciting milestone was the Certificate III in Aviation - Fly Day, where students pursuing their remote piloting aviation qualification experienced hands-on learning, taking drones to the skies and deepening their understanding of flight operations.
We also celebrate our College Feast Day, a special occasion that brings our community together in faith and reflection. Our feast day is dedicated to Mary Help of Christians, our Patron Saint, whose guidance inspires us to navigate life with compassion, courage and justice. Our college name reflects both our Australian identity and spiritual journey. Like the Southern Cross constellation, a symbol of hope and direction, we look to Mary Help of Christians to guide us in faith, education and personal growth. Through Mary to Jesus, we shine as a community committed to respect, inclusion and justice.
A special thank you goes to the staff who helped make these events possible, ensuring enriching experiences for our students.
Respecting Professional Boundaries
At Southern Cross Catholic College, we are committed to fostering respectful and professional relationships between families and staff. As part of this commitment, school-related concerns should only be raised through appropriate communication channels during school hours.
Approaching staff in social settings, contacting them via personal phone numbers or engaging through personal social media accounts about school matters is inappropriate. Staff must maintain clear professional boundaries and such interactions place them in an unfair and uncomfortable position. These expectations are outlined in our Parent Code of Conduct, which supports a respectful school environment.
If you have a concern, please contact the school directly through official channels. Our staff are always willing to engage in meaningful conversations at the right time and in the right context.
As a reminder:
- Staff are not expected to respond to emails or calls outside work hours, including nights and weekends, as part of our Right to Disconnect
- Emails will typically receive a response, if required, within two working days.
- Staff personal contact details - including mobile numbers, social media accounts and personal emails - are not for school communication. Messages sent via these means will not be responded to.
- If you see staff in the community, please respect their personal time.
- Please book an appointment if you need to meet with a teacher or a member of the Leadership Team, as drop-ins during the school day cannot be accommodated.
We appreciate our families’ support in upholding these professional boundaries and ensuring a respectful environment for all.
Semester One Reports
Teachers are currently finalising student reports for Semester One, which will be available via Compass in Week 10. There have been some changes to our reporting format across the Townsville Diocese, and further details have been shared with families across this term via Compass. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Thank you for your ongoing support and commitment to our college community.
Megan
FROM THE DEPUTIES - Primary
Katrina Wootton - Deputy Principal - Primary
Our SCCC School Officers Make a Difference!
School Officer Day, celebrated annually on the second Wednesday in June, is our opportunity to celebrate the vital role support staff play in education and how our union is working to ensure they have careers they can count on.
In 2025, School Officer Day will be held on Wednesday, 11 June.
Schools simply would not function without our amazing school support staff.
From laboratory technicians, classroom assistants, grounds staff and administrative staff to cleaning staff, library assistants to AV and IT specialists, support staff are dedicated professionals.
I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to each of our School Officers. Their hard work, compassion, and dedication often happen quietly behind the scenes, but their impact is felt everywhere.
Every kind word shared, every helping hand extended, and every moment spent supporting our students truly makes a difference. School officers are a steady presence in our students’ lives, offering care, structure, encouragement, and sometimes just a smile that brightens their day.
We appreciate all our school officers today and every day.
Have a wonderful week
Katrina
FROM THE DEPUTIES - Secondary
Steven Cooke - Assistant Principal Religious Education (Acting) - Secondary
Our annual Feast Day celebration in honour of Mary Help of Christians is always a highlight in the life of our College – a moment to pause, reflect, and gather in faith as a community. This year, the day was once again a vibrant expression of our College charism: to live compassionately, courageously, and justly in service of others.
As we celebrated our Patroness, we were reminded of Mary’s unwavering strength and loving presence – qualities we strive to embody in our daily lives. Through our Shine Time fundraising efforts, we put faith into action, supporting two remarkable causes: Fuel for Schools and Pankind. These charities align beautifully with our mission to enhance the lives of all, particularly those who are vulnerable or in need.
A heartfelt thank you to our students and families for embracing the day with such spirit and generosity. Your enthusiastic involvement in our fundraising initiatives and wholehearted support of our College goals are a true testament to the living faith and unity that define our community.
May we continue to walk together with courage, compassion and justice – inspired by Mary, and grounded in our shared purpose.
From our Chaplain
Dot Parnell - College Chaplain
Hello Everyone
It’s that time of the year when State of Origin occupies the thoughts of a lot of Queenslanders.
At this time last year I talked about Hugh Van Cuylenburg, the Founder of The Resilience Project. The mental coach was a key figure in the two series wins of the Maroons in 2022 and 2023. He introduced the Zulu word to the squad, “Ubuntu”, which means “I am because we are”.
The wellbeing of the collective is placed ahead of the individual and reinforces that the team goal can only be achieved by thinking of and working with the others. It’s that Spirit of “never say die”, which is instilled deep in our being.
We talk about school spirit, the spirit of the game, the spirit of a debate etc. where we come together to celebrate a shared understanding and respect for the diversity that exists in our school, our game, our opinions.
What does all this mean? Last Sunday we celebrated the feast of Pentecost (the birthday of the Catholic Church): the Spirit of God opening our hearts and spirits to recognise the good of all in our midst and God calling us to be the best human beings we can be, using our God-given gifts and talents for the common good.
The Spirit of God overcomes the barriers of culture, language, experience, abilities and opinions so that we can hear the voice of God in Jesus’ message: “Peace I give you, my own true peace I leave with you.”
Pentecost is that awareness of the Spirit at work in our relationships, our games, our schools, our opinions.
It’s “the breath of the Spirit breathing in me” so that we can be people of compassion, justice, tolerance and hope.
Back to State of Origin. I have a huge mob of relatives in WA. They are Cowboys mad and Maroons mad. There’ll be a mob of about 15 going to the Origin game in Perth. They and we all know that, as Queenslanders/Maroons, we are people of True Grit. We persevere in what we do and we show our passion for what we do. We always think of others first and, at the same time, we show how resilient we are in times of challenges. Win, lose or draw we’ll do just that. QUEENSLANDER!
God’s blessings for a great week, and remember; “In a world where you can be anything - BE KIND.”
Dot
From the Guidance Team
Due to your school’s ongoing commitment to supporting youth wellbeing through its partnership with SchoolTV, we would like to invite parents, carers, grandparents, educators and school leaders to attend an exclusive webinar supporting primary and secondary students.
WEBINAR: Digital Media Literacy & Safety (Part II)
DATE: Tuesday, 17 June 2025
TIME: 7:30 pm
Join us for an exclusive session with two of Australia's leading experts in youth wellbeing and cybersafety, Susan McLean and Dr Michael Carr-Gregg. They will share invaluable insights on how to empower young people to navigate the online world safely and responsibly.
Topics in this webinar include:
- Artificial Intelligence
- Misinformation & Algorithms
- Sexting and Sextortion
- Online Grooming
Please note:
This webinar is a one-off event and will not be available to replay later.
Participants must register prior to the commencement of the webinar to gain access.
See poster for QR code or click this link below:
http://sctsv.catholic.
We look forward to having you join us for this insightful and engaging session.
From the SchoolTV Team
First Nations Education Updates
National Reconciliation Week
If you were in attendance last Friday for the Primary and Secondary National Reconciliation Liturgies, you’ll agree that our primary and secondary First Nations students and friends did an absolutely sensational job delivering the liturgies. Congratulations to Reconciliation Award Winners - in primary one student per class was chosen by their class teacher and in secondary, two students were nominated per year level by their pastoral leader for living out the 5 pillars of reconciliation in their everyday lives. The criteria that teachers used when deciding was someone who consistently:
● Acts with integrity
● Treats others equally
● Values the difference of others
● Builds relationships based on trust and respect
● Stands up for what is right and just
Congratulations to Mrs Lisa Rowan and Mrs Mikayla Ten Dam who received the Staff Reconciliation Award in Primary and Secondary respectively. Nominated by their peers, a wonderful recognition to receive.
School Officer’s Day
This week we celebrated School Officer Day. This day, celebrated annually on the second Wednesday in June, is our opportunity to celebrate the vital role School Officers play in education. In the First Nations space, we thank Mrs Milla (in Primary) and Mrs Ziehmer (in Secondary) for all they do, going over and above to ensure the best possible outcomes for all students. Sometimes this may include out of the box roles - helping students in the classroom as well as going on school camp, being part of liturgies, running handball competitions, running PINS for Emerging Leaders - we thank both Mrs Milla and Mrs Ziehmer for all that they do.
Year 3 Excursion to Jezzine
A big thank you to our TCE First Nations Adviser, Mrs Pelly Morganson who led Year 3 classes on their excursion to Jezzine last week. Classes looked at the importance of Jezzine for different groups (Defence, First Nations people and European explorers) with Pelly leading classes on the Garabarra Trail. Classes learnt about the different art installations and the meaning behind them and took part in a Dadirri session. A great day!
Year 1 Guest Speaker
A big thanks to Mr Kevin Fujii who was a guest speaker for Year 1 classes who have been learning about caring for our oceans (Sea Country). Kevin spoke about growing up in the Torres Strait and the differences between the different islands (language, soil types, crops that are grown), traditional fishing techniques, only taking what you needed and the importance of looking after Sea Country. A wonderful learning experience for our Year 1 students and staff.
NAIDOC
As NAIDOC Week is held in the holidays (Sunday, 6 July - Sunday, 13 July), we will be hosting school NAIDOC Week activities in the first week of Term 3. A combined (Primary and Secondary) NAIDOC Liturgy will be held on Friday, 18 July, with all families invited to the Hall at 11:50am and after to the Chapel for Afternoon Tea.
That’s all from us. Until next fortnight!
The First Nations Team
From the Careers & VET Team - Secondary
Well, we are quickly moving towards the end of the term. Our department has had a busy term with students attending various events such as Women Who Weld, TAFE Trade Taster, School-Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships (SBAT) and various work experience placements around the community. So what’s coming next!
Year 9 & 10 Futures Expo
To celebrate National Career’s Week we are holding a Futures Expo for our Year 9 & 10 students. This event will be held in the Hall during Periods 5 & 6 on Thursday, 19 June. Currently we have approximately 15 exhibitors from a variety of industries attending.
Holiday Work Experience
Work experience will commence on Wednesday, 25 June for students in Years 10, 11 & 12. The block dates are: 25/-6-01/07, 30/06-04/07, 07-11/-7.
Students must advise Mrs Glendenning if they have organised a host employer and provide her with the contact details by the end of this week - 13th June.
Term 3 SET Plan Meetings
SET plan meetings are scheduled to take place during Term 3. Year 10 students are starting to prepare for their Senior Subject Selections during their Futures classes and have already attended an information session regarding transitioning into Senior. More information to come at the beginning of next term.
Ms Escriva, Mr De Luca and Mrs Glendenning
Careers & VET @ SCCC - Opportunities…Support…Empowerment…
SPORTS NEWS - Primary
Parkrun every Saturday morning at Riverway or North Shore, it’s free! Just register online at https://www.parkrun.com.au/register/ and add SCCC as your running club.
Lost Property
It's almost the end of Term 2 and our lost property baskets are full.
Our baskets are located outside of our Primary and Secondary Administration.
Please check baskets by the end of Week 9 otherwise items will be donated to the Pre-loved Uniform Shop or St Vincent De Paul.
The School Locker
The School Locker Uniform Shop is opened on the following days each week.
Tuesday 8.00am – 10.00am
Wednesday 2.00pm – 4.00pm
Friday 8.00am – 10.00am
Important Events & Date Claimers
Stay up to date with what's happening in your childs class with the weekly 'Whats On' documents.
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