MSPC Newsletter - Term 2 Week 10, 30th June 2023

Principal

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Solomon Islands Immersion
The 2023 Immersion group returned to Australia this week after a wonderful 11 days in the Solomon Islands. We were treated to many different opportunities and I hope that you were able to see some of them via our Facebook page. We attended wonderful masses where the singing was truly beautiful. We provided community service to the Sisters at Visale. We lived in villages with the Solomon people. This was vastly different from the tourist trip. The highlight for me was the relationships that our students and staff forged with people. The students, Solomon and Australian, singing along to Justin Bieber in the back of the truck was the sound of joy.

The strong relationships that Mount St Patrick College has built with both the BIshop Epalle Catholic School and with the St Mary’s Tanagai are a credit to Narelle Sherrah and Tiziano Morisini whose regular presence in the Solomon Islands has created a bond far stronger than a school excursion. They ran the immersion program in a caring, organised and safe manner and I thank them for their commitment to the program. There is no doubt that the Mount St Patrick students who attended will take this experience with them for the rest of their lives. We are excited for the reciprocal visits that will take place later in the year, so that the broader school community can experience the openness and humility of the Solomon Islanders.

I often speak to students about the choice we have to live with gratitude or envy. Gratitude is a grace that allows us to live with an inner peace and contentment whereas envy is heavy on us and never leaves us satisfied. The people of the Solomon’s may be materially poor but live with richness and joy that comes from an easy gratitude. It is apparent that the more we have the more we crave and I hope that our 2023 Immersion students will bring this back with them to Australia. I am sure that this experience will be transformative for our students, having been pushed outside their comfort zones and challenged to adapt to new environments. They will have learnt to be flexible, open-minded, and resilient as they navigated unfamiliar situations, fostering personal growth and self-confidence.

Holidays
As a classroom teacher I always found Term 2 to be the hardest, with assessments, reports, parent teacher interviews amongst the usual array of curriculum, cultural  and sporting excursions. This continues to be the case and the staff of Mount St Patrick College, whatever position they hold, put our students first and I wish them a safe, restful and well deserved holiday. I wish the same for our students as they come to the end of semester one 2023.

Be the Good and God Bless,
    Paul Reidy
    Principal

Assistant Principal - Mission

NAIDOC Week Assembly
On Monday 26th June we held a special outdoor assembly to celebrate NAIDOC Week, which actually falls next week from 3rd – 10th July. Local Elders, dancers and musicians shared their stories with us on a magical day. Well done to Tayah and Madi, our Indigenous Education Workers, for their organization of this significant event.

College Athletics Carnival
A successful Athletics Carnival was held at Walter Peate Oval in Kingscliff yesterday 28th June. There was great attendance of enthusiastic students, staff and parents. Thank you to the P & F for running a delectable and successful Hot Dog stall. More details in the next newsletter!

Parent Engagement Survey
Last Monday 26th June I sent out a short Survey asking all parents how they would like to be involved with the College. Unfortunately, the link didn’t work for some. Below is the new link which has been tested by the magnificent Mrs Murnane who is having a year’s leave from the College. Please take a few minutes to voice your opinion.

Solomon Island Immersion Experience
Welcome home to the 14 Year 11 students and 4 staff members travelled to the Solomons recently. They have returned safe and sound with lots of great stories.

Date Saver: Peter Kearney Concert, Sacred Heart Church, Sunday 30 th July

     Mary-Anne McShane
     Assistant Principal: Mission 

MINISTRY

Years 7, 8 and 9 Retreat/Reflection Days Term 3 
As part of our ministry program here at MSPC, Years 7, 8 and 9 will each have a retreat/reflection day in Week 1 of next term. Retreat days offer students the opportunity to bond and build relationships with their cohort as well as reflect on God and grow in faith. It is a great, fun day with music, games, special guests and much more.

Year 7 Reflection Day - Tuesday 18th July

Year 9 Reflection Day - Wednesday 19th July

Year 8 Reflection Day - Thursday 20th July

This is a compulsory school day for all students. Students may wear sports uniform on the day. Remember a jumper as it gets cool in the Gilbey Centre. Students will go to homeroom as normal and make their way down to the Gilbey Centre at the start of period 1. They will have morning tea and lunch breaks with the rest of the school.

Street Retreat 
Last Thursday 22nd to Sunday 25th, six Year 11 students accompanied by Mrs Cathy Cripps travelled to Brisbane to participate in Street Retreat. Alexis, Harley, Kiana, Sunny, Lily and Malik had a wonderful experience helping out those less fortunate and participating in some wonderful Catholic initiatives in Brisbane. Our six students were joined by 58 other Year 11 students from across the diocese.

Street Retreat is a four day mission where students go out into different ministries across Brisbane to help the homeless and marginalised, to be stewards of creation, and to spread joy to those in need. They spent their days serving and preparing food, handing out blankets and other necessities, as well as spending time with the patrons and hearing their stories.

This was a beautiful and eye-opening experience for these students to see a different side of life, which reminds them to show gratitude for the many gifts they have in their lives. They made many new friends over the four day retreat, had some fun and made a big difference to the Brisbane community. These six students represented the school wonderfully and did our community proud! A very special thank you to Mrs Cathy Cripps who stepped in at the last minute to accompany our students.

Ignite, Shine and Festa Christi
Thank you to all those students who have completed their registrations and online compass consents forms for Ignite Conference, Shine and those who have nominated to attend the Festa Christi Retreats next term. More information will follow about these events closer to the dates. Keep an eye out for this in the Student Bulletin.

Thank You 
On behalf of the Evangelisation team, thank you to all those students and staff who have participated in ministry events this term or been involved in service initiatives here at the College. Your dedication and commitment to the Catholic life of the College is always appreciated. Thank you to all the parents who support their students as well. Have a wonderful holiday and break.

    God bless,
    Grace Molloy
    Leader of Evangelisation

Welfare

Thanks to everyone for a fantastic term. It was great to finish with our Athletics Carnival at Kingscliff yesterday. The House Spirit on show was superb. One more term to go before the inaugural 8 House Champion House Trophy is announced at the last assembly of Term 3 prior to Year 12 going on study leave. Enjoy a safe, relaxing and well-earned holiday.

   Louise Shields
   Leader of Welfare

Faculty News

ENGLISH

On Wednesday 14^th June, 7C English went on an excursion to the Historic Tumbulgum Cemetery to complement our study of the novel ‘The Graveyard Book’ by Neil Gaiman.

Students paid their respects by placing a rose on the gravesites and spent time exploring and personally reflecting. It was a great opportunity for us to make connections between what we learn in the classroom with what is present in our local community.

We hope to find other excursion opportunities in the future to enhance our learning and take us outside the classroom!

    Katie Pinkstone
    Leader of Learning: English

HSIE NEWS

Ancient Egypt Comes to Life: Mummifying Chicken Wings

In an adventurous and hands-on class activity, students of 8O recently embarked on an exciting journey into the world of Ancient Egypt. As part of their unit on this captivating civilization, students undertook the task of mummifying chicken wings over a period of ten weeks. This engaging activity allowed them to delve deep into the mysterious practice of mummification while having fun and gaining valuable insights along the way.

As Lachlan Thomas, one of the enthusiastic participants, exclaimed, "It was fun but it stank!" This sentiment captures the essence of this unique experience, as students eagerly embraced the challenge despite the strong aroma that accompanied the process. From start to finish, they learned about the intricate steps involved in mummification and gained a deeper understanding of the ancient Egyptians' beliefs and customs.

Sophie Buckley vividly described her journey through the mummification process, saying, "I can definitely say that this was a very different experience." She went on to explain the step-by-step procedure the students followed, mirroring the real mummification practices of ancient times. Firstly, the raw chicken wing was meticulously washed and dried before being immersed in a container filled with a mixture of bi-carb soda and salt. This step aimed to replicate the ancient Egyptian practice of using natron, a type of salt, to preserve the bodies of the deceased.

For the following two weeks, the chicken wing remained undisturbed, allowing the salts to work their magic. As Xavier Gee remarked, "8/10 only bad thing is the smell." The change in colour and the developing odour were clear indicators of the mummification process taking place.

After the initial two-week period, the students changed the salt mixture and allowed the wing to rest for another two weeks. This additional time allowed the mummification process to continue, resulting in a faded, desiccated wing. The smell intensified, making the experience even more authentic and memorable.

During the final phase, the students removed the salts from the chicken wing, carefully washed and dried it again, before moving on to the wrapping stage. Following the ancient Egyptians' practices, the wing was enveloped in linen bandages. However, before wrapping, the wing had to be soaked in a mixture of glue and water to represent the resin used in the preservation of mummies. Finally, the mummified chicken wing was placed back into the container, ready to be admired as a testament to the students' knowledge and hands-on exploration of Ancient Egypt.

Sonny John succinctly summarised the activity, stating, "The mummification process of the chicken wing is fun, the wing changed colour and stank a lot. I recommend doing this at home as it was a good way of learning about it." His enthusiasm and endorsement clearly indicate the educational value and enjoyment derived from this unique project.

The mummifying chicken wings activity allowed students to engage with history in a practical and exciting manner. It enabled them to comprehend the complexities of mummification and gain a profound appreciation for the ancient Egyptians' beliefs and practices. By immersing themselves in this experience, the students not only deepened their understanding of Ancient Egypt but also developed valuable scientific and observational skills.

As the wings were mummified, so too were the imaginations of the students, transported back to a time long ago. This hands-on exploration exemplifies the commitment of the HSIE KLA to foster creative learning experiences that inspire and captivate young minds.

    Aimee Blazek
    Leader or Learning: HSIE

MUSIC

It has been an exciting and very busy time these last few weeks for the Music Department staff and students at Mt St Patrick College!

As if Term 2 wasn’t already prolific enough with the launching and successful sell out performances of our musical ‘Back To The Eighties’, rehearsals have continued on in preparation for the Year 12 Trial performances, the 100th year of the Murwillumbah Festival of Performing Arts, and preparations for the liturgical music to be shared at today's Sacred Heart Mass.

Two weeks ago, our 8 Year 12 HSC music students presented a selection of pieces they are preparing for their HSC exam (happening next term). These performances were entertaining, diverse, and showed the courage, commitment and focus of our students. They were also marked against a set of criteria used by HSC markers. Congratulations to all of them for presenting such a rich evening of entertainment, and also on your Trial performance results.

Last week, MSPC entered a number of ensembles into events as part of the Murwillumbah Festival of Performing Arts. This annual event has not run their music sections for the past 3 years due to reasons beyond their control, and it was encouraging to see young performers getting up on stage and sharing their talents before an adjudicator.

Our choir and band ensembles did exceptionally well, and performed with grace and musicality. The Year 12 music students also took the opportunity to perform some of their solo acts, and were well received.

As the term closes, we have now turned our attention this week to preparing a number of liturgical pieces and hymns for our school’s Sacred Heart Mass. It has been exciting to see the numbers of our choir be sustained this term across a number of events. We congratulate our music students on their commitment, effort and musical talents both in class and as performers.

    Helen Bub-Connor
    Music Teacher

FROM THE SPORTS DESK

COLLEGE ATHLETICS CARNIVAL
Our annual Athletics Carnival was held yesterday at Walter Peate Oval. The weather was great and the participation rate was high. A full report will be in our next newsletter after the holiday break.

COCHRANE CUP U14 RUGBY LEAGUE

This talented team gave their all on the field in the Regional Finals of the Cochrane Cup Rugby League competition in Coffs Harbour on Tuesday 27th June.

Travelling away sometimes means that MSPC teams have a slow start in game 1 but that didn’t happen on Tuesday. From the opening whistle the team’s enthusiasm, skill and defensive dominance was on full display. Silky back line movements and total superiority in field position saw the boys in blue and gold run away with a 40 - 0 victory over the home team St John Paul College, Coffs Harbour.

The final was against St Joseph’s Regional College Port Macquarie. In a great game of football both teams displayed why they had made their way to the final. It was hard skillful football. 16 - 10 at half time with the Port team scoring late in the first to take the lead. An early try to start the second half from Mt St Pat’s lifted spirits. An late injury and fatigue meant some mistakes crept into our game late in the second half and Port scored two quick tries for a 26 - 16 win. Mr Bailey and I were extremely happy with the boys effort during the day. They “bled blue and gold”! Congratulations boys on a fantastic run in this competition.

Brendan Campbell (Coach)

TERM 3 OVERVIEW

Week 4 - Dio Junior Basketball Championships 7th-9th August. Port Macquarie

             - Tweed Border Hockey Gala Day - Friday 11th August

Week 5 - Dio North Touch Football Championships – Ballina - Friday 18th August

Week 6 - Dio Athletics - Coffs Harbour - Wednesday 23rd August

Week 8 - NRCC Junior Aussie Rules - Byron Bay - Tuesday 29th August

            - NRCC Intermediate Aussie Rules - Byron Bay - Thursday 31st August

YEAR 9 - 11 SPORT CONSENTS

All students in Years 9 - 11 will need parental consent via compass to participate in sport throughout Term 3. Years 9 & 10 have been sent and Year 11 compass notification will be sent shortly.

Students in Year 9 will be required to have their own mouthguard during their Weeks 3 - 4 Hockey sessions.

    Tim Whitney
    Sports Co-ordinator

College News

Nepal immersion 2023. It's back!

December 4- 21, 2023.

Open to current Year 12 students and post Year 12 ex-students.

Volunteering in a Children's Home and a village school. 

Plus a low altitude, 6 day trek and sightseeing in Kathmandu!

Contact Mr. Jim Smith jim.smith@lism.catholic.edu.au if interested.

Awards

Ignatius College Awards

Year 9 – Charlotte McDonald, Maxwell Hunt

Year 11 – Brooke Ryan

Lisieux College Awards

Year 10 – Molly Dean

Year 11 – Sienna Bull

Loreto College Awards

Year 10 – Ulani Uhlmann, Makaylah De Jonge

Year 11 – Annaleise Schmechtig

 

Lucan College Awards

Year 9 – Cooper Lynch

 

Romero College Awards

Year 12 – Cashlin Townsend

Community News