Newsletter 2013 November 1 - St John Fisher College

Friday 1st November 2013

Dear Parents & Caregivers, This is probably the last newsletter for our Year 12 students and their families as they commence their exam block on Monday. The school community will farewell them at a special assembly on Friday 15th November. We thank these girls and their families for their contribution to our community during the time they have been with us and we wish them well as they move on to begin another phase in their lives. We hope that the times ahead are happy and rewarding. On Friday 25th October we celebrated the year with our annual Night of Excellence. Thank you to all who attended. It is important to acknowledge all the good things that have happened over the school year and to celebrate excellent achievements. Our girls are frequently complemented on their presentation and confidence and last Friday night was no exception. Congratulations to the following girls who were presented with the special awards on the night: Principal’s Award College Dux 2013 Quota Special Achievers Award Petrie Award (Yr 12) Ross Cooper Award (Yr 11) Caltex All Rounder (Yr 12) Rotary All Rounder (Yr 10) Senior Sportsperson Junior Sportsperson Pierre de Coubertin Award BCE Spirit of Sport Spirit of St John Fisher Excellence in Vocational Education & Training Cultural Excellence Award P&F Personal Development Award Ian Browne Instrumental Music Award ADF Long Tan Leadership Awards Lions Club of Bracken Ridge Citizenship Award

Toli Reupena Alexandra Boughey Chelsea Laciste Shelby Coyer Christelle Haug Alexandra Boughey Georgia Fox Madison Ritchie Eden Cassidy Emma Graham Emily Jones Abigail Whitby Chelsea Laciste Melissa Herburg & Samantha Rapley Vanessa Chua Heidi Harrison Shelby Coyer & Georgia Fox Sneha Alex & Antonia Beveridge

I would like to acknowledge the College leaders for 2012 – Antonia Beveridge, Alexandra Boughey, Taylah Conley, Claire Fung, Melissa Herburg, Thea Hollis, Sarah Lauchs and Toli Reupena . They have been wonderful role models for the younger students and have worked hard in their respective roles. Thank you to all our Year 12 girls for the leadership they have shown to the younger students over the last two years. As you know we have spent most of this year planning and consulting in preparation to commence our building program in 2014. We have finalised our plans and intend to commence some of the work over the coming break. From this Monday copies of the plans our new buildings, additions and refurbishments will be available in the College office. Copies will also be available in the College Resource Centre for the students to see what changes they will see in the community from 2014. I will provide more details in the next newsletter. We are currently in the process of getting both building and financial approval to move forward. When we are finished this College will provide a contemporary learning environment that will take us well into the future. There are exciting times ahead! Maree Messer

Monday 4 – Tuesday 12 November Tuesday 5 November Wednesday 6 November Thursday 7 November Monday 11 November Wednesday 13 November Thursday 14 November Friday 15 November

Upcoming Diary Dates Yr 12 Exam Block College Board Meeting – 7:15pm Bracken Ridge Library Homework Initiative – 3:30pm Yr 11 BOM Excursion to 4X Brewery College Band to Sandgate Memorial Service P&F Meeting – 7:30pm Yr 12 Graduation| Mass – 6pm| Dinner – 7:30pm Yr 12 Feedback Day Yr 12 Graduation Assembly – 9am | Guard of Honour – 10:45am

Our Year 12 students are taking their final steps on their St John Fisher journey with a bundle of emotions from excitement to sadness to fear. So too it is an emotional time for their families; I am sure that many of you are overcome with pride at your baby girl who has turned into a wonderful young women before your very eyes. Those of us who are so privileged to work with your daughters are also overcome with emotion. How wonderful to spend our work day surrounded by such confident, compassionate, thoughtful and delightful young women! These Year Twelves have a special place in my heart for they started at St John Fisher at the same time as me and I am honoured to have been around for their whole time here. I thank them for all that they have shared with me, for the interesting conversations and the sometimes-challenging exchange of ideas. I thank them for the small gestures of kindness and for their immense presence around the school. It is over 30 years since I finished school myself and although I do not remember a single minute of class time, I do remember quite clearly the people that I spent time with and the impact they had on me. I hope that our girls leave here with a clear sense that the most powerful learning of our lives comes from the relationships and connections that we have with people. The Year Twelve Graduation Assembly will take place on Friday 15 November commencing at 9am. All students must be in attendance on this day in full College uniform. Parents of Year Twelve students are invited to celebrate this occasion with us. After the assembly, parents and Year 12 students are invited to morning tea in the Plantation Room. At the end of morning tea, we will invite parents to wait at the roundabout while the Year Twelve students depart through a guard of honour and then leave the College for the last time with their families. This means that vehicle access to the College roundabout is unavailable from 8.30am until 12noon. Parking will be available for parents on the College oval. If your daughter is planning to drive to school that day, please discuss with her appropriate driver behaviour as the emotions of the day often leads to inappropriate driver safety. Exam Block timetables have been sent home for all Year 10, 11 and 12 students. Students must wear their full College uniform if they come into the College grounds for any reason. The usual rules apply with regards to make-up, hair, jewellery and mobile phones. Students must remain in the College grounds between exams if they have two exams on one day. Regards and blessings, Sharee Lane

“Empowered Learning” has been my mantra this year and many students can tell you I often talk about the perseverance and self-sacrifice needed in the struggle for excellence. It was a delight and privilege to be on stage to present awards to those excited and talented young women who have given so much this year. For me it was a heartwarming experience to be able to acknowledge so many wonderful girls on Friday night. I want each girl who received an award to be very proud of their success. We clearly saw that we have a community that sets high standards and tries to use these standards as a springboard towards excellence. Well done to all students recognised; to those who were not, take up the challenge and make 2014 the year you continue toward excellence. In the last few weeks as assessment builds, good practices and hard work will pay off, sometimes in the immediate future, but certainly in the long term. Working towards establishing a routine of self-discipline beginning in Junior School will see significant benefits in Senior. Remember great thinkers are simply those that are skilled at deep and persistent questioning. It is through these questions that great thinkers have redesigned our view of the world and the universe. It is from these great thinkers we know that you have to take a risk at getting it wrong and then reflect on these mistakes to open all the great new possibilities. Take a risk in your study to open all the wonderful possibilities. Remember it will be worth it in the long run! Year 12 Students and Parents – Student Connect: A reminder that all results contributing to the Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) and OPs and FPs will be available in students’ learning accounts on the Student Connect website https://studentconnect.qsa.qld.edu.au from 9 am on Saturday 14 December 2013. All Year 12 Students have been issued with their Learner Unique Identifier (LUI) on multiples occasions this year. Students will need to log in prior to November 15 to ensure they have no difficulty accessing this site. According to QSA memos, students will be able to access their results more quickly if they have previously activated their learning account. Students will receive their Senior Education Profile in the mail from Monday 16 December 2013.

Good luck to all students especially those in Year Twelve as they work towards the final stages of 2013. Regards, Kerry McGuinness

APRE

Mr Gary Conwell

NIGHT OF EXCELLENCE Congratulations to all students who received recognition for their achievements and efforts within and outside of the College at Night of Excellence. Thanks also to the many staff and students who were involved in the organisation of the night. It is also a timely to remind ourselves that Night of Excellence at Saint John Fisher College is very much an event that celebrates students who have conducted themselves in the spirit of our College values: RESPECT:

We value the dignity of each individual and show respect towards ourselves, others and the environment. CARE: We care and support others through acts of kindness and we show compassion and understand ding towards them. INTEGRITY: We uphold the truth and act with integrity in all our dealings. SERVICE: We show our love for one another through service and making a positive contribution to the community. EXCELLENCE: We strive to do our very best in all that we do. INCLUSIVITY: We show a tolerant attitude towards others and include them in activities. All awards reflect in differing proportions aspects of the College values and are a celebration not only of individual achievement and merit but also the extent to which students have assimilated these values into their lives. Blessings, Gary Conwell

Graduation Dinner| Thank you to all families who have finalised payments for this event on 13 November. The students are really looking forward to this event and, of course, finishing their formal education just a few days later. Please note that on this day the students will all meet at St Joseph’s Church at 9.00am for a rehearsal and will be dismissed from there at approximately 12 noon. They are not required to come back to school. At 5.45pm they will assemble outside the church to prepare for the mass which commences at 6.00pm. Families are asked to be seated before 6.00pm. At the conclusion of the Graduation Mass we make our way to Kedron-Wavell Services Club to arrive by 7.30pm. You will be required to sign in downstairs before making your way upstairs to the Blue Pacific Room. I ask that everyone is seated by 7.45pm. Drinks will be available for purchase throughout the night. Exams| Good luck to our Year Twelves who commence their final exams on Monday 4 November. Full school uniform is required and the usual rules about personal grooming apply. There will be two exam sessions per day – students must be at school by 8.30am at the latest for the morning session, and by 11.50am for the afternoon session. This allows enough time for students to gather necessary materials and prepare themselves for each exam. As each exam finishes, students are asked to return their textbooks and equipment either to the trolley at the back of the Killoran Centre or to Mrs Wolf in the Book Hire Room. The Year Eleven exam block begins on Monday 18 November. Feedback Day – Year Twelve| On Thursday 14 November, the Year Twelve students will have their Feedback Day – this is when they receive their exam results and it will be the last opportunity to spend some time and say farewell to their teachers. The day will conclude with their final Year Level Assembly at 11.25am before being dismissed at 12.15pm. The end of year processes for our Year Eleven students will be outlined in the next newsletter. Road Safety Docu-Drama| Last week the Year Twelves were given a reality check about road safety. If the statistics were not enough to make them realise the responsibility they have as drivers to themselves and their passengers, then the accident scene certainly was. Seeing their peers injured was a very sobering experience for these young women who, like other teenagers, think that this could never happen to them. The involvement of the expert personnel including paramedics, police, fire brigade, funeral directors, lawyer, emergency specialist doctor, and the accident victims helped to drive home a very real message about road safety. This was a very generous donation of their time and expertise, and all the girls felt very privileged to hear of their experiences and ask questions during the group debrief session. Many girls commented on the talks given by the accident victims and appreciated hearing their personal stories of how one poor decision has affected them. The students came to realise that when it comes to driving, their safety is entirely their own responsibility. They may not have any control over the behaviour of other drivers, but they do have control over what they do – not texting while driving, keeping within the speed limit, wearing a seatbelt and not being pressured by their peers into engaging in dangerous/silly behaviour while driving. Of course, none of this would be possible without the dedicated work of Mr Barry Collis. The College thanks him for his tireless work in getting the road safety message out to our teenagers. Mr Collis retires at the end of the year, however RACQ has taken over the program and will continue the good work that he has started. Thank you also to the sponsors – RACQ Insurance, Metropolitan Funerals and the Spinal Injuries Association. Kind regards, Carol Hoareau

As the end of Term Four quickly approaches, assessment pieces are starting to be due. I urge parents to assist their daughters in this process by checking planners and subject guides to ensure assessment is complete by the due date. Unfortunately as the term has progressed, there have been increasing numbers of Year 9 and 10 girls placed on lunchtime detention for homework and drafts for assignments not being completed, an area on which many students need to focus. For some students this may mean placing social gatherings on hold for the next couple of weeks to concentrate on their studies. On assembly this week I spoke to the students about the correct use of social media. This conversation is one of many that I have had with the students this year. As a college we are mindful that not all students are using social media correctly. Throughout the year we have provided students with guest speakers, Shake and Stir performances and PSD lessons explaining the importance of the correct use of social media. While I am sure the majority of students are using social media correctly, I am still being told about hurtful comments on ASKFM. Please be mindful that this is happening and can be very emotional for the student who is reading the conversation/comments. Last Friday the College hosted the annual Night of Excellence. It was fantastic to see so many Year 9 and 10 girls honoured for their academic achievements at the Night of Excellence. I would like to congratulate them on their efforts and wish all students the best of luck with their exams and assessments over the next couple of weeks. Kirsty Kingston

What a wonderful couple of weeks it has been! Yesterday saw all the girls’ hard work, effort and planning come into fruition as they embark on their GR8 Race adventure around the city! I was so impressed with the girls’ ability to work together as a team, investigate the types of transport needed and to determine the logistics of the race as well. The girls showed initiative, problem solving skills and leadership potential, as they raced around the city completing challenges along the way! The day ran smoothly, the rain held out (mostly) and a fantastic day was had by all! Unfortunately, however, the winners cannot be announced until all the bonus points have been tallied. I think it is safe to say that the girls certainly wore their teachers out, as there were many tired eyes around the school today! Thanks must go to the supervising teachers who pushed themselves to keep up with the fast pace of their groups. It was great to see so many parents at Night of Excellence last Friday night. Commendations must go to the many girls who received awards and to the Year Eights who attended to support and acknowledge their fellow classmates who were the recipients. The girls were all dressed immaculately and were a very attentive, supportive audience. The focus for the remainder of the PSD lessons this term will be giving back to others. Year Eights have begun making presents and cards for their Year 12 sisters who will be graduating soon. Over the upcoming weeks, the girls will also be helping the Year Elevens to make and put up decorations for the graduation ceremony, as well as making gifts for the incoming Year Eights. All materials will be supplied by the school. The Term will culminate in a PC act of social justice. I will speak more about this in the next newsletter. Now is the time when a lot of assessment for the Year Eights starts to pile up. A reminder that your daughter received an Assessment Calendar with all the due dates and details. Keep an eye on these dates, as Term 4 is short and dates can sneak up! If you have any concerns please contact me on [email protected]. Kindest Regards, Nicole Garske

GR8 Race team number 6

Attempting to complete the GOMA challenge!

In Term Three, forty six of our talented and imaginative St John Fisher girls participated in the Write-a-Book-in-a-Day Challenge. We had six teams who successfully wrote, illustrated, published and submitted their own book for judging. All of our girls did a fantastic job and produced wonderful stories. It is with great pleasure that I offer special congratulations to two of our teams who were acknowledged for their books. Our Middle School teams competed against 45 other teams from across Queensland, the ACT, South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory. Two of these teams were awarded Highly Commended for their entries. Congratulations to Team Bazzinga (Year 9) for their Highly Commended for ‘Detained.’ The judges commented that their novel “presents a future dystopian world with skill and complexity.” They admired the “powerful and evocative language” which was used to set the scene for a “compelling speculative fiction narrative.” Congratulations also go to the Quill-Hands (Year 10) for their Highly Commended for ‘The Painted Smile.’ The judges described their novel as “an exciting futuristic novel” with “quirky yet believable” characters who have been handled “subtly and skilfully.” The judges also admired the “colourful, well-drawn and eye-catching” front cover. Congratulations to these girls and to all the girls who participated. Rikki Chandler

The Quill-Hands: Chelsea Carkeet, Brodey McSweeney, Georgia Fox, Lydia D'Ilario, Kimlin Gardner, Angela Ramos, Amanda Thomas, Morgan Johnson and Rachel Kiss

Team Bazzinga: Meg Kelman, Melanie Duve, Jacinta Molyneux, Shironaia Bucud, Phoebe Coyer, Britney Fiorello and Keeley Durigon.

Here’s to the crazy ones. The rebels. The troublemakers. The ones who see things differently. While some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do. ~ Apple Inc. Thank you to everyone who attended the Night of Excellence last week. It was great to see the large amount of support offered to the girls. Congratulations to the students who were recognised during the event. After an entire year of putting your best efforts in to school life, the award was richly deserved and you should be very proud of your achievement! Final exams are fast-approaching. These weeks are usually quite stressful which makes completing them well all the more rewarding. I would like to wish every girl good luck in their last academic endeavours for the year. On the topic of ‘lasts’, this will be my last College Captain’s Article. It has been an absolute privilege to serve the community in my role as both a leader and a student. I hope I will leave the grounds in a fortnight having had made a positive difference, big or small, to my fellow peers. Best wishes to all my friends of the 2013 Graduating Class. I have cherished our time together over five years and I am completely confident that you will all go out and create something beautiful in your lives. On behalf of the Year Twelves, I would also like to thank the parents as they have been instrumental in steering us on our own paths.

Thank you to Mrs Carol Hoareau, my mentor and Senior Coordinator, who has been a guiding light for me and my fellow Seniors throughout the year. Your charismatic, nurturing and calm nature has proven to be invaluable in our journeys to becoming flourishing young women. For that we are forever grateful. I wish all the best to the new and returning St John Fisher College students. Enjoy your time and the College and always remember to share your gifts and virtues with the community. Allow yourself to shine! Enjoy the little things, dream of the big things and be in a constant state of awe at the things you simply cannot define. Antonia 

On the 18th and 19th of this month, six students from our College participated in the Qld Shakespeare Festival State Final held at the Brisbane Powerhouse. Emma Begoihn, Jessica Bone and Jordana Lutter competed in the Group Presentation division whilst Georgia Dutton, Pariss Jennings and Bella Smith competed in the Dance division. On the first day of the final the girls participated in a series of workshops run by Shake and Stir Theatre Company. They had a great time honing their performance skills and working with students from other schools around the state. Saturday was a little nerve wracking however as it was the day for performing on the Visy Theatre stage in front of a public audience and a panel of three judges. Although the girls did not win any awards on the day they received plenty of positive feedback from the judges and can be very proud of their performances.

This week the Year Eleven Drama class participated in a movement workshop conducted by Anna Yen. Anna is a Director, Playwright and Actor who is based in Queensland but works all around Australia and overseas. The fast paced workshop focused on developing the students’ movement, stage presence and ensemble skills helping to prepare them for their last piece of assessment for the year. As the final weeks of the year approach I would like to take the opportunity to thank all those Year Twelve students who have participated in the Cultural life of the College during 2013. I would especially like to thank those who helped with the organisation and management of the various Cultural activities that were on offer this year. From the Vocal Ensemble, to the Musical, to the College Band, to TheatreSports , to Dance Squad and Illuminaré there were always Year Twelve students willing to lend a hand and willing to stand up as role models and mentors for the younger students. In my first year as Cultural Coordinator this display of support and obvious love of the Cultural life of the College was very motivating and was always greatly appreciated. Particular acknowledgement must go to the senior students within the Technical Crew. With technology not being one of my areas of expertise, the knowledge and skills of these girls has been invaluable. The senior tech crew girls over and over again proved to be extremely mature, reliable, thorough and highly organised – their meticulous preparation for Illuminaré was quite amazing. These girls will certainly leave giant shoes to be filled by next year’s seniors. Last but certainly by no means least, I thank the Cultural Captain for 2013, Melissa Herburg. Mel certainly has been a champion of “the arts” all throughout this year. She wore her passion proudly on her sleeve for all to see taking every opportunity on offer to encourage students to participate in and support the Cultural life of the College. The most impressive aspect of Melissa however, was that she backed her words with her actions. Throughout 2013 she led by example participating in numerous activities and being there to support others when she was not an active participant. Mel has been an extremely organised, diligent and hardworking Cultural Captain and I wish her and all the Seniors of 2013 the very best for their futures. Warm Regards, Suellen Geran

I cannot believe that the year is almost coming to an end. Congratulations to all the girls who received awards at Night of Excellence last Friday night, especially those who received awards for their commitment to the Cultural life of the College. It makes me so happy to see so many girls being rewarded for their commitment and contribution to culture at St John Fisher College. My aim for this year was to have as many girls involved in culture as possible, and the number of girls who received awards is a testament to the growing Cultural life of St John Fisher College. Huge congratulations to Samantha Rapley who along with myself was awarded the Cultural Excellence Award for 2013. This award is presented to a student who has gone above and beyond in their cultural endeavours and this year both Sam and I were recipients of the award. It is the dedication and commitment of students like Sam that make me smile. I know that there are so many girls who could have been given that award, so it was an honour to receive it myself. But I found joy in knowing that there were many other contenders who had also immersed themselves in cultural activities. It is the love of culture shown in these girls that brings me such happiness. When I was first blessed with the title of Cultural Leader I had no idea what I was in for. It has been a journey of laughter, stressful times, new friendships, cultural endeavours and a lot of fun. There are so many people who have helped me along my journey who I would like to thank. Thank you to Ms Geran for being an incredible mentor. You have been there with me every step of the way and your dedication and commitment to culture is inspiring. Although we were both new to this, I think we pulled off an amazing year of culture. Thank you to Ms Garske. Over the past two years you have been there with me and the drama girls, making us work hard, laughing with us and teaching us. I honestly treasure every moment we have spent inside that drama room together as a drama class. You have been one of my driving forces this year. Thank you to Julie. You are always there whenever we need you, more than ready to lend a hand and a smile. You have propelled culture this year. Thank you to Mr Brown and Ms Mager. Although I have not worked very closely with you – your commitment to the instrumental music program means so much to me and each girl who is involved in instrumental music in one way or another. Thank you to the girls of the tech crew. I can say without any doubt that you guys are the reason I did not have a meltdown every day. I do not know what I would have done without you. Thank you to the girls of Year Twelve Drama. You all mean so much to me. You made up my cultural committee, you performed alongside me and you have been there behind me every step of the way. Thank you to my beautiful McAuley girls. You girls are my family. Thank you for listening to all my cultural raves and supporting me throughout the year. Thank you to everyone. To each and every St John Fisher girl, thank you for getting involved in culture, for putting yourselves out there, for going out on a limb, for being a little crazy, a little unorthodox, a little brave and a little cultural. Without you my leadership would mean nothing. It has truly been an honour to serve as the Cultural Leader of St John Fisher College this year and I have treasured every moment I was given the opportunity to give back to my College community. Thank you for a wonderful year, St John Fisher College. I am truly going to miss you. Regards, Mel

What a busy year it has been this year! We have splashed our way through the pool, pushed ourselves over the finish line of the cross country track and ran our way around the athletics track, throwing and jumping as we went. The last rotation of the trimester sports has just completed their season with our touch football and basketball teams having their final game last Wednesday. Congratulations to our teams for having a fun and competitive season to finish off the year. The busy year that we have just made it through could not have been accomplished without a few important people. Firstly, thank you to Ms Stephen for all the help and support you have giving me through the last half of the year. Even though you were still learning the ropes of your new job, you were still able to create spare time to talk to me about upcoming events and assist with anything that I needed. Thank you to the sports committee for helping me throughout the year with setting up carnivals and being those extras hands to get the jobs done. Finally, thank you to all the teachers and girls that throughout the year have come to support the teams at sporting events outside of school and for helping organise and set up different carnivals and events. All your help is very much appreciated as everything we have done this year could not have gone ahead without you. The participation and spirit shown by all students this year has made my year as Sports Leader a memorable one.

Abaraham Lincoln So, in the years to come remember, don’t be afraid to show your spirit and to try something new. Regards, Sarah

“To accomplish great things we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe” (From an introductory speech at a session of the Académie Française, December 24, 1896) by Anatole France, Works of Anatole France

I begin with the above quotes because I find the words most appropriate and relevant as we draw close to the end of what has been the most challenging and rewarding year personally for me. This year we, as a College Community, have accomplished great things through dreaming, believing, planning and bringing ideas into action. Through this we have been able to succeed. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all students and parents of the College for being part of this incredible journey of what has been 2013. The social justice life of the College would not have thrived and cultivated so smoothly without each and every person of St John Fisher College. I would also like to thank all teachers and staff. I cannot imagine all the time and effort that has been dedicated to social justice activities specifically for Caritas Project Compassion. Thanks must go to the dedicated teachers who continuously take part in the Bracken Ridge Library Homework Initiative, as well as Julie McCoy who has been a point of contact for everything Social Justice related and who has attended all Social Justice Meetings. In all achievements made this year, Mr Conwell has been the guiding light, being the driving force for all successes in Social Justice of the College. Thank you for being the best possible mentor and for making my leadership role seem trouble free. Term Four is extremely short however I would like to mention that we celebrated Pink Ribbon Day on Monday 28 October (this week) with girls invited to wear pink ribbons in their hair with a gold coin donation. Thank you to all girls who participated in this activity as well as those who purchased Breast Cancer Merchandise, all proceeds raised went to the Cancer Council. Please remember the annual St Vincent De Paul Society Christmas Appeal. Each PC class is asked to donate specific Christmas items. This will be the last Social Justice Activity for 2013, so give generously and with an open heart as you have done all year. God bless for the last time. Toli

As this is my final Communication’s Report for the year, I would like to take this opportunity to share my utmost appreciation for the dedication shown by each and every member of the Magazine Committee and Student Council. I have enjoyed seeing many girls devote their time and effort into ‘writing’ the College’s story. The Magazine Committee have produced a lovely annual College Magazine, which will be available to all students in the coming weeks. Meanwhile the Student Council worked well, playing a hand in the creation of the house badges. One of my favourite parts of the Communications Leader role was witnessing the inspirational transformation in confidence by the Year Eight members of the groups. Well done to these girls on stepping out of their comfort zones earlier this year and getting involved in College life. Thank you also to my Communications mentors, Miss Jade McKenzie and Ms Kerry McGuinness. They have provided wonderful support in helping me achieve my goals and organising a great deal of the groups’ undertakings. Good luck to all girls on exams and have a great weekend, Antonia 

ENROLMENTS If you know your daughter will not be returning to the College in 2014 and you have not notified the College in writing please contact us as a matter of urgency. Costs can be incurred when we are losing prospective enrolments only to find at the end of the year or start of the next year that a student is not returning and we have turned away other students wishing to enrol.

HOUSE REPORTS It is crazy knowing that this will be the last newsletter article I will ever write and it was only 9 months ago that I was struggling with what to put into my first article. Time went by so quickly this year that even the Inter-house Swimming Carnival (the very first house event of 2013) felt like it happened just over a week ago. Thank you for having me as your Bridgeman Leader for 2013. It has been my absolute honour to give back to this community which has given me so much since I started in Year Nine. Thank you to all the Bridgey girls for their everlasting spirit and enthusiasm. I remember I challenged all the bright and bubbly girls to share their unique gifts and talents by becoming involved in various events in the start of the school year. They have certainly done me proud and have amazed me by stepping outside of their comfort zones and gave everything their best shot. This was evident through different aspects of the College life, academically, sporting, cultural and community service. Each and every one of them has gone out there and has shone like a diamond. You have all made my last year at the College both exciting and a memorable year. Special thanks must go to the very special Year Eight Bridgey girls. You have all grown so much throughout the course of this year and I am extremely glad to see you all mature and become a John Fisher lady. Not once have you let me down when challenges were set. This group of girls conquered their fears and have definitely achieved the best. I truly hope you have enjoyed your first year of high school at the College. Thank you also to my PC. Every girl has made my life at St John Fisher so much better and I am going to miss seeing you all every single morning and afternoon PC. We have been through our ups and downs throughout the last few years and I am proud that we have all grown into the person that we are now. I would also like to thank all the teachers at the College for taking care and educating us; it is greatly appreciated. Thank you to Ms Hedemann for being such a caring and wonderful mentor. You have helped me out a lot throughout the year. Thank you also goes to Mrs Hoareau for being the best senior Coordinator we could ever ask for. You have been so supportive to all the girls and you always go out of your way to make sure we are all travelling well in our Year Twelve journey. Thanks! Claire  Hello ladies, I am very sorry to say that this is my last ever McAuley report . This year has been amazing and it is all because you, the fantastic McAuley lion cubs. From the sports carnivals to cultural events and just day to day life at school you have made me proud to be McAuley House Captain. I want to thank you all for making my job so easy; it has been a blessing to be able to work with such enthusiastic talented girls. I would also like to thank all of the amazing McAuley Pastoral Care teachers, without you this year would not have run so smoothly! Lastly I would like to thank my wonderful mentors Mrs Formosa and Mrs Hoareau for their constant support and guidance. Thank you all very much! We are getting down to our last few weeks of school, assessment is getting close to its due date, everyone is getting very tired and the Christmas holidays are looking really good. But there is still work that needs to be done so it’s not time to relax yet! Make sure you are staying on top of all of your assessment and asking for help when you need it. As always I am always around for anyone that needs a helping hand or just someone to talk you. Once again thank you for everything! Thea 

 HOTLINE FOR STUDENT ABSENCES 

3869 1740

2013 has by far been the most rewarding and exciting year of my high school journey and I could not imagine what it would have been like if I had not been leading the most spirited, most determined and most loyal house of St John Fisher College. No words can describe the gratitude I feel for all of the Quinn girls who have supported my vision for our house in 2013. Your enthusiasm and participation has made this year a great success and I am more proud than ever before to call this house my own. We have achieved so much this year and you have no one to thank but yourselves. Thank you for standing by me in all circumstances this year. It has been my dream since I was a little girl in a big dress in Year Eight to be able to lead my house and when that dream came to pass this year I was not disappointed. Thank you to the Year Eights, your constant smiles and greetings around the school has made my day on numerous occasions and I am so thankful for that. The Year Nines and Tens have been more eager to participate than I have seen in previous years and that has made the world of difference not only to our overall morale but it also showed on the scoreboard. The Year Elevens have been so supportive of not only myself but also Year Twelve Quinn as a group which has helped us lead our house with great success. Thank you to the ladies of Twelve Quinn, you will never know how much I value your friendships and humour every day and I am so glad to have come to know you all. A special thank you must go to Mrs Zabarauskas for supporting me in my leadership and always going the extra mile for our PC. To Mrs Hoareau thank you for always being there for us as leaders, having you as a rock to lean on has made this year a whole lot more bearable and your support is so valuable. When I challenged the girls at the start of the year to make 2013 a year of firsts I had no idea the extent to which the girls of Quinn would undertake the challenge. I will forever remember the year that was 2013 because of the impact you have all had on me and I am forever thankful for that. Enjoy your holidays! Taylah  This is my final newsletter for 2013 yet it feels like only yesterday I so nervously began to write that very first one back in February. This past year has left me with so many great memories and friendships that would not have been possible without you all. Rochester had spirit, passion and energy radiating from the blue tent right from the beginning at the swimming carnival, through cross country and all the way on to the athletics carnival and eventual dodgeball competitions. The smiles and positive attitudes you displayed, the downright awesome costumes you put together and the participation you demonstrated in 2013 was beyond incredible. The house rivalry that exists between Rochester, Quinn, McAuley and Bridgeman has never failed to make me laugh and our determination to win is unbelievable! We just never seemed to be able to … It was truly awesome to see the number of awards being handed out to the girls of Rocky last Friday at Night of Excellence. It is only proof that you all work so hard at St John Fisher and in the wider community. It was amazing to see girls collecting handfuls of awards for community service, culture, sport and academic excellence, congratulations! Thank you to all the girls who participated in Pink Ribbon day on Monday, showing support for women suffering from breast cancer and many other illnesses. Lastly, I would like to thank every Rochester girl for their commitment during the year. Thank you to the girls (especially the Grade Eights) who always smiled at me as we crossed paths and stopped to say hello. Thank you to my fellow Grade Twelves, for your help this year and every past year we spent together. Most of all, thank you to my mentor, Miss Chandler, and the wonderful Mrs Hoareau. Thank you Rockians, for this extraordinary year! I hope you have many more yet. Alex 

Tuckshop Roster Today after 18 years as Tuckshop convener I turn the key to lock tuckshop up for the last time. I have had to make a very difficult decision. On Doctors advice and impending surgery I leave St John Fisher College with a heavy heart. My time here at the College has had its highs and lows both on professional and personal levels and the friendship and support extended to me has been appreciated. I have had many good times and many laughs with the dedicate staff both past and present. I have worked with hundreds of wonderful parent volunteers over the years and I thank them all for their continued support and the valuable contribution they have given to me and the College. I have seen thousands of timid young girls’ blossoms into beautiful young ladies and I feel privileged to have witnessed their transformation. I referred to them all as my girls and treated them as I would my own daughter. They are the reason I have had many happy years here at the College. I will miss them immensely. I thank everyone for the memories I will take with me and wish you all Good Health, Happiness and Success whichever path your life takes you in the future. Denise Rudd TERM 4 | NOVEMBER Mon 4 T Woodbridge

Mon 11 R Wiman

Mon 18 R Wiman

Tue 5 K Nolan

Tue 12 L Dallas

Tue 19

Wed 6 J Kidd K Hall

Wed 13 K Pitts M Citro

Wed 20 S Fingleton J Hall

Thu 7 K Cassidy

Thu 14 K Sauer

Thu 21 A Wardley

Fri 8 D Patterson K Shukla

Fri 15 D Rostirolla T Stephenson

Fri 22 T Stephenson K Jennings

Uniform Shop & Book Hire

Thank you to those volunteers who have already offered their help  Help is still needed in the Uniform Shop during the following extended trading days: Saturday

11th & 18th January

Wednesday

15th

January

Thursday 16th January

8:30am – 12:30pm

Thursday 23rd January 24th

8:30am – 12:30pm

Friday

January

12:30pm – 4:30pm

Tuesday 28th January

12:30pm – 2:30pm 8:30am – 10:30am 8:30am – 10:30am

If you are able to help please phone Maria on 3269 2129 (Uniform Shop Hours) | 3269 8188 (School office) Leave a message or 0416 199 112 (Mobile) Call or text.

The end of the school year is fast approaching and it is time to start organising the return of textbooks currently on loan to your daughter. Each textbook has a barcode starting with X. Students must return the textbook with the same barcode that was loaned to them. A list of items on loan will be given to students in plenty of time for them to check their books. If a student returns another student textbook they will still be responsible for the textbook that was loaned to them. If books have been lost or damaged they must be replaced. Your daughter will be issued with an overdue notice and payment must be made by the end of the school year. Textbooks for 2014 may not be collected until all books for 2013 have been returned or fines have been paid. Could you please assist me by ensuring that your daughter returns all of her text books by the following deadlines: Yr 12

Tuesday 12th November 2013

Thank you for your help in this matter.

Yr 10&11 Tuesday 26th November 2013

Yr 8&9

Friday 29th November 2013 by 3.00pm

 In our Community  Peninsula Power Football

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - QPAC

Experience the action packed story of the magical flying car, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, with eccentric inventor Caractacus Potts, his two children Jemima and Jeremy and the delightful Truly Scrumptious. Sensational sets, stunning special effects, Ian Fleming's irresistible story, and an unforgettable score by the Sherman Brothers (Mary Poppins) all add up to a blockbuster musical that everyone will love. Boasting a stellar Australian cast of over 70 headed by David Hobson, Rachael Beck, Shane Bourne, George Kapiniaris and Tyler Coppin as the Childcatcher. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang will fly into QPAC for a strictly limited season from 19 November until 22 December 2013. To book tickets visit www.qpac.com.au or call 136 246.

TRANSLink Shorncliffe Line