VerbisST RITA’S COLLEGE

FROM THE PRINCIPALMrs Dale Morrow

30 APRIL 2020, TERM 2, EDITION 6

2018 YEAR OF COURAGE - LEADING WITH COURAGE2020 YEAR OF HOPE - A LIGHT TO OUR PATH

Dear Parents/Guardians

Events of this current year remind me of an old saying: “Out of the hottest fire comes the finest steel”. The world is being subjected to extremely hot fires of late and we are seeing some pretty interesting and varied responses of world leaders, governments and societies to such stressful conditions. It will be important for the quality of our own society that we get through these testing

times by using good sense, being mindful of the good of all and maintaining a Christian regard for those around us.

However, with such a constant barrage of doom and gloom coming at us in the news, it can be easy to fall into a negative thinking pattern. Certainly, as adults this can be a danger but we need to be especially attuned to the effect it may be having on your daughters as their young minds may be more susceptible. Some of the symptoms of having a ‘negative’ thinking pattern would be things such as catastrophising (assuming that the worst-case scenario will always occur) or an ‘all or nothing’ thinking pattern in which there are only the two extreme positions (it’s either this or it’s that, but nothing in between). For your daughters, the regular life they had pre COVID-19 was, comparatively speaking, predictable, secure and subsequently free from stress of not knowing what was going to happen. That has now changed for them (and us) and they may need to be helped to come to an understanding of how to better cope with what is going on.

Ben Amponsah, a Clinical Psychotherapist with Education Support, has recently written an article offering some advice on this. In it he suggests it is important to come to accept uncertainty and normalise distress. “Reducing the need for certainty is a good way to reduce worry,” advises Amponsah. It’s also a very good mindfulness strategy. In fact, accept uncertainty and normalise distress is a really useful mantra. If the coronavirus pandemic has shown us anything, it is that we live in an uncertain world and that we don’t know what’s around the corner. If you “take a step back from our need to have everything ‘just so’ and certain”, he says, “believe it or not, your worry will reduce”. Amponsah says it is important to get across this idea that it’s okay to feel sad at all the losses we are experiencing; it’s okay to feel highly anxious in these difficult times; and it’s okay to feel angry at the injustice of it all. As he says, “Normalising your emotions makes it easier to cope and manage them, so normalise distress.”

But of course, it’s also important to shift one’s thought patterns away from the negatives. For instance, when talking to your daughter about her day, get her to identify one positive thing that has happened in her day — something that’s made her smile or given her a lift. Or you could encourage her to use a gratitude diary to list three things to be thankful for at the end of each day. Psychologists tell us It is by acknowledging and analysing our negative thinking and shifting our perspective through focusing on the positive that we are helped in gaining balance and putting a stop to the natural human tendency of concentrating only on the negative.

Having said all that I would like to recognise the wonderful support you have offered your daughters and their teachers over recent weeks. I am incredibly proud of how the girls and staff have adapted in such a short time frame to a Learning at Home environment. We have focused on both academic and the wellbeing needs of the girls. I am delighted to report that the senior girls have provided great advice over this time.

The Academic Captains have reached out and sent a video message to all the girls with some great tips for Learning at Home. The College Captains have tried to keep morale up amongst the girls by presenting a couple of initiatives such as Mental Health Monday challenges, the exciting Amazing Race idea and of course suggesting to girls that they cook dinner for their mum on Mother’s Day. They are also maintaining contact by posting videos to keep us all connected. The mark of a community is how it comes together in times of difficulty.

I have been very grateful for the many messages expressing appreciation for the efforts of the staff. I am sure we all have a new appreciation for the work teaching and non-teaching staff do daily. Your support helps us to continue our efforts and look for ways to engage the girls in their learning.

Please stay safe and continue to look after your loved ones.

God Bless

Mrs Dale MorrowPrincipal, St Rita’s College

VerbisST RITA’S COLLEGE

2018 YEAR OF COURAGE - LEADING WITH COURAGE2020 YEAR OF HOPE - A LIGHT TO OUR PATH

DEPUTY PRINCIPAL - STUDENTSMs Catherine Allen

I hope this edition of Verbis finds everyone in our community happy and healthy. As our experiences of social distancing continue you might find the lack of real-life social interactions a bit stressful, even exhausting. It is not unusual for people to find that their energy comes from sharing time – academic/work and social – with others. The Captains have designed several activities and initiatives to keep the students connected. Many Houses and House Groups have also. Please encourage your daughter/s to participate. If you have not already done so, please look at the resources contained in the wellbeing section of Learning at Home. Here you will find some virtual tours to take you places you haven’t visited… yet, self-care tips, mindfulness, jigsaw, yoga activities and more.

Towards the end of last Term the students were invited to write a letter to one or more of the following; veterans, health care workers, elderly. The responses to these letters have been humbling. The simple effort to drop a note to someone to show that they are remembered and appreciated worked wonders. Thank you to all students who participated in this activity.

As we know it is how we manage situations that allow us to cope. This article (click here) offers a different perspective about education in this unprecedented period.

As we near the completion of our second week of our Learning At Home curriculum we are finding that students are engaged and learning well. Our decision to maintain routine and follow our current timetable has led to a seamless transition. Feedback from our students enabled us to make changes to our bell times, delivery methods and streamline the curriculum. This week we will survey students again, using their feedback, along with feedback from teachers to continue to make improvements to our Learning At Home program.

There have been some changes to assessment in senior subjects and QCAA has provided responses to FAQs on Coronavirus for students and parents/guardians.

Our Diverse Learning Needs program is well set up to support students who require additional support in the classroom. They are still offering in-class support to students, as well as individual check-ins with students. Students are encouraged to attend the twice weekly Homework Help Zoom sessions if they require help with homework or assignments.

Our Head of Study Skills, Ms Amanda Wallas, is available to support all students who are requiring assistance with study skills, organisational management or motivational support.

As we are unable to have our regular Term 2 Parent/Teacher interviews we will accommodate additional interview times in Term 3. If parents have any concerns with their daughter’s learning progress during Term 2, please email your daughter’s subject teacher.

There have been some movement to the due dates of assignments and these are all listed on the MySRC calendar for parents and students to view.

I would like to acknowledge and thank the enormous amount of planning and preparation our teaching staff have done over the past six weeks, preparing resources and moving their curriculum online. Thank you also to all the support staff who have continued to support teachers and students in this transition.

DEPUTY PRINCIPAL - STUDIESMrs Maree Trims

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL - MISSIONMrs Erica Qureshi

Jesus’ mandate to us to live life fully encourages our community to continue to experience all facets of life in its wholeness. At St Rita’s, we are celebrating the liturgical year online in unique and creative ways. We engaged in our Easter liturgy at the end of Term as a community and the ANZAC ritual last Friday was a beautiful commemoration. Many thanks to Annabelle Hazelton, who pre-recorded the Last Post and Reveille for us. In 2020 we celebrate our pillar of Hope. Hope in the Christian sense challenges us to believe that there is always the potential for goodness and for love. This is clearly a message that we need now more than ever when our faith can be our anchor from which we draw hope.

Sr Raphael Consedine, pbvm wrote the following in the Foreword of Sacred Space, a collection of her beautiful poetry. Whilst Consedine’s explanation is of the need for us to seek sacred spaces of stillness and silence – whether of the heart or physical – in our context the following words might encourage us also to view our spaces of isolation as sacred:

Faced with the human task of living with the simplicities, the complexities and

ambiguities of our world, people of all faiths, and of no particular faith, know the need to withdraw momentarily and sometimes for extended periods into their ‘sacred place’ – that deep reflective centre from which they live, and which grounds them strongly within their daily reality.

In ancient times, seers measured out a temple – the words denoted ‘sacred space’ – on the ground and in the heavens. Standing there, they read the signs which directed their actions.

Our own life-experience is continually heightened, deepened, extended by our contact with others in our evolving world. Our sacred space is uniquely ours yet living from it makes us acutely aware of what we hold in common. Sharing the perceptions of the heart creates possibility, energises us to reach beyond.

May we consider ways we can “reach beyond” to find commonality with each other from our own sacred spaces.

St Agatha’s School Clayfield Enrolments

St Agatha’s School Clayfield has limited vacancies in Years 4 and 6 for 2020. Please direct all enquiries to the Enrolment Secretary: wkwhite@bne.catholic.edu.au or (07) 3326 9222.

ST RITA’S COLLEGE

2018 YEAR OF COURAGE - LEADING WITH COURAGE2020 YEAR OF HOPE - A LIGHT TO OUR PATH

Motivation!I have been working with many girls individually helping them to implement a range of strategies to help them stay organised and focused. Some girls are actually finding online learning better – they like having the lesson plans visible and feel more productive without the busy nature of school life. One common problem that has come up, however, is motivation. Many students are struggling to stay motivated while at home, partly because, psychologically, they associate home with relaxation.

Here are some tips to help your daughter if this is the case for her:

• Remind her to focus not on what is different, but what is the same. She still has the same timetable, she still has lessons, her teachers are still working hard to help her and she still has the same learning journey to travel.

• Organisation is the enemy of procrastination and the key to keeping motivated; ask her to show you her study planner, assessment calendar and daily goals. If she is struggling with any of these, I am here to help.

• Invite your daughter to focus on the freedom that comes with choice - remind her that if she studies effectively and get the grades she wants, she will have the freedom to choose the course and institution she wants.

• Remind her this is actually (even though it may not seem it right now!) a very short period of time in the grand schemeof her life. It will be over soon.

• Ask her if she has thought of studying in a different way; recording notes verbally and seeing if she can recall them, creating quizzes, mind maps, mini-lessons toteach content to someone who knows nothing about it, using mnemonics to remember information… there are many ideas for this on the Study Skills tile on MySRC.

• Ask her if she has a system of rewards for those mini-goals throughout the day.• And finally… the dreaded phone. Is it a distraction that is preventing your

daughter from staying motivated and on track? If so, negotiate a strategy so that it is not with her during lessons or when she is studying independently.

As always, please encourage your daughter to contact me on wls@stritas.qld.edu.au if she would like any help with her study skills.

STUDY SKILLSMs Amanda Wallas (Head of Study Skills)

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL - LEARNING AND TEACHINGDr Natasha Mayne

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY - CROSSING SUPERVISOR

The importance of practice when learningEducators have long known the importance of building and retaining background knowledge for our students. Like good sports coaches, we know that students learn and retain foundational and new knowledge and skills through practice. However, not all strategies for practising skills and developing understanding are equal.

Cognitive scientists who specialise in education and how we learn have found repeatedly that the right kind of practice helps move knowledge from working memory (sometimes referred to as short-term memory) into long-term memory so that it can be retrieved later. Here is one of the characteristics of practice that cognitive science research indicates really help students to learn.

Spaced practice: This is where students practise repeatedly for short periods with time in between to ‘forget’ a little. Counter-intuitively, this temporary ‘forgetting’ is really important as it means that learners have to think harder to remember the skill or information being learned. In doing so, learners build better and stronger mental pathways to remembering the skill or information. This improves the likelihood of

learning making it into long-term memory, where it can be retrieved at a later time or in a new context. I have found the work of cognitive scientist, Dan Willingham from the University of Virginia, particularly useful in this area.

This is in sharp contrast to massed practice, where students practise the same thing over and over in a concentrated, extended practice session (often only one or two). Cramming the night before an exam is the prime example of this kind of practice, and it does not help skills and information to lodge effectively in long-term memory.

At home, students should be utlilising the spaced-practice strategies taught to them by their teachers. However, there are also apps for this (of course!) that can be helpful. A favoured one among educators is AnkiApp. There are free versions and computer-based versions. I particularly like the algorithm feature of this app, which creates flashcard decks based on what you need to work on, tests you on this in quick one-minute sessions, and then tracks your progress. Of course, this kind of learning technology is not just for our children and students: adults can use these strategies and tools too!

We are seeking an enthusiastic School Crossing Supervisor to help assist pedestrians to safely cross the road and direct vehicles within the crossing environment to ensure the safe operation of designated school crossing sites.

• To be considered for this role, you must meet the below requirements: • Experience working with children or the public• Good communication skills and the ability to provide clear instructions in a

polite and professional manner• Display a positive and responsible attitude towards your work including a

willingness to work independently as well as part of a team • Available between the hours of 7:45am to 8:45am and 2:45pm to 3:45pm,

Monday to Friday during the school Term.

• Hold, or ability to obtain a valid Queensland Working With Children Notice(Blue Card)

• Ability to pass a medical assessment as per the Department of Main Roads requirements

• Be at least 18 years old

All other training and equipment will be provided to you to enable you to work independently.

For more information or to apply for this position, please visit our website by clicking here.

ST RITA’S COLLEGE

2018 YEAR OF COURAGE - LEADING WITH COURAGE2020 YEAR OF HOPE - A LIGHT TO OUR PATH

Online Lessons and RehearsalsThe start of Term 2 has seen the Music Department embark on delivering ensembles online. While this is vastly different to what we are used to doing in a live rehearsal, we have found it to be a wonderful way for us to continue to provide connection between all of our music girls and teachers. Music does bring people together in so many ways and while it is not possible for everyone to play together at the same time due to technical restraints, it is offering us other opportunities that we would not usual have.

One of these opportunities has been our ability to bring together students across the Year levels to interact with each other. Our Concert Band and Wind Ensemble had their first combined rehearsal on Tuesday and they participated in a scavenger hunt while in breakout rooms on Zoom. The students were grouped together with students from each of the ensembles and they needed to complete the hunt by finding particular pieces of music within the program that we will be using for the next little while, Smart Music.

Smart Music is a program which enables students to play their own part of an ensemble piece while playing along to a recording of the rest of the ensemble. The program can also give feedback to students to highlight when they are not playing the correct notes or rhythms. Smart Music is designed for bands and string ensembles but is also being used by some of our teachers in lessons.

Delivering an online music program is a very large undertaking and I would like to thank all of our wonderful teachers who have spent vast amounts of time attending webinars, listening to podcasts and researching ways to give our students the best experience possible. The Music department is truly a wonderful part of St Rita’s with our fantastic teachers, students and parents. While this was not what we planned at the start of this year, the flexibility, creativity and indomitable spirit shown will stand us in good stead for when we return to perform alongside each other once more.

Cancellation of QCMFIt is a common occurrence now for things to be cancelled and the Queensland Catholic Colleges and School Music Festival has also fallen. This will be understandably disappointing, particularly for our Seniors. However, we will continue to work hard to make 2020 a memorable year in a positive way for all of our students.

ANZAC DayIt was such a wonderful sight to see so many people out at the end of their driveways last Saturday morning to pay our respects on ANZAC Day. Of particular note, was the effort of Annabelle Hazelton, a Year 11 trumpet student, who recorded the Last Post and Reveille for the College to celebrate. I know that Annabelle was very humbled to be asked to play this for the College community and I am sure that her local community was also very thankful for her efforts at 6am last Saturday morning. Lest we forget.

30-Day Song ChallengeHave you heard about the 30-Day Song Challenge? Make sure you head over to the Music pages on MySRC, go to the new Term 2 Online Cocurricular Music link and place your song choice for each day. It’s been great to see so much variety in the song choices.

Our Kildare House Captains are working on some exciting initiatives to keep the girls connected whilst online and to also give opportunities to gain House Points and connect as a Year Level.

Initiative #1: House Group Zoom Challenge

The House Group representatives have been given five challenges which they will coordinate with the House Group teachers and House Groups. They are required to complete one challenge per week for the next five weeks. The intention is for every House Group to have completed each weekly challenge on Tuesday mornings in House Group time, but they have until Friday of that week to submit the video to Maddy or Grace via email. The House Groups will gain House points for each challenge. The girls have completed the first challenge which was to see how quickly the whole House Group could find something teal whilst on Zoom. From all reports it was a lot of fun. The challenges get harder as the weeks progress.

Congratulations to K3 for Winning Week 1 House Group Zoom challenge!

Initiative #2: Year Level Challenge

Each Kildare Year level representative has been asked to coordinate/collect responses from each of the girls on various topics:

Year 7: Get Creative (e.g. craft, sewing, creating music, dance etc)Year 8: Cooking (e.g. get baking and share some recipes)Year 9: Explore the world from home (e.g. learn a language, create a photo board from of destinations around the world or a holiday destination you would like to visit)Year 10: Fitness/Yoga (e.g. take some online fitness and/or yoga classes)Year 11: Capture a moment (e.g. refine your photography skills and get snapping)Year 12: Have a laugh (e.g. create a comedy sketch to look back on the Year 12 and isolation - have a giggle)

The House Captains would love for everyone to record their experiences as they progress through the five weeks and it would be wonderful if at the end of the Term we could compile and share each Year level’s ideas into a book (or a blog) as a memory of how Kildare survived COVID-19.

Please encourage your daughter to participate on both the Zoom House Group challenges and Year Level Challenges and stay connected.

MUSICMr Craig Kennedy

KILDARE HOUSE NEWSMrs Simmone Irvine

VerbisST RITA’S COLLEGE

2018 YEAR OF COURAGE - LEADING WITH COURAGE2020 YEAR OF HOPE - A LIGHT TO OUR PATH

SPORTUncertain Times

We all realise that the world has bigger problems than sport being postponed or cancelled and that hopefully life will one day soon return to something resembling normality.

Obviously, no sport will take place until health restrictions are lifted to allow some and eventually all sport to be brought back.

Things we know at this time:

• Cross Country Championships scheduled for Friday 29 May at Limestone Park have been cancelled.• Cross Country training – cancelled until further notice.• CaSSSA Trimester 2 sport is at the present time not going ahead and may be. Forms for CaSSSA Tri-2 can be scanned and emailed through to me in preparation for

when sport does resume, if possible for Tri-2.• All City and North Independent District, Metropolitan North Regional, Queensland and Australian School sport has been suspended/cancelled until further notice.• Swimming (Acqua Rosa Swim Club) – is cancelled until further notice.

I will provide information on other school and external sport events as it comes to hand.

All students were sent an email earlier in the week from the Captains and Head Coach of Cross Country and myself with activities/ideas to keep active and moving in preparation for the eventual resumption of sport. These activities are also posted on MySRC on the Cross Country page.

The following Cross Country information is provided by the Metropolitan North Regional Sport Office and the Regional School Sport Officer, Ms Kristen Jansen.

Met North – Virtual Cross CountryOver weeks 3, 4 and 5 this Term, students who are learning from home or at school will have the opportunity to download any running app for their phone or smart watch and submit their time to be considered for our ‘All-Met North Honorary Cross Country Team’. Students can submit multiple times and the best time will be used to determine our winners. Medals and certificates will be sent to the winning student’s school. For this year only, we will be awarding a Champion School with the largest number of participants.

The distances will reflect those used in previous years:

Cross Country@Home with Met North3KM: 11, 12 AND 13 YRS BOYS AND GIRLS3KM: 13-19 YRS BOYS AND GIRLS AWD4KM: 14 AND 15 YRS BOYS AND GIRLS4KM: 16 AND 17 YRS GIRLS6KM: 16, 17 AND 18 YRS BOYS6KM: 18 AND 19 YEARS GIRLS8KM: 18 AND 19YRS BOYS

Team Event 4 x 1.5kmStudents: Create a team of four (while socially distancing – no need to run this together) Must submit 4 individual times for each age group and gender Must be from the same school, Age and Gender

Nominations forms (to be made by students with parental signature) will be available on the Met North website (click here) from Wednesday 29 April 2020. Please complete the forms and email then to met.north@qed.qld.gov.au by Friday May 22 2020.

Mr John PendallDirector of Sport

ST RITA’S COLLEGE

2018 YEAR OF COURAGE - LEADING WITH COURAGE2020 YEAR OF HOPE - A LIGHT TO OUR PATH

Whilst the College is under Learning At Home status, the Boutique is closed for instore sales. This will continue until further notice.

Orders can continue to be placed via the Online Boutique. These orders will be processed when the College returns to On Campus status. Purchasers will be notified when their order has been processed and is ready for collection.

The Pop Up Sale does continue, albeit via email. Please email through your order or enquiry to Mrs Hinder and be sure to include your telephone number. Orders will be processed on a first in basis. Purchases are non-refundable and non-returnable. Purchases can be mailed to home (postage charges will apply) or be made available for collection once school has resumed on Campus. There are some fabulous bargains.

Bargain Busters

SaleMore items added!

Click here to see items on offer.

How to order from the Sale:

Click here to see the full list of items on sale (more items added!)

• Please email Mrs Hinder at the Boutique with your order or enquiry (please ensure you include your telephone number) to boutique@stritas.qld.edu.au (Mrs Hinder will be back on deck from the start of Term 2.)

• Mrs Hinder will telephone you to take payment over the phone.• You can choose to have your order mailed to you (postage charges will apply)

or collect it once school resumes back on campus.

FROM THE BOUTIQUE

Students With Disability Travel Rebate

Semester 1

• Does your child have a verified disability that requires transport assistanceto and from school?

• Has your school’s learning support teacher assessed your child’s travelcapability rating as ‘semi-independent’ or more dependent?

Visit our website to see if you qualify for financial assistance to help with the cost of transport and

apply at www.schooltransport.com.au by 31 May. Late applications cannot be accepted after 31st May.