Media releases

2024 Toowoomba Catholic Schools Excellence Awards – an inspirational community

The outstanding educators and staff of Toowoomba Catholic Schools were honoured at the annual Excellence Awards on 25 July 2024.

Rostering has been revolutionised for Toowoomba Catholic Kindergartens and Care

The recent roll out of a new app called RosterElf is already making life easier for those working in Toowoomba Catholic Kindergartens and Care (TCKC).

ANNOUNCING - St Francis Catholic College, Westbrook

Bishop Robert McGuckin has announced the Catholic Diocese of Toowoomba has purchases land and started planning for a new K-12 College in Westbrook.

Toowoomba Catholic Schools hosts ACEL network

Recently, Toowoomba Catholic Schools Office hosted the Australian Council for Education Leaders (ACEL) local area group annual Meet and Greet for 2022.

New principals ready for the 2022 school year

Six new principals are being welcomed into Catholic schools across the Diocese of Toowoomba this week. Some moving from other Catholic schools in the Diocese and others coming from outside of the Diocese to join these communities. Each is looking forward to the year ahead and have already been involved in an induction program.

Catholic Outside School Hours Care continue to grow and students are flourishing

Demand for OSHC programs is increasing, and Catholic OSHCs across the Diocese have continued to grow due to their positive reputation for having professional staff and quality play, learning and care.

Toowoomba Catholic Schools educators acknowledged by Australian Council for Educational Leaders Queensland Branch (ACELQ)

Each year the Australian Council for Educational Leaders Queensland Branch (ACELQ) honours educational leaders who, in the view of their colleagues, have made a significant contribution to the understanding and practices of the teaching profession and educational leadership. This year four members of the Diocese of Toowoomba Catholic Schools were presented with awards.

WORLD TEACHERS' DAY CELEBRATIONS 2021

October 29 is World Teachers' Day. There are many reasons why students succeed in our schools but the most important of these is our staff. After the family the teacher is the most influential person in the lives of students whilst they are at school. Our teachers make a difference every day, educating and inspiring our young students.

EXTERNAL EXAMINATION PREPARATION PROGRAM A POPULAR CHOICE IN SCHOOL HOLIDAYS

This week students from across Toowoomba Catholic Schools have gathered at St Saviour’s College to prepare for their upcoming external ATAR assessments. Over 100 students from Toowoomba, Stanthorpe, Warwick, Dalby and Roma are participating in the program.

VACATION CARE STUDENTS ENJOY OUR PARKS AND GARDENS

The theme for vacation care this holiday is “Spring in the Park”. Vacation Care programs in rural areas vary from those in Toowoomba however children from all our schools can enjoy the experience of play and leisure activities in the park.

STUDENTS FROM ST MONICA’S SCHOOL, OAKEY KEEN NETBALL FANS

Until a few weeks ago students from St Monica’s School, Oakey had never player netball and had a limited understanding of the game, now they are all mad keen Lightning fans.

DIOCESE OF TOOWOOMBA CATHOLIC SCHOOLS MASS FOR 2021 YEAR 12 ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER GRADUANDS

The Toowoomba Catholic Schools’ Mass for 2021 Year 12 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Graduands was celebrated at St Patrick’s Cathedral on Tuesday, 14 September.

MARY MAC GIRLS MAKE GRAND FINAL HISTORY!

The Senior Girls Soccer Team at Mary MacKillop Catholic College made history, defeating St Ursula’s 4-2 in the Grand Final at the Clive Berghofer Stadium on Monday night.

LOCAL AUTHOR, RORY H. MATHER TO VISIT OUR LADY OF LOURDES PRIMARY SCHOOL FOR BOOK WEEK CELEBRATIONS

The Toowoomba based picture book enthusiast and author will visit Our Lady of Lourdes Prep to Year 3 students on Wednesday, 25 August as a part of their Book Week celebrations.

TOOWOOMBA CATHOLIC SCHOOLS - A PASSIONATE AND INSPIRATIONAL COMMUNITY

last night Toowoomba Catholic Schools held its annual Excellence Awards ceremony.

LONG SERVICE AWARDS - 8 STAFF CLOCK UP 345 YEARS OF SERVICE BETWEEN THEM!

With seven staff celebrating 40 years of service and another with 45 years, Toowoomba Catholic Schools must be a great place to work.

Catholic Education Week 2021 – Spirit of Catholic Education Award Recipient

Mater Dei volunteer recognised for being a Good Samaritan in the Catholic Education Week 2021 – Spirit of Catholic Education Awards.

OPENING AND BLESSING OF NEW TEACHING FACILITIES

On Thursday, 24 June St Thomas More’s Primary School’s new building and facilities will be officially opened and blessed by the Reverend Bishop Robert McGuckin, Bishop of Toowoomba as the school also celebrates its 60th anniversary.

Good Samaritan College runs great race!

On Thursday, 24 June students from the Good Samaritan College will run its second 'Great Race'. The event is open for young people who have achieved 85% attendance or above for the semester.

ST JOSEPH'S SCHOOL, STANTHORPE FIRST IN QUEENSLAND TO BE ACCREDITED WITH INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED AWARD

St Joseph's School, Stanthorpe have been recognised as the first Visible Learning+ certified school in Queensland and joins only two others in Australia with this award. With only 8 schools across the world who have Level 3 Visible Learning+ certified school status, this is a great accomplishment.

Youth Entrepreneurs and STEAM (YES) Conference at capacity

Over 500 students. Teachers and STEAM experts will gather for the Youth Entrepreneurs and STEAM (YES) Conference on Wednesday, 2 June to share, network and connect with inspiring industry role models, innovators and universities for a day of interactive STEAM workshops.

COLLEGE STUDENTS LEAD RECONCILIATION WALK TO MARK 20 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

Good Samaritan College Reconciliation Walk to mark 20 year anniversary.

New build at St Mary’s School, Warwick due for completion in November

The historic change to St Mary’s School, Warwick, to the locate the school on the single site, known as the ‘upper campus’, is well underway.

“The planning of this amalgamation to one site has been a long time in the planning,” said Dr Pat Coughlan, Executive Director: Catholic Schools.

“This planning involved the school and local community, Warwick Council, members of the Toowoomba Catholic Schools Office, architects and other building specialists.”

Mass to celebrate the bicentenary of Catholic education in Australia

What: Mass to celebrate the bicentenary of Catholic education in Australia
When: Monday, 24 May 2021 at 10.30am
Where: St Patrick’s Cathedral, 123 Neil Street, Toowoomba

A National Mass will be celebrated simultaneously across Australia, on Monday, 24 May 2021, at 10.30am, acknowledging the bicentenary of Catholic education in Australia.

NEW OUTSIDE SCHOOL HOURS CARE (0SHC) TO SUPPORT LOCAL TOOWOOMBA AND OAKEY FAMILIES

Toowoomba Catholic Kindergartens and Care will open six new OSHC services on Monday, 19 April. Five of the services are attached to Toowoomba schools, St Saviour’s Primary, Our Lady of Lourdes Primary, St Thomas More’s Primary, Sacred Heart Primary and Mary MacKillop Catholic College, and the other service is at St Monica’s School, Oakey.

CONGRATULATIONS TO QUEENSLAND COLLEGE OF TEACHERS

Toowoomba Catholic Schools congratulates Queensland College of Teachers (QCT) on 50 years of upholding and improving the standards of the teaching profession. The QCT and the Toowoomba Catholic Schools system align in their ambition to have high quality teachers in every classroom.

FUTURE IS EVEN ROSIER AT CATHOLIC SCHOOLS IN WARWICK

With multi-million-dollar new facilities and enrolments growing, St Mary’s School and Assumption College in Warwick are flourishing.

TEACHING THE JOEY’S WAY

In 2021, St Joseph’s College, Toowoomba’s Student Engagement Team is rolling out two significant initiatives that are designed to maximise attendance, positive behaviour, achievement and safety of all students.

ST SAVIOUR’S COLLEGE PRINCIPAL RECOGNISED WITH NATIONAL LEADERSHIP AWARD

Sharon Collins, Principal of St Saviour’s College Toowoomba has been recognised nationally, and received an ACEL Leadership award for her outstanding school leadership as a strong advocate for educational excellence in diverse environments.

WELCOMING OUR NEW PRINCIPALS FOR 2021

As the new school year approaches, parents, staff and students are starting to get excited and many are ready to return to school for 2021. Toowoomba Catholic Schools has this week welcomed three new principals to the Diocese.

FIFTY NEW TEACHERS JOIN DIOCESE OF TOOWOOMBA CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

Fifty new teachers, both experienced and beginning their career in teaching are joining the Diocese of Toowoomba Catholic Schools in 2021. Of the new staff, 19 are graduates. These new staff have spent the past two days week in an intensive orientation program designed to prepare them for their new position and teaching in a Catholic school.

INAUGURAL YEAR 12 UNIVERSITY OFFERS IN MEDICINE AND ENGINEERING

The long awaited University offers are in for our Inaugural Year 12 graduates at Mary MacKillop Catholic College, Highfields, and for College Dux and 2020 Captain, Caitlin Lang, the results couldn’t be better! Caitlin has been accepted at the University of Queensland to complete a Doctor of Medicine.

School-Based Apprentices and Trainees paving the way for their future careers

In a turbulent year for so many businesses, 120 Year 12 students from across Toowoomba Catholic schools have been supported by local firms to complete a School-Based apprenticeship or traineeship (SBAs). As a result, many of these students have been offered full-time jobs in those fields or early University placements.

Federal government funding for two growing Toowoomba Catholic schools

Good Samaritan College and Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School received welcome news this week that will enable the building of new facilities as both schools continue to grow.

TOOWOOMBA CATHOLIC SCHOOLS HEARING HEALTH PROGRAM GETTING RESULTS

A new hearing health program has been launched by Toowoomba Catholic Schools that teaches children and their parents how to identify, manage and prevent hearing loss.

TOOWOOMBA CATHOLIC SCHOOLS PLANNING FOR PERSONALISED LEARNING IS ENGAGING ALL STUDENTS

Students in Toowoomba Catholic schools with individual learning needs requiring specialist support, enrichment and extension programs are reaping the benefits of ‘planning for personalised learning’ or PfPL for short.

TOOWOOMBA CATHOLIC SCHOOLS EXCELLENCE AWARDS – AN EXCEPTIONAL YEAR

On Wednesday, 21 October Toowoomba Catholic Schools presented its annual Excellence Awards. The awards recognise members of Toowoomba Catholic Schools whose outstanding contribution has assisted staff, students and their families to experience exemplary places of learning and academic success within a distinctly Catholic environment.

NEW EXTERNAL EXAM PREPARATION PROGRAM (EEPP) POPULAR

A new program developed by Toowoomba Catholic Schools to assist Year 12 students prepare for external ATAR assessments has proven to be a popular holiday pursuit for over one hundred students from Catholic schools and colleges around the Toowoomba diocese.

ST MARY’S COLLEGE FAREWELLS PRINCIPAL AFTER 10 YEARS

Last Friday afternoon St Mary’s College held a surprise farewell event for Michael Newman, the College principal for the past 10 years.

Toowoomba Catholic Schools staff member makes 'The Educator’s' annual 'Hot List'

Rebecca Brownhall, Education Officer: Lighthouse Schools Numeracy has been recognised in 'The Educator's' annual 'Hot List'. This prestigious list recognises and celebrates professionals who represent the cutting edge of educational excellence in Australia.

Congratulations to our educational leaders

The Australian Council for Educational Leaders (ACEL) has honoured five of our educational leaders who have made a significant contribution to the teaching profession and educational leadership through its annual awards.

Catholic Education Week 2020 - Bishop’s Inservice Days

The annual Bishop’s Inservice Days (BIDs) are held during Catholic Education Week and this year were delivered a bit differently given COVID restrictions.

Catholic Education Week 2020 – Spirit of Catholic Education Awards

A record number of nominations were received this year for the Spirit of Catholic Education Award - with a well deserved recipient named from the newly named Good Samaritan College in Toowoomba.

TOOWOOMBA CATHOLIC SCHOOLS LONG SERVICE AWARDS – HUSBAND AND WIFE CELEBRATE 40 YEARS WORKING TOGETHER IN THE DIOCESE

WELCOME BACK TO SCHOOL, WHAT CATHOLIC SCHOOLS LEARNED FROM THE COVID CRISIS

This week the Diocese of Toowoomba Catholic Schools welcomed a full complement of students back to school. The return to the classroom seems to have created much excitement in school communities with students, teachers and parents appreciative of this step towards life after lockdown.

ST SAVIOUR’S PRIMARY SCHOOL, TOOWOOMBA – A RICH HISTORY

In 2020 we celebrate 175 years of Catholic Education in Queensland. Our first Catholic School opened in Brisbane, from an old government store in Elizabeth Street that the Myer Centre now occupies.

ST MARY’S SCHOOL, WARWICK CELEBRATES OPENING AND BLESSING OF SACRED SPACE

On Friday, 13 March a new Sacred Space was opened and blessed by Parish Priest, Fr Franco.

ST MARY’S SCHOOL, GOONDIWINDI OPENS FIRST STAGE OF NEW SECONDARY CAMPUS

On Wednesday, 4 March, St Mary’s School, Goondiwindi celebrated the opening of the first stage of
their new secondary campus. The building was opened and blessed by the Reverend Bishop Robert
M McGuckin, Bishop of Toowoomba and Dr Patrick Coughlan, Executive Director: Catholic Schools.

FLEXIBLE LEARNING CENTRE CHANGES DIRECTION

The Good Samaritan College was opened and blessed by the Reverend Bishop Robert M McGuckin, Bishop of Toowoomba and Dr Patrick Coughlan, Executive Director: Catholic Schools on Friday, 14 February. The College was formerly known as the Youth and Community Learning Centre (YCLC).

OUR NEW LEADERS FOR 2020

In addition to 52 new teaching staff for 2020, Toowoomba Catholic Schools has 6 new leaders. We welcome four new principals and two new Senior Education Leaders.

The Mooch and Wombat Dustillery

The Mooch and Wombat Dustillery are raising money to buy Christmas presents for children in areas affected by the drought. Macie (Mooch) and Will (Wombat) McNulty are two students from St Mary's Parish School, Goondiwindi. Macie has just completed Year 4 and Will has just completed Year 2.

YEAR 5 STUDENTS PREPARE FOR THEIR ROLES AS SCHOOL LEADERS IN 2020

This year, for the first time, Toowoomba Catholic Schools are planning a Year 5 combined schools leadership retreat. The event will be held at Assumption College, Warwick on Monday, 18 November.

TWO TOOWOOMBA CATHOLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS SUCCESSFUL IN APPLICATIONS FOR LEAD TEACHER CERTIFICATION

Two Toowoomba Catholic Schools teachers have been successful in joining an elite group of Australia’s best teachers by gaining Lead Teacher Certification. The certification is recognized nationally and teachers gaining this status have been independently assessed as having the highest levels of expertise and capability as classroom practitioners and educational leaders in their fields.

STEM INTEGRATED LEARNING AT ST MARY'S COLLEGE, TOOWOOMBA

STEM at St. Mary’s College is encapsulated through the use of real-world problems to spark curiosity and deepen student knowledge through collaborative and independent inquiry. This is reinforced through integrated learning in the classroom whilst providing extra-curricular opportunities for boys. This includes a timetabled STEM class for Year 9’s where they concentrate on solving real world issues throughout Term 3, before competing in the international First Lego League competition in Term 4. Further opportunities are offered after school with the Primary STEM Club and Future Solutions.

TOOWOOMBA CATHOLIC SCHOOLS STAFF SUPPORT STANTHORPE COMMUNITY

On October 27th, a busload of staff and friends of Toowoomba Catholic Schools headed south-west for ‘Support Stanthorpe Sunday.’ The group enjoyed shopping locally for an hour and a half at businesses who opened especially for the morning, before embarking on a jampacked itinerary visiting local tourist destinations.

DIOCESE OF TOOWOOMBA CATHOLIC SCHOOLS MASS FOR 2019 YEAR 12 ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER GRADUANDS

The Toowoomba Catholic Schools Mass for 2019 Year 12 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Graduands was held at St Patrick’s Cathedral this morning. Thirty students from Toowoomba and Warwick attended the Mass. Other students from St John’s School, Roma and St Joseph’s, Stanthorpe were unable to attend.

ST SAVIOUR’S PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENT A WINNER AT NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Dominic Seaby, a student from St Saviour’s Primary School, Toowoomba recently won the under 10’s high jump at the School Sport Australia Track and Field Championships in Darwin.

YOUTH AND COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTRE STUDENT RECOGNISED FOR ARTISTIC TALENT AT RECENT AWARDS

On Wednesday night, the Independent Education Union–Queensland and Northern Territory Branch, held its annual Awards for Excellence in Art Design competition at the Queensland Multicultural Centre in Brisbane.

TOOWOOMBA CATHOLIC EDUCATORS DELIVER KEYNOTE AND WORKSHOPS AT THE FESTIVAL OF LEARNING IN PORT MORESBY

The Festival of Learning is a unique, exciting opportunity for Papua New Guinea educators to engage with recognised international and national educational leaders to deepen their capacity and knowledge in effective classroom practice. This year’s Festival themes covered a range of topics including educational leadership, effective differentiation, inquiry learning, student agency and voice, authentic assessment, the use of technology for meaningful learning and the importance of student wellbeing for learning.

CATHOLIC EDUCATION WEEK IN THE TOOWOOMBA DIOCESE - BISHOP'S INSERVICE DAYS

Queensland Catholic Education Week is a time for the 306 Catholic school communities across the state to celebrate Catholic education, its many achievements and substantial contribution to the broader community.

CATHOLIC EDUCATION WEEK

Queensland Catholic Education Week is a time for the 306 Catholic school communities across the state to celebrate Catholic education, its many achievements and substantial contribution to the broader community.

TOOWOOMBA CATHOLIC SCHOOLS EXCELLENCE AWARDS - FINALISTS AND RECIPIENTS

Last night we acknowledged the outstanding contributions of staff at the Toowoomba Catholic Schools Excellence Awards.

TOOWOOMBA CATHOLIC SCHOOLS LONG SERVICE AWARDS

During the coming week Toowoomba Catholic Schools will recognise those staff throughout the diocese who have achieved a significant tenure within the organisation. Each year during Catholic Education Week we acknowledge those who have given 20, 25, 30 ,35, 40 and 45 years of service; whether this has been in the Toowoomba Diocese or across other Catholic Dioceses within Australia.

ST SAVIOUR'S PRIMARY SCHOOL STEM SHOWCASE

The students of St Saviour’s Primary School in conjunction with STEMPunks are very excited to be hosting a STEM Showcase Day to present their learnings in the area of STEM to over 80 students and their teachers from other schools in Toowoomba.

SPIRIT OF CATHOLIC EDUCATION AWARD RECIPIENT ANNOUNCED

Spirit of Catholic Education Award recipient announced.

NOMINEES - SPIRIT OF CATHOLIC EDUCATION AWARDS 2019

Award nominees for the Toowoomba Diocese announced.

TOOWOOMBA CATHOLIC SCHOOLS LAUNCHES NEW RELIGIOUS EDUCATION COURSE FOR SENIOR STUDENTS

A new Religious Education course for Year 11 and 12 students was launched today by the Most Reverend Robert McGuckin, Bishop of Toowoomba and Dr Pat Coughlan, Executive Director: Catholic Schools. The launch was held at St Mary’s College and attended by representatives from secondary schools throughout the Diocese and guest speaker, Fr Richard Leonard.

ST JOHN’S SCHOOL, ROMA STUDENT WINS PRESTIGIOUS STEM AWARD

Amy York, a Year 12 student at St John’s School, Roma has received a Peter Doherty Award for Excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education. The awards recognise students, teachers, support officers, schools and education partners (volunteers, mentors and organisations) who demonstrate an outstanding and innovative contribution to STEM education in Queensland.

STEAM CONFERENCE REGISTRATIONS AT CAPACITY

Nearly 600 students and teachers will attend the It Takes a Spark EDU Conference on Thursday, 9 May to share, network and connect with inspiring industry role models, innovators and universities for a day of interactive STEAM workshops.

DIOCESE OF TOOWOOMBA CATHOLIC SCHOOLS EXCELS IN NAPLAN RESULTS

Toowoomba Catholic Schools is proud to have been recognised by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) for demonstrating substantially above average growth in its NAPLAN results across six of its schools. St Saviour’s College Toowoomba, St Stephen’s School Pittsworth, Sacred Heart Primary School Toowoomba, St Joseph’s School Chinchilla and Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School and St Saviour’s Primary School,Toowoomba all achieved significant growth.

LOS ANGELES RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CONGRESS 2019

Four APREs, Janice Moore, Julieanne Rasmussen, Cate Brennan and Kirsty Lines along with two Education Officers, Tony Worner and Kathy Doherty have just returned from the 63rd LA RE Congress. Approximately 25,000 delegates from around the world attended the Congress.

BLESSING AND OPENING OF NEW DIOCESE OF TOOWOOMBA CATHOLIC SCHOOLS OFFICE

On Friday, March 29 the Diocese of Toowoomba Catholic Schools Office (TCSO) will celebrate a significant milestone with the Official Blessing and Opening of the newly completed Catholic Schools Office.

ST STEPHEN’S SCHOOL, PITTSWORTH SHOWS SIGNIFICANT NAPLAN GAIN IN 2018

St Stephen’s School Pittsworth is proud to have been recognized by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority for demonstrating substantially above average growth in its NAPLAN results. The gains were seen in the Year 3 to Year 5 progress in numeracy. The class had 88% consistency of students over the two-year period demonstrating this improvement.

TOOWOOMBA CATHOLIC SCHOOLS' STUDENT PROTECTION SYMPOSIUM

The Diocese of Toowoomba Catholic Schools will hold their annual Student Protection Symposium tomorrow.

FIRST CROSS COLLEGE CHAPLAIN FOR TOOWOOMBA CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

Ryan Baines is the new Cross-campus Chaplain for Mary MacKillop Catholic College, St Mary’s College, St Saviour’s College and the Youth and Community Learning Centre in the Toowoomba Diocese.

ST MARY'S COLLEGE STUDENT COMPETES IN THE LIONS CLUB YOUTH OF THE YEAR AWARDS

On Saturday, 23 February, St Mary’s College student, Tikiri Lamb, was the only Year 11 student to compete against a field of Year 12 students in the Lions Club Youth of the Year Awards.

PROJECT COMPASSION LAUNCH 2019 - LIVES CHANGE WHEN WE ALL GIVE 100%

Project Compassion, Caritas Australia’s annual Lenten fundraising and awareness-raising appeal was kicked in the Toowoomba this week. Caritas worked with student leaders from Catholic primary and secondary schools in Toowoomba and the surrounding region with a day of training in Just Leadership as part of preparation for implementing a Project Compassion campaign within individual schools.

MEET OUR NEW PRINCIPALS FOR 2019

A warm welcome to all new staff who have joined Toowoomba Catholic Schools (TCS) in various roles this year. Welcome to the new principals in the diocese, some to Toowoomba Catholic Schools for the first time and others to a new role or school.

SUPPORTING GRADUATES TO BECOME EXPERT TEACHERS

St John’s School, Roma is one of Toowoomba Catholic School’s largest P-12 schools with 730 students and is a great place for graduate teachers to start their career.

GRADUATE TEACHER'S FIRST YEAR

Graduate teacher, Jessica Parker talks about her first year as a teacher at Holy Name School, Toowoomba.

RURAL SCHOOL PRINCIPAL RETIRES AFTER 39 YEARS IN CATHOLIC EDUCATION

December 2018 marked the conclusion of a long and successful career spanning 39 years for Principal, Mr Roland (Roly) Poulton.

ST JOSEPH’S COLLEGE PROVIDES MORE THAN AN EDUCATION

St Joseph’s is a Year 7 to 12 co-educational Catholic College where Catholic principles permeate all aspects of College life. Two of the Year 12 students were asked about their experiences at the College.

STEM CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN TOOWOOMBA IN 2019

The “It Takes a Spark” Conference for girls and their teachers will be held in Toowoomba on May 9, 2019. This is the first time this unique Conference will be held in a regional city and will be hosted by St Saviour's College.

TWO MEMBERS OF ST SAVIOUR’S COLLEGE NOMINATED AT WOMEN IN BUSINESS AWARDS

At this year’s Women in Business Awards Jana Mari Dela Cruz, St Saviour’s College Captain was shortlisted in the “Empowering Young Women” category and Principal, Sharon Collins was nominated in the “Women in Business" category and was announced as a finalist for this award. An outstanding achievement for two inspiring leaders.

MATER DEI PRIMARY SCHOOL OPENS NEW BUILDING

On Wednesday, November 21 Mater Dei Primary School celebrated a significant milestone with the Official Blessing and Opening of the newly built Good Samaritan Building.

Bishop Robert McGuckin, Bishop of the Diocese of Toowoomba conducted the ceremony with school leaders and the Mater Dei Choir participating in the service.

ST MARY’S KINDERGARTEN WARWICK WINS CENTACARE AWARD

At the inaugural launch of the annual Centacare Child Care Services Awards of Excellence ceremony held recently in Brisbane, St Mary’s Kindergarten, Warwick were announced as winners of the Parish, School and Community Engagement Award.

GOONDIWINDI STUDENT WINS ICAS AWARD

Thomas Masel, a Year 3 student at St Mary's School, Goondiwindi has achieved the highest score in the ICAS science exam for Year 3.

SACRED HEART PRIMARY SCHOOL CELEBRATES 50 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

Sacred Heart Primary School, Toowoomba is 50! The Sacred Heart Church was opened in 1964 by Bishop Brennan. At that time, the Sacred Heart nuns were based at Freneau Park opposite Clifford Park Race Course. They had set up here at the height of the Second World War when Australia perceived a very real threat of a Japanese invasion. The sisters were planning to return to Brisbane and they gave away their wooden buildings to the various Parishes. The Sacred Heart Church was lucky to receive one of these buildings. The building was repaired and made suitable to be used for meetings and fund-raising functions. This building is now the school’s current day prep building.

THE GROWTH OF CATHOLIC SCHOOLS IN THE TOOWOOMBA DIOCESE

All 31 schools within the Toowoomba Diocese have their individual School Master Plans that are regularly revised to ensure that we are planning for the provision and sustainability of Catholic schooling in the Diocese. These plans take into consideration areas of growth, not just buildings, but overall space including the purchase of land for future schools in areas of growth and need. Sustainability projects also form a part of future initiatives that will include solar PV cell batteries, LED lighting and maintenance planning.

KINDY CHILDREN VISIT ST PATRICK’S PRIMARY SCHOOL, MITCHELL IN PREPARATION FOR 2019 SCHOOL YEAR

Children from the Mitchell Kindergarten will be visiting St Patrick’s Primary School for four Kindy-Prep Transition sessions on a fortnightly basis from 9.00am to 11.00am commencing on Thursday 18 October 2018. The dates for Transition sessions are October 18, November 1, November 15 and November 29. Parents are very welcome to attend these sessions with their children.

DIOCESE OF TOOWOOMBA CATHOLIC SCHOOLS MASS FOR YEAR 12 ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER GRADUATION

The 2018 Diocese of Toowoomba Catholic Schools Mass for Year 12 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Graduation will be held at St Patrick’s Cathedral at 10.30am on Tuesday 16 October. Thirty- four students from across the diocese will participate in the Graduation Mass. In addition to students graduating from Toowoomba schools, students from Dalby, Roma and Stanthorpe schools will also attend the Mass.

LEADING TOOWOOMBA STEM EDUCATORS INVITED TO SPEAK AT NATIONAL CONFERENCE

Three leading STEM educators from Toowoomba Catholic Schools have been invited to speak at a national conference in Melbourne on 16-17 October. Peter Horton and Wayne Williams from St Mary’s College and Stephen Broderick from St Ursula’s College will all speak at the Improving STEM Education Conference.

ST MARY’S COLLEGE, TOOWOOMBA FILLS OVER 400 BACKPACKS FOR THE BACKPACK PROJECT

St Mary’s College Toowoomba’ students have shown their generosity, and want to help others, collecting items that may seem like basic items to many of us, from pencils, to notepads, clothing, towels, toothpaste and soap, all to help others in need. It’s all a part of The Backpack Project, an initiative of Mary’s Meals.

TOOWOOMBA CATHOLIC SCHOOLS OFFICE ENGAGE FOR PLENARY 2020

Toowoomba Catholic Schools Office staff recently held a Reflection Morning to commence their own local engagement for Plenary 2020. The theme of the morning was “Permission to Speak”. Staff had the opportunity to openly listen to, and dialogue, with one another in an informal setting as they discerned how the Catholic Church in Australia might best move into the future.

CATHOLIC EDUCATION AWARD RECIPIENT TO USE BURSARY TO SUPPORT STAFF FORMATION

Cecily Fitzpatrick was recognised for her remarkable contribution to Catholic schools during Catholic Education Week, being named one of Queensland’s Spirit of Catholic Education Award recipients.

ST SAVIOUR’S COLLEGE, TOOWOOMBA OFFERS 8 BURSARIES TO SUPPORT DROUGHT CRISIS

St Saviour’s College is a Catholic day and boarding school for young women in Years 7 to 12. The College is doing their bit for the drought crisis by offering eight bursaries for young women, from Years 7 through to Year 12. The bursaries begin in 2019 and cover 75% of all boarding and tuition fees for the entire duration of the Student’s stay at the college.

ST SAVIOUR’S COLLEGE STEM WORKSHOP–Thursday 13 SEPTEMBER

On Thursday, 13 September, St Saviour’s students will create a virtual landscape of pre-colonial Toowoomba in a STEM Workshop with Brett Leavy. Brett is a Kooma man from Western Queensland who specialises in virtual cultural heritage and digital landscaping.

Media conference to launch a locally produced video called ‘It’s ok to speak up’ for Child Protection Week

Dr Pat Coughlan will launch the ‘It’s ok to speak up’ video at this media conference.

ST JOSEPH’S COLLEGE, TOOWOOMBA – CIRCLE OF SILENCE

St Joseph's College social justice group, Just Joeys, and students of Study of Religion led the whole St Joseph’s College community in a Circle of Silence during assembly on Friday, 24 August.

Budget delivers mixed results for Catholic schools

The federal budget has delivered mixed results for Queensland’s Catholic school sector.

Evacuation at St Joseph's College, Toowoomba

The students and staff of St Joseph’s College Toowoomba underwent a safe and orderly evacuation from school buildings this afternoon, Wednesday, 14 February 2018, after a small fire was detected in one of the server rooms.

Capital funding for Queensland Catholic schools - seeking an election commitment

Catholic schools are continuing to grow and building world class facilities and new schools across Queensland.

Continued funding of the Teacher Capability program beyond 2017 - seeking an election commitment

Continued funding of the Teacher Capability program beyond 2017 will deliver improved outcomes for students in Catholic schools. This successful and valuable program needs to be funded at existing levels over the next four years.

Toowoomba Catholic educator wins Hedley Beare Award

Long-time Catholic education leader Ken Avenell from Toowoomba has been recognised for his contribution to education with the 2017 Hedley Beare Award for Educational Writing from the Australian Council for Educational Leaders.

Kids Connect preparations are well underway

Kids Connect preparations are well underway with students from Mary MacKillop Catholic College. The students from Year 6 are preparing a STEM conference for kids by kids.

Catholic schools seeking election commitments

Catholic schools in Queensland are seeking commitments from all political parties that they will maintain and expand their support for Catholic education to ensure the best possible outcomes for 147,000 students.

Senior debating team win the Queensland Debating Union 2017 grand final

The senior debating team of St Mary’s College is celebrating a well-deserved win this week. Year 12 students: Finn Coleman, Darcy Coleman and Christopher Godfrey won the Queensland Debating Union 2017 Grand Final on Wednesday, 16 August 2017, which was held at Downlands College.

Thank you to professional and school officers

Over 50 Toowoomba Catholic Schools professional and school officers gathered for a thank you breakfast this week.

St Ursula's student in the running for major award

Toowoomba school-based Trainee Chloe Appo has won the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year Award at the South West Darling Downs Regional Final of the Queensland Training Awards.

Catholic Sector Welcomes New Processes Around Accreditation of Non-State Schools

The Queensland Catholic Education Commission (QCEC) has welcomed new legislation that will consolidate and modernise processes around non-state school accreditation in Queensland.

Staff come together to discuss the role of Catholic education in student’s life journey

Each year, during Catholic Education Week, staff from across the Diocese of Toowoomba come together for Bishop’s Inservice Days. This year, these days were held in Cunnamulla, Roma and Toowoomba.

Spirit of Catholic Education award winner goes viral

Fr Ray Crowley is this year’s Spirit of Catholic Education Award recipient. When his win was posted on the Catholic Education Week Facebook page, he had nearly 6000 hits in the first few hours.

Celebrating 45 years of service and acknowledged with a special award

Well known for her love of rural people and communities, Sr Margaret Andersen has dedicated 45 years of her life to Catholic education as a Sister of St Joseph.

GOVERNMENT IMPOSES UNFAIR FUNDING POLICY ON AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLS

National Catholic Education Commission executive director Christian Zahra says while Catholic schools across Australia are bitterly disappointed that the Federal Government has imposed a flawed funding policy on them without consultation, they will today continue to do what they have done for 200 years – provide a great education to one in five Australian students.

Legislation addresses some concerns for Catholic schools Queensland

Catholic schools are now able to plan for the 2018 school year with more certainty following the passage of the Federal Government’s school funding legislation through the Senate early this morning.

Funds being raised to support family of students hurt in traffic accident

Cash donations can be made to Ray White Rural, Pittsworth to help cover costs for the family as they stay in Brisbane as the children recover.

Traffic accident involving students at St Stephen’s School, Pittsworth this morning

This morning two students of St Stephen’s School, Pittsworth were involved in a traffic accident on their way to school.

Queensland Budget steady for Catholic schools

The 2017 Queensland State Budget provided for a steady level of state funding for Catholic education in contrast to the uncertainty at the federal level, Executive Director of the Queensland Catholic Education Commission Dr Lee-Anne Perry said today.

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS STAND UP FOR REAL NEEDS-BASED FUNDING

Catholic education leaders have today told a Senate Committee that they cannot support the Turnbull Government’s school funding policy because it fails to deliver real needs-based funding.

DESPITE CUTS, CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WANT TO KEEP FEES AFFORDABLE

BUDGET LOCKS IN RAW DEAL FOR CATHOLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS

National Catholic Education Commission acting executive director Danielle Cronin says the Federal Budget has confirmed that funding for Catholic school students will increase more slowly than their peers in other schools – and funding will decrease in ACT Catholic schools.

Celebrating teachers

Teachers from across Toowoomba Catholic Schools recently came together for a special breakfast, with a focus on their patron saint, St John Baptist de la Salle.

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS MUST REMAIN AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE TO ALL FAMILIES

The National Catholic Education Commission said today that Catholic schools must remain affordable and accessible to all Australian families.

No funding certainty for Queensland Catholic schools

Queensland Catholic schools face an uncertain future under the Federal Government’s school funding plan announced yesterday.

Recording a song about identity

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students gathered to write a song about being a young person, with a focus on their culture and identity.

Catholic schools singled out for cuts in new funding system

The Federal Government today has unfairly singled out the Catholic schools sector for funding cuts.

Local schools getting even more technical with Digital Literacy Grant

Minister Simon Birmingham has announced that 54 Digital Literacy School Grants have been awarded to schools across Australia. Four local Catholic schools, St Mary’s Warwick, St Patrick’s Allora, St Francis de Sales Clifton and St Maria Goretti Inglewood have been successful in receiving one of the $55,000 grants.