Verbis - Term 4, Edition 4 2023 Verbis - Term 4, Edition 4 2023
23 November 2023
Year of Simplicity - Travelling Lightly
From our College Leadership Team
Principal - Mrs Dale Morrow
Dear Parents and Guardians,
On Tuesday 21 November, we celebrated Presentation Day. It gives us cause to reflect on Nano Nagle as a boundary breaker. When we look at Nano Nagle in her historical and social context, it is clear that she was a woman who was prepared to break boundaries, to challenge existing prejudices and to think differently about the poverty which beset those made poor in Cork.
While Nano lived in a very different world from our own, she gifts us ways of thinking and acting which can challenge us today to act courageously and live out our motto of action not words.
Wherever we are in the world, we are called to respond to poverty and other social injustices. Nano reminds us that we are responding first and foremost to people and that to love one another should be the guiding principle of our lives.
As the year draws to a close, we approach the season of advent. This season is one where we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. We are reminded that Jesus came into this world as a vulnerable little baby in some very difficult circumstances. There was no room anywhere in the inns and so Jesus was born in a stable. This has often been romanticised, but I am sure any woman who has delivered a baby would not choose to do so in a stable. Mary and Joseph like many new parents would have been smitten with the arrival of their son. Jesus of course was also the Son of God so Mary and Joseph were to have many heartbreaks as their son fulfilled his Father’s work.
Jesus’ message was one of love and inclusion. May this Christmas be a challenge for us to be more inclusive and more loving as we celebrate the birth of our Lord.
I would like to wish all families a blessed Christmas and to thank the many families who have entrusted their daughters’ educational journey to St Rita’s. I have been overwhelmed by the many good wishes I have received as I leave this place after 22 years. There are too many fond memories to recall and so many wonderful young people who have taken their next steps into the world. It has indeed been a privilege and a joy to serve this community. I wish Mrs Trims all the very best as she takes on the leadership of the College and I pray that she will be supported as she leads the College through its next phase of development. I hope these holidays are also a time to regenerate and share some precious moments together.
God bless,
Dale Morrow
Staffing Update for 2024
The following staff will be leaving St Rita’s at the end of 2023. We thank them for their service to the College and wish them well in their new roles.
Ellissa Purser, Carmen Anders, Maaike Rutten, Chani Murtagh, Sarah Ha, Greg Thompson, Janet Thomson, Holly Smith, Aaron Wrightson, Jo Ikin and Judith Edwards.
Contracts which will expire at the end of 2023:
Heather Boulton, Cristina Zanfir, Doug Amiss, Syhianne Howlett, Sarah Strang, Sam Green, Dione Parker and Clare Evangelista.
College Holiday Closure
The College will close for the holiday period on Friday 15 December 2023 and will reopen on Tuesday 2 January 2024.
Final Day of School Reminders - Friday 24 November
A reminder that Term 4 concludes at 12.00pm on Friday 24 November, and students are to depart the College at this time.
- Year 5 students can be collected from the Primary Pick Up area from 12:10pm-12:30pm. After this time there will be no supervision.
- Red and White Buses will depart Oriel Road at 12:15pm.
- The Pantry will be open for breakfast and morning tea, with a limited lunch menu available (eg. garlic bread, lasagne, toasted sandwiches). No online ordering will be available.
- The Library will close at 1:00pm. Students must return all outstanding resources to the Library prior to the end of the school year, with the exception of Year 11 Units 3 and 4 texts.
- The Boutique will close at 1.00pm. Orders may still be placed online throughout the holiday period, however if you require your items prior to the holiday period, please order asap and have your child collect your items before the last day of school.
- Students must ensure all items are removed from their lockers and classrooms. There will be no student access to rooms or lockers over the Christmas/New Year break and the same locker and classroom may not be in use in 2024.
- The College uniform must be worn as usual to and from school.
End of Year Parent Survey - Have Your Say
As part of our ongoing commitment to continuous improvement we invite all parents and guardians to participate in our End of Year Survey, where you can share your thoughts on various College activities and operations.
Please take a few minutes to complete the survey by Friday 1 December 2023. Your input plays a vital role in shaping future College initiatives and enhancing the overall experience for our students and College community.
This survey should take approximately 10 minutes to complete and all responses are private and confidential. The Survey is not compulsory; however all parents and guardians are encouraged to participate.
Deputy Principal - Students, Mrs Catherine Allen
Our final Verbis of the year. I hope that all students are entering the holidays with great satisfaction in their efforts. I hope that all families enjoy this Christmas season, filled with love and peace, and many moments for reflection and rejuvenation and some happy dreaming for 2024. Thank you to all those who have supported our many efforts across the school. A school is more than facilities. It is largely defined by its community, and I am privileged to work within this community. Thank you.
There are a number of staff leaving and I thank them and wish all of them well. I would like particularly to thank those working within the pastoral area. Mrs Ha, Head of Xaverian House has worked tirelessly and with wonderful enthusiasm across many years. She has positively impacted the lives of many students and families. We wish Mrs Ha the very best in all aspects of life. Mrs Michelle Siddiqui is taking leave next year too. Mr Michael Scanlan will be acting in her role. I wish Mrs Siddiqui much happiness and enrichment across this time. We welcome Mrs Katrina Gibson back next year as Head of Nagle House, following maternity leave. I will be on long service leave for Semester 1, 2024, and have many wonderful things I am looking forward to experiencing. Mrs Erica Qureshi will be acting in my position.
As you will be aware mobile devices will be banned across schools in Queensland, falling in line with NSW, Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania and South Australia. We have requested that students keep their phones locked in their lockers for many years and this is in line with our existing College policy requesting students not carry or use mobile devices during school hours. Please be advised, that mobiles are to be locked in lockers throughout the school day and no phones or smartphones are to be used when making Pantry or Boutique purchases. Please remind your daughter to familiarise herself with the College’s Acceptable Use of Mobile Phone Policy found here.
From the start of the 2024 school year the College Leadership Team requests that all students only carry subject-related materials for a maximum of two lessons with them at any time (three lessons on Tuesdays). Students can either carry these lesson items in their arms or in the College Tech satchel. All students have an allocated lockable locker on campus which offers a secure location to store additional items such as their College bag, mobile phone, cocurricular uniforms, learning material and lunch box, negating the need to carry heavy bags throughout the campus each school day.
It is recommended that, where possible, the weight carried by students should be less than 10% of their body weight. As the health and safety of our students is our priority we are requesting parent and guardian support as we encourage students to optimise the use of their lockers and carry only what is needed for upcoming lessons. Students can return to their lockers during break times to prepare for their next lessons and collect additional items. Reducing the amount of items carried by students throughout the day will prevent back pain and other associated injuries, such as fatigue, muscle strain, distortion of the spine’s natural curves and rounding of the shoulders. Students can continue to use their current school bag when travelling to and from school.
Each year we have experienced some difficulties with table allocations. You might recall that at the beginning of this year we invited all students to contribute ideas to address this. They were then invited to vote on the process they thought was fairest. The students in the junior years participated in this allocation this week. We all hope that this results in a more harmonious and welcoming start to the new year.
Assistant Principal - Mission, Mrs Erica Qureshi
On Sunday 3 December, Christian Churches around the world will begin to celebrate the season of Advent. This is a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the birth of Jesus at Christmas. It is literally translated from the Latin word adventus, meaning “coming” where Christians anticipate the coming of Christ from two perspectives – the ancient longing for the coming of the Messiah and by being alert for His Second Coming.
Our College community will celebrate our Christmas Mass on Friday. During Advent, the first Sunday’s readings relate to the Old Testament patriarchs and so the first candle to be lit is the Candle of Hope. The second Sunday’s readings tell of the prophesy of Christ’s birth in a manger and so this candle is called the Candle of Bethlehem. These candles are both purple. On the third Sunday of Advent a pink candle is lit, marking the joy of the shepherds. The readings for the fourth Sunday relate to the annunciation of Christ’s birth, so the candle is known as the Angel’s Candle.
And so, it is with joyful anticipation that we await the coming of the Messiah. The season of Advent and subsequent season of Christmas remind us that Jesus remains a powerful living presence amongst and within us. There are many messages we learn from the Christmas story, the main message is that if we want to know about God, we look to Jesus. If we want to know what God wants us to be, we look to Jesus. Without the Christmas story, quite simply, we would know much less about God.
We pray that this season we might accept, as Joseph did; take up challenges, as Jesus did; and say ‘yes’ to serving others, as Mary did. May God bless our community over the Christmas period.
Primary Years News
Head of Primary - Ms Georgina Howard
It has been another exciting term in the Primary Years as we come to the end of our first year as a full Primary cohort. Our Year 6 students are in the final week of their Primary schooling and are looking forward to the adventures that await them in Year 7. As our first Primary cohort, they have journeyed with us as our Primary Years have grown and evolved and we are incredibly proud of the confident young ladies they have become. This week, we celebrated this achievement at our End of Primary Celebration, sharing this special milestone and transition with our Year 6 students and their families.
I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank all those who have been part of our journey this year in Primary. The generosity, support, encouragement and kindness that our Primary students and staff receive as part of our College community is deeply appreciated.
We wish our Primary students and their families a happy and safe Christmas and a well-deserved break over the holidays. See you in 2024!
Year 6 - End of Primary Celebration
This week we joined our Year 6 students and their families for our End of Primary Celebration. It is an exciting and a significant milestone for our Year 6 students as we celebrate not only completing Year 6 and the transition to high school, but the past seven years of Primary schooling. Our Year 6 students helped lead our liturgy and shared reflections on their years in Primary at St Rita's. Mrs Morrow presented certificates to each student to celebrate their completion of Primary school.
At the End of Primary Celebration we announced our inaugural Primary Award, which has been named in honour of Mrs Morrow, whose vision for girls’ education drove St Rita’s to reintroduce the Primary Years back into our community in 2022. From now on, this award will be presented to a Year 6 student who demonstrates remarkable leadership and epitomises our College motto, Virtute non Verbis, in all she does. This award is conferred by all Primary staff, specialist teachers and the College Leadership Team. The Dale Morrow Virtute non Verbis Award for 2023 is awarded to Charlotte P. Charlotte has embodied our College Pillars of courage, hope, compassion, simplicity, justice, and hospitality and leads through her actions, not just her words.
Congratulations to Charlotte and all our Year 6 Students!
Year 5 Showcase
Thank you to the Primary teachers and Primary Specialist teachers for their support and efforts in preparing the girls for our Year 5 Showcase last week. It was wonderful to watch our students proudly share their Year 5 learning experiences with their families, and for our special visitors to witness the joy and enthusiasm of our Year 5 cohort.
The girls gave their visitors a tour of their Primary classroom and shared their learning goals and achievements this year. They then escorted their visitors to the Trinity Auditorium, where they presented snapshots of their learning across German, Technologies, Physical Education. We shared performances from Speech and Communication students and highlights of our Outdoor Education program at Year 5 Camp. The presentations concluded with Musical Theatre performances as part of their studies in The Arts this term.
Primary Awards
Congratulations to the following students who received Primary awards over the last few weeks:
Pillar Awards: Chloe H, Quinn L, Charlotte B, Isabelle G, Havanah G, Ava H, Jessie W, Charlotte P, Alyssa R, Alfia C, Millie F, Elizabeth B
Technology Awards: Congratulations to the Year 6 students who received a Technologies award and amazing prize pack from Mrs Walton, Head of Faculty – Technologies. Our Primary students thoroughly enjoy their Technologies lessons and the games created and coded by Year 6 were exceptional!
Sport Awards: Congratulations to Ruby, Myla, Tilly, Alba, Ciara and Kate on their amazing achievements as Primary Sports Champions for 2023! Your determination and persistence inspires us all and you are wonderful representatives of our Primary Years.
Youth Parliament Members: Our Youth Parliament members received a special certificate to commemorate their time as a member of Brisbane East Youth Parliament. Well done to our Youth Members! You were excellent representatives of our College community.
Debating
The Year 5 and Year 6 QDU competitions concluded in November. It was a successful season with many wins. The debaters learnt many skills from the Year 10, 11, and 12 senior coaches. The Year 6 members expressed they were looking forward to competing as Year 7 students in 2024. We acknowledge the Primary staff for their support with topics, evening debates and follow up.
2024 Primary Sport
Please see the sports section below for information on 2024 sport trials and registrations.
- Current Year 5 (Year 6, 2024) submit your Year 6 2024 sport registration.
- Current Year 6 (Year 7, 2024) submit your Term 1 Wednesday CaSSSA Sport registrations.
Faculty News
Science News
Year 11 Biology Fieldwork
Earlier this month our Year 11 Biologists headed to Toohey Forest to study the local ecology and devise their own experiments. With the help of the wonderful staff from the Environmental Centre, on the first day, the students studied the effects of human impact on the local biodiversity.
Having practiced a range of data collection techniques, they then applied their knowledge to investigate their own research question on the following day.
Despite facing challenges including barbed wire vines, which attacked their legs, and steep hillsides, the students collected an impressive amount of data. They were lucky enough to spot koalas, which have been reintroduced into the forest, as well as other native animals such as a Tawny Frogmouth and Kookaburra. At the centre, they collated and analysed their data, as well as getting the opportunity to feed snakes and handle some of the reptiles.
Science Club
Science ambassadors and Mr Rod Jarret conducted Science Club last week. Students were magicians and made fire in their hands.
Outdoor Education
The Outdoor Education program at the College is carefully designed to give students the opportunity to participate in team activities that develop and enhance resilience and collaboration, alongside their organisational and leadership abilities. Attendance at camp is compulsory for students in Years 5 - 10.
To assist families in their planning for 2024, please take notes of the following dates for camps. Please note, there has been a change to the Year 5 and Year 9 Camp dates published previously.
- Year 5 Camp: QCCC Tamborine: Wednesday 20 - Friday 22 November 2024
- Year 6 Canberra Excursion: Monday 3 - Friday 7 June 2024
- Year 7 Camp: QCCC Mapleton: Wednesday 21 - Friday 23 February 2024
- Year 8 Camp: QCCC Tamborine: Monday 22 - Wednesday 24 April 2024
- Year 9 Camp: QCCC Noosa: Wednesday 24 - Friday 26 July 2024
- Year 10 Camp: Emu Gully: Tuesday 8 - Thursday 10 October 2024
If you ever have any questions relating to our Outdoor Education program, please do not hesitate to contact us at the College.
Mrs Rebecca Balfe
Teacher / Outdoor Education Coordinator
Debating News
Debating Development Day
The Debating Development Day with Nudgee College will be held on Sunday 28 January 2024 for Years 7 to 12. This joint program will help prepare new students for debating and assist returning debaters for the 2024 season. The day will have a series of workshops by experienced QDU adjudicators and coaches from both Nudgee College and St Rita’s College. These will be followed by short prep debates to practice the skills learnt. The relaxed day begins at 9.00am and concludes at 4.00pm with both lunch and morning tea provided. There is no cost however, the registration form is to be returned no later than 23 January 2024. Please click here to register now.
2024 Debating Season - Registration
The Debating season for both QDU (Queensland Debating Union) and BGDA (Brisbane Girls Debating Association) begin early in Term 1 next year. Coaching will begin for many teams in Week 3. Therefore, registration has begun for the 2024 season. Relevant emails have been sent to students with the details for each competition. New debaters are most welcome and will be supported by their coach. Registrations will help organise teams and align to external coaches. Please contact Lorraine Specogna debating@stritas.qld.edu for further enquiries. Please use the following links for registration except for Year 12 who are to email directly.
2024 – Year 7 – https://forms.office.com/r/cKAV52fG41
2024 – Year 8 – https://forms.office.com/r/wufJd1rdgL
2024 - Year 9 – https://forms.office.com/r/qdmjJFaBa9
2024 – Year 10 – https://forms.office.com/r/9b22vB4MJu
2024 – Year 11 (Also in Senior A) (Not in Senior A) – https://forms.office.com/r/fdaAfRwk4g
Social Science
Year 11 Modern History to the Queensland Holocaust Museum
On 24 October the Year 11 Modern History class took part in an excursion to the new Queensland Holocaust Museum, in the Brisbane CBD. The students are currently studying the Unit 3 Topic of Nazi Germany. The excursion allowed students to engage with sources relating to the persecution and ultimately genocide of six million European Jews during World War II, which assisted their learning leading up to their IA1 examination.
The Students also had the privilege of listening to a Holocaust survivor, who was a young child at the time, but recounted the story of his survival in the Concentration Camp system, that was passed down from his parents, and the stories of the people who had the courage to help his family survive.
In a time of great international turmoil, this excursion was a timely reminder of the complexities and injustices minority groups have faced in our history.
Speech and Communication
Empower your child with the ability to articulate and advocate through Speech & Communication Tuition. A contemporary elocution and public speaking program to create confident, clear, communication savvy individuals; ready to navigate the world today.
Our comprehensive support not only addresses public speaking apprehension, but offers numerous performance and presentation opportunities for students to refine their craft.
School oral support, speech writing, AMEB exams, eisteddfod opportunities and more.
For further information and fees, please contact:
Ms Hannah Jones - speech@stritas.qld.edu.au
School Years 5 - 12. Private and Small Group Options. Limited Places. Current student enrolment carries over.
Design and Technology
Design & Technology Students have been busy exploring factors that impact design decisions and the technologies used to design and produce products. Students have created, adapted, and refined their design ideas to produce a solution. The enthusiasm and creativity demonstrated is a constant source of enjoyment for their teachers.
Music News - Mr Craig Kennedy, Head of Cocurricular Music
Year 12, 2023
It was a beautiful celebration for the entire Year 12 cohort last Friday at the Graduation Mass at Eagle Farm Racecourse. Once again, our Liturgy Choir and Ensemble added a special touch to the Mass with music throughout. Music is such an important part of these whole College celebrations and the quality and professionalism that all these students show each time is to be commended. I am sure that all the Year 12 students and their families appreciate the effort, preparation and commitment to these important events.
Congratulations also to two of our graduating students Jade Kelly and Mia Hunt who have been accepted into the Queensland Conservatorium for next year. Jade has been accepted for Classical Voice and Mia for Jazz Voice. Mia will also be joined by 2022 alumnae Annie Dougherty who has also been accepted into the jazz course for next year. This is a testament to the dedication and commitment these students have put in over many years to develop their skills and we wish them all the best with their studies next year.
Christmas Concerts
There was tinsel and Christmas accessories galore at our Christmas concerts held on Monday and Tuesday of this week. It really is a great way to round off the year with so much joy and good will. On Monday afternoon our Guitar Ensemble and Jazz Bands got us in the swinging festive mood and then on Tuesday we were delighted with a feast of Christmas music from around the world and throughout the ages from our bands, string ensembles and choirs.
Our Music Department really is a special community, and it is at concerts like these that we see the enjoyment that music brings to the performers and audience alike. I would like to wish all the students, parents and families in our community a relaxing and rejuvenating holiday season and we look forward to sharing some more special memories with you in the new year.
Senior Music Camp
At the start of each year our senior core ensembles board the bus to travel to Mt Tamborine for Senior Music Camp. Usually this would occur at the end of the first week of Term 1 however, due to Australia Day falling on the Friday at the end of Week 1 and the campsite being unavailable on this day, it has been necessary to bring forward the dates for camp. Therefore, dates for camp next year will be from Friday 19 to Sunday 21 January 2024. This camp is by invitation only and students who are members of a senior core ensemble will have received an invitation via Operoo this week.
End of 2023, Start of 2024
As we come to the end of the year, we would like to remind students that they will need to take their instrument home for the holidays. If instruments are left here after this Friday, students will be called to collect their instrument next week while the College is still open.
All lessons and rehearsals will recommence in Week 2 of Term 1, from the week commencing Monday 29 January. Students should check their MySRC calendar during Week 1 which will show their lesson and rehearsal times. The Music Office will be open over the holiday period but closed from Monday 18 December and will reopen on Tuesday 2 January.
Sport News - Mr Joshua White, Director of Sport
Water Polo
The first half of BWPI has wrapped up for the 23/24 summer season of Water Polo. We have seen some awesome results and we are very proud of everyone’s efforts on game days and at training sessions. The second half of the season kicks off on the first week back at school next year.
The Australian Youth Carnival is taking place over the Christmas holidays, and we are super excited to see all our teams in action. We have U12s, U14’s, U16’s and U18’s Teams attending the competition. This is the highest number of teams we have ever sent to AYC which is amazing.
Water Polo Queensland have released dates for State Titles that will be held next year.
We are giving this information out as a save the date and will be in touch at the start of next year with more details for this event.
Location: Sleeman Sports Complex (Chandler)
Dates:
- 3 – 6 April – 14&U and 18&U Age Groups
- 8 – 11 April – 12&U and 16&U Age Groups
Primary School Sport in 2024
Registrations for Term 1, 2024 Sport for Year 5 and 6 students are now open, click on the links below to register your interest in Touch football, Tennis, Swimming.
Click here for Year 6 2024 registration (Current Year 6 students)
Click here for Year 5 2024 registration (New Year 5, 2024 students)
For more information please email: scaruana@stritas.qld.edu.au
Netball
CaSSSA Junior Netball is coming to a close with finals being played this week. All our teams have played amazingly and we will have six of our eight teams playing off for a podium finish. A big thank you to everyone who has contributed to netball this year.
A reminder that Club Netball registrations are open and will close on Friday 24 November with trials happening in mid January. Click here to register. We welcome help from parents in a managing role and we may have a few Club coaching roles for any experienced coaches. Contact the netball department for more information netball@stritas.qld.edu.au
We welcome our new Netball Captains Portia C and Gemma W who have jumped in this term to help with our Juniors and will be a big presence in 2024.
CaSSSA Wednesday Sport
We are heading into our final round of CaSSSA AFL & Basketball this week. It has been a great season, and we thank all the students and coaches for their commitment and effort shown. After Round 6 our Inter D Basketball team are coming home strong and are currently sitting 2nd on the ladder. Our Junior AFL teams are also currently sitting 3rd (Junior B) and 2nd (Junior D) on their ladders. We wish our teams all the best with their final two games of the season. We have now held our Term 1 CaSSSA Sport trials, with teams published on MySRC this week. We look forward to a big 2024 of CaSSSA Sport and thank everyone for their involvement and participation this year.
Touch Football
BMTA (Brisbane Metropolitan Touch Association) and CaSSSA Primary Touch Trials
Last Monday 6 November, we held our BMTA (Brisbane Metropolitan Touch Association) and CaSSSA Primary Touch trials at Gibson Park, Stafford. There were over 50 new incoming students who joined our current cohort of Touch players making a total of at least 110 players being taken through Touch skills, drills, and games. This was a terrific opportunity for some of our new incoming Year 5 & 7 students to have their first experience within an SRC Sporting program. It also allowed students to get to know some fresh faces from their 2024 cohort. A great afternoon was had by all, and we are excited to see our Touch program grow into 2024. A second trial will be held for all age groups on Monday 27 November, with our U11 & U13 trials being held at 4.00pm – 5.30pm and our U15 and Open age groups being held 6.45 - 8.30am at Gibson Park, Stafford.
BMTA Touch Football
Season 2 BMTA Touch Football finished for 2023. It has been a massive season of Touch with some fantastic results rounding out our year. Massive Congratulations to our 15s, 13s and 11s teams who all competed in Grand Final Appearances last Thursday 16 November. Extra Congratulations must go to our 13s and 11s teams who won their respective Grand Final Games in what was their first season out at BMTA, huge achievement.
Congratulations to our Season 2 Touch Medal Winners who were presented with their awards at the Touch Presentation morning on Wednesday 15 November. We thank the Sporting Committee parents, Touch parents and Mr White who assisted with cooking and providing a delicious breakfast! It was a great morning to celebrate all that has been achieved by our Touch players this year.
Library News
Library Overdue Resources
Students with outstanding library resources have received an overdue notice this week. Please ask your child to visit the library if there are any issues with their library loans, as all accounts must be reconciled by the end of the year. Any last-minute returns will be accepted up to and including 28 November 2023, after which a fee notice will be issued.
If students borrowed a book from the library within the last week, then they are welcome to keep it for the duration of the holidays.
Rita’s Top Reads 2023
Here are our top reads from this year as voted by our Library Team. Our community partner RiverBend Books has also recently released the Summer Reading Guide and will be happy to help you with all your holiday reading needs: https://riverbendbooks.com.au/
We love supporting local booksellers who are essential hubs for our community.
Summer Reading
College Notices
Enrolment Applications for Year 5, 2025 and Year 7, 2027
As a highly regarded Catholic independent school for girls in Years 5 to 12, demand for places at St Rita’s College is always high. If you have family or friends interested in a St Rita's education for their daughter please encourage them to submit an application or register an expression of interest.
Enrolment applications for Year 5, 2025 and Year 7, 2027 (girls in Year 3, 2023) are currently open and will close on 25 January 2024.
Enrolment applications for entry into Year 5 or Year 7 can only be accepted from Year 3.
Applications are to be completed online via the College website.
Important Dates
Upcoming Dates to Note
- Friday 24 November - Christmas Liturgy and Last Day of School
- Tuesday 28 - Wednesday 29 November - Murgon Immersion
2024 Term 1 Dates:
- Monday 22 January - New Year 7 student and New Students (Years 8-11) Connection Day
- Tuesday 23 January - Years 5, 7, 11 and 12 students commence
- Wednesday 24 January - Years 6, 8, 9 and 10 students commence
For further 2024 College dates, please click here.
College Events
Year 12 Graduation
Our class of 2023 concluded their schooling with their Graduation Mass last Friday evening.
We are proud of the women they have become and will watch with great pride at the impact they will make in the world.
We also thank our graduating families for entrusting their daughter’s education and care to us and feel honoured to have your family as part of our College community. Just as we encourage our students to savour the moments and memories of their final days at SRC, we hope our graduating parents have enjoyed the celebrations, and we invite you to remain connected with the College long into the future.
Service Roster
Big Brekky
Students are to meet the supervising staff member at Student Services at 6.00am. Students are to wear modest comfortable clothing.
Tuesday 28 November: Mr Guthrie will accompany Charlotte W and Makalya W
Tuesday 5 December: Mrs Trims will accompany Celeste A, Ella C and Molly T
Tuesday 12 December: Mrs McGrath will accompany Amy H, Hedya S, Ava C and Anabel S
Tuesday 9 January: Mrs Specogna will accompany Sylvia R and Abbey M
Tuesday 16 January: Lucy T and Izzy L
Tuesday 23 January: Lily K, Amelie D, Georgia K and Olivia R
Boutique News - Tech Satchels and Locker Locks
Year 7, 2024
Tech Satchels
If you have purchased a Tech Satchel for your daughter to use in Year 7, please be aware of the requirements regarding lunch bags as per the uniform guide extract below:
Tech Satchels are for Secondary Year Level students only and may be used as a regular school bag. As such, they can be carried to and from school. Students are not permitted to carry non-College lunch bags outside of any school bag to and from school. A House-coloured Carabiner allows students to hook their College Lunch Bag onto the Tech Satchel and backpack.
Locker Locks
Students in the Secondary School are issued with a locker which needs to be locked at all times. As such, students will need to bring a combination lock to school on their first day (no key locks please). The Boutique now offers a new combination lock which can be reset when students forget their combination. Our trusty Maintenance Team can unlock their lock with a master key and remind students of their combination instead of cutting the lock off to gain access to their locker. This saves the expense of buying additional locks throughout the year. Locks can be purchased online via the Boutique and can be collected on the first day of school or via any external supplier.
Return to School Hours 2024
Online Orders can be made any time during the school holidays via the Qkr! App and collected on return to school or during the return to school opening hours below.
For your convenience, the Boutique will be open in January prior to the school year starting for those students needing uniform supplies.
Monday 15 January to Thursday 18 January 2024 – Open to All Year levels – 12.00pm to 3.00pm only
Friday 19 January 2024 – Year 7 Only - Uniform Exchange/Collection Day – 8.00am to 3.00pm (Alternatively students may collect outstanding backorders on their return to school)
Monday 22 January 2024 - Open to All Year levels – 8.00am to 3.00pm only
Tuesday 23 January 2024 – Resume normal Boutique hours as per below.
Friday 26 January – Closed – Australia Day Holiday
The Boutique has moved to Qkr!
Qkr! (pronounced 'quicker') is a mobile app designed to provide a seamless and convenient online ordering and payment process. The College first introduced Qkr! in January, with the launch of online ordering for The Pantry via the app. Now, we are proud to provide easy access to our online Boutique catalogue via the same platform.
Qkr! has replace our current online ordering website for the Boutique. Getting started is easy - simply download the Qkr! app on your Apple or Android device, then find St Rita’s College in the app, by searching for 'St Rita' and create a student profile for each of your children. You will be asked to provide your student’s ID number, so please have this ready. Click here for full step-by-step instructions. Parents who prefer to use website ordering can create their account and log in at: https://qkr-store.qkrschool.com/.
Product categories from the old website have been mapped over to Qkr!, for your convenience. We have also kept the option to arrange product fittings at the College, if required.
Orders received prior to 9.00am Tuesday-Friday will be available to collect from the Boutique from 11.00am the same day. Orders received after 9.00am will be available for collection the following business day after 11.00 am.
Should you have any questions regarding the new ordering process, please contact our Boutique Coordinator, Laurinda Plant via: boutique@stritas.qld.edu.au.
Boutique Opening Hours
Monday - Closed
Tuesday - Friday: 7.30am - 9.00am & 11.00am - 3.30pm
Term Time only - All orders placed over the school holidays will be available for collection on return to school.
Community Notices
Murri Ministry Christmas Appeal
The Murri Ministry are seeking donations of Non-perishable Christmas food items. For further information, click here.
Kedron Lions - 2024 Registration
The Kedron Lions are looking to recruit students in their community football club for the 2024 season. For further information, click here.
