Term 3 Week 10 College Newsletter
Acknowledgement of Country
From the Principal
Dear Parents and Caregivers,
Remembering Her Majesty
Most members of the College community would have never known a sovereign other than Queen Elizabeth II. I believe we were all shocked last Friday when her death was announced that she would be no longer in that position. Not only was she the longest-serving monarch, with seventy years on the throne, but she was also the most widely traveled head of state in the world, making her one of the most influential figures in modern history.
Whether you are a royalist or not she was a wonderful leader, committed to her faith and the dignity of every person she would meet. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II once stated about her leadership: “I know of no single formula for success. But over the years I have observed that some attributes of leadership are universal and are often about finding ways of encouraging people to combine their efforts, their talents, their insights, their enthusiasm, and their inspiration to work together”.
Her Majesty in 1953 was thrown into a leadership role as a young woman, and despite the many challenges she faced during her life, nonetheless demonstrated tenacity, yet humbleness amid great adversity and personal sacrifice and pain. She did not shy away from her faith and her reliance on God for wisdom, strength, and desire to be faithful. This is a model for all of us as we encounter challenges in our own life.
As we mourn her death, let us give thanks for the wonderful legacy she has left us all. Her Majesty will be remembered for her leadership skills, charity, humanitarianism, international ties, stability and of course, her role as a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. May we as a College community continue, like Queen Elizabeth II, to be servant leaders to reach out to others with dignity and respect and actively live the Gospel values each day.
Staff News
It is with great disappointment that I announce that both Brian Hawke and Dannielle Charge will be finishing at the College this week. Mr. Brian Hawke has been a teacher at the College for some 24 years and has touched the lives of many students. Brian has actively been involved in our co-curricular programs within the College and we will miss his presence on the campus. Brian has been successful in a teaching position at Townsville Christian College. Dannielle Charge, one of our Counsellors, will also be leaving. Dannielle has been at the College for some eight years and has supported so many of our students in her counselling role and has been pivotal in our Peer Support Program. Dannielle has been successful as a Team Leader at Burdekin Mental Health Service with Queensland Health. We wish them all the best.
Also, congratulations to Mr. Drew Thompson who will be getting married during the holidays. We wish Drew and his partner Princess, all the best on their journey together.
Reflecting on Term Three
After three quarters of the academic year the students and staff of the College are looking forward to a well-earned break. Term Three has been a busy and exciting one, filled with the challenges of study and many achievements. As a College we have participated in many sporting activities (winning a few finals!), had parent information evenings, camps, retreats, book week, school photos and athletics carnival to name a few. As with any time that we take a rest from the hectic pace of the day-to-day, the break provides an opportunity to take stock of our personal and collective progress. We are blessed to have many students who excel in a wide range of activities. We celebrate their achievements. In addition, we applaud those whose stories are not always told, but have achieved their personal goals. For some, these goals have been reached in the classroom where dedication and persistence has paid dividends. Not every student at Iggy Park will be an academic world-beater, but every student can set goals that will challenge them to improve. To all who have taken up this challenge and stuck with it, I offer you my congratulations. I hope your gratitude mindset allows you to say thank you to God, your teachers, your parents and to yourself.
Taking stock is not only about recalling our successes; it also involves facing up to those times where we have missed the mark; our blind spots. As students reflect on Term Three, some will acknowledge that the effort may not have been enough. This is not always determined by the result, but by the self-knowledge that the potential was there to do better. At Iggy Park there is no such thing as failure; but there are opportunities to learn from our mistakes and to grow through our setbacks. When you do get your results, whatever they may be, leave them room for improvement, I hope there is time for reflection over these holidays.
Celebrating 53 Years
Last week the College celebrated our 53rd Anniversary Mass with Bishop Tim Harris as our celebrant. The mass focused on our 2022 College theme “Every Stride Done with Pride”. In my introduction to the mass I stated:
Our scripture associated with our theme comes from Psalms 119 and states: “Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path”. Even though our theme this year is about setting high expectations for ourselves, it also is about developing deep relationships, not only with your parents, your teachers, your fellow students but ultimately with God. Every stride we take will have its ups and downs, but Psalm 119 reminds us that God's Word is a gleaming lamp to our feet that will guide us through the hard times and will also be a shining light to brighten the pathway we take.
This scripture is our secure guidebook, that continually calls us to return into a right relationship with the Lord when we abandon the road of righteousness or stray from the path of peace. The Word of God is an inextinguishable lamp to guide us along the right path, and it is a radiant light that banishes the shadows of uncertainty, by illuminating the next step in this uncertain world.
As we celebrate this Anniversary Mass, may we like Blessed Edmund Rice and the Christian Brothers be inspired by God’s word, not only does it brightens our pathway, guards us on our journey through life but it is a treasure-trove of precious gemstones to be hidden deep within our heart - for it contains words of wisdom to guide our thinking, precious promises to encourage our hearts, godly instruction on how to live as the Lord desires us to live, and it is the perfect pattern for Christian living to Seek Truth in our daily conduct.
May our College theme “Every stride down with Pride” calls us to inwardly digest the Word of God, and to guard it within our hearts, for it is a lamp to our feet, a light to our path, and it brightens up every corner of our lives. This is the spirit of Iggy Park and we need to ensure that God’s word is always integrated into our College values of Integrity, Pride and Commitment.
These holidays we have our basketballers will compete in the CBSQ competition in Brisbane and the rowers competing in the state regatta in Bundaberg, we have also five students from the College attending a leadership conference run by Br. Damien Price cfc and EREA at Nudgee College. We wish all our students all the best in these events.
I wish all members of our College community a restful break and remind parents and students that Term Four commences on Tuesday, 4th October.
Live Jesus in our Hearts. Forever.
Shaun Clarke | Principal
Identity and Mission
Dear Parents and Carers,
Last week we celebrated our Anniversary Mass with Bishop Tim. While it was a quitter affair this year unfortunately falling in Senior Exam block, it was a great occasion, nonetheless. Bishop Tim posed the challenge to our boys and all of us: “be more Christ like in everything you do, and it will al fall into place around you…” A great message to lead into activities week and the holidays. I thank Fr. Rod Ward and Nathaniel Barton (Year 11 Putney) for assisting Bishop Tim in the Mass.
The Church of Mercy
Lost sheep, lost coins, lost sons. In the parables of Jesus, things and people get lost and found a lot. In our own experience, a lot gets lost along the way of life. Everything from socks and keys to health and love. And some things stay lost.
The value of what gets lost in our lives varies incalculably, just as it does in Jesus’ stories. Sometimes we lose money or a job, and that can have profound consequences. But those losses are not even in the same category as losing someone you love to death or losing your independence as your body fails. As we suffer the great losses in our lives, even when someone or something seems hopelessly and irretrievably lost, Jesus assures us he is on the other end, retrieving and rescuing. That is God’s job briefly, according to the Christian tradition: to save what was lost. To redeem a world. To make sure that everything lost gets found.
Which kinds of losses have you faced? Do you trust God to find and restore the rest?
When friends lose their faith, encourage them. When people you know lose heart, support them. When strangers lose their homes in disaster, contribute toward their rescue. When members of your community lose a loved one, mourn with them. And when those around you experience restoration of a loss, celebrate with them.
“Count on it - there’s more joy in heaven over one sinner’s rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue."
Have a great holiday break.
Mark Holmes | Director - Identity and Mission
Anniversary Mass
Pathways Hub
Holiday Placements
During the September school holidays we have 14 students out doing work experience. It is now too late to register for anymore, however, you can still register for Christmas Holidays. Work experience is a fantastic opportunity for students to gain an insight into career matches and determine potential future pathways post school. If you would like more information about how to organise work experience, please contact Ms. Campbell or Mrs. Vignale in the Pathway Hub.
Green Cards
We would like to thank all teachers and parents who assisted in getting most of our students up to date with their Certificate subjects. This is a reminder to our students to keep on top of your work. At least 10 hours per week means that this always happens.
SET Plans Interviews
Thank you to our parents and students who have completed their SET Plan Interviews. There are still a few outstanding but we are getting to them as quickly as possible. Also, a reminder to complete all your paperwork for Industry Placement and return this to the Pathway Hub to secure your place for next year. Thank you to the families who have already completed and returned their VET/Blended pathway packs.
Vet and Industry Placement (Blue Forms)
At the start of next term, Year 11s who are currently doing Industry Placement will receive a form from their homeroom teachers. This is to organise their Industry Placement for 2023, even if they are returning to the same employer a new contract will need to be signed. This needs to be completed and returned as quickly as possible to the pathway hub, by the Monday of Week 4. This helps us to make way for the new year 11s in 2023.
We would like to wish all families a safe and happy holiday. Take this time to rest as Term 4 will be terribly busy. A reminder, Week 5 of Term 4 is Industry Placement week for year 11s.
Kelsie Campbell | Acting Program Leader - Pathways
Counsellors' Corner
I wanted to send a farewell to the parents and students of the Ignatius Park Community. Over the past almost 8 years I have had the privilege of meeting and working with the most amazing young people and their families.
In listening to the amazing young men, we have in our community, in hearing their stories, getting to understand their values and beliefs along with the hopes that they have - I leave the College knowing that we are in the best of hands for the future.
Thank you to IPC for welcoming me into your community –I hope that I have helped a few young men and their families along the way. I will definitely miss the “hey Miss” from the students– so if the boys see me around in the community – tell them not to be shy and still say “Hi!”
Dannielle Charge | Student Counsellor
School Bus Services
Townsville and Magnetic Island
Please see attached notice regarding update on school bus services – Townsville and Magnetic Island.
Enrolments News
The College are accepting Enrolments for Year 7 students starting in 2024. We encourage all our existing families if you have a younger Son/s due to attend in 2024 to please enrol them as soon as possible.
2023 Enrolment confirmations
Current families we wish to confirm enrolments for 2023 for Years 7 to 11. If you are planning on exiting the College at the end of 2022, please email Enrolments@ipc.qld.edu.au.
Thank you
Kerry Shephard | Admissions and Enrolment Officer
School Fees
Please be informed that timely payment of the School Fees is mandatory. If you have defaulted a timely payment, or have outstanding fees, please pay in full as soon as possible. Please contact the College Finance Team at finance@ipc.qld.edu.au or call (07) 4796 0222 if you need any further information.
Edstart
Ignatius Park has partnered with Edstart to assist parents to manage their School Fee payments. You can pay weekly, fortnightly or monthly by choosing a plan that suits your budget. This is an application-based process. There are no credit applications and no transaction fees or interest charges when using Edstart Pay+ for your IPC fees.
Visit edstart.com.au/ipc for more information on Edstart payment options.
Vilton Crasto | Business Manager