St Teresa’s Agricultural College, 3819 Abergowrie Road, Abergowrie QLD 4850T 07 4780 8300 F 07 4777 4721 E boarding@abergowrie.catholic.edu.au W www.abergowrie.catholic.edu.au0 8

Abergowrie College

The PointTerm 2012

ISSUE 552

Contents

“Reap what you sow”

Front page image:Darius Morton (Year 8- Palm Island)and Stewart Noomi (Year 11 - PNG)

Dear Parents/ Caregivers,

Welcome to this edition of The Point. My thanks to Christian Gordon for another edition; this is an important contact with our families. I would encourage you to visit the website as this has recently been updated.

The boys are on the verge of the holidays and we have asked them to spend some time with the younger boys in the community chatting about future attendance at Abergowrie. Pathways to University, TAFE and the Defense Forces are available to the boys. Their living conditions are exceptionally good, medical assistance is readily available, they are healthily isolated from distractions of the city or large regional centres while still able to access all the benefi ts, including sporting participation, of living close to Townsville and Cairns.

We realize that it is an expensive proposition but please feel welcomed to visit the school when convenient. Proposals for the formation of a School Board are being considered as we feel that parental/family collaboration is critical to the future of the school. We are planning for a consultation process to begin in term 3. Please let us know if you are interested in enhancing our capability to better care for your sons.

Reports are due soon after the holidays. The areas of Application and Conduct very good indicators of your son’s progress; please be patient with your boys in the junior years as we are compelled to report to the levels of achievement embedded in the Australian Curriculum. As this process of benchmarking is mandatory, it does make it very hard for our boys to achieve high levels when English is not their fi rst language and their mastery of academic English is low. Once again, be patient; we are endeavouring to overcome these issues and lay the foundation for better success in the later grades.

Another letter will come your way mentioning three areas that we are striving to embed in the culture of the school. They are: getting to the correct class on time, participating respectfully while in class and responding immediately to direction. The boys have the capacity to engage well with their academic program and the progress towards the end of this term has been encouraging.

Thank you for your support of the College. Please continue to encourage the boys in your communities to consider coming to Abergowrie. We believe that attendance here is a once in a lifetime opportunity to meaningful participation in the local and global community.

Kind regards, Bill

Bill Ahern PRINCIPAL

E bahern1@abergowrie.catholic.edu.au P 07 47808 300

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2012 TERM DATES

TERM 3 16 July -

20 September

TERM 48 October -

29 November

3. Student Leadership Induction 4. Swimming Carnival 6. Welcome to Year 8’s7. Community Groups 8. Rugby League 10. Residential 14. Outstanding Achievements 15. Building developments

2012 BOARDERS LONG WEEKEND DATES

TERM 3 17 August - 20 August

TERM 4 2 November - 5 November

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The Point is Abergowrie College’s Residential Magazine that aims to connect our families with activities in the College.

Information is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of printing. Christian Gordon EDITOR

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This term the College launched our new website, full of a range of information and up to date news.

Some features include, an online line leave application form, up to date school and boarding calendar, recent news highlights, enrolment information as well as an old boys regrestration section.

Log on now to www.abergowrie.catholic.edu.au

St Teresa’s College is seek ing nominations for community representatives, parents and/or

carers for a:

Community Consultation Committee

This committee will assist in the development of the vision and mission of St Teresa’s and share their views about:

Curriculum• Residential life • Pastoral Care • Catholic and Christian identity • Culture •

For a nomination form, please contact boarding@abergowrie.catholic.edu.au

by 27 July 2012.

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Cross Country 2012

Champion House 1st Doyle 284 points2nd McGuire 253 points 3rd Doran 226 points4th Ryan 224 points

Age Champions 13’s Mark Rosendale14’s Travis Gulliver15’s Mylee Nona16’s Wilfred UiduldumO pen Isaiah Wigness

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Cross Country 2012

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2012 Torres Strait Community Visit

Staff from St Teresa’s College, spent their Term One holidays travelling to the Torres Strait Islands to meet with current families and O ld Boys.

This was the fi rst visit for newly appointed Principal - Mr Bill Ahern , APRE - Mrs Tess Fong and TCEO Education Consultant - Mary Ellen Pattinson.

Throughout the week the team visited ten different communities - including Hammond Island, Horn Island, Thursday Island, Saibai Island, Moa Island (Kubin Community), Badu Island, Bamaga, Coconut Island, Yam Island and Darnley Island.

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2012 Torres Strait Community Visit

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Term Two Rugby League

13’s Beat ISHS lost to Iggy, Kirwan, Gilroy

14’s Beat ISHS, GIlroy lost to Iggy, Kirwan

15’s Beat ISHS, Gilroy, Bentley Park lost to Iggy, Kirwan

O pens Beat ISHS, Gilroy, Ryan lost to Iggy, Trinity Bay, Kirwan

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Residential Report Term 2We are already half way through 2012 and all I can say is WOW!Once again the boys have been kept occupied with a range of activities and events, including Cowboys games, State of Origin, school photos, club football, cross country, night fi shing trips to Lucinda and not to forget 3D movies at Events Cinemas in Townsville. …

Benjamin Dormitory is close to re-opening its doors and will be ready for Year 11 boys for the start of Term Three, after receiving a $1.25million face-lift that offers boys more privacy and night study areas. The dormitories are all fully air-conditioned and have Wi-fi access throughout. On the 5 September, Bishop Putney will offi cially re-open and bless the dorms that will be followed by the Annual Formal Dinner.

Our staff have been kept busy this term as they continue to care for the boys. Many Residential Staff have spent hours with football teams – including Mr Willie Morganson, Mr Paul DeZolt and Mr Simon McDonald. Mr Joe Pennisi, continues to run coaching clinics on Monday evenings which are proving to be more and more popular. Our school nurse, Mr David Wardle is kept busy ensuring that the boys health and well-being is always number one priority. This term we have had hearing and eye tests as well as the arrival of the Queensland Health mobile dental van.

We have been work ing in consultation with the

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Student Representative Council (SRC) and Catercare in a review of the food menus for next term and look forward to the changes. All menus are now available on the College website.

This term I have met with the Abstudy Management, who have worked tremendously hard with QBT to coordinate travel for students across Australia. It was pleasing to be able to resolve so many questions and concerns we had and to ensure we have best practices in place.

I have recently joined our Principal, Mr Bill Ahern and made some community visits including the Torres Strait Islands and Palm Island. It is refreshing and motivating to get both positive and constructive feedback from our parents and families. I look forward to visiting even more communities in the second half of this year.

The boys should certainly be congratulated for their fi ne efforts this semester, I hope they enjoy their holidays and I look forward to the second half of 2012.

Christian Gordon – HEAD OF BOARDING E cgordon@abergowrie.catholic.edu.au P 47808 335

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Old Boys News… Dear Past Students,Gentlemen, it is a privilege to write to you. My knowledge of the College is growing and, while I am aware of the changed nature of Abergowrie, I have become convinced of the strong attachment that exists among past pupils and their families.I was recently home in Bowen and ran into the Brazil family who spoke glowingly of their connection to St. Teresa’s. In the retelling of their memories, among so many comments, it was mentioned that young John Brazil was awarded the honour of being elected School Vice Captain in 1995. Ed Giacobone is currently engaged with the refurbishment of the Benjamin dormitory and I noted that he was the Best All-round Sportsman of 1965. The Honour Board is about to be updated, and it was with some personal pride, that I remember John Pilcher pushing me around the block, in Queens Beach, Bowen, as a small boy in many of our ‘Billy-cart’ races. The Honour Board itself is there in memory of John who died as a young man.Many of you who have not visited the College in recent years would be impressed with the scope of capital works. The new Hall has yet to be offi cially opened, Benjamin Dormitory is being refurbished and we have been selected to receive $1.2 million to build the fi rst Training Centre for Indigenous Primary Health located in an Australian School. The care given to the boys is exceptional. The Bishop and the Catholic Education Offi ce do need to be congratulated for this work very much dedicated to our Indigenous communities.I am strongly encouraging you to keep a weekend free in late August or early September in 2013 to help celebrate the fi rst 80 years of the College. We are awaiting confi rmation from Bishop Michael before deciding on a date which will be forthcoming in the near future.Brother Tony white will be at the College on the weekend of June 30th, July 1st, 2012, to celebrate the reunion of the 1962/3 senior class and, at that time, assist in the planning of the 80th anniversary. If you are interested in becoming part of an organising committee, please phone the College on 07-47808300 during school hours or email oldboys@abergowrie.catholic.edu.au It is hoped that the O ld Boys association with the College will not cease but steadily build and become part of an inspiring initiative undertaken by the Church. Five of us visited the Torres Strait at the end of Term 1, and I have rarely been moved to such an extent by the spirituality of our families. We bedded down each night on Horn Island, the aviation centre for the Torres Strait, and it was there that I ran into one of the Abergowrie O ld Boys from the Tableland and he clearly remembered my brother Patrick as one of his classmates from the very early 70’s. Our thanks to Annette Pennisi for her work in reaching out to you. God’s blessing and stay in touch.

Bill Ahern PRINCIPAL

E bahern1@abergowrie.catholic.edu.au P 07 47808 300

Do you recognise someone in these photos? or are one of these you?

If so, contact us: oldboys@ abergowrie.catholic.edu.au

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O ld Boys win Elections –

Pat Ernst Townsville City Council Years attended 1978-1979

Lawrence Molachino Hinchinbrook Shire Council Years Attended 1960-1963

Dwayne Bowen Hopevale Council Years Attended 1991-1994

Alf LaceyMayor of Palm Island Years Attended 1982-1983

Just married: Troy Gallagher (1992-1996) Heath West (1990-1994)

New Arrivals: Bart Lyon (1988-1992) Matthew Bowen (1994-1999)

Those who have passed: April 2012 - Matt-John Burns (2002-2003)April 2012 - Jeffrey Motton (1993-1997) May 2011- Fr Basil Meaney (1945-1946)

In 2013, we will be celebrating our 80th year!To be part of this, or to be included into updates please email:80years@abergowrie.catholic.edu.auPlease send in any articles / news interest for the next issue to:oldboys@abergowrie.catholic.edu.au

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St Teresa’s Agricultural College, 3819 Abergowrie Road, Abergowrie QLD 4850T 07 4777 4600 F 07 4777 4721 E boarding@abergowrie.catholic.edu.au W www.abergowrie.catholic.edu.au

Abergowrie College