23 July 2025

Ryan Catholic College Mission Statement

Acknowledgement Of Country

Reflection

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of joy and laughter. We ask for your blessings to fill our lives with happiness, both big and small. Help us to find joy in the simple things and to share that joy with others, spreading positivity wherever we go. 

We pray for strength and grace to laugh even in the midst of challenges and difficulties. May our laughter be contagious, bringing light and warmth to those around us. 

We trust in your presence and guidance, knowing that you are with us in every circumstance. Thank you for the moments of joy that brighten our days. In Jesus' name, we pray, 

Stay with us Lord

Amen.

From the Principal

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

This term is traditionally one of consolidation in effort and achievement in classrooms, based on the work engaged with in semester one. This means that students should now be in a rhythm of study, of deeply knowing the rules and guidelines for our community standards in dress, appearance and behaviour; and can see how they are improving academically and socially. 

Congratulations to our Confraternity rugby league and QISSN teams on their character, team spirit and commitment over the holidays. The rugby league team were winners of the Confraternity shield for the very first time and the QISSN team engaged in an epic grand final match going down by 1 goal right at the end of the match. It was a joy to see these young men and women grow, persevere and represent our College with heart and integrity. Congratulations. 

Congratulations to our Arts team on their winning entry at Ephemera on the Strand. Hundreds of hours of planning and crafting has resulted in a fabulous exhibition by the sea. Congratulations to Megan Lawler and Tegan Murphy, our fantastic  teachers of vision and passion. Thanks to the students and staff who engaged in this project with care and love for the stewardship of our earth. This is great recognition for their leadership and skills. 

Visit the exhibition and vote for us in the people’s choice awards. #RyanPride

Semester reports and Parent Teacher Student Conferences will occur soon and I always insist that students attend with their parents, in College uniform. Having students present engages the full partnership and accountability that we hold dear.

We have 3 weeks of Friday fun, commencing this Friday.

NAIDOC week and Deadly Day Out - Friday 25 July 

This Friday we hold our annual NAIDOC week liturgy and for the first time, the First Nations team will lead the Deadly Day Out cultural activities, stalls, music and food festival on the senior campus oval. All students will participate in this morning of celebration. 

Ryan Day - Friday 1 August 

This is our College Feast Day to celebrate our culture, each other, our history and our future. The day begins with a whole College liturgy in Emmaus Hall - a  joyous celebration of who we are in faith and community and then there are various activities on each campus for student and staff to participate in.

Ryan Fair - Friday 8 August 

This community event draws a crowd of at least 2000 people and is the event of the calendar for our local community, proudly planned with love and care by our Ryan Parents and Friends Association. This small band of workers have put in thousands of hours of planning, meetings and stakeholder engagement to provide this community event. Let’s all enhance the experience by being prepared, planned and ready to engage in all the opportunities to volunteer, donate and be present at the fair. I look forward to seeing you there!

Best wishes to our Year 12 students who have been steadily working towards their goals, with this term being their last full term at school. Many are engaging with plans for employment and study options post school, while preparing well for these through study, resume writing, job application and scholarship applications. I commend the work of Nicole Stott Whiting - Careers Adviser, Grace Meldrum - Assistant Principal Knowledge Activation, Josie Hickey -  VET Program Leader and Nanette Radeck - Deputy Principal Pedagogy and Learning for the quiet yet mighty work in aligning our Year 12 students aspirations with reality and purpose. 

School Renewal 

As we progress through this year of our year of renewal to design our strategic priorities for the next 4 years, I write with an update of where we are at, and some advance notice that we will be asking for some parent representatives to be part of the next stage of consultation with a panel of external critical friends to discuss our draft strategic priorities.

Update and summary:

1. This week our TCE Education Consultant visited the College Leadership Team to review the draft strategic priorities that we have designed from stakeholder feedback. We’re at a point where we are engaging in the final discernment phase. It’s not finalised,  but we’re close. 
2. Next Thursday, the staff will meet to review this together.
3. Then, between 6-8 August, a verification panel, will be at Ryan meeting with the College Leadership Team, touring both campuses and meeting with various community members - parents, staff and students - to check and verify that the strategic priorities we have discerned are aligned to the feedback obtained and are robust enough to support growth over the next 4 years. Invitations for community members to be part of it will be engaged over the next two weeks.

Parent Code of Conduct

As we begin the term, here is our partnership agreement for us all to review and guide our way and our expectations.

Blessings for the fortnight ahead.

Primary News - Prep-Year 6

Junior Campus Breakfast Bar - Donations Needed

We’re seeking donations of condiments and spreads to help keep our Breaky Bar running strong! If you’re able to contribute items like jam, honey, vegemite, and butter we’d be very grateful. Note that the Junior Campus is nut-free, so we kindly ask that families don't donate peanut butter or nutella. These small additions go a long way in supporting a welcoming and nourishing start to the day for our students. Donations can be dropped off at the Junior Campus office. Thank you for your continued support!

Year 5 Camp – A Memorable Outback Adventure

Last week, our Year 5 students enjoyed an unforgettable camp experience filled with adventure, learning, and fun. The journey began with a visit to the Texas Longhorns property just outside of Charters Towers, home to Australia’s largest herd of Texas Longhorn cattle. Students also explored the museum on site and learned about the history and unique features of the property.

Following this, the group spent two exciting nights at Virginia Park. Students took part in a range of hands-on, memorable activities such as milking a cow, horse riding, nature walks, damper-making, bush dancing, enjoying a bonfire, and much more!

A heartfelt thank you goes to the dedicated staff who organised and attended the camp. Your efforts gave our students an enriching and truly special experience they will never forget.

Secondary News - Years 7-12

Whole College News - Prep - Year 12

As we progress into Term 3, we are excited to announce our plans to lead and celebrate two significant events in our calendar: Book Week and Science Week. Both events take place in Week 6 and are fast approaching, presenting fantastic opportunities to celebrate learning in various forms. 

For Science Week we are currently planning lunch time activities and experiments that will spark curiosity and encourage scientific thinking in all students. And, for the 80th anniversary of Children’s Book Week, we have many thrilling activities planned, aligning with the 2025 theme: “Book an Adventure”. From library activities at lunch, and the annual Book Week Parade (Fri 22/08), we cannot wait to see the creativity of students and teachers alike as the College is united by the love of reading. Don’t forget to plan your costume and explore new worlds and stories through reading! (Prizes for the best costumes).

Throughout the past terms, we have consistently conducted our weekly peer tutoring every Wednesday afternoon at The Hub. These sessions provide valuable academic support to the younger students while helping build their confidence in their studies. Additionally, Monday study for senior students has taken off successfully this year, and we want to wish a special thank you to all teachers who participated in the Term 1 and 2 Staff Cooking Competition, which was judged by the study group. Italian and Japanese clubs have also started strong at lunch times, which encourage a cultural appreciation for the languages learnt in the classroom in a fun and alternative way.

We are looking forward to continuing to support and encourage academic engagement in the College throughout Term 3 before handing over to next year’s leaders in Term 4.

Career Pathways

Career Pathways assists students, particularly those in secondary school, with all of their career decision-making through a large number of resources on offer, careers counselling, career events and expos, guest speakers and other career-focused activities that arise throughout the year.

Study/Revision Tip #7

Mind Mapping is a note-taking and brainstorming study technique that creates a visual diagram to represent important information related to a main concept or topic (which sits in the middle of the ‘map’). From the middle concept/topic, key information branches off. This visual map assists with understanding, memory and recall and highlights connections between different pieces of information.

JCU Studiosity Program – Study Strategies and Assessment Feedback Platform for Students in Years 7 to 12
This free, study and feedback online platform for students, can be accessed by registering via the link below.

Work Experience: June/July Holidays – Years 10, 11 & 12

Congratulations to all of the students who participated in work experience over the recent holidays.

Interested students in Years 10 to 12 are able to start organising work experience for the September holidays now. Students wanting to complete work experience in a trade area, must complete a White Card course prior to any work experience.

General Information:

Wilmar Sugar & Renewables – 2026 Apprenticeship Program – Closing Soon

Apprenticeships in areas of Electrical, Fitting and Turning, Boiler making and Diesel Fitting will be available at a number of Wilmar Sugar’s mills. For more information on these opportunities and to apply, please visit the link below and scroll to ‘Apprenticeship Program.’ Applications close on Sunday 27 July.

University of New England - Early Offer Program - Now Open

If students are interested in applying to UNE for study next year, and would like to know more about their Early Offer Program, please visit the link below.

QTAC & Other Admission Centres - Opening Dates – Year 12s

QTAC will open for 2026 study applications on the 5th August. We will talk with students more about this process over the next week or two. I have sent this information to the Year 12 students last week as well as a PowerPoint from QTAC. If you will be applying to other State or Territory admission centres across Australia, they will have a similar opening date.

If an application also requires an interview/portfolio submission/written submission/audition or some other step, as part of the process, it will mean that the admission centre application and the extra component, will all be due earlier than other course applications. These due dates are usually in September. It is the responsibility of each Year 12 student to know the application date deadlines and the application components required, for their tertiary courses. I am here to assist students, as much as possible, with their applications, but I will not be reminding students of all application deadlines and requirements.

JCU Early Offer Program

Early offers at JCU now open with QTAC opening. If you are interested in JCU's Early Offer Program, please see the link below for more information.

Please also be aware that competitive courses are excluded from early offers - Bachelor of Medicine/Surgery, Bachelor of Dental Surgery, Bachelor of Physiotherapy and Bachelor of Veterinary Science. Many universities have early offer programs, so if you are planning to study away from Townsville, please check their dates and requirements for this.

JCU Law Seminar Series

These webinars occur very frequently and explore a different legal topic during each webinar. A great series to explore, if students are interested in Law, Criminology or Justice studies. Please use the link below to register for any of these webinars. Please use the link below to register.

Australian Defence Force Gap Year Program – Applications Open

If students are interested in a position with the Australian Defence Force, the Gap Year Program may be a good option to explore. This program allows students to experience an ADF position, basic training, and the military lifestyle for 12 months. At the end of this time, they can either choose to begin the process of full enlistment or move to other pathways outside of the ADF. This program can be helpful for students contemplating the ADF but unsure if it is the pathway they really want. Please see below for more information.

Defence Work Experience – August to November 2025

The schedule below is the work experience opportunities being offered by Defence Recruiting over the next few months. As the work experience is often not during school holiday periods, interested students must come and talk with me first, before applying, to ensure the dates are not clashing with important subject requirements or College events.

Upcoming Events:

Griffith University Webinar - Early Offer Program - 23rd July - 7pm to 8pm

If students are interested in studying at Griffith and would like to know more about their Early Offer Program, please register for this webinar via the link below.

JCU Webinar Series – QTAC Information Webinar – Tuesday 29 July – 7.00pm to 8.00pm

This session will be a very helpful session for any Year 12 student intending on applying to QTAC and wanting to learn more about the process. This is a general QTAC session and not just for students applying to JCU. Please use the link below to register.

Griffith University Webinar - Music & Performing Arts Admission - Wednesday 30 July - 5pm to 6pm

If students are interested in applying to Griffith for music or performing arts and would like to know more about the application process, please visit the same link above, to register.

Women in Defence Online Session – Thursday 31 July – 6.00pm to 8.00pm

For any female students interested in listening to this webinar, please register via the link below.

Qld Police Service - Townsville Open Day - Saturday 2 August - 9am to 2pm

This event will occur at the QPS Academy at Rowes Bay. This is a great opportunity for any student contemplating a career with QPS. To register for this event, students must go to the link below.

ADF Trade Careers Session – Tuesday 5 August – 6pm to 8pm – ADF Careers Centre

This session would be beneficial for any student contemplating a trade pathway in the Australian Defence Force. Please register via the link

Central Queensland University (CQU) Open Day - Thursday 14 August - 4pm to 6pm

This open day will assist any students exploring CQU courses as they can speak with academic staff and students. If students would like to attend, they must register via the link below.

Australian Defence Force Academy Open Day – Saturday 16 August – 9.00am to 4.00pm

For students interested in a career pathway with ADFA, this Open Day provides a unique opportunity to explore this pathway. Students can attend in person or online. For more information and to register, use the link below.

Cultural Corner

Home Base

Home Base (H4) is our Chaplain/Defence/Wellbeing space.

Home Base is located H4 on the Senior Campus for students Years 5-12.

Parish News

Defence News

If you have any concerns or need our support please contact the College by phone or email us directly.

Nikki Blackwell will be working Monday to Friday across both Campuses to support students P-12.

Jacklin Weston is available Monday and Tuesday on the Senior Campus to support students 5-12.

Defence Member And Family Helpline 

For advice, support or local community information, contact our all-hours Defence Member and Family Helpline. Run by Defence Member and Family Support, the helpline is the best way to access the programs and services that we offer to help Defence families manage the military way of life.

The helpline is available 24/7 and is staffed by qualified human services professionals, including social workers and psychologists.

Partner Employment Assistance Program

Partner Employment Assistance Program (PEAP) recognises the service and sacrifices of the ADF members and their families, and the unique challenges ADF partners face in sustaining a career whilst supporting the ADF members' service. This program allows partners to claim reimbursement up to $1500 per financial year for a variety of employment services.

Shoulder to Shoulder

Peer-led, anonymous moderated forums spaces for Veterans and their families & carers

AVCAT Scholarships

The Australian Veterans' Children Assistance Trust is offering tertiary scholarships for children and grandchildren of Australian ex-serving veterans. Click on the links below for more information.

P & F News

The Ryan P&F are partnering with Entertainment.
Support our school by purchasing a membership to The Entertainment App.
By purchasing a Membership, you're not just treating yourself to fantastic savings—you're also directly supporting our school. With every Membership purchase, our P&F Association receives 20% of the Membership price.
These helps fund resources for our school including, most recently:

• Seating on the Senior Campus
• Choir risers
• Scoreboard on the oval
• Playgrounds on the Junior Campus
• Air-conditioning Emmaus Hall backstage
• Table settings for all classes at Junior Campus
• Upgrade of Emmaus Hall lighting & sound
• New instruments for instrumental music program
• Camera and accessories for Culture
• Contribution to Maker Space on Senior Campus

Uniform Shop Hours

Sponsors

Community News