Mr Stephen Adair

Principal 

I am delighted to welcome eight enthusiastic student teachers who have joined us for their placement. These future educators bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to our classrooms, and we are thrilled to support their journey into the teaching profession. Developing new teachers is crucial for the continued success and evolution of our education system. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to our dedicated supervising teachers who are mentoring these student teachers, sharing their expertise, and guiding them through this important phase of their careers.

Student – Parent – Teacher Conferences

We recently held our student-parent-teacher conferences, and I am pleased to report that they were a great success. These conferences are a vital part of our commitment to fostering strong relationships between the school and our families. Parental involvement is a cornerstone of a child's educational journey, and your active participation helps us create a supportive and enriching learning environment for all our students.

During the conferences, we distributed feedback cards to gather your thoughts on various aspects of the college. If you took a card, we encourage you to submit your feedback using the QR code provided. Your insights are invaluable to us as we strive to continuously improve and provide the best possible experience for our students and their families.

Attendance

This year our goal is to have 80% of students at school for 90% of the year.  In Term 1, 60% of our students had an attendance rate of 90% or above. However, this figure has dropped to 49% at the start of Term 2. With so many public holidays this term, it is crucial that students attend school every day to ensure they do not fall behind in their studies. I especially encourage our Year 10 and Year 12 students to focus on their attendance this term, as consistent attendance is vital for their academic success and preparation for future endeavours. 

God Bless,

Mr Reuben Chalmers

Deputy Principal

Pope Francis – A Pope Who Cares

Twelve years ago, Pope Francis became the leader of the Catholic Church. From the very beginning, he showed the world that he was different: humble, kind, and focused on love and action more than rules and titles.

Over the years, he’s talked about things that really matter; looking after the planet, helping people who are poor or struggling, welcoming refugees, and standing up for what’s right. He’s also reminded young people that their voices are important. One of his big messages has been:

“Don’t be afraid to speak up and dream big.”

For teenagers today, Pope Francis has shown that being a person of faith means living with kindness, standing up for others, and making a difference, no matter how small the action. Whether it’s including someone at lunch, helping at home, or caring for the Earth, these small things really matter.

As we look back on his 12 years as pope, we thank him for showing us that faith is about love, hope, and making the world a better place.

May he rest in peace.

ANZAC Day Reflections

It was a pleasure to help organise and plan this beautiful ANZAC Day event at Carmel. Our liturgy was both meaningful and moving, with heartfelt contributions from students and staff. We were honoured to welcome Retired Colonel Dennis Scanlan as our guest speaker—his powerful reflections on service and sacrifice in the armed forces deeply touched everyone present.

Taya C and Perynese A, brought great emotion and pride to the liturgy by singing the Australian and New Zealand National Anthems so beautifully. Our students also represented Carmel College with dignity and respect at dawn services across the Redland City, including Redland Bay, Stradbroke Island, and Cleveland. Despite the pouring rain, we had a wonderful turnout for the Cleveland 10am March.  Thank you to those students and families who came out to represent Carmel at these significant events.

Cleveland Gardens – Community Connections

Our visits to Cleveland Gardens Retirement Village are creating real and lasting connections. Students are spending time with the same residents each visit, forming friendships built on conversation, laughter, and genuine interest. They’re learning about the residents’ families; how many grandchildren and great-grandchildren they have, what jobs they once did, and the stories behind long marriages. Recently, two residents even shared their treasured family recipes with students they’ve connected with. There will be some wonderful cooking happening at home this week! It’s a beautiful reminder of how much we can learn from those who’ve walked before us.

Year 8 Retreat Day – A Day of Reflection and Connection

On Monday, our Year 8 students took part in their annual Retreat Day, themed “Masks – Pathways to Authenticity.” The day was a great success, with students engaging in a range of activities designed to help them reflect on who they are, how they connect with others, and the kind of year level they want to be.

Led by the Passionist Youth Retreat Team, the sessions combined games, storytelling, discussion, and a peaceful liturgy to create a meaningful and memorable experience. It was wonderful to see our students open up, support each other, and take the time to think deeply about what truly matters.

Thank you to our staff and students for making the day such a positive and inspiring one!

Year 9 Retreat

On Thursday, our Year 9 students participated in their Retreat Day with the theme Our Marist Way. The day focused on the life of Saint Marcellin Champagnat and the Marist Characteristics that shape our College identity. One session was led by the Marist Association team, and the second session was led by Carmel staff.  Students engaged thoughtfully in all activities, reflecting deeply on their values and the kind of leaders they hope to become.

Polding House Mass

On Wednesday, Polding House came together to celebrate a special Mass, honouring the life of John Bede Polding, the first Catholic bishop of Australia. He was a man of deep faith who believed in showing kindness, fairness, and love to all—especially those who were struggling or excluded. Polding lived out the Gospel through his actions, often in small but meaningful ways. One example was his effort to learn the language of the local First Nations People so he could better understand and support them.

In the lead-up to the Mass, each PC class took part in a reflective activity. Students discussed how they could let their light shine at school and in everyday life. Each student wrote a word or phrase that reflected their commitment, which was then displayed during the Mass.

The display, titled “We are Polding House – We will let our light shine,” served as a powerful reminder of the difference our students can make when they choose to live with courage, compassion, and pride in their House.

Mrs Erin Hardy

Assistant Principal-Religious Education

Year 9 Retreat

Our Year 9 students engaged with their Retreat Day on Thursday with one session being around our habits and Carmel culture. They unpacked the current cultures at Carmel and explored how they have grown in their time since starting at secondary school, and how they would like to continue this growth towards Year 12 in 2028. A particular question was about the graduate attributes that students, as leaders, will develop in this time. I encourage you to speak with your Year 9 child about which cultures and attributes they plan to foster and which they will try to leave behind.

As part of the day we also spoke about how our brain develops habits and operates on ‘auto-pilot’ for a significant amount of time. This video from the Mr. Brain YouTube channel, makes it clear that identifying the cues and desired changes is important, followed by simple and conscious repetition. The ‘best’ students aren’t necessarily smarter, they have developed habits and practices which help them to learn. All students are welcome to ask for support any time they want help to improve a habit.

Mr Frank Turtle

Acting Assistant Principal – Learning and Teaching (Years 7-9)

What we offer – With most groups/ensembles coming at NO cost to our families

All Private Instrumental, Vocal, Dance, and Visual Art lessons are underway, and we are already seeing some real success stories. This year, we have the most Arts opportunities for Carmel College students that we have ever had, and our numbers are very high in all programs we offer. The Art staff are very excited for what 2025 holds for the Arts. If your student is enrolled in the Arts extra-curricular program, you will receive emails from their teacher regarding times and days of lessons and all other communication regularly. Please keep an eye on your emails for this. Please refer to the Arts Co weekly timetable below for more information.

Arts Co-Curricular Program Leader

Don't miss out—Book your tickets today!

Reading Nook

The library had new furniture delivered at the end of Term 1 and we are excited to share our new reading nook for the students to use.  This space gets the perfect amount of sunlight and is a lovely place for quiet reading.

ID Cards

We still have a number of students in Years 9 and 11 who need to collect their ID card. Reminders went out this week through the morning notices.

ID cards are valid for two years, students receive a new ID card in Year 7, 9 and 11.  It is especially important that Year 11 students come and collect their card as they are often needed for end of Year 12 celebrations.

Students who misplace their ID card can purchase a new one by paying $10 at Reception and will then need to bring their receipt up to the library.

Overdue Library Resources

There are still a number of overdue library resources that were due back in Term 1.  Students and parents/caregivers have been emailed reminder notices throughout Term 1, at the end of Term 1 and when we returned last week.  Students who had resources due back on Friday 7 March will be charged for this on the upcoming school fees.

Pets Caught Reading Challenge

The ‘Pets Caught Reading Challenge’ is up and running and on display in the library.  It was fantastic to see so many entries submitted.  Students can vote for their favourite photo over the next two weeks, the winners will be announced in Week 4 and will receive a tuck shop voucher as the prize.

Mrs Jessica Finden

Teacher Librarian

Follow us at carmelcollege_library for all your library news!

Online parent applications can be made for student travel assistance - Semester 1, 2025 via the School Transport website during the month of May.

Programs available:

• Bus Fare Assistance Program (BFAP)

• Students With Disability (SWD)

A helpful link for parents to prepare their child for travelling on public transport is Public Transport Guide for Parents.

Dear Carmel Community,

We are looking for parents who can volunteer at our Tuckshop for 2-3 hours either fortnightly or monthly. If you're interested in lending a hand, please reach out to our Tuckshop Convenor, Mrs Belinda Greaves, by emailing sthotuckshop@carmelcollege.qld.edu.au.

The 2025 Volunteer Tuckshop Roster for Term 2 is outlined below:

Mrs Belinda Greaves

Tuckshop Convenor

We kindly ask parents and caregivers to ensure that your contact details are up to date. Please follow these steps to verify and update your information:

1. Log in to the Parent Portal and click on the link labeled 'Update Your Details'.
2. If your details are correct, please click the 'Confirm Details' button.
3. If your details need changing, click 'Make Changes'. This will allow you to edit your information.
4. Once you have made the necessary changes, click 'Submit'. A message will appear informing you that the form will be locked until the school has updated the details in eMinerva.

Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our records accurate.

We are thrilled to announce that students from Nara Ikuei High School, Japan, will be visiting Carmel College in Term 3. During their stay, they will share their knowledge of Japanese language and culture with our students while also learning about our great Aussie lifestyle and improving their English skills.We are looking for families that would like to open their homes to our Japanese guests. If you are interested in hosting a student, please review the documents below and reach out to Mrs Ward or Ms Edwards for more information. Let's make this cultural exchange a memorable experience for everyone involved!

Copyright in some materials appearing in the Carmel College Newsletter is owned by third parties and should not be used or reproduced without the authority of the third party. The links to websites or web pages are for information purposes only.

To the extent that such third-party materials are not owned by BCE, we accept no responsibility for such content.