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Dear Carmel College Community,
The new term has started well and with a hive of activity. Be it Religious Life, classroom learning, excursions, arts, or sport – there is always something happening at Carmel.
QUEENSLAND CATHOLIC EDUCATION WEEK
Next week is Catholic Education Week, and we join Catholic schools in celebrating from 27 July to 2 August. The theme for Catholic Education Week 2025 is ‘Communities of Faith, Hope and Love’. With humble beginnings on the site now occupied by the Myer Centre, Catholic Education in Queensland began with 56 students and two teachers in 1845. 180 years later, there are 315 Catholic primary and secondary schools across Queensland, enrolling more than 163,000 students and employing over 22,000 staff. Catholic schools provide a high-quality education in a faith-centred environment. This annual event promotes the special ethos of Catholic schools and highlights the great things that take place in Catholic schools every day.
FOUNDATION DAY
Last Friday, we celebrated Foundation Day – a wonderful occasion acknowledging our Catholic heritage and the spirit of community that exists every day at Carmel. Special thanks to all those who made the day a fantastic celebration of all that is Carmel.
QISSN
Congratulations to our QISSN Teams that competed in the Queensland Independent Secondary Schools Netball Carnival during the first week of the June holidays. The girls team placed fourth in their division while the boys team placed third. A supreme effort by both teams. Congratulations to Lincoln H who was named Player Of the Carnival for the Boys Division. Special thanks to Ms Hannah Moreton and Ms Cathy Smith for coaching and managing the girls team, and to Ms Brenda Brohman and Mr Ben Hopkins for the boys. Thank you also to the parents, staff, and students who came along at various times to support the teams.
KOKODA CHALLENGE
Congratulations to the students, staff and parents who completed the Kokoda Challenge on the Gold Coast last weekend. Carmel had 44 students and 13 staff, along with more staff and parents who acted as support crew. Teams competed in either the 30km (1 Team), 48km (7 Teams) or 96km (4 Teams) challenge and raised over $17000 for the Kokoda Youth Foundation. We commend these Carmel Family members on their resilience – well done all.
STUDENT TEACHER PARENT CONFERNCES & SET PLAN INTERVIEWS
It was wonderful to witness all the deep conversations between students, parents and teachers that have occurred over the last two weeks. Engaging young people in focussed discussions about their learning is shown to be a strong positive factor in their success at school. I encourage all parents to continue these discussions with your child throughout the term. Ask them to show you their data placement and have a chat with them about what their next step is to improve.
YEAR 11 LEADERSHIP RETREAT
Congratulations to the Year 11 students for their engagement in the Year 11 Leadership Retreat. They showed a deep understanding of what it means to be a Carmel student and a leader within the Carmel Family. Thank you to the staff that made this experience possible for the students.
ATTENDANCE
All are well aware of our focus on attendance this year, and this term we will be focussing heavily on the 80% group. We have a large number of students who are just below 90%, and with a little effort they can get over the 90% threshold. I ask all parents to ensure you know your child’s attendance level and support them to be here over 90% of the time. If you need any help or support please reach out to your child’s PC Teacher.
Have a wonderful fortnight.
God bless,
Mr Stephen Adair
Principal
Purpose gives meaning to our efforts, inspires us through challenges, and helps us see how our work contributes to something greater than ourselves. Year 10 students continued their career planning journey this week with their SET plan interviews, and so we are reminded that choosing a career is more than just selecting a job – it’s about discovering purpose.
At this pivotal stage in their education, students are being asked to reflect on their passions, strengths, and goals. This isn’t just about ticking boxes – it’s about nurturing a sense of direction that will carry them through senior schooling and beyond. When young people find purpose, they find energy, motivation, and resilience.
This idea of purpose is central to our Marist identity. St Marcellin Champagnat was a man deeply driven by purpose. Despite limited resources and great adversity, he devoted his life to educating young people, especially those most in need. Through the love of hard work, Marcellin established schools that were inclusive, caring, and grounded in faith. He believed that to educate young people was to love them – a purpose that still drives our mission today.
As parents and teachers, we are called to help students find a unique way to contribute to the world. Purpose is not something that arrives fully formed; it is shaped by reflection, service, and a willingness to grow.
I encourage all families to engage in conversations with their children about what excites them, what they care about, and where they feel called to make a difference. In doing so, we help them uncover a future not only filled with success but filled with meaning.
God bless,
Mr Reuben Chalmers
Deputy Chalmers
Celebrating Our Carmelite Story – Foundation Day Mass
Although the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is officially on July 16, we chose to mark this special occasion as a community on Friday 18 July during our Foundation Day celebrations, and what a beautiful morning it was!
This feast means a lot to us here at Carmel College. Mary, under the title Our Lady of Mount Carmel, is more than a figure from the past, she’s a symbol of strength, faith, and quiet courage. Her example reminds us to take time to listen for God, to act with love, and to bring hope to those around us. That’s at the heart of what it means to be a Carmelite community.
Our Foundation Day Mass gave us a moment to stop, come together, and reflect on our story as a school. We were so fortunate to have Fr Matthew Tonini with us to lead the celebration. His words really stayed with us, encouraging us to carry Mary’s calm, steady presence into our daily lives, even when things get busy or uncertain.
A big thank you to everyone who helped bring the Mass to life, our readers, musicians, and especially the students who carried up the canvas artwork filled with the names and fingerprints of our community. It was such a powerful symbol of unity and belonging.
New Artwork in Amare: A Window into Our Carmelite Story
If you’ve stepped into Amare recently, you might have noticed something new on the wall. It is a hand-painted copy of Pietro Lorenzetti’s Hermits at the Fountain of Elijah. It’s a quiet piece, but one that says a lot about who we are.
The timing couldn’t have been better - just as we celebrated the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. This artwork connects us to our Carmelite roots and reminds us of the deep tradition we belong to.
The painting shows a group of Carmelite hermits gathered around a spring on Mount Carmel — a place connected with the prophet Elijah, who’s at the heart of the Carmelite story. The hermits are shown in a gentle rhythm of life: drawing water, reading, praying, and simply being. This balance of contemplation and action, solitude and community, is what Carmelites have always tried to live, and what we continue to live out at Carmel College.
We hope it invites everyone who sees it to pause, breathe, and remember that God often speaks in the stillness.
NAIDOC Week Mass – A Special Morning Together
Last Wednesday, our student leaders and First Nations students came together to celebrate a very special NAIDOC Week Mass.
We were excited to welcome some First Nations students and their families from St Rita’s Primary School to join us. It was such a lovely celebration, filled with moments of prayer, reflection, and pride in culture and community.
After Mass, we all enjoyed a relaxed morning tea together. It was a great chance for students, staff, and families to chat, connect, and share stories.
Thank you to everyone who helped make the morning so meaningful, it was a wonderful way to celebrate NAIDOC Week together.
Mrs Erin Hardy
Assistant Principal-Religious Education
Last Thursday, a group of the College’s First Nations students visited local primary school, Star of the Sea, to assist with its NAIDOC (National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee) celebrations.
Our students were very hands on in helping with a range of interactive activities that not only entertained but also educated the young students about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island cultures.
The undoubted highlight of the day was our students leading the children, from prep all the way through to year 6, in learning the welcome dance of the Quandamooka people*. This was a truly special moment, as our students embraced the role of leaders, displaying their pride and knowledge of culture. The little ones lapped up every second of it, producing an amazing full school performance to conclude the day.
The 2025 NAIDOC theme was "The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy”; thank you to our proud First Nations students who certainly embodied this very spirit.
(*permission to instruct the students in this dance was kindly provided my Quandamooka Cultural Officer, Matt Burns, with acknowledgement of Josh Walker, Nunukul man, Minjerribah).
Ms Terri Edwards
First Nations Support Teacher
NAPLAN RESULTS
Year 7 and 9 students will receive their Individual Student Reports by mail in the coming week.
Please remember NAPLAN assessments are one aspect of how our school assesses and measures student learning. It complements the extensive, ongoing assessments made by teachers about each student’s progress and performance and the information provided through the Learning Dashboard.
Your child’s report allows you as parents to see how your child is progressing against national standards in literacy and numeracy. For information on how to interpret these reports see here. We encourage you to discuss individual student progress with your child’s classroom teacher at any time.
For the first time since 2023, we are able to measure the progress of our Year 9 students from Year 7 to see the impact of our teaching and programs. We are very pleased with these results and congratulate all students on their efforts.
As a college, we now delve further in to the results and complete gap analyses to see where we can support particular groups of students and to review our units of work.
WHAT ARE WE LEARNING?
I have been in a couple of Year 8 Science classes this week, as students have been learning about different types of cells. We were all excited to see the apple cells which looked like fireworks and bemused by the hairy housefly legs.
In Year 7, students are starting their integrated Sustaina-Suburb unit with learning in English, Religion, HASS and Science. Over the course of the term they will consider how they can design a new suburb for Redland City and consider the environmental, economic and social factors which influence liveability and inclusivity. They will also address wildlife needs in a parkland space to ensure that the ecosystem is sustainable and protected as part of our Catholic Social Teachings. I am looking forward to seeing their ideas come to fruition!
Mr Frank Turtle
Assistant Principal - Learning & Teaching 7-9
The Arts Co is busy this term!!! We have many performances coming up, please make sure you are reading your emails and responding to the permissions.
| QUOTA Music- Groups | Tuesday 29and Wednesday 30 July |
| QUOTA Dance- All Arts Co Dance Groups | Tuesday 5 August |
| QCMF- All Music Ensemble Groups | Friday 15 and Saturday 16 August |
| ARTS GALA | Friday 29 August |
QUOTA MUSIC– SOLO & SMALL GROUPS
On Wednesday, 23 July our Flute Trio won first place! Well done, Cayden, Isabelle and Matthew!
2025 CARMEL’S GOT TALENT
Thank you to all the staff and students involved in making the 2025 Carmel’s Got Talent a success. This event is always an annual highlight. A big thank you to all the students that stepped out of their comfort zone to perform in front of the Carmel Community, our celebrity judges, our Arts Student Leaders, the Production Team and Mrs Harris. This event would not happen if we didn’t have your support and professional nature.
ARTS GALA- BOOKINGS CLOSE IN ONE WEEK!
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.
If your child/ren would like to join an Arts Co Ensemble or take private instrumental, vocal, dance or visual art lessons, please fill out the Expression of Interest form and send to Julia.Spargo@carmelcollege.qld.edu.au. Students are welcome to joing all year round.
Arts Co-Curricular Program Leader
Arts Captain, Adison H, achieved outstanding success at the ATOD National Championships held over the weekend in Melbourne. After qualifying in Jazz, Tap, and Contemporary at the state level, we are thrilled to announce that Adison placed 3rd in Senior Contemporary. This is a phenomenal accomplishment that reflects Adison’s talent, dedication, and passion for the arts.
We also extend a huge congratulations to our talented Year 7 student, Stella B, who competed at the ATOD National Dance Competition. Performing in an older age group alongside Year 9 students, Stella, placed 4th in both Ballet and Jazz. What an exceptional achievement that showcases her commitment, passion, and perseverance!
REPRESENTATIVE SPORT
There are a couple of trials open at the moment. Please ensure your child is looking through the notices to see what trials are open.
All student forms for school representative pathways must come through the Sports Office so that we can approve leave and get appropriate principal consent to trial. Thank-you to all students who have been checking notices and following this process. We congratulate the large number of students who have found success in these trials and competitions. We do not generally receive results from State or National Championships so if students are involved, can you please send these results and photos through to our sport@carmelcollege.qld.edu.au address so that we can share this with our community.
Please check emails if your child was to attend a trial that was postponed. I have sent out a number of emails to the student and parents of those affected.
INTERHOUSE ATHLETICS – CELEBRATING SUCCESS
As Term 2 drew to a close, our school community came together for two unforgettable days of athletic excellence, camaraderie, and school spirit at the annual Athletics Carnival. The event was a resounding success, thanks to the incredible energy and enthusiasm of our students, staff, and families.
From the first race to the final relay, the carnival was filled with healthy competition, cheering crowds, and genuine participation from all year levels. Whether students were sprinting down the track, leaping into the sandpit, or giving it their all in the tug-of-war, the focus was on effort, encouragement, and enjoyment.
What truly made the event shine was the spirit shown by everyone involved. House colours were worn with pride, chants echoed across the oval, and students supported one another with heartwarming positivity. It was a powerful reminder that success isn’t just measured in medals, but in the way we lift each other up and celebrate every achievement—big or small.
A huge thank you to all the staff who helped organise and run the event, and to the families who came along to cheer from the sidelines. Your support helped make the carnival a highlight of the term.
HOUSE RESULTS
The competition was intense, and every house gave their best effort. Here are the results for the top five houses:
| House | Points |
| Romero | 2680 |
| Avila | 2279 |
| MacKillop | 2196 |
| Polding | 1834 |
| Champagnat | 1685 |
AGE CHAMPIONS & RUNNERS-UP
We also want to recognise the outstanding performances of our Age Champions and Runners-Up across all age groups. Their dedication and hard work truly paid off. Congratulations to all the winners!
| Age Group | Boys Champion | Boys Runner-Up | Girls Champion | Girls Runner-Up |
| 12 | George M | Rhett C | Chanel S | April B |
| 13 | Eli T | Ethan R | Anissa S | Pascalle N |
| 14 | Jack M | Cohen L | Alyssa D |
Stephanie W Jasmine J |
| 15 | Reuben F | Taj P | Layla G | Leila S |
| 16 | Lachlan M | Chase C | Isla H | Kate K |
| OPENS | Levi W | Jack W | Perynese A | Mia S |
SECA SEASON 2 – TERM 3
Although we didn’t get an opportunity to begin our SECA Season 2 this week, please lock in your calendars as we have activated our catch-up round on Thursday 21 August.
Please see below for key dates and SECA Season 2 reminders.
Dates:
- Thursday 31 July 2025
- Thursday 7 August 2025
- Thursday 21 August 2025
Reminders:
- SECA is compulsory for all students. Make these days count towards your attendance.
- Full Carmel College sports uniform is to be worn on SECA Sport days, this includes Carmel College school bag, correct Carmel College sports socks and bucket hat.
- Students will ‘Self-Carry’ medication must have this on them to attend. If the student does not have it, they will not travel offsite.
- Completed parent permission slip must be completed to allow students to travel offsite, no permission, no travel.
I look forward to celebrating our SECA Season 2 results with you soon.
AFLQ SCHOOLS CUP– YOUTH BOYS – FINAL
On Wednesday this week our Youth Boys AFL team competed against Mt Maria College, Mitchelton in the Final 5 Round of the AFLQ Schools Cup competition at Everton Park. Our team played an outstanding game and came out on top with a score of 15.7.97 to 3.3.21.
The team will now progress to the next round of AFLQ Schools Cup competition with a date to be confirmed. A big thank-you to Mr Dion King and Mr Lachlan Reilly for coaching on the day. Good luck and we look forward to sharing the result with you in our next edition.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Jonah E – Year 7 - Polding
Jonah recently represented Queensland at the Australian Gymnastics Championships. Jonah delivered an exceptional performance, earning medals in all three of his trampoline events. Congratulations, Jonah!
Oliver T - Year 7 - MacKillop
Oliver has recently competed at the National Elite Junior Diving Championships held at Chandler. He will compete in another diving event, scheduled to take place in Perth later this year. We wish Oliver all the best of luck and cannot wait to hear how he goes. Well done Oliver!
Kirby K - Year 8 - Champagnat
During the holidays Kirby travelled to Spain as a member of the U14 Girls Australia Team in futsal, Australia Futsal Association (AFA) participating in V Sport Cup. This was Kirby’s first international selection. Her team were the runners up in Group B, playing against Spanish teams. What an achievement, well done Kirby!
Liam C - Year 8 - MacKillop
Liam has recently returned from Italy after representing Australia in the Montesilvano Cup in both the U13's and U15’s Futsal Team. Liam was awarded the top goal scorer for the U13’s Australian Team. What an outstanding achievement to represent your country on the international stage in not only one team but two! Great work Liam!
Ruby P – Year 8 - Avila
Firstly, Ruby competed in rounds 5 & 6 of the QLD State Series at Sarina BMX track. Ruby won both rounds.
Even though there are another 2 rounds for the series to go, Ruby is far enough ahead on points that she doesn't need to do the remainder rounds and no one can overtake her. Therefore, Ruby has won the QLD State Series!
Ruby has recently flew to Adelaide to compete in rounds 5 & 6 of the National Series. This is an opportunity to compete against some of the best riders from all around Australia. Ruby placed 3rd in both round 5 and 6 of this National Series. There is one more round to go in this Series. We wish Ruby the best of luck for this round of competition.
Yours in Sport,
Mrs Kristy Wilkinson
Sport Program Leader
TERM 3 LIBRARY HIGHLIGHTS
Term 3 is shaping up to be a vibrant and exciting time in the library! Here's a snapshot of what’s happening so you can keep it on your radar:
WEEK 2- 5: TRAVEL THE WORLD
Explore stories from around the globe! Our curated display features books from different countries, ready for students to borrow and enjoy.
WEEKS 2-9: CARMEL READING CHALLENGE
Promoting literacy through this PC-led initiative, PC teachers are encouraged to bring their classes to the library to borrow, read, and relax.
House points are up for grabs, and the PC with the highest number of borrowed books will be announced at the end of term (and earn a prize)!
WEEK 6: BOOK WEEK!
Celebrate the joy of reading with daily activities:
- Monday: Book Toss – Aim for the cup and win a prize!
- Tuesday: Silhouette Challenge – Guess the book from its shadow.
- Wednesday: Word Search & Crossword – Test your Book Week vocab.
- Thursday: Badge Design – Create your own Book Week badge.
- Friday: Book in a Jar – Can you guess the title hidden inside?
Showbags will be awarded to the first five students who complete each day’s activity.
Book Week Passports will be available from Week 5. Collect stamps for each activity and go into the draw for our Book Week prize!
TUESDAY 19 AUGUST: WRITE A BOOK IN A DAY
Five teams will take on the challenge of writing a book in just one day, all while fundraising for The Kid’s Cancer Project.
Support their efforts by donating via the links below:
WEEK 10: DRESS-UP DAY & ASSEMBLY
On Thursday 19 September, we celebrate the end of Term 3 with our annual Dress-Up Day—now in its eighth year!
Students are encouraged to dress as their favourite book character, but any costume is welcome. Whether simple or elaborate, it’s all about having fun and embracing the spirit of the day.
More details will be shared closer to the event.
Mrs Jessica Finden
Teacher Librarian
Follow us at carmelcollege_library for all your library news!
If you’re still using Version 3 of the BCE Connect app, please note that when opening it, you’ll be prompted to update to Version 4. We strongly encourage you to proceed with the update, as continuing to use the older version may result in a degraded experience — including difficulties logging absences for your child.
Our incredible Year 12 students have reached their goal — and now it's time for them to cut or shave for a cause close to all of our hearts.
Carmel families are warmly invited to join us for this special event. Let’s come together to support our students as they get the big chop!
Mater Chicks in Pink, a charity that supports women diagnosed with breast cancer. Your support and contributions will help fund free, personalised, and practical breast cancer support services, including essential items like mastectomy bras, wigs, and scarves. Hair will be donated to sustainable salons to create wigs for those suffering from medically-induced hair loss.
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 3 is outlined below:
The College has a great online ordering system for Tuckshop called My Student Account (MSA). This allows you to place all your school orders conveniently online. Please refer to the information in the documents below on how to place an order:
Thank you for your support.
Mrs Belinda Greaves
Tuckshop Convenor
Connected Youth has launched a free monthly program at Star of the Sea Parish, Cleveland. The program welcomes students aged 10 to 16, as well as 17-year-olds who are looking to advance or develop their leadership skills.
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.