Year 8 Excersion

Last week the grade 8s went to the Museum and Science Centre for a Science and SOSE excursion. We were divided up into groups and my group went to the museum first. We completed a booklet about Aborigional and Torres Straight Islander people and their festivals, costumes and work. At the Science Centre we looked at mny interesting dislays showcasing different aspects of science. We looked at three different parts of the Science Centre and got to watch a lesson about sound. My favourite thing about the excersion was the 10m sprint, where you tried to beat a world champion called Heath. To represent where Heathw as, it lighted up ashe went along. Heath's time for 10m was 1.9 seconds (around) and I ran 2.21 seconds. The day was a success, and the grade 8s had a wonderful time in SouthBank.

Open Day

Today is the Mt St Michael's Open Day. In the Library there is a display for Social sciences and Geography. The Aerobics Teams have performed in Sophia Centre as well as Godspell and the Choir. The Water polo teams are competing in the MSM pool and the cake stall is near the pool. All the students are helping advertise the school in a positive way towards the visitors.

MT ST MICHAEL'S COLLEGE HISTORY

In 1815 Mary Aikenhead founded the Sisters of Charity in Ireland, with the aim to help the less fortunate. In 1838 Mary Aikenhead received a request from the Archbishop to send some sisters to the colony of New South Wales. Mary responded by sending five sisters to the Parramatta gaol to help the lives of the women in the gaol. Today, the Sisters of Charity have many projects to help the poor and less fortunate.

‘Mt St Michael’s College was founded by women in faith in response to the need of Catholic Education for the young women of the area.’ (http://www.msm.qld.edu.au/history.html)

Mt St Michael’s College is in the tradition of the Sisters of Charity. The school started in 1925, and was called Grantuly, until the change of name in 1941. They chose the patron of the school to be St Michael the archangel, because he was the leader of the ‘Triumphant Armies of Heaven’ and patron of the sick and infirm. Grantuly is now the name of the administration and reception.

The Sophia Centre was opened in 1997, Killindarbin block was opened in 1998, with Home Economic rooms, the kitchen, dining room and textile room. Grantuly was renovated in 1999, and the Miryam Centre was built in 2000. The Learning Enrichment Centre was moved in 2006, and on the 16^th of March 2011, the new Ionian centre science laboratories were opened.

Constant work has led the school so that the students and staff carry out the work and message of Mary Aikenhead and the Sisters of Charity in faith and love.

http://www.msm.qld.edu.au/history.html

http://www.msm.qld.edu.au/history.html

Toowong Cemetery- Samuel Wensley Blackall

On our trip to the Toowong Cemetery we looked at Samuel Wensley Blackall's grave.  Samuel Wensley Blackall was born on the 1st of May 1809 and died on the 2nd of January 1871. He was the second Governor of Queensland. In 1870, he knew that he would die soon, and the government was just opening a cemetery, that is now the Toowong Cemetery. Samuel Wensley Blackall searched the land and chose the highest spot for him to be buried. Three months later he died and was the first person to be buried in the Toowong cemetery. His monument is very tall and is detailed, it is made out of sandstone. His monument reflects him because he was a very important person in Queensland's history. Samuel Wensley Blackall's headstone suggests that he was a wealthy and important man, because it is very large and it is on the highest point of the whole cemetery. His grave is very different from other graves because of its size, and the location of it, which is higher than others, because he was more significant and well known than other people buried in the Toowong cemetery.

Glenlyon House

In 1876 - 1877 a house was built for Alexander Stewart out of local clay. The land it was built on, was 250 acres, and the house was in the centre of all the land. It is one of the oldest houses in Ashgrove and Brisbane. This house was named Glen Lyon after the birthplace of Alexander Stewart, in Scotland. In 1918 the land was divided up into smaller sections, and in 1930, the Marist fathers who started a school nearby, bought the house.  The house is still standing and since then, it has been built to last longer so that people can still see this historical part of Brisbane later on as well.

http://www.brisbaneqld.com.au/ashgrove/history.html

http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/register/p01588bl.pfd

http://adbonline.anu.edu.au/biogs/A120097b.htm

THE TURRBAL PEOPLE

Indigenous Australians are people who the first to live in Australia, the Turrbal people are indigenous Australians from a tribe that traditionally owned and lived in Brisbane, which they called Meanjin, before European settlement. The Turrbal people’s land went as far North as the North Pine, as West as Moggil, and as South as the Logan River.

The tribe was split up into clans and families, each responsible for their own part of land, and it’s people. They knew not to cross boundaries onto another tribe’s land, or hunt there without permission. The Turrbal people hunted fish in the Brisbane River, and in other rivers and creeks. They caught fish by spearing them, or catching them in a net.

In the earliest records show that Brisbane was home to many Turrbal people. Aboriginal tracks, from the dream time have now become roads around Brisbane. Waterworks Road was built on top of a track that went to Mt Coo-tha. Old Northern Road went to a Bunya Feast in Wakka Wakka country.

As Brisbane grows, we hope that we can all respect and learn more about the traditional owners of the land we live and build on.

http://www.dakibudtcha.com.au/turrbal_history.htm

MY FIRST IMPRESSIONS

When I was getting ready for school on this first day, I didn’t know what to expect, and when I don’t know what I’m about to do, I get pretty nervous. I was kind of excited to see all my old friends, and to meet some new people too.

When I first walked into my homeroom, I was squeezing my mum’s hand so hard I can’t believe she still got circulation and her bones were in one piece. My desk was near the door so I didn’t have to freak out looking for it. My nerves finally relaxed a bit when my homeroom teacher, Ms Sargent came up to me and said hello to me, her voice was as welcoming as a sweet cup of tea after a hectic day at the mailroom. She was the nicest person ever and my saviour at the time.

The first thing we did was go to the first assembly where this time I was squeezing Lauren’s hand, and she was squeezing mine. We walked down the stairs to find that the whole school was clapping us in.

I think MSM is a very fun community because so far the assemblies have been really cool and they let us have our tablets to work on. Also, on our second SOSE lesson of the year, Mr Noonan broke the handle off the door.

http://www.wholefamily.com/aboutteensnow/school/anxiety/first_day1.html