Weeks 2/3, Term 4

Term 4 Week 4-5 Important Events

• 23 October - Tournament of Minds rewards trip
• 26 October - Indigenous Education Advisory Group meeting, 5.15pm
• 28 October - Family Mass, 6pm
• 30 October-1 November - Oral Health Study
• 31 October - Year 2 Safety Circus Presentation at Bowen State School
• 2 November - All Souls' Day Whole School Meditation, 9am
• 3 November - Mini Vinnies Immersion Night

From the Principal

It is hard to believe we only have 30 days left of school for the 2023 year! The next few weeks will be jam-packed with Term 4 learning and assessment, and preparations for our end of year celebrations. I will be away for PD with other principals and APREs for all of Week 5, however I would like to welcome Mr Paul Martin, who will be standing in for me while I am away. I hope you will all make Mr Martin feel welcome during his week as Acting Principal.

In response to requests from our community, we will be returning to the old format of separating the Christmas performance from the Awards Ceremony, with the awards to be distributed following our End of Year Mass on the last day of school. As a reminder, school finishes at 12pm on 1 December, and we hope that many of our families will be able to join us for the Mass and Awards Ceremony. The students have also begun preparing for our Christmas play, The Star, which will be held on Wednesday, 29 November at 5.30pm. We hope to see all of our families in attendance for this special event.

Parent Code of Conduct:

Parents are the most important role models for a child. As parents and carers, there is an expectation that you will work with the school, the staff, and other parents to contribute to a positive and collaborative learning community. These expectations apply while on school grounds, attending school events, using social media which is related or could reasonably be connected to your role as a parent/carer at the school or communicating with staff, parents or other school community members. The expectations are clearly outlined in our Parent Code of Conduct which applies to all parents and carers of children who attend Townsville Catholic Education schools. The Parent Code of Conduct has recently been updated and I am attaching it to the newsletter this week for your information. I would encourage all parents/carers to read this document carefully.

Student Leadership Process:

The Year 5 students have begun preparing their leadership speeches in class. The students will be presenting their speeches on Friday, 10 November. As the class is quiet large, we have set aside time before and after the lunch break, with speeches commencing at 12.50pm. All are invited to attend the speeches and to support our Year 5 students as they begin their leadership journey.

Staff and students from Years 3 to 6 will participate in the voting process. This will happen for both School Captain and House Captain roles. I look forward to sharing the news of who our 2024 Captains will be at the Awards Ceremony on 1 December.

Staffing 2024:

It is with great sadness that I share with our school community that Miss Alexandra Wenta and Miss Courtney Cook will both be leaving us at the end of 2023 to be closer to family. They have both made such an impact on our school and will be greatly missed. We are currently in the process of recruiting new teachers to replace them. Once we know who our new teachers will be, I will share the class teacher list for 2024 with our wider community. Thank you for your patience while we complete this process.

God bless,

Mrs Alicia Ninnes. 

Religious Life of the School

Hello everyone! We have had a very productive term so far. St Mary’s is focusing even more upon the teachings of Catholic Social Justice. This term we are looking at caring for our common home and the dignity of all people, two fundamental teachings of the Church. Students are planning on creating a community garden and donating the proceeds to those in need. We have long been a reef guardian school and we have also recently joined Run4planet and Catholic Earthcare. We plan on doing more to care for creation and community next year, so watch this space! If you are interested in participating or supporting students in any of these areas (or have either gardening or building skills!) please contact me. 

See: Caritas Australia | Catholic Earthcare    run4planet and Laudato Si' Action Platform for further information. 

Painting at Murroona Gardens

Students in our mini vinnies group visited with the residents of Murroona Gardens this term and brought much love and cheer into the residents’ day. They painted some beautiful images and enjoyed morning tea together, and the residents want the students to come back as soon as possible! Thank you Murroona Gardens for being so accommodating and for sharing your artistic flair with our students! 

Year 5 and 6 retreat afternoon

On Monday, students in Grades 5 and 6 joined together for a Leadership retreat.  The students participated in a range of games and activities that focused on developing their ideas of what a ‘good’ leader should be.  

Students talked about who they see as an effective role model and leader.  They selected three words that would become their code for how to be a good leader and person. Please ask them what words they chose and why they chose them. The Year Fives will use this as a starting point for their leadership speeches. We can’t wait to hear them, good luck! Thank you Mrs Menzies and Miss Strambini for leading in this space and sharing your expertise. 

Parents are all invited to hear speeches on Friday the 10th of November. Speeches will commence in the big shed from 12.50-2.50.  We hope to see you there.

Resilience project

St Mary’s is very excited to offer the resilience project officially to our school community in 2024. We have obtained funding for this and are really looking forward to providing students, staff and parents with the tools and resources to apply more resilience and well being strategies to their everyday lives. Surveys and discussions have clearly demonstrated to leadership that our entire community will benefit significantly from this program.

The resilience project has had great success and is now offered at over 1000 schools and 500 workplaces. It delivers emotionally engaging programs to schools, providing practical, evidence-based mental health strategies to build resilience and happiness. Through presentations, school curriculum, events, the TRP App, and Wellbeing Journals, it shares the benefits of Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness, and easy ways to practise these in everyday life. They incorporate Emotional Literacy, Connection and Physical Health education and activities, as they are foundational contributors to positive mental health.

World conflict

As many of you would be aware, there has recently erupted extreme violence and conflict between Israel and Palestine (Hamas), which has devastated entire families and communities within Israel. Father Sibi has shared with our community a prayer of guidance and encouragement that we can all take something from. Please take the time to pray for those in need, or danger, within our global family. 

O, God, heavenly Father we pray for peace, and an end to all conflicts,

especially between Hamas and Israel. 

May all people learn to forgive and not to build up hatred. 

Give us the right minds that rather than taking sides, we can see true suffering in Gaza, Israel and Ukraine. 

May we feel the pains of the innocent families who lost babies to barbaric killing, women violated, shamed and killed and abducted, also for the many innocent men killed. 

We pray for men, women and children taken as hostages. 

We feel their fear and suffering. 

We feel sorry for people who have lost their homes through war, living without power or enough supplies and essentials. 

We pray for hardened hearts who take pleasure and satisfaction inflicting pain on others. 

We pray for people who justify violence, and are biased and keep hatred towards ethnic groups. 

They may learn to love all human beings as children of the same loving God. 

Give us the grace to love all human beings irrespective of their ethnic background, religious faith. 

We may be able to see differences as a blessing which creates beauty in human life. 

May the young generation from different backgrounds, and everyone else as well, learn to respect others, to live in peace with each other and thus break the chain of hatred and start a new epoch of love, respect and understanding. 

As Jesus prayed 'that all may become one'.

Amen. 

Please join our school in our upcoming Family Mass on Saturday, October 28th, 6 pm. We would love to see you all there!

Many blessings, 

Mrs Windridge

This month we are trying to raise funds for Timor Leste. You can find the donation link here: https://www.socktober.org.au/fundraisers/stmarysschoolbowen Thank you to those families who have already donated to support this struggling community. Robert in Grade 3 has decided he wants to sell little cards at school for 50c each, so that he can donate the proceeds to Timor Leste and Socktober this year. If you would like to purchase a handmade card by Robert, he will be selling them to students at the library at lunch times or you can ask Mrs Windridge. Thanks Robert, you are amazing! 

Sacramental Program 2024

Mrs Young, Mrs Ninnes, Mrs Beverly Lowcock and Mrs Windridge are already busy preparing the Sacramental program for next year. We are so excited to begin this special journey with families in the local community. Please see the notice below and get in early to register your child for the 2024 Sacramental program. 

Learning and Teaching

Last week Melanie Menzies and I spent two days in Townsville exploring assessment for V9.0 of the Australian Curriculum, which was delivered by QCAA. The days focused entirely on English and Mathematics, and we are looking forward to leading our teachers through further professional development during the January Pupil Free Days where we will focus on designing quality assessment pieces.

As you are aware, we have been on a journey with refining Literacy Practices across our school, as our 5-year School Renewal Plan goal is to develop lifelong literacy skills through the use of quality literature planning. I am pleased to be able to share with you all that one of the strategies that will occur to help us reach our goal, will be the implementation of InitialLit-1 and InitialLit-2 across Year 1 and Year 2 from 2024 onwards. 

InitiaLit–1 continues on from InitiaLit–Foundation, as it is a teaching program that ensures that explicit and effective teaching of reading, spelling, and related skills occur on a daily basis in the classroom. InitiaLit–2 builds logically on InitiaLit–1, as it moves students seamlessly towards reading and spelling mastery by using a familiar approach. 

Both of these programs also complement and align with current data analysis for the programs currently in our school: InitialLit Foundation, MiniLit Sage (starting 2024), and MacqLit. All students in Prep-2 will also continue to engage with additional quality literature through the use of mentor texts and storybook lessons that accompany the programs.

For further information in relation to InitialLit and the research conducted, please refer to the following research summary.

Kind regards,

Krystal Land

Learning and Teaching Adviser

Day for Daniel

From the Guidance Counsellor

In this edition of SchoolTV - SOCIAL MEDIA & DIGITAL REPUTATION

Social media has become such an integral part of a teenager’s life. However, many miss out on some critical social skills with most communicating whilst looking at a screen instead of another person! Statistics show that 60 per cent of 10-11 year olds are using at least one social media site, with the majority using age-restricted platforms. What kids do, post and say online is permanent and most are not mature enough to manage their own digital footprint. Friendships, relationships and even future job prospects are all put at risk.

Parents need to be aware of what picture their children are painting of themselves online. Unfortunately, many parents do not see the dangers inherent of these sites, as they form opinions based on their own experience. But predators are usually not interested in grooming adults. Over the years there has been a dramatic increase in the number of primary schoolers owning mobile phones, highlighting the importance to teach kids about the dangers of social media and the implications it can have.

In this edition of SchoolTV, parents will learn how to talk to their children about the inherent dangers of social media and how to educate their kids to be responsible users in the online world we live in.

We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this edition of SchoolTV and we always welcome your feedback. If you have any concerns about your child, please contact the school guidance counsellor for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to the Social Media & Digital Reputation edition of SchoolTV
https://smbtsv.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/social-media-and-digital-reputation

Updated Parent Code of Conduct

Sports News

Swimming lessons have started for 2023!

On Fridays, please remember to send your child with:

• swimmers,
• sun-safe swimshirt,
• towel, goggles (optional),
• swim cap,
• appropriate footwear,
• sunscreen.

Please have items marked with your child's name and in a named bag.

If your child is arriving at school with their swimmers on underneath their uniform, please also remember to send a pair of underwear to change into after the lesson.

NRL

Award Winners 2, Term 4

In Week 1, our weekly awards were presented to students who have been following Mary's Way by showing "S" - Show Respect

Mary's Way Award Winners:

Back row: Andrew, Manning, Bailee -Maree, Kobi

Front row: Abigail, Isabella, Indy

Praise Note Winner of the Week:  Sophie

Star Reader of the Week: Rosalina

Award Winners Week 3, Term 4

In Week 3, our weekly awards were presented to students following Mary's Way by showing "M" - Mercy & Outreach.

Mary's Way Award Winners: 

Back Row: Harry, Laharnah, Mason

Front Row: Bronson, Rose, Ashton

Praise Note Winner of the Week: Manning

150th Anniversary Event

Birthdays

Birthdays

Adison Jenkins

Jaxon Malone

Alexander Schmeide

Harley DeLacey-Green

Alfie Smith

Isabella Williams-Hockings

Tuckshop Menu Term 4

Mary Mackillop OSHC

OSHC at St Mary’s Catholic School is now operating Monday to Friday from  6.30 am to 8.30 am and 2.45 pm to 6.00 pm.

The government has announced changes in the way that Child Care Subsidy is worked out. The income limit for CCS will be increasing to $530,000, meaning that the cost of OSHC will reduce for the majority of families. The changes came into effect on 10 July.

Currently the service costs $17.50 for Before-School Care, and $22 for After-School Care, before CCS reductions are applied. Food (breakfast and afternoon tea) is provided at no extra cost. Please see below for more information about the upcoming reduction in fees.

If you would like more information or to register, please contact Miss Camila on 0428 216 062 OR at bowenoshc@mmcnq.catholic.edu.au

School Student Broadband Initiative

The School Student Broadband Initiative, in partnership with NBN Australia is providing unconnected school aged students and their families with free internet for 12 months.

This Initiative aims to boost education opportunities by providing up to 30,000 Australian eligible families with school age children (K-12), with free nbn-powered broadband internet at home.

For more information on how to apply and grant guidelines follow the link:

NRL Workshops

Bowen Blazers Swim Club

Healthy Lunch Boxes Cooking Class

School Dental Service

UQ Research Project

Community Christmas Carols 2023