Week 1 Newsletter Term 4 2024

Term 4 Week 2 & 3 - What's On

• Monday, 7 October: King's Birthday Public Holiday
• Tuesday, 8 October: Breakfast Club begins; PAT-R and PAT-M testing this week
• Wednesday, 9 October: 5pm P&F meeting 
• Thursday, 10 October: Guidance Counsellor Appreciation Day; 5.15pm Board meeting
• Friday, 11 October: 9am Whole School Mass

Principal's Welcome

Welcome back for our final term of 2024!

As the principal of St. Mary’s Catholic School, I am deeply committed to ensuring our school provides a rich, faith-filled environment that nurtures both the spiritual and academic growth of our students. Recently, I had the privilege of attending the Enhancing Catholic School Identity (ECSI) Intensive in Leuven, Belgium, an experience that has further strengthened my dedication to the faith journey of our school community.

The ECSI research is grounded in a deep understanding of how Catholic schools across the world are evolving in response to modern challenges. The research, developed by the Catholic University of Leuven, focuses on how Catholic schools can strengthen their identity while remaining relevant and responsive to contemporary society. Townsville Catholic Education places great value on this research, recognizing its potential to enrich the spiritual life of our schools. In fact, all principals within our Diocese are encouraged to participate in this experience, reflecting the commitment our system has to living out our Catholic values. For this year's course, I was blessed to be joined by the principals of St Margaret Mary's, and Burdekin Catholic High School, as well as one of TCE's Religious Education Advisors and TCE's Director of Organisational Services. We were also joined by cohorts from Parramatta and Sandhurts Dioceses.

Key Findings and Their Relevance to St. Mary’s

The research shared during the ECSI Intensive highlights several important findings that resonate deeply with the mission of Catholic education, especially here in North Queensland. One of the key insights is the importance of dialogue between faith and culture. As a school in a diverse and changing society, it’s crucial that we engage our students and community in a way that both respects our Catholic traditions and embraces the cultural realities of today.

This is particularly relevant at St. Mary’s, where our student body comes from a wide range of backgrounds. By fostering an inclusive environment that encourages open dialogue, we can ensure that all students feel welcome while staying true to our Catholic identity.

Another key takeaway from the ECSI research is the importance of recontextualizing our faith practices. This means finding ways to express and live out our Catholic values in a manner that resonates with contemporary society. For our students, this could involve bringing Gospel teachings to life in the classroom, showing how faith can inspire their daily actions, and giving them the tools to understand their role in a global society.

During the course, the group was taken a number of locations around Belgium to view the impact of secularisation in their country. This included two school visits, where the schools still call themselves Catholic however, from our observations, there were very few, if any, signs of Catholic identity. The leadership at the schools identified that they do not include prayer in the life of the school, and students we interviewed were unable to tell us much about their schools' charisms or Catholic identity. Spaces and objects that were once sacred have now been repurposed in very secular ways, as can be seen by the photos below of a statue of Jesus that now holds a door open, and a school chapel that has now been turned into a cafeteria.

All is not lost, however, as we were also shown recontextualised spaces that bring the Catholic faith into dialogue with the contemporary context. One such space was the Chapel of Disclosure in Groot-Bijgaarden. This space was the chapel for the De La Salle Centre, and it has been renovated to make it a space of contemplation that can be used by people of any faith background, with the ability to close all of the wall panels, or open them up as required.

The Impact on Our School

By attending the ECSI Intensive, I have gained a wealth of knowledge and insights that will guide our school as we continue our journey of renewal, particularly as we prepare for the Year of Renewal in 2025. The focus on making Catholic education relevant and impactful for the next generation aligns perfectly with the vision we hold at St. Mary’s.

In the coming months, I will be working closely with our leadership team to incorporate these findings into our school’s programs and activities. We will continue to nurture our students’ spiritual development through prayer, liturgy, and religious education, while also ensuring that our practices are meaningful and engaging in today’s world.

Townsville Catholic Education's Commitment

Townsville Catholic Education recognizes the significant value of the ECSI research and its potential to strengthen the identity of Catholic schools throughout the Diocese. By encouraging all principals to attend the Leuven Intensive, our Diocese is demonstrating its commitment to ensuring that each school is supported in its mission to educate children in a faith-filled and dynamic environment.

I look forward to sharing more about this journey with you in the coming months and continuing to work together as a community to strengthen the Catholic identity of St. Mary’s. Your ongoing support is crucial as we lead our students into the future, grounded in faith, knowledge, and compassion.

Thank you for being a part of this important mission.

God bless,
Alicia Ninnes

Religious Life of the School

Welcome back to our last term of the year here at St Mary's.  This term promises to be quite busy with many school and religious events as we turn our attention towards Advent. 

October is traditionally called 'Mission Month' within Catholic schools and  organisations. A crucial part of sharing in God's mission is reaching out to those in need. This term we support two important missionary works, Socktober and the Vinnies Christmas Hamper Appeal. We hope parents and community support our students in developing a love for others and a desire to make a difference in both the local and global communities, as followers of Christ. St Mary's mission statement is based upon Mercy values, with a keen focus upon the values of Justice, Compassion and Outreach.

Socktober: In 2024, Socktober's chosen cause is raising money for the Don Bosco Caring Centre in Mongolia. This centre provides much needed housing, education, food and care for orphaned and impoverished children in Mongolia. 

Vinnies Christmas Appeal: St Vincent de Paul's is seeking donations and funds to help support people during the festive season. It is estimated that 1 in 6 children across Australia are currently living in poverty. In many instances, this includes food insecurity. Last year St Mary's showed love and mercy towards the local community by donating generously to our very own St Vincent de Paul centre in Bowen. Even the smallest donation can make a difference to families and individuals struggling this Christmas. We will provide further information regarding these two appeals in the next few weeks. 

Please join us for our first whole school Mass in week 2, Friday 11th October, 9 am in our Church. The theme will be 'Catholic Mission'.  This will be led by the Year 3 students. 

Have a fantastic final term everyone!

God's blessings upon you, 

Mrs Windridge. 

Learning and Teaching

Welcome back to Term 4! It is hard to believe that we are about to enter our last term of schooling for 2024. As I visited classrooms this week it was wonderful to see all learners settled and engaged, they are certainly aware of the high expectations that we set in our school for learning.

We have another busy term with many events occurring in regards to Learning and Teaching, please see below for further details.

Week 2: PAT-R testing for Years 2-6 students.

Week 3: PAT-M testing for Years 2-6 students and the interactive Fun @ Maths Visit for Prep-6. Our Townsville Catholic Education (TCE) Curriculum Adviser, Nic Beltramelli will also be leading teachers through a professional development session that focuses on best practices for Literacy Intervention.

Week 4: Josh (TCE Occupational Therapist) will be in our school visiting our rooms to conduct classroom environment audits, as this audit provides us with crucial strategies to ensure that we are meeting the needs of our learners.

Week 5: TCE Director of Learning and Teaching, Peter Stower will be visiting for his annual school visit. Peter will visit all classrooms to celebrate the success of our learners and the efforts of our dedicated teachers.

Week 6 and 7: Cluster planning days across P-6 (Focus: literacy preparation for 2025.) Students will also participate in a hands-on learning experience presented by World of Maths.

Week 8: Terhi (TCE Speech Language Pathologist) will be visiting our school this week to continue working with students and teachers.

Week 9: Students will be finalising their Term 4 assessment tasks.

Week 10: Report cards are released on Wednesday 4^th December.

Kind regards,

Krystal Land

Acting Assistant Principal Pedagogy and Learning

Week 9 Awards - Term 3 - "Safe, Just and Fair"

Congratulations to all our superstar awardees!! 

Congratulations to Ben & Kye for receiving a certificate of achievement for the Bowen Cricket Cup. 

Week 10 - Term 3 - "Best My Best"

Congratulations: Beau, Mason, Emmerson, Lily, Olivia, Khodi & Jet

Congratulations to all our superstar awardees!! 

Birthdays

Quest For Knowledge

Our team, 'St Mary’s Smarties,' proudly participated in the Quest For Knowledge on Wednesday alongside other schools in our diocese. It was an exciting and enriching day for our students, filled with learning, teamwork, and fun!

A big thank you to Mrs. Muir for her dedication and leadership in making this opportunity possible for our school. We couldn’t be prouder of our team!  

Reminder - Public Holiday for the King's Birthday this MONDAY, 7 October

Parade will be held this Tuesday, due to public holiday on Monday.

Swimming Lessons - Term 4

Welcome to our new OSHC Co-ordinator Theresa!

P & F Meeting - Wednesday, 9 October

The Murri Bus Project

Bowen Blazers Swim Club

Guidance Counsellor News

In this edition of SchoolTV - RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIPS

Fostering a nurturing environment of respectful relationships within your family holds the key to not only harmonious living, but also improved academic outcomes for your children. As parents and caregivers, embracing the art of teaching children about respect at a young age sets the stage for a lifetime of healthy interactions and empathetic understanding. It will help cultivate a positive environment where communication flourishes, conflicts are resolved constructively, and bonds are fortified.

Teaching children to respect themselves and others will open up avenues for both personal growth and academic achievement. Fostering an environment where respect is not just a word, but a practiced behaviour, will empower young people with essential life skills. Effective communication, active listening, and the art of compromise, will provide your child with a solid foundation that will transcend family interactions and help them collaborate effectively with peers, teachers and the broader community.

Equipping children with an understanding of healthy versus unhealthy relationships is an important aspect of their development. It will guide them to make informed choices, foster positive connections, and set boundaries that contribute to their emotional wellbeing. Understanding the nuances between healthy and unhealthy relationships provides children with the essential tools to navigate their social world, build self-esteem, and cultivate meaningful relationships.

In this edition of SchoolTV, learn how to empower young people in healthy interactions to embrace differences and forge connections that honour their self-worth.

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 Respectful Relationships edition of SchoolTV
https://smbtsv.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/respectful-relationships

Safety Heroes

The Resilience Project

Mary's Munchkins Playgroup

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 Theresa on 0428 216 062 OR at bowenoshc@mmcnq.catholic.edu.au

Cooinda Family Centre

School Dental Service

Tuckshop Menu