Issue 6 - 27 April 2017

Newsletter Articles

MISSION STATEMENT

St Rita’s School mission is to create a community which inspires a love of holistic, life-long learning grounded in the Catholic Christian faith. Childhood is celebrated and nurtured by caring adults. A student’s capacity for their best future is realised in the context of our small rural community. We provide a safe and supportive environment, characterised by strong, life-giving and respectful relationships with students, staff, families, parish and the wider community. The school strives to ensure we are living out the Mercy values.

PRINCIPAL’S PEN

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome to Term 2 at St Rita’s! In the next ten weeks of this term, a full calendar of school events and new programs which will be happening. Dates have been set and plans are being finalised for whole school events of the Combined Schools Cross Country and Junior Fun Run, ANZAC Day liturgy, Mother’s Day Pampering Afternoon, Under 8s’ Day, St Rita’s Feast Day and the Interhouse Athletics Carnival. Classroom teachers will also be busily involved in national testing, NAPLAN, for Year 3 and 5 students.

On ANZAC Day, St Rita’s School proudly participated in the Babinda community’s commemorative event. For young children, taking an active part in an ANZAC Day parade and service is of great significance in their lives. I strongly urge you to bring your children along to this very important community event, with an extra thank you to the mums and dads of our Prep/Year 1 students who participated for the first time and of whom we were especially proud! Our active parent group must be congratulated for once again providing the morning tea which followed in the R.S.L. Hall.

We welcomed our new School Counsellor to St Rita’s last week. Mrs Veronica Sandall replaces Mrs Nicole Wannenburg who resigned last term. Ms Sandall is both a teacher and counsellor which is of great benefit to her role working with students. This week, we will farewell Miss Tua Snowball who has been our Indigenous Liaison Officer for the past two years. Tua leaves us to work in NT where she is making her new home in Katherine. We wish Tua all the best in the move and she will be missed by our school community.

Last week our ‘Dance Fever’ program commenced on Thursday. The strand of Dance is integral to the Australian Curriculum learning area of The Arts. ‘Dance Fever’ is an organised program designed to teach children social interaction through the enjoyment of dance. This popular program, which has been implemented in many Catholic Schools across Cairns, will run over nine weeks of this term. All students will participate in a lesson each Thursday, and the program will culminate in a ‘Dance Fever Display’ at the end of this term. I was very pleased to hear dance instructors Rachel and Indiana congratulating our students on their enthusiasm and manners after the first lesson.

One of the highlights of this week was the Combined Schools Cross Country for the senior students. Supported by Mrs Maryjane Masina, Mrs Debbie Kurucz and Mrs Jenni Stone our group of 10, 11 and 12 year old distance competed against students from schools between Aloomba and Bartle Frere. Also on the day, a non-competitive ‘Fun Run’ showcased the running and fitness skills our five to nine year olds have developed. The children thoroughly enjoyed the morning, running distances between 1.5kms and 500m.

Social media can provide schools with an additional opportunity to connect with their families and the interested community members and to share information and events quickly and easily. The St Rita’s Facebook page continues to be well-received by parents and friends in the Babinda community. If you do use social media, you are welcome to ‘like’ our page and add comments to the posts we will be regularly making. Thank you to those parents who have done so already!

Have a good week!

Regards and blessings,

Judy Billiau

APRE THOUGHTS …..

The Joyful Song of Easter Eve

Rejoice, heavenly powers! Sing, choirs of angels!
Exult, all creation around God’s throne!
Jesus Christ, our king, is risen!
Sound the trumpet of salvation!
Rejoice, O earth, in shining splendour,
Radiant in the brightness of your King!
Christ has conquered! Glory fills you!
Darkness vanishes forever!
On this holy night all evil is dispelled,
Guilt is washed away, and peace restored.
See we are reconciled with God. Alleluia!

FROM THE ANCIENT EXSULTET FOR THE EASTER VIGIL

The story of Jesus’ death and resurrection is suffused with immense sadness, joy and mystery. For Catholics, our faith is based on the significant events of Easter: Jesus offered himself in sacrifice, was crucified, died and then buried, and later came into glorious existence - both human and divine - through the resurrection. In His death and resurrection, Jesus entered into the Holy Trinity as the Son of God; the Baptised are freed from sin and become ‘children of God’ by receiving the Holy Spirit.

Baptised with God as our father, or Abba, there is immeasurable love and forgiveness – God’s children will never be forgotten, even when mistakes are made, showing human frailty. It is a relationship that needs nourishment to grow. We can do this by letting God into our lives through engaging with Scripture, prayer and receiving the Sacraments, and by living charitably towards others. Living a Christian life, modelled on the teachings of Jesus, brings us to closer relationship with God and inspires us to joy and serenity. It is not simply living out the commandments, but living out a new life, with Christ as the centre of our life, or, as one with Christ.

Pope Francis warns us of the temptation to put God aside in the busyness of our everyday, and calls us to show courage in our faith as children of God; to allow ourselves to be transformed by the risen Christ and become more like him. We can place our trust in God, as our strength and hope and allow ourselves to be reborn into our resurrected life – free from sin and death and gifted with life eternal.

Thank you to the Year 5/6 students who shared the story of Christ’s resurrection so powerfully through a dramatised Gospel at last Friday’s Assembly.

Anzac Day Liturgy

On Monday afternoon, St Rita’s school community gathered together to pay respect to the Australian and New Zealand service men and women who have defended our countries. On ANZAC Day, we remember past sacrifices and offer support to those who continue to serve in peace-keeping and humanitarian missions. Interestingly, ANZAC Day is celebrated during the Easter season in the church’s liturgical calendar, where we also remember the sacrifice of Jesus as the ultimate example of servant leadership. Let us continue to work for the common good of all, and peace in our lives, our school, our families and our communities.

Prayer for ANZAC Day

God of the living and the dead,
Console and encourage
Those for whom this day is one of profound significance.

Be with the widows,
The unmarried, the orphans and the totally disabled,
Who together with the dear and honoured dead
Have sacrificed so much.
By your grace,
Work in the hearts and minds of men and women
Who today are reliving
The agony, courage and compassion
Of war service.

Help us to honour
Those who have made so great a sacrifice,
Yet save us
From ever glorifying the evil of war.
Enable us to be peacemakers.
Hasten the great day
When the nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

This we pray
In the name of the one who sacrificed his all for the sake of the world:
Jesus Christ, our Redeemer and Lord.

(Bruce Prewer)

Date Claimers

This term, a number of masses and liturgies will occur to celebrate our faith and mark significant community events. Please find listed below some important date claimers:

Thursday 18th May 8:45am – Prep/Year 1 Mother’s Day Liturgy
Monday 22nd May 11:15am – St Rita’s Feast Day Mass
Friday 2nd June 12:00pm – Year 2/3/4 Liturgy
Friday 23rd June 12:00pm – Year 5/6 Mass

Of course, parents, carers and friends of St Rita’s are always welcome to join us for these celebrations! We would love to see you there!

SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL)

Have you looked at the Triple P Positive Parenting site yet? Triple P helps make raising children and teenagers easier and more enjoyable for both you and the kids. It’s about building relationships, communicating well and encouraging the kind of behaviour you want to see. It helps you manage your child’s behaviour, emotions and development in a way that isn’t hurtful.

Positive parenting helps you feel more confident and less stressed about raising children. You’re likely to have fewer arguments with your partner. And kids who grow up with positive parenting do well at school. They make friends easily. They feel good about themselves. They’re also less likely to have behavioural or emotional problems when they get older.

Here are five principles that underpin Triple P’s positive parenting. These principles are relevant whether you’ve got toddlers, teens or in-betweens!

1. CREATE A SAFE, INTERESTING ENVIRONMENT

Bored kids are likely to misbehave. Bored teenagers may find trouble. So create an environment that allows kids to explore safely and develop their skills.

2. HAVE A POSITIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

If a child or teenager comes to you for help or a chat, they’re ready to learn. Give them positive attention, even if only for a minute or so. Encourage their ideas and opinions.

3. USE ASSERTIVE DISCIPLINE

Set clear rules and boundaries and follow through with fair consequences. You can negotiate some of these with older kids and decide on the rules and consequences together. Praise little and big kids to encourage the behaviour you like.

4. HAVE REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS

Nobody’s perfect – kids, teenagers or adults – so don’t expect your child to do more (or less) than they’re capable of. And remember, we all make mistakes sometimes.

5. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AS A PARENT

It’s all about balance. You’ve got to look after your own needs too, so make sure you’re getting some support, time with friends, and maybe even a little time to yourself!

Maureen Gaul
Assistant Principal (Religious Education)

PARENT WORKSHOP

On Monday, 8th May parents are invited to join us for a ‘Positive Behaviour Workshop’ which will be presented by Student Services personnel Ms Kate Pugh and Mrs Jane Bolton-Bound. The session will begin at 2:15pm and conclude at 3:00pm. This is a valuable opportunity for parents to learn more about managing a child’s behaviour in a positive way and how to assist children at home.

Please phone or email the Office if you are attending, secretary.babinda@cns.catholic.edu.au

HOMEWORK CLUB

An ‘extra’ that our school provides all students is a weekly Homework Club after school. This session involves classroom teachers providing assistance to individual children to complete homework tasks. The St Rita’s Parent Handbook highlights the importance of homework:

“Homework is a valuable part of the learning process of every child. It is designed to give students opportunity for further practise of skills taught in class, to share learning with parents as well as to investigate interests and topics being studied”.

Homework Club is an after school program that provides a quiet, structured environment for your child to do his or her homework. The main goal of the Homework Club is to develop solid work habits and organisational skills in every student, and to assist him or her in completing the required homework tasks for the week.

MOTHER’S DAY PAMPERING AFTERNOON

We are pleased to once again host this very special event to honour St Rita’s mothers, the very special members of our school community. It’s the children’s turn to look after you, so please keep Friday 12th May free in your calendar. On this day, all mums, aunties and grandmothers are warmly invited to indulge in an afternoon of pampering and relaxation beginning at 1:15pm. We’re hoping to see you there!

SPORTS TEAM POLOS

This year, we have organised the Uniform Shop to sell the sports teams polo shirts for our two houses of Dalrymple and Palmerston. In the past, children have worn t-shirts and singlets that were in varying shades of red and blue, and without sleeves and collars they were usually not sunsmart. Our uniform supplier stocks cool, 100% Breezeway polyester mesh fabric, quick dry, sun protection antibacterial treatment polo shirts at the very reasonable price of $12.50. The children will be allowed to wear their ‘house polo’ every Thursday this term.

CASTING THE NET

Serve and Honour Each Other

One of my younger brothers has his birthday on Anzac Day. When he was little, we told him we had the holiday for his birthday and that the people marched through the streets crying, ‘Hooray for Michael!’ We would sit him in front of the TV and he was rapt. In a strange way, there was some truth his reaction. Each person is that special and deserves to be acknowledged as such.

Each of the service personal marching on Anzac Day has a special story to tell. Nearly all would involve sacrifice, many would be awful experiences hard to recount and often those incidents would leave scars that would be carried for life. We cannot individually honour each one but when we celebrate Anzac Day, we try to make some gesture towards all so that we honour each one’s sacrifice.

During the Good Friday service, we have the Veneration of the Cross, when all are invited to come to show their love for his cruicifiction. It is a long and seemingly tedious part of the ceremony but one which often brings me to tears. As the long queue of people shuffles to the front, one can sense that each one is dragging their own cross with them. In venerating the cross of Jesus they are honouring their own. At times, life is hard and difficult for each of us and we all need ceremonies that recognise and honour this. As we do so, we soften our hearts, making ourselves more sensitive to each one’s sorrows and needs. As we stop this week to honour those who served in time of war, let it draw us in to that great mystery of care and service to which each of us is called. As we honour the many, may we recognise the role each of us has in building a community of love.

Loving God, we thank you for those who have served our community in war and in peace.
Let us appreciate their sacrifice.
As we honour it, may we strengthen our own communities in service.
We ask this in Jesus’ name confident that you will hear us.

AROUND THE CLASSROOMS

L.O.T.E. Japanese lessons in Term 1 went very well. The small class sizes are excellent for teaching languages. It allows every student to use the Japanese we are learning.

Prep and Year 1 have learned:

Greetings (Good morning/ Goodbye) and bowing; Stand-up/ Sit-down; Body parts (head, shoulders, knees, toes, eyes, ears, mouth, nose); Asking for objects and saying thank you with Shopping role play; and Names of foods, fruit and vegetables.

Year 2, 3 & 4 have learned:

Greetings (Good morning/ Goodbye) and bowing; Stand-up/ Sit-down; Body parts (Head, shoulders, knees, toes, eyes, ears, mouth, nose); Asking for objects and saying thank you; Names of foods, fruit and vegetables (borrowed words and Japanese words); and Dates (asking and telling the date/ day of the week (Kanji for year, month, day, day of the week).

Year 5 & 6 have learned:

Understanding and appreciating different cultures; Japanese culture and customs; Date (Asking and telling the date/ day of the week (Kanji for year, month, day, day of the week); Japanese writing focus on Hiragana and some high frequency Kanji; Self-introductions, (Name, age, likes, dislikes etc).

Bohdan Cormick
LOTE (Japanese) Teacher

SPORTS UPDATE

Standing on the court at the beginning of our 2017 Gala Sports Day at Babinda State School, I was very, very nervous. We were playing European Handball, which is a totally new game for the students of St. Rita’s Babinda. European handball is not like ordinary handball - it is closer to netball, which I knew that we as a team, were pretty good at.

Our small team of 9 children from Year 5/6 had to battle four different schools (broken up into many teams) on the hottest day we’d had all year! The sun was beating down on us like the sky was on fire and after the first game was over, everyone's faces were red like beetroots. We worked really hard and WON the competition!

By Melina Musumeci

DATE CLAIMERS

STUDENTS OF THE WEEK

St Rita’s School congratulates those students who were awarded ‘Student of the Week’ at Assembly on Friday 21st April 2017.

BIRTHDAY CONGRATULATIONS

St Rita’s wishes Max Schep all the very best for his recent birthday. We hope you had a wonderful birthday celebration. Congratulations Max!

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK

Well Women’s Clinic – Babinda Hospital

(This clinic is available to Medicare eligible clients)

Wednesday 10th May 2017

All services are provided by a specially-trained Women’s Health Nurse.

For appointments phone 4067 8200

ST MONICA’S & ST AUGUSTINE’S MUSICAL