Issue 11 - 18 July 2017

Newsletter Articles

CATHOLIC EDUCATION WEEK PRAYER

God the Father,
You are the Creator and life giver. You are our shield and our rock.
May we be people who honour and respect others.
May we support and challenge each other.
You are the light of the world. You are our teacher and healer.
May we be people who listen to and care for each other.
May we reach out to those who are excluded and treated unfairly.
God the Holy Spirit You are our helper and friend. You inspire us and guide us.
May we be people who speak the truth and share our gifts.
May we make a difference in our school community.
Come be with us.
We make this prayer through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

PRINCIPAL’S PEN

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome back to the new term to all St Rita’s students and families. Term 3 is bound to be another busy one, so we were pleased to see the smiling, happy faces of our students last Monday morning. This term we have a plethora of whole school events; NAIDOC Week, Catholic Education Week, Science Week, Children’s Book Week, Year 5/6 camp and a cultural excursion for the Prep/Year 1 class. Both Mrs Debbie Kurucz (Week 5) and I (Weeks 8 – 10) will be having periods of leave this term, with Mrs Julie Cross and Mrs Maureen Gaul filling our positions during these times.

During Week 3, CATHOLIC EDUCATION WEEK will celebrate and highlight the significance of education in Catholic schools in Queensland. I invite all families to join us as we celebrate this event in a variety of school activities that will be taking place during the week. Next Tuesday 26thJuly, the whole school will travel to Good Counsel Primary in Innisfail to celebrate CEW with the other four schools and college in the southern cluster. Your child will bring home a permission note this week for participation in this excursion.

We will celebrate NAIDOC WEEK at St Rita’s during Week 4 this year. NAIDOC celebrations are held around Australia each July to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. A Liturgy in the church and an afternoon of NAIDOC-themed activities have been organised by APRE, Mrs Gaul, and Miss Alannah Dewis, our Indigenous Liaison Officer, for Friday 4th August. Parents and families are most welcome to join us for one or both of these activities.

Last week, St Rita’s joined with other schools in the district to compete at the Mulgrave District Track & Field competition in Gordonvale. Caleb McEwan (Year 5) and Kaelan Maxwell (Year 4) proudly competed in the Combined Schools team which was placed second overall at the end of the day. Well done Caleb and Kaelan! Thank you Mrs Masina, Sports Coordinator, who did another awesome job contributing to the running of this sporting event.

As we commence Term 3, I would like to once again remind you that St Rita’s is a community of staff and families who, in partnership, provide a holistic education to our students. Adam Voigt describes a school as being like a brain, with each brain cell representing a person in the school; a teacher, a leader, a student, a school officer or a parent.

“….. it is not individual strength, but the connections and relationships between the individuals which will determine whether your community of learners reaches its potential”.

I encourage all members of our school community to help us continue developing a strong ‘brain’ throughout this second semester. I believe that we have had a positive start to achieving this goal in 2017, and we need each and every one of our ‘cells’ to build a strong culture of community and relationships at St Rita’s. I urge you to participate actively in all we offer at St Rita’s. We are partners in your child’s education!

Regards,
Judy Billiau

CATHOLIC EDUCATION WEEK 23–29 JULY 2017

Catholic Education Week will be celebrated across Queensland from 23 - 29 July this year. This annual event is held to promote the special ethos of Catholic schools and to highlight the great things that take place in Catholic schools every day. The theme for this year’s celebrations is: Sharing the Journey.

Catholic education strives to make a difference in the lives of those in our schools and in the wider community by challenging young people to live out the message of Jesus and to reach their full potential as compassionate, contributing, life-giving members of society. During Catholic Education Week 2017, Catholic education communities across Queensland are invited to celebrate how they are sharing the journey.

There are 302 Catholic schools in Queensland that educate around 146,000 students and employ more than 18,500 teachers and staff, and most will celebrate Catholic Education Week in some way.

YOU CAN DO IT! EDUCATION

The goals of the YCDI SEL program are represented in the model presented below. While ‘Outside Influences’ are seen as important influences on student outcomes, ‘Inside Influences’ (the 5 Foundations) are seen as primary:

• confidence (work, social)
• persistence
• organisation
• getting along
• resilience

Unless the 5 Foundations are well-developed, young people will be ‘at risk’ for adjustment and achievement problems. Community, school, person, home, and bio-temperamental factors are seen as influencing the rate of development of the 5 Foundations.

Persistence will be the focus of SEL lessons (You Can Do It! Program) this term. Persistence means trying hard and not giving up when schoolwork feels like it’s too difficult or boring. Examples of persistent behaviour are continuing to try even when school work is hard, not being distracted by others and checking work when it’s finished to make sure it’s correct.

Positive Habits of the Mind that help develop a young person’s Persistence include:

• I Can Do It means if I try very hard, I will probably be successful.
• Giving Effort means thinking that the harder I try, the more skilled I will become and the better by success will be.
• Working Tough means preferring but not demanding that things be exciting and never boring and thinking that to be successful, I sometimes have to do things that are not easy or fun.

APRE THOUGHTS

“Sharing Our Journey” as a family for Catholic Education Week

“We need simplicity to pray as a family: simplicity is necessary! Praying the Our Father together, around the table, is not something extraordinary: it’s easy. And praying the Rosary together, as a family, is very beautiful and a source of great strength! And also praying for one another! The husband for his wife, the wife for her husband, both together for their children, the children for their grandparents….praying for each other. This is what it means to pray in the family and it is what makes the family strong: prayer.” Pope Francis– Homily, October 27, 2013

Pope Francis reminds us of the importance of prayer to help families grow stronger. During Catholic Education Week, you may have an opportunity to engage in prayer together as a family or spend a moment reflecting on these questions: How did we help one another through a hard time? What are we grateful for in our family this week?

Below, you will find some simple ways to share your family journey and talk about the good times and also the difficult times that are lived through as a family. There is an idea for every day during Catholic Education Week!

• Begin a family gratitude journal for all family members to jot down little things that they are grateful for. Younger children could draw what they are grateful for or have an older sibling or parent scribe for them. After school, ask your child to talk firstly about 3 good things that happened in the day and then one solved problem.
• Think about ways that your family might be able to practise sharing with our community such as feeding the hungry, helping the homeless, visiting the sick, helping the poor, comforting those who are sad or lonely, forgiving others e.g. donating used toys or clothing; visiting people in nursing homes or aged care facilities and spending time with them e.g. reading the newspaper to them or playing a game of cards with them.
• Create a short end-of-day ritual to ask for and extend forgiveness to members of your family. “Do not let the sun set on your anger” (Eph. 4:26).
• Make a point to smile, greet or make conversation with others you may meet throughout your day or week.
• Before you begin a family dinner, light a candle and join hands with everyone at your table for a moment of silence. Pray silently for peace; peace in your hearts, peace in your families and peace in our world. This could also happen at the end of a shared meal.

Community Carers Visit

On the final Thursday of last term, members from St Rita’s Community Carers Group visited Abbeyfield House and spent a delightful hour with some of the residents. There were interesting conversations, a sing-a-long to “You Are My Sunshine” and a Dance Fever performance to entertain and engage in. Some of the early life experiences shared by the residents were quite astounding, and certainly made us realise how lucky we are today to enjoy modern ‘privileges’ of education, sports, arts and recreation activities, as well as our everyday conveniences.

Our participants in this visit are to be commended for their exemplary manners, and the genuine interest and friendliness that was extended to our hosts, and were well-rewarded with a scrumptious morning tea supplied by Abbeyfield House. We were very grateful to our hosts for allowing us the pleasure of their company.

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:

Tuesday 25th July: Catholic Education Week Mass at Good Counsel Primary 10:00am
Friday 4th August: St Rita’s NAIDOC Liturgy 12:00pm
Monday 15th August: Mass for the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Friday 11th August: Prep – Year 4 Liturgy 8:45am
Friday 1st September: Year 5/6 Mass 12:00pm

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

Blessings,
Maureen Gaul

COMMUNITY CARERS

Abbeyfield Adventures

Peaceful and serene, friendly and welcoming...some of the residents of Abbeyfield House in Babinda allowed the Community Carers from St Rita’s to spend time with them on Thursday 22nd June. Six students from the senior class chatted cheerfully with the sprightly retirees over a marvellous morning tea prepared by Gail, our host.

We heard stories from the elderly people who were with us, about their childhood and what they remembered. One of the residents was only 11 years old when he had to go to work at a tin mine in Hobart, underground! He worked from daylight to dark. We were all shocked! No one was expecting that! Another resident said to make sure you have a hobby for when you are older, so you can be happy with lots to do. She loved to garden when she was little, and still does now. A gentleman brought out his tablet hoping that he could get us to fix his printing problem, and we offered a solution. He said that he’d try it after lunch. It felt excellent to be able to help him out!

The students also sang melodically to the rhythmic strumming of the ukulele, and the residents joined into the well-known song, “You Are My Sunshine”, with enthusiasm. They were entertained by a spontaneous dance performance that the children had learned from ‘Dance Fever’ dance lessons during the term. Afterwards, a small meal was served, and everyone enjoyed cupcakes, sandwiches, party-pies and a refreshing cup of cordial.

Georgina, Jack, Jamie and Melina were also with the Community Carers who enjoyed spending time at Abbeyfield House that day. Not even having to walk back to school in the rain could dampen our spirits!

Andy Pham and Roisin Stager (Year 6)

CASTING THE NET

Where do you focus?

Once when I was travelling back home from Melbourne I got caught in the chaos that was affecting air travel. Between an airline not running, engineering problems with a plane from another airline, bad weather and pressure from the beginning of school holidays, the homeward trip was a mess, beginning at Melbourne airport. There the queue for the Baggage Drop went back from the Domestic terminal right into the International terminal! What was amazing was how calmly and politely the overwhelming majority of people took the inconvenience in their stride. Amongst the hundreds of people, the number of people who made an unpleasant fuss could have been counted on one hand. Yet what was really amazing was how little attention those people were given. Everyone, but especially the staff, just got on with being calm and making the best of a difficult situation. I marvelled at what a difference such a focus can make.

In the ordinary challenges and circumstances of life, if we chose to focus on what is negative, we will become people who give out negativity: whingers and unhappy complainers. But if we make the best of a situation and try to find what is good, we will be happy and spread that happiness. At the heart of the Christian faith is the belief that not only has God created a good world but that God’s grace and power can bring goodness even out of profoundly sinful situations. We allow that divine power to work in our lives by what we chose to focus on. In life, in love and in relationships, we can only build on good. Focus on the good and then you will have the power to deal with the difficult challenges.

Loving God, you have made our world and each of us in love and goodness. When life is difficult and challenging, send us your Spirit so that we may be channels of Jesus’ life-giving power and love. We ask this in his name confident that you will hear us.

Sr Kym Harris osb

QUEENSLAND PREMIER’S READING CHALLENGE

The Premier's Reading Challenge is an annual statewide initiative for state and non-state schools and home-educated students up to Year 9, as well as children (aged up to five years) enrolled in an early childhood centre, and individual home readers. The reading period for Prep - Year 9 students is 17th July - 25th August 2017.

The Premier's Reading Challenge is not a competition, but aims to improve literacy and encourage children to engage in reading for pleasure and learning. This year, the Premier has challenged students from Prep - Year 4 to read or experience 20 books, and Year 5 to read 15 books. Experiencing books can include shared reading, listening to stories or reading picture books.

St Rita’s School is once again registered to participate in the Challenge, and we encourage all students to be part of this initiative through our regular Home Reading and library borrowing programs. Every student who participates will receive a Certificate of Achievement signed by the Premier. Parents are encouraged to play a part in improving children’s literacy by assisting their children in the Premier’s Reading Challenge 2016.

Let’s get reading now!

LIBRARY LINKS

BOOK WEEK 2017

Welcome to a busy Term 3 in the Library, with our eagerly anticipated Book Week taking place on Wednesday 23rd August. With only a little over a month until our Book Character Parade, children are already discussing what character they will come dressed as. There has been much excitement and secrecy around character choices! I know most parents enjoy working on the costumes with their children, but for those who may find it difficult because of time constraints etc., please feel welcome to contact me.

I will be happy to help your child create a simple costume at school, for them to wear in the parade. Please remember that it is not always necessary to dress your child from head to toe. Sometimes a creative hat or decorated shirt, umbrella, funny shoes etc. make for a simple and fun costume. All we ask is that your child dresses as a character from one of their favourite books. The most important thing is that you and your child have fun putting a costume together.

Cheers until next time,
Lisa Calcagno
Library Officer

DATE CLAIMERS

STUDENTS OF THE WEEK

St Rita’s School congratulates those students who were awarded ‘Student of the Week’ at Assembly on Monday 17th July 2017.

SPECIAL AWARDS

Congratulations to Teelah Geary, Tony Pham and Hayley Geary for achieving their ‘Magic 100 Word’ certificates. Well done Teelah, Tony and Hayley!

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK

COMMUNITY NEWS