Issue 1 - 31 January 2018

Newsletter Articles

VISION STATEMENT

St Rita’s School will be a compassionate and supportive community built on the Gospel of Jesus Christ, specifically incorporating the Mercy Values which are lived out. We will be a values-based community reaching out to and welcoming the wider community. Our strong school spirit will shine. St Rita’s will be a school in which every member is respectful of self and others

PRINCIPAL’S PEN

Dear Parents and Carers,

I extend a very warm welcome to all for the 2018 school year! I hope you have had a restful and happy school holiday. As we welcome new families to St. Rita’s, I wish all members of our school community an enjoyable and fulfilling experience during the coming year. I encourage you to be an active part of our school community and enjoy being involved in your child’s growth and development at school.

The staff is happy to have welcomed Mrs Mollie Harbour into our team this year. Mollie has already settled into the senior classroom and is looking forward to working with the Year 5 and 6 students and their families this year. We also have welcomed back our super cleaner Mrs Marie Torrisi, who took Long Service Leave during Term 4 last year. Mrs Debbie Kurucz extended her Christmas holiday for an exciting overseas trip through Europe and USA. The Office was capably managed by Mrs Julie Cross in Debbie’s absence. Thank you Julie! Our new Prep children have also made a rapid transition into their class, and this was helped through their participation in the Term 4 Pre-Prep program.

Although I have been lucky to catch up with many parents visiting school last week, I am looking forward to welcoming parents to our first school event next week. We have scheduled our annual Parent Information sessions on Tuesday 6th February. During these sessions, which are held in each of our classrooms, you will be able to meet classroom teachers and learn about the curriculum and classroom routines of your child’s class.

I strongly encourage all parents to attend these sessions as they provide valuable information to you as partners in your child’s education. Topics discussed include important Term One dates, Homework requirements, classroom routines, curriculum overviews and how you can help in the classroom. Specific session times can be found on the Term 1 Calendar in this newsletter issue. Additionally, I will continue to promote the participation of all parents in the school’s P & F Association. The Annual General Meeting of the St Rita’s P & F will be scheduled to take place on 13th February. Do consider becoming involved this year!

As such important members of our school community, I urge parents to become involved in whole school activities and to keep in close contact with your child’s teacher. Your teacher is your first ‘port of call’ for any queries or concerns about your child’s learning. You are also welcome to contact either Maureen, our Assistant Principal, or myself should you have any questions about our school. I strongly believe that communication is vital for us to work as partners in the education of your child.

Blessings for a wonderful 2018 at St. Rita’s School!

Judy Billiau

AFTER SCHOOL ROUTINES

As we are beginning our second week at school, it is important that we revisit our after school practices to ensure the safety of St. Rita’s students at the end of each day. When the bell sounds at 2:55pm, all children move to the front of the school to catch one of the buses, ride or walk home, or be picked up by their parents. A teacher will be ‘on duty’ at the gate until all children are collected.

For your information, we ask that the following procedures be observed:

• Parents who pick up their children are asked to park on the school side of the street to reduce the risks associated with students crossing the street.
• Students who ride bikes or walk home, leave the school promptly after the last bell.
• A list of students who catch the bus has been compiled from the student information forms which have been returned to school. It is parent’s responsibility to inform the school in writing of any permanent variations to the normal routine. A phone call will suffice for last minute or unexpected changes for that day.

Thank you for helping us keep St Rita’s students safe!

CURRICULUM CORNER

Introducing Mrs Van!

Hello St Rita’s! My name is Michelle van Dugteren (Mrs Van) and I am very excited to have been appointed as the District Teacher Librarian at St Rita’s this year. I will be visiting St Rita’s every second Tuesday (Weeks 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9). I look forward to getting to know all of you and working with students on some exciting projects throughout the year.

A little bit about me...I live in Gordonvale with my husband, 2 children and 5 pet chickens! My all-time favourite children’s author is Roald Dahl.

Michelle van Dugteren
District Teacher Librarian

SCHOOL UNIFORM

St Rita’s has a school uniform for the purpose of school identity, spirit and pride. Much consideration has gone into making the uniform functional, attractive and suitable for students of primary school age. If students are out of uniform, parents need to provide a reason by way of a note in your child’s Student Diary or email to the Office.

• Hats - Navy blue broad-brimmed hat or legionnaires cap
• Shoes - All black closed-in shoes for dress uniform and joggers for Sports uniform
• Socks - Navy socks for both day and sports uniforms
• Girl’s uniform - Navy skort or skirt with teal and navy shirt
• Boy’s uniform - Navy shorts with teal and navy shirt
• Sports uniform - Navy shorts/Navy skort with green and navy sports polo

In Term 1, sports uniform is worn each Wednesday for P.E. lessons, with Thursday being the designated day for the wearing of the ‘house’ (blue or red) sports polo.

For the convenience of parents, the School Office stocks all items of the St Rita’s uniform. It is a service we provide for your convenience, and our uniforms are sold at the purchase price with a small delivery charge. Let’s keep St Rita’s students looking smart in their school uniform!

Enjoy your week!

Regards and blessings,
Judy Billiau

SMART CHOICES - HEALTHY EATING

What is Smart Choices?

Smart Choices—the Healthy Food and Drink Supply Strategy for Queensland Schools is all about offering healthy food and drink choices to students in Queensland schools.

Why healthy choices?

The earlier children are encouraged to eat healthy foods, the more likely they are to continue healthy eating habits into adulthood. Healthy food and drinks give children and young people all the nutrients they need to:

• grow and develop
• concentrate and learn well at school
• stay healthy throughout childhood and in adult life.

The school setting is a key location for influencing the healthy eating behaviours of children and young people.

Smart Choices in the school environment

Smart Choices applies to all situations where food and drinks are supplied in the school environment. This includes tuckshops, vending machines, school excursions, school camps, fundraising, classroom rewards, school events such as sport days, and food used in curriculum activities.

When applying the strategy to the whole of school environment, schools should be guided by the following principles:

• profit should not come before student health and wellbeing
• focus of the strategy is on foods and drinks supplied to students rather than the wider community
• take all opportunities to eliminate the promotion and supply of RED foods and drinks
• take all opportunities to promote and model consistent messages about healthy eating practices.

For the latest information on Smart Choices including frequently asked questions

APRE THOUGHTS

Each New Year is a cause for celebration! What lies before us is sure to be a wealth of opportunities, experiences and challenges! Welcome to our returning staff, families and students; it was a happy reunion returning to school last week to the many bright eyes and eager smiles! Welcome especially to staff, families and students who are new to our learning community and bring new energy and life to our school. We look forward to creating new memories together, making new friendships and leaving our mark upon history here at St Rita’s.

Parents and friends of St Rita’s School, you are warmly invited to celebrate our Beginning of School Year Mass, this Thursday 1st February @ 12:00pm with staff and students. We welcome you to join with us in St Rita’s Parish Church, and celebrate our first coming together as a Catholic Christian community in the school year, and to commission our 2018 school leaders. Thank you to Father Nathan McKay who will preside over our mass.

The liturgical year of 2018, which began on December 3rd 2017, has been identified as a national Year of Youth by Australian Bishops, with the intention to reconnect and renew the next generation in Church life. Church leaders are keen to engage with young people and empower our youth, so that they may live in authentic witness to Jesus’ gospel messages.

Part of the vision for ministry with young people is to foster personal and spiritual growth and encourage responsible participation in the life and mission of the Catholic Church, while supporting young people through their challenges and successes. In our Catholic schools, we too share this vision. Through our various prayer experiences, children receive opportunities to develop their spirituality and personal relationship with God, and engage in different prayer rituals from the Christian Tradition. We look to place Christ at the centre of our lives as our model for living out the gospel values.

Blessings,

Maureen Gaul
Assistant Principal (Religious Education)

SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING

AROUND THE CLASSROOMS

Praying in Colour in Year 2/3/4

In our classroom, prayer is important to us. We can pray for people who need help, and we can say prayers of thanks. Last week we prayed lots of different prayers.

One fun way to pray is ‘praying in colour’. You can choose your favourite colours to pray with. We wrote in fluorescent crayons. First, you write a name for God in the centre of a page. Then you choose someone to pray for and write their name too. You use the colours to draw and connect the person you are praying for to God. When we were praying, we felt relaxed, peaceful and calm, and our room was quiet and happy. We think that God was with us when we were praying.

This week, we are praying with mandalas. It is a creative way to pray, and colourful too!

By Amethyst Ripps and Timmy Pham

DATE CLAIMERS

BIRTHDAY CONGRATULATIONS

St Rita’s wishes Teelah Geary all the very best for her recent birthday. We hope you had a wonderful birthday celebration. Congratulations Teelah!

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK

COMMUNITY NEWS

Well Women’s Clinic – Babinda Hospital

(This clinic is available to Medicare eligible clients)

Wednesday 14th February 2018
All services are provided by a specially-trained Women’s Health Nurse.
For appointments phone 4067 8200

BREASTSCREEN QUEENSLAND CAIRNS SERVICE

Our Mobile Service is coming to Babinda Hospital 19th – 27th February 2018

If you are a woman aged 50-74 years phone 13 20 50 or visit the link below to book your free breast screen. Woman in their 40s and over 75 can also access this free service. No doctor’s referral is necessary

FARINELLI TENNIS ACADEMY

Hello parents and children and Happy New Year!

I just want to advise that I will not be continuing with my business this year. I have given it a lot of thought and have decided to go in a new direction. While I have enjoyed my time coaching tennis, I am hoping to get a trade and be of more help to my family on our farms.

I have met some amazing families and children and worked with the best schools over the past 4 years and your support has been greatly appreciated. I could never have expected to develop such a successful tennis business and it’s thanks to you.

King regards,
Travis Farinelli

CAIRNS CITY REDS BASEBALL