Issue 19 - 5 December 2018

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,

An outstanding celebration was held in St Rita’s Catholic Parish for the 60th Year of Priesthood of Father William Grundy. On Saturday 24th November, a very large congregation attended mass and dinner organised by an energetic group of St Rita’s parishioners. Father Grundy has worked in the parish for thirty-four years, from 1967 – 1988 and later 1988 until his official retirement in 2014. St Rita’s School congratulates Fr Grundy on this very special occasion, and thanks him for an outstanding contribution to our school for so many years. Congratulations also to the parishioners who organised such a successful event for Father Grundy!

A highlight of the school year is Year 6 Graduation, and this very special event was held last Thursday evening at St Rita’s. As ‘community’ is one of our school values, the focus of the celebration was the involvement of the whole school community in graduation. After mass in St Rita’s Church, a supper followed by a presentation ceremony was enjoyed by the graduates, Father Nathan, staff, fellow students and their families and friends. The evening was a very emotional and joyful event for our school community.

This week nominated senior students presented their Student Leadership speeches to their peers and staff. The quality of the speeches this year was once again exceptional, and all the students ‘spoke from the heart’. There were some very good ideas proposed by our new leaders to plan and organise for next year. They will be a dedicated and active group of young leaders, and we look forward to working with them for the benefit of the school community. On behalf of the St Rita’s School community, I congratulate Hallie Lansdown and Max Schep (School Captains), and Cooder Postic, Kylee Hansen and Matthew Mellick (Sports Captains) on winning student leadership positions for 2019.

This Friday marks the close of another busy and exciting year at St Rita’s School. It has been a privilege to lead our school for another year and be involved in the many successes that have been part of this journey. I am privileged to work with dedicated staff and be involved in an active parent group that strives hard to maximize student learning at St Rita’s. I would like to offer my heartfelt gratitude to all members of our school community who have contributed to another successful school year.

I acknowledge the efforts and achievements of the students of our school; the young people of St Rita’s Catholic School who continue to make us proud of their eagerness to learn and grow through a well-rounded curriculum. We have witnessed their enthusiasm and skills at sports carnivals and academic competitions, in dance and concert performances, and we have admired their respectfulness at public ceremonies and liturgical celebrations. I know that we all have been very proud of our students on so many occasions throughout this year. Excellent work St Rita’s students!

Once again our parent community has been truly generous in the support and assistance it has provided throughout the year. Parents have happily volunteered in the classrooms, participated in the mowing roster, supervised at sports events and on camp, and by providing transport for excursions. I sincerely thank you for being authentic partners in your children’s education. Your valuable support has undoubtedly contributed to another successful year for St Rita’s. Many thanks!

I especially thank Parish Priests, Fr Kerry Crowley and Fr Nathan McKay , for their ongoing support and involvement in our school. The P & F Executive Committee, Honorei Bisset, Maryjane Masina and Julie Parker, should also be thanked for an awesome effort. Through successful fund-raising ventures, students have benefitted from the purchase of curriculum resources, sports equipment, SAKG cooking supplies, ‘Dance Fever’ lessons and a new projector in the school library. Thank you Julie for also coordinating a successful Tuckshop this year!

I say a heartfelt thank you to the highly regarded staff of St Rita’s who I appreciate and admire every day of the school year. I am privileged to work with an exceptionally dedicated staff who work enthusiastically to ensure maximum learning outcomes are achieved for all students in our school. We farewell and acknowledge the contribution of Mrs Mollie Harbour, Year 5/6 teacher, to our staff for the past year. Mollie leaves us with many happy memories of her time teaching at St Rita’s, and I believe that our loss is St Rita’s South Johnstone’s gain. Thank you for your hard work and dedication Mrs Harbour!

ST RITA’S STAFF 2019

Principal: Mrs Judy Billiau
Assistant Principal (RE): Mrs Maureen Gaul
Prep/Year 1: Mrs Maryjane Masina
Year 2/3/4: Mrs Maureen Gaul
Year 5/6: Mrs Vicki Jago & Mrs Judy Billiau
Administration Officer: Mrs Debbie Kurucz
School Officers: Mrs Donna Lauridsen, Mrs Lisa Calcagno & Mrs Jenni Stone
Cleaner: Mrs Marie Torrisi

Book Lists for 2019 have been compiled and these will be sent home with the children on Thursday, 6th December. It probably seems like a long way off until school starts in January, but those parents who like to be organised before the beginning of year rush, most of your child’s requirements for next year can be purchased at your leisure. Roddo’s Newsagency has been given copies of the St Rita’s Book Lists if you choose to source your school supplies locally.

This Friday marks the close of another busy and exciting year at St Rita’s School. It has been professionally and personally rewarding to lead our school for another year and be involved in the many successes that have been part of this journey. To those families who are leaving St Rita’s this year, I wish you all the best in your new schools and I hope you have made many happy memories during your time with us. Thank you for being part of our wonderful school community!

May the joy and blessings of the Christmas season be with your family. I hope you have a safe and happy holiday, and a well-earned rest from the morning rush of school days. And if you are travelling, do stay safe on the roads. We look forward to welcoming you back to St Rita’s on Tuesday, 27th January 2019.

Regards and blessings,

Judy Billiau

ASSESSMENT AND REPORTING

Over the past weeks, teachers have been extremely busy preparing Semester Two Reports for the students at St Rita’s School. From Wednesday 5th December, these formal written reports will be available for viewing and downloading on the Parent Portal. I encourage you to review your child’s Report thoroughly and to contact your classroom teacher for an interview if you have any concerns or queries.

For your information, I am including an excerpt from the Cairns Catholic Education Services Guideline on Student Reporting document, which provides instruction to schools for complying with Australian Government and Diocesan requirements for reporting student achievement:

Rationale and expectations:

In Catholic schools, student achievement is recognised and celebrated in many ways throughout the school year; at informal meetings, through awards at school assembly, parent/student/teacher interviews, through class work that is sent home, through class oral presentations and through written reports.

Reporting communicates information that has been obtained from a variety of assessment processes and involves a professional judgment made on a body of evidence about a student’s progress and achievement against a set of clearly articulated standards. In Catholic schools in the Diocese of Cairns the key principles of reporting are:

• Teacher professional judgment is at the heart of reporting student achievement.
• Teachers’ knowledge and observation of the students’ progress contributes to this professional judgment.
• Teacher professional judgment is informed by assessment data and referenced to the curriculum framework.
• The teacher develops assessment tasks and identifies the criteria which inform judgments about the child’s achievement.
• Teachers utilise the evidence from a body of work to make a judgment against standards at a point in time.
• Teachers should keep a folio of the evidence of a student’s work.

When reading your child’s Report and reviewing their Student Work Folio, please keep in mind that these are only two sources of feedback about student progress. Throughout the year there are opportunities for parent-teacher interviews to provide parents with comprehensive feedback on individual student progress. This includes feedback on your child’s behaviour in class and discussion of potential learning goals that the teacher has targeted for the individual student.

APRE THOUGHTS

Dear Parents and Carers,

FINAL MASSES FOR OUR 2018 SCHOOL YEAR

The final weeks of our 2018 school year have been liturgically rich at St Rita’s, where we have already celebrated two of three significant end-of-year occasions with mass. On Saturday 24th November, Father Grundy celebrated his Diamond Jubilee of Priesthood. Father Grundy has had a long association with St Rita’s Babinda, being Parish Priest from 1967-1980, and then again from 1993-2014. Since this time, due to ill health, he has retired, but still continues as our Emeritus Priest in the parish. Father’s 60th Anniversary Mass was a very moving service, with many speakers attesting to Father’s humble, giving nature. It was especially emotive to hear Father Bill’s family members share fond memories of their brother, and hear of how inspirational and treasured he was to them all. There were few dry eyes left after listening to such loving stories! It was very evident that Father is held is deep regard by parishioners as well, with many fine, personal efforts all contributing to an outstanding celebration for everyone’s enjoyment.

This was followed by last Thursday’s Graduation Evening, which was again, a special event for our St Rita’s community. For Georgina and Jamie, their primary school years have come to an end. As such, we came together for mass in thanksgiving for the wonderful contribution these two young people (and their families) have made to our school, and afterwards celebrated with a shared supper, shared touching words in speeches and exchanged mementoes to mark the milestone. We have been blessed in many ways by their presence, as they have ‘shone their light’ with us, and we wish them every happiness and success as they transition to their new high schools. Once again, many hands contributed in so many ways to event’s success, and to you all, I say thank you!

St Rita’s 2018 End-of-School-Year Thanksgiving Mass will be celebrated on Friday 7th December commencing at 11:00am. Families are invited to come together on this day, to thank God for the year gone by and to ask for God’s guidance to prepare for the Christmas season. It will be a time to remember with happiness and sadness, and a time to look to the future with hope, as God wants us to. We will have the opportunity to remember all those who have been a part of our lives this year: our families and friends, our schoolmates and teachers, and the people in our wider community, and farewell those who will be leaving our school this year. We welcome Father Joseph Pullanappillil, who will be officiating at our Thanksgiving Mass, to conclude the 2018 school year with a whole school prayer celebration.

VINNIES CHRISTMAS APPEAL

Our collection boxes are overflowing with hamper items! Mr Tony Densmore – a parishioner of St Rita’s and representative of the Babinda branch of St Vincent de Paul’s - will collect our donations on the final assembly for 2018, at approximately 9:30am. While Christmas is frequently portrayed as a time of indulgence and abundance, it can be an especially challenging time for many families. Our hamper items will surely spread Christmas joy and demonstrate to our children the value of giving to others. Thank you most sincerely for your generous contributions to the appeal, in support of your local community.

FINAL THOUGHTS FOR THE YEAR

At the completion of our 2018 school year, may I take this opportunity to thank all staff, students, parents and/or carers who have contributed to the success of our school in so many different ways. Through your commitment and energies, you have enriched our school community and contributed immensely to the vibrancy and life of St Rita’s. Thank you whole-heartedly for your efforts. My wish for you all is to enjoy a happy, holy and safe Christmas season.

To conclude, may I share this adaptation of 1st Corinthians 13, A Christmas Version, which was shared with me, and quite plainly illustrates the real message of Christmas.

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not not show love to my family, I'm just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in the choir's cantata, but do not focus on those I love the most, I have missed the point.

In other words:

Love stops the cooking to hug a child.
Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the spouse.
Love is kind, though harried and tired.
Love doesn't envy another's home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.
Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful they are there to be in the way.
Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can't.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails.
Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust.
But the gift of love will endure.

Blessings,

Maureen Gaul
Assistant Principal (Religious Education)

CASTING THE NET

It was like a text from Jesus

When I read this line early last week, it set me thinking. If I received a text from Jesus what would it say? I haven’t yet worked out what he would say in a pithy manner but I know there would be things in it that I truly need. It would definitely include support. I know I beat myself up too much for not meeting unrealistic expectations. Which leads me to ask what are these expectations and are they really what God wants of me? Quite often not. I think Jesus would tell me to be myself – the unique person he wants to dance with in the crazy music of life. I think he would tell me to dampen the negative voices, enter into myself, be the person he wants me to be … and love and serve others as that person.

And what would I send in reply? It has to be ‘Thank you!’ in one of the myriad of ways in which ‘thank you’ can be said. But what else would I say? I think ‘joy’ should be in there and maybe a commitment to be creative with the person he calls me to be.

And, you know what, unique as I may be, I think the things he would say to me would not be much different to what he would say to most of you. God wants to delight in the person he has made and who is making in you. When we realise that, a lot of the rubbish in our lives can be dealt with, even falls away, and we have the capacity to say ‘Thank You’ and let joy loose in our lives. So what text would you like to receive and how would you reply?

Loving God, my life gets cluttered with all sorts of unrealistic expectations. Give me the wisdom to listen to what you truly want to say to me and the insight and courage to respond from the depths of my heart. I ask this in Jesus’ name confident that you will hear me.

Sr Kym Harris osb

SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING

Guiding children through the steps of conflict resolution

Steps and suggestions for conflict resolution

1. Set the stage for WIN-WIN outcomes

Conflict arises when people have different needs or views of a situation. Make it clear that you are going to help the children listen to each other’s point of view and look for ways to solve the problem that everyone can agree to.

• Ask: What’s the problem here? Be sure to get both sides of the story – e.g.: “He won’t let me have a turn” from one child, and “I only started and it’s my game,” from another.
• Say: I’m sure if we talk this through we’ll be able to sort it out so that everyone is happy.

2. Have children state their own needs and concerns

The aim is to find out how each child sees the problem. Help children identify and communicate their needs and concerns without judging or blaming.

• Ask: What do you want or need? What are you most concerned about?

3. Help children listen to the other person and understand their needs and concerns

In the heat of conflict it is difficult to understand that the other person has feelings and needs too. Listening to the other helps to reduce the conflict and allows children to think of the problem as something they solve together.

• Ask: So you want to have a turn at this game now because it’s nearly time to go home? And you want to keep playing to see if you can get to the next level?
• Show children that you understand both points of view: I can understand why you want to get your turn. I can see why you don’t want to stop now.

4. Help children think of different ways to solve the problem

Often children who get into conflict can only think of one solution. Getting them to think of creative ways for solving the conflict encourages them to come up with new solutions that no-one thought of before. Ask them to let the ideas flow and think of as many options as they can, without judging any of them.

Encourage: Let’s think of at least 3 things we could do to solve this problem.

5. Build win-win solutions

Help children sort through the list of options you have come up with together and choose those that appear to meet everybody’s needs. Sometimes a combination of the options they have thought of will work best. Together, you can help them build a solution that everyone agrees to.

• Ask: Which solution do you think can work? Which option can we make work together?

6. Put the solution into action and see how it works

Make sure that children understand what they have agreed to and what this means in practice.

• Say: Okay, so this is what we’ve agreed. Tom, you’re going to show Wendy how to play the game, then Wendy, you’re going to have a try, and I’m going to let you know when 15 minutes is up.

LESSONS IN THE LIBRARY

Holiday Reading with eBooks!

Did you know that all students at St Rita’s have access to a range of eBooks and audiobooks? All students can access this service at home through either the Sora app or ePlatform app using their school computer login and password.

To use the Sora app, follow these simple steps:

1. Search for and download the Sora app from your app store
2. Set your school to ACEN Member Collection.
3. Select ACEN Member Collection from the drop-down menu and select Sign In
4. Login using your school computer login and password (make sure Cairns is selected as the Diocese).
5. Find a book and press Borrow to read/listen.

An additional app for students to source a range of eBooks and audio books is ePlatform. Accessing this service at home is easy by following these 3 steps:

1. Search for and download the ePlatform app from your app store
2. Find our school library (St Rita’s School, Babinda) and log in using your school computer username and password
3. Browse and borrow an eBook to read on your device.

Once you have downloaded an eBook, you can take it and read it anywhere!

Michelle van Dugteren
District Librarian & Resource Teacher

‘COMMUNITY CARERS’ HOSPITAL VISIT

Today, Mrs Billiau took the ‘Community Carers’ group of St Rita’s to visit the elderly residents of the Babinda Hospital. We had been invited there by the hospital’s Occupational Therapist, Miss Hayley. While Georgina and I played our violins, my grandma Mrs Bernadette Anthony, accompanied us on the piano.

Georgina and I have been having lessons with grandma for about twelve months now. We both really enjoy our lessons! My favourite piece we played for the residents was ‘Merrily We Roll Along’. And we also tried to play, ‘Skip to My Lou’, but we weren’t very good at it. The residents were a good audience and we were glad that they liked our music. We really do like to put a bit of joy into their day!

LIBRARY LINKS

‘The Most Wonderful Time of the Year’

Our magical Elf has been having a lovely time in the library over the last 12 days. Each night he spreads his magic dust and appears again the next day in some exciting way, ready to delight the children as they search eagerly for him each morning. He is quite devious and loads of fun; riding a reindeer, playing Elf Twister, wrapping tiny gifts, competing in a sack race, reading to his animal friends and sleeping peacefully in a tissue box covered in snowflakes (to name just a few!). What will he come up with next?

Check out some of the gorgeous Christmas story books in the shops at present, or at your local libraries; they are sure to add to the festive feeling. We all know how very important it is for children to develop a love of reading, early on in their lives. As parents, we try to foster a love of books and what they can offer, by reading to our children whenever possible and also by listening to them read to us. This sharing of stories is always special time spent together. In our busy world, it is sometimes difficult to have time to sit down together in the traditional way. Consider having your child read to you while you prepare dinner, or while you are driving together in the car. It doesn’t matter how this sharing of stories happens; what matters is that it does. Share a Christmas story together if you can.

I’d like to wish you all a wonderful, relaxing and fun holiday together. Have a magical Christmas season with your children. It is, as they say, ‘the most wonderful time of the year’.

Merry Christmas and Happy Reading!

Lisa Calcagno,
Library Assistant

DATE CLAIMERS

STUDENTS OF THE WEEK

St Rita’s School congratulates those students who were awarded ‘Student of the Week’ at Assembly on Thursday 22nd November 2018.

BIRTHDAY CONGRATULATIONS

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

ST RITA’S P & F News

Dear Parents,

Thank you for the support and assistance you have given to our parent group throughout the year. Helping at school functions, fundraising activities, term discos, Mother’s day raffle, tuckshop and attending meetings has been very much appreciated. When you enrol at St Rita’s you automatically become a member of the school P & F. Aren’t you lucky!

The outstanding success of our Cent Sale in November has enabled us to contribute towards school resources, cultural excursions for each class, senior school camp, a donation to the Queensland Drought Appeal and finally a new overhead projector for the library. The level of support our P & F group provides to St Rita’s is very much appreciated by the school staff and students.

On behalf of the P & F Executive Committee, I wish you a happy holiday season, and look forward to seeing you at the AGM early in the new year.

Kind regards,

Maryjane Masina
P & F Secretary

QUEENSLAND P & F GREETINGS

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK

COMMUNITY NEWS

Well Women’s Clinic – Babinda Hospital

(This clinic is available to Medicare eligible clients)

Tuesday 18th December 2018
All services are provided by a specially-trained Women’s Health Nurse.
For appointments phone 4067 8200

CAIRNS REDS BASKETBALL 2019