Issue 13 - 21 August 2019

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,

Last Wednesday had to be one of the most exciting days of learning we have had so far this year! It was the St Rita’s Science Fun Day, our celebration of National Science Week, and the staff who organised this whole school event did an outstanding job. Mrs Masina, Mrs Calcagno, Miss Donna and Mrs Jago planned and implemented a day filled with mayhem and experimentation as the children rotated through a number of scientific activities. There was ‘alien slime’ to squish and squeeze, lunar module craft, pop rocket launching, experiments with magnets, and study of the first moon landing fifty years ago.

We were privileged to once again have Mc Donnell Creek staff and students participate in this event. Once our guests had arrived, we gathered in the hub to begin the day with the ’60 Second Science Show’. The Year 5/6 class rose to the challenge of preparing and presenting their scientific experiments to the audience of children, staff and parents. Of course all experiments were not successful, which is the reality of science and experimentation, however Mrs Jago was proud of the confidence her students demonstrated in front of a large audience.

Following last week’s P & F Monthly Meeting, plans were made for the upcoming Father’s Day Stall and Father’s Day Social scheduled for next month. Small gifts for dads and grandads will be purchased and wrapped by the group to sell in the lead up to Father’s Day on Sunday 1st September. On Friday evening, 30th August, dads and children are invited to come to school for a fun afternoon of games, followed by a BBQ dinner. Please support this P & F initiative, as we join together to celebrate with the fathers and grandfathers in our school community.

Each year, across Australia, The Children’s Book Council of Australia brings children and books together celebrating Children’s Book Week. During the week, 17th – 23rd August, schools, libraries, booksellers, authors, illustrators and children celebrate Australian children’s literature, and you will often see children’s book character parades and talented librarians creating amazing displays.

We are excited to be celebrating Children’s Book Week at St Rita’s with this year’s theme, ‘Reading is my Secret Power’. During CBW, the focus of English curriculum, particularly in the Reading and Writing strands, will be engaging with literature. Classroom teachers have been busy planning stimulating and engaging lessons focused on the short-listed books that we have available in our school library. ‘Rainbow Bear’ by Stephen Michael King, ‘Tricky’s Bad Day’ by Alison Lester, ‘The Lion Inside’ by Rachel Bright, and ‘All the ways to be Smart’ by Darina Bell.

As our senior class is on camp this week, the St Rita’s celebration for Children’s Book Week has been postponed until next week. The most exciting event for Book Week is our Dress Up Day which is planned for Wednesday 28th August. As we have the kindy as our special guests for the morning, we will once again begin with the fancy dress parade, which all families are invited to enjoy. All students are encouraged to come to school dressed as a ‘book character’, and bring along the book from which the character has been taken. Parents and friends are most welcome to join us for this exciting morning!

Some Monday mornings are more pleasing than others for staff’s arrival at St Rita’s. Not that we don’t enjoy our work! Rather, walking into the school grounds after our families have mowed, trimmed and gardened on the weekend gives us all a special lift to start the week. I appreciate that it is quite a big job being on our Grounds Roster, and families are busy with social and sporting events on the weekend, so I especially thank those who have filled the roster so capably this term. St Rita’s acknowledges James Larkham and Tom Shaw who have worked on our grounds and gardens this term. A super effort!

Next week, on the same day as our Children’s Book Week celebration, we will be holding an Open Afternoon at St Rita’s. This afternoon will allow local families who might be interested in enrolling their child in our Prep class in 2020 or 2021 an opportunity to visit our school and meet staff and view classrooms. If you know any parents who may have missed seeing our flyer around town, and who wish to know more about the St Rita’s ‘Get Set for Prep’ program offered in Term 4, additional flyers are available for your collection from the office. Interested parents with children in other year levels are also welcome to visit us for the Open Afternoon.

Altogether we have an exciting few weeks ahead in and around our classrooms. I hope to have a super turn-out of families at all our upcoming school events. Come and have fun learning with us at St Rita’s!

Enjoy your week!

Regards and blessings

Judy Billiau

APRE THOUGHTS

Daffodil Day

Dear Parents,

Many years ago, I had the great privilege of living and working in the United Kingdom. There were a few drawbacks however, with the season of winter a main one! Wintertime was a truly miserable time of the year, with endless grey skies, freezing temperatures and icy, drizzling rain. There were no signs of life in any greenery - apart from the grass, that is, which was indeed green and lush, but so muddy underneath! The deciduous trees had all shed their leaves and were bare and brown. Daylight was so fleeting, where you were lucky to escape darkness for around eight hours each day. That’s it. No sun. No warmth. No relief from the harsh, stark cold.

However, as the seemingly endless gloom of winter drew nearer, there was a magic to behold. Tiny flecks of green issued from the brown, frozen earth to mark the turn into springtime. These flecks of brilliant green grew long stems and leaves, and burst into golden flower – daffodils – in a truly spectacular way. Such growth gave a sense of joy and energy after the bleak winter days. Hence daffodils represent new life and hope.

Daffodils are also a symbol for hope for those affected by cancer, and each year the Cancer Council Daffodil Day Appeal campaigns for funds in support of a future without cancer. Daffodil Day is this Friday, 23rd August, and with a target of $4 million, your support by way of donations, is very welcome! Prayer is another way in which we can support those affected by cancer. Please pray this for our loved ones:

Loving God,
source and destiny of all life,
we ask for your gentle and comforting presence
for those who struggle with illness.
Give them, we pray,
the courage and hope of faith in your promises.
Be near to their families
and give them the grace of your peace.
We ask this prayer in Jesus’ name,
Amen.

The Holy Day of the Assumption

Last Thursday, on the 15th August, St Rita’s staff, students and parishioners joined together to celebrate the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This feast day honours the whole human person of Mary – both body and soul. It is of great importance, since one of the core beliefs of the Catholic faith is that we too will rest in eternal life with God once our earthly life has ended. We are very proud of the manner in which our students whole-heartedly participate in various parts of the mass: the readings, prayers, processions, reflections and hymns, and the sense of importance they bring to each of their roles. It was a delight to witness, and a special treat to pray the Hail Mary with the Prep and Year 1 class demonstrating how to ‘sign’ the prayer in Auslan. Many thanks to our wonderful staff for efforts in preparing our students for the occasion, and to Father Mathew for officiating the celebration!

Father’s Day

The first Sunday in Springtime in Australia honours our Fathers and father-figures. To all of our amazing ‘dads’ who nurture, let us pray a special blessing, as we honour the love and joy that you bring to our lives. Happy Father’s Day for the 1st September!

God of Abraham, Moses and Aaron;
   of Zachary, father of John the Baptist,
   of Joseph, foster-father of Jesus,
   listen to our prayer:

Bless all who ‘father’ and protect new life in any way,
   these ‘fathers’ who teach and guide,
   who encourage and lead.

Invite them to the table of your eternal feast,
   these ‘fathers’ who work hard to provide for the life
   that has been entrusted to them.

Embrace them warmly in the intimacy of your love,
   these ‘fathers’ who lift up with strength
   those who are helpless and dependent.

Bless them today with all good things:
   with health, with laughter, with joy and with love,
   with pride in their ‘children’
   and with the support of many friends.

May all ‘fathers’ who have protected and guided the life of others
   be themselves held securely one day in your strong embrace,
   there, for all eternity, to rejoice with their families and friends.

Source:

Accessed 19th August 2019

Blessings,
Maureen Gaul
Assistant Principal (Religious Education)

CASTING THE NET

Stories of Dad

Everyone loves a good ‘Dad story’, or that should be a ‘good Dad story’. (Think of the programs you watched as a kid.) Jesus knew the power of a ‘good Dad story’ to convey what God was like as a loving father and his stories often began like this, ‘The kingdom of God is like a king who gave a wedding feast…’. His imagery was of a person who combined strength and generosity, who was wise and kind….and who would do anything to bring his children to true happiness.

We all have stories about our own fathers and grandfathers – even being absent is a story – and our children can be keen to know those stories. Some are good stories, some sad and some can be tough and challenging. Each has its place in telling your children their family history and helping them form their own identity. We have to shape and present our stories in ways that respect what our children can process well at the age they are. Start with the funny, tell the good and eventually, when they are old enough, share the challenging. Letting them know how you, or others, have faced people’s failings could be the inspiration they need.

And remember, as you live your life, as you tell your stories, you are creating the stories that your children will pass on to their children. You yourself will become a story. What character do you want to be like?

Loving Father, in the stories he told and the life he lived, Jesus showed us what type of Father you were. Inspired by him, may be the loving parent, grandparent, relative or friend that our child/ren need to grow in love. We ask this in Jesus’ name, confident that you will hear us.

Sr Kym Harris osb

SCHOOL COUNSELLOR

Respect

Dear Parents,

The ideology of respect is being challenged more and more as our world becomes increasingly individualistic, focusing on the ‘me’ instead of the ‘we.’ So how do we safeguard our children from becoming too self-centred? Through the insistence of the use of manners in their daily discourse. Manners tell others that they are important and that we respect them. In respecting others and caring about their wellbeing, we create trust and trust is the basis of community. With this in mind, I encourage families to talk to their children about the importance of showing respect for one another through the use of good old-fashioned manners. Good morning, good afternoon, please, thank-you and looking someone in the eye when they are talking to you (if culturally appropriate) is a foundational life skill that we can gift our children. It is important for children to look out for the well-being of others by taking the time to see if their classmates are ok. Try to “catch” your child(ren) being responsible/respectful and reflect positively on this behavior.

Respect is one of the most important virtues a child can have. Teaching your child how to respect others will better ensure they develop positive relationships with their family, friends and teachers throughout their life. Respect can be taught in many ways, but ultimately it’s about ensuring your children lead a happy life and treat other people kindly.

Below are some of the most important traits your child can gain from learning the virtue of respect.

Good manners: Teaching your child good manners might seem difficult, especially at a young age. However, good manners stem from respect. Saying a simple “please” and “thank you” can go a long way and, with practise, these gestures can become natural to your child. By practising manners, your child will learn that all relationships benefit from give and take.

Tolerance: Your child is bound to face conflict throughout their life. While they might not always agree or understand what’s being said or done, teaching them respect will ensure they do their best to address conflict in a productive way. Teaching your child respect will allow them to communicate in a way that is effective and also will encourage them to take responsibility for their own mistakes, and better tolerate the mistakes of others.

Listening: Listening is an important part of having a productive or positive conversation. Learning how to communicate effectively means knowing how to listen, and this can be taught by understanding the importance of respect. Show your child how to listen intently, not interrupt and take their turn in order to help them better engage conversationally with others. This will also help your child to better understand rules and avoid conflicts.

Open-minded: Teaching your children respect ensures they will get to know a person before making a snap judgement. This behaviour will help them throughout their entire life, and ensures they treat everyone with kindness. As well, for some children, diversity is a hard concept to understand. However, teaching children respect at an early age ensures they accept everyone for who they are.

For all children, learning respect takes time, but it’s never too early to start practising this essential life skill. Ultimately, teaching your children respect will help them to create more positive relationships with their family and friends.

Larissa Juniper
Guidance Counsellor

CURRICULUM CORNER

LIBRARY LINKS

BOOK WEEK 2019

The countdown is well and truly underway; only nine days until our Book Week Character Costume Parade on Wednesday 28 August. I hope you have all been having fun putting a costume together with your children.

For any parents stuck for inspiration, I am sending home pictures of simple costumes, to give you some ideas. Acknowledging how busy families are, the majority are very basic and simple to organise. Please remember that it is not always necessary to dress your child from head to toe. Sometimes a creative hat or decorated shirt, an umbrella or 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, sharing the experience of putting a costume together.

A book is a gift you can open again and again – Garrison Keillor

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 Monday 19th August 2019.

BIRTHDAY CONGRATULATIONS

St Rita’s wishes Edith Polzin and Hannah Lansdown all the very best for their recently celebrated birthdays. We hope you had wonderful birthday celebrations Edith and Hannah!

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK

COMMUNITY NEWS

YOUTH URBAN ART PROJECT