Issue 19 - 5 December 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,

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, cutting of the graduation cake and a presentation ceremony was enjoyed by the graduates, Father Mathew, staff, fellow students, and their families and friends. The evening was a very happy and successful event for our school community. St Rita’s once again congratulates our Year 6 graduates!

Last 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 for action next year, and I believe they will be a dedicated and active group of young leaders.

On behalf of the St Rita’s School community, I congratulate Kylee Hansen, who was elected as School Captain, and Cooder Postic and Elijah Geary who won the positions of Sports Captains. I hope this student group continues to grow and develop as St Rita’s leaders in 2020.

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 maximise 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. Your continued support is very much appreciated!

I acknowledge the efforts and achievements of the students of our school; the young people of St Rita’s School Babinda 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 most importantly provided transport for excursions to Cairns. 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, Fr Nathan McKay and Fr Mathew for their ongoing support and involvement in our school. The P & F Executive Committee, Chloe Donahue, Simone Shaw, Maryjane Masina and James Larkham, should also be thanked for an awesome effort. Through successful fund-raising ventures, students have benefitted from the purchase of curriculum resources, SAKG cooking supplies, and ‘Step it up Crew’ dance lessons. From the outstanding Harvest Festival fundraiser, the P & F has been able to purchase new iPads and laptops for our students to use next 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
works enthusiastically to ensure maximum learning outcomes are achieved for all students in our school. We are one big family at St Rita’s, and the success of the whole school events that we organise during the year is testament to how well we work together. We celebrated another successful year together with our staff Christmas party held at Ya Ya’s Greek Restaurant last weekend. A fun night was had by all!

ST RITA’S STAFF 2020

Principal: Mrs Judy Billiau
Assistant Principal (RE): Mrs Maureen Gaul
Prep/Year 1: Mrs Maryjane Masina
Year 2/3/4: Mrs Maureen Gaul & Mrs Debbie Carrigan
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
Indigenous Liaison Officer: Miss Anne Logan
Guidance Counsellor: Mrs Larissa Juniper
Cleaner: Mrs Marie Torrisi

Book Lists for 2020 have been compiled and these will be sent home with the children on Thursday, 5th 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. Harley’s Educational in Cairns and Larsen’s Newsagency of Innisfail also stock the other textbooks our students require.

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. 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. I will look forward to welcoming you back to St Rita’s on Tuesday, 28th January 2020.

Regards and blessings,

Judy Billiau

APRE THOUGHTS

A FRUITFUL GRADUATION MASS

Our Graduation Mass, held last Thursday night, was a celebration of goodness and treasure! In St Paul’s letters to the Galatians (5:22-23), he tells us that if you are a person of the Spirit, you will have the qualities of joy, love, peace, patience, faithfulness, goodness, kindness, humility and self-control – the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit. And, from the gospel of Luke (6:44-45) we read “A good person brings good out of the treasure of good things in his heart; a bad person brings bad out of his treasure of bad things. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” Both of our graduating students, Hallie and Isabella, are examples of this goodness! They are themselves, little treasure troves! Both have warm hearts, are caring, and accepting and welcoming to others.

It was with great happiness that we shared this significant milestone with the girls and their families, as it has been a pleasure to witness their growth as the young leaders in our senior class. Sincere thanks go to Father Mathew, for presiding at the mass, and for the combined efforts of many staff, students, families and parishioners who all contributed to the success of the night. We pray for Hallie and Isabella, and their families, that they may be carried forth by the Spirit and produce much more good fruit!

ST VINCENT DE PAUL’S CHRISTMAS HAMPER APPEAL

This Friday morning, at our final assembly for 2019, St Rita’s will present our Christmas hampers to a local representative from the St Vincent de Paul charity. Our boxes have been moved into classrooms (for a bit of friendly competition), and are gradually filling! If you have not yet had the opportunity to do so, please continue to use the final days of the school year to donate any suitable non-perishable items for the hampers. The winners of course, are the local people in need, to whom these donated goods will be distributed, and our children who will learn the gift of giving at Christmas!

END-OF-SCHOOL-YEAR THANKSGIVING MASS

St Rita’s 2019 End-of-School-Year Thanksgiving Mass will be celebrated on Friday 5th 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. Father Mathew will be officiating at our Thanksgiving Mass, to conclude the 2019 school year with a whole school prayer celebration.

ADVENT – A TIME OF PREPARATION

The word Advent means ‘coming’, and during this season we remember the ‘comings’ of Jesus. We are preparing for the celebration of the Nativity of Our Lord, Christmas, the first coming of Jesus when he was born in Bethlehem so many years ago. This preparation reminds us of his second coming at the end of time. Jesus told us that this world will end and that he will come to establish a new heaven and a new earth where death will be no more.

But there are other ‘comings’ as well. Because “the Word became flesh” (Jn 1:14) in Mary’s womb, he was able to give his flesh on the cross for the life of the world. He makes that offering present in every eucharistic celebration, where he comes and gives us his Body and Blood.

And then there is his ‘coming’, as Saint Teresa of Calcutta put it, “in the distressing disguise of the poor”. In a parable about the judgment that will accompany his second coming (Mt 25:31-46), Jesus identifies with those in need and says that if we ignore them, we ignore him, and if we help them, we help him.

Lastly, we may not survive until his second coming at the end of the world, but we can speak of his coming at the end of our lives. All of these ‘comings’ are related, as are our preparations – for a holy celebration of Christmas, for Holy Communion, for meeting Jesus in others, for meeting him when we pass from this life to the next, and at the end of time.

Source: James Kubicki (2016) S.J. “A Year of Daily Offerings” Ave Maria Press. Indiana.

CHRISTMAS BLESSINGS

At the completion of our 2019 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.

Lord, in this holy season of prayer, song and laughter,
we praise you for the great wonders you have sent us:
for shining star and angel's song,
for infant's cry in lowly manger.
We praise you for the Word made flesh in a little Child.
We behold his glory,
and are bathed in its radiance.
Be with us as we sing the ironies of Christmas,
the incomprehensible comprehended,
the poetry made hard fact,
the helpless Babe who cracks the world asunder.
We kneel before you shepherds,
innkeepers, wisemen.
Help us to rise bigger than we are.
Amen

Blessings,

Maureen
Assistant Principal (Religious Education)

CASTING THE NET

To Grow is to Change

There are few constants in our lives. Change is one of them. The rate at which children grow never ceases to amaze most parents and as the end of the year approaches we prepare for change in our school. Some children, and even some teachers, will be changing schools, others changing levels. There are all sorts of reactions to change: from excitement at the new to fear of the unknown. For our children, change is the stuff of life.

But what about we adults? What can it mean to us? John Henry Newman, said “To grow is to change and to be perfect is to have changed often”. Some people want change for the sake of change, others don’t want it any at any cost yet change offers us possibility: we can become better people, or we can become worse. We can be open to life or we can close down on life. God’s desire for us is to be fully alive, according to the style of our unique personality. When a change comes upon us, instead of just going with the flow, or reacting against it, we can stop and ask ourselves, how can I become more full of life in this new situation. Pray for God’s spirit to guide your imagination to see the different scenarios and when you choose your response, let the Spirit be the wind beneath your wings.

Loving Father, give us the wisdom, joy and creativity of your Spirit as when encounter the changes of life. With Jesus our brother, at our side, may we face all situations confident in your love. We ask this in his name, confident that you will hear us.

Sr Kym Harris osb

SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING

Suggestions for parents and carers

Learning to make good decisions helps children become more independent and responsible.

A good decision is one that, on balance, is most likely to lead to a positive outcome for everyone concerned. Learning to consider the situation carefully and weigh up the options before coming to a decision helps children make better decisions. It also helps them to understand and take into account others’ views when making decisions that affect them.

How you can help:

• Allow children to practise making choices. Giving children opportunities to make choices helps to build their sense of responsibility as well as their decision making skills. It is important that the choice really is theirs, so provide options that you will be happy with no matter which they choose. Showing interest in their choice helps to reinforce that you see their decisions as important.
• Talk about everyday decisions. Involve children in your own decision making. For example, you might say, “I’m trying to decide whether to take up a sport to get fit or go to a dance class. Which do you think I should do?” Talk through the advantages and disadvantages of each suggestion so your child can learn how to thoughtfully evaluate different options.
• Support children to use decision making steps. As children develop their skills for thinking through decisions, teach them the steps of decision making and show them how to use them effectively. Decision making steps:1) Identify the decision to be made, 2) Think of options, 3) Evaluate the options and choose the best one, and 4) Put your choice into action and check how it works.
• Ask questions that promote thoughtful decisions. “What do you like about that?” “What makes this the best option?” “How would this work?” “Can you think of any reasons why…?” Asking questions that prompt children to think through their reasons for choosing a particular option helps them learn how to evaluate options and think through consequences.
• Encourage children to set achievable goals. Setting their own goals to work towards encourages children to plan and think ahead. It helps them understand the link between making decisions and taking action. Appropriate goals for children to choose include developing a new skill (e.g., learning to play chess, learning to swim), improving performance in school work or in an area of particular interest (e.g., learning to play a particular piece of music or to master a difficult skill in sport), or earning pocket money to save for something special. It is important that the goals set are achievable and motivating for the child. In addition, the steps needed to reach goals need to be definite, clear and small enough for the child to manage. Providing praise and acknowledgment for small steps of progress supports children to meet their goals.
• When children make poor decisions…
• Check your expectations. Are the decisions you want them to make appropriate for their age and ability? Do children understand what they need to think about to make an effective decision? Are the options clear? If not, then you may be expecting too much and need to make the task simpler or take charge of the decision yourself.
• Everyone makes mistakes sometimes. Allowing children to experience the consequences of their decisions can provide useful lessons in responsibility. It is easier for children to accept difficult or disappointing consequences when they feel supported and cared for as they learn to correct their mistakes.
• Talk through good and poor decisions. Children learn best when they are calmly helped to think through the outcomes of their decisions and supported in making a better choice next time. Helping them to accept responsibility for mistakes and plan how to improve the situation teaches skills for more effective decision making.

Excerpt: www.kidsmatter.edu.au/resources/information-resources

AROUND THE CLASSROOMS

Graduation Day

Last week, my big sister Hallie had her Graduation Day on Thursday afternoon with her classmate Isabella. My teacher, Mrs Gaul, told us we would all go to church for the Graduation Mass first and then, afterwards we would have supper.At church, we sang songs and said some prayers. Hallie and Isabella read their bible readings really beautifully.

After we finished at church, we walked back over to school to cut the graduation cake and have supper. For supper there was frosted sponge cake, zucchini and bacon slice, frosted bun with butter, vegetable slice and chocolate coconut slice. Some of the food was made at school by the senior students during their Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden program lessons. All the food was very tasty. I saw Hallie and Isabella and Kylee laughing so much, that Isabella spilt her fruit cup cordial drink on her beautiful blue dress.

After that Hallie, Isabella each said a little story about what they loved about being a student at St Rita’s. Isabella and Hallie both looked amazing.

I’m going to miss my big sister when she goes to high school next year!

By Hannah Lansdown (Year 2)

LIBRARY LINKS

Following the children having returned their current library books, any books still outstanding in our library computer system will be listed on individual notes coming home with children today. Would you please check for any outstanding books your children may have somewhere at home and return them as soon as possible (the office will still be manned next week if you are unable to return them this week).

It is hard to believe the school year is almost over…..and Christmas is just around the corner. We have shared some wonderful adventures in the library in 2019. It is always such a pleasure to see children enjoying reading and the many different things libraries can offer.

There are celebrations aplenty at my home over the Christmas period, and my wish for each family is that you are also able to spend some special time together during ‘the most wonderful time of the year’. Wishing a happy and holy Christmas to all.

Lisa Calcagno
Library Assistant

DATE CLAIMERS

BIRTHDAY CONGRATULATIONS

St Rita’s wishes Eva Masina all the very best for her recently celebrated birthday. Hallie Lansdown celebrates her birthday on our last day of the term and Braden Hansen's birthday is on 28th December. We hope you all have wonderful birthday celebrations Eva, Hallie and Braden!

THE CAIRNS POST ‘INSPIRE’ AWARD

St Rita’s congratulates Jack Clarke (Year 4) on his article published in the Cairns Post ‘Inspire’ on Tuesday 29th October 2019. Jack wrote about his classrooms Integrated Studies experiment with balloon powered cars.
Also, on the 12th November, Katara Ambrum and Aadi Nair’s (Year 2) article described to ‘Soctober’ and Catholic Missions, the making of sockballs from recycled items. Congratulations Jack, Katara and Aadi!

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK

COMMUNITY NEWS

ONE TIME CLEANING