Issue 12 - 8 September 2020

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,

It has been a very busy term at St Rita’s and we are pleased to be spending this fortnight finalising teaching programs for the term. Our last lessons by Miss Sian of ‘Step It Up Crew’ and the grand finale for visiting parents was staged last Thursday afternoon. The children were eager participants in the weekly Dance lessons that Sian provided, and the Australian Curriculum outcomes for this strand of The Arts were successfully taught throughout the term’s program. Thank you Sian! We will look forward to having you work with us at St Rita’s next year. I would like to especially thank our families who found the time to be an appreciative audience for the dance showcase. Your children do benefit from your joining us for such whole school events.

Last week our school community celebrated another significant event in the school calendar with a staff member’s retirement from St Rita’s. For thirty years, Mrs Marie Torrisi has been working as the cleaner at our school. To recognise this extraordinary commitment to both our school and Cairns Catholic Education, the staff organised a morning tea in Marie’s honour. Several friends and parishioners, and two of Marie’s daughters, joined us to mark this a very special occasion. After enjoying morning tea, sharing old memories and short speeches, I presented a farewell gift hamper to Marie from the St Rita’s School community. Thank you from us all Marie! We wish you a long and happy retirement!

This Tuesday 8th September, we will be acknowledging the most significant global event of International Literacy Day. The data for literacy levels demonstrate that presently one in five adults is illiterate, which causes many social and educational issues. International Literacy Day is a reminder of the importance of literacy for people of all ages, not just children and youth in schools. For your interest and information, I have included an excerpt from the UNESCO website which clearly outlines the utmost importance of the development of literacy skills in young children.

UNESCO has been at the forefront of global literacy efforts since 1946, advancing the vision of a literate world for all. It views acquiring and improving literacy skills throughout life as an intrinsic part of the right to education. The “multiplier effect” of literacy empowers people, enables them to participate fully in society and contributes to improve livelihoods.

Literacy is also a driver for sustainable development in that it enables greater participation in the labour market; improved child and family health and nutrition; reduces poverty and expands life opportunities,

Beyond its conventional concept as a set of reading, writing and counting skills, literacy is now understood as a means of identification, understanding, interpretation, creation, and communication in an increasingly digital, text-mediated, information-rich and fast-changing world.

Globally, however, at least 750 million youth and adults still cannot read and write, and 250 million children are failing to acquire basic literacy skills. This results in an exclusion of low-literate and low-skilled youth and adults from full participation in their communities and societies.

To advance literacy as an integral part of lifelong learning and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, UNESCO takes the following approaches to promote literacy worldwide, with an emphasis on youth and adults.

• Building strong foundations through early childhood care and education
• Providing quality basic education for all children
• Scaling-up functional literacy levels for youth and adults who lack basic literacy skills
• Developing literate environments

I hope all fathers, grandfathers and other significant males in our children’s lives had a very special Father’s Day celebration last Sunday. Last year, the P & F group decided to hold a gift stall for both Mother’s and Father’s Day so as the children could enjoy purchasing a present, crafting wrapping paper and writing a card for the special men in their families. The first stall of the year, as the pandemic halted our Mother’s Day plans, was a huge success. It was really lovely watching the excitement on their faces as the children carefully chose their gifts. Personally-made cards are truly special, and those that I saw are real keep-sakes of the love and appreciation that your children have for you.

Plans for next term, the fourth and final term of the year, are well underway. We have already set dates for our swimming program which will be conducted at the Babinda Pool each Thursday, and for the commencement of the Pre-Prep ‘Transition to Prep’ program each Monday beginning Monday 12th October. The monthly meeting of the P & F was held last Monday afternoon and this wonderful group continues to work tirelessly for the benefit of the school. Due to COVID restrictions, it was decided that the Cent Sale fundraiser would not go ahead as scheduled. However, other options are being considered for Term 4.

I hope you have a relaxing school holiday beginning next Friday 18th September and enjoy the time you have free from the busyness of school routine to spend with family and friends. I thank you for being an active part of your child’s education, and, COVID-permitting, I hope to see you around the classrooms, in the tuckshop and at assemblies next term. I believe that what we do, and how much we achieve at St Rita’s, is the result of our strength as a successful school community.

Have a restful and happy holiday!

Regards and blessings,

Judy Billiau
Principal

SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN

Commitment to Student Safety and Wellbeing

St Rita’s Babinda is committed to being a safe and nurturing community of care, where the rights and dignity of all children and young people are upheld and protected, and where all students have a right to expect that our school will always act to protect them from any kind of harm.

At St Rita’s Babinda concerns or reasonable suspicions we have about a student’s safety and wellbeing or the behaviour of a staff member or volunteer which a student considers to be inappropriate, will continue to be managed in accordance with our Student Protection processes.

All adults have a responsibility to care for children and young people, to positively promote their welfare, and to protect them from any kind of harm. The interactions of Catholic Education staff with students take place in the context of the employee being in a position of trust arising from the nature of their role.

All of our staff receive annual and ongoing training in the area of child protection. Our Student Protection Processes and Guidelines document can be found by accessing the Cairns Catholic Education Website Student Protection page.

Parents and students are encouraged to talk to the Student Protection Contacts at our school: Mrs Judy Billiau and Mrs Maureen Gaul. This may include concerns regarding the safety and wellbeing of any student, or the behaviour of a staff member or volunteer which they feel is inappropriate. We take all reports seriously.

APRE THOUGHTS

Praise Those Fathers

Let us praise those fathers who have striven to balance the demands of work, marriage, and children with an honest awareness of both joy and sacrifice.

Let us praise those fathers who, lacking a good model for a father, have worked to become a worthy and virtuous father.

Let us praise those fathers who, by their own account, were not always there for their children, but who continue to offer those children, now grown, their love and support. As well, let us pray for those fathers who have been wounded by words and actions of their children.

Let us praise those fathers who, despite marital discord, have remained in their children’s lives.

Let us praise those fathers whose children are adopted, and whose love and support has nurtured a thriving life.

Let us praise those fathers who, as stepfathers, freely choose the obligation of father hood and earned their stepchildren’s love and respect.

Let us praise those fathers who have lost a child to death, and continue to hold the child in their heart.

Let us praise those men who have no children, but cherish the next generation as if they were their own.

Let us praise those men who have ‘fathered’ us in their role as mentors and guides.

Let us praise those men who are about to become fathers; may they openly delight in their children.

And let us praise those fathers who have died, but live on in our memory and whose love continues to nurture us.

Spring into the Season of Creation

On 1st September, Pope Francis released a ‘Pope Video’ urging people in developed nations to share Earth’s resources in a just and respectful manner. In this short clip, he warns against the throw-away culture and high levels of consumption that are causing an ‘ecological debt’ with the vast exploitation of natural resources. He also highlights the fact that there are some multinational countries that are engaging in scandalous behaviours – ones that would not be tolerated in their own countries - against developing countries, and negatively impacting these environments. With continuing climate, health and social emergencies, as global citizens we all have a part to play in healing our planet. We are called to be attentive to ecological challenges and commit ourselves to changing our ‘ways of doing’ to support more sustainable practices, and come into communion with creation.

Beginning on the first day of September, Christians are invited to pray and care for God’s creation, and reflect on how our lifestyle choices impact the natural environment. Spanning 34 days, this ‘Season of Creation’, is a time to focus on the world environment, and commit ourselves to its protection. It is also a time to renew our relationship with our Creator and creation.

If you would like to hear Pope Francis’ message, you can find it by searching ‘Respect for the Planet’s Resources – Pope’s Prayer Intention for September 2020’ and read more about how caring for creation is a matter of justice at the link below:

Blessings,
Maureen Gaul
Assistant Principal (Religious Education)

SCHOOL COUNSELLOR

Larissa Counsellor

Larissa Juniper
Guidance Counsellor

AROUND THE CLASSROOMS

Snails

Some snails live in the forests. They eat plants. Snails move slowly on their one foot. They are born as white eggs. They have a hard shell. They belong to the mollusc family. They live up to 5-25 years. They can grow to 18 kg!

by Robert Freeman (Year 1)

Earthworms

What do earthworms look like? Earthworms have little hairs on them and a tail and segments on them. They are pinkish – brown and they have a brain. They have a saddle. They have a mouth. They have no eyes.

By Leo Nelson (Year 1)

Ants

Ants are insects. They have three body parts. Ants have six legs and they have strong legs. Some are big and some are small. They lay lots of eggs.

By Maddisyn Masina (Year 1)

Ants

Ants are insects. They have strong mandibles. Ants have three body parts. They have six legs. They lay eggs. Ants have two antennae.

By Tia Thomson (Year 1)

LIBRARY LINKS

Hello families,

Just a quick note to wish you all a relaxing holiday and to remind you that ‘Book Week’ (Week 3 Term 4) and ‘Book Fair’ (Week 4 Term 4) are fast approaching.

These two special events are being held on consecutive weeks this year, due to changes brought about by Covid 19. Have fun chatting with your children over the break about possible book character costumes for our Book Week Parade, remembering it doesn’t need to be a head to toe costume; it may be a creative hat, some funny shoes or an impressive mask.

Happy planning and happy holidays,

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 7th September 2020.

BIRTHDAY CONGRATULATIONS

St Rita’s wishes Joseph Geary all the very best for his recently celebrated birthday.

We hope you had a wonderful birthday celebration Joseph!

P & F News

Dear Parents,

A big thank you to all the families for generously supporting our Father’s Day fundraising stall last week.

The gifts purchased for the stall were all bought by eager children and 200 raffle tickets were sold! What a great effort for such a small school. Funds raised for both were $200.

Thanks again to everyone for your support.

Maryjane Masina
P&F Secretary

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK

MUNRO THEATRE

KINDY OPEN DAY