Issue 13 31 August 2021

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 Families,

The Three B’s

I can hardly believe it is week 8. It has been a very busy term with many events and we are beginning to see some weary students and tired teachers. We have recently refined our school’s rules/expectations which are very important, especially at this time of the year. We came up with the ‘Three B’s’ which are, Be Respectful, Be safe and Be a learner. These are short and sharp so the children and adults can remember these expectations easily. Teachers have all spoken to the children about behavioural expectations and all children are aware that good choices lead to good consequences and vice versa. This is so St Rita’s can continue to be a happy and safe place for our children to learn.

Welcome

Last week we were very excited to welcome a new member of the St Rita’s staff. Karen Yaroseray has joined us as our Indigenous Liaison Officer and will work at our school each Wednesday, particularly with our Indigenous children and families. Karen also fulfils this role at Good Counsel Primary School in Innisfail. Karen is a proud Mamu woman who has extensive experience working with children and families. She has a calm and approachable manner and is a great storyteller. She will be a great asset to our school community.

Book Week

A big thanks to everyone involved in making our Book Week celebrations so successful last week. The children looked fantastic in their various costumes and the ‘Book Tasting’ sessions were also a great success. The book tasting involved the children getting to sample and rate a number of different books that might appeal to them. This is designed to give them exposure to a wider range of literary texts. It was great to see some of our parents join in for the sessions as well.

Science Day

On Tuesday we celebrated our school’s science day and welcomed the students from MacDonnell Creek Primary School to join in with us. There was a wide range of science activities for all levels with this year’s theme being ‘Food, different by design’. Thanks again for our awesome staff for putting this day together, days like this take a lot of extra effort and preparation and the children loved partaking in the various activities.

Father’s Day

Next Monday morning, the 6th of September, we invite all of our school dad’s (and father figures) for a celebratory breakfast at school. It’s a great opportunity to acknowledge the wonderful roles our dad’s play or have played in our lives. More details are further in the newsletter be sure to RSVP if you haven’t already done so.

Student Free Day

Please remember this Friday the 3rd of September will be a pupil free day. Our school staff will be completing various professional learning in Silkwood, Innisfail and Cairns. I’m sure the children will enjoy the long weekend.

National Child Protection Week

Catholic Education actively recognises the importance of Child Protection Week and the role every adult has in ensuring children in our communities, families and schools are safe, nurtured and protected.

This year National Child Protection Week is all about the importance of the ‘bigger picture’ in addressing child abuse and neglect.

Under this year’s theme of ‘Putting children first’ we invite all Australians to look at how they can prioritise children in their lives and communities and to engage in National Child Protection Week – as individuals, and as part of families, organisations, communities and society.

Putting children first means prioritising the safety and wellbeing of children. To grow up well, children need to feel safe and loved, have a chance to play and explore, have a say in decisions that affect them, and access to essential things like food, shelter and healthcare.

For children to thrive we need to come together as a community and put children’s needs first during National Child Protection Week and every week. To learn more visit the link below :

Michael Rowe
Principal

APRE THOUGHTS

STRENGTH OF A MOUNTAIN

God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle's flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so, He called it ... Dad
Author Unknown

Source: https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/fathers-day-prayers#Bless%20Our%20Fathers Accessed 30th August 2021

Would you believe that Father’s Day, as an official celebration, is less than 100 years old? In fact, when the idea was first proposed by Ms Sonora Dodd in 1909 to honour her father Henry Jackson Smart - who raised a large family of six children alone after the death of his wife - it was considered laughable. Traditionally, it was viewed that only a mother could be regarded as the sole nurturer of children, and thus, was more important for a child than the father. Thanks to Sonora’s continued campaigning, Father’s Day became a reality first in 1924, and was then permanently observed from 1972.

Today, the importance of the role of a father-figure in the life of a child is well-established; children are reliant upon ‘fathers’ for their spiritual, emotional, physical, financial and social well-being. Father’s Day is a day to express our love and gratitude, and honour the sacrifices and contributions made by fathers and other father figures. To the significant males in your families, may we wish all a happy Father’s Day!

INDIGENOUS LITERACY WEEK

On Wednesday 1st September, from 9:00am, the Indigenous Literacy Foundation will present a free virtual event for all Australians in celebration of Indigenous Literacy Day. The event aims to engage the nation in the value of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ first languages, while fundraising for the purchase of books and learning resources for children in remote communities. As an audience member, you can select from over 50 inspiring, short video stories by storytellers including Jessica Mauboy, Gregg Dreise, Wayne Quilliam, Archie Roach and Anita Heiss, as well as animations from children and Elders from remote communities. Register your interest to access these resources at the link below:

RECONCILIATION AND WHOLE SCHOOL MASS

Students who have received the Sacrament of Penance will have the opportunity to attend Reconciliation on Friday 10th September from 11:40am with Father Kerry. Prior to this, Father Kerry will celebrate our whole school mass, scheduled to begin at 12:00pm. Parents and parishioners are warmly invited to attend.

Blessings,

Maureen Gaul

Library book return

This week, there was a stocktake done of all Home Readers, Junior Fiction and Non-Fiction books in our Library. There still seems to be many outstanding books on loan. We are asking for you to check at home and ensure that all books are returned to the Library as soon as possible. Parents, your assistance in this matter would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks,
Debbie

DATE CLAIMERS

STUDENTS OF THE WEEK

St Rita’s School congratulates those students who were awarded ‘Student of the Week’ at Assembly on Friday 27th August 2021.

P & F News

Dear Parents,

Next Monday morning between 7:00 and 9:00am. The P&F committee are hosting a ‘Father’s Day Big Breakfast’ to celebrate all our wonderful dads, grandfathers, and significant males in your families.

We’re looking forward to celebrating this special event with you and hope you will support this simple fundraiser for this term. The P&F would like to donate the proceeds from this event to ‘Rosies – Friends on the Street’ organisation.

For catering purposes, please return your notes with your attendance. Thank you.

Maryjane Masina
P&F Secretary

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK

MUNRO THEATRE

PLAYGROUP AT ST RITA’S

LIONS YOUTH DISCO AT RSL HALL