Issue 16 - 26 October 2022

Newsletter Articles

VISION STATEMENT

PRINCIPAL’S PEN

Greetings Families and Friends,

I just want to acknowledge my gratitude towards the wonderful parents in our school community. In the last 7 days alone, we had Trish drop of some icy poles to give to every child, simply because it was too hot. On Saturday, some of our dads, Matt, Daniel, Liam and Josh all volunteered to come into school to help tidy the place up. Pruning, mowing, snippering, blowing, dump runs etc. As a result, our school looks great. Then on Monday, Tammika and Pamela were running our beading at our NAIDOC celebrations, as well as our many other parents who attended and assisted throughout the day. Samantha continues to provide fruit for our students, and I know parents are assisting regularly in many different ways which I am extremely grateful for. Thank you all for your various contributions, it is great to have you all involved in our school.

World Mission Day

Last Sunday was World Mission Sunday. This is a special time that the Catholic Church recognises throughout the world, those who help the less-fortunate and those who actively promote the Gospel values. “You shall be my witness” (Acts 1:8) was this years theme, and at Baptism we are challenged to be witnesses to the Gospel, as good-meaning, Christian people. As a Catholic school, our Christian values are always at the forefront of what we do. We challenge our students to strive to be better, more compassionate, and enlightened people, especially in the face of adversity. We remember those on World Mission Day who are less fortunate than us, and continue to strive for a world where no one is hungry, hurt or neglected.

All Saints and All Souls Day

Next week we commemorate both All Saints (Tuesday) and All Souls (Wednesday) days as important events in the Catholic Church’s calendar. They are closely related to Halloween, which is usually commemorated on the 31st of October, however as a born and bred Australian, I refuse to acknowledge it, much to my children’s disgust. On All Saints Day, we acknowledge the saintly people that have gone before us, such as St Rita. We ask them to pray for us and help us to be better people. All Souls Day is a day in which we remember those that have gone before us and pray that they are in a better place. Next week we will celebrate these days with a special liturgy next Tuesday Morning at 9am. Families are welcome to attend.

NAIDOC

On Monday we held a wonderful NAIDOC celebration at our school. We welcomed the Archocka and Bindaburra Dance group who not only performed for our students, but educated us in various ways as well. A highlight of the day was without doubt seeing our students Joseph, Leo, Daniel, Izaac, Samuel and Michael over come some nerves to join in with the dance group in full dress and body-paint.

They certainly embodied this years theme of, ‘Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! Other activities included rock painting, spear throwing, beading, dot painting and skirt weaving. A big thanks to our ILO, Karen Yaroseray who organised a great day, for our parents for attending and assisting, and the Archocka and Bindaburra Dance group who were outstanding in their work with our children. Can’t wait until next year’s event!

Day for Daniel

This Friday the students of St Rita’s will be undertaking the Day for Daniel Town Walk. This initiative has been in place for a number of years at St Rita’s and aims to promote child safety. We walk in memory of Daniel Morcombe who went missing in tragic circumstances in 2003. Our children are encouraged to wear a red shirt on the walk, and we will be accompanied by members of the Queensland Police. All the children at St Rita’s have been exposed to the Daniel Morcombe curriculum throughout this year.

Swimming

A reminder that swimming this week is Friday instead of Thursday. It will return to its usual time next week.

World Teachers Day

This Friday, World Teachers Day is being celebrated across Queensland. At St Rita’s, we are taking this opportunity to recognise all our staff and the contribution they make to our wonderful school. As I’ve said before, I’m very blessed with our staff and know that each and every one of them put the children’s needs before their own, time and time again. On Friday we will host a special assembly to recognise this, and parents are most welcome. It kicks off at 2pm in the P/1/2 room.

Michael Rowe
Principal

DEPUTY PRINCIPAL

Clarity: Putting faces on the data: What great leaders and teachers do! Lynn Sharratt

With the work of Clarity by Lynn Sharrat and a committed approach to visible learning, our teachers have been working hard to ensure student engagement and academic outcomes align. I am proud to say that staff at St Rita’s Babinda are truly inspirational and know the impact they are having on student progress and achievement. Planning practices between teachers ensure that spaces to meet are collaborative and supportive, and by working together maximize impact on student learning. Currently, we are holding Case Management meetings where a culture of feedback improves systems and processes in the school. Each week, a student is placed at the forefront, where educators work to implement strategies for success with regards to a particular need. For example, this may be analyzing a writing work sample which addresses short- term strategies to ensure students improve. I have been privileged to be a part of these conversations and look forward to continuing these next year with our dedicated teachers. At the forefront of these integral conversations are a number of key points:

1. Determining student outcomes: What are my students’ learning needs? What does “impact” mean within our school?
2. Knowledgeable others and skills” What are my learning needs in relation to student needs?
3. Changed actions: Identifying the required actions and behaviours in planning in implementation.
4. Evaluating impact: Gathering evidence to monitor and evaluate the impact of teaching and learning.
5. Renewing our teaching and learning cycles. Planning for “Where to next”. By using a range of tools, we are able to gather evidence of their current situation under the five strands of Visible Learning”. Our teachers are working hard to ensure our students understand their learning and can articulate:

Where am I going?
How am I doing?
Where to next?

What is MTSS?

A child’s ability to learn is dependent on a series of factors. Are basic needs being met? Is there a sense of safety? Are the child’s emotional needs being met? A child who is struggling with behavioural, emotional, and social challenges may also be struggling with academic challenges. Multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) is a framework used by St Rita’s to address and identify students struggling with these challenges. MTSS recognizes that academic and behavioural success work hand-in-hand. It is our belief that students will feel more confident and equipped to meet their goals, whether personal or academic, when they have the skills they need to problem solve, make responsible decisions, and empathize with others. We are proud of the work our staff have done in ensuring the behaviour matrix becomes a live document, where positive behaviours are reinforced and rewarded. Students who demonstrate these behaviours are placed in our raffle system for a “Gotcha” and have the chance at earning a prize. We are committed to identifying and responding promptly to positive behaviours and identifying strategies to ensure success. Below, is a portion of a continued Positive Behaviour Behaviour Support Plan.

Kind regards,
Sam Benvenuti
Deputy Principal – Leader of Learning and Teaching

Counsellor’s Corner

Dear parents and carers,

Student Stress response to workload

As the end of the school year approaches, your child may be experiencing an increase in workload stress. This may be due to end of year assignments, assessments or impending changes and transitions. We all exhibit stress differently, which some refer to as the Fight Flight or Freeze response. Here are examples of behaviours you may be seeing.

As parents there are positive and life-negating ways we can help our children overcome the effects of major stress and emotional overwhelm. Here are examples of safe stress busters:

• Get active – especially outside and preferably doing something you all enjoy (e.g., walking, riding, swimming, fishing, yoga or Tai Chi)
• Call a friend especially one you can trust, or a favourite relative, Gran, Aunty, Uncle, Cousin, Pop
• Do a guided relaxation mediation (try apps like smiling minds, headspace, calm, brave program)
• Play uplifting music you enjoy
• Play calming music you enjoy
• Go read a book that is pure escapism from life
• Drink four glasses of water
• Make a fresh fruit juice with fresh fruit
• Do something creative – paint, draw, play music, take photos
• Get out family albums with your baby photos
• Watch an old positive film like The Lion King, Shrek or Forrest Gump
• Cook something for the family
• Share your emotional state with a family member who loves you
• Go to the park or the beach
• Go to your special place in nature
• Read a great kids’ picture book or cartoon book
• Read a joke book
• Write in a journal
• Go and do something for someone who needs help
• Have a long bath or shower and wash everything clean
• Try some energy – releasing techniques
• Get as many hugs as you can
• Write a letter to someone special
• Go and watch ants doing what ants do
• Go find a butterfly
• Plant a tree, or prepare a garden
• Go and look at the stars and count them
• Creative daydream of yourself in the future, or winning lotto, or other
• Wash your sheets and clean the windows in your room
• Light a candle and pray
• Talk to your school counsellor
• When all else fails, walk at least 3 kilometres to buy a small bar of chocolate that has fruit and nuts in it (surely that makes it a health food?) Eat this very slowly and return home

If stress starts to impact on our ability to function i.e., eat, sleep, work, being with friends, family, unable to laugh freely or attend school, please consult a mental health professional or speak with your School Counsellor.

Happy days and sunshine,

Miss Jo
School Counsellor

Senior classroom

The Australian Bush

I see the animals fighting for survival
I hear the whooshing wind through the trees
I feel the dirt rubbing against my toes
I touch the emu’s when they are walking by

I smell the eucalyptus leaves
I taste the witchetty grubs in the pot

By Zoe
Year 5

DATE CLAIMERS

STUDENTS OF THE WEEK

St Rita’s School congratulates those students who were awarded ‘Student of the Week’ at Assembly on Friday 14th October 2022

BIRTHDAY CONGRATULATIONS

St Rita’s wished Eyvi Tanner and Flynn Lansdown who celebrated their birthdays recently. We hope you had a wonderful birthday celebrations Eyvi and Flynn.

P & F NEWS

A big thank you to all the parents and helpers who participated and assisted with the making of decorations and decorating the vehicle for our Harvest Festival float, either on the Festival day or preparations in Term 3. It was a wonderful team effort. Our efforts were rewarded by receiving $100, which was second place.

On Monday 14th November at 3:00pm we will have our final P & F meeting for the year. Please come along and join us to wrap up for another successful year, drinks and nibblies will be available.

Thank you.

Maryjane Masina
P&F Committee

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK

MUNRO THEATRE

Well Women’s Clinic – Babinda Hospital

(This clinic is available to Medicare eligible clients)

Tuesday 8th November, 2022
All services are provided by a specially trained Women’s Health Nurse.
For appointments phone 4067 8200