Issue 5 - 29th March 2023

Newsletter Articles

VISION STATEMENT

PRINCIPAL’S PEN

Hello Family and Friends,

WOW! We are nearly at the end of the term…I have heard from our students and staff just how much they are looking forward to the holidays. I would like to thank everyone for their continued support of our school community, when we are all working together we have greater outcomes – thank you.

This week saw some of our students compete at the inter-school cross-country with many claiming ribbons, well done team.

Next term, we are fortunate enough to have representatives from Tennis Queensland doing an eight week program with all our students introducing them to the fun world of tennis. These opportunities are a great way for our students to experience a range of sports that they ordinarily may not have the chance to participate in.

Can I please ask if your child is absent for any reason, can you please contact the school and explain the absence.

I am honestly grateful for the warm welcome I have received during the last four weeks while I have been here replacing Michael. St Rita’s and the wider community has been so welcoming – thank you.

I am looking forward to the great things we can achieve next term.

If you are traveling on the holidays please be safe, enjoy your holidays.

Many thanks

God Bless
Brendon Napier
Acting Principal

DEPUTY PRINCIPAL

Dear Parents and carers,

Multi-tiered Systems of Support-Engagement

Multi-tiered Systems of Support-Engagement (MTSS-E) is a framework that provides schools with the systems and practices to support students and improve student engagement outcomes. It is a positive and proactive approach that uses evidence-based practices, including developing clear behavioural expectations, teaching these expectations, acknowledging appropriate behaviour, consistently correcting inappropriate behaviour and using data to systematically solve problems.

The Catholic Education Diocese of Cairns has partnered with Dr Shiralee Poed, Associate Professor at the University of Queensland in the School of Education to work closely with schools to establish a continuum of supports (universal, targeted, personalised) that meets the diverse needs of all students, as per diagram below.

If you want to know more about MTSS-E, please contact the Principal or Catholic Education Services.

Curriculum: Version 9 Mathematics

The Australian Government has significantly changed the primary school curriculum to raise Australian learning outcomes to meet higher international standards. Last year we were using version 8.4 of the Australian curriculum. We have now been issued version 9, and the changes will be steadily rolled out between 2023-2026. To begin our efforts in adopting the changes, Cairns Catholic Education schools are first adopting the new Mathematics, and Health & Physical Education curriculums. What’s the impact? During term one, the teaching staff had the enormous task of learning the new curriculum and understanding how to implement the new changes. This included developing new units of work and pre-testing students in Mathematics. They have been working tirelessly to do this despite how such changes have increased their workload. In addition, they are feeling somewhat deflated because re-testing data has highlighted that, in some instances, the new attainment levels are lower than the 2022 (version 8.4) attainment levels highlighting the significant changes in the new curriculum. The impact for families is that student attainment has not changed, but the curriculum targets have, and your child’s overall mathematics attainment level in 2023 may be lower than in 2022.

Kind regards,

Sam Benvenuti
Deputy Principal – Leader of Learning and Teaching

CROSS COUNTRY

St Rita’s students in Years 4-6 competed in Cross Country Races at the Babinda State School today. All our competitors performed exceptionally well. Congratulations to those students who placed in their respective age groups!

LIBRARY NEWS

We have been very fortunate to have Sarah Kistle from Catholic Education Services helping in the Library the last two Mondays. Sarah has also conducted a stocktake of our Fiction and Non-Fiction books. Your help has been much appreciated Sarah.

As it is the end of Term, all outstanding Library Books and Home Readers need to be returned by this Friday.

Save the Date - In Week 6 of Term 2 we will be hosting a Scholastic Book Fair. So, save up your pocket money and loose change and come in and grab a bargain.

Happy holidays,
Julie Cross

HEAD LICE

We have had several reported cases of Head Lice in the school. Please check your children and if necessary treat immediately. It is often necessary to treat hair, hats, bed linen, etc., several times for a successful outcome.

DATE CLAIMERS

STUDENTS OF THE WEEK

St Rita’s School congratulates those students who were awarded ‘Student of the Week’ at Assembly on Friday 24th March 2023.

BIRTHDAY CONGRATULATIONS

St Rita’s wished Yazmin Lock, Katara Ambrum, Maddisyn Masina and Scarlett O’Keeffe who celebrated their birthdays recently at Assembly on Friday 24th March. We hope you all had wonderful birthday celebrations Yazmin, Katara, Maddisyn and Scarlett!

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK

MUNRO THEATRE

MUSIC LESSONS WITH JENNI

PIANO LESSONS AND THEORY OF MUSIC

Expressions of interest and enquiries for piano lessons and Theory of Music on Saturday’s

Please phone :- Bernadette Anthony on 0499 180 022

Or email :- bernanthony19@gmail.com

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