Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School Gladstone eNewsletter

From the Principal - Before School Routine

Dear Families

Picture a bird with some yarn tied to its leg stopping it from flying and living its full life. It doesn’t matter how thin or thick the yarn is, it has a terrible effect on the poor bird. I read recently a challenge to reflect on what attachments are tying us down and stopping us from living the full lives we should. These attachments can be as small as a late night snack, tuning regularly into gossip or spending time on a game instead of with the family.

The Season of Lent the Catholic Church began last week invites us to examine our lives and identify those attachments that stop us from being the people God dreams us to be. Lent invites us to turn back to prayer, fasting and acts of kindness as we try to live as followers of Jesus.

(Lent) is a growing season. It requires us to determine what is worth dying for in our own lives and what it may be necessary for us to become if we really want to live.

- Joan Chittister

Giving our children clear expectations and routines is a key factor in providing a safe and supportive learning environment for our students. The way we start and end the day are two of our most important routines.

Coming to school well rested, having eaten breakfast and with all the items needed for the day is a great support to engaged learning and successful playtimes. Having their hat and lots to eat throughout the day is also very important for our children.

Children are not permitted to be at school before 8:10am which is when supervision begins. Having your children here before that time puts their safety at risk and breaches our Department regulations for our Outside Care Service. All students on site before this time must be enrolled with this service please.

Children are asked to sit on the steps near the music room until the teacher lets them out to play. Many of our children really benefit from this chance to interact with their friends and let out some energy before the school day begins.

All children are permitted to play on the terrace area or Courts/ Sandpit area. Children should not be in the Eating Shed or around the classrooms please.

If you can’t make it on time for a play before school, please try to have your child here for the 8:35am bell. The beginning of the day in class is where the teachers explain what to expect so this is a very valuable time to be at school.

Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about these routines or would like some support.

Have a wonderful week everyone!
God bless you.

Jennett Mullane
Principal
jennett_omullane@rok.catholic.edu.au

Understanding How Our Schools Are Funded.

This is a a great video that I strongly encourage you to watch - it only takes a minute and does a good job of explaining our funding situation.

From Our APRE

Our Pancake morning last week was a huge success. Thank you to our Year 6 students, teachers and parents who organized the cooking and serving of the pancakes. It is a long standing Catholic tradition to have pancakes on Shrove Tuesday. Our morning raised $499.70 – thank you for your generosity. If you are wondering what this Shrove Tuesday thing is all about – it is a Catholic tradition that dates way back. It is the day before Ash Wednesday when Catholics are encourage to begin preparing for the season of Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving.

Traditionally during Lent, Christians would give up rich, tasty foods such as butter, eggs, sugar and fat (some Christians continue to do so, in fact). Shrove Tuesday was the last chance to eat them – and what better way to do so than with a delicious pancake!

After Shrove Tuesday, we move into the Season of Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday.

Lent is the period of 40 days that comes before Easter in the Christian calendar (Sundays excluded). Lent is a season of reflection and preparation before the celebrations of Easter. By observing the 40 days of Lent, Christians replicate Jesus Christ's sacrifice and withdrawal into the desert for 40 days. Lent is marked by prayer, fasting (from both food and festivities) and almsgiving (eg Project Compassion).

During the week, think about what you will do during Lent to prepare for Easter in terms of what you are going to take up/change/give up (in terms of fasting, praying, almsgiving).

https://sites.google.com/rok.catholic.edu.au/formation-religious-life-of-th/liturgical-year-events/lent

The money taken from the sale of pancakes will go toward our mission collection for Term One. We will donate all money collected this term to Caritas – Project Compassion. This wonderful organisation works tirelessly to create a future for people by taking action and raising awareness about the challenges experienced by people living in poverty.

https://fundraise.projectcompassion.org.au/

Reach out to someone you wouldn’t normally reach out to this week,

God Bless

Kellie Richardson

Assistant Principal: Religious Education

kellie_richardson@rok.catholic.edu.au

Important Dates For Term 1

WEEK 8

Star of the Sea School Board Meeting – Tuesday 18^th March (School Staffroom)
HARMONY DAY – Friday 21^st March

WEEK 9

Year 1 invite you to their assembly presentation on Friday 28^th March at 8.35am in the Covered Courts Area.

WEEK 10

P&F MEETING – Thursday 3rd April (After Cross Country - approximately 11am)
CROSS COUNTRY – Thursday 3^rd April at Star of the Sea School.
Year 2 invite you to their assembly presentation on Friday 4^th April at 8.35am in the Covered Courts Area.

READING STARS READING PROGRAM

As part of our continued efforts to improve Literacy for all students in our school, we’re hoping to encourage some volunteers to come in and help with reading.

Reading regularly to an adult has been shown to significantly increase the rate of progress that children can make with reading. With as little as 10 - 15 minutes per student per day, we can enable students to feel more confident and reinforce and consolidate important skills.

As there are many of you who bring your children/grandchildren to school, we are hoping that there would be some volunteers who would enjoy coming into school for the first 45 minutes of the morning (starting at 8:40am) to listen to children read. Typically, you would work with individual children, spending approximately 10 minutes talking about the book they’re reading and listening to them read. You would work with the same children each week, getting to know them and watching them progress. It would be ideal if you would commit to a particular day/s each week (Tuesday and/or Thursday) so that a schedule could be drawn up as part of a regular school routine.

We also welcome our grandparents and parish members to join our Reading Stars program. If you know of anyone who would like to be involved, please pass on this information to them.

If you would like to volunteer, please let me know by sending me an email or calling the office.

Have a great week.

Anthony King

Assistant to the Principal - Curriculum

anthony_king@rok.catholic.edu.au

Class Focus - Year 2B

In 2B we have been embracing Loose Parts Play. Loose Parts Play is open-ended concrete materials that can be used to encourage problem-solving, imagination and creativity in both solitary and group play. Loose Parts Play allows children to create opportunities for developing complex communication and conflict-resolution skills to create a masterpiece.

2025 Cross Country - Thursday 3rd April

Cross Country this year will be held on site at Star of the Sea. The course will be a mix of terrain, with some gentle inclines to add to the fun. Cross Country will be held in Week 10 on Thursday 3rd April starting at approx. 8:45am.

As always, we will be asking for parent help, so if you will be available to help on the morning, please send Mrs Blake an email (vicki_blake@rok.catholic.edu.au). A volunteer induction will be needed but you can pop into the office to read and sign it there if needed.

Please note the correct schedule below. This differs from the table emailed out last week and we apologise for the confusion.

With the event being held at school, training and walkthroughs of the course will occur in PE, so students will be very familiar with the course. Some suggestions to further assist students’ running are as below:

Road Runner - Term 1 is at Reg Tanna Duckponds 2km and 5km runs are available. Start time is 5.30pm on Thursdays. You will need to be there 10 minutes before for registration. Cost $2. First 4 runs are free before you need to join as a member.

Park Run - 5km run every Saturday morning, 7am, at Lions Park next to McDonald. Cost FREE.

3D Coaching/Triathlon - Tuesday 5pm on Chanel Oval. Cost is $5 per session. Sessions assist participants to learn how to improve their running.

Further information about all of the above options can be found on Facebook.

Your assistance with ensuring your child has their water bottle for PE lessons would be greatly appreciated.

Capricornia Regional School Sport 2025

Congratulations to Harrison G on being selected to represent Capricornia Regional School Sport in AFL 10-12 Years Boys.

Congratulations to Mia C, Harrison G and Kurt T on being selected in the Port Curtis 10-12 Years Football teams. These students have been selected to attend the Capricornia trials to be held in Gladstone later this month.

SCHOLASTIC Book Club Issue 2, 2025

Book Club Issue 2, 2025 brochures were handed out to students last week. Please follow the instructions to use LOOP (inside the back cover of the brochure) if you wish to place an order.

Orders are due by Thursday 20th March. Thank you for your support.

Position Vacant - Please spread the word!

Applications are invited for a 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐋𝐢𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐫 to support our schools in Gladstone, Tannum Sands, Biloela and Monto.
👉𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐋𝐘 𝐓𝐎𝐃𝐀𝐘 - https://applynow.net.au/jobs/CER1277

Caulfield Committee 2025

We would love your help. Please email soscaulfield@outlook.com if you are able to assist in any way.

Parent Orbit App

The App, Parent Orbit, which is connected to Parent Lounge, will improve our communication with each other as it offers a quick and easy way to receive notifications, add Student Absences, view and pay School Fees, accept or decline excursions via the Events and Activities, check the school calendar, update details and permissions and much more.

Some of you may already be using the Parent Orbit App for Chanel College and you will simply add Star of the Sea as another school you can access.

The App uses your Parent Lounge log in to access and will be a great way to access Parent Lounge features as you will not have to log in every time.

To download the App to your mobile device you can click on the link https://parentorbit.page.link/sosg or visit your APP store.

Most of our Term Dates for the rest of the year are already installed on the App so it really is a good resource for you.

Community Notices

judo.pdf

Wearitto Uniform Shop Opening Hours

Student Absentee Line

If your child is not attending school, you can call us, 24/7, to leave a message to report the absence. The phone number is 4994 8301.

This designated phone line gives you the opportunity to call the school at a time that is convenient to you.

As always, absences can be reported using Parent Lounge or by emailing your child’s classroom teacher and SOSG_Absentee@rok.catholic.edu.au).

2025 Week 7 Newsletter - Term 1