2022 Week 3 Newsletter - Term 3

Weekly Focus - Grandparents: Our teachers of tenderness and wisdom.

Each week we provide you with a short video supplying our key messages for the week.   This week, we share the Pope's July Prayer Intention for Grandparents and the Elderly.

From the Principal - The Gift of our Grandparents.

Dear Families

Happy Catholic Education Week!
We have a wonderful week planned to celebrate the richness of this quality educational system we are all a part of.  In particular this year we reflect on the three great virtues that are at the core of all we do: Faith, Hope and Love.  These Christian virtues are exemplified in the words and actions of Jesus Christ and are at the heart of the mission He calls us to in Catholic Schools.  I look forward to seeing you at our celebrations this week if you are able to join us.

This week, please take the time to think of a possible nomination for our Spirit of Star of the Sea Award which is presented as part of our Feast Day celebrations in September.  More information and the link to nominate are included later in this newsletter.

Pope Francis has proclaimed the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly to be celebrated on the fourth Sunday in July each year close to the feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, the grandparents of Jesus.

Grandparents are very much the life blood of Star of the Sea in many different ways.  With the commitments of our parents, Grandparents care for many of our students and they also volunteer within the school in a great variety of ways, most notably our Reading Stars.

I know my own parents have played a massive role in the lives of my children, caring for them while we worked and providing priceless stability, love and wisdom to them as they faced life’s challenges.

It is fitting that we celebrate the gift of our Grandparents and our older generation during Catholic Education Week, and we do hope you can join with us this Friday 29th July as we celebrate Grandparents Day.

Pope Francis has a special message for our older generation on the eve of this special Feast:
“We grandparents and elderly people have a great responsibility: to teach the women and men of our time to regard others with the same understanding and loving gaze with which we regard our own grandchildren. We ourselves have grown in humanity by caring for others, and now we can be teachers of a way of life that is peaceful and attentive to those in greatest need… 
We are called to be artisans of the revolution of tenderness in our world! Let us do so by learning to make ever more frequent and better use of the most valuable instrument at our disposal and, indeed, the one best suited to our age: prayer.” 

Pope Francis also asks us to “make sure that no one feels alone on this day. Expecting a visit can transform those days when we think we have nothing to look forward to… Visiting the elderly who live alone is a work of mercy in our time!  Let us ask Our Lady, Mother of Tender Love, to make all of us artisans of the revolution of tenderness, so that together we can set the world free from the spectre of loneliness and the demon of war.”

God bless you and Live Jesus in Your Hearts Forever!
Jennett Mullane
Principal
jennett_omullane@rok.catholic.edu.au  

2022 School Goals

Employment Opportunity - OSHC Assistants needed

Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School is currently seeking qualified and unqualified educators to join their Outside Schools Hours Care (OSHC). These are casual positions, comprising of before and after school care as well as vacation care, with the possibility to increase to a part-time position. For an immediate commencement, or as negotiated with the successful applicants.
We encourage anyone interested in joining our beautiful Star of the Sea family to visit the following link to apply:
https://applynow.net.au/jobs/CER375

Free Dress Day this Wednesday

From Our APRE

This week is Catholic Education Week.  Celebrated annually in Week 3 of Term 3, Catholic Education Week is an opportunity for all Catholic schools in Queensland to celebrate and promote their distinctive mission and ethos.

Catholic education strives to make a difference in the lives of those in our schools and in the wider community by challenging young people to live out the message of Jesus and to reach their full potential as compassionate, contributing, life-giving members of society. ©Catholic Education Week website.

The theme this year is ‘Communities of Faith, Hope and Love.’

I witnessed a community of Faith, Hope and Love last week when I attended the Year 5 Camp.  Students spent 3 days together in a different environment, pushing themselves to the limit and still acted with love.  They had to encourage each other and work together to achieve.  It was an amazing few days and all Year 5 students were awesome.  Thank you to Mrs McBride and Mrs Smyth for the wonderful organization and Mr Ahern and Mr Stoneley for the great leadership shown throughout the camp.

I look forward to the events this week as we show what a fantastic community we have at Star of the Sea.

Have Faith, 

Kellie Richardson

Assistant Principal: Religious Education

Kellie_richardson@rok.catholic.edu.au

Term 3 Liturgies and Assemblies

WEEK 3
Everyone is invited to join us for our Catholic Education Week Whole School Mass on Friday 29th July at 9.00am in the Star of the Sea Church.  This Mass will also be a special celebration for our Grandparents.

Year 5 invite you to their assembly presentation on Thursday 28th July at 8.35am in the Covered Courts Area.

WEEK 4
Prep invite you to their assembly presentation on Friday 5th August at 8.35am in the Covered Courts Area.

WEEK 5
Year 2 invite you to their Liturgy on Tuesday 9th August at 9.30am in the Star of the Sea Church.    

Year 6 invite you to their Mass on Friday 12th August at 9.00am in the Star of the Sea Church.  

Year 3 invite you to their assembly presentation on Friday 12th August at 8.35am in the Covered Courts Area.

WEEK 6
Year 1A invite you to their MJR Assembly on Friday 19th August at 8:35am in the Covered Courts Area.

WEEK 7
Year 2 invite you to their assembly presentation on Thursday 25th August at 8.35am in the Covered Courts Area.

Everyone is invited to attend our Book Character Parade on Friday 26th August at 8:35am in the Covered Courts Area.

WEEK 9
Year 1 invite you to their Liturgy on Tuesday 6th September at 9.30am in the Star of the Sea Church.    

Year 4 invite everyone to attend our Feast Day Mass on FRIDAY 9TH SEPTEMBER at 9am in the Star of the Sea Church.  

WEEK 10
Year 6A invite you to their MJR assembly presentation on Friday 16th September at 8.35am in the Covered Courts Area.

In Our Prayers

I give thanks to you, Lord,
For the blessing of a long life
For, to those who take refuge in You,
Grant always to bear fruit.
Forgive, O Lord,
Resignation and disillusionment,
But forsake me not
When my strength declines.
Teach me to look with hope
To the future you give me,
To the mission you entrust to me
And to sing your praises without end.
Make me a tender craftsman
Of Your revolution,
To guard with love my grandchildren
And all the little ones who seek shelter in You.
Protect, O Lord, Pope Francis
And grant Thy Church
To deliver the world from loneliness.
Direct our steps in the way of peace.  Amen.
 

Kindness Project - Winter Appeal

From the APC

Last week I had the great pleasure in joining the Year 5 classes on their camp to Chaverim.  The wet and windy weather wasn’t ideal but it did not stop us from doing anything we had planned. 

The students of Year 5 participated in activities that pushed them out of their comfort zones.  The flying fox was the highlight for me.  To watch each of them either overcome their fear of height or accept their individual limitations and get to a height that was their limit was awesome.  Each one of them were proud of themselves and I was proud of them too. 

Thank you to Dave Ahern and Matthew Stoneley for joining us.  I know you both also enjoyed the Flying Fox!!!

The Year 5 classes have their assembly on Thursday where they will share some more photos and videos of what we did for the three days.

Have a good week everyone.

Anthony King

Assistant Principal: Curriculum

anthony_king@rok.catholic.edu.au

National Out of School Hour Care Educators Day

National Out of School Hour Care Educators Day takes place this Wednesday 27th July.  It is the annual National day to celebrate and recognise the important role Educators play in the lives of children. 

This year’s theme is OSHC Educators: Rising to every challenge. 

It is the perfect theme for a group of people who are vital to the life of our school.  Over the past couple of years they have faced incredible challenges and been a huge source of support, stability and care for many of our families who have been doing it extra tough.

National Out of School Hour Care Educators Day will be the perfect opportunity to say a special thank you for  the outstanding contribution our OSHC Team make to the life of Star of the Sea.  Please take the time to say a special thank you this week.

Spirit of Star of the Sea Award - Nominations called for now.

The Spirit of Star of the Sea Award was first presented in 2014 to a past student, Mitchell Luders, who inspired our school community and taught us all important lessons about the way we should live.  In doing so he exemplified the motto of letting your light shine in many simple ways throughout his short life.  

This award is presented as part of our School Feast Day celebrations in years when a member of the school community has demonstrated a significant contribution to building up the spirit of Star of the Sea. They will have demonstrated endurance and compassion in their efforts and worked as a unifying force within the school, encouraging and inspiring others and truly letting their light shine.  

The recipient can be a parent, staff member, student or member of the wider community and your recommendations for possible recipients is now invited.  We encourage you to click on the link below to share with us your recommendation for this year's Spirit of Star of the Sea Award recipient.

https://forms.gle/ASzpknjCSa6EXgU77 

Student of the Week Award

Caulfield Fundraiser - 50/50 Tickets

Parents & Friends Meeting - All welcome

We invite all of our Parent Community to our P and F Meeting next  Tuesday 30 January at 6:30pm in the staff room (entry via the front office).

Although the meeting starts at 6:30pm you are welcome to join us a little earlier for a chat and a glass of something if you can.

The Gift of Grandparents and the Elderly

Pupil Free Day

IMPORTANT COVID SAFE UPDATE

As you may be aware, the Queensland Government issued advice recommending face masks be worn while indoors (where social distancing is not possible) to assist with preventing the further spread of the current wave of COVID-19.   The Queensland Premier encouraged all people, including school staff and students, to wear a face mask indoors except where they can physically distance.  Please be aware that the Queensland Department of Education has subsequently advised its schools and staff that, while wearing a face mask is encouraged, this remains a personal decision for individuals.

Students who wish to wear a mask at school will be supported and are encouraged to bring their masks to school if required. 

Please also remember that the requirements for wearing a face mask for 7 days after having COVID-19, or when a close contact are still in place. Additionally, there are ongoing public health requirements to wear a face mask when travelling on public transport (including in taxis and ride-shares).

With the current escalation in Covid infections, we ask that you continue to follow the Qld Health Covid Safe Practices please: https://www.covid19.qld.gov.au/government-actions/how-you-can-help-keep-queensland-covid-safe 

Have you ever thought of becoming a Catholic?

Star of the Sea Caulfield Event - Date Claimers

Our Caulfield Event is an important part of our school year, being our one major fundraiser for the year.  It is run by a sub-committee of our Parents & Friends group and raises significant funds for the year as well as providing a great day out and a wonderful showcase of our school. 

The event takes place on Saturday 15th October.

Tickets for the event go on sale on Thursday 11th August at 6:30pm.

PREP 2023

Children born between 1^st July 2017 and 30^th June 2018 are eligible to commence Prep in 2023.  If you have a child eligible for Prep in 2023 please visit the school website and complete the Online Application Form.

http://www.staroftheseagladstone.qld.edu.au/enrolment/enrolment-information.html

All current families with a child eligible to commence Prep 2023 are required to complete and online application form.

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 teacher and  SOSG_Absentee@rok.catholic.edu.au).

Thank you to our Caulfield Sponsors