2023 Week 3 Newsletter - Term 1

Weekly Focus - Let's talk

From the Principal -Learning from each other

Dear Families

It was wonderful to gather as a school community for our Opening School Mass on Friday.  It was hot and difficult but it reminded us of the core story that is at the heart of why our school exists.

We gather as a community of people, each with our own unique stories and beliefs, but united in a commitment to a school whose central values and ideals were modelled for us in the life and teachings of Jesus.

Such diversity can bring challenges as we explore how to be authentic as a Catholic School and it is one of the core goals we are working on this year.

Data from our Enhancing Catholic Identity Surveys last year showed a need to improve our dialogue with each other.  We need conversation that seeks not to change the other or argue our own perspective but invites people on a journey of inquiry and discovery together. Authentic dialogue is challenging.  It asks us to be truly ourselves and to be open to learning from others.  

There are lots of ways that we can begin to start authentic dialogue with each other:

Get curious about others

Curiosity is good for us and conversations with others help us to expand our world view. Try to understand what makes other people tick - especially those who seem quite different from you. 

Listen and Be Vulnerable

Try listening with an open mind and no response automatically running through your head. Dialoguing authentically means we really need to give others their voice. We not only need to listen hard though, we also need to remove our masks and reveal our own feelings and beliefs.  You will be amazed at the great things we can learn from each other.

Expand Your Circle of Conversation

It is easy to dialogue with those close to us but more difficult with those whose beliefs we don’t share.  We need to try on other’s lives – walk a mile in their shoes – to truly start to understand their perspective.

Challenge your prejudices and discover commonalities

We all have assumptions and prejudices about others.  The challenge is to search for what you share in common with people rather than what divides you. 

“Encounter, co-existence dialogue, friendship, are only possible on the basis of difference being recognised and accepted.  To love the other in their difference is the only possible way of loving.” – Pierre Claverie

I look forward to exploring together how to dialogue more authentically. 

Have a wonderful week everyone!
God bless you.
Jennett Mullane
Principal
jennett_omullane@rok.catholic.edu.au

Parents & Friends Welcome Back BBQ

We are looking forward to seeing you all at our Welcome Back BBQ next Friday 9th February at 6pm.

This event is kindly organized by our P and F and is a great chance to meet new members of our Star of the Sea family and to reconnect with others.

Our P&F will kindly be operating the BBQ and drinks will be on sale.

Parents should please be aware that this is a Parent run event and therefore no formal supervision of the children is being provided by the school.  Parents are responsible for the supervision of their children during this social gathering. Students should not attend this function without being accompanied by a supervising adult. 

2023 School Goals

From Our APRE

Welcome to Week 3.  Our Mass on Friday was a wonderful way to officially begin our year.  I am extremely proud of the way our students participated in the Mass so respectfully.  Thank you to Father Andrew for leading our Mass, I love the way Father Andrew can always connect the readings from the Mass to our everyday lives – 2023 is going to throw us some challenges, but if we continue to connect with those we trust it will make them all a whole lot easier to face.  Trust in the Lord.

With all your heart you must trust the Lord and not your own judgment. Always let him lead you, and he will clear the road for you to follow.

Proverbs 3:5-6

It was a great chance for our school community to see our leaders for 2023 also.  I have already witnessed some great leadership taking place around our school from these students, especially before school – they see a need and try to do something about it.  The way they ‘Greet and Treat’ is awesome to witness. Keep shining bright for all to see.

The Gospel reading from Sunday’s Mass really highlighted our school motto and it is one of my favourite readings from the Bible.  It is a reading from the Gospel of Matthew (Mt 5:13-16) and the message is around Salt of the earth, light of the world.

In the past I had never really considered the salt of the Earth part of this reading, I immediately go to light of the world, because it works in so nicely with our school Motto – Let Your Light Shine.

Father Andrew elaborated a little more on the salt of the Earth part, salt being something to add flavour and preserve. 

The following reflection from Liturgy Help, Dianne Bergant CSA sums it up nicely.

Jesus employs two metaphors to characterise the essence of discipleship: salt and light. These metaphors point to what the disciples do for others rather than to what discipleship does for the disciples themselves. Salt is not only essential for life, but it is also valuable for preserving, seasoning, and purifying food and for fertilising. In a sense, its value resides in the way it acts on another substance. The same is true about light. True disciples are the light that shines forth in the darkness of ignorance or faithlessness. They enlighten others not by words but by their manner of living. It is this manner of living that declares to the world that the reign of God has indeed been established in their midst, and that the age of fulfilment has dawned.

I wonder how we can go forth this week striving to be salt of the Earth and light for the world?

Light the way this week.

God Bless

Kellie Richardson

Assistant Principal: Religious Education

kellie_richardson@rok.catholic.edu.au

CATHOLIC IDENTITY

The invitation to join us in Liturgy is always there. Our Communion song on Friday summed it up nicely.  At Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School we aim for our community to respect and nurture the giftedness and dignity of all.

You’re welcome here

You’re welcome here

Come gather at the table of the Lord

Come share this meal

Come share this meal

Together at the table of the Lord

John Burland

In Our Prayers

From the APC

Last week I included in this section of the newsletter some information regarding how you can support your child reading at home by focusing on the three words, To – With – By.  I have included another document this week which was created to encourage parents to be involved in the process of To, With and By as it lists the positive benefits this approach has on them.   

I also want to focus on Reading Conversations Before – During -  After.  Below is some advice from the Catholic Education Curriculum Team around Reading Conversations.  

Before reading is a good time to ask what your child thinks the book will be about, to allow them to predict events in the story or the content of information books.

During reading, comments should generally be as a response to reactions from the child and be kept to a minimum, so as not to interrupt the flow of reading.

After reading is an optimal time to discuss the book. Here you can focus on identifying the significant events, remembering characters’ names and using key vocabulary from the text. Each book will offer different opportunities for you and your child to interact. You might talk about the interesting illustrations, characters’ motives or dilemmas, fascinating words or what might happen next. These discussions should be natural reactions that occur when you have the time to relax together.

Next week we will look at Reading Discussion Prompt: Thinking about Text Types, Making Meaning, Reading Accurately and Reading with Fluency.

Anthony King

Assistant Principal: Curriculum

anthony_king@rok.catholic.edu.au

School Fees Term 1

Term 1 school fees were sent out via email over the weekend.

If you haven’t yet received your fees, please contact the office. (Please also check your junk email in case the fees were directed there. They are sent from the sosg_finance@rok.catholic.edu.au email address).

FEES FOR TERM 1 ARE DUE FRIDAY 17^th FEBRUARY

If you currently hold a Centrelink Health Care or Concession Card, you may be eligible for a discount on your school fees. If you have such a card and not currently receiving the discount on your fees, please contact the finance office to confirm if your card is eligible.

If you have not received your fees, or feel that you will not be able to pay your fees by the due date, please contact the office on 49721305 or sosg_finance@rok.catholic.edu.au 

Thank you 

Kaddie Dawe – Finance Officer

Parent Information Sessions

Our Parent Information Sessions begin this week and we encourage you to attend if at all possible as these sessions provide a valuable opportunity to meet your child's teacher and learn a little about routines and expectations for the year.  These sessions take place in the classroom and usually run between 20 to 30 minutes at the most and are a great way of establishing a good relationship between home and school which we know enhances student learning.

Week 3
Tuesday 7 Feb @ 4pm - Year 4B
Tuesday 7 Feb @ 4:30pm - Prep (Combined)
Tuesday 7 Feb @ 5pm - Year 2 (Combined)
Wednesday 8 Feb @ 4:30pm - Year 6B
Thursday 9 Feb @5pm - Year 4A
Thursday 9 Feb @5pm - Year 5A & 5B

Week 4
Tuesday 14 Feb @4:45pm - Year 1A & 1B

Please Update Your Media Details

Dear Parents

We are asking your assistance in updating media consent for your child/ren.

Our system has been updated with more options that give us clarity with the myriad different ways your child's details can possibly be used.  If you completed a paper copy of the enrolment form, you will definitely need to update these media consent details please.  Parents who completed an online application are also asked to check their child's current media permissions to ensure it is correct.

This is a very quick task completed through Parent Lounge and below are some instructions to guide you with this task.  You will need to complete this task for each child you have at Star of the Sea please.

We appreciate your help in ensuring we have the correct information for your child/ren.

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Fundraiser

Our Year 6 classes have kindly offered to help raise money for Project Compassion by selling pancakes.  Please support them if you can.

2024 Prep Applications now open for Existing Families

We are experiencing strong demand for our 2024 Prep classes and do not want our existing families to miss out.  Please ensure you have registered your interest in enrolling your child for next year's Prep cohort by submitting your application online:

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

Tuckshop News

Our Tuckshop is up and running for the year and we are grateful for the enthusiasm and commitment that our convenors, Julie and Witney-Bre, give to this school service.  It has already proven to be popular and we remind you of a few rules.

- Preps are not permitted to buy directly from the Tuckshop with coins and cash.  Their orders (including iceblocks) need to be preordered through Flexischools or via a Tuckshop Bag please.  We would prefer Year One and Two preorder their iceblocks etc as well.

- There is a limit on the number of iceblocks that students can buy.  Please ensure they are not sent to school with excessive amounts of money to use.

Opening School Mass

Our 2023 Opening School Mass was an opportunity to gather together as a community, asking God's blessing on us, welcoming new members and presenting our Year 6 Leaders with their badges.  The heat set out to challenge us but we are proud of the way everyone participated in this prayerful start to our year.

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Student of the Week Award

Free Seminar for Parents - Talking to your child about Respectful Relationships

Catholic School Parents Qld is the over arching organisation for our Parents and Friends.  As part of their goal to engage and support parents in their important role they have organised this free webinar with Robyn Rosengrave.  We hope you find it very valuable.

Bishop's Inservice Day - Friday 17th February - School closed

Family Name Labels to use in your car for drive through pick up in the afternoon

Having your child's surname clearly printed and placed where it can be seen on the sunvisor or dash helps us find your child quickly and speed up the collection process in the afternoons.

In the past we have printed names for all families in our school – if you would like us to send home a label for your car to be used at pick up please email us and we will get one ready for you and send it home.

Email kellie_richardson@rok.catholic.edu.au if you make the subject SCHOOL PICK UP SIGN we will know to make one and send it home for your use.

League Stars Program

League Stars is coming to Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School! League Stars is a before school non-contact program with no experience needed. League Stars introduces kids to the fun and skills of Rugby League. Boys and girls aged 8-12 are welcome.

Sessions run for an hour from 7:20am each Thursday morning for 6 weeks beginning on Thursday 9th February.

Registration is via the following link:

https://profile.mysideline.com.au/register/clubsearch?criteria=435923&entity=true&entitytype=program&source=rugby-league 

Please note that this is not a school run event and therefore no supervision will be provided by the school.  

2023 Port Curtis Sport Information

There has been an update to the Port Curtis Sport 10-12yrs Student/Parent process for 2023 as follows:

•    Student receives trial information from Sports Co/Sport contact.  Do not nominate until you have been instructed to do so please.

•    Students who wish to nominate MUST complete online permission booklet, link: https://capsport.eq.edu.au/supportandresources/formsanddocuments/documents/representative%20school%20sport%20permission%20details%20booklet.pdf 

•    Print completed booklet and sign sections where marked.

•    If you are unable to access or print, school sport contacts will be able to assist.  We encourage you where possible to fill the form in electronically to assist with legibility and accuracy of documents.

•    Once student and parent has signed all necessary sections, the completed booklet is to be handed into sports co/sport contact.

•    Sports co/sport contact will sign and obtain Principal signature.

•    Form will then be given back to students.

•    Students must hand in the completed and signed booklet to the team manager at the PC trials.  No booklet = no trial.

•    This same booklet will be passed on by team managers from one level to the next level as students progress through the representative sport program.

•    If any details change after this booklet has been submitted, a change of details form will need to be completed and handed in to the team manager, link: https://capsport.eq.edu.au/supportandresources/formsanddocuments/documents/representative%20school%20sport%20change%20of%20details%20form.pdf 

In addition to this process change, the team levy has now been removed as per the below letter.

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