2022 Week 8 Newsletter - Term 1

Weekly Focus

Each week we provide you with a short video supplying our key messages for the week.

From the Principal

Dear Families

Our weekly video message is a chance to give you an idea of our focus areas for the week.  This year it will also be used to help you get to know all the staff and not just have to look at my face all the time!  This week our Assistant Principal: Religious Education, Kellie Richardson, introduces herself to you and tells you a little about what it means to be a Catholic School in our modern world.

Our Catholic Schools of today have a real challenge to have a meaningful presence in the world and make a worthwhile contribution to the lives of all they touch.  One of our core tasks is about creating a safe and supportive space for open dialogue that allows everyone to be who they are and make some meaning of their lives with the support of the Gospel message.

We truly appreciate you completing the survey that was emailed to you last week.  Your responses will help us in achieving another of our 2022 School Goals – to help students find a connection between their own life and some of the Christian symbols, stories and rituals that we use.

We believe in an holistic education that caters for the whole child – spiritual as well as academic, physical, emotional and social.  No matter what our belief system, we cannot deny the spiritual part of ourselves without being poorer for it.  Your contribution to our survey will help us form a snapshot of our school that will help us plan a meaningful pathway forward for our school community.  I mentioned last week that we are seeking to help students think more deeply and we want this to be a part of the teaching of religion and the religious life of the school also.

You can access the survey by clicking on this link:  www.ecsi.site/au/user/ , entering the case-sensitive password Ghj654 and clicking login.

Further information about completing this survey is included in this newsletter.

School Board

Our School Board plays an important role in helping us engage in meaningful conversations that connect our personal lives and the culture we live in with the Catholic Tradition.  It has an essential spiritual element as well as a leadership role.

I encourage you to consider attending the Information Session today at 5:30pm if you can.  It holds no commitment to be a part of the Board but does provide an opportunity to learn more about what it does.

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

From Our APRE

As we continue our journey through Lent it is comforting to know that we are not alone.

Father Ashwin mentioned at Mass on Sunday that Lent is not a time for us to starve ourselves and whither away as we prepare for Easter, but instead it is a time for renewal.  A time for us to recognise our misgivings and ask forgiveness.

Over the years the big focus for students during Lent has been about ‘giving something up’ – no chocolate or Maccas for 40 days during Lent.  We move forward looking at ways we can be more like Jesus.  How are we being kind, compassionate, just, of service, showing courage or loving?  Sometimes these character traits can be more difficult than saying no to a chocolate for 40 days.

FREE DRESS DAY – FRIDAY 18TH MARCH
GOLD COIN DONATIONS ACCEPTED

To kick off our Bullying NO WAY and Harmony Week campaign we are offering a Kindness Project to help care for the people recently affected by the floods in QLD and NSW.

St Vincent de Paul have launched a Flood Appeal and we are willing to help where we can.

We offer a Free Dress Day
Gold Coin Donations are necessary if you choose to wear Sun Safe clothes to school on Friday 18th March.

As usual all clothing must be sunsafe, closed in shoes are necessary and wide brimmed hats only (school hats are best – NO CAPS ALLOWED)

Damage is extensive.  Our donations will go towards food and essentials, emergency housing and clothing for those affected by this disastrous weather event.

Have a wonderful week, reach out and help someone in need.

Kellie Richardson
Assistant Principal: Religious Education
Kellie_richardson@rok.catholic.edu.au 

Second Week of Lent - Caritas Story

This week through Project Compassion we learn about Biru who lives in a rural village in India’s east. He lost mobility in one of his legs, after contracting polio as a child. Biru worked as a shepherd, looking after other people’s cattle, to support his wife and four daughters. Keeping up with the cattle was a challenge.

Biru taught himself how to repair bicycles by watching other people, but he never dreamed of using those skills to start his own business. With your generous support, Biru was able to access an entrepreneurship and livelihoods training program, run by Caritas Australia’s partner, Caritas India. He gained the support and skills he needed to start his own bicycle repair business. Now, Biru earns enough money to support his family.

Watch a short film about Biru’s story here.

God bless

Kellie Richardson

Assistant Principal: Religious Education

Kellie_richardson@rok.catholic.edu.au

In our Prayers

In light of the unrest in our world today I offer the Peace Prayer for our world...

Peace Prayer of Saint Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy. 

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive, 
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, 
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.

•    We pray for those who suffer the fear and injustice of war:  May those with power have their hearts moved to peace so as to make decisions that support it.

•    We pray for all those affected by the floods in Qld and NSW:  May they receive the support and the strength they need to recover from this tragedy.

•     We pray for all of us in this Season of Lent:  May we use this as an opportunity deeper prayer and reflection of our call towards Grace.

Curriculum News

           SOS READING STARS PROGRAM

As part of our continued efforts to improve literacy for all students in our school, we are asking for parents and grandparents to assist us with the Sea Stars reading program.

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 15minutes per day, we can enable students to feel more confident and reinforce and consolidate important skills. 

As there are many parents and grandparents who bring your children to school, we’re 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 some children read.

Typically, you will work one-to-one spending 15 minutes with each child talking about the book they’re reading and listening to them read. You will 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 each week (Tuesday or Thursday) so that a schedule can be drawn up as part of a regular school routine.

If you are interested in helping out with this Reading Stars program, please contact the school office to register your interest.   Grandparents will need to register for a Blue Card if you do not already have one.  Having this Blue Card will also enable you to volunteer at other school activities.  

Thank you in anticipation of your support to this program. Have a good week everyone.

Anthony King

Assistant Principal: Curriculum

2021 Reading Stars Volunteers

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.

Port Curtis Sport

Port Curtis Netball

Congratulations to Emily McConnell on being selected in the Port Curtis 11Yrs Netball Team.  Emily will attend the Capricornia Trials in Rockhampton later this month.

*Uniform Shop Change to Opening Hours*

Please note the Uniform Shop is open each Wednesday from 8.30am to 10.30am.  Orders can be placed online via our school website http://www.staroftheseagladstone.qld.edu.au/about-us/uniform.html 

Book Club Issue #2

Student of the Week Awards

Chanel College Enrolments 2023

ECSI Parent Survey - Please help us by completing this as soon as possible.

Volunteer Inductions

ARE YOU PLANNING ON HELPING IN THE CLASSROOM OR AT SCHOOL EVENTS SUCH AS SWIMMING CARNIVALS AND CROSS COUNTRY?
You will need to join us for a Volunteer Induction first please!

These inductions do not take long but serve a very important purpose in helping us to provide a safe and supportive environment for your child.

Please join us in the staff room for one of the following sessions:
•    Tuesday 15 March @ 5:15pm (Before Board Inservice)

Please note that volunteers will need to be fully vaccinated against Covid to assist us in this way please.
If you cannot make one of the induction times, you may sit in the office waiting area and read through the relevant paperwork, signing our register when finished.  
Please only attend if you are well.

Covid Update

Star of the Sea  wishes to advise you that, during the past week, we have been notified of positive cases of COVID-19 in our school community.  

Star of the Sea regularly consults with the Catholic Education Office and relevant authorities, and continues to follow the advice of Queensland Health regarding cleaning requirements. 

Queensland Health has advised that no quarantine of students or staff is required.

As COVID-19 remains active in our community we ask you to continue to monitor your child’s/children’s health and if they develop any flu-like symptoms: 

•    Keep your child/children at home
•    Seek a PCR or Rapid Antigen test where it is recommended and notify the school of positive results. Please be aware, a negative COVID test does not change the requirement to be symptom free to attend school. 
•    Follow the advice of Queensland Health 

As we continue to navigate the pandemic, please remind your child/ren to: 
•    maintain good hand hygiene at all times
•    cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or the inside of their elbow and dispose of tissues in the bin immediately.
•    practice social distancing from others where possible
•    wear masks when required

We will continue to work closely with health authorities to keep our school community informed of any developments and advice. Thank you once again for your ongoing support.
 

Updated Covid Restictions

Please note the following changes to restrictions which come into effect this week.  As always, educational institutions are given their own guidelines to operate under which do not always line up exactly with what is happening elsewhere. Particularly at the moment, with Covid still making itself known within our school community, it is important that we do not become complacent.  We need to avoid putting our students at risk, and we need to keep teachers and support staff in our school giving your children the care and education they deserve.

The main things the new guidelines stress are as follows:

•    We can have whole school assemblies and parents can attend but are asked to be mindful of distancing, being free of illness etc.  This means that you can come and see your child receive their Student of the Week Award each week.  

•    Masks no longer need to be worn but are still recommended as one of the best ways of minimising risk, especially when distancing is more difficult. We support anyone who wishes to keep wearing a mask when they feel the need to.  Some students may still wear them as well.

•    All Parents are permitted on site to drop off / pick up etc. as usual.

•    Parent / Teacher interviews can take place.

•    The Qld Check In app is used to check vaccination only so parents do not need to check in when dropping off etc. but must do so when coming to help during school hours or working with the students outside of school hours (coaching etc).

•    At School, usual sign in/sign out requirements will also be needed on top of the Qld Check In App when parents /visitors are here during the day.

•    All volunteers must be vaccinated if they are working with students or during school hours.

•  Parents & Friends and Board meetings outside of school hours can happen face to face (vaccination is not a requirement).

Thank you to our Caulfield Sponsors