2023 Week 7 Newsletter - Term 2

Weekly Focus - National Reconciliation Week

From the Principal - Calling all Green Thumbs!

Dear Families

Covid dealt us some hard blows but it also taught us some valuable lessons.  For me, one of them was to not take things for granted.  I thought of this as I walked down to join the Junior Jumps event on Friday.  To see so may of our families on such a beautiful day, enjoying a fun day of activities with our younger students was awesome.  These sorts of gatherings were taken away from us during Covid and I have learned not to take for granted opportunities to get together in this way.

Our younger grades in particular are not used to getting together in this way and I am loving see how precious these moments are for you all. Many thanks to Genelle Little and her team of staff who put together such an awesome day.

One thing I never want to take for granted is the strong community we are gifted with at Star of the Sea.  We hold in common a belief in the great value of Catholic Education and all that it offers.  We are also a community full of diversity though and that is another great strength we have if we have the courage and wisdom to use it.  The individual stories and talents of our community can be used in many different ways to support our students and their families.  Already we have lots of different ways that our community engages together:

• Reading Stars volunteers help support a love of reading in our children while also upskilling themselves as reading coaches.
• Volunteers at our sporting and school events share their time and talents and help make a quality event for our children.
• Morning Teas after Class Assembly presentations give the opportunity for connection between parents as do our Social Events such as the Disco.
• P&F Meetings give all parents a voice.
• Our Caulfield Committee showcases how great our school is and helps provide resources for the classroom.
• Our Playground Committee helps plan for quality learning and play spaces.

We have another way we would like to foster community engagement and grow positive connections between home and school.  We are very keen to start a Gardening Group and know there are lots of parents, grandparents and other family members who can help us with this project.  This group would help us plan and establish some gardens for the school and add some simple little play/ exploration areas for our children.  As we get some gardens established, we hope that some members might be able to potter in the garden giving students some guidance and encouragement as they work there during break and lesson times.  Please let me know if you would like to be involved, know someone else who could help, or have any ideas to share.

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

2023 School Goals

From Our APRE

This week is National Reconciliation Week, a time for us to take some time to consider what reconciliation is all about. While reading about this year’s theme I came across the following – it is time to consider that ‘forgiveness requires forgiving’ and that in seeking forgiveness from God, you must first deal with any anger between you and others. Jesus believed in a Law that lifted and bettered people, not one that confounded and oppressed them. This can be a great lesson for us all.

Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. National Reconciliation Week 2023: Be A Voice for Generations.

The theme  encourages all Australians to be a voice for reconciliation in tangible ways in our everyday lives – where we live, work and socialise.

For the work of generations past, and the benefit of generations future, act today for a more just, equitable and reconciled country for all.

(taken from the National Reconciliation website. https://nrw.reconciliation.org.au/)

John 20:21

Then Jesus said again, “Peace be with you!”

God’s blessings,

Kellie Richardson

Assistant Principal: Religious Education 

Kellie_richardson@rok.catholic.edu.au

Catholic Identity

As we begin our ‘Athletics Season’ it is a chance for us to learn about the history behind our Sporting teams – Murlay, Marsden and Breslin.

Our School House Teams

All students are placed in a house team for events such as our Sports Carnivals. All family members are placed in the same colour team and are placed accordingly to equalise numbers in colour teams across the school. While final results have a certain importance, the emphasis is placed on participation as a team member and individual.

Our House Teams also recognise significant contributors to our school story as described below:

Breslin – YELLOW COLOUR

Breslin is named after Mrs Breslin who taught the children in her own home in Goondoon St after the Sisters of Saint Joseph left in 1879. She continued teaching the students until the Sisters of Mercy arrived in 1900.

Murlay – BLUE COLOUR

Murlay is named after Dean Charles Murlay who was a Marist priest born in France in 1855. He moved to Rockhampton in 1862 to care for the Diocese until the appointment of Rockhampton’s first bishop. On April 24 1901 he moved to Gladstone as Parish Priest. He invited the Sisters of Mercy to teach in Gladstone and by January 19, 1902, the Star of the Sea Church /School was opened and classes commenced. He died on October 6, 1908 and was buried in the Gladstone Cemetery.

Marsden – WHITE COLOUR

Marsden is named after Fr Lionel Marsden who was Parish Priest in Gladstone after the war. Soon after being ordained a Marist priest in 1940, he was appointed as AIF chaplain and experienced all the horrors of the Second World War, including working on the Thai-Burma railway. He constantly preached love and forgiveness to the soldiers he ministered to but was caught unawares by the anger he felt after he was treated roughly by a Japanese soldier. His anger turned to hatred and it took a lot of prayer before he found forgiveness in his heart. He pledged to work for reconciliation if he lived through the war and ended up being the founder of the Marist Mission Centre in Japan.

Liturgies and Assemblies

WEEK 8

Year 6B invite you to their Assembly on Friday 9^th June at 8.35am in the Covered Courts Area.

WEEK 9

Year 2A invite you to their Assembly on Friday 16^th June at 8.35am in the Covered Courts Area.

WEEK 10

Year 5A invite you to their Assembly on Friday 23^rd June at 8.35am in the Covered Courts Area.

In Our Prayers

From the APC

Oral language development for young children is critical, and research shows that some parents and carers can become overwhelmed or confused by the messages they receive.   A group of Queensland speech pathologists have joined together to increase communication outcomes of all children, and they have developed an initiative to share key messages about early language and literacy development. It is called Read and Talk to Learn -RATTL.  RATTL aims to keep the messages simple, accurate and evidence based.

The academics involved are from Griffith University, Australian Catholic University, and University of Queensland; and the initiative has the support of the Queensland Government. This project has created a Facebook page which is a space to access information, tips and strategies to help children’s early literacy and language.

If you have a child under 5, here is the link to the site that has many ideas and resources for you to learn about how you can help develop your child's language and literacy skills in the early years.

Have a good week everyone.

Anthony King

Assistant to the Principal: Curriculum

anthony_king@rok.catholic.edu.au

Uniform Shop- New store open

Weareco opened its new shop last Monday, across the road from us at 1/190 Goondoon Street.

Due to staff training the shop will be operating only in the mornings from 8am to 11am for the first two weeks. 

Student of the Week Award

Non State Schools Transport Assistance Scheme

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).

Emotion Coaching for Parents

Chanel College Musical

Thank you to our Caulfield Sponsors