2023 Week 10 Newsletter - Term 2

Weekly Focus -Building our reserves

From the Principal -Digging Deep

Dear Families

Our recent School Review gave us much to celebrate.  One of the findings I celebrated the most was that the team found a growth mindset being strived for consistently across the school.  They heard students talking about being in the learning pit and working hard to learn new content.

Having some whole school messages has been a goal for us this year and ‘Digging Deep’ has been one of them.  It is great to hear that the students are trying to take on this language and ‘dig deep’ to find strategies that will help them solve learning and social problems that arise.  At this stage of the term they are tired but they are still not giving up.  One of the teachers told me about a student that was still wanting to dig deep but just needed help to find their shovel!

Resilience is difficult to find when we are tired and busy.  It is a skill to be cultivated and practised during the calmer times to build a stockpile we can draw upon as needed. We hope this holiday period gives our students some time to rest and restore, ready for more great learning next term.

I admit to having to dig into some of my resilience reserves when the asbestos was discovered recently.  It is just another problem to be solved though and we are grateful for the Catholic Education Building Services team who have been helping us to organise removal.  The site will be shut down for the holiday period and we are hopeful that our new playground will be installed early next term.

Our term planner will be sent home this week.  Please take note of some of these key dates:

WEEK ONE
Tuesday 11 July – P&F Meeting

WEEK THREE – CATHOLIC EDUCATION WEEK
Wednesday 26 July – Story Dogs Free Dress Day
Thursday 27 July - Grandparents Mass & Celebrations

WEEK FOUR
Tuesday 1st August – P&F Meeting

WEEK SEVEN
Friday 25 August – Book Character Parade

WEEK EIGHT
Friday 1st September - PUPIL FREE DAY

WEEK TEN
Tuesday 12th September - SCHOOL FEAST DAY

Please note that our P&F Meeting takes place the first Tuesday back at school.  We welcome to the Executive, Beth English who took on the position of P&F President at our last meeting.  We are grateful for Beth's generosity and look forward to working with her.

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

2023 School Goals

From Our APRE

Here we are at the end of another very busy term.  There is so much to celebrate at Star of the Sea and so many things to be grateful for.

Our recent School review reminded us of that also.  The external team who visited were able to see a snapshot of our school and gave us many commendations.  They also gave us some recommendations to help our school keep moving forward into the next chapter of our wonderful story. Our community is one that prides itself on a very long history and we treasure that.

Thank you to everyone who has played a part in making this first semester one to remember.  No matter what role you take on, it is a very important part of the big picture.  Never underestimate the impact you have, a smile can change someone’s day.

We count our blessings at Star of the Sea each and every day and give thanks for the wonderful people who make it the special community that it is.

REFLECTION by Fr Michael Tate

Guts in a Knot

When Jesus saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 9:36

When Jesus saw the crowds ‘he felt sorry for them’. The Greek original actually says ‘his guts were in a knot’. When Jesus saw a desperate need he found it stomach-churning stuff.

Our bodies often tell us what we should pray for. Another good signal is tears, not only of sadness but also of joy.

Body-felt impulse and prayer go together, whether celebrating good things or confronting bad things. This is what our Lord wants and, where possible, leading to effective action… labourers in the harvest.

So, when our body gives us the signal – stomach in a knot, or tremendous joy flooding into our lives – follow the body’s signals. Pray for the person or the situation concerned. You can be sure that your prayer will be authentic.

I hope you find some time to listen to your gut and remember that it is trying to tell us something.  Enjoy the change of routine for the next two weeks.    

Be kind to each other,

Kellie Richardson

Assistant Principal: Religious Education

Kellie_richardson@rok.catholic.edu.au

Catholic Identity

SOCIAL JUSTICE – BEING GENEROUS

The School works as a whole community to support a number of important charities including Caritas (Term One), St Vincent de Paul Assist a Student (Term 2),  both Marist and Mercy Missionary works (Term 3) and Catholic Mission (Term 4).  Efforts made include prayer and information on assembly and in classrooms and newsletters, collection of money in class Mission Boxes, free dress days and whole school activities such as our Pancake Day stall run by our Year 6 leaders.

This term we have been collecting for the St Vincent de Paul Assist a Student program.

https://vinniesyouthqld.org.au/schools/school-initiatives-programs/assist-a-student#:~:text=Who%20benefits%20from%20Assist%20a,contributes%20to%20their%20education%20needs.

The Assist a Student program gives us the opportunity to provide the funding for an education scholarship to train and educate a student in one of St Vincent de Paul Society’s partner countries for one year.

Our school will sponsor a number of children to help with education. A donation of only $70 is matched with a student from one of the partner countries.

The program includes students at all levels – from primary, secondary and post-secondary. Scholarships are allocated across the countries to ensure fair distribution.

One of the program’s strongest and most attractive features is that administration costs, funded by the Society are kept at an absolute minimum, so nothing is deducted from the $70 for such costs. One hundred per cent goes towards the student’s education needs (including course fees, uniforms, books etc) for one year.

In Our Prayers

From the APC

 ICAS - International Competition and Assessments for Schools

In 2023 students at Star of the Sea have the opportunity to participate in the following subjects:  Digital Technologies, Writing, English, Science, Spelling Bee and Mathematics.

If you would like your child to participate in any of the subjects listed above, please visit the new online Parent Payment System to make a direct payment to UNSW Global.

The Parent Payment System is a simple and secure online payment service specifically for parents to purchase ICAS Assessments.

The web link is: https://shop,icasassessments,com/pages/pps

Online payment closes Friday, 23rd June 2023.

IMPORTANT: Please enter your child's name accurately into the system as it will appear on their ICAS certificate. Registrations must be in by the 23rd of June and paid online using the above details.  Unfortunately. no late entries can be accepted.

Sport News

Gladstone Zone Athletics Carnival

Congratulations to all our students who competed in the Gladstone Zone Athletics Carnival last Friday.

The following students have been selected to participate in the Port Curtis Athletics Carnival on the 25th and 26th July. 

Well done to Pippa McK, Mia C, Ellie G, Hamish McD, Kurt T, Annalise G, Myeisha M, Janelle R, Jesse J, Darcy W, Eliza P, Sam B and Blake A.

AFL Gala Day

Thank you to Mrs Smyth and Mrs Spearing for accompanying the Star of the Sea boys and girls teams to the AFL Gala Day held at Boyne Island earlier this week.  From all reports all students played with great enthusiasm and had a wonderful day.  Well done to all!

Capricornia Softball

Congratulations to Eliza P on being selected to represent Capricornia School Sport - Softball 10-12 years Girls Softball team.

Parent Survey - Invitation to have your say.

Year 2A Assembly

Our Year 2A students had a powerful message for us during their class assembly last week.  They reminded us that God has made each of us with dignity and we are WORTHY and WONDERFUL.  They also taught us that we should be proud of who we are and being BOLD, TOUGH and BRAVE will help us to remember this.

2023 Senior Jumps Day

Our Senior Jumps Day was a great showcase of the determination and team spirit that we encourage at Star of the Sea.  Thank you to everyone who helped make it run so well.

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Student of the Week

Uniform Shop Holiday Hours

As usual for school holiday periods, Weareco is closed for most of these holidays.  These holidays they are offering a day before school goes back.  On Friday, 7th July, between the hours of 2.00 pm and 5.00 pm the store will open for the convenience of new students arriving and parents needing to top up uniforms for Term 3. 

Holiday Art Classes

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).

Chanel College Musical

Gladstone Junior Touch Football

Thank you to our Caulfield Sponsors