2023 Week 6 Newsletter - Term 4

WEEKLY FOCUS - Our new playground!

From the Principal - Look for the Stars

Dear Families

It is very exciting to finally see our children playing on our new playground – they are scaling that Ninja Wall like professionals!  Getting a new playground has been a journey that has involved many years and the input of various students, parents and staff.  In particular, there has been the commitment and care of a small team of parents and staff who have worked together to bring our vision to reality.  

I am very grateful to all who have contributed and especially grateful to our Parents and Friends Committee who have financially supported this project.  Special mention to our P&F Caulfield Sub Committee whose efforts over the past couple of years have significantly boosted our P&F funds to help make this happen. 

A final thank you to Loftus Contacting who were so great to work with and took special pride in assisting us with the final touches.

Please join our Parents and Friends next Tuesday 14 November for our final P&F Meeting and AGM.  It will be great to look back over the year we have had together and start our plans for 2024.

There is a quote I have used in my life repeatedly – Two men looked out of prison bars.  One saw mud and one saw stars.

It has been a constant reminder to me of the power we have to choose what we focus on and how we react to circumstances.  There are always stars and mud – blessings and trials.

It is an amazing experience, even in the midst of great suffering, to receive the compassion and care being offered to you in your struggles.  I am constantly in awe of the huge capacity that human beings have for kindness and beauty – sometimes they do not even realise what a blessing they are being.

In the midst of our world, national, local and personal struggles let us look towards the stars and count the blessings in our lives.  Let us also look for those who need us to shine some light and kindness into their lives right now also.

NEW OSHC COORDINATOR

As some of you would be aware, Kira Moore has been on maternity leave from her role as Outside School Hours Care Coordinator to allow her time to care for her new baby daughter.  We have been very grateful to Kylie Best who has acted in the Coordinator role this year on Kira’s behalf.  
 
Kira has recently decided to resign from her Coordinator role to allow her the flexibility she needs to care for her family.  We will greatly miss Kira in this role and are very grateful for the commitment and care she has given during her time with us.  We are pleased to share that Kira will still be available to work in a casual OSHC Assistant role with our Star of the Sea OSHC Service.  
 
We will be advertising for interested people to apply for this permanent full time Coordinator position and we would love your assistance in spreading the word and helping us find a suitable replacement.  We will keep you informed as to our progress in filling this role.

Have a wonderful week everyone!
God bless you.

Jennett Mullane
Principal
jennett_omullane@rok.catholic.edu.au

Position Vacant

Please spread the word and help us find a new Teacher Assistant for our 2024 team.

From Our APRE

Congratulations to our students who received the Sacrament of Reconciliation last week.  Apologies to the students I left off the list last week. May you all be surrounded by the love of God as you continue your faith journey.

          Arabella Columbus

          Sailor Druitt

          Avery Frost

          Theo Hughes

          Harlie McNamara

          Josh McConnell

          Michael Ross

          Ari Schultz

          Ruby Spooner

          Arlo Thetford

          Aspen Thetford

“Is what you do worthy of imitation?”

What type of Saint would you make?

A Reflection from Sr Kym Harris osb.

Before you laugh, no wait till you finish laughing and then think.  If the person you imagined yourself to be seems staid or boring, stop and wonder why. We tend to think that being good closes us down and makes us dull.  But what happens to you when someone loves you deeply and passionately?  Looks out for your best interests.   Encourages you to be the best person you can be.  You certainly don’t become boring.  You become your best, brightest and most loving self. 

‘Think of the love that God has lavished on us.’  That is the essence of our Christian faith.  Saints are people who live their lives believing that to be true.  They live lives lavished in love.  Basing their lives on God’s love for them, they can be loving to the unlovable and do things others deem difficult or impossible.  In other words, they live their lives dancing to the music of God’s love. 

Last Wednesday, the Church celebrated the Feast of All Saints, all the wonderful people who have lived their lives by love.  Let us celebrate the great ‘lovers’ we have known and try to live by them.  As we face challenging situations, we can think, ‘I am lavished by God’s love’ and let that love inspire us to do things differently.  When we feel fear, we can say to ourselves, ‘I am wrapped in God’s love,’ and step out across our fears.  When we feel dull and boring, we can imagine how the people who love us see us.  To be a saint, we begin, not by being good, but by claiming how God wants to lavish us in love.

Loving God, you lavish me with your love.  Let me rest in that love, be inspired by that love and then show that love to those around me, especially my family.  Let me become the saint you want me to be.

Reach out to those around you this week,

Kellie Richardson

Assistant Principal: Religious Education

Kellie_richardson@rok.catholic.edu.au

Sacrament of Reconciliation

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Prayer for Peace

PRAYER FOR PEACE:

Loving God, your Son Jesus Christ, came into the world to do your will and leave us his peace.  Through the intercession and example of our Blessed Mother Mary, Queen of Peace, grant us the wisdom and humility to reflect that peace in our world.  Inspire our thoughts, words and deeds to bear witness to your presence in our hearts.  May your Holy Spirit fill us with every grace and blessing so that we may all pursue what leads to peace for all humanity.  AMEN.   

©Diocese of Salford, UK

Christmas Hamper

Each year our school supports the St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal.  Please see attached flyer for details.  This year we will hold a free dress day as part of the campaign and students are asked to donate something toward this appeal if they choose to come to school in free dress on the day.

FREE DRESS DAY – THURSDAY 21 NOVEMBER

Students are invited to wear sun safe free dress to school on this day and donate an item of food for the St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal.

Liturgies and Assemblies

WEEK 7

Year 5 Leadership Speeches will take place this week – please keep an eye out for more details closer to the dates.

WEEK 8

Year 6 invite you to their FINAL assembly presentation on Thursday 23^rd November at 8.35am in the Covered Courts Area.

Everyone is invited to attend our annual Christmas Concert on Friday 24^th November.

WEEK 9

Everyone is invited to attend our Year 6 Graduation Liturgy on Monday night @ 6pm in the Star of the Sea Church. 

Everyone is invited to attend our End of Year Mass on Friday 1^st December in the Star of the Sea Church.  Time, yet to be confirmed.

In Our Prayers

From the APC

The swimming carnival is quickly approaching and we are wanting to keep you all informed of the plans and procedures for the day.  The Program for the Day has been advertised in the newsletter both last week and this week and we also want to ensure parents are aware of how our Age Champions are determined for the Carnival. 

Age champion age groups are as follows: Under 9 girls and boys, 10 years girls and boys, 11 years girls and boys and Open girls and boys. For U9 age groups, they will race in their individual age groups, but the times will be compared to calculate Age Champion points for this age group. 

To qualify for Age Champion Points, you must swim 50m Freestyle, 50m Breaststroke and 50m Backstroke. 50m Butterfly and 100m Freestyle will also accumulate points but are not compulsory. 

Points for positions are as follows: 1st place – 10, 2nd place – 7, 3rd place – 4 and 4th – 8th is 1 point. 

We are still very much in need of helpers to set up in the morning of the Carnival – Friday 17th November at 7:30am.   This only takes half an hour or so and we are down a few regulars this year. If you are free, please let Kim Hooley our Swimming Carnival co-ordinator know by forwarding an email to   kim_hooley@rok.catholic.edu.au  

Anthony King

Assistant to the Principal - Curriculum 

anthony_king@rok.catholic.edu.au

Star of the Sea Swimming Carnival

Swimming Carnival Program of Events

17^th November 2023

Year 2 – Year 6

2024 Class Arrangements

As we prepare for our 2024 Class arrangements we invite you to notify us of any important information that should be considered for our class composition by completing a 2024 Student Information Form.

These forms are available from the school office and are designed for parents to formally communicate any important information in relation to their own child, for class placements in 2024 in regards to social, emotional, physical or learning concerns.

Please be aware that these forms are not to request a specific class, nor teacher, but rather to inform the Principal formally of any relevant concerns that pertain directly to your child.

All information included in the 2024 Student Information Form will be treated confidentially.  As always, requests will be considered by the Principal but, as you are aware, many factors are well-considered when forming classes, and teachers’ professional judgement is vital in this process also.

Please also know that classroom teachers are not the only professionals involved in finalising classes for the following year.  Teachers also meet with Learning Support staff and the Leadership team to finalise these lists.  

Please do not put requests to teachers directly.  Only those submissions made to the Principal will be formally considered.

2024 Student Information Forms must be returned to school in an envelope addressed to the Principal by Friday 10th November.

Instrumental Music - Recruitment for 2024 has commenced!

Are you interested in learning an instrument and playing in the school band next year?

As part of our Instrumental Music recruiting process for Woodwind, Brass and Percussion for 2024 all Year 2, 3, 4, and 5 students have watched our Star of the Sea Intermediate Band perform at assembly this week.

Students have seen and heard demonstrations on instruments from the Woodwind family (Flute, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Alto Saxophone and Tenor Saxophone);  the Brass family (Trumpet, French Horn, Trombone, Baritone Horn, Euphonium and Tuba); the Percussion family.

All Year 2, 3, 4 and 5 students who are not already in the Instrumental Music Program have been given Expression of Interest forms to join the Instrumental Music program in 2024.  Forms are also available from the school office, or you can complete the form online at this link: https://bit.ly/sosginstrumental     Expression of interest forms need to be completed and returned no later than Wednesday 15th November.

Instrument suitability testing will be carried out in Week 6.   All students will be tested on all instruments. Offers will be made according to student preferences, the need to retain balance within the band, and matching the most suitable student to the vacant instrument positions within the program.

We have a limited supply of instruments available for hire through the school ($225 per year) or parents can purchase new or second-hand instruments for their child. School instrument hire is first in, best dressed; with preference given to students hiring for the first time.

Current Year 4 and 5 students (next Year’s 5 and 6) will also have the opportunity to learn the Oboe, Tenoroon (mini bassoon), French Horn and Tuba.  These instruments are available for hire ($50 per term) through GISMA (Gladstone Independent Schools Music Association) and they do require extra support from parents.

Many thanks for your support and encouragement of our future musicians!

Mrs Carmen Tankard - Instrumental Music Teacher

You can contact me directly (details below) or through the school office 4972 1305.

Email: tankardc@gmail.com    or    Mobile: 0409 985 501

Class Lists

2024 Class lists are currently being prepared by the school and we have traditionally sent home a class list with each student in the last week of school.  Before we continue this tradition it is important to gauge the community’s wishes in light of privacy laws.  

If you would prefer not to have your child’s name included on the class lists please contact the school office by Friday 17 November please.

Departing Families

At this stage of the year, work and personal circumstances sometimes mean that we have families moving from Star of the Sea.  If you have not already done so, please send us an email or a note to let us know.

This allows us to make accurate preparations for 2024.  It also allows other families on our wait lists for certain year levels to be considered for a place with us next year. 

We hope that you can join us for our End of Year Mass so that we can pray a special blessing for you and your family.

Student of the Week Award

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.

Uniform Shop Update

2023 School Goals

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

St Joseph's Cathedral Appeal

Caulfield 2023 Sponsors