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- Principal's Corner
- APA News
- APRE News
- Mother's Day Stall
- Fete News
- Coloured Clothes Day Friday 7th May
- Prep to Year 6 Cross Country
- Sad News
- Breakfast Program
- Defence
- Pastoral Chaplain's Chat
- Tuckshop closed for lunch on fete day!
- Tuckshop News
- Date Claimers
- Term Dates
- Uniform Supplies
- Assembly and Bell Times
- Absent from School
- Our Mission Statement
As we rocket towards Mother’s Day, there are advertisements from jewellery to dining experiences on how to spoil the significant women in our lives. There is little argument that mothers have such a significant role. From the early stages of pregnancy, a mother’s love and care is paramount to the development of the child.
A mother’s influence plays a key in both the development of a child and the adult they will grow to be. It is sometimes difficult allowing young children to take risks, when the mother’s role is to protect.
Last week, our children saw many mothers and their influence at work. I witnessed the generosity, the concern and the courage of many; the mothers who assisted with sorting the Trash n Treasure, the mothers who encouraged their child in the Fun Run, the patient mothers who waited in traffic while their child dawdled to the car.
Thank you to the mothers, grandmothers, aunts and significant women in the lives of our students, on behalf of our staff we wish you God’s blessing on Mother’s Day and every day of the year!
It is always a risk to highlight students, as each day goes by in our school,
I am grateful for the actions of many of our students.
I will let the accompanying photos tell the story of the courage and determination of two of these students.
This week our value is gratitude. I am grateful for your generous response to the call for Trash ‘n Treasure for the Fete, it will be an impressive stall!
God bless,
Geraldine
As we count down to one of our most important community events, The Holy Spirit Catholic School Fete, we are reminded of just how lucky we are to be part of such a community. There is much excitement around the students and staff with discussions about what they are going to do at this year's Fete.
Our families have been fantastic with their support of coloured clothes days, dodgers and donations for prizes. We are so grateful for the wonderful support from families and our students. We just need some more families to give 1 hour of their time to work on a stall for this year's Fete. If you can help out, please contact the school. Come and be part of the school family and join in the fun. It is a great way to demonstrate to our students the value of 'generosity'.
Next week, students across Australia will participate in Naplan - a National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy. Our students and staff have been familiarising themselves with the layout and structure of these types and tests in preparation for next week. One of the ways you, as a parent, can assist is to ensure it is a normal routine for them on the day of the tests - good breakfast, a laugh together and wish them well for their day. These are not to be seen as major tests like our Year 12 sit for an ATAR score. It is at these times that we need to remind ourselves and our students that we are to be grateful for the opportunity to have such an education and the experiences that go with that. What a great achievement it is to say at the end that we did it and gave it a "red hot go'. That is the Spirit Way!
The Resilience Project continues in our classrooms as we learn more about Gratitude, Empathy, Mindfulness/Kindness and Emotional Liteacy. This program is a wonderful addition that blends beautifully with our "Spirit Way" We teach our students the values of:
Safe
Persistent
Indepedent
Respectful
Inspiring and being
Thankful.
The FUN RUN from last week was a testimony to what our students are capable of. We witnessed our kids striving to do their best and enjoy the experience. We saw some students struggle with the distance but showed grit and determination. We saw teams show respect and applaud opposition runners as they crossed the finish line. Our parents and supporters smiled and cheered and said "well done" as we appreciated the opportunity to have a carnival in this "COVID world"
So I ask you.....What are you thankful for?
If you would like to know more about our Resilience Project, visit www.theresilienceproject.com.au and see your class teacher.
In Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus says, ‘I want you to love each other in the same way as I have loved you. I have chosen you to be my friends and am sending you out to share this love with the rest of the world.’ We are called to proclaim our love for God and for each other, but how do we put that into action? We can make everything we do a little act of love for God. If we love God, we love one another! Our students this week will be encouraged to put this into action by becoming aware of where help is needed, helping others and appreciating the help of others.
This week at Holy Spirit, we value gratitude. Gratitude is one of many positive emotions. It's about focusing on what's good in our lives and being thankful for the things we have. There are many ways that we can show gratitude to those around us. It could be in the simplest form of smiling at someone to show gratitude in something they have said or done. This week we pray that our students think of a way to show gratitude to those around them to show they appreciate the nice things that are done for them. With the fete nearly here, there are many people in our school community who are working to ensure it is a success and we thank everyone for their ongoing support of our school.
This year, Catholic Education is celebrating 200 years in Australia, marking the bicentenary of the first Catholic school established in Parramatta in October 1820. Over 200 years, Catholic schools have grown to become the largest provider of schooling in Australia (outside government) with one in five school age students attending a Catholic school. This represents 777,000 students in 1,755 schools across the country and employing over 100,000 teachers and staff. Nearly 40 per cent of Catholic schools are located outside of metropolitan cities in regional, rural and remote communities. The formal celebrations were due to be held from October 2020 to October 2021. However, due to pandemic restrictions, the celebrations are now being held during the 2021 school year. A National Mass is being celebrated in states and dioceses on the Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians on 24 May 2021.
God bless.
Caroline Fuller
FETE NEWS – ONLY 1 WEEK TO GO – VOLUNTEERS REQUIRED
Volunteers
We are NEEDING volunteers to assist on Fete night if you could please consider helping. If you are able to commit even for just one hour it would be greatly appreciated.
To register your commitment please fill out the Fete volunteer form or submit online.
Dodgers – OUR MONSTER DODGER DRAW with prizes worth over $9550 including $4,500 in cash
Thank you to all the families who have returned their dodgers!
For those that haven’t returned them they are now outstanding! Please return them to school sold/unsold ASAP.
Cent Sale
Our Cent Sale still needs some prizes so have a look at home if you have any new items you would like to donate.
Also if you know of any businesses who could provide a prize or gift voucher of any value it would be greatly appreciated.
Cake Stall
We need people to BAKE BAKE BAKE for our fete. Thank you to all who have already made the commitment to bake but we need more.
We still need cakes, sweets & jams so if you are able to help, please do.
Please feel free to contact Marjella Purcell or Laura Zonneveld at majellapurcell@icloud.com lzonneveld1@hsstsv.catholic.edu.au
Plant Stall
If you have a green finger or have any pot plants you would like to donate towards our Plant Stall – please send them along
Promotional Items
We need any small promotional items, which may be used as prizes at the fete. These items can be balloons, water bottles, rulers, pencils or any other promotional items.
Coloured Clothes Day Friday 7th May
Coloured Clothes Day - Friday 7th May - The last coloured clothes day for the Fete. Please see table for what your grade can bring. Thanks for supporting our Fete!
Last Friday, students participated in the Prep to Year 6 Cross Country. Our younger students really enjoyed running through the obstacle course. While our upper school students demonstrated persistence running or walking the longer course.
Congratulations to all students for their participation. Thank you to our parents who assisted as course marshals. Congratulations to the overall winners, Stephen Whites! Our next Interhouse Sporting Carnival is the Prep to Year 6 Athletics Carnival in Week 10 – Wednesday, 23 June.
2021 Age Champions:
9y.o. Shay-Lee Waters Leon Clauss
10y.o. Asha Lyons Jakob Friskie
11y.o. Brigitte Rose A-Tai Li Downie
12y.o. Mala Brooks Zachary Pearce
Photos of the carnival can be found here on our School Facebook Page.
Yours faithfully, and in sport
Mr Brenton Place
HPE Specialist
Please keep our Prep D Teacher, Mrs Ursula Ferguson and her family in your prayers. Ursula’s father passed away over the weekend.
Our thoughts and prayers also go to a Year 5 student, Alphonsa Sophy Sino and her family. Alphonsa’s grandmother passed away in India last week. Alphonsa’s mother Gisha, has assisted with the Holy Spirit Parish Sacramental Program for a number of years.
We are open Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 8am in the Hall.
Your support with donations of bread, spreads, vegemite, jam etc. (excluding peanut based spreads) would be appreciated.
The latest DCO newsletter is out and it sure has some exciting news and plenty of events advertised for the coming weeks.....
We’re changing our name!
On 1 July we will change our name from Defence Community Organisation (DCO) to Defence Member and Family Support (DMFS).
Our new name reflects our vision, what we do and who we do it for. While we are changing our name, there will be no changes to any of the services or programs offered to ADF members and their families.
Find out more about our name change www.defence.gov.au/dco
Thursday May 6th – Coffee Connections – Bakehouse on Eyre
We’d love to see you at this month’s Coffee Connections!
Join us for a break from the hustle and bustle, enjoy a cuppa, a bite to eat and relax in each other’s company.
Children are welcome and must be supervised.
Numbers are limited so head to Eventbrite and secure your free ticket now.
Where Bakehouse on Eyre, 71 Eyre St North Ward
When from 9.30am Thursday 6th May
Tickets DCO Townsville Eventbrite - Coffee Connections
Friday May 7th – Tropical Fridays – Barefoot Bowls & BBQ
You don’t have to be a Crackerjack to join us for our Tropical Fridays’ Barefoot Bowls event!
This is a child-free, social and fun event so bring yourself, yourself and partner or a friend and join us for a night of FREE barefoot bowling and a bbq.
Full facilities are also available at the Bowls Club.
Numbers were strictly limited and have sold out but head to Eventbrite and put yourself on the waiting list!
Where Jubilee Bowls Club, 13 Burdekin St Mundingburra
When 6.30pm – 8.30pm Friday 7th May
Tickets DCO Townsville Eventbrite – Barefoot Bowls
Tuesday May 11th - Walk & Talk
Our Walk & Talk social fitness group is back again! Meeting at the Rockpool end of the Strand (on the footpath in front of the Fish Inn), we'll walk the main length of the Strand and back, so don't forget your favourite walking shoes!
Where Footpath outside the Fish Inn @ the Rockpool, the Strand
When 5.30pm Tuesday 11th May
Register DCO Townsville Eventbrite – Walk & Talk
Thursday May 13th - 10FSB Spouse Morning Tea
10FSB will be hosting a spouse morning tea on Thursday May 13th, at Geckos Family Centre, Lavarack Barracks from 10.00 - 11.30am.
This is a great chance to connect with other 10FSB partners/spouses while you enjoy morning tea and a cuppa, and representatives from DCO, Defence Health, Defence Holidays NQ, and Smart Salary will also be in attendance for any support or advice.
Visit the 10FSB Facebook page for more information.
The family was a little shocked when dad Chris, bought his six and four-
year-old daughters a motorbike. “You got them a what?” was the
standard reply.
It turns out that getting his daughters a motorbike was a stroke of pure
fathering genius, although Chris didn’t know it at the time.
Chris bought the motorbike for his daughters because he had fond
memories of riding on his family’s farm when he was young. He wanted
his kids to enjoy the same experience.
Close family members questioned Chris about introducing a motorbike to
kids at such a young age, but he let it pass. He even received a comment
or two about the suitability of such a pursuit for girls. “You and your
brothers loved motorbikes, but that doesn’t mean that your daughters
will,” was the attitude of some people.
Undeterred, Chris spent many weekends riding in a nearby property
teaching his girls the finer points of motorbike riding. He began by riding
with each daughter using trainer wheels, slowly progressing to two
wheeled riding as they grew more confident.
The parenting genius in three parts
Helping them to face their fears
Firstly, after acknowledging his daughters’ fears, Chris encouraged them to face them, but in their own time. The girls set the developmental pace, so they felt they had full control over their experiences. He showed himself to be astute listener ready to work with his daughters. This is respectful relationships in action.
Lessons of self-worth
Secondly, through the experience Chris showed his daughters that what they do with their bodies is far more important than how they look. His daughters are young, and their attitudes may change when they become tweens or teens, but the lessons of self-worth they absorb during this stage of childhood are lasting. The fact that these messages come while sharing activities organised by their father adds to their potency.
Communicating and forming strong bonds
Thirdly, he’s using activity to communicate with and form strong bonds with his girls. Fathers generally express themselves best with their children when they are fully absorbed in an activity. Parenting author Steve Biddulph says ‘activity is the language of fathering’. Men are usually at their parenting best when they’re involved in games, having fun or being active with their kids. It is through activity that many dads teach kids lessons such as fairness, playing by the rules, trying their best and, of course, sharing stories from their own childhood.
Another side to this parenting genius is that Chris shared something of himself with his daughters when he bought that motorbike. Each time he rides with them he is sharing a part of who he is with his daughters – not the work persona, the parent persona or the friend persona – but something that is close to the essence of who is, which was forged during the joyous times of childhood.
Michael Grose
Michael Grose, founder of Parenting Ideas, is one of Australia’s leading parenting educators. He’s an award-winning speaker and the author of 12 books for parents including Spoonfed Generation, and the bestselling Why First Borns Rule the World and Last Borns Want to Change It. Michael is a former teacher with 15years experience, and has 30years experience in parenting education. He also holds a Master of Educational Studies from Monash University specialising in parenting education.
Tuckshop closed for lunch on fete day!
Just a reminder that on the day of the fete, Friday 14 May, our tuckshop will only be opened at morning tea.
The tuckshop will NOT be opened for lunch due to fete preparations.
Thanks for your understanding.
Holy Spirit Catholic School uses Flexischools ordering system. To register, login or to place orders, please click this link:
ROSTER |
|||
06.05.21 |
John Edwards |
||
07.05.21 |
Jeena Philips-Koshy, Tim Marrinan, Virginia Novinetz |
||
10.05.21 |
Amanda Bell, Brook Vass, Kate Smith | ||
11.05.21 |
Anne Fisher, Sue Viviers, Thiru Sasi Emmanual, Tina McDonough | ||
12.05.21 |
Christine Nash, Kerri Player | ||
CAKE (We are kindly accepting donations of packet cakes only at this time) | |||
10.05.21 |
Kathryn Cripps, Lanie Hedger, Melissa Smith | ||
FRUIT |
|||
10.05.21 |
Allyce Rawnsley, Kathryn Cripps, Penny Lange | ||
11.05.21 |
Bernadette Bryant |
Date |
Event |
May |
06.05.21 |
Mothers Day Stall |
07.05.21 |
CCC Meeting |
07.05.21 |
Coloured Clothes Day - Chocolates and Groceries |
Term Dates 2021 |
||
Term 2 |
Monday 19 April 2021 |
Friday 25 June 2021 |
Term 3 |
Monday 12 July 2021 |
Friday 17 September 2021 |
Term 4 |
Tuesday 5 October 2021 |
Friday 3 December 2021 |
Pupil Free Day: Friday 3 September 2021 |
All uniform supplies are available at The School Locker, Domain Central (close to Bunnings).
Phone 1800 826 155
Uniform days for students:
Monday and Wednesday - Formal uniform
Tuesday and Thursday - Sports uniform
Friday - own choice
Senior shirts may be worn on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
Wednesday Assemblies |
|
Prep – Year 2 |
8.40am |
Years 3 – 6 |
2.10pm |
Whole School Assemblies |
8.45am |
Daily Bell Times |
|
8.15 am |
Students are allowed to move to class |
8.30 am |
School day commences |
10.30 am |
Morning tea bell |
10.55 am |
Five minute warning bell |
11.00 am |
School day resumes |
1.00 pm |
Lunch bell |
1.30 pm |
Five minute warning bell |
1.35 pm |
School day resumes. |
2.50 pm |
School day concludes |
If your child is going to be absent, please enter the details through Compass, as this is the most efficient way to inform the school.