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- Principal's Corner
- FROM THE APA
- APRE News
- Naplan Results
- Story Box Library
- Cowboys - Dream, Believe Achieve!
- Playgroup
- School Transport Bus Fare Threshold Increase for Semester 1 2022
- Tuckshop News
- Pastoral Chaplain's Chat
- Term Dates
- Breakfast Program
- Defence
- Community News
- Date Claimers
- Uniform Supplies
- Assembly and Bell Times
- Absent from School
- Our Mission Statement
This week is National Student Protection Week. The most important message parents and teachers alike can give children is about personal safety.
Child Protection Week is aimed at raising the profile of all issues connected to child protection. In Queensland, the Child Protection Committee falls under the auspices of Act for Kids. Act for Kids supports children and families across the whole spectrum of child protection.
Last night in our Lynch Family Hall, we were fortunate to have an information session for parents presented by Act for Kids. The psychologists from Act for Kids provided some excellent and practical information for parents and teachers. Below are some suggestions should your child, or any child raise something concerning (a disclosure) about their personal safety or the safety of another child.
The key messages are:
Listen - remain calm and allow the child to share the concern or information. If you need to ask questions, make them open ended e.g. Can you tell me more? Staying neutral can be difficult when our emotions ‘kick in’, however it is important that children don’t stop talking because of an adult's reaction.
Affirm - tell your child you believe them and acknowledge their choice to speak up. There should be no secrets.
Support -Talk to your child about the people they can go to for help. A typical activity is to ask children to draw a hand and write the name of five people they trust.
Regular conversations around safe and unsafe behaviour is a great starting point. Talk to your child about what feeling safe looks like and feels like. Teach children to identify the feelings which make them feel uncomfortable and share with your child some of your indicators of feeling unsafe.
Just like Helpline, Parentline is a great resource. The phone no. is:1300 30 1300
Have you noticed the RUOK messages on our pathways? Tomorrow is RUOK Day, a great opportunity for us to ‘check in’ as there are many ways to mask when someone is not ok. We are all aware that mental health is a growing and serious concern with no easy solution.
Genuinely asking someone if they are ok and listening carefully might just make the difference for someone else. Noticing changes in behaviour can also be a sign to look for.
Finally, this week has been a great opportunity for many of our students to excel in a variety of extracurricular activities. On Tuesday, our choirs performed in the Townsville Eisteddfod with the following results:
Year 4 Choir - First Place
Year 5 Choir - First Place
Year 6 Choir- First Place and two Second Places
Today the Spirit Rugby League Team played Proserpine State School in the Les Stagg Trophy final and our Quest for Knowledge Team placed 3rd, they competed against seventeen schools across the Townsville Diocese showcasing their skill in questions covering literacy, numeracy, religion and general knowledge. Both teams are to be congratulated for their commitment to practice – that’s the Strength in the Spirit.
Geraldine
Today, our mighty Spirit rugby league side are to take on Proserpine in the Les Stagg Trophy final to determine the NQ champion. Holy Spirit has a long tradition with this competition and today will see a special milestone. Past student, Matthew Groves will watch his son Eli, current student play in the same final he did 23 years ago. We wish our team all the best in what is a very tough knockout competition. Thank you to all the families and staff who have continued to support our Spirit team over the last few weeks.
It is fantastic to see the 'Spirit' continue through the generations. Go get 'em Spirit
Tonight, the parent engagement session for the Resilience Project will be held at Ryan Catholic College in the Emmaus Hall on Morindo Drive. The presentation will begin at 6.30pm and all families are encouraged to attend to see what the program is about and how we, at Holy Spirit, are doing around wellbeing.
Get in the Spirit
Paul Martin
This week at Holy Spirit we value service. Service is giving to others, or to a larger purpose, or to life. You serve with a giving attitude, without selfishness and self-interest. The attitude and virtue of service is motivated by love, caring, and goodwill. It is when we have an unselfish desire to help others or to help in a larger purpose. This week we pray for our students and family members to continue their kind acts towards others to have a positive influence on those around them.
- Modeling service yourself.
- Tell them you are showing love to them when you serve them.
- Hold them accountable to serve the family.
- Reward them with praise when they serve well.
Today our students will be taking home their NAPLAN results which indicate a child's performance accross a small window of time. NAPLAN results do provide valuable information to assist our teachers to plan and teach according to students needs.
Please keep and eye out for these results.
Dear Parent,
We are delighted to let you know about an education resource that is available to your child at home as part of our school subscription – Story Box Library.
Your child can watch favourite stories, read aloud by fabulous storytellers, at home as well as in the classroom.
Reading aloud to children, in particular by diverse and engaging storytellers, greatly improves language and literacy skills, especially in the early years of a child’s development. Story Box Library is committed to supporting and engaging the practice of storytelling. It is intended for use as a complementary form of delivering the precious experience of being read aloud to, in order to improve children’s lives. Connecting children with literature through the complementary medium of film, providing a vibrant, interactive experience via a diverse range of storytellers sharing the best of our local children’s picture books.
To access Story Box Library at home:
1) Visit www.storyboxlibrary.com.au
2) Choose Log In from the top right corner of the screen
3) Log in using the username and password provided below
4) Enjoy the library of stories on any device with internet connection
Please note the following features:
- Story Box Library regularly adds new stories, so is an ever-growing library
- Content is aimed at Prep/Foundation through to Year 6 students
- Includes a range of short films to inspired by our stories, creators and storytellers
- Resources are provided for each story, including Classroom Ideas, Activity Time and Student Task Sheets – all designed to assist at-home learning
- Captions can be turned on or off for each story
- Story Box Library is a safe online space free from advertising
School Transport Bus Fare Threshold Increase for Semester 1 2022
The Non State Schools Transport Assistance Scheme (NSSTAS) administered by QCEC, provides financial assistance to families transporting children to non-state schools in Queensland.
The Scheme’s Bus Fare Assistance Program (BFAP) provides a rebate above a threshold amount to eligible families whose students attend a non-state school outside the Brisbane City Council boundary.
The NSSTAS Reference Committee have now set the Semester 1 2022 weekly family threshold as follows:
• $45 (up from $40 in Semester 2 2021)
• $35 concession* (up from $30 in Semester 2 2021)
* applicants who hold a current Health Care, Pensioner or Veterans’ Affairs card
Funding for the program is capped with the threshold necessary to manage program funding. Recent increased demand on the Scheme, predominately from enrolment growth but also from new routes and schools joining the Scheme and increased bus fares, has necessitated an increase to the threshold.
Further information about the Scheme is available at SchoolTransport.com.au. Applications can be made online at the website in May (for Semester 1 travel) and October (for Semester 2 travel).
Holy Spirit Catholic School uses Flexischools ordering system. To register, login or to place orders, please click this link:
ROSTER |
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09.09.21 |
Taane Morris. Helpers wanted. |
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10.09.21 |
Tim Marrinan, Sue Viviers, Virginia Novinetz, Kate Smith |
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13.09.21 |
Amanda Bell, Anita Coggiola | ||
14.09.21 |
Sue Viviers, Tina McDonough |
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15.09.21 |
Christine Nash, Kerri Player | ||
CAKE (We are kindly accepting donations of packet cakes only at this time) | |||
09.09.21 |
Cathy Duvel | ||
13.09.21 |
Kathryn Cripps, Lanie Hedger, Melissa Smith | ||
FRUIT |
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13.09.21 |
Allyce Rawnsley, Kathryn Cripps, Penny Lange | ||
14.09.21 |
Bernadette Bryant |
NATIONAL CHILD PROTECTION WEEK
5-11 SEPTEMBER 2021
Theme: Every child, in every community, needs a fair go.
To treat all of Australia’s children fairly, we need to make sure every family and community has what kids need to thrive and be healthy.
The 2021 theme for National Child Protection Week is all about the importance of the ‘bigger picture’ in addressing child abuse and neglect.
Children can thrive and be healthy when they have what they need to develop well.
But not every family has these resources.
This is why we need to support every child, family and community according to their needs.
This will create a healthier, fairer Australia for all children.
A lot of great research is helping us understand more and more about what children need to thrive.
Child Protection Week 2021 will be an opportunity to translate this knowledge into action. All skillsets, all people, and all communities are assets in this important endeavour.
Let’s make sure our neighbourhoods have strong foundations for families and children – jobs, safe places, libraries, parks, playgrounds, schools, child care, affordable housing, health services, social activities, clubs, friendly neighbours, businesses and more.
Many of you are already playing your part every day – as individuals, as community members, as volunteers and as workers – to help create these great communities for children.
When we do this together we can give
‘every child, in every neighbourhood, a fair go’.
Note: This year’s theme is based on the framing research for the Core Story for Early Childhood Development and Learning.
Why environment matters … toxic stress
Minor, everyday stresses are a healthy part of child development, but major stressors can have a long-term effect on children’s brain development and even on their physical health. Severe adversity that lasts over long periods of time can send the body’s stress systems into permanent high alert, flooding the body’s vital organs and the brain with stress hormones. This ‘toxic stress’ response can derail healthy development and has even been linked to adult health problems like heart disease and diabetes.
The environment in which a child lives can be the source of significant stress or support for children. For instance, living in a community with not enough jobs, with poverty, or with high rates of abuse and violence creates stress that can stop children from getting a strong foundation for life.
When we address these root causes of stress, we create healthier communities for everyone, particularly children.
Further, research tells us there is a powerful source of protection against the long-term negative effects of adversity on children. What is it? Stable, supportive relationships with caring adults. These relationships actually buffer them from toxic stress, softening and moderating the biological stress response.
Providing every family and community with the robust system of supports they need, has tremendous power to build these critical relationships between children and caring adults.
This is one of the most important investments we can make.
Term Dates 2021 |
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Term 3 |
Monday 12 July 2021 |
Friday 17 September 2021 |
Term 4 |
Tuesday 5 October 2021 |
Friday 3 December 2021 |
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.
No toast program this Friday as the hall is being used.
Hello and we hope all our fathers and grandfathers were spoiled last Sunday.
Mrs Stanhope is enjoying this week off on Long Service Leave.
This week we are calling all our emerging artists to participate in drawing/colouring all the different ways you can "Get Moving" for Veterans Health Week which is from the 16 October - 24 October.
Using the template that will be provided participants can use paint, crayon, pencils or markers. I will hand these out on Friday (in case your son/daughter wishes to do this over the holidays) with the information sheet and we will collate these all the first week back from holidays and hand deliver them to Open Arms by Friday the 8th October.
These will then be displayed at Open Arms for the duration of Veterans Health Week.
The artwork will be returned to our school afterwards so please ensure your child's name is written on the back in the section provided.
Other news........
Museum of Tropical North Qld Tour – Tuesday 14th September
A trip to Museum of Tropical Queensland is an exciting experience of inquiry and discovery for all ages.Join us on a free guided walk through the Museum – all you’ll need to bring is proof of Townsville residency with you.Then after our adventure-filled guided tour, we’d like to invite you to stay and enjoy a coffee or a light lunch with us at the Galley Cafe inside the Museum precinct.Lunch and refreshments are at your own expense.
Where: Museum of Tropical North Qld, 70-102 Flinders St East
When: from 10:15am
Register: Museum Tour Eventbrite
3CSSB Spouses & partners morning tea – Wednesday 15th & 29th September
Calling all 3CSSB spouses, partners & dependents, the 3CSSB Welfare Hub would like to cordially invite you all to the Wapiti Café at 3CSSB for morning tea 10.00am – 11.00am every pay day Wednesday. Come along for free nibbles and drinks and to mingle with other partners and spouses. Children are welcome.
RSVP to: christopher.thresh@defence.
Upcoming dates: 15th & 29th September
Geckos’ Sunset Cruise – 16th October – tickets on sale now!
All aboard!! Enjoy a night of great company whilst Sealink spoils you with a private function admiring the sunset on the water, overlooking the night lights of Townsville City, The Strand & Magnetic Island.
This event is for persons over the age of 18yrs only.
What is included in your $50 ticket (usually $95)
- 2-hour sunset cruise: 16thof October, 5pm - 7pm
- 1 x welcome drink for each guest
- Antipasto platters
- Live entertainment
Tickets can be purchased via the following link.
(Please note this event is for persons over the age of 18yrs only.)
https://www.trybooking.com/BTGPA
Departure Location:
SeaLink Ferry Terminal
Sir Leslie Thiess Dr, TOWNSVILLE, QLD 4810
If required, more information is available from the friendly staff at Geckos Family Centre, Lavarack Barracks ph 07 4446 1238.
What is included in your $50 ticket (usually $95) · 2-hour sunset cruise: 16th of October, 5pm - 7pm · 1 x welcome drink for each guest · Antipasto platters · Live entertainment
Tickets can be purchased via the following link. (Please note this event is for persons over the age of 18yrs only.) https://www.trybooking.com/BTGPA
Departure Location: SeaLink Ferry Terminal Sir Leslie Thiess Dr, TOWNSVILLE, QLD 4810
If required, more information is available from the friendly staff at Geckos Family Centre, Lavarack Barracks ph 07 4446 1238. |
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Defence Special Needs Support Group (DSNSG)
DSNSG provides support, information, assistance and advocacy for all ADF families who have a serving member, or an ex- serving member, with a Special Need or who have dependants (child, spouse or other dependant) with Special Needs.
Cherie Davis is the local DSNSG Townsville Coordinator as well as the Assistant National Coordinator for DSNSG.
DSNSG provides:
- Advocacy to liaise with Defence and other Federal and State Departments concerning the issues that affect families with special needs, particularly those being mobile.
- Assist families with housing/posting issues, liaise with Defence Housing Australia, Toll Transitions, Defence Community Organisation, Defence Families Australia with family’s circumstances.
- Programs: Computer 4 Kids, Drive Safe, FYI, Posting Plans, Grants, Family Events
- Support Local Area Coordinators, Closed Facebook page for families to connect with other special needs families, unlimited resource of information
For more information, visit the DSNSG website, contact Cherie at townsville@dsnsg.org.au or phone her on 0417 182 233.
Date |
Event |
September |
14.09.21 |
Board Meeting |
15.09.21 |
Assembly 6C & 1B |
17.09.21 |
Last day of school - Term 3 |
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 |
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Prep – Year 2 |
8.40am |
Years 3 – 6 |
2.10pm |
Whole School Assemblies |
8.45am |
Daily Bell Times |
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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.