August 29 and 31 are the days scheduled for our school photos. The MSP 
Photography company will be taking class and sibling photos over this 2 day period.

Envelopes were sent home earlier this week and sibling photo envelopes can be collected from the office. Please return envelopes before or on the day of photos so this can be processed promptly. If you have any questions about purchasing photos, please contact MSP directly on 49213355.

Good luck to our Athletes and coaches as they prepare to compete in the B schools Athletics Carnival at the Sports Reserve tomorrow. Thank you to the many people involved to get this team prepared: from the ladies making toast after training, the staff putting extra time to provide guidance for the students in their events, to the parents for getting families ready in the morning and being at training.

It is a team effort. Well done to everyone and 'Let's Go Spirit!"

Happy Days

Paul Martin 

How strong are we? The early Christians were disheartened to find that they often met opposition not only from their community but from non-Christian family members when committing to Jesus and to living the Gospel values. In Sunday’s Gospel, Luke 12:49-53, Jesus tells his disciples that there would be division among people including families. It takes courage to make choices that follow God’s commandments and live the Gospel values in all we say and do. It takes courage for our students to go against peer pressure and make good choices in their behaviour.

This week at Holy Spirit we value generosity. Generosity is the act of being kind, selfless and giving to others. Despite being an act that is done to benefit others' well-being, generosity also increases our well-being. Being generous is a fantastic way to improve our mental health and well-being. Some studies have found that people are happier when spending money on others rather than on themselves and it is this happiness that motivates them to be generous in the future. Even small acts of kindness, like picking up something someone else has dropped, make people feel happy. This week, we pray for our students to follow the good example that Jesus asks us to be by being generous to those in need.

Monday, 15th August, was the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On November 1, 1950, Pope Pius XII declared as a dogma revealed by God that ‘Mary, the Mother of God, after the completion of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into the glory of Heaven’. Likewise, the Second Vatican Council taught in the Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium that ‘the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, when her earthly life was over, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things (n. 59)’.

The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary: On Sunday 22nd of August, the Church celebrates the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This
celebration was also established by Pope Pius XII in 1955 and was celebrated on the 31st of May. Since 1969, it has been observed on August 22nd to stress its relationship to the Assumption (15th August) when taken up into glory,

God Bless.

Caroline Fuller

It’s the HSCS 

COLOUR RUN! 

WHEN: SUNDAY 21 AUGUST 10:00 AM           

WHERE: Small oval in front of OSHC

Wear: White shirt, old sandshoes

Why: For lots of fun

REGISTER: ON THE DAY: $5 Individual   $15 for a family

Sunglasses
are available for purchase from the office for $5

One run only, so be prepared to get colourful.

If you can assist as a "Colour Station Volunteer" please, email
Angela Lone alone@hsstsv.catholic.edu.au

We are looking for first aid, station volunteers, BBQ cooks, etc

Our Book Week parade will be held Wednesday 24th August @ 8.45am

Parents welcome!

Mini Vinnies 

Thursday 1st September

Each year, the Year 6 Mini Vinnies students are given the opportunity to participate in activities that highlight the fact of homelessness in the community. 

This year, to comply with COVID-19 regulations and ensure this event retains its significance, students will be given the opportunity to engage their individual perspective from a position of opportunity.  They will be invited to consider the issues of homelessness and associated stigma, as they participate in practical activities that prompt discernible conversation around possible scenarios and thinking laterally, outside of their own personal experience and what is considered the norm in society.

While this event will not require students to stay overnight, it will create an experience that will inform and direct learning, outside the classroom context.  There will be a representative from St. Vincent De Paul directing activities that provoke students to consider homelessness as a reality.   Raising awareness is a tangible voice for homelessness and generates compassion and understanding towards those who are less fortunate in society.

In previous years, children have been asked to donate items that are needed in our own community.  This year, we have been advised that personal care products such as deodorant, soap, razors, toothpaste, tooth brush, small nail clippers, short comb  and hair brushes are in demand at present.  

In response to this need, we ask that students donate at least one toiletry item and would also like to extend this invitation to the wider school community, as an action of collective outreach to others. To support this event, please place your donations into the blue box, which can be located in the administration office or alternatively bring them to the classroom for collection.

Please note that the pictures below are only examples of what is needed.  Thank you in advance for supporting the collective outreach efforts of the Year 6 students and the Holy Spirit school community.

We are thankful for the donations this term! 

Just a reminder about the changes starting 

NEXT WEEK... 

Monday and Wednesday

(instead of Tuesday and Thursday)

Friday remains the same!

GENEROSITY IS MORE THAN JUST GIVING...IT OFFERS US OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT WITH LIFE CHANGING MOMENTS!

Holy Spirit Catholic School uses Flexischools ordering system.  To register, login or to place orders, please click this link:  

Flexischools

Get to know us before you need us: Meet Mary

DMFS Townsville welcomes Social Worker Mary to the team.

Mary is an Accredited Domestic and Family Violence Social Worker, with a trauma-informed approach and several years of experience working in domestic and family violence services, courts, and mental health services.

Mary enjoys bringing her public speaking skills and her bright energy to the role, especially when conducting briefings on base and attending Defence community events.

Mary is passionate about all ADF members being well informed about domestic and family violence and also prioritising their individual mental health throughout their Defence service and thereafter.

Members with Dependants Unaccompanied (MWDU)

Sometimes, when a member is posted, families may choose to remain in their current location while the military member moves alone to their new posting.

When families choose to live apart in this way, it is called 'Member With Dependants Unaccompanied' and is often referred to by the military as 'MWDU' or 'MWD(U)'.

Families choose this option for a range of reasons that support family stability. For example, 'going MWDU' allows partners to keep their current job, children to stay at their school, and family members to maintain consistent access to healthcare.

Choosing to go MWDU is an important family decision. Families should research the new posting location and discuss the implications of living apart and its possible affect on each family member before coming to a decision.

Resources

To help you make an informed decision about MWDU, DMFS have prepared a factsheet with more detailed information and advice, and a worksheet for you to work through with your family.

• Families living separatelyfactsheet.

Contact the Defence Member and Family Helpline or the local DMFS office to schedule an appointment with a Defence Social Worker if your family are considering MWD(U).

Dogs Day Out - Sunday 21 August

ADF members, couples and families are invited to bring your dogs to our Dogs day out! Join us for morning tea and enjoy the company of other dog lovers while your furry mates are actively socialising.

Where: Kirwan Dog Park

When: Sunday 21 August from 9:00am – 10:30am

Registration: Eventbrite - Dogs Day Out

Coffee Connections - Thursday 1 September

ADF members and families in Townsville, we’d love to see you at Grandmas, North Ward for this month’s Coffee Connections. Whether you’ve been in Townville for a while now, or have just arrived, everyone’s welcome.

This is a self-funded activity. Attendees are responsible for the cost of purchasing/providing their own food and drinks. Children are welcome under parent/guardian supervision.

Where: Grandmas, North Ward

When: Thursday 1 September from 9:30am - 11:30am

Registration: Eventbrite - Coffee Connections

Tropical Fridays, Barefoot Bowls (adults-only) - Friday 2 September

Couples and singles, mums and dads, and other adult family members are invited to join us at barefoot bowling adults-only fun night out.

Enjoy a social evening with barefoot bowls and a BBQ on us. While the name of the game is barefoot bowls, socks / thongs / completely flat soled shoes are permitted on the green. While we’d love to see your brightest tropical themed outfits, please keep in mind that the bowls club dress rules require neat casual clothing and no singlets.

Where: Cutheringa Bowls Club, West End

When: Friday 2 September from 6:30pm

Registration: Eventbrite - Barefoot Bowls

New members welcome!

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.