Uniform:

We are anticipating a cooler change in the weather in the coming weeks as the season transitions. Soon, the red jumpers will make their appearance at Holy Spirit Catholic School. Now is a great time to retrieve them from the closet, wash them to soften them up, check that they still fit and please make sure they are labelled clearly so they can be returned if lost.

We have a small stock of secondhand school jumpers in various sizes available, and for a gold coin donation to Caritas, you are welcome to visit our friendly office staff. Additionally, School Locker has new jumpers available for purchase if you need one.  Best and Less also often sells plain red jumpers and pullovers.  We would prefer that jumpers be red, but we understand that you may need time to find them. In the meantime, we would like our little ones to stay warm, so they are allowed to wear an alternative colour until a red jumper can be purchased.

It’s wonderful when our students adhere to the uniform, as it helps us stand out for all the right reasons. Holy Spirit Proud!

Welcome back, everyone. I hope you all had a lovely Easter and are refreshed for the term ahead! On the church calendar, we are now in the Season of Easter which began with Easter Sunday and the resurrection of Jesus. It is seen as a time of new beginnings, joy and thanksgiving, a celebration of the risen Lord, a period of fifty days ending with the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Sunday.

In the powerful post-resurrection story in this week’s Gospel, we find the disciples back at the sea, doing what they know—fishing. It had been a long night with no success. They were likely confused, grieving and unsure about what came next after Jesus' resurrection. But then, as morning breaks, Jesus appears quietly and kindly on the shore. He calls out, tells them where to cast their net, and suddenly, abundance—a net so full they can barely drag it in. This is the moment of recognition: “It is the Lord!” Jesus doesn’t scold or correct. He feeds them with a simple fire, bread, and fish. Then comes the tender moment between Jesus and Peter—the one who had denied Him three times. Now, three times, Jesus asks, “Do you love me?” Peter, humbled, answers yes each time. With each reply, Jesus entrusts him again: “Feed my lambs. Tend my sheep. Feed my sheep.” And then, a final call: “Follow me.” 

Like the disciples, we often go back to what’s familiar when we’re uncertain. This reading is a story of restoration. Peter had failed, but Jesus didn’t leave him in shame—He gave him a fresh start. Jesus meets us in ordinary moments—over breakfast, in our work, in silence. The invitation remains for each of us: “Follow me.” Not once, but daily.

This week at Holy Spirit we value service. Service, by definition, means doing something for others. The motive for our service is supposed to be love. Our love for God is proven in our love for others, so the quality of our service directly reflects our love for others.  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.

At the end of last term, students from Grades 4, 5 and 6 presented Stations of the Cross for our school community. The students – both choir and actors – were outstanding in their singing and performing on both the Thursday night and Friday morning Liturgy. They are to be congratulated for their dedication over the last
couple of weeks of the term as they practiced for the performances. Thank you to all our families who came along to see the students. It was lovely to hear so many positive comments that have been passed on to our students.

PROJECT COMPASSION:  During Lent, we were asked to help raise funds to send to CARITAS to support their mission work.  Well done to all who contributed to the Project Compassion boxes at home and at school.  This year our school raised just over $1650 for the ‘Be More’ Campaign.  A little bit goes a long way to help those in need!  

Saturday 1 May - FEAST OF SAINT JOSEPH THE WORKER 

We celebrate two feast days for Joseph:  March 19 for Joseph the Husband  of Mary and May 1 for Joseph the Worker.  Saint Joseph is the model for all who work, because in his humble and simple work as a carpenter, he cared for the holy family and provided for the needs of Mary and Jesus.  Through Saint Joseph, we can learn the importance of diligence and faithfulness in our daily life and work.

MAY, THE MONTH OF MARY:  By tradition, the Catholic Church dedicates each month of the year to a certain devotion.  In May, it is the Blessed Virgin Mary.  This devotion arose among Jesuits in Rome in the late 18th century and quickly spread throughout the Western Church.  By the time of Pope Pius IX's declaration of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception in 1854, it had become universal.  There are several Marian feast days in May in honour of Mary, including Our Lady of Fatima, Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament (13th May), and Feast of Mary Help of Christians (24th May) and Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (31st May).  

                                    Hail Mary, Full of Grace,

The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among
women,

    And blessed is the fruit of thy
 womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
  Pray for us sinners now, and at
   the hour of death.

     Amen.

God bless

Caroline Fuller 

Welcome Back to Term 2 2025 

Welcome back to Term 2! I hope everyone had a fantastic break and enjoyed some well-deserved rest. This term is shaping up to be another exciting one, packed with enriching learning experiences for all students.

I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude to all the parents who attended the parent-teacher conferences and classroom showcase last term. It was heartwarming to see so many students engaged in meaningful conversations with their parents and teachers about their learning. By participating in these conferences, students, parents, and teachers can work together to develop shared goals and celebrate their achievements. 

I am looking forward to seeing all the great things our students will accomplish this term.

10 Questions to get your child talking about school 

1. Tell me about the best part of your day.
2. What was the hardest thing you had to do today?
3. Tell me about what you read in class today. 
4. Who did you play with today? What did you play? 
5. What’s the biggest difference between this year and last year?
6. What are you looking forward to about tomorrow? 
7. Can you show me something you learned (or did) today? 
8. What made you laugh today? 
9. Which subject did you enjoy most today? Why?
10. What rules are different at school than our rules at home? Why do you think this is? 

Pupil Free Day - Friday Week 2

A reminder that Friday, May 2nd, is a Pupil-Free Day. On this day, teachers will participate in important Professional Development to learn more about the changes to the Australian Curriculum (Version 9). The sessions will focus on building teacher knowledge and skills in teaching maths, planning lessons in a clear sequence, and ensuring assessments are fair and consistent. This learning helps us continue to provide high-quality and engaging maths lessons for all students. 

Kristy Bates

Assistant Principal Pedagogy and Learning  (APPL)

Cross Country:

Run Club:

Did you know that running in the morning offers numerous benefits, including boosted energy and productivity, improved sleep, better mood, and stress reduction, while also promoting a healthy heart? Run club is open to students in grades 2-6 and will commence in Term 2. It will continue every Tuesday and Thursday morning, 8:00am - 8:15am on the school oval (weather permitting). Each lap the students complete will also earn tokens for their house. 

Spotlight on Sport:

If your child has accomplished something amazing in their sport? Share a photo with us and we would love to help celebrate their achievements.

Hello to all our Defence families and friends,

I hope you all enjoyed some down time over the Easter break. We had some wonderful weather finally and it was great to spend some time outside.

Thankyou to all of you that were able to participate in our ANZAC Day acknowledgments. This is such a special time on our calendar, and it is always so heart warming to see how many students and families are wanting to take part in a dawn service or official march. A big thankyou to all of the students and families that attended various ANZAC Day ceremonies and the Strand march on Friday. Once again, Holy Spirit represented our school beautifully, marching with pride and paying respects to our ANZACS.

I was in attendance with my children at the Bushland Beach service and it is always a really moving tribute.

Please find below some information that may be of interest. Please reach out and let me know if you have any changes at home with training etc, so I can be of assistance where needed. 

Warm regards,
Kat Jordan – Defence School Mentor

Child of the ADF Medallion - 09 May 2025
Come join us for a special medallion ceremony to honour the children of our ADF members! This in person event will take place at the Geckos Family Centre in Townsville. It's a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and recognise the sacrifices made by our military families. Don't miss out on this
memorable event! The Child of the ADF Medallion is a small but important way of recognising the children who go through the emotional, and at times, difficult experience of having a loved one serve in the ADF. Participation in the Child of the ADF Medallion program is open to all recognised dependents of full time ADF members aged up to 18 years of age.

When: Friday 09 May 2025

Time: 5.00pm – 6.30pm 

Where: Geckos Family Centre 

Tickets: Child of the ADF Medallion Ceremony – Townsville - Eventbrite

*Photographs will be taken at all DMFS events. Please let our staff know if you do not want your family to be photographed. Photos may be used on our social media channels or in a DMFS publication.

eSafetyparents

Online safety basics – what you need to know

• Register for our free 45-minute parent webinar, Exploring the online experiences of boys and young men, to understand the impact of social media, gaming, and influencers on attitudes, behaviours and sense of identity. 
   
• Listen to ABC Fran Kelly and eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant unpack the themes of Adolescence including toxic masculinity and the online manosphere.
   
• Listen to ABC Big Ideas! to hear eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant and other experts in their fields discuss how parents can better support young people to navigate the risks and threats online.
   
• Read our blog about how eSafety is shining a light on the dark forces manipulating our teenagers.
   
• Read eSafety's young men online research series which explores young men's experiences and how they can be supported to develop healthy and positive masculinities. 
   
• For the young person in your life: explore our resources for young people  

We are open Tuesday and Thursday 8am-8.25am in the hall.

Your support with donations of spreads (not nut based) and bread are needed and appreciated, particularly honey and golden syrup, due to the increase in children accessing the program.

Donations can be dropped off at Tuckshop.

Just a reminder: The toasters will be turned off at 8.15am, so bread with spreads will be the choice once the toast runs out.  This allows both students and staff enough time to be ready for the start of the school day. 

In this edition of School TV – Cyber Safety

Young people today are growing up in an increasingly connected world where technology is part of their everyday lives –– for learning, socialising, and entertainment. While the digital world offers enormous benefits, it also comes with serious risks. From cyberbullying and online predators to inappropriate content and screen time concerns, navigating the online environment can be challenging for young people and their families.

Cybersafety is not just about blocking access –– it's about empowering young people with the knowledge and skills they need to use technology responsibly and safely. This includes understanding privacy settings, recognising scams, and developing healthy digital habits. At the same time, it's important for parents and caregivers to stay informed, have open and judgement-free conversations with their children, and lead by example through positive online behaviour.

In today's digital age, safeguarding a child's wellbeing must also include protecting their online life. This edition of SchoolTV will help you better understand the digital landscape your child is navigating and offer practical strategies to help them stay safe, confident and in control online.

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.