Holy Spirit Catholic School will be participating in Naplan Online for the first time this year. Online allows up to 9 days to complete the four tests set for our Year 3 and 5 students. Each student will be requiring headphones and a mouse. Teachers have already started discussing how best to administer the tests in a relaxed environment. If you have any questions, please contact your child's class teacher or myself.

Good luck to our swimming team next week as they take on the other schools in the inter-school carnival. Thank you to all the parents for getting our students to training and to the staff for giving of their time.  It is always a pleasure watching the smile on a kids face when they know they will be representing their school. Priceless!

Healthy Harold and the Life Ed team will be visiting from next week and all classes will visit the van. This is a great initiative to promote a healthy lifestyle. The students love visiting and learning about how incredible the human body is.

This week saw Father John continue his visits to the class rooms answering questions from the students. It is always a great time when Father John visits.

There have been some changes in calendar dates as well. The school Fun Run will be on the last day of term but in the morning and our school Liturgy will be on the Thursday 4th April

Happy Days

This week at Holy Spirit, we value courtesy. This can be seen in the showing of politeness in one’s attitude and behaviour towards others. Being courteous to other helps children develop friendships and respect from those around them. During this time of Lent, we encourage children to speak nicely to other, be friendly and
respect each other that will help them form positive relationships with others.

This week's feature story is 100% DIGNITY with sixteen year old Peter from the Solomon Islands.

Sixteen-year-old Peter goes to a boarding school in the Solomon Islands which has experienced water shortages for 60 years. Previously students would have to walk kilometres each day in search of clean water. This was particularly challenging for Peter who is living with a disability.

Peter’s mother left the family when he was little and has since passed away. His father decided to move from northern Malaita to Honiara, to better provide for his family. He arranged for Peter to stay with his aunt, then attend Aligegeo Secondary School.

Groundwater sources at the school have dried up and rainfall is unpredictable. Water in surrounding wells often made students sick or gave them rashes.

Caritas Australia, and partners Caritas Solomon Islands (CASI) and the Solomon Islands Government Rural Water Sanitation and Hygiene division (RWASH), have teamed up with the school to tackle the problem.

CASI provided a 90 kilo-litre water tank, electric pump and technical advice, while the Malaita Provincial Government contributed labour. Staff and students took part in training, dug trenches and are helping with a water management plan.

The school now has a safe, reliable water system, servicing around 1,000 people.

“Now we can stay at school to wash and not interrupt our official class time,”

Peter hopes to focus on his education and to help others in future by working for an aid and development agency himself.

However much more needs to be done to improve access to reliable water and sanitation in the Solomon Islands.

This Sunday is St Patrick’s Day. At 16 years old, Maewyn was kidnapped from Britain and taken to Ireland where he was enslaved and forced to work as a shepherd for six years. Maewyn later wrote that, with his strong faith in God and daily prayers, he had “heard a voice” and “saw a vision” of a boat that was waiting for him. The young man escaped from his Irish captors, returned to Britain and entered the church. Maewyn became ordained as a priest; adopting the name of “Patrick” that was given to him by Pope Celestine. In 432 A. D., Bishop Patrick returned to Ireland to preach the gospel, establish churches, schools and monasteries. In 33 years he effectively converted Ireland.

Holy Spirit students enjoyed a concert yesterday from song writer and singer Michael Mangan. Michael's concert had students engaged through singing and dancing. His songs taught the children about Lent through to Easter Sunday. The concert was brilliant and it was wonderful how the songs tied into the liturgical significance.  

25 March            Peer Support Training – Open Arms.

                               See attached flyer please

4 April                   Coffee Connections

Where:                 Oliver Brown, The Strand

When:                  Thursday 4 April from 10.30 – 12pm

ADF families are invited to join us at a different venue each month as we search for the best cuppa in Townsville.  This is a self funded activity with attendees responsible for the cost of purchasing their own food and drinks.  To ensure that we book enough seats for everyone, please RSVP Geckos on 411 7031.

4 or 6 April          First Aid Training or CPR Refresher

Geckos Family Centre is offering subsidized first aid courses for Defence partners and family members.               

Full day First Aid - $60

CPR Refresher (half day) - $30

Contact Geckos for further information on 4411 7031.

We are open Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 8am at Tuckshop.

Your support with donations of spreads (not nut based) would be appreciated.  Donations can be dropped off at Tuckshop.

Parents, it is essential that you advise the office if your child is going to be absent. This can be done by emailing absent@hsstsv.catholic.edu.au or via the skoolbag app.

Natalie Arnel

(School Psychologist)

narnel4@hsstsv.catholic.edu.au