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Well known parenting guru, Michael Grose, gives his readers of ‘Parenting Ideas’ suggestions on how to maintain strong family traditions. He talks about developing traditions early, defending those traditions and making family meals non negotiables. It’s no coincidence that countries with strong food cultures are also known for their strong family cultures. Shared mealtimes build connection, are great tools for developing manners and respectful actions. Growing up, it was the traditional Sunday roast. In our family, it is Fish ‘n’ Chip Friday. I know my children look forward to Friday, not only for the week-end but also to share our family meal together. As parents, it is vital to provide some consistency for our children and these simple traditions is what they will remember and learn from. The article is only short and is included HERE for you to read.
On Monday, I sent home via Compass, a quick one minute memo in regards to the latest information for Covid 19. These are ever changing times and we have been reminded that restrictions can change quickly. This was evident last week when entry into Qld changed within 24 hours. We continue our cleaning regime and promote excellent personal hygiene. Thank you for your ongoing support of our school community.
The next stage of our building project is an extension of the Administration block and the architect has some fantastic ideas around this space. The office will be -relocating temporarily by the end of this term in preparation for this work to begin in October (if all is going to plan). Holy Spirit Catholic School will be almost rebuilt but with 51 years of tradition.
Happy Days,
Paul Martin
Holy Spirit July Awardees
Congratulations to the following students for displaying ‘The Spirit Way’ for the month of July:
Photos of the awardees can be found here on our Facebook Page.
How Do Children Spell Love? T-I-M-E
Time is certainly a precious commodity and paradoxically easy and difficult to give. I have a few heroes in my life (my parents and grandparents) and I constantly look to how they live, or lived, for inspiration. When you see pictures of Mother Theresa and Pope Francis with another person, regardless of who that person is, they give them their full attention, that very moment in time. I try to do this when I speak to a child, a parent or a staff member at school. I want to savour our interaction, be grateful that they are giving me their time, and I really want that person to feel that at that very precious moment, they are the most important person. I don’t always get it right, but I’m working on it.
Rick Warren expresses it well: “Time is your most precious gift because you only have a set amount of it. You can make more money, but you can't make more time. When you give someone your time, you are giving them a portion of your life that you'll never get back. Your time is your life. That is why the greatest gift you can give someone is your time. It is not enough to just say relationships are important; we must prove it by investing time in them. Words alone are worthless. Our love should not be just words and talk; it must be true love, which shows itself in action. Relationships take time and effort, and the best way to spell love is "T-I-M-E.”
Year 5 & 6 Interschool Sport - Cancelled
The Townsville School Sport Executive met recently and unfortunately, have made the decision to cancel the anticipated reboot of Interschool Sport in Term 3. The decision was not made lightly, understanding the impact this will have on many school communities. The current restrictions and guidelines, along with working with outside agencies and venues and their individual Covid-19 plans, meant that mitigating the inherent risks involved were not possible.
Holy Spirit Athletics Carnival – Thursday 27 and Friday 28 August
Training for track and field events has been taking place during physical education lessons and will culminate with an Athletics Carnival held on the School Oval across two days on Thursday 27 and Friday 28 August. Due to current COVID-19 restrictions this event is for students only. Students will compete in their Year Levels, although results for students will be calculated by year of birth as per Qld School Sport. Students 5-8 years will take part in track and novelty events with an emphasis on both fun and participation. Students 9-12 years will be eligible for age champions as they will compete in both track field events. Further information will be available closer to the date.
Strength in the Spirit,
Brenton Place
Acting Assistant to the Principal – Admin
Last week, a number of students from our school commenced Sacramental lessons. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, it was decided by the Parish and the school to hold the lessons for Holy Spirit Catholic School students to participate in the workshops during school time. The children are currently learning about Confirmation and will share their chosen name this week. Next week, the children will focus on First Eucharist which Sunday’s Gospel highlighted. Can we please keep these children and those of the Parish in our prayers during this special time.
This week at Holy Spirit we value obedience. Obedience in simple terms, is the ability to comply with an order, request or rule. At times, students talk about the unfairness of incidents that have happened, of others not following the rules. It is sometimes difficult for students to be mindful of rules and try to abide by them. A resolution to ensure there is a fair outcome for all parties is sought, keeping in mind the rules that needed to be followed. We pray that our students pay attention to what is right, to what others have to say, therefore showing respect for others and understanding what is expected of them.
Saturday is the Feast Day of St Mary of the Cross, Australia’s first saint, Mary MacKillop. Mary Helen MacKillop was born in Fitzroy, Melbourne on January 15, 1842. Together with Fr Tenison Woods, Mary founded the Congregation of the Sisters of St Joseph in 1867, an Order dedicated to the education of poor children. Mary faced many challenges. By 1891, there were three hundred sisters working in nine dioceses in Australia and New Zealand. An ordinary Australian woman, yet a woman of heroic holiness, goodness, warmth and determination, Mary died on August 8, 1909. On October 17, 2010 Mary MacKillop, Saint Mary of the Cross, was declared a Saint by Pope Benedict XVI. One of her best-known sayings is ‘Find happiness in making others happy!’
God bless.
Caroline Fuller
Holy Spirit Catholic School uses Flexischools ordering system. To register, login or to place orders, please click this link:
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ROSTER |
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06.08.20 |
John Edwards, Rose McSherry |
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07.08.20 |
Jeena Philips-Koshy, Tim Marrinan, Virginia Novinetz |
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10.08.20 |
Brook Vass, Paula Luke | ||
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11.08.20 |
Sue Viviers, Thiru Sasi Emmanuel, Tina McDonough | ||
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12.08.20 |
Christine Nash, Natalie Neucom | ||
| CAKE (We are kindly accepting donations of packet cakes only at this time) | |||
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06.08.20 |
Kathryn Cripps |
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07.08.20 |
Mayleen Nona | ||
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10.08.20 |
Kat Harrington, Melissa Smith | ||
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11.08.20 |
Helen Spagnol | ||
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12.08.20 |
Majella Purcell | ||
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FRUIT |
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10.08.20 |
Kat Harrington | ||
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11.08.20 |
Bernadette Bryant | ||
Operation Connect & Reflect
Have you registered to attend our Operation connect and reflect’ program? This is a four week program where we will explore various art modalities, meditation and mindfulness, and reflect on how these strategies can be used as part of a self-care routine. There will be the opportunity to connect with fellow Defence partners in a relaxed and friendly environment. No artistic experience necessary!
Light refreshments will be provided. Covid-19 safe practices will be in place.
Last chance to RSVP: Coffee & Conversation
ADF families are invited to join us at the beautiful Heritage Tea Rooms at Hervey Range to indulge in some of their fabulous food while relaxing in the tranquil garden. Come along and chat over a cuppa and cake. We visit a different venue each month as we explore the local café culture.
Linda from the Transitions team will be joining us and will be able to answer any questions about the transition process and support for families leaving Defence.
To allow time to travel, we will meet at Reading Cinemas, Cannon Park at 10.00am. If you have a spare seat or 2 in your car and would be happy to carpool, please add details on the Eventbrite registration page.
This is a self-funded activity. Attendees are responsible for the cost of purchasing their own food and drinks. Children are welcome.
1-2-3 Magic and Emotion Coaching Program for parents
Defence Family Helpline
For advice, support or local community information, contact our all-hours Defence Family Helpline. Run by the Defence Community Organisation, the Helpline is the best way to access the programs and services that we offer to help Defence families manage the military way of life.
The helpline is available 24-7 and is staffed by qualified human services professionals including social workers and psychologists.
We are open Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 8am in the Hall.
Your support with donations of spreads (not nut based) would be appreciated.
If you’re the parent of an anxious child you’re most certainly not alone. The number of children experiencing an anxiety disorder is currently estimated at 117 million worldwide. Here in Australia, there’s an average of 2 anxious kids in every classroom; and they’re the ones with a diagnosis. Many more anxious kids are yet to have their anxiety identified and understood.
As much as we’d like to, we can’t rid our kids of their anxiety, but we can help them to manage it in ways that enable them to move it from centre stage and get on with living a vibrant, rich and meaningful life.
Here are 6 tips to support you to parent your anxious child:
1. Explain anxiety
Anxious kids can struggle to explain how they feel and can worry that no-one will understand what they’re going through. That’s why explaining anxiety is an important step in supporting an anxious child. The knowledge that anxiety is well understood, that other kids experience it and that it’s manageable brings them immediate relief.
Teach your anxious child that the part of their brain that protects them from danger is always on high alert. Called the amygdala, it’s meant to protect them from genuine danger but for anxious kids, it can be almost constantly activated.
Explain that when they feel anxious, their amygdala sends signals to their body to fight or flee from the threat, whether it’s real or imagined.
Next, talk about the body changes such as increased heart rate, rapid breathing and an upset stomach that power them up to fight or flee. They might even feel dizzy, hot, sweaty and panicked. Anxiety effects thinking and behaviour too.
2. Respond with empathy
In the midst of an anxious moment it’s natural to want to reassure anxious kids they’ve got nothing to worry about. Reassurance works in the short term but it soon wears off and they come back for more, which becomes an unhelpful pattern.
Instead, respond with empathy and validation. Use ahhh statements such as:
“Ahhh, I see you’re feeling really anxious right now, I know how hard this is for you” “Ahhh, I know you’re feeling really worried right now, it’s not much fun feeling like that is it?”
Anxious kids need to know you understand what they’re going through.
3. Show the amygdala they’re safe
Once the amygdala senses danger, the cascade of events that follow can’t be stopped. The body and brain will respond as if the danger is immediate. The best way to help an anxious child calm their anxious brain is to teach them to show their amygdala they’re safe. Deep and intentional breathing helps an anxious child to calm their amygdala and will begin to reduce their anxious symptoms. Practise intentional breathing regularly between anxious times before applying this technique in the midst of an anxious moment.
4. Practise mindfulness -the antidote to worrying
Anxiety is distress now about a possible future event, which is why worrying is common for anxious kids. When an anxious child’s mind fast-forwards to an upcoming event or expectation, their amygdala can respond as if the ‘threat’ to their safety is immediate. The antidote to worrying is mindfulness. Put simply, mindfulness is paying attention to what’s happening in the present moment. It may take time to learn, but is a powerful anxiety management strategy once it’s mastered.
5. Practice defusing sticky thoughts
Anxious thoughts can get stuck, refusing to budge no matter how much attention is payed to them. Defusion is a strategy that helps anxious kids look at their thoughts rather than from them.
Imagine your anxious child is worried about an upcoming test. They’re thinking “I’m going to fail the test”. The thought makes them feel awful. Defusion helps kids (all of us) to look at their thoughts by reminding them that the words in their heads are indeed just words, not reality.
Your anxious child can defuse his unhelpful thoughts by putting a statement in front of the thought such as: “I notice I’m having the thought that I’m going to fail the test.” Alternatively, he can say the thought in a character voice like Darth Vader or Peppa Pig, or sing it to the tune of happy birthday or a nursery rhyme. Defusion puts distance between anxious kids and their thoughts and is a wonderful skill to learn.
6. Get the fundamentals right
Ample sleep, good nutrition and exercise are essential for anxious kids. Support your child to adhere to their optimal bedtime so they wake naturally around the time of their alarm, reduce their sugar intake to support their gut health and to exercise regularly for optimal mental health.
These are some of the many strategies that you can share with your child to support them to recognise and manage their anxiety so they can live life in full colour.
Dr Jodi Richardson Dr Jodi Richardson is a mental health and wellbeing educator and author. She has developed her expertise over two decades of professional work in teaching, wellbeing, clinical practice and elite sport, including working for Beyond Blue on the national schools-based initiative for the prevention of depression. Dr Jodi completed a PhD in Physiology, a Bachelor of Applied Science with Honours, and a Bachelor of Education. She is co-author of the highly acclaimed book Anxious Kids.
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Term Dates 2020 |
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Term 3 |
Monday 13 July 2020 |
Friday 18 September 2020 |
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Term 4 |
Tuesday 6 October 2020 |
Friday 4 December 2020 |
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Pupil Free Day: Friday 4 September 2020 |
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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.
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Wednesday Assemblies |
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Prep – Year 2 |
8.40am |
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Years 3 – 6 |
2.10pm |
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Whole School Assemblies |
8.45am |
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Daily Bell Times |
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8.15 am |
Students are allowed to move to class |
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8.30 am |
School day commences |
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10.30 am |
Morning tea bell |
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10.55 am |
Five minute warning bell |
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11.00 am |
School day resumes |
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1.00 pm |
Lunch bell |
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1.30 pm |
Five minute warning bell |
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1.35 pm |
School day resumes. |
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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.
