Term , Week 4 Newsletter, 2023

Acknowledgement of Country

We respectfully acknowledge the past and present traditional owners of this land on which we stand, the Wulgurukaba and neighbouring Bindal people who are the custodians. We pray that we can walk together to a better future.

From the Principal

Dear Parents and Carers, Staff and Students

As we approach Mother's Day, it is important to reflect on the significance of mothers in our lives and in society as a whole. Mothers are truly a gift from God, and their love and sacrifice know no bounds.

Mothers play a vital role in shaping the future of our society by raising and nurturing the next generation. They are the first teachers of their children, teaching them important values such as love, kindness, respect, and empathy by modelling these qualities in their daily lives. Mothers provide emotional support, comfort, and encouragement to their children throughout their lives.  They are also often the caregivers of our elderly and sick, showing us the importance of compassion and service to others.

Beyond their roles as mothers, women have contributed greatly to our society in countless ways. Many have made significant contributions to fields such as science, medicine, education, and the arts. Women have also been leaders in their communities, advocating for social justice and equality.

Pope Francis has suggested that, ‘A life without challenges doesn’t exist,’ and says that this is one reason why a child needs a mother. He believes mothers fulfil a vital role by helping children ‘look realistically at life’s problems,’ without getting ‘lost in them’. A mother helps her children to address problems courageously and to become strong enough to overcome the problems they inevitably confront. Of course, in this role a mother walks a fine line, seeking a ‘healthy balance’ for a child, Pope Francis said. That means a mother ‘does not always take the child along the safe road, because in that way the child cannot develop, but neither does she leave the child only on the risky path, because that is dangerous.’ A mother, said the pope, ‘knows how to balance things’.

As we celebrate Mother's Day, let us take a moment to honour and thank all the mothers and women in our lives for their tireless love, care, and support. May we never take for granted the important role they play in our families and in society, and may we continue to strive for a world that values and supports women in all aspects of life.

God bless

Tracy

APRE News

Blessed to Serve

Bear with one another, help one another, and ever strive to serve God in a generous spirit. ~Mary MacKillop

Mother’s Day

Please join us next Monday for our Mother’s Day Assembly being led by 2A.

Assemblies

Our assembly is held on Monday morning at 8:45am in our Shelter Shed. Parents, families and friends are all welcome to join us. We will not be holding an assembly in Week 4 due to school photos being taken that day. Our next two assemblies will be: 

Week 5: Mother’s Day Assembly hosted by 2A

Week 6: Laudato Si hosted by 2B

Christian Meditation will take place each Thursday morning at 8:00am in the Library.  Meditation is a form of sacred and silent prayer, known as prayer of the heart.  It is  a lovely way to start the day!  

Sacramental Program 2023

We will be running the Sacramental Program again this year. The program will be run throughout Term 3 with the Confirmation and Eucharist being held at the start of Term 4.A booklet and the Enrollment note will go home with Students in Year 3 today. If you have students in Years 4-6 who would like to complete their sacraments please collect a note from the office.  

May God’s blessing be with you, have a wonderful fortnight. 
Peta.

Mary MacKillop Parish News

Indigenous Encounter Day 

We are invited and welcome to attend the annual Mercy  Partners Indigenous Encounter Day on Friday the  19th May at the Garbutt Parish Church. This is the third  year it has been coordinated by the parish at St Theresa's  Garbutt and it is a wonderful opportunity for people to  take time to listen to the truth telling stories from some of  our wonderful elders and for us to take time to learn.  Please RSVP by the 12th May via Mob: 0418726109 or email: : trudy.clarke4@bigpond.com

CWL Mass and WUCWO celebrations 

Catholic Women's League, Townsville Branch, invites all interested women to our Mass to be held next Tuesday 9th May at 9am at Holy Spirit Church. This will be followed by 2 special events. Firstly, a guest speaker will address us on the importance of making wills and keeping them updated, as well as enduring power of attorney. Secondly, we will pray a liturgy for the World Union of Catholic Women's Organisations (WUCWO). We will be commemorating in a special way the WUCWO women who are summoned to a private audience with Pope Francis on 13 May 2023 in the Vatican. These women will dialogue with the Holy Father about the issues affecting women and families around the world. We hope you will be able to join us for this special morning of sharing and prayer.

Parish Lunch

Parish lunches are held at the Rising Sun Hotel at 12 pm on the last Friday of each month. Next lunch: 26/05/2023. Bookings can be made with the parish office.

Children’s Liturgy
Children's liturgy takes place every Sunday mass at 7:30 am (during the school term) Members of our parish take the children out and complete activities related to the weekly gospel. This is a wonderful opportunity for children to engage with and understand the meaning of the gospel. All children are welcome.

Parish Mass Times

Tuesday 7.00am

Friday 7.00am

Saturday 5.00pm

Sunday 7.30am

Diary Dates

Enhancing Catholic School Identity Surveys

2023 Enhancing Catholic Identity Surveys - Request for Parents and Caregivers to complete

Once you have completed the survey, please bring in the record of completion which you will receive to the office or contact the office and go in the draw to win a $100 and $50 Tuckshop Voucher.

Prizes will be drawn on Friday 12 May.

Kind regards
Tracy Nuttall

Mother's Day Stall Timetable

This Thursday and Friday we will be facilitating our Mother’s Day stall in the library. Please see the class list below to know when your child will be heading to the ‘shops’. Please note that your child is more than welcome to come hit the shops again at big lunch on Friday if they’d like to purchase any additional gifts. (please send small notes with children as the office and P&F do not have large amounts of change on hand).

Cross Country Schedule

The Joey's Way

Information for Parents

Winter uniform

With the cooler days here, parents are reminded of our school uniform policy for jumpers.

As per our school website:

• Winter
  Bottle green cardigan, sloppy joe or windcheater

A zip up cardigan can be purchased from the School Locker at Domain Central or alternatively a PLAIN BOTTLE GREEN CARDIGAN, SLOPPY JOE OR WINDCHEATER CAN ALSO BE WORN.  PLEASE REMEMBER THERE ARE TO BE NO OTHER COLOURS OR LOGOS ON THEM.

Second hand uniforms are also available at our Pre-Loved Uniform shop.  Please contact the ladies

If your child is coming in tights under their uniform, please ensure that these are also PLAIN BOTTLE GREEN and to send socks to change into once the day warms up.

From the Office

Parents are reminded to use our enquiries email for correspondance to the office.  Email enquiries@sjmbtsv.catholic.edu.au

Absent notifications can be sent to absent@sjmbtsv.catholic.edu

These email accounts are monitored by multiple office staff and by using them ensures timely replies to your enquiries.

If you have something you would like in the school newsletter (subject to approval) please email newsletter@sjmbtsv.catholic.edu.au  

Hand washing for hygiene

Germs are everywhere. We collect them, inhale them and share them, all day and every day.

The flu, E. coli, and measles are just some of the numerous debilitating diseases that are caused by germs that are spread through contact with surfaces and people—and it's our hands that can help spread these germs to ourselves and others. Poor hand hygiene contributes to the spread of germs, which can cause many health issues including gastrointestinal and respiratory infections.

A regular 20 second hand washing routine using soap and water could help make us all healthier.

IMPORTANT - ILLNESSES - Please keep your child at home

Please keep your child at home if they are sick.  This includes increase in temperature, coughing and sneezing frequently or upset tummies.  Our office staff have been inundated with children presenting with these symptoms resulting in them being sent home.  If your child is sick, the best place for them is at home. 

Please be vigilant to break the cycle.  Thank you.

The following link also has some helpful information.

https://www.health.qld.gov.au/public-health/schools/prevention

Term 2 school fees have been issued via email. Please check junk/spam folders if you have not received them. 

Payment in full is required by 19 May.  Please disregard balance if you are on a direct debit.  Timely payment of fees is mandatory, as per Student Enrolment Agreement.

Is your child absent from school?  Please notify the office via

• emailing absent@sjmbtsv.catholic.edu.au
• calling the office and leaving a message at the absent option
• parent/guardian can note the absence through Compass
  

A text message will go out at 9.30am to any parents whose child is marked absent without an explanation.  Please reply to this text using one of the above methods.  If your child arrives after 8.30am, they must pass through the office for a late pass so that if the role has been marked at the classroom, office staff can make the ammendment for the arrival.  We thank parents for assisting with this. Roles are marked promptly at 8.30am on Mondays due to assembly - students are required to collect a late pass before moving to assembly if they are late.

National eSmart Week

Bebras

Last week some of our students participated in the Round 1 International Computational Thinking and Informatics Competition. Students worked extremely well problem-solving together. In a few weeks, we will find out their results and these will be presented at Assembly. Round 2 will take place in September and any interested students can nominate to be considered for our next competition. 

Guidance Counsellor

In this edition of SchoolTV - MANAGING SCREEN TIME

As a result of the global pandemic, there has been a noticeable shift in the amount of time people spend on screen-based devices. Families are transitioning back to pre-COVID routines but many are still struggling to re-establish the boundaries and rules around screen use. Some continue to deal with digital conflict and tech-tantrums on a daily basis. The latest research found that 77% of teenagers spend more than five hours on screens per day, but it is important to note that not all screen time is considered equal.

Parents play a crucial role in modelling a positive and healthy approach to using screens and assisting children to navigate the content they watch. It is better to model and mentor screen use, rather than monitor it. Children tend to do more of what they see us do, and less of what we tell them to do. However, it is still important to outline the risks and highlight the benefits of screen use to ensure you keep a balanced attitude. Encourage discussions around the issues that people experience in monitoring their screen time and be honest about your own difficulties.

Parents need to remain firm in their approach to managing screen time. Excessive screen time can be detrimental to a child’s overall wellbeing. Ensuring the correct privacy settings are in place is vital to prevent children from being inadvertently exposed to inappropriate content or online predators. Parents need to also be mindful of the potential impact screen time can have on a child’s social, emotional, educational, behavioural, and even physical domains.

In this edition of SchoolTV, care-givers will be provided with a range of guidelines and strategies to help manage screen time at home.

We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this edition of SchoolTV and we always welcome your feedback. If you have any concerns about your child, please contact the school counsellor for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to the Managing Screen Time edition of SchoolTV
https://sjmbtsv.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/managing-screen-time 

For further E-Safety information including details on specific apps, please visit https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents

Julie and Lena

Inclusive Education Matters

Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD) - Term two is when we send away our NCCD numbers to continue providing support and funding for students with disabilities, either diagnosed or undiagnosed, according to the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 link. 

For schools this generally means but is not limited to: 

• An injury or disease that may impact a child’s ability to learn or participate in some areas of the curriculum eg a broken leg, cystic fibrosis, scoliosis, diabetes, epilepsy etc
• Learning in a different way to their peers eg ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyscalulia, Dyspraxia, Processing disorders, ASD
• Visual or Hearing Impairment 
• A long term or chronic illness 
• Social/Emotional  - anxiety, depression, etc 

A disability may:

• presently exists; or
• previously existed but no longer exists; or
• may exist in the future (including because of a genetic predisposition to that disability); or
• is imputed to a person.

No personal identification is sent away, simply the total number of students.  NCCD allows St Joseph’s to fund programs, staffing and resources to support our students in the following year.

Where can I go for help?

Uniting Care is the NDIS partner for early childhood supporting young children and their families to access early intervention and support for children aged under 6 with developmental delays or under 7 with a diagnosed disability. Parents can contact Uniting Care on 1800 543 354.

Regional Disability Expo - Townsville 

• 19th May 2023 9am - 3pm - Townsville Stadium Annandale 
• An event not to be missed for people with disabilities, family, friends and carers. All things disability in one central location!
• https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/rde-regional-disability-expo-townsville-tickets-513611384477  

Eczema Support Australia has developed an Eczema School Kit for parents, caregivers and educators. The School Kit has been designed to be informative and promote productive conversations for the health, well-being and education of children with eczema.

• The main purpose of the “Kit” is to assist the parent/caregiver to delegate care responsibility of their child with eczema to their educator in an early learning centre or school environment.
• https://www.eczemasupport.org.au/school-kit/ 

Inclusive Education Committee

We will have our first Inclusive Education Committee meeting on Thursday Week 8 June 8th at 3:30 pm all are welcome to attend. 

Bimbi Wadja

We have had a very busy start to term 2. The students have been experiencing working with clay      (and getting very dirty), Indigenous puzzles, creations using natural materials and making yarning sticks.

Reef Guardians

School Sports Trials

Library News

Read More In May!!

NATIONAL SIMULTANEOUS STORYTIME 2023 IS NEARLY HERE!!!

Come join us at the awesome National Simultaneous Storytime to be held on Wednesday 24 May 2023, at 11:00am. In 2022, over 2.18 million children at 59,000 locations over the world participated. This wonderful event is streamed all over Australia and New Zealand and over other parts of the world at the same time. Students, parents, children everywhere at home, in libraries and schools, will join the annual reading. This event grows bigger every year and promotes the value of reading and literacy to all.

This year the book chosen by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) is ‘The Speedy Sloth’ by Rebecca Young an award-winning Australian author, with books published internationally. ‘The Speedy Sloth’, celebrates all winners even those who do not win but persevere! In conjunction with Rebecca, is the internationally known illustrator Heath McKenzie, an award-winning Australian author and illustrator in his own right. Find out more about this exciting event with ALIA on 

www.alia.org.au/Web/Web/Events/Event_Display.aspx?EventKey=NSS2023 

OUR AMAZING LIBRARY GUEST MR JASON TAUMALOLO TALKS TO GRADE 5 STUDENTS IN THE LIBRARY ABOUT THE READERS CUP COMPETITION BOOKS THIS WEEK!

This week in the library, we had a very exciting guest visiting, Mr Jason Taumalolo from the Cowboys. Our wonderful Library Teacher Mrs Luton and Jason, discussed Readers Cup Competition books with students from Grade 5A and 5B. The excitement was palpable with students enjoying reviews of the five books chosen for the upcoming Readers Cup Competition (more information on the Competition held in June later on) and a question and answer session with Jason, about books and sport! The students enjoyed the discourse with Jason and learnt extensively more about reviewing and understanding the synopsis of reading and reviewing literature. A wonderful combination of sports and literacy, encouraging students to be lifelong readers, in an exciting way.

KINDY VISITS COMMENCED IN MAY!

The library had visits from both the St. Mary Mackillop Kindy and Miniversity!

The children were thrilled with the ‘big’ library and read stories about out themes of ANZAC and were exited with the ‘May the fourth be with us’, Star Wars and Harry Potter Day! Children were excited with borrowing their own special book selection and it was lovely to see our kindy kids back to St Joseph’s Library in 2023!

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SORA EBOOK HUB GROUP – Our popular Thursday lunchtime activity eBook library borrow and learn, runs weekly, Thursday at 1.10pm with Mrs H. The groups have fun and enjoy the excitement of selecting their own books with our Sora technology and have fun talking together about the excitement of reading and learning! All are welcome!   

SCHOLASTIC BOOK CLUB – Issue 3 book orders will be here soon! 

Happy Mother's Day and happy reading!

Tuckshop

Parents are reminded to contact the tuckshop if your child is absent or leaves school due to illnes.  If food hasn't been prepared it can be ordered for a different day.  If food is prepared due to not being notified of absence or if food is prepared and student goes home sick, we are unable to provide food on an alternative day.  Please let the office know if you are collecting a sick child who has tuckshop and if it is prepared, you can collect to take home.  Thank you for your assistance and understanding in this matter.

Flexischools offers a convenient way to order school lunches online. Please update your child's class to their 2023 class so that orders go to the correct place and children are not delayed in receiving their order.

Our Tuckshop list is also available on our school website.

Jeannine is our Tuckshop Convenor and is always appreciative of volunteers.  If you can spare even an hour of your time, please contact her on M:  0407 578 105

Volunteers are required to complete our Induction process.  This includes the Online Modules, Supporting Documents and Quiz.  Please follow the link below and follow the instructions.

Walk Safely to School Day

Under 8s Week - Save the date

Zarate Raffles - fundraising

Thank you to all of our families for your ongoing support for the Zarate family.  If there are any families in a position where they would like to donate prizes for a fundraising raffe, please contact the office.

Uniform Shop

P & F News

Community News