St Joseph's Catholic School - Mundingburra eNewsletter

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

Last week we celebrated Catholic Education Week. Queensland Catholic Education Week is an annual event which highlights and promotes the value and importance of Catholic education. During this week, schools and communities come together to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions and achievements of Catholic education in the region.

St Joseph’s staff and students celebrated Catholic Education Week in a number of ways, starting with a special Catholic Education Week Liturgy during our Monday Assembly. On Tuesday, Mrs Taylor and myself accompanied the Student Representative Council members to the annual Diocesan celebration, a Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral. As it was the Townsville Diocese turn to host Catholic Education Week, the Mass was presided over by both the Bishop of Townsville, Bishop Tim Harris, and the Archbishop of Brisbane, Archbishop Mark Coleridge. Our students, along with other students from Diocesan schools, were photographed with the Bishop and Archbishop as part of a cake cutting ceremony after the Mass.

St Joseph’s students also had a part to play prior to and during the Mass. As St Joseph’s Catholic School the Strand and St Mary’s Catholic School Bowen turned 150 this year, there was a pilgrimage involving clergy, staff and students from St Joseph’s the Strand to the Sacred Heart Cathedral. Mrs Taylor, Summah, Ryder and Olivia were involved in this pilgrimage, while myself, Campbell, Andie, Darcy and Gian went straight to the Cathedral as these students were involved in reading during the Mass and were also part of the entrance procession. Dayley represented our school in the combined school choir which did an awesome job singing throughout the celebration. Following Mass there was morning tea for all attendees including students. Mrs Taylor and myself were very proud of the way our students conducted themselves throughout this event.

The Spirit of Catholic Education Awards are a highlight of Catholic Education Week. These awards are given to individuals, groups, or organisations that have made exceptional contributions to Catholic education and demonstrated a commitment to the values and mission of Catholic schools. Miss Cindy Collinson, our Indigenous Education Worker, was a nominee for this Award. She received an acknowledgement and Certificate for her contribution to the school at a special Liturgy and ceremony held at the Sacred Heart Cathedral on Monday evening. The Spirit of Catholic Education Awards aim to honour those who have gone above and beyond in their commitment to Catholic education and have made a significant difference in the lives of students. Miss Cindy has certainly done this for our school and its students, and we are grateful for her ongoing contribution to our school.

Both Catholic Education Week and the Spirit of Catholic Education Awards are important occasions for Catholic schools to come together, express their gratitude, and celebrate the principles and values that form the foundation of their educational mission. These events serve to reinforce the sense of community, pride, and purpose within Catholic education and to showcase the positive impact of Catholic schools on the lives of students and the society they serve.

Have a wonderful week.

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

Feast Day of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop

Parish Celebration - Our Parish will be celebrating the feast day this Sunday 6th August. The celebration will commence at 8:30am with Mass in the Church, this will be followed by the Parish Fair.

School Celebration: Our school community will celebrate the Feast Day of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop on Monday 7th August. We will begin our day with a Mass in the Shelter Shed. All are welcome to join us. Students will then join together to participate in a range of hands-on activities to explore some of the characteristics and values of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop; trusting, contemplative, traveller, teacher, team player, communicator, resilient and compassionate. Mary MacKillop was a woman whose faith led her to blaze untravelled paths and live a life in the service of others. A woman we can be truly inspired by to live the Gospel of Jesus.

Sacramental Program

Last Sunday a number of our students in Years 3,4 and 5 began the Sacramental Program. They attended mass where they were welcomed by the parish through the Rite of Enrollment. Throughout the program the students will be preparing for and receiving the sacraments of Penance, Confirmation and Communion.

Our next lesson for our Sacramental Program that was due to take place this coming Sunday will be an at home lesson due to the Parish Celebration for the Feast Day of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop. All students received this lesson in their booklet last week.

A reminder for families that Reconciliation will take place on Wednesday 9th August in the Church at 7pm. Students need to be prepared with their Act of Contrition.

Our next lesson after that will take place on Sunday 13th August. This lesson will focus on Confirmation.

St Vincent De Paul Winter Appeal

Thank you to everyone who donated items for the St Vincent De Paul Winter Appeal. We were able to gather many items to help with this wonderful cause.

Year Level Masses

This Friday at 8:45am we will hold our first Combined Year Level Mass for the term. Our students in Year 6,4,2 & 1 will be attending. Parents, Carers, Family and friends are welcome to attend.

Our mass for our students in Years 5,3 & Prep will take place next week on Friday 28th July, 8:45am

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. Our next assembly will be:

Week 5: Mary MacKillop Feast Day Mass 8:45am

Week 6: 1A Assumption of Mary

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!

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

Mary MacKillop Parish News

Mary MacKillop Centenary Celebrations

Sunday 6th August: St Mary MacKillop Feast Day celebration. 8.30am Mass will be celebrated by Bishop Timothy Harris, followed by the Mary MacKillop Fair in the school grounds and it is there that the Centenary Book will be officially launched. What a wonderful year ahead!

Sunday Morning Tea
Morning tea is held after each Sunday 7.30 am Mass. Come along and meet your fellow parishioners in an informal setting at the parish office. We also invite people to bring a plate to share when convenient.

Parish Scripture Group

Every Tuesday morning, a group of parishioners meet in the Parish Office to study and discuss the scripture for the following weekend’s mass. This is a wonderful way to enrich their understanding of the message of Jesus and the implications for daily living in a worshipping community. You are most welcome to join this band of dedicated people who experience much enjoyment amid the solemnity of their study. Meetings commence on Tuesdays at 10.00 am. You will be most welcome.

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 and School Fair

Unfortunately there will not be an ATM available at the fair. Please bring small notes and coins. We look forward to seeing you!

It's not too late to donate.......

Diary Dates

The Joey's Way

Star Students

Uniform Information for Parents

Uniform Shop Times

From the Office

Term 3 school fees have been issued.

Payment is due 19th August.

Please contact the office if you have not received your fees (sometimes they can go to junk/spam).

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
Students arriving after 8.30am must come through the office for a late pass.

Interschool Athletics Carnival

A big thank you to all parents for bringing their children early for Athletics training over the past few weeks! Our interschool carnival is next Tuesday, 8th of August. A few reminders:
-Children need to be at school by 8.10am to get their feet taped and collect their name badge for the day. Students who have specific running shoes (spikes, waffles) can wear these instead of tape. -Parents are welcome at the Sports Reserve however cannot sit with the school in the stands. Children need to stay with the school in the stands until the completion of their events - when you are free to pick them up. -All children need to be collected by the end of the carnival at 2.30-2.45

Miss Duyvestyn

Inclusive Education Matters

Challenge Games - On Wednesday the 26th July, we took a very excited group of students off to the Challenge Games. The Challenge Games is an annual event where the focus is fun and participation for children who have a disability. It allows children with a disability to play games, have fun and experience a variety of novelty activities and athletic events in a safe and supportive environment.

We wore our bright yellow ‘St Joseph’s Superstars’ shirts proudly and represented St Joseph’s with spirit. All the students excitedly joined in their age group sprints, the Frisbee Throw, Fling-a-majig (throwing and catching ball game), Shot Roll, Football Freeze, Long Jump and the Vortex Throw - our students made the vortex rocket whistle.

Upon our return to school the students were presented with a Certificate of Participation and a gift bag. We would like to say a big thank you to ‘Three Loaves Bakery’ for the donation of a gift voucher and Signature Glass for the donations of a movie pass for all the students.

A big thank you to Miss White who designed and decorated our shirts - they were loved by all. Thank you to the staff who helped supervise and support the students in this wonderful celebration of their abilities.

Guidance Counsellor

In this edition of SchoolTV - ONLINE GAMING

Games are an integral part of human behaviour. It is normal and healthy for young people to engage in play as a part of their daily lives, including playing games online. And like most activities, online gaming can have both positive and negative outcomes. It can be intimidating and confusing for carers trying to understand a young person’s online experiences with many considering that staring at a screen is an unhealthy habit. However, the World Health Organisation does believe that as well as the risks, there are also many positive benefits associated with online gaming and these could be key in nurturing bonds with others.

During the pandemic, there was an explosive growth of gaming as people sought much needed connection during isolation. In the media, gaming often gets bad publicity because most coverage tends to concentrate on the minority of gamers who play to such an extent that it compromises all other areas of their life. However, online gaming can teach young people many skills including teamwork, concentration, communication and problem-solving. It requires a level of interaction and skill from the player; unlike watching television, which is more passive.

Online communities provide opportunities for young people to feel socially connected and have a sense of belonging. At healthy levels, gaming can increase their self-esteem and social acceptance. However, any behaviour, when taken to extreme, can also have a negative impact on a young person’s everyday life. Understanding what your young person experiences online and knowing the warning signs if they are at risk, will help nurture a more positive relationship with online gaming and help your family find the right balance.

If you are concerned about your young person’s online gaming habits, it’s important to consider a number of factors. This edition will provide strategies in how to deal with any issues you may be experiencing.

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 Online Gaming edition of SchoolTV

https://sjmbtsv.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/online-gaming

For further information on specific apps and websites, please see E-Safety Commission's website:

https://www.esafety.gov.au/key-issues/esafety-guide

Julie and Lena

Year 1 Fire Brigade Visit

Last week year 1 were fortunate enough to have a visit from the Firefighters. The students learnt about the Stop, Drop and Roll technique in case of a fire. They were able to see the protective gear that firefighters wear and were able to ask the fireman any questions they may have.

Japanese - Baika School visit

We were very lucky to have students from Baika School in Osaka come and visit us last week at St. Joey's. We folded origami, practiced our calligraphy, played games, danced and taught them how to throw a football - Mr. Gleeson even did some magic tricks! It was a wonderful opportunity to practice our Japanese and learn about a different culture. What a fantastic day!

For the last two weeks we have been learning about the FIFA World Cup soccer and the Indigenous players in our Australian Matildas team. Miss Cindy is a big Matildas fan (the students say she is a little obsessed!) and is enjoying working with the students on these adctivities. We have been making and colouring in soccer balls with Indigenous symbols and colours. We will be keeping track of their games and scores over the coming weeks. This weeks activity - designing players shirts with our own Indigenous designs.

The Bimbi Wadja group caught up last Wednesday for assorted activities. We also welcomed two new students to our group. Welcome Rory and Blair, we look forward to getting to know you both!

Reef Guardians

Containers for change

Have you heard? We are making change for the environment and our school through Containers for Change.

Our students’ are learning about the impacts of plastic pollution and importance of recycling through the Wave of Change environmental education program.

The whole school can lend a hand to recycle eligible drink containers, raise funds for our school and look after the environment at the same time.

Make change for our school by collecting and returning your eligible drink containers to our community drop off point (the yellow bin chained to the fence at the start of the drop and go area) or any other refund point, using our unique scheme ID C10021941. We earn 10 cents for every container you recycle.

Find out more https://www.containersforchange.com.au/qld/

Strand Ephemera

Have you seen the EPHEMERA BILLABONG on The Strand?

Students from 5B contributed to this piece in collaboration with other Townsville students; Townsville City Galleries; and local artists Erin Ricardo and John Bradshaw.See if you can find it in Ephemera: Seaside Sculptures 2023 is exhibiting 22 July – 6 August 2023

Library News

This week the library celebrated Library & Information Week 2023 and the start of the Book Week month of August, with a promo video at this week's Assembly. Every year there is a new Book Week theme and this year’s particular theme for the month of August is READ GROW INSPIRE! The central idea around this theme focuses on, READ wonderful literature builds children’s knowledge and imaginations; GROW planting that literature seed; INSPIRE stimulating children’s imaginations and creativity to inspire them to greater things.

The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) celebrates the best Shortlisted Australian Authors and Illustrators for 2023 during the week from 19 to 25 August 2023. During the weeks heading up to this celebration, Mrs. Luton, our lovely Library Teacher will be reading and talking in-depth about all the wonderful shortlisted books, as well as creating informative activities with our students, connecting to excellent literature from Authors and Illustrators in Australia.

Book Week Parade

The date for the Book Week Parade will be held on Monday 21st August, 2023 this year, where we all celebrate the leading Australian Author and Illustrator Winners.

One of the highlights of the celebration of Book Week is the Book Week Parade where children dress up in costumes and characters from their favourite book. Here are some examples of quick and easy costume ideas from this year’s Book Week shortlisted categories:

Dress up as Bev and Kev or Lionel and Me.
Frank’s Red Hat: Dress up as penguins in black and white clothing, or as other Antarctic animals and everyone wear different coloured beanies or hats (or they could all be red).
The Way of the Dog: Dress up as dogs, using headbands with floppy felt dog ears attached.

Book Week Reading Area

This year the special reading area in the library is called the ‘Naturopolis Reading Area’. The book Naturopolis (shortlisted this year) is written by celebrated author Deborah Frenkel, combining nature and metropolis. The story looks at the life of the city and the flora and fauna adapting to it, with connection to the city and nature. Students are already enjoying the ambiance of the reading area, as they immerse themselves in imagining the book they are reading.

‘DESIGN A BOOK COVER FOR YOUR FAVOURITE BOOK’ COMPETITION FOR BOOK WEEK!

Students from Grades 1-3 and 4-6, design and illustrate their favourite front book cover.

A few Tips along the way: What is the book about? Does it have an Author’s name? Who are the characters? Where is the story happening? Does it catch the eye?

Entries can be collected from the front library desk. Entries finish Wednesday, 23 August.

Prizes are available for the best illustration!

National Tree Day

Thank you to the TCC and Year 4A for the donation of the lovely Tree Books for our library collection.

Scholastic Book Club

Issue 5 has been closed and we are expecting orders as soon as possible.

Remember! READ GROW INSPIRE

Happy Reading!

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.

Volunteer Induction Process for Parents and Carers

Flexischools

Zarate Family

Please support Amanda in her efforts to raise funds for the Zarate family. Amanda's second swim, the Ship to Shore Swim, is happening on Sunday 27th August. The Go Fund Me page can be accessed by scanning the QR Code on the attached flyer.