Newsletter - 12 September 2024

From our Principal

Dear Parents,

How can we be present to each other today?

We all need to be reminded regularly that we matter to others and we need to remind others that they are important to us. Gestures such as a loving hug from a parent or perhaps a smile from a friend or even a stranger, gives us a special warm feeling. Such gestures remind us that we are special to others. Being ‘present’ to others when they are talking to us, sharing some news or just saying hello is another powerful way that we demonstrate to others that we care about them.

With the pace of life today it is very easy to forget both. We have even gone so far as a society to use terms such as ‘multi tasking’ to give ourselves permission to not be fully ‘present’ to others both in the context of family and work. Everyone needs to be valued, to be noticed and to be loved. How can we be ‘present’ to our families, friends and colleagues today?

Being present to others may not look the same for everyone. It may be stopping when we say hello and having a brief chat, or asking about a friend's family or new job or it could be a heartfelt hug, doing a favour for someone, helping around the house or yard, giving an unexpected gift to a friend, being a good listener, or reaching out to those who will never personally know us but who are in need.

In his gospel, John challenges us “Let us love, not in word or speech but in truth and action”.

As we come to the end of another term. I look back at the many memorable occasions that were shared with our school community. Great things don’t just happen on their own. They are the result of a positive attitude, hard work, planning, enthusiasm and especially team work! Thank you parents and family members for your support of our work with your children.  A huge ‘THANK YOU’ to our P&F team and helpers whose enthusiasm and tireless efforts for the school are very much appreciated and valued.

To the staff of Emmanuel who go ‘above and beyond’ in their sacred work, my deepest gratitude for all you do to bring our students to a deeper and more loving relationship with our God and your dedication to instilling a love of learning in their hearts and minds. God’s blessings upon each and every one of you!

With the holidays once more upon us, I wish you all a restful few weeks, enjoy your time together as a family and take the opportunities to spend quality time in each other’s company. It has been a very busy term and students and staff alike deserve a break to recharge their energies and return full of vitality for the final term of the year.  Whatever your plans …….. stay safe, enjoy the break and return to the last term refreshed and renewed!

I hope you all have a wonderful two weeks with your children and may God continue to bless you and keep you safe.

Geraldine Rostirolla

Principal

RE Matters

WHAT’S IMPORTANT? – A REFLECTION

A fisherman was sitting on a beach under a palm tree. He was relaxing and looking out to sea. A tourist walking on the beach stopped to talk to him. He asked the fisherman why he was not working. The fisherman replied that he had caught enough fish for the day to meet his needs and those of his family. Hearing this, the tourist asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"

The fisherman answered, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children and take a siesta. In the evenings, I go into the village with my wife.  We spend time with our friends, have a few drinks and sing a few songs. I have a full life."

The tourist interrupted, "I am a business man and I can help you! You should start by fishing for longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch and with the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat."

“What would I do then?” asked the fisherman.

"With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy more boats and employ more people. Instead of selling your fish to a middleman, you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant. You can then leave this little village and move to the city. From there you can direct your huge new enterprise."

"How long would that take?" asked the fisherman.

"Twenty, perhaps twenty-five years," replied the business man.

“What would I do then?” asked the fisherman.

"Well my friend,” answered the business man, “that's when it gets really interesting. When your business gets really big, you can start buying and selling stocks and make millions!"

"Really? “What would I do then?” asked the fisherman.

"After that you'll be able to retire, live by the beach, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take a siesta and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying time with your family and friends." 

“You don’t need to wait for tomorrow to be happy and enjoy your life. Today is a gift - that’s why it is called the present.” (Unknown)

Enjoy every minute!

FEAST DAY

Celebrated on 12 September each year, the Feast of The Most Holy Name of Mary commemorates all the privileges given to Mary by God, and all the graces we have received through her intercession and mediation. It is a day of special significance for all Marists, who look to Mary as their model. 

FROM MARY we learn to surrender to God’s will in all things.

FROM MARY we learn to trust even when all hope seems gone.

FROM MARY we learn to love Christ her Son and the Son of God!

(Pope Saint John Paul II)

All classes included a ‘Mary’ prayer in their class prayers today, and offered a special prayer for the Marist Sisters who founded and staffed our school and continue to ‘live the Gospels as Mary did’ in our world today. The Chapel was open at lunchtime and lots of staff and students prayed The Rosary for peace in our families, our country and around the world.

MISSION FAIR

The Mission Fair was held last Thursday, and we are excited to report that it was an AMAZING success! The students enjoyed visiting the stalls, playing the games and filling their bags with goodies. We raised enough money to provide water tanks to families in other parts of the world who are not as fortunate as we are.

At the end of the Mission Fair lots of students contributed to a class Piggy Bank Challenge. Congratulation to our Piggy Bank Challenge champions – Year 1C had the most money in their piggy bank and Year 2M had the most coins in theirs. Both classes enjoyed their prize on Friday. Keira in 6K was delighted when she found out that the bear’s name was Hamish and would be going home with her. Jaxon in Jaxon in 5G was the Lucky Ducky who took home the big rubber duck.

The ‘Trash and Treasure’ stall was very popular again this year and everyone who visited had fun seeking out a bargain. A big thank you to all who donated goodies to this stall. Lots of children found treasures to take home.

A big THANK YOU to our Year Three students who spent many hours making friendship bands for their stall. It was an amazing effort and a fabulous ‘service learning’ activity.  We can’t wait to see what they will come up with next.

Special thanks goes to the Hovinga and the Beresowskyj Families who made and donated some fabulous craft items for our Mission Fair this year. Their time, effort and contributions were most appreciated and highly sort after by our students.

Our Mini Vinnies group once again ran the freerice.org stall at this year’s fair. This online challenge that rewards correct answers with ‘free rice’ is an initiative of the United Nations World Food Programme.  Students who visited the stall collected 14 350 grains of rice – that is more than two cups of rice. It is great to think that we can have fun, practise our skills, increase our knowledge and help to feed the hungry in our world at the same time. You might like to visit this website in the holidays. There are various categories and levels of difficulty. It is worth the effort, for you and for others.

A big THANK YOU to our creative, hardworking staff who organised and managed the stalls, painted fingernails, made fairy floss, baked goodies, provided prizes and supervised the activities. Our Year Six students are also thanked for their efforts and enthusiasm. They manned stalls, sold tickets, badges and ducks, assisted with the ball game challenges, helped staff with set up and clean up and supported younger students to navigate the fair. We are so proud of them!

Together we are contributing to family life and making a difference in the lives of others. WELL DONE and THANK YOU EVERYONE!

WORLD REFUGEES & MIGRATION SUNDAY

Migration today is not a phenomenon limited to some areas of the planet. It affects all continents and is growing into a tragic situation of global proportions. Not only does this concern those looking for dignified work or better living conditions, but also men and women, the elderly and children, who are forced to leave their homes in the hope of finding safety, peace and security. (Pope Francis)

The Holy See has set aside Sunday, 29 September, as a special day to remember and pray for Refugees and Migrants. This year’s theme is ‘God walks with His people’.

"... God not only walks with his people, but also within them, in the sense that he identifies himself with men and women on their journey through history, particularly with the least, the poor and the marginalized. In this we see an extension of the mystery of the Incarnation. ..."

To read the Pope Francis’s message click on the tab below.

To watch Pope Francis as he introduces the theme and calls us to action click on the tab below.

To view the 2024 resources click on the tab below.

‘Anyone who welcomes one of these little children in my name, welcomes me; and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.’ (Mark 9:37)

Remember, the Holy Family were refugees. They fled from Herod into Egypt and stayed there until it was safe to return home (Matthew 2:13–23). They knew danger, fear and alienation, and they knew what it was to be safely home.

Please join with Catholics around the world on Sunday 29 September to pray for those who must flee their homes in the quest for freedom, safety and a better life.

For weekly Gospel readings, reflections and meditations go to http://www.prayasyoucan.com.au/

Download this week’s parish bulletin @ https://rok.catholic.net.au/parish/mackay-st-josephs/#

For Parish News, updates and to book for weekend Masses go to the Catholic Parishes of North Mackay and Farleigh   Facebook page.

Noeleen Kliese

Assistant Principal Religious Education

APA News

THANK YOU TO OUR WONDERFUL SCHOOL CROSSING SUPERVISOR - MR PETER HYATT

Last Friday at Assembly we thanked and acknowledged Mr Peter Hyatt for his dedication and commitment to keeping our Emmanuel Community safe as we all travel to and from school each day. This year marks the 40^th year anniversary of the School Crossing Supervisor Scheme in Queensland, and just like many other crossing supervisors, Mr Peter is on our roads everyday, rain, hail or shine, keeping us safe.

Peter, we’d like to say a big thank you for everything you do as our School Crossing Supervisor. Your work makes such a positive difference to the lives of our students and our entire school community!

To our Emmanuel parents and friends: why not say a big thank you the next time you see Mr Peter on duty? You can also show your appreciation for our School Crossing Supervisors by slowing down, following directions and being courteous while travelling in our school zone.

Thanks Mr Peter for all you do for us!

SING OUT

Congratulations to the singers who took part in the Sing Out workshops and concerts last Monday – Wednesday. Here’s what some of the students had to say about their experience:

Keira (6K): Sing out is an experience that not many people will ever get to experience. It is a with a very talented composer who inspires children to do and learn singing. I loved SING OUT! It was one of the best experiences I’ve ever done.

Gabriella (5S): SING OUT was really fun and it was a great experience, it taught me so much about singing, I loved it!

Olivia (4D): SING OUT was exciting and fun. I loved how we got different teachers to teach us different songs. My favourite song I learnt was ‘Gravity.’

Adele (4M): SING OUT was a fun 3 days, that ended with a concert on the Wednesday in front of parents. We learnt all different types of songs from Kylie Ross who travelled to be here to teach us. We also learnt lots of different voice warm ups and sung eight songs in total.

Charlotte (3J): SING OUT was really fun. It was exciting to meet people from different schools and to sing with them. I think everybody made a new friend at SING OUT. The teachers were really friendly to us and I really enjoyed it.

Ivy (5K): SING OUT was a great experience for everyone. It was so much fun and out conductor Kylie was amazing.

HAIR, JEWELLERY AND UNIFORM EXPECTATIONS - REMINDER FOR TERM FOUR

HAIR GUIDELINES

HAIRSTYLES ARE TO BE APPROPRIATE FOR A PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENT

Students attending Emmanuel are expected to wear their uniform in a way which reflects pride in their school and in their own personal appearance. Accordingly,

• Hairstyles should be appropriate to this expectation – extreme hairstyles are not acceptable.

• Hair should be clean, brushed and generally neat – not unruly.

NOT PERMITTED:

• Variations to hair colour
• Cut less than gauge three
• Hair longer than collar length and fringe past the forehead that is not clipped / tied back
• Spiked cuts
• Wedge cuts
• Track cuts
• Multiple braiding
• Rat’s Tail
• Mullet Cuts

• If hair bands or scrunchies are to be worn, they are to be gold or blue of the school colours. No decorative hair bands are to be worn.

IF PARENTS ARE UNSURE OF SCHOOL UNIFORM OR HAIR STYLE REQUIREMENTS, PLEASE CONTACT THE SCHOOL OFFICE FOR CLARIFICATION OR REFER TO OUR WEBSITE FOR UNIFORM GUIDELINES.

JEWELLERY GUIDELINES

As per the Uniform List:

- Girls are permitted to wear only small sleepers or studs in the lobe of the ear – one pair only. NO drop

  earrings are to be worn, in accordance with Workplace, Health & Safety. 

- Boys are not permitted to wear earrings.

- A small cross and chain around the neck is permitted, preferably long enough to be worn inside the uniform

  for safety purposes. 

- Rings are not permitted under any circumstances.

- Fitbit / smart watches may be worn, however, communication / messaging functions MUST be disabled.

Amanda McDonald

Assistant Principal Administration

Strategic Priorities 2024

R U OK?

A CONVERSATION CAN CHANGE A LIFE

R U OK? Day is our National Day of Action dedicated to reminding everyone that any day and every day is the day to ask, 'Are you OK?'

It inspires and empowers everyone to meaningfully connect with the people around them and start a conversation with those in their world who may be struggling with life. 

                                                      You don't need to be an expert to reach out - just a good friend and a great listener.

Be sure to check out School TVs Special Report: R U OK? Day via our school website or the tab below.

Around the School

YEAR TWO DRAMA VISIT 'THE GRUFFALO'

This term in Drama, the Year 2 classes have been studying the ‘The Gruffalo’. Last Tuesday, we were lucky enough to visit the MECC to see this beloved story brought to life on stage! It was so much fun to sit in such a big audience and see the clever actors and amazing costumes. Here’s what some of our students had to say about the experience:

Grace D, 2J: I liked going to the Gruffalo because it was very funny.

Harbin, 2J: I liked the Snake character. His dancing was really good.

Ava, 2J: I like the ‘G-G-G-Gruffalo’ song.

Ivy, 2J: I liked when we had to scare the fox away with a ROAR!

Tessa, 2J: All the characters were really funny. The actors were talented.

Boyd, 2J: The setting of the forest looked really real because they turned the lights off and had forest music.

Zara, 2M: I liked when the Fox was scared and said “Mummy! Daddy! Nanna!”

Bodhi, 2M: My favourite part was when the Gruffalo was dancing.

Lucy, 2M: The show was very funny and I think all little children would enjoy it.

Jacob, 2M: I liked when Fox told the Gruffalo that he needs to work on his wart on his poisonous nose!

Molly, 2M: I liked when Mouse told us to scream out 'ROAR' to scare the Fox away.

Chloe, 2C: Going to the Gruffalo was nice because I got to see family and friends there. I enjoyed joining in.

Lyla, 2C: The Snake was very funny. He had an hilarious accent.

Charlee, 2C: It was a funny story and I loved how the Snake had glitter on him.

Jack, 2C: The Fox was very funny because he spoke like a bogan and was scared when we all shouted.

Hallie, 2C: The Gruffalo was funny and cheeky.

A big THANK YOU to the Year 2 teachers and teacher assistants for attending the performance with us and to the 2024 Pathways to Performance Program, supported by BMA, Glencore Hail Creek Mine, and the Friends of the MECC, for providing this opportunity.

Amy Clark

Drama Teacher

COLLAGE CREATIONS

Year 5S students recently accepted an invitation from the Emmanuel Kindergarten to talk about their artworks which had caught the eyes of the Kindy students during their weekly visit to the library.  They answered questions about their collages and were thrilled to share their ideas, planning, materials and processes with the budding artists. Congratulations to the Year 5 students on their creativity and enthusiasm.

DANCE FEVER

Dance Fever returned to Emmanuel this term. Students in all year levels participated in lessons. There was lots of music, dancing, learning and fun! A big thank you to Drey from Dance Fever for his engaging lessons and enthusiasm again this year. You are FABULOUS!

Sporting News

Awards

Congratulations to the students pictured below who received a Principal's Award in Week 9.

Congratulations to these students pictured below who received their OPTI-MINDS certificates at Assembly on Friday.

Vacation Care

Please see below Vacation Care Plan for the September School Holidays.

SWAP IT

We are now a SWAP IT school! Look out for weekly SWAP IT messages to help you 'swap' for healthier lunchboxes! Find tips on the SWAP IT website:

Tuckshop News

Please Note: It is imperative that volunteers DO NOT attend tuckshop if they are unwell or have anyone at home who is unwell.

Lost Property

There are a large number of school jumpers and items located in Lost Property.

Unclaimed items will be donated at the end of Term 3.

Notices

SAFETY ISSUE – MACKAY BUCASIA ROAD

Parents who park in the parkland along Baxter Drive (ie: the grassed area opposite the Emmanuel Bus Stop) are asked to ensure they DO NOT enter or exit this area via Mackay Bucasia Road. We have been advised by Queensland Department of Transport that this is a significant safety issue and we ask that this practice does not continue. Mackay City Council have advised us that this area should not be utilised for parking in the morning or afternoon and that all vehicles need to park within the designated areas assigned for parking purposes outside Emmanuel Catholic Primary School and Holy Spirit College.

We appreciate and understand that there are considerable parking issues across both campuses, but would like to take this opportunity to remind parents that the preferred drop-off / pick-up site for Emmanuel students is the STOP, DROP, GO area, and parents are strongly encouraged to use this facility. Students are supervised until 3.30pm allowing for parents to delay pick-up of students so as to ensure a smooth flow of traffic within a timely manner. We thankyou for your assistance and cooperation in ensuring all members of our school community experience a safe and stress-free arrival to and departure from school.

CASH ONLY - Please remember to bring small change when purchasing from the Uniform Shop.

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