Newsletter - 06 February 2025

From our Principal

Dear Parents,

Our year has begun very smoothly with lots of enthusiastic children and teachers making a very happy start to the year. Our newest group of students in Prep appear to be bright and happy to be here. The students in Year One have already been a revelation to their teachers, demonstrating their reading, writing and counting skills in the first week of term. In my visits to classrooms, I have noticed that heads are down and there is much thinking and written activity taking place. It is my hope that this enthusiasm will flow on throughout the year and that all students will embrace this new school year with enthusiasm, determination and a positive mind set.

The beginning of the school year is a good time to ask for your support for our important procedures that we have in place at Emmanuel:

• Communication is an important vehicle between the family and the school and I ask that you take the time to read the weekly newsletter and the correspondence sent home from your child’s teacher. These forms of communication are our main means of keeping you informed with what is happening around the school.

• If you have an issue or a concern, please know that we will try and deal with this together. If you need to discuss a concern with the teacher please take the time to make an appointment as the mornings and afternoons can be busy for teachers. It is also important to know that the teacher is the first point of contact in dealing with your concerns. You are always welcome to speak with a member of the leadership team after speaking with your child’s teacher.

• School begins at 8:30am with morning duty commencing at 8.10am. If students arrive at school before this time, they are required to place their bags on the port-racks provided outside their classroom and wait until 8.10am before commencing play. NO child is to access the playground equipment until there is a teacher on supervision duty – this includes Prep.  If you are late or need to pick up your child from school early you are required to call into the office to sign your child in or out.  All visitors to the school are required to sign in/out at the office whenever they are in the school grounds. This can seem an onerous task, however this procedure allows us to be aware of who is on the school grounds at all times.
  

• Stop, Drop, Go Zone: School concludes at 3.00pm and supervision is provided at our designated pick-up areas which include the Stop, Drop, Go Zone and the Bus Zone. Teachers are on duty to ensure that your child is safe at all times.  Using the car pick-up area correctly is vital to the children’s safety. Please turn left into the Stop, Drop, Go Zone, stay in your car at all times (unless parking in the angle car parks provided) and turn left only to exit onto Tolcher Street.  Patience is important at all times as we know children can be impulsive. Please remember the car park off Baxter Drive within the school grounds is for staff only. Parent/caregiver access into this car park endangers the lives of the children. Thank you to those families who faithfully follow our parking procedures and always do the right thing in and around the school.  It is such a busy place and your patience is always appreciated.

• School Uniform: At the beginning of each school year students present themselves in correct school uniform. This year is no different in that parents have gone to great lengths to ensure that children are outfitted appropriately. I thank you for your efforts and support in this important school procedure. Your assistance in ensuring that the school uniform is worn correctly each day is appreciated. If for any reason your child is out of uniform, I ask that you send a note along to your child’s teacher to explain the reason for not being in correct school uniform. Please clearly name all items of clothing and property with your child’s name – this enables us to return lost items to the owners. Remember that long hair must be tied back each day, hair ties to be school colours only, one set of studs or sleepers, a wrist watch and a chain and crucifix/cross are the only jewellery to be worn. Please ensure that sports shoes are predominantly white (as per our school guidelines).

I thank you for assisting us with our procedures above.

Next week, we are inviting parents to come along to a Meet and Greet Evening with your child’s class teacher. This will be followed by a Sausage Sizzle and is a great opportunity for you to meet other parents within our Emmanuel school community. I encourage all parents to come along and support your child’s teacher in their journey with your children.

Wishing you every blessing for the coming week,

Geraldine Rostirolla

Principal  

RE Matters

IT’S UP TO YOU – A Reflection

JUBILEE 2025 – PILGRIMS OF HOPE

In the Catholic Church, a Jubilee or Holy Year is a special year of forgiveness and reconciliation, in which people are invited to come back into right relationship with God, with one another, and with all of creation.

The beginning of the Jubilee Year is marked by the opening of the Holy Door of St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, and similar doors at each of the other papal basilicas in Rome. 

Pope opens Holy Doors, launches Jubilee

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24FTbGTk91g&ab_channel=CatholicNewsService

Holy Doors are only opened during a Jubilee Year. The doors are usually sealed from the inside so that they cannot be opened. Pictured below, the outside view of the Holy Door of St Peter’s Basilica; Pope Francis opening the Holy Door and the Jubilee Year; and the bricked-up sealed view of the Holy Door from inside St Peter’s Basilica.

‘Let us pray that this Jubilee strengthens us in our faith, helping us to recognise the Risen Christ in the midst of our lives, transforming us into pilgrims of Christian hope.’ (Pope Francis)

YEAR SIX LEADERSHIP INDUCTION PRAYER CELEBRATION

Each year we come together to acknowledge, commission and congratulate our School Captains, House Captains, Student Representatives and Year Six students. This prayer celebration will take place in the Marist Centre on Friday 14 February at 9:00am.  All families and friends of our school community are invited to attend.

BISHOP’S IN-SERVICE DAY

Our annual Bishop’s Inservice Day will be held on Friday 21 February. This is a pupil free day and all staff will be attending.  The school office will be closed.

This year’s theme will focus on Prayer and Worship. The speakers will include Bishop Michael McCarthy and Diocesan Director of Catholic Education, Mr Michael McCusker.  Staff will participate in a variety of workshops.

It is always a great day for spiritual formation and all staff appreciate this opportunity to focus their attention and learn something new.

CHILDREN’S MASS

This month’s Children’s Mass will be celebrated at 9:00am on Sunday 23 February at St Joseph’s Church. Students wishing to participate in the ministries should contact Mrs Kliese in the office. We are looking for readers, singers and students to bring forward the gifts. All welcome!

These Masses are always a wonderful celebration and a great opportunity to support and thank our parish. Fr Andrew always has a fabulous story and lesson to share, and the congregation love to see and hear us singing and celebrating with them.

SACRAMENTAL PROGRAM

Each year our parish runs a program to assist parents in preparing their child/ren for reception of the Sacraments of Penance, Confirmation and Eucharist (First Holy Communion). The next program will commence with Registration and a Parent Information Session at St Joseph’s Church on Tuesday 25 February 2025.

A letter detailing the parish program, registration requirements and important dates was sent home with all Year Three students at the end of last year. If you have an older child wishing to receive the Sacraments as part of the 2025 Program, please collect a copy of this letter and information from the school office.

Students who have been Baptised will prepare for and receive the Sacrament of Penance in April and will be Confirmed and receive their First Holy Communion in June.

Please Note: There is also a program for students who would like to be part of the Sacramental Program but have not been Baptised. The parents of these students are invited to attend the same Parent Information session at St Joseph’s Church on Tuesday 25 February 2025. An alternate registration form will be available at this meeting.

Please contact Mrs Kliese via the school office if you would like further information about either program.

WOW WEDNESDAY - WIPE OUT WASTE

Help us answer God’s call to love others and to care for His beautiful world by supporting WOW Wednesdays. Each Wednesday we have a ‘nude food’ day – NO disposable packaging please. 

By packing lunch in containers that can be REUSED or RECYCLED we will REDUCE waste and help to save the planet. Plastics and other disposable packaging will be sent home in lunchboxes.

Our first WOW Wednesday was held yesterday, and we are happy to report that lots of families took the opportunity to pack lunches in reusable containers.  We only put out four bins and they were not even half full.  Our goal of ‘Bin Free’ Wednesdays is closer to becoming a reality.  Thank you everyone.  We are really looking forward to seeing what we can do next Wednesday.

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 go to the Catholic Parish of North Mackay and Farleigh Facebook page.

VIRTUE OF THE FORTNIGHT - CO-OPERATION

Co-operation divides the task and multiplies the success.  (Anonymous)

Co-operation is working together for the good of everyone.  It is a willingness to stand side by side and use the different gifts each of us have to offer. When we co-operate, we give and accept help freely and have the humility not to do everything ourselves.  Co-operation is about sharing the load. It is joining others in order to do something that cannot be done alone.

I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things for God.

(St Teresa of Calcutta)

Noeleen Kliese

Assistant Principal Religious Education

Curriculum Corner

INFORMATION & TECHNOLOGY FORM (ICT)

The information below pertains to the ICT Code of Practice forms for Students in Early Learning (Years P-2) and Students in Years 3-6. It is important to read through ICT attachments (in the link buttons below) and 'accept' via Parent Lounge or Parent Orbit App (see 'how to' guide's in the link buttons below) by Friday 14 February 2025. Accepting the ICT Code of Practice will allow the use of ICT within school.

NAPLAN - SAVE THE DATE

Brooke Tomkinson

Acting Assistant Principal Curriculum

APA News

WET WEATHER - WEARING OF SHOES

In wet weather conditions, students are welcome to wear rubber shoes/thongs/crocs to school and home again in the afternoon to avoid ruining their school shoes.

Once students arrive at school, it is expected that they change into their school shoes and socks for the school day, and change back into alternate shoes to leave the school grounds if necessary. It is expected that all students wear some form of footwear home (no barefeet at any time!)

A reminder also that students should have a raincoat packed in their bag for inclement weather conditions. 

VOLUNTEERS AT EMMANUEL

We love our volunteers at Emmanuel and cannot operate without you. We have a large number of parents/grandparents who assist in various ways around the school including reading in classrooms, assisting in the tuckshop and helping in the Library. As part of our WHS obligations, each volunteer is required to read a brief Volunteer's Induction at the beginning of each year and to sign and acknowledge that they agree to abide by these procedures. It is also very important that volunteers sign in and out of the school grounds at the office whenever they are assisting around the school. The Volunteer's Induction document is located at the front office. Should you wish to volunteer in any capacity you will be required to read and acknowledge these guidelines on your first visit to Emmanuel this year – please see the front office staff when you arrive. Thank you for your continued support and assistance. The students and staff truly do value and appreciate it.

Tuckshop Volunteers are asked to sign in at the office, and will complete a separate induction document in the Tuckshop when they arrive.

ABSENCE FROM SCHOOL

In the case of a planned absence (eg: medical appointment; Eisteddfod performance) an email or note to the teacher / office outlining the date/s of absence would suffice. In the event of a sudden absence (eg: sickness) the school office must be notified using one of the following methods:

* Mark absence through 'Parent Orbit' App (preferred method): Home Page > Absences > Add Absence > Select student/s and check date range > Type of Absence: Absent All Day > Reason for Absence (appointment, illness, holiday, family reasons etc)

* Absentee Hotline Ph: 4994 8256 (This is a direct line and is available 24 hours a day)

* Phone School Office: 4994 8255

If notification is not received by 9:15am a text message / notification is sent to alert parents that their child has been marked with an unexplained absence. If your child/ren have been marked with an unexplained absence for more than 1 day the office staff / leadership will be in contact.

Please note: when marking an absence through Parent Orbit App a short comment is to be added explaining the type of absence.  If your comment is not valid, office staff will be in contact to clarify the reason for absence.

LATE ARRIVAL & EARLY DEPARTURE

Classroom rolls will be marked each morning at 8:45am. If your child/ren arrive at school after this time, it is necessary for a PARENT / GUARDIAN to sign in at the school office. 

If your child is being collected during the school day by any person who is not listed in your emergency contact list we ask that you notify the office BEFORE pick-up occurs and advise the office staff of this arrangement. 

Staff cannot dismiss a student if the person collecting your child/ren is not listed as an emergency contact in your file and permission has not been communicated to the office or teacher.

We ask that you ensure your contact details and emergency contacts are up to date via Parent Orbit App / Parent Lounge.

FAMILY HOLIDAYS AND SERIOUS MEDICAL EVENTS

Pre-planned extended absence (10+ days)

There may be instances of pre-planned extended periods of absence (generally scheduled medical procedures with recovery time or family holiday). In these circumstances where the absence is known in advance, and the period extends to more than 10 consecutive school days, notification, should be received from the parent/caregiver prior to the absence. Scheduling of medical procedures and family holidays are encouraged to occur during school holidays.

Please note: Holidays during term time are not encouraged and should be discussed with the Principal.

UNIFORM SHOP

A big THANK YOU to Marisa Widdowson and Samantha Percival who have kindly volunteered to open the Uniform Shop each week. Lots of second-hand uniforms are for sale. Lots of sizes - CASH ONLY (small change preferred e.g $5.00-$10.00 notes / coins).

STUDENTS WITH ASTHMA

If your child identifies as having Asthma and their medication and completed forms have not already been returned to the office, please return completed forms and labelled medication as soon as possible.

MOBILE PHONES

It is preferred that mobile phones remain at home and not be brought to school. However, if your child needs a mobile phone for travel purposes, the following conditions apply:

• All mobile phones are to be handed to the classroom teacher at the beginning of the day. Children may collect their phone at the conclusion of the school day. Phones are not to be used at the Bus Stop or Car Pick Up.
• Mobile phones are to be turned off before being handed to the teacher.
• Phones will not be accessed during school hours.
• Ownership of mobile phones is to be clearly indicated.
• The school accepts no responsibility for loss or damage to mobile phones which are not handed in.
• All personal devices (eg. iPads) are strongly discouraged from being brought to school. Children are sometimes tempted to photograph classmates which breaches our school media and privacy rules. If students are required to bring devices to school for educational purposes (eg. as part of an assignment), the same conditions apply as per mobile phones.

If your child brings a mobile to school, please discuss the above-mentioned conditions with them so they are fully aware of the school’s expectations.

Please Note: These conditions also apply to smart watches which have the ability to communicate with other devices.

Amanda McDonald

Assistant Principal Administration

Playground Areas - After School

At the closure of the school day, all students are required to move immediately to the Pickup Zone. Students who are going to After School Care or walking /riding home are required to be on their way as soon as they are released from class. 

The Pickup Zone is supervised by teachers. Other areas of the school are not supervised after school. Our school’s Prep Adventure Playground is out of bounds before and after school. Any play areas within the school must be supervised by staff members.

We ask parents to ensure that their children are not on this equipment before and/or after school. Our school rules must be adhered to by all students at all times. Students should not be running around or playing after school whilst waiting for parents. Parents who collect their child after school and remain on school grounds are reminded that their children are under their supervision during this time. We ask all parents to please adhere to these rules and thank you for your understanding and co-operation.

Strategic Priorities 2025

From our Counsellor

SCHOOL DROP OFF

Dropping our children off to school can be a tricky and emotional experience.

Here are my tips to support a smooth and successful drop off:

• Be confident; do whatever you need to feel your child is safe and supported when they get here. If you lack confidence your little person will sense this from you. Things that show your child you are not confident and comfortable include prolonged goodbyes, sad emotional expression from you when leaving, physically holding on too long and words which suggest worry.
• Have a plan; children and adults are less anxious when they can predict what is going to happen, do they know who is taking them to school? Do they know what time they are leaving? Little anxious people might benefit from a visual schedule.
• Be prepared the night before; less stress in the morning will help everyone feel better and your child will start associating the morning routine, including drop off, with a positive family time.
• Empower your child’s growth; use positive wording around your child’s abilities, “you can do drop off because you are brave/ strong/ powerful”, they really are.
• Have some fun; how do you make this fun for everyone? Do you sing on the way to school in the car? How about playing I spy or Spotto? It’s surprising how these little things will help our little people and us, to start the day on a positive note.
• If nothing is working, seek help. I am on site at school to provide support or can provide some recommendations for external support.

Hayley Francis

School Counsellor

SchoolTV

There are lots of amazing resources available on SCHOOLTV to support and empower parents to better deal with the challenges of raising happy, well and resilient young people. For short video clips, articles and fact sheets, from leading specialists and key wellbeing organisations, check out the ‘ALL TOPICS’ tab via the link below or on our school website.

Sporting News

MDSS SPORTS SELECTION

Welcome back to another year of sport! Terms 1 and 2 are the busiest terms for students interested in representative school sports. For some sports this year such as Netball, Rugby League, Football and Athletics, Northern Suburbs will be hold a sub district trial. For other sports this year, MDSS requires students to be assessed and nominated at a school level straight to Mackay trials without a sub district trial beforehand.  

For MDSS trials, students who attend must have experience in their chosen sport. Unfortunately, we are unable to send all interested students to trial due to restrictions set by Northern Suburbs and MDSS. Some sports will require a school trial to select students if the interest in the sport is high.

Most representative sports offered to primary school students are open to 10 - 12 years. Please be aware that a child who is currently 9 but turning 10 in 2025 is eligible to attend representative trials.

Please see below the Emmanuel process for selection to attend MDSS and Northern Suburbs trials. We follow this process for all sports so that it is fair for all students:

1. Emmanuel receives an email from Mackay District School Sports notifying us of an upcoming trial.
2. A meeting is called for interested students. The meeting is advertised to parents via Parent Orbit and the school newsletter. The meeting is advertised to the students via the School communication document, the Morning Bulletin. 
3. The Morning Bulletin is read out by the classroom teacher each day so students are aware of any upcoming meetings.
4. Once all Year 3 – 6 students have arrived in the eating area at Morning Tea, Mrs Bottcher blows a whistle to announce that the meeting is about to commence. 
5. At the meeting, names of interested students are recorded and students are asked to advise of their experience in the sport.
6. If attendance at the meeting is high, a date for a school trial is set.
7. The school trial is advertised to parents through the Parent Orbit App and school newsletter. The school trial is advertised to students via the Morning Bulletin.
8. The school trial is attended by a minimum of 3 Emmanuel staff.
9. Successful students receive paperwork at the conclusion of the trial which is taken home to be filled out and then returned to school with levy payment by the due date.
10. The paperwork is then signed by relevant school staff and returned to the student who then needs to take the paperwork to trial.

If you have a child who is a keen sportsperson and might be interested in participating in interschool sport or attending an MDSS trial this year please ensure you have downloaded Parent Orbit and have enabled notifications. 

Please also ensure your child understands it is THEIR responsibility to listen to the Morning Bulletin / lunchtime messages and attend meetings / trials as directed.  It is not up to school staff to provide multiple opportunities / chances for students to express their interest in a sport trial.

If your child is absent for a sports meeting you can register your child’s interest by contacting Mrs Bottcher (lisa_bottcher@rok.catholic.edu.au). If your child is absent from a school trial for genuine reasons, you are required to submit an application for sports selection form which is found in the forms and documents section of this newsletter and also available on parent lounge.

MACKAY DISTRICT SCHOOL SPORTS - FORMS AVAILABLE FOR COLLECTION

The following Mackay District Sport forms are available for collection from Mrs Bottcher. Nominations are due back to the SPORTS BOX in the LIBRARY by the due date with the levy payment.

• MDSS 10-19 yrs Boys and Girls SQUASH Trials (Due Monday 10 February)
• MDSS 10 - 12 yrs Boys and Girls AFL Trials (Due Friday 7 February)
• Capricornia 10 - 12 yrs Boys and Girls Swimming (Due Wednesday 12 February) 
• MDSS 10 - 12 yrs Boys and Girls HOCKEY Trials (Due Wednesday 12 February)
• MDSS 10 - 12 yrs Boys and Girls BASKETBALL Trials (Due Monday 17 February)

Students who wish to nominate should be clearly competent and have played a reasonable amount of the sport.

MDSS NETBALL TRIALS

We have many students interested in trialling for the MDSS Netball team, however we are limited in the number of students we can send to trial. Therefore, we will need to hold a school based trial for all interested students THIS Friday at lunchtime. This trial is open to boys and girls 10 - 12 years (born 2015, 2014, 2013) who are experienced players and currently play for a club. A small group of students will be selected from the trials to represent Emmanuel at the MDSS trials. Please ensure students have appropriate footwear to change into on Friday. 

CAPRICORNIA SWIMMING NOMINATIONS

Parents of competitive swimmers at Emmanuel please be aware of the procedures for Capricornia 10-12yrs Swimming Team nominations which are due early in 2025.

• The regional team will be selected from times submitted.
• Regional selections will be based on times recorded at a QSA sanctioned long course meet in a 50m pool during the current season (as of Sept. 2024 - Current 2025) ONLY.
• There will be regional qualifying standards applied for nominations.
• Individuals will be requested to send ALL NOMINATIONS to the Capricornia School Sport Office for purposes of regional selection.
• To avoid confusion and misplacing of nomination forms, Regional Nomination Forms will be available through SCHOOLS, CAPRICORNIA SCHOOL SPORT OFFICE and WEBSITE www.capsport.eq.edu.au
• Swimmers may nominate their best times for selection in the following events from a QSA sanctioned event ONLY (this does not include Club Night participation):
• 50-metre events (all strokes / all age groups – i.e. 10, 11 & 12 years – born 2015, 2014, 2013)
• 100 metre events (all strokes / all age groups)
• 200 metre Individual Medley (all age groups)
• 200 metre events (all strokes / 10-12yrs age group)
• 400 metre Individual Medley (10-12yrs age group)
• 400 metre Freestyle (10-12yrs age group)
• ALL nomination forms must have attached a printout copy from either Swimming Australia’s ‘Results Central’ or ‘Swim Central’ ONLY, highlighting the child’s name, Long Course verified event and the nominated event/s times from 1st Sept. 2024.
• Each nomination MUST have the “Principal Approval Form” attached filled out and submitted along with the Nomination Form to be considered for selection.
• Ages are calculated on Year of Birth - Maximum age is 12 years (Born 2013)
• Confirmation of receiving your nomination will be emailed to the address indicated.
• NOMINATIONS ARE DUE TO CAPRICORNIA SCHOOL SPORT BY- Wednesday 12th FEBRUARY 2025.
• Complete Online Registration & Cap Trial $13.00 Levy Payment by Wednesday 23th February 2025.

ALL students wishing to nominate will be required to register and pay the Capricornia Trial ($13.00 Inc GST) non-refundable Levy ONLINE prior to being considered for selection. Capricornia Trial levies can be paid online at https://rssshop.education.qld.gov.au/ Please select the Capricornia Region and Regional (10-12yrs Swimming) Trials to register and make payment.

Lisa Bottcher

HPE Teacher

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.

Parent Orbit

The Parent Orbit app, which is connected to Parent Lounge, will improve our communication with each other as it offers a quick and easy way to receive notifications, view academic reports, book Parent/Teacher interviews, add and acknowledge Student Absences, view and pay School Fees, accept or decline excursions via the Events and Payments tile, update student details, email class teachers and much more.

Notices

Prep enrolment applications for 2026 are NOW required from our existing families. If you have a child due to commence Prep next year - born between July 1 2020 and June 30 2021 - you are asked to complete an ONLINE enrolment available on the school website (link in button below) by Friday 14 March 2025.

It is essential that we have our current families accounted for to determine how many positions may be offered to new families seeking enrolment. Any sibling enrolment applications received after this date will not be guaranteed a position due to the large number of applications received.

If you have any queries or concerns in regards to this process, we ask that you contact the school office.

All completed enrolments in the system by Friday 14 March 2025 will receive correspondence from Administration to schedule an interview time mid year 2025.

Community News