Newsletter - 23 February 2023
From our Principal
Dear Parents,
Yesterday we celebrated Ash Wednesday – the beginning of Lent. Each of our classes from Prep to Year 6 will have reflected on this significant event in our liturgical calendar and some of our students may even have made it home with ashes from last year’s palms smudged across their forehead. When I was a child the ashes were a reminder of our mortality – “Remember man that you are dust and unto dust you shall return….” Today our children are reminded by the ashes that they are loved and that we all have the capacity for change and renewal – “Remember you are a child of God” or “Turn away from sin and believe in the gospel!” are statements we say as the ashes are distributed to the children. Fortunately our children have a much clearer understanding of the symbolism of the ashes and the significance of the Lenten season that leads us to the Easter message.
As we enter the season of Lent we can sometimes pay too much attention to matters that are superficial and trivial and we can miss out on the important issues of life. The season of Lent is one of those times when the Church gives us an opportunity to address the important elements of our life in a practical way. There is little point giving up chocolate or sugar in our tea if we continue to gossip about others, or blame and nag those who are close to us. Nor is there much value in giving up a glass of wine with our meal if we are going to be moody and grumpy with those who love us. Lent is not simply a time to make sacrifices but it is a time when we are called to make choices and to make a positive effect on those we love and care about in our daily lives. So when making your Lenten promises, choose wisely and make sure it leads to a positive change. Good luck with your choices!
Food for Thought
A Different Approach to Lent
Fasts have a tendency to be orientated toward things like giving up food or television. But there are many ways we can welcome Jesus’ healing touch. Here are suggestions you may want to consider,
- Fast from Anger and hatred – give your family an extra dose of love each day.
- Fast from Judging others – before making any judgements, recall how Jesus overlooks our faults.
- Fast from Discouragement – hold on to Jesus’ promise that he has a perfect plan for your life.
- Fast from Complaining – when you find yourself about to complain, close your eyes and recall some of the little moments of joy Jesus has given you.
- Fast from Resentment or Bitterness – work on forgiving those who may have hurt you.
- Fast from Spending too much money – try to reduce your spending by ten percent and give those savings to the poor.
Wishing you every blessing for the coming week,
Geraldine Rostirolla
Principal
RE Matters
THE STARFISH STORY – A REFLECTION
One morning a man was walking along a beach when he saw someone up ahead moving gracefully like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of dancing on the shore and walked faster in the hope of catching up to the ‘dancer’. As he got closer, he noticed that the someone was a young girl, and that she was not dancing at all. The girl was reaching down to the sand, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the sea.
He came closer still and called out “May I ask what it is that you are doing?”
The girl paused, looked up, and replied “Throwing starfish into the ocean!”
“But why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?” he asked.
To this, she replied, “The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they will die.”
Upon hearing this, the man said, “But do you not realize that this beach is very long and that there are starfish all along it? You can't possibly make a difference!”
At this, the young girl bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the sea. As it met the water, she smiled and said, “It made a difference to that one.”
ASH WEDNESDAY
Yesterday we gathered for our Ash Wednesday prayer celebration. The children participated prayerfully and reflected on the meaning of Lent for them as individuals and as part of a school community. They committed themselves to prayer, fasting and giving, offered their Lenten promises and were marked with a cross of Ashes. These ashes had been blessed at a parish Mass earlier in the day.
Year 6T dramatized the Gospel and we listened to Michael Mangan’s beautiful hymn, “Out of Ashes.”
It was lovely that so many of our parents and members of the extended Emmanuel family were able to join us for this celebration.
After our prayer celebration Mrs Kliese visited the Kindy to talk about Lent and distribute the Ashes.
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of forty days in our journey to the death and resurrection of Jesus at Easter. Find out about Lent and Ash Wednesday @ https://www.catholic.org/lent/
Sacred spaces around the school have had a change of colour to reflect the new liturgical season.
LENTEN CHALLENGE
More than a billion people on the planet don't have consistent and reliable access to food. That's one in eight of us.
As part of our efforts to support those less fortunate this Lent, we will be running an exciting Lenten Challenge here at school. It promises to be lots of fun, and we will also learn about helping others.
We have previously participated in Chicks for Cambodia, Animals for Others and FARMITAS. This year we are extending FARMITAS to include seeds - that grow vegetables, crops like millet and sorghum that are fed to animals, and trees that produce fruit and nuts.
This is how it works. We will be selling chicks, goats, pigs, cows and seeds (not real ones). Buying these tokens will help to provide these animals and plants for families in need in different parts of the world.
Students are encouraged to buy a chick for $1.00, a goat for $2.00, a pig for $2.00, a cow for $5.00 or a bag of seeds for $2.00 and make a real difference in the life of someone they don’t even know. Tokens bought will have the child’s name written on it and it will be added to the sacred space in their classroom. In doing this, we link the ‘gift’ to real world action and to the teachings of Jesus. ‘Preferential Option for the Poor’ is one of the church’s Catholic Social Teachings.
The class that buys the most chicks, goats, pigs, cows and seeds will lead the school in a special dance at Assembly in Week Nine.
Tokens on sale from Monday.
40 ACTS IN 40 DAYS
“Aspire not to have more, but to be more." (St Oscar Romero)
This Lent I invite you to join me in undertaking a challenge to enrich your life and the lives of others.
“Never see a need without doing something about it.” (St Mary of the Cross Mackillop)
Each day of Lent do something to improve the day of someone else. It might be a smile, a welcome, a helping hand, a listening ear, a simple act of kindness, a prayer, your time.
“Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” (St Teresa of Calcutta)
I think it is a good idea to plan what you are going to do but be assured that lots of opportunities to help others will arise during Lent. Be open, be spontaneous, be kind.
The second part of this challenge is to appreciate what you have and who you are. To be grateful is to thank God for his many gifts.
“What if you woke up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday?” (Unknown)
CARITAS - PROJECT COMPASSION
‘For All Future Generations’ is the theme of Project Compassion 2023.
It reminds us that the good that we do today will extend and impact the lives of generations to come. It invites us to make the world a better place by working together now and finding long-term solutions to global issues.
This Lent all classrooms will have a Project Compassion collection box and poster. Students will learn about their brothers and sisters around the world who are less fortunate than themselves and be encouraged to offer their prayers and practical assistance.
Don’t be surprised if your child asks you for a job, so they can earn some money to put in the Project Compassion box in their classroom.
For more information, about the work of CARITAS and projects that the 2023 Project Compassion Appeal will support, check out the Caritas Australia website @ https://www.caritas.org.au/project-compassion/
VIRTUE OF THE FORTNIGHT – COMPASSION
Compassion is noticing when someone is hurt or in need of a friend. It is feeling empathy for the pain of others. When you reach out to those in need or refrain from judging, you practise compassion. Our compassionate presence helps others to know that they are not alone, that they are valued and understood.
“Go out into the world today and love the people you meet. Let your presence light new light in the lives of others.” (St Teresa of Calcutta)
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
Curriculum Corner
NAPLAN ONLINE DATES
Please see below the dates and times during which Year 3 and Year 5 students will be participating in NAPLAN Online:
Please Note: Year 3 WRITING remains a paper based test.
NAPLAN tests the sorts of skills that are essential for every child to progress through school and life, such as reading, writing, spelling, grammar and numeracy. It is important to remember that NAPLAN tests are not pass/fail tests. At the classroom level, it is one of a number of important tools used by teachers to measure student progress.
In preparation for NAPLAN Online, students across all year levels are engaged in technology lessons and are exposed to the knowledge and skills required for successful participation in each of the components of NAPLAN, Writing; Numeracy; Reading and Grammar.
This year a Public Demonstration Site is available and will continue to be updated so as parents can assist their children to prepare for NAPLAN Online at home. The site includes FAQ’s; Parent Information and Practice Tests. If you are interested in looking at this site please follow the link provided.
https://www.nap.edu.au/online-assessment/public-demonstration-site
The NAPLAN Online Practice Test will be conducted at Emmanuel on Monday 27 February (Week 6). This is an excellent opportunity to fine tune any technical and logistical issues, as well as familiarise students and teachers with the online testing process prior to the official NAPLAN Testing Window. The practice test is not an assessment of student knowledge and there will be no reporting of student results. Year 3 and Year 5 students are not being tested at this time, they are operating our technology devices to ensure the school’s technical capabilities and the NAPLAN Online Platform are ready in preparation for NAPLAN Online later in the Term.
HOMEWORK ROUTINES
Setting up homework routines is an important practice for your child. The homework routine teaches your child some very important life skills such as how to manage their time effectively, how to prioritise, how to motivate themselves, the ability to self-regulate and the concept of delayed reward. It is an important skill to develop early because their ability to apply themselves to homework (and eventually study) will be a major part of their future educational success.
When establishing homework routines your positive attitude towards education and learning is essential to developing a life-long love of learning. Creating a dedicated space for the completion of homework sends the message to your child that homework is valued and an important daily activity. Even as early as Prep, you can introduce a regular time to read to your child as a way of encouraging a consistent routine of learning time.
Aside from the opportunity to see what your child is learning at school, parent involvement in homework can result in improved academic performance and increased self-confidence.
How Can I Support my Child with their Homework?
- Provide support rather than instruction – homework is an opportunity to work independently and problem-solve activities that they have been taught in class. Parents can therefore encourage and provide feedback as a way of support as the child has already been given the instruction and teaching at school.
- Encourage Independence – Although it’s normal to want to intervene when your child is struggling with homework, taking control by offering incentives and ultimatums or stepping in and doing the homework yourself will undermine the practice of homework. Children need a sense of autonomy as it helps them develop their independence and perseverance.
- Praise effort rather than ability – It is important to communicate that mistakes are part of the learning process and are not to be feared. When praising your child it is important to focus on the effort they put into their work rather than how smart they are, because when they believe that intellectual ability is something that can be developed, they are more likely to stop worrying about how smart they are and they will put all of that energy into tackling new challenges to strengthen their abilities and knowledge.
- Commit to the Routine – It is important to ensure the homework time and place is available to encourage your child to develop and maintain consistent routines. When establishing homework routines always ensure other family commitments are considered before setting the when and where homework will be done.
When your child has completed their homework they arrive at school with a sense of achievement, which leads to more self-confidence and a willingness to tackle the new tasks more willingly and positively as they enter the school gates knowing they are fully prepared for a new day of learning.
Janine Refalo
Assistant Principal Curriculum
APA News
PREP & YEAR ONE - EYE TESTING
The Primary School Nurse Health Readiness Program will be screening (for Student's with consent) on Wednesday 15th March 2023. It is a Queensland Government service that offers Free Vision Screening to all children enrolled in Prep and Year One. Vision screening checks for common eye conditions which may affect your child's ability to see, learn and develop.
The following video explains the benefits of having your Prep child’s vision screened- “What is Prep Vision Screening?”
For further information contact the Primary School Nurse Health Readiness Program on 1800 687 372.
Amanda McDonald
Assistant Principal Administration
Strategic Priorities 2023
COVID Update
Sporting News
In 2023, there are a large number of sports which students will be able to nominate for and compete in. Please discuss the following list of events with your child. It will be crucial students collect and return permission notes before closing dates to ensure they do not miss out on their opportunity. Students will be notified via the morning bulletin when notes become available for collection. These notes will be available from Mr Dodson each day during lunch eating periods.
Once again, this year, students are offered the opportunity to prepare and qualify for the Emmanuel Cross Country Team. Qualifying students will compete in the Northern Suburbs Cross Country competition on Tuesday 28 March. Upon completing our school trials, I will provide further information regarding Northern Suburbs to qualifying athletes. Emmanuel's trial will take place on Thursday 23 March.
Term One also offers students the opportunity to participate in a Wednesday Afternoon Touch Football competition held at the Norris Road touch football fields. The competition is an opportunity for students to play against other schools in the region alongside their peers. Games commence Wednesday 15 February and conclude Wednesday 29 March.
If you would like any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me on my school email: luke_dodson@rok.catholic.edu.au
Luke Dodson
HPE Co-Ordinator
From our Counsellor
Week 5 and we are half-way through the term, so perhaps it’s a good time to ask yourself… are you getting enough sleep? Are your kids getting enough sleep? How much is enough?
Sleep is crucial to good health. Sleep is important for growth, learning, memory consolidation and emotional development. Young brains and bodies need at least 8-9 hours each night. Most adults are getting less than 7 hours. We all know how we feel and perform after a poor night’s sleep and it’s the same for our little ones, but instead of curling up on the couch to watch some Netflix, kids react differently to tiredness. They, power up and become cranky and dysregulated. If they are tired at school, then those behaviours can be a barrier to good learning and well-being. To find out more, you may like to watch a video by sleep expert Dr Carmel Harrington on School TV.
Kindly,
Sharon Martin BVA, GDLT, MEd
School Counsellor
School Choir
We are pleased to announce that School Choir has begun at Emmanuel for students in Years 4, 5, and 6. Choir will take place in the Music Room from 8am each TUESDAY morning. We welcome back Mrs Vanessa Dale, past Emmanuel Music teacher, who will be conducting the Choir. She will be assisted by Miss Meg McDonald, and Mrs Jan Whelan will accompany the group. We sincerely thank these ladies for giving their time to our students to foster the love of Music in our school. All students in Years 4 – 6 are welcome and encouraged to attend.
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.
Finance
TERM 1 SCHOOL FEES - OVERDUE
Term 1 School Fees are now overdue. We would like to thank those families who have paid their account. However, if you have not paid, it would be appreciated if you could do so immediately. (This does not apply to those families who have a Direct Debit authority/payment plan in place). If you have not set up a direct debit authority with us and wish to do so, or if you are experiencing difficulties, please contact the Finance Office immediately.
CONCESSION CARD DISCOUNTS
Do you hold a current means tested Health Care Card? If so you may be eligible to receive a concession on your Tuition Levy. Please click on the link for the information sheet regarding Concession Card Discounts.
Notices
Prep enrolment details for 2024 are NOW required from our existing families. If you have a child due to commence Prep next year - born between July 1 2018 and June 30 2019 – you are asked to complete an ONLINE enrolment form available from the school website – https://enrol.enmrok.catholic.edu.au/primary-school-enrolment/start by Friday 31 March. It is essential that we have our current families accounted for so as to determine how many positions may be offered to new families seeking enrolment. If you have any queries or concerns in regards to this process, we ask that you contact the office. ALL ENROLMENTS MUST BE COMPLETED ONLINE. Once enrolment applications have been received and processed by our Administration staff, you will be notified of an interview time around Term 3.
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