Newsletter - 01 February 2024
From our Principal
Dear Parents,
The members at a gathering were given a task to perform. Each was given a handful of jellybeans to eat but there was a catch; they were to keep their hand outstretched in front of them and they had to find a way to eat the sweets without bending their arms.
As the time started to tick away, most of the members tried throwing the sweets into the air in an effort to catch the beans in their mouths; but, as expected, most failed as the jellybeans hit the ground.
After a while, two individuals watching the drama unfold, had a brainwave. They moved to stand facing each other, their arms outstretched and each ate from the hand of the other.’
Once revealed, this seems a logical solution to the problem – each gets what s/he needs when they work together to achieve a common goal. We all recognise the advantages of working as part of a team; the old saying, ‘A champion team will always beat a team of champions,’ has been proven many times over. And, of course, there is no secret to the reason for this, the difference lying in the mindset and motivation brought to the endeavour. ‘Am I in it for me’ Or, ‘Am I in it for us and what we can accomplish together?’ The strange thing is, when we unite behind a common goal and direct our energies and attention towards the achievement of that goal through mutual support and care, aspirations of the individuals are also achieved. Cooperation rather than competition within teams contributes to a winning formula.
We, too, in everyday life, benefit from working productively and harmoniously within a team structure, whether that be within a family, in a workplace or school. Is there anyone who has not experienced the difference between working in an environment in which everyone works together for the good of all and one in which it’s every person for him or herself?
Here at Emmanuel we frequently talk about the fact that our school operates as teams within teams, varying in size and intent, but all under the umbrella of one large Emmanuel team. And parents, you are a tremendously important part of that whole school team. Each one of us either contributes to, or detracts from, achievement of the school vision which is ‘to be an inclusive, high quality learning community where faith inspires action.’ That vision may sound lofty but in fact it is achieved in the small and seemingly insignificant actions that are chosen by each of us every day. The same questions can be asked, ‘Am I in it for me (and mine)?’ Or, ‘Am I in it for us and what we can accomplish together?’
Perhaps some people think that there is only so much care they have to give, so much respect they have to extend, only so much courtesy to go round, only so much time to give and so they see the need to conserve and be selective in their giving for fear that there will not be enough for those closest to them. In fact, the more these are freely given to others, the more is returned and the well never runs dry, but rather continues to fill.
Basically, this school becomes more and more effective in its learning and teaching and in its growth as a Christian community, as we move closer and closer towards caring for the good of all and seeing the value in supporting, encouraging, challenging, including, contributing, welcoming and cooperating. Once again, this does not necessitate grand gestures or impossible contributions; so much good is achieved through simple kindnesses and expressions of gratitude, offering a helping hand, meeting commitments, a word or gesture of support and choosing to focus more on what is good, true and beautiful in life in spite of difficulties being faced.
Wishing you every blessing for the coming week,
Geraldine Rostirolla
Principal
RE Matters
LET’S PLANT A GARDEN OF LOVE – A Reflection
Tuesday 6 February Year Six Leadership Induction Prayer Celebration
Thursday 8 February Sacramental Program - Parent Information Evening
Wednesday 14 February Ash Wednesday Prayer Celebration
Friday 16 February Bishop’s Inservice Day - This is a Pupil Free Day
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 Tuesday 6 February at 9:00am. All families and friends of our school community are invited to attend.
SACRAMENTAL PROGRAM
A meeting for the parents of Year Four students wanting to prepare for the Sacraments of Penance, Confirmation and Eucharist will be held at St Joseph’s Church at 5:30pm on Thursday 8 February. A letter detailing the parish program and registration requirements was sent home last week.
Students who have been Baptised will prepare for and receive the Sacrament of Penance in March and will be Confirmed and receive their First Holy Communion in June.
If you have an older child wishing to receive the Sacraments as part of the 2024 Program, please collect a copy of this letter from the school office.
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 Thursday 8 February. Please collect an alternate registration form from the school office.
Please contact Mrs Kliese if you would like further information about either of these programs.
LENT
Lent is one of the major liturgical seasons of the Catholic Church. It is a special time of preparation for Easter. Lent is a time of penance. It is observed with prayer, fasting, abstinence and almsgiving. Lent is about conversion - turning our lives more completely over to Christ and His way of life. It is a quiet season of reflection. The church is draped in violet, and praying the ‘Stations of the Cross’ is a common devotion.
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent which continues until Holy Thursday. On Ash Wednesday, we receive ashes on our forehead in the form of a cross. The ashes are made from the palm leaves left over from last year’s Palm Sunday celebrations. They have been dried out and burnt and mixed with some blessed oil. The practice of tracing a sign of the cross dates back to Old Testament times, when ashes were placed on people who consciously desired to turn away from their selfish ways and enter into a more life giving and wholesome relationship with God.
More information on Lent and Ash Wednesday can be found below:
BISHOP’S IN-SERVICE
Our annual Bishop’s Inservice Day will be held on Friday 16 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 Social Justice and Action. The speakers will include Bishop Michael McCarthy and Diocesan Director of Catholic Education, Miss Leesa Jeffcoat. Staff will participate in a variety of workshops.
It is always a great day for personal faith development and all staff appreciate this opportunity to focus their attention and learn something new.
MAKING JESUS REAL
MJR emphasises the spirituality of the everyday.
Our focus this term will be on one of MJR’s key messages/strategies:
GREET, SPEAK, TREAT.
This asks us to welcome and include others, speak and act with kindness and respect, and treat others as we would like to be treated (Colossians 3:12-14). If we are able to do this, we will Make Jesus Real in our everyday lives and relationships.
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 two 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.
MINI VINNIES RECYCLING CHALLENGE
Our Mini Vinnies group challenges everyone to once again make a difference by recycling containers brought to school in lunchboxes and purchased at the tuckshop. By putting plastic bottles, Glee cans and popper boxes into the recycling bins near the tuckshop and in the P-2 eating area we can help others and the environment.
A big THANK YOU to the many students who have already started recycling these containers.
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.
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 – Mother Teresa)
Noeleen Kliese
Assistant Principal Religious Education
APA News
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 (see 'how to' guide in the link button below) by tomorrow, Friday 02/02/24. Accepting the ICT Code of Practice will allow the use of ICT within school.
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.
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).
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.
STUDENTS WITH ASTHMA
If your child identifies as having Asthma and their medication and completed forms have not already been returned to the office, forms will again be sent home today to complete as soon as possible.
Please return completed forms and labelled medication to the office.
HAIR / JEWELLERY
A big thankyou to those parents who followed up so promptly in regards to correcting uniform issues last week. The vast majority of students are meeting the high standard of uniform expectations which we pride ourselves on at Emmanuel.
There are two main issues which are required to be addressed by a small number of students, and we ask parents to do so by Monday 5 February:
- 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. Primarily these should be gold or silver: NO COLOURED OR GLITTERY EARRINGS.
- Hairstyles: Hair should be clean, brushed and generally neat – not unruly. Extreme hairstyles are not acceptable – particularly MULLET CUTS. Please ensure your child meets expectations by the beginning of Week 3, Monday 6 February. If these requirements cannot be met by this time, please contact the school office.
- A reminder that hair past collar length should be tied up – this applies to ALL STUDENTS
UPDATING DETAILS
If there have been any changes to your contact details (e.g. address, phone number, email address) please update these in Parent Lounge. This will ensure that you are up to date and receiving all correspondence from our school.
Amanda McDonald
Assistant Principal Administration
Strategic Priorities 2024
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
MACKAY DISTRICT SCHOOL SPORTS - FORMS AVAILABLE FOR COLLECTION
The following Mackay District Sport forms are available for collection from Mrs Bottcher who will be in the Tuckshop area at Morning Tea. 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 SWIMMING TRIALS / SWIMMING NOMINATIONS (DUE Monday 5th February)
• MDSS 10-19 yrs Boys and Girls SWIMMING TRIALS / SWIMMING NOMINATIONS (DUE Monday 5th February)
• MDSS 10 - 12 yrs Boys and Girls AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL TRIALS (Due Thursday 8th February)
• MDSS 10 - 12 yrs Boys and Girls BASKETBALL TRIALS (Due Friday 9th February)
• MDSS 10-19 yrs Boys and Girls SQUASH TRIALS (Due Monday 19th February)
• MDSS 10-11 & 10-12 BOYS & GIRLS NETBALL TRIALS (Due Friday 9th February)
Students who wish to nominate should be clearly competent and have played a reasonable amount of the sport
PLEASE NOTE:
Students wishing to trial for inclusion in the MDSS Netball trials are asked to attend the Emmanuel School trial (as outlined by Miss Kirwan today) to be held TOMORROW – FRIDAY 2/02/24. Please bring / wear netball shoes for this trial.
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.
Notices
School zone safety – advice for motorists, parents and carers
With school back for 2024, we need to keep safety top-of-mind when travelling through active school zones and around our school community.
School zone times have been standardised in Queensland to help motorists remember when to slow down. The standard operating times for most school zones in Queensland are 7–9am and 2–4pm, with some operating all day between 7am–4pm.
Speeding remains a significant concern, contributing to fatalities and injuries, and police will be on the lookout for speeding motorists. Keeping below the signed speed limit in school zones helps keep everyone safe. This simple adjustment may have minimal impact on travel time but has the potential to significantly contribute to saving lives.
Children's crossings are identified by children's crossing flags, displayed near crossings before and after school hours.
When the crossing is supervised, you, as a motorist, must:
- Wait until all pedestrians, bicycle riders, or personal mobility device riders have crossed the road and the crossing supervisor has returned to the footpath.
- Abide by the direction given by the School Crossing Supervisor.
Please keep our children safe by staying alert, slowing down and obeying our school crossing supervisors who are there to help kids cross the road safely.
You can also help children become more road safety aware by:
- Showing them how to look for vehicles coming in and out of driveways and discourage them from playing behind parked cars, or with toys or balls when walking to school.
- Ensuring your child knows the safest route to and from school. This is usually the way with the least traffic and the fewest roads to cross and teach your child to always walk on footpaths.
- Showing your child how to cross at traffic lights when the green 'walk' sign is showing at pedestrian crossings when vehicles have stopped and at supervised school crossings when the supervisor has signalled it is safe to do so.
- Accompanying children when walking or riding to school until they are old enough to understand road safety (usually around 10 years or older).
- Teaching your child if they catch the bus to never cross in front of or behind a bus; wait until the bus goes before crossing the road.
- Making sure wheeled devices (bicycle, scooter, skateboard, or rollerblades) used to travel to school are well maintained and that the appropriate protective and safety gear (for example, helmet, visible clothing, knee and elbow pads) are used.
Visit the Street Smarts website for more information about what to do at pedestrian and children crossings.
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