St Finbarr’s Student Protection Contacts

Genny McNair ~ Prue Bodkin

St Finbarr’s Parish School

Jabiru Street, P.O. Box 34 Quilpie, QLD, 4480

Phone: (07) 46561412—Fax: (07) 4656 1306

Email: Quilpie@twb.catholic.edu.au

Newsletter Checklist

Tuckshop Enve-

lope

Book Club

Letter to parents

QCEC funding

response.

Important dates

2nd June Pente-

cost Assembly

11.30am Mary

Mackillop Room

9th June Pirate

Day

12th June Dino-

saur Time ma-

chine

20th June Jim

Midgley Visit

23rd June Last

Day Term 2

25th June Mass

6.00pm

10th July First

Day Term 3

Volume: 7

Issue: 9

Date: 31st May 17

Dear Parents and Friends

This week is National Reconciliation Week and commemorates the 50th anniversary of the 1967 Referen-dum, when Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders were counted as Australian citizens. ‘Two Worlds,’ a song written and performed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students across the

diocese in conjunction with Josh Arnold as part of the 2017 ‘Identity Matters’ project has just been re-

leased. This music video was shared with our students last Friday, Sorry Day, a Day to commemorate con-

flicts of the past in our history and as a lead into Reconciliation Week. Josh is a very talented song writer,

and his ability to capture the essence of the people and community through words, music and video is in-

credible, as many of you are familiar with the Quilpie ‘Simply Unique’ music clip and also the words of our

school song. The ‘Two World’ Video clip will be a great resource to have in our school and was well received

by our students. The video can be found on You Tube.

Next week I will be attending 3 days of the Toowoomba Catholic Schools Reading Improvement Strategy

rollout. The focus of these days will be on strategies and expectations for Principals and Middle Leaders

embedding expected practices in schools and the third day is directed at Learning support teachers to im-

plement strategies to enhance teacher practice in reading instruction. Already many of the Advisory Visiting

Teachers have been involved in reading strategy coaching with teachers to implement the rollout in schools

in the coming year. Our teachers and myself will be involved in training next term in 2 x 2-day blocks. More

information will be forthcoming regarding these. This has been a fundamental project with a large invest-

ment of resources by the TCSO and will be a great benefit to our students in coming years.

During my absence next week, Lisa Kynock will be replacing me as deputiser. Lisa is an experienced teacher

from St Johns in Roma and this is an opportunity for her to gain experience in leadership in a small school.

Miss Jaeger has settled into school and the community this week. She is thoroughly enjoying all that a

small school offers, including the enthusiasm of country children. I have been very impressed with Sam’s

commitment to teaching and the manner in which she has taken ownership of her class, to identify individu-

al strengths and abilities and to use these observations to direct her teaching.

Congratulations to Liam and Lace who competed at the District Cross Country in Charleville on Friday. Lace

placed 4th and Liam placed 5th in their events. They both enjoyed the day and although, were in some re-

spects glad they weren’t competing at the regional level this Friday, said they would like to compete again

next year.

We are calling for Prep enrolments for 2018 to guide our planning for next year. From talking to others in

the community there seem to be a very small number of students across the community who are eligible to

enrol in Prep next year. Please encourage any families to contact the school if they are considering enrol-

ling their child next year as the small number may affect the manner in which Mini Finnies is run next Se-

mester.

Warm regards

Genny

“Let your smile change the world but don’t let the world change your smile.”

Mobile Breast Screening Service

There will be a Breast Cancer screening mobile service head-

ing to Quilpie Hospital from 5th June—7th June 2017.

Before and after hours appointments available

Appointment can be made via 13 20 50

Project Compassion Boxes

For those who still have Project Compassion boxes at

home, we would appreciate if you could return them to

the school as soon as possible so we can pass these do-

nations on. Thank you to everyone who has donated

and collected donations.

Outstanding School Fee Reminder

A friendly reminder that school fees have gone out for this

term. If you have paid your account, please disregard this

message. If not, we would appreciate if you could attend to

your account as soon as possible. Our bank details are:

National Australia Bank

BSB: 084 829 Account No: 508867529

Please use a surname as a reference so we make sure your

deposit is receipted correctly. Thank you.

Pirate Day Friday

Friday 9 June 2017 (next Friday)

AHOY THERE ME MATEYS!

Join us in raising awareness and funds to sup-

port childhood cancer research.

IT’S EASY!

1. Get your crew together

2. Dress in your Pirate SWASHBUCKLING

best and

3. Bring along your PIRATE TREASURE

(a gold coin donation) to fight kids’ cancer!

Pirate Day Friday is a collaboration between The Kids’

Cancer Project and The Adventurers, raising funds to

support childhood cancer research.

Quilpie and District Carnival Dates

Athletics – Friday, 28th July

Swimming – Friday, 17th November

District Cross Country Trials

Congratulations to Liam and Lace who competed in the District

Cross Country last week. They both competed well and they both

said they lad a really good time. Lace said she jogged the whole

way and Liam said he was so puffed at the end but it was fun.

Hot Lunches

As the weather is beginning to cool children do enjoy some-

thing hot for lunch. As in previous years can we please ask

that parents to either bring hot items at lunch time or pack

hot foods in thermos flasks.

It can be difficult heating foods for

groups of children at the beginning of

lunch breaks.

Go Queensland!

Parish News

Pentecost Sunday has been called “The Birthday of the

Christian “. In the Acts of the Apostles, Luke recounts the

events of that day when the followers of Jesus and Mary,

His Mother were gathered together.

The rushing wind and the appearance of the flames hov-

ering over each one there, serve to emphasise what was

happening. Jesus had promised the disciples that He

would sent the Holy Spirit to be their Helper and Guide, to

teach them all Truth and to remain with them.

The power of the Holy Spirit was demonstrated when the

Galileans were heard speaking in the many languages of

those who had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Pente-

cost festival. The visitors heard the disciple speaking of

the wonders the Lord had done.

Peter, (the man who had denied that he knew Jesus)

spoke to the gathering about Jesus. And says Luke, about

3000 were baptised and joined the group of believers.

The spirit is also in our lives giving us the courage and insight we need in out own lives.

St. Finbarr’s will celebrate Pentecost with a Prayer Assembly led by those students who were confirmed last year and those who

will be confirmed this. This will be at 11.30am on Friday 2 June in the Mary Mackillop room.

On 12 June I will be joined by a PERUVIAN Sister of St. Joseph who will be here until the end of term Sr.

CHARO ZURITA is coming to Australia to attend a Josephite conference and spend some time learning

about the ministeries of the sisters in Australia. Quilpie will be Sr. Charo’s outback experience. She also

hopes to improve her conversational English. Her visit will deepen our awareness of life for the Peruvian

people. I know you will make her welcome!

Sr. Margaret.

3-6 News

Hello Parents and Friends,

In the past week and a half, the students in the 3-6 class have been getting to know me and

have been working really hard in and out of the classroom. As I am a new teacher in the school

I have decided to set up the Class DOJO system. This is an online behaviour system that tracks

the children’s behaviour through the day and it can also be seen at home and used as a com-

munication tool between parents and teachers. I have heard that some parents and students

have worked with class DOJOs be-

fore and parent’s login can still be

used. I look forward to seeing this

behaviour system work within the

class and rewarding the children for

good behaviour. I look toward the

remainder of the term and getting

to know your children better.

Thank you Miss Jaeger

Students of the Week

Congratulations to our Students of the Week

for weeks 5 & 6 of Term 2. In week 5, these

students were Hunter from the 3

-6 class for beginning his work

promptly and Stuart from the P-

2 class for listening and follow-

ing directions. In week 6, they were Darcy

from the 3-6 class for his hard work in maths

and Elroy from the P-2 class for never giving

up. Well done!

Simultaneous Story Time and

the Biggest Morning Tea

Last Wednesday the P-2 class walked down to

the Kindy to join with the Quilpie State College

and the Kindy kids to be a part of the National

Simultaneous Story Time. The children all sat

together and at exactly 11.00am, story time be-

gan. It was an interesting book about how the

cow finally came to jump over the moon. The P-2

class thoroughly enjoyed listening to it.

Following Story Time, we went out into the Kindy

yard where we enjoyed a lovely morning tea as

part of the Cancer Council Australia’s “Biggest

Morning Tea” fundraiser. St Finbarr’s made a do-

nation to the Cancer Council Australia and

brought along a platter of cakes and biscuits to

add to the lovely spread of food

that the children enjoyed for morn-

ing tea.

Our Clever Preps! Congratulations to our Preps who have all finished their Golden Sight words. They were presented with awards last week and are now concen-trating very hard on learning their red words. Keep up the hard work!

Lately in the P-2 Classroom…

Once a week, the P-2 classroom have a

technology session with Mrs Haylock.

They each have a designated computer.

They have been learning about typing,

capital letters on the computer, resizing

font and changing font colour just to

name a few. The frowns of concentra-

tion are mirrored right across the class-

room as the students think hard about

each task as the photographs show!

They all do wonderful work and are

learning so quickly!

At the end of each day just before

home time, the P-2 class gather togeth-

er on the mat to have their “Show and

Share” time. During this time, two stu-

dents take a turn to stand in front of

the class and talk about something im-

portant to them whether it be a toy,

something that interests them, a holi-

day etc. Once they have finished speaking, they ask for any questions and then choose

three students to ask questions about their topic. It is a won-

derful opportunity

for all students to

practise their pub-

lic speaking skills

as well as listening

carefully to others

so they can ask

interesting ques-

tions.

The things they say!

Ava asked Miss Janell what was the

difference between Miss Jen, Miss

Janell and Miss Belinda and the oth-

ers such as Mrs McNair, Mrs Haylock

and Mrs Moran. Miss Janell went into

detail about how teachers work very

hard studying after they finish school

at university where

over a few years they

learn to be teachers.

Ava thought hard

about this and decid-

ed she was satisfied and said: “Oh, so

you are an improper teacher then”. …………………………………………………………………………..

Clay—”Miss Janell, I speededed to

school this morning on my scooter!”