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Monday 25th February 2019 Term 1 Week 5
Dear Families
One of our major big rocks or goals for this year is
to cultivate creativity in our students. Our
teachers are designing programs with inquiry at
their centre, urging our students to look at the world
in creative ways and develop learning attributes that
will set them on the path to a lifelong love of
learning.
One of the biggest challenges for our teachers is to
model these attributes themselves. As parents this
is also something great to model to your children.
Let them see you modelling an enthusiasm for
life and learning, asking questions, celebrating
strengths and looking for ways to grow the
areas you find difficult. The example of
significant adults in their lives will teach them far
more than the words we speak to them.
There is a lot in our world to ask questions about and
find creative solutions for. At our Bishop’s Inservice
Day last week I was really challenged to set a better
example for the students I care for at Star of the
Sea.
The day was focused around the Pope’s Laudate Si
encyclical on Care for our Common Home which
was published in 2015.
Talking about Church documents usually makes
everyone’s eyes roll back in their head but they have
actually contributed greatly to the development of
social justice systems in our world throughout
history.
Laudate Si is ground breaking in the way it was
addressed to the entire world. It makes good use of
scientific data and the contributions of other
religions and it values the perspectives and
teachings of Church communities from across the
planet.
What I love most is the document’s urgent call for
us to start a worldwide conversation, asking
questions and talking with each other – bringing the
whole human family together to discuss how we
are shaping the future of our common home.
Additionally, it urges us to ask questions and
make decisions based on our hearts and
concern for each other and not just a sense of
duty.
It really made me start to wonder about what more
I should be doing to care for this beautiful planet we
are caretaking for our kids.
As a school we are going to be asking questions
about what we can do better. As a Reef Guardian
School we should be particularly committed to
practices that care for our water ways. We have a
group of leaders engaging in the Future Leaders Eco
Challenge later this term and we look forward to
seeing what initiatives spring from this.
Please talk with your children about their ideas and
encourage them to share them with us.
Have a wonderful week everyone!
God bless you
Jennett Mullane
Principal
As we approach the season of Lent I invite you to
ponder the following reflection by Father Richard
Leonard – how can we change our hearts and turn
back to God this Lent? The story may be one I have
shared before, but it is one that can be read over
and over again.
HOMILY by Richard Leonard SJ taken from Liturgy
Help website
Some years ago I was at an annual parents’ dinner
for a Catholic school for profoundly disabled
children.
A well-known local politician, whose child was in the
school, was asked to speak. This is what he said:
'I would like to pay tribute to the staff at this school.
Only parents and teachers know what a joy and a
heartbreak it is to have a profoundly disabled child.
I always wanted the perfect child, but where is the
perfection in my son David? We are told that God
looked at the world and it was perfect, but my son
cannot understand things as other children do. David
cannot remember facts and figures as other children
do. David walks with difficulty and cannot speak.
How can God be filled with joy at David?'
The audience was shocked by this pained question
from an anguished father.
'I believe', the father continued, 'that when God
allows a world in which David can now live for 50
years, perfection is found in the way people react to
children like him.'
'Just recently David and I were walking in our local
park. Some boys had been there most of the day
playing cricket. They were serious about this
competition. David was very excited and I knew he
wanted to join in. David has terrible physical co-
ordination, but I approached one of the boys on the
pitch and asked if David could play.
The boy looked around for guidance from his mates.
Getting none, he took matters into his own hands
and said “Things are tight, we have to get six runs
to win but we'll try and give him a bat”. David smiled
broadly. After scoring three more runs the next boy
got out. David was put up the batting order and
called to the wicket. I helped him get out there.'
'Everyone knew that it was all but impossible for my
son to help them win the game. He didn't even know
how to hold the bat properly, let alone hit with it.
The bowler, however, sent down a soft ball so David
could at least make contact. The second similar ball
came and David swung clumsily and missed it. One
of David's team mates came up to him and together
they held the bat and faced the bowler waiting for
the next ball.'
'As the ball came down, David and his teammate
swung at the ball and together they hit a strong
ground shot to the boundary. At his captain's urging
David stumbled up the pitch as quickly as he could.
Never in his life has David run so fast. He came back
for a second run as the fielder saved the ball from
being four runs and so the team was screaming for
a third run. The fielder could have thrown the ball to
David's stumps and got him out. On the winning
third run, however, he threw the ball to the other
end where the other batsman was safely home. The
keeper casually sent it up to David's end, just as
David was completing the third, winning run.'
'That day', said the father softly with tears now
rolling down his face, 'those boys showed me why
God always looks at creation and knows it is very
good.'
Jesus said, 'If you love those who love you, what
credit is that? Be kind, be merciful, forgive and do
not condemn, for the measure you give out is the
measure you will receive'. © Richard Leonard SJ.
Have a wonderful week, let us work together to take
care of each other!
Kellie Richardson
Assistant Principal: Religious Education
From our APRE
WEEK 5
Year 1 invite you to their assembly presentation on
Friday 1st March at 8.35am in the Covered Courts
Area.
WEEK 6
Everyone is invited to join us for our Ash
Wednesday Mass on Wednesday 6th March at
9.30am in the Star of the Sea Church.
Prep - Year 3 will attend a Liturgy of the Word
at 11am in the Star of the Sea Church.
We pray for each member of our school
community in 2019: May we seek always to make
Jesus real for each other in our words and actions.
We pray for those members of our school
community who are battling sickness and
suffering in their life: May they find healing and
comfort.
We pray for those affected by natural disaster
including those affected by floods in North
Queensland: May they receive the support and
care they need to recover.
Liturgies and Assemblies
IN OUR PRAYERS
USE OF STUDENT TOILETS
Parents and all visitors to the school are
requested to NOT USE THE STUDENT
TOILETS. This includes toddlers and
preschool age children please.
No adults are allowed in
the student toilets before,
during and after school even
to assist with changing clothes etc.
We have toilets available on the first floor
for your use. Please ask at the School
Office for directions.
This procedure is an important part of our
Child Protection Processes and we
appreciate your support in complying with
this request.
Gladstone Proudly supporting
Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School See us for all your Property Management, Buying and Selling
Needs Mark Spearing Director 0418886514
Happy Meals – Guilt Free
Have you ever allowed your children to have a happy
meal from McDonald’s and felt a little guilty? Well
don’t worry, over the next few weeks, your guilt can
be removed with the knowledge that with the meal,
they will get a book to read.
AUSPELD, the Australian Federation of Supporting
People with Learning Difficulties Association, has
announced the release of the Roald Dahl Happy
Reader Books, which have recently been made
available at McDonald’s stores throughout Australia.
SPELD associations across Australia will be
celebrating 50 years of service in 2019 and view the
sharing of books as the ultimate way to celebrate
this achievement.
Readers will have the opportunity to access the
wonderful world of Roald Dahl through a variety of
interactive, educational activity books. Eight of
Roald Dahl’s stories have been adapted and are
available in a collection case: Fantabulous BFG,
Amazing Matilda, Lucky Charlie Bucket, Brave Little
Sophie, Wonderful Mr. Willy Wonka, Marvelous Miss
Honey, Rotsome Giants and Mischievous Chocolate
Factory Children.
Each book will include AUSPELD’s top tips for reading
with children, a list of carefully selected strategies
that reflect current best practice.
I am not encouraging you to feed your children
McDonald’s but I am hoping if you do, by providing
your children with access to these iconic and classic
books, their love of reading will continue to grow;
and their reading skills will continue to improve.
Here is a copy of the reading tips from SPELD.
Top Tips for reading with children:
• Children of all ages love having someone read to
them, even once they become competent readers.
Reading a story together provides an opportunity to
share an adventure, solve a mystery or escape from
a potentially scary situation.
• Discuss the book before reading it to your child.
Talk about the title and illustrations on the cover and
predict what the story is likely to be about.
• Help your child learn the meaning of unfamiliar
words and to make sense of the story. Ask questions
about the story like, “What might happen next?” or
“What do these words tell us about a particular
character?”
• If your child is able to read, try taking turns to read
sentences or paragraphs. If they come across a word
that is too difficult to read, ask them to break the
word into
syllables and then sounds, and then blend the
sounds together to make a word.
• Once you are done, talk about the story, for
example: what happened in the story; and what did
your child like or not like. Encourage discussion by
building on what your child
Says.
Have a great week.
Anthony King
Assistant Principal: Curriculum
DATE CLAIMER P&F Meeting
Tuesday 5th March
6:30pm
Come along at 6pm for
drinks, nibblies and a chat
beforehand.
Look forward to
seeing you all there!
CURRICULUM NEWS
Our Student Protection Contacts were introduced to
the students on Assembly this week. These contacts
and all who work in Catholic Schools play a vital role
in ensuring our students are provided with a safe
and supportive environment in which to learn.
Student protection and wellbeing are of primary
importance in all of our Catholic Schools. We believe
that each of us is made in the image of God, and our
children have the right to expect that the school will
always act to protect them from any kind of harm.
Catholic Education in the Diocese of Rockhampton
complies with all Student Protection legislative
requirements. This includes meeting the
accreditation requirements of the Non-State School
Accreditation Board, which has approved the
Student Protection processes to be used in schools.
Our Student Protection staff also play an educative
role in relation to staff Student Protection training
and other Student Protection strategies and their
names are displayed on our Student Protection
Posters as a reminder to students that they always
have someone to talk to. Our Student Protection
Contacts for 2019 are listed below. Please do not
hesitate to talk to us if you would like more
information about our Student Protection processes.
Jennett Mullane – Principal
Kellie Richardson – Assistant Principal:
Religious Education and Prep Teacher
Anthony King – Assistant Principal:
Curriculum and Year 6 Teacher
Louise Sisley – Year 4 Teacher
Melissa Davey – School Counsellor
Gail Whiting – OSHC Coordinator
STAR OF THE SEA STUDENT PROTECTION
CONTACTS
Congratulations to the following students who received
the Student of the Week Award – Term 1 Week 4.
Congratulations to Amaya K (1 A), Chayse M (1/2 B),
Sienna D (2A), Jake M (3A), Adam P (3/4B), Loïc S
(4A), Kobe S (5A), Ishan G (5B), Lucas R (6A) and
Sophie B (6B).
Congratulations to Bryce S, Edward M, Casey F and
Johnti M on being selected for the Port Curtis AFL team.
Congratulations to Alyssa K on being selected to attend
the Capricornia Basketball Trials.
Congratulations to Charlette W, Dakota G, Lily D and
Felicity D on being selected to attend the Capricornia
Hockey Trials.
If you are a current Star of the Sea family
and have a child to enrol in Prep 2020, please contact the school office on
49721305 to complete an Enrolment Enquiry Form. Enrolment Packages (including application forms) will be
forwarded home in Term 2 to current Star of the Sea families.
Star of the Sea Outside School Hours Care
Before School Care:
6am - 8.15am $18 / child
After School Care: 3pm - 6pm $24 / child
For enrolments, bookings and more information,
Or call Gail on 0417 614 316
**School Banking Day Each Wednesday**
School Banking information packs are available
from the school office.
A “Student Achievement” book is available in the school office for all parents to submit details of their child/children’s achievements in the school
newsletter. Please contact the school office on 49721305 for further information.
Student of the Week Award
Term 1 Week 4
Prep 2020
Port Curtis AFL Team
Port Curtis 10-12 Years
Girls Basketball Team
Port Curtis Girls’s Hockey Team 2019
The following notices are for information only. Neither the
Principal nor agents or employees of the Roman Catholic
Church or Star of the Sea School make any warranty or
representation about the information provided in this section.
