St Finbarr’s Student Protection

Contacts are as follows.

Genny McNair

Kara Marsh

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

Principal: Mrs Genny McNair

Newsletter Checklist

Tuckshop enve-

lope

Performing Arts

festival letter Yr

3—6

Thargo Sports

Camp pack and

letter

Important dates

27th—31st July—

Catholic Education

Week.

31st July—Mini

Finnies begins.

7th Aug—Charl and

Dist Athletics and

Mary Mackillop As-

sembly 11.30am

9th Aug—Fr Jeff’s

Memorial 3pm @

Shire Hall

9th Aug—Mass and

Confirmation at St

Finbarr’s at 6pm

10th Aug—Green

and Gold Tuckshop

11th Aug ICAS math

testing Yr 3—6

11th Sept— School

Photos

12th Sept—Quilpie

Show

14—18 Sept—

Thargo Sports Camp

18th Sept—Last Day

Term 3

Dear Parents and Friends

Welcome to Catholic Education Week 2015 and what a wonderful week it has been. Bishop Robert, Fr Peter

and Fr Noel celebrated Mass on Sunday afternoon with a large congregation of parents, children and visitors.

The music and singing provided by Libby Rosentretor, Brett Rangirra and Mark Copland (all involved with CEO)

was inspiring.

Our visitors enjoyed the hospitality of Jack and Lynn at the Eagle Gallery with a view of Lynn’s recent art works

and a picturesque Western sunset as the backdrop for pre-dinner drinks. This was followed by a warm and

hearty dinner at the Heritage Inn.

The annual Bishops In-service Day was held on Monday, with Fr Noel Connelly as keynote speaker. Fr Connelly

is Chair of the Australian Mission Network and head of Mission and Culture at the Broken Bay Institute. He

spoke of Pope Francis and the challenges that the Church has in Mission in the world today. John Borserio an-

nounced the winners of a number of Catholic Education Week Awards and Mark Copland gave a short presenta-

tion on the Pope’s recently released Encyclical Letter on Ecology and Climate and care of our common home.

We wish to thank all of the parents, students and members of the school community who supported the activi-

ties over the weekend and especially to all of our wonderful parents and staff who assisted with the planning

and preparation of the events to make this Catholic Education week memorable to us and our visitors.

This week we welcome Sr Marg back after her recent surgery. Sr Marg is a very special presence at our school

and is very missed when she is not here. We also welcome Francis Mbabaali to our staff. Francis has taken up

the position of ICT Technician for the Western Schools. Francis has come to Australia from Uganda and has

been employed in the IT industry in Australia for the past 12 years. He has provided IT support for education at

Emmanuel College and Stuartholme. Francis will be living in Charleville and travelling to the Western schools.

Parents, staff members and students in years 5-7 should be receiving the RADII school survey this week by

email. All information remains anonymous, as a summary of the results is sent back to the school. Can I please

urge all families to complete this survey as the information will assist in our NSSAB accreditation in 2016?

Congratulations to all place getters and everyone who participated in the Quilpie and District Athletics Carnival.

I was very impressed with the level of sportsmanship and encouragement shown by everyone on the day. Dyl-

an and Anna have been selected to compete at the District Athletics Carnival next week in Charleville.

We will be attending the Thargomindah Sports Camp again this year. The camp will be held during the last

week of Term (14th – 18th September). We encourage all students to attend as this is a wonderful opportunity

to develop sporting skills and friendships outside of our school and local community. An information pack has

been included in this Newsletter. Please return this and the permission form, medical form and payment as

soon as possible, no later than 28th August.

Due to concerns with hearing and ear health in rural and remote areas a regular screening program is currently

being coordinated between the CEO Toowoomba and the Quilpie Hospital. Screening of all students will occur

annually, or 6 monthly, depending on the need. The next screening will occur on the 27 and 28 of August at the

Quilpie Hospital.

Warm regards

Genny

“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thankyou it will be enough.” Meister Eckhart

Volume: 6

Issue: 12

Date: 29th July 2015

School fees

Fees are due for payment by

14th August.

St Finbarr's School

BSB 084 829

Account no 50 886 7529 Mini Finnies

Mini Finnies will start on Friday 31st July at 9.00am

for all children who are starting Prep in 2016. If you

have children or know someone with children born

between 1 July 2010 and 30 June 2011, they are eligi-

ble to come along to Mini Finnies. Please contact the

office for an enrolment pack.

BOOK CLUB

PLEASE HAVE ORDERS BACK BY 14TH AUGUST

FRUIT BREAK

Please make sure you pack fruit break for your children on

Monday.

The Fruit Snack from the Shire Council finished in term 2

and fruit should be packed as normal on Monday.

Charleville Performing Arts Festival

The dates for the Performing Arts Festival are Friday

28 and Saturday 29 August.

Mrs Marsh has nominated those singers in her group

to compete.

Mr Grodecki is preparing the musicians to have a

group or solo ready for the Eisteddfod.

At this stage there is no program ready but we have

requested that the singing and music events are held

on the same day so we only have to go to Charleville

for a day.

A letter has been included. More info on this will be

published in the coming weeks as it becomes availa-

ble, but please mark the event down on your calen-

dars.

Father Jeff Scully

A Memorial Service is being held for

Father Jeff Scully

24/11/41—24/06/2015

Quilpie 1980—2007

3 pm Quilpie Shire Hall

Sunday 9 August

ALL WELCOME

Have you completed your RADII Survey?

Families should have received their RADII sur-

veys via email. Please complete these surveys

by this Friday 31 July. All responses are

anonymous.

BISHOP BILL will be leading the Memorial Service for Fr

Scully on Sunday 9 August.

This will be followed by Mass and Confirmation at St Finbarr’s at

6pm on 9 August.

The following day Bishop Bill will

be at school for Kite Flying. This is

also Green and Gold Tuckshop

Day. If any students have a kite at

home they are more than wel-

come to bring them along.

The Quilpie Community has been saddened by the death of Fr. Jeff Scully who died suddenly on 24

June. In his 27 years as Parish Priest of St Finbarr’s he endeared himself to the Quilpie Community by

his genuine, friendly approach.

Over these recent weeks, tributes to Jeff have appeared in social media, with many people voicing their

appreciation for Jeff’s involvement in their lives.

Hundreds attended his funeral services in Toowoomba. Quilpie people past and present were there in

great numbers. At the time of the funeral in St Patrick’s Cathedral, a group of St Finbarr’s residents

gathered in St Finbarr’s with Fr. Peter, to remember Jeff and thank God for his life and ministry in

Quilpie.

On 9 August at 3pm there will be a Memorial Service for Jeff in the Shire Hall. Bishop Bill Morris who

was in class with Jeff in the Seminary will be present. This will be an opportunity for the whole Quilpie

Community to celebrate Jeff’s life and ministry.

During the last few weeks, 3 people who had a part to play in the life of St Finbarr’s school, died.

Sr Margaret Daly (Sr. Joan) was on staff at St Finbarr’s for 6 years in the sixties.

Marie Schuurs worked as a teacher aide and administrative assistant in the eighties.

Laurie McGrath (husband of teacher, Terrel McGrath) was chief handyman and fixer around the

school and church. He built the ramp at the Church and the tuckshop step in the nineties.

We thank God for these people who shared their lives with us.

Sr Marg

Welcome to week 3 of term 3! We have been super busy already this term.

Sports Carnival

The sports carnival was a huge success and all of the students who participated did their best and really did their teams proud. All students behaved well. I saw great sportsmanship and support for team ma-tes. Well done!

ICAS Testing

Yesterday, the 3-6 students participated in their first ICAS (International Competitions and Assessments for Schools) testing competition. They were tested on their reading and comprehension skills. The next ICAS test will be in two weeks and they will be tested on their Mathematical skills. Well done to all of the 3-6 students who participated and did their best!

Bishop’s In-service day

We would like to thank the students who were able to attend the Bishop’s In-service Day on Monday to sing our school song. It was beautiful to see and hear our school song being sung to all of our guests, es-pecially our Bishop.

Homework

As you all would have noticed, our homework has changed slightly. Homework is a key component for students to complete set tasks each night. It is important for students to read EVERY night and that you sign their reading record books so I know they have read. If there are any difficulties please write a note or come and see me. All students know if they need help with a question in homework that they need to come and see me.

Until next time

Miss Taylor and the year 3-6 class

St Finbarr’s wel-

comes Francis

Mbabaali to our

staff. Francis is

replacing Jeeva

as our IT expert.

Quote of the week

Anna’s Dad rang Sarah last week to find out what a cinnamon was. “It’s a spice.” “No, Anna is doing her homework,” he

replied. “Oh, you mean a synonym!”

Matt was reading a book called Beaver’s Day and he said “Or should I say Justin Beiber’s Day?

It was wonderful to see so many students and families attend

Mass on Sunday to begin Catholic Education Week and Bishop’s

In-service Day. Thank you also to those students who came to

the Hall on the pupil free day to sing our school song to our visi-

tors from around the Western District Schools and the Cath Ed

Office. They did a beautiful job and should be very proud of

how they represented St Finbarr’s School.

Congratulations to all students who competed at the Quilpie and District Athletics

Carnival last Friday. McManus was victorious on the day taking out the Overall

Points Award as well as the Aggregate Award.

Congratulations to Dylan and Anna who have qualified to go on to Charleville for the

District Athletics next Friday 7 August. Dylan has qualified in all events and Anna

has qualified in the 100m and long jump. Best of luck to those two students.

Thank you to all staff, and parents who helped on the day and thank you to the fami-

lies who came along to cheer and support their children. Our sporting events are an

important event on our School calendar and it is great to see everyone showing their

support.