11 June 2020

Newsletter Articles

IMPORTANT DATES

Thursday 11th June – Open Classroom (8:20am-8:40am)
Friday 12th June – Term Two School Fees Due
Friday 19th June - Mount Isa Show Day Holiday (Even though this is not happening this is still a public holiday)
Friday 26th June - Last Day of Term Two
Tuesday 14th July – First Day of Term Three

PRINCIPALS REPORT

Dear Parents and Carers

As restrictions ease and we start to get back to normal we find ourselves once again re-socializing in the workplace and public spaces. Having been isolated to some degree I found the attached article very interesting and helpful.

I am well aware, as are the people I work with and my family that I have my own particular quirks! No need to confirm them for me - I am aware. We all do, and so do our students/ children. While the article is directed to workplaces I think there is relevance in our day to day interactions as well. Tolerance and acceptance are part of who we are as a Catholic community, a part of what we teach students and something we want them to possess as well adjusted adults, and clearly, in recent weeks we have seen how a lack of it can lead us to some difficult places.

The one line that stood out for me in this article was the following, 'Remember that it is OK to be different, odd or eccentric. But it's not ok to be inconsiderate, disrespectful or offensive. Consideration, tolerance and flexibility need to work both ways.' I hope you enjoy the article.

Also over the past two weeks we have had a number of students become a little anxious about their return to school; some are concerned about the Corona virus returning, others just adjusting to school after Home Learning and, others just sharing our school space with a greater number of people. We will continue to work with parents and staff to ensure our students feel safe. The following sites also offer some great advice for families in helping their children who may be experiencing these feelings.

Parenting Ideas

Our monthly P&F meeting will be held next Tuesday 16th June. This will be our first meeting since COVID started. It will start at 5.30pm in the Parent Engagement Room. Please come and join us as this is the forum to have a say and listen to what is happening at school. All new members are welcomed.

Thank you for your continued patience with pick-up, I know the line is long, however all students are safely in cars by 3:00pm. I am very grateful and appreciative of all of the extra time our staff are giving to help with supervision at peak pick-up times.

Blessing for the coming weeks

APPRAISAL SURVEY

2020 is the third year of Claudine Dank’s four year term as Principal - St Kieran’s Catholic School, Mount Isa. In line with Townsville Catholic Education Office procedures, an appraisal of Claudine Dank’s performance in the role is carried out at this time. She has written a Self-Review as the first step in the appraisal process. In the Self-Review, she looks at her work with six leadership and management aspects: Faith and Mission, Education, Staff, Community, Strategic Management and Organisation.

I am asking for your assistance in gathering some feedback from the staff and parent communities to assist Claudine to continue to develop her leadership skills. You are invited to take part in this process by completing the electronic survey, which I have prepared in consultation with her and returning it by clicking on the SUBMIT button when complete.

If you could provide your responses to me by Friday, 5th June it would be appreciated. Anonymous contributions will not be considered.

Click on this link to access Survey B Survey B - Claudine Dank

Many thanks for your assistance and I look forward to receiving your input.

Kath Tarttelin
A/Education Consultant

APRE

Three in one!

Trinity Sunday, officially called "The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity," is one of the few celebrations of the Christian Year that commemorates a reality and doctrine rather than a person or event. On Trinity Sunday, the faithful remember and honour the eternal God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Trinity Sunday is celebrated the Sunday after Pentecost, and lasts only one day, which is symbolic of the unity of the Trinity.

God is love. But if God is love, God cannot be alone. This is the heart of Trinity Sunday. Love requires someone who loves, one who is loved and the fruit of that love. If God is love, then God the Father is the one who loves, God the Son is the one who is loved and the fruit of that love is God the Holy Spirit. Sound confusing, strange, or like nonsense? That is why the Trinity is a mystery and no one can fully understand it.

God, we praise you:

Father all powerful, Christ our Lord and saviour, Spirit of Love.
You call us to share in our life and love; one God, three persons.
Amen.

This Sunday we celebrate the feast of Corpus Christi. Corpus Christi is Latin for ‘the Body of Christ’ and it focuses on the Eucharist as a symbol of unity. The Eucharist is never a private affair but always a call to unity. Hopefully it won’t be long before we are able to fill the church again to share in this meal.

Thank you
Peta Laffin

PARISH INFOMATION

Dear Parishioners

I am very pleased to advise that the Bishop has approved our COVID Safe Plan for the Parish and we are able to re-open the Church with the first Mass scheduled for 6pm on Saturday, 13th June 2020.

Below you will find the link to book in for the Masses we have scheduled until the end of June. We are limited to 20 people per Mass and we ask that you book in for only ONE Mass per week to give everyone the opportunity to attend. Only those that are registered for each Mass will be allowed to enter the Church.

The link to book online is here:

Please be aware of the Bishop’s Liturgical guidelines that must be adhered to when attending Mass:

• If you are unwell – Stay home
• If you are over 70 or have other Medical conditions you are encouraged to stay home
• You must sanitise your hands on entry and exit from the Church
• All attendees must register at Church including your contact phone number (these records will be destroyed after 28 days).
• Please observe social distancing at all times especially in the Communion queue. We ask that you leave FOUR empty seats between you and the next individual or group. (Family members from the same household do not need to socially distance)
• No physical Sign of Peace is to be exchanged
• Sacrament by Host and only in the hand

If you have any questions please call the Parish office on 07 4749 8555.

God bless you all.

Bernie

Bernadette Gillies
Parish Secretary
Good Shepherd Parish

DIOCESAN INFORMATION

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN AT ST KIERAN’S

Each fortnight we will profile a section of our Annual School Improvement Plan for 2020. This is the document that guides our plans and priorities for the year. We prepare this document based on initiatives set by the Townsville Catholic Education Office and through consultation with our school stakeholders: parents, staff and students.

CURRICULUM

Reading Sprints

The first five weeks of this term we conducted a reading sprint in our school which focussed on improving reading though one on one reading with an adult at least three times a week. The students that participated in this sprint all showed improvement with the minimum growth being one reading level and some students moving as much as three reading levels. Following the success of this sprint we will continue this model adding new students who require reading support.

What does this mean for parents? It reinforces what we already know, reading with and to your child can help with language acquisition and literacy skills. Like every life skill, you only get better at it if you practice regularly. Here at Saint Kieran’s we streamlined homework to ensure that reading is the major focus. Readers are sent home weekly and the children are encouraged to borrow from the library every week.

PREP ENROLMENTS 2021

Families seeking enrolment of their child into Prep for 2021 are invited to complete an Application for Enrolment, available on our website at the link below or alternatively collect an application package from the School Office.

As we are anticipating that there will continue to be strong demand for placements within our Prep groups for 2021, it is important that applications are received by the school as soon as possible.

Please note that if you have a sibling of a current St Kieran’s student you will also need to complete an enrolment application for your child for Prep 2021. Students enrolled at St Joseph’s Kindergarten or St Mary Mackillop Early Learning Centre are also required to complete an application form.

St Kieran’s Catholic School works in partnership with St Joseph’s Catholic School and Good Shepherd Parish to coordinate the Prep enrolment process so that the best opportunity is afforded to all.

ESMART (CYBER SAFETY)

I have discovered a great website Kid’s Health and they have some good tips on computer use and exercise.

Kids Health

HPE

INDIGENOUS EDUCATION

Our Indigenous Education team have had a very busy couple of weeks meeting with students to set new goals and setting up programs for our students. We have started some new initiatives this term, these include:

Mentor Program

We are working to encourage our older indigenous students as leaders and role models in our school. We also want to target our young indigenous students who need support with their reading and sight words. We will match a senior with a junior student and they will become their mentor for the remainder of the term. Once a week in the 15 minutes following the second break they will buddy up to read in the sacred garden. The concept of buddy reading is supported through the Pedagogy of Difference research.

Indigenous Games

We talked to the children about leadership and culture, one of the projects they have chosen is to learn indigenous games, the cultural meaning behind them and to then teach them to others at lunchtimes (possibly once a fortnight).

Bush tucker/bush medicine research

Many of the plants in our sacred garden have significance as either bush medicine or bush tucker. Students will research and make signage to be put in the garden to teach others the uses of these plants.

Big Life Journal

Big Life Journal works on increasing self esteem and growth mindset in children. Children have nominated themselves for these programs. We have kept the groups small to ensure participation of all of the kids.

LIBRARY

On Wednesday 27th May at 11am the whole school joined over 1 million participants around Australia and listened to the story of the Chicken Divas. It was a fun story and the students had many laughs. Our Library wall and windows were displayed with the Chicken Divas that the children had made, which made the library very colourful. Brother Walker was kind enough to judge our Chicken Diva colouring in competition. He was quite impressed with the standard of entries and had trouble deciding on only one from each class.

Congratulations to the following students who won a Chicken Diva Pack:

Prep - Summer Sodenkamp
Year 1 - Kennedie Robinson
Year 2 - Oriah Westcott
Year 3 - Riley Crocker
Year 4 - Christopher Byrnes
Year 5 - Isabella Dolzan
Year 6 - Ashtyn Tully

ECO WARRIORS

Worm Cafe

A huge thank you to Bunnings for the donation of a worm cafe and worm eggs to our Eco Warriors. Yesterday some of our Eco Warrior kids had a great time putting the cafe together and preparing the soil for our little worm eggs to hatch in. We look forward to seeing our worms grow and feeding them compost collected from the classrooms.

Pizza Fundraiser

Thank you to all of our families who supported our pizza fundraiser last Friday. A special mention to Rowena and Grant Greenland who collected and helped serve the pizzas on the day. We raised close to $380 which will go towards various projects in our kitchen garden.

SCHOOL TOURS

TUCKSHOP

Term 2 Meal Deals

COMMUNITY NOTICES