22 March 2021

Newsletter Articles

IMPORTANT DATES

Training with John Doyle – Mondays & Tuesdays – 7:55am - 8:20am
Cross Country Training - Thursdays & Fridays - 7:45am - 8:00am
Thursday 18th March - Free Dress Day (Basket Items)
Friday 19th March – Cross Country – 8:30am – 11:00am
Monday 22nd - Wednesday 24th March - Swimming Lessons
Wednesday 24th March - Lunch with family - 10.30am-11.15am
Thursday 25th March – Swimming Carnival – 4pm
Friday 26th March - Free Dress Day (Gold Coin Donation)
Thursday 1st April - Free Dress Day (Chocolates)
Thursday 1st April - Last day of term one
Tuesday 20th April – First day of term two

PRAYER / SPECIAL MESSAGE

The Francis Factor (Reflecting on theWords & Wisdom of Pope Francis)

All for Us At The Last Supper, with his friends, he breaks the bread and passes the cup around “for us”.The Son of God offers himself to us; he puts his Body and his Blood into our hands, so as to be withusalways,to dwell among us. And In the Garden of Olives, and likewise in the trial before Pilate, he puts up no resistance, he gives himself; heis the suffering Servant, foretoldby Isaiah, who empties himself,even unto death(cf. Isaiah 53: 12).(Pope Francis,Holy Thursdayliturgy, March 2017)

Reflection:

Take some time this week to thank God for the great gift of the Eucharist.

PRINCIPALS REPORT

Dear Parents and Carers,

I can not believe that we are already 7 weeks into the school year. It has gone so fast yet we still have so much to achieve before holidays. There are coloured clothes day for Fete, Cross Country, swimming lessons, swimming carnival, NAPLAN practice (1 test) online to make sure it is all working, Parent Teacher Interviews, GSCC work experience students and of course Holy Week. Holy week will be the first time for a while that the days fall in the correct order before Good Friday which is nice. As parents please keep reading the email from your teacher and also the SMS messages that are sent over the next 2 weeks. As I am sure there will be plenty of information.

One Tuesday night we had another Fete meeting with the Parents Engagement group. Fete preparations are underway in full force. Our school is so blessed having a group of parents who want to make the Fete happen, but also the time and energy they are placing into it. So far they have:

• completed the Covid plan for 10,000 and sent it to Queensland Health for approval.
• decided on the stalls for the night
  • Sent out sponsorship letters (I am personally very humbled by the donations that we are receiving)
  • Organised the amusement activities / rides / Kids Ally and jumping castles, etc
  • Lots of behind the scenes work, etc

BUT we need your HELP! In a few weeks your classroom teacher will be asking you to please spend some time on stalls during Fete time (7th May). It would greatly be appreciated if you could please allow for one hour or more spare to help out.

A few weeks ago I sent out an email in regards to a new initiative that we have this year. Something just for dads. Being part of the Fathering Project which has been designed based on research. It is great to see that we have some father’s interested in this and enrolled. In a nutshell it is about dads being part of a child’s education and school life, having conversations with other dads and also having events throughout the year with the kids. As dads are busy people I always see many mums around school so this is a way for us to get dads and feel like they are also part of the school. Next term we'll hold the first meeting to understand the project more. I will be only there at the start and once the dads are comfortable I will just be a check in person. If you have not done so already please join up.

As I have stated in previous newsletters, I am all about open and honest communication at all times. If you have an issue, be it big or small, please come and see me. I have an open door policy when it comes to parents. If you come and see me you will be listened to without solutions or judgements being made. If you would like some advice, I can certainly discuss with you some different solutions or strategies to be used depending on your circumstances. The bottom line is that we are on the same team, your child's team, and will work together to ensure they are safe and able to learn in an environment that is conducive to being inclusive and supported in a valued way.

Enjoy the next few weeks, God Bless

Claudine Dank

RELIGIOUS LIFE OF OUR SCHOOL

The Feast of Saint Patrick 17th of March

St. Patrick is the beloved patron saint of Ireland. The Irish are famous for spinning exaggerated tales, so despite the infamous stories traditionally attributed to St Patrick, quite little is actually known about his life. We do know that St Patrick was born in Britain and that at the age of 16 was captured by Irish raiders who attacked his family's estate. He was then transported to Ireland where he was held captive for six years, living a solitary, lonely life as a shepherd. It was then that he became a devout Christian, embracing his religion for solace. From his writing, we know that a voice, which he believed to be that of God, spoke to him in a dream, urging him to leave Ireland. He did. Walking nearly 200 miles, Patrick escaped to Britain and undertook serious religious training. After 15 years of study, Patrick was ordained as a priest and sent to Ireland. His mission was to minister to Christians and to convert the Irish, then predominantly pagans, to Christianity. Because Patrick was familiar with the Irish language and culture from his years of captivity, he chose to incorporate Irish ritual and symbols into his teachings rather than to eradicate Irish beliefs. Thus, was born the Celtic cross. Patrick superimposed the sun, a powerful Irish symbol, onto the traditional Christian cross so that the result would seem more natural to the Irish. It is documented that St Kieran (our patron saint) was a student of St Patrick and returned to Ireland under St Patrick's directive.

The Feast of Saint Joseph

In the Apostolic Letter entitled Patris corde (“With a Father’s Heart”), Pope Francis describes Saint Joseph as a beloved father, a tender and loving father, an obedient father, an accepting father; a father who is creatively courageous, a working father, a father in the shadows. The Letter marks the 150th anniversary of Blessed Pope Pius IX’s declaration of St Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church. To celebrate the anniversary, Pope Francis has proclaimed a special “Year of St Joseph,” beginning on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception 2020 and extending to the same feast in 2021.

We have been very grateful with the amount of Easter Eggs that have been received. If you are able to donate an Easter Egg that would be great. Next week we will be selling tickets (20c each - max 10) and they will be drawn on the last day of school.

All money raised will go towards Project Compassion.

ENHANCING CATHOLIC SCHOOL IDENITY PROJECT

As part of the school verification we are in the need for parents to fill out the Catholic Identity Survey. This survey will take at least half an hour of your time.

Date of commencement: 8 February 2021
Date of Completion: 1 April 2021

All surveys must be completed by April or sooner.

Website: https://ecsi.site/au/assessing/.
School: St Kieran’s Catholic School, Mount Isa
Password: Ghj654
Survey Access Code: u73614

Thank you very much for making time to participate in the Enhancing Catholic School Identity project. The purpose of this survey research is to gain meaningful insights into how your son or daughter’s school views its Catholic identity today and how such identity might be shaped for tomorrow.

Everyone’s input is important.

Your participation should take about 55 minutes. It’s best to finish the survey in one shot, without having to come back later.

Your responses are anonymous and your personal data is treated confidentially in accordance with ethical and legal guidelines.

Only you will be able to view your individual results and this can be done once you’ve completed the questionnaires.

PARISH INFORMATION

Last week we will begin our Confirmation Program retreat sessions. Below is a reminder for dates and times for the Confirmation retreats are as follows:

• Monday 3:30 - 4:30 pm at St Kieran’s School (8/3, 22/3,19/4 Confirmation)(11/3, 25/3, 22/4 Confirmation)
• Wednesday 3:30 - 4 :30 pm at St Joseph’s School (10/3, 24/3, 21/4 Confirmation)
• Thursday 5:00 - 6:00 pm at St Joseph’s School

A 30 minute reflection session will be offered after Mass on Sundays at 9am on the following dates 21/3, 18/4, 2/5 . These sessions are not compulsory, however, form an important part of your family's formation. Parents/Adults are required to accompany children to each retreat and reflection session as this is part of sharing in the journey. A big thank you to Miss Kate Andrews and Miss Lucy Pether who will assist families throughout their journey this year.

DIOCESAN BASED INFORMATION

Becoming New in Christ – Parish Renewal

Inspiration from Pope Francis: Christianity belongs to a people, to a people freely chosen by God. If we do not have this awareness of belonging to a people, we will be ideological Christians, with a small doctrine of affirmation of truth. If we do not have an awareness of belonging to a people, we are not true Christians.

If you would like to learn more about the ‘Becoming New in Christ’ Parish Renewal campaign, visit at the link below.

Chrism Mass

Due to current COVID-19 gathering restrictions, the annual Chrism Mass and Blessing of the Oils will take place with restricted numbers. Parishes will provide representatives to receive the oils on behalf of their parish. The Mass will be Live Streamed and available on the Diocesan YouTube Channel.

The Mass will take place on Tuesday 23 March.

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN
LEARNING & TEACHING

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.

LEARNING AND TEACHING

All Classroom Teachers will be conducting their Parent-Teacher interviews before the Easter holidays. Prep and Year 6 interviews will be held on Monday 22nd and Friday 26th March. Year 1 interviews will be held on Wednesday 24th and Friday 26th March. Year 2-5 interviews will be held on Monday 22nd and Tuesday 23rd March. Interviews will be of 20 minutes duration and are a great opportunity to see how your child/ren are progressing and settling into the new school year.

HPE

Our Cross Country is coming up quickly and we can't wait to see all our students having some fun on the course in their superhero outfits!

From our carnival, we will select a team of students who turn 10, 11 and 12 this year to attend the Mount Isa District carnival which will be held on Thursday 29th April.

Our swimming carnival will be held on Thursday 25th March from 4pm. Please remember to send back the permission forms that went home last week!

YOU CAN DO IT

In Years 4, 5 and 6, we have begun looking at People Bouncing Back.

If you are resilient you will be able to cope reasonably well with difficult situations and things that go wrong and then ‘bounce back’. Throughout life, children will need skills and attitudes to help them to bounce back. They will encounter everyday challenges such as making mistakes, falling out with a friend, moving house or school and losing in a sports competition. Many will also face challenges such as adapting to family break ups, a step-family, the illness or death of a family member, or being bullied. People bouncing back is the Curriculum Unit that teaches children the 10 Bounce Back! Statements.

✦✦Bounce Back! stands for:

Bad times don’t last. Things always get better. Stay optimistic.
Other people can help if you talk to them. Get a reality check.
Unhelpful thinking makes you feel more upset. Think again.
Nobody is perfect – not you and not others.
Concentrate on the positives (no matter how small) and use laughter.
Everybody experiences sadness, failure, hurt, rejection and setbacks sometimes, not just you. They are a normal part of life. Try not to personalise them.
Blame fairly. How much of what happened was due to you, to others and to bad luck or circumstances?
Accept what can’t be changed (but try to change what you can change first).
Catastrophising exaggerates your worries. Don’t believe the worst possible picture.
Keep things in perspective. It’s only part of your life.

✦✦Key messages to communicate to your child about ‘bouncing back’:

• Life is mainly good but now and then everyone has a difficult or unhappy time. Things always get better even though sometimes they may take a bit longer to improve than you would like. It is important to stay hopeful and expect things to
• get better.
• You will feel better and have more ideas about what to do if you talk to someone you trust about what’s worrying or upsetting you.
• Unhelpful thinking isn’t necessarily true and makes you feel worse. Helpful thinking makes you feel better because it is more accurate and helps you work out what to do.

• No one is perfect. We all make mistakes and find out there are some things we can’t do well.
• If you can find something positive or funny in a difficult situation, no matter how small, it can help you to cope better.
• We all need to take fair responsibility for the things we did or didn’t do that contribute to a difficult or unhappy situation. However, we should not over-blame ourselves because circumstances, bad luck or what others did may have contributed to the difficult situation, too.
• If a situation can’t be changed (e.g. having to move house or school or losing a pet) then you just have to accept it and live with it.
• Don’t make yourself miserable by exaggerating how bad something is or by assuming the worst possible picture is the one that will happen.
• When something goes wrong it usually only affects one part of your life. Concentrate on the things in your life that are still going well.

✦✦What can you do to help develop resilience in your child?

• Use the appropriate Bounce Back! statement with your child whenever you
• see the opportunity.
• Consider displaying the statements somewhere prominent so they serve as a useful prompt for your child (and the rest of the family!).
• Don’t over-protect your child from the normal challenges that all children have at different ages (e.g. walking to school, looking after their own things, packing their own lunch). Start by giving your child small age-appropriate challenges that require small responsibilities. Using small steps moves them towards becoming more independent and competent. Don’t do things for them without first checking whether they are capable of doing it for themselves.
• Encourage your child to talk about what’s troubling them and help them to find a solution. Encourage them to talk about how they are feeling and what they are thinking about the problem, then help them to think about different solutions.
• Gently challenge self-defeating talk (e.g. I can’t do this, I’m hopeless/dumb/useless) and helpless behaviour (giving up easily, expecting others to do things for them). Encourage them to use helpful thinking instead (e.g. I made a mistake but everyone makes mistakes).
• Don’t fight all your child’s battles for them. Children need to experience some challenges so they can learn how to bounce back.
• Model effective solving of problems that are age appropriate for your child by thinking ‘out loud’. Review different solutions to a problem and the possible good or bad consequences of the different solutions.
• Avoid offering ‘quick fixes’ or ‘feel good’ options when things get tough. Rather than distracting them with a movie or treats, let them sit with the bad feelings, knowing that you care that they are hurting, but that it is something they have to deal with, not escape from.
• Help your child to take responsibility for what happens. When something doesn’t work out for them, draw up a pie chart with them and ask them to reflect on:
  ●● How much was due to me?
  ●● How much was due to others?
  ●● How much was bad luck or circumstances (i.e. being in the wrong place at the wrong time)?
• Also encourage them to consider the situation from the other person’s viewpoint.
• When something bad happens to your child, help them to keep things in perspective by asking them:
  ●● Does this really matter? Are you getting upset over very little?
  ●● On a scale from 1 to 10, how important is this to you?
  ●● What’s the worst thing that can happen? Do you think you can handle that?
  These questions help your child to stop catastrophising (i.e. assuming that the worst will happen) and stop getting too upset over things that will get better or improve in time.
• Encourage them to think about the parts of their life that are still exactly the same and still good (e.g. they lost a friend but they still have other friends, their school work is going well, nothing has changed at home).

I hope you will find these tips useful as you discuss these ideas with your children.

ESMART (CYBER SAFETY)

SAFE STUDENTS, BRIGHT FUTURES

At St Kieran’s school, we take student protection very seriously. We believe it is everybody’s business to put children first, especially in relation to their safety. It is one of our most important aims that all students who attend St Kieran’s school feel safe, supported and protected. To meet their inherent potential, students must feel free to take risks and to learn and grow without fear, anxiety or concern for their own safety and well being. Putting children first means prioritising the safety and wellbeing of children at all times. All children need to feel safe and loved, have a chance to play and explore, have a say in decisions that affect them, and have access to essential things like food, shelter, education and healthcare. Student protection has many components.

At St Kieran’s school, all staff undergo annual (and ongoing) training in essential legislation and key procedures related to the care and wellbeing of all students. During Child Protection Week (6-12 September), we come together as a whole school to highlight crucial issues related to child safety. During this week we focus upon equipping students with many strategies to help them stay safe and in protective behaviours (as well as their rights and responsibilities in this area), and invite community members to come and talk to students about how to stay safe. We also recognise important events such as Day for Daniel and White Balloon day, focusing upon these occasions as a whole school, with related activities and further visits from community members skilled in these areas. We have key safety staff who are highly trained in Child Protection legislation, as well as reporting procedures for child safety. Currently Miss Kate Andrews and Mrs Claudine Dank are our School Safety Officers and are always available to discuss any matters relating to child safety concerns or to provide further information.

Students know that they can always come to these staff members to talk, as well as their teachers, if they are ever worried about their own or another child’s safety. Another aspect of children’s wellbeing is ensuring that children also know that they will be protected when they are at school, and that at St Kieran’s we do not tolerate bullying in any form. This term National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence is on Friday March 19th. You can find out more about this day and get some ideas to highlight this yourselves at home with your children at the Bullying NO WAY! Website:

Thank you so much for your attention everyone. Take care and remember that child safety is everybody’s business, and the needs of children always come first.

TUCKSHOP

All tuckshop orders are to be made online through Flexischools by 9.00am on the day required.

2020 Families - Please remember to change your child's classroom to their 2021 class prior to your first order this year.

In the app go to the profile tab - students - select student - click on the pencil and update the year level first and then class and press save.

Thursday Meal Deals -Term 1

Did you know the tuckshop could make cupcakes for your child’s birthday? $1.00 each, please enquire at the office for an order form.

MOTHER’S DAY FETE

Free Dress Dates:

Thursday 18th March - Basket Items
Friday 26th March - Gold Coin Donation
Thursday 1st April - Chocolates (Party size packs)
Friday 23rd April - Trash and Treasure Stall Items
Friday 30th April – Plants
Friday 7th April - Fill a plate for cake and bake store
Friday 14th May - Free Dress - After School Fete.

Please ensure that students wear sun safe clothing (sleeved shirts) and correct footwear as students have PE lessons on these days.

We are also going to need as many volunteers as possible. If you are unable to come to a meeting and would like to help, please let the school know.

FETE SPONSORS

We give many thanks to the following businesses for their generous donations towards our Mother’s Day Fete.