A WORD FROM THE PRINCIPAL

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1 Term 3, Week 9 St Kieran built churches and monasteries sharing his love of learning. He lived his life by a quote from Matthews Gospel: Do for others what you want them to do for you M:7:12 A WORD FROM THE PRINCIPAL Charlotte Robinson Dear Parents and Friends, 09/9/2014 P&F AGM 7pm Firstly, best wishes to all of our Dads for Father s Day last Sunday. Being a dad is such an important commitment and these days it can be filled with sadness as so many dads may be estranged from their children. I want to extend our best wishes to all of our Dads and to let you know that I just love to see our Dads working around our school. I see them helping out in classrooms, and I especially love to see them helping in the tuckshop. I hope that all Dads had a lovely day on Sunday. Thursday 11 September is RUOK Day, a day in which we are all encouraged to connect with family, friends and colleagues and ask a simple question Are you okay? The RUOK Day website has resources for schools to assist children learn the precious life lesson of talking about how they feel. I hope that you are all ok and if you are not, then please let someone know and seek some help. This week is Child Protection Week and we will be talking to the children about feeling safe and about having a group of people they can talk to if they are unsure about any situation. It is very sad when some children struggle to name 5 people they trust. Most child protection issues occur outside of school, Page so 1 do take the time to talk to your children about being safe and what to do if they feel uncomfortable.

2 A WORD FROM THE PRINCIPAL continued Charlotte Robinson We have a very exciting week! Extra- curricular activities include Chess Club, soccer training, Roar Soccer Program, interschool sport, Enrichment, Board games and a trip to Dream world for Year 3. Our fabulous P&F are holding a disco for all of our students this Friday evening. On the last day of the term, our Enrichment groups will showcase the excellent work they have been doing this term at our assembly. This will be followed by our skipping teams showing off their talents. I am sure it will be a lovely way to finish our term. Academically we have done well in the New South Wales International Competitions and Assessments for schools. In writing, we had one merit out of 7 students participating, Out of 10 students who participated in spelling, we received one distinction and 3 credits. For Science, we received one distinction and 4 credits out of 15 students who participated and in Computer skills, we had one High Distinction. These students were competing with students from right across Australia and they have done very well. We are just waiting on our Maths results before handing out certificates. Well done to all of those students who participated in these competitions. Yesterday we celebrated St Kieran s Day. The children had a lovely day enjoying the fact that this was St Kieran Feast Day and we always do something different on this day. I would like to thank Mrs Lewis and the teachers for organising these great activities. We began our day with a lovely Mass led by the Preppies who did a great job reading so well and singing Awesome God with gusto! There were no awards given out this morning as each and every child will receive an award this year. They will take the form of an affirmation from their peers. I am sure they will all be proud to take home their own special tribute and share these with you. Have a lovely week and let s create a wonderful future for our children, Charlotte A WORD FROM THE APRE Caroline Lewis ST Kieran s Day Thank you to all the Prep teachers for a lovely Mass. Also thank you to parents for the kind donations for St Columbans appeal for Iraq. Great amounts were raised and there was fierce competition, but Year 1 Blue had the longest coin line, so congratulations to them. The coin line raised $ Fathers Day Last Sunday we celebrated Father Day, a celebration honouring fathers and celebrating fatherhood, paternal bonds and the influence of fathers in society. In Australia, Fathers Day is celebrated with much enthusiasm and joy. What is noticeable about Fathers Day in Australia is it s a unique time of celebration. We take the opportunity to express gratitude for fathers and thank them for all their care and support past and present. What Makes a Dad? God took the strength of a mountain, The majesty of a tree, The warmth of a summer sun, The calm of a quiet sea, The generous soul of nature, The comforting arm of night, The wisdom of the ages, The power of the eagle's flight, The joy of a morning in spring, The faith of a mustard seed, The patience of eternity, The depth of a family need, Then God combined these qualities, When there was nothing more to add, He knew His masterpiece was complete, And so, He called it... Dad (Author Unknown) Page 2

3 A WORD FROM THE APRE continued Caroline Lewis God our Father In your wisdom and love you made all things. Bless all the fathers in the world and guide them to be good role models and loving to their children. Bless those who are parenting their children alone, may they be strengthened by your love. Bless those whose fathers who are no longer here, grant that they may see them in the joy of eternal brightness. We thank you for our fathers, who love us, for our grandfathers who care for us and for God, our eternal father who made us and is always with us. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen Component: This term we have been reflecting on our Mission as a Catholic school and reviewing one of our components the Vision and Teaching of Jesus. St Kieran s is a place where we bear witness to our God who was revealed to us by Jesus Christ, through our faith. We are continually proclaiming the mission and vision of Jesus Christ to all. We invite and welcome others to give commitment to and involvement in a Christian community. Evangelisation and Faith Formation is part of our everyday mission in life. Spiritual and Faith Formation Our school s programs give a high priority to formation by nurturing both those already actively engaged with a faith tradition and those who are yet to start in a journey of explicit, lived, active faith. We strive to demonstrate joy and hope in life by presenting the message of the gospel in engaging ways that appeal to children and adults alike. We pride ourselves on our hospitality and welcoming ethos. Our school motto, STRENGTH THROUGH CARING permeates all we do and guides our actions as we reach out to those in need. We have established policies and practices that promote inclusion and a sense of belonging to a Christian community. Our Pastoral parents are a valuable group who work to help live the vision and mission of our school. There is an emphasis on forgiveness and reconciliation because of our Christian culture. We celebrate the life, death and resurrection of Jesus through our religious life of the school, the prayer liturgies, masses, school assemblies and class programs. The spiritual dimension of life is also explored via multi-media in class programs. We also undertake Social Action and Justice, actively supporting charities such Caritas through Project Compassion and the St Vincent De Paul Christmas hampers. Meditation is used in some classes for the benefit of our staff and students. Resources are allocated to support staff retreats, reflection and faith formation experiences for our children. Staff are supported in their ministry and vocation by participating in programs that are made available to them. Many of our staff attend the weekly staff prayer and we try to start each meeting with a reflection. A number of our staff have been involved in the BCE Catching Fire Programs to develop their own spirituality and we have enrolled more staff in this experience for next year. These programs will run over a period of three years. Another aspect of faith formation has been to endeavour to communicate the archdiocesan vision, Jesus, Communion and Mission, regularly in the school newsletter. Parents and staff also receive relevant information pertaining to the Church s Liturgical Cycle, special celebrations and feasts. The newsletter and local newspapers are other important ways by which we can communicate our values and beliefs. We promote our way of living our website and Facebook page. Evangelisation is all about having a caring Catholic Christian community which in St Kieran s case promotes a Catholic perspective. People want to belong to this community because it offers something special. We are a Catholic school and while we do acknowledge diversity of faiths, our students learn how to be religious in a Catholic way. We can never underestimate the Page 3

4 A WORD FROM THE APRE continued Caroline Lewis power of our words and actions we must be seen to be authentic to our Catholicity in our physical presence and how our words and actions towards each other proclaim the Good News. Our behaviour management program is designed to teach the importance of witnessing to our values of respect, honesty, peace and justice. It is evident to students and parents that St Kieran s is a Catholic Christian community. This can be seen by the religious symbols displayed around the school, the religion program and the words and actions of its members. We strive to provide a welcoming, hospitable environment and share our faith joyously in numerous ways within the life of the school and the curriculum it provides. Our day to day activities are designed to be evidence of our school vision and mission and each of us as individuals should grow and assist others to grow as people of faith. Church Engagement We work hard to ensure we engage in collaborative relationships with the parish via religious celebrations such as the School Parish Mass. We support the Parish Sacramental Program. Our school participated in several activities including attending the Feast Day of Sacred Heart to highlight our relationship with the wider parish community and with our sister school at Sandgate. Each year, we also hold activities to celebrate Catholic Education Week, Harmony Day and NAIDOC WEEK. Witness to Mission of the Church There is a comprehensive and highly effective approach to building and sustaining the capacity and commitment of staff to give Christian witness and contribute to the mission of the Church. We are currently trying to work together with the parish to build a new combined administration centre. Curriculum This week I am attending the Primary Senior Leaders Conference at the Novotel Twin Waters. This an annual conference that brings together Assistant Principals, Assistant Principals Religious Education and Heads of Primary P-12 across the Brisbane Archdiocese. This two day conference allows an opportunity for Senior Leaders to gather and engage in professional learning and build networks related to our roles as leaders in our schools Have a lovely week. God Bless. Caroline Lewis Uniform shop Uniform Shop Opening Times: MONDAY S: pm & THURSDAY S: am Student absence line If your Child will be absent from school due to illness or any other reason, Please call the Student Absence Line to inform the office: (07) Page 4

5 Tuckshop news Premier s Reading Challenge Library news A reminder that the reading period for the Premier s Reading Challenge has now ended. The cut off for data to be entered into the system is this Friday, so if students have not yet handed in their reading records they have a few days left to do so. Every student who has completed the challenge will receive a Certificate of Achievement signed by the Premier and all students who signed up but did not complete the challenge will receive a Certificate of Participation. It will be my great pleasure to present these certificates during the Premier s Reading Challenge Celebration Weeks to be held November Borrowing This week is the last week for borrowing before the school holidays. Please assist students with returning all of their books on their borrowing day next week. Students will be able to continue on with their home reading over the holidays using the Bug Club. If you are unsure of a student s log in to the Bug Club, please touch base with their classroom teacher before the holidays. The BCE Digital Library is continues to be available for students to borrow books to read over the school holidays: Students in Years 3 up have been given their individual log in details. If anyone is having difficulty logging into the BCE Digital Library, send me an to ldower@bne.catholic.edu.au and I will give you the details you require. Lucy Susuve Finance department Term 3 Invoices are NOW due for payment! Reminders have been issued. We ask that you please observe the due date for payment on your Term Account. The due date was 16 th August Please continue to make payments towards your child s Netbook. Please consider having a Direct Debit in place to pay your fees as this allows you to have a regular payment deducted to pay your school fees account. Otherwise your account is considered overdue and a reminder statement will be issued. Payments can be made by BPay, Direct Debit, EFT, Cheque, Cash & Credit Card, For parents who cannot pay their account by the due date or are experiencing financial difficulty please contact Mrs Charlotte Robinson for an appointment as soon as possible. Page 5

6 P&F News P&F AGM Don't forget the P&F AGM is TONIGHT at 7pm in the Boardroom. We need your help to elect a new committee. Thank you to those who have put forward nominations for the 2015 Committee. Nominations are now closed. TUCKSHOP Only this week and next week left of Tuckshop for Term 3. It is never too late to come and help OR too early to organise your roster days for Term 4. Please drop in and see Simmone and add your name to the roster. UNIFORM SHOP If you would like to help out in the uniform shop, they would love to hear from you. Winter Uniforms have now arrived. Get the children dressed for the cold mornings that are here now. The uniform shop is open Monday afternoons and Thursday mornings. KOALA GROUP Koala Group is currently undergoing a re-vamp. The 'new' Koala Group will be launched at Prep Orientation on September 15th with our new co-ordinator Belinda Ferguson. Starting Thursday October 9 th - stay tuned. There are many ways you can be involved in your child's school, these are just a few. Your school needs you - Get excited, get energetic and get involved!!! Leanne Plenderleith School banking The last day for school banking this term will be Thursday 18 September. The first day for banking in Term 4 will be Thursday 9 October. If you have any queries regarding school banking please contact Andrea Finch andreafinch@optusnet.com.au oshc news Request for booking forms for 2015 have been ed to all current families. These forms need to be returned as soon as possible. This is so we are able to see where the service might be at for the 2015 school year in regards to the number of places that we have. It is not an enrolment form, these will be forwarded out at a later date, however if you don t complete and return the request for booking, there is the possibility that your child/ren may not receive a place for care. OSHC Contact details: Ph (07) Mobile: brightonoshc@bne.centacare.net.au Student absence line If your Child will be absent from school due to illness or any other reason, Please call the Student Absence Line to inform the office: (07) Page 6

7 Music news Instrumental News If your child is continuing or starting Instrumental lesson for term 2 could you please return the form by Wednesday of next week. If you don't have a form yet you can pick one up from either the Music room or the front office. You can also me on jdsinstrumental@optusnet.com.au to let me know. Music Performance Both Year 4 band and the Senior Band are performing next Monday for the Prep Orientation Day. All band students involved need to be at the Music Room by 8am on Monday to help with set up and tuning. This is the run down for the performances: 8.30am Year 3 Choir and Stomp 10am Year 4 Choir and Year 4 Band Senior Choir and Senior Band Yours Musically, Joy Dawson Learning lounge Bullying is an issue that affects some students. There is an opportunity for people who have problems with this to learn skills to handle such situations through a program to be run at Headspace, Sandgate Rd Nundah. Please see the attached flyer for information. "What you teach is what you get; where you teach is where you get it". Parents are the first teachers of their children. Society and children both depend on parents teaching their children what is needed so that they can successfully live in society. They need to learn to get along with others, the common manners of a cultured society as well as how to look after themselves. ( grooming, healthy habits and essential chores.) Children learn by copying what parents do and say, so manners and getting along well are most often modelled from parental behaviour. Children also need to be taught directly the behaviours needed in the correct context where it is needed. It is no use to lecture about appropriate behaviours, it takes demonstration and practice to create effective learning. The more they see people doing the expected behaviours and have opportunities to practice them the easier it is to be successful in their lives. (adapted from The Five Faces of Parenting.) 123 Magic And Emotion Coaching We would like to invite you to participate in a great opportunity to build a powerful toolbox to help you gain cooperation from your child more easily even in tough moments. Help them to become able to manage their own emotions, build confidence and resilience. 3 sessions can have your family having more fun, more harmony and your child being able to feel happier making better choices. Please Join Us Mondays October 13 th, 20 th & November 10 th at 7-9pm- St Kieran s. (Please RSVP) Phone: pbrighton@bne.catholic.edu.au Kind regards, Catherine. Page 7

8 community news Robotics Club Robotics has now arrived at SBC, with many students learning how to build and program robots using the Lego Mindstorms EV3 software. Both the Year 8 and 9 students who recently joined the Robotics Club have already planned and designed programs to create robotic movement. Students work collaboratively in groups to generate and discover new ways to unlock the robots capabilities. The system requires a bit of ingenuity but our students have embraced the challenges with gusto! We have also been lucky to have Mr Jay Hobbs, Brisbane Catholic Education - Education Officer, facilitate the first four sessions and share his knowledge with our club members. Students can simply connect to their Mac computers via software and a USB cable that plugs into the central Mindstorms Brick, which houses an ARM9 CPU and an LCD screen. SBC students have quickly discovered that there is no limit to what you can do! We might even design our robots to climb stairs next! Enrolling now for 2015, 2016 and 2017 Please call in or contact our office for an enrolment pack or further information 21 St Benedict s Close, Mango Hill, or smangohill@bne.catholic.edu.au 2013/2014 Autographed QLD Roar Soccer Jersey The Premiership Winners With 23 signature. A collector/supporters item, some of these players have left the Roar now and there are no more of these Jersey s left. An EBay auction up on site now, will finish on Sunday 14 th September 2014 at 3.05pm. (Unless sold before hand) Check out the link - Or go to Ebay and search 2013/14 Autographed QLD Roar Soccer Jersey or item number Page 8

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11 St Kieran s yearbook Our St Kieran's school Year Book will be produced and available for all our families in Term 4. The book will be a celebration of our school year, with beautiful colour photos of our students and events that have shaped our year. It will be a lovely keepsake book. The cost of the book is $20.00 per family and will be included in the Term 4 school fees. Wanted! If anyone has photos of the 1 st Holy Communion 2014, we would be very grateful if you could please them to the school. Student absence line If your Child will be absent from school due to illness or any other reason, Please call the Student Absence Line to inform the office: (07) Page 11

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