St Finbarr’s Student Protection Contacts
Genny McNair ~ Prue Bodkin
St Finbarr’s Parish School
Jabiru Street, P.O. Box 34 Quilpie, QLD, 4480
Phone: (07) 46561412—Fax: (07) 4656 1306
Email: [email protected]
Newsletter Checklist
Tuckshop Enve-
lope
Book Club
Letter to parents
QCEC funding
response.
Important dates
2nd June Pente-
cost Assembly
11.30am Mary
Mackillop Room
9th June Pirate
Day
12th June Dino-
saur Time ma-
chine
20th June Jim
Midgley Visit
23rd June Last
Day Term 2
25th June Mass
6.00pm
10th July First
Day Term 3
Volume: 7
Issue: 9
Date: 31st May 17
Dear Parents and Friends
This week is National Reconciliation Week and commemorates the 50th anniversary of the 1967 Referen-dum, when Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders were counted as Australian citizens. ‘Two Worlds,’ a song written and performed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students across the
diocese in conjunction with Josh Arnold as part of the 2017 ‘Identity Matters’ project has just been re-
leased. This music video was shared with our students last Friday, Sorry Day, a Day to commemorate con-
flicts of the past in our history and as a lead into Reconciliation Week. Josh is a very talented song writer,
and his ability to capture the essence of the people and community through words, music and video is in-
credible, as many of you are familiar with the Quilpie ‘Simply Unique’ music clip and also the words of our
school song. The ‘Two World’ Video clip will be a great resource to have in our school and was well received
by our students. The video can be found on You Tube.
Next week I will be attending 3 days of the Toowoomba Catholic Schools Reading Improvement Strategy
rollout. The focus of these days will be on strategies and expectations for Principals and Middle Leaders
embedding expected practices in schools and the third day is directed at Learning support teachers to im-
plement strategies to enhance teacher practice in reading instruction. Already many of the Advisory Visiting
Teachers have been involved in reading strategy coaching with teachers to implement the rollout in schools
in the coming year. Our teachers and myself will be involved in training next term in 2 x 2-day blocks. More
information will be forthcoming regarding these. This has been a fundamental project with a large invest-
ment of resources by the TCSO and will be a great benefit to our students in coming years.
During my absence next week, Lisa Kynock will be replacing me as deputiser. Lisa is an experienced teacher
from St Johns in Roma and this is an opportunity for her to gain experience in leadership in a small school.
Miss Jaeger has settled into school and the community this week. She is thoroughly enjoying all that a
small school offers, including the enthusiasm of country children. I have been very impressed with Sam’s
commitment to teaching and the manner in which she has taken ownership of her class, to identify individu-
al strengths and abilities and to use these observations to direct her teaching.
Congratulations to Liam and Lace who competed at the District Cross Country in Charleville on Friday. Lace
placed 4th and Liam placed 5th in their events. They both enjoyed the day and although, were in some re-
spects glad they weren’t competing at the regional level this Friday, said they would like to compete again
next year.
We are calling for Prep enrolments for 2018 to guide our planning for next year. From talking to others in
the community there seem to be a very small number of students across the community who are eligible to
enrol in Prep next year. Please encourage any families to contact the school if they are considering enrol-
ling their child next year as the small number may affect the manner in which Mini Finnies is run next Se-
mester.
Warm regards
Genny
“Let your smile change the world but don’t let the world change your smile.”
Mobile Breast Screening Service
There will be a Breast Cancer screening mobile service head-
ing to Quilpie Hospital from 5th June—7th June 2017.
Before and after hours appointments available
Appointment can be made via 13 20 50
Project Compassion Boxes
For those who still have Project Compassion boxes at
home, we would appreciate if you could return them to
the school as soon as possible so we can pass these do-
nations on. Thank you to everyone who has donated
and collected donations.
Outstanding School Fee Reminder
A friendly reminder that school fees have gone out for this
term. If you have paid your account, please disregard this
message. If not, we would appreciate if you could attend to
your account as soon as possible. Our bank details are:
National Australia Bank
BSB: 084 829 Account No: 508867529
Please use a surname as a reference so we make sure your
deposit is receipted correctly. Thank you.
Pirate Day Friday
Friday 9 June 2017 (next Friday)
AHOY THERE ME MATEYS!
Join us in raising awareness and funds to sup-
port childhood cancer research.
IT’S EASY!
1. Get your crew together
2. Dress in your Pirate SWASHBUCKLING
best and
3. Bring along your PIRATE TREASURE
(a gold coin donation) to fight kids’ cancer!
Pirate Day Friday is a collaboration between The Kids’
Cancer Project and The Adventurers, raising funds to
support childhood cancer research.
Quilpie and District Carnival Dates
Athletics – Friday, 28th July
Swimming – Friday, 17th November
District Cross Country Trials
Congratulations to Liam and Lace who competed in the District
Cross Country last week. They both competed well and they both
said they lad a really good time. Lace said she jogged the whole
way and Liam said he was so puffed at the end but it was fun.
Hot Lunches
As the weather is beginning to cool children do enjoy some-
thing hot for lunch. As in previous years can we please ask
that parents to either bring hot items at lunch time or pack
hot foods in thermos flasks.
It can be difficult heating foods for
groups of children at the beginning of
lunch breaks.
Go Queensland!
Parish News
Pentecost Sunday has been called “The Birthday of the
Christian “. In the Acts of the Apostles, Luke recounts the
events of that day when the followers of Jesus and Mary,
His Mother were gathered together.
The rushing wind and the appearance of the flames hov-
ering over each one there, serve to emphasise what was
happening. Jesus had promised the disciples that He
would sent the Holy Spirit to be their Helper and Guide, to
teach them all Truth and to remain with them.
The power of the Holy Spirit was demonstrated when the
Galileans were heard speaking in the many languages of
those who had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Pente-
cost festival. The visitors heard the disciple speaking of
the wonders the Lord had done.
Peter, (the man who had denied that he knew Jesus)
spoke to the gathering about Jesus. And says Luke, about
3000 were baptised and joined the group of believers.
The spirit is also in our lives giving us the courage and insight we need in out own lives.
St. Finbarr’s will celebrate Pentecost with a Prayer Assembly led by those students who were confirmed last year and those who
will be confirmed this. This will be at 11.30am on Friday 2 June in the Mary Mackillop room.
On 12 June I will be joined by a PERUVIAN Sister of St. Joseph who will be here until the end of term Sr.
CHARO ZURITA is coming to Australia to attend a Josephite conference and spend some time learning
about the ministeries of the sisters in Australia. Quilpie will be Sr. Charo’s outback experience. She also
hopes to improve her conversational English. Her visit will deepen our awareness of life for the Peruvian
people. I know you will make her welcome!
Sr. Margaret.
3-6 News
Hello Parents and Friends,
In the past week and a half, the students in the 3-6 class have been getting to know me and
have been working really hard in and out of the classroom. As I am a new teacher in the school
I have decided to set up the Class DOJO system. This is an online behaviour system that tracks
the children’s behaviour through the day and it can also be seen at home and used as a com-
munication tool between parents and teachers. I have heard that some parents and students
have worked with class DOJOs be-
fore and parent’s login can still be
used. I look forward to seeing this
behaviour system work within the
class and rewarding the children for
good behaviour. I look toward the
remainder of the term and getting
to know your children better.
Thank you Miss Jaeger
Students of the Week
Congratulations to our Students of the Week
for weeks 5 & 6 of Term 2. In week 5, these
students were Hunter from the 3
-6 class for beginning his work
promptly and Stuart from the P-
2 class for listening and follow-
ing directions. In week 6, they were Darcy
from the 3-6 class for his hard work in maths
and Elroy from the P-2 class for never giving
up. Well done!
Simultaneous Story Time and
the Biggest Morning Tea
Last Wednesday the P-2 class walked down to
the Kindy to join with the Quilpie State College
and the Kindy kids to be a part of the National
Simultaneous Story Time. The children all sat
together and at exactly 11.00am, story time be-
gan. It was an interesting book about how the
cow finally came to jump over the moon. The P-2
class thoroughly enjoyed listening to it.
Following Story Time, we went out into the Kindy
yard where we enjoyed a lovely morning tea as
part of the Cancer Council Australia’s “Biggest
Morning Tea” fundraiser. St Finbarr’s made a do-
nation to the Cancer Council Australia and
brought along a platter of cakes and biscuits to
add to the lovely spread of food
that the children enjoyed for morn-
ing tea.
Our Clever Preps! Congratulations to our Preps who have all finished their Golden Sight words. They were presented with awards last week and are now concen-trating very hard on learning their red words. Keep up the hard work!
Lately in the P-2 Classroom…
Once a week, the P-2 classroom have a
technology session with Mrs Haylock.
They each have a designated computer.
They have been learning about typing,
capital letters on the computer, resizing
font and changing font colour just to
name a few. The frowns of concentra-
tion are mirrored right across the class-
room as the students think hard about
each task as the photographs show!
They all do wonderful work and are
learning so quickly!
At the end of each day just before
home time, the P-2 class gather togeth-
er on the mat to have their “Show and
Share” time. During this time, two stu-
dents take a turn to stand in front of
the class and talk about something im-
portant to them whether it be a toy,
something that interests them, a holi-
day etc. Once they have finished speaking, they ask for any questions and then choose
three students to ask questions about their topic. It is a won-
derful opportunity
for all students to
practise their pub-
lic speaking skills
as well as listening
carefully to others
so they can ask
interesting ques-
tions.
The things they say!
Ava asked Miss Janell what was the
difference between Miss Jen, Miss
Janell and Miss Belinda and the oth-
ers such as Mrs McNair, Mrs Haylock
and Mrs Moran. Miss Janell went into
detail about how teachers work very
hard studying after they finish school
at university where
over a few years they
learn to be teachers.
Ava thought hard
about this and decid-
ed she was satisfied and said: “Oh, so
you are an improper teacher then”. …………………………………………………………………………..
Clay—”Miss Janell, I speededed to
school this morning on my scooter!”