Term 2 Week 8 2024

A Message from the Principal

Dear parents and friends,

We are thrilled to announce that the Hall of Fame Campdraft held last weekend was a fantastic success for our P&F committee. Despite the wet weather on Friday night, the P&F team showed incredible resilience and dedication, ensuring the bar and canteen ran smoothly. It was heartwarming to see so many families coming together to assist across the weekend, embodying the strong sense of community spirit that defines our school.

This week, we had the pleasure of hosting our friends from the local kindergartens. Our preps, under the guidance of Mrs. Bongioletti, engaged in a delightful storybook craft activity followed by outdoor play. These visits are essential in helping our future students feel comfortable and excited about their upcoming transition to prep in 2025. Early connections like these are crucial for a smooth and confident start to their school journey.

In our recent newsletters, you may have noticed information regarding the restructuring of school fees starting in 2025. We urge all parents and guardians to stay informed by reading the detailed flyers provided by Catholic Education Rockhampton. These flyers will continue to appear in our newsletter to keep everyone updated on these changes. Our School Board will be at the next Zoom meeting which will address the new Federal Government Funding Model and important aspects of CEDRs (Catholic Education Diocese of Rockhampton) School Fee Model from 2025.

Finally, get ready for an action-packed day as the Thomson Pelicans and Kennedy Kangaroos face off in our highly anticipated annual athletics carnival next Friday, 14th June. This exciting event will take place at Longreach High School, and all parents are warmly invited to attend and cheer on our young athletes. Students should be dropped off and collected directly from the carnival venue, arriving by 8:35am sharp to ensure rolls can be marked and events can begin on time. We look forward to a day of spirited competition, teamwork, and community celebration! As always, GO THOMSON PELICANS!!!

God bless,

Mr Peter Thurecht

Reflection – Sr Kym Harris OSB

Sacred Heart, scared hearts

I am not a good speller.  In fact, I used to be abysmal.  In the last spelling test I did at school, I got 27/50 – wrong.  So how could I be a writer?  Spellcheck. Spellcheck is marvellous for me, except when it isn’t.  If a word is spelt correctly, but is the wrong word, spellcheck passes it. So, for the word Sacred I sometimes get scared, as in ‘Sacred Heart’ becomes scared heart. Which is an interesting idea. 

How often are we in scared in our relationships with the people we love.  We don’t know how to reach out to the friend who has lost a job, the family member who has a mental illness, the morose teenager, the spouse we suspect of gambling.  At this point in time any one of us has at least one relationship where we are frightened because we don’t know what to do or say.  At base, we are scared because we love them and we don’t want to scar them with our words and deeds. At those times, we need to pray: to call on the Sacred love of Jesus.  I know that when I do this, things often turn out differently to what I had planned.  Sometimes, I might say something I never expected to come out of my mouth.  Sometimes, I say what I planned but in a kinder way.  Sometimes, I get the sense that I should shut up.

When we look at the image of the Sacred Heart (the Feast the Church celebrates this week), it can look strange.  Jesus, appearing, showing his heart which is on fire, but surrounded by thorns.  Isn’t that your experience of loving – passionate towards your family and friends, but hurting with them as well? Just as God stays with us in those challenging situations, we are given the strength and courage to stay with our loved ones in need.  These are truly holy moments when our prayer comes from the ground of our being and we can allow God’s love to flow through our lives. 

Loving God, you understand the challenges of love.  With the example of Jesus’ love and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, may I care for those I love who are in pain or difficulty.  May I know how to show wise love.  I ask this in Jesus’ name, confident that you will hear me.

Sr Kym Harris osb

APRE News

At Our Lady’s you will often hear us refer to our school charisms. This language is displayed on our school’s office window, on the colourful triangles around our grounds, used in setting expectations for our students, in celebrating their efforts and recognising our students of the week.

But, what is a charism? The following is taken from the Brisbane Catholic Education Religion Curriculum:

Ethos and Charism 

The ethos and charism of the school express the assumptions, beliefs and values that the Catholic Christian community shares. They are reflected in what is done, how it is done and who is doing it. A school communicates its distinctive identity through its ethos and charism, which find expression in its religious values, culture, rituals and practices.

Christ is the foundation of the whole educational enterprise in a Catholic or ecumenical school. The fact that in their own individual ways all members of the school community share this Christian vision, makes the school 

"Catholic"; principles of the Gospel in this manner become the educational norms since the school then has them as its internal motivation and final goal (The Catholic School, 1977, n.34). 

Ethos 

In a Catholic Christian educational context. ethos refers to the gospel values and Church traditions embedded in the everyday life and culture of the school. The school's ethos is given voice through the educational and faith formation of its students, the quality of personal relationships fostered and Christian attitudes and responsibilities modelled and explicitly taught. 

The embedding of this ethos needs to take into account a range of factors: the ecclesial, political, economic, social and historical contexts; the nature of the local community; the parents, teachers and students of the school community; and the interrelationships between these different 

factors. A significant challenge for the contemporary Catholic and ecumenical school is how to communicate a Catholic Christian ethos and charism to community members who may have little connection with Church traditions. 

Charism 

The word charism, in the tradition of the Church, refers to spiritual gifts used for the service of the whole community. These gifts or graces of the Holy Spirit are given to individuals and groups for the sake of others. In letters to the early Christian communities, St Paul lists gifts or charisms of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 1 Corinthians 12:27-30, Romans 12:6-8, Ephesians 4:11, Galatians 5:22-23). Paul also insists that the virtue of charity is above all other charisms (1 Corinthians 13:13). 

A Catholic Christian school draws upon this rich heritage of spiritual gifts to formulate its own unique way of being and giving service to all. The central influence on the charism of any school is the person of Jesus Christ. All charisms seek to provide a pathway through which a school community might interpret and give voice to the centrality of Jesus Christ. Schools draw inspiration and direction from the stories of how their founding religious congregation, patron saint or significant people in the school's history exemplified particular gifts of the Spirit in living out the gospel of Jesus Christ. Therefore, in a Catholic Christian educational context. charism can be viewed as a spiritual energy that permeates a particular school based on significant people. values and stories.

Religious Education Curriculum P-12 Archdiocese of Brisbane P 209

Our school was founded in the year 1900 by the Presentation Sisters. Through a process of discernment a number of years ago, we selected five charisms that both honour the heritage and legacy of Nano Nagle and the Presentation Order she founded, and also support us to make the faith of our school community meaningful in a modern context.

These charism are:

Hospitality

Courage

Compassion

Simplicity

Justice

As the quote from Brisbane Catholic Education above challenges us to do, let us consider how we share these gifts with others? Are our charisms viewed as a ‘spiritual energy’ within our community? Do our staff, students and families understand their significance? As we move closer to celebrating our school’s 125^th anniversary next year, it is my hope to share with you some of what we might understand as common language but may in fact be unfamiliar to you. In this way, it is our hope that you come to know and have a greater sense of the community you have become a part of at Our Lady’s.

God bless,

Ange

Student Protection

Student Protection is taken very seriously within our school and Diocese. Each year all staff undertake mandatory student protection training at the beginning of the year. This year our School Student Protection Officers are Mr Peter Thurecht, Mrs Angela Arthur, Mrs Belinda Thurecht and Ms Sarah Wall. If you have concerns, please do not hesitate to contact one of our officers.

Accelerated Reader

Students in Year 3 - 6 are using Accelerated Reader. Accelerated Reader is a reading program that helps teachers support and monitor children’s reading practice and progress.

Your child picks a book at their own level and reads it at their own pace. When finished, your child takes a short online quiz to measure how much of the book they understood. Books are assigned Points based on their word count. Points are earned by passing quizzes. The more correct questions answered, the more points children will earn. Children who earn 30 points this term will be invited to a pizza party! Get reading students.

School Fees

Dear Parents and Carers

Please find attached Advice #3, developed to inform our Catholic Education families of the new Federal Government Funding model (Gonski model) and the impact on School Fees for Catholic Schools. Advice #3 outlines the direct nexus between the Federal Government means-tested Capacity to Contribute of each school and School Fees. It also provides the CEDR School Funding Guiding Principles that inform the development of the new CEDR Adapted Cluster School Fee model, that will commence from 2025.

Curriculum News - Learnership with James Anderson

Partners in Learnership with James Anderson

For the past two years, the staff at Our Lady's has collaborated with James Anderson, who has been instrumental in leading professional development focused on fostering mindsets and resilience among learners. James, who refers to the art of learning as "Learnership," has created a series of short clips specifically for parents. These clips provide valuable insights into the educational goals and methodologies being implemented in Our Lady's classrooms, ensuring parents are well-informed and engaged with their children's learning journey. Please click the below for James’ first videos.

When you went to school learning was probably something you just did. But the science of learning has progressed. Today we understand that learning is a skill, and arguably it's the single most important skill we can develop. That's what Learnership is. The skill of learning. It's about getting better at getting better. Here's how to start talking to your child about learning as a skill. After all, they don't go to school just to learn. They go to school to learn how to learn well. – James Anderson, Learnership.

Lesson 1

Lesson 2

Ecumenism & Interfaith Presentation - July 2024

Interested in learning more about the Catholic Church’s position with regard to relations with other Christians and people of other faiths and want to know what is happening in Queensland in this area?

You are invited to a free presentation with Margaret Naylon from Brisbane Archdiocese on Saturday 13 July from 9:30am to 12 noon in the Hanly Room, Francis Rush Centre, 196 Charlotte Street, Brisbane. This presentation will be live-streamed for people across Queensland who are unable to attend in person. For further information, please contact Margaret Naylon at naylonm@bne.catholic.net.au or 0408 123 364.

For registration: follow the link to the booking site or use the QR code:

https://app.tickets.org.au/eb/EcumenicalInterfaithPresentation

Athletics Carnival - Friday 14th June

The annual Our Lady’s Catholic Primary School Athletics Carnival will be held on Friday 14 June 2024 at the Longreach State High School Athletics Track. After a successful carnival last year and running Discus and High Jump events prior to the Carnival we will be continuing with this format for 2024.

These events will be run in grade groupings and the results will be compared with age groups to determine the placings in each event. Parents are very welcome to spectate these events.

Monday 10 June - Discus 

Tuesday 11 June – High Jump 

Thursday 13 June – 1500m 9-12 years only (students born in 2015 or earlier). Please arrive by 7:50am at LSHS Athletics oval – Please complete the Google Form that was emailed on 22/5/24 to nominate your student.

On our Athletics Carnival Day students who are 9 to 12 years old will compete in 800m, 200m, 100m, Shot Put, Long Jump, Relays and Ball Games.  

Students who are 7 to 8 years will compete in 80m, 100m, Shot Put, Long Jump, Relays and Ball Games.  

Students who are 5 to 6 years will compete in 60m, 80m, Shot Put, Long Jump, Relays and Ball Games.  

For students to compete in Discus and Shot Put a permission form is required, these were sent home on 22/5/2024. This permission form needs to be returned to School by Wednesday the 5^th of June 2024 or students will not be eligible to compete in these events.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Lisa Neuendorf on lisa_neuendorf@rok.catholic.edu.au or contact the school office on 07 4994 8375.

Our Lady's Catholic Primary School P&F

Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame Campdraft

Congratulations Our Lady’s School Community!

What an exceptional weekend that showcased what a wonderful School community we are part of. Thank you to everyone in our School Community that cooked, prepared, and gave up their time over the last weekend at the ASHOF Camp Draft. So many people at the Camp Draft commented that we must have a wonderful school community for there to be so many volunteers to run the bar and canteen for the whole weekend.

A special congratulations to Mrs. Lisa Neuendorf for organizing and coordinating the event. The success of the weekend is a testament to her dedication and hard work in supporting Our Lady's.

Thank you to the Carr family for collecting and sorting the recyclable containers from the event and donating the proceeds to the P&F.

From Our Lady's P&F Committee

2024 Athletics Carnival

Our Lady's is holding our annual Athletics Carnival on Friday the 14th of June at Longreach State High School.

We are seeking assistance from parents and friends to prepare lunch and serve in the canteen on the day. It has been decided that the canteen will only be open at lunch break times during the day, so that parents are able to watch their children compete.

If you would like further information, please contact the School Office on 49948375

https://signup.zone/b7goEQMDZiqhjL8jS

Disco - 12th June

125 Year Celebration - Paver Fundraiser

As we commemorate our 125^th anniversary at Our Lady's next year, we invite you, our cherished families and friends, to contribute to our enduring Alumni Pavers Project. Located at Parents' Place, these pavers serve as timeless tributes to your connection with Our Lady's.

🔹 Cost: $40 per paver

🔹 Deadline: Please complete and return the accompanying form to the school by Friday, Week 5, Term 2, 2024 (May 17th).

🔹 Contact: For additional order forms or further inquiries, kindly reach out to our school office at 0749948375.

Your participation not only commemorates your history with Our Lady's but also supports vital projects organized by our Parents & Friends association.

Let's make our 125^th anniversary truly unforgettable, one paver at a time!

Just 1 Thing

As we begin Term 2 our fundraising efforts increase, we invite you to take every opportunity to help your child soar higher at Our Lady’s. 

Being involved in the school community helps your child feel connected and increases their willingness to learn. They get such a kick out of seeing mum / dad / grandparents and other special people at school. 

How do we achieve this??? By helping with Just 1 thing! Find out more and let us know how you can assist through the link below.

https://forms.gle/ekidPu8D3di2YXEm8

Our Lady's Playgroup

LSHS Year 6 Highschool Parent Information Evening & Transition Days

Mobile Phone & Wearable Technology Policy

Uniform Policy

Tuckshop

Key Dates

St Brigid’s Parish News

Please follow us on Facebook for up to date information on what’s happening in the St Brigid’s Parish. https://m.facebook.com/people/Central-West-QLD-Catholic-Church/100080215845014/

Catholic Diocese of Rockhampton

Community Notices

Griffith University

Outback Futures

The new year is off to a racing start! We have successfully brought on board three parent peers - Laura Noble (Blackall), Sheree Banning (Winton) and Hannah Batt (Longreach), with a Barcy Parent Peer to be hopefully added into the mix soon! I've attached their get to know you cards in case you would like to circulate them around. Thank you again to each of your input into the training, the characteristics of our parent peers and the content of the training. We have received really positive feedback both from the community and our outback futures team so far! The ladies are attending all of the playgroups in their towns and have already connected with so many new mothers and families. 

The Mater Research (Kerri Gillespie and Grace Branjerdporn) are doing some research and evaluation on the development of the Parent peer program and they may be reaching out to you separately to ask if you want to provide your input on your involvement. The research will hopefully help Outback Futures continue to receive funding for our parent peers! This is completely voluntary - and will consist of a 30 min phone call. If you're up for it, feel free to participate and if not, that's fine too!

Click here for the Outback Futures Top Tips Card: 240408 F1D Top Tip cards (14.8 x 10.5 cm) (canva.com) 

Thomson River Lion's Club

Qantas Founders Museum to exhibit Internationally Acclaimed Artist Yayoi Kusama’s infinity art experience

Qantas Founders Museum proudly announces a prominent artwork by the globally celebrated artist Yayoi Kusama, to be unveiled from 16 March to 22 September 2024 on loan from the National Gallery of Australia.

Kusama’s infinity experience THE SPIRITS OF THE PUMPKINS DESCENDED INTO THE HEAVENS will travel to Longreach in Western Queensland.

Renowned for her mesmerising installations, sculptures, and paintings characterized by recurring motifs such as dots, eyes, nets, and pumpkins, Kusama delves into the realms of repetition and sensory experiences. This immersive installation showcases Kusama’s signature style, inviting viewers into a mind-bending journey through vibrant colours, mirrors, and meticulously crafted pumpkin sculptures.

CEO of Qantas Founders Museum, Tony Cullen, expressed immense pride and privilege in collaborating with the National Gallery to grant such an iconic installation to regional Queensland. Mr Cullen highlighted the rare opportunity for the local community, schools, and visitors to engage with world-class contemporary art.

Senior Curator Sarah Johnson, Qantas Founders Museum, echoed the sentiment, emphasising the significance of featuring Kusama’s artwork in Longreach, extending the National Gallery’s collection to remote communities of western Queensland. She continued, “Kusama’s art is beloved worldwide, and people of all ages are encouraged to participate in this unique artistic encounter in our community”.          

Dr. Nick Mitzevich, Director of the National Gallery, hailed Kusama as one of Japan's most influential contemporary artists, with the mesmerising nature of the installation and its unparalleled visual appeal. “I am thrilled that more people in regional Australia will be able to experience this remarkable artwork. The National Gallery’s Art Across Australia program will connect more people with extraordinary art from the national collection.”

The official unveiling of THE SPIRITS OF THE PUMPKINS DESCENDED INTO THE HEAVENS from the National Gallery will take place on March 15, 2024, at the Qantas Founders Museum, Longreach. Further details regarding public programs and announcements will be released soon.

This work of art is on loan from the National Gallery of Australia as part of Art Across Australia.

Share #ArtAcrossAustralia

Image caption: Yayoi Kusama, THE SPIRITS OF THE PUMPKINS DESCENDED INTO THE HEAVENS, 2017, National Gallery of Australia, Kamberri/Canberra, purchased 2018 with the assistance of Andrew and Hiroko Gwinnett. © YAYOI KUSAMA.

Non State School Transport Assistance Scheme

The Non State Schools Transport Assistance Scheme (NSSTAS), funded by the State Government and administered by the Queensland Catholic Education Commission (QCEC), provides financial assistance to families transporting children to non-state schools in Queensland.

The Scheme’s Bus Fare Assistance Program (BFAP) provides a rebate above a threshold amount to eligible families whose student attends a non-state school outside the Brisbane City Council boundary. Setting a threshold is necessary to ensure the funding provided by the State Government is adequate to meet demand.

The weekly family threshold for Semester One 2024 was set by the Committee in August 2023 at $35 ($25 for a concession card holder). Applications for Semester One travel can be made in May at SchoolTransport.com.au.

The threshold is reviewed by the NSSTAS Reference Committee every semester and adjusted based on available cash reserves and anticipated demand. It is set before the start of the upcoming semester to ensure schools and families can appropriately plan their travel arrangements.
The Committee has reviewed the Scheme for Semester 2 2024. I am pleased to advise the weekly family threshold will reduce to $25 ($15 for a concession card holder). Increased funding to recognise enrolment growth and a high rate of indexation has resulted in an increase in the total grant funding received, enabling the reduction. We are pleased that this will help families with greater financial assistance in a period of increased cost of living. Applications can be made online on the website for Semester 2 travel in October and further information about the Scheme is available at SchoolTransport.com.au.

School zone safety – advice for motorists, parents and carers

We need to keep safety top-of-mind when travelling through active school zones and around our school community.

School zone times have been standardised in Queensland to help motorists remember when to slow down. The standard operating times for most school zones in Queensland are 7–9am and 2–4pm, with some operating all day between 7am–4pm.

Speeding remains a significant concern, contributing to fatalities and injuries, and police will be on the lookout for speeding motorists. Keeping below the signed speed limit in school zones helps keep everyone safe. This simple adjustment may have minimal impact on travel time but has the potential to significantly contribute to saving lives.

Children's crossings are identified by children's crossing flags, displayed near crossings before and after school hours. 

When the crossing is supervised, you, as a motorist, must:

• Wait until all pedestrians, bicycle riders, or personal mobility device riders have crossed the road and the crossing supervisor has returned to the footpath.
• Abide by the direction given by the School Crossing Supervisor.

Please keep our children safe by staying alert, slowing down and obeying our school crossing supervisors who are there to help kids cross the road safely.  

You can also help children become more road safety aware by:

• Showing them how to look for vehicles coming in and out of driveways and discourage them from playing behind parked cars, or with toys or balls when walking to school. 
• Ensuring your child knows the safest route to and from school. This is usually the way with the least traffic and the fewest roads to cross and teach your child to always walk on footpaths. 
• Showing your child how to cross at traffic lights when the green 'walk' sign is showing at pedestrian crossings when vehicles have stopped and at supervised school crossings when the supervisor has signalled it is safe to do so. 
• Accompanying children when walking or riding to school until they are old enough to understand road safety (usually around 10 years or older). 
• Teaching your child if they catch the bus to never cross in front of or behind a bus; wait until the bus goes before crossing the road. 
• Making sure wheeled devices (bicycle, scooter, skateboard, or rollerblades) used to travel to school are well maintained and that the appropriate protective and safety gear (for example, helmet, visible clothing, knee and elbow pads) are used. 

Visit the Street Smarts website for more information about what to do at pedestrian and children crossings.

Central West Hospital & Health Services