Issue 3, 19th May 2023 Term2
- Principals Report
- APRE News
- Caritas Australia - Project Compassion Boxes
- 3-6 Classroom News
- A Fractured Fairy Tale
- Student of the Week & Gotcha Winners Term 2 Week 5
- Mothers Day High Tea 2023
- P-2 Grandparents Day
- National Stimultaneous Storytime
- School Sports
- Minnie Finnie's Come and Try Day, 9th June
- School Photos
- PPF Meetings
- Welcome to St Finbarr's Mary R and Mary D
- Big buddy reading groups
- School Assembly
- Quilpie & District Carnival Dates 2023
- QSC After School Craft activities
- Golf Clinics
- Tuckshop Term 2 2023
- School Absences
- Playground Pics
- School Bell Times
- Term Dates 2023
- St Finbarr's Student Protection Contacts
Principals Report
Dear Parents, Friends and Community
Welcome to our newsletter for Week 5. I hope you are enjoying the new online format. Thank you to Miss Kerri for the hard work she puts in behind the scenes, to provide a great format to our community. I would also like to wish everyone a Happy Mother’s Day for last Sunday.
Principal’s Conference
As you know, I have been in Charleville this week for our Principal's Conference. The week has provided nothing less than an amazing opportunity to network with other schools, not only from our western areas but also from Toowoomba across both primary and secondary sectors.
I am looking forward to coming back to our school to continue to oversee our current schools strategic plan, and its implementation.
During the week we heard from a range of our Senior Education Leaders. The support we are given from the office is very substantial and I am grateful as a Principal to be offered this support. An example of support we have recently received was the instigation, conversations and furnishing of a house, to assist in getting our school the relief teacher we required while I was away. Thank you to Mary Rutledge who kindly accepted to make the journey to Quilpie during week 5 and week 6. Your presence at the school, teaching, getting to know our students and the assistance in releasing our teachers when needed has been beneficial. I would also like to make mention of our gratitude for Mary D’s volunteered work. Mary is a registered teacher who has recently retired from the classroom and we are lucky she has come to share her expertise and knowledge and assist teachers with small group rotations and art.
Mother’s Day Liturgy and High Tea
Last Friday, we hosted our annual Mother’s Day Liturgy and High Tea. I would like to sincerely thank all of you for the support and effort you showed in attending the day. I know getting away from your places of work is difficult at times and it did not go unnoticed the mammoth effort some of you went through to attend the afternoon. Your presence, along with each mother, grandmother, mother figure, community member was lovely to see. I would like to once again, thank our staff – some of whom were not well in the lead up to the event, yet still helped me in the preparation for the afternoon – which was very touching. I am looking forward to next year and I hope you all are as well.
School Photos
This coming Wednesday 24th we are taking school photos, please send students to school neat and tidy from head to toe, with school badges also. Staff photos will be at 8am and student photos from 8.30am
State Touch Carnival
This week we wished our students Jess and Ava all the best as they set off to play with the South West team at the State Touch Carnival in Cairns. I hope they enjoyed this time with their new team members who I have overheard the girls speaking about. I have heard reports that both girls have scored tries and their team have won a game. We are very proud of them and we are looking forward to their return next week, to hear all about it.
Simultaneous Story Time
Next Wednesday 24th May 2023, our students will be walking across to the Quilpie State College to join the College, Mulga Mates and our wider under 5 community in being apart of the National Simultaneous Storytime, which happens all around the country at 11am. If you have a younger sibling that isn’t at school yet, please let us know if you would like to join us. You will be more than welcome.
If you were planning on bring up lunch to your child please be aware we will be having a late first break after we walk back. We will aim to be back at school by 11.15am.
Toowoomba Catholic Schools Visitors
On Monday, Mr Luke Barret – Acting SEL while Paul Murphy is on leave will be visiting our school to work with myself on Monday and Tuesday. Luke’s visit will be around reviewing our schools AAP and Strategic Plan. If you see him around the school, I already know you will make him feel very welcome.
Rachel Coggan – Education Officer will be visiting on Wednesday and Thursday. Her visit will be to work with teachers and myself, in a one on one environment to assist in planning quality teaching and learning curriculum units for Term 3. Our teachers are looking forward to working with Rachel and we are lucky to have this support from the office, our teaches are extremely capable and to use Rachels expertise to even just “check in” and to assure us we are on the right path is extremely effective.
Opera Queensland school visit
Next Friday the 26th May Opera Queensland will be visiting our school to conduct a workshop with our students. The students will be looking forward to working with Opera Queensland again. Their last workshop was popular.
Until Next time….
Kara Marsh
Principal
APRE News
Dear families,
Due to Opera Queensland conducting workshops with our students on Friday 26th May. We will be moving our Pentecost Liturgy to the following Friday 2nd June. We are looking forward to our P-2 Students leading our liturgy.
Thank you to our incredible helpers who volunteered their time to assist in fundraising at the Quilpie Races for our St Finbarr’s Parish. It was a very successful day.
A friendly reminder our next St Finbarr’s Parish Church Service will be held on Sunday, 28th May 6pm, led by Fr Peter at St Finbarr’s Parish Church.
Caritas Australia - Project Compassion Boxes
Early in Term 1, Project Compassion boxes went home it is now time to return these boxes. Can families please return these boxes to school as soon as possible so all donations can be forwarded on to Caritas Australia. Thankyou
3-6 Classroom News
Midway through Term 2 and life is going along well in the G3-6 class.
Our language unit has seen us working hard on our fractured fairy tales. The children have taken a classical fairy tale and changed it slightly and, in some cases, quite drastically. We are looking forward to presenting these to our P-2 class before the end of the Term. The students have been using lots of exciting vocabulary; lumbering, bellowed, vicious, monstrosity to name a few, and attempting to include figurative language such as, onomatopoeia, similes, and metaphors. A fantastic resource we have been using to explain similes and metaphors is this video – Similes and Metaphors – be careful though, it’s very catchy and will become stuck in your head.
We have been given the opportunity to share our stories in the newsletter, so please enjoy James Hoch’s Fractured Fairy Tales – The Three Little Mice.
Within maths we have been investigating fractions, the concept of area and perimeter, and the elusive concept of time. Students spent time with hands-on materials, outside activities and tasks and sessions spent with word problems associated with the topic.
HASS has involved the children developing lines of inquiry on a number of topics related to the impact, both positive and negative, on Australia’s environment since the arrival of the First Fleet; introduced species, early farming techniques, mining and urban development. Once students have researched their topics, they have been presenting their findings to the class using posters or PowerPoint.
Our Religion Unit has seen the children develop their understanding of Parables and the deeper meaning these stories can provide. Reading through the Parables of the Prodigal Son, The Lost Coin and The Lost Sheep, students made connections between their understanding of God and forgiveness.
Athletics is our primary concern this Term and so our Fridays have become athletic rotation stations. The children are rotating through activities to assist them with learning the skills, language, and ‘perfecting’ their technique. Students are continuing to participate in the weekly, Deadly Skills sessions being held at the State School.
Looking forward to continuing all the learning and enjoyment throughout this Term.
A Fractured Fairy Tale
The Three Little Mice Written by – James Hoch
Once upon a time, there lived three little mice. Their names were, John, Fred and Geoff. They lived on an island in the middle of the sea. They had to build boats so that they could escape from the island’s vicious cat.
John built his boat out of wood. Fred built his boat out of twigs. Geoff built his boat out of recycled plastic. On the island, the cat lived in a tunnel, under the big palm tree and every time the mice walked past the cat snarled and lunged at them. Every day the cat grew hungrier and hungrier.
After a while, Geoff finished building his recycled plastic boat and started helping Fred. It took Geoff and Fred a couple of days to build the boat out of twigs. When Geoff and Fred finished, they both went to help John build his wooden boat. It took a long, long, long time to build the boat, but eventually they finished and started to pack all their belongings onto their boats.
The cat went out looking for the mice. The cat saw the mice heading for their boats and sprinted as fast as he could to try and stop the mice. The mice spotted the cat, gave a little squeak, and took off running towards their boats.
The cat ran onto the first boat. Scratch, scratch! The cat ripped the plastic boat to shreds and gobbled up the little mouse. Next, the cat went for the twig boat. Scratch, scratch! The cat destroyed the twig boat and gobbled up the mouse. Next, the cat leapt towards the wooden boat and climbed on board and gobbled up the third mouse.
After eating all the mice, the cat was very full and decided to spend the rest of the day resting upon his new wooden boat. Actually, the cat decided to spend the rest of his life floating, around his mouse free island, upon his lovely wooden boat.
Student of the Week & Gotcha Winners Term 2 Week 5
Gotcha tickets are given out each week when students are seen to be following our school rules and values. Actions may include caring for each other, greeting other students, staff and parents warmly or showing respect and responsibility. Actions may also be following the words of Mary Mackillop - 'Never see a need without doing something about it.'
SOW Winners Week 5- Ella-rose & Charlie
Gotcha Winners- Wk5- Lucy S & Emily
Mothers Day High Tea 2023
Last Friday the 12th of May was our annual Mothers Day High Tea, with many mothers/grandmothers/auntys and friends coming along. We thank everyone for making it another successful afternoon
P-2 Grandparents Day
On Wednesday 17th May the P-2 Class hosted a Grandparents day, where they interviewed Grandparents about their lives growing up. Some great questions were asked and some interesting stories told
Thanks to those Grandparents who were able to come and share their stories with our class.
National Stimultaneous Storytime
Next Wednesday 24th May 2023, our students will be walking across to the Quilpie State College to join the College, Mulga Mates and our wider under 5 community in being apart of the National Simultaneous Storytime, which happens all around the country at 11am. If you have a younger sibling that isn’t at school yet, please let us know if you would like to join us. You will be more than welcome.
If you were planning on bring up lunch to your child please be aware we will be having a late first break after we walk back. We will aim to be back at school by 11.15am.
School Sports
State Touch - 18th- 21st May
Ava & Jess are currently in Carins competing in the State Touch Trials, reports as of yesterday had both girls scoring tries in the last game of the day against Peninsula, with their team winning this game 2-1. Well done on your efforts so far we are very proud.
Minnie Finnie's Come and Try Day, 9th June
SAVE THE DATE
All children that are beginnng prep next year are welcome to attend our Minnie Finnies come and try morning, Friday the 9th June from 9am until 11am. More information to follow in the coming weeks.
School Photos
School photos will be taken this coming Wednesday the 24th of May starting 8am for staff and 8.30am for students , please make sure students come to school looking their best from head to toe for the photos. Please make sure students are wearing school badges.
PPF Meetings
The next meeting of St Finbarr's PPF will be on Wednesday 31st May 5pm
All welcome
Welcome to St Finbarr's Mary R and Mary D
Mary Rutledge, who some of you may know is an old Quilpie girl, she has kindly accepted to make the journey to Quilpie during week 5 and week 6 at St Finbarr's. Her presence at the school, teaching, getting to know our students and the assistance in releasing our teachers when needed has been beneficial. I would also like to make mention of our gratitude for Mary D’s volunteered work. Mary is a registered teacher who has recently retired from the classroom and we are lucky she has come to share her expertise and knowledge and assist teachers with small group rotations and art.
Big buddy reading groups
School Assembly
Every Friday is school assembly in the Mary Mac room, at 8.50am. When the school bell rings we head down to the Mary Mac room where student awards and other news is presented. Parents and friends are more than welcome to attend.
Quilpie & District Carnival Dates 2023
Athletics - Friday, 21st July
Swimming – Friday 24th November
PEGLER
SOMMERFIELD
DURACK
McMANUS
QSC After School Craft activities
Golf Clinics
Free golf clinics for those 5years and older are coming to Quilpie as part of the Outback Golf Masters (1st and 2nd July).
They can register here….
https://www.outbackqldmasters.com/juniors/
Tuckshop Term 2 2023
Please provide Snack attack at 10am, Morning tea at 11am and Lunch at 1pm. Term 2 $9 per student
Parents please remember to send cutlery to school with your childs lunch box if their meal requires utensils.
School Absences
PARENTS, Please contact the office each day when students are unable to attend school.
Please dont send a message with siblings about absences, please contact the school directly
Ph 07 46 215 200
Email - quilpie@twb.catholic.edu.au
Playground Pics
School Bell Times
Start of day bell -8.50am
Morning Tea Bell 11.00am -11.30am
Lunch Bell 1.00pm -1.30pm
End of day Bell 3.00pm
Please dont send students to school before 8.30 unless prior arrangements have been made, playground supervision doesnt begin until 8.30am
Term Dates 2023
TERM 1 : 24th Jan– 31st March, 10 WEEKS
TERM 2 : 18th April – 23rd June, 10 WEEKS
TERM 3 : 11th July – 15th Sept, 10 WEEKS
TERM 4 : 3rd Oct –1st Dec, 9 WEEKS
St Finbarr's Student Protection Contacts
It is a legislative requirement that all non-state schools have at least two nominated staff members to whom a student can report the behaviour of another staff member that the student considers inappropriate. We call these specially trained staff members School Student Protection Contacts, or SSPCs. Each SSPC has been nominated by the principal in recognition of their integrity, approachability and knowledge in the area of student protection. Whilst students are encouraged to speak up to any trusted adult in the school community, it is important that they know they can access these specific staff members at any time should they have worries, queries or concerns. You will have noticed posters throughout the school depicting our current SSPCs. The SSPCs are also published on our school website along with information about our student protection processes. In everything we do at St Finbarr's student safety is our highest priority, therefore the SSPCs at our school are key personnel in our overall safeguarding processes. Please see the poster depicting our current SSPC team.
