Issue 12 Term 3, 30th August 2024

Principals Report

Dear Parents, Friends and Community,
I hope this newsletter finds you well. As we move through the school year, I want to take a moment to highlight the importance of school attendance and celebrate the incredible achievements of our students.
The Importance of Attendance
Regular school attendance is crucial for your child’s academic success and overall development. According to the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL), consistent attendance is directly linked to better student outcomes. When students attend school regularly, they benefit from continuous learning, social interaction, and the development of essential life skills.
Parents play a vital role in ensuring their children attend school every day. Your support in establishing positive attendance habits is invaluable. If you face any challenges in getting your child to school, please reach out to us. We are here to work with you and provide the necessary support to ensure your child’s success.
Charleville Performing Arts Festival
I am incredibly proud of the efforts and accomplishments of our students. Recently, our Year 4-6 class took home the Gold for their outstanding verse speaking performance. Additionally, our Ensemble band also secured Gold, showcasing their musical talents. Thank you once again to their talented teachers Mrs Cathcart, Mrs Harris and Mrs Sommerfield.
In solo performances, we had remarkable achievements:
Jory Marsh - Highly Commended (Guitar)
Lincoln Young - Bronze (Piano)
Ruth Truss - Gold (Piano)
Indi Haylock - Gold (Piano)
Bailey McWaters - Silver (Piano)
Charlie Tonkin - Silver (Piano)
Hailey Hamlyn - Bronze (Piano)
Cleo Haylock - Gold (Piano)
Ella-Rose - Bronze (Piano)
Nate McConnell - Bronze (Piano)
For their Speech & Drama sections, the following students were recognized:
Nate McFadzean - Gold (Speech), Silver (Impromptu Speaking)
Ella Rose - Gold (Impromptu Speaking), Silver (Poem)
Nate McConnell - Gold (Bible Reading and Poem)
Our Year 4-6 class was also awarded the perpetual Outstanding Verse Speaking award, competing against schools and adults from P-6. Mrs. Cathcart competed in Bible Reading and Speech, receiving Gold. Additionally, Nate McConnell was honoured with the “Most Promising Performer in Music” award.
Regional Track & Field Achievements
A special mention goes to Maldon, who represented St Finbarr’s with true sportsmanship at the regionals in Chinchilla last Thursday. Although he didn’t make it to Brisbane, he achieved personal bests in his throws, surpassing his performance at the Charleville Districts Track & Field Carnival. We are incredibly proud of his dedication and effort. A heartfelt thanks to his parents for their unwavering support.
Father’s Day BBQ
We are eagerly looking forward to the Father’s Day BBQ this Friday. Please remember to RSVP to the school so we can cater appropriately. The staff and students are excited to spoil the dads and enjoy a friendly soccer match after lunch.
Staff Announcements
I would like to inform you that Mrs. Tessa Hennessy will be going on maternity leave for 2025. We wish her a huge congratulations! She will return full-time next term and will finish up on the 25th of November. We have advertised for a classroom teacher for next year.
Upcoming School Renewal and Improvement Review
St Finbarr’s School is scheduled for a School Renewal and Improvement quadrennial school review from Monday 30th September to Wednesday 2nd October 2024.
This review is part of the Toowoomba Catholic Schools Office’s framework aimed at enhancing school performance.
A panel, comprising senior staff from the TCS Teaching and Learning Directorate and a peer principal from another school in the Diocese, will visit our school for three days. Through a process of appreciative inquiry, the panel will interview staff, parents/carers, students, and community members. They will ask, “In your opinion, what is going well at the school?” and “What could be done better?” The goal is to provide a report to the school community with findings and suggested improvement strategies. These insights will inform our strategic plan development and annual action plans, aligned with the TCS Strategic Plan.
The purpose of these reviews is to help schools strategically plan to enhance teaching and learning. This process is conducted in all TCS schools.
The review panel highly encourages the school community to participate and share their feedback. Your input is vital in helping us achieve the two pillars of TCS: that all students will come to personally know Jesus and that all students will achieve academic success.
Feedback can be provided to the review panel in person or by telephone, and all feedback will remain confidential. If you are interested in speaking to a reviewer, please contact the school office or register your interest by emailing 
Thank You
Thank you all for your commitment to our amazing school. Your support and dedication make St Finbarr’s a wonderful place for our children to learn and grow.
Warm regards,

Kara Marsh

School Absences

Student of the Week & Gotcha Winners Term 3

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'.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       All the Gotcha tickets a placed in the 'Gotcha box' and two names are drawn out each week, the remaining names stay in the box and are added to each week.

Prep Classroom

Prep’s ‘Magnificent Things’!

For the remainder of the term, Prep students are exploring procedures.  They have read the book ‘The Most Magnificent Thing’ by Ashley Spires and created their own Magnificent Thing using materials of their choice.  This week, students will be writing a procedure showing others how to make their creations and if time, turn it into a book using Book Creator.

1-2 Classroom

Term 3 has flown by very quickly and been exceptionally busy! Students have been very diligent in reading fluency with our reading program working wonders. Students love using hands on resources to practise sounding out complex words, using playdough, counters and blocks. 

Year 1 and 2 have loved learning about different birds in our town and writing information reports on these birds. Don’t forget to ask your child which bird has been their favourite. Our classroom has been full of lots of learning, laughter and growing. 

During science in the afternoons, P-2 students have been exploring seasons, weather and how our environment changes. Students explored the phases of the moon and how the earth orbits the sun. They loved demonstrating the moon phases with OREO’s. 

Our students have been working persistently to give their best writing for the Quilpie Show. They are very excited and proud of their efforts. I know I am looking forward to seeing their work on display. 

As always, it has been a blessing working alongside our incredible team of teachers here this term.

Miss Derry 

3-6 Classroom

What a wonderful term we have had in the 4-6 class! All of the students’ hard work learning their poem, It’s Coming, came to fruition with a gold medal place at the Charleville Performing Arts Festival. We were also awarded “Most Outstanding Verse Speaking Group” at the festival (out of all performers from Prep to Adult). This is an amazing achievement and a reflection of the students’ hard work. In Science, we have learnt about the water cycle. When studying condensation, students created a cloud finder and then made a cloud in a cup. To conclude the term, students selected a water cycle from within Quilpie to create a poster explanation.

Charleville Performing Arts Festival

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Book Week Monday 19th August

St Finbarr's Book Week dress up day was Monday 19th August. Students came dressed as Iron man, Saddle Club . , even a few from Hogwarts turned up. Thank you to all our parents who did a great job having all our students dressed up as a character.

Mini Finnie's

Welcome to Mini Finnie's for 2024, we have lots of fun and learnt some things at the same time.   Mini Finnie's is a play-based education program designed to develop essential skills for a successful transition into prep, the program runs each Friday morning during Terms 3 and 4 from 8:45 to 11:00 am.                                                                   All children starting prep in 2025 are welcome to attend with their parent or guardian. Our Principal, Kara Marsh, and Miss Jen Anderson are looking forward to welcoming you! Please contact the office if you know of anyone who would like to attend: quilpie@twb.catholic.edu.au, ph 07 46 215 200.

Please fill in this form to RSVP https://forms.office.com/r/26CQf7rRFy   (right Click to open link)

Snow White and the Seven Cool Dudes

https://youtube.com/shorts/zdp0hjMCP6U?si=PNX3kC34HkVNoqjr

 Click and follow this link to see one of Snow Whites Cool Dudes in action.

Father's Day @ St Finbarr's

St Finbarr's School and Staff and Students warmly invite all Dad's to our Father's Day BBQ, please feel free to invite Grandads, Uncles, Brothers. Please send a message to the Office if your able to come. 

Quilpie & District & Regional Sport

A few weeks ago, several of our talented students qualified for the Quilpie & District Team to compete in the District Track & Field trials in Charleville. We are incredibly proud of their hard work and dedication!
👏 Congratulations to:
James
Nate McF
Nate McC
Maldon
Cleo
Unfortunately, James and Nate McF were unable to attend due to illness. Despite feeling unwell, Cleo showed great determination and competed. We are so proud of her resilience!
🏅 Special Recognition:
Regional Track & Field Qualifications 
Nate McC qualified for the 100M event.
Maldon qualified for Discus and Shot Put.
Maldon and his family travelled to Chinchilla last week for his events at the Regional Track & Field Carnival, while not making the next stage he was successful in getting a PB in his Discuss, 3 meters more he said this morning at assembly.
 

PPF 2024

All are welcome to come and have some input into your school. Agenda Items must be sent to Office or Committee member prior to meeting otherwise they will not be discussed.

President -Mr. Sam Bartlett
Vice president-Mr. Dan Hoch
Treasurer - Mrs. Amy Kuhn
Secretary – Ms. Kerri Thompson
Fundraising C0-Ordinator - Mrs. Lousie Hoch

Tuck-Shop 2024

Thank you to our families each week who run a Tuck shop- the kids love having Mum or Dad there and all our other Mums & Dads love not having to make a lunchbox on a Monday.

Please make sure you read the Operating Procedures in the Tuck shop to familiarize yourself with how it runs, always ask Office questions if you're not sure.                                                                                                                    

10am Snack Attack ( one platter for each classroom (3)                                                                                                           11am 1st Break -Fruit/veg option and  home bake                                                                                                                     1pm 2nd Break- Lunch and dessert                                             

Parents on Tuck shop will not be sent home an envelope for their student. Please see the office if you have any issue's or need some money to pay for items (please bring receipt)

Please note: Please don't send PEANUT related snacks to school. Peanuts only are not permitted; other nuts are fine.                                                                                                                                                                                                                             A link to the Operating Procedures can be found below.                                                        

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SAVE THE DATE! Term 3 Concert

Quilpie Show

St Finbarr's Mystery Holiday and Fete

Assembly

Don't forget each Friday we have assembly in the Mary Mackillop room, where Student awards are presented and School notices are shared with students and families present, at 8.45am when the bell rings please head on into the Mary Mackillop room 

School Website & Calendar

Please make youself familiar with our School Website, below is the Website link and a direct link to the school online calendar which has future dates on it that may not have been included in the Term planner, such as AGM and Fete dates.

Below shows you in 4 steps on how to subscribe the school online  calendar onto your phone's calendar, when reading school newsletter via your phone 

 St Finbarr's School, Quilpie, Calendar 

 St Finbarr's School, Quilpie Website

2024 Term Planner

Please find the Term Planner for T1 and T2, please also keep a look out on our website for other dates or subscribe to school calander as shown above.

School Yard access

School Bell Times

Term Dates 2024

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.