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Carparking/ Building Project update
From Monday 31 May, the carpark area backing up against our Prep play area up to the Kindy will be closed so the builders can get started on the extension to the Admin- time to get the slab down etc. The middle carparks will all still be accessible and Kindy parents will need to use the external pathways or the middle of the carpark path to access the Kindergarten. I appreciate that this may be frustrating but this is the joy of being part of a growing school community.
I did send a letter home last Monday about some considerations Parents should make for a more positive pick up and drop experience with the optimal priority being student safety. I have included the link to that letter here as it appears some parents may not have read it yet.
I did receive some feedback about a couple of other points to consider as well, including the speed that you are travelling at within the carpark and on Bishop Putney Avenue. Believe me, no ‘running late’ excuse warrants the risk to our student’s lives. Children are unpredictable so take care. The other response I had was around our Pick Up Drop Off area being a space where adults don’t get out of the car. This has come up before and as a community we had agreed that while the majority of our students are still so young and using the Pick Up Drop Off option is the best, that we would be understanding about having adults support children with seatbelts, safe entry and exit from the car etc. We appreciate it if this can be done in a timely manner so as not to delay cars in the line up.
Fabulous week
This week has been a fantastic opportunity to reflect and celebrate in a number of ways. We have thoroughly enjoyed our visit from Purple Orange- a number of school leaders from South Australia exploring our inclusive practices model. It was very affirming to be able to answer so many complex questions but also to pause, reflect and consider how well the different components of what we do are going. We learnt a lot from these visits.
Our Inter-school Cross Country team had their most successful meet since we opened and we look forward to seeing Bailey compete in the North Queensland trials next week. Congratulations to all of our competitors, you showed great sportsmanship which makes us all very proud.
Finishing out the week with the school disco and Under 8’s day make for a well earned restful weekend.
Have a fabulous weekend. See you all next week.
Cheers
Penny Collins
Welcome to the end of another week, and what a busy week it’s been! We started this morning with the Year 3 Emus leading us on assembly celebrating 200 years of Catholic education in Australia. They outlined the impact that Catholic schools have had in our communities for over 2 centuries, and prayed for all those who have been and continue to be involved in them today.
I was also impressed with the Emus presentation on Accountability, where they gave a small snapshot of ways students can be accountable at school including; putting hats and jumpers in bags, returning library books and doing your best in class. I also particularly enjoyed their presentation on Eddie Mabo, who they’ve been learning about in HASS, and sharing some of the information they have learned about his life, particularly the work that he has done in matters of land rights. I found this particularly poignant this week as we marked ‘Sorry Day’ and National Reconciliation Week, where as a nation we are aiming to walk hand in hand with our Inidigenous brothers and sisters.
Week 6 Events
It has certainly been a busy week at St Benedict’s this week!
On Tuesday afternoon, we had a group of students represent our school at the interschool cross country. They all put in a great effort, with well over 100 students taking part in each race. Congratulations to Baylie, who came 8th, and will represent our school at the Northern Region trials next week.
Thursday night was our first school disco for the year! It was great to see so many of our community here, with big smiles and tired feet being the order of the night. A big thanks to the P&F their organisation in putting this event together.
Friday was our annual Under 8’s Day. As well as our students, it was great to see so many parents and future Benny’s students in attendance. It was a beautiful morning, with so many wonderful activities set up throughout our Early Years Playground. It was definitely a wonderful celebration of Early Childhood education!
We also have a group of 4/5/6 students representing our school at the Townsville Schools Rugby Union Gala Day today. We are looking forward to hearing about how they went, with most students trying Rugby Union for the first time!
200 Years of Catholic Education
As mentioned in last weeks newsletter, we are starting to celebrate 200 years of Catholic Education in Australia. Please see the note below, which has also been sent through email, which outlines how you can contribute to our acknowledgment of the impact that Catholic Education has made in our community.
Pax
Nick
It was wonderful to see so many faces at the disco on Thursday night. Many thanks to the P&F who put the community event together, and to the families who came together. Providing these opportunities to join together as a community were greatly missed last year due to Covid-19, so a return to these events is wonderful.
This is also a great time to pause and take time to rest and rejuvenate. The students have pushed through a Super Blood Moon, Space Making Day (4/5/6)Disco, Under 8’s Day (P-2) and a Rugby Carnival (4/5/6) this week as well as completing assessment. There are also excursions planned for some year levels in the next few weeks. Making sure to rest, recover and refresh is important to help our coping and resilience, as well as just a great way to reconnect with those around us.
Jesus said “Come to me, I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28)
MULKADEE - Choir Workshop Reminder:
Date: Saturday 29th May
Time: 9.00am - 1.00pm
Venue: Southern Cross Catholic College, Gartrell Drive Annandale
Students will need to bring the following:
Pencil
Water bottle
A snack for morning tea
Please note the Grade 4 students are not required at this initial workshop.
We look forward to seeing you then!
This term in Science, the Year 2 Lorikeets have been investigating mixtures. Through hands-on investigations, students have been exploring how changing the quantities of materials in a mixture can alter its properties and uses. Students also explore how mixtures are used in our everyday lives.
Healthy Eats School
Did you know that we are part of the Life Education ‘Healthy Eats’ initiative and we are working towards becoming a Healthy Eats Accredited School? Healthy Eats is an exciting, new program from Life Education Queensland focused on increasing fruit and veg consumption in primary school aged kids. Facilitated by Life Education Queensland’s Community Development Officers and spanning the full school year, Healthy Eats is an innovative program that works with schools, parents and community partners, to provide a whole school, place-based approach to healthy eating. Healthy Eats aims to empower children to make healthier food choices now and throughout their lives. Some of the things we do at St Benedict’s to encourage students to make healthy food choices include:
- Daily brain break for every class (fruit or veg)
- Student led initiatives to encourage fruit and veg consumption
- Smart and healthy choices from the Tuckshop
- Fruit and vegetable gardens (year 3 eProject)
- Healthy Eats Workshop to Year 4/5/6 classes in Term 3
- Starting to share Healthy Eats Tips on facebook and in the newsletter
You can access parent information from the ‘Healthy Eats Parent Resources.’
