Term 3 Week 2
Key Information
Term 3 Important Dates
Week 3 – Catholic Education Week
Monday 22nd July – Parent Teacher Interviews (P-9)
Tuesday 23rd July – Parent Teacher Interviews (P-9); NRL Visit (Years 4-6), 8:40-10:00am, Whole School Prayer, 11:20am
Wednesday 24th July – Dressed by Vinnies Free Dress
Friday 26th July – Assembly/Catholic Education Week Liturgy, 8:30am
Week 4
Tuesday 30th July – Lockdown, 10:30am; Board Meeting, 5pm
Wednesday 31st July – SRC Meeting, First Break
Thursday 1st August – Rodeo Dress Up Day; Float Construction; Tennis Australia Visit; Snowy and the Seven Cool Dudes Performance (P-2)
Friday 2nd August – Merry Muster Weekend & Float; IPRASS
Week 5
Thursday 8th August – Mary MacKillop Feast Day Mass & Activities
Friday 9th August – Term 3 Ride to School; Assembly, 8:30am; QLD Cricket Visit
Week 6 – Book Week: Reading is Magic
Monday 12th August – FNEAC Meeting, 3pm
Tuesday 13th August – Headspace Workshop (Years 6-9)
Wednesday14th August – SRC Meeting, first break; Hansel and Gretel Opera (P-6), 12:20pm
Friday 16th August – National Anti-Bullying Day; Learning Breakfast (Pancakes); Book Week Parade, 8:30am; Cake Plates Handout
Week 7
Monday 19th August – Fire Drill, 10:30am
Wednesday 21st August – Life Ed Visit
Thursday 22nd August – Life Ed Visit
Friday 23rd August – Cake Free Dress; Assembly, 8:30am; School Fete
Saturday 24th August – Opti-MINDS
Week 8
Thursday 29th August – Father’s Day Breakfast and Song; Bush Dance; Emerging Leaders - Blak Excellence Program (Townsville)
Week 9 – Child Safety Week
Wednesday 4th September – Ditto’s Keep Safe Adventure Show (P-2), 1:30pm
Thursday 5th September – Sean Choolburra – First Nations Performance
Friday 6th September – Assembly, 8:30am
Week 10
- Monday 9th September - Staff Appreciation Day
Tuesday 10th September – Board Meeting, 5:30pm
Wednesday 11th September – R U OK Day?; SRC Meeting, First Break
Friday 13th September – Assembly, 2:30pm (Farewell from MMS); Last Day Term 3
Tuckshop News
Please have your orders in by WEDNESDAY 8:30 am.
To order: https://myschoolconnect.com.au/
Our special for Week 3 is: Brekky Wrap & Cookies & Cream Slice
Our special for Week 4 is: Mongolian Chicken & Choc chip Biscuits
OUR TUCKSHOP CREW NEEDS YOU
Miss Jamie-Lea is looking for some wonderful volunteers to help her in Tuckshop on Thursdays. You do not have to be a parent to volunteer. We have had grandparents, aunties, uncles, friends and cousins, as well as mums and dads. If you are interested in volunteering, please join Miss Jamie-Lea's tuckshop volunteer group. 
https://m.facebook.com/groups/
Uniform Shop
Our Uniform Shop is open to orders being placed via the app, https://myschoolconnect.com.au/
Please give us 24 hours to organise collection for your order; we generally contact you when your order is ready to collect.
If you are needing students to try on sizes, we are available:
Monday from 2:30-3pm and Wednesday from 8:10-8:30am.
Miss Heather
General News
BOOK WEEK
This year's theme is "Reading is Magic"
Get your thinking caps on for a magical costume to showcase in our Book Week Parade on Friday 16th August!
Principal's News
Welcome to our first newsletter for Term 3
As we move into the last semester of the school year, I am thrilled to share some of the highlights of Term 3 with you.
NAIDOC Week Celebrations
In Week 1 we celebrated NAIDOC Week, which is a significant event in our school calendar. Our focus was to celebrate the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This year, the theme was ‘Keep the fire burning: Blak, Loud and Proud.’ Our students and staff participated in various activities that honoured the spirit of NAIDOC.
Our Emerging Leaders and School Leaders attended the Elders Lunch at the Community Precinct where they waited on the Elders and delegates from our Cloncurry community. The leaders also hosted the school assembly on Wednesday. This was a wonderful opportunity for our entire school community to come together in prayer and reflection, acknowledging the contributions and resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The whole school had a ‘Deadly Day Out’ at Chinaman’s Dam on Thursday, where they sampled bush tucker and learnt about the different uses for the flora native to our area. Friday was the Cloncurry Community March and Ceremony, where we marched in solidarity with students and staff from the State School. It was inspiring to see so many members of our community come together to celebrate and recognize the importance of NAIDOC Week. Following the march, we attended a moving ceremony that included a traditional performance of Aboriginal dancing, and speeches, highlighting the rich cultural heritage of our First Nations peoples.
The involvement and enthusiasm from our students were heartwarming, and it was evident that they gained a deeper appreciation for the significance of this week.
FACE Fete Meeting
This week, we held our FACE meeting at the Leichhardt Hotel, which focused on the progress of the fete planning. Under the commendable guidance of Mia Dickson and Helen Phillips, planning is forging ahead and is shaping up to produce our best ever fete. The time and effort both ladies are putting into this event is very much appreciated and I can’t thank them enough. Thank you also to the parents who have put their hand up to take on tasks. We certainly have a school community that shares a common vision to make a difference in the lives of our children.
Next week, we have Parent - Teacher interviews on Monday and Tuesday afternoons. We also celebrate our Catholic Identity as Catholic Education Week kicks off also on Monday. The theme is " Communities of Faith, Hope and Love", which I witness everyday in our school community, through our parents, staff and students. Our very own Mia Dickson was nominated for the Spirit of Catholic Education award! Please join us in our celebrations next Friday as we celebrate Catholic Education Week in a Liturgy during assembly. It will begin at 8.30am.
In anticipation of Catholic Education Week, leave you with a quote from the leader of the Catholic Church about education:
"Education is not about knowing things or taking lessons but about being able to use three lingos: those of the head, the heart, and the hands... learning so that you can think about what you feel and do, can feel what you think and do, and can do what you feel and think. Unity within a person." Pope Francis, 2017
God bless
Mrs Karen Good
Acting Principal
Deputy's News
Dear Parents and Students,
Welcome back to the start of Term 3. I hope everyone had a restful and enjoyable break. I’m excited about a busy term with our students and look forward to witnessing significant academic growth throughout the rest of the year.
Parent-Teacher Interviews for Semester 2
Parent-teacher interviews for Semester 2 will take place next week on Monday and Tuesday. This is a valuable opportunity for you to discuss your child's progress and set goals for the coming semester. To book your interview, please use the Compass app. We look forward to meeting with you and discussing how we can best support your child's learning journey.
Feed and Succeed Program
We are excited to reintroduce our Feed and Succeed program, formerly known as Homework Help. This program is designed to provide additional academic support for our Upper Middle Years students. Feed and Succeed will be held every Thursday afternoon from 3 pm to 4 pm. I strongly encourage all students in the Upper Middle Years to take advantage of this fantastic resource to enhance their learning and succeed in their studies.
If you have any questions or need assistance booking a parent-teacher interview, please do not hesitate to contact the school office.
Mr Dean Kelley
Deputy Principal - Teaching and Learning
APRE
Welcome to Term 3!
At the end of last term, I shared the goals and progress of our Catholic Identity Committee. As mentioned, we have been working on revamping our School assembly awards. I am pleased to announce that these awards will be rolled out at our Week 4 assembly. The four new awards will reflect our new school values (Love, Serve, Lead and Strive) and will replace the Student of the Week and OWOW Awards. Please see the awards and their descriptions below.
Catholic Education Week - 22nd - 26th July 2024
Catholic Education Week is an annual state-wide event that promotes the distinctive mission of Catholic schools throughout Queensland.
This week is celebrated by all schools through a range of liturgies, events and activities.
The Catholic Education Week 2024 theme continues on from 2022 and 2023 "Communities of Faith, Hope and Love".
A TCE Mass to mark the official launch of Queensland Catholic Education Week 2024 will be held at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Townsville on Tuesday 23rd July at 10am.
Catholic education strives to make a difference in the lives of those in our schools and in the wider community by challenging young people to live out the message of Jesus and to reach their full potential as compassionate, contributing, life-giving members of society.
We invite all members of our school and parish community to celebrate this week with us. On Monday we will be hosting a whole school prayer session. On Tuesday the classes have been encouraged to carry out acts of kindness. On Wednesday it is our Dressed by Vinnies fundraiser and Thursday our choir will be performing at Aged Care. To finish off the week, on Friday we will share in a special Catholic Education Week liturgy at 8:30am to celebrate together this significant event as a Community of Faith, Hope and Love.
Have a blessed week
Therese Curley
APRE
Pastoral Care
URSTRONG - The Language of Friendship
Start Learning our Language of Friendship
Designed for kids in Years 3 to 6, this series includes eight videos plus an introduction and conclusion. Each session includes the key outcome, objective, materials required, instructions, and next steps. You’ll also see Related Resources from our resource library if you want to dig deeper.
The videos are sequential and will take you roughly 30 minutes each. Choose a schedule that fits your family, but one session per week is ideal. Be sure to pause the videos when prompted to engage your child + make that personal connection to their friendships.
Ready to begin? Open up the Introduction and click “Watch Lesson”. Have fun!
The Resilience Project
Working on mindfulness gives us opportunities to develop our ability to pay attention to the present moment and our thoughts. Practising mindfulness daily can help us stay focused on set tasks and reduce stress and anxiety.
Whole Family Activity: Mindful Walk
- As a family, go on a walk outside in nature. This might be around your local walking track, at your local park, or just around your streets.
- While walking, tune into your senses and observe what you can see, hear, and feel. Or you might choose to focus on one of the senses. Eg: Hear: what are all the noises you can hear on your walk?
- On your way home or when you return home, share what each person saw, heard, or felt.
Family Habit Builder:
Each night at dinner, ask everyone to take one mouthful of food more mindfully than the rest and think about the flavours they can taste and how it makes them feel. (They can also thank the chef!).
Feed and Succeed
I encourage all senior students to attend weekly tutoring available on Thursdays from 3-4pm!
Best regards
Mrs Schneekloth
Pastoral Care Leader
Prep
Hello Parents and Guardians
WOW, what a busy start to Term 3!
Over the last two weeks, Prep has hit the ground running, being involved in both the 100 Days of School and NAIDOC Week celebrations. We have also began our Mini Olympics Friday activities with our Year 6 Buddies.
Looking Forward in to Week Three and Four:
Literacy: We will be learning what a digraph is. In Week 2 we learnt that when the two letters c and k are together, they make the sound /k/. This is a digraph. Looking forward, we will learn about double letter digraphs: ll, ff and ss, as well as the digraphs sh and qu. Over the next two weeks, we will also learn the new Tricky Words have, of, here and with identifying the parts that are tricky and the parts that we can sound out.
Numeracy: Our first math concept for the term is measurement. We will continue to use language to describe the measurement attributes of length, mass, capacity and duration by connecting the words with the appropriate attribute. We will begin to compare pairs of objects to say which is longer/shorter and heavier/lighter We will also learn about duration of time, experimenting with starting different events/activities at the same time to decide which takes longer.
Religion: This term we will begin to recognise Jesus’ teachings about love, compassion and forgiveness that challenged people about the way they were living. We will relate examples of people having the freedom to choose between good and bad, right and wrong. We will also continue to learn about our school's Catholic Values of Love, Strive, Lead and Serve having a weekly focus on one of these values.
HaSS: In Geography this term students recognise the features of familiar places, identify why some places are special to people and the ways they can care for them.
Reminders:
This term we have begun to run our Literacy Rotations a little differently. However, parent helpers are still welcomed from 9:00am daily. Please let me know if you are available to come and read with our class.
Due to low staffing in Prep, we were unable to send readers home in Week 2. At the start of Week 3, your child will be sent home with a decodable reader as well as a Home Reading Diary. This Home Reading Diary shows the steps to follow when reading with your child. At the back of the booklet there are also some activities that students may complete if they would like to. Please see our Home Learning Page on our class website for updates and other activities to practice at home.
Week 3 is Catholic Identity Week. We will celebrate with our dress by Vinnies day on Wednesday and our Catholic Identity Mass on Friday morning. Please ensure your child has a jumper and long track pants on as it is cold at the shed.
On Friday of Week 4, we will have a pupil free day as it is the Cloncurry Merry Muster. There will be a float parade on Friday afternoon. More information about the theme will be sent out closer to the date.
Keep up to date with what is happening in Prep by checking out our Little Leaders Website.
Yours in fun and learning,
Miss Brock, Mrs McLauchlan, Miss Rachel and Miss Kylie
Year 1
Hello Families,
We have had a busy first two weeks back at school!
In Maths this term, we will be looking at different strategies to work out simple addition and subtraction problems. The students will continue to work on place value and partitioning one and two digit numbers.
In English this term, we will be looking at informative texts and more specifically, Australian animals. The students have enjoyed looking at the Green Tree Frog and a Major Mitchell Cockatoo this over the last two weeks. We have looked at facts to make different fact files on our animals. This topic aligns with our science unit for this term which is looking at Australian animals and what they need to survive.
We had a great time last Thursday for our Deadly Day Out at the Dam. The students loved listening to the stories, going on a walk and participating in some craft.
Here are some photos from the day:
Reminders:
Tuesday: Art
Thursday: Sports, Homework due and Library
Friday: Technology and Homework goes out
Have a wonderful week.
Miss Haley and the always fun Year 1s!
Year 2
Hi all,
Welcome back to Term 3. I’ve really enjoyed listening to all the student’s stories from the school holidays; it sounds like they had a blast!
We have hit the ground running with our learning areas as we have a jammed packed term ahead with events, including our ever popular fete. During writing this term, we will be looking at Informative Texts. During HASS, the students will be researching significant people in our community and this research will be used to create an information report on a chosen person of significance for writing. Our Math topic for the next few weeks is multiplication and division. In Science, we are looking into Earth’s resources and how they are used in a variety of ways. We will also be examining messages and advertising during Health.
Reminders:
Homework - Homework day is due Monday
Library - Monday (Week B)
Have a fantastic weekend!
Miss Ansell
Year 3
Welcome back!
The past few weeks have been full of many exciting learning experiences.
One highlight was when the students learnt about NAIDOC Week and had so much fun on their Deadly Day Out. Check out some of the things they got up to:
We have a lot to learn and look forward to this term. Below is an outline of our learning goals for each learning area…
Mathematics
The students will be learning about:
- multiplication and division
- measurement
- statistics
- maps
English
This term, the students will be completing a book study. They will be reading "The Broken Rainbow (Nerra: Deep Time Traveller) " by Tasma Walton. Throughout the book study, the students will be practicing their reading fluency, as well as their ability to comprehend and understand literal and inferred meaning.
They will be exploring how stories (including characters, settings, and events) are created through vocabulary choices and images.
After completing the book study, students will write a book review.
As per routine, students will continue to:
- enhance their writing skills with Writer’s Toolbox
- learn to write using joined letters in handwriting
- learn new sounds each week to enhance their spelling skills
Religion
The students will learn to “Care for God’s Family”. They will read two key scriptures in the Bible and recognise how these scriptures provide foundations for living a moral life.
- The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17)
- The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-11)
Science
This term, the students are learning about physics by investigating heat energy. This will involve experiments to test how the temperature of different materials change on a hot day. Students will then be involved in a project to design the COOLEST playground, using materials that won't conduct too much hea.!
HASS
This term, the students will learn about Australia’s neighbouring countries and explore what it would be like to live in a neighbouring country.
Health
The students will continue to practice gratitude, empathy, and mindfulness (GEM) in the Resilience Project, and learn about strong friendships in the UR Strong program. Likewise, they will investigate reliable health messages and information to make healthy and safe choices.
Reminders:
- Homework - Homework will be given to students every Monday and is due Friday.
- PE uniform Tuesday
- Library every second Thursday (odd weeks - W1,3,5,7,9)
- Chaplain’s Breakfast - Tuesday & Thursday at 7:45am in MMS
Thank you
Laura Cook
Year 4
Hi all,
We have enjoyed being back at school and have been busy setting some goals for an awesome term to come. Here are some photos of what we’ve been up to so far:
For the rest of the term the students in Year 4 are going to be taking over the newsletter writing (with a little bit of guidance). They are going to take turns writing this in groups to keep you all updated. Please enjoy what they have written for the first two weeks of Term 3:
The Past Two Weeks:
Light Bulb Goals
In Year 4 over the past two weeks we made a light bulb. They are about what we wanted to get better at. I wanted to get better at maths so I could answer design and times tables straight away. I wanted to help people up, help with their work, be kind, caring and responsible. Each section was about your own goals. - Max
The Daintree
In Year 4 we have been learning about the Daintree rainforest and animals like the Cassowary. Students have been enjoying this. Especially how big the rain forest is. The students have been really interested in how many insects there are - more than 12,00 different types. It is amazing how many animals and insects there are in the Daintree Rainforest. - Charlotte
Maths
We’ve been learning how to convert mixed numerals into improper fractions. We multiplied our mixed numerals to make improper fractions. I really enjoyed looking at multiplication because it made this type of maths a little easier for me and my peers. - Bella
Biomes
In HaSS we have been working on Biomes. We have been learning the names, features and animals of them. Biomes are distinct geographical regions with specific climates, vegetation and animal life. There are five major types of biomes:
Aquatic, grassland, forest, desert and tundra but some of these can be divided into more specific types such as freshwater, marine, savanna, and tropical and temperate rainforests. - Amity
NAIDOC Week
Last week, we celebrated NAIDOC for a whole week. Classrooms did name plaques, designs for our classroom doors (Deadly Doors), went to the Dam and ate Kangaroo, bush herbs and spices, did palm weaving, yarning circle, played football, walked on country and learnt about different plants and animals. On the Friday, we marched through the streets to celebrate NAIDOC and Reconciliation. It was the best week ever. - Rodney
Please don’t forget:
- Homework is due every Monday. This needs to be in on Monday to then be sent home the same day for the new week. If possible, I would love for this to be completed by Friday, however I understand that with the variety of extracurriculars that the Year 4 children participate in, this can be difficult.
- We will be visiting the Library every Friday. Please make sure your child brings their homework bag and any outstanding books on Fridays.
- Children need to wear their Sports Uniforms every Thursday.
I hope to see you all next week for Parent Teacher Interviews.
Thank you,
Mairin Borlase
Year 5
Welcome to Term 3!
I hope you are having a good week.
The last two weeks have definitely been busy in Year 5. We had a wonderful Week 1 celebrating NAIDOC week. The children took part in a number of activities, including the Deadly Day out at Chinaman Creek Dam, taking part in the Cloncurry Town March, as well as creating sand art pictures. Next week I will be holding Parent Teacher meetings. This will be a great opportunity to discuss your child’s progress as well as any concerns you might have.
English
Over the last two weeks we have started our writing type for this term - information texts. We have been working with Year 6 on our Olympics topic. It has been great to see the children in both year groups working so well together.
The children have also continued their weekly Soundwaves lessons. In Week 1, we worked the sound ‘O’. The sound “O’ is frequently represented by the grapheme o (e.g. bonus, radio).The grapheme ow for ‘O’ is often used at the end of words (e.g. show, yellow).The grapheme 'ough' is an unusual way to represent ‘O’ (e.g. though, dough). In Week 2 we worked on the sound ’P’.’P’ is most frequently represented by the grapheme p (e.g. play, repeat, beep). The grapheme 'pp' for ’P’ is seen in the middle of words, after short vowel sounds (e.g. puppy, slipper). We also worked on the sound ‘R’ in Week 2.
‘R’ is most frequently represented by the grapheme 'r' (e.g. rain, very). The grapheme 'rr' for ‘R’ is seen in the middle of words, after short vowel sounds (e.g. carrot, sorry). The grapheme 'wr' for R’ is only used at the start of words (e.g. write, wrong).
Maths
We have been very busy in Maths as well over the last two weeks. We have worked on 12 and 24 hour time conversions and time durations. We have also worked on probability both in terms such as certain, unlikely, likely or impossible and also writing probability as a fraction.
Homework
Homework is due on the Friday each week to allow me time to go over the work in class with the children. Please make sure homework is returned on Friday so the new homework can be reissued on Monday for the following week.
Specialist Subjects:
Monday: Japanese and Science
Tuesday: Drama
Wednesday: Health and Technology , students may wear their House Shirts to school
Thursday: Science and HASS
Friday: Sport and HASS, Students may wear their Sports Uniform
Reminders:
- Tuesdays and Thursdays: Chaplaincy breakfast begins at 7:45am.
- Wednesday : Tuck shop orders due by 8.30am
- Monday 22nd and Tuesday 23rd June Parent Teacher interviews
- Wednesday 24th June Dress by Vinnies Free Dress
- Friday 26th June Catholic Education Liturgy at 8.30am MMS
I hope you have a great week. If you have any concerns please do not hesitate to contact me.
Nicola Cullen
Year 6
Dear Families,
Following a very busy start to the term, this week we have returned to our regular learning this week. In Week 1, we celebrated our last 100 days of Primary School and NAIDOC week with a trip out to the dam to Walk on Country. We read several First Nations texts and created our Deadly Door which you will be able to see at our Learning Conferences next week–please book an appointment to review goals and discuss next steps.
In English this term, our main focus is on informative writing which we linked to several other areas of our curriculum. ‘Australia’s neighbours’ has connections to our HASS, while the Olympics connects to HASS, English, Maths, and Health. We have had, and will continue to have, regular discussions about the structural and language features of informative writing–headings, photographs, videos, contents, captions, well researched body of text with factually accurate information etc. In spelling, we continued to investigate words with [p, pp], [wr, r, rr], [ar, a] common graphemes and made connections with word origins–marsupial originated from Greek as well as portmanteaus used to explain new words like the combination of breakfast and lunch becoming brunch. Our reading continued focus is on comprehension strategies like understanding the main idea and drawing conclusions.
In Mathematics learning, we have discussed mental strategies to support recall and quick calculation of division and multiplication. Last week, we investigated division by 5–doubling the 5 to 10 because this is an easier calculation and then doubling the answer. The second strategy was to multiply by 25–multiplying by 100 is easier (x4 to get there) and then divide the answer by 4. Please check out our class website for images and additional information. Maths for the term connects with the Olympic Games and Mini Olympics where we will collect and analyse data. We will be having Mini Olympics activities with our Year 5, Prep and Y1 Buddies–taking place on Friday afternoons.
Our Religion studies reflect back on the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit before moving on to discussions about saints and other holy people. Students will be introduced to the Christian understanding of faith and the term 'communion of saints'. They will develop their understanding of the many ways in which faith is lived out and celebrated in the lives of believers past and present.
I am looking forward to seeing you all next week.
Kindest regards,
Mike
UMY Subject Spotlight
LOTE (Japanese) with Mr Delaney
This term, the UMY students will be learning about family and pet vocab, in addition to famous places and landmarks in Japan. In addition, they will be learning the names of Australian cities and landmarks - this means that we will be learning and practicing the katakana script (used for foreign/borrowed words). They will have a short weekly test based on the sets they have learned in previous weeks.
We will be learning how to explain the location of cities and landmarks, describe the appearance, express what we like about them, the meaning beyond them, and the kanji characters used to write them. Their final project will be to write a postcard from two famous places/landmarks - including one from Uluru and another of their choosing in Japan. This will require research and learning new sentence structures including the use of verb and adjective forms, and conjunctions to extend writing.
Mr. Delaney
Arts with Miss Humes
This term our UMY students will be focussing on Drama and have begun the term by learning about the origins of Greek Theatre. We will spend time looking at the elements of drama and how they can be manipulated to create an engaging performance for audience members. There will be a focus on how students can use their voice and movement to help tell a story, particularly as Greek Theatre includes a chorus section - where actors speak or sing in unison. As we move into the assessment period later this term, students will work in small groups to write their own script for the familiar story of Little Red Riding Hood where they will include some given chorus passages. This will be performed, and afterwards a reflection on how well they used the elements of drama written up.
Youth Ministry & Chaplaincy
Youth Ministry
Important dates/reminders:
- Chaplaincy Breakfast: every Tuesday & Thursday from 7:45 to 8:15. A massive thank you to Ben Dare who helped out this week!
- Dressed by Vinnies: clothes donations to be brought into classrooms; stall for clothes to be purchased on Monday and Tuesday (22/07 & 23/07) - bring some money to purchase an affordable outfit; wear new outfit to school on Wednesday (24/07)
- Year 9 Aged Care visit: This Friday (19/07)! Please provide consent through Compass
- Spirit in Action: Week 4 Monday (29/07)
Spirit in Action - Yrs 6-9
The Spirit in Action (SIA) group began in Term 3 of 2023 and gave the UMY students a chance to belong to a Christian community outside of school hours. The focus is on faith formation through justice and service, connecting with our community, developing leadership, participating in prayer and celebration, and taking the opportunity to encounter the risen Christ.
In 2024, we welcomed the Year 6 students and the sessions generally follow this sequence:
- A game/ice-breaker centred around the theme of the week (or sometimes, purely for fun)
- Faith formation activities - viewing and responding as a group
- Communal prayer experience with contemporary worship music
- Discussion and planning for upcoming initiatives/opportunities in our community
- A shared afternoon tea - this year, we will be preparing healthy-ish snacks for Chaplaincy Breakfast and as lunchbox fillers for those in need within our school community
Our next session will be Week 4 Monday (29/07)!
All Years 6 to 9 students are welcome to attend when they are willing, able, and ready.
Mini Vinnies - Yrs 5 & 6
Last term, we renewed and revitalised our Joey’s Mini Vinnies group! The Year 5 and 6 classes showed a tremendous amount of enthusiasm and we had HUGE numbers for our first meeting.
The students determined their own God-given gifts and talents that they can use to benefit our community. We even began designing our own Mini Vinnies logo.
This week when we meet, the group will be tasked with sorting and displaying the clothes donations in preparation for our Dressed by Vinnies day.
Contact me: jdelaney@sjctsv.catholic.edu.au
Yours in faith, hope & love
Mr Delaney
Guidance Counsellor
SPECIAL REPORT: Social Media Influencers
Social media influencers wield significant power, shaping opinions, particularly among young people. However, their impact on youth mental health is concerning. Most recently, the controversial actions and statements of Andrew Tate and his rise to fame, has made him a polarising figure, amassing a significant following of mostly young males. Educators and families have raised urgent concerns about the damaging nature of Tate’s content, worried that his messages may radicalise students and create a generation of young men with regressive and harmful beliefs.
In today's digital world, anyone can be an influencer, exerting influence through their audience relationship. Comparisons to idealised lives on social media can contribute to feelings of inadequacy, while exposure to inappropriate content and distorted body image perceptions exacerbate the issue. The fast-paced environment inundates young people with information, making them susceptible to certain beliefs and evoke strong emotions. Attention has become a valued commodity, therefore influencers design content to captivate their audiences.
Filtered portrayals of perfect lives create unrealistic expectations often resulting in dissatisfaction. Comparisons with peers intensify insecurities and anxiety. Social media algorithms may also expose a young person to inappropriate content, fostering negative and divisive narratives which can then lead to cyberbullying and online harassment, further harming their wellbeing.
It is therefore crucial for parents and caregivers to guide a young person’s social media use, encourage open communication, and educate them about the realities of social media. Be curious to comprehend why they might be drawn to radical influencers, like Andrew Tate, and actively seek understanding as part of the solution. Through modelling kindness, respect and positive values, you can help tackle the sway of such influencers, countering unhealthy masculinity and mitigating potential harm. While not all influencers have a negative impact, it is important to ensure there is a balanced approach between online and offline activities. Emphasise the importance of critical thinking, real-life connections and positive values.
For more information on how to instil positive values in your child, you may find the following websites useful.
- White Ribbon: This is part of a global social movement working to eliminate gendered violence.
- Orygen: A framework to help boys learn healthy behaviours and develop a positive approach to masculinity.
- R4Respect: An education strategy to prevent domestic and family violence led by young people for young people.
- Flourish Girl: Promoting mental health and emotional intelligence for teenage girls and gender diverse teens in schools.
- Girl Power: Fostering a positive mindset, inner confidence and resilience in girls at a young age, before they embark on their teenage years and are exposed to the powerful world of social media
https://sjctsv.catholic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-social-media-influencers-au
Mrs Bec Greaves
Guidance Counsellor
First Nations Education
NAIDOC Week 2024 - Keep the Fires Burning - Blak, Loud and Proud!
That's a wrap for NAIDOC Week 2024! What a busy week!
Monday saw our Emerging Leaders and School Leaders assisting with set up/ pack up and wait staff for the Elders Luncheon.
Wednesday saw students gathering for our NAIDOC Liturgy, followed by the Years 7-9 students attending the NAIDOC Careers Expo at the Cloncurry Precinct where they listened to Cloncurry local, Kellie Curry, inspire them to follow their dreams.
On Thursday we had our first Deadly Day Out at the Chinaman Creek Dam. There were heaps of activities on offer such as a Walk on Country with Uncle Hombre, weaving with Aunty Dolly, yarning circle and storytelling with Aunty Linda, dadirri with Father Mick, craft, ride to the dam, face painting, and native food tasting.
Our staff and students ended the week joining the Cloncurry community and Cloncurry State School P-12 for the Town March along with performances from the Deadly Dancers and our own Year 1 students.
Thank you to all who contributed to make this a memorable week celebrating the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
