T3 W7 Newsletter 2021

From The Principal

Five Finger Prayer

Dear all,

This was presented to me some years ago now.  Prayer is part of my daily routine but I loved the notion of the Five Finger Prayer as it taught me to ensure that I remembered to pray for others.

1.  Your thumb is nearest to you  |  So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you.  They are the easiest to remember.  To pray for our loved ones is, as C. S. Lewis once said, a "sweet duty."

2.  The next finger is the pointing finger  |  Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal.  This includes teachers, paramedics, doctors, and priests and ministers.  They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction.  Keep them in your prayers.

3.  The next finger is the tallest finger  |  This finger reminds us of our leaders.  Pray for the prime minister, politicians, leaders in business and industry, and administrators.  These people shape our nation and guide public opinion.  They need God's guidance.

4.  The fourth finger is our ring finger  |  Surprising to many is the fact, that this is our weakest finger; as any piano teacher will testify.  It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain.  They need your prayers day and night.  You cannot pray too much for them.

5.  And lastly comes our little finger; the smallest finger of all  |  This is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others.  As the Bible says, "The least shall be the greatest among you."  Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself.  By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively.

Peace & Blessings, John

Principal's Messages

CROSS  |  A lovely old metal cross that we have at school is in need of some TLC.  Is there someone who could assist with refurbishing this cross so that it can be rehung at the school?  It is in good repair but just needs a facelift. 

WONDERFUL NEWS  |  We were recently invited to enter at scarecrow competition at the inaugural NQ's Rock'n Country Festival which was held over this last weekend.  Under the deft hand of Mrs H we entered two scarecrows and gained first place.  It's awseome when a local, such as our mayor gets to jam with a world class act, Dolly.

When we know the exact details of what we won will advise you!  

Enrolments For 2022 Now Being Taken

ENROLMENTS FOR 2022  |  Enrolments for Prep are currently being taken for the 2022 school year.  If you have a child due to commence Prep next year, born between 1 July 2016 and 30 June 2017, please complete an online enrolment form available from the school website: https://www.sasrok.catholic.edu.au/

Enrolments for Years 1—6 are also currently being taken for 2022.  Interviews will commence in Term Two. 

For all enrolments we need to sight the original birth certificate or have a certified copy please.

Crossing Supervisor Position

CASUAL POSITION VACANT

A casual position exists for a School Crossing Supervisor at St Anne’s School.

The School Crossing Supervisor may be required to work five days per week in all weather conditions. The hours of work for School Crossing Supervisors are 1 hour a day and usually comprise of 40 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the afternoon Commencement date to be advised a Pay Rate of $30.34 per hour.

The successful applicants will be dependent on:

• The suitable outcome of a health assessment carried out by a GP of your choice according to the guidelines in the “Notes for Medical Practitioner” on the School Crossing Supervisor Scheme – Health Assessment Form; (this is paid by the Department)
• A Positive  Blue Card Notice (This is also paid by the Department and means you do not need to have a blue card to apply for the position)

If you are interested in the position please collect an application form from the School administration or contact Karen Cantoni (Road Safety officer) on 49 518331.

The School Crossing Supervisors Application is to be returned to School for the school principals' recommendation.

Across The Curriculum

PUPIL FREE DAY   |  A reminder to all parents & carers that Friday 3rd September is a Pupil Free day.  There will be no supervision available at school, as all teachers will be involved in Professional Development activities.  Please make other arrangements for your children that day.

St Anne's Annual Book Week Dress Up Day!

Our annual Book Week Dress Up Day is this Friday, 27th August. Students are able to come to school dressed up as their favourite book character. Costumes must be sun smart, and our usual school shoes are to be worn for safety reasons while playing. We can't wait to see what imaginative creations come to school on Friday! Keep an eye on our Face Book page for our short reminder video clips, where Year 5 students are practicing their presentation skills for an authentic purpose!

As part of our celebrations, two competitions will be running for a small prize from the 'Book Fair' which continues this week! The first is a colouring in competition, using an image provided by the Book Week Committee. The second is a drawing competition, where the students are able to use their imagination to create an image related to the theme. There will be one winner for each competition from our P-3 group and our Years 4-6, which will be announced on Friday at assembly.

OLD WORLDS, NEW WORLDS, OTHER WORLDS | The students at St Anne's Catholic Primary School have certainly embraced the theme this year through incredible art work. The celebrations continue later this week with dress up day on Friday.

Photos from our Library

The Good News

For the last few Sundays, we have heard a number of readings from chapter 6 of the Gospel of John focusing on the teaching of Jesus that he is the Bread of Life, come down from heaven. This reading is the last in the sequence and shows the reaction to Jesus’ teaching. What Jesus has been saying in this discourse is incredibly confronting to his Jewish audience. Jesus asserts that he has come down from heaven – from the Father – and that through knowing him one can know the Father. Jews were the first people to have a concept of one God. This belief did not allow for any spouse or child of God, nor any personal manifestation. They struggled with what Jesus was saying because his claim to have come down from heaven could be seen as blasphemous. No wonder many of them walked away from Jesus and wanted nothing more to do with him!

Jesus gives an interesting response to them. He tells them that it is the spirit that is important, not his human flesh, and that the spirit is what he has been sharing with them through his words and actions. He is trying to say to these faithful Jews, don’t be hung up about the fact that I’m here in person, listen to my message as you’ve never heard it before. It is an interesting thought for our modern audience as well. How often do we fail to hear the message of Jesus because we are dismissive of the way in which it comes to us; the messenger; or the circumstances in which we hear it? The message is all the more confronting when it comes from an unlikely (or even un-likable) source. The message of Jesus is to be found in our everyday encounters with everyday people.

We live in a world that is saturated by advertising and marketers trying to persuade us to think certain things, want certain things and even act in certain ways. At times the message and the medium of the message blur and it’s not always clear where one stops and the other begins. For Christian people the medium – the person – IS the message (or at least should be!). We are called to live what we believe. That can be tough at times, especially in our modern world, but the challenge comes from the example Jesus gave.

(c) Greg Sunter 2021

(c) Catholic Kids Media 2021. Video used with permission. 

A very simple but highly effective way to make Jesus real can be achieved through our everyday interactions with those around us. The spirit of Jesus is alive in each one of us, he calls us to be people of peace, kindness and love. 

How do you G.T.S? How can you be a WESTie?

If you see someone making Jesus real, be sure to tell Mr Oches and Mr Presley! 

What is justice for the poor?

Caring for those who are less well off poor is everyone’s responsibility.

Preferential care should be shown to vulnerable and marginalised people, whose needs and rights are given special attention in God’s eyes.

Have a great week. God's love, peace and blessings,

Mr Stuart Presley

Assistant Principal - Religious Education

stuart_presley@rok.catholic.edu.au 

Student Protection Contacts

Finance News

Term 3 Fees  |    Term 3 school fees are due for payment by this Tuesday, 24/08/21. If you foresee an issue with completing payment by the due date and do not already have other arrangements in place, please contact our Finance Officer, Sandy Vassallo, to discuss your options. 

Library News

Book Fair  |  The St Anne's Book Fair is now in its second week and will finish on Friday 27th August. You are wlecome to come with your child to browse before school from 8:00am.  Please keep an eye out for wish lists and order forms that your child may  bring home, once they have had a chance to view the offerings at the fair.  

Tuckshop Volunteers

Student Leadership

Leadership is a quality that all students of St Anne's Catholic Primary School are encouraged and supported to develop.  These experiences ensure that students perceive themselves as leaders and have the opportunity and confidence to take on leadership roles and find their voice.

Students Of The Week

Congratulations To Our Students Of The Week  |   Grace H, Preston H, Xander B, Mathew W, Katelyn B, Zan'eisha M, Darci K, Brooklyn K, Marcus S, Fallon K, Samson M, Katie B, Clancy S, Zoe J, Ella F, Luke B, Zeva L, Chase H

Birds Of A Feather

General Information

'Every Day Counts'

In Queensland, a child is considered to be of compulsory school age from 6 years and 6 months until they turn 16, or they complete Year 10 (whichever comes first). Parents of compulsory-school-aged children must: enroll them at a school and ensure they attend school on every school day, unless the parent has a reasonable excuse.

Acceptable Reasons
• Illness
• Essential appointment
• Injury
• Infectious disease
• Bereavement
• Principal approved absence

Unacceptable Reasons
• Birthdays
• Visiting relatives
• Outside school sports
• Helping parents at home
• Weather (i.e. too hot)
• Holidays (unless prior approval granted from the Principal)

Regular attendance helps your child develop the skills needed to access the world of work and other opportunities, learn the importance of punctuality and routine and make and keep friendships.

New Schoolzine App for Reading Newsletters

Schoolzine SZApp  |  As you are aware, at St Anne’s we have implemented a new format for our newsletter this year called Schoolzine. We encourage families to download the free SZApp which will enable you to easily see our newsletter on any device and receive alerts when the latest newsletter is available. The newsletter link will also continue to be emailed out to parents. 

Once thge SZApp is downloaded, please complete your registration, using our school passcode 4818. More instructions on how to install the SZApp are below.

Community News

Relationships Australia Courses For Separated Parents and Children Of Separated Parents

Please see below flyers regarding the Parenting Orders Program and Poppers Group.
We will be hosting a Poppers Group in Sarina at the Sarina Neighbourhood Centre commencing 6 October.
The adult’s program can be offered over phone or via Zoom if parents do not wish to travel to Mackay.