4 September 2024 — Week 9, Term 3
Welcome from the Principal
Dear Families
My current earworm, constantly reverberating inside my head, is directly linked to Talgai's Father's Day Liturgy from last Thursday. Let's just say that 'Home Among the Gumtrees' is now number one on my playlist. Our most sincere thanks must go to the students of Talgai under the expert tutorage of Mrs Hentschel and Mrs Johnson. I am sure you would all agree that Mrs Johnson's singing and theatrical interpretations were a sight to behold and to be quite honest, it is only a matter of time before an offer is received from the Queensland Arts Council. To further celebrate our Dads, the St Patrick's P&F is holding a Father's Day BBQ and a cricket match on Friday, 6 September from 5:00pm.
For catering purposes, please click here if you are going to attend this event. Currently, we have 19 families who have registered their attendance. Everyone is more than welcome to attend!
With our focus on child protection well underway, it is our hope that you will talk with your children to discuss the activities covered over the week. The Newsletter also provides links and resources related to an online world which requires such a deep understanding from both a child and adult perspective to stay safe. As always, please contact the school if you have any queries or concerns.
In other administrative news, please refer to the following updates:
- The School Uniform 2025 order form was sent home with each child on Monday 2 September. Please return these forms by Wednesday 11 September if you require any uniforms for 2025. This will allow the St Patrick's P&F to order in bulk which is much more cost effective.
- The school has also uploaded the new Fee Schedule for 2025. This document can be found here. Please note, there has been a slight increase in fees.
- If you have changed your residential address, please notify the school office either by Sentral or email.
- Statements for outstanding school fees were sent home this week. Please make contact with the school if you need to discuss your account.
- Please note that students need to be signed in at the school office by a parent if they arrive after 8:40am or signed out at the school office if they need to leave early for an appointment. If the office is unattended, please ring the bell and wait in the administration area. Staff will collect your child during the day.
As this is the final Newsletter for Term 3, as a school community, we wish you a restful break and I hope you have some time to enjoy the scents and flowers of Spring. Take care and I hope to see many of you on Friday at our Father's Day BBQ and cricket match.
Keith Blaikie—Principal
Keith.Blaikie@twb.catholic.edu.au
General Information
Child Protection Week - 2 to 6 September
This year during Child Protection Week we encourage parents and carers to speak with their children about their understanding of personal safety and their support networks. The National Office of Child Safety launched its “One Talk at a Time” campaign earlier in the year.
Should any student be concerned about how they are being treated by an adult, or another child or young person, they are encouraged to speak up to a trusted staff member or one of our School Student Protection Contacts (SSPCs). All students were reminded who our SSPCs are, and that they are depicted on the ‘Keeping Safe’ posters located around the school. Child Protection really is everyone’s business, and we are committed to making our school a safe, secure, and protected place of learning for every student. Please talk with your children about the importance of the 'My Safety Team'. This is a mandatory activity for all teachers to complete with their students. It is well worth a conversation. We have also included some key points about gaming and social media. Once again, this article provides an avenue to promote discussion around the kitchen table centered on the appropriate use of gaming and social media.
Basic Gaming and Social Media Rules for Primary School?
Young children may not be on social media yet, but at this age, they start to interact with others in online worlds. Such video games, apps, and websites (like Animal Crossing or Minecraft) are closed environments where kids can explore, meet friends, and let their imaginations run free.
One challenge for parents and caregivers is helping children balance time spent playing in these online worlds -- which can draw them in for long periods -- and time spent offline. And even though online worlds have rules about behaviour, some children find ways around them. It's important to talk with children when you first introduce these games about how to avoid and respond to harmful behaviour.
1. Children younger than 6 probably shouldn't play in virtual worlds. If your kids can't yet read or write, they'll be frustrated in online worlds.
2. Set up accounts together. By creating usernames and passwords together, you can walk your children through the basics of safe and appropriate online behaviour.
3. Make sure your children never share their passwords. Children often give other children their passwords for help in a game. Explain that giving away a password is not safe and can be harmful for your child.
4. If you wouldn't let your children have unsupervised play dates, don't let them go online by themselves. Remember, the social skills they bring to online worlds are the same ones they have (or don't have) in real life.
5. Keep the devices in a central place. This lets you or other family members guide your child as they play online.
6. Review the apps and sites yourself. Make sure you check out apps and sites before you let your children use them. Don't settle for the most popular apps, games, and sites. Look around for ones that appeal to your kid's interests or have an educational angle.
7. Set time limits. Make sure online play is balanced with offline play and other activities that are good for your child's physical, emotional, and mental health.
8. Talk about how to behave online. Teach your children a good rule of thumb: If they wouldn't say something to someone's face, they shouldn't say it online.
Source - Common Sense Media https://www.commonsensemedia.org/
Internet Safe Education - Parent Resource
We are pleased to advise that our school community now has access to a 24hr a day Cyber Safety Hub provided by Internet Safe Education (ISE) who is a Trusted Provider with the Office of the eSafety Commissioner. Brett Lee, founder of Internet Safe Education, visited the school in April. What does this mean for you and your family?
You will have exclusive access to all the support, resources and education you will need to raise your child in the online world and create a safe, fun, educational and productive family. The HUB is available to you on any device and applies to school aged children of all ages. This comes at no cost to you as a member of our community.
The Cyber Safety Hub is the only one of its kind in Australia and is designed to provide all you need and nothing you don’t.
What you and your family will have access to:
- Courses for you as a parent or carer that will guide you to setting up the ideal home technology environment.
- Dozens of targeted downloadable resources including conversation starters, victim indicators and a home technology contract for computers and phones.
- Live webinars throughout the term.
- Webinar library covering specific topics.
- Monthly articles that are recent, accurate and relevant.
- Latest App updates.
- A direct link to the eSafety website for further resources or to report cyberbullying.
To access the HUB:
- Click on the link below or copy and paste the website into your browser -
https://www.internetsafeeducation.com/hub-home/
2. Enter our unique password - Stpats24 - when you click on a resource.
Religious Life of the School
Could we become renowned as a loving country, rather than simply a 'lucky' one?
Dr Pat Coughlan/ Executive Director: Catholic Schools
This question is posed by social psychologist, Hugh Mackay, in his book The Kindness Revolution.
With the ongoing impact of global conflicts, cost of living pressures and breakdown in social cohesion, Mackay reflects on the challenges we face during times of change and uncertainty and the questions which inevitably arise. What really matters to me? Am I living the kind of life I want? What sort of society do I want us to become?
These are critical questions for all individuals, particularly those who work in a Catholic organisation heavily invested in accompanying young people as they grapple with the very same questions. Most people join Catholic education because there is something about our beliefs, values and practices that is appealing and meaningful in their search for answers to important questions.
In accepting an appointment with Toowoomba Catholic Schools, staff members agree to support the Catholic ethos of the organisation. Ethos refers to the practices, beliefs or values that distinguish one organisation from another. Whilst making this undertaking in good faith, I suspect there are staff who may be unfamiliar with what Catholic ethos is all about and additionally, how to demonstrate support for it.
Catholic schools, with parents and parishes, educate and form young people to negotiate a meaningful life through the challenging maze of contemporary culture. In a Catholic school, staff and students learn about and from the Catholic faith, its history, teachings, rituals and culture.
In the midst of ample uncertainty and disorder is the temptation to self-preservation, looking after one’s own interests to the detriment of others. The Catholic story is the opposite. It is a commitment to healing, forgiveness and reconciliation and a better future for all. An invitation to a different approach and way of thinking, a new and creative response to life’s challenges.
Each time we place ourselves at the service of others, we are supporting the Catholic ethos. Each time we take a stance against an action which diminishes the dignity of another person, we are supporting the Catholic ethos. Each time we go out of our way to make another person feel welcome and appreciated, we are supporting the Catholic ethos. In committing to these actions we are supporting the Catholic ethos of TCS and, in doing so, the answers to the questions: What really matters to me? Am I living the kind of life I want? What sort of society do I want us to become? become clearer.
Upcoming events - September
- Monday 2 September to Friday 6 September - Queensland Child Protection Week
- Friday 6 September - Father's Day BBQ from 5:00pm then enjoy a game of cricket
- Saturday 7 September - P&F Care and Concern home visits meeting at school from 9:00am and finishing at 11:00am
- Monday 9 September - St Patrick's Parish Fete Meeting commencing at 6:30pm (Parish Meeting Room)
- Wednesday 11 September - Prep 2025 Transition day # 1 from 9:00am until 11:00am
- Wednesday 11 September - Dalrymple Drama Performance from 2:30pm (Tuckshop area)
- Wednesday 11 September - 2025 uniform orders are due back to the office
- Thursday 12 September - School Advisory Council (Board) Meeting commencing at 6:00pm in the library
- Friday 13 September - Term 3 concludes at 2:55pm
- Monday 30 September - Term 4 commences at 8:40am
- Wednesday 2 October - Newsletter
- Wednesday 2 October - St Patrick's Playgroup from 9:00am until 10:30am
- Monday 7 October - King's Birthday Public Holiday (School closed)
- Friday 18 October - St Patrick's Parish Fete from 5:00pm
See the Sentral calendar for more information.
Reminders
Uniform Days
Summer Uniform
Formal - Monday, Tuesday, Thursday
Sports - Wednesday, Friday
Please remember that we are a...
‘Nut Aware’ School.
Times for Mass at St Patrick's Church are as follows:
1st Sunday - 9am 2nd and 3rd Sunday – 5.30pm
4th & 5th Sunday Liturgy of the Word with Communion - 9am
