Dear St. Clare’s Community,

Welcome to the halfway point of Term. It has already been jam packed and we look forward to all the learning and activities throughout the final five weeks of term.

Communication between home and school is such an important part of us working together in your child's learning journey. We have many ways in which we communicate with each other and they all serve a different purpose. For any student absences or other time sensitive matters, such as bus changes and early pickups for appointments, please ring the office.

Seesaw is a wonderful platform for teachers to share work in the classroom and the message and announcement functions can be very useful. Please be mindful that teachers do not check messages while teaching and often do not get to messages and emails until the end of the day. Likewise, teachers are not expected to check and respond to messages once they are home with their families.

This Newsletter is another way we communicate and comes out fortnightly. The sign on Mars St. has upcoming events and reminders and is updated weekly. We also promote the great things happening at St. Clare’s on our Facebook page. If you don’t already follow us, please do, as many photos are shared through this platform.

HPE Teacher

I am very pleased to let you know we will have Jeb (Jebediah) Ryan starting with us in the latter part of Term 1. Jeb will work with Cherie and Penny in the last few weeks of Term 1 to get to know the ropes and our students, taking over the role from Term 2 onwards. Jeb has extensive experience both in primary and secondary schools and we look forward to welcoming him into our wonderful community. We will revert back to wearing Sports Uniforms on Tuesday & Thursday from Term 2 - a reminder will be sent out!

Prep 2025 is very nearly full, with just a few spaces left.  If you have a child born between 1/7/2019 and 30/6/2020, your child is eligible to start Prep in 2025. Please go to our website to complete an online enrolment - https://www.stclares.qld.edu.au/enrolling/enrolment-application/. Interviews for 2025 will commence in Term 2.

Sent to the Principal's Office

Sadly as I have been on leave since our last newsletter, I have only had a handful of visitors. Most of my visitors have shown me their writing. It is quite amazing to see students use such descriptive language to create imagery. 

Blessings for the weeks ahead,

Karran Burzacott

Principal

Faith Knowledge Community Respect

On Sunday March 17, we will be celebrating St Patrick’s Day at Sunday Mass. If your child would like to be involved in this mass, please let me know by Wednesday March 6. Fr Joby is also looking for children to read at mass on Easter Sunday. If this is something that your child is available to be a part of, please contact Joby on 0417 568 439.

Thank you to our generous families who have made donations towards Project Compassion during Lent. We have already raised over $320. Our Year 6 leaders have some fundraising events coming up including icy cups on Cross Country Day, jelly cups and free dress for St Patrick’s Day and a hot chip day in the last week of school. I will send out more information via the newsletter and Seesaw closer to these events.

With blessings,

Sharon Chappel

Assembly

Week 6	Year 1
Week 7	Year 3
Week 8	Year 4
Week 9	Year 5
Week 10	Public Holiday Good Friday

NAPLAN 2024

NAPLAN testing will begin on Wednesday 13th March (Week 8) for Years 3 and 5. Please find attached to this newsletter an information brochure. Our school testing schedule is below.  Student attendance on these days is very important, particularly on Day 1 for Writing.  Students must complete the Writing test before all others. There is a small window for catch up tests if your child is unwell during the testing period.

If you have any questions or concerns about NAPLAN testing, please see your class teacher.

Chris Edwards

Gratitude

Working on gratitude helps us to be thankful and appreciate what we have in our lives, rather than focusing on what we don’t have or what we want. When we practise being grateful, we start to scan the world to look for positives – this only takes 21 days! Practising gratitude every day increases our levels of energy, helps us to feel happier and more focused, determined and optimistic. It even helps us have a better sleep, lowers levels of anxiety and depression and we are less likely to get sick. So many benefits – let’s all try to be grateful for the things and people in our lives every day!

Whole Family Activity:

Gratitude Scavenger Hunt

• As a family create a scavenger hunt list of things that make you happy or you are grateful for, you can make your own list or use the examples below:
• Something that makes you happy
• Something you love to smell
• Something you enjoy looking at
• Something that is your favourite colour
• Something you like in nature
• Something that is useful for you
• Each member of the family uses the list, and has to find as many things as they can.
• You can hunt for things inside or outside, or both. You can hunt for real things, or you can also do this using magazines or pictures from the internet.
• After a set amount of time hunting, come back together, have a look at what each person collected and let them explain why they are grateful for each item.

Family Habit Builder:

Every night at dinner, have each person talk about their favourite thing about that day.

NETBALL & RUGBY LEAGUE CARNIVAL

Our Year 4 to 6 students participated in the Netball and Rugby League Carnival on Friday. A great day was had by all and the students displayed excellent sportsmanship throughout their games. Thank you to Tully State School for hosting another successful event and to our parents who assisted with teams on the day.

Congratulations to the following children who have been selected in Southern Zone Cassowary Coast teams:

U12 Netball - Eden

U11 Rugby League - Kade & Nate

U12 Rugby League - Saxon

The District Touch Football Gala Dayl is on Friday 8th March. St Clare’s P & F will be running the canteen at the High School so NEXT FRIDAY THERE WILL BE NO TUCKSHOP AVAILABLE FOR OUR STUDENTS AT ST CLARE’S.

We are still looking for helpers on the day in the canteen.  We are asking if you can do a 30min shift, serving food is all that is involved if you can help, can you please let me know. We all would like to watch our children play so the more help we get the easier it is. A huge thank you to the parents who have already volunteered to help.

We are also seeking donations of cupcakes to sell at the carnival.  These can be brought to the St Clare's Tuckshop next Thursday or straight to the carnival on the Friday.  We will be set up in the Millside Café at the High School.

If you require any further information please let me know.

Marie Vipiana

0418158872

Due Date is 27/02/2023.  Letter Reminders will be sent out this week.

Thank you to those families who have made their payment for this term.

Please contact the school office if you did not receive your invoice so we can check your email address, or if you require a hardcopy of fees to make payment.

                  Please check your junk or spam mail.

Families have the option of paying weekly or fortnightly. Internet banking, or direct debit can be arranged with your bank. 

Please note:-

There is NO EFTPOS available at the school office. 

• Preferrably no cash but if paying in cash, we appreciate that correct money be given as we do not carry any change in the school office.
• If paying by Bpay or EFT direct debit or internet banking, please use the school bank account details shown on the term one statement.
• IMPORTANT: Please use your Ref: 966000….....(under Biller Code). This number is to be used when paying by Bpay, or EFT -direct debit, internet banking.
• Remittance slip at the bottom of the school account to be returned to the school office with ALL payments. (cash, cheque, direct debit or internet banking).

Thank you.

Next P & F meeting Monday 25th March at 5.30pm.