Dear St Clare's Community,

Welcome to the 2023 school year. It is wonderful to see so many children return with huge smiles and ready for learning. I have enjoyed hearing about all the adventures that have taken place during the break and the enthusiasm to return or start school.

Staff 2023

We have had to say goodbye to our Indigenous Liaison Officer and Student Support Officer, Rohan Nona. We thank Rohan for his contribution to St. Clare’s and wish him all the best for the future. Rhiannon Lizzio will be stepping in to help us out for a few weeks.

We welcome our staff, Melissa Leonardi, Sharon Scouller & Penny Irvine.

Melissa will be teaching Year 4. Melissa spent a term with us last year when she completed her final placement in Year 2. Melissa was then snapped up by St. Rita’s, South Johnstone, and taught Year 5/6 in Term 4, 2022. We have been lucky to secure her for the 2023 school year.

Sharon is joining St. Clare’s as our counsellor in 2023. To enable a more comprehensive counselling service for the students of St Clare’s, we are moving to three days of counselling a week.  This will allow Carmel Parisi to provide extra counselling support to Innisfail, where she currently also works. In order for a smooth transition, Carmel will be at St Clare’s Tully over this term assisting Sharon.

Penny will be working to support teachers and students in her position as Teacher Librarian. Penny also holds this position at St. John’s Silkwood. Penny will focus on the promotion of reading and also has a passion for STEM based learning in the classroom.

Please join us in welcoming Melissa, Sharon & Penny to St. Clare’s - we look forward to sharing in the gifts & talents they will add to our community.

Karran Burzacott - Principal

Sharon Chappel - APRE

Chris Edwards - Leader of Diversity / Leader of Learning and Teaching

Helen Andrews - Leader of Diversity

Rosanna O’Kane - Admin & Finance

Antonina Dal Zilio - Admin Support

Vera Borgna - Library Assistant / Admin Support / WHS Officer

Gita Sima  - Prep

Zanelle Collins - Year 1

Georgia Moloney - Year 2

Adam Stubbings - Year 3

Melissa Leonardi - Year 4

Sharon Chappel & Amanda Baston - Year 5

Kaitlyn Marsilio & Cherie Jenkins - Year 6

Kate Mason - HPE

Jo Wall - The Arts

Penny Irvine - Teacher Librarian

Jess Lang - Student Support Teacher

Pauline Colombini - Student Support Officer

Alicia Johnson - Student Support Officer

Marie Vipiana - Student Support Officer / Tuckshop

Steph Grimaz - Student Support Officer

Jenny Sollitt - Student Support Officer

Natasha Johnson - Student Support Officer

Carla Low - Student Support Officer

Temara Guiliany - Student Support Officer

Jodie Costa - Cleaner

Grounds & Maintenance - TBA

Students on buses

For families that use the bus services, if you have not already sent through the days

your children are on the bus, could you please do so as soon as possible. It is extremely important we know which days students are catching the bus home.

From time to time you may need to let us know about changes to these days - please ring the office with any changes, before 2pm if possible.

Uniforms

Sports Uniform - Tuesday & Thursday

Formal Uniform - Monday, Wednesday & Friday

The uniform requirements are attached to this newsletter as a reminder of expectations. Please take particular note of the requirements around hair and the wearing of jewellery. Hair is to be kept off the face and if it is shoulder length or longer, it must be worn tied back - this applies to boys and girls.

Drop off & Pick-Up

Supervision for students begins at 8:20 am. All students arriving before this time are to remain seated in the eating area until they are dismissed. We ask that students arrive no earlier than 8am if possible. I appreciate that earlier drop offs are required from time to time due to appointments. Please let us know if you need to drop off significantly earlier than usual.

Grounds & Maintenance Person

We are still searching for someone to fill this position to keep St. Clare’s looking great. If you, or you know anyone that may be interested, please contact me. The position is advertised as 15 hours, the days and times are quite flexible.

If you haven’t already done so, please check your email for Parent Slips.  A number of permissions to access apps were sent out last week. This applies in particular to our new students and Prep.

Finally, there seems to be quite a lot of mosquitoes around at the moment. You may wish to spray your children before school in the mornings. We ask that students do not bring sprays to school with them please.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns and I look forward to catching up with you all over time. Wishing everyone good health and keep safe.

Blessings for the weeks ahead

Karran Burzacott
Principal

Welcome   Community   Hospitality

Welcome back to the new school year! It was refreshing to see the excitement on the children’s faces when they returned to school after a long break and reunited with their friends. To officially welcome the St Clare’s community back to school, we will be holding our Opening School Mass at St Clare’s Church this Friday, February 3 at 9am. This mass is particularly special for our Year 6 students, who will be commissioned as our 2023 Leaders at the ceremony. We always enjoy having our families and friends join us for these celebrations so please feel free to come along.

As part of our Back to School routine, students have been learning about St Clare’s Church. Thank you to Fr Joby for spending time with each class, visiting the church and helping us to learn about our history and procedures that are special to St Clare’s in Tully. If there are any children who have received their First Communion and are interested in reading or altar serving at weekend masses, notes have gone home this week. Please select dates that are suitable for your family and return to school.

Sharon Chappel

VISITOR REGISTER - SIGN IN 

All parents and visitors are required to report to the school office before entering the school grounds between 8.10am to 3pm. A Visitor Register is located at the door entrance for you to sign in and collect a visitor badge. When you are leaving the school you will need to go to the office and sign out and return the badge. Please include any children who are with you also (younger siblings). This is a requirement in the case of school emergencies.

STUDENT COLLECTION REGISTER

Parents must report to the school office before collecting students throughout the day. A Student Collection Register is located at the door entrance for parents to sign out their child during the school day.

If the student is returning back to school you are required to sign them back in.

LATE ARRIVALS

The late arrival book is located at the door entrance.  Parents please use the book to sign in and give the Late Slip to student to give to class teacher.

(Indicate Reason - Personal, Appt / Notified - who is dropping the student - Mum, Dad, Grandma etc).

School Calendar 2023

Emergency transport forms were given out on Monday.

It is very important these forms are returned by Monday 6th February.

Thankyou

Catholic School Fee Discount for 2023 

Dear Parents/Carers

In 2023 Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Cairns will provide a discount on tuition fees for holders of means-tested Health Care and Pensioner Concession Cards. 

The discount applies to tuition fees only and not to school levies and charges.

This year for term one and two a discount of 70% on tuition fees will apply to holders of eligible cards.

The cards must be current and list as dependents, the students for whom the discount is sought. 

Parents and carers should now present their eligible card to the school office for verification. The office secretary will make a copy and provide a Health Care Card Tuition Fee Discount Scheme Form for the Parent/Carer to complete.  The fee discount will then be applied to tuition fees for term one school fee for 2023.

For families with children at other Cairns Catholic Schools; this process will be repeated for each school.  The discount arrangement will expire on the expiry date of the card or at the end of the school year. 

Parents/Carers receiving the discount have a duty to inform the school of any renewal or change in eligibility cards.

Families seeking a discount on tuition fees must visit the school office to verify and copy their Heath Care/Pension Concession Card and complete the Health Care Card Tuition Fee Discount Scheme Form no later than next Thursday, 9th February in order for the discount to be applied to Term 1 school fees.

For those who applied in 2022 a form was completed in the office and a copy of HCC card was taken for their 2023 application. For those with an expiring card (end of 2022) please come into the school office to complete a new form. A copy of new HCC card is required by next Thursday.

Thank you to those who have completed their forms for 2023.

IMPORTANT: Once the Fees are generated, unfortunately we are unable to process any claims for the respective term. Full fees for that term will be charged. (no credit can be done for that term).

Please make sure you come into the school office and complete the form with your HCC card by next Thursday. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to phone (40659550) the school office.

2023 Term 1 fees will be sent out in week 3.

Invoices will be sent by email to all parents. Please contact the school office if you do not receive the 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.

Dear Parents and Carers

If you have a child entering Year 7 in 2024.  Enrolments are currently being accepted and whilst preference is given to students with siblings currently attending the college, places are limited and have begun to fill. I encourage you to submit your child's application early to secure their place. 

Enrolment applications can be completed online (preferred) via the college website www.gcc.qld.edu.au or you may collect an application pack from the college office.

An outline of our enrolment process is attached for your reference, and I ask that you please mark these important dates in your calendar.

• Year 7 in 2024 Round 1 Interviews – Saturday, 6 May 2023
• Catholic Education Week Taster Day – Tuesday, 25 July 2023
• Year 7 in 2024 Round 2 Interviews - Saturday, 5 August 2023
• (Full) Orientation Day - Thursday, 12 October 2023

Should you have any queries, please contact me at the college on 4063 5300 or by email.

Kind regards

Leigh Hodder-Onaindia | Assistant to the Principal/Enrolments

Good Counsel College
66 Owen Street  | PO Box 839 | Innisfail  Q  4860
P: 07 4063 5300   |  E: lhodderona@cns.catholic.edu.au

Book Club Edition 1 for 2023 will be coming home with your child on Wednesday. All orders must be placed using the LOOP app or by visiting the scholastics website, scholastic.com.au/loop and following the steps to complete your profile. You will be able to select St Clares School Tully, your child’s class and complete your order and payment online. Orders can be placed up until 5pm, Friday 10th February 2023.

No cash orders will be accepted at school. Once the orders arrive, they will be delivered to your child’s classroom unless requested otherwise.

If you need any help or have any questions, please give me a ring – 0427 920 109

Happy Reading

Steph Grimaz

Kate Mason

Welcome to all our new and existing families to the 2023 school year.  The St Clare’s Tully P&F are very excited for what lies ahead for St Clare’s School this year.  We would like to take this opportunity in the first newsletter of 2023 to not only welcome you all to our wonderful school, but to also give you and insight into what P&F is all about.

All families with children attending St Clare’s School are automatically members of the P&F.  What this means is you are most welcome to attend P&F meetings or contact any of the P&F committee members with any ideas or suggestions you may have that we can table at our meetings. 

St Clare’s School prides itself on being one of the only schools in the Cassowary Coast district to have an annual school fete.  Our school fete is our major fundraiser for the year.  It is a successful event that both the school community and wider community enjoy attending.  The children look forward to this event every year and work hard preparing class dances/acts which are choreographed and prepared by their wonderful teachers and showcased as an opening item at the fete.  Behind every successful event is a hard-working and dedicated committee.  The school has a fete committee which is established months out from the fete.  This committee is nothing short of amazing and organise everything for the event, from collecting sponsorships, organising a team of helpers and co-ordinators for the night, the food and activities and everything in between.  The school fete date is yet to be set but is usually held at the end of August/early September each year.

Other smaller P&F items requiring helpers that traditionally occur at our school during the year are the pie drive and end-of-year barbeque.  Teacher aide, tuckshop co-ordinator and parent, Marie Vipiana, has coordinated both of these events in the past.  We are looking for someone or a team of helpers to take over the coordination of these 2 small events.  Marie will ensure you aren’t left in the lurch and will help you with anything you need.  If you would like to dedicate any time towards any of the above events, big or small (many hands make light work) please feel free to contact us.

St Clare’s have their annual cross country in term 1 this year.  Students are encouraged to wear their team colours at their St Clare’s sporting days.  You can purchase your team colour shirt from wherever you like (very cheap at Kmart) which can then be sent into the school for screen printing.  Tracy Dore has kindly volunteered to co-ordinate screen printing at the school on 1^st March.  If this is something you can help with, please contact Tracy on 0407 223 358.  Tracy ideally needs 7 helpers.  Please also bring in your child’s named shirt before this date if you are wishing to have them screen printed.

Last year the P&F contributed funds they had raised to the mammoth fans in the Montefalco area (what a job they do at cooling the place down), school football uniforms, materials for a mural which is currently be undertaken with the students and art teacher Mrs Wall, a new switchboard and other electrical work, a freezer for the tuckshop, a fridge cabinet as well as other small playground equipment, classroom resources and facility contributions around the school.  The P&F will continue their conversations this year along with school principal Karran Burzacott as to what can be done to keep improving our school and facilities for our students.  Remember, any families are welcome to have their say in relation to this and the P&F committee encourage both new and existing families to join our meetings.  Getting involved in school activities is also a great way to collaborate with our school families and staff.  Students also enjoy seeing their parents and carers being part of the school community.

The P&F will keep you all updated on important dates via the school newsletter.

And lastly, but most importantly P&F are meeting this Wednesday, 1^st February at 5.30pm at the St Clare’s Library.  We look forward to seeing some new faces.

Thank you for your time

The St Clare’s School Tully P&F Committee.