Dear Parents and carers

As we move very quickly toward the end of the term we continue to celebrate many wonderful student achievements.  This week has seen a number of students compete very successfully at District Athletics and Optiminds and as we speak our Reader’s Cup team is in Brisbane ready to participate in the state finals.  Congratulations to all involved.

This week is child protection week.  For many this is a confronting issue but it is not one we can afford to ignore.  You may be familiar with the quote, it takes a village to raise a child.  Today I heard someone add to that by saying it takes a village to protect a child.  Below is reflection on the role we as adults play in ensuring children are safe.  It comes from the childprotectionweek.org.au website.  I will leave this with you to read this week.  I would also add that Catholic Education in our Diocese takes the protection of students as being of paramount importance.  We are guided and informed by consummate professionals in their field and continue to develop policy and procedures that are dedicated to protecting children.  Our school supports these policies and programs by accessing external providers such as Bravehearts, The Daniel Morcombe Foundation and the Life Education Service, to assist our students in developing skills to keep them safe in the real and online world.

Most of us recognise that child protection is key to ensuring that children in our communities, families and schools are safe, nurtured and protected.  Sometimes this means acknowledging that children are neglected or harmed in these same places.  That is hard to acknowledge.  As such, children continue to experience child abuse and neglect in our society.

In order to stop child abuse and neglect and ensure child protection in our society, we all need to play our part by assisting families who struggle and by speaking out about abuse when we see it or hear about it.  Often children tell us what is happening to them through either very clear statements or in subtle ways.  Our role as adults is to pay attention regardless of the way children tell us what is happening for them.  Another role we can play is in hearing parents when they say they are finding their role of parenting difficult and offer assistance.

When children speak out or adults speak out on behalf of children they need those involved in the wider child protection system to be well trained and available to pay attention to what they are saying.  This includes the Queensland Police Service, professionals such as Social Workers, Psychologists and Psychiatrists as well as Teachers who are often in the key position of being able to note difficulties for children and their families.  Family members and friends also play a crucial role in such disclosures in terms of hearing what is stated and offering support and friendship. When unable to offer such support or when such support isn’t accepted, family members and friends can contact community organisations of the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services to seek further assistance for the child/ren and family.

Have a great week

Tim

Sunday’s Gospel

Mark 7:1-8,14-15,21-23 - Jesus teaches that it is that which comes from our hearts that defiles us.

Children have learned the importance of following rules. Like the Pharisees in Sunday’s Gospel, they often bring to our attention the infractions of others. Even parents sometimes get caught off guard by their children’s observations: “Why don’t you have to go to bed at 8:00?” or “But I saw you eat a cupcake before breakfast once.” Our rules for our children are not arbitrary. We establish and enforce family rules with the intention of helping our children grow to be healthy and mature adults. We foster this maturity when we also initiate conversations with our children about the purposes behind family rules and teach them the essential values that rules help us observe.

As you gather as a family, list some of your most important family rules. Together, try to write a single, positive statement that captures the essential value behind your family rules. When we remember the essential element behind our rules, we see that our rules help us be the good people that Jesus wants us to be.

https://www.loyolapress.com/our-catholic-faith/liturgical-year/sunday-connection

Altar Servers Fr Joseph is looking for more Altar Servers to help with weekend Masses.  If your child has made their First Eucharist and is interested in becoming an Altar Server, could you please send me an email by Tuesday 11th September.  My email address is: ajones13@sjnwtsv.catholic.edu.au.  Seana and I will be running some training sessions early in Term 4.

Mini Vinnies

On Saturday some of the Mini Vinnies kids visited Villa Vincent where they played bingo with the residents.  All the kids had a wonderful morning and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

Lord Jesus, 
As we travel along our own road of life, 
Whether it is bumpy, smooth, steep or flat, 
Help us to choose the right way to travel. 
Help us to share our prayers, money, time and love with others, 
In this country, and in the world, 
Who may find their road difficult, steep and bumpy at times. 
For the Kingdom belongs to everyone. Amen.     

Have a wonderful week.

God Bless

Amanda

On Friday 3rd of August, a group of Year 5 students went to the annual Eco Warriors convention to learn about how to continue to implement sustainable practices into our school community. Since then, Khloe Crane, Ruby Robins, Ava Verzeletti, Baileigh Heath, Anthony Roveglia, Ethan Morgan O’Kane, William Saverin and Finn Pacey have been meeting at lunch times to come up with a plan for our school to reduce plastic going into the ocean and landfill. They identified that one of the biggest issues in our school is popper straw packets. When washed into the drains, these go straight into our oceans and kill marine life. So we would like to introduce Redcycle!

We now have a Redcycle bin in the eating areas, JUST for soft plastics! Soft plastics are plastic bags, biscuit and chip packets, cling wrap, popper straws etc.  If it’s plastic and you can scrunch it, redcycle it! All of your soft plastic can then be turned into things like playground/ sporting equipment/ kids toys/ park benches and lots of other useful things. If any parents are going to Coles or Woolworths on their way home, feel free to collect our soft plastics from 5MC on Tuesday and Friday afternoons to redistribute into the big red bins there. A little goes a long way and it is amazing that we can now recycle plastic!

Yours in recycling, Eco Warriors 2018

Townsville Eisteddfod commences week 9 of this term.  The timetable for the year level Choral Speaking Unison Groups can be found here.

All Choir and instrumental students will be notified of their event times.

Good Luck!

St Joseph's Church - CHURCH ORGAN REPLACEMENT

Our present organ has served us well over the last 16 years.  It is now not functioning correctly and needs replacing.  The cost to replace the organ is $2400.  If you are able/willing to make a donation towards the cost of acquiring a new organ, please contact the Parish Office on 0477213765 or stjoeys@tsv.catholic.org.au

Any contribution will be greatly appreciated (and acknowledge if required).