Dear parents and carers

It is an exciting time as we prepare to welcome back all students to school.  I know all our staff are looking forward to students returning and our routines returning to some normality.

I have included below some reflections from Carmen Toohey, our guidance counsellor, around returning to school.  I would encourage all families to take some time to consider the information provided.

Next week will see increased traffic in our stop, drop and go zone.  I would ask for your patience over the coming weeks as we reacclimatize to our routines.  If you are using this area please consider the following:

• for older students please consider delaying your pick up time by 5 minutes (arriving between 3 and 3:05pm)
• we ask that all parents and carers remain in their vehicles.  Staff will be on duty to assist students into vehicles.
• please ensure you have your family name label displayed near the windscreen.  This ensures we can identify families early and have them ready to go.
• please be patient and vigilant in this area.  The safety of our students and families is our foremost concern.
• Please join the queue for pick up via Oxley Street, do not use the Fryer Street roundabout.  This causes congestion and obstructs other vehicles in the street.

I appreciate you assistance in this matter.  If we work together I am sure things will operate smoothly and safely.

Have a great week.

Tim

Returning to School

The last few weeks have certainly been interesting. I imagine that for many families the Learning@home period has been a time with mixed feelings and experiences ranging from positive to negative. With school returning to a normal routine on Monday, this may also bring with it a range of emotions from excitement to relief to worry, for parents, students and teachers. This is to be expected and is a completely normal reaction to what has been an unexpected and unique experience!

Whether your child has been learning at home or at school, next week signals a return to a different way of learning for them all. For some children, they may be really excited at the thought of being back at school, catching up with friends and teachers, for others, they may be reluctant to attend school again as they have really enjoyed the time at home and learning in a more relaxed way.

A helpful way to approach Monday is to think of it as similar to the beginning of a school year. For all children, they will need to get used to a more formal way of learning and routine again. It may also mean that they need to unlearn some habits and establish new ones!

Some tips for the lead up to Monday:

* Talk to your child about the return of normal schooling and how this will be different from the Learning@home experience. Remind them of what expectations both at home and at school will be.
* Start re-establishing helpful routines, such as bedtimes, waking times and snack times.
* Be organized with uniforms, school supplies and lunch food.
* Plan a show and tell that your child may like to share with their teacher or class about something that they did or made during the past eight weeks.
* If your child expresses any particular concerns about starting school again, please email your child’s teacher prior to Monday so that they can be aware and put in place any strategies that will make Monday more successful for your child.

Also, remind them that their concerns are normal and that other children will also be feeling the same things.
It may take time for your child (and you) to settle back into the school routine and that is okay. Be kind to yourselves and remember that the school staff are here to help.

For more information and ideas:
Parenting Ideas:
https://www.parentingideas.com.au/parent-resources/
Raising Children Network:
https://raisingchildren.net.au/
Healthy Families Be You:
https://healthyfamilies.beyondblue.org.au/

May is Mary's Month

During the month of May, the Church honours with special love Mary the Mother of God. Begin the week with a prayer to Mary.

Hail, holy Queen,

Mother of mercy,

our life, our sweetness and our hope.

To thee do we cry,

poor banished children of Eve:

to thee do we send up our sighs,

mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.

Turn then, most gracious advocate,

thine eyes of mercy toward us,

and after this our exile,

show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus,

O clement, O loving,

O sweet Virgin Mary!

http://bcewaystopray.weebly.com/week-14-10-16-may.html

This term our Year 1’s are learning about Mary, Mother of Jesus.  Check out some of their prayers to Mary below.

Mary, Help of Christians

On 24th May we celebrate Australia’s spiritual guide, Mary Help of Christians. Mary was named the patron of the new Church of Australia in 1844, at a significant time in our history. British settlement was just over fifty years old, the transportation of convicts was coming to an end, and the first elections in Australian history had been held in 1843. Issues of land, immigration and education had begun to surface and the Church was involved in these social problems. On this day we continue to ask Mary’s help to walk the way of Christ.  All of our classes will be participating in a special Christian Meditation to help celebrate this special day.

Have a great week!

Take care and God Bless

Amanda

http://readiscover1.blogspot.com.au/ Click this link to see articles on reading and other educational literature, photos of library events and any upcoming competitions.

 Year 1:  Year ones tapped into some information books to discover more about dinosaurs.  

Harry potter at home: Chapter 1 of the Philosopher's Stone is read on video by Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) himself. https://www.wizardingworld.com/chapters/reading-the-boy-who-lived  

This could be another way to get your older kids reading the harry Potter series. Every year there is a kid’s News writing competition.  This year they want stories about how your child spent their 2 months in isolation.  Check out the above blog for more information or go straight to this link- https://tinyurl.com/yd25tfww 

Happy reading      

Belinda Walker (Teacher Librarian)

Townsville 2 Cairns Challenge

We're Back

Congratulations to our Joey's students @ home and at school for making it back from Cairns. What an effort. We will all be fighting fit ready for Athletics when we are all back at school. 

The uniform shop will be open on Tuesdays from 8am till 9am at the Tuckshop.

We have plenty of preloved uniforms for sale including jackets and jumpers for the cooler days.