APRE NEWS
A warm welcome to our new families and "Welcome Back" to the rest of you!!
A Prayer for Parents and Families at the start of the new school year:
Loving God,
Help me in my divine task of parenthood:
Help me to see my children's problems through their eyes:
Keep ever before me my own childhood so that I will not expect too much.
Give me the patience of the silent stars:
Give me a sense of humour.
Help me to teach them to love bravely and to meet defeat courageously:
Help me to teach them that the value of their lives will be measured by the service they give.
Help me to teach them that true happiness is found, not in things,
but in unfolding of their minds and souls.
Help me to make my life go on in theirs, bigger, finer, nobler than I ever dared to be.
AMEN
WELCOME BBQ: We are already at the end of the first week, and what better way to celebrate and to hopefully catch up with "old friends" or make new ones but by coming along to the P&F WELCOME BBQ, which is this evening, from 5pm-7pm. The SSPS P&F are supplying the BBQ, so come along, bring a few drinks and share the early evening in the school grounds. The rest of the night is yours!
SACRAMENTAL PROGRAM: Parents of students in Years 4-6, if you are wanting your child to make their "First Communion, Reconciliation and be Confirmed", then you will need to get the Enrolment Form, along with a copy of Baptism Certificate into the school or parish Office in the next week or so. The Program gets underway on Tuesday evening, Feb 11th, with a Parent Info Session. With a weekly cluster group either Thursday (3:30-4:15pm) or Sunday (10:15-11am) for the 5 following weeks, with a parent/ guardian attending withe the child. Forms (blue) were sent home at the end of last year, and can be accessed from the school or parish office.
If you have any questions or concerns please contact me, Paula Wagner (via the school office) or Fr Michael (via the Parish Office).
Our Catholic Identity: During our Professional Learning days last week we again began our year with a focus on our school history, our Mercy Charism. Along with several other "Mercy Schools" from the diocese we listened to Maxine McKew who went to All Hallows in Brisbane for her secondary schooling. With her background as a journalist, politician and academic she had a powerful, timely message about what makes a quality education, the impact of it (or lack of it) and the need for teachers to "just teach".
At SSPS this term and throughout the year, teachers will be focusing on our Mercy Charism, the life, work and legacy of Catherine McAuley and the Mercy Sisters. We are also working on a recontextualised school prayer, that students, staff and the broader community will contribute to. This follows on from the rewriting of our Mission/ Vision which was launched at the start of 2019.
Supporting our Drought Impacted Neighbours: At the end of last year, with funds raised by the student DISCO, along with generous donations from staff we were able to pay for truck loads of water to be delivered to drought affected families around Stanthorpe. The Lancuba family (1L teacher Natalie) have a water carting business, and they kindly offered to transport the water that we paid for. At the time and still at times now, Stanthorpe families are having to limit their water use by
- Limited showers/ not watering animals, plants, including orchards
- Having a bowl/bucket in the sink and shower to catch run off
- Limited flushing of the toilet
- Reusing and storing water from the washing machine
Some examples of where our donations went...
Retired Farmer 1
He is an older man who has no water in his dam. He had to dig a desperate hole in a puddle to get some water and has bucketed water from the dam.
Family 2
Fire destroyed much of their property and they live in a shed. Husband was a builder but now is disabled from a work accident. They are barely surviving yet said to Mr Lancuba “ Are you sure there aren’t more people needier than us?" (to receive the water donation)
Family Three
Are a family with children and animals. They also are struggling as they own a farm and have had no income for the year. They had no money over Christmas due to the hardships they have experienced from the drought.
Further deliveries are being undertaken throughout January and February as the Stanthorpe water supply is still extremely low and many families have to rely on their own dams or bores (or buy water). Thanks for your support.
Thanks from Miss Cosgrove: At the end of last year, Miss Jo Cosgrove invited any students who were in town over Christmas to come to sing at the Christmas Eve (vigil) Mass where she was going to be playing the organ. Miss Cosgrove was delighted with the response she had and the would like to send out a "Thank you" to the 10 students and families who turned up. Well done to all!
I hope you have had a smooth start to the year,
Regards
Judy
