Principal News

NATIONAL RECONCILIATION WEEK

Lord, open up our hearts

so that we may hear the message you teach of

...a world in which the wrongs of the past are recognised;

...a world in which a reconciled people walk and talk together sharing stories;

...a world in which all burn with the desire to have your peace and justice reign.

We ask this in Jesus’ name.

Dear SSPS Community,

Monday 24^th May, our Diocesan Schools celebrated alongside all Catholic Schools across the nation to mark 200years of Catholic Education. In honour of this special milestone, we came together and celebrated mass led by Bishop Robert McGuckin. This was an opportunity for all Catholic Schools to come together as a community with a great sense of gratitude and appreciation of this milestone in Catholic Education.

How do you capture 200 years of Catholic Education? The truth is you cannot. It is too big a story. But, where we can capture the essence of our story is in those stories of the individuals who have been a part of our community since 1821.

The stories of one of the 700 000 students. Of every student who has ever worn that uniform; who has sat in those classrooms; who has slept in the dorms; who has bloodied their knees and elbows on the school playground.

The stories of their Mums and their Dads; their sacrifice to send their children to a Catholic School and their generosity to support the local Catholic School.

The stories of the Sisters of Mercy, the Josephites, the Good Samaritans, the Christian Brothers, and those of every principal, and teacher, who has followed in their footsteps and lived their vocation as an educator.

The stories of every support staff member. Anonymous men and women. Some who have worked for years in the library, classrooms, the finance office or on the grounds.

Their stories are the Catholic story. Stories of connection, belonging and of being a part of something bigger than themselves. A community. A sister or brother hood. Connected by a spirit. Something unique to our place - Catholic Spirit. A spirit that we find hard to put into words but something that we experience both within ourselves and between each other.

As quoted by Pope Francis; “Teaching is a beautiful job as it allows you to see the growth day by day of the people entrusted to your care. It is a little like being parents, at least spiritually. It is a great responsibility.”

As a Catholic educator, this great responsibility is not taken lightly. Congratulations everyone on continuing to nurture the spirit of Catholic Education throughout our schools by challenging, empowering and enriching young learners to embrace and transform the world!

Catholic spirit is integral to that legacy. It is our responsibility, as the Catholic community of 2021, to nurture that legacy and that spirit. We do that by continuing to be just, inclusive, courageous, grateful and authentic. It is a legacy that calls each of us to be responsive and inclusive to all who enter our Catholic communities.

Our Catholic schools across the Toowoomba Diocese deliver high-quality, faith-based, affordable education and are open to enrolments from all families.

STUDENT AND STAFF WELL-BEING

It’s a crazy time of term. What the science tells us is that happiness and well-being don’t just fall out of the sky and hit us; we actively have to do things to feel good about ourselves and others. We have to be ‘on-purpose’ in doing things to feel a sense of well-being.

What is clear in the school at this time of term - just over half way through - is that lots of people are tired and stressed (students, staff and parents).

It is definitely time to be purposely mindful about stress, anxiety, being ‘wound up’ and, therefore, not being able to be truly present and perform at our best. Maybe over the next week (and beyond hopefully) we all might spend time focusing on the below ten things.

10 tips to help you stay mentally healthy (crucial for this stage of the term)

Spend time helping someone else with something - when you help others, it makes you feel good. Volunteer for a cause, help a neighbour or simply do something nice for a friend or stranger.
See the funny side of life and laugh often - laughter is a wonderful medicine. Watch/read/listen to something that will give you a belly laugh. Not only does laughter decrease stress hormones, it also triggers the release of endorphins which help improve your overall sense of wellness.
Think about a new skill you can learn - learning something new gives the ‘grey matter’ a workout and builds neural pathways in the brain.
Catch up with friends - spending time with our friends and loved ones is always a guaranteed way to lift our moods. Often just spending time chatting and laughing with someone is a great mood lifter.
Go to bed early - make it your aim to get eight hours of solid sleep every night. Sleep will help restore your body and mind. To help you get a good night's rest, put your phone away at least an hour before bed and do something soothing and relaxing such as reading a book to help you get a good night's rest.
Focus on your organisation - with upcoming deadlines and assessments, it is easy to get overwhelmed by study/work commitments. Being disorganised can build stress and anxiety at this time. For our older students, try creating a study routine to get yourself into the habit of studying. Put all your assessment and deadlines on a calendar and plan your time effectively to ensure you give yourself ample time to complete big projects and prepare yourself for an exam.
Ask someone for help - Everyone’s life journey is different, and sometimes we need help to overcome the really bumpy bits. It's okay to ask for help: speak to a work colleague, teachers, a friend or a family member.
Stay Active - keeping fit and staying active can help you to sleep better, manage stress and boost your mood. Take the dog for a walk, or take the stairs when you can. Try riding your bike or find a sport or physical activity that you enjoy and make a plan to do it regularly.
Take care of yourself - a healthy body is linked to a healthy mind. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole foods, and avoid processed foods.
Be ‘present’ in the moment - be in the here and now. Enjoy the moment.

School Counsellor Update

Last week we farwelled Anne Woodcroft-Brown whilst she takes leave to have her baby and we eagerly await the happy news! I am pleased to announce that Mrs Christina Peak will be our new school counsellor during Anne's leave. Christina is an experienced teacher and counsellor who most recently has been working for Catholic Care in Toowoomba. Christina is looking forward to joining the SSPS team and working in a school environment. She will begin her role here at SSPS from the 21st June, 2021. We look forward to welcoming her and introducing staff, parents and students.

Thanks for reading,

Madonna Sleba

SSPS Principal