APRE NEWS

Dear Parents and Carers,

Happy Catholic Education Week!

Undoubtedly, the highlight for me so far has been our whole school Mass on Tuesday morning. Usually (pre COVID) we would have shared several Masses by now but we are learning to take nothing for granted any longer. I admit to being a little apprehensive about a few things with the Mass: how best to seat over 400 students so as to ensure a calm, engaged audience; how would the Preppies and Year Ones handle the routines and quiet reflective times in the Mass with so little "church time" under their belts; actually getting everyone into the building and seated with COVID checkins added to the pre Mass to do list.

I should have learnt from past experience and trusted that it would all come together on the day. And it did! Fr Michael of course is a very calming influence and is not concerned about " a little" extra noise from excited children entering the church. He "had" the Preps and Year Ones focused and engrossed once he mentioned his roosters that they had seen and heard on the way into the Cathedral. Of course he used them as an example of how we should greet each morning, "with spirit" expertly leading the conversation onto the theme for this year's Catholic Education Week, "A Spirited Tomorrow"!

BISHOP'S INSERVICE DAY: The annual Bishop’s Inservice Days are held in the Toowoomba Catholic schools and colleges of the far west, mid-west and in the city of Toowoomba to remind us that while we are part of a local Catholic school and community, we are also part of our local Church, the Diocese of Toowoomba, led by Bishop Robert McGuckin. Tomorrow, around 40 SSPS staff members including library and office, will gather together for a time of dialogue and reflection on how we " Live Within the Catholic Story".

Two hundred years ago the first official Catholic school opened in Australia.  Catholic schools have long held that education should be directed not just towards personal enrichment for the individual student but also to community contribution.

In his recent encyclical, Fratelli Tutti: On Fraternity and Social Friendship, Pope Francis commented that schooling is a right for all children and that a good education can make an enormous difference in the lives of young people, setting them up for life (para.109 & 130).  Among other things, Catholic schools and universities should offer an education in human solidarity and Christian fraternity (para.103, 114, 151 & 167) and make it possible “for each human being to shape his or her own future” (para.187).

 This then calls for all involved in Catholic education to a spirited tomorrow and in the words of Pope Francis to “be conscious that our responsibility extends also to the moral, spiritual and social aspects of life and that the values of freedom, mutual respect and solidarity can be handed on from a tender age” (para.114).

We at SSPS, appreciate BID as special time we have been given together, to pause and reflect on our work and how we are called to be part of this distinctively Catholic community in which we work and live.

THE MAGIC WORDS: ‘The Magic Words’ performance that our students (P-6) watched today was created and linked to the student wellbeing curriculum and has been developed by teachers and psychologists. This exciting live theatre experience inspires students to face life’s challenges with a calm mind, a kind heart and respectful actions.
Brainstorm Productions is one of Australia’s largest and most respected theatre in education companies, performing to over 360,000 students every year. They offer a range of programs to help schools build healthy and harmonious environments, addressing issues such as cyber safety, bullying, resilience, social skills, diversity and inclusion.

If you would like to know more about Brainstorm Productions, you can visit their website: brainstormproductions.edu.au, or their Facebook page: facebook.com/Brainstorm.Productions.

Sunday School/ Parish Mass returns: 9am Sunday Mass, September 12 has been identified as our first Children's Mass for 2021. Assuming that COVID restrictions stay as they are here in Toowoomba, we are planning on incorporating lots of students as readers and choir members into this Mass. Please keep this day/ time free and further information will be distributed in the coming weeks.

Enjoy the rest of your week,

Judy