Term 1, Week 8, 2024
Dear Parents and Carers,
I hope you have all had a great week and welcome to our Week 8 newsletter. This week I would like to cover a few operational matters with regards to staffing and the school building project.
Firstly, I am pleased to announce the appointment of Rachel Kelly to St Saviour’s Primary School. Rachel will teach Year 3K for the remainder of the year.
Rachel comes to St Saviour’s after a short stint at Our Lady of Good Counsel Primary School in Gatton as a Year 1 teacher and prior to that several teaching appointments in the Rockhampton Diocese. She has taught in primary and secondary schools and has experience as a head of year, head of house and school welfare co-ordinator. Rachel has a passion for music and has taught music in multiple schools during her extensive career. She looks forward to integrating music into her teaching at SSPS.
I am also pleased to announce that Jodie McLachlan has accepted a promotion to work at Toowoomba Catholic Schools Office as a personal assistant to the Director of Education Services.
This was an extremely difficult decision for Jodie, however one that I fully support at this point in her career.
Of course, Jodie will be very much missed at St Saviour’s Primary with her last official working day being Tuesday 19th March (even though she will be back and forth after this date). As you are all aware, Jodie has made an enormous contribution to the school since taking over the finance role from long serving employee Christine Cosgrove. A recruitment process is currently underway to replace Jodie in the role of Finance Officer.
The school building project is in full swing with the library expected to be completed early in Term 2. This is very welcome news and will open up more spaces for the children to learn and play.
Our stop-drop-go area on Lawrence Street is also going to commence next week. Essentially, this space will be in the 'u' shaped driveway. This work is expected to commence next week and will not affect the current access to the primary school, however you will see a part of the driveway blocked off. During the holidays, current access will change and the carparks on the street will be blocked off as well. It will be fantastic to have this space open early in Term 2 to provide a safer and more efficient way for parents to pick up and drop off their children. The classrooms, stage 3 of the playground and the lift area will be finished during Term 2.
Finally, a reminder of our school student protection contacts. These four contacts are people that students can trust and people who will listen if a student is feeling unsafe for any reason. This could be if they feel unsafe with a friend, a relative, staff member or someone they don't know.
Sam Hannant
Principal
….experiencing FAITH in the Mercy Tradition
Dear families
Congratulations to Evee McLoughlin (Yr 3B) on beginning her Sacramental journey! Evee is being Baptised on 15th March with her family and class mates there to celebrate. Congratulations Evee! We look forward to supporting you in your special journey. We also welcome Imogen Williams-Donaldson (Yr 3BH) and William Freier (Yr 3BH) into the Catholic faith community as they will also be baptised next Friday on 25th March and Ivana Haines (Yr 2F) will be Baptised on Easter Sunday! Congratulations to these students and their families as they begin their Sacramental journey.
We are in the Fourth week of Lent and I wanted to share with you one of the reflections that made me think.
There are no shortcuts
It is not easy to show others real mercy without having experienced mercy ourselves. Without the experience of mercy, our attempts to be merciful can become confused with other things we instinctively do – putting up with others, acting kindly but keeping our honest thoughts to ourselves, and being nice to people even though we cannot stand them. The list goes on. None of these is mercy.
The person who has confronted their weakness and inadequacy calls out to God from their heart. The person who receives God’s mercy knows how to show it to others. There are no shortcuts. The season of Lent calls us to confront the reality of our need so that we can truly reach out to the One who is merciful and, from there, learn to be genuinely merciful to others.
Putting the word into practice - Jesus Christ is the mercy of God incarnate. In Jesus, we see the greatest act of mercy and generosity the world has ever known: the Almighty and Eternal God becomes a human being so that we can encounter God in a comprehensible form. God not only becomes one of us but he takes on the human experience of powerlessness and suffering. In doing so, it reveals that in him, powerlessness and suffering are note the last word. This is mercy in action.
As we contemplate this, we learn that we, too, are to be the mercy of God in the world. Not only must we show mercy because we are the recipients of mercy, but we show mercy because that is who Jesus Christ is. We are to reveal the presence of Jesus Christ in the world.
Let us pray,
Jesus, write your wisdom on my heart and empower me to live the joy of the Gospel in our world.
Amen.
Source: Evangelisation Brisbane – Lenten program 2024
It is also fourth week of fundraising for Project Compassion. Thank you for your generous donations. Keep them coming! Click on this link https://schools.projectcompassion.org.au/o/st-saviours-primary-school-toowoomba to make a contribution to the lives of those who are most in need and for future generations.
Harmony day – Will be celebrated at SSPS on Thursday 21st March – The theme for this year is “Everyone belongs” – The 21/3/2024 is also the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. At SSPS we celebrate diversity and embrace all cultures, languages and spiritualities. Harmony day is about inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all, regardless of cultural or linguistic background, united by a set of core Mercy values here at SSPS. Let’s celebrate one of our greatest strengths – our cultural diversity.
Sacramental Program – A number of SSPS students in Yr 4 are currently completing the Sacramental Program and they will begin by receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation next week on 22nd & 23rd March. Congratulations to these students as they continue on their journey towards Confirmation and First Eucharist. We send you our prayers of support and guidance.
Date claimers in March –
Wednesday 27th March : 8.45am End of Term One Awards Assembly & 2.15pm Easter Liturgy
Thursday 28th Holy Thursday : 6pm Mass of the Lord’s Supper at St Patrick’s Cathedral
Friday 29th – Good Friday : 10am Stations of the Cross & 3pm Celebration of the Passion at St Patrick’s Cathedral
Saturday 30th – Easter Saturday : 7pm Vigil Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral
Sunday 31st – Easter Sunday Mass : 7am, 9am & 5.30m at St Patrick’s Cathedral
Thanks for reading. Have a great week!
Regards,
Ann-Maree
APRE
After eight weeks of the school year already completed, I am feeling like I am settling into St Saviour’s and am more relaxed and comfortable in my role. Similarly, I have a sense that students and teachers are feeling settled into their classroom environment and have made connections that build a sense of belonging and a sense of a shared purpose. It is often this time of the year when relationships can start to fray or be tested. We become ‘used to’ each other and we have a sense of how things work, which personalities we are going to work well with or may need to try harder with and who may impact us either positively or negatively in different spaces. At the core of a school is the relationships that exist between all members of the community. The quality of those relationships have a direct impact on the collective wellbeing of our community.
We are investing in building our collective skills to enhance student wellbeing and research would suggest that prioritising building and sustaining relationships is an important factor. Our Wellbeing consultant, Sue Chandler from Transformative Schools visited us last week. Sue spent time with members of the Wellbeing committee to begin work on framing our whole school wellbeing approach, as well as model one of the strategies that will sit in our framework ‘circle time’. Sue modelled this style of lesson in all year levels across the school. Circle time is an approach which gets its name from how it is facilitated, in a circle. Using circle time as an approach with a consistent structure and purpose is an authentic method of facilitating the development of positive relationships and developing social and emotional capabilities. The mere formation of a circle creates a sense of openness, inclusivity and belonging. Building strong connections between teachers and students and student to student is fundamental to building the capacity to have a restorative lens when relationships are harmed. Teachers will continue to develop and hone this strategy as the year progresses.
I am looking forward to the last few busy weeks of this term and navigating relationship building and repair. Everyday every member of our community has an opportunity to cement a connection and strengthen a relationship. There is also however opportunities to damage a relationship. On assembly this week I spoke around the need for all students to speak up if there are things happening for them that are causing them concern. Relationships are at the core of our work but if we do not know how relationships have broken down, we can have all the preventative measures operating successfully, but are still unable to assist. I also encourage you as parents that if you have any concerns around your child’s wellbeing at school and the quality of their relationships, to please reach out to their teacher or myself so that we can assist students in navigating their problems and restoring their relationships.
Katie Hauser
APA
Dear Parents,
Parent teacher interviews will begin next week, starting Monday. Bookings are now open via Sentral and any concerns can be directed to your child’s classroom teacher.
Parent teacher interviews are a valuable opportunity for parents and teachers to come together to discuss a student’s progress and wellbeing. These meetings provide an opportunity for both parties to share insights, address concerns and collaborate on ways to support a student’s learning journey.
We encourage all parents to actively participate in Parent teacher interviews and to take advantage of this opportunity to engage with their child’s education. Together, we hope to work towards ensuring success and wellbeing for every student.
Interviews that are booked for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday either before or after school will be held in your child’s classroom. Any interviews held on Thursday from 1:30 pm will be held in our Mercy Centre.
Thank-you for all your continued support and partnerships in your child’s education. We cannot do what we do, without you!
Our teachers look forward to meeting with you all next week,
Bec Thomas
Middle Leader
Health and Physical Education (Term One)
It has been a busy and exciting first term for Health and Physical Education. Below is an overview of what students in different age groups have been doing. Year Three to Year Six participate in health in Term One and Three and Prep to Year Two participate in health in Term Two and Four.
Physical Education (Prep)
Students have been participating in modified games working individually, in pairs and groups teaching them to cooperate with their peers, participate in games with and without equipment and identify and describe how their body moves in relation to effort, space, time, objects and people. Students have also been engaging in locomotive and gross motor activities. These activities focus on increasing their ability in throwing, catching, passing, as well as locomotive skills.
Physical Education (Year One and Year Two)
Year One and Two students have been engaged in modified games working individually, in pairs and groups teaching them to cooperate with their peers and perform fundamental movement skills in a variety of movement sequences and situations. Students have also been engaging in locomotive and gross motor activities. These activities focus on increasing their ability in throwing, catching, passing, as well as locomotive skills.
Physical Education (Year Three and Year Four)
Students in Year Three and Four completed a T-Ball unit working individually, in pairs and groups teaching the students to cooperate with their peers, practise and refine fundamental movement skills in a variety of movement sequences and situations and apply basic rules and scoring systems, and demonstrate fair play when participating in physical activities. This unit focused on increasing the student’s knowledge of T-Ball through various games and activities in preparation for their T-Ball Gala Day in Week Ten (Year Four).
Physical Education (Year Five and Year Six)
Year Five and Six participated in a Fitness unit working individually, in pairs and groups teaching the students to cooperate with their peers and participate in physical activities designed to enhance fitness, and discuss the impact regular participation can have on health and wellbeing. This unit focused on increasing the student’s fitness level through various fitness games and activities in the lead up to the school cross country in Week Ten.
Health (Year Three)
In this unit students explored the impact of positive social interaction on self-identity. They investigated different types of friendships, examining the qualities they look for in a friend, as well as their roles and responsibilities. Students also learnt how to communicate respectfully with friends to resolve conflict and challenging issues in friendships. Students also reflected on why friendships change over time and investigated strategies to assist them in establishing and maintaining respectful friendships. Finally, they explored risk-taking behaviours, their rights and responsibilities and decision-making strategies to help keep them safe.
Health (Year Four)
Students identified strategies to keep healthy and improve fitness. They explored the Australian guide to healthy eating and the five food groups, gaining an understand of the importance of a balanced diet and how health messages influence food choices, creating meal plans that reflect health messages. Students also participated in partner and group activities to explore the communication skills of respect and empathy and how they support positive interactions, investigating how heritage and culture contribute to identity.
Health (Year Five)
In this unit students reviewed the information they know about establishing and keeping friendships and relationships. Students discussed the factors that influence theirs and others’ behaviours through discussion and brainstorming activities, investigating how feelings, emotions and mood can affect their own and others’ behaviours and responses. They developed an understanding of different points of view and how differing opinions can influence relationships and friendships. Finally, students explored the concepts of health and wellbeing and the importance of healthy habits as a preventative measure, identifying good habits and how they contribute to overall health and wellbeing.
Health (Year Six)
Students explored how important people in their lives, and the media, can influence health behaviour, examining how membership of different groups and personal qualities shape identity. They examined influences on health behaviour and constructed a health message for their peers. Students also investigated how physical activity creates opportunities for different groups to work together and how physical activity contributes to individual and community wellbeing.
Junior Swimming Carnival 2024 (Prep - Year 2)
The 2024 junior swimming carnival will take place on Monday, 25th of March 2024. Please see the below information.
DATE: 25th March 2024
TIME: Prep - 9am – 10am
Year 1 – 10:15am – 11:15am
Year 2 – 11:30am – 12:30am
VENUE: Glennie Aquatic Centre
WHO FOR: Students in Prep – Year 2
TRANSPORT: The Prep students will catch a bus from St Saviour’s to Glennie at 8:45am, Year One at 10am and Year Two at 11:15am. Children can then be picked up at the normal time of 3pm.
PLEASE BRING: togs (Prep students to wear to school under uniform), towel, goggles, swimming cap (from Glennie swimming lessons, supplied by Glennie), swimming bag and water.
COST: The cost of the swimming carnival has been covered by your child’s school fees.
PERMISSION: Permission has already been granted through ‘Physical Education Activities/Carnivals 2024’ on Parent Portal.
UNIFORM: The children can wear their sport uniform. Thongs are fine to wear to and from the pool. No zinc, face paint or hairspray is allowed in the pool.
EVENTS: Your child’s events are listed below (All events are subject to time)
Prep
- 25m Freestyle/Pool Noodle or Kick Board
- 25m Pool Noodle Horse Ride
Year 1 – Year 2
- 25m Freestyle/Pool Noodle or Kick Board
- 25m Backstroke/Kick Board
- 25m Pool Noodle Horse Ride
PURPOSE: No ribbons will be awarded at this carnival as this is purely a non-competitive carnival to encourage fun in the water.
Extra Information: I understand that all students are at different levels and this carnival has been designed to accommodate that. Each lane will have a swimming instructor in it to assist the students as needed. All students will also have access to a flotation device (kick board or pool noodle) if needed. Students do not have to use these if they can swim and are welcome to do freestyle or backstroke in the pool noodle/kickboard events. We encourage all students to attend regardless of their swimming ability. Having an instructor with the students and novelty races ensure that this is a memorable day, whilst building confidence in the water prior to joining the more competitive races at the Year Three to Year Six swimming carnival in years to come.
Parents and Grandparents are more than welcome to attend.
Thanks very much and if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at brendan.luck@twb.catholic.edu.au.
SSPS Cross Country 2024
As you might be aware the SSPS Cross Country will be held on Thursday 28th of March 2024. The cross country will be on the college oval again this year. Due to the construction the layout/track for the day will be slightly adjusted. Please find all information regarding the day and if you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me Brendan.luck@twb.catholic.edu.au.
- There will be teachers situated outside the school grounds on the course to help students around the track.
- Spectators are more than welcome at the cross country.
- We ask that spectators do not enter the middle of the oval and spectate from the outside of the track.
- The prep driveway will be used as part of the track and will be closed and unable to be used on the day of the cross country. Please park on Lawrence Street or the Cathedral Centre.
Order of Events:
The order of events this year will be:
- Boys and Girls born 2019 - 2 laps of College Oval (Year six students to form a wall around the inside and outside of the oval track to help cheer the younger students on for this race - not running with them or chasing them).
- Boys and Girls born 2018 - 3 laps of College Oval (Year six students to form a wall around the inside and outside of the oval track to help cheer the younger students on for this race not running with them or chasing them).
- Boys and Girls born 2012 - 2 laps of College Oval, 3 laps of school, 1 lap of College Oval
- Boys and Girls born 2013 - 2 laps of College Oval, 3 laps of school, 1 lap of College Oval
- Boys and Girls born 2014 - 2 laps of College Oval, 2 laps of school, 1 lap of College Oval
- Boys and Girls born 2015 - 2 laps of College Oval, 2 laps of school, 1 lap of College Oval
- Boys and Girls born 2017 - Start on college oval, out of college and down Perth Street, to Ruthven Street. Follow Ruthven Street to Prep driveway and up Prep driveway. Back up Perth Street and finish on college oval.
- Boys and Girls born 2016 - Start on college oval, out of college and down Perth Street, to Ruthven Street. Follow Ruthven Street to Prep driveway and up Prep driveway. Back up Perth Street and finish on college oval.
This order is so the older students, who are running the most distance will be running in the cooler part of the day.
Starting Time:
The event for children born in 2019 will start at 9am and will follow in the order below. All races will take place with the boys first, followed by the girls. No races will begin before the times listed below. Please keep in mind, races may start after the start time if races run behind.
Cross Country 2024
School Sport
Congratulations to Samuel Abot who made the Toowoomba Basketball Team. Samuel will now attend Darling Downs trials to try and make the Darling Downs team. Good luck and we look forward to hearing all about your fantastic experience.
Twisters Touch Football
Congratulations to George Gainey, Georgie Hedge, Mahaylie Weribone and Ruby Land on making Toowoomba Twister teams for touch football. Best of luck and we are all cheering for you.
Fitness Club
Fitness club is a fun way for your child to work on their fitness with their peers in preparation for the SSPS Cross Country in the last week of Term One. These sessions are offered to students in Year Three to Year Six. Fitness Club runs every Tuesday and Thursday morning from 7:15am - 8am running till Thursday 21st of March 2024. Your child is welcome to attend all sessions, once a week or whatever suits your family schedule. Thank you to Mrs McHugh, Mrs Wagner, Mrs Harris and Mr Logan for helping with running these sessions. If you have any questions, please email me via Brendan.luck@twb.catholic.edu.au.
Zone and Darling Downs Trials
All Zone and Darling Downs trials will be placed on Parent Portal. Please check Parent Portal regularly or set up notifications on your phone if you wish for your child to be eligible to trial for Zone and Darling Downs sporting teams as you will be required to obtain paperwork from myself. I am unable to nominate students after the closing date so please make sure you do keep an eye on Parent Portal. Any questions, please contact me at brendan.luck@twb.catholic.edu.au.
Upcoming Events (Term One)
- SSPS Junior Swimming Carnival (Prep – Year 2) Monday, 25th March (9am – 12:30pm).
- T-Ball Gala Day (Year Four) Tuesday 26th March.
- SSPS Cross Country (Prep – Year 6) Thursday, 28th March.
- Fitness Club – 6th February to 21st March (every Tuesday and Thursday).
Cheers
Brendan Luck
HPE Teacher
brendan.luck@twb.catholic.edu.au
A very special photo for the Black Family (Jack, Harry and Joseph) who recently got to meet Australian Cricket player Ricky Ponting.
The boys were so excited and I am sure Dad was too.
Term 1 School Fees:
Term 1 School Fees are now overdue. Please ensure your school fee payment is made prior to the end of Term.
Last day of Term:
The last day of Term will be Thursday 28th March.
Prep 2025:
Prep enrolment interviews have commenced for Prep 2025. If you are yet to submit your application please do so as soon as possible to avoid missing out on a spot as numbers are filling fast.
Enrolment Application | St Saviour’s Primary School Toowoomba (twb.catholic.edu.au)
Parking:
Just a reminder about parking around our school throughout the Building Project.
St Patrick's Cathedral Staff Carpark (corner of Neil and Lawrence Street)
This carpark is strictly for staff of St Saviour's Primary and St Saviour's College. Parents are asked to not use this carpark for drop off and pick up.
Lawrence Street Cathedral Carpark
Available for parents to use of a morning and afternoon.
TCSO Carpark
Available to use for parents morning and afternoon depending on spaces available. Please be mindful that this carpark is for Toowoomba Catholic Schools staff to use throughout the school day.
Lawrence Street parking:
Angled parking available on Lawrence Street. Strictly 3 hour limit throughout the day. Please be mindful of children crossing in Lawrence Street. Parents please use the crossing to cross safely with your children at all times.
Perth Street parking:
Limited spaces available due to Buses entering and leaving. Please cross at the crossing with your children should you choose to park in Perth Street. No parking across the footpaths of residents or driveways.
Prep Carpark
Throughout the building project this carpark is being used by McNab builders and contractors. It is advisable to seek alternate parking spots due to the limited spaces available. Please be considerate in the Prep carpark when entering and leaving. No double parking please.
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