Week 3, Term 3, 2019

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

What a great night out on Saturday at the SSPS P & F Trivia Night.  A night of fun and laughter was had by all in the spirit of the night.  Thanks to Adam and the team for their hard work in making the night such a great success.  Special thanks to Steve McDonald as Quizmaster who made the night so entertaining.

The P&F Association supports the school staff in their mission to educate our students. They demonstrate this support by raising funds to spend on school resourcing and facilities, providing a forum for the school to communicate to the parent body, giving parents the opportunity to be kept informed on educational issues and co-ordinating parental involvement in the school.

The P&F is run by parent volunteers and seeks to engage the school community through its activities.

How Can You Help?

The P&F’s success is built on the commitment and efforts of parental involvement.  You can be part of that effort in many ways including:

• Joining the committee (President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, Grants Officer, Executive)
• Joining a Subcommittee
• Participating in regular P&F meetings
• Volunteering for P&F events (Trivia Night, Pizza Treat Days, Welcome BBQs, Dance Fever Extravaganza, Fun Day)
• Applying for any school grants programs

The next SSPS P & F event for Term 3 is the DANCE FEVER EXTRAVAGANZA scheduled for Friday 13th September, 5:30p.m.

We look forward to this new and exciting event.

CATHOLIC EDUCATION WEEK 2019 - MANY VOICES. ONE SPIRIT:

CEW MASS

St Patrick's Cathedral was filled to capacity on Tuesday to celebrate Catholic Education Week.  Special thanks to Fr Michael and Judy Smith for the preparation of the mass.  Fr Michael challenged us all to recognise many languages from around the world and not surprisingly the children had a great time trying to recognise them.  He pointed out to the children that although people all over the world may speak different languages we all recognise the spirit of love in the way we treat others.  The Year 4 students demonstrated this through their dramatisation of the 'Good Samaritan'. 

GRANDPARENTS' DAY

Grandparents' Day is always a wonderful day of celebration here at St Saviour’s as we celebrate the great things happening in our Catholic School, our grandparents and all those that support the children in our school community.  There were many excited children on Tuesday waiting to show off their work and school to their grandparents. 

Grandparents' Day is a chance for grandchildren and the community to thank grandparents for their love and support.  At SSPS we recognise the significant contribution that grandparents make to their families and communities. Grandparents are our heritage and are essential members of our families and communities. We are forever grateful for everything you do to support the families of St Saviour's Primary School. 

SSPS & STEMPUNKS SHOWCASE 

Congratulations to the Year 3s, 4s, 5s and 6s on their presentations to over 70 students from surrounding schools. The students' confident and enthusiastic delivery was well received by all in attendance. We are extremely grateful for the funding that has been awarded to our school in order for us to engage the STEMPunks company to work with teachers and students in the area of STEM.  The aim of this initiative is to engage our students in the design thinking approach in all subject areas.  The students across these year levels have demonstrated their competence in design thinking in order to solve problems in the real world.  

The students of SSPS certainly inspired the students and teachers from the visiting schools to learn about STEM in a fun and interactive environment.  We certainly have many confident and creative thinkers who are showing signs of being the next innovative entrepreneurs of the future. 

Louise Pfingst, the Principal at St Anthony's said, "Our kids are still talking about the day and I’ve heard from various parents this morning about how their children got a lot out of the day. I think it was very hands on which the students loved. The PD for staff was very informative and it was great to hear about how it all started and what happened to get to this point. The way your students led the teaching of  the other students was a stand out for me. Great job to your staff and students…..You’ve inspired us all and the possibilities are endless!!"

Thanks to everyone for celebrating Catholic Education Week with us in 2019. 

Madonna Sleba

Dear Parents and Carers,

What a busy week this has been! You will see through the multitude of photos the various activities that have taken place during Catholic Education Week with the highlight for me being the extraordinary number of visitors we had for Grandparents' Day on Tuesday. Thank you to everyone involved in any way and a special thanks to everyone who sent along a plate of food, even when they couldn't attend. We had plenty of food but not a lot left over...not surprising with the hungry boys and girls around.

With the focus on Catholic Education I thought it was timely to share a document recently published by Toowoomba Catholic Schools Office...

Catholic Identity Position Paper:

Toowoomba Catholic Schools’ mission is academic success for all students within a distinctly Catholic environment. Our distinct Catholic identity emerges from how we act to authentically bring this mission to life in a way which connects with and provides meaning to the lives of students and assists them to discover and live their Christian vocation.

Identity is expressed in governance structures and procedures; in curriculum and the learning environment; in the formation of staff to support, teach and lead; in strategic planning and community culture; the wellbeing of students; and the engagement of parents/carers, parish and wider community.

The evolving context of our times and the changing nature of learners and their teachers requires thoughtful discernment, renewal and recontextualisation of our mission and identity.
Background and supporting evidence Catholic schools, with parents and parishes, educate and form students to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In a Catholic school, students learn about and experience the Catholic faith, its history, teachings, rituals and culture. A Catholic education is an invitation to warmly embrace the contemporary world with a Catholic imagination and a hope-filled view of the human person and all of creation.

Inspired by the challenge to advance the reign of God through the ministry of education, our schools become beacons of a future full of hope and promise for students. Catholic schools educate young people academically, spiritually, ethically and religiously for life in today’s rapidly changing world. In doing so Catholic schools commit to the greatest act of social justice possible – a world class education. Drawing on the wisdom and inspiration of the many founding stories within our schools we cultivate a narrative which privileges the Gospel message and looks for new points of encounter for young people to construct meaning, purpose and values for life.

Catholic schools are distinctive places of both education and evangelisation. The Catholic school is a repository of Catholic culture within which young people confidently shape and develop their own personal identity. We are called to challenge whatever is not life-giving in our culture and bring about Christ’s mission. Christ’s mission provides a compelling foundation of human goodness and dignity sustained by a fundamental belief that each one of us is created in the image and likeness of God.

Being created in the image and likeness of God accords everyone an equal and inherent dignity. We believe in an innate original goodness and a universally shared dignity. This belief shapes a hope-filled and life-giving outlook on life for self, others and the created world.

Being created in the image and likeness of God gives everyone unlimited potential. We are motivated by the desire for a successful and flourishing life, to engage and educate the whole person and to use their gifts and talents for the good of all.

Being created in the image and likeness of God opens to everyone the promise of fullness of life, a meaningful and fulfilling life. This generative force inspires yearning, growing and changing for the good.

This is just a first part of the document. I will share the rest at a later date.

Floral Display in the Cathedral for the Carnival of Flowers: 

Most of you would be aware that each year, we set up a display in the Cathedral for the Carnival of Flowers Week. So again we are looking for someone to “take charge/ be the creative director “of this. You don’t need floristry skills yourself but we usually try and involve someone (parent/ grandparent/ friend) who does as you need to know what flowers to order and actually set up the display. If this is an area of interest to you, please contact me via the school office. 

Thank you and enjoy your weekend,

Judy

All students at St Saviour's Primary will be participating in a dance program this term run by a company called Dance Fever.  For this term only sport uniform is optional for all students to wear on a Wednesday due to the physical nature of the dancing.

This program will culminate in a performance for parents on Friday September 13 after school.  Times will be confirmed in the near future.

Thanks very much to the St Saviour's Primary P&F for funding the program for the students.

Interschool Sport - Term 3

Interschool Sport has commenced for the Year 5 and 6 students.  Parents are most welcome to attend and the draw will be sent home every week via the newsletter and also Schoolzine.  

Draw for Week 4 - 9/8/19

Boys Soccer

1.00pm  Senior B V Toowoomba Christian College @ Toowoomba Christian College Field 1

             Junior A V Toowoomba Christian College @ Toowoomba Christian College Field 2

1.45pm  Senior A V Toowoomba Christian College @ Toowoomba Christian College Field 1

Girls Soccer

1.00pm Junior Girls V Toowoomba Christian College @ Toowoomba Christian College Field 3

1.45pm Senior Girls V Toowoomba Christian College @ Toowoomba Christian College Field 2

            Junior Girls V Toowoomba Christian College @ Toowoomba Christian College Field 3

Netball @ Nell E Robinson

1.00pm  Junior A V Mater Dei on Court 16

             Senior B1 V Our Lady of Lourdes on Court 7

             Senior B2 V Glenvale SS on Court 5

1.45pm  Senior A V Toowoomba Anglican School on Court 9

             Junior B V Glennie on Court 15

A reminder that students who are playing soccer will need to have shin pads or they will be unable to participate.  There will also be a cost for the bus, which will be added to the school fees for this term.

Further information is in the Caremonkey permission form.

Catholic Netball and Touch Football Carnivals

Yesterday, the Year 5 and 6 students have had the opportunity to participate in the Catholic Netball and Touch Football Carnivals.

Visiting Author - Tim Harris  

Year 5 and 6 students and staff enjoyed Tim’s presentation which incorporated humour, background to his stories and his life along with key messages about writing. Tim takes real life experiences, observations and memories and adds a “what if…”? question to develop his story ideas.  

Reading is my secret power! 

Students are exploring this idea in various ways in the lead up to our Book Week celebrations on Tuesday and Wednesday 20th and 21st August. Have fun with the dress-up which will take place on Tuesday 20th . There is no particular requirement for the costume. Please talk to your students about how reading can be powerful in their lives. 

 Do you own these books? 

The following personal books have been placed in the returns trolley. Please see the library staff if they belong at your place. 

Anne Anderson

Teacher Librarian

A letter from Mrs Cosgrove:

Dear St Saviour’s Primary School Families

I write to you to let you know of my decision to take my long service leave from Wednesday 28 August this year with a view to retirement after that.

It has been a joy to be part of the St Saviour’s community for so many years.  St Saviour’s is a very special place, due in no small part to the Mercy tradition of caring for each individual child.  I have seen this in action many times over the years and no more so than now with Madonna and the amazing staff currently at St Saviour’s.  Your children are in very good hands.

The input and support of school families is crucial to the smooth running and caring atmosphere of your school.   You are very much valued and appreciated.

It will be strange for me not to come to St Saviour’s three days a week, but I am looking forward to spending more time with my family and ticking off some things on my ‘bucket list’.  I will miss the staff and community but most of all I will miss the children.  It’s all about the children.  It’s why we do what we do. They make me smile every day. 

I wish you and your families many blessings in the years to come.

Christine Cosgrove

I will leave you with a couple of my favourite stories from the children.

Lucy from Year 1 came down to the office crying.  She had forgotten her swimming bag. I explained that we could get mummy to come with her bag.  Still crying!! I then said we all forget things sometimes, that I was older than her and I forget things sometimes.  Lucy stopped crying immediately, and with hands on hips said, ‘Well I thought you’d be big enough to remember your swimming bag.’ 

I hope Trevor Cavanagh (former Principal) doesn’t mind  me telling you this story!!

Trevor was on playground duty when a Yr 1 boy said to him: ‘Mr Cavanagh I really like you, you remind me of my grandpa, he has a hole in the top of his head just like you’!!  He was of course referring to Trevor’s bald spot....