23 November 2016

Newsletter Articles

From the Principal

Dear Holy Cross parents, carers and members of the wider community.

In my very first newsletter of 2016, I shared an image depicting the side rear-view mirror of a vehicle, with the road already travelled behind, and dreams of the adventures ahead.

As we approach the end of this academic year and the first leg of my journey with you, it seemed fitting to hop out of the 'metaphorical car' for a brief moment and enjoy the view - a rather splendid sunset. This image could not be more fitting for our beautiful school because the vegetation is lush, the skies are clear and full of promise, and the surroundings are both peaceful and calm, just like Holy Cross.

And, dare I say it, the route lovingly mapped out for Holy Cross in 2017 is full of promise and excitement also. We have a multitude of developments and projects on the horizon, with yet more looking into the past as we prepare to celebrate our 30th anniversary.

I have outlined a few of our major initiatives below for your information:

• HOLY CROSS CHARISM – we spent 2016 piecing together the 'bones', next year we intend to pop on the 'muscles' and 'meat' as we complete this very important document;
• GROUNDS IMPROVEMENT – this will include investigating the creation of an outdoor learning space between A and B blocks; improving the carpark and road around Holy Cross Church; the development of an imaginative play area in the Junior play area; the creation of a beach volleyball court beside the Multipurpose Area for the Upper students; and, the completion of our Prayer Garden and meditation space;
• ICT – the appointment of Mr David Gunter as the Holy Cross E-learning Coordinator; continued upgrading of our ICT resources including the introduction of a one-to-one program in the upper grades (more information will be sent to families later this week); the expansion of the Coding Club; and, research and planning for the creation of a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) laboratory replacing our current Computer Room;
• P&F – continuation of the work already undertaken by the P&F connecting families and strengthening community spirit through the provision of an abundance of opportunities for networking, celebration and socialising. And in the aftermath of the incredibly successful Holy Cross Christmas Fair, a massive thank you to the main organisers of the event, Tracey Cook and Tony Sheehan, and the P&F Committee under the leadership of Damian Martin-Blakey. Thanks also to the many helpers and volunteers who lent a hand before, during and after the big event. Words will never be adequate to express our thanks for your time and energy, but we will utter them none- the-less so that you know that we are truly grateful – thank you!
• CURRICULUM INITIATIVES – the appointment of Ms Gina Robb as the Holy Cross Leader of Teaching and Pedagogy walking staff through an array of initiatives to lift standards yet further within our school. One curriculum initiative which may be of particular interest to our parent body is the launch of the Parent Portal and increased Parent Engagement opportunities;
• LEARNING SUPPORT – the relocation of the Learning Support department to the ground floor in A Block; the creation of two new Study Rooms in A and B Blocks to provide additional space for students requiring support and enrichment; and, the appointment of a second Learning Support Teacher. The announcement of the successful applicant will be made shortly;
• CLASSROOM RENOVATION – every classroom will be redecorated over the Christmas holidays, with remodelling and the delivery of new furniture to those still awaiting; and,
• OPENING OF OUR NEW OFFICE – building work commences on 7th December concluding at the beginning of February. During this time, the Office will operate out of our Board Room with families entering through the Student Entry at the side. Please be patient with us until this work is complete, and pray for the absence of a cyclone!

In addition, during 2017, we will be investigating ways we can increase the size of our classrooms, and researching our House Patrons as we embark upon the creation of Holy Cross House shirts. Be sure to read our fortnightly newsletter and log onto our school Facebook page regularly to keep informed as to our progress.

As you can imagine, with this quantity of dreams on the horizon, a number of minor changes will need to be made to our current staffing structure. Unfortunately, I am not able to share these changes with you at present because they are not yet complete. We will, however, write to families during the first few weeks of the school holidays and share our updated staffing structure and class placements.

As the mother of two young children myself, I know only too well the impact of awaiting news such class placement on sleep patterns and overall health and well-being, so I thought I'd share some thoughts with you as we head towards pastures new in 2017.

"Two men look out from prison bars;
One sees mud the other sees stars."
Author unknown

"Two salesmen were sent to Africa by a Shoemaking Company to investigate and report back on market potential. The first salesman reported: "There is no potential there; nobody wears shoes!" The second salesman reported: "There is immense potential there; nobody wears shoes!"
Author unknown

My reason for sharing these quotes with you is quite simple, it highlights the important role parents play in the development of positive attitudes in our children, in this instance the attitude that regardless of which teacher you have and which friends you are with that all will be well. If we can instil a true sense of optimism about themselves as individuals, life will be fulfilling, because they will be able to develop their abilities by having self-confidence.

We all know from experience that what we believe about ourselves affects the way we act. Our children are likely to become the sorts of people they believe others believe them to be. As parents, we are the main influence in the development of self-belief within our children. What we say, either positive or negative, can have a long-lasting effect on our children, because they believe us.

Our children's belief in their own ability to do things is of great influence on their motivation, perseverance and success. Self-belief can motivate our children more than their actual skill level. If they truly believe they can succeed at a test or write a poem, they may be more likely to achieve it than other children who have better ability, but who don't believe they can. The more our children believe they can do, the more likely they are to generalise that self-belief to other areas of their life. They then believe they have the ability to attempt, persevere and succeed in a whole range of activities.

Self-belief is about being aware of and valuing your true self. It is not about how others see you or how you think others see you. Self-belief is different from self-esteem because self-esteem generally means how you feel about yourself in comparison to others and so can fluctuate according to circumstance. Self-belief is more like an inner light that comes from within you. It is not about how we behave on the outside but rather about our inner feelings and how they make us optimistic about life.

Parents can help children to believe in their own ability by teaching them to take the initiative to make things happen, instead of waiting for them to happen. Likewise, parents can help children to be proactive by helping them – not telling them – to think about options and solutions instead of problems and barriers.

"Your mind can think of only one thought at a time; make it a positive one."
Author Unknown

When we, as adults, evaluate our lives, we are more likely to regret challenges we did not confront, risks we did not take and contests we did not enter as a result of self-doubt or lack of self-belief. We are less likely to regret actions we took as a result of innovative self-belief or being too optimistic or even foolish. As least we made the attempt and knew the result.

So, we need to believe in our children's potential, like the second salesman believed in the Company's potential. We need to inspire them to self-belief.

I watched the current Year 5 cohort display extraordinary self-belief as they plunged head-first into the Student Leadership elections. This was a very gruelling process for students so young, and involved nominations, short listing, speeches and an interview. It was fascinating listening to the students talk about their reason for seeking a leadership position, and also how they would cope if they were not to be successful. Every child responded in the same way – that it would be fine because they knew they had done their best and that the other candidate was obviously more deserving. Beautiful! I congratulate all of the applicants and announce the successful candidates with immense pleasure:

Please join me in congratulating these students on this outstanding achievement.

One more happy declaration before I conclude, this time with regards to staff. It gives me great joy to announce the appointment of Miss Joanne Van Ewyk and Mrs Deborah Scarborough as permanent full time teachers at Holy Cross, and also the appointment of Mrs Aleisha Russell and Mr David Gunter on fixed term 12-month contracts. All of these staff members bring to our school a wealth of experience and talent. We feel tremendously blessed that they we be remaining with us for 2017. Mrs Carol Kelly will, however, not be with us, instead she will be in Canada on a teacher exchange. In turn, we will be welcoming Mrs Alison Williams to our team. We wish Mrs Kelly and her husband bon voyage and look forward to receiving regular updates on her adventures overseas.

Please do make sure you read the remainder of this newsletter fully as the last two weeks of term are extremely busy.

I look forward to seeing you all at our Christmas Concert this Friday, 25th November at 9am with a picnic Morning Tea to follow with your children courtesy of the P&F.

With fond regards,

Sarah Hamilton
Principal

APA News

Reading your child's report

By Michael Grose

Reports can mean anxious times for children. Will my parents be disappointed or proud? This is the main concern of most children.

Could try harder . . . always does her best . . . lacks concentration . . . easily distracted . . .a pleasure to teach . . .

Do these comments, taken from a batch of student reports sound familiar? Student reports bring mixed feelings for parents. Pleasure and pride if they are performing well but considerable angst when children are not progressing as you hoped.

Reports can mean anxious times for children too. Will my parents be disappointed or proud? This is the main concern of most children. Kids of all ages take their cues from their parents, so your reaction to their school report can affect the way they see themselves as learners and as people.

Here are some ideas to consider when you open your child's report:

Focus on strengths. Do you look for strengths or weaknesses first? The challenge is to focus on strengths even if they are not in the traditional 3Rs or core subjects.

Take into account your child's effort and attitude to learning. If the report indicates that effort is below standard, then you have something to work on. If your child is putting in the required effort, then you cannot ask any more than that, regardless of the grading.

Broaden your focus away from academic performance to form a picture of your child's progress as a member of a social setting. How your child gets along with his or her peers will influence his happiness and well-being, as well as give an indicator to his future. The skills of independence and co-operation are highly valued by employers so don't dismiss these as unimportant.

Take note of student self-assessment. Kids are generally very honest and will give a realistic assessment of their progress. They are generally very perceptive so take note of their opinions.

Discuss the report with your son or daughter talking about strengths first before looking at areas that need improvement. Ask for their opinion about how they performed and discuss their concerns.

After reports are read and discussed celebrate your child's efforts with a special activity or treat. In this way you will recognise progress and remind them that the holidays are just around the corner when they can forget about assessment, tests and reports for a while.

Congratulations to Week 5 & 6 Holy Cross Heroes:

"We were caught demonstrating Respect, Right Place, Right Time and Safety First."

Many blessings for the week

Brad Henry
Assistant Principal - Administration

APRE News

REMEMBRANCE DAY LITURGY

Recently, the whole school participated very respectfully in a prayerful ceremony for Remembrance Day. It makes us proud as teachers to see students participating enthusiastically in school events, but also recognising the importance and reverence needed for special occasions. A new addition was the male teachers helping lead the singing of the final hymn, "We Will Remember Them" by Andrew Chinn. It is not only the students who are brave and talented. Thank you!

LITURGICAL LIFE OF THE SCHOOL

Thank you to all the families who were able to be a part of the liturgical, Sacramental and prayer life of the school this year. We hope that many families will join us for the final Mass on Friday 2nd of December, as it a celebration of our whole community, giving thanks for the year that has been.

Upcoming liturgies and Masses:

• Graduation Liturgy for Year 6 - Wednesday 30th November at 6:30pm
• End of Year Mass - Friday 2nd December at 11:00am

ST VINCENT DE PAUL CHRISTMAS HAMPERS

As we do each year, we will be helping support some families in our local area, by creating some hampers filled with gifts and Christmas food and goodies. Please read the attached sheet for the family structure each class is collecting for. Any donations of new items will be welcomed. We understand that this is an expensive time of year and not all families are in a position to give.

We pray for those families who are encountering, physical, emotional or monetary difficulty this Christmas season. We pray also for those who support families in need. May the peace, love and joy of Christ be with everyone and may our Holy Cross families feel safe, loved, rested and refreshed over the holiday break.

REFLECTION AND PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE WEEK

I have taken this reflection and prayer from the St Vincent De Paul website, as I think it is appropriate for us as we prepare for Christmas.

"In working to restore all things in Christ we are not alone. God is with us: Emmanuel. His poor also are close to us. May we never forget that the ultimate source of hope and joy for the poor lies in our sharing with them our own deep personal conviction, born of prayer, that with the birth of Christ the Kingdom of God has come; a kingdom of justice, of love and of peace."

Prayer

On this day, joy was reborn into the world,
May we share the joy of Christ with everyone.
On this day, hope was reborn into the world,
May we bring the hope of Christ to those who are poor.
On this day, love was reborn into the world,
May we bring the love of Christ to our family and our world.
Amen

Jacinta Roberts
APRE Holy Cross

PARISH NEWS

Parish Mass Times

Curriculum News

A Term of Firsts

Term 4 has been a time of several successful pilot programs.

Ready? Set. Go! – Preparing for Prep

Coming to school for the first time is overwhelming exciting. There's the new uniform, new shoes, new lunch box, new teacher, new friends, new rules … Transitioning to school is a big deal and it starts before the commencement of the school year.

To support our new Preppies, the Prep teachers and I have been very excited to be able to offer our 2017 Prep students the opportunity to join our Prep readiness program – 'Ready? Set. Go!'

The program has consisted of three sessions run over the course of three weeks. Our aspiration for the program has been to create a collaborative approach in assisting out Kindy kids transition to Holy Cross so children have attended with their parents or care givers.

In addition to practising some class routines and learning skills, students have experienced each of the Prep classrooms, practised eating in the Prep Eating Area and playing in the Junior Playground.

The children have enjoyed practising writing their name, listening to stories, counting and sorting, cutting and gluing, using their imaginative to create and meeting new friends. Many of them do not want to go to Daycare or Kindy anymore, they just want to come to school!

Due to the success of the program and the value parents have placed in supporting their child's transition to 'big' school, we anticipate that the program will continue on grander scale next year.

Moving On Up! – Preparing for 2017

Moving up a year level and experiencing the accompanying changes can be exciting and inciting for some children while for others, it is very daunting and the mere thought can be distressing. This term, to assist some of our Prep to Year 5 students quell their anxieties and transform their thoughts about next year into positive ones, we have been running weekly "Moving On Up!" sessions. This program has been designed as a proactive support for our students in building emotional resilience around the changes that go with moving up a year level. The program was designed to build upon and enrich our whole school "Bump Up" afternoon.

Groups of students have been working with Mrs Naomi McGregor, participating in engaging activities that have ignited conversations about how some changes are inevitable but exciting e.g. if you want to learn a new skill and how our thinking choices affect our perceptions of change. They will finish the program looking ahead and encouraging their 2017 selves.

Children who started voicing their concerns and anxieties about moving up as early as Term 3 have since told me, with huge smiles on their faces, that they can't wait for next year!

Boys Only Club – Preparing for life

Having a teenage boy of my own, I have come to the understanding that compared to girls, boys generally have a very different sense of humour, way of playing and way of approaching the world. Beyond the physicality, bravado and boisterousness, they are children trying to learn both, academia as well as what it means to be male, in an environment that is predominately female led.

This term, we have created the opportunity for six boys from Years 4 and 5 to participate in a boys only learning project with a qualified tradesman, Marcus Boot. The boys have built a basic toolbox, the materials of which have been kindly donated by Mitre 10 Smithfield. They have also begun completing some minor maintenance tasks around the school.

Our aspirations for the project are for our boys to

• make connections between classroom learning and real life contexts.
• participate in respectful interactions with a male role model outside of the classroom context; building their social interpersonal skills.
• experience success and pride in completing tasks that help the Holy Cross community, thereby strengthening their sense of belonging.

While supervising the group from a distance and trying to limit the female influence on conversations, it has been lovely to see the boys completely engaged in the task at hand, having jovial discussions while kindly helping and encouraging each other. The boys have asked for more next year.

Jo Neil
Curriculum Coordinator

Library News

Hi Everyone,

At the beginning of each year teachers come to the library looking for resources and chatting about their new students and how much of a challenge the coming year will be. Often this can be an overwhelming task and teachers are often overheard wondering if they can ever "train" this new class to be like the beautiful students they just finished the previous year with.

However, around about this time of year, with final report cards almost finished, teachers start to reflect on their teaching journey over the year and in this time are often overheard talking about how fantastic their class has become and how sad, (but proud) they will be to see them move up and continue their journey at the school.

As parents of the students in these classes, we often hear, or are involved with, the wonderful things that are happening, and we really appreciate the effort that these fantastic and committed human beings go to for every single student in their care.

Now we can all say a "BIG THANKYOU" to our teachers for inspiring us this year.

I have included a flyer for the BIG THANKYOU, which is a very simple way to send a personalised message to your child's teacher. The theme is about inspiring students to read. It is very simple to be a part of but needs a parental contact for students under 18yrs of age.

Let's see how many "BIG THANKYOU's" we can give our wonderful Holy Cross Teachers.

Simply visit the website.

Just a reminder that Week 6 was the last week for borrowing from the Holy Cross library and all student books should now be returned. The library will now be partially closed for the rest of the term.

Student overdues will be finalised this week and parents of students with outstanding loans will be contacted.

However, just because the library has closed down doesn't mean we stop reading. In the last 2 weeks, over 150 new titles (mostly junior and senior fiction) have been added to the Holy Cross E-Book Platform which enables students to borrow books electronically on their iPads or Android Tablets. Simply download the E-Wheelers app, find your school and sign in using your child's internet login and password.

Please come and see me in the library if you are having any issues with borrowing on the platform.

Michael Doherty
District Teacher-Librarian

School News

School Grounds Out of Bounds Over the Holidays

A reminder that our school grounds, including basketball courts, ovals and undercover areas are out of bounds over the school holiday period.

Please remind your children that they are not permitted on the grounds during the holidays.

Police have encouraged members of the community to report suspicious activity and incidents of trespassing.

We encourage our school community to keep an eye on our school. If you see any suspicious activity occurring please contact the numbers listed below immediately;

Year 5 Christmas Markets

Year 5 is holding their annual Christmas Markets this week on Thursday 24th November from 11am to 1.30pm. Students have formed businesses and have designed and created all their own unique Christmas products. The businesses had to impress a panel of investors (teachers) to gain an initial investment to purchase their materials. Class groups are invited to come and buy products from 11am until 1.00pm. The markets will be open to all students at 2nd lunch with discounted prices.

2016 Exiting Student Enrolments

As we are beginning preparations for 2017 year levels we kindly ask that families who are aware that they are relocating or moving to please notify the school office. We understand families may be unsure at this stage but ask that when you have received notification that you advise the school as quickly as possible.

As we currently have a waitlist for most year levels for 2017, we would like to confirm our existing enrolments for next year before making offers to new families. Your prompt attention to this matter is greatly appreciated.

Term 4 School Fees - Reminder

Reminder notices have been issued to finalise the fees for 2016. If you have received a reminder notice prompt payment would be much appreciated, as the end of term fast approaches and all school fees should now have been finalised.

If you have alternative payment arrangements in place (eg. Periodic Direct Debits, approved repayment plans etc) please ensure your 2016 fees are paid in full by 25th November 2016. Your prompt attention to payment is appreciated.

The payment of school fees and levies is an important component of the income of the school. The school relies on these payments in order to provide the high quality education enjoyed by your child / children. In situations where there is genuine financial hardship and if you are struggling to pay school fees, you are encouraged to contact the school for an appointment with the Principal and your circumstances will be treated with the utmost confidence.

2017 Fee Concessions

Tuition Fee Discount Scheme for eligible Means-Tested Health Care Cards/Pension Cards

In January 2017, If you are a holder of an eligible Means-Tested Health Care Card or Pension Concession Card as outlined on the following attachment, please complete an application form below and present your card to the school office for verification. If you have previously supplied the school with a copy of your card for 2016 you will need to complete a new application form and bring your existing/new card to the school office for copying and verification. If your circumstances change throughout the year and you are no longer eligible to receive the tuition discount, it is the parent/carers responsibility to advise the school of the change in eligibility.

Unfortunately, due to system requirements we are unable to backdate concession card discounts, so all applications and cards must be presented to the school office prior to the fees being issued for the discount to apply to that term.

Changes to Privacy Act

Changes to our Privacy Policy and Collection Notice

Due to recent changes to Privacy legislation, the Diocesan Board of Governance Education has updated the privacy policy for all schools in the Cairns Diocese. The updated policy provides parents with guidance about the approved collection and use of student information.

The updated policy with marked changes and the revised Privacy Policy Statement can be found here:

The changes take effect from 1 January 2017.

If you would like more information about the changes please contact Andrew McKenzie, Manager Governance and Engagement, Cairns Catholic Education Services, telephone 40509783 or email amckenzie@cns.catholic.edu.au

Spirited Schools

P & F News

Tuckshop News

Please note during the last two weeks of school stock of menu items will be run down in preparation for the Christmas break, therefore some items may not be available and a substitute item offered. Items out of stock will be updated on the flexischools service and the chalkboard outside of tuckshop as necessary.

Last day of school Friday 2nd December - lunch orders and over the counter snacks will be taken for first break only.

The tuckshop will be open the week after school finishes from Monday 5th December to Thursday 8th December from 8:30am until 12:30pm for the sale of school hats, bags and socks. Unfortunately, Eftpos is not yet available and sales will be cash only.

Please click on the links below to view the Term 4 Tuckshop Menu and instructions for using the new Flexischools Online Tuckshop Ordering System.

Please email the Tuckshop Co-ordinator, Mrs Belinda Patmore at:- tuckshop.trinitypk@cns.catholic.edu.au if you are able to assist in the tuckshop or have any further queries.

Second hand uniforms available from the Tuckshop.
Plenty of stock, all sizes from 4 to 16 – only $5 per item!

The Arts News

Dance Drama and Music (DDM)

Thank You!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for supporting The Arts events at Holy Cross this year. Without the dedicated parent support our students have received, the students wouldn't be able to participate in the fantastic events and activities that we have been able to organise this year. Holy Cross parents rock!

The students also need to be congratulated on their commitment and enthusiasm when participating in these activities. Holy Cross students are awesome!

Christmas Concert

On Friday 25th November 2016, the students of Holy Cross School have great pleasure in inviting their parents and friends to attend the annual Holy Cross Christmas Production entitled, Dudley's Family Christmas, commencing at 9am in the Multipurpose Area. Coffee will be available to purchase from The Coffee Van prior to the show. We are expecting the production to run for approximately one and a half hours, and the P&F warmly invite families to stay behind to enjoy a picnic with the 'stars of the show'. Cakes will be available for parents to enjoy, with students enjoying their usual Morning Tea snack.

Our production is a mixture of singing, dancing and acting with an array of Australian songs that are guaranteed to get your feet tapping and your faces smiling. There will be gum trees, white boomers (kangaroos), lots of Aussie animals, Santa dressed in sunnies and boardies, a rusty Holden ute and authentic Aussie larrikin humour. In fact, everything that is required to fill you with Christmas cheer!

In preparation for this exciting event, we are seeking your assistance with your child's costume. We have tried to keep the costumes as simple as possible hoping that families will be able to source most of the items from within their own homes. If you don't have all of the requested items, you might like to consider scouring some second hand and/or cheap clothing stores who have some wonderful items at budget prices. Failing that, improvise with the things you do have.

Below is an itemed list of the items required to fit your child's year level theme and song. Many classes will add to their costumes by creating kangaroo ears, halos, Santa beards, tree blossoms, masks etc.

Some points to remember:

• Students are to arrive at school on the day of the performance wearing their costumes and ready to perform
• Face painting is permitted if it enhances your child's outfit
• All students are to wear regular black school shoes
• Students are to bring their uniform to school in a bag ready to change into once the production has ended
• Props from home (hats, sunnies, etc..) need to be clearly labelled with your child's name

DDM - Classroom Music Lessons

As you may be aware, this semester we are studying Music in the DDM classroom. I have integrated the musical concepts into overall themes that are linked to the Science or Humanities and Social Sciences curriculum being taught by their general classroom teachers. These themes provide a canvas for the basic musical skills to be explored. These skills involve students learning how to sing as a group, read music, compose music, play musical instruments and respond to music in some shape or form over the semester. We have truly enjoyed ourselves and below are some photos that show what some students have been doing.

I would like to wish you all a safe and joyous Christmas and I look forward to seeing you in the new year!

God Bless,

Christina Wight
Dance| Drama| Music Teacher
cwight@cns.catholic.edu.au

Music Tuition

Drums/Percussion

Are you interested in playing the drums or learning a percussion instrument?

For more information contact our friendly drum/percussion instructor Jen Fengler on ph: 0431461812 or email: jenfengler@hotmail.com

Piano

If you are interested in piano lessons, please contact: Paul Brimstone on ph: 40551105

Guitar

If you are interested in guitar lessons, please contact: Peter Drazic on email: pjd.guitar@bigpond.com

Community Notices

A Message from the Cairns Police

With the end of the year already upon us, here are a few important reminders over the Christmas holiday period;

• Know where your children are
• Please ensure that your children are provided with suitable supervision and activities over the school holidays

GOING ON HOLIDAYS?

• Ensure your vehicle is in a roadworthy condition and observe the fatal five; seatbelts, speed, fatigue, drink driving and inattention.
• Ensure your house is appropriately secured, ask a neighbour or friend to keep an eye on your place and collect mail.
• Report suspicious behaviour to your local police.

Please keep an eye on your school, report suspicious behaviour through School Watch or via Policelink.

We wish you all a safe and happy holiday break.

A message from
The Cairns Police District Crime Prevention Unit.

Speech Plus Speech Pathology

After 12 months away, Kathy Bruno is re-opening her speech pathology practice in term 1, 2017. New for next year are small group programs targeting:

1. School readiness for children in the year before Prep.
2. Literacy development for children Prep – Year 6.

Places are limited so email or phone now for further information about individual or small group programs in 2017. Further information is also available on our website.

E. speechplus@bigpond.com
M. 0419390668

Children's Eyesight Screening

Let's detect vision problems before it affects a child's learning

Catholic Education has teamed with Optometry Queensland to promote the screening of children's eyesight before entering school and in the early years. Smart Eye Start is an initiative of Optometry Queensland that provides comprehensive eye examinations by member optometrists, for children entering the Catholic school system.

Without early detection, eye conditions can negatively impact on a child's social and educational development, and in some cases, increase the risk of total blindness in adulthood. This comprehensive eye examination will ensure the one in four children with significant eye conditions do not go undetected.

Parents/carers, you are encouraged to take your child to an optometrist, either listed on the form or one of your choice, and return the form to the school office when your child starts Prep. Children who have already started school without screening are also encouragedto participate in the program, as soon as possible in the Early Years.

Girl Guides

WANTED – LEADERS FOR SCOUTING

Are you 18 years or over, like the outdoors and working with children? Then this could be for you. No qualifications required as full training is given. Those interested please contact Helen on 0407 589 338.

Well Women's Health Clinics

QLD Government Well Women's clinics are available to Medicare eligible clients at the following locations:-

• Smithfield Community Health - Friday 25th November, Phone 4226 4800 and
• James Cook University on Monday 28th November, Phone 4226 4812

Services are available to Medicare eligible clients.

St Joseph's School Parramatta Park 90th Anniversary 2017

In 2017, St Joseph's School, Parramatta Park will celebrate 90 years of Catholic Education in Cairns. Various events will be held to celebrate this important occasion from the 18th August to the 20th August 2017. All current and former staff, students and families are requested to save these dates in your calendar for next year's celebrations.

Summer Drama Program

TYCs Summer School Holiday Drama Activities 5yrs – 12yrs

Want some stage time these school holidays? Join The Young Company Theatre for our Summer Drama School with special guest artists Hayley Gillespie (Design) and Yasmin Lancini (Musical Theatre). Help find the Tiki Stone in Raiders of the Secret Stone (5/12 – 8/12 from 9am – 3pm) or spread your wings and swoop into action with Magic, Mischief and Mayhem (12/12 – 15/12 from 9am – 3pm). You're in for an icy ride with our Winter Wonderland program (19/12 – 22/12 from 9am – 3pm), and then help expose the truth in The "S" Files: File it under Strange (3/1 – 6/1 from 9am – 3pm). Or get the medieval party started with King Arthur's Disaster (10/1 – 13/1 from 9am – 3pm) and then finally test your super powers in Villains Vengence (17/1 – 20/1 from 9am – 3pm).

Participating in TYCs action packed Summer School Holiday Programs engage our regions young performers to discover their electrifying creative abilities, develop their super charged social confidence and define their magnetic idea generation skills. All while exploring acting, costumes, lighting, sound and multimedia elements, finishing with a creative performance on the final afternoon. Book today and get your Early Bird Saving by Dec 2. For more information phone 40414066, email admin@theyoungcompany.com.au or visit our website below.