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Dear Families
Who would ever have thought that we would be
starting Term Two in this way? It was very
strange being at school without all our students
today. What consoles us is the reason for this
situation. We know that this is happening for
the protection of our community.
As an educational institution we would never
choose to deliver our curriculum in this way but
we are complying with the decision made by our
State Government because we know it is part of
a vital health plan to protect us all. We are
already seeing the benefits of these initiatives
which are helping us be prepared for what is to
come.
I am incredibly proud of the work our teachers
have done to deliver this Learning from Home
approach. It has been a huge endeavour where
they have had to redesign the entire way they
plan and perform their role. I can tell you that
they truly missed their students today and are
wanting to do all they can to help them through
this.
I know you are all having the same experience
of needing to totally rethink how you do things
at work and at home and I am amazed at some
of the incredible ways different professions are
carrying out their roles. I do encourage you to
look for creative ways that suit your family as
you implement Learning from Home. Your
approach does not have to look like anyone
else’s so please do not compare yourself with
others.
Please keep us in touch with how you are going.
This is brand new to everyone and will have
some hiccups so please reach out if something
isn’t working or you need help no matter how
big or small. Teachers will regularly check
emails but will also be involved in other duties
such as recording lessons, preparing materials
and attending meetings.
For immediate help please phone the school
4972 1305 or email [email protected]
I heard a talk by Fr Rod Bower recently who
had thought the Easter celebrations should
have been postponed. He believed that Easter
was a time where people should all be together
to celebrate. He changed his mind though as
he reflected on what had happened on that
first Easter Sunday.
The Resurrection actually occurred when Jesus
was locked away in the tomb. Out of isolation,
death and despair emerged new life, hope and
joy. We need this Easter message more than
ever this year as we each bear the impact of
this disease. I pray that you do find some
consolation and hope in the promise of this
wonderful Season.
I am very grateful for the messages of support
we have received at this time. There is so
much wisdom and compassion in our school
community. I would like to leave you with the
words one parent shared with me recently:
Be kind to yourself, be kind to the teachers and
be kind to our children. We are all doing the
best we can in very difficult and different
circumstances. There is no play book, this has
not been done like this before, we are learning
together. We’ve Got This!
God bless you and Live Jesus in Your Hearts
Forever!
Jennett Mullane
Principal
Monday 20th April 2020 Term 2 Week 1
Welcome to Term 2. I trust you had a wonderful
and blessed Easter.
We are all in this together and I am excited to
work with you all as we take on a new way of
schooling for some time.
Our main aim is to ensure everyone stays safe,
sane and signing in daily.
It was quite fitting that the Gospel reading for
Sunday was John 20:29 – Doubting Thomas. I
know I have doubted many things over the last
few weeks, including myself.
Thomas didn’t believe the disciples and wanted
to see for himself that Jesus was among them.
The story of Thomas illustrates our Christian
experience today: We are called to believe
without seeing. In fact, all Christians after the
first witnesses have been called to believe
without seeing. Thomas’s doubt is hardly
surprising; the news of Jesus’ appearance was
incredible to the disciples who had seen him
crucified and buried. Thomas’s human nature
compelled him to want hard evidence that the
Jesus who appeared to the disciples after his
death was indeed the same Jesus who had been
crucified. Thomas is given the opportunity to act
on that desire. He is our witness that Jesus is
really risen.
Our faith is based on the witness of the Church
that has preceded us, beginning with Thomas
and the first disciples. Through Baptism we
receive the same Holy Spirit that Jesus brought
to the first disciples. We are among those who
are “blessed” because we believe without
having seen. ©LoyolaPress
Have faith, you’ve got this and know that you
are not alone.
This is a virtue we all need now more than
ever – strangely enough, I had actually
chosen the virtue for this week even before
our school year began because I thought it fit
in with the weekly Gospel reading!
WEEKLY WONDERING
I wonder if you have ever felt
doubtful?
Have a wonderful week and stay safe.
Kellie Richardson
Assistant Principal: Religious Education
Be a lighthouse for your family
From our APRE
Although we cannot celebrate mass together as
a community there are things we can do to
make sure we nourish our faith and claim
Sunday as a holy day.
You can join with Bishop Michael as he
celebrates Mass at 9:30am each Sunday and
12pm every other day. It is live streamed
from the Cathedral via this link
https://www.youtube.com/user/StJosephsCath
Rton
Our own priests will offer Mass at 8am and 6pm
on Sundays and at 5:30pm on weekdays.
Access is via their Live Feed on their Facebook
page: https://www.facebook.com/sosparishgladstone/
They also have a YouTube channel where
recorded masses are uploaded:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAewY9fv
C7TZikGRcuVUo4w/featured
Catholic Church Australia has a variety of
resources to help our prayer life at this time:
https://www.catholic.org.au/coronavirus?fbclid
=IwAR1k7q4p_1TnXymhbE_P4_gcad0JOEpjqR
ORGl8mZksUoNml0jL7NMW580c
LiturgyHelp is also providing access to a range
of resources for personal and family prayer
during this time. Keep in touch with their
Facebook page for more information:
https://www.facebook.com/LiturgyHelp
ACT OF SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the
Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my
soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You.
Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen
• We pray for all of us in this Season of
Easter: May we embrace the joy, peace and
hope of this Season throughout each moment
of our daily lives, especially in these difficult
times.
• We pray for all who have fought for
peace in our world, especially our own
soldiers: May we always be grateful for their
sacrifice and may we too work for peace in
our daily lives.
• We pray for our Bishops and Priests
in this time of isolation: As they shepherd
their Parish communities from afar may they
feel the strength and consolation of our
prayers.
• We pray for the leaders of our world:
May they seek always to serve the needs of
those they serve, leading with wisdom and
compassion.
• We pray for all those who have died:
May they enjoy the peace and happiness of
Heaven and their families be consoled in their
loss.
HOW CAN WE KEEP SUNDAY HOLY? IN OUR PRAYERS
During the holidays I read a book called THRIVE
– Unlocking The Truth About Student
Performance by Luke McKenna. Luke is the
founder of UPP – Unleashing Personal Potential.
He defines the word Thrive to be able to grow
vigorously, to flourish, to be successful and to
make steady progress. I would like to ask you
all to consider our Home Learning opportunity
as a time to watch your children THRIVE.
When you are looking at them THRIVING, be
sure to look for growth in more than one aspect
of their overall development. Look for growth
in their ability to persevere, to be resilient, to
self-manage and to take on responsibility for
their own learning.
When you see your children THRIVING and you
go to praise them, try to use language that
builds a growth mindset. You can do this by
focusing on the process of growth due to their
effort not their intelligence or talent. Below is
a table showing the difference between person-
praise and process-praise.
Instead of person – praise
like….
Try process-praise like…
Great job! You must be smart at this.
Great job! You must have worked really hard to get that result.
You got it! I told you that you were smart.
I like the way you tried all kinds of strategies on that Maths problem until you finally got it.
You are so clever. You have learnt so much because you keep working at it when it gets challenging.
I know everyone is faced with very different
challenges at the moment due to massive
changes in school / home life. Please just do
what you and your family can manage!
Have a good week everyone.
Anthony King
Assistant Principal: Curriculum
Children born between 1st July 2015 and 30th
June 2016 are eligible to commence Prep in
2021.
If you have a child eligible for Prep in 2021
please visit Star of the Sea School website
www.staroftheseagladstone.qld.edu.au
(Enrolments) and complete an Online
Application. Thank you.
The Uniform Shop will be closed
until further notice
For those wishing to use our online ordering
please go to www.Wearitto.com.au or follow the
below link. Just type Star of the Sea in the School
Search function box. Note, there are still some
small changes being made to the site, however is
operational. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.wearitto.com.au/&ved=2ahUKEwir94TpgqDoAhWEguYKHZONCHwQFjAAegQICBAD&usg=AOvVaw2MnjOxwPvJ4th5cUZqAjGr
Thank you to those who have kindly donated
second hand items back to the school.
Have a great week.
Lisa Veach
On Campus Coordinator
CURRICULUM NEWS
Prep 2021
Notice from CommBank School Banking
The health, safety and wellbeing of our communities and our people is our first priority. Due to the ongoing uncertainty surrounding coronavirus, School Banking will remain on hold until further notice.
Please don’t bring your deposit book with your weekly banking into school and we will notify you when banking will recommence.
Uniform Shop News
#AnzacAtHome
Anzac Day is the day all Australians
come together in remembrance. But this year we'll have to come together
in spirit, instead of in person.
We can all still keep the Anzac spirit
alive and honour our veterans and service members from the safety of
our own homes.
The Australian War Memorial website
has some great resources to help you and your family commemorate
this important day: https://www.awm.gov.au/AnzacAtHo
me/remembering-with-kids
The Queensland RSL Site also has some brilliant resources for you and
your family: https://rslqld.org/Whats-On/ANZAC-
Day
Anzac Day
Light up the
Dawn Date: 25th April 2020
When: 6:00 AM to 6:30 AM
Where: Your drive, balcony or living
room
This year, Australians are being
asked to stand at the end of your
driveway, on your balcony or in your
living room to remember all those
who have served and sacrificed.
RSL Queensland will be streaming a
short commemorative service,
comprising The Ode, The Last Post, a
minute’s silence, and Reveille.
Go to the RSL Queensland website to
pledge your place and for more
details as we get closer to ANZAC
Day. https://rslqld.org/Whats-
On/ANZAC-Day
Don’t forget to send us photos of you
and your family joining in this
special moment. We would love to
share them.
#ANZACspirit #lightupthedawn
Zoom Meetings are a big part of our lives at
the moment. Here’s a few tips for getting
started.
For most of our school meetings you will have
a link emailed to you (or placed in the
newsletter). Student meetings have a link in
their Google Classroom (3-6).
TABLET / PHONE
If using your phone or tablet you can
download the app.
Once installed, clicking on the link for the
meeting will open the meeting in the app.
COMPUTER
You can simply click the Zoom meeting link
and it will either:
a) Launch the Zoom client if installed; or
b) Launch the Zoom webpage and prompt
you to launch the Zoom installer.
You should now be in the meeting. Please
contact us if you have any questions.
Share your Learning from Home stories and pictures
Feel free to share your Learning from Home
photos with us if you are happy to share.
We would love to hear how you are all going.
Our staff are missing you but working very
hard.
How to Join a Zoom
Meeting
Coffee and Cake
Zoom Get Together
In the interest of finding new ways of
connecting with each other, please feel free to join a Zoom Meeting with Mrs Mullane this week.
This will be a chance to talk about how this
first week of Home Learning is going, share stories and tips and ask questions.
Just click on the relevant link below and get your coffee and cake ready!
Wednesday 22 April @ 3:30pm P-2 Focus Meeting Link:
https://rokcatholic.zoom.us/j/4557613936
Meeting ID: 455 761 3936)
Thursday 23 April @3:30pm
Year 3-6 Focus Meeting Link:
https://rokcatholic.zoom.us/j/4557613936
Meeting ID: 455 761 3936
