2024 Term 3, Week 8 Newsletter

Principals Report - Mrs Janine Butlin

Principal’s message

28^th August 2024

A few weeks ago, I was one of millions of people around the world caught up in the Olympic Games. There were so many incredible moments, that it’s hard to pinpoint which moment or event captured me the most. I watched Ariarne Titmus as she claimed gold in the 400-metre final, I watched as Nina Kennedy successfully became the first Australian woman to win a gold medal in pole vaulting and I watched the Fox sisters, Jess and Noemie, claim gold in the canoe slalom, the list goes on and on.

What stood out for me the most, was how supportive the families were behind the athletes. In turn, the athletes acknowledged how much they appreciated the lengths their families had gone to, to help their children achieve their dreams.

Parents play such an important role in their children’s lives. It is often said that the first 10,000 days of parenting are the most formative. Last Friday night, our students brought their fathers, grandfathers, and special father figures in their lives to our Father’s Afternoon. What a wonderful afternoon it was. The absolute JOY on the faces of the dads, and their children, was infectious. Whether they were playing handball, kicking a soccer ball, colouring in, or competing in the tug-a-war competition, they were simply happy to be spending time together.

For me the most important gift you can give your children is TIME! Time spent with your children is an investment in their future. The amazing thing is that the gift is reciprocal. The giver of the gift receives as much enjoyment as the recipient of the gift.

I have many fond memories of my own parents and the sacrifices they made which enabled my brother and I to grab life with both hands. I’ll never forget the gratitude my brother showed my mum and dad before he died. He thanked them for everything they had done for him throughout his life. My brother said the most valuable gifts my parents gave him were the gifts of “Spirit and Strength” and boy, did he have those in bucket loads!

So, with Father’s Day just around the corner, don’t forget to spend some quality time with your family because you matter to them, and I’m sure they matter to you. Every time you show up at an event for your child, we are building special memories in their hearts.

Happy Father’s Day.

God Bless

Janine

APRE Report - Mrs Fiona Drew

Another busy term for everyone! Wishing everyone an enjoyable last few weeks of the term.

Father’s Day Celebrations

Thanks to those who helped make our Father’s Day Afternoon such a success! We look forward to our Father's Day liturgy on Thursday 29^th August in MacKillop Hall. Thank you to the Prep students and teachers for leading us in this.

Sacrament of Reconciliation

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is planned to take place for students in Term Four. Students in Year 4 or older are invited to participate. Providing we have enough students participating, the program will go ahead. Students must be baptized and can then go on to complete the Sacrament of Holy Communion and Confirmation the following year.

Students, and their parent/s, are expected to produce a copy of their baptism certificate, attend all four sessions after school as a group, attend and participate in Family Mass and be engaged throughout the whole process.

Once numbers are confirmed, an email will be sent to families to let them know if the program will go ahead and the dates and times of the sessions and Sacrament of Reconciliation.

If you would like your child to participate in the program, please contact Fiona Drew fiona.drew@twb.catholic.edu.au by Friday 13^th September.

Child Protection Week – Week 9

The theme for Child Protection Week this year is “Every Conversation Matters.” As parents and carers, conversations between you and your children are vital – you are the most important people in your child’s life to advocate for them, listen to them, and share messages of safety and support. This year during Child Protection Week we encourage parents and carers to speak with their children about their understanding of safety and their support networks.

Should any student be concerned about how they are being treated by an adult, or another child or young person, they are encouraged to speak up to a trusted staff member or one of our School Student Protection Contacts (SSPCs) – Mrs Janine Butlin, Mrs Fiona Drew, Mrs Anna Vaessen & Mrs Jayne Farquharson.  All students will be reminded who our SSPCs are, and that they are depicted on the ‘Keeping Safe’ posters located around the school. Child Protection really is everyone’s business, and we are committed to making our school a safe, secure, and protected place of learning for every student.

Bravehearts Day – Friday 6^th September

As part of Child Protection Week next week, students are encouraged to wear some purple in addition to their school uniform to acknowledge Bravehearts Day on Friday 6^th September. Please note, this is not a free dress day. Students may wear purple socks, a hair ribbon, shirt etc with their school uniform.

End of Term Liturgy

Year 2 will be leading us in the End of Term Liturgy in MacKillop Hall on Friday 13^th September at 9am. All parents are welcome to join us for the morning.

Middle Leader Report - Mrs Rachel Harlen

Hello! Thank you to the students, staff, and families for my warm welcome to St Stephen’s. For those I have not had a chance to meet, I’m Rachel Harlen, a current Cambooya local and for the last 7 years I have been a teacher at St Saviour’s Primary in Toowoomba.  I started teaching there after completing my degree as a mature aged graduate, before that, I worked in the Coal Seam Gas and Community Service industries.  I am a Roma girl originally and it is great to be working in a close knit community again. 

I am passionate about creating and fostering mutually respectful relationships with the students I teach, allowing them to be the best versions of themselves in a supportive, caring environment.  Practical, real-world experiences that make learning relevant to students is a foundation for my teaching and I have a passion for all things STEM, design, and technologies!

The opportunity to take on the role of Middle (Curriculum) Leader at St Stephen’s while Mrs Conway is on maternity leave is one I am extremely grateful for and I hope to make a positive difference with the staff and students. 

My own daughter, Estelle, is in Year 6 at St Saviour’s and I understand the privilege of teaching and supporting students in their final year of Primary School and am very much looking forward to camp and our graduation celebrations. 

This Friday the 30th of August is CTJ day, CTJ is an acronym for "Consistency of Teacher Judgement" which essentially means that teachers get together for a day of professional development to explore the Australian Curriculum so we can best support our students when planning, teaching and assessing learning. It is a day of collaboration and exploration to build teacher capacity and develop teaching practices to make informed decisions about student learning.  In a nutshell, Friday is a day off for students, so that the teachers can be students for a day!

This year St Stephen’s staff will be collaborating with other teaching and leadership staff from Goondiwindi, Chinchilla, and as far west as Quilpie. 

Learning Support News - Mrs Kristy Cameron

Next Monday, we are celebrating Duchenne Awareness Day.  Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a genetic disorder that causes progressive muscle degeneration and weakness which primarily affects boys. Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) - Diseases | Muscular Dystrophy Association (mda.org)

The theme this year is: Raise Your Voice for Duchenne and students and staff are invited to come dressed as their favourite superhero.

We will begin Monday in MacKillop Hall where Patrick will give us all a bit of insight into the difficulties he faces each day.

Sport News - Mrs Jodie Ferguson

Inner Downs Trials 

Darling Downs Athletics Team – Evelyn Krieg 

Congratulations to Evie who has just recently gained selection into the Darling Downs Athletics Team. Evie will compete at State Champs in Brisbane next term. At the trials, Evie won the 11yrs girls Discus. Well Done to Faith Sharp, Carter Laine, William Gemmell, and George Cherry who also attended these trials representing the Inner Downs team. 

St. Stephen’s Ball Games 

Congratulations to Ryan house on winning the 2024 Ball Games carnival. Such a fun afternoon. Thanks to the wonderful Ms Norman for teaching the school these games during PE lessons to ensure the carnival ran smoothly. Thanks also to the Parents who supported and those who joined in the fun. 

 Student Sporting Achievements 

Please feel free to send through any photos of students and their sporting achievements if you wish for them to be included in the school newsletter, attention to Mrs Ferguson. jodie.ferguson@twb.catholic.edu.au 

Prep News - Miss Lucy Norman

We are having a wonderful time learning in Prep. We have been busy reading, writing, counting, praying, measuring, and much more!

During Book Week we went and visited the residents at Beauaraba Living and shared our costumes with them. I am proud of our students as they spoke clearly and shared who they dressed up as. Everyone enjoyed the visit and there were smiles all around.

Coming up we have our excursion to Toowoomba, which will be fun exploring a gallery of a local artist and doing some gymnastics!

Prep/Year 1 News - Mrs Brittany Robinson

Hello from Prep One,   

 What a fun Term we have shared so far together!  During the last few weeks, the children have been learning the necessary skills to be great readers.  Our reading and comprehension continue to improve, which is amazing to see. In the coming weeks, we will explore procedures through some much-loved classic books, such as Possum Magic, by Mem Fox. The students have continued to engage in writing sessions, where they can apply their letter sound knowledge to write familiar words.  

 I am very proud of the children and the progress they are making and I am excited to see their confidence and skills further develop as they prepare for the challenge of Year One and Two. 

Year 1 News - Miss Sophie Shelton

Hello from Year 1!

We are nearly at the end of a busy term! We have had lots of fun this term in Year 1 and have all settled in nicely but we are definitely looking forward to the holidays!

Below is a snapshot of what we have been up to this term!

In English, we have focused on lots of reading and writing and are becoming more independent and confident in both areas! In particular, we have been focusing on our reading comprehension, and have developed great skills to help us with our reading!

In maths, we have been comparing, measuring, and ordering objects and events and learning about length, mass, and capacity. We have also been learning about familiar shapes, as well as directions and positions! We have been enjoying the challenge of positions and movement and learning all the vocabulary necessary to follow a map!

In Religion, we have been focusing on how the stories of the past tell us about God. We have been able to explain how believers live according to God's plan for creation, identify how believers live safely and happily, and make connections with some Old Testament texts.

We have also done lots of fun things over the term! We visited the town hall for the PSS production of Lost Paradise: The Garden that Time Forgot. We also had so much fun celebrating Book Week! Thank you for a great term!

Sophie Shelton

Year 2 News - Mrs Jacqueline McGlashan

This term we have been working on a unit based around the Aaron Blabey series of Pig the Pug and Thelma the Unicorn. Students identified examples of compound sentences and noun groups within the texts and practised incorporating these into their own writing.  

Using Pig the Pug, and Thelma the Unicorn for inspiration, students created their own character. They identified the traits of their character and wrote a description. Students then created a clay sculpture – unfortunately, some running repairs are required! They are now up to painting and sealing their clay sculptures. Students will then present their characters to the class.  

I am very proud of Year 2’s efforts and look forward to seeing their creations come to life!  

Year 3 News - Mrs Anna Vaessen

Greetings from the Year 3 classroom. This term has been very busy with lots of exciting activities and learning. We started out with a visit from Opera Queensland, enjoyed Catholic Education Week with our Grandparents coming in to share in our fun school lessons.

We celebrated Mary Mackillop Feast Day with an afternoon of games. In week 6 we went with our junior school to watch the Pittsworth State School Musical, dressed up for Book Week, and performed like champions at the Ball Games Carnival. In the next few weeks, we will have a lot more learning to do, but we’re finishing off the term by going to see The Twits play in week 10.  

Here are some pictures of our “Tallest Tower” STEM activity. It was a lot of fun, and very challenging, and we had to use our knowledge of prisms and shapes to make sure the bases were sturdy enough. 

Year 4 News - Mrs Fiona Drew

Year Four have had another busy term so far! We had been very much looking forward to our excursion to the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries in Warwick as the completion of our Hermitage projects and art awards. We had received notification that St Stephen’s had received an award, however, due to the wet weather, the day will be postponed to Term Four. This is still yet to be confirmed, however, fingers crossed that it is a day that is suitable for us to attend!

The rest of our term has been filled with lots of learning! The students are loving the Forces Unit we are looking at in Science and love completing the experiments about push and pull. They have done some terrific writing based around the English texts we have been reading.

They have also loved dressing up in their book week characters and Flanno for a Farmer Day! Only 3 weeks to go before our last term of Year 4!

Keep up the great work boys and girls!

Year 5 News - Mr Benjamin Minnikin

This term has been an incredible journey for our Year 5 students, filled with exciting projects and hands-on learning experiences that have truly ignited their passion for science, technology, and engineering.  

A highlight of the term was the "Kids in Space" showcase, where our budding young scientists and engineers had the opportunity to present their innovative 3D printed prototypes. These prototypes, designed to enhance space exploration and technology, were met with great enthusiasm by both parents and the rest of the school community. The showcase allowed the students to demonstrate their creativity and problem-solving skills, as well as their understanding of the complexities involved in the space industry.  

In addition to the showcase, the students delved deep into earth and space sciences. They explored various topics through informative texts and engaging experiments, particularly focusing on weathering and erosion. These activities not only helped them understand the dynamic processes that shape our planet but also fostered their ability to communicate complex scientific concepts in a clear and informative manner. 

 Maths lessons this term were equally engaging, as students gained engineering knowledge through practical applications. They applied their understanding of angles to construct bridges using paddle-pop sticks. Some of these were strong enough to hold more than 20 dictionaries and even a student! This hands-on project allowed them to explore the principles of engineering and design, as well as the importance of precision and accuracy in mathematical calculations.  

Looking ahead, the Year 5 students are eagerly anticipating their upcoming camp on the Gold Coast in the early weeks of Term 4. This exciting adventure will provide them with new opportunities to learn, grow, and bond as a class. The students will also begin preparing themselves for next year’s leadership roles, as the Year 6 students’ time at St Stephen’s draws to an end. 

Year 6 News - Mrs Rachel Harlen

This term in English students have been exploring a text called “One Minute’s Silence” a unique view of the Gallipoli landing from two perspectives, that of an Aussie and a Turkish soldier.  Students are now writing their own Historical Narratives, and their drafts are excellent! We can’t wait to share our final narratives with you. 

Our pre-algebra math concepts of Number Patterns and Orders of Operations have been tricky, but the students have demonstrated determined perseverance!

In Religion, we have been exploring what it means to be part of a “Faith Community” through investigation of the Corporal and Spiritual works of Mercy - How can we live out our faith in our modern-day lives?

For Digital Technologies we have been engaging in gamification through Block Coding.  A great feature of the MakeCode platform is that it allows students to view the ‘written code’ hidden within the ‘blocks’ they are using for coding.  The MicroBit is a small, student-friendly device that can be coded to become a randomiser, an altimeter, a soil moisture tester, a ‘strength’ tester, and much much more! The photos below show the Year 6 students coding MicroBits to play Paper, Scissors, Rock.  Code that requires repetition and randomiser functions.   

Music & Indonesian News - Mrs Suellen Dennis

Indonesian 

Lessons in Bahasa Indonesia are progressing well and it is encouraging to hear children practicing their conversation and greeting skills. We will continue to develop language skills around topic-specific vocabulary which differs with each year level. Sentence structures build in difficulty throughout the years, with the aim being, that by the time children are in Year 6, they have a bank of vocabulary and sentence structures that they can use constructively.

To that end, Year 6 have begun working on creating a simple picture book, written in Indonesian, that they can read to a Prep student. It will incorporate some simple vocabulary, (animals, colours, numbers, etc), backed up with pictures to assist with translation. Preps are learning numbers, colours and animals during their lessons, so hopefully, they will be able to understand the stories too, with the assistance of the Year 6 students.   

Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers - Garden Entry

Piano Lessons with Mrs Ruth Shepherd

If you are interested in your child learning piano from a fully qualified teacher with 30 years of experience, contact Mrs Ruth Shepherd on 0427 910 303 for more information. 

It is essential that students have a piano/keyboard at home on which to do their practice.  Music is fun!

PEN (Parent Engagement Network) News

Outside Hours School Care News

Sentral Parent Portal

Reminder to all parents to access the Parent Portal.

The Parent Portal is used for absentees, newsletters, parent teacher interview bookings, report cards, NAPLAN results, calendar of events, notices and letters to parents.

If you are having difficulty with the Parent Portal please contact the School Office for assistance. The Parent Portal is the communication method used for the day to day running of the school.

Flexischools - Online Ordering System

Flexischools is an online ordering system that the school uses for the ordering of Tuckshop, Event Catering and Special  Fundraising Food Days.

Tuckshop is open one day a week. Special Canteen days are also held sometimes throughtout the year. This is makes it easier for families and school staff.

Community News

Celebrating Queensland's School Crossing Supervisors for 40 years of service

This year, Queensland’s School Crossing Supervisor Scheme celebrates 40 years of keeping kids safe as they travel to and from school.

We'd like to say a big thank you to our wonderful School Crossing Supervisors, for everything you do for our students and school community! You do a great job keeping our students and other pedestrians safe as they cross the road at peak drop-off and pick-up times.

Why not say a big thank you the next time you see them on duty! You can also show your appreciation for School Crossing Supervisors by slowing down, following directions, and being courteous while travelling in our school zone.

Did you know?

• The School Crossing Supervisor Scheme is operated by the Department of Transport and Main Roads.
• There are more than 2000 school crossing supervisors who operate over 1300 crossings at more than 700 Queensland schools.
• There has not been a single fatality on a supervised crossing since the scheme started in 1984.

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Discounted Uniforms

Condamine Clothing is clearing out the remainder of the St Stephen's school uniforms with the old logos at heavily discounted prices.  If you are interested in purchasing any of the below items from Condamine Clothing, the children can wear the old logo uniforms until the end of 2025. 

JACKETS

Size 2 x 1

Size 12 x 1

Size 14 x 3

V NECK FLEECE BOTTLE GREEN
Size 14 x 2

POLOS SHORT SLEEVE

Medium x 3

Small x 2

Size 14 x 6

Size 12 x 22

Size 10 x 2

 ONLY $ 20.00 each