Newsletter 16th August
From the Principal
As we approach the ¾ mark of the term and the ¾ mark of the year, it is quite noticeable that the effects of quality engagement in learning throughout the year is starting to show amongst the students. This fatigue can show in many ways including children being overtired and more emotional than usual. Therefore, it is timely to remind your children about the importance of maintaining a good healthy routine, particularly in regard to plenty of rest and nutrition. As the children fatigue and become stressed, it can lead to them being less able to handle situations that wouldn’t have been a problem only a few weeks ago, in particular conflict within their friendship groups.
Conflict with peers is unavoidable and is all part of growing up. From the school’s perspective, most disagreements tend to occur at the back end of each school term. Minor, niggling things that others may say or do suddenly become major reasons for arguments and strained friendships. At times like these, teachers and parents play an important role in guiding children through these rough patches.
It is also important not to catastrophize issues into something they are not. An example of this is to avoid labelling minor school or playground incidents as bullying. Bullying should not be confused with teasing, rejection, random or one off verbal or physical conflict. While teachers will engage various strategies to reduce such incidents and spend time and effort to maintain peace and harmony, children will tease and fight at some stage; however this bickering should not be confused with bullying.
Bullying is a word that is wrapped in emotion. For many people bullying is associated with bad childhood memories. Bullying is an insidious behaviour and can take on many forms and guises, such as physical and emotional abuse, intimidation, harassment and exclusion. It is not the domain of just one gender. Girls bully just as much as boys but they do it in less physical ways. Whilst boys use physical intimidation or verbal abuse to wield power, girls are more likely to use exclusion or sarcasm to assert themselves.
Bullying is about lack of power, as one person is powerless to stop the teasing or physical abuse. Bullying is the selective, uninvited, repetitive oppression of one person by another person or group. Sometimes, we don’t find out that someone has been bullied until after a long period of time and this proves very difficult to resolve, as recollections of incidents can become unclear if they occurred some months beforehand. This is why it is important to identify and act on any possible signs of potential bullying at the earliest opportunity. For this to occur, teachers, parents and children need to communicate and co-operate as soon as any signs may appear.
We regularly remind the students, that if they do have any concerns or issues, please come and talk to their teacher (first point of call) or myself so we can deal with the matter accordingly. We also emphasise the importance of showing ongoing respect (through the use of appropriate language, and positive interactions) and care for others in our school, and that being tired, sick and upset aren’t excuses for poor behaviour choices.
On Friday, the school will come together to reinforce this message and to promote awareness and conversation around The National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence. This day is an opportunity for students, teachers, parents and the whole community to take a stand together against bullying and violence. This annual day provides a focus for schools who want to say Bullying. No way! and to strengthen their everyday messages that bullying and violence at school are not okay at any time.
I emphasised the point that only together, with everyone doing their bit that we can start to make a difference and days like the National day of Action are a great way to start the conversation, making everyone aware of the situation and take steps to address it together. Throughout the day the staff will speak the students about the key messages of bullying and how to deal with it as well as recognising the difference between bullying and conflict.
St Monica's is scheduled to complete a quadrennial school review from to Monday 4th to Thursday 7th September.
This School review forms part of the TCS School renewal and improvement framework. In this review, a review team consisting of Paul Murphy - Senior Education Leader, Madonna Sleba - Director of Education Service and Mel Hobson - a peer principal from St Joseph's Chinchilla, visit the school for three days.
The aim is to assist schools to strategically plan to improve teaching and learning. These reviews occur in all TCS schools. Through a process of appreciative inquiry, review team members interview staff, parents/carers, students and community members. The questions asked are, 'In your opinion, what is going well at the school?' and 'What could be done better?'.
As a result of the interviews and analysis of data, a report is provided to the school community and the review team share in this report their findings and suggested improvement strategies. These findings and strategies inform the development of the school's strategic and annual action plans.
The review team would like to hear from representatives of our school community, and I encourage anyone who is interested to have their say. Feedback can be provided to the review team in person or by telephone and it remains confidential.
If you are interested in being a part of the interview process, could you please contact the school office or send an email to oakey@twb.catholic.edu.au
Tuesday 5th September is the scheduled day for Parent and Community interviews.
If you would like to know more about either process - School Review - please feel free to contact me at the School Office.
From the APRE
Assembly this week will be Friday afternoon 2:30pm due to Under 8’s Day in the morning.
This Friday the 18th of August, Students in Prep to Year 2 will be attending the Oakey Community Under 8’s Day from 9am to 11am at Oakley State Primary School. Children will engage in a range of fun activities and receive a free sausage sizzle.
National Day of Action Against Bullying
The National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence will be held on Friday 18 August 2023. The theme for 2023 is ‘Growing Connections’. Whether you're a parent, teacher, student or member of the broader community, everyone has a role to play in preventing bullying and violence. The day is designed to promote inclusion, respect and a community of belonging for all students in schools across Australia.
Book Week
Next week we will be celebrating Book Week. This year’s theme is ‘Read, Grow, Inspire’. As part of this event, we will be holding the annual Book Week Costume Parade on Thursday August 24 at 8:40am. We look forward to seeing all the students (and teachers) dressed as their favourite book characters.
St Monica’s Day
Next Friday the 25th of August, we will celebrate the feast day of our school patron, Saint Monica. Students will attend Mass at 9am. All are welcome to attend. Students will then enjoy cake together at morning tea. In the afternoon all students will go to the hall for the annual ‘St Monica’s Got Talent Competition’. Best of luck to all students who are competing.
Term 3 Key Dates
Thursday 24th August – Book Week Parade
Friday 25th August – St Monica’s Feast Day Mass and St Monica’s Got Talent Competition
Thursday 31st August – Father’s Day Liturgy and P&F Father’s Day Stall
Friday 1st September – Consistency of Teacher Judgement (CTJ) Day/Student Free Day (no school)
Monday 4th September – School Renewal and Improvement Process (SRIP) begins.
Thursday 14th of September – End of Term Thanksgiving Mass and R U OK? Day
From the Classrooms
Prep
The fortnight ahead will certainly be an exciting one for our Preppies.
This Friday the students will be attending under 8's day at Oakey State School. This is such a wonderful community event, and we are all looking forward to a morning of fun and entertainment.
The fun continues into next week with Book Week, St Monica's Day and St Monica's get Talent.
In English we are continuing to explore everything fairy tales and will begin preparing for our first oral presentation. Notes will go home this week providing more information around this.
In Mathematics we are continuing to explore numbers, with a focus on addition and subtraction.
Wishing you all a wonderful fortnight ahead!
Year 1
This week in the Year One classroom, we created our class creek habitat for our English and Science unit. The students are excited to make their creek habitats in the coming weeks. Please keep an eye out for emails and homework tasks about this project. We headed to the park on Tuesday for our Religion retreat that focused on respecting and caring for the natural world we have been gifted. The students shared what they were thankful for and worked together to create a beautiful collaborative art piece.
Year 2
In English, students have finished using recyclable materials to make the best toy ever. They have been working to describe their toy as well as give strong reasons for why it is the best toy.
In Mathematics, we have been exploring ways of measuring items. Students were given the challenge of re-designing the classroom and evaluating if items would fit in their new place. The only rule was that they couldn’t move anything until they knew it would fit. It was great to see groups problem solving together and finding effective ways of measuring such as using unifix cubes to check their ideas.
Year 3
This week Year Three students will be immersed in heart- centered learning and deepen their connections as they attend the Benedictine-themed Student Retreat at St Monica’s. During this time students will reflect on the Benedictine Values of Prayer, Conversatio, and Stability. Students will engage in activities, stories, ritual and reflection as a way to step back from life and take time to restore, rediscover and reconnect with their true self.
Other activities for this week include writing a report on bullying as part of the National Action Against Bullying Day. During Mathematics students are working on counting and recording money. Science lessons include investigations into what occurs as a result of the interaction between the Sun, the Earth and the Moon.
Year 4/5 AQ
Welcome to week 6! I hope you're having a wonderful week!
Just a reminder that library borrowing takes place on Monday, and that homework is returned by Friday. I am so delighted to share that our 4/5 cohort had a fantastic time at the retreat last Friday, where we explored the values of hospitality and inclusivity. It was a fantastic opportunity for the Year 4 and 5 students to come together, reflect and discuss ways to be more inclusive at our school.
4/5 AQ will be presenting our assembly presentation on Friday – a reminder that assembly has been moved this week due to Under 8s day and will be at 2:30pm. Our assembly will be focusing on taking a stand against bullying. We look forward to sharing our message with you.
Have a great week ahead!
Year 4/5 B
What a wonderful day we had last Friday at our first Year 4/5 Retreat. The focus of the retreat was Hospitality - one of the Benedictine values - and this was explored through the lens of the Good Samaritan parable and the movie Wonder. After reflection, the students identified the important messages they could take from both the parable and the movie to apply in their daily lives. I commend all of the students on their participation and enthusiasm throughout the day. Congratulations to Jack who competed at the Darling Downs Athletics Carnival on Tuesday - we are very proud of your efforts.
Have a wonderful week!
Year 4/5 M
Welcome to Week 6!
We had an amazing retreat last week where students explored the invaluable Benedictine value of hospitality and inclusivity. This engaging event ignited a sense of compassion and understanding among students, fostering a welcoming and inclusive school community.
At St. Monica's, we stand united against bullying. On the National Day of Bullying on Friday, our school proudly reaffirms our commitment to creating a safe and respectful environment for all students. Together, we can make a difference!
Get ready to witness the spectacle of St. Monica's Got Talent Finals! We are thrilled to showcase the incredible skills and talents of our students. Parents are invited to cheer on the finalists on the 25th of August at 1:30 pm —may the best performer win!
Calling all bookworms and creative minds—Book Week is just around the corner! Join us as students embark on an imaginative journey, celebrating the pleasure of reading. Don't miss the dress-up parade next Thursday.
We hope you'll enjoy the exciting events and initiatives happening at St. Monica's School. Stay tuned for more updates in our weekly newsletter—your go-to source for all things St. Monica's!
Year 6
On Wednesday, the Year 6 students were invited to attend Oakey State High School for a morning of science experiments as part of National Science Week. They used hydrogen kits to separate the hydrogen and oxygen gases and powered fans using the electricity created. Students then evaluated games that incorporated electrical circuits and offered feedback to the students who developed them. Finally, they made rockets and launched them using a bicarbonate and vinegar chemical reaction.
The students had a fantastic morning applying their science learning in hands on tasks.
From the Library
BOOK WEEK 2023
Children’s Book Council of Australia has its Book Week again this year in Week 7 – 21-25 August. This is the week we celebrate all things reading and literature. This year the theme is Read, Grow, Inspire.
As usual, a Book Fair will be held in this week also. Details of this will be shared with students as they are finalised.
The Book Week Dress Up Parade is being held on Thursday 24 August at the beginning of the school day. Students are encouraged to dress up as their favourite book character. One prize per class will be awarded so we hope we see every student dressed up for this most fun event! I wonder what the theme for the staff dress up will be this year……..
From Music
Last Thursday, thirty students participated in the St Monica’s Got Talent (S.M.G.T) Semi-Finals. The judges, Mrs Lucht and Mrs Bain, were treated to some of the talent that St Monica’s has to offer including beatboxing, piano playing, poetry and acrobatics. All acts were judged on: a) confidence b) performance quality c) audience appeal
After careful consideration, 13 acts have made it through to the Grand Final of St Monica’s Got Talent. This will be held at 1:30pm on Friday 25th August in the school hall. Parents are welcome and encouraged to attend. The afternoon will also feature a showcase of talent from our Verse Speakers and our ukulele group.
Thanks again to all who have been part of St Monica’s Got Talent. The confidence and resilience showed has been tremendous.
Mini Monnie's Playgroup
Be Well at St Monica's
Helping Children to Develop Empathy
Empathy is the ability to sense other people’s emotions, along with the ability to imagine what someone else might be thinking or feeling. This helps us to understand others and be more compassionate. Empathy yields kindness, which is something we, as parents, hope to instil in our children. It actually makes us happier too, as people with empathy enjoy stronger personal connections and more meaningful supportive relationships. It is not innate – it needs to be taught from an early age – and adults are the best teachers. Michele Borba, author of the book UnSelfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About-Me World offers the following suggestions to help you child develop empathy.
1.Help children to develop a moral identity - Praise children for being helpful, caring people so they see themselves as a helpful person.
“To respond empathically, kids must see themselves as people who care and value others’ thoughts and feelings.”
2. Encourage empathy through stories - Adults can help children build their empathy muscles through play-acting, reading books that let them get inside characters’ minds, and watching inspiring movies. Some suggestions include Inside Out, ET, Beauty and the Beast, Wonder and Up.
“The right book can stir a child’s empathy better than any lesson or lecture ever could, and the right book matched with the right child can be the gateway to opening his heart to humanity.”
3.Examine your values - Our overly competitive culture can result in adults pushing children to succeed academically, but not pushing them to be kinder, better people.
“If we are serious about raising a kindhearted, caring generation, then our expectations must be a lot clearer to our kids. Understanding how kindness benefits children and gives them an advantage for success and happiness might be just the motivator to change our own ways.”
In challenging times, help is just a phone call away! Who can you call 24/7?
Lifeline 131114, Kids Help Line 1800 551800, Beyond Blue 1300 224636
Uniforms
Research has shown that one of the real advantages of an education at a Catholic School is that a special and unique pride is developed. One significant way to foster such pride is the enforcement of strict uniform guidelines. All children are expected to wear the school uniform as listed below:
School Uniform - Years 1 to 6
Girls – Formal - Monday, Tuesday & Thursday
- St Monica’s School Dress Uniform
- Dress: Pattern, Sutton no 346(B)
- Dress: Fabric, Check 8021
- Collar: Cesarella 1301, Zip: Birch 265 Bottle Green
- St Monica’s School green school hat
- Short white socks – (no ankle socks)
- All black shoes – may be leather or jogger.
Girls – Sports - Wednesday and Friday
- St Monica’s School Sports Shirt Yr.1 to Yr.5
- St Monica’s School Leader Shirt Year 6
- St Monica’s School Navy Blue Skort
- St Monica’s School green school hat
- Short white socks
- White sandshoes/joggers
Winter Variation
- As Above
- St Monica’s School Bottle Green Fleecy Pullover with embroidered crest
- Green fleecy track pants with sports uniform only.
- Navy Blue Tights (optional)
- School track top with embroidered crest (optional)
Boys – Formal - Monday, Tuesday & Thursday
- St Monica’s School Dress Shirt with tartan collar
- Shirt: Pattern, Simplicity 5581
- Fabric: Bottle Green Poplin 8021
- Shorts: Navy Blue Long Shorts (Ruggers)
- St Monica’s School green school hat (Slouch hat style)
- Short navy-blue socks – (no ankle socks)
- All black shoes – May be leather or jogger.
Boys – Sports - Wednesday & Friday
- St Monica’s School Sports Shirt Yr. 1 to Yr. 5
- St Monica’s School Leader Shirt Year 6
- St Monica’s School Navy Blue Shorts (Stubbies)
- St Monica’s School Green School Hat
- Short white socks
- White sandshoes/joggers
Winter Variation
As Above
- St Monica’s school Bottle Green Fleecy pullover with embroidered crest
- Green fleecy track pants with sports uniform only.
- Long navy-blue pants - Ruggers – Formal uniform (optional)
- School Track top with embroidered crest (optional)
The uniform including the special school hat is available locally at Oakey Craft and Saddlery. If you are buying parts of the uniform elsewhere, please check that you are buying the correct style, colour, and material. It is expected that the correct and clean school uniform will be worn at all times. A school uniform can help instil in the students a sense of pride and identity. It also signifies unity and equality.
Prep students wear the sports uniform 5 days per week – Monday to Friday
All Students
Hair: Collar length hair or longer must be tied back with a green band or green ribbon. Natural hair colour is expected. Rat’s tails and tracks are not permitted.
Earrings: Girls: Sleepers and plain studs are the only acceptable earrings.
Boys: No earrings.
Other: Clearly mark all clothing with your child’s name.
NB: The school fleecy pullover must be worn first. The spray jacket may only be worn over the top of the pullover.
From the P&F
Race Day
Race Day tickets are out! please use the QR code on the posters at the school gate or alternatively go online to try bookings and type into the search bar 'St Monica's Oakey Race Day'. We are thrilled with the amount of tickets already sold and urge everyone to get in ASAP if you want tickets.
Thank you to everyone who has purchased tickets in the raffle, there are some great prizes to be won with a $10 ticket!
Tuckshop
Thank you to our past fortnight's helper; Olesia, Fiona, Amanda & Bek.
And a big thank you to this fortnights helpers
- Week 6: Alice Edwards & Melissa Geraghty
- Week 7: Leah Chicken & Marcie Green
Pie Drive
A big thanks to all who participated in this year's pie drive through Oakey's Great Country Pies! This is a wonderful fundraiser for the P&F and goes towards much needed funds for buses for all our students.
A reminder that the collection of pies is from the Bakery down town (next to the Newsagent) on Friday 25th August 3-5.30pm.
Oakey Eats
The committee has decided to withdraw our stall from the Oakey Eats event for August due to the unknown viability of the event, we appreciate your understanding with this.
Fathers Day Stall
We are delighted to again bring the fathers day stall to our school community for 2023!
All items will be priced at $5 each with students able to purchase 2 items each.
The stall will be held the week before fathers day, with a note going out to each student the week before as a reminder.
If you would like to get involved in the P & F, please accept this as a warm invitation and welcome. Our next meeting will be in week 8 of term. If you have any questions please get in touch with Meg Bullock on the P & F email or see Lyndell in the office. oakpandf@twb.catholic.edu.au
Clothing Pool
Please send Tricia Brownsey a text on 0408 675 945 and she will be able to let you know if what you require is available. Tricia is also happy to package up orders and leave them in the school office.
Please only text Tricia, as she has work commitments.
Outside School Hours Care
