Newsletter 6th November 2024
From the Principal
Since our last newsletter, our Year 5 & 6 students attended their annual school camp. This year, we returned to CYC Burleigh. St Monica’s has been attending this camp for a number of years and every year we are always impressed with the level of service and support that the students receive. The students had a great fun filled week of team building and water-based activities – canoeing, stand-up paddle boarding and the ever popular tubing.
A big thanks goes out to Miss Keleher, Mrs Bruggemann, Mrs Roberts, Mrs Owens and Mrs Gillam for their time (late nights and early mornings) and efforts in making this camp such an enjoyable experience for our students. I also want to thank the students for their efforts on camp. They displayed wonderful manners and excellent behaviour. The teaching staff were blessed to spend the week with these great students. This cohort was one of the few groups that I’ve worked with that didn’t complain about the long walk to the beach each day through the National Park. Well done!
We also received many compliments from CYC staff and the general public about how the students conducted themselves and we are proud of how they represented themselves and St Monica’s.
Next week, we will hold our first of three Prep Transition Days. These days are a wonderful opportunity for our 2025 Preps to interact with our students, and teachers, and to get a taste of what school will be like at St Monica’s. In the coming weeks, we look forward to assigning our current Year Five students to their Prep buddy for 2025. This is always an exciting time for the Year Fives, as this is their first step in their leadership journey for Year Six and they enjoy the opportunity to form those great relationships with our youngest students. In conjunction with the Prep transition, the leadership team will be facilitating a Parent Information session to outline all the key things that our future Prep parents need to know in preparing their child for school next year.
Next week, we commence out Swimming Lessons in preparation for our annual swimming carnival on 22nd November. Please be on the look out for a note today.
Finally, we currently working on a solution for our School Uniform provider. As many would be aware, Intersport in Toowoomba is closing down and they are currently our exclusive uniform provider through School Locker. Stock is still available up until the end of November. We are hoping to have our new uniform option sorted in the coming weeks. Thanks for your understanding and patience as we work through this transition period.
From the APRE
National Recycling Week
This week is National Recycling Week, an annual event held throughout Australia every year run by Planet Ark Environmental Foundation. The purpose of this event is to raise awareness about the importance of responsible recycling amongst Australians.
Remembrance Day
Next Monday the 11th of November at 11:00am, all students will participate in a Remembrance Day liturgy led by our Year 6 students. We will lay class wreaths, recite the ode and observe a minute’s silence in memory of the brave men and women who fought in the armed forces for our freedom. Lest We Forget. All parents, family and friends are warmly invited to attend.
Prep Transition Days
Next Thursday the 14th of November from 9am to 10:30am is the first of three Prep Transition Days. Prep transition days are an opportunity for the 2025 Prep students to get to know their teacher, school officers and fellow classmates, as well as the layout and general day to day routines of ‘big school’. It is also a lovely opportunity for parents to meet and chat with each other and staff, in preparation for being part of the St Monica’s School community. The second and third prep transition days are on Thursday the 21st and 28th of December. If you know of any 2025 Prep students who are planning on attending St Monica’s next year who have not currently enrolled, please encourage them to fill in an enrolment form via the school website as soon as possible.
‘Step Up’ Morning
Thursday, the 28th of November is ‘Step Up’ morning. During this time, students will experience a session in the year level they will be stepping into in 2025 and getting to know their new classroom teacher.
St Vincent’s De Paul Christmas Appeal
This year the Year Six Good Samaritan Group will be leading the school in the Vinnies Christmas Appeal. The Vinnies Christmas Appeal is all about bringing joy and festivity to families and individuals who may be in need of some extra support. For most of us, Christmas is a time of celebration with family and friends; the joy of exchanging gifts, making precious memories together and enjoying delicious Christmas treats to eat. However, for 2.2 million Australians, including families and 750,000 children living below the poverty line, Christmas can be a time when meeting their most basic needs, like putting food on the table or a place to call home, is a real struggle.
We are calling on our St Monica’s Families to consider donating grocery store gift cards and/or non-perishable food items to this very worthwhile cause. Christmas appeal donation suggestions include:
- Christmas Pudding
- Long-life Milk or Custard
- Tinned Fruit
- Bon Bons
- Tea/Coffee/Milo
- Shortbread/biscuits
- Spreads – Jam, Vegemite
- Cereal
- Jelly
- Long Life Juice
- Christmas Cake
- Pancake Mix
- Cordial
- Lollies
- Rice
- Pasta (packet or tinned)
- Canned Meats
- Tinned Vegetables
- Sauces and gravy mixes
- Soups
Year 6 Graduation Mass
On Wednesday the 4th of December at 9:00am, all students and staff will be celebrating Mass to give thanks for the terrific year we have had together, and to celebrate our wonderful Year Six students. All Year Six parents and families are warmly invited to attend and join in a special morning tea afterwards hosted by the Year 5 students.
Christmas Concert
A reminder that the 2024 Christmas Concert – ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas’, will be held on Thursday the 5th of December at 6:00pm. The P&F will be hosting a BBQ beforehand from 5pm on the school oval.
End of Year Assembly - Prep Nativity Play and Awards Ceremony.
Our end of year assembly will be on the last day of school, Friday the 1st of December, at 11am. We will begin with our Christmas liturgy, led by the preppies, who will retell the story of the Nativity, and conclude with the announcements of the class awards, special Year 6 awards, and Term 4 Good Samaritan Awards. A reminder that all classes finish after this assembly at approximately 12 noon.
From the Classrooms
Prep
As we are approaching the end of the year its time to start preparations for our wonderful Nativity play. It is such a fun and exciting event that we all look forward to. In the coming days your child may be bring home a script. If they do, we ask that you support them by practicing their speaking parts at home. If your child does not have a speaking part never fear, they will still have a very important role to play. Over the coming weeks we are continuing to complete our final assessments for the year. It is important that your child is getting lots of rest to assist them at this time.
Year 1
Can you believe it is already Week 6 of Term 4! In the first half of this term, the Year 1 students have been working very hard in Religion learning all about Mary and the special role she played in the life of Jesus. This week we begin a new unit exploring the season of Advent in the lead up to Christmas. In English we are continuing to learn about persuasive techniques as we write our letters to Mr Barrett asking for a class pet. In Maths we are learning about Australian currency and coins, including how to make different amounts of money and the change given when purchasing items. In Science we are looking at different forms of energy including light and sound, and in HASS we are investigating why places are designed in particular ways for particular purposes.
At this time of the year, it is typical for students of this age to start to feel a little more tired and emotional than usual. I encourage all students to ensure they are getting plenty of rest and utilise the learning dispositions of persistence and resilience, to ensure they finish the year with energy and excitement, especially in the lead up to our end of year special school events.
Year 2
I can’t believe we are already halfway through term 4! The Year 2’s have been doing some amazing work in these last 2 weeks with lots of learning and assessment taking place.
In English, we have started our writing assessment for the term. We have been given the challenge to write a new chapter for “Maudie and Bear”. We have come up with some amazing ideas so far and I can’t wait for them to come to life in their writing.
In Maths, we have just finished working on our addition and subtraction strategies for fast recall. We also focus on using these strategies to help us with problem solving questions as well. This next week we are learning all about division. We are very excited about this!
In Science, Mrs Gilkes has been teaching us about water. We have been able to do some fun investigations as we learn about water, where it comes from and what it can be used for.
Unfortunately, this will be our last week with Mrs Gilkes. She will be missed but we have had lots of fun learning with her.
Year 3
Students have been working on structural features of poems including stanzas, lines, rhythm and rhyming patterns. Religion lessons allow students to communicate their ideas in the belief that Jesus is the Messiah. The concepts covered in Mathematics include representing money values in various ways, counting out change and interpreting and comparing data displays. With only a few weeks left, students have been busy with testing and fine tuning their skills in preparation for next year.
Year 4A
Can you believe it is only 4 weeks until the end of term. This year certainly has flown. The Year Four students have been engaged in writing their comic on their chosen “Superhero teacher”. These teachers have some pretty interesting superpowers! I am really looking forward to sharing the finished product.
Swimming lessons begin next week, leading up to our swimming carnival in week 8. Lessons will occur on Wednesday 13th, Friday 15th, and Monday 18th, please ensure your child is fully prepared for these lessons. Girls with long hair will need a swim cap.
Please remember to encourage your child to read every day.
Year 4M
We are well underway with assessments and reviews of our learning. Please ensure that your child is eating a nutritious breakfast and having enough sleep to demonstrate their learning effectively. There were some amazing hats created for the Melbourne Cup parade - it is great to see the children getting involved in these activities. Next week we will have a Remembrance Day liturgy on Monday, and swimming lessons will begin. We have also started practising our Christmas songs for the end of year Christmas concert.
Year 5B
Well, it is hard to believe we have passed the halfway mark of the term and have just over four weeks of the 2024 school year remaining. There are still so many exciting things to look forward to. What a fabulous time we all had at the 5/6 Camp at Burleigh Heads! We were so impressed with the students and the way they participated in all activities. It was a great opportunity for them to put the St Monica’s learning dispositions into practice – organisation, confidence, resilience, getting along and persistence and curiosity. We witnessed them all!
Next Friday, 15 November, 5B are presenting at Assembly to celebrate World Kindness Day. We hope you will be able to join us on this special occasion. Swimming lessons will be held next Wednesday and Friday and conclude the following Monday. Please ensure your child has all their requirements.
Year 5R
Experience the Force of Earth's Gravity
Year 6
As we begin to approach the end of the school year, these next few weeks become extremely busy. Within the classroom, Year 6 students are busily working on their final assessment items and their attendance is essential to ensure they can complete these to the best of their abilities. Please also refer to the highlighted dates on the Term 4 note that was sent home to ensure you do not miss any of the key events coming up. A reminder that the Year 6 students are hosting the Remembrance Day Liturgy next Monday.
From the Library
From Music & LOTE
Thank you to all those Choir members who were able to attend Mass on Saturday night.
Choir & Ukulele members have been preparing for our upcoming events including-
- CWA visit on Wednesday 27th November
- Carols at the Museum on Sunday 1st December
Thank you for returning permission slips so we can attend these events.
Mini Monnie's Playgroup
Be Well at St Monica's
How can you help your child flourish?
Raising children can be one of the toughest, but most fulfilling jobs in the world. We all want our children to flourish because that means they will be: happy and joyful, curious and eager to learn without feeling stressed, connected with their peers, empathetic, creative, confident, good team players, resilient and positive, and have a healthy self-esteem. How can you help your child to flourish and perform to the best of their ability at school?
Sleep - Poor or inadequate sleep can lead to mood swings, behavioural problems and cognitive problems that impact on the ability to learn in school, so the Department of Health recommends an uninterrupted 9 to 11 hours of sleep per night for those aged 5–13 years. Some sleep tips for school-aged children include: teach school-aged children about healthy sleep habits, continue to emphasise need for regular and consistent sleep schedule and bedtime routine, make your child's bedroom conducive to sleep – dark, cool and quiet, keep TV and computers out of the bedroom and avoid caffeine.
Diet - It is important that we provide our children with a healthy diet, including school lunches, as poor nutrition has been associated with a number of physical and mental issues including: chronic health problems, tooth decay, obesity, poor sleep, lack of concentration, low energy levels and poor academic performance. School lunches need to be high in nutrients and should include items such as: fresh fruit, sandwiches or wraps, crunchy vegetables, lean meats, dairy - such as cheese or plain/natural yoghurt, home-made fruit muffins and water. Processed and pre-packaged snacks should be limited as they are high in sugar and salt and have very few nutrients.
Exercise - Being physically active is good for children and adolescent health and creates opportunities for making new friends and developing physical and social skills. There is a profound impact on mood, cognitive behaviour, energy levels and self-esteem. For optimal health benefits, children and young people (aged 5–17 years) should achieve the recommended balance of high levels of physical activity, low levels of sedentary behaviour and limited recreational screen time each day.
Develop Independence - By allowing your child to pack and carry their own bag to school, you are teaching them about responsibility, independence and self-regulation. They will learn to spend each day prioritising what they do and don’t need to bring with them.
Take care of their emotional health - Everyone speaks of happiness as the ultimate goal, but humans were designed to endure all emotions; happiness, sadness, guilt, anger. We have all these emotions within us, and more, and in a normal, healthy human, all are acceptable within reason. In order for your child to regulate these emotions, healthy discussion and an open channel of communication between parents and child are crucial.
Focus on their strengths - They are your children, but they are their own person and they are born with their own sets of strengths and weaknesses. Let go of the weakness and focus on their strengths. Try to figure out what is it that your child is exceptionally good at and help them develop their skills.
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
School uniforms are now available at School Locker online theschoollocker.com.au or Intersport in Ruthven St Toowoomba.
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 bucket 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 bucket 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)
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 bucket hat
- 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 bucket 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)
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.
From the P&F
The P & F committee would like to extend a warm invitation to all those interested in attending our next meeting at the Oakey RSL at 6pm, Tuesday 12th November. We would love to see some new and old faces. Remember, if you would like to suggest an agenda item, this can be sent through the online agenda request form in the Sentral app.
Save the date for the Christmas concert and BBQ which will be held on Thursday 5th December! Come and enjoy a night of great performances and food and celebrate a wonderful year at St Monica’s.
Clothing Pool
The clothing pool is currently located in the OSHC, if you require anything please contact the school office or see Lauren in OSHC room near the Prep Classroom.
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