Issue 1, Term 1, 2nd February 2024

Principals Report

Dear Parents, families, and friends,

Welcome everyone to a 2024. I have had the opportunity to catch up with almost everyone over the past two weeks and I am so excited for this year. 
New Staff 
First of all, I would like to welcome our new staff for 2024. Miss Tahlia Derry is our new Year 1-2 teacher for 2024. We also welcome Miss Millie McWaters past student and older sister to Bailey and daughter to Ms Kerri. Millie will be replacing Miss Janell Jarzembki while she is on leave in the roles of Student Officer: Assisting students learning in the Prep Class and as School Cleaner. We welcome back Mrs Tessa Hennessy, returning to work from maternity leave. Mrs Hennessy is our Prep teacher for 2024. We also welcome back Mrs Jenny Harris to her new role as Enhanced Curriculum Teacher, Mrs Harris will be teaching Music, Swimming and Spanish one day a week in Term 1.
District Swimming Carnival 
I would like to congratulate Nate McConnell and Nate McFadzean for qualifying for the District Swimming Carnival. Unfortunately, due to an injury Nate McFadzean was unable to participate. Nate McConnell was able to attend, and we are very proud of his efforts today.
School Guidance Counsellor
We are very happy to announce that Mr Jesse Kupper is now permanent in his role as School Guidance Counsellor to St Finbarr’s as well as St Mary’s, Charleville and Sacred Heart, Cunnamulla. Mr Kupper is a qualified teacher who also provides health lessons to our classes when he visits the school. As always if a Counsellor session is needed it is only conducted through the system process of a referral. Please make him feel welcome when you see him at school. 
School Arrival 
Just a friendly reminder that drop off is no earlier than 8.30am – If you arrive early please wait downstairs until 8.30 with your child and then you can head up to the classrooms at 8.30am. If there are any circumstances that your child needs to arrive early on occasion please contact the office on email quilpie@twb.catholic.edu.au or call 46215200 and leave a voicemail to confirm arrangements. The office will let the classroom teacher know of any early arrivals needs. 
Student Absence 
Please contact the office on quilpie@twb.catholic.edu.au or call 46215200 and leave a voicemail or contact the principal on 0427649689 when your child is sick or absent. Do not send staff messages on their personal phones. We will let the classroom teacher know of any absences. 
Library 
All students will need a library bag to borrow books regardless of if they are taking them home or keeping them at school. This is to ensure the books have some level of protection against the elements after taking them from the library. See term 1 times below.
Term 1 Library borrowing days. 
Prep – Friday 
Year 1-2 – Friday 
Year 3-6 – Thursday 
Toowoomba Catholic School Office Visitors
We welcomed Mr Marty Savage Senior Education Leader, to our school this week on Thursday and Friday morning. Marty works directly with me and has taken over the role previously held by Mr Paul Murphy.     I am looking forward to working with Marty this year to assist in completing some of the projects we would like to see come to fruition this year. 
We look forward to having Mrs Julie Henderson EO:Curriculum  and our new Speech Therapist Ms Kate Burnell  and new Occupational Therapist Ms Melinda Stone. We are fortunate to have support from the office for our students learning requirements.
Swimming 
Swimming began today. Students in Year 1-6 are able to ride their bikes to the pool but we are asking that Prep Students wait until Term 4 when they are a little older. 
P&F AGM
The P&F AGM will be held on 12th February at 5.30pm . This is a great opportunity for our current and new families to meet and network. 

Until next time 
Mrs Marsh

Welcome to St Finbarr's Prep Class 2024

Welcome Seven Super Special Students 

Welcome our new Staff

Ms Tahlia Derry - 1-2 Class Teacher 

Miss Millie McWaters - Prep Class Student Officer/Cleaner

Student of the Week & Gotcha Winners Term 1

Gotcha tickets are given out each week when students are seen to be following our school rules and values.  Actions may include caring for each other, greeting other students, staff and parents warmly or showing respect and responsibility.                                                                                                                                           Actions may also be following the words of Mary Mackillop -  'Never see a need without doing something about it'.                                                                                                                                                                                                            All the Gotcha  tickets a placed in the 'Gotcha box' and two names are drawn out each week, the remaining names stay in the box and are added to each week.

3-6 Class

It has been a hot and stormy start to the 2024 school year. Our students have come back from their summer holidays with plenty of stories, a few war wounds, a bit of added bling, and thankfully ready to start a new learning journey.  

Term 1 English will involve the students engaging in a persuasive and narrative writing unit based around a range of books and novels. Through exploration of these literary texts, students will have the opportunity to understand the generic structure and writing techniques required for persuasive and narrative writing tasks. Additionally, the Sound Waves program will be used to develop their spelling knowledge focusing on sound/letter recognition, morphemic awareness – prefixes/suffixes/base words – the etymology of words, spelling rules and vocabulary enhancement. 

The organisation of Math sessions this year will see the students working through math rotations focusing on understanding and skill development. Rotations will be run four days a week and include a 20/30mins teacher directed session per grade level, small group focus sessions with our School Officer, and independent learning tasks. This week the children have been consolidating and developing their number knowledge. Developing a solid understanding of place value and how to manipulate numbers is one of the basic building blocks to success and confidence with math. Furthermore, all students in Grades 3-6 will be working with the Reflex program to assist them with developing their fluency in number facts.    

Our science unit, Micro-Organisms, will involve the children developing an understanding of the effect that micro-organisms have on everyone. Students will investigate the conditions micro-organisms need to grow, learn about yeast and the bread-making process, and research the development of penicillin. 

Our HASS unit, First Contact, students will study European exploration during the Age of Discovery, including reasons for exploration and the impacts of it. They will also investigate the traditional ways of Indigenous Australians and how they lived before 1788. Students will develop skills for questioning, researching, analysing and communicating.   

PART 1: Indigenous Culture Pre-1788  

-What was life like for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples before the arrival of the Europeans?  

-What was the nature and consequence of contact between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and early traders, explorers and settlers?  

PART 2: Great Journey 

-Why did the great journeys of exploration occur?  

Within our Religion unit, the students will be developing their understanding of the many ways in which faith is shared and strengthened in communities of believers, past and present. They will engage in regular prayer and worship sessions. Additionally, students will continue to develop their understanding of how Mary MacKillop has impacted the development of communities and educational facilities throughout Australia. 

We are looking forward to a busy and rewarding Term. 

Ms Wells

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday, this past fortnight to Nate  & Jory 6 

Graduating Students

Good luck to our 2023 Graduating students , much success in 2024 at your new schools 

Tuck-Shop 2024

Tuck shop has returned for 2024, please make sure you read the  Operating Procedures in the Tuck shop to familiarize  yourself with how it runs, always ask questions if your not sure.                                                     A A link to the Operating Procedures can be found below.                                                                                                 Please note changes to roster for the Rae, Sharplin and Walsh families.

School Website

Please make youself familiar with our School Website, below is the Website link and a direct link to the school online calendar which has future dates on it that may not have been included in the Term planner, such as AGM and Fete dates.

Below shows you in 4 steps on how to subscribe the school online  calendar onto your phone's calendar, when reading school newsletter on your phone 

 St Finbarr's School, Quilpie, Calendar 

 St Finbarr's School, Quilpie Website

2024 Term Planner

Please find the Term Planner for T1 and T2, some errors were made in the Planner that went home please check and alter any dates that may have changed. A paper copy has also been sent home.

PPF 2023

PPF AGM 12th Febuary 5.30pm

Followed by a general meeting to discuss Fete 2024 date and Playground updates Dinner for all will be supplied at the end of meeting 

Scholastic Book Club

Bookclub forms are sent home twice per term, students are able to order online thru the Scholastic  Austalia Loop website or app, and also by retuning the form back to the school office with monies.      Issue 1 forms are due back this coming Friday the 9th February.

Book Club - Parents | Scholastic Australia

Quilpie Council after School Craft

 Afterschool Craft for 5-9yrs will commence Monday 5^th February at 3:30pm and Youth Group 10-16yrs will commence on Wednesday 7^th February at 3:30pm.

All activities will be held at the CWA hall.

School Yard access

Please note that students are no longer permitted on school grounds out of school hours or during school holidays. 

School Absences

School Bell Times

Please don't send students to school before 8.30 unless prior arrangements have been made, playground supervision doesn't begin until 8.30am

Term Dates 2024

St Finbarr's Student Protection Contacts

It is a legislative requirement that all non-state schools have at least two nominated staff members to whom a student can report the behaviour of another staff member that the student considers inappropriate.  We call these specially trained staff members School Student Protection Contacts, or SSPCs.  Each SSPC has been nominated by the principal in recognition of their integrity, approachability and knowledge in the area of student protection.  Whilst students are encouraged to speak up to any trusted adult in the school community, it is important that they know they can access these specific staff members at any time should they have worries, queries or concerns. You will have noticed posters throughout the school depicting our current SSPCs.  The SSPCs are also published on our school website along with information about our student protection processes.  In everything we do at St Finbarr's student safety is our highest priority, therefore the SSPCs at our school are key personnel in our overall safeguarding processes.  Please see the poster depicting our current SSPC team.