Issue 13 Term 4, 11th October 2024

Principals Report

Welcome Back!
Welcome back to another exciting term at our wonderful school! We are thrilled to announce that swimming lessons commenced this term, every Friday from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM. Our qualified AUSTSWIM teachers—Mrs. Harris, Miss Derry, Miss Millie, and Miss Gabby—will be leading the sessions, with Miss Kendall providing additional support for both students and teachers.
Students are encouraged to ride their bikes to the pool, accompanied by Mrs. Harris, while Miss Derry will walk with those who prefer not to ride. It’s especially exciting for our Prep students, who are now allowed to ride their bikes! Please ensure that all bikes are in good working order and that helmets are safe. Swimming gear should include a long sleeve rashie, goggles, and sunscreen. This term, we will focus on swimming strokes and preparing for the swimming carnival in Week 8, on November 22nd. A big thank you to our qualified swimming coach, Alina Graeme, for her assistance in planning and coaching our students, as well as training our teachers to become AUSTSWIM qualified.
Report Cards
This term, report cards will be available in both paper and electronic formats. Starting in 2025, we will transition to electronic-only report cards to align with the practices of other TCS schools.
Farewells
We have bid farewell to several families this year. Earlier, we said goodbye to Parker Rae and his family as they moved to Cunnamulla. We also farewelled the Truss family—Walter and Henry—who are completing Term 4 at home on their property, Wareo, via Distance Education. We wish them the best of luck and hope they enjoy this time with their family. Additionally, we say goodbye to Elena and her mother, Sarah, who have been with us for Term 3 due to Sarah’s work. We will truly miss all these families and wish them the best of luck. Remember, once a Finnie's kid, always a Finnie's kid!
Guidance Counsellor
Mr. Jesse Kupper, our Guidance Counsellor. Jesse’s role encompasses several areas, focusing on the social and emotional wellbeing of all students. As a teacher, he will work with our staff to deliver resilience and health lessons. In the early years, you may already be familiar with our Zones of Regulation program, and in the upper years, Jesse will be working on building resilience. Jesse works between Charleville, Cunnamulla, and Quilpie. For one-on-one counselling, he will only engage with a child after a referral has been sought and accepted by a parent, in line with the practices of all TCS schools.
Healthy Lunchboxes
We encourage all parents to pack healthy lunchboxes for their children. According to the Australian Government’s recommendations, a healthy lunchbox should include a variety of foods from the five core food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy. Aim to include fresh, frozen, pureed, or canned fruits in natural juice, a variety of vegetables, lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts, seeds, and legumes/beans. Don’t forget to pack plain water to keep your child hydrated1.
School Renewal Improvement Process (SRIP)
Thank you to all parents, staff, teachers, and students for your participation in the SRIP. Mr. Marty Savage and Mrs. Janine Butlin were very impressed with the feedback our school received. We are excited to use this feedback to create our Strategic Plan for 2025-2029. As principal, I am very grateful to be part of this wonderful school. We have extremely passionate, generous, caring, and kind staff who love each child and are professional and incredible to work with. I admire each and every one of them and have had a fantastic year working alongside them all. This truly speaks to our school mission: “We aim to support each child’s learning pathway and encourage self-knowledge and self-discipline to develop a positive attitude and resilience of mind and heart.”
Warm regards,

Kara Marsh

School Absences

Student of the Week & Gotcha Winners Term 4

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.

Prep Classroom

Foil Transfer Art

Have you seen this art project on the internet! 🌈 It’s it encourages creativity with colors, designs, and patterns. Plus, the end result being similar to tie-dye is such a fun twist. Whether it’s for a framed gift, a homemade card, or wall art, it's a wonderful activity for both adults and kids, our Preps today had great fun creating.

1-2 Classroom

Term 4 has started busily, and students are excited to be back swimming on Friday’s. It is wonderful to be in the pool with them and see them learn and grow. Year 1-2 have been working diligently in reading and writing and have become expressive and very persuasive about multiple topics. We are missing the Prep’s in the afternoon’s however, we are working productively in science, religion, handwriting and HASS units. We are beginning to look at features of places and sustainability this term. The term is flying by, and students are impressing themselves with beautiful handwriting practise. Math sessions are including lots of competitive, hands-on number games and students are excited about their knowledge of numbers. We sadly farewell our beautiful Elena and Walter for this term, and we excitedly welcome Alyssa to our classroom. As always, it is a pleasure being amongst our 1-2 classroom and we appreciate the support of all staff members and especially Miss Gabby each day. I am looking forward to lots of end of year events and seeing excellent results from our students as we near the end of the year.

Miss Derry

St Finbarr's Mystery Holiday and Fete

Wheel burrow tickets can be found at the following Quilpie businesses

-Paulsen Bros
- Quilpie Butcher
- Quilpie Country Collections
- NAB
- Bi-rite
- Nutrien AG Quilpie
-Toompine Pub

Library

We have been lucky enough to be given some books by The Indigenous Literacy Foundation for our Library, Miss Kendall has put all our donated books on display ready for our students. 

If you wish to know more click on the link below 

The Indigenous Literacy Foundation | ILF | reading opens doors charity non profit

School Photos 2024

Whole School Photos will be next Thursday 17th October, please make sure students are in Formal school uniform (long white socks, school badges)

Book Club

Issue 7 is out now, please return your paper form and money by the 21st of October, alternatively go online and complete an order via the website or app.

Book Club - Parents | Scholastic Australia

Mini Finnie's

Welcome to Mini Finnie's for 2024, we have lots of fun and learnt some things at the same time.   Mini Finnie's is a play-based education program designed to develop essential skills for a successful transition into prep, the program runs each Friday morning during Terms 3 and 4 from 8:45 to 11:00 am.                                                                   All children starting prep in 2025 are welcome to attend with their parent or guardian. Our Principal, Kara Marsh, and Miss Jen Anderson are looking forward to welcoming you! Please contact the office if you know of anyone who would like to attend: quilpie@twb.catholic.edu.au, ph. 07 46 215 200.

Prep Transition Days: 21st October, 4th November & 18th November

Prep Transition days are a great way for students to 

Please fill in this form to RSVP https://forms.office.com/r/26CQf7rRFy   (right Click to open link)

Student school enrollment link: https://enrol-qui.twb.catholic.edu.au/enrolment-application/start

PPF 2024

All are welcome to come and have some input into your school. Agenda Items must be sent to Office or Committee member prior to meeting otherwise they will not be discussed.

President -Mr. Sam Bartlett
Vice president-Mr. Dan Hoch
Treasurer - Mrs. Amy Kuhn
Secretary – Ms. Kerri Thompson
Fundraising C0-Ordinator - Mrs. Lousie Hoch

Combined Schools Art Exhibition

On Wednesday, the students visited the Visitor Information Centre for the opening of the Combined School Exhibition. We encourage everyone to visit and admire the fabulous artwork created by all the talented school students.

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Term 4 Swimming

We are delighted to announce that our Term 4 whole school swimming program has commenced. It is wonderful to see everyone back in the pool.

A special thank you to all parents and students for remembering to bring your swim gear. Your diligence ensures that our swimming sessions run smoothly and efficiently. Let’s continue to make every swimming day a success by not forgetting our swimming togs or goggles.

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Tuck-Shop 2024

Thank you to our families each week who run a Tuck shop- the kids love having Mum or Dad there and all our other Mums & Dads love not having to make a lunchbox on a Monday.

Please make sure you read the Operating Procedures in the Tuck shop to familiarize yourself with how it runs, always ask Office questions if you're not sure.                                                                                                                    

10am Snack Attack (one small platter for each classroom (3)                                                                                                           11am 1st Break -Fruit/veg option and home bake                                                                                                                     1pm 2nd Break- Lunch and dessert                                             

Parents on Tuck shop will not be sent home an envelope for their student. Please see the office if you have any issue's or need some money to pay for items (please bring receipt)

Please note: Please don't send PEANUT related snacks to school. Peanuts only are not permitted; other nuts are fine.                                                                                                                                                                                                                             A link to the Operating Procedures can be found below.                                                        

Help a young mind make Healthy Choices for life!

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School Website & Calendar

Have you downloaded the School Calendar to your phone yet! This is the quickest way to see upcoming events for St Finbarr's as they will already be on your phones Calendar 

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

 St Finbarr's School, Quilpie, Calendar 

 St Finbarr's School, Quilpie Website

Quilpie & District & Regional Sport

Assembly

Don't forget each Friday we have assembly in the Mary Mackillop room, where Student awards are presented and School notices are shared with students and families present, at 8.45am when the bell rings please head on into the Mary Mackillop room 

2024 Term Planner

Please find the Term Planner for T1 and T2, please also keep a look out on our website for other dates or subscribe to school calander as shown above.

School Yard access

School Bell Times

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.