Principal’s Report – 2019 Issue 10

Dear Parents

A number of Years ago a musical came out Broadway called “The Royal Hunt of the Sun”. It told the story the Spanish Conquistadors and their eventual destruction of Aztec empire in the 16th Century. In one of the scenes there was an attempted conversion of the Aztec King; he was handed a Bible and told “This is how our God speaks to us”. The King took the Bible and put it to his ear for some time; then he threw the Bible onto the floor and said, “Your God has nothing to say to me”.

Modern life can cause us to be so busy that we become somewhat like the King, but for a different reason. The book of the Bible was completely unfamiliar to the King, he had no idea that it was meant to be read, and even if he did understand this, he didn’t have the skills to be able to read it.

However, even as baptised Christians who have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, we can be like the King and not because of ignorance. It is because the noise and pace of life are so “loud” as not to allow time for “just being”; instead we are always “doing”.

In some ways life can be compared to a river. If it is continuously surrounded by activity, it runs the risk of becoming polluted and so loses its purpose for being, namely, to give life. We owe it to our own children to teach them by example that life needs to have balance, as someone once said, “there is a time for the drawing in of the breath of life and there is a time for expelling it”. Just as the river needs its deep parts where it is always cool and to where its inhabitants can retreat in times of difficulty, so we need to be able to retreat within ourselves and find there a place of peace and calm.

As we break for school holidays, I truly hope that all students, staff and parents find the time to find their place of peace and calm where we can listen to God.

Slow me down Lord
Hold me still in Your arms
Empty me of all
That is not of You
And fill me with your love.
Make my heart Your home
A wide and patient land
Where time hangs around
And distance is never too far,
Where we can sit around a fire
And tell stories
That draw close, our lives.
(Noel Davis – Heart gone Walkabout)

As we approach the end of another school term we can reflect on some enriching, memorable and successful undertakings that have taken place at Infant Jesus School during the term. We have many very committed and enthusiastic people (including staff, parents and children) who continuously give their own time and talents to create a positive atmosphere at this school.

Congratulations to all the students for their efforts over the term. I am sure that the students who have worked hard, paid attention in class and gave of their best have achieved the achieved results.

All parents will receive their child’s/children’s report this week. It is important, as parents are undoubtedly aware, to take the time to discuss the report with their child. Teachers’ comments are important and should be used as ‘indicators’ in areas which a child may work towards improving. I encourage parents to arrange interviews with class teachers if there is some area of concern, so as to develop a collaborative approach towards assisting the child with their schooling.

Please use SEQTA Engage to access your child’s report. The link may be found on our School Website.

We congratulate and thank the staff for their commitment and efforts this term. It has been extremely busy with the numerous events planned within the school – most importantly the preparation and participation of the students in the Sacraments of Confirmation. Next term, our attention turns to the Sacrament of Eucharist for our Year Four children.

Lastly, I hope all members of our community, particularly our students and staff, have a very enjoyable, relaxing and refreshing two-week break. Stay safe and I look forward to seeing everyone after the holidays. School resumes for students on Tuesday 23 July.

P&F “Rock Star” Bingo Night
Congratulations to the Infant Jesus School P&F Association, and in particular the Executive, for their efforts with the Rock Star Bingo lastFriday evening. This was once again a fantastic night that was well coordinated and supported by the Infant Jesus School community. All people in attendance had a wonderful time.

Congratulations to all the prize winners and many thanks to all the people and/or businesses who made donations to the event . . . this generosity is greatly appreciated. Congratulations to the Favaro family who won the Reserved Parking Bay in the Administration Car park for all of Term Three.

Cyber Security
Attached to this newsletter is a letter from the Executive Director of Catholic Education outlining a breach within the Catholic Education system regarding email and obtaining false information. You may have seen reports in the media that respected organisations worldwide have been subjected to similar illegal activity, and thus CEWA has not been specifically targeted. While investigations are ongoing, a confirmed data breach has been identified at one school and there is no evidence that any student data has been put at risk as a result of the breach. Additional cyber security measures were promptly put in place and the parent community informed. Click on this link for further information.

Our school was not the school that had the confirmed breach.

School Cross Country Championship
On Tuesday we saw the running of the annual school Cross Country Carnival held at Lightning Park in Noranda. This was a fantastic day with all children from Years 1 – Year 6 participating in this carnival. Many thanks to Mrs Jenkins for coordinating this event as well as conducting extra training sessions for the students each week. Thank you also to our parent helpers at the carnival and those who came along in support. Congratulations to all place getters and the winning faction Lima. Well done!

Best Wishes
We take this opportunity to wish Mr Frank Colangelo, Mrs Tania Kosovich and Mrs Sue Bonomi all the best for their well-deserved long service leave break commencing at the beginning of Term Three. We hope they each have a wonderful time away from the ‘busyness’ of school life and that they are able to spend some time relaxing with their families. Best Wishes!

Infant Jesus Family
Congratulations to Miss Mitzi Phoebe and Olly on their engagement. Wishing them the very best as they begin to plan their lives together.

Congratulations to Mya Ruocco (Kindy) and family on the safe arrival of their baby boy Beau. Also, congratulations to John Dib (Kindy) and family on the safe arrival of their baby boy Lucas.

New Carpet
As part of the School Board plan to improve classroom facilities, both Year Five and Year Six will have their carpets replaced over the July school holidays.

Term Planner
The Term Three Planner is now available on the school website. Please familiarise yourself with important dates and events for next term.

Caring for Kids in an Online World
With the holidays upon us, some of the information below may provide mums and dads with some timely information to remind our children about the appropriate and safe ways in which we use the internet. The Internet offers a near limitless range of information and resources for children of all ages and introduces them to a new world of socialising and entertainment. It also brings risks, such as exposure to inappropriate content, online predators and personal information disclosure. Cyber safety is now more important than ever before.

Online safety tips for parents:

Use family-safe tools to filter the Internet and protect users from offensive material and online hazards.
Set clear rules as a family for Internet use at home.
Teach your child to be responsible online. If your child is using a social networking site become an ‘online friend’ so you can monitor interactions.
Insist that your children do not share personal information ie, real name, address, numbers or passwords.
Encourage open communication with your children.
Talk with them about computers and be open to questions and curiosity.
Discuss online lives, friends and activities as you would do in the off-line world.
Keep Internet-connected computers in an open area for easy supervision.
Teach your children not to download programs, music or files without your permission.

From My Readings This Week…

The Worst Feeling for A Child

Humans are social by nature. We are happiest and most productive when we’re in groups. The family we are born into stays together rather than disbands as can happen in the animal world. This togetherness ensures a sense of belonging. Parental acceptance and forgiveness confirms that a child belongs unconditionally to their family providing a deep sense of security and safety.

As they grows older their social world expands to include broader family, friends and others within our community. The ties that bind are a little more tenuous at the outer edges of their social circle. Unlike in a family acceptance a child’s or teen’s acceptance by peers is conditional and, as such, friendships can quickly change. Differing interests, unresolved grievances and changing personalities can lead to peer relationship breakdowns, resulting in feelings of loss and sadness for a child.

The flip side of acceptance is loss, when valued relationships flounder. This is normal. It can be heart-breaking for a parent to watch your child or teen deal with the feelings of sadness, but that’s when parents need to be supportive and emotionally present.

Worse still for children and young people is when a relationship breakdown with friends leads to ostracism, or being left out of the usual group activities. Sadness due to friendship loss is a normal part of life. Feeling devastated by being left out of a group, is not acceptable, and shouldn’t be shrugged off as normal.

Ostracism hits at the very heart of being human – the need to belong. It hits at a young person’s sense of security and safety. Continued ostracism generally leads to feelings of helplessness in a child or young person – the worst possible emotion they can experience.

Teaching kids about relationships
Psychologist and author Collett Smart in her Teach girls to build each other up webinar maintains that parents should pro-actively teach kids about how relationships work. She was referring to parents of girls in particular, but boys too can benefit from learning about the nature of friendships. This relationship work can be both incidental and intentional. Smart maintains that we need to be continuously talking to kids about what makes a good friend; that not all friendships last; how they can break up kindly with friends and how they can assertively and respectfully stand up for themselves rather than be dominated by others.

Learning how to argue well
Smart maintains that learning how to argue is a normal part of healthy relationships. She says, “We haven’t taught girls how to be assertive. They learn to be assertive at home. Give girls opportunities to disagree with us as parents so that they can be brave enough for them to do so outside of home with their friends.” Parents need to give kids healthy ways to express their emotions and frustrations about friendships so that they can learn to resolve conflict without taunting, being abusive or giving someone the ‘permanent cold shoulder’.

Above all, we need to let kids know that ostracism of a former friend or of another child is not acceptable under any circumstances. The conversation that parents have with children about ostracism carries a great deal of weight and needs to happen from a very young age before these relationships’ patterns emerge and become entrenched in adolescence.
By Michael Grose

Prayer for the Week
We hope that everyone will have a safe, relaxing and enjoyable break, spending time with their families and friends.
Lord, bless each member of our families.
As we begin our holidays, watch over us and
protect us.
Grant us your wisdom,
your grace
and the strength to live lives of goodness.
Help us to honour each other with words of
respect, forgiveness and love.
To listen with the heart as well as the head.
To give and not count the cost.
To be patient and persevering when all seems lost.
Bless my family, Lord, each one of us this day.
Bless and protect us.
Amen

Thought for the Week
We should know that we are all part of a whole, we are all together.
And everything that we do affects each other.
Yoko Ono

Have a great holiday.