Principal's Report

The 3L's

Dear Parents,

Recently, I came across an article that I thought was pertinent to all of us as parents. The article spoke about how aware we must be as parents of our importance to be models in the lives of our children, and how they will eventually live out their lives reflecting the values they absorbed during the time they live with us. In essence, the article spoke about three things, put forward as the “3L’s”. 

Love

Children today need a lot of love; often they put on a brave front and appear so self-confident. However, they need tons of love that must be sincere and honest. Children need to know that God’s love is real and they should be able to see it in our lives, the more Christian we are the more loving they will be.

Listen

Children say all the time, “No one listens to me!” Many times they are trying to tell us so many things, but we are too busy and too tired to listen. As they say, we were given two ears and only one mouth – perhaps there is a  message in this! 

Laugh

It is important that we try and spread happiness in our homes and to all we meet. Just as Christ taught us to think of others, we too should try and think of others more often and be less selfish in our deeds. We have so many reasons to be happy and each one of us has been blessed in so many ways. If we were to sit down and think about all the nice things in our lives, I am sure we would be surprised.

Our children are with us only for a short time.  Unfortunately, they grow up so very quickly.     Before long they will set out on the journey of their own life. The question for us is how good a role model were we to them in the short time we have them. Have we taught them about the love of God and to love others? Have we shown them how to listen and have we tried to spread happiness in our homes and with all we meet?

Missing In Action

Some parents may have been wondering where Mr Hille has been of late, as we don’t seem to see him? The truth of the matter is that I have been incapacitated to a degree. For at least the last half of Term Three I  was experiencing some severe pain and discomfort in my back and leg. It got to the stage where I was struggling to stand, sit or walk.

I had been doing the right thing and had been seeing the doctor and the physio. I had even tried the naturopath and the local medicine man, all to no avail. In fact, it got so bad I took myself to hospital because I was not able to walk.

Eventually, after some gentle persuasion and encouragement I was able to see a neurosurgeon who determined that I had a rather large herniated disc and needed back surgery ASAP.

Thankfully this surgery all took place in the second week of the holidays and now I am on the road to recovery. I need to take things easy for a little while and be careful with my back, but will return to full health.  

I am really grateful to the staff who have stepped up and assisted me where necessary and I am also very appreciative for everyone’s concern, prayers and well-wishers.

Thank you

World Teacher's Day

An editorial in the newspaper told of a school teacher who asked her class of first graders to draw a picture of something they were thankful for.  She thought of how little these children from poor neighbourhoods actually had to be thankful for.  She knew that most of them would draw pictures of turkeys or tables with food.  The teacher was taken aback with the picture Peter handed in—a simple childishly drawn hand. But whose hand? 

The class was captivated by the abstract image. “I think it must be the hand of God who brings us food,” said one child.  “A farmer,” said another, “because he grows turkeys.”  Finally, when the others were at work, the teacher bent over Peter’s desk and asked whose hand it was.  “It’s your hand, teacher,” he mumbled.

The anecdote illustrates how teachers, by the simple things they do, play an important role in the development of all children. We are very fortunate in Australia to have a quality education system in comparison to other parts of the world. Our Catholic Education system would be non-existent if we did not have people who valued learning in a Catholic Education environment and strived to provide our children with experiences and learning situations that enable them to cope with the demands of an ever-changing world.

As some of you may, or may not be aware Friday, 27 October, is World Teachers’ Day.  This provides us all with the opportunity to recognise and thank our teachers for the job they perform within our community and for our children in particular. Some suggestions of what could be acted upon include:

Students

• Send a thank you letter or card, or just say ‘thank you’ to your teacher.
• Reflect on the difference a teacher has made in your life.

Teachers

• Acknowledge and celebrate your successes and your commitment to the most important profession.
• Promote your profession amongst your peers, friends and family.
• Make your students more aware of the significant role of teachers in society.

Parents

• Write a supportive letter to the School Board or Parent Representative Council about the school.
• Write a letter of thanks about your child’s teacher to the local media or send it to the school.
• Reflect on the difference a teacher has made in your life.
• Appreciate that your child’s education will open doors for him or her to achieve a better future.
• Compare the opportunities in a country where education is available, such as Australia, with other countries where, for example, girls and the disadvantaged have very limited educational opportunities

Student Drop Off and Pick Up

It is very important that parents see that their children arrive at school no later than 8.20am so that they can unpack and get organized in order to start school promptly at 8.30am. Morning supervision, for Year 1 to 6 students, is from 8.00am and children are not encouraged to arrive at school before this time. Class teachers (except Kindergarten) will have their classes open for the children from 8.20am.

It is school policy that parents (carers) of Kindergarten and Pre-Primary children must wait with their children until the classroom opens. This is to ensure the safety of the children before the school day starts. Older siblings attending Infant Jesus School cannot assume the responsibilities of the parents and wait outside the Kindergarten or Pre-Primary classrooms with younger siblings.

• Recess Time is from 10.30am - 10.50am
• Lunch Time is from  12.30pm - 1.05pm
• End of the School Day   3.00pm             In the afternoon, teachers will supervise the departure of students until 3.20pm at the drive through entering from Peters Place or the Russell Street drive through. Any student who is not being collected from either drive through needs to wait outside the Library where they are supervised by a teacher. Any child remaining at school after this time will be required to report to the school office and stay there until they are collected. Please note that the office closes at 4.00pm. Thank you for co-operation in this matter.

Annual Community Meeting

The date for the Annual Community Meeting has been changed from the 14 November to the 28 November at 7:00pm. 

Interschool Athletic Team

We wish all our students in the Interschool Athletics Squad  the best of luck as they compete in the CPSSA Interschool Athletics Carnival next Friday at the State Athletics Stadium. We know they will give their best efforts, no matter what! Parents are encouraged to come along and support the team if they are able.

Prayer

The Catholic Church has had a focus on ‘Missions’ over the past week. This was highlighted at our Mass on Wednesday where  a special collection was taken to assist those people working in the Missions around the world. By drawing this to our attention it helps us better appreciate the magnificent work so many people do for others in our world. 

The following prayer, of mission, reminds us to pray for those who are suffering:

Mission Prayer Of St. Teresa of Avila

Christ has no body now but yours,

No hands, no feet on earth but yours.

Yours are the eyes through which He looks

With compassion upon this world.

Yours are the feet with which He walks

To do good works and bring peace.

Yours are the hands with which He blesses

All the world with God’s love.

Amen

Infant Jesus Family

Congratulations Michael Sheridan and his wife Amanda on the arrival of Connor last week. 

Did You Know...?

• The first email was sent out by Ray Tomlinson in 1971
• There are about  6,800 languages in the world
• All the coal, oil, gas and wood on the earth would only keep the Sun burning for only a few days

Thought for the Week

Do not go where the path may lead,

go instead where there is no path and leave a trail

God Bless,

Paul Hille

Principal

#ExpectGreatThings