The first instalment of school fees has now been issued, via email. If you have not received an account, your email has changed, or if you have not previously given us this information, please contact the office to update your records.

5% DISCOUNT

St Philomena’s offers a 5% discount on school fees for any family who would like to pay the whole year in advance during February. Payments must be received by Friday 28th February for the discount to apply.

If you would like to pay this way, please contact the school office for a calculation.

Payment options

The tuition, building levy and major excursion fee is an annual charge that is divided into three (3) instalments for convenience. Account instalments are issued at the beginning of terms 1, 2 and 3. Unless a prior arrangement has been made with either the Principal or the Finance Officer, all accounts are expected to be finalised promptly by the end of week 4 of Term 1, 2 and 3.

The following options are available for payment:

Qkr! App for smartphone. (School fee and excursion payments, as well as uniform and canteen orders.)

Direct Debit from bank accounts.

Centrelink payments via Centrepay.

EFTPOS.

Cash or Cheque.

If you would like to pay via Direct Debit or Centrepay please contact the office for relevant paperwork.

The following is an article by Dr. Ovid, a pediatrician neurologist, warning about a silent tragedy that is growing today in our homes and concerns our most beautiful jewelry: our children.

Our children are in a devastating emotional state! Over the past 15 years, scientists have given us increasingly disturbing statistics on a sharp and steady increase in childhood mental illness that is now epidemic:

Statistics don't lie:

• 1 out of 5 children have mental health issues

• A 43% increase was seen in ADHD

• A 37% increase in teenage depression was seen

• A 200% increase in the suicide rate among children between 10 and 14 years of age has been seen.

What's going on and what are we doing wrong?

Today's children are over-Stimulated and over-given material items, but they are deprived of the foundation of a healthy childhood, such as:

• emotionally available parents

• clearly defined limits

• responsibility

• balanced nutrition and proper sleep

• movement in general but especially outdoors

• Creative game, social interaction, casual play opportunities and spaces for boredom

Instead, these last few years have been filled to the children of:

• digitally distracted parents

• The and self-indulgent parents who let children "rule the world" and be the ones who set the rules

• A sense of law, deserve everything without earning it or be responsible for getting it

• Inappropriate sleep and unstable nutrition

• A sedentary lifestyle

• endless stimulation, tech nannies, instant gratification and absence of boring moments

What to do?

If we want our children to be happy and healthy individuals, we need to wake up and get back to the basics. It's still possible! Many families see immediate improvements after weeks of implementation of the following recommendations:

• Set limits and remember that you are the captain of the boat. Your kids will feel safer knowing that you have control of the wheel.

• Give children a balanced lifestyle filled with what children need, not just what they want. Don't be afraid to say ' no ' to your kids if what they want isn't what they need.

• Provide nutritious food and reduce junk food.

• Spend at least one hour a day outside doing activities such as: Cycling, hiking, fishing, bird/insect watching.

• Enjoy a daily family dinner without smartphones or technology that distract them.

• Play table games with the family or if the kids are too small for table games, get carried away by your interests and let them be the ones who send in the game.

• Get your children involved in a home job or task depending on their age (folding clothes, order toys, hanging clothes, unpack food, setting the table, feeding the dog etc.

• Apply a consistent sleep routine to make sure your child sleeps long enough. Schedules will be even more important for school-age children.

• Teaching responsibility and independence. Don't protect them too much from frustration or error. Wrong will help them develop resilience and learn to overcome the challenges of life.

• Don't load your children's backpack, don't carry your backpacks, don't take the stain they forgot, don't peel the bananas or peel the oranges if they can do it (4-5 years old). Instead of giving them the fish, show them to fish.

• Teach them how to wait and delay reward.

• Offer opportunities for "boredom" because boredom is the moment when creativity wakes up. Don't feel responsible for always keeping kids entertained.

• Do not use technology as a cure for boredom, nor offer it at the first second of activity.

• Avoid the use of technology during meals, cars, restaurants, shopping centers. Use these moments as opportunities to socialize by training the brains to know how to work when they are in mode: "boredom"

• Help them create a "bottle of boredom" with ideas of activities for when they get bored.

• Be emotionally available to connect with children and teach them self-regulation and social skills.

• Turn off phones at night when children have to go to bed to avoid digital distraction.

• Become an emotional regulator or coach of your children. Teach them to recognize and handle their own frustration and anger.

• Show them to greet, take tricks, share without expectation of getting a return, say thank you and please recognize the mistake and apologize (don't make them), be a model of all these values that we teach.

• Connect emotionally - smile, kiss, tickle, read, dance, jump, play a game with them.

Article written by Dr. Luis Rojas Marcos, a psychologist.

Holiday Maintenance

During the summer school holidays our oldest toilet facilities on site, those of the infants department, underwent a spectacular renovation. From dull and old to modern and fresh! After almost 40 years, bathroom design has come a long way.

Students and staff in the primary department are now also enjoying the comforts of good climate controlled air conditioning, due to a significant plant upgrade. The update has been very much appreciated during our recent hot and humid summer days!

Thanks for both projects must go to the following local contractors:

B&F Gartshore Builders

Reece Plumbing

Woods Airconditioning

KMH Electrical

Mary Mackillop Award

The Mary Mackillop Award is designed to reflect the Christian values of our school and of Mary Mackillop and is awarded to someone who has helped others. Congratulations to the following students:

Clementine Gall, Lily Key, Beau Joseph, Matilda Ward, Angus Makim, Charlotte Gregg, Grace Carter, Molly South, Lucinda Devney, Amelia Cheetham, Demi Green.

St Philomena's School News

Issue 2 · 27 Feb 2020

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