Principal's Report
Principal's Report
Dear Parents,
POSITIVE VIEW OF LIFE
It is wonderful to see the school spring to life again last week with the enthusiastic coming together of students and teachers, fresh from what appeared to have been a most enjoyable holiday break. However, I guess as the term goes along and the weather becomes warmer (hopefully), the accumulation of the year’s activities will start to take its toll and the children will need plenty of love, support and inspiration to help maintain their enthusiasm.
Sometimes it so happens that inspiration does not always come from people who we might wish to emulate or imitate. St Francis Xavier, during his exhausting mission to the people of Asia, is quoted as saying, “I complained about having no shoes until I met a leper who had no feet.”
A couple of years ago there was a film which told the story of the legendary Christy Brown, who was born into a large family in a very poor part of Dublin. Christy had cerebral palsy which gave him a shaking body and an ungovernable head; his left foot was the only part of his body he could move. When he was five years old, he took a piece of chalk with his toes and began to draw. His mother taught him to read and then paint using his foot; he also learnt how to type.
People like Christy Brown and St Francis can help us to reappraise our attitudes to life. Sometimes we need to see past the negative intrusions into our lives and be influenced more by the positive aspects of each day’s events. We need to look at any given situation and ask ourselves what is right or good about it before we start to look for the negative or pessimistic view. This, I feel, is a most important trait we can pass onto our children, so they continue to embrace life with a spirit of wonder, awe and enthusiasm. With this type of approach our children would never fall into the trap of taking things for granted and would always be grateful for the opportunities that have been given to them. How blessed and exciting would life be …?
School Improvement
Next week, a small contingent of staff from Infant Jesus School will be attending the National Diocesan System – School Improvement Colloquium on school effectiveness and improvement. We have been asked to present at this conference, some of the work we are doing as a school in the area of school leadership, whole school improvement and digital technologies. The theme of the Conference "Catholic School Improvement – Impact on ALL Students" – places at the heart of the conference, a focus on the young people we serve in Catholic education.
Our workshop details the development and impact of school improvement over the past three years; shares the future direction of school and system reform in WA through Leading Lights; and demonstrates moving theory to practice through the sharing of one school’s journey in developing quality teachers who have embraced digital transformation with improved outcomes for students as their focus.
Don’t Label Children . . Help them Learn
Most parents would be hopeful that the observation that, “Children will be a great comfort to you in your old age,” is true for them when the time comes; that time might come sooner than expected, if the second part of the observation is true, “and they help you reach it faster, too!” Lionel Kauffman.
Parents are in constant demand from their children but, thankfully, those demands are mostly about food, shelter and pocket money. When demands of a more serious nature arise, such as bullying, we parents need to be immediately available to avoid the prospect of real damage being done to the self-image and self-confidence of our children. However, parents need to be sure that bullying is what actually occurred and that it wasn’t taunting or teasing. Bullying is not accidental but intentional and, whatever its form, its intention is to hurt the other person.
Bullying is an aggressive and negative behaviour and can occur regularly over a lengthy period of time. Taunting does not contain a physical component but makes fun of a person with the intention of hurting their feelings. Taunting tends to cause embarrassment to the other person by making them become red-faced or teary or visibly frightened. Teasing is somewhat harmless and occurs when a person pokes fun at another person and usually receives a return serve. Neither person feels hurt, because hurt is not intended nor directed at something distinguishing about the other person, such as their speech or appearance.
As parents, we need to be careful that we don’t protect our children too much for, if we do, we aren’t empowering them to deal with conflict and challenges that pop up in life. If we want our children to be resilient and able to develop a healthy self-image and positive relationships, even through disagreement and conflict, then, we have to allow them some practise at facing their physical, emotional and social challenges with minimal interference from us and other adults. If we are always there for every minor incident, our children will run the risk of growing up unable to look after themselves in adult social situations.
Sometimes children are reluctant to tell adults about bullying, because they feel embarrassed and ashamed that it’s happening; they might worry that their parents will be disappointed. They might even feel that it’s their own fault and that if they looked and acted differently, it wouldn’t be happening. When a child does seek help, they need to be praised for being courageous enough to talk about what’s happening to them. They need to be reassured that it’s the bully who’s behaving badly, not them, and that together you can work out a plan of action.
Bullying has many styles and motives and devising a strategy to eliminate it will depend on the individual circumstance. However, there are some basic principles that will suit most circumstances and these principles might include:
- Advise your child not to respond to bullying by fighting or bullying back. This can easily escalate into violence, trouble and someone getting injured.
- Advise that it’s natural to be upset by the bully, because that’s what bullies thrive on. Practise not reacting, or looking upset or becoming teary.
- Advise telling the bully very firmly to stop what they are doing and then calmly walk away. By ignoring the bully you show you don’t care.
- Encourage your child to get with friends who help their confidence; find activities that help your child feel confident and strong.
Performing Arts Festival
Over the next five weeks students from Infant Jesus School will participate in the Catholic Schools Performing Arts Festival. Children will represent the school in the Choral (School Choir) and in the Liturgical sections of the festival. The festival incorporates students from Catholic schools around the state. It is a time of great excitement for our budding musicians as they will assuredly share their hard work and prowess, through voice or upon dedicated instruments, with the wider community.
In the next few weeks the music students will be diligently polishing their performance pieces to ensure they are well prepared for their scheduled performances. Please be advised of the important dates to note in your diary
The performances are as follows:
The Infant Jesus School Choir
Monday 7 August (11.15am-12noon)
St Benedict's Parish Church, Applecross
The Infant Jesus School Choir & The Year 4 Choir
Tuesday 22 August (2.45pm-4.00pm)
Vasto Club, Balcatta
Infant Jesus Concert Band
Tuesday 22 August (7.00pm-9.30pm)
Marist Auditorium
Newman College
Interschool Cross Country
Congratulations to our Interschool Cross Country Team who competed this week at Perry Lakes. Sixteen schools were represented at this year’s carnival and our students tried exceptionally hard, coming 9th overall. Well done to all!
25th Jubilee Infant Jesus Church
This year marks the 25th Anniversary of the new Infant Jesus Church. Fr Sunny and the assistant priests, along with the Parish Council and the various active committees within the church are planning for a big celebration to recognise the occasion. Three bishops, including Archbishop Costelloe will be attending the Masses over the weekend of 26 & 27 August.
As you know, Saturday 19 August is an Infant Jesus School Family Mass. There will be a number of opportunities for our community to be involved, particularly as Friday 25 August is IJ Day!
Attached is the Parish Jubilee Week Program. Please mark your Calendar.
Infant Jesus Family
Our prayers and thoughts are with the Modica Family (Grace 5B, Isabelle PKB2) as they farewell their beloved Nonna who passed away recently. May she rest in the peace of God in heaven.
CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations to Layla Firns (6W) for making it into the Under 12s Bruce Cup Tennis team. Layla will compete in Melbourne in October. We wish her all the best.
School Uniform
The parents and staff at Infant Jesus School expect a high standard of dress to be maintained by all children. Students attending Infant Jesus School are required to wear the correct school uniform and sport uniform on the prescribed days. It is not appropriate for students to wear various coloured scarfs and jackets at school after they have arrived.
We encourage children to keep their hair neat and tidy whilst attending school. Hairstyles for both boys and girls should be appropriate and reflect accepted standards. Shoulder length hair or longer, is to be tied up with either scrunchies or ribbons in appropriate school colours.
Parents are requested to refrain from allowing children to dye or streak their hair during school terms and the Principal reserves the right to decide the acceptability of hairstyles.
A watch and a necklace with a Christian symbol may be worn and students are permitted to wear a signet ring. Additionally, students are not permitted to wear nail polish or makeup to school. Students may wear one stud or sleeper (plain – eg. gold or silver) in each ear lobe.
Prayer for the Week
Dear God
We pray for ourselves, our families, our communities and
our schools.
May our hope in the future be nurtured,
May our trust in each other be encouraged,
May we be a sign of God’s love on this earth and enable
those we touch to be models of your goodness.
Empower us to be your servants, leading as You would in
justice and charity.
Enlighten us today with the power of your Spirit.
May You bless us and keep us always
in the palm of your hand.
Amen
SCHOOL PHOTO DAYS 31 July, 1 August
2017 SCHOOL PHOTOS INFORMATION
Our photographers for this year are Masters School Portraits. This year MSP are giving the schools the opportunity to go 100% online. Students have been issued with an online ordering instruction slip and unique student ordering code for parents to follow and place their orders online via the MSP website. To do this you have a "Shootkey" code on your information slip to use. No pre paid envelopes will be issued.
Forms for family portraits are available from the school office. Family photos will be taken in the Library before school, from 8.00am - 8.30am, next Monday and Tuesday.
All children need to be dressed in the full winter uniform for their photo days.
Term Three Important Dates
Monday 31 July
- School Photos
Tuesday 1 August
- School Photos
Thursday 3 August
- Parish Mass Yr 1 and 6
Monday 7 August
- Performing Arts Choir St Benedict 11.15am
Thought for the Week
It is not Happiness that makes us Grateful, but Gratefulness that makes us happy
God Bless,
Paul Hille
Principal
#ExpectGreatThings
