Dear Parents, Friends and Guardians

COMING EVENTS

School Goals 2011 Review Tomorrow our Leadership Team, Annette, Bernadette, Tony and myself, will be attending our annual goal-setting and review meetings. These meetings are held with our other Catholic schools from across the Gold Coast and are facilitated by our Area Supervisor, Trevor Doyle. It is a chance for us to revisit our main focus areas for this year and to make further recommendations for the future. As our full team will be absent from school for the day, I have asked Diane Anderson to be our Teacher-in-Charge for the day. Prep 2012 Parent Orientation Meeting & Orientation Session - next week Next Monday evening, 7 November, we will be holding an Orientation meeting for all parents of enrolled Prep children for the 2012 year. This meeting will be held at 6.00pm and will start in the school’s Multi-Purpose Centre. After an initial welcome and some general notices the parents will move down to the Prep classes for more specific information. The children will be allocated into the classes which they will be in for next year and our individual teachers will lead the meeting for their respective classes for 2012. The meetings should be finished by 7.30pm. It would be best if children were not brought along to this meeting. On the following morning, Tuesday 8 November, we will open our Prep classes up to the new year’s intake of children from 9.15am until 10.15am. The children will be in the class they will be in for next year and with their teacher for next year. Parents are welcome to stay for the hour and we will have tea, coffee and water/ juice on offer in the staff room. We will also be conducting guided tours of the school during this time if you wish. School Fees 2012 At our last Advisory Council meeting it was moved and accepted that our school fees and levies for 2012 would be increased by 4%. Our Advisory Council is the primary school and the college’s governance body which is responsible for our financial accountability and the maintenance upkeep and planning of our school buildings. This body reports to our Parish Priest, Fr Pat Molony. Our 2012 budgets are currently being framed with a view for their ratification at our last meeting in November. The 4% increase was suggested by Brisbane Catholic Education and is seen as necessary to match the current Consumer Price Index rises which are approximately at this rate. Our full school fees and levies will be placed on the school website before the end of the school year. Last Day of School Midday Finish I write to inform our parent body that our school classes will finish for the year on Friday, 2 December at midday. Our Outside School Hours Care facility will be open from this time and bookings would need to be made for this service. We will hold a school assembly and prayer service in the morning and have Morning Tea at the normal time. Classes will then finish at 12.00. I would ask that parents please ensure that the children are picked up at this time or arrangements are made for their care. Please note there will ne no usual school bus services on this day. Marymount Fete – Saturday, 5 November – 11.00am – 5.00pm The Fete is only a few days away now and final preparations are being made. It promises to be a great day and hopefully a reward for the many hours of time that has been put into it by our volunteer parent and staff brigade from both schools. There are more attractions this year than in previous years and a full day of entertainment is on offer on the stage area. This will feature our school band and various bands from the College as well as gymnasts and dance groups. There are more rides for the children than in previous years and plenty for the younger children to do in the specially set up Junior Activities centre. The barbie will be going all day and there are drinks, cakes and fairy floss stalls to help keep your energy levels up. Our Art Union will be drawn at 4.00pm on the stage area and tickets will still be available on the day for this. If you still have any books of tickets outstanding please send them back in (sold or unsold) before the end of the week. Let’s hope for clear skies on Saturday and a great day. Booklist Payments Due The closing date for our 2012 Booklist payments is this coming Friday, 4 November. At this stage there are a significant number of accounts which haven’t been settled. I would ask that parents make this a high priority as without this payment we cannot order our books in time for collection by the start of the year. Thank you for your expected support with this matter. continued over...

PO Box 2506 Burleigh BC 4220 Phone:(07) 5535 1803 Fax: (07) 5535 1819 Email: pburleigh@bne.catholic.edu.au

MASS TIMES Children Mass

(Doyle Centre - children read at Mass) 5.30pm 1st Sunday of each month

Children’s Liturgy of the Word (Doyle Centre - children are with-

drawn for brief lesson) 10.00am 2nd & 4th Sundays; 5.30pm 3rd Sunday 8.30am each Sunday at St Bene-dict’s, Mudgeeraba

Parish Mass Times Sat—5.00pm Miami; 6.00pm at Palm Beach; 6.15pm at Burleigh Heads; Sun-7.00am at Palm Beach & Burleigh; 8.30am at Mudgeeraba & Miami; 10.00am at Doyle Centre;

Friday 4 November Yrs 5 –7 Sport Saturday 5 November Marymount Spring Fete Monday 7 November 6.00pm—Prep Orientation Evening Tuesday 8 November 9.30am—New Students Orientation Morning Wednesday 9 November Whole School Assembly—3SB Band Performance at Assembly Thursday 10 November 6.30pm—Band Concert Friday 11 November Remembrance Day Yrs 5—7 Sport

Friday 2 December SCHOOL FINISHES MIDDAY

Academy Award nominated documentary filmmaker Robko Belic (―Genghis Blues‖; ―Beyond the Call‖), has recently completed a documentary ―Happy‖. Happy compiles the footage of a four-year study across fourteen countries exploring happiness. Inspiration for ―Happy‖ was partly derived from an article by Tom Shadyac in New York Times in which measures were used to rank the happiness of citizens in various countries. As discovered in previous studies (and mentioned in recent newsletters), a contradictory correlation between material wealth and happiness was noted. Of the weeks spent in the slums of Kolkata, India, Belic writes:

Despite the fact that they live in little huts made of bamboo sticks covered in plastic tarps and plastic bags; despite the fact that there’s open sewage running in front of where they sleep; despite the fact that they have no income for medical care or schooling or for anything in excess of subsistence living, they’re as happy as the average American.

Belic noted that the difference between American society and that of the Kolkatan slums was the sense of bond or camaraderie that existed in the slums and that was less obvious in American communities. Belic argues that modern western societies are increasingly valuing individual freedom and individual expressions of lifestyles, at the expense of building real neighbourhoods where people know each other and care for each other. I was fortunate to listen to a presentation by Belic in which he spoke about his travels and studies and showed slides of the various communities he visited. One of the most poignant shots was that of an old Japanese woman. Belic explained that the woman in her nineties, was the sole family survivor of the destruction of Okinawa in World War 2. She was apparently typical of many in the village who had seen past the devastation and rebuilding with the few resources available, to be a proud and happy community member. Belic observed that everyone in the village seemed to be taken care of. Scientific data is giving credence to the well know words of John Lennon, ―..love is all you need‖. Of the time spent in the Okinawa, Belic concluded:

If you don’t have anything, what you do have is people, and that’s actually everything.

Belic was so moved by his study experiences that he made significant changes to his own life. Recognising the important of physical exercise as proven by neuroscientists, and his renewed understanding of the importance of altruism and community, he moved into a trailer park in Malibu where he engages in surfing and enjoys the community atmosphere of the park living. Belic’s study gives weight to arguments raised by Kylie Lang on Sunday (The Sunday Mail 17 July 2011) when she writes:

As society becomes more insular and young people perpetrate increasing violence, we must all reclaim our right to live safely.

Whilst many of us were appalled at the discovery of an elderly woman’s skeleton in Sydney in early July this year, perhaps we should not have been so shocked. Lang concurs with Belic in her observations that our

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Christine Smith Visit Today at assembly, Mrs Christine Smith, MLA Member for Burleigh presented the school with a Certificate of Appreciation on behalf of the Queensland Government for out school involvement in Adopt a Commonwealth Games Country on behalf of the 2018 Commonwealth Games Bid. Christine presented a plaque and wished us words of appreciation and recognition. Our thanks to Deb Cronin, Year 6 teacher, for being the school liaison person and her involvement in the project. Deb has done a great job and we thanks her for her efforts. Thanks for your time – enjoy the rest of the week. Yours in Christ Greg Casey

ALL ENQUIRIES TO TRACEY DEAN ON

0403 834 883 or email fete@marymount.qld.edu.

ATTENTION PARENTS Ride Passes (PINK WRIST BAND) will be

given out to the child nominated on the ride pass form either Wednesday or Thursday at

the end of the day. Please keep in a safe place until Saturday.

Thank you!

Christine Smith, MLA Member for Burleigh presented Greg Casey with a plaque and Certificate of Appreciation at today’s assembly.

Congratulations to the following students who have completed their initiation into the church by receiving the Sacraments of Eucharist and Confirmation recently in the Burleigh Parish. They and their families have been through the parish-based program over the last few months and celebrated in the various churches here. Please keep them in your prayers. Dominic Brennan Elise Burke Nicholas Dawood Isabella Dean Jack Doran Joel Foy Ashley Francis Isabella Freeman Caitlin Freeman Paris Freese Jason Griffin Bridgette Kennedy Jack Linton Natasha MacDonald Tara MacDonald Sam McCarthy Sam Munro Vinh Nguyen Zoe Nicholson Cooper Sawyer Antonio Serci Gabriel Sobczyk Keely Swaddling Chloe Thomas Jade Touzell Charli Touzell May the Lord bless you and keep you and make his face

shine upon you. Thank you!

Have you helped out at school this year? Are you a sport coach or assistant?

Did you walk on the beachathon or help at the Fete? Have you assisted in the tuckshop or with classroom

work?

We would like to thank you for your generosity at a special

Helpers’ Liturgy and refreshments

Infant Saviour Church Tuesday 22 November

starting at 9.30am

Please indicate your attendance on the slip below so that we can make arrangements for catering.

(Please return to Mrs Christensen at the office or to the class teacher)

Yes I would love to come to the Helpers’ Liturgy on 22 November! Name: Number attending: Enjoy the rest of the week Bernadette Christensen

Booklist payments due this

FRIDAY NOVEMBERFRIDAY NOVEMBERFRIDAY NOVEMBER 4.4.4.

neighbourhoods are changing as we turn inwards and look after ―No. 1‖. Whilst acknowledging that we are very encouraging and supportive of big-picture events, such as natural disasters (Q’ld floods etc), Lang points out that we are not often acting in a neighbourly way on a day-to-day basis. This is supported by an NRMA Insurance survey involving 2 100 Australians which found that nearly half of respondents rarely, if ever, spoke with their neighbours. One third claimed to be too busy with their own affairs to get to know neighbours. Lang’s main discussion however is on how to create communities that are safe and alive. She argues that in reclaiming our right to a safe neighbourhood, we need to ―sweat the small stuff‖. She cites examples of young offenders who vandalize and threaten the safety of others. She challenges such defences as,‖ They’re only being kids!‖ She argues that ―kids must learn, from what we say and how we act, that other people’s property and wellbeing are not less valuable than our own‖. She argues that young people should not be seen as a law unto themselves; that the ―small stuff‖ such as stealing a newspaper from the front yard, or refusing to pick up ―dog’s poop‖; or placing rubbish in letterboxes etc needs to be viewed as serious, and needs to be addressed from an early age. She writes:

Kids who are allowed to run amok pose a real risk of becoming serious criminals later on, and the transition doesn’t have to take long.

If we want to reclaim a community spirit and live in safe neighbourhoods, we need to all take on the challenge. We need to encourage a renewed respect for community and all its members. We can learn much from studies such as those by Belic and Biswas-Diener that allude to the point that community building requires nothing more than a personal attitude and response. Community is built on meaningful relationships and this is not exclusive to blood relations. The added bonus of responding in an altruistic way, is that there is growing evidence that not only will we have a safer and happier community in which to live in peace, we will also be happier people ourselves. Hope the rest of your week is happy! Annette O’Shea

Well done to Emily; Vinh; Rhett and Karlisha who received Writers Awards at today’s assembly.

These are details of upcoming events organised by Patron Parents on behalf of the families in the respective classes. Invitations have also been distributed via your child. In most cases, there is no need to RSVP; you are most welcome to simply

turn up and enjoy the company of others!

Year 7—Gingernut Café Thursday 3 November—8.00am onwards—Annemarie, Catherina, Shona

PTH Mums—Groove Train, Robina Saturday 12 November - 7.00pm RSVP Sharon

2LC—Coffee Club, Stocklands Monday 14 November - 9.00am Leigh & Ann-Maree

PJM Mums—Zen Chinese, Jupiters Friday 25 November - 7.00pm RSVP Leigh & Mignon

BURLEIGH HEADS CATHOLIC PARISH

Parish Office Hours 9.00am to 5.00pm 3 Sunlight Drive, Burleigh Waters (Postal PO Box 73, Burleigh Heads) PHONE: 5576 6317/5576 6466 FAX: 5576 7143

Parish Manager: Mr Jim Littlefield Parish Pastoral Team EMAIL: burleigh@bne.catholic.net.au

Parish Pastor: Fr Pat Molony Associate Pastor: Fr Rafal Rucinski Pastoral Associates: Sr Patricia Tomlinson, Sr Moira Broderick

Huge thanks to our regular tuckshop volunteers for helping out on the days I have requested 'HELP NEEDED'! Your generous actions have seen several of you in the tuckshop a lot more than your once a month commitment. The staff and students of Marymount are most grateful of your continued support of their tuckshop. FETE DAY THIS SATURDAY...thanks for the goodies already received for the cake stall. Don't forget to drop your cake box (filled with yummy goodies) to the tuckshop on Friday. Should you like to help out at the cake stall please give the tuckshop a call or pop in and see Vicki. ROSTER FOR NEXT WEEK: Monday 7 November...........Jade Gromley Tuesday 8 November..........Santina and Christina Wednesday 9 November......Irene and Catherine Thursday 10 November......Sharon Lewer **HELP NEEDED PLEASE*** Friday 11 November......Silvia Wilkinson & Michelle Tonks Thanks ladies for your fantastic support of the tuckshop!! See you all at the fete Vicki Turner

4JJ in their Melbourne Cup hats they made for the day.

PJL show off their Melbourne Cup outfits.

BOOK CLUB

As this will be the last Book Club for the year, the closing date will be FRIDAY 11 NOVEMBER and

not the 18th November as mentioned in the current catalogue. This will enable us to have all

orders delivered back to the school before the end of the last week.

No late orders will be accepted after the 11th November.

Congratulations to long serving staff members Kerry de Ruyter (Yr 7 teacher); Trudy Mainwaring (Year 2 teacher) and Sylvia Kelvin (LEC) who received certificates for 20 years service at today’s assembly.