From the Principal

Life is full of events that give food for thought but sometimes these events arrive all at once leaving

us a bit shell-shocked and confused. Well that’s been my experience of late. Last term was a most

uncharacteristic one for me in that I spent very little time at school due to surgery followed by participation

in the study tour and attendance at the Visible Learning Summit in Auckland. That left four school days

before Easter with two of those at the Positive Behaviour 4 Learning training in Brisbane. To say that there was

a lot happening in my head would be an understatement.

To be honest with you, I found myself in a very deep hole trying to make sense of it all in relation to us here at Stella

Maris. How did all the pieces fit together? Where to begin? Where to next? I felt ‘paralysis by information overload’

which, for someone who is usually clear-headed, was a very confronting experience but one for which I am very

grateful – now.

What to do? Well, from Holy Thursday night I gave myself the space to sit with it all, to think, to read, to scribble, to

pray and to let the way forward unfold. Thankfully my husband had left for a two week visit to family and I had the

house to myself—and so began my parallel Easter experience of sorts. It began weeks before with the excitement of

new learning opportunities followed by the uncertainties around the task ahead. Then came overwhelming self-doubt

before moving forward in faith that the greatest good can come from such times. Next came the decision to shut

myself away for days, before finally clawing my way out of the hole and poking my head above the rim. I cannot tell

you the joy, hope and excitement I felt on Easter Monday by which time I could see the big picture and how the pieces

of the puzzle came together.

By Easter Monday I had the first draft of a roadmap for the future: one which visually shows the alignment of the work

of our head, hearts and hands at Stella Maris. This roadmap can be used as a reference point for decisions, as a

touchstone for reflections on progress, as a means to identify our individual and collective strengths and weaknesses

and next steps in our learning journey together. It’s a work in progress and a living document as it should be, given

the breakthrough research (medical, technological and educational) that has shaped and changed the work of

education over the last decade alone. Who knows what will become known tomorrow?

This roadmap names our vision, mission, core values and beliefs about learners, learning and teaching and shows

their connection to an articulated Learning Process, Instructional Practices, Learner Qualities we seek to develop and

what Learning looks like. It also connects the roles of Leadership, Parish, Parents, BCEO and wider-community and

details expected Teacher Mind-frames, Planning Processes and Strategies to support high quality learning and

teaching.

Over the holidays the framework was shared, firstly with Eileen and Donita who were in the team for Auckland, then

Paul Blundell, our Area Supervisor and finally with Marie Previte who is Brisbane Catholic Education Senior Project

Officer – Organisational Performance and Improvement. Their questions, critique and suggestions have been

invaluable in bringing clarity to the plan. Sharing with staff groups and School Board will take place over the coming

weeks during which certain aspects of the plan will be fleshed out in greater detail.

21 April 2015

But plans are like beliefs and values; they come to life in action! Without aligned action, their potential for making a difference

is not realised. So, to continue the Easter analogy, like the disciples, we will be putting our words into action, hopefully with as

much passion, commitment and confidence as they showed in those early days. Watch this space.

Anzac Day March

All students are invited to join us on Saturday for the Anzac Day March and Ceremony. We assemble outside the RSL Club at

8am. Students must wear school formal uniform with their school hat and shoes. This year, we have been informed by the

organisers that parents and other family members will not be able to march with school groups, however, students will

be in safe hands with lots of staff members keeping a careful eye on everyone, especially the youngest. We look forward to

having record attendance this Saturday for the centenary celebration of the landing at Gallipoli.

The Australian War Memorial defines the qualities of the Anzac Spirit to include ‘endurance, courage, ingenuity, good humour

and mateship’. Interestingly, these qualities closely align with the core values and qualities we seek to develop at Stella Maris

– those of compassion and welcome especially for those in need, commitment to influencing the world in positive ways,

courage to act out of love and hope in the face of fear, confidence to lend our voice, our hands and our talents for the common

good and creativity to think outside the square as a way to move forward.

Have a great week everyone. Glenda

Survey Prize Draw Winners

Congratulations to Terri Whitfield, Kelly Tillack, Beth Kipping and Katherine Winsor-Harris on having their names drawn in the

final week. But most of all, thank you to everyone who completed the survey – it wasn’t an easy one, was it? In the end we

gained approximately 25% parental response with which we were happy. Thank you for taking the time in your busy lives.

Class Co-ordinators’ Meetings

A reminder that this week we invite all Parent Co-ordinators to one of two meetings being held on Wednesday morning from

9am or Thursday afternoon from 2pm in the Staffroom. Thank you, in advance, for your attendance. We look forward to

meeting with you all.

Interhouse Cross Country – this Friday morning

STELLA MARIS CROSS COUNTRY CARNIVAL FRIDAY APRIL 24th 2015

Students aged 10yrs, 11yrs and 12 yrs wishing to trial for District Cross Country MUST nominate and complete the longer qualifying course. All other students are to run with their year level.

Students may only compete in ONE race – NOT BOTH

9.50am Yr 4 Boys start 9.55am Yr 4 Girls start

10.00am Yr 3 Boys start. 10.05am Yr 3 Girls start

10.10am Yr 2 Boys start. 10.15am Yr 2 Girls start

10.20am Yr 1 Boys start. 10.25am Yr 1 Girls start

10.30am Prep Boys start. 10.35am Prep Girls start

9.00am 11 & 12 Yrs Boys & Girls start. – District

Trial

9.20am 10 Yrs Boys & Girls start – District Trial

9.35am Yr 6 Boys & Girls start

9.45am Yr 5 Boys & Girls start

Dear Parents/Caregivers,

Lest We Forget

This Saturday we celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Anzac Day. The acronym ANZAC stands for

Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, and

it remains one of the most important national

occasions for both Australia and New Zealand

- a rare instance of two sovereign countries not

only sharing the same Remembrance Day, but

making reference to both countries in its name.

Anzac Day is considered by many Australians

to be one of the most significant days of the

year with marches held in cities and towns

nationwide to honour veterans from all past

wars, as well as current serving members of

the Australian Defence Force. Anzac Day marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and

New Zealand forces at Gallipoli during the First World War.

We will be celebrating ANZAC Day as a whole school community on this Thursday at Assembly. You are welcome to join us.

The Maroochydore branch of the RSL has also invited staff and students of Stella Maris School to participate in the ANZAC

Day parade to be held on Saturday, 25th of April. We have a proud tradition of attending this event on behalf of the Stella

Maris Community and I encourage all parents, students and staff to join us. This year, because of the expected number of

participants, parents are invited to drop students off as the designated place (see below) and then move to the Cenotaph to

wait for the start of the ceremony rather than march with the children. This has been requested because of the larger than

usual number of marchers anticipated. Your cooperation would be much appreciated. There will be teachers on hand to

supervise the children and to accompany them to the cenotaph for the ceremony.

Students are required to wear full formal school uniform and will meet in the car park opposite the Court House at 8:00am

sharp , where they will join school staff and other Stella Maris participants. When the parade is ready, we will march to

Cotton Tree Park for the official ceremony and the laying of wreaths. Student representatives will lay a wreath on behalf of

the Stella Maris School community.

The students will then sit with teachers in a designated area under shade cloth on the eastern end of the Cenotaph until the

end of the proceedings. Parents are then asked to collect the children from the teachers at the end of the ceremony. The

timetable below is provided for your information:

8:00am – Parade assembles in the car park opposite the Court House – look for the Stella Maris School Banner!

8:30am – March starts at Court House car park.

9:00am – Main Service / Wreath Laying commences.

10.00am (approx.) Parents collect children from the teachers.

Please note that the roads for the parade route will be closed at 7.50am and not re-opened until after the main service.

We hope you can join us for this very auspicious occasion.

God bless,

From the APRE

Judith.

Christine Craig - Guidance Counsellor/ Psychologist

email: ccraig@bne.catholic.edu.au

Teaching your child resilience continued from March 31 From www.kidspot.com.au

Parenting tip #4: Develop strengths - One of the best things for promoting resilience is a belief that we are competent and able to complete difficult challenges. Parents who identify their children's strengths and help them develop those strengths will see their children become increasingly competent. Their children will experience success. They will be inspired and confident. They will gain a sense that they have something to offer the world. Maddie, a seven year-old, had trouble with reading and writing. But her parents and teachers noticed her love for drawing. They encouraged Maddie to draw by displaying her art in the classroom and at home. Maddie’s strengths ensured she was not defined by her weaknesses in reading. Your child may possess strengths in relationships, academics, music, sport, creativity, curiosity, or any number of other areas. By developing those strengths, inspiration, competence, and confidence will build resilience in your child.

Parenting tip #5: Teach that mistakes are an opportunity to learn - When you make a mistake, what do you do? Are you likely to throw your hands in the air and say it’s too hard? Do you give up and go back to what you know you can do? Or do you see the mistake as a chance to learn something new, and try again? When your children make a mistake, what do they do? And perhaps more importantly, what do you say to them? When we have a ‘learning’ orientation we see setbacks and failures as opportunities for mastery. By teaching our children that continued effort, practice, and learning are the keys to success, setbacks are no longer seen as frightening, and children become more resilient – willing to take risks and try new things. They are also more likely to look forward to possibilities in the future and have a more optimistic and curious nature. This mindset is strongly linked to resilience.

Parenting tip #6: Promote responsibility by giving responsibilities - Many parents say of their irresponsible children, “I want my child to be responsible but I simply can’t trust her to do what I ask.” They are unwilling to give the child any responsibilities because they fear the child will not be responsible. Lectures will not promote responsibility. Instead, responsibility comes from opportunities to be responsible, a chance to help, and by being part of a family that is involved in doing things for others.

Parenting tip #7: Teach your children to make their own decisions - When our children struggle, we often want to tell them what to do to fix things. Constantly making decisions for our children can undermine their decision making skills and confidence. When you child is faced with a problem, listen with your heart. Then see the world through his eyes. When he feels understood, ask the question: “What do YOU think we should do?” Let your child know that you are willing to help and support. Then invite him or her to make a decision, and be supportive. If a decision is poor, offer gentle guidance or ask, “I wonder what might happen if we did that.” As your child thinks through the various possibilities, he will gain confidence in making his own decisions following challenging situations.

Parenting tip #8: Discipline, but don’t denigrate - Children will make lots of mistakes, even when trying their best. When our children do things that are wrong, we can focus on teaching them rather than punishing them. Often the most effective way to teach is to invite our children to think about what they have learned from a particular situation. We can then ask them to make decisions about the most appropriate course of action, such as apologising, making restitution, and refraining from doing what they have done again in the future. Children who are resilient do better than children who are not resilient. Their parents use the skills outlined above to foster resilience, and as a result resilient children:

feel special and appreciated

learn to set realistic goals

have appropriate expectations of themselves

and othersbelieve they can solve problems and make good decisions

see weaknesses as a chance to learn and do things better

recognise, develop, and enjoy their strengths and talents

believe they are competentare comfortable with others

have good interpersonal skills

and most of all, resilient kids bounce back!

From the Guidance Counsellor

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Silence is the fabric upon which the notes are woven.” ~ Lawrence Duncan ~

TIP OF THE WEEK -Get into a routine with home practice. Start with a good warm-up, move onto difficult sections of new lesson or ensemble material and end with a piece you are good at playing and that you enjoy. You should improve through playing at home each week!! TWELVE BENEFITS OF MUSIC EDUCATION -The seventh benefit of music education is a critical life skill: In music, a mistake is a mistake; the instrument is in tune or not, the notes are well played or not, the entrance is made or not. It is only by much hard work that a successful performance is possible. Through music study, students learn the value of sustained effort to achieve excellence and the concrete rewards of hard work. FABULOUS LUNCHTIME CONCERTS

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC NEWS - Term 2 Timetables have been emailed to all enrolled families and lessons commenced this week. If you have changed your email address recently, please let us know to ensure you receive your lesson timetable. Timetables will also be displayed on the notice board outside the music room.

Speech Choir still has vacancies for any students in year 3-6 who are interested in joining. Please meet in the hall at 7.45am on Wednesday mornings with Mrs Rowell.

Siena Catholic College Musical – HAIRSPRAY will be held at Nambour Civic Centre on Friday 8 and Saturday 9 May from 7.30pm. The show features many ex-Stella Maris students and has a great story line about equality and empathy. Tickets are Adult $22 / Pension $17 / Student $17 / Children (up to 12yrs) $10 and can be purchased online at www.scvenuesandevents.com.au/nambour-civic-centre or by calling 5475 7777. Junior Band will commence on Monday 27 April involving all students who started to play Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, Euphonium and Percussion. Parents of students involved will receive an email from Mr Wynyard with futher details. Senior String Ensemble performing on Assembly – Thursday 30 April – School Hall, 8.45am Percussion Ensemble performing on Assembly – Thursday 7 May – School Hall, 8.45am SM Singers performing on Assembly – Thursday 28 May – School Hall, 8.45am Woodwind & Piano Soiree (Mrs Dean) – Tuesday 2 June – School Hall, 5-6pm Singing Soiree (Ms Bond) – Wednesday 17 June – School Hall, 6-7pm Guitar Ensemble performing on Assembly – Thursday 18 June – School Hall, 8.45am Sunshine Coast Catholic Schools String Workshop (all violin, viola, cello and double bass students) – Monday 22 June – School Hall, all day with a Concert at brief Concert at 4.30pm Piano Soiree (Ms Worthy) – Tuesday 23 June – School Hall, 5.30 – 6.30pm Remember, if you need to contact your child's tutor, details are shown on the top left corner of the lesson timetable. If you have queries regarding anything musical – please feel free to catch up with us before or after school, by contacting us in writing or via email.

Musically Yours, Inez Durrer Todd Wynyard Classroom Music Specialist Instrumental Music Coordinator idurrer@bne.catholic.edu.au twynyard@bne.catholic.edu.au

Music News

Community News

Welcome back to Term 2 – Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter and some

special time with family! Lots of exciting things happening this term – a Calendar

of Events for the rest of the year will be sent out very soon so keep an eye out for

that. Please be sure to grab your tickets to the Parents Night Out on 15th May. A great opportunity to have

some fun with other Stella parents and perhaps a proper conversation without rushing to/from work/home.

Where: Mooloolaba Yacht Club

When: 6.30pm Friday 15 Mqy

Cost: $30.00 per head

Dress: Frock up!

Tickets on sale from 1st April via the

following website and include drink on arrival, canapès and DJ

www.trybooking.com/HHBV

This is NOT a fundraiser, just a FUN NIGHT!

April Thursday 23 ANZAC Day Assembly 8.55am in Hall

Friday 24 School Cross Country 9.00am-10.45am

May Mon - Fri 4 - 8 Mother’s Day Stall

Tuesday 12 P & F Meeting in the Staffroom @ 6.30pm

Friday 15 Parent “Big Night Out” @ Mooloolaba Yacht Club

June Monday 8 Queen’s Birthday Holiday

Tuesday 9 P & F Meeting in the Staffroom @ 6.30pm

Friday 12 Sunshine Coast Show Holiday

Friday 26 Last Day of Term 2

July Monday 13 Term 3 begins

Tuesday 14 P & F Meeting in the Staffroom @ 6.30pm

Friday 17 P & F Movie Night

Thursday 30 Grandparent’s Day

August Saturday 1 Stella Maris School Fair @ Aussie World

Tuesday 11 P & F Meeting in the Staffroom @ 6.30pm

August 31 - September 4 Father’s Day Stall

September Sunday 13 Dad’s Golf Day

Tuesday 15 P & F Meeting in the Staffroom @ 6.30pm

Friday 18 Last Day of Term 3

October Monday 5 Labour Day Holiday

Tuesday 6 Term 4 begins

Tuesday 13 P & F Meeting in the Staffroom @ 6.30pm

Saturday 31 Family “Twilight” Movie Night

November Tuesday 3 Melbourne Cup Mum’s Lunch

Tuesday 10 P & F Meeting in the Staffroom @ 6.30pm

December Friday 4 Last Day of Term 4

District Trials Congratulations to Ollie Artley who was selected in the Coastal District Hockey team. Ollie will now compete at the Regional trials on the 29th April at Buderim.

Well done and good luck! Congratulations to Jordan Michael and Levi Penn who have been selected in the Sunshine Coast AFL representative Team. The boys will now compete at the State Championships on 4th - 8th June at Toowoomba.

Well done and good luck boys!

Process for District Trials - It is the student’s responsibility to collect a Coastal District "District Trial Permission Form" from Mrs Till or it may be downloaded rom the Parent Portal. This Permission Form must be completed in full by parents/caregivers and brought back to school to be signed by Mrs Till. Students must bring this signed Permission Form to the Selection Trial. NO PERMISSION FORM - NO TRIAL!

Please check the Parent Portal for updated District Trial Dates, Times and Venues

Wednesday Thursday Friday Tuesday

C Hobbs M Handsaker L Ford T Purvis

J Stitt S Wall

Group 1

A Brunswick, B Gibberd, C Crowe, E Judd, J Camp, K Czosnek, K Walsh, M Sutton, N Mac Minn,

S Eggmolesse, S Kelm, T Whitten, L Smith, T Sealy, A Mellish.

Suggestions for required items are: Packet Mixes (Pikelet – Chocolate Muffin – Chocolate Cake) Icing Sugar –

Eggs –Sugar – Cocoa – Butter – Coconut – Dates – Fruit or Salad Items (particularly apples for the slinky machine).

Notice Board

April 23 2015

Jesse Tullio, Olivia Hunt, Halea Eggmolesse, Leah McNamara, Patrick Stibbard, Charlotte Maher, Evie Modric, Ava Brown, Seanna Thompson, Brydie Eva, Niamh Wall, Angelina Reeves, Martha Simpson, Eva Chen, Nic Blunt, William Graham,

Ethan Sinclair, Jessica Hobbs, Luka Judd, Rocco Mancini, Oscar Nielsen, Lily Harkin, Lachlan Kuipers.

28 April - 1 May

Hot Dog - $3.00 ½ Hot Dog - $2.00

Gluten Free Option Available

NEXT WEEK’S SPECIAL

iLc Maker Spaces Lunchtime Activities are beginning in the iLc from 10.55am to 11.25am each day. See posters for more details about available activities. If anyone has any pre-loved knitting needles they are willing to donate to help us form a knitting club, please pass on to Donita in the iLc or drop them into the office.

RAINBOWS PROGRAM We are very pleased to again offer the Rainbows Program at Stella Maris. Rainbows offers children

from families who have experienced a loss through the separation/divorce of parents, the death of a sibling/close family member, a FIFO parent or any traumatic experience that you feel has affected your child. Sessions are held after school by trained facilitators working with each group. Letters will go home to all families tomorrow. If you would like your child to be included in the program please ask your class teacher or the front office for an enrolment form . Any questions please contact Donita Sullivan Rainbows Registered Director c/o Stella Maris school.