Term 2, Week 6 - 29th May, 2025

From the Principal

Dear families,

Leadership Forum Reflections

Last week, I had the privilege of visiting the beautiful town of Goondiwindi for the Toowoomba Catholic Schools' Leadership Forum. Alongside the executive leadership team and fellow principals from our network of 32 schools, I participated in enriching professional learning, received important system updates, and engaged in meaningful spiritual formation.

The theme of the forum was 'You are the salt of the earth and light to the world.' (Matthew 5:13)

As I reflected on verses from the book of Matthew, I was reminded of what they mean for me as a leader—the importance of my actions and the quiet power of everyday choices. To be salt and be light. To live with wisdom and purpose. It's a call to action—not through grand gestures, but through consistent, meaningful moments. Salt leaves a mark. Light offers hope.

But what does this mean for our students and children? Salt—really? Salt holds incredible significance. Once used as currency and valued like gold, salt has long been treasured for its many uses. It acts as a preservative, keeping things fresh long before refrigeration existed. It influences chemistry in cooking and even prevents roads from freezing in cold weather. Today, we primarily value salt for its ability to enhance flavor. It has the power to transform things for better or worse. Jesus' message calls us to shape and impact the lives of others—bringing depth, preserving goodness, and making a lasting difference in the world. Jesus further strengthens this analogy by comparing us to light.

Our school motto and song, Let Your Light Shine, reflects the light we carry within us. If we keep our faith to ourselves and fail to share it, it's true purpose is lost. Imagine holding up a candle, whether lit or unlit—does it lose any of its flame when it lights another? Not at all! Once aflame, it spreads its glow, brightening the space around it. Even the smallest source of light, be it a candle, a flashlight, or something else, can make a meaningful difference.

At St Maria Goretti, we encourage students to explore ways to actively share and embody their light. Just as a pinch of salt enhances the flavor of food, we inspire students to enrich the lives of those they encounter each day, creating a positive impact wherever they go.

Safe School Travel

Walking and Riding

Walking or riding to and from school offers children a great chance to burn off energy through daily exercise while also encouraging independence and a sense of responsibility for their schedule.

If they are embarking on this journey for the first time, consider accompanying them for the first week or two. This gives you the opportunity to model safe traffic practices, guide them along the most secure route, and highlight potential hazards to enhance their awareness of their surroundings. It also allows you to assess their preparedness and ability to manage the commute on their own in the future.

Laws and Age Considerations

In Queensland, there are laws regarding the supervision of children under 12 years of age. If a child under 12 is left unsupervised to walk or ride to and from school, it may be considered a violation of the law if the journey is deemed unreasonable for a child of that age. As there is no set age at which children are allowed to walk or ride to and from school, to assist in assessing if the travel is reasonable for your children, it is important to consider:

1. The travel distance to and from school.
2. The time taken to travel to and from.
3. Any potential risks in your neighbourhood. These may include crossing major roads, travelling through areas that are not well lit or visible from passing traffic and/or lack of foot or bike paths.

Stranger Danger

Children should be reminded not to stop and speak with strangers on their way to and from school, never to accept a lift from someone they don’t know and to have strategies for what to do if someone is making them feel unsafe. 

The Yell & Tell process explains to children that they should not be afraid to say ‘NO’ to a stranger and if a stranger makes you feel unsafe, always ‘YELL AND TELL’:

• Yell ‘HELP’ or ‘I DON’T KNOW YOU’ to get someone’s attention.
• Tell someone you trust what has happened.

Additional Safety Tips for Children

• If someone tries to engage you in conversation, keep walking and let them know—while continuing to move—that you need to get to school, where your friends and teachers are waiting for you.
• If a stranger offers you a ride or calls you over to their car, politely decline and keep walking. Never enter a vehicle with someone you don’t know.
• If you suspect you’re being followed, stay calm. If possible, cross safely to the other side of the street and head towards the nearest safe location—such as a school, police station, or a busy area with people around.
• If you need to escape from someone in a car, always move in the opposite direction to make it more difficult for them to follow you.
• Never share personal information—such as your name or home address—with a stranger, unless they are a police officer.
• Always confide in a trusted adult if a person or situation makes you feel uneasy or unsafe.

By working together, we can all play our part in keeping children safe.

Yours in education,

Casey Robinson

Principal

Our School Prayer

Students of the week - Week 5

Sight Word Certificates

Happy Birthday

Sportsmanship Award

Library News

National Simultaneous Storytime

Our students and staff celebrated this national event with great spirit and enthusiasm for the story "The Truck Cat" written by Deborah Frenkel and illustrated by Danny Snell.  Thank you so much Miss Barnes for sharing the story with the whole school! Thanks also to Mrs Smith and Clairabelle for the wonderful truck featured in the library display. Students enjoyed some paper-based activities from the story during Wednesday lunchtime. Thanks to Mrs Smith and staff who facilitated this follow-up to the story. Go to Storybox Hub https://storyboxhub.com/ and sign in with Username: smg, Password: stories to view The Truck Cat being read by Jacek Koman.

NSST "The Truck Cat"

Read More in May

Students have been encouraged to continue their home reading challenges set out on the flyer in the Week 4 newsletter. We have completed some during library time. Join in the fun at home!

Using Information to Learn

All classes spend some time on developing their information skills during their weekly library session.

• Prep and Year 1's have been using images to understand how life was in the past
  
• Years 2/3/4 have been learning the 10 main subjects used in the Dewey classification system. This system is used in libraries around the world to organise Non-Fiction books by their subject and leads to successful searching for information books.
• Years 5/6 have gathered facts and drawn conclusions about the factors that led to development of Australian colonies in the 1800's.

Week 4 and 5 in the Library

Happy Reading

Anne Anderson

Teacher Librarian

Upcoming School Events

Parent Engagement Network (PEN)

Enrol Now for 2026

Please visit our school website for information about enrolment https://www.inglewood.catholic.edu.au/enrol or call the office on 4652 1109.

Strategic Plan 2023-2026

Notices