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Dearest Our Lady of Lourdes Families,
We are now well into Term 2, and it has been wonderful to see our students making the most of the newly completed play spaces. The joy and energy they bring to the new playground and lawn area each day has been a delight to witness. These spaces are already having a positive impact on student wellbeing and engagement during break times.
We are still awaiting the commencement of repairs to the school hall. Unfortunately, we do not yet have a confirmed timeline for when these works will be completed. We will continue to keep you updated as more information becomes available.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported our recent fundraising efforts, particularly the Mother’s Day Raffle and the Link2Country event. Your generosity and involvement helped us raise a total of $2,100, which will go directly towards resourcing and equipment for our students.
Over the next few weeks, our teachers will be working diligently to finalise assessment tasks and begin writing student report cards. This is an important and busy time in the school calendar, and consistent student attendance is essential to ensure accurate and comprehensive reporting. Please make every effort to have your child at school each day so they can complete all required learning and assessments.
We would also like to remind families about the importance of safety around school drop-offs and pick-ups. Please ensure that children are being dropped off and collected in the designated areas and that road safety is being observed at all times. This includes using crossings and avoiding double-parking or calling children across the road. We all share the responsibility for keeping our students safe.
In addition, we have noticed a growing number of students arriving at school well before the supervision period begins. Please note that there is limited supervision between 7:50am and 8:10am. Teachers officially commence duty at 8:10am, and we kindly ask that students not be dropped off earlier than this unless it is absolutely necessary. Your cooperation ensures that all children are safe and appropriately supervised.
Wishing you a blessed week ahead,
Jo Desailly
Principal
Dear Families,
Laudato Si Week (May 24 - May 31)
This week, we celebrate Laudato Si’ Week, a special time to reflect on Pope Francis’ call to care for our common home. It’s an opportunity to learn about the importance of caring for creation and to renew their commitment to protecting the environment.
National Reconciliation Week (May 27 - June 3)
The 2025 theme, Bridging Now to Next, invites all Australians to reflect on the past and work together for a better future. The artwork by Kalkadoon woman Bree Buttenshaw uses native plants to symbolise strength, renewal, and growth.
These dates mark the 1967 referendum and the Mabo decision—key moments in our reconciliation journey. Reconciliation is about respect, relationships, and unity, and we all have a role to play in walking together toward a fairer future.
This National Reconciliation Week, I invite everyone to learn more about the oldest living culture in the world. There are a number of fantastic books, resources and websites you can go to to learn more. Here are just a few:
www.abc.net.au/kidslisten/little-yarns/
Pentecost (June 8)
On Sunday, June 8, we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost. It is celebrated seven weeks (50 days) after Easter Sunday. Pentecost is the commemoration and celebration of Jesus' disciples' first encounter with the Holy Spirit. The disciples were a group of ordinary people who worked closely with Jesus. Jesus sent the disciples out to preach and teach his message. What happened to them at Pentecost was a clear sign that Jesus was still with them ‘in spirit’ and that the Holy Spirit would be with them as they carried on the work he had begun. The gift of the Holy Spirit was Jesus’ last promise to the disciples, giving them the confidence to live their lives in accordance with God's teachings and Jesus' teachings.
Every day, the Holy Spirit is present in places, people, and events in each of our lives. Sometimes, an experience may leave you with an awareness of God or a feeling that brings you a sense of peace, joy, stillness, or love. We are guided by the Holy Spirit just as the first leaders of our church were so long ago to love, forgive, and grow more Christ-like in our words and actions.
Palm Nursing Home Visits
Over the past few weeks, our Year 6 classes have had the wonderful opportunity to visit The Palms Nursing Home. These visits have been a special time of connection, where students engaged with residents through conversation, shared stories, and participated in activities together. It’s been heartwarming to see the joy and friendship that has grown between the students and residents, reminding us all of the importance of community, compassion, and care across generations.
Sacramental Program
Our Sacramental Program resumes this week. Again, it will be held in Mercy Hall beside St Patrick’s Church, Ingham, on Tuesday evenings at 7:00 pm and Thursday at 3:30 pm. The Sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated with First Holy Communion on September 13 at 6:00 pm OR September 14 at 8:30 am at St Patrick’s, Ingham.
God our creator,
Keep the gifts of your Spirit
active in the hearts of your
people.
Make them ready to live the
Gospel and follow the
example of Jesus.
Bless them in their daily
interactions and help them be
Spirit-filled in
the service of others.
We ask this through
Christ our Lord.
Amen
God Bless!
Moris Gori
The Arts: Drama Lessons
This term, we’ve had the pleasure of welcoming Ms Kimberley Veltmeyer in an exciting additional role, leading our drama program. Under her guidance, students have been engaging in lively, imaginative lessons that are full of creativity, collaboration, and fun
Each session has provided students with the opportunity to explore a range of drama skills, including improvisation, role-playing, and storytelling. They’ve been stepping into different characters, using expressive movement, voice, and costumes, to bring short performances to life in exciting and meaningful ways. Whether re-enacting scenes from familiar stories or inventing their scenarios, students have shown great enthusiasm and a willingness to step out of their comfort zones.
Ms Kimberley has shared how rewarding it’s been to witness their growing confidence each week. Students are taking creative risks, encouraging one another, and immersing themselves in the world of drama, making our sessions a safe and vibrant space for self-expression.
We’re incredibly proud of their progress and can’t wait to see where their imagination takes them next!
If your child is aged 9–12 and has a passion for the performing arts, they may be interested in joining the Ingham Junior Theatre. For more information or to express your interest, please contact Carly via the Ingham Theatre Group website:
https://www.inghamtheatregroup.org.au/contact-itg/
What's Happening in Year 4
Link2Country
National Reconciliation Week
Woodstock Intershool Horse Sports Challenge.
On Saturday the 17th May, seven talented students from our school showcased their skills at the annual Woodstock Interschools Horse Sports Challenge.
Evie Taylor, Demi Celotto, William Celotto, Ellie Allen, Lotti Duffy, Chloe Celotto and Alixis Catasti each delivered outstanding performances, achieving personal bests and exemplifying remarkable team spirit. We are immensely proud to announce that Our Lady of Lourdes was awarded the Best Presentated School during the March pass - a truly proud moment for our school community. Congratulions to everyone involved!
Swimming News - Thank You
Cross Country
Congratulations to all the students who competed at the North Queensland Cross-Country Trials this week!
#TeamLourdes #ProudMoment #CrossCountryChampion
Football News
As the weather begins to get cooler, students are reminded to wear the appropriate winter uniform, which must be navy blue in colour. A navy blue embroidered jacket or plain navy blue jacket, available for purchase from Menz, is part of the required winter attire as well as . Students may wear either navy blue track pants or navy blue stocking tights for added warmth. Please note that exercise leggings, patterned bottoms or jeans are not permitted. Adhering to the winter uniform guidelines ensures a neat, consistent appearance for all students during the colder months.
Week 6
| Prep A | Ryder Lazzaroni, Gabriella Barbi |
| Prep B | Ada Seri, Rory Sheahan |
| 1A | Darya Haddad, William Orton |
| 1B | Maya Menegon, Harrison Steine |
| 2A | Nova-Leigh Rist, Bacter Faulkner |
| 2B | Arya Gori, Hudson Oswin |
| 3A | Fletcher Rose, Oliver Romano |
| 3B | Sienna Summers, Julian Trovato |
| 4A | Brayden Turner, Cait Sheahan |
| 4B | Liam Giddins, Ashlee-Mae Garvie |
| 5A | Millie Mastrippolito, Ellie Allen |
| 5B | Lufia Howarth, Phoenix Giliberto |
| 6A | Ebony Bahr, Louis Ricablanca |
| 6B | Maddie Currington, Ashley Swarbrick |
New to Little Athletics? Come try it at the 2025 Coles Winter Carnival in Townsville!
You don’t have to be a Little Athletics member to take part — this carnival is open to ALL kids aged U7–U17, so if your child loves running, jumping, or throwing, this is their chance to give athletics a go in a fun, friendly environment!
When: 28–29 June 2025
Where: Townsville Sports Precinct, Burke Street, Townsville
Who: Open to all U7–U17 athletes — no LAQ membership required!
It's the perfect way to try athletics, stay active, and enjoy the Queensland sunshine during the Winter school holidays. All welcome!
Register now through our NEW Sport:80 platform:
https://laq.sport80.com/public/wizard/e/3/home
Need help registering as a non-member?
Here’s a simple step-by-step guide: https://bit.ly/431jBoS
Come for the PBs or just for the fun — either way, it’s a weekend you won’t forget!
More details: https://laq.org.au/coles-winter-carnival/
We’re excited to invite all families to our Family BBQ and Movie Night on Thursday, 19th June! This will be our first family engagement event of the year, and we’d love to see you there. We’ll have a sausage sizzle ($2), soft drinks ($2), popcorn ($1), and lollies ($1–$2) available for purchase, along with raffles and giveaways throughout the evening. It promises to be a fun and relaxed night for our school community—come along and join in the fun!
The Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School Board is currently inviting expressions of interest for the appointment of one new board member. In our commitment to maintaining a well-rounded and diverse board, we are particularly seeking individuals who can contribute expertise in the following areas: First Nations perspectives, the Cardwell community, governance and policy. We also welcome applicants with other relevant backgrounds that may enrich the current composition of our board.
If you are interested in this opportunity, please complete the attached application form and return it directly to me. All applications will be presented for consideration at our upcoming board meeting, and applicants will be notified of the outcome following our meeting on Wednesday, 11 June.
Before submitting your application, we kindly ask that you review the attached constitution to ensure you are familiar with the responsibilities and expectations of board membership.
Applications will be accepted until Friday, 6 June. If you would like further information, please contact our Principal, Mrs Jo Desailly.
Thank you for your thoughtful consideration and interest in supporting the mission and governance of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School.
UR Strong
Tips on Supporting Children in Fiery Friendships
One of our favourite tools for talking to kids about how they’re feeling in their friendships is The Friend-o-Meter. Although it’s normal to have a friendship dip into the Red-Zone now and again (Friendship Fact #1: No friendship – or relationship – is perfect!), what happens when a friendship is up and down A LOT?
While many kids will admit they’ve experienced this type of friendship, a friendship that goes from the Green-Zone to the Red-Zone regularly can feel very challenging. Words that children use to describe these high-conflict friendships include: unpredictable, hard, and exhausting.
These friendships can feel especially confusing for parents, as their child oscillates between “Best Friends” and “They’re not invited to my birthday party!” For teachers, these students can sometimes cause a lot of drama for classmates who sometimes find themselves caught in the middle (what we call in our Friendology friendship skills curriculum, a Friendship Sandwich! It’s sticky and messy in there!).
So, what can we do to support a child in this type of everyday-is-different friendship?
First, identify if they are suffering. Are they upset about it? Is it deeply affecting them? Are they really struggling (*here are some signs to look for)? If the answer is no, and the child seems to be handling it quite well, then this might be a case of them simply ‘ironing out the wrinkles’. Whether it’s a new friendship or the dynamic of the friendship has changed, it sometimes takes time to get to know each other and learn how to get along.
‘Fiery Friendships’ are especially common for children with strong personalities who form friendships with kids similar to them. While they might click at first, they’ll naturally begin to butt heads. For these kids, the highs are high and the lows are low!
But, as parents and educators, we can rest easy if (1) the good times outweigh the bad times AND (2) they’re putting out their Friendship Fires® by working their way around the Friend-o-Cycle. If these two factors are present, then it sounds like they are figuring it out and it might just be a lifelong friendship in the making.
However, if a child is coming home in tears every day and really seem torn up about it, here are a few strategies to try as you coach them from the sidelines (Note: Log-in to your free family membership to access the activities):
- “How can you spend less time in this friendship?”: Sometimes these volatile friendships are simply a product of spending too much time together. Help your child come up with a plan to decrease their daily dose of this friendship. Give this activity a try: Spending Less Time
- “It’s time to get strategic in this friendship!”: Help your child get clear on what works and what doesn’t work in their friendship. When are they getting along? When are Friendship Fires igniting? Then, help them come up with a plan. Watch this video: Feel-Good Friendships
- “Are they Friendship Fires or is it Mean-on-Purpose?”: It’s important that your child understands the difference between normal conflict (Friendship Fires®) versus intentionally rude, cruel, malicious behavior. Try this interactive tool: Friendship Fire or Mean-on-Purpose Advice
- “Did you Talk-it-Out until the Fire-is-Out?”: Has your child truly talked to their friend to tell them how they’re feeling? Are they being honest with their friend or do they keep sweeping the issues under the rug? For parents, this might be an opportunity to plan a playdate or sleepover to create that one-on-one time with their friend. Role-play with them, so they can practise what they’ll say. School is a busy place and sometimes it’s hard for kids to find time to Talk-it-Out with a friend. Watch this video: Be a Friendship Ninja
- “What colour friendships do you deserve?”: Ask them, “Let’s think about a friendship that goes from green to red, green to red, green to red on The Friend-o-Meter. What colour does that friendship average out at?” Help your child identify that friendship would average out in the Yellow-Zone. Remind them they deserve Green-Zone friendships in their lives! Try this activity: The Friend-o-Meter: Time to Chat!
While it’s normal for a friendship to have the occasional Friendship Fire®, a healthy friendship has been proven by Dr John Gottman’s research to have at least 5 positive (green) interactions for every 1 negative (red) interaction. These tricky friendships are a great opportunity for children to master their conflict-resolution skills and learn to foster healthy, feel-good friendships.
One thing we say to kids all the time is: “You teach people how to treat you!” When kids deal with their Friendship Fires® in a kind and respectful way, it deepens friendships creating closer & stronger connections.
Written by: Dana Kerford
Founder & Friendship Expert
