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Dearest Our Lady of Lourdes Families, Welcome back to Term 3! It has already been a busy and exciting start to the term here at Our Lady of Lourdes.
Last week, we kicked things off with our Athletics Carnival. It was a fantastic two days filled with energy, sportsmanship, and team spirit. A big thank you to Gilroy Santa Maria College for generously allowing us to use their oval for our sprint event - what a beautiful day it was! Also a big thank you to our staff for ensuring the two days have run smoothly. A special mention to Mrs Melissa Inunciaga for all the hard work she has done behind the scenes. Information regarding the selection for Barnes Cup in Week 3 will come out to families in the next week.
This week, we have been proud to celebrate NAIDOC Week, beginning with a whole school liturgy on Monday that reflected on the 2025 theme, The Next Generation: Strength, Vision, and Legacy. On Tuesday morning, we hosted our NAIDOC Learning Breakfast, where students, staff, and families gathered to share stories and take part in a range of activities designed to deepen our understanding and appreciation of First Nations cultures. It was wonderful to see so many families join us for this special occasion.
Evie and Arcadia joined Sarah Dunn, Kim McCosker and I at the Hinchinbrook NAIDOC celebrations at the Shire Hall. It was lovely to witness the flag raising ceremony and join together with community groups to celebrate First Nations Culture. A big thank you to Sarah Dunn for organising all of our NAIDOC week events this week, it was a wonderful way to celebrate with our school and the wider Hinchinbrook community.
Next week promises to be just as vibrant, as we mark Catholic Education Week, a time to celebrate the rich tradition and mission of Catholic education in our community. We’re also looking forward to Under 8’s Day and our Prep Expo, which are sure to bring joy, fun, and excitement to our youngest learners.
Spirit of Catholic Education Award Nomination
Congratulations to Mrs Kym Giliberto on her nomination for the Spirit of Catholic Education Award which will be presented to her on Monday evening next week at the diocesan celebration. Please see below the details of her very worthy nomination.
Kym Giliberto embodies the Spirit of Catholic Education through her unwavering commitment to serving others with compassion, humility, and joy. As the school chaplain at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School, Kym plays a vital role in nurturing the spiritual, emotional, and social well-being of our students, staff, and the wider community.
With tireless dedication, Kym leads the Mini Vinnies group, empowering students to live out the Gospel values through action. Whether organising outreach activities, promoting awareness of social justice issues, or encouraging prayerful reflection, Kym walks alongside our students, helping them grow into compassionate and active members of our faith community.
Kym also raises funds for the missions in a simple yet effective way—by making and selling frozen cups. What may seem like a small initiative has a significant impact in terms of the funds raised and the sense of shared purpose and stewardship it fosters among students.
Within the school, she checks in with children daily, providing a listening ear, words of encouragement, and quiet acts of kindness that often go unseen but are deeply felt. All of this is accomplished in partnership with the children of our school. Kym is deeply committed to involving students in every aspect of her ministry, modelling a faith that is active, inclusive, and grounded in service.
Kym Giliberto is a kind-hearted, thoughtful, and hardworking member of our staff who enriches our school community daily. Through her example, she builds our school's Catholic identity and inspires others to live with faith, hope, and love.
She is a faithful witness to the Spirit of Catholic Education, and we are proud to nominate her for this well-deserved recognition.
Many blessings,
Jo Desailly
Principal
Dear Families,
Next week, we celebrate Catholic Education Week with a combined Catholic Schools Mass. Representatives from the Catholic Schools in our district and the Early Learning Centre will gather to give thanks to God for his gifts of Faith, Hope and Love.
Catholic Education Week
Catholic Education Week (CEW) 2025 takes place from Sunday, July 27, to Saturday, August 2. The week provides an opportunity for all Catholic education communities around Queensland to celebrate and promote the distinctive mission of Catholic schooling.
This year, we again celebrate CEW with the theme' Communities of Faith, Hope & Love.' This theme captures the essence of what it means to be part of a Catholic school community and underpins the values-based education associated with Catholic schools.
During CEW, Queensland Catholic education communities are invited to celeb
rate and showcase how they embody the values of faith, hope and love.
Our Years 4-6 students, along with students from other Catholic schools in the district, will attend the District CEW School Mass at St. Patrick’s Church on Thursday, 31 July, at 9:30 am. Families are welcome to attend.
First Holy Communion
Sessions start the week of August 4 and will be held in Mercy Hall beside St Patrick’s Church, Ingham. They will take place on Tuesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. and Thursday afternoons at 3:30 p.m. There will be five one-hour preparation sessions for First Holy Communion, including your child, one or both parents, and any other family members who wish to attend. As the students prepare for First Holy Communion, please keep them in your prayers as they embark on this significant step in their faith journey.
The Solemnity of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop
The next date for Prayer Across the Diocese is 8th August, the Solemnity of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop. Our Lady of Lourdes School will participate in Christian Meditation.
Saint Mary MacKillop (also known as Saint Mary of the Cross) was a Catholic nun and the first Australian to be canonised by the Catholic Church. The church de
clared her a saint in October 2010. She was committed to helping the poor and would help those in need whenever possible. Mary was active throughout Australia in establishing schools and welfare institutions by founding the Josephites, Australia's first order of Nuns, also known as the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart.
Mary MacKillop Quotes
Never see a need without trying to do something about it.
We are but travellers here.
God gives me strength for what is necessary.
We must teach more by example than by word.
It doesn't matter how young or old we are. We can all take something away from these words.
God Bless
Moris Gori
Year 3 and 5 NAPLAN Report
The 2025 Student NAPLAN Report for your child will be sent home in a yellow envelope with your child today. This report reflects your child’s results from participating in the national assessment program that allows national, school and student comparisons of performances. The different components of this report show your child’s performance in each of the five areas of Literacy and Numeracy completed when these tests were administered online in March. These results need to be considered along with other results provided by the school, including semester reports, school data and Learning Conference information.
Teachers will take some time to look over class and student data. If further explanation is required, you are welcome to make an appointment with your child’s teacher to discuss this report if you have any questions or concerns or alternatively book a Learning Conference in early Term 4. The data from these assessments, along with school data, assists the school and teachers in monitoring each child’s performance and identifying additional opportunities to assist in maximising student learning.
Term 3 Novel Studies Year 2-6
This term, students in Years 2–6 are diving into Novel Studies as part of our reading and comprehension focus. Each year level will explore a carefully selected novel designed to engage students and build their skills in reading fluency, comprehension, and rich vocabulary discussions.
Here’s what each year level is reading:
- Year 2 – George’s Marvellous Medicine by Roald Dahl
- Year 3 – The Twits by Roald Dahl
- Year 4 – The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
- Year 5 – The Grandest Bookshop in the World by Amelia Mellor
- Year 6 – Can You See Me? by Libby Scott and Rebecca Westcott
Students are already into their first week of reading and engaging with these texts through class discussion, reflection, and comprehension tasks. This is a great opportunity to ask your child about their book; it could be a wonderful conversation starter at home this week!
We’re looking forward to seeing students grow as confident, thoughtful readers across the term.
Sarah.
NAIDOC Week Learning Breakfast
Ryan v O'Connor Athletics Carnival
What a fantastic day we had on Friday at the school athletics carnival! Congratulations to all the children for their effort and great sportsmanship throughout the day. Special congratulations to O'Connor House for winning the Sandra Breciannin Perpetual trophy for track and field. And to Ryan House for winning the Flavia Menegon Perpetual Trophy for Ball games and Relays.
A big thank you to the staff at Gilroy Santa Maria College for allowing us to use their facilities and for all the preparation needed to get the grounds ready. Also, a huge thank you to all the Lourdes staff and parents for your help on the day. A school team will be selected to represent Lourdes at the upcoming carnival, The Barnes Cup, on Thursday, August 7th. All families and children will receive the information shortly.
| Prep A | River Edmonds, Hunter Petersen |
| Prep B | Jackson Spina, Georgie Chiesa |
| 1A | Benjamin Marsh, Olivia Truffa |
| 1B | Elsie Tabone, Kade Carrara |
| 2A | Carter Brown, Lachlan Alce |
| 2B | Elise Gibson, Ayla Valastro |
| 3A | Indiana Ivey, Hunter Blanco |
| 3B | Hendrix Davis, Darcy George |
| 4A | Max Quabba, Maddyn Ruggieri |
| 4B | Dallas George, Mila Frain |
| 5A | Matisse Scovazzi, Parker Sheahan |
| 5B | Isaac Summers, Imogen Accornero |
In this edition of SchoolTV - School Refusal
School refusal, sometimes called school avoidance or school phobia, is not uncommon. It is different to ‘wagging’ or truancy and is often related to worry or anxiety-related issues about going to school. School refusal may start gradually or happen suddenly. Although it is normal for a child to occasionally miss a day of school, parents should only be concerned if a child regularly complains about feeling sick or often asks to stay home due to minor physical complaints.
School refusal is a complex issue as there is rarely a single cause. It affects children of all ages across primary and secondary levels. It can often occur during times of transition at school. More recently, the Coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the educational experience of all students, affecting some more than others. Dealing with a school refusal child can affect the whole family, adding pressure to an already challenging time. School refusal is not considered a formal psychiatric diagnosis. It’s a name given to an emotional and/or behavioural problem.
In this edition of SchoolTV, adult carers will learn how best to approach this issue and work towards a solution.
We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this edition of SchoolTV and we always welcome your feedback. If you have any concerns about your child, please contact the school counsellor for further information or seek medical or professional help.
Here is the link to the School Refusal edition of SchoolTV
https://olltsv.catholic.
Two Words to Say to Kids When They Mess up
Time and time again, the little people in our lives say and do the wrong thing. That’s because they’re still learning and they’re human. Just like us adults, they make mistakes. And just like us adults, sometimes their impulsive, knee-jerk reaction is the opposite of what they meant in their heart-of-hearts. However, the amazing thing about having a conscience is that we know when we’ve made a bad choice. Children are actually very good at knowing the difference between right and wrong.
We want to teach our children to self-regulate and strengthen their internal filter, so that they can take a moment, move past their poor choice, and act on the appropriate reaction. And, one of the easiest ways we can begin to teach this is by calmly saying two simple words when they’ve messed up: “Try again.” Giving kids a second chance is an easy way to help them learn to make good choices, to slow down and think before they act.
Rather than carrying out our knee-jerk reaction to scold or shame children when they’ve made a mistake, we can help by allowing them to rewind and rewrite the story. “Try again, buddy!” Eventually, with time and patience, you won’t need to give them a second chance because they’ll make better choices in the first place.
Written by Dana Kerford
Friendship Expert and Founder of URSTRONG
