- Principal News
- Head of Teaching and Learning News
- Year 2 Inside Story
- Devotional Thought
- GSP Running Club News
- Sport News
- Arts @ St Paul’s
- Tuckshop News
- Library News
Issue 2 - 02 August 2022
Issue 2 – 02 August 2022
In this issue
From the Principal
The benefits of a good laugh! This week at St Paul's, we have been focussing on Joy and the power of laughter in our lives and the lives of those around us. Mrs Jealous has been asking students to fill her mailbox (which sits outside her office) with 'Dad Jokes' that we can share with the community. This got me thinking about the power of joy (and laughter) in our lives.
From the Head of Teaching and Learning
Engineers Without Borders
Last Monday, students in Years 5 and 6 were visited by Engineers Without Borders. They learnt about the many and varied engineering roles, what an engineer does, and they were given an engineering problem to solve. To solve the engineering problem, students were given a real-life context, where they learnt about the seasonal conditions in Cambodia and the implications for residents in the houses that they live in. Students were given a minimal budget and a small number of materials to buy within this budget and they were tasked with constructing a floating house. Our students were deeply engaged in this task and the Engineers visiting our school were so impressed with their curiosity, deep engagement, and the questions they asked both about the cultural and geographic context within Cambodia and in their inquiry into what materials would help their house to float. Students then tested their design and adjusted as needed. Once their floating house was stable enough to float, they tested their design further to see the weight it could carry by using a range of small weights that they placed on one at a time. Our students absolutely loved having the Engineers Without Borders' volunteers visit us and I am sure we have more than a few budding engineers in our midst!
Year 2 Inside Story
In Year 2, we have been learning about the structure of narratives. We have been writing a class story about a Princess named Ava who got lost at an abandoned castle in the forest because she was distracted by a bouncing bunny. We have really enjoyed all the possible complications and solutions that this story line has presented.
We have also been presenting our plasticine models of the life cycle of mealworms as a conclusion to our recent Science Unit. These will be displayed at the Learning Expo.
Devotion
When God Says "No"
Maybe you’ve prayed and petitioned for God to open doors in your life, just to feel the breeze of door after door swinging shut. Maybe you’ve prayed for the healing of a loved one, just to see him or her pass away. Or perhaps, you prayed for a new job and never got it.When We Hear “No”
When we pray for something and it doesn’t happen, it is easy to believe God hasn’t answered our prayers. We begin to think that God has forgotten us or was too busy dealing with something bigger or better. No prayer prayed goes unanswered. The answer just might not be what we expected. Sometimes God says “yes,” while other times His answer is “not yet” or even “no.” If you’ve ever felt God saying “no,” you’re in good company. David, one of Israel’s kings and a man after God’s own heart, asked God to build a temple and God said no (1 Chronicles 28). Paul, author of most of the New Testament, begged God three times to remove a thorn piercing into him and God said no (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). Jesus even petitioned for God to rid Him of His suffering the night before He died on the cross and God said no (Mark 14:32-42). No prayer prayed goes unanswered. The answer just might not be what we expected. God tells us no because He knows that there is something better for us. In Isaiah 55, God makes a comforting statement to His people, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9). If God is telling you no, don’t lose hope! Trust that God knows what He is doing and has something better than what we wanted.Sometimes “No” is “Yes”
It is hard to accept “no” for an answer and easy to believe that God’s decline is a sign of His rejection. But God never says “no” to mock or mame us. His “no” is to make room for a better “yes” for our lives. After all, if God hadn’t told Jesus no, we would have never had the opportunity of salvation!The Best is Yet To Come
God knows what’s best for our lives, and sometimes what’s best involves saying no. When God says no, take hope - He is making room in your life to move in ways that you cannot even imagine. Romans 8:28 is a great reminder for everyone that has accepted Christ into their lives that, “...in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” God promises that He will work together everything we experience even the hard and painful stuff--for our good in ways that are better than we could ever imagine. (https://newspring.cc/articles/when-god-says-no)
GSP Running Club
GSP Running Club
Hi, my name is Annemarie and I am the coach of the GSP Running Club. I’m a Level 3 Performance Development Coach with Athletics Australia, specialising in Sprints, Hurdles, Relays, as well as Long Jump, High Jump, Triple Jump and Pole Vault. I’m also an IAAF Kids Coach and a Sporting Schools Coach.
GSP Running Club is on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We meet at 7am at the undercover area close to the St Paul’s car park and drop off zone. The program aims to build foundational skills and techniques in engaging and fun activities. Students can have two free trial sessions.
Please contact me if you have any questions or you would like to your child to sign-up.
Annemarie_vanDaalen@glc.qld.edu.au
Sports
District Athletics
An incredible couple of days of athletics unfolded last week in the District Athletics Event, held at Apex Park. Our brilliant students ran, jumped and threw their way into the record books as St Paul's were awarded the Champion School pennant for our division. Our wonderful team produced District champions in multiple events (Aiden M and Ododoeye O), podium finishes (Diing K, Ivy A, Eli M, Angok K, Ava P), finalists (Indiana A and Callum B) and numerous personal bests, first times and wow, I’ve never done that before’s to make it a hugely successful and thoroughly rewarding event. Great thanks must go to the wonderful athletes for their impeccable behaviour and conduct, incredibly supportive parents/grandparents/family/friends who were able to attend and Mr Bellert for his wonderful counsel and impeccable officiating duties. Our full team consisted of Sarah L, Ava L, Ododoeye O, Calin D, Shinaya T, Eleanore C, Claire S, Deng A, Caleb F, Rushton R, Dain A, Carter C, Cameron C, Kaleb J, Violet R, Annabelle M, Ava M, Kiki B, Ambar W, Indiana A, Marciano W, Aiden M, Jett N, Diing and Angok K, Callum B, Aston N, Alice B, Charli C, Kate F, Ava P, Mila J, Ivy A and Allira C. Congratulations to one and all; you represented our God, our school, your families and yourselves with great distinction.
Arts @ St Paul’s
Busking @ St Paul's
Dear Parents & Caregivers of Yr 3-6 Students, Please feel free to encourage your child to be part of Busking at St Paul's on Wednesday 10 August. The application form is available at Reception and needs to be returned to the office by this Friday 5 August. Let's have another successful Busking Day!
Library News
As part of the Queensland Premier's Reading Challenge, Students are encouraged to read as many books as they can! To complete the challenge:
- Prep to Year 2 should read or experience at least 20 books
- Years 3 and 4 at least 20 books
- Years 5 to 6 at least 15 books.
