Queen of Apostles School

Lord,

strengthen me,

and surround me with your favour and kindness.

Thank you that during times of difficulty and distress,

you will uplift me and sustain me.

Thank you for being my light and salvation.

Amen

Dear Queenies Crew,

What an incredible effort from our QOA community! Together, you raised a fantastic $15,700.25 through the Colour Run. Thank you to every family who donated, encouraged others to contribute and joined in the fun, and to our P & F and staff for helping bring it all together.

Having passed our $15,000 target, I kept my end of the bargain and braved the clippers! It is certainly cooler with all that wisdom removed from the top, and I hope everyone enjoyed watching the head-shaving experience. Apparently, seeing your principal lose his hair is quite the crowd-pleaser!

Even better, your generosity means we can purchase not only much-needed PE equipment but also a new set of robotics equipment for the school. More opportunities to move, build, code and explore. #YesPlease!

Yesterday, our Year 6 students led Kids4Kids Market Day, a wonderful social justice initiative that brings the whole school together through fun activities, games and items for sale. It is a practical opportunity for our students to put their faith into action and use their creativity and teamwork to help others. A reminder that all money raised will be donated to Kids for Kids, supporting the Flame of Love Orphanage in the Congo. Thank you for supporting our Year 6 students and this important cause

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This week, nominations open for our 2027 School Advisory Council (SAC) and Parents & Friends Association (P & F). Both groups make a valuable contribution to school life, bringing parents’ perspectives, ideas and energy to our community. With one meeting each term, it’s a manageable and meaningful way to get involved. If you’re interested, please take a look at the nomination information further on in this newsletter. We would love to welcome some new faces.

Our after-school Coding Club also begins this week! Run by Code Camp in the library throughout Weeks 2–8, sessions will take place on Mondays for PP–Year 2 and Tuesdays for Years 3–6. We are trialing these extracurricular opportunities to gauge community interest and explore ways to broaden what we offer our students. Best of luck to our junior and senior coders as they begin their coding adventures. I look forward to seeing what they create!

A heads up Mr B will be taking long service leave during Weeks 3–5 this term, with relief staff covering his PE and Science classes, and we wish him a wonderful, well-deserved break!

Thank you for the many ways you contribute to QOA. The Colour Run was a wonderful reminder of what we can achieve together, even if it has left your principal with considerably less hair.

Green lights,

Jesse Yock

Principal

We wish to let our school community know that Valencia Maloney has resigned from her position at QOA, and Angela Letendrie, our Pre-Primary Education Assistant, has also decided to explore further opportunities.

We sincerely thank Valencia and Angela for their contributions to our school and for the care and support they have shown our students. We wish them both every happiness and success in their next chapters.

We will keep families informed as staffing arrangements are confirmed.

We recently emailed families to assist with our planning for next year. If your child will not be returning to QOA in 2027, please advise the office in writing by Friday 30 October. Families continuing at QOA do not need to respond, and this request does not apply to current Year 6 students progressing to secondary school. If your plans are uncertain, please contact Mr Yock for a confidential conversation.

Writer Derek Thompson shares a powerful metaphor: attention is like water poured from a pitcher into different labelled cups - work, children, partner, screens, worry, and more. Each cup represents something we only have so much of: attention.

As parents, we know which cups matter most. It’s obvious. We’re “supposed” to put our attention into our children. They’re our priority. We’re “supposed” to fill our partners’ cup, our health cup. Plus, there’s our work (because the rent or mortgage has to be paid. We need food on the table). Yet in practice, our attention is frequently drawn elsewhere. Screens, notifications, work stress, and online distractions can quietly take more “water” than we realise.

But then we do a reality check. Our screen time app tells us we’ve spent 75 minutes on social media, while we know we have only spent eleven minutes talking with our son or daughter. We’ve ruminated about work frustrations all weekend, but can’t remember the last unhurried conversation we had with our child.

Thompson argues that our attention reveals our true priorities. Even when we intend to be present with our children, we can end up mentally elsewhere - scrolling, replying to emails, or getting caught in online noise. Over time, this means less meaningful connection at home.

The key insight is that attention is not just limited - it is constantly being allocated, often automatically. We are wired to respond to urgency rather than importance, which is why interruptions and digital demands often win.

However, attention resets. Each day offers a fresh opportunity to redirect where our focus goes. Small, intentional choices - like reducing screen use, being fully present during family time, or protecting device-free moments - can shift what we are “filling” each day.

Your kids aren’t measuring your intentions. They’re measuring your presence. Not the 30 seconds of distracted “uh-huh” while you finish a text. The moments when they have you - your eyes, your focus, your water.

Everything else is just noise we’ve mistaken for necessity.

For the full article, click on the link below:

Whose Cup Are You Filling? – Happy Families

Sharlene Epis

sharlene.epis@cewa.edu.au

Reference

Happy Families. (2026). Whose cup are you filling? https://happyfamilies.com.au/articles/whose-cup-are-you-filling

Catholic Education Western Australia (CEWA) has confirmed that smart glasses will be prohibited in Catholic schools from Monday 12 October 2026.

This follows the Western Australian Government’s decision to prohibit smart glasses in public schools and reflects CEWA’s commitment to maintaining safe, respectful and secure learning environments for students and staff.

From 12 October 2026:

• Students and staff must not wear, use, charge or store smart glasses on school premises or at any school-organised event or activity.

If your child requires smart glasses for medical, accessibility or assistive technology purposes, please contact us to discuss the appropriate arrangements.

Dear Parents and Carers

Our strong sense of community is one of the things that makes Queen of Apostles so special. It relies on parents and caregivers who generously share their time, ideas and experience.

We are now seeking nominations for our Parents and Friends (P&F) Executive Committee and Catholic School Advisory Council (SAC).

Our P&F strengthens connections across our community by supporting events, parent engagement, advocacy and fundraising initiatives. Our School Advisory Council works collaboratively with me, providing advice and valuable perspectives on the school’s strategic direction, planning and financial stewardship.

I warmly encourage you to consider nominating if you have a genuine desire to contribute positively and work with others for the benefit of our students and school community.

Your involvement can make a real difference, and I would be very grateful for your support. We only hold one meeting per term.

We are seeking nominations for members for 2027.

School Advisory Council:

• Seeking one new member

Parents and Friends Executive Committee (P&F):

• Seeking two members

Nominations:

• Open NOW
• Close: Friday 30 October

Please submit your nomination using the online form below, which includes a small paragraph or two about yourself and why you wish to nominate. If you have any questions or would like more information, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Kind regards

Jesse Yock

If you have any school uniforms in reasonable condition that your children have outgrown or no longer require, please consider donating them to our Second-Hand Uniform Stall.

Our second-hand uniforms are always a greatly appreciated option for families, especially with how quickly our children grow!

All money raised through the Second-Hand Uniform Stall goes directly back into supporting our school community.

Donations can be dropped off at the school office.

Many thanks for your support,
Queenies P&F

🎉 DOUBLE THE DONATION & HELP OUR SCHOOL WIN $5,000 CASH!

This spring, your everyday savings can make a BIG difference to our school.

From now to 2nd November, every Entertainment Membership sold raises $30 for our school — DOUBLE the usual donation!

Plus, if our school sells just 3 Memberships this month, we’ll go into the dra

w to WIN $5,000 CASH!

That’s 3 sales → 1 entry → $5,000 for our school!

For just $75, an Entertainment Membership unlocks thousands of savings across Australia, New Zealand and Bali.

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💙 EVERY MEMBERSHIP MAKES A DIFFERENCE

Every Membership purchased during the double-donation campaign helps fund Classroom Technology, Sports & PE Resources, and our Community Garden.

Plus, every Membership purchased this year goes into the draw to win an unforgettable expedition to Antarctica!

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Thank you for your support!

Together, we can reach our fundraising goals and give our school a chance to win $5,000 cash.

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Term 1: Monday 2 Feb to Thursday 2 April

(Break from Friday 3rd April until Sunday 19th April)

Monday 2nd March - PUBLIC HOLIDAY

Thursday 2nd April - PUPIL FREE DAY - Interviews

Term 2: Monday 20 April to Friday 3 July

(Term break from Saturday 4th July until Sunday 19th July)

Monday 20 April - PUPIL FREE DAY

Monday 27 April - PUBLIC HOLIDAY

Monday 1 June - PUBLIC HOLIDAY

Tuesday 2 June - PUPIL FREE DAY

Term 3: Monday 20 July to Friday 25 September

(Term break from Saturday 26th September until Sunday 11th October))

Friday 21 August - PUPIL FREE DAY

Friday 25 September - PUPIL FREE DAY

Term 4: Monday 12 October to Friday 11 December