School chaplains across Queensland, and in particular, Mount Isa, are preparing for a busy week ahead, with 'Chappy Week' running from May 14 – 21.
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Chaplaincy in schools is basically supporting students socially, emotionally and spiritually.
- Chaplain Corlia Pienaar
The week is all about celebrating and supporting the work school chaplains do in schools and the community.
This week to celebrate, chappies are continuing many of their current programs, culminating in a free barbecue breakfast at Townview State School on Friday morning.
This will include sausages, bacon, eggs, pancakes, fruit and juice, with all the chaplains based in Mount Isa coming along to help.
Corlia Pienaar, chappy across three schools including Central State school, Mount Isa Special School and School of the Air, says "chaplaincy in schools is basically supporting students socially, emotionally and spiritually."
The work chaplains do varies between each school.
In Mount Isa there are chaplains based across seven schools; Spinifex State College and Barkly Highway State School share Renee Quilty, Central State School, Mount Isa Special School and School of the Air share Corlia Pienaar, Townview State School and School of the Air share Les Van Lelyveld, and Camooweal State School has Jono Wright two days a week.
Mount Isa Local Chaplaincy Chairperson, Mischa Grummitt, said that school camps, class activities, and breakfast and lunchtime programs are just some of the things chappies do.
“The most important thing all the chaplains do is to offer support to the whole school community in whatever way they can.”
"This includes support for at-risk students, support for staff and families from the wider school community, and spiritual support for the school community.”
“The work chaplains do would not be possible without the support and donations that they receive from local services, businesses, churches, individuals and their local chaplaincy committees,” Ms Grummitt said.
Scripture Union Queensland (SU QLD) is the largest supplier of school chaplains in Australia and i endorsed by Education Queensland as an accredited employing authority for school chaplains.
Collectively, SU QLD supports around 540 chaplains in primary and secondary schools in the state.