PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
Dear Parents and Friends,
Thank you for the wonderful support you have given to our school over the past few weeks, helping the students settle into their school routines and participate in the events we have held so far this year
We are halfway through Lent and I thought I would share with you a few special thoughts from some of our students about Lent and Easter:
What is lent?
“Lent is about getting ready for Easter” (Madelyn in Kindergarten)
“Lent is about putting the beautiful purple cloth on our tables” (Sophia In Kindergarten)
“Lent is about being kind” (Lillian in Kindergarten)
“Lent is a special thing when to get a special cross on your head and that’s Ash Wednesday” (Ben C in Kindergarten)
“To be like Jesus” (Ryan in Kindergarten)
“To be kind to others and help people” (Audrey in Kindergarten)
“When people trip over we help them in Lent” (Maisie in Kindergarten)
“Lent is about giving up something we like” (Leura in Year 2)
“Lent is about to be kind to others” (Emreen in Year 2)
“Purple is the colour of Lent” (Eva in Year 2)
“During lent you have to give up something for 40 days and it is very special that you give up something that you love. Our family gave up KFC for Lent” (Elijah Year 2)
“During Lent you need to be kind, like helping someone when they fall over” (Shiloh Year 2)
“When it's the end of 40 days of Lent, Jesus rose back from the dead at Easter” (Romeo Year 2)
How are you inspired during Lent?
“Lent inspires me to talk to God more so I can pray” (Nixon in Year 4)
“Lent inspires me to stop eating lots of food and think of others” (Eli in Year 4)
“Lent inspires me to be more kind” (Ollie in Year 4)
“Lent inspires me to be like Jesus”(Grace in Year 3)
“Lent inspires me to be kind to others” (Camilla in Year 3)
“Lent inspires me to help the poor” (Archie in Year 3)
“Lent inspires me to pray more and love God and be closer to him” (Oliver in Year 5)
“Lent inspires me to help people each day, so that they feel good and I feel good”
(Will F in Year 4)
“To be closer to God by praying and also I can give to people less fortunate” (Indiana Year 5)
“Lent inspires me to change” (Isabelle in Year 6)
“Lent inspires me to give to lots of people including the oppressed” (Charlotte in Year 6)
“Lent inspires me to help people who are needy” (Mason in Year 6)
“Lent inspires me to sacrifice things for others” (Sophia in Year 6)
“Lent inspires me to give up something and try to do new things” (Caleb in Year 6)
“Lent inspires me to be adventurous and help the oppressed” (Layla in Year 6)
What does Lent inspire you to do?
CROSS COUNTRY CARNIVAL
Thank you to all the parents and grandparents who came to support our school at the Cross Country Carnival last Friday. We were all so proud of the students' great participation and the fantastic sportsmanship and encouragement they showed.
Thank you to Mr Tuckwell for organising the carnival and a big thank you to all the staff and parents who helped with the carnival. Final results and notification of those students who will be representing our school at the Diocesan Carnival, will be given soon.
ST PATRICK'S DAY
Year 2 will be hosting their St Patrick’s Day Fundraiser on Friday the 17th March to raise money for St Vincent de Paul. All students will wear Green Mufti and bring a gold coin as a donation.
ST JOSEPH'S DAY
Sunday the 19th March, is the Feast day of St Joseph. As our school was founded by the Sisters of St Josephs, we will celebrate our connection with St Joseph and the sisters with a school Mass to be held on Friday 24th March. All are welcome to celebrate Mass with us at St Michael’s Church Mittagong at 9:30am.
NAPLAN
Between Wednesday 15th March – Monday 27th March, which is Week 8 to Week 10 of this term, students from Year 3 and Year 5 will participate in NAPLAN online assessments. This is an assessment “window”, and therefore over the course of the nine days the NAPLAN assessments will be delivered when timetabling and staffing is most suitable. If students happen to be absent on a day when an assessment is delivered, they have the opportunity to participate in a “catch-up” session before 27th March (for most assessments).
NAPLAN consists of four separate assessments: Writing, Reading, Conventions of Language and Numeracy. For Year 3 the Writing Assessment is on paper. All other assessments for Year 3, and all assessments for Year 5, are now conducted online. The students have practised completing similar activities in their classroom recently. There is also a “Public Demonstration” site which simulates the NAPLAN experience. This site can be accessed by going to the following address: https://www.nap.edu.au/online-assessment/public-demonstration-site
We thank all of our staff for the wonderful support they will provide the students in navigating this assessment.
PARENT/TEACHER MEETINGS
Over Week 9 and Week 10, we will holding our Parent/Teacher meetings for Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6. These meetings are a great opportunity for you to discuss with your child’s class teacher anything that they may need to know about your child. For some children who are receiving extra support through specialised programs, the teachers will go through the personal plans for those programs with you. We are looking forward to seeing you.
SCHOOL ENROLMENTS- ESPECIALLY KINDERGARTEN 2024
A reminder to those families who are intending on applying for Kindergarten 2024, that application forms need to be handed into the school office as soon as possible. If you know of a family who is wanting to apply, please let them know to contact our school office for an application form or go to our school website to download the application.
Thank you for your continued support of our school. It has been a great start to the year.
PARENTS AND FRIENDS
On Friday 24th February, we held our first Parents and Friends Meeting for 2022. Thank you to all those who attended. It was a great meeting and we were able to plan for lots of P&F events this year.
Firstly the 2023 P&F Committee are as follows. Thank you to the ladies for taking on these roles:
President/Secretary: Krystal Kearney
Treasurer: Melissa Bartolo
Co-Treasurer/Signatory: Katrina Bartone
Social Media/P&F Facebook page: Krystal Kearney
Class Coordinators:
Kinder: Sheridan Burgess
Year 1: Emilie Sivak & Krystal Kearney
Year 2: Helen Saunders
Year 3: Katrina Bartone
Year 4: Melissa Bartolo & Krystal Kearney
Year 5: Teresa Catania
Year 6: Liz Martinovic
FUNDRAISING IDEAS FOR 2023
New Fundraising ideas:
Trivia Night - idea raised and still to be finalised- proposed date Term 3
Colour Run : 27th October TBC
Responsibility for known P&F events: COORDINATORS plus helpers
Cross Country- 10 March- Melissa Bartolo
P&F BBQ - 28th April (first one)
Mothers Day Stall- Thur 11 May : Helen Saunders
Father’s Day Stall Wed 30 Aug: Katrina Bartone
Easter Raffle: Helen Saunders.
Disco: (Early Term 2 and Term 4 early November) Vanessa Tasker & Katrina Bartone.
Fri 2nd June is the first disco
World Parents Day BBQ- Melissa Bartolo and Katrina West
PJ Movie night: (Term 3) Year 1- Emilie Sivak - date to be advised
GDAY morning tea- Fri 1Sept: Kindy - Sheridan Burgess & Rachel Rossi
Gday photo booth: Krystle Kearney to organise / be the photographer with a good camera. Background from Office Works. Krystle will need another helper for recording names etc.
Trivia Night:Term 3- Family and Friends Trivia Group Organising Committee needs to be formed- Date to be advised
Colour Run -Liz Martinovic and Yr5 & Y6 parents
Next meetings:
Term 2- Fri 5 May
Term 3- Fri 21 July
Term 4- Fri 14 Oct-
and as need arises.
Thank you to those who have already sent in easter egg donations for our Easter Raffle. We are still accepting easter donations for our raffle prizes. The more donations we receive the more prizes to be raffled. All families will receive a book of 10 raffle tickets to sell. Money and unsold raffle tickets are to be returned by the 4th April. The raffle will be drawn on the 6th April 2023.
Can all donations of Easter eggs, easter baskets etc be sent in to the school office by FRIDAY 24TH MARCH
WRAPPING OF THE EASTER EGG PRIZES
The P&F are calling for support to help wrap the raffle prizes on Wednesday 29 March at 9am.. Please let Helen Saunders know if you can help.
Thank you for your support.
Have a wonderful week everyone.
God bless,
Katrina West
Principal