THANK YOU
Thank you to everyone in our St Michael’s School community, for a wonderful 2019. It has been a memorable year filled with great success, happiness, special moments and personal gains. A snapshot of some of the events of 2019 can be seen here below: 

• Sacraments of Penance, Eucharist and Confirmation
• Parish Masses and liturgies
• Beginning of the School Year Mass
• Catholic Schools Week
• Ash Wednesday Mass
• St Joseph’s Feast Day Mass
• Easter
• St Michael’s Feast Day Mass
• St Mary of the Cross MacKillop Feast Day
• End of the School Year Mass
• Holy Week
• Harmony Day
• ANZAC Day March
• National Aboriginal and Islander Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) Week
• NAIDOC WEEK presenter Larry Brand
• ANZAC Day
• Feast of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop
• Grandparents’ Day (G Day)
• All Saints’ Day
• Remembrance Day
• Year 6 Mass with Bishop
• Year 6 Southern Highland Schools ‘Activate the Fire’
• Farewell Mass for Peter Turner
• Christmas sing-a-long at the local Uniting Church
• Fundraising for Caritas, Australian Catholic Mission, St Vincent de Paul Society, St Therese Orphanage in Maubara, Sr Anna Warlow’s Indigenous Outreach in Western Australia and the Leukaemia Foundation
• Welcome to new Kindergarten students, new students Years 1-6 and families
• Mother’s Day Stall
• Father’s Day Stall
• Walkathon
• PJ Movie Night
• Disco
• Year 6 visiting the Abbey nursing home
• Environmental Awareness Day conducted by Wingecarribee Shire Council at Lake Alexandra
• “The Good, The Beautiful, The True: Student Critical, Creative and Reflective Thinking Expo”
• SPLICED EXPO
• West Tigers NRL (whole school)
• Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 went to a Responsible Pet incursion;
• Book Week- STEAM experiences based on the theme of “Reading is my Secret Power”. 
• Kindergarten had a day at Mount Annan Botanical Gardens
• Year One and Year Two went to Fitzroy Falls Education Centre
• Year 3 and Year 4 went to the State Library and NSW Art Gallery in Sydney
• Year 5 went to the Mary MacKillop Centre in North Sydney
• Year 5 attended the Wingecarribee Environmental Day held at Lake Alexandra
• Year 6 attended a three day camp at Berry Sports and Recreation Centre
• Year 5 and 6 visited Canberra
• Year 5 visited Chevalier College for a day
• Year 5 and 6 attended a musical at Chevalier College
• Year 5 Fete
• Year 4 Busking Day
• End of year Talent Quest
• Premier’s Reading Challenge
• NAIDOC Medal of Excellence awarded to a Kindergarten child
• “Name the Crane” competition for Bowral Hospital -Year 6 winner and other students won prizes
• Sporting experiences at carnivals for athletics, cross country and swimming
• Gala days for netball, soccer, touch football and AFL
• Some students were able to progress to representation at Regional and Diocesan Carnivals for athletics, cross country and swimming
• Year 5 and Year 6 participated in Public Speaking
• K-3, participated in a nine day swimming program conducted by AUSTswim
• Years 4-6 attended a Surf Lifesaving Water Skills day at Sandon Beach
• ‘The Best Me I Can Be’ program
• The Environment Group harvested potatoes!
• “O” Day for Miss O
• Christmas Concert
• Kinder buddies
• Year 1 buddies
• Annual Talent Quest

Just to name a few …… 

Our school could not be the great St Michael's Mittagong that it is, without the generous support we receive from our parents and wider community. Thank you for the honour you bestow, in providing our staff with the opportunity to guide and teach your children. Each day is a special day at St Michaels because of this.

I wish all families a wonderful Christmas shared with family and friends. May 2020, bring an abundance of happy moments and special times with family, friends and our school community.

Merry Christmas everyone.

A CHRISTMAS PRAYER

“May you be filled with the wonder of Mary,

The kindness of Joseph,

The joy of the angels,

The eagerness of the shepherds,

The determination of the Magi,

The peace of the Christ child

And may almighty God, Father and Son

Bless you now and forever”

CHRISTMAS CONCERT
What a fantastic time we had at our Christmas concert last night. It was so great to see so many families and friends attend. The children really enjoyed learning their items and by the look on their faces, they had a wonderful time. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mrs Whipp and Mrs Mitchell for the great preparation and organisation of the choreography and for making many of the costumes. Thank you to all staff and students for a wonderful night.

NAIDOC MEDAL OF EXCELLENCE
Congratulations to Tom B from Kindergarten who won a NAIDOC Medal of Excellence for his entry in the NAIDOC Week Art Competition. Last Friday we invited Mrs Sharynne Freeman, Aboriginal Community Engagement Officer from our Wollongong Catholic Education Office to present this very special award. We are so proud of you Tom.

FAREWELL MISS O
It is with a great deal of sadness that we farewell our wonderful Miss Shan O’Brien (Miss O). Last night at our concert, the whole school community had a final opportunity to say thank you to Shan for 34 years of special moments shared as a teacher to so many. We wish Miss O every blessing as she embarks on the next stage of her journey. We will still see Miss O here next year as a casual teacher, after she has “travelled the world” as part of the exciting adventures she has planned.

THANK YOU TO MRS THOMAS 
Thank you to Mrs Thomas who has been working full time at St Michael's this semester.

END OF YEAR MASS
Today we celebrated our End of Year Mass. This Mass recognised especially our leaving students and families, our Year 6 Class and our retiring teacher Miss O. Mrs Petzer was able to attend which was very special for all. Congratulations to all of our Year 6 students and their families.

During the Mass, some of our students were awarded special awards:

WELCOME TO OUR STAFF FOR 2020
We welcome to our staff for 2020, Mr Nathan Sherry as our new Acting Middle Leader and Year 5 teacher; Mrs Janine Webb as our REC release teacher on Year 6 (one day per week) and Mrs Emma Storry as our new School Support Officer (two days per week). We look forward to working with them and welcoming them in the new year.