TERM 2 WEEK 9 NEWSLETTER

FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY

“His mother kept all these things in her heart.” (Lk 2:52)

Last Sunday was the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. When we think of the Immaculate Heart of Mary we recall the emotions of joy and sadness that Mary experienced in her own life. When you look at an image of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, you see a burning heart surrounded with a crown of thorns and pierced with a sword. The Immaculate Heart of Mary shows us that despite the sufferings of Jesus (crown of thorns), he loves all of us, died (the sword) in hope that we would join him in heaven. It is for this reason that despite the trials and sufferings of Jesus, Mary’s heart still burns with love and devotion.

As the mother of Jesus, Mary experienced all of the same feelings that our own mother has for us. The Bible tells us that “and his mother kept all these things in her heart” Lk 2:52. We can share in Mary’s emotions and constant love for Jesus by recalling the mysteries of the rosary and by praying to her.

CEO ADVICE - CLEARANCE ON THE NEED FOR MEDICAL CLEARANCE WHEN RETURNING TO SCHOOL

The Catholic Education Office Wollongong has provided the following information to us:-

• Students and staff are now ONLY required to present a medical clearance to return to school when the reason for their absence was illness with flu-like symptoms (as outlined by NSW Health).
• Symptoms include fever, cough, sore/scratchy throat, and shortness of breath, runny nose.  

We thank you for your continued understanding and support.

REPORTS
As we have had a most unusual and disrupted Semester 1, the decision has been taken by our Diocesan office that schools will issue an Interim Semester 1 Report. This is not a progress report. The report will look quite different to our normal Semester Progress Report. In this Interim Semester 1 Report, your child will be graded on engagement and effort in just Religious Education, English and Mathematics. The report will be issued on Friday 26 June via COMPASS at 3pm.

NAIDOC WEEK

This week we have commenced our recognition of NAIDOC Week. Some classes have linked with the Wingecarribee Shire Council to support their art activities for NAIDOC week. Our whole school will be participating in an art activity involving painting story sticks. A reminder that if your child does not have an art shirt at school at the moment, can they bring one in as soon as possible. An old business shirt or adult size t-shirt make great art shirts, as they cover most of the uniform. We will be using washable paint; however, it would be great if their uniforms remained clean.

Thank you to Mrs Mitchell who lead a whole school liturgy for NAIDOC Week, yesterday. We also thank our special guest, Mrs Sharynne Freeman, an Aboriginal Community Engagement Officer from the Catholic Education Office, who visited Year 5 today to help them with their weaving of a bowl activity.

FAMILY PHOTOS
If you haven’t already done so, can you please send in a family photo for our FAMILIES IN OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY wall. We have started to create a photo wall in our school foyer, recognising all our great families that make up our school community of St Michael’s Mittagong.

Thank you for your continued support of our school community.

May you have a wonderful week.

Best wishes and God Bless,
Mrs Katrina West
Principal

Ripples PODCAST

Throughout the COVID 19 period, the Catholic Education Office has been creating ways to assist not only staff, but families as well. Ripples is a PODCAST developed for staff and parents involving on-going spiritual formation. It seeks to offer a space where people can draw on the wisdom of a series of guest speakers and can experience some treasured stillness through meditation. Practices like these create a ripple effect. They have the potential to impact the way we respond to family, friends, colleagues, to creation and to our loving God. Come and enjoy some Inspired Voices and Treasured Stillness. Please click on the link to access the next instalment of the Ripples PODCAST. https://sites.google.com/dow.catholic.edu.au/clem-spiritual-formation/spiritual-formation/parents

St Vincent De Paul Winter Appeal
On Friday, 3^rd July (Friday last day of term) St Michael’s will be having a food drive for the St Vincent De Paul Society. Each student is asked to bring in non–perishable food items to help people in our local community who need help this winter. Students who bring in items will be able to wear mufti clothes to school. Each class has been given a suggested list of items.

*These are only suggestions and donations are not limited to these items. Please make sure that all items are non-perishable.  

K	1	2	3
Tins of: Bake Beans Spaghetti 2 minute Noodles	Tins of: Soup Stews	Tins of: Tuna/fish Meats (spam	Packets or tins of Pasta Gluten Free Pasta Flavoured Pasta
4	5	6
Tin Vegetables Carrots Peas tomatoes Corn etc…..	Long life Milk: Almond Full cream Lactose Free Soy	Tins of Fruit: Fruit salad Apricots Apples Coffee & Tea

Mass Updates
From 1 July, 2020 we will be able to open the Church further to accommodate as many people as the size of the building will allow.  This means we can invite around 120 people to each Mass.  Not back to normal, but another step in the right direction. Registration for all weekend Masses will still be a requirement. Registration opened at 7.00 a.m. on Monday 22 June, 2020 (go to the website www.ccsh.org.au and press the link “Register Here” for Mass).

Please remember that all Masses will be celebrated at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, because of the social distancing requirements.

Mass and liturgy services will continue to be posted online through the Parish YouTube channel. I encourage you to still participate in Mass by viewing them online.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7S6wrESEOUqrF9Ppp7mDvg

Next weekend, Mass times will be:

Vigil Mass (27 June)         5.00 p.m.

Sunday     (28 June)         8.00 a.m.

                                          9.30 a.m.

                                          11.00 a.m.

                                          12.30 pm.

                                            5.00 p.m.​

Confessions will be offered at 4.30 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.

Parish Fundraising
“MEGA RAFFLE” tickets can still be purchased.  First prize is a HONDAJAZZ, valued at over $20,000 (supplied by Southern Highlands Motor Group).  Tickets on sale now, $10.00 per ticket. Tickets can be purchased via https://www.raffletix.com.au/ccsh.  The raffle will be drawn later on in the year. Thank you for your continual support in this challenging time.

Rebecca Mitchell
REC

NAIDOC Week

NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia each July to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC is celebrated not only in Indigenous communities, but by Australians from all walks of life. The week is a great opportunity to participate in a range of activities and to support your local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

Due to COVID 19 the official date has been postponed from July until 8-15 November. As a school, however, St Michael’s is participating in celebrating the amazing history, culture and achievements of indigenous Australians, this week.

This year’s theme “Always Was, Always Will Be” acknowledges that hundreds of nations and cultures once covered this continent. All were managing the land - the biggest estate on earth - to sustainably provide for their future. Through indigenous land management systems like fire stick farming, they transformed the harshest habitable continent into land of bounty.

The very first footprints on this continent were those belonging to First Nations peoples. Each year we are invited to celebrate and share the uniqueness of this magnificent culture during NAIDOC Week. NAIDOC 2020 invites all Australians to embrace the history of this country – a history which dates back thousands of generations.

Students from St Michael’s started the celebrations with a wonderful Liturgy on Monday. We will now engage in a week of varied activities. Students across the whole school will design and tell a story on their own story stick.

Students in Stage Three have taken up Wingecarribee Shire Council’s activities. Year 5 will be creating boomerangs and learning to weave a small bowl. Year Six have taken the challenge of learning to knit a scarf in indigenous colours and learn to weave a bowl. All materials for these activities have been generously provided by the council.

Happy Birthday to the following students who celebrated a birthday this week:

Daniel M, Isla M, Katie H and Sam F.