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STAFF DEVELOPMENT DAY
(PUPIL FREE DAY)
MONDAY 19TH APRIL 2021
Welcome to our Term 1 Week 8 Newsletter
YEAR OF ST JOSEPH
As we prepare to celebrate St Joseph's Day on Friday 19 March during this special "Year of St Joseph", we have been invited to reflect on how St Joseph may have responded to his astonishing call to be the foster-father of Jesus and spouse of Mary and what it means for fathers and husbands in today’s world.
The Spirituality Team from the Catholic Education Office has shared with us, this reflection about St Joseph and what it may have been like for him, living in those times and experiencing all the events associated with the birth of Jesus.
It is interesting reading and it is here in this link:
ST JOSEPH’S FEAST DAY MASS
This Friday, we are holding a whole school Mass for the Feast of St Joseph. As the church still has covid restrictions on the number of people who can attend, we will be having our Mass in the hall. Unfortunately this will only be for staff and students this time. Hopefully if restrictions ease, we will be able to have Masses again in the Church with parents as well.
At our Feast Day, we are launching the updated School Vision and Mission statements, which were devised last year, in consultation with parents, staff and students. We have chosen to launch it on this day as it is a special feast day for our school, due to our school association with the Sisters of St Joseph, who founded our school in 1891. We will remember all those who have gone before us to create such a great school.
Below are copies of our updated School Vision and Mission Banners.
PARENT/TEACHER INTERVIEWS
A reminder that our parent/teacher interviews are on next week. Please take note of the day and time you have booked in to meet with your child’s class teacher. Please sign on at the school gate near the hall using the QR code and hand sanitise before entering the classroom. Social distancing will need to occur throughout the meeting and whilst you are on the school site. I thank you for your support of this.
DIOCESAN REPRESENTATIVES
Congratulations to Sam and Brohdi from Year 6, who have been selected to represent our Diocese of Wollongong at the MacKillop trials, which will be held in Canberra on April 30th. This will be a very special event for the boys, their families and our school.
PARENTS AND FRIENDS MEETING- SURVEY
Yesterday we sent out a survey to gain interest in who could attend a Parents and Friends meeting and /or indicate if they could help with a P&F fundraiser. If you have not already done so, can you please fill in this survey by tomorrow (Thursday 18th March). On Friday, I will let the parents know what meeting time was the most convenient for our first meeting. The survey is located in the newsfeed note on COMPASS.
ST PATRICK’S DAY- GREEN MUFTI
Thank you to all the students for participating in the Year 2 St Patrick’s Day Green Mufti day that was held today. The money raised by the gold coin donations, will go to Maubara Orphanage.
CROSS COUNTRY CARNIVAL
Next Monday we will be holding our St Michael’s Cross Country Carnival (weather permitting on Alexandra Square which is located outside our school office. The carnival will begin at 9.30am with 12/13 year olds commencing their race.
With the recent easing of covid restrictions, parents are able to attend the carnival provided you ensure compliance with the COVID guidelines including hand sanitising, maintaining social distancing and compliance with our sign in procedures. It is vitally important that every person checks in to the carnival event, as we need a record of attendance for the carnival. When parents first come to the carnival, we ask that you check in using our QR code located at the school office gate or on the sanitizer stations around the park. Parents are reminded not to attend if you are unwell or suffering flu-like symptoms.
Parents are welcome to watch from the perimeter of the park, keeping in mind social distancing please. Students will not be able to sit with or go near their parents at the carnival.
Students are asked to bring a water bottle, hat and sunscreen. They will be eating their lunch as per usual, back at school. If the carnival is washed out due to rain or wet grounds, we will be running the events during their sport time that week.
If you are able to sell some sweet treats at the Cross Country this coming Monday 22nd March, can you contact our school office please. This has been a tradition over the years and it would be wonderful if we were able to offer it to the students this year.
SOCIAL MEDIA WEBINAR FOR PARENTS AND CARERS
The Council of Catholic School Parents (NSW/ACT) has joined with the eSafety Commissioner to present two free webinars for parents and carers in late March 2021.
The webinars are:
- Helping kids thrive online (for parents/carers of 5-12 year olds)
- Tech, teens and time online (for parents/carers of 12-18 year olds).
Both are free but registration is required.
FAMILY PHOTO WALL
I invite all families to send in a photo of their family for our Family Photo Wall, if you haven’t already done so. This can be sent in digitally via email or a copy of a photo can be taken here at school. Many of our visitors remark about the wonderful photos we have in our office.
OUTDOOR MUD KITCHEN
We have purchased an outdoor mud kitchen for the students. If there is a parent willing to put it together, I would be very appreciative. A photo of the kitchen is below.
Thank you for your continued support of our school community. It will be great to see our parents next week during the parent/teacher interviews, at the parents and friends meeting and watching the cross country.
CONGRATULATIONS
Well done to Aspen who was recently awarded ribbons for her riding as well as a champion ribbon in the LED class at the Moss Vale Show with her pony Rigby.
I hope you have a wonderful week.
God Bless,
Mrs Katrina West
Principal
Term 1 2021
- Wednesday 17th March - St Patricks Day - Year 2 Maubara Fundraiser.
- Friday 19th March – St Joseph’s Day
- Thursday 1st April – Holy Thursday
- Friday 2nd April – Good Friday (public holiday)
Hot Dog Day
What a wonderful way to start Week 8 with Hot Dogs for lunch. As a school we managed to raise much needed funds that will be used to help support people all over the world, including Australia, by CARITAS.
St Patrick’s Day
A big thank you to Year 2 for organising a fantastic fundraiser today. Everyone looked wonderful dressed all in green.
Year 2 raised $281.50. The money raised today will help support the Maubara Orphanage in East Timor.
St Joseph’s Day
“Saint Joseph is a man of great spirit. He is great in faith, not because he speaks his own words, but above all because he listens to the words of the Living God. He listens in silence and his heart ceaselessly perseveres in the readiness to accept the Truth contained in the word of the Living God,” Pope John Paul II had once said.
We can see from his actions in scripture that Joseph was a compassionate man, and obedient to the will of God. He also loved Mary and Jesus and wanted to protect and provide for them.
Since Joseph does not appear in Jesus' public life, at his death, or resurrection, many historians believe Joseph had probably died before Jesus entered public ministry.
Joseph is the patron of many things, including the universal Church, fathers, the dying and social justice.
(https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/feast-of-st-joseph-the-worker-471).
To celebrate this wonderful man, we will be having a Mass in the hall. Due to space limitation in regards to COVID restrictions, the Mass will just be the students and staff. It will be a wonderful event for our school to gather together and celebrate St Joseph.
Confirmation
Enrolment for the Sacrament of Confirmation has begun. If there are any children who are in Year 6 or older who would like to participate in the Sacrament of Confirmation program, please attend any of the weekend Masses to collect a registration form.
Corpus Christi Parish Mittagong-Bowral News
To register to attend Mass, please visit the Parish website
www.ccsh.org.au and press the link “Register Here” for Mass.
Please remember that all Masses are currently celebrated at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, because of the social distancing requirements.
Please do not attend Mass if you have any coronavirus symptoms such as coughing, sore throat, shortness of breath, fever or fatigue.
Liturgies of Holy Week
Registration for Holy Week Liturgies will be accessible from 9:00am Friday 19th March, following the booking guide above.
Monday 29th March Mass 7:15am Marist Brothers, Mittagong
Tuesday 30th March Mass 8:00 am St Thomas Aquinas, Bowral
Wednesday 31st March Mass 7:30 am St Thomas Aquinas, Bowral
Holy Thursday 1st April No Morning Mass
1st April Mass of the Lord’s Supper 7pm St Thomas Aquinas, Bowral
Holy Thursday – The washing of the feet (which is already optional) will be omitted. At the end of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper the procession is also omitted and the Blessed Sacrament is to be kept in the tabernacle.
Friday 2nd April Stations of the Cross 10am St Thomas Aquinas, Bowral
Celebration of the Lord’s Passion 3pm St Thomas Aquinas, Bowral
Good Friday: In the Universal Prayer, Bishops will arrange to have a special intention prepared for those who find themselves in distress, the sick, the deaf, (cf. Missale Romanum ). The adoration of the Cross by kissing it shall be limited solely to the celebrant. The faithful may approach the Cross and reverently bow at a distance from which they cannot touch the cross.
Saturday 3rd April Solemn Easter Vigil Mass 6pm St Thomas Aquinas, Bowral
The Easter Vigil: The Vigil is to be celebrated only in the Cathedral and parish churches. For the “Baptismal Liturgy” only the “Renewal of Baptismal Promises” is maintained (cf. Missale Romanum). The sprinkling rite should be omitted.
Sunday 4th April Mass 8:00am St Thomas Aquinas, Bowral
Mass 9:30am St Thomas Aquinas, Bowral
Mass 5:00pm St Thomas Aquinas, Bowral
Reconciliation
Saturday 20th March 4:00pm – 4:45pm St Thomas Aquinas, Bowral
Tuesday 23rd March 5:15pm – 6:00pm St Thomas Aquinas, Bowral
Saturday 27th March 4:00pm – 4:45pm St Thomas Aquinas, Bowral
First Prize is a HYUNDAI VENUE, valued at over $24,000 (supplied by Southern Highlands Motor Group). Tickets on sale now, $10.00 per ticket.
Raffle will be drawn on Friday the 30th April, 2021
Ticket can be purchased online from the Parish website https://www.ccsh.org.au/
Thank you to all the parents who purchased tickets at last weeks “Meet and greet”. If you were unable to purchase a ticket on the night please visit the parish website or the school office.
Trivia Night
A Trivia Night will be held on Friday 30 April, 2021 in the Fr Glynn Centre (St Thomas Aquinas School, Bowral) from 6.00 p.m.
Tickets $10.00 per head.
Tables of 8-10 or come as an individual.
Bookings available via the Parish office.
AND DON’T FORGET THIS IS THE NIGHT THE RAFFLE WILL BE DRAWN
Listed below are some important school dates. The school calendar is updated regularly and can be accessed via the school website and Compass parent portal.
MARCH
| Wednesday 17th | St Patrick's Day Year 2 Maubara Fundraiser |
| Friday 19th | St Joseph's Feast Day Mass |
| Monday 22nd | Cross Country Alexandra Square 9.30am (Park across the road) |
| Monday 22nd - Friday 26th | Parent/Teacher Meetings Years 1-6 |
APRIL
| Thursday 1st | Last day of Term 1 Holy Thursday |
| Friday 2nd | Good Friday |
| Monday 19th | Staff Development Day (Pupil Free Day) |
| Tuesday 20th | First Day of Term 2 |
The link below will take you straight to the parent calendar.
STAFF DEVELOPMENT DAY (PUPIL FREE DAY)
DIOCESAN SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY
Parents are reminded that entering into the contract of enrolment at St Michael's Mittagong is an obligation to support the implementation of consistent and comprehensive practices that guide the operations of all schools within the Diocese of Wollongong.
In April 2019, the Diocesan Social Media Policy was released to support CEDoW, schools and staff minimise the reputational risk of individuals, schools and / or CEDoW. It also ensures that schools meet their compliance requirements with the New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA) and the Australian Education Act 2013.
It is an expectation that all members of the school community will take all reasonable measures to comply with this Policy.
All schools are required to ensure parents are aware of the following expectations
- parents / carers are required to seek permission from the Principal to establish a social media presence that is in any way associated with the school;
- not to post content on social media of other students without the express consent of their parents / carers;
- promptly notify the school of inappropriate use of, or content on any social media, that may negatively impact on CEO or any of its school communities
Parents are encouraged to access the Diocesan Social Media Policy to familiarise themselves with the context and obligations of this policy via the following link:
A reminder that parent teacher interviews will be held next week for students in Years 1-6. Bookings are now open on the COMPASS Parent Portal. Please see instructional flyer attached.
Bookings will close 9am Friday 19th March. Please contact the school office if you need help with booking.
Students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 participate in the annual NAPLAN tests in reading, writing, conventions of language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy.
Students in Years 3 and 5 will participate in the NAPLAN assessments during 11 - 15 May 2021. Important information related to the NAPLAN assessments can be accessed using the link below.
Enrolments are now open for Kindergarten 2022. Application forms can be accessed:
- from our school website;
- downloaded using the link below;
- collected from the school office; or
- mailed to you.
Please make sure the entire enrolment package has been read and all sections completed. Please ensure that you provide photocopies of the additional documentation listed under section 22.
Congratulations to the following students who represented St Michael's at the recent Western Region Diocesan Swimming Carnival.
| Brennan |
| Rylan |
| Patrick |
| Ruby |
| Sam |
| Emily |
| William |
| Imogen |
| Riley |
| Clementine |
| Charlotte |
| Cianna |
| Oliver |
| Esther |
Premiers' Reading Challenge
The Challenge aims to encourage a love of reading for leisure and pleasure in students, and to enable them to experience quality literature. It is not a competition but a challenge to each student to read, to read more and to read more widely.
Easter Raffle - help needed
Can you help wrap Easter Raffle Prizes?
We are seeking parent volunteers to help with the wrapping of Easter raffle prizes on Tuesday 23rd March 2021 from 9am to 10.30am. If you can help, please contact the school office. All helpers will be required to sign in via the school office.
Also needed - donation of gift baskets and bags to be used for the raffle prizes.
All raffle tickets (including those unsold) and money to be returned to school office by Friday 26th March 2021.
Raffle will be drawn on Wednesday 31st March 2021.
If you are able to sell some sweet treats at the Cross Country this coming Monday 22nd March, can you contact our school office please. This has been a tra
IIIf you are able to sell some sweet treats at the Cross Country this coming Monday 22nd March, can you contact our school office. This has been a tradition over the years and it would be wonderful if we were able to offer it to the students this year.
dition over the years and it would be wonderful if we were able to offer it to the students this year.