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WELCOME TO OUR TERM 3 WEEK 4 NEWSLETTER
FEAST DAY OF ST MARY OF THE CROSS MACKILLOP
Every morning, our school community prays our school prayer. It is simple, yet very meaningful, and gives light to the traditions of our school. It guides us all to think about ways we can show kindness to others throughout our day. Our school prayer is the Prayer to St Mary of the Cross MacKillop.
This prayer is inspired by the history of our school.The Sisters of St Joseph, led by Mary MacKillop (now known as St Mary of the Cross MacKillop) started our school here in 1891. Our school was just a small community in 1891, yet the foundations the Sisters of St Joseph created are instilled today in our school community.
Mary MacKillop wrote extensively about her life and the many people that she met and cared for. Her love for God and his people was also evident in her writings. One of the most memorable quotes of Mary is “Never see a need without doing something about it”. At St Michaels, we try to embrace this idea of acting upon the needs we see and it is very evident in the way the children are keen to help others, to show kindness to others and to do what they can, to help people in our community. Last week, members from St Vincent de Paul were so thankful for the generous donations our families gave to the St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal. This is just one example of how we can continue to honour the mission of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop and the Sisters of St Joseph in helping others and showing care for each other.
On Monday, our school will participate in a Feast Day of St Mary of the Cross Liturgy. Later in the day, the students will “go back in time” and play games and participate in craft activities and lessons, similar to the games and lessons the students encountered in the early days of our school. Our Feast Day is certainly a day that the students look forward to each year.
Let us take a moment to think about the message of hope that we can embrace from Mary MacKillop….
Dear God,
Thank you for the life of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop.
She showed us that in the struggles and hard times of our lives
You are there..
Loving us..
Helping us..
Let us be inspired by Mary’s love for all people
To live our day
In love and care for all.
St Mary of the Cross MacKillop
Pray for us.
NATIONAL ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER CHILDREN'S DAY
Today is National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children's Day. Children’s Day is celebrated across the country each year on the 4th of August. It is a time to celebrate the strengths and culture of the children and a time to show our support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their families.
The theme for National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day 2021 is:
Proud in culture, strong in spirit
Let us celebrate together the wonder, love and spirit children can bring to all our communities. We hope all communities across Australia have a wonderful day celebrating. For more information please visit
https://aboriginalchildrensday.com.au/what-is-childrens-day/
THANK YOU
To our parents, families and friends,
Thank you so much for the kind and generous support you have given towards our Mini-Olympics Day fundraiser. The children and staff had a wonderful day and really entered into the spirit of the Olympics by trying their best as a team member and having fun in the many activities provided.
As mentioned last week, the sponsorship of students raised approximately $5800 and with additional donations from a couple of parents, which is greatly appreciated, we were able to purchase two SMART TV’s and the stands they require. These tv’s will go into the Year 2 and Year 5 classrooms. When staff at our Catholic Education Office heard about the terrific support from our school community, they also contributed by endorsing the purchase of a SMART TV for our Creative Arts Room which will benefit all K-6 students during activities in Drama, Music and Dance. Thank you everyone, for making this valuable contribution to our school.
CHANGES TO DATES
Due to Covid restrictions and the current lockdown of Greater Sydney, we have been asked to either postpone or cancel some of the events that were to occur this term. We will always inform you of these dates in advance via COMPASS. It is important that all families read the COMPASS notifications and our school newsletter, in order to take note of any changes. We appreciate your support of this. In our ADMINISTRATION section of this newsletter, there are updates to events that have either been postponed or cancelled. We thank you for your understanding.
BOOK WEEK PARADE
On Wednesday 25th August, the students will participate in our BOOK WEEK PARADE. I know they are already getting excited about it and thinking of costumes they could wear. We are all very aware of the financial constraints at the moment. The staff are emphasising to the students that they can come as any character and for the students to use clothing items they may have at home to create their costumes.
The theme is Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds, which is a great theme, as any character you think of, can come from one of the worlds. They could be:
- Pirates (wear rolled up jeans, t-shirt and a scarf around the head)
- Sports people (the children could wear their sporting gear such as cricket, soccer, footy)
- People from the olden days (the children could wear their costume from last year’s Olden Day)
- Space people (think Star Wars items they may have at home- eg Luke Skywalker’s outfit can be a karate uniform)
- Heroes (costumes they had for our heroes day)
- Animals (onesies costumes)
- Princesses (princess costumes from home, dresses with scarves for their heads or capes)
- Harry Potter/wizard/witches/
- Scarecrow from Wizard of Oz (jeans, flannelette shirt, hat and straw
- Woody and Jessie from Toy Story (jeans, hat, vest)
- Minnie or Mickey mouse- red and black clothes with ears attached to a headband
- Dr Seuss characters all wear clothing you could have at home
I hope these few ideas help. The main point of the day is a celebration of stories… that reading is fun and enjoyable and that books can take you to places you have never been. THE STUDENTS WILL WEAR THEIR COSTUMES TO SCHOOL THAT DAY.
PANDEMIC FATIGUE - CARE FOR YOURSELF AND THOSE AROUND YOU
Everybody is experiencing pandemic fatigue differently. Some of us may not even be aware it is affecting us. It is important to be aware of pandemic fatigue in ourselves and in those around us, so we can take proactive opportunities to maintain our wellbeing
The National Mental Health Commission has developed resources to help individuals lookout for some of the signs of fatigue, and shares steps that people can take to be kind to themselves and overcome these feelings.
While we can all experience pandemic fatigue in different ways, it is possible to counter its effects. Look out for some of these signs in yourself and those around you and take practical steps to be kind to yourself, stay connected, check in with each other, and seek professional support when needed.
If you are concerned that a member of your family or a friend is showing signs of pandemic fatigue, take time to check in with them and see what support they may need.
There are a number of services that you can refer them to including:
- Beyond Blue Support Services (1 300 224 363)
- Lifeline (13 11 14),
- Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Support Services: 1800 512 348
- Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800
- www.headtohealth.gov.au
- or their GP.
These services provide an opportunity to talk things through, confidentially with a mental health specialist and may assist them in relieving built-up emotional pressure, clearing the way forward to focus on self-care strategies.
God bless
Mrs Katrina West
Principal
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.
| Monday 9th | St Mary of the Cross MacKillop Feast Day Celebration |
| Thursday 19th | Soccer Gala Day (CANCELLED) |
| Friday 20th | Kinder Excursion (POSTPONED) |
| Wednesday 25th | Book Week Parade (Mufti day: old world, new world, other world book week theme). |
SEPTEMBER
| Thursday 2nd | P&F Father's Day Stall |
| Friday 3rd | GDay online |
| Monday 6th |
Dental Visit (POSTPONED) Book Fair |
| Tuesday 7th | Book Fair |
| Friday 17th | Last day of Term 3 |
OCTOBER
| Monday 4th | Labour Day Public Holiday |
| Tuesday 5th | First Day Term 4 |
| Thursday 14th | School Photo Day |
| Friday 15th | Year 1/2 Excursion (TBC) |
NOVEMBER
| Friday 5th | Bike Education Excursion Year 3/4 (TBC) |
| Tuesday 9th - Friday 19th | Learn to Swim (Kinder - Year 3) (TBC) |
| Friday 12th | Mary MacKillop Excursion Year 5/6 (TBC) |
| Thursday 18th | Surf Education Sandon Point (Years 4, 5 & 6) (TBC) |
| Friday 26th | Staff Spirituality Day (Pupil Free Day) |
DECEMBER
| Wednesday 1st - Friday 3rd | Year 6 Camp (TBC) |
| Friday 10th | End of Year Mass / Year 6 Awards (TBC) Parent/Volunteers Thank You Morning Tea (TBC) |
| Monday 13th | Andrew Chin Christmas Concert (TBC) |
| Tuesday 14th | Transition to New Classes |
| Wednesday 15th | Last day of School for students and staff |
The link below will take you straight to the parent calendar.
Term 3
4th August National Aboriginal Children’s Day
8th August St Mary of the Cross MacKillop Feast Day
9th August St Mary of the Cross MacKillop Feast Day school Celebration
ST MARY OF THE CROSS MACKILLOP FEAST DAY
This Sunday, the 8th August we celebrate the feast day of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, Australia’s first Saint. On Monday 9th August, St Michael’s will celebrate her life with an online liturgy and activities. It will be a wonderful day. I have included some information about Mary MacKillop below.
Mary MacKillop was born on 15 January 1842 in Melbourne, Victoria. Her parents were born in Scotland and came to live in Australia. She had three sisters and four brothers.
Mary cared about the people who had no one to look after them such as boys and girls who just roamed the streets, children in the country who had no school to go to, people who were old and sick and people who had nowhere to live. Mary wanted more than anything to help these people.
Mary went to work as a teacher in a little country town in South Australia called Penola. There, she met Father Julian Tenison Woods who also wanted to do something for the poor children who could not afford to pay to go to school. Together, in 1866, they began the first St Joseph’s School in an old stable. Two of Mary’s younger sisters also taught in the school and other young women came to help them.
On 19 March 1866 (St Joseph’s Day) Mary started to wear a simple black dress and began the Congregation of the Sisters of St Joseph. Now as a Sister, she dedicated her life to doing God’s work. As more and more young women joined Mary as Sisters, they were able to start more schools. All children were welcome at the Josephite schools, which provided free Catholic education.
In Adelaide they opened a place for women who had nowhere to live, an orphanage for children who had no parents to look after them and a house where poor people could come and stay. The Sisters visited people who were in jail and those who were poor and sick.
Mary MacKillop was kind to all people, even if they did not agree with her. She died on 8 August 1909 in Alma Cottage, North Sydney. Mary helped many people during her lifetime and after she died, the Sisters of St Joseph kept on doing the good work she had started. Mary MacKillop kept her faith in God and bravely challenged those who did not support her vision for a more caring world. Mary is an important Australian who spent her life helping people, especially children. She is Australia’s first Saint. (taken and adapted from Trustees of the Sisters of St Joseph 2005)
If you would like more information please visit Mary MacKillop place for more information about Mary MacKillop https://www.marymackillopplace.org.au/about-us/introduction/
PARISH NEWS
Due to the current COVID situation you will be required to scan the QR code on entry or use the sign on sheet at the entrance. This a government regulation and the parish is responsible for ensuring this information is available if requested. There is always a member of our parish there to help you sign in.
Please remember that all Masses will currently be celebrated at St Thomas Aquinas Church because of the social distancing requirements.
Weekend Masses
Saturday Vigil - 5:00pm
Sunday - 8:00am
Sunday - 9:30am
Sunday - 5:00pm
Weekday Masses
Tuesday - 8:00am
Wednesday - 7:30am
Thursday - 7:30am
Friday - 8:00am
Mrs Rebecca Mitchell
REC
This year we will be celebrating Children’s Book Week on Wednesday 25th August. The theme for Book Week is ‘Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds’. We were hoping the children could come dressed up on that day to support that theme. Some ideas I have discussed with the children is: Prehistoric World (dinosaurs etc), Underwater World (octopus, shark, fish etc), Ancient Worlds (mummies, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Rome etc), Animal World (monkey, elephant, dog, zebra etc) Fairytale Worlds (princess, Rapunzel, Jack and the beanstalk, giant etc), Outer Space World (spaceman etc).
Linda Sewell
We would again like to thank our parent community for the way in which you have responded to the current COVID-19 Level 2 school restrictions. We feel very fortunate to have our students each day and to be able to continue face to face learning despite the ever increasing challenges that the Greater Sydney lockdown has created for many of our families.
We will continue to ensure that we send any new COVID-19 updates that affect our school community as soon as they become available from the Catholic Education Office in Wollongong. This will be done through the COMPASS portal.
KEEPING UP TO DATE WITH CHANGES
With the ongoing NSW COVID-19 outbreak, lockdown and ever changing restrictions, it is important for parents to ensure that they remain up to date with information provided by the school. Information will be provided via COMPASS and the fortnightly newsletter.
UPCOMING CHANGES TO EVENTS/EXCURSIONS
With the current NSW COVID lockdown restrictions and regularly changing guidelines, there is a need to postpone, reschedule or cancel upcoming events and excursions.
Whilst we are hoping for the best, we have to plan for all contingencies and consider alternatives for school events and excursions. Where possible we will attempt to postpone and reschedule an event or excursion for later in the year. However with the current guidelines in place and continually changing, we may be required to cancel an event or excursion. Where an event has been paid as part of the school fees and is cancelled, a credit will be applied on your school fee account for that cancelled portion amount.
Listed below are events that have been changed/cancelled:-
- SCHOOL PHOTOS - CHANGE OF DATE
With the lockdown for Greater Sydney extended until the 28th August, the date for our school photos has changed. The new school photo date is Thursday 14 October 2021. A reminder that sibling photo envelopes can be collected from the school office.
- YEAR 3/4 EXCURSION TO STATE LIBRARY - CANCELLED
This excursion has been cancelled. A credit of $22 has been been applied to your school fee account. - SOCCER GALA DAY - 19 AUGUST 2021 CANCELLED
The soccer gala day at Tahmoor has been cancelled. No money has been paid by parents for this event. - DENTAL VISIT - 6TH SEPTEMBER - POSTPONED
- BASKETBALL GALA DAY - 10TH SEPTEMBER - CANCELLED
- ACTIVATE FIRE YEAR 6 - POSTPONED TO TERM 4
- COMMONWEALTH BANK - STUDENT BANKING - POSTPONED until further notice.
SIGN IN PROCEDURES FOR PARENTS/VISITORS
Any person entering the School Office foyer, other than an enrolled student is required to wear a face mask and to sign in using the Service NSW QR code in addition to our existing School sign in.
CHILDREN WITH FLU LIKE SYMPTOMS
Following the recent urging of health authorities for every person to get tested with even the mildest of COVID-19 symptoms, our requirements have been updated to require a negative COVID test for ALL common and expanded coronavirus symptoms (as listed below).
We can all continue to play our part in keeping our schools and one another safe, including by:
- Keeping your child home when they are unwell, even with very mild symptoms.
- Informing the school immediately if your child is self-isolating or undergoing testing, and informing us of the result as soon as possible.
- Following sickness with flu-like symptoms, ensuring your child is free of symptoms and can present a negative COVID-19 test, before they return to school.
- When entering an medical absence into COMPASS, we ask parents to kindly also provide a description of the absence: eg; tonsilitis, medical appointment, stomach bug, cough etc. As a condition of our Covid Plan, we are required to check the reasons daily to ensure the safety of all. If your child has had a COVID test you are required to send a copy of the result (screen shot is acceptable) prior to your child returning to school. This data is added to a CEO database to assist with contact tracing.
CANBERRA EXCURSION YEAR 5 AND 6 - FEE CREDIT
A credit of $7.00 has been applied to your school fee account taking in to account the actual excursion cost and increased PACER amount provided by the Australian Government.
ATHLETICS CARNIVAL RESULTS
1st 264 points Alexandra (Green)
2nd 243 points Oxley (Red)
3rd 241 points Gibraltar (Blue)
4th 215 points Jellore (Yellow)
Junior Boys Champion: William Solomon
Junior Boys Runner-Up: Caleb Kenna, Corin Murphy, Darcy Haynes
Junior Girls Champion: Mia Solomon
Junior Girls Runner-Up: Charlotte Stirling
11 Years Boys Champion: Liam Gospel and Sebastian Cox
11 Years Boys Runner-Up: Nicholas Nicolaous
11 Years Girls Champion: Ruby Francis and Cianna Tasker
11 Years Girls Runner-Up: Suria Cras
Senior Boys Champion: Sam Francis
Senior Boys Runner-Up: Rylan Barry
Senior Girls Champion: Heidi Plokstys
Senior Girls Runner-Up: Imogen Goodfellow
