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Dear Families,
This week, our focus has been on St Mary of the Cross MacKillop and the special contribution she has made to Catholic Education and in particular to our school.
ST MARY OF THE CROSS MACKILLOP FEAST DAY
On Monday, we celebrated the Feast Day of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop. The whole school celebrated a very special liturgy prepared by our REC Mrs Mitchell and Year 6, to celebrate Mary MacKillop’s Feast Day. At the end of the liturgy, we awarded our St Mary of the Cross MacKillop Awards to a child in each class who shows kindness and care and follows Mary’s advice of “Never seeing a need without doing something about it”.
GAMES
Year 6 lead our students on the day though a variety of fun “old fashioned” games, such as marbles, horseshoe throw, lawn bowls, paper aeroplanes, bush dancing, pick-up-sticks, sack races, hula-hoop races, checkers just to name a few!! They had so much fun. Thank you Year 6 for your great planning and leadership.
YOUNG MARY PERFORMANCE
This Friday we will be having a theatre company visit our school to tell the story of St Mary MacKillop in a play. This will be a wonderful way to finish our week focusing on Australia’s First Saint.
These are details about the play from the production company.
St Mary MacKillop was determined, compassionate and steadfast even as a child. This play introduces us to Young Mary and we participate in her many fun filled and spirited childhood adventures. We have lots of fun playing games with Mary, and hearing about her pet cow Blorac and her dad Alexander. Then, as she grows, we bear witness to the determination of a hard working young woman who sets out to eliminate poverty and provide a fair education for all. The play is funny and entertaining and involves the audience in lots of acting and moral decision making. Young Mary’s humour and compassion helps the audience enjoy and understand St Mary MacKillop, whilst appreciating her famous quote; “Never see a need without trying to do something about it.”
NO ASSEMBLY IN THE HALL THIS WEEK
Due to our visiting production of Young Mary which commences in the afternoon, there will be no whole school assembly this week. The assembly will still be available to view online. A compass link will be shared as well as our usual FACEBOOK post with the link.
ST MICHAEL’S FACEBOOK
We have a St Michael’s Facebook Page that I encourage you to to “like” and “follow” , if you haven’t already done so. On this page, we upload each week the Online Assembly, as well as photos and stories of events that have happened and future events at our school.
Look for our school logo in the facebook search.
RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIPS, CHILD SAFETY, GROWTH, DEVELOPMENT & SEXUALITY EDUCATION PROGRAM
As a follow on from our parent evening on the Respectful Relationships, Child Safety, Growth, Development & Sexuality Education program, I have included below, copies of the feedback results that we collected on the night. Thankyou for your open and honest recognition of the importance of this program and what it means to our students from K-6, and what it means to you, that we are working together as educators and parents, to provide authentic and informative information, that is stage and age appropriate and reflects our Catholic identity.
Over the coming weeks, we will be sending home a class note for parents about what content is being covered in the program in each of your children’s classes, to support your child when needed. In this week’s newsletter, I have included some of the points that were mentioned in the meeting, from our Catholic Education Office staff as well as the resources mentioned at the end of the presentation. Respectful Relationships & Child Safety Education is.. FACTS
- Mandated content in the NSW PDHPE Syllabus
- Supporting students to develop skills and knowledge in what respectful relationships look like now and in the future Focuses children’s rights, whilst empowering children and providing relationship skills that will benefit them for life.
- A strong focus on developing skills in recognising and responding to unsafe situations, seeking assistance effectively, establish and maintain respectful and equal relationships, strengthen attitudes and values related to equality, respect and responsibility.
- Respectful Relationships - how we treat one another - what is ok and not ok relationship behaviour in a variety of contexts
- It is essential that the content is unpack in a variety of contexts including peer
- Stranger danger is not the main message
The Why
CATHOLIC CONTEXT- AGE AND STAGE APPROPRIATE EDUCATION
- Skills centred - children and young people need essential skills to navigate relationships now and in the future
- Children are taught not only their right to bodily autonomy, but their responsibility to respect the bodies and feelings of their peers.
- works best when it’s an ongoing conversation using everyday ‘teachable moments’ to positively reinforce messages
ROLE OF PARENTS
- Core messages - shared purpose - really seeing this as an opportunity to be present and be available to children, to develop a narrative of true respect for self, others and relationships. Core and shared values, religious beliefs are instilled early
- Online Safety (Respectful Relationships)
- Answer questions honestly and accurately
- Create a space for conversations to flow
- Listen with an open mind and heart to young people
- Stay calm and available if they do share with you challenging experiences or behaviours
- Let them know - They can talk to you about anything
* Avoid the one off - ‘birds and bees’ talk, start conversations around respect, relationships, -what’s important to them in friendships? What do they notice when other people hurt others? Start conversations around observations in movies, TV shows, comment the news, start the conversation early, so that they know they can come to you always
* Most children in Australia grow up in an environment where they feel safe and do not experience sexual assault; however, this is not the case for all children. Being the victim of childhood sexual abuse or assault can have potentially detrimental effects on a child’s health, safety and development
*Role modelling - our young people are watching, learning and engaging with this world. The are looking for guidance and support to work it out. They are looking at our actions, how we manage feelings, how we relate to others, they are looking for every opportunity on how to be in relationship with themselves and others. It is essential we role model appropriate relationship behaviour, let them know we make mistakes and don’t get it right all the time, but we must be able to learn, grow and make mistakes, but know how to manage it appropriately, when we make these mistakes.
EDUCATOR RESOURCE LINK
SCHOOL ATHLETICS PRESENTATION
Yesterday we had our St Michael’s Athletics Carnival Presentation. All students who placed first, second and third overall in their age group or division, were awarded ribbons.
After collating all results, the following students we awarded Age Champions:
Junior Girls: Runner Up: Charlotte S
Champion: Willow L
Junior Boys: Joint Runners Up: Oliver Mc and Owen P
Champion: Will S
II Year Girls: Runner Up: Jasmine H
Champion: Arabella C
II Year Boys: Runner Up: Reeve C
Champion: Darcy H
Senior Girls: Runner Up: Suria C
Joint Champions: Cianna T and Ruby F
Senior Boys: Runner Up: Brennan B
Champion: Liam G
THE HOUSE POINTS WERE:
1ST ALEXANDRA (GREEN) 127
2ND GIBRALTAR (BLUE) 109
3RD OXLEY (RED) 106
4TH JELLORE (YELLOW) 98
DIOCESAN ATHLETICS
Congratulations to our St Michael's Athletics Team who were awarded the Small School Champion Team last Friday in the Western Region Athletics Carnival. What a fantastic achievement. We were so proud of our whole team. Thank you to all the teachers and parents for your support of our athletics program and enabled these students to represent their school.
DIOCESAN ATHLETICS
Next Tuesday, we have 14 students that will be representing our school and the Western Region, in the Diocesan Athletics Carnival. They are: Sebastian C, Suria C, Ruby F, Lucy H, Jerwill H, Willow L, Tobias N, Sophia P, Will S, Camilla S, Charlotte S, Cianna T, Lucinda T, Esther Y.
CANTEEN
The canteen will be open each Friday this term at Afternoon Tea, for purchases of treats.
If the day changes due to other events, a note/Compass alert will be sent home.
A small selection of chips, flavoured rice cakes, muesli bars, LCMs, sour straps, Gummie Bears, Pop Corn, Jelly fruit cups, lollies, Zooper Doopers, flavoured Milk and homemade cupcakes/biscuits will be on offer.
Items will range from 50 cents to $2.00. Year 6 will be at the sales counter under Mrs Mitchell's or Mrs West’s supervision.
This is a fantastic chance for students in our school community to practice purchasing items with money, receiving change and using social skills to request items. Thank you to our Year 6 team who supported the students last week with their purchases.
WHOLE SCHOOL PHOTO DAY- AGAIN!!
Next Monday 15th August, all of the students will be participating in the WHOLE SCHOOL PHOTO, which had to be postponed when the photographers were here at school before, due to rain.
The photo will be taken at 8:55am in the morning and all student will need to be in their winter school uniform. Unfortunately if your child is late that day, we cannot wait for them, as the photographers need to move onto the school that they were booked for that day.
SPLICED WORKSHOP AT HARTZER PARK
Some of the Year 6 students completing the SPLICED program attended a workshop at Hartzer Park yesterday with our Diocesan Gifted Education Officer, Mr Charadia. Thank you to Mrs Eggleston who is guiding this program in our school and to Mr Charadia and Mrs McCann for your ongoing support of our SPLICED program.
HOT DOG FUNDRAISER
Thank you to Mrs Mitchell and Year 6 for hosting a hot dog day fundraiser yeaterday.
P&F MOVIE NIGHT
Next Wednesday, 17th August, the P&F are holding their Movie Night, which has a Book Week Theme of “Dreaming with your eyes wide open”.
On this night, the students will be able to come to school dressed in pyjamas, oodies or onesies, to watch a movie. There will be a movie for Kindergarten to Year 2 held in the Kindergarten room and a movie for Years 3-6, held in the hall.
On the night the student will receive a pre-ordered treat pack, consisting of popcorn (or chips) and a popper. Children are also encouraged to bring a water drink bottle.
The movie night is being organised by the Kindergarten parents. If you would like to help out, please contact your Kindergarten Class Co-ordinators, Amy James and Tessa Steele.
Details and consent form were given out last Friday. I encourage you to bring back the forms and money in a clearly marked envelope by TOMORROW
The movie commences at 5:30 pm, so arrive a few minute early please and the finish time is 7:30pm. We suggest that the students have something to eat at home before they come back to school for the Movie Night, as only popcorn and poppers will be provided during the time they are here.
We have decided to show the movie SHREK, as it relates really well to the theme of Book Week, with lots of storybook characters involved in the storyline as well as some great songs that the students might like to sing -a-long. This movie is approved for primary student audiences however, as Shrek is a PG movie, we need parent permission. Parent permission is required for all PG movies that are shown at school.
A separate compass alert will be sent out to parents, for permission for your child to watch the movie. We will do this later, once we have received the notes and movie money in the office.
TUESDAY 23 August- Book Parade and P&F BBQ for students
Firstly, on this day Yr 4 parents will organise a BBQ for the students, along with other helpers from the P&F. If you can help, please contact Therese Catania or Melissa Bartolo. The students will be able to order a sausage on bread and popper (Students only) ready for lunch at 11am. The cost will be $4 per student.
Then from 11:40am, parents and family members are invited to attend the school, to watch the Book Week Parade. The students can dress in any costume representing a favourite book character. The parade will commence at 12pm.
Toddlers/Preschool children will have the opportunity to parade as well. If parents would like to dress up, you definitely can too. The more parading, the merrier it will be.
Week 7- Book Fair
The Book Fair will be open for the students and their parents and grandparents to view the books and purchase items. Further details regarding the Book Fair will be given in later newsletters. This is a great opportunity to purchase books as birthday or Christmas presents and you might even like to donate a book to our library. That would be wonderful.
Book Fair will be open during GDay for purchases.
31st August- P&F Father’s Day Stall
Thank you to Katrina Bartone and the Year 2 parents for coordinating our Fathers Day Stall.
2nd September- G’Day- Grandparents and Great People
We would love to see as many Grandparents and Great People as possible on this day, to share in our GDay prayer and concert.
On this day, the P &F (Parents and Friends Association) will be coordinating morning tea for our visitors. Further details will come in regards to this day. Please contact our P&F committee members, Melissa Bartolo, Linda Francis, Yasmine Gospel, Amy James and Emma Neggo, if you can help assist on the day.
9th September-Activate Fire Year 6
Year 6 from St Michael’s, along with Year 6 classes from other Catholic schools in our area, will attend a spirituality/youth day at St Paul’s Moss Vale. Details will be given to our Year 6 parents in regards to the organisation of this day.
Thank you to all the parents for your wonderful support of our school, especially with the coming exciting events.
God Bless
Mrs Katrina West
Principal
IMPORTANT EVENTS
12th August Young Mary Performance
15th August Feast of the Assumption of Mary- bring rosary beads to school on Monday
1st September World Day Prayer of Creation
2nd September G’Day- Grandparents and Great People
9th September Activate Fire Year 6
20th September Kindergarten Maubara Fundraiser
23rd September St Michael’s Feast Day Mass
St Vincent De Paul Winter Food Appeal
Thank you to all the families who have donated to our non-perishable food item drive. Suzanne from St Vincent De Paul Society at Mittagong was very appreciative of the effort that our families make to help others in need.
Mary MacKillop Feast Day
On Monday the 8th of August our school celebrated the Feast Day of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop. This was also the 150th Anniversary of the Josephite Sisters in New South Wales. Students came dressed in olden-day style clothes. Our school celebrations began with a liturgy in the hall, followed by “olden day games” led by our Year 6 students. It was a wonderful day to celebrate Mary Mackillop and the Josephite Sisters. Congratulations to the students who received the Mary MacKillop awards for being Kind and caring just like Mary MacKillop. Thank you to Year 6 for all the hard work they put into preparing the liturgy and actvities.
ASSUMPTION OF MARY- MONDAY 15TH AUGUST
A reminder that if you have rosary beads at home that the children would like to bring to school, they can next Monday. Our whole school will be praying the rosary at 12pm to honour this feast day. We do have class sets of rosaries, so there is no problem if your child does not have a set.