WRAP UP 2020

School, Review and Improvement

Our School, Review and Improvement (SRI) goal this year in Religious Education and Spiritual formation is, “all staff will engage in the reflection, revision and refining of the school vision and mission statement that is informed by spiritual formation”. This is part of our 3 year strategic plan (2019-2021). In 2019 we focused on “Who we are” (Purpose), In 2020 we have focused on revising and revisioning our Vision & Mission (Principle) and in 2021 we will focus on editing, writing, publishing and ritualising a shared Vision & Mission (Capacity of Ritual). 

Recognising the important partnership between home and school, earlier this term we sent out a short survey to parents and families to ensure that their perspectives would be incorporated in the reimaging of our school vision and mission. In addition, Gary Quinn  (Team Leader - Staff Spiritual Formation Catholic Life, Education and Mission Services / Macarthur) attended the school for a whole day to meet with each class (Kindergarten to Year Six) to ascertain the students point of view. Some of the questions Gary utilised in this process included: Why did your family send you to this school? What do you like about your school? What would you change about your school? What would you like your teachers to know? What does your dream school look like?  

Gary Quinn also came out to St Michael’s to assist the staff in undertaking a process of comprehensively reviewing the school’s vision and mission. The staff have been involved in looking into our major beliefs and the implications of these beliefs for our school. This process will continue into next year, along with the editing, writing, publishing and ritualising of our shared vision & mission.  

Prayer and Liturgical Life 

This year we have still been able to create a rich liturgical prayer life at St Michel’s. Due to COVID-19 significant Church and community occasions were commemorated via video communications including Ash Wednesday, the Feast of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, Great people Day, Mission Month and World Environment Day. Each class organised and presented a Liturgy of the Word for special feast days throughout the year. Year 6 students celebrated a special liturgy with a video address from Bishop Brian Mascord with the message, ‘life is an adventure, you’re not alone and God is with you always’. Students from K-6 participated in ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day services via video conference. Our beautiful Graduation ceremony for Year 6 will be available to watch on Youtube until the end of the Term:

Social Justice

Through embracing the mandate of the foundress, St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, ‘Never see a need without doing something about it (1871)’. In 2020 the school supported the St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal by contributing financial support to those suffering from financial and mental health issues as a result of COVID-19. For Mission Month students wore crazy socks and brought in a donation, with donations being sent to Catholic Mission in order to help empower children and young adults with disability at the Arrupe Centre in Cambodia. For our Christmas Appeal we have created Christmas hampers for St Vincent de Paul and written personalised Christmas Card people who suffer from a mental illness or disability. 

This year the Parish, school and parents have worked together to prepare our Year 6 students for the Sacrament of Confirmation. Next year we willl continue with Sacraments suspended this year including Penance and Eucharist. 

Visual Arts

St Michael’s was represented by students in the Christmas Story Art Exhibition and Competition conducted by CEDoW where one student (Isabelle White) received a highly commended and two students (Audrey Mackey and Monique Summa) were Wollongong Diocese finalists. There were 95 Finalists from 'The Archdiocese of Sydney', 'The Diocese of Wollongong', 'Diocese of Bathurst' and Monique Summa won the Artistic Achievement Award and Trophy.

Religious Education 

Online Learning

This year St Michael’s has been involved in creating online resources for the Cathoic Education Office to support the teaching of Religious Education in our classrooms. “Behind the Good News” is a resource to support the teaching of RE in Years 3, 4, 5 & 6. Episode 2 features St Michael’s in the Super Sleuth segment. See the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buqTpo9kopc&feature=youtu.be 

Pray School is an engaging weekly Religious Education program, appealing to the spirituality of the child through storytelling, music, singing, listening and responding to Scripture as well as making connections to life through wonder and awe. The project dubbed Pray School looks to imitate a children’s educational playschool type program, only covering Religious Education content appealing to the Spirituality of the child. See our St Michael’s students in action, in the environmental section of this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvBwjK1elBs&feature=youtu.be

Messages from Father Ken

Christmas Volunteers Are Still Needed

This year, because of the Covid-19 restrictions and construction in the school grounds, all Christmas Masses will be in Thirroul Church with extra seating provided outside on the grassed area.   Numbers are currently limited to 100 in the church – details will be updated in accordance with NSW Health Regulations.  There will be four Christmas Masses this year.  If you can help with any of the tasks below, please phone or email the Parish Office by this Wednesday – Thank you for your help!

Helpers needed at 4:30pm Christmas Eve to set up chairs for the 6:30pm Mass

5 Children needed to do the readings at the Christmas Eve 6:30pm Mass

Advent Reconciliation

Rite II of Reconciliation at Thirroul: Tuesday, 15 December at 7:30pm

Christmas Mass Times  – you must Register beforehand

Christmas Masses:     Thursday, 24 December 6:30pm Thirroul Church

                                   Thursday, 24 December 9:30pm Thirroul  [not at Wombarra]

                                   Friday, 25 December 8:00am and 9:30am  Thirroul

                                   Saturday, 26 December 5:30pm Thirroul

                                   Sunday, 27 December 8:00am Thirroul

then Masses will be at the usual times

                                   Friday, 1 January 2021 9:00am Thirroul

 Miss Emma Groves - Relgious Education Co ordinator