Vision: Inspired by Christ, we aspire to excellence in learning, living life fully in community
The mission at St Michael’s is to:

• be a vibrant catholic community where all feel safe, valued, loved and respected

• display understanding, compassion and care for others and all creation

• foster dynamic and diverse learning opportunities

Living fully in community

Our school vision ‘Inspired by Christ, we aspire to excellence in learning, living fully in community’ frames who we are and what we want to instil in every member of our school community. In the past fortnight, there were a number of key events that truly epitomises the tight knit and loving community we have at St Michael’s. On Thursday 29 February, we held a Kindergarten parents night for the very first time at the Pickled Poet. This was a brilliant opportunity for new and existing families, and staff to connect with each other. These connections we share are pivotal to a partnered approach to ensure each and every student becomes the best version of themselves. It was a lovely atmosphere throughout the night, and we look forward to coordinating further opportunities to bind this beautiful community together. After all, together is better. 

On Friday 1 March we held our annual Cross Country Carnival at Gibson Park. The selfless and giving nature of our community was evident through the copious amount of support from our wonderful parents. From transporting the equipment, coffee runs, marquee setup, course officials, and many other acts of support and kindness. The St Michael’s spirit was certainly alive and well in our community. There was a particular moment on that day that has stuck with me, and to me animates our school vision. I watched on as some of our senior students took on the 3km race for the very first time. Some struggled throughout, but never gave up. At the very end I caught a number of our stage 3 students caught in a genuine and warm embrace. It is these little moments and gestures that help create that feeling of love and belonging within our school community. 

P&F Executive 2024
A big thank you to the large number of parents who attended our first P&F meeting on Friday 23 February. We appreciate your ongoing support to assist us in continuing to improve this school community. As a part of the Annual General Meeting the following candidates were selected to represent your voices as a part of the P&F Executive Team for 2024:

President: Fiona Heslop
Vice President: Rob Grilli
Secretary: Alexa Marciano
Treasurer: Claire Sobol 

I feel very grateful to be able to work alongside such talented and passionate people who are committed to ensuring the best possible experience at St Michael’s for all of our students.  

Feedback is a gift
At the recent P&F meeting, I shared with parents my desire to hear their voice on issues or decisions that have impacted them or their children. I reminded parents that I will always make decisions in the best interest of the students you have entrusted in our care, but may not get everything perfectly right. In instances where I may not have considered your perspective, please feel comfortable to contact me. Whether that be dropping in for a chat, an email or a phone call. This feedback helps me to understand your perspective and address any concerns you may be holding. This is not something that I would take personally, rather an opportunity to understand perspectives and help me grow as a leader.
If you have concerns with anything classroom related, please first connect with the classroom teachers. Each of our teachers are open to hearing your concerns, and will be able to provide you with the necessary information to navigate them in partnership. 

Stage learning groups pilot initiative

In 2024, our key improvement goal is focussed on ensuring adequate learning growth for all learners in literacy and numeracy. The word ‘adequate’ was chosen intentionally to ensure that we are setting targets for excellent progress, regardless of each individuals starting point. Our work around the implementation of the new syllabus aligns perfectly with this goal, as one of the key features in the revised syllabus is a focus on ‘all students making excellent progress.’ This is not always easy, as research will support that there is approximately a 7 year gap between your highest and lower achieving students. The new syllabus explicitly states that students only progress to the next syllabus once they have mastered the previous syllabus. As a staff we are working hard on ensuring we develop quality assessments to ensure that we are confident of student mastery and pinpointing student learning needs. 

As previously communicated, Mrs McLeod has taken on a new leadership role in 2024, focussed on supporting teachers to address the diverse needs of their students, with a specific focus on enrichment. This term, Mrs McLeod has devised a trial initiative where we will be splitting our stage 2 (Years 3 and 4) students across 4 mathematics groups. The teachers taking these groups  (Mrs McLeod, Miss Riolo, Mrs Sepple, and myself) will have the group one day per week and design tailored learning in response to these students' identified needs. At the end of the term we will engage staff, students, and parents to review this trial program to evaluate the impact. 

Calendar overview 

Week 6	Monday 4 March	Tuesday 5 March	Wednesday 6 March	Thursday 7 March	Friday 8 March
		Choir 8.00am		Canteen Open	Canteen Open
Week 7	Monday 11 March	Tuesday 12 March	Wednesday 13 March	Thursday 14 March	Friday 15 March
	Steps Vision Screening (Kinder)	Choir 8.00am		Canteen Open	Canteen Open School assembly 2.30pm
Week 8	Monday 18 March	Tuesday 19 March	Wednesday 20 March	Thursday 21 March	Friday 22 March
	St Patrick's Day - Green Mufti Day	Choir 8.00am St Joseph Prayer Service (in class)		Canteen Open	Canteen Open
Week  9	Monday 25 March	Tuesday 26 March	Wednesday 27 March	Thursday 28 March	Friday          29 March
		Choir 8.00am		Canteen Open Holy week events:TBC Easter Raffle/ Easter Hat Parade	Good Friday: (Public Holiday)

Mr James Bryce - Principal

What’s happened at St Michael’s over the past three weeks?

We wish to extend our heartfelt gratitude for your overwhelming presence at the recent whole school opening mass and picnic. Your attendance not only highlighted the strong bond between our school and the parish but also exemplified our commitment to our school vision,  'Inspired by Christ, we aspire to excellence in learning, living fully in community.' Experiences such as these bring alive the essence of our vision, reminding us of the values we hold dear and the community we strive to nurture each and every day. 

The opening school mass was truly a joyous occasion, marked by the awarding of leadership badges to our Year 6 leaders, signifying their dedication to serving as role models within our school community. Furthermore, it was heartwarming  to witness the active participation of parents during the mass, assisting their children and strengthening the connection between our school and the parish. Your involvement enhanced the sense of belonging and reinforced the values we aim to instil in our students.

A big thank you to all the parents and extended family members who joined your children at the picnic after mass. Your presence made the day even more special and brought an extra dose of joy to our gathering, showcasing the beauty of our school community.

We are incredibly grateful for your generous donations of non-perishable items, which have been distributed to St. Vincent de Paul to assist those in need within our wider community.

As we enter the season of Lent, we are reminded of the importance of reflection, repentance, and renewal. Lent is a time for us to embark upon a journey of spiritual growth and ecological conversion. It is an opportunity for us to commit to concrete changes through fasting and lifestyle adjustments, living more in solidarity with our Earth and each other.

I had the pleasure of helping in Kindergarten this week as they created a beautiful artwork depicting the crucifixion.

This Lenten season, your generosity can continue to uplift vulnerable individuals, as

highlighted by the theme of Project Compassion this year, "For All Future Generations." Spanning across the six weeks of Lent each year, Project Compassion brings thousands of Australian schools, parishes, and supporters together to raise funds for people living in some of the most vulnerable communities across the world. Your generous support can help change lives today - and For All Future Generations.

We are thrilled to announce that we have already raised enough money to purchase some disaster resistance seeds for the people of Malawi and to buy hand sanitiser to help the people of Samoa through your donations to project compassion.

But there is still a long way to go!

The results for Week 5 & Week 6 are… 

Congratulations to Year 4, who took over the reins of Mickey for Week 6 after raising a total of $11.35 in Week 5. 

So far our school has managed to raise $121.95. Please continue to support this important fundraiser helping the needy people in our world. So far we have raised enough money to support local health workers running a small pharmacy that administers essential medicine to the community in the Philippines. We are on our way to being able to provide a family with a safe toilet to help eliminate cholera during rainy months and cyclone season in Malawi.

Upcoming events: 

World Day of Prayer - Prayer Service: Thursday the 29th February at our whole school assembly. 

Friday 8th March: Year 6 Class Mass and Conversation with Fr Ken

Friday 15th March: Year 4 Class Mass and Conversation 

Monday 18th March: Students will engage in a prayer service in their classrooms for St Patrick’s Day run by the Inspired by Christ team. 

Tuesday 19th March: Students will engage in a prayer service in their classrooms for St Joseph’s Day that will be run by their classroom teachers. 

We extend a warm invitation to all members of our immediate and extended community to participate in these prayer services, liturgies, and Masses. We firmly believe that through collective engagement, we will authentically embody our vision and mission. Your presence will enhance the depth of these experiences, nurturing a spirit of unity and shared purpose. If you are interested in being an active participant in a range of different faith filled experiences this term, please let us know by sending an email to the school office and we will be in touch. 

Mrs Chelsea McLeod and Mrs Ronelle Peardon:  Acting Religious Education Coordinators

2024 - SPORTING EVENTS AND DATES

Upcoming dates for your 2024 “Sports Diary”

• School Athletics Carnival - Friday 5th April,  Beaton Park

SOUTH COAST REGIONAL SWIMMING CARNIVAL -

On Tuesday the 5th of March the following students, Milla B, Mary B, Annabel C, Jemima C, Eddison C, Allistair F, Buddy H, Eddie H, Tully H, Anna H, Sofia L, Maggie L, Olivia L, Ethan M, Clancy M, Drew M, Harvey M, Ciara M, Charley N, Hunter C, Sienna P, Callum R, Flynn S, Abby S, Lucille U, Rhys W, Ethan Z participated at the South Coast Region Swimming Carnival at Corrimal Pool. Our students proudly represented our school trying their best and showing great sportsmanship and perseverance against tough competition. 

St Michaels was the overall winner of the small school champion trophy and Jemima C was runner up junior girls champion! 

The following students Jemima C, Ciara M, Milla B, Abby S and Hunter C were successful in progressing through to the Wollongong Dicoesan Selection Trials which will be held at Corrimal Pool on the 11th of March. We wish all our swimmers the best of luck at this next level of competition.

Also a big thanks goes out to Mrs Morgan Crinis and Mrs Alicia Rutledge who were the St Michael’s parent officials assisting in time keeping on the day. 

2024 CROSS COUNTRY

Congratulations to all of our students for your enthusiastic participation at our school Cross Country last Friday. Students demonstrated persistence and good sportsmanship on a challenging course. A fun day was had by all with the children having the opportunity to run and participate in games and war cries. 

A big thank you to Mrs Ronelle Peardon who convened the event and all our parent volunteers who assisted in some way on the day. Without your help days like this are not possible!

Congratulations to the winning house Mackillop! 

CRICKET WOLLONGONG TEAM SELECTION TRIALS 

On the 22nd of February, Hugo R, Darcy F, Abby S (Year 5) and Eliza D (Year 6) attended the Diocesan Cricket Trials. All four students represented our school with pride, playing well and having their skills tested. 

Abby S and Eliza D were successful in being chosen in the Wollongong team and now head to Wagga Wagga in September to compete for a spot in the MacKillop team.  We congratulate them on this achievement and wish them all the best for September. 

Student Sporting and Extracurricular Success 

Congratulations to Milla C in Year 4 who has secured a lead role in the upcoming production of Annie at the IPAC Theatre, an amazing achievement for someone of her age. The school community wishes Milla all the best with her upcoming performances and looks forward to seeing her on stage. The show runs from the 19th through to the 27th April. 

Congratulations to Annabel C in Year 3 who has made it to the State Championships for Little Athletics in the 200m and 400m. A tremendous achievement!

The State Championships will be held at Sydney Olympic Athletics Centre Friday 22nd – Sunday, 24 March 2024. We wish her the best of luck at this next level of competition. 

If you require any further information about sporting events at St Michael’s please contact Mrs Campbell 

Mrs Danielle Campbell - Sports Convenor

Online Safety: 

All parents want their children to be safe when learning and playing online. These short videos and easy-to-read advice sheets will give you the confidence to talk with your children about online safety. They include tips to help them stay safe, and important information about what to do if something bad does happen online.

https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/resources/online-safety-for-every-family 

The kids section of the eSafety website also provides information written in child friendly language. This is a resource worth exploring with your child: https://www.esafety.gov.au/kids/be-an-esafe-kid 

Screen time for your child - 7 tips 

Mrs Emma Cook - Instructional Coach

Congratulations to the following students who received awards at the last assembly.

Principals Award

• Daisy D
• Jemima S
• Eliza D
• Marcus M
• Nicholas B
• Summer F
• Sofia G

Gold Award

• Erica K
• Eisley C
• Sofia G