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Vision: Inspired by Christ, we aspire to excellence in learning, living life fully in community
The mission at St Michael’s is to:
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be a vibrant catholic community where all feel safe, valued, loved and respected
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display understanding, compassion and care for others and all creation
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foster dynamic and diverse learning opportunities
Happy Easter
As I sat amongst our new little Kindergarten friends during our Holy Week liturgy, a sense of gratitude flowed through my body. The sounds of the singing voices, the reverence of the students, and the parents overflowing out of our school hall, created an atmosphere that truly epitomises the love and connection within our school community. At this moment, I stopped to appreciate how fortunate I am to be a part of this beautiful Catholic school community. I have been repeatedly coming back to our school vision with staff, students, and parents throughout the year and reiterating that it must be more than words on a wall, rather shaping who we are as a community. This moment to me was our vision in full swing. Our students shared the story of Christ in the final days before his crucifixion, demonstrating how we can live with love, faith, compassion and integrity. The students' active engagement in the liturgy was beyond beautiful and helped shape a meaningful experience for all members of our school community. We were certainly connected as one community throughout both the liturgy and hat parade. There was a beautiful feel within our school grounds as all members engaged and connected with each other with warmth and understanding.
As a Catholic school community, we are proud to draw our inspiration and comfort from the teachings of Christ. It is no coincidence that ‘Inspired by Christ’ is the opening line of our shared vision statement. Ultimately, as a Catholic School, we use Jesus' life experiences to provide a model of how we live a life filled with hope, kindness, love, and compassion. Our goal is that these values are instilled in all members of our community, not just during their time at St Michael’s, but throughout their lives. In partnership with you, we aim to foster each individual's relationship with Christ and empower them to unlock and use their gifts to shape a better world.Throughout our lives we all experience our own crucifixion or times of darkness, but my hope is that during these times of challenge that we draw on our faith and connection to bring peace and optimism to overcome life's obstacles.
I wish you and your families a lovely Easter. May it be a time where you spend time deeply connecting with your beautiful families with a sense of gratitude and hope. Thank you for the energy and positivity you bring to this school community. I am grateful for your ongoing support to ensure that St Michael’s is a thriving school community where all feel safe, valued, loved and respected.
Parent workshop survey
A huge thankyou to the number of parents who completed the parent workshop survey. After analysing the survey we have identified three broad themes to be explored in Terms 2-4.
- Building confident and resilient children
- Building self-regulation skills
- Cybersafety
Parish and school connections
At our previous P&F meeting, Jo Pye, who is a member of the Parish council and a parent within our school community shared with us the importance of having a strong connection between the school and Parish. Essentially, the school is an arm of the Church that aims to support the evangelising mission of the Church.
Whilst the school provides each individual with a rich experience of the faith, we also acknowledge parents as the first teachers of the faith.Our partnered approach aims to assist parents in fostering rich experiences beyond the school that allow all children to experience the love and grace of God through a personal relationship with Jesus.
Approximately twelve months ago, Bishop Brian, released a decree outlining the role of a Catholic school. Within the decree, the Bishop outlined the key areas that all Catholic Schools must have a shared commitment to. Upon reflection, two areas stood out, that will become a focus tied into our strategic planning:
- Fostering a partnership between diocese, parishes, parents, and staff in the education of children to bring the Kingdom to fulfilment.
- Being Eucharistic communities that reach out as the Body of Christ to the community.
These two areas tie in beautifully with a key component of our vision that is focussed on Living Fully in Community. This includes having frequent opportunities to celebrate the Eucharist that empower us to go forth to make a positive difference in our world. In order for our community to thrive, we often require the support of parents and students during our weekend Masses. We will be including a Parish section in each of our newsletters to provide you with ways that you can support and be an active part of our beautiful communities in many ways.
Throughout the rest of the year we will be implementing strategies to create a stronger connection between Parish and school. This is inclusive of termly family masses, that will invite students within our school community to play an active role. Please lookout for the Parish section in each of our newsletters which will outline opportunities and updates.
Calendar overview
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Week 10 |
Monday 1 April |
Tuesday 2 April |
Wednesday 3 April |
Thursday 4 April |
Friday 5 April |
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Easter Monday: (Public Holiday) |
Choir 8.00am Easter Celebration Liturgy 10.30am |
House Colour Meetings at 2.45pm |
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Week 11 |
Monday 8 April |
Tuesday 9 April |
Wednesday 10 April |
Thursday 11 April |
Friday 12 April |
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Choir 8.00am |
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Mr James Bryce - Principal
What’s happened at St Michael’s over the past three weeks?
As Lent draws to a close and Easter approaches, we reflect on the meaningful journey we've shared. During Lent, we've focused on prayer, fasting, and helping others through almsgiving. Now, as Easter nears, we look forward to celebrating the joy of new beginnings.
Easter reminds us of the power of hope and renewal. It's a time to come together, embracing forgiveness and love. Let's rejoice in the promise of Easter and the fresh start it brings. May this season be filled with peace and blessings for you and your loved ones.
This Lenten season, your generosity of giving helped in so many ways for vulnerable individuals, through donating to Project Compassion. This year the theme has been, "For All Future Generations." We have continued to support Caritas’ project compassion by putting money into our class project compassion boxes. So far we have raised a total of $262.70 which has now provided a handwashing sink to a household in Samoa so that cleanliness and hygiene is accessible to a family.
The results for W9 are…
Kindergarten: $11.70
Year 1: $8.90
Year 2: $24.00
Year 3: $8.40
Year 4: $6.65
Year 5: $6.20
Year 6: $6.20
St Patrick’s Day: On St. Patrick's Day, our Year 6 leaders ran prayer services in every classroom, bringing us together in a spirit of reverence and unity. They led us in simple prayers and uplifting songs, honouring St. Patrick's legacy. Their gentle guidance created a meaningful atmosphere where we felt connected to our faith and each other. We're thankful to our Year 6 leaders for leading these special moments of celebration.
St Joseph’s Day: On Tuesday, March 19th, we celebrated the feast day of St. Joseph in a truly special way. Each class engaged in a heartfelt prayer service, honouring the patron saint with reverence and devotion. As I walked through the halls, I witnessed the profound impact of the day on our students. Each classroom was alive with the spirit of St. Joseph, as students participated in prayers, reflections, and hymns. It was a beautiful sight to see how deeply the students were inspired by Christ, their reverence and engagement shining through in every moment. Whether through quiet contemplation or joyful song, each class embraced the opportunity to connect with the teachings of St. Joseph and renew their commitment to faith and service.
Wollongong Environment Network Day
On Wednesday, 20th March, Mrs Kelly and 4 students from Stage 3 attended the Student Wollongong Environment Network Day at St Paul's Catholic Parish Primary School in Albion Park. The day involved sharing environmental initiatives and reflecting on what our next actions will be at school to care for Our Common Home. It was an opportunity to meet teachers and students from other schools. Some activities involved writing a school prayer for creation and making a reusable bag out of an old t-shirt. At the end of the day our 4 students were presented with a Wollongong Environment Network Badge. They are Eco Ambassadors who will support each other in our next Environmental Actions that will take place at school. What an inspirational day!
Holy Week: Thank you to all those who came to the Holy Week Liturgy today as we came together to reflect on the meaningful journey of faith and sacrifice as we honoured the passion and death of Jesus Christ. The atmosphere was filled with quiet contemplation as we pondered the significance of these sacred moments. As the Easter weekend draws near, may the light of hope and renewal brighten your spirits. As we look back on this special time, let's remember the blessings of community, faith, and love that surrounded us.
Upcoming events:
Tuesday 2nd April: Whole School Easter Liturgy at 10.30am - Students in Kindergarten and Year 5 are hosting the Liturgy. .
Thursday 4th April: St Michael’s Living the Vision Awards at 2.15pm
Monday 8th April: Annunciation of the Lord Prayer Service
Friday 12th April: Year 3 Class Mass and conversation with Fr Ken.
♰ Thursday, 28 March 19:30: Holy Thursday – Mass of the Lord’s Supper
♰ Friday, 29 March, Good Friday - 10:30: Good Friday – Way of the Cross
♰ - 15:00 – Liturgy of the Passion
♰ Saturday, 30 March 19:00: Easter Vigil
♰ Sunday, 31 March 08:00: Easter Sunday – Mass of the Resurrection with Baptism
We warmly invite all members of our community to join us in our prayer services, liturgies, and Masses. We hold a strong belief that by coming together, we will truly live out our vision and mission. Your attendance will enrich these moments, fostering a sense of togetherness and common goals.
Parish Announcements:
ROSEMARY NEEDED FOR GOOD FRIDAY – BY TODAY
On Good Friday, 29 March, during both the Way of the Cross (10:30) and the Liturgy of the Passion (15:00) small strips of rosemary are given to everyone. Please cut the rosemary into strips of about 10cm long and drop them into the church on Holy Thursday morning, 28 March.
On ANZAC Day, 25 April, rosemary will be given to all who attend the special 08:30 Mass. Rosemary is an ancient symbol of fidelity and remembrance. The aromatic herb grows wild on the Gallipoli peninsula in Türkiye, where the original Anzacs served in World War I. Australians traditionally wear sprigs of rosemary as a symbol of remembrance on Anzac Day or Remembrance Day.
SMALL PLASTIC BOTTLES NEEDED FOR EASTER – BY THIS WEEKEND
During the Easter Vigil, Saturday, 30 March, Easter Holy Water is blessed and given to everyone to take home to bless their homes and cars. Small plastic bottles (with lids) are needed to ensure everyone can take home a bottle. Please bring along (clean) small plastic bottles by next weekend, so they can be filled before Easter. Thank you!
Baptisms
If you want your infant son or daughter (under 7 years) to receive Baptism, the next Baptisms to be held in our Parish will be during Easter Masses, Saturday, 21 April and Sunday, 22 April – the following baptism will be held on 18/19 May 2024. The next Baptism preparation meetings for parents will be in the presbytery on Thursday, 18 April at 19:15. Call in to the Parish Office to collect the Baptism Enrolment Forms.
Baptism is the first Sacrament of Christian Initiation, followed by Confirmation and Eucharist. In most of the Eastern Catholic Churches, the three Sacraments are celebrated together as is done in the Latin Catholic Church with adults and children over the age of reason – that is 7 years or older.
Event: family camping weekend
Please see below a link for an opportunity to participate in a Catholic family camping weekend.
https://www.dow.org.au/events/compass-catholic-family-camping-weekend/
Mrs Chelsea McLeod and Mrs Ronelle Peardon: Acting Religious Education Coordinators
What’s happened at St Michael’s over the past three weeks?
RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIPS
Introducing the 2024 Student Advisory Group (SAG). These students have had their initial meeting where they analysed the Student Voice survey data, made some recommendations to the teachers and developed 3 more survey questions to gather further data to drill down to develop our first RESPECT focus. The 3 questions the SAG have been asking as many students as possible are:
1.Do people treat girls worse than boys? E.g. do girls get teased more than boys
2.Do you feel unsafe or uncomfortable around the toilets?
3.Do you hear people saying unkind or untrue things about others?
Waste Free Wednesday News
Congratulations to all students who ditched the plastic and came waste free to Wednesday these past 2 weeks. Let’s aim for all classes to be above 60% waste free.
Here are the results for Week 7
- Kinder: 67%
- Year 2: 77%
- Year 3: 87%
- Year 4: 71 %
- Year 5: 45%
- Year 6: 40%
- Year 1: 86%
So the Gold Waste Free Warriors for Week 7 are:Year 3
and the Silver Waste Free Warriors for Week 7 are: Year 1. Week 7 was MAGIC round. Two lucky students who brought waste free lunches to school won a BENTO box.
Here are the results for Week 8:
Kinder - 83%
Year 1 -71%
Year 2 -57%
Year 3 -93%
Year 4 -65%
Year 5 -70%
Year 6 -65%
So the GOLD waste free warriors for Week 8 are: Year 3 and the silver WFW are Kindergarten. Congratulations to both these classes.
St Patrick’s Day Year 6 FUNdraiser
It was such a fun day on Monday 18 March when we celebrated St Patrick’s Day. Our Year 6 leaders organised a wonderful day filled with the luck of the Irish and lots of lucky chocolate coins, green treats, Irish dancing, a luck o’ the Irish guessing competition, random lucky gold coin lottery and loads more. A total of $793.25 was raised to go towards the Year 6 GRADUATION to ensure it is a most memorable experience for our Year 6 class of 2024. Later in the year we will consult the Year 6 students for their voice in what they would like for their graduation. Thank you for your support of this great event, please enjoy some photos below.
Harmony Day April 4
Aloha, Nihao, Bonjour, Ciao, Hola… We will be celebrating HARMONY DAY…Everyone Belongs on Thursday April 4. Everyone is invited to wear orange to school on this day to celebrate our diversity. The choir will be singing a cultural song and there will be a live on stage performance by a local muso… with the back crew consisting of the Living Fully in Community Year 6 leaders. There will be cultural themed treats on sale at the canteen on this dayCome along to our afternoon assembly to help us celebrate Harmony Day.
Mrs Amy Sammut - Assistant Principal
Applications are now being accepted for Kindergarten 2025. To enrol your child please visit our website; www.smt.catholic.edu.au . Applications are now completed online. Click on the ENROL NOW option.
St Michael’s School Social Media
With so much going on at school, a great way to follow any up and coming events and read about the great things that are happening, please follow us on:
Instagram- stmichaels.thirroul or Facebook-St Michael's Catholic Primary School, Thirroul
St Michael’s School Social Media
With so much going on at school, a great way to follow any up and coming events and read about the great things that are happening, please follow us on:
Instagram- stmichaels.thirroul or Facebook-St Michael's Catholic Primary School, Thirroul.
2024 - SPORTING EVENTS AND DATES
Upcoming dates for your 2024 “Sports Diary”
- School Athletics Carnival - Friday 5th April, Beaton Park
Earlier this month a number of our students represented Thirroul SLSC at the NSW State surf lifesaving championships in Manly..
A big congratulations to Callum R in Year 4 who was a part of the Thirroul under 10 boys board relay team which placed 4th in the state - an amazing effort!
STUDENT SPORTING & EXTRACURRICULAR SUCCESS STORIES
We invite all our families to share their child/children’s sporting and extracurricular achievements outside of school, so we can share in their success as a whole school community through our School Newsletter.
If you require any further information about sporting events at St Michael’s please contact Mrs Campbell
Mrs Danielle Campbell - Sports Convenor
Mrs Emma Cook - Instructional Coach
Congratulations to the following students who received awards at the last assembly.
Principals Award
- James L
- Madeleine F
- Sabrina S
- Chayce S
- Ayden D
Gold Award
- Chayce S
Hot Cross Buns Fundraiser - A Delicious Success!
We're thrilled to announce the success of our recent Hot Cross Bun fundraiser! Thanks to your incredible support, we raised over $750 which will go towards the development of our new outdoor playground space.
We were blown away by the number of orders that came through! A very special mention goes out to the Clemet and Grilli families who were our top sellers – Congratulations! We hope you enjoy your Easter chocolate and activity hamper – a small token of our appreciation.
Finally, a huge Thank You to our dedicated year 6 parent helpers who volunteered their time sorting through each order.
Thank you again to our school community for your support. We wish you all a wonderful Easter long weekend.
P&F Executive Team 2024
