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Dear Parents and Carers,
What a wonderful week it has been. It has been so exciting to hear and see all the smiling faces of the children this week. A school is supposed to be full of energy, children’s voices and classes full. The children have settled back into school life and routine beautifully.
I would like to thank all parents and carers for your ongoing support and feedback. We acknowledge the challenge that remote learning had on juggling family life and work. As we slowly return to a sense of normality please continue to take care of yourselves and each other.
The teachers here at St Michael’s have demonstrated a deep commitment to continuing quality learning and maintaining connection with their students. They have gone above and beyond during some very challenging times, I am certainly proud to say that I am a part of the St Michael’s community.
Below is an excerpt from “The Worth of the Ordinary - Stories for your Journey” by Br Damien Price, reminding us to focus on what is important.
There is beauty all around us, if we choose to have the eyes to see.
There is courage within us, if we only believe.
The best battle won, is the one within.
The most beautiful sunrise follows a night of storm and wind.
You can hold your head high when you have given your all.
So day after choose to walk tall.
Confirmation - Year 6 students
The Sacrament of Confirmation, due to be held on 2 July this year, has been postponed, and no date is set as of yet.
However, I would ask you, if your wish your daughter or son to receive Confirmation this year, to complete the Enrolment Form. This was communicated previously and the due date was by 10 May 2020. If you have not had the opportunity to do so, please complete as soon as you can.
The Enrolment Form may be downloaded from the Parish website:
Please return the completed Enrolment Form to the Parish Office, 325 Lawrence Hargrave Drive, Thirroul, or by email thirroul@dow.org.au
Once the Enrolment Form is returned, you will be emailed with details for the preparation and celebration of Confirmation once details are known.
Parent Spirituality
Ripples is a PODCAST developed for staff and parents on-going spiritual formation designed by Robyn Gallagher (Professional Officer - Staff Spiritual Formation - Catholic Education Office). It seeks to offer a space where people can draw on the wisdom of a series of guest speakers and can experience some treasured stillness through meditation. Practices like these create a ripple effect. They have the potential to impact the way we respond to family, friends, colleagues, to creation and to our loving God. Come and enjoy some Inspired Voices and Treasured Stillness.
RIPPLE EFFECT
This program is called Ripples because of Robyn’s belief that there are some practices that have a ripple effect. When we have time to connect with matters of the heart, to hear a new perspective and to enter into silence we are more able to respond to life from a better place and space. And this has a ripple effect. It impacts the way we respond to family, friends, colleagues, others in our world, to creation and to our God.
THE PROGRAM
Each week a new Episode and Meditation will be offered.
You may like to listen to both the Episode and the Meditation in one sitting or you may choose to do them at different times of the day or week. You can choose a time that works best for you.
A journal is a wonderful tool to support you in this time of reflection, so you may like to bring this with you as you sit with a question that the guest speaker offers during their Episode.
Come away and rest a while.
Mark 6:31
A prayer for this time
Online Learning Resources developed by the Catholic Education Office
I wanted to share with you some of the creative resources the Cathoic Education Office have developed 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. This simulated TV show will allow for multiple curriculum outcomes to be addressed by focusing on key themes and on the seasons of the Church. The intent of this resource is to share the Good News of Jesus and link to stories of good news across our diocese. Students will be invited to engage in a range of activities and challenged to think about the messages and how they relate to their own lives. Full Episode on youtube
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. This resource is being used with students from K-2.
Magazine containing weekly Lenten reflections and Activities
Miss Emma Groves - Religious Education Co ordinator
Merit awards
This week we will re-commence our fortnightly merit awards distribution. On Friday afternoon our teachers will be handing out the merit awards from week 4 to recognise the efforts of some of the students during online learning and face to face delivery.
From week 6 onwards the students will engage in a condensed version of our assembly in their classrooms via zoom that incorporates our three levels of awards and a short Leader In Me activity. We look forward to celebrating and recognising the wonderful work of our students.
Mr James Bryce - Assistant Principal
Wellbeing Scavenger Hunt
Thank you to everyone who entered the Wellbeing Scavenger Hunt, it was great to see all the pets, paper planes, silent discos and all the things you are grateful for. It certainly put a smile on my face. Everyone’s entries were amazing. Each class has had 1 student selected randomly to receive a $5 canteen voucher. Please see below the recipients of the canteen vouchers.
Kindergarten - Jemima C
Year 1 - Sienna P
Year 2 - Monte H
Year 3 - Lara M
Year 4 - Evie T
Year 5B - Charlie S
Year 5W - Rose D
Year 6 - Shelby R
Reports
Reports will be released via Compass this term on Friday 19 June. There will be further information in the coming weeks explaining the revised reporting procedures to reflect school and remote learning as well as details about parent teacher interviews to be held in Week 10.
Online Ordering of School Uniforms
We have been notified by some parents that when attempting to purchase school uniforms on the Lowes website that stock is showing as temporarily unavailable. We have contacted Lowes Management today and they are looking into this issue. Please be advised that the uniforms are still available to purchase in store.
Planting of the St Mary MacKillop Bush
A lovely St Mary MacKillop Bush has been planted in the old waiting tree space and it has been tidied up with some other small plants. These are all plants that can be transplanted to other locations as we continue to explore the options for the playground space. It is lovely to have trees planted that have significance to our school charism.
Reconciliation Week
The theme for National Reconciliation Week this year is In this together. This is now resonating in many ways, with our current global situation, it reminds us whether in a crisis or in reconciliation we are all in this together.
In 2020 Reconciliation Australia marks twenty years of shaping Australia’s journey towards a more just, equitable and reconciled nation. Much has happened since the early days of the people’s movement for reconciliation, including greater acknowledgement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights to land and sea; understanding of the impact of government policies and frontier conflicts; and an embracing of stories of Indigenous success and contribution.
Reconciliation is a journey for all Australians – as individuals, families, communities, organisations and importantly as a nation. At the heart of this journey are relationships between the broader Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
We strive towards a more just, equitable nation by championing unity and mutual respect as we come together and connect with one another. On this journey, Australians are all In This Together; every one of us has a role to play when it comes to reconciliation, and in playing our part we collectively build relationships and communities that value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories and cultures.
Below is a showcase of wonderful work that students from Years 4-6 have completed to reflect on the meaning and significance of National Reconciliation Week. Miss Emma Riolo
Student Wellbeing
It has been mostly smiles all round with the return to full time face-to-face teaching. We all have been a little nervous but also very excited. Just like at the beginning of the school year, students have been reminded of the behaviours that need to be displayed whilst at school. At home, we all became quite relaxed with our eating regimes and even being able to take a stroll when we wanted. It has been a time of transition for us all to get back into the rhythm of school.
The wellbeing of your children has been a major focus for staff over the last few weeks. As we know, students can display a variety of symptoms and at the time, we don’t always associate these with anxiety. Some simple hints are to:
- reassure students of their safety at school; comfort them, remind them that they are safe and that current events are very rare
- maintain normal routines and schedules
- deal with fears by reminding students that many good things still occur in the world
- encourage students to participate in their faith
Along with these simple hints, the interview that Mrs Hughes had with Kerrie Paul provides some excellent advice.
With the absence of equipment on the playground, staff and students have become very creative in the way that play is conducted in a safe manner. It has been very reassuring to see so many smiles and to hear laughter on the playground.
Mrs Ronelle Peardon - Middle Leader 1