Filter Content
Dear Parents and Carers,
This week I have begun the process of Kindergarten enrolment interviews for 2022. I look forward to this time of year as it is an opportunity to meet new families and to continue the journey with existing families. To meet all the young children and families is a true privilege.
The St Michael’s community is truly respected and the sense of community is a constant theme throughout the interviews. Thank you for your contribution to that and for welcoming our new families to our school with open arms and a helping hand.
Last weekend the most Reverend Bishop Brian Mascord celebrated mass at Thirroul Parish in acknowledgement of the 100 year anniversary of the foundation stone of the Church. Bishop Brian reminded us that the building is not the Church, it is us as a community who are the Church. The way we live our lives, the service we give to others and how we are bearers of Christ love is the Church.
I am constantly reminded of the generosity of our community and how we value supporting the less fortunate. We are living our faith when we engage in these activities, when we come together as community to pray or to celebrate. This week our Term 2 Mini Vinnies team led the school community through an obstacle course to raise money for the Lismore Flood Appeal. Thank you to all our families who supported our students to live our faith.
God Bless
Mrs Belinda Hughes - Principal
SRI update, collaborative planning meetings with ES1/S1
This week Early Stage One and Stage One have been working hard, continuing to sharpen their skills in the area of teaching reading and writing.
Mrs Mayo and Mrs Kelly attended professional development that has focused on how to authentically integrate phonics and phonemic awareness into the classroom. I know they have many fun and exciting new ideas to implement within kindergarten to continue to improve our students' reading and writing abilities.
Stage one have had collaborative planning time this week where they have looked at refining and improving our writing common assessments to ensure the data collected from these will give specific and directed information to inform our teaching and therefore improve further our student progress. Both Stage One and Early Stage One will come together in the coming weeks to celebrate the success of the students and to plan the next steps.
Miss Eliza Treble - Assistant Principal
100 years since the laying of the foundation stone of our Parish Church of Saint Michael
On the 15th of May Father Ken and Bishop Brian Mascord celebrated the the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord at St Michael’s. At this Mass we also celebrated 100 years since the laying of the foundation stone of our Parish Church of Saint Michael.
Click here to watch the Mass
Confirmation
The Sacrament of Confirmation will be conferred by Bishop Brian on Tuesday and Wednesday, 22 and 23 June 2021 to Year 6 (or older) students.
Contact the parish office if you need information or have a late enrollment: thirroul@dow.org.au Parish Office: 325 Lawrence Hargrave Drive, Thirroul. Tuesdays and Wednesdays 9am to 3:30pm and Fridays 10am to 3pm
Parents/Guardians need to attend the Parent Meeting:
7:30pm, Tuesday, 1 June 2021 (parents only attend)
Parents/Guardians and students need to attend:
Class 1: Tuesdays June 8, 3:45pm to 5pm (parent and student attend)
Class 2: Tuesday June 15, 3:45pm to 5pm (parent and student attend)
(same day as netball gala day - students attending will need to come back to school from 3:45pm to 5pm)
Parents/Guardians and students need to attend:
Confirmation Practice: Monday, 21 June, 7:00pm (parent and student attend)
Sacrament of Confirmation:
7:00pm on Tuesday, 22 June 2021
7:00pm on Wednesday, 23 June 2021
Differentiation in Religious Education
This term, each class’ Religious Education ‘Easter’ unit is using contemporary effective teaching strategies which promote student engagement and provide students an opportunity to have ownership over their learning. Students are developing their skills to work collaboratively and be critical, creative and innovative thinkers. Last Friday we had Catherine Hailstone (Education Officer – Primary: Catholic Life, Education and Mission Team) from the Catholic Education office come out to see the great work that the students have been doing in Religious Education.
Term 2 Dates for your diary
- Year 6B Attending Mass @ 9:30am - Friday 28th May
- Pentecost Liturgy hosted by Year 6W: Monday, 24 May @14:30 – 15:00
- Our Lady Help of Christians Liturgy hosted by Year 4: Friday, 28 May @ 14:00– 14:30
- Confirmation Parent Information Meeting - Tuesday June 1st @ 7:30pm.
- Year 5 Attending Mass @ 9:30am - Friday 4th June
- World Environment Day Liturgy: Friday, 4 June @14:30 – 15:15
- Sacrament of Penance - Tuesday, 8 June at 7:00pm (2020 cohort who have communicated with Father Ken)
- Confirmation Class 1 - Tuesday June 8th @ 3:45pm (parents and students)
- Confirmation Class 2 - Tuesday June 15th @ 3:45pm (parents and students)
- Preparation for First Communion Class 1 on Thursday, 17 June from 3:45pm to 5:00pm (2020 cohort who have communicated with Father Ken)
- Confirmation Practice: Monday, 21 June @ 7pm
- Preparation for First Communion Class 2 in the Parish Church on Thursday, 24 June from 3:45pm to 5:00pm (2020 cohort who have communicated with Father Ken)
Miss Emma Groves - Religious Education Co Ordinator
School Website
The Catholic Education Office has been working with schools across the diocese to update and refine school websites. I am very pleased to share that our new website is now live and ready to be used and shared. We welcome any feedback.
https://www.smtdow.catholic.edu.au/
School Calendar
A reminder that you can sync the school calendar from Compass to your personal calendar. The most up to date times and days for events is maintained on this calendar. If you have any issues or questions on how to do this please do not hesitate to contact the school office for assistance.
PB4L
We have had a focus on expected behaviours during lunch over the last 2 weeks. Students have seen a best practice video that demonstrates expected behaviours when eating lunch, moving within the playgrounds and how to use the playground equipment. You can view the clip here. These behavioural videos have a positive impact on displayed behaviours.
With the excitement of being able to use the McArthy centre (hall) for school assemblies and liturgies, comes the opportunity to re-address our expectations of behaviours in this area. Students will soon have the opportunity to view another behavioural video and will be practicing the behaviours to suit. These behaviours demonstrate respectful relationships that parallel our school rules; Take care of ourselves, each other and this place.
A reminder that a students’ hair is a part of the school uniform and it is expected that all students follow the school policy. This means no coloured hair, no inappropriate hairstyles and if boys or girls have hair that is to their shoulders OR falling in front of their face it must be tied back. Following our school’s expectations demonstrates pride in the St Michael’s name and respect for the school rules. Thank you to all the families who follow the school rules and expectations.
Mrs Ronelle Peardon - Middle Leader 1
Mini Vinnies
The Term 2 Mini Vinnies first fundraiser occurred on Tuesday 18th May and it was a raging success!
All students had the opportunity to participate in an obstacle course designed by the Mini Vinnies around the school’s playground. At the end of the course, students spelled out individual words in the sentence “WE LOVE TO SUPPORT THE PEOPLE IN LISMORE” with the coins they donated.
This obstacle course fundraiser was designed to assist those in need that have been affected by the floods in Lismore. These floods have had a devastating effect on the farmers and residents.
Students from St Michael’s raised over $300. All proceeds are going to the Flood Appeal launched by the Bishop of Lismore, the Most Rev Gregory Homeming to provide financial and practical support to the Lismore community at this critical time.
If you would like to donate or learn more about the Flood Appeal launched by the Lismore Diocese, please head to https://youtu.be/yFQxDc7TIys which has all the details.
Their second fundraiser will take place later on in the term and will be a Winter Appeal to help those in need this winter by providing them with warm beanies.
We thank all families, students and teachers for all the support you provide to the school, the Mini Vinnies team and the wider community.
Miss Negus and the Term 2 Mini Vinnies team.
Join us at the Wollongong Running Festival & help us win $500 for St Michael's Thirroul
The Wollongong Running Festival has replaced the Bulli Burn this year as we have each year the school with the most participants will win $500 for the school. This year we are supporting Lifeline South Coast & would really encourage everyone to get involved with fundraising. Lifeline South Coast is a local charity based in Wollongong, this means that the funds raised locally stay here in our community and are used to help local people talk about their problems and find ways to solve them. We are committed to building the resilience of our local community, which spans from Helensburgh to the Victorian border.
All of the events are professionally timed & every participant will have access to a finishers certificate and will receive commemorative shoelaces. Participants are able to have a parent accompany them if required at no charge and will receive finishers shoe laces.
The 2k event will be on at 9.30am after the other events have been completed so that everyone can cheer the kids on. This is a great way for the whole family to get involved & to help keep kids active on the weekend.
www.
Don't forget to join our team St Michaels's Thirroul
This week Year 5 are sharing their learning. Below is an excerpt from the class that showcases what they have found interesting this term. We love hearing our students talk about their learning with enthusiasm!
News from Year 5
This term we have been learning about all different, interesting things. In Religion, we have been looking at everlasting life and have just started our project about it. In History, Anh Do spoke to Stage 3 about his experience of being a refugee and migrating to Australia. In Maths, we have been learning about fractions, decimals and percentages and how to convert them. In English, we have been writing persuasive texts and narratives as well as doing our NAPLAN. - Noah H
Please find the link to the last P&F Meeting below;
https://drive.google.com/file/
- Thank you to Year 3 parents who organised the Mother's Day Stall
- Trivia Night fundraiser date has been set for 11th September - more details to follow. Any parents interested in being involved in organising the night please email the P&F <pandf@smtdow.catholic.edu.au>
- A parents social night out is also being planned for July, stay tuned for details!
Principal Awards:
- Callum R
- Hunter O
- Kai R
- Georgia C
- Clancy M
- Chayce S
- Lucy B
- James B
- Cameron S
- Rose D
Gold Award:
- James B
