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Lord Jesus Christ, You chose to put yourself—tiny, needy and helpless—into the nurturing and watchful hands of a human mother. Since then, every act of mothering, both physical and spiritual, in every time and every corner of the world recollects Mary’s. Inspired by this example, we, too, honour our mothers and mother figures today. Bless these women, that they may be strengthened as Christian mothers and nurturers. Let the example of their faith and love shine forth. Grant that we, their sons and daughters, honour them always with a spirit of profound respect.
We ask this in your holy name. Amen.
Dear Parents
Welcome back to a new and exciting term. We have created a school calendar to assist you with events this term.
I would like to wish all the mothers a very happy Mother’s Day and I hope your children are extra well behaved for you. Thank you for all that you do! If you are able, we would love to see you on Monday 15 May for a special Mother’s Day Assembly in the Parish Hall.
Winter Uniforms
From Monday 15 May we ask that all students wear their full winter uniform. Leading up to this date students can wear either summer or winter uniform, however we ask that they do not wear a combination of the two (e.g. boys summer shirt with winter pants).
Tell Them From Me - Parent Survey
We would really appreciate the following survey to be complete by the end of next week. All responses will be anonymous.
i. Completing my work to the best of my ability
ii. Following the school rules
iii. Accepting responsibility for my own actions
iv. Being honest
v. Learning from my mistakes
i. Not trying my best
ii. Not following the school rules
iii. Being dishonest
iv. Blaming others for my behaviour
In the explicit teaching lessons, the expected behaviours taught will be:
i. Looking at others when they are talking.
ii. Speaking courteously to others
iii. Accepting other people’s differences
iv. Listening to other people’s opinions
v. Encouraging friendships
vi. Keeping personal space
ii. Taking someone else’s belongings
iii. Speaking unkindly to someone or about someone
iv. Bossing people around
v. Physical aggression
vi. Invading someone’s personal space
vii. Keeping friends to myself
PB4L Data
It is with pride that I inform you that so far this term 21 students were given
Citizenship, Merit, Library or Uniform Awards or Playground Affirmation Awards whilst there were only 3 incidents of Inappropriate behaviour recorded.
You may be aware from recent correspondence that throughout this term all of the students from kindergarten to Year 6 are learning about the Zones of Regulation. Last week, students were introduced to Zones of Regulation and the emotions/feelings that are associated with each of those Zones.
This week, students will learn to identify Zones within themselves. Next week, the students will be learning how to identify which Zone they are in and develop an awareness of how they feel in each Zone. Please see the image below which gives an example of the students’ new learning.
A friendly reminder that we are celebrating the season of Easter with a whole school Mass next Friday, May 12 at 9am. All families and community members are welcome and encouraged to attend!
Congratulations to the following students who have been selected as the Term 2 Prefects for their class. We look forward to seeing these students work hard to live our vision and mission and role-model our school values:
Please find attached a spiritual reflection as shared with staff within the Catholic Diocese of Wollongong:
Pay It Forward Day is a global initiative that was celebrated on Friday 28 April. It seeks to make a difference by creating a huge ripple of kindness across the world. This initiative encourages all of us to consider small, practical acts of kindness we can offer to those around us. And as we participate, these acts of kindness generate further acts of kindness. We see this lived out in the film “Pay it Forward”.
What do days or films like this offer our world? An initiative like “Pay it Forward” is a prompt, reminding us of the value of doing things for others around us. We intuitively know that this is a good thing to do, but the busyness of our lives can impact our ability to live these ideals out. Yet there is power in raising our awareness. We can consider for a day how we might reach out to others, which may then encourage us to repeat this for a few more days or weeks. And over time what was once a prompt becomes a ritual or a daily habit. This notion of Pay it Forward is not a new concept. Jesus advocated this when he spoke to his disciples. “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” Luke 6:31. Jesus knew that acts of kindness and compassion had a ripple effect and lived this out.
In 2021 Hugh MacKay wrote a book entitled “The Kindness Revolution”. Similar to the “Pay itForward” initiative he wrote about the significance of sharing kindness with every human being. Hugh Mackay expressed in a recent TED talk that there is “one quality we need for preservingsocial cohesion and for promoting social harmony. And that quality is our capacity for compassion.Our capacity to show kindness and respect towards each other.” Mackay went on to express, “All of us are capable of showing kindness, even to total strangers. Even towards people we don’t even like much, towards people we could never agree with. It doesn’t matter. In fact, that’s the real test of whether we understand what compassion is. It’s nothing to do with emotion. It’s nothing to do with affection. It’s to do with being true to our human nature.”
Mackay reminds us that these gestures of kindness are not always easy and they cannot rely onemotion alone. They are choices that we make due to our common humanity, inspired by the example of Jesus and in the hope that we can create a better world for one another. This year the “Pay it Forward” project seeks to inspire 10 million acts of kindness across the world.
On Friday, as we approach “Pay it Forward” we may all like to consider one gesture that could impact someone else’s day. These gestures do not need to be large actions or material items, but rather they are ideally small actions of acknowledgement or appreciation. A smile, a hello in the hallway, a phone call or you may consider picking up an extra coffee for someone with whom you cross paths.
“One kind word can change someone’s entire day!”
Some thoughts to consider:
1. What are some of the barriers in paying it forward?
2. How might you consider paying it forward on this day and beyond?
All the best,
Mr Sam Mattas
Religious Education Coordinator
Welcome back to Term 2 Library!!!
Premier's Reading Challenge is moving along nicely and the children are very motivated in their reading. Please ensure that books are being logged onto the Premier's Reading Challenge website. There have been opportunities for students to see Mrs Carey if they are having trouble logging on their books last term. Mrs Carey is happy to assist students again this term so please ensure your child/ren approach her if they are having any issues.
Premier's Reading Challenge is a great way to enjoy trying new books and also having a wonderful sense of achievment when the challenge is completed.
Keep on reading!!!!!!
Budding Sunflowers
Last year, at the Transition to School Playgroup sessions the new Kindergarten children got to meet their Year 5 Buddies. The children made welcome cards for their Kindergarten Buddies with sunflower seeds inside. Kindergarten planted the seeds over the Christmas holidays and now they have flowered.
What a wonderful representation of the growth in this friendship over the first semester.
Photo courtesy of Gloria in Kindergarten
