Newsletter 5th June 2024 - Term 2 Week 6

Principal's Message

Dear Parents/Carers,

In the last week, the wild winter weather has certainly set in.  It was nice to see the rain on the weekend, though maybe not as much as we got.  As the long weekend approaches, I hope you all have nice plans.  I will be in my garden planting my veggie patch and tidying up – I might see some of you at Bunnings!

Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L)

PB4L will replace our PBS (Positive Behaviour Support), as our overarching framework for behavioural expectations.  We discussed this in the PEG Meetings last week, and a link is attached for you for the Newsletter.  You will be able to see our school’s behavioural expectations, related to the four core Mercy values.  This term we are focusing on Manners and Discipline, as these are the two areas, where students are making the most errors, especially on the playground.

Road Safety for Parents and carers

The information provided below is from Safety Town which provides road safety advice and resources to schools.

• Children up to eight years old should hold an adult's hand on the footpath, in the car park, or when crossing the road; an adult is defined as a parent, caregiver, grandparent, sibling in high school or older, other relative or neighbour, or other adult as advised by the child's parents/carers 
• Children up to ten years old should be actively supervised in the traffic environment and should hold an adult's hand when crossing the road
• Children and adult passengers should always enter and leave a vehicle from the kerb side of a vehicle

Please discuss road safety with your child, especially walking to school, crossing the road, riding a bike, and getting in and out of the car.

P&F Delegates

Congratulation to Angela Leung and Christie Malyon on your appointment as St Therese’s P&F Delegates.  Angela and Christie will represent our school community at the Federation of P&F, and will bring back communication form the Federation, which will be share at our PEG Meetings.

Parent Engagement Groups & Subcommittees

Thank you to all the parents/carers and staff that attended the PEG and subcommittee meeting over the past few weeks.  While the PEG meetings will be held each term, subcommittee meetings need to only be held once a year, unless there is a need to meet sooner.  Therefore, for the remainder of this year, only the Fundraising Subcommittee will be held, to organise the School Disco and Black-Tie Ball.

Black Tie Ball

Please save the date for Saturday 21 September, for our first Black-Tie Ball, to be held at Souths Merewether.  Please complete the questionnaire below, as we need to know how many people will be attending, to assist with the organisation.  Initially, the Ball will be for our any current parents/carers and staff that would like to attend.  Tentative bookings have been made for the venue and entertainment, so we need your feedback to proceed.  All feedback is required by Friday 14 June.  All money raised at the Ball will go towards installing shade sails in the McAuley Courtyard.

School Disco

The Fundraising Subcommittee would like to organise a School Disco early in Term 3.  To ensure we can organise and run this event for all our students, the Subcommittee needs volunteers.  We need a main organising group of around 6 people, so far I have 4 people that have emailed me to say they can assist, so if you can help in any way to organise the disco, please email me on kaylene.maretich@mn.catholic.edu.au.  On the night of the disco, we will need around 20 volunteers at each disco:

• 6 – 7:00pm Infant students
• 7:30 – 9:00pm Primary students

While many staff “pop” into the disco, it is a parent run event, so is dependant on volunteers, otherwise we cannot proceed with the organisation.  This year, we are also looking at having a “Café” in the Fr Walsh Hall, for parents/carers, while the disco is in progress.  This gives parents/carers an opportunity to connect with others and get to know each other.

Smart Watches

We have had a growing number of children wearing Smart Watches to school.  These watches have the same features of a mobile phone, so children can only wear them to school, if parents/carers have enabled a “school setting”.  School settings need to disable the following features: being able to call or text anyone (including parents/carers), cameras, videos, internet, social media etc.  While at school, Smart Watches should only be able to tell the time.  If school settings have not been enabled, then children will be asked to place their Smart Watches on their teacher’s desk, in the same way as mobile phones.  Smart Watches and Mobile Phones can cause disruption in the classroom and on the playground, as children can use them inappropriately to access social media and take photos, videos etc. without permission.  This can cause distress and breach the privacy of others.  Should you need to inform your child about changes to routines after school, or check on your child, please do this by calling the school office.

Faith Community Week

Next week is Faith Community Week, where we take the time to slow down and focus on the things that bring us calm and joy, such as pray, meditating and surrounding ourselves with loved ones.  There will be no homework, so I encourage you to spend time with your children, maybe teaching them board games or card games.  Next Wednesday 12 June will also be “Wacky Wednesday” and children must still wear their uniform, but can accessories with wacky socks, hairstyles etc.  Please note - coloured/glitter hairspray is not permitted.  Year 6 are having a fundraiser, so there will a “Jolly Socks” fundraiser each lunchtime at recess next week.  There are lots of fun designs that can be bought for $8 a pair, and children might like to wear them on “Wacky Wednesday”.

Kaylene Maretich
Acting Principal

Assistant Principal's Message

Tell Them From Me Survey

You will have received a Compass notification about the Tell Them From Me Survey last week. The results from the survey will help to reinforce the important relationship between parents and carers and our school.

If you are yet to provide your valuable feedback, it’s not too late. You can do so now, by clicking on the link below. Please note, your responses are anonymous.

Thank you to those who have completed the survey. The school communicate the results once the survey closes and the results they have been collated.

Winter Uniform

The official change over to the winter uniform was Monday 3 June. As the temperature gets colder, please ensure your child is dressed appropriately for the weather and that all clothing is labelled. Please ensure the regardless of whether your child is in their winter or summer uniform, they are wearing the correct St Therese’s uniform:

• No branded clothing or hoodies
• Hair accessories need to be blue or white
• Beanies may be worn, but must be blue, otherwise students are to wear their school hat
• Jewellery is to be kept at a minimum – stud earrings and single chain with a cross are permitted
• Make up, nail polish and hair dye is not permitted
• Black leather laced OR velcro shoes are to be worn on all days other than sport days
• Black skate shoes, black joggers and leather boots are not permitted

If your child is unable to wear their correct uniform for a day or two, please send an email or note to their teacher.

Mark Konik
Acting Assistant Principal

Catholic Identity & Curriculum

Faith Formation

Francis’ Focus – Pope Francis points that at the Last Supper Jesus ‘breaks himself apart’. In doing so, the Pope suggests, Jesus shows his followers ‘that the aim of life lies in self-giving.’

The Pope reminds us that ‘we find the greatness of God in a piece of Bread, in a fragility that overflows with love, that overflows with sharing.’ In the fragility of the Eucharist, the Pope adds, we find ‘the strength of the love that becomes small so it can be welcomed and not feared.’

The Pope also highlights how the Eucharist reveals ‘the strength to love those who made mistakes.’ It was on the night he was betrayed, with Judas at the table, that Jesus ‘responds to Judas’ “no” with the “yes” of mercy.’

‘When we receive the Eucharist,’ the Pope explains, ‘Jesus does the same with us: he knows us; he knows we are sinners; and he knows we make many mistakes, but he does not give up on joining his life to ours. He knows that we need it, because the Eucharist is not the reward of saints, no, it is the Bread of sinners.’

‘The Eucharist,’ the Pope says, ‘is not a prize for the perfect but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak.’ That being the case, this Sunday we might do well to ask ourselves what situation or person we are being strengthened to help.

Taken from www.liturgyhelp.com

Religious Education

This week, we look at the learning in Year 5:

Year 5 – Topic: History - Monotheism

After having explored the Sacraments of Healing in Weeks 1-5, Year 5 students will, for the remainder of Term 2, explore the background and development of the three monotheistic religious traditions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Prayer, Celebration & Mission

Below are some of the Faith Life celebrations and events occurring throughout the remainder of Term 2:

• Week 7:
• Catholic Community Week
• Sacrament of Confirmation – This will take place on the evening of Thursday 13^th June at 6:30pm in the church.
• Week 10:
• Busking 4 Vinnies – Our Youth Minister, Miss Soo, is coordinating this event to take place at lunch and recess on Wednesday 3^rd July. Students can perform one item (song/dance/etc.), either solo or as part of a group, with all money donated going towards the St Vincent de Paul’s Winter Appeal.
• Mission Day: Pyjama Day – Last day of term: Friday 5^th July. As part of our support for the St Vincent de Paul’s Winter Appeal, students are invited to come to school dressed in their PJ’s and bring a gold coin donation. All funds will go towards this worthy appeal.

Luke Smith
RE Coordinator

School Community News

2024 Vinnies Winter Appeal

This week we launch our 2024 Winter Appeal. This year the appeal focuses on the Working Homeless, an emerging group of people who are experiencing housing hardship and disadvantage despite being in employment. These are people who by day hold jobs that should offer stability, however due to rising rents, cost of living pressures and a shortage of affordable housing, they are sleeping in cars, tents or relying on the goodwill of others.

This year we are asking for families to support Vinnies through food donations, as well as holding our annual Pyjama Day on the last day of school, Friday 5^th July, where we ask children to please bring a gold coin in to donate towards the appeal.

Each grade is asked to bring food items allocated to their year group. Students can bring 1-2 food items each that will be collected on Wednesday and Friday each week by the members of Mini Vinnies up until Friday Week 10 Term 2 “Pyjama Day.”

Kinder - baked beans, spaghetti, tinned snacks
Year 1 - pasta, pasta sauce, noodles, tinned soup
Year 2 - tinned vegetables, tinned fruit, instant pudding
Year 3 - toothpaste, soap, shampoo
Year 4 - cereal, porridge, biscuits
Year 5 - spreads – vegemite, jam, honey etc Sauces – bbq, tomato etc
Year 6 - coffee, tea, milo, drinking chocolate

Thankyou in advance for your generosity.
Yr 5 Mini Vinnies

Volunteering

Throughout the year, we welcome all parents/carers to volunteer at the school. To volunteer, you must complete the volunteer's induction. This process can take up to 6 weeks, so you are encouraged to complete this early.

School Fees

Thank you to those families that have been making payments towards their fees. Our preferred payment methods are BPay, direct debit or credit card. If you choose to use CompassPay, please double check the amount before you sumbit the payment. Refunds can no longer be given for incorrect amounts paid unless your account is in credit.

School Photos

Photos can be ordered now using the code below.

Sport

Polding Hockey

Congratulations to Noah J who has made it to the Polding hockey grandfinal and becoming a State Champion.

Jye Bowen
Sports Coordinator

Diocesan Rugby Union

On Wednesday 29^th May, five Stage 3 students attended the Diocesan rugby union Trials at Marcellin Park Lorn. 

We would like to congratulate Ben W, Orson M, Louis F, Jack M and Henry G on their attendance and participation in the trials. 

We were fortunate to have two students selected for the Diocesan Rugby Union Team and we would like to offer a special congratulations to Louis F and Jack M on their selection. Both boys will travel to Forbes at the end of June for Polding trials. Good luck boys!

Angela Schneider

Futsal Gala Day

Some students attended a futsal gala day on Friday 31st May. It was an amazing day for all teams. We all had a great day. An under 12s and under 10s team made it through to the next round in Maitland. Congratulations to all the students who participated.

Wellbeing

Part 1: Introducing The Resilience Project – Parent and Carer video series

Throughout 2024, we will be working closely with The Resilience Project to support the wellbeing of our school community.

The Resilience Project delivers emotionally engaging programs and provides evidence-based, practical strategies to build resilience.

Our Partnership Program consists of online presentations and weekly lessons for students, professional development for staff, and Parent & Carer Hub (inc. digital presentations) for our parent and carer community.

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing the Parent & Carer Hub with you. The videos are 5-10 minutes long and will walk through the key pillars of resilience: Gratitude, Empathy & Mindfulness. You’ll hear stories and be introduced to activities to show how these strategies can support our kids' learning and development, and also support you as parents and carers.

This program is an important part of our school’s effort to look after the mental health of our community.

View the first presentation of the series here:

Part 1: Meet Hugh and learn about The Resilience Project - https://theresilienceproject.com.au/2023-parent-carer-hub-inspire-hugh/

In this presentation, Hugh shares a personal experience about his sister's battles with Mental Illness.

Note: This video contains a story about an Eating Disorder that may be triggering. Please consider this before watching. For mental health resources and support information, visit The Resilience Project’s Support Page.

We will be in touch fortnightly to share the remainder of the program, including research and wellbeing activities to integrate into day-to-day life

Melissa Pyers
Primary Coordinator

Awards & Achievements

Principal Awards

The students below received a Principal’s Award at this week’s school assembly. Congratulations and thank you, children, for upholding the values and principles of St Therese’s.

Melissa Pyers
Primary Coordinator

Canteen

Important Events & Dates

10 Jun – King’s Birthday Public Holiday

12 Jun - "Wacky Wednesday" - fun hair accessories, odd socks etc

13 Jun – Regional Athletics Carnival

13 Jun -  Confirmation 6:30pm

14 Jun – DioSounds Year 5

17 Jun – Pupil Free Day

21 Jun - Reptile Park Excursion Year 5

24 Jun – Rugby Union Gala Day

26 Jun – 100 Days of Kindergarten Celebration

27/28 Jun – School Photos

28 Jun - Year 1 Science Day

1 Jul – Band Concert 10:30am Main Hall

1 Jul –  Whole School Assembly 2.30pm

3 Jul – Kinder Science Morning

3 Jul - Busking for Vinnies

3 Jul - Blackbutt Excursion Year 4

3 Jul - Wetlands Excursion Year 1

5 Jul -  Pyjama Day Gold coin donation

5 Jul -  Last Day Term 2

22 Jul – First Day Term 3