Newsletter 7th August 2024 - Term 3 Week 3
Principal's Message
Dear Parent/Carer,
As we settle into Term 3, we have been able to celebrate NAIDOC and attend the Aspire performance “Disconnected”. Thank you to Mr Smith for organising the NAIDOC liturgy and all the families that were able to attend. Thank you also to Mrs MacPherson and Mr Woods for organising indigenous games and activities for our students throughout the day. Our Year 6 students did a great job supporting our K-5 students through the games.
Congratulations to Maeve (5L), Vienne T (6N) and Violette S-G (5N) who were involved in the Aspire Young Script Writers and Jerome G (5L) for being a part of the vocal ensemble and Lauren T (6N) for being a part of the dance ensemble. We are so proud of all of you. I know our Stage 3 teachers and students loved the performance last Wednesday!
Pupil Free Day
A reminder we have a Pupil Free Day on Friday 16 August. This is a staff development day, focused on staff faith development and facilitated by Dr Dan White on the 7 Steps to Mystery. If you require care for your child, please contact the St Nicholas OOSH.
Kaylene Maretich
Acting Principal
Assistant Principal's Message
It’s going to be a busy few weeks at St Therese’s for students, teachers and our community. Here are a few great school events to look forward to in the coming weeks.
Father's Day Breakfast
On Friday the 30th August, we will celebrate Father's Day with our annual Father's Day Breakfast. Breakfast will begin being served at 7:30am. We look forward to a wonderful morning with our fathers, father figures and grandfathers.
School Disco
Friday 30 Aug is the school disco in the main hall. The theme is 'Spring' with dressing up optional.
Infants - 6pm-7pm
Primary - 7:30pm-9pm
Tickets available on Flexischools for $12 per child or $30 for a family of 3+. Ticket sales close midnight Sunday 25Aug.
Price includes a glow stick on arrival and small snack & drink when leaving.
Entry wrist bands will be distributed a few days before the disco.
Mark Konik
Acting Assistant Principal
Catholic Identity & Curriculum
Religious Education
Throughout Term 3, the RE Curriculum across the school is divided into the following units of work:
Kindergarten – Knowing God the Holy Spirit, Year 1 – Belonging to the Christian Family, Year 2 – Belonging to a Caring Community, Year 3 – Encountering God’s Forgiveness & Healing, Year 4 – Liturgy as Celebration and The Christian Scripture, Year 5 – Values and Hebrew Scripture, Year 6 – Christian Scriptures and Liturgy.
Please especially keep our Year 6 students in your thoughts and prayers as they are currently preparing to undertake the Stage 3 Religious Literacy Test on Monday 19th August.
Prayer, Celebration & Mission
This section is designed to keep you informed of any important dates coming up regarding our community’s faith-life celebrations and mission activities. Things such as Masses, liturgies, mission days and the Sacramental program will all be included here:
- Week 3:
- Thursday 8th August – Feast Day of Mary MacKillop
- Week 4:
- Thursday 15th August – Feast Day of The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Holy Day of Obligation)
Mass – 9:30am in the Church (Yrs 2-6)
Friday 16th August – Pupil Free Day: Staff Faith Formation & Spirituality Day
- Week 5:
- Monday 19th August – Religious Literacy Test (Yr 6)
- Sunday 25th August – First Holy Communion Mass at 11am.
School Community News
St Therese's Ball
We're holding a fundraising ball on Saturday 21st September. A flyer is attached below. Tickets are selling quickly. There are a few tables that have 2-3 spots available if you are keen to come and don’t have a table, please email the Fundraising Committee - st.theresesball@gmail.com
- Make sure you follow along on the Facebook group for updates - https://www.facebook.com/share/F6f39LcoyNux8BrH/?mibextid=K35XfP.
- If you’re interested in making a donation for a raffle prize or bottle of wine for the wine cage raffle please reach out by sending an email the Committee
- Thank you to those that made donation suggestions via the survey- those responses were anonymous so if you haven’t been contacted, please email the Committee to arrange a donation.
eSafety Parent Webinar
Every child should be supported with appropriate knowledge to know how to make positive choices around consent and boundaries, including when online.
Accordingly, the eSafety Commissioner will be hosting a FREE, 30-minute webinar on Tuesday 20 August, aimed at parents and carers of primary school aged-children.
The webinar will outline useful strategies for you to guide your children, including ideas on how to have those hard-to-have conversations.
Click Here to Register
Poetry Club- Term 3
We are looking forward to seeing everyone at Poetry Club in Term 3 at 8am in the library on the following days:
Week 5- Wednesday 21st August
Week 7- Wednesday 4th September
Week 9- Wednesday 18th September
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 submit the payment. Refunds can no longer be given for incorrect amounts paid unless your account is in credit.
Premier's Reading Challenge (PRC)
Congratulations to the students that have recently completed the PRC
Year 4: Mabel C, Jacob E
Year 6: Trevina M
Infants have been completing the challenge at school with titles from the challenge being read as part of class English time, and in Library lessons as well.
The challenge closes on 23 August 2024. Please see Mrs Barker in the library if you need help logging your booklist.
Book Week
Save the date: Wednesday 14th August (Morning)
This year we will again be celebrating literature and the magic of books with a storytelling day. On this day teachers will be taking their 'storytelling' chair into the playground and children will have an opportunity to hear teachers read aloud. We are encouraging students and staff to come to school dressed as their favourite character and will hold a parade at the end of the storytelling so that we have an opportunity to see all of the wonderful costumes. The storytelling will commence at 9.45 and we anticipate that the parade will be at approximately 10.30. Families are welcome to join us for the morning.
Book Fair
Save the date: Thursday 15th August
St Therese’s Library staff are thrilled to advise that we will once again be holding a Pop-Up Book Shop on Thursday 15th August. For ONE DAY ONLY, the library will transform into a bustling marketplace with a fabulous range of both fiction and non-fiction titles available to purchase.
We warmly welcome parents and carers to join us in the Catherine McAuley Centre. A timetable for the day is below, though if these times aren’t suitable, please feel free to drop in at your convenience. If you are unable to make it in person, your child can still purchase books by bringing the signed credit card authorisation that was sent via compass last Friday. The form will have a predetermined limit nominated by you. Due to the HUGE range of titles on offer from our supplier Betty Loves Books, we are unable to offer a complete price list, though the books will reflect independent bookstore pricing. As a guide, this is usually between $15-35. We suggest that you select a limit you are happy with, then we will have staff available to help the children select a title within that price range.
A percentage of all books sold will be returned to St Therese’s to help us continue to stock our library with new and exciting titles for all students. There will also be the option to purchase and donate a book to the library. Please consider supporting our library in this way if you are able.
We will have a donation table filled with books to benefit our students’ learning and love of reading. Families who donate a book will have their names printed onto a bookplate for inclusion on the first page of the selected book. Your child will also get first borrowing rights for the title you gift.
Looking forward to a fun – literature filled - Week 4!
Lynette Barker
Teacher Librarian
Wellbeing
The following presentation from The Resilience Project is all about Mindfulness.
Mindfulness is our ability to be present at any given moment. We practice this by using intentional awareness and concentrating on what you are doing when you are doing it.
Thousands of studies into Mindfulness indicate that with regular practice, Mindfulness can lead to benefits such as; reduced stress, reduced rumination, increased memory, increased cognitive function and physical health benefits through improved immunity.
View Part 4 of the series here:
Part 4 - Mindfulness: https://theresilienceproject.com.au/2023-parent-carer-hub-inspire-hugh/
Mindfulness can be practiced through meditation, yoga, flow-states and daily activities such as cooking.
Source: UC Berkeley, Greater Good Science, American Psychological Association
For mental health resources and support information, visit The Resilience Project’s Support Page.
Emoticon Poster- for developing emotional literacy
This resource might be useful at home to assist your child to develop their ability to label their emotions as they experience them, which in turn will assist them to make informed choices. Children can also use this to develop their ability to see and empathise with other peoples emotion and develop EMPATHY.
Danika Graham and Melissa Pyers
Canteen
| Mon 12/8 | Tue 13/8 | Wed 14/8 | Thu 15/8 | Fri 16/8 |
Amy S | Alison S | Jacqui O | Sarah B | Michelle R |
| Mon 19/8 | Tue 20/8 | Wed 21/8 | Thus 22/8 | Fri 23/8 |
Leone N | Kylie M | Erin K | Luke W | Sarah H |
Important Dates
7Aug - Dio Athletics
14Aug - Book Week Living Library Reading & Dress Ups
- Interrelate 6pm
15Aug - Book Fair
16Aug - Pupil Free Day
20Aug - Tennis (Yrs 3 & 4)
22Aug - PEG 2:30pm & 6pm
26Aug - School Assembly 2:30pm
30Aug - Father's Day Breakfast from 7:30am
- School Disco 6pm
2nd Sept - Open Classrooms 9.30-10.30am
6th Sept - Mass Yrs 3 & 4 9.30am
Art Trail 5pm - 7pm