Newsletter 28/8/2023 Term 3 Week 8

Our Prayer

From the Principal

Dear parents, carers and community members,

This Friday we take the opportunity to say thank you to the fathers and father figures in the lives of our students with a breakfast and Father's Day stall. We recognise the significent role they play in the growth and nurturing of our students and support those who are unable to be with their fathers at this time.

LEARNING AND TEACHING

Student Free Day

The first day of Term 3 - Monday the 2nd of October will be a student free day. Staff will participate in a Professional Development Day.

Spelling Championships

Test two of the Grade 5/6 Spelling Championship was conducted last Tuesday. Here are the students who achieved a 35 out of 35 score.

Grace Barber, Charlotte Dean, Steph Fleming, Maisie Cunningham, Vincent Titmus, Aarav Singh & Madison Lucas.

Test three (out of four) will be conducted tomorrow at 10:40am.

The Week Ahead

Hooptime Competition

Our local Hooptime Basketball is finished for 2023 with another great day at the 3/4 Rookies Hooptime on Friday at the Camperdown stadium. The two teams we sent competed very well and represented our school beautifully on the day. Thank you to the staff who gave of their time to make this possible, Mr Harkin, Carley, Eliza, Pru and Tom. Our 5/6 All Stars girls team and our 3/4 All Stars girls team will progress to the next level of competition.

5/6 Fun Day

The 5/6 fun day is a highlight of the calendar as the Senior students plan and run fun games and competitions for the rest of the children to enjoy. Next Thursday the 7th all students are asked to bring between $5 and $10 in coins to spend. This is a great way to see the entrepreneurial skills of the children to raise money for the Grade 6 camp. 

WELLBEING

"I Can..." Imagination Club

"I Can..." Imagination Club sessions commenced back today after a short break.  There are 2 more session for the year on Tuesday the 4th & 11th of September.

CATHOLIC SCHOOL CULTURE

Religious Education Leaders Conference

I was blessed to be able to attend the Religious Education Leaders Conference in Halls Gap last Thursday and Friday. I was doubly blessed as the presenter was Sr. Veronica Lawson. 

I have had the good fortune to know Veronica for over 40 years. She was my Old and New Testament Lecturer at Aquinas College, Ballarat where I did my teacher training, and later she was my neighbour when Jo and I were first married and living in a house belonging to the Sisters of Mercy. (Later we lived in a Sisters of Mercy Convent but that’s another story!) 

Whenever we were discussing the meaning of a particular Bible story and were uncertain we would pop next door and get Veronica to clarify for us! Not everyone has one of Australia's pre eminent Biblical Scholars on tap! She is an 82 year old marvel!

Veronica had much to say but the part that really resonated with me was her high-lighting of the 4 presences of Christ in the Mass.

Christ is present:
- In the assembled people
- In the Word proclaimed
- In the priest
- In the consecrated bread and wine.

Christ is not fully present unless each of those presences is represented, something to ponder next time you are part of the assembled people..

Kind regards,  Mr. S. 😃

Parish Bulletin

LEADERSHIP AND STEWARDSHIP

Staff on Leave

We have two teachers who are commencing Long Service Leave next week and we have organised the following replacements.

Mick Saunders will be away for the last two weeks of term commencing Monday the 4th of September and Paul Kingston and Nora Bone will be his replacement.

Fran Bateman will be away for the last two weeks of term commencing Monday the 4th of September and Melissa Lidgerwood will be her replacement.

Intentions for 2024

It is the time of year when we begin planning our school structure for 2024 and to have accurate numbers, we ask parents to inform us if their children will be leaving our school for next year. If this is the case please contact the school office as soon as possible.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Father's Day Breakfast and Stall

Father's Day this year will be on Sunday the 3rd of September so we will be holding our Father's day breakfast and stall on Friday the 1st of September.

Father's Day Stall
We are going back to our usual structure of asking each child to bring a small gift suitable for a father or significant person in the life of the children. These will be available for purchase for $2 at the Father's Day stall in the morning after the breakfast. Please do not wrap the gifts. If you have not done so already, could you please bring your gift to the office as soon as possible.

Father's Day Breakfast
We will be holding our Father's Day breakfast on Friday the 1st of September beginning at 7:30am for our early starters. There is a $5 cost per adult or secondary student and a $3 charge for school age students. This can be paid to the office before the day or on arrival. 

School Advisory Council Meeting

Our next School Advisory Council meeting will be held this Tuesday, August 29th at 7pm in the staffroom.

Parents Association Meeting

Our next parents meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 5th.
Please consider coming along to the meeting at 7pm in the staffroom.

Birthdays

Happy Birthday to the following students who celebrate their birthday this week.

Max L, Lily M, William S, Paige S, Sienna A, Taylor C, 

Isabelle D, Aaron M, Lilliana A & Lilah A

Community Events

Camperdown Show

MRC Car Raffle

Cobden Mini Golf

Live Parenting Session 2023

YouthFest