Term 1 Week 11 2025

We’ve come to the end of Term 1, gathering as a community on three mornings to participate in Holy Week Liturgies. Each of these were beautifully led by our students from Reception to Year 6 and shared with us the important story of Jesus’ last week with his family and friends before his crucifixion. Thank you to those families who were able to join us. When we return next term, we will gather to celebrate the season of Easter.

This week our ATSI students attended a very special cultural day called Thriving People. Each year Catholic Education South Australia collaborate with Carclew and ATSI cultural ambassadors to hold a day of learning and fun centred around aspects of cultural significance. Our students learnt to play traditional aboriginal games, decorated a personal bag with symbols of significance and made a fish from plastic waste that would have ended up in our environment. The students were wonderful ambassadors for our school and we thank Mrs Pitt for organising our involvement in the event.

Again our school was proudly represented at the annual South Australian Catholic Primary Schools Sports Association Swimming Carnival. In our competition we placed fourth out of eight schools which is very impressive for a small school and we had two age champions, Sophia and Maggie. Congratulations to these two students and the whole swim team. A big shout out to Mr M for his co-ordination and preparation of this event.

These holidays we are planning for the first steps in the construction of the redevelopment of our outdoor learning and play spaces. The first stage is to remove the covered area outside the Early Years Classroom (Receptions). This will be replaced by a light filled, bright and interactive space for our youngest learners to use to store their bags and undertake learning activities in a modern and fun space. We are also including an updated drinking fountain and water trough for the children to use.

Another element of our upgrades includes converting our back play and entry space into a more nature-based area with more lawn and greenery, tables and chairs, more garden beds and of course hand ball courts! This will make our back entry space more natured based with more greenery and opportunities for imagination play.

The final element is converting the lawn area to an all weather covered space that will include playing lines for soccer, basketball, netball and extra handball courts. The synthetic surface will ensure that the children will be able to access this space all year round and not have the ‘wear and tear’ grass space that is currently there. The major building stages will commence in June of this year, and we are hoping that we will take ‘repossession’ of the land before the start of the 2026 school year. I will use Direct Messages, our socials and newsletter to keep you all updated.

Staffing News

The other exciting news to share is our current Acting APRIM, Natalie Bampton, has been appointed as our substantive APRIM. Whilst Natalie is taking leave to prepare for the birth of her and Steve’s fifth baby, we will have another Acting APRIM for the remainder of the year. At this stage this position is still being finalised. We congratulate Natalie on winning this significant role and we look forward to her leadership in faith formation, sacramental program and our school’s Catholic Identity. Our love and blessings are with Nat and her family as she takes some time to prepare to welcome her little one in May.

I hope that over the next two weeks you can have some days when you can turn the alarm off and go at a slower and gentler pace. I highly recommended a couple of days in your pyjamas or trackies.

Take care and many blessings,

Emily Sayer

At the beginning of this term, I had the privilege of introducing myself to the St Monica's School community as the Acting APRIM. From the outset, I knew I would be taking maternity leave from Term 2, as my husband and I joyfully prepare to welcome our fifth child.
As I prepare to leave this special community, I find encouragement in the mysterious workings of the Holy Spirit, knowing that I will return in 2026. Although my time here has been brief—just one term—it has been filled with opportunities to grow in a new role, to learn about the incredible people within this community, and to deepen our Catholic Identity. This short but meaningful period has affirmed what I truly feel in my heart: that St Monica's is where I am called to return.
 

Walking Through Holy Week: A Journey of Faith and Joy
This week, our St Monica's community came together to re-enact the events of Holy Week, bringing to life the powerful story of Jesus’ final days. From the quiet intimacy of the Last Supper to the solemn reflection of Good Friday, each moment allowed participants to step into the Christian story and feel its deep meaning.
The re-enactments helped us reflect on Jesus’ sacrifice and connect with one another, as we shared in the lessons of His journey. Through this, we were reminded of the hope and meaning that Holy Week brings.
Now, as Easter approaches, the excitement is building throughout the community. Easter Sunday is the moment of joy and celebration, where we remember the triumph of life and love over death. I honestly hope that this shared experience of Holy Week has deepened everyone's appreciation of looking forward to the absolute joy of Easter and strengthened the bond we share as a community of faith.
 

An Easter Prayer

Dear God, 
As we wait for the joy of the Resurrection, fill our hearts with hope and excitement. Thank You for the promise that Easter brings—a promise of new life, love, and light. Help us to prepare our hearts to welcome the happiness of Jesus rising again. May we carry this joy into our lives, sharing kindness and celebrating the gift of Your love every day. 
Amen.
 

Project Compassion
As we near the end of Project Compassion, I would kindly ask that you return the collection boxes with money in it for the school to donate on your behalf. Or, if you wish to have a tax receipt for your donation, go online to the Caritas website. Thank you in advance for your generosity.

From our fund-raising efforts in school this term we raised nearly $600. That money can provide hygiene training for a community in Samoa so that they have the knowledge to prevent illness with safer hygiene practices.

It was great to meet with Student Voice this week to hear all about the great learning that has happened this term.  It is amazing to see the growth of all students in only 1 term!  

Reception Classes

Our class has been learning about putting sounds together to make words and putting words together to make sentences.  We have also been learning the numbers up to 20.  We look forward to playing with our friends and growing like flowers in Term 2.

1/2G (Gia-Rose and Klara)

We have been learning about dinosaurs and doing lots of art and maths.  We love doing PE with Mr M!  We can’t wait for Bookweek, later in the year.

1/2MR (Eloise and Mila)

Our class has been learning how to do ‘skip counting’ and answering lots of questions about dinosaurs.  We love doing art and learning how to do shading and texture.  We loved making our Easter baskets.

1/2 B (Airlie)

We have been learning about dinosaurs and the Jesus stories.  We love PE because it is fun and Technology because we can use our ipads.  We can’t wait to play with our friends next term.

3/4P (Celstine and Samyra)

We have been learning about arrays in Maths and the Temptation story in Religion. We loved making coloured boiled eggs and our Easter baskets.  In Term 2 we are looking forward to going to AFL MAX for a sleepover and casual day.

3/4V (Alisha and Daisy)

We have been learning about sun safety and persuasive texts in English. We also retold the Temptation of Jesus in images.  Our whole class enjoyed making Easter bunnies.  We loved decorating our Sun Safety posters. We are looking forward to the sleepover at AFL MAX and learning lots more.

4/5M (Olivia and Leo T)

We have been learning how to subtract in Maths, adaptations in Science and Lacrosse in PE lessons. We have enjoyed Art and Blooket games in Maths.  We can’t wait to go on camp and excursions in Term 2.

6MR (Sophie, Shivansh, Patrick)

We have been learning about Human Rights in HASS, area, volume, integers on number lines in Maths and Narratives in English.  We loved our bike ride along Linear Park, Choir, Carnivale, creating in HASS and the Swimming Carnival.  We look forward to learning new things and going to the Lacrosse and Netball Carnival in Term 2.

The Student Voice Committee are currently collating information from their classes about:

*What are the best things about St Monica’s?
*What needs to improve?
*What are the problems that impact us in the classroom and yard?
*How would you describe a successful student at St Monica’s ?

We look forward to using this feedback as part of our Positive Behaviours In Schools (PBIS) project that we are a part of.

Sarah Morris

The 2025 CBCA Book of the Year Awards Younger Readers –

Aggie Flea Steals the Show by Tania Ingram, Fluff: Mess Up! by Matt Stanton, Fluff: Mess Up! by Matt Stanton, Saskia Spark-Lee: Fundraiser Fail by Rebecka Sharpe Shelberg, Saskia Spark-Lee: Fundraiser Fail by Rebecka Sharpe Shelberg,  To and Fro by Anton Clifford-Motopi                                                   

The 2025 CBCA Book of the Year Awards Early Childhood Shortlist

Don’t Worry, Felix by Yohann Devezy & Katharine Alice, Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Tooth Fairy (And Some Things You Didn’t) by Briony Stewart, How to Move a Zoo by Kate Simpson, One Little Dung Beetle by Rhian Williams, Spiro by Anna McGregor, Spiro by Anna McGregor

The 2025 CBCA Book of the Year Awards Eve Pownall Award Shortlist

Always Was, Always Will Be by Aunty Fay Muir & Sue Lawson, Design & Building on Country by Alison Page & Paul Memmott, Flora: Australia’s Most Curious Plants by Tania McCartney, I am a Magpie, I am a Currawong by Bridget Farmer, Making the Shrine: Stories From Victoria’s War Memorial by Laura J Carroll, South With the Seabirds by Jess McGeachin

The 2025 CBCA Book of the Year Awards Picture Book Shortlist

Afloat by Freya Blackwood, text by Kirli Saunders, The Garden of Broken Things by Freya Blackwood, A Leaf Called Greaf by Kelly Canby, These Long-Loved Things by Ronojoy Ghosh, The Truck Cat by Danny Snell, text by Deborah Frenkel, We Live in a Bus by Dave Petzold

The parent community has established a private group on Facebook that facilitates the trading of second-hand uniform items.

Please visit www.facebook.com/groups/stmonicasbuyswapsell and request to join the group if you are interested.

The page is ideal for selling items in good condition that your child has outgrown, or to sell items if your child is moving on. Simply post images and your contact details. Alternatively, you can join the group to take advantage of the pre-loved items that become available.

For those of you who are not on Facebook, please contact the P&F pandf.stmonicas@gmail.com and they will assist you with the sale of items.

Please note the sale of old-style uniform items is not allowed. St Monica's Parish School does not manage this page and takes no responsibility for any private sales.

We acknowledge the Kaurna people as the traditional custodians of the land upon which St Monica’s learn, work and play.

May we walk gently on this land acknowledging the Kaurna people's deep spiritual connection with their country.

We pay our respects to Kaurna elders past and present and commit to the ongoing journey of Reconciliation.