Term 1 Week 3

Already we are at the end of Week 3! The community has settled into the new school year with a gentle rhythm and learning programs and activities are now fully underway and gathering momentum.

As you would be aware, we are now living with minimal restrictions for COVID-19. It is easy to take the focus and commitment off the importance of good health practices in the area of personal hygiene and health. We work with the children to remind them to wash or sanitise their hands before eating and if they need to sneeze or cough to use their elbow to cover their mouth/nose. We have had a few cases of students and staff testing positive and we hope that we can keep this to a minimum. We ask for your support with this by keeping your children home if they are unwell. A few days’ rest and recovery is best for the individual involved but is also very respectful of other members of the community.

Thank you to those who have nominated themselves or have been nominated to be on board. The AGM board meeting has been moved forward by half an hour and will now begin at 6.30pm in the school library.  The Book of Reports has been distributed to all families electronically and all are most welcome to attend the meeting, even if you don’t wish to be a member of the board.

Last Monday, our Year 5 and 6 students completed their crossing monitor training with Officer Nick from SAPOL. He was very impressed with their attentiveness, responses and enthusiasm. I shall be sending out a time preference sheet to each student and then a roster will be constructed based on this information. I truly thank our senior students for taking this responsibility on and a big thank you to their families for your support. I would also ask for our parents and grandparents to be positive role models in using the crossing in Brunswick Street. I thank you for your support in this matter.

On Sunday, I look forward to seeing many of you at Bennett’s Reserve, NE Road, Klemzig for a wonderful community catch up. The Parents and Friends have been working extremely hard to ensure that everyone will have a great time and catch up with old friends and meet some new ones. The day begins at 1pm and we would like to thank Slape and Sons for the donations of the delicious sausages and to Dulwich Bakery (Collinswood) for the donation of bread. You just can’t beat a delicious Sausage sizzle!

You may be aware that NAPLAN testing for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 has now moved to first term. The teachers are busily helping the students prepare for these online tests so they feel confident and capable. Families of students in these year levels will receive some information about the actual tests and ways that you can help your child remain positive and put things into perspective. We do gather some important data from these tests but they do not tell the whole story of a child such as their passions, their strategies they use to problem solve and how they are a social and kind person. If you have any questions or would like some clarification, please come and see me or email (esayer@stmonica.catholic.edu.au)

This year we are pleased to offer a school approved beanie that can be worn to and from school and at break times. Each beanie is made from high quality materials and just looks wonderful on all students. The cost is $25 each and can be purchased from the front office or you can make a payment on Qkr and send a copy of the receipt to Annette or Louise.

A reminder that we have a student free day on Friday 10 March so that the teachers can engage with Professional Development opportunities. OSHC will be available for children who require care on the day.

Many blessings ahead in the coming week,

Emily Sayer

This week at Assembly, we introduced our Student Voice Committee for 2023.

Congratulations the following students who we know will be wonderful representatives for their class this year.

EYCB - Maggie & Celestine, EYM - Valentina & Eleanor, EYJ - Isla B & Joshua, 2BG - Khloe & Lachlan, 2ML - Oliver C & Sophia R, 3 - Marquez & Olivia, 4/5P - Lilly & Naksh, 4/5  Charlotte & Lina, 6 - Nithara, Sienna, Ayla, Mia and Jacob

We also presented our Year 6 Liturgy Leaders and House Captains with their badges.  Already our Liturgy group have been busy assisting Mrs Ridley preparing for our Welcoming Mass, Fr Kym’s Farewell and Ash Wednesday.  Our House Captains are getting ready for our first Buddy afternoon in Week 5 where they will help lead one of many important awareness days at the school this year. Congratulations to the following students:

House Captains: Hellen and Hanz (Tennison Woods), Om and Xavier (Mackillop), Gabriel and Aadvick (Joseph), Ella and Hrishi ( Augustine)

Liturgy Leaders: Annabelle, Megan, Ellie, Tawanda, Shaziya, Adela, Natalie, Alexia and Evan

During the first 2 weeks back of every year, each class commits to exploring and developing our wellbeing.  We focus on SOLE respect which helps us to identify how we show respect to our Selves, Others, Learning and the Environment.  Classes also spent time learning about:

• Mary Mackillop Values
• Resilience, rights, responsibility and respectful relationships
• Child Protection curriculum
• CESA’s key capabilities
• Growth mindset and the Learning Pit

These first 2 weeks are so important in setting up a positive culture in the classroom and school.

Next Tuesday the school will celebrate Shrove Tuesday, the day before Lent which offically begins on Ash Wednesday. Shrove Tuesday was traditionally the day people would consume all foods whch they would not eat during Lent. Meat and other animal products were not eaten during Lent and thus milk, butter and eggs are used to make pancakes to symbolise this. 

Please refer to the Shrove Tuesday poster for more information in regards to donations required.

Please remember students are asked to bring there own plate, fork and a gold coin donation for CARITAS Australia. 

"Never see a need without doing something about it" Mary MacKillop

This year, with the help of Mrs Eden our students will be lovingly cooking for people in our communnity. LIstening to God's call to love one another, this is just one way we can share our love with others. 

Parent volunteers are highly valued at St Monica’s Parish School.

We acknowledge that the availability to volunteer varies from parent to parent and since COVID the possibility to invite parent volunteers into our school has been challenging. We are now in a time of limited restrictions and we are keen to see more parents/caregivers come into the learning spaces to assist with a variety of tasks.  

Recently we have updated our library cataloguing system and taken the opportunity to put all our take-home readers into the system in an attempt to keep better track of these books.

We are asking for parent volunteers to help with the return and borrowing of books (particularly with our junior primary classes). Volunteers would be trained in how to use the program by our librarian, Pat Patience. The time commitment can be as little as once a week for approximately 15 minutes, ideally in the morning (8.45am). If you are able to assist with this, please email Pat at PPatience@stmonica.catholic.edu.au

To volunteer in the library (or with any activity at school) you must have an current Working With Children Check and have also completed your RRHAN-EC  training. Please contact the office if you haven’t acquired these clearances as they must be completed prior to volunteering.

Please note that all orders must be submitted by this Monday 20^th February. This is a cashless book club and all orders are to be done by LOOP, please see information below. Thank you for your support.

HOW TO ORDER BOOK CLUB

2023 marks 20 years of the Premier’s Reading Challenge in South Australia!

To celebrate this momentous occasion, our students are being given the opportunity to receive a special, 20th Anniversary certificate in addition to their usual PRC award this year.

To qualify for this certificate, students need to read 20 books in 2023, and fill out the “20 Years, 20 Books” student reading record instead of the usual 12 book record. The reading limits for Reception to year 6 are 8 books from the PRC book list, and 12 free choice titles

Students who complete the 20-book challenge will have also completed the 12 book challenge hence will receive the usual award as well.

The 20-book challenge is intended to be a voluntary, enjoyable, extension of reading for pleasure for those students who choose this option.

St Monica’s acknowledge the Kaurna People as the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we live, learn and work. We acknowledge the continued deep spiritual connection and relationship of Aboriginal peoples to this country and commit to the ongoing journey of Reconciliation.