Term 1 Week 5 2023

I would like to say a big thank you to the Parents and Friends Committee for all their hard work and enthusiasm for the first community gathering at the Family Picnic on Sunday 19 February. The weather was just perfect for the families of St Monica’s to enjoy some delicious food time together. I think I met the most patient and enthusiastic face painter in Adelaide. Her determination to paint a picture for every child was just wonderful. To all those on the P and F who were involved in the planning, cooking, cleaning up or any other activity on the day – thank you! To the families of our community who were able to attend the day – thank you! I was so glad that we were able to have such a relaxing and welcoming time together.

Child Safety

Over the next few newsletters, I will be sharing key documents that Catholic Education of South Australia and its school communities use in the areas of Child Safety and Protection. Each year the staff engage with these documents to ensure that we are up to date with our understanding and processes in working with young people in a safe and respectful manner. We believe that it is important for families to also share in the policies and documents that inform our best practice. Please take some time to read them and if you have any questions or concerns, contact me.

The first of policies articles re child safety for parents – Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy, Responding to Online Safety incidents in South Australian schools - LINK

Transport Strategy for the Town of Walkerville

Recently, you may have noticed signs around the streets of Walkerville asking for community members to provide feedback for a report for the council’s transport strategy. Stantec is the company that the council has engaged to prepare this report and they have asked for St Monica’s to contribute data to this study.

If you have anything that you would like to contribute to this report please scan the QR below or visit the link below that will take you to the council’s webpage. Staff and students will also have the opportunity as we would like to contribute to the safety of the local roads and uses of transport.

HAVE YOUR SAY

Traffic Flow in Brunswick Street

I have been receiving numerous complaints from our neighbours about parents parking across driveways. We need to work with our wonderful neighbours, so I ask for your support in taking a few extra moments to find an appropriate place to park or be patient and wait until a spot becomes available in the kiss and drop zone. In the Kiss and Drop Zone, drivers must stay with their cars.

Again, I ask parents to follow the road rules whilst dropping off or picking up. PLEASE use the school crossing. We still have parents who are walking their children across the road and not utilising the school crossing.  This is dangerous for both you and your child, and you can be fined $145 as it is an offence to cross a road within 20 metres of a pedestrian crossing at a place other than the pedestrian crossing (rule 234 of the Australian Road Rules).

Pupil Free Day

A reminder to all families that Friday 10 March is a Pupil Free Day. Staff will spend the day beginning the review process and development of our new Strategic Plan. Following on from this day, community consultation will begin about what our students and families are visioning for our community for the next five years. I look forward to hearing the voices of our students and parents/caregivers in this process. OSHC will be available on this day for families, but it is important that bookings are made so that correct staffing numbers can be organised.

God’s blessings,

Emily Sayer

Principal

Last week the Catholic Church began the season of Lent. A season dedicated to preparation. Preparing for Easter with a particular dedication to Prayer, fasting and donating to charity. 

St Monica's marked the eve of this season with Shrove Tuesday. Students and staff enjoyed a pancake thanks to the generous donations of many families and the generous time given by Mrs Sayer's Dad, Ken who cooked the pancakes for us. 

Offically Lent begins with Ash Wednesday. The whole school celebrated a Liturgy with Deacon Andrew for Ash Wednesday, where we received crosses on our foreheads and the prayer "forgive, be kind and loving" was prayed over us. We were reminded how Lent can be a season to remind ourselves of the importance to ask for, receive and give forgiveness to others. We are also encouraged during Lent to give to Charites and people who need our help the most.

One particular charitiy we support is Caritas Australia and their Project Compassion Appeal. Donations to Project Compassion allow Caritas Australia, the Catholic Agency for International Aid and Development, to work with local communities around the world to end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity.

The theme of Project Compassion 2023 is ‘For All Future Generations’ and reminds us that the good we do today extends to impact the lives of generations to come. It invites us to make the world a better place by working together now and finding long-term solutions to global issues. 

Each family received a Project Compassion box, Families are encouraged to donate through the boxes or online via the Caritas Australia website at: www.caritas.org.au/project-compassionLast week. Boxes can be returned to school at the end of the term.

Each week students will hear a different story, about a person who's life has been improved through the work of Caritas Australia. 

Today our school celebrated Clean Up Australia Day. We began with a Liturgy with Communion with Deacon Andrew, who spoke to the children about God’s creation and the important role we play in caring for it. After lunch, the early years classes participated in activities at school which included an Emu Parade around our school while the senior students took to the streets of Walkerville. Many thanks to our wonderful volunteers who gave up their afternoon to make the occasion possible.

Year 5 and 6 students had crossing monitor training 2 weeks ago with a Police Officer called Nick.

He taught us all the techniques of how to be a crossing monitor so we can go out and help children cross the road safely at Brunswick Street.

We found out to be a crossing monitor you have to be 10 years of age or older and you have to do the training with a Police Officer. You need to be retrained every year. You also need 3 people for the job, 1 person has a whistle and 2 people hold stop signs for the cars. Officer Nick showed us how to hold the signs and taught us when we should blow the whistle. You blow the whistle when there is a gap in the traffic and you blow the whistle again once the pedestrians have crossed the road safely. The crossing monitors need to wear a safety vest so we are visible to the traffic.

Please make sure you use the crossing to walk safely across the road. Look out for us on Brunswick Street soon.

By Adela, Ayla, Natalie, Om and Aadvick

On Monday the RAA visited our school and talked to classes about road safety.

We learnt things about keeping safe as a passenger, riders, and pedestrians.

We learnt that as a passenger you mustn’t distract the driver and that you need to wear seatbelts in cars and buses. Overall, I think it was a great time learning about road safety and I learnt a lot about the road and people's behaviours. 

Written by Ricky

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 beanies have been selling well, but we still do have some avaliable. 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.

Recently we were pleased to hear from Kildare College who share with us that a former student, Dallas Reynolds, achieved an outstanding result in her 2022 Year 12 SACE Studies. Her ATAR of 92.65 is truly remarkable, Dallas' achievement is a source of pride and inspiration for us all. Her plans to pursue a Bachelor of Creative Industries at the University of South Australia reflect her passion for learning and her determination to excel in her chosen field.  

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.