Term 3 Week7

Hello to all families and I hope that week has been one of enjoyment, fun and learning at least one interesting or new fact.

Spring is sprung!

We entered the season of Spring this week and with some interesting changes in the temperatures and weather conditions. Quite a few families connected with us to ask if their child/ren were allowed to wear their summer uniform on the days where the temperature was above the normal. In moving forward and having what is best for a child’s wellbeing and health at the core of what we do, we are happy for students to wear their PE uniform on any day that is forecasted to be 30C or above in Terms 2 and 3. We will still have the transition period of two weeks at the start of Term 2 and Term 4 but this then allows for a common sense approach on the strange days that crop up like last Wednesday.

Student Led Conversations

Our great hope was that we were able to have families come and join us during Week 4 for our Student Led Learning Conversations. At the time we postponed them until Wednesday 9 September with the hope that some of the restrictions would be lifted. Unfortunately, this is not the case and we will again have to reschedule this event. However, we are working with the children to develop a “Sharing Pack” to bring home in Week 10 so that they can discuss with you their learning goals set earlier in the year and how their journey is progressing in achieving these goals. We do ask you to set aside some time to sit with your child/ren for these conversations and provide us with some feedback on the supplied form. Thank you in advance for your support with this.

Enrolments for 2022

Currently we are beginning our work on planning for 2022. Where has 2021 gone? If you have any younger siblings that are due to commence their educational journey in 2022 and they have not yet been enrolled, please come and see Annette Giacomelli in the front office for the forms. I have been spending quite a bit of time this term interviewing families who have little ones that wish to start with us next year and in 2023. In fact, I have already had our first enrolment for 2024 – how wonderful! When I ask families why they are wanting to come to St Monica’s, the resounding answer is the community feel of welcome and inclusion. They also see the positives in being in a small community that knows their child deeply and will walk with them on their journey of learning. If they had no connection previously with St Monica’s, I asked them how they came to hear about us and the main answer is recommendations from current families or past families. Thank you to you all for being a part of our marketing team – your recommendations are our best advertising we could have.

Pupil Free Day – Friday 24 September – last day of Term 3

Please put this date into your calendars as staff will be using this day to engage with our online learning platform SEQTA and to also update their RRHAN (old RAN training) certification. All adults who come to any school site, must have this new qualification completed by the end of the year to ensure their continued relationship with working with children. Child protection is everyone’s responsibility, and this new training has some important reminders and updates that have been informed by the findings from Royal Commissions into child abuse. I will be sending out further information to volunteers to ensure that you are confident with the processes to follow to update your training.

Care will be offered for this day onsite by the wonderful OSHC staff so please book in if you require this service.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all fathers, grandfathers and special blokes a very happy and relaxing Father’s Day. I hope you each have the chance to do something relaxing with your loved ones. Remember this day is actually all about you and you can have total control of the remote for one day.

A heartfelt thank you to the members of the Parents and Friends committee who gave up their time to organise and prepare the Father’s Day gifts for our students to purchase. The children were so excited to be able to buy their special gift for their special someone.

God’s blessings,

Emily

Paul  in R/1 Mazzone, won first prize for the R-2 category in the Friends of Prospect Library book week writing competition. He is very excited with his Peggi Williams book voucher.

All passports, paperwork and hours for Children's University need to be submitted by the end of this term. Please encourage your child to make a time to speak to Mrs Ridley over the next few weeks to ensure they are have aquired the nesessary hours to graduate. After school art class and Aus. Kick all count as well as any outside sport or activity. 

We will begin the Greenacres Walkerville Parish 2021/2022 Sacramental Preparation Program for children wishing to celebrate the Sacraments of Reconciliation, Confirmation and Eucharist with an Information Session on Sunday 17 October, after Sunday Mass at 10:30am at St Martin’s Church Hall.  We ask that you consider joining us for Mass first at 9:30am at St Martin’s Church.

This session is for both parents and child/ren.  It is an opportunity for you to hear about what our Parish offers and then decide whether you and your child would like to be a part of the Program. 

If you are considering being part of our 2021/2022 Program attendance at this meeting is essential, although coming to this session does not commit you to participating in the Program.

If you have any questions please contact Rebecca at the Parish Office on telephone 8261 6200 or admin@gwparish.org.au.

Today our classes celebrated their Dad and significant male figures with class liturgies. 

God of blessing, God of life, we thank you for the gift of our Fathers and those who are like fathers to us. We place them in your loving care and trust that you will give them all that they need for life. Amen

Last week the students in year 6 visited the Mary Mackillop Museum at Kensington as a part of their Discipleship RE Unit. They had the oppotunity to engage with the story of Mary, her Josephite sisters and the significant contribution they made to education and 'hearing the cry of the poor'.  

Next time you are going out for a coffee, why not try heading to Jeeez Louise and check out the art work on display by our year 2BG class. I think you will agree their Claude Monet 'Water Lilliies" look fabulous! 

On Wednesday 17 August, 21 students attended the Cross Country Carnival. The event is a 2Km race across small creeks, up and down hills and over different surfaces. Everyone ran an excellent race, with all students finishing and doing St. Monica’s proud. Daisy Drawater finished 2nd in her Div. B race – excellent effort Daisy. Well done to all the students involved.

This week the Years 3 - 6 participated in the Catholic Schools Touch Carnval. Blessed with a beutiful sunny day students were able to complete against other Catholic Schools across Adelaide. Thank you to all our voluenteers who made the day possible. 

Early Years classes have been having fun exploring how to communicate with their bodies in Drama lessons. Using a spotlight and a sheet, they used their imagination and turned their bodies into something interesting. Their peers enjoyed guessing what image their shadows were making.

Please note that some government restrictions are in place at present and this will mean normal access to the school site by parents will not be possible during this time. I therefore ask you to say goodbye to your child at the back gate of the school and we will have staff present to support their transition to class. If you do need to speak to your child’s teacher for a specific reason, it would be best to make a time for a phone call at this current time.

Mask wearing is a new requirement by SA Health that has been mentioned on in the media and students in secondary schools/campuses will be required to wear masks whilst indoors, whilst congregating and when on school buses and public transport. Staff in Primary and Secondary schools will also be required to wear masks when they are not teaching or interacting with students.

We have completely ran out of soup supplies!  If you are able to donate time to make soup or vegetables, please send them in with the students. 

• AFL AusKick
  Tuesday – Weeks 4 - 9 (9 Sessions) - children are to be collected promptly after each session via North East Road carpark gate. Cost: $100 (Free with sport Voucher)
   
• Art Club                  
  Thursday – Weeks 3 – 8 (6 Sessions) - children are to be collected promptly after each session via the Brunswick Street gate. Cost: $90.00
   

Please note that if your child is not collected promptly following the session, they will be booked into Out of School Hours Care and a fee will be charged.