Term 4 Week 4

Another busy fortnight since our last newsletter! We have had students graduate from the Children’s University, participate in the Catholic Schools Athletics carnival, begin the sacramental program, and prepare for a performance at the Walkerville Christmas Fair this coming Sunday. Not to forget about all the amazing learning that occurs in and outside the classrooms at St Monica’s.

I am very excited to share with the community that we have a new APRIM at St Monica’s for 2024. Katie Downie has been appointed to St Monica’s and I know that she will thoroughly love being a part of this community. Katie is currently the APRIM at St Joseph’s, Hindmarsh. Over the coming weeks, Katie will visit us, and I am hoping that she will be able to join us for a coffee to meet the students and families. We are very sad to see Bronwyn Ridley leave us at the end of this year but the next chapter in her story as Director of Mission at St Mary’s College will be an exciting time for her. We will formally farewell Bronwyn at the End of Year Community Celebration on 8 December 2023 at Kildare College.

This week we had students transitioning to St Monica’s in 2024 come for their first visit. As a mum, I remember these visits. My daughter and son were ready for the next big step but not sure if Mum was quite there yet. We are excited to have 16 new Receptions (Term 1) and 4 other students begin their time with us in 2024. We will welcome another 15 Reception students at the start of Term 3. Welcome them to the St Monica’s family!

I would like to say well done and thank you to the community for so many families uploading the SEQTA engage app and make their accounts active. To date we have just under half our families connected. We will require each family to have this completed in the next few weeks as we will be using this app to send out our end of Semester 2 reports. Erin Gentile is our lead teacher in this work and if you have any questions or require support, please email Erin (egentile@stmonica.catholic.edu.au) or connect with me.

Last Friday fourteen of our dads and special blokes gathered at the Walkerville Bowling Club. From the reports I have heard, they had a great night of fun and highly skilled bowling. Thank you to Chris Eaton for co-ordinating the night and the Walkerville Bowls Club for allowing us access to their venue. Here’s hoping more can make it next year.

 Finally, I would like to highlight a number very important dates for families:

Wednesday 13 December – Last day of school year for students.

Thursday 14 December and Friday 15 December – Pupil Free Days – OSHC is available.

Thursday 25 January – No Vacation Care available due to all staff undertaking Student Wellbeing Training.

Hope the week ahead is one of calmness and some quiet moments for you.

Emily Sayer

Everyone welcome!

Let’s celebrate together our Parish Feast Day- St Martin of Tours

THIS SUNDAY - Sunday 12th November at St Martin’s Church (corner of Muller and Hampstead roads)

9.30 am Youth Mass, with children and young people from our schools and parish.

Followed by sharing of food, conversation and activities for children and families:

Colouring-In and ‘Hat Making’ using recycled material.

Mark the date in your calendar and join us on the day.

St. Monica’s attended the Catholic Schools Athletics Carnival on Wednesday 8th November. Forty-two students from years 3-6 went to the carnival and had an amazing students. They participated in events like shot-put, long jump, high jump, 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m to name just a few. Everybody who attended the carnival enjoyed it and had lots of fun doing their events.  Everybody contributed to our success at the carnival. From all of the schools in section 7, Walkerville was the winner in boys overall, along with Ella Victory-McCauley winning age champion for year 6 girls (best year 6 girl in the athletics carnival for section 7). The year 3s, in their first Athletics Carnival, won the year 3 boys pennant. Overall, everybody who attended this carnival did so well and had lots of fun. Thank you to Des Carey and Tom Goonan who officiated on the day as our parent volunteers and all the parents who came out to support us.

By Sienna and Aadvick (Year 6)

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.