ISSUE 22: 13th August 2021

Principal / Executive Leadership Team

Dear Parents, Guardians, Students & Staff

Strength for this Challenging Time

We pray for your love and compassion to abound
as we walk through this challenging season.
We ask for wisdom for those who bear the load
of making decisions with widespread consequences.
We pray for those who are suffering with sickness
and all who are caring for them.
We pray for misinformation to be curbed
that fear may take no hold in hearts and minds. 
As we exercise the good sense that you in your mercy provide,
may we also approach each day in faith and peace,
trusting in the truth of your goodness towards us.

Welcome everyone to this week’s newsletter. It is fantastic to welcome students back to school.  

Our current uncertainty is no doubt impacting many people in our community socially, emotionally, physically and financially. It has been a challenge to motivate many families and children.  If you are struggling, please don’t hesitate to contact the school so that we can help you in whatever way possible. The most important part of this being a success is that we continue to work together and support each other. 

Over recent times a few parents of older students have made me aware that they have used the Taylor Walker incident of racism as a lesson around the dinner table with their children.  If people have followed this news I believe it has many great lessons for young people whether it is racism or really serious behaviours like bullying or fighting.  Some great lessons that can come from this incident are:

• That an official from the Adelaide Football Club heard what Taylor Walker said and had the courage to inform the club of his actions.  At times, in particular older students don’t call out inappropriate behaviour and can often have bystander behaviour that gives power to the person who has done the wrong thing.  We need to say something even when friends do serious things that are not acceptable in our community;
• The actions of Taylor Walker impacted many people.  This included the person who he was racist to, his coach who got very upset at a press conference and his team mates old and new.  The impact of his actions on an ex-team mate Eddie Betts on the news during the week showed the impact of his racist comment;
• Sometimes we act before we think and this can lead to weak decisions that can impact us personally.  Taylor Walker has been suspended by his club and had to publicly apologise to the person who he had hurt.  He was remorseful in this interview but his actions have greatly impacted him and he has had to walk away from the club to reflect on and learn from his actions.

If parents are willing to, I encourage you to talk to your children about some of these lessons in your safe home environment.  It doesn’t have to be necessarily racism but could be other behaviours that can have a negative impact on others.

Division Football & Hockey is being held this Wednesday, 18th August.  Our boys and girls Football teams and boys and girls Hockey teams are competing. Football is being held at the Aerodrome Ovals and Hockey at the Sunraysia Hockey Centre.  We wish our teams all the best! 

The Year Three Camp to Swan Hill is being held this Thursday and Friday.  We wish our Year Three students all the best for a fun two days at the Pioneer Settlement.  Miss Price, Mrs Rowles, Mrs Priestley, Mr Gibson, Miss Madden and Mr Dashington will be the supervising teachers for this camp.

Our Writing Essentials PD with Misty Adoniou on Friday 3rd September has been cancelled and will now be a normal school day.  The new date for this professional Learning will be Friday, 5th November.  This will be a pupil free day.  The Year Two Sleepover, which had been rescheduled for Thursday, 4th November will now be moved to Thursday, 14th October. 

Fr Michael McKinnon our Parish Priest who left Sunraysia during lockdown last year didn’t have a chance to say goodbye to our Parish and members of our school community.  He is back in Mildura from Saturday 14th August until Monday 23rd August. If you would like to catch up and farewell Fr Michael before he leaves for Peru he will be celebrating Mass at the Sacred Heart Church on Saturday 14th (6pm), Sunday 15th (9am), Tuesday 17th (6pm) and Sunday 22nd (5pm).  

The Assumption Of Mary is a feast day that is celebrated on August 15th every year. This feast day commemorates Mary’s death and her assumption into heaven. This feast day allows participants to reflect on the divine nature of the Virgin Mary and serves as a reminder that there is a place in heaven for God’s truly faithful.  We would normally celebrate this occasion with a school mass at the church, however we are unable to do this with current restrictions.

Due to the current COVID-19 restrictions the Year 5 Catholic School Visit which was to occur on Tuesday 24th August has been postponed until further notice. 

On Tuesday our Year 3 and 4 classrooms received new furniture for their classrooms.  Students in these classrooms have spoken very positively about the change.  Our Parents and Friends Fundraising Levy that is collected as part of our school fees has partly funded this purchase.  

Our School Advisory Council meeting will occur on Tuesday at 5:15pm. This meeting will be held at Stefano’s Cafe as we are unable to meet at school.

Our next Parents and Friends meeting will occur on Wednesday 18th August at 6pm.  

It has come to our attention that some students have been crossing 11th Street between Walnut Avenue and Tamarisk Grove.  To ensure the safety of students they should be using the crossing located near the bus stop at St Joseph’s College. 

God Bless!

Mark Gibson

Religious Education News

Sacramental News

Year Four First Eucharist 

Please note that a First Eucharist Registration form has been sent home with all Year 4 students. Registration for First Eucharist needs to be completed and handed in (including payment) at the Parish Office by Friday 27th August.  Following this, a Parent Information Session will be held at the church on Wednesday, 1st September at 7pm. If you have any questions regarding this Sacrament please contact the Parish Office or email Ryan O'Callaghan ryocallaghan@shmildura.catholic.edu.au

Confirmation 

Levi McClellend & Max Fleri will be celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation on Tuesday 24th August.

Ryan O'Callaghan (Religious Education Leader)

Learning Diversity & Wellbeing News

Nothing to report this week.

Learning & Teaching News

Nothing to report this week.

General News

Prep Unit News

…. and we are back! It was extremely pleasing to welcome students back to school on Tuesday. All students (and parents!) should be very proud of how well they have adapted to the fast changes we have been experiencing. 

We are sorry our books did not make it home last Friday! They are in the students’ library bags today. We ask that they be covered in clear contact and be returned to school on Monday. Please remember to cover your reading diary in clear contact as well.

Junior Unit News

What a whirlwind! Many thanks yet again to our children, parents and caregivers for your flexibility in adapting to online learning. 

We warmly welcome back our parent helpers into our classrooms. You are essential to supporting our literacy program and we are really looking forward to seeing you next week. 

Our Junior Unit Social is quickly approaching (Monday, August 23rd). Should you have any difficulty attaining a costume, please let your child/ren’s teacher know.

A highlight from our casual clothes day today!

Middle Unit News

We were very pleased to welcome students back to school on Tuesday. All students (and parents!) should be very proud of how well they have adapted to the fast changes we have been experiencing. 

This week our classrooms got some fantastic new furniture!  We think it's pretty great!

On Tuesday, Year 3 children had a meeting and brought home a note with the final details of our upcoming camp to Swan Hill. This note has also been made available to parents on PAM. We encourage families to read through this note thoroughly and please contact your child’s teacher if you have any questions. Some important reminders: 

• Please ensure your child is at school by 7:30am on Thursday the 19th August. 
• Students need to have a backpack with their recess, lunch and water bottle for the first day.
• Please ensure you have packed everything on the packing list including bedding, pillow and a towel.
• Children are permitted to have $20 spending money in a labelled ziplock bag (handed to Miss Price at the bus). 
• Any medications must be clearly labelled with your child’s name and the dosage. We would appreciate these details also emailed to your child’s teacher. This is to be handed to Mrs Rowles at the bus. 

If there are any changes to restrictions meaning we cannot go ahead with our camp, we will endeavour to  let parents know as soon as possible. We are looking forward to having a terrific time on our camp!

Senior Unit News

WOW…What a rollercoaster we have been on over these past few weeks.  We are super proud of the way the Year Five and Six students have continued to adapt to the quick transitions to online learning.  We would also like to thank their families for their continued support through this journey.

Reminders:

o   Students can bring a fruit snack to school each day.

o   Students are encouraged to bring a water bottle to school to have in the classroom.  This means they will not need to leave the classroom and their learning time will not be interrupted.

o   Students have begun Literature Circle group reading. Please ensure your child is reading their book so they are up to date.

Junior Neighbourhood Watch Program in Schools -Year 6 Visit 

On Tuesday, First Constable Toby McMillan from Mildura Police came and visited the Year 6’s. He comes twice a each term to visit and teach us about what police do and how we can keep ourselves safe. This week our focus was Witnesses and what it means to be a good witness. We learnt to look out for unusual things about someone if they look suspicious near a crime scene. This is in case police need information about the suspect. We did some fake scenarios and then we got a sheet of paper. Toby read out a description of a fake suspect, we then had to draw a picture of what we heard. At the end we got to ask some questions. It was a really fun experience and we can’t wait till he comes back.

Written by Rio Irvine

Student Leadership Groups

Nothing to report this week.

Library News

Scholastic Book Club Issue #6 has been sent home. All orders are to be placed via LOOP, by Wednesday 25th August at the latest. 

CBCA Book Week Dress up day

On Friday 27th August the school will celebrate the CBCA Book Week awards with a dress up day and activities in the classrooms. Year levels will hold their own costume parade. We encourage all students to dress up in the theme of “Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds”. 

Some ideas for dressing up are:

Old worlds - Mary Poppins; Caveman; an Egyptian;  Anne of Green Gables; pirate; Sherlock Holmes; Robin Hood….

New worlds- astronaut; alien; rocket ship; Star Wars character; (Junior students could use their junior unit social costume!!).....

Other worlds- Harry Potter; Minecraft; Bilbo Baggins; monsters; pokemon; Ranger’s apprentice; Alice in Wonderland; Tinkerbell; Mad Hatter….

Week 6 Library timetable

Monday - Year 5, 6 & Bundaleer

Tuesday - Minga, Year 2

Wednesday -Nangare, Mootwingee

Thursday - Preps, Amaroo, Yongana, Eumeralla, Karinya

Weekly Awards

Students of the Week 

Congratulations to the following students on receiving a Student of the Week award.

Ray White Awards

There is no Ray White Awards this week.