Hello Families,

Firstly, Happy Father's Day to all our special males in our lives. I hope you get to spend time with loved ones on Sunday and celebrate all that is important.

Thanks to everyone who came and celebrated with us this morning. It was lovely to see so many community members together sharing a meal and time in the sunshine. Thanks to all the wonderful staff and parents who came and helped set up, serve, mingle, took photos, shared stories, and packed up. All of you are appreciated.

Congratulations also to our Year 1 students and teachers for leading us in a lovely Father's Day assembly. You were all amazing and oh so very cute!

First Eucharist

Congratulations and blessings to our Year 5 students who begin celebrating their First Eucharist this weekend. We pray for you all to have a blessed experience and enjoy the next step in your Catholic faith journey.

Year of the Holy Spirit

Earlier this week you received a prayer card to use throughout this year, the Year of the Holy Spirit. It might be a way to pray as a family throughout your week. The Scripture this is based on is in the image below:

Community Council

This coming week is the Open Community Council meeting, meaning anyone who is interested can come along. The meeting begins at 6pm in the staffroom. One of the big agenda items is fundraising. If you would like a say, please join us.

Finance Transformation

Our school has now been moved over to the TechOne system. This has implications for school fees, school payments and all elements of finance.  Please see the note that was sent out last week about this via Compass. I have also attached it to this newsletter along with another one outlining other important information.

With the new system now in place it is even more important that you have access to Compass. Please ensure you have logged into the Compass system to keep up to date with all school happenings. If you need assistance, please contact the front office.

Late Drop Offs

As part of our legal requirements, if you are dropping your child/ren off after 9am we ask that you please accompany them into the front office to sign them into school. It is not the job of the front office staff to do this for you. We appreciate that mornings can be hectic times but a minute to sign your child into school is necessary. Thank you for your support of this.

Year 6 Debating

So far, our students have competed in two debates. Their argumentative skills must be excellent as we have won both! Congratulations to the students, their teachers and Miss Arcidiacono who has been organising the students and their travel to and from the debates.

Book Week

Thanks to Mrs Alison Bond for all of her hard work to ensure such a great Book Week last week. the students had a wonderful time celebrating all things reading which culminated in a great Book Week Parade last Friday. I am so sad to have missed this, I love dressing up and celebrating with the students, there is always next year!

School Disco

Please see the attached information about the upcoming Community Council run Disco next Friday. It is a great community event and a chance for you, as parents, to get involved in school spirit. You are able to volunteer your time with various jobs, and it is a great opportunity to socialise with other parents.

There is a two-step process to purchasing tickets. First purchase the entry ticket for each child and then indicate either gluten-free or normal meal pack.  All is outlined in another area of the newsletter. All meal deal orders must be completed by 9am Wednesday 6th September.

Just to clarify timing of the disco: Apologies for the varying information.

Junior Disco - Arrive and eat from 5:30pm. Disco 6pm - 7pm

Senior Disco - Arrive and eat from 6:45pm. Disco 7pm - 8:30pm

Fete

A reminder that this is on Friday 17th November at 4pm. This is another great opportunity to support our school. The next meeting is next Wednesday 6th September at 5:30pm in the staffroom. The more the merrier!

Remember if you love our school, tell others, if not, tell us! I am always happy to listen to feedback.

Happy Father's Day!

On the 3rd of September, we celebrate all father figures. In addition to the gifts of appreciation and outings, let's focus on sharing words of gratitude and blessings as we pray for our fathers. On Father’s Day, let us ask St Joseph for his guidance on behalf of all dads, and that his holy example continue to be an inspiration to all fathers. 

Dear Lord,

We thank You for the gift of fatherhood. Bless all fathers with strength, wisdom and love. May they reflect Your grace and guidance in their journey of raising and nurturing their children. Surround them with Your peace, and let Your joy fill their hearts each day. We remember fathers, grandfathers, and great grandfathers who are no longer with us but who live forever in our memory and nourish us with their love. We pray that all father figures have a blessed day with families and friends, with the light of St Joseph giving them strength and joy.

In Jesus’ name, we pray.

Amen

Eucharist Retreat Day Reflection

Last Thursday, Year Five were blessed with the opportunity to participate in their Eucharist retreat day. This was an opportunity to spend time together and reflect on the Sacrament. 

'I enjoyed the Retreat Day. We got to practise how to go up and take the bread. I also liked learning about the Altar and all the stuff that Father Namora wears. The pizza lunch was also good!' - Lachy B 

'I liked the Retreat Day because we got to try some of the foods that the Jewish people might have eaten. Making the stained-glass window was fun.' - Amelie 

'At the Retreat Day, I enjoyed the Labyrinth because it showed us what scripture God chose for us. I felt calm and I felt excited when God chose the right scripture for me. I learnt about all the things on the Altar and all the clothes that the priest wears.' - Maddison W 

Congratulations to the following students participating in their First Eucharist over the next 3 weekends:

The students participating in their First Eucharist will attend a Mass at the following times: 

Saturday - 6pm

Sunday - 8am & 10am

All Masses are held at Holy Family (Corpus Christi Parish). We hope to see our community present for this special occasion. 

Enrolments for Reconciliation will open on the 4^th of September. and remain open until 13th October. The Sacrament of Reconciliation will occur in Week 8, Term 4 (29-30th of November). If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with myself or Anne Gowen, Sacramental Coordinator at the Parish Office.   

The Year of the Holy Spirit

'It seemed good to us, and the Holy Spirit.' Acts: 15-28

August 2023 - August 2024

Please see the attached images and prayer to celebrate the theme for this year. 

For more information, please visit https://www.yearofholyspirit.org.au/

Book Week was a huge success! Thank you to parents and students for your participation and support of all book and reading activities! We were so lucky to have a visiting author, book performance and dress up parade! The students loved trying to match the teacher ‘selfie’ with their ‘shelfie’. Many also participated in a colouring competition and a design your own hat and hiding place competition. Year 6 Leaders helped to judge the winners of these competitions. This was a very tricky job as there was a VERY high standard of creativity! A BIG congratulations to all participants. The winners are listed below:  

Design your own hat winners 

Alana Z, Sophie W, William S and Lachlan P. 

Creative Hiding Place winners 

Ava G, Niamh G and Isla C 

Colouring Competition winners:  

Kinder: Claire L 

Grade 1: Naya A

Grade 2: Troy T 

Grade 3: Quinn B

Grade 4: Syena A

Grade 5: Chloe L

Grade 6: Holly A

A big thank you to everyone who bought a book at the Book Fair. These purchases have enabled us to receive commission from Carnival Book Fairs and we will soon be purchasing this train and bookshelf furniture for the library. I know the students will love it! 

Please read the following carefully!
The QKR ordering is a two-step process. Please use the following guide on how to order and pay via QKR!

1. To purchase a disco ticket ($5 per child, includes entry, a glow stick and food pack)
Go to the QKR app.
Under the Community Council heading select 'school disco'.
Choose either Junior (K-3)
or Senior (4-6)
Add number of children and add to cart.
Make payment.
THEN
2. Under the Canteen heading select 'Disco Meal Deal'. (If you have already done this please ensure you
Then choose 'normal' or 'Gluten Free' (GF)

Checkout, however you will NOT be charged for this transaction. 
This is to ensure that a meal is ordered alongside the disco ticket. The canteen is funding the disco meal deal, as a thanks for the community's support of the school canteen.

We would love some parental assistance to help set up/pack up, selling of lollies, door entry and glow stick prep. Please indicate your assistance via this form.