Term 4, Week 1 - Tuesday 5 October 2021

Principal's Report

Dear Parents,

Welcome to Term 4 with its oddly shaped beginning. It is important that we choose what we focus on. While we attend to the necessities around hygiene and doing what we can within current restrictions, that shouldn’t absorb us. Better that we choose that our focus is bigger, further and more positive - about growth, opportunities and recognising and celebrating achievements. 

Term 4 is the term when the learning from the previous three terms is drawn together, the great achievements are celebrated and the planning for next year is in overdrive. We have plenty of achievements to recognise and celebrate in this rather scrambled year. The good combined work of families and teachers working so closely together on so many aspects of learning has been inspirational and we should do what we can to hold onto that powerful way of operating. 

Year 11 reports mark the end of their Preliminary studies and are in the final stage of preparation and will be issued in Week 2. Year 12 (2022) studies begin now.

Transition into Kindergarten and into Year 7 are key processes for students and families. Getting to know the people, the place and the culture before formally beginning is where the true value of a transition process is found. This term some Kindy Start sessions will be held when we welcome our newest students to the St Raphs family - details will be provided. Likewise, with the Year 7 transition activities - a letter was emailed out recently addressing issues for the start of secondary schooling and pointing the way ahead.

Year 12 courses are complete and reports have been distributed. HSC preparations begin this week in their new form which sees six more weeks of lead-up to the exams commencing on November 9. Keep our candidates in your prayers please. 

A reminder that as students return to school, summer uniform (including school hat) is to be worn during Terms 4 and 1.

Michael Gallagher 

Principal

Faith & Life

Lord God, we entrust to you the families and communities affected by Coronavirus, wherever they may be.

We pray especially for health care workers, that you may guide and protect them.

We pray that your Spirit might inspire those researching new medicines and treatments.

And in the midst of this, keep us strong in faith, hope and love. Grant us the courage and perseverance to be good neighbours.

May the words of your Son Jesus Christ in the Our Father, be our prayer as we entrust ourselves and all of us who are affected to your infinite power and love. 

Amen.

Sacrament of Reconciliation

As recently communicated via Compass to parents of Year 2 students, we are currently making plans for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, commencing with an online information and enrolment process. A Loom presentation with a digital enrolment form will be posted to parents on Compass on 25 October. The Reconciliation preparation period starts on the weekend of 13/14 November and runs for 5 weeks. The Reconciliation service is on 16 December at 6:30pm. Candidates will then receive their certificates at Mass on 18 December.  

First Eucharist

As per recent commnication to our Year 3 families, First Eucharist Liturgies are also set to go ahead, but with some modified dates. To keep things simple we are keeping the groups the same. Group 1 candidates (14 August) will now receive the Sacrament on 13 November and Group 2 candidates (21 August) will now receive the Sacrament on 20 November.  COVID safe precautions will of course apply.

If you have any questions regarding either of these sacramental programs, please don't hesitate to contact our sacrament coordinator via email gabrielle.bischof1@gmail.com

What's On This Week

Focus on Families

Welcome back to Term 4. It certainly has been a difficult few weeks in our Cowra community. As mentioned in my Compass post last week, there are positives we can take from our time in isolation and stay at home orders. In Matthew's Gospel (Matthew 13:24-30) we read the parable of finding weeds amongst the wheat. It is quite applicable to the situation we find ourselves in at the moment. This theme will be explored in this week’s Take a few For You.

Take a few For You:

Our weekly Take A Few Video reflections will recommence this week. These short videos provide you as parents and carers with an opportunity to take some time for yourself to recharge and renew. They will be posted on Compass on Fridays.

Fr Julian Tension-Woods:

This week we celebrate the anniversary of the death of Fr Julian Tension-Woods. Fr Julian Tenison Woods was the  co-founder of the Sisters of Saint Joseph with Mary MacKillop. Fr Julian was a man of many talents: an environmentalist, scientist, priest, explorer, campaigner for social justice and the rights of Indigenous people, among many others. The Sisters of St Joseph have produced a few resources this year to commemorate Fr Julian. Based on the theme of Creation, there are some simple things we can do at our homes. I encourage you to utilise the resources over the next week or so. There links are below:

https://online.flippingbook.com/view/81180863/12/

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ef688zb71vdnFDcEXq1-NDjUHoMDHite/view?usp=sharing

Masses:

Keep your eye for Fr Laurie’s Post which is sent via email to you all each Friday for the latest updates on Masses.

If you would like anything else to help out during this difficult time, please contact me via email (n.twohill-scott@bth.catholic.edu.au)

Mrs Nicole Twohill-Scott

Administration

Compass Pay Now Available

You may have noticed a new feature appear in your Compass Parent Portal about the ability for payments to be made through Compass Pay. Please note that this is only a suggested, alternative method of payment, and also a quick and easy way to check transactional payments and outstanding balances of your school fees and event payments.

For parents who currently have BPAY and Direct Debit instalment payments in place there is no change to your current payment arrangements. There is no need to make any changes to your payment plan.

For those families who currently pay their school fees as a lump sum payment, this is a new option that may appeal to you. Instructions on this new Compass capability are attached. Please do not hesitate to contact the school if you require any assistance.

Wellbeing

Kindy Start Transition #2

At the end of Term 3, we were excited to share another Kindy Start video with our Kindergaten 2022 families. The second in our series of online presentations focuses on the playground. We are also learning about what to do when we arrive at school and what to do during our break times. 
https://www.loom.com/share/261ca1ab25384b9dbb07f680fa00cd8a

Year 7 2022 Transition

We are also preparing for our class of Year 7 2022, and reached out last term to our current Year 6 cohort, and our new Year 7 enrolments from other schools with this video of 'A day in the life of a Year 7 student'. Further plans for Term 4 transition will be distributed to families in the coming weeks.https://drive.google.com/file/d/1D62L9fymldE5fnfPDlRC6-Ih4hbSM7dk/view?usp=sharing

Canteen

Please note that the Canteen remains closed today and tomorrow. Our Summer Canteen Menu for Term 4 2021 will be distributed later in the week.

This Week's Birthdays

Holiday Birthdays

Community Connections