Term 4, Week 8 - Monday 22 November 2021

Principal's Report

Dear Parents,

HSC students sit their Biology, Business Studies, Construction (VET), Studies of Religion I&II, Human Services, Physics, and Visual Arts. Please support these students through this challenging time.

On last Saturday evening students in the Sacramental program finished making their first Eucharist. We all understand that becoming fitter, stronger and better takes time, endurance and many small steps of improvement. The Eucharist is the Sacrament that supports us as we grow better and stronger. It is one of the three “growing Sacraments” – those that we use regularly and repeatedly for healing and improvement (the other two are Reconciliation and Anointing the Sick).

Emergency procedures are rehearsed regularly at school. Coming up soon there will be an evacuation drill. Hopefully, we’ll never have to use such strategies for real but, if we do, we are well prepared.

Midway through Swimsafe K-6 our students are likely to be fatigued. The sustained exposure to water challenges brings massive gains in skill level. That children have become more confident and capable in the water is a wonderful asset for them. Thank you to Mrs McNamara for leading such an important aspect of the children’s life and to all the teachers, swimming instructors and parents who gathered to make it happen so well.

Over fifty Year 6 students from St Raphael’s and from our feeder schools gathered last week for their transition day together to assist in their preparations for Year 7. Congratulations to all those who facilitated such a good event for such a substantial group.

Thank you to all those who facilitated last week’s Stage 5 Retreats so well at St Raphael’s Hall.

A “silver medal”  at the Australian Training Awards on Thursday evening is recognition of the excellence of our achievements, particularly considering our rural setting, our size and our newness to the VET world. Peta Bischof and Steve Mitchell represented us at the Sydney venue of the awards, hosted out of Perth and with state gatherings in every capital city. Thank you and congratulations to our VET teachers and facilitators and the small army of people who engaged in the preparations of documentation and presentations for the awards. 

Michael Gallagher 

Principal

Faith & Life

Sometimes in the rush of life the prayer which most often escapes our lips is: God help me! “God help me,” is not a desperate, “I hope this works,” kind of prayer. It’s a prayer of quiet, resolute confidence, knowing that when God is brought into the picture, there’s no telling what he might accomplish.

Altar Servers at St Raphael's Parish

Saturday 27 November - Hayley Parakkal & Georgia Campbell

Sunday 28 November - Ned Osborne & Max Osborne

What's On This Week

Focus on Families

Kaleidoscope of Kindness

Many thanks to all the families who actively participated in this year’s Kindness Project. 

Take a Few For You

This week will be our last Take A Few For You for the year. Look out for the Compass notification on Friday.

Sacramental Take Home Kits

Over the next few weeks, our candidates for Reconciliation will receive their kit to hold their at home celebration. I would like to thank Anne Smaluck who has sown the table runner for the kits. Thanks Anne.

Advent, A Journey to Christmas Kits

Next week, all families will receive an Advent Kit. They will be sent with the youngest or only child in the family. The Kit contains:

• Candles
• Outline to complete each week.
• Advent Calendar with activities to complete each day.
• Prayer Card
• Scripture Readings for each Sunday of Advent

If your kit is missing anything, just let me know via email. (n.twohill-scott@bth.catholic.edu.au)

We invite you and your family to take time each week to complete the weekly activities and to use the calendar daily if possible. We hope you enjoy the activities over the next four weeks as much as we enjoyed making them for you.

Administration

School Fees
Thank you to all those parents who have paid their school fees in full or arranged a payment plan for the remainder of the year.  There are still, however, a number of accounts that are outstanding. If there is any reason you are unable to service the account, please make contact with the school for assistance, otherwise payment is expected promptly.  Thank you for your assistance in this matter.

Scholastic Book Club

Issue 8 of Scholastic Book Club have gone home with our Primary students. This will be the final catalogue for the year and orders must be made online, or delivered to the school office by Friday 26 November. If your purchase is to be a Christmas gift, please mark 'GIFT' on your order and it will be held for you at the school , rather than sent home with your child. Thankyou for supporting Book Club this year. Through your support, we have been able to purchase a range of outstanding resources for our school.

Miss Chris Webb - Scholastic Book Club Coordinator 

Wellbeing

Earrings for Hope
Recently, our Year 9 students produced and sold earrings to raise money for charity. A total of $427 dollars was raised and has been donated to Share the Dignity, an organisation which distributes essential goods to women who find themselves in desperate circumstances.  We would like to thank everyone who supported this fund raising project.  More information about Share the Dignity can be found at https://www.sharethedignity.org.au/

Canteen

Please find attached for your convenience a copy of our Summer Canteen Menu for 2021. This menu will be effective for Term 4.

Curriculum News

Primary Swim Safe

After an eventful first week of Swim Safe the children can be very proud of their efforts thus far. As we all know, safety is paramount around water and this Wednesday the children are asked to bring in a pair of winter pyjamas so that they can get a feel for swimming whilst fully clothed. This is, of course, to help children survive in water in case of an accident. 

Please ensure that your child has winter pyjamas or something similar as well as their swimmers packed in a strong bag (to hold the extra wet clothing) for Wednesday's Swim Safe lessons. 

This swimming experience will have been very helpful for your child to develop water safety awareness and strengthen swimming techniques. However, PARENTS OF NON SWIMMERS, PLEASE NOTE: It is of utmost importance for your child to continue to experience swimming in a safe environment. Make it a priority to ensure your child continues to develop swim and survival skills. Simply taking your child to the pool and spending time with them in the water can make a huge difference to their water safety skills. Also, Pool staff have names of swim instructors and dates for holiday swim safe lessons if you would like to keep your children moving forward with their swimming skills during the Summer.
Mrs Kylie McNamara - Primary Curriculum Coordinator

Primary Award Recipients

Congratulations to our amazing Week Seven award recipients. Keep up the wonderful work. We are all very proud of you!

My New Gallery

This Week's Birthdays

Community Connections