Term 4, Week 9 - Monday 29 November 2021

Principal's Report

Dear Parents,

HSC students sit their Chemistry exam  on Monday and VET Hospitality exam on Wednesday. Please support these students through this challenging time.

I take this opportunity to inform the school family that Mrs Jenny White will retire from teaching at the end of this term. After a long and strong career in education, Mrs White’s teaching role will be taken up by Mrs Anne Hickman. In addition, Mrs Benjie Healy is also retiring from teaching, an absolute linchpin in the Learning Enrichment Department. Mrs Therese Johnston has decided that she will take a year away from the classroom and her role in 2022 is being taken up by Miss Georgina Gough, currently teaching in the Canberra-Goulburn Diocese. I want to publicly congratulate these educators on the generosity and expertise they have invested  in their students.

Swimsafe is completed for another year and what an achievement it has been! Congratulations on the coordination, flexibility and endurance demonstrated by the staff of the Primary Department. We are confident that our children are now that much more “water-proof” than they were at the start.

Teachers at all year levels have been instructed to hold firm with their high expectations of the students in these closing weeks of the term. A huge effort under trying circumstances has been invested in achieving a settled and respectful tone across the whole school. The issue of some students seeking to lower the standard of conduct in the school is disappointing and the solution is to strengthen and re-energise the partnership between home and school, between parents and staff. We all want nothing but the best for our children.

Michael Gallagher 

Principal

Faith & Life

Advent comes from the Latin word meaning "coming." Jesus is coming, and Advent is intended to be a season of preparation for His arrival. It is a time to celebrate the coming of the King and to spend time reflecting on God’s compassion and love.  

Father, in this season of Advent we prepare our hearts for your coming. 

You are the vine, we are the branches. 

Come and tend us, prune us, clean us. 

Discard in us everything that does not bear fruit, 

Nourish in us everything that bears much fruit. 

As we celebrate your coming as a vulnerable baby 

Our hearts await your glorious return as the eternal King. 

Nurture in us expectant hearts, O Lord. 

Cultivate in us a deep longing for more of you. 

Until that Day when you burst through the heavens, 

And flood our horizons with your glorious splendour. 

For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, 

throughout all ages and generations. 

Amen.

Altar Servers at St Raphael's Parish

Saturday 4 December - Bella Starr & Georgie Pearce

Sunday 5 December - Maddy White & Sienna Launders

First Eucharist

The sacrament of First Eucharist was celebrated over the last two weekends at St Raphael's Church. Congratulations to all participants, who represented themselves and their families beautifully in this sacrament. 

What's On This Week

Administration

2022 School Fee Schedule

The St Raphael's 2022 School Fee Schedule has been released and is attached for your reference. Thankyou. 

Curriculum News

Wellbeing

Recording Devices

In the light of laws around Privacy any recording device has no place in the school setting without direct permission and supervision by a teacher. That sounds easy and sensible enough – so let’s think about recording devices … phones, some fit bits, smart watches etc. I can imagine some of these devices possibly appearing in Christmas gifts and that’s fine for the 18 hours a day that children are not at school. Those recording devices are not permitted in the school. They may be delivered to the school office for safe keeping throughout the day but they should not be in the possession of students at school.

Focus on Families

Take a Few For You

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

Advent: A Journey to Christmas Kits

This week, all families will receive their Advent Kit. They will be sent with the youngest or only child in the family. We encourage all families to take some time out of the busyness of the next four weeks and use the kit. The Kit contains:

• Candles
• Outline to complete each week
• Advent Calendar with activities to complete each day (Infants and Primary)
• Prayer Card

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

We hope you enjoy the activities over the next four weeks as much as we enjoyed making them for you.

Canteen

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

This Week's Birthdays

Community Connections