Term 2, Week 2 - Monday 1 May 2023

What's On This Week

Principal

Dear Parents and Carers

Catholic Schools Week this week is a wonderful way to highlight our St Raphael’s  community, which includes students, their families, staff and our Parish. In many cases, students have had family members who have also attended St Raphael’s for their schooling. Many students, parents and staff, reflect with fondness, the catholic charism underpinning our school, and the strong sense of developing strength and gentleness. 

This week we commenced Catholic Schools Week with a whole school  liturgy, which again reiterated our 2023 motto ‘We Rise By Lifting Others’, reminding us that as a community, we all have an important role to play in ‘being people for others’. We also joyfully shared as a school our song - Lean on Me. Our Leader of Faith, Mission and Learning, Mrs Bruin, made a wonderful video, highlighting the joy we experience at St Raphael’s. Following our liturgy, a number of parents shared some classroom experiences with their child(ren). The students loved having parent visitors! 

Thank you to the students and families who supported our Anzac Day March. We certainly had a great gathering to commemorate our service men and women. 

This week we also congratulate Mr Jeffries as the temporary Leader of Learning Engagement K-12 until the end of Term 3. Mr Jeffries will be a great addition to our wellbeing team, as he has experience across K-12. He is thoroughly looking forward to continuing to strengthen wellbeing. Mr Jeffries current wellbeing role has been advertised as a temporary secondary position, concluding also at the end of Term 3. The permanent position for the Leader of Learning Engagement will be advertised early next term. 

God Bless,

Michelle Deschamps - Principal

Faith, Mission & Learning

The theme for Catholic Schools Week this year is  ‘Experience the Spirit of Community’. Catholic Schools Week is about strengthening relationships between all those who have a stake in our schools – students, staff, families, priests, parishioners, and members of the wider community – by showcasing what happens in our classrooms every day. 

We hope you enjoyed our Catholic Schools Week liturgy, K-12 recess and open classroom experience.

Gabrielle Bruin - Leader of Faith, Mission & Learning

Lord Jesus,

Thank you that you see beyond the limitations of our everyday, familiar lives.

You heal us and send us out to new adventures.

Help us to say with Peter, “You know everything Lord, you know that I love you,”

and then to step out boldly where you are leading.

Amen

Learning Engagement

Duke of Edinburgh Award - Weddin Mountains Hike
On Sunday 2nd and Monday 3rd April the Year 9 Duke of Edinburgh Award students completed their first overnight hike. The hike started on Sunday morning at Holy Campground in the Weddin Mountains. The group hiked along Eualdrie Track carrying all their necessary equipment including tents, sleeping bags, food & water, stooping to take in the views at Peregrine Lookout and Eauldrie Lookout along the way. Once they reached Ben Halls Campground they completed a quick exploration of Seatons Farm before returning to camp to set up their tents and to prepare dinner. At sunset, Mr Phelan and Mrs Bennett took the students for a quick walk to Ben Halls Cave. The group reflected around the campfire and settled in for the night. In the morning, the students completed the return hike to Holy Campground. Well done to Zoe, Deakin, Cohan, Emma, Ella, Mathew, Addie, Hannah & Imogen.

Duke of Edinburgh Award - Canowindra International Balloon Challenge
During the holidays our Year 9 Duke of Edinburgh Award students volunteered at the Canowindra International Balloon Challenge. Under the guidance of Mr Phelan, the students formed the St Raphael's Catholic School 'Target team' that is a part of the official scoring team for the event. On Friday 14th April, the students attended the pilots briefing at 5:30am and were sent up to The Oval to set up the mornings task. The pilots had to fly their hot air balloons to The Oval and drop one of their markers at the target. The students then had to measure and record the distance of each marker to the centre of the target. Well done to Zoe, Deakin, Emma, Ella, Mathew, Addie, Hannah & Imogen.

Andrew Phelan - Duke of Edinburgh Award Coordinator

Secondary Cultural Sharing Group

Our Cultural Sharing group will resume Aboriginal dance on Wednesdays starting next week (Week 3). This will be held during secondary learning plus with Mr Chris, Mrs Hubber and Mrs Broad. 

Learning - Primary

Kindergarten 2024 Enrolments Now Open!

Please see the following flyer regarding Transition to School Program for prospective Kindergarten 2024 enrolments, commencing with an information evening at 5pm on Tuesday 30 May 2023.

If your child will be joining us at St Raph's in Kindergarten next year, please let us know! We will include your details on our Siblings Enrolment list and make sure you receive all essential information in the lead up to Transition and Kindy Start. 

Anne Hickman - Leader of Learning - Primary

Sports Day:

Due to this weeks Athletics Carnival Years K-6 will wear their sports uniform on Friday.

Mothers Day Stall

All students will have the opportunity to purchase $5 gifts for their mum's, nan's and other significant women in their lives at the P&F Mother's Day Stall next week (Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday of Week 3).  Please see the flyer from the P&F at the end of this newsletter.

Eisteddfod:

Eisteddfod season is upon us .... Year 4 and 6 will be performing at the Services Club this Wednesday from 10am. On Friday 19 May from 9:30am the Infants and Primary choirs will be performing at the Civic Centre in full winter uniform. Not all students volunteered for these choirs so please ask your child if they are involved.  On Wednesday 24 May from 10am the Infants and Primary dance groups will be performing. The Infants children will be wearing summer shorts and t-shirt and the Primary girls will wear a black leotard and the boys will wear a black t-shirt and shorts.

Cowra Eisteddfod Schedule

Administration

Secondary Pupil Free Day - Friday 19 May

Families are advised that there will be a Pupil Free Day on Friday of Week 4 (19 May) for all Secondary Students, while staff engage in compulsory Professsional Learning - Trauma Informed Teaching Practices.  This professional learning will provide staff with an introduction to trauma and how students with trauma backgrounds can be supported in the educational setting. There will be no supervision at school for Secondary Students on Friday 19 May.

Scholastic Book Club

Issue 3 of Scholastic Book Club will go home with Primary students this week. Please ensure orders are completed online, or returned to the school office by Friday 12 May.

Primary & Secondary Athletics Carnivals

St Raphael’s will hold the Primary & Secondary Athletics Carnival separately.

The Secondary carnival will be held this Thursday 4 May at River Park.

The Primary carnival will be held this Friday 5 May at River Park.

Infants: Kindergarten and Years 1 & 2 will no longer attend the Carnival. They will remain at school and participate in a range of novelty event activities with their teachers throughout the day. 

All students must bring a hat, sunscreen, joggers and be dressed in their house colours (Blue – Kilbreda, Yellow – Xavier, Red – Raphael) or their school sports uniform. 

Parents are more than welcome to attend the carnival!  If you are able to help out on the day, please contact Mr Andrew Phelan a.phelan@bth.catholic.edu.au (Secondary) or Mr Chris Colemane c.colemane@bth.catholic.edu.au (Primary).  Mrs Donna Stokes would also appreciate helpers at the canteen at River Park (especially at Thursday's Secondary carnival) so please let her know if you can help out, even for an hour or so by calling her on  0427 501 508 or emailing the school.

Transport Secondary: 

Secondary students must arrive at River Park for Roll Call no later than 8.40am (8:30am if students want to participate in the 400m event)

All bus students will be dropped off at Cowra Public School Bus Stop. 

All students will walk back to school at the end of the day to go home as they normally would. 

Transport Primary: 

Primary students will meet at school and walk to River Park with their teachers. 

Students competing in the 800m will have to arrive at River Park directly, ready for the race to commence at 8.45am. 

Lunch: Mrs Stokes will be running a modified canteen on the day with snacks and drinks. Lunch orders must be returned to the school office by tomorrow.  Athletics Carnival Order Form Normal Canteen will be closed at school on 4 May (for Infants & Primary) and 5 May (for Infants & Secondary).

Devices: Portable electronic devices (computer games, phones, ipods, smart watches and similar devices) should not be brought to the Carnival.

Wear: All students are to wear joggers for competition as it is a Diocesan rule that no student can compete in socks or bare feet or football boots. Spikes are permitted in track events (except 800m & 1500m).

Events: There will be no practice jumps or throws – time does not allow this. Students are encouraged to warm-up and be ready. Their teachers can help with this. At each event, students will have the option to compete and be involved.

Chris Colemane - Primary Sport Coordinator

Secondary Diocesan Cross Country - Wednesday 10 May. Registrations must be completed at csnsw.sport website with payment by Wednesday 3 May.

Andrew Phelan - Secondary Sport Coordinator

Canteen

Changes to Term 2 - Winter Menu

Families are advised that there are changes to the availability of hot lunch items on the Canteen Menu, effective Term 2. Sandwiches, wraps, rolls and gluten free options will remain available while certain hot items will only be available on specific days of the week. These changes are to make operations more manageable for Mrs Stokes and our small (and declining) number of volunteer helpers.

Monday - Chicken Schnitzel Wraps/Burgers

Tuesday - Soup or Chicken Tenders (with or without fried rice)

Thursday - Hamburger/Mini Cheese Burger or Chicken Noodle Stir Fry

Friday - Nachos or Fried Rice

The new Term 2 Winter Canteen Menu is provided here.

The soup for this week is Cauliflower.

Parents and Friends Association

Community Connections

Respectful Relationships

The following RealTalk Parent Talk on Respectful Relationships is available for online viewing until Friday 12 May.  https://vimeo.com/823627929/cdb6f62c0c