Term 3 Week 4 August 12, 2021
COMING EVENTS
AUGUST 14 & 15
• Enrolment weekend for Confirmation at any Mass, p3
MONDAY AUGUST 16
• Futures Evening for current Year 8 & 9 is a combined, Teams Meeting, 7pm-8pm WEDNESDAY AUGUST 18
• Parent and child evening for Confirmation, Our Lady Help of Christians Church, 7:00-7:30pm
TUESDAY AUGUST 31
• School photos - Our Lady Help of Christians Campus
• School Experience Morning
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 1
• School photos - St Teresa's Campus
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2
• School photos - Saint John's Campus FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 3
• Sacrament of Confirmation
continued p2
Key Points
• Communication Channels
• Living Learning Leading Survey
• COVID Restrictions
• School Photos
• Your child’s safety is important to us – What can you do?
• Primary Sports Day
• Volunteer Slip for Primary Sports Day
• Semester 2 SRC - Primary
• Sacrament of Confirmation
• Book Week
• Pulse Survey
At the Beatification of Mary MacKillop, in 1995, his Holiness Pope John Paul II said; “Mary MacKillop had a genuine openness to others, hospitality to strangers, generosity to the needy, justice to those unfairly treated, perseverance in the face of adversity, kindness and support to the suffering.” As educators these values and traits are those that we try and instil in our students. August 8 was the Feast of Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop, so this week we make our prayer in her name:
Creator God, Today is your gift and challenge. Open our hearts to the needs of others; help us to use today to make a difference to them and to our world.
Jesus, Word of God, Model of what it is to be human. May the words we speak bring understanding, peace and reconciliation. Spirit of God, Source of freedom and joy. Shape our lives as you shaped the life of Mary MacKillop: Guide us to be, like her, your compassion and mercy.
St Joseph – Guide Us
St Mary of the Cross MacKillop – Pray for Us.
© MacKillop College Werribee
Communication Channels
Since the last newsletter we have sent out an SMS and email to parents and caregivers to verify that the contact details in our system are accurate. Indication of this test was given through the Facebook and the Remind app for Primary classes. Thank you to those parents who contacted us and indicated that they didn’t receive these messages. Ideally the system now has the correct information.
School Experience Mornings for Reception students commencing in 2022, p5
continued from p1
College News
Living Learning Leading Survey
This week we will be sending all families a link to our Living Learning Leading Survey. The survey has been devised by Curtin University in conjunction with Catholic Education South Australia. The purpose of the survey is for each school to find out how they have been progressing within each of the four areas within the Living Learning Leading Standard. These areas a 1. Catholic Identity,
2. How well the teachers know and are catering for your child(ren),
3. Your child(ren)’s engagement in school, 4. The school’s engagement with the community,
and
5. The resources and facilities
This survey is totally anonymous, you are not required to provide your name or any details that might identify you. As a school we are looking to find out how we might better cater to our community, the information that you provide in this survey will help us to identify areas for improvement.
COVID Restrictions
While we are fortunate, in South Australia, that our schools are continuing to conduct business as normal, we understand that some of the restrictions are impacting students and families. It is unfortunate that the SRC assemblies scheduled for the Primary campuses will only allow one visitor per family. Where possible we have moved events, that would normally bring large numbers to the campuses to an online format. Parents and students will be sent links to these events and are invited to attend from the comfort of their own homes.
Dear Parents,
School photographs are scheduled to be taken by aaddvvaanncceeddlliiffee. Whilst an envelope and flyer will be distributed shortly, if possible it is our preference that ordering be completed online to reduce administration and potential security issues related to the return of cash and envelopes on photo day.
Orders for packages and sibling photographs can be placed securely online at wwwwww..aaddvvaanncceeddlliiffee..ccoomm..aauu using our school’s unique 99 ddiiggiitt aaddvvaanncceeddoorrddeerr ccooddee. Portrait and group package orders are due by photography day.
Should you wish to purchase a sibling photograph online, the order must be placed no later than the day before photography day. Sibling photographs will only be taken if an order has been placed.
Should you have any queries concerning school photographs or online ordering, please contact us at www.advancedlife.com.au/contact
ORDER NOW go to www.advancedlife.com.au and enter the code
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The Samaritan Way
This coming Sunday we celebrate Mary's Assumption into heaven, a holy day of obligation. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into heaven has long been held as an important Catholic belief. We believe that Mary, who was without sin, was taken, body and soul, into the glory of heaven.
Sunday’s Gospel reading shows Mary as a simple peasant woman intent on offering service to another. However, the greatness of Mary is a reflection of the greatness of the Son of God whom she bore.
Sunday's Gospel also highlights Mary's faith. Mary's faith enabled her to recognise the work of God in her people's history and in her own life. Her openness to God allowed God to work through her so that salvation might come to all. Mary is a model and symbol of the Church. May we be like Mary, open and cooperative in God's plan of salvation.
Hail Mary full of Grace,
the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners
now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Sacrament of Confirmation
A reminder for the parents of our Year 7 Confirmation students that this weekend is enrolment weekend at any Mass. You are invited to attend any Mass over the weekend as part of your family’s commitment to the Confirmation program.
Mass times are:
Saturday 6pm at St Teresa’s Church Sunday 9am at St Teresa’s Church
Sunday 10:30am or 5:30pm at Our Lady Help of Christians Church
A further reminder that the parent and child evening is Wednesday August 18 (Week 5) Our Lady Help of Christians Church 7:00 - 7:30pm
Rebecca Sinclair
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL IN RELIGIOUS IDENTITY AND MISSION
Primary Campus News
Book Week – Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds
Week 6 is Book Week! A favourite time of the year. We are right in the middle of Book Week celebrations. Assemblies, the much loved Book Week parades, peer activity sessions, library activities and lunch time activities are providing many opportunities for our community to celebrate the joy and importance of reading.
Your child’s safety is important to us – What can you do?
Our school bell goes at 8:30am for students to enter our yards and for teachers to be on yard duty. Please do not drop your child off before this time as before 8:30am, there is no supervision for students in the yard.
Primary Sports Day
Our combined Primary Sports Day is fast approaching and is on Friday, September 3 at Saint John’s Campus. In today’s newsletter (p4) you will see a call for parent volunteers. If you are attending on the day and are happy to support please return the slip and we will be in touch. We appreciate all of the parent help we receive and your children love to see you there too.
Jenna Edwards HEAD OF PRIMARY
OLHCC REPRESENTATIVES R/1 Molyneux Violet Hughes Kenrick Corpuz
1/2 Connor Caely Hunia
Malaki Marich 2/3 McArthur Antonio Green
Haleigh Giumelli-Brown 3/4 Warren Raennielle Williams
Eli Wingfield-Sultan 4/5 Fiedler Belle Padilla
Reef Gillis 5/6 Arcobelli/Thiele Ethan Huang
Charlee Hughes 5/6 Mayne Cooper Arcobelli
Celeste Fragomeni STC REPRESENTATIVES
R/1 Davies/Judd Lilly Phillips Archie Raymond R/1 Harris/Judd Jasper Perry
Lily Watt 1/2 Fechner/Raymond Indy Klippel
Harry Bambridge
2/3 Murray Harry Morton
Indiah Perry 3/4 Baverstock Xavier Wright
Emma Travers
4/5 Foran Knox Brewer
Felix Klippel
5/6 Ness Bailie Crowe
Josh Rowlands
Semester 2 SRC Presentation
At assemblies on Friday, the Semester 2 Student Representative Councils will be formally presented to the school community and received their SRC badges. Congratulations to these students on being recognised as leaders amongst our Samaritan community.
Primary Sports Day
Friday, September 3
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Will be held at Saint John's Campus
Please tick where you can assist and return it to your child's class teacher or campus office.
Time: 9:45am-11:00am
Morning Games: Judging, organising children, giving out stickers etc
R-2/3 classes and
Yr 3/4-6 classes
Time: 11:00pm-12:25pm
Sprints/Relays and Marathon: Giving out place cards and ribbons
Time: 1:00pm-2:00pm
Team Games: Helping with set up of games, judging games, giving out stickers to winning teams, organising teams
R-2/3 classes and
Yr 3/4-6 classes
Name: ... Child's name: ... Class: ... Contact No: ...
Secondary Campus News
Secondary attendance hotline: 0473 989 587 - TEXT messages only, otherwise please phone 8645 8568. Please follow up phone calls with a note to the caregroup teacher.
SJC: Saint John's Campus
Dear Friends
I have been waxing lyrical the many messages and
‘teaching moments’ that have come from the coverage of the Olympic Games these past two weeks. Perhaps it was the shot in the arm we needed, with daily press focussing so intently on the negative impact of lockdowns and the like.
Patty Mills referenced country and his ancestry after winning basketball bronze for the first time in our history. It made me reflect on my own time here when I first started at Saint John’s (College) 20 years ago. I didn’t realise it at the time, naïve and ambitious as I was, that I owed a debt of gratitude to the students, parents, leaders and teachers who came before me. We stand on the shoulders of giants. Everything that was made possible over those 8 years was because of the hard work, commitment and generosity of others. Thank you, Patty, for reminding me of that. Nicola McDermott gave a stirring speech after winning silver that ‘felt like gold’… “I think as a teenager I was always an outcast; and I got welcomed into a faith community that loved me. And I just remember encountering God’s love and it changed the way I thought of myself – as a misfit why was I created so tall and stuff – and it gave me passion and purpose to use it.”
I wonder how many of our own kids might be walking a similar path. Teen years can be turbulent at the best of times and I’m sure COVID hasn’t helped. Faith can inspire us to be better versions of ourselves, as Nicola attested. If we create the space for God to enter our hearts then anything is possible…even silver, that feels like gold.
Anecdotal feedback from parents has suggested the online format with respect to our Futures Evenings is worth pursuing. There is the convenience of engaging the forum from the comfort of your own lounge room but we appreciate the medium is new and feedback is welcome. Information regarding the Futures Evenings is circulated by Ms Gibson and Mr O’Connor.
Two important survey tools will be completed in the coming weeks – The Living Learning Leading (LLL) Framework survey and the Pulse Check student survey. The latter has been with us for nearly a year now and is an important snapshot of student wellbeing. Data gleaned from the survey helps to identify long-term trends but also individual need. The Pulse Check student survey is conducted in Week 5 of every term and time has been set aside to complete it from Monday next week. CESA’s LLL survey will be made available soon, as mentioned by Mr Lyons in previous correspondence.
Brett Czechowski
ACTING HEAD OF SECONDARY
