Newsletter 16th March 2022

Upcoming Dates

17th March 2022

St Patricks Day

7th April

Last day of Term 1 students

Assembly @ 2.45 pm

8th April

School Closure Day

Staff RE day P/D

15th April

Good Friday

17th April 

Easter Sunday 

25th April

Anzac Day

26th April

Start of 2nd Term

28th April

School Photos

23rd May - 27th May

Catholic Education Week  

Principal News

I would like to share something that came to all Principals through communication from Tom Sexton. It resonated with me and I hope that as you read it, you are able to make some connection with the season of Lent and how you approach it.

Taking Stock of Our Lives
In this reflection, Sr. Joan Chittister, explores what the implications of Lent may be for Christians today.

Once upon a time, an ancient story tells us, the master had a visitor who came to inquire about Zen. But instead of listening, the visitor kept talking about his own concerns and giving his own thoughts. After a while, the master served tea. He poured tea into his visitor’s cup until it was full and then he kept on pouring.

Finally, the visitor could not bear it any longer, “Don’t you see that my cup is full?” he said. “It’s not possible to get anymore in.”

“Just so,” the master said, stopping at last. “And like this cup, you are filled with your own ideas. How can you expect me to give you Zen unless you first empty your cup?”

Lent is the process of emptying our cups. Lent is a time for trimming the soul and scraping the sludge off a life turned slipshod. Lent is about taking stock of time, even religious time. Lent is about exercising the control that enables us to say no to ourselves so that when life turns hard of its own accord, we have the spiritual stamina to say yes to its twists and turns with faith and with hope.

Lent is the time to make new efforts to be what we say we want to be.
—from The Rule of Benedict: A Spirituality for the 21st Century by Joan Chittister

Camp and Combined schools day

Last week the Senior children participated in a 3 day camp at Sovereign Hill. Our goals for this camp were-

1. to be able to immerse in an experience that would allow the children to learn about life on the goldfields in the 1850’s
2. to make new friendships and connections with children from another school

The staff and children feel that these goals were certainly achieved and that while this camp was different than our usual camp experience, it was worthwhile and the overall feedback is positive. Being able to join the 3 schools – St. Michael’s, St. Mary’s and St. Brendan’s was certainly beneficial for a number of reasons. It is anticipated that we will plan further opportunities throughout the year for the children to learn and socialise together.

The Juniors also had a day together at St. Mary’s. For some, it was the first time that they had met each other. In past years we would have had swimming together very early on in the year. The two schools will come together for our swimming program in Term 2. We are also planning to have our combined schools days again in Terms 3 and 4.

Yesterday the Senior children from St. Mary’s, St. Brendan’s and St. Pat’s, Gordon spent an hour together over lunchtime, as an initial get together in a very informal way. It was wonderful to hear one girl say as she left, ‘now I know at least one person that is going to Damascus next year. ‘

I am currently working with the Principals from St. Michael’s Daylesford, St. Pat’s Gordon, St. Brigid’s Ballan, and St. Augustine’s Creswick to develop a program for our Years 5 and 6 to come together in a more formalised way to develop leadership skills, build connections and socialise.

ReLATE

On Friday, the staff participated in their first day of the ReLATE journey which will span over 3 years. ReLATE is - Reframing Learning and Teaching Environments.  ReLATE aims to make real, measurable and lasting change in schools to better the teaching, learning and wellbeing of not only students but staff, leaders and the whole school community.

ReLATE

• Empowers schools to create safe, supportive and predictable environments for enhanced teaching, learning and wellbeing
• Strengthens staff understanding of how adverse childhood experiences and complex trauma can impact behaviours, attitude and learning.
• Enhances whole school culture and teacher attitudes, including teacher perspectives and responses to student behaviour and disengagement.

Our second day will be on Friday the 13^th of May.

Assemblies

We will begin to have assemblies again this term with St. Brendan’s having theirs on Thursday the 7th of April at 2.45 pm and St. Mary’s to have their assembly on Thursday the 31^st of March at 2.45 pm. All that are fully vaccinated are free to join us. We ask that you wear a mask please.

Preps start school full time

Our Prep children have begun to attend school full time this week. We know that our young children can still become very tired and if needed, please allow your child to have a rest day as their best learning can only happen when they are well rested, focused and alert. If you need to, please speak to your child’s teacher about this.

Principal Gathering at Horsham

This Thursday and Friday, I am hoping to get to Horsham to gather with our 64 DOBCEL Primary and Secondary school Principals from the Central Zone. This will be the first time in my term as Principal that this will go ahead face to face. Normally we would have had at least 2 gatherings a year in Horsham. I am looking forward to joining together as a group in one place to learn and work collaboratively together. The support I gain from other Principals is invaluable and very supportive.

Sue’s mother-in-law

Last Monday night Sue’s mother-in-law, passed away after a short illness. She was also Anita and Majella’s aunt.  Our thoughts and prayers are with Kieran, Sue, Anita, Majella and their families.

Wishing you peace, comfort, courage, and lots of love at this sad time. 

Rapid Antigen Tests

A reminder to everyone that it is still highly recommended that children be tested twice weekly this term. Please let the school know if your child returns a positive test or is a close contact. They will need to isolate in both cases and the school needs to register all cases. As always, irrespective of COVID times, if your child is unwell, they should remain at home.

We still have tests available at school if you require them.

Take care everyone,

Inez

Sovereign Hill Camp 2022

How would you rate your camp experience this year?

I rate the camp 4 out of 5. They were very real, it wasn’t just mucking around it was very real, ma’am was very strict - Oscar Britt

4 out of 5. Because we felt like a 1850’s student, because we had to write with ink pens, dress up in older clothes and behave like kids in those times. The mine tour was fun. I also enjoyed going to the lolly shop and eating raspberry drops - Jack Lenaghan

3 out of 5. I gave our camp this rating because I enjoyed being able to explore, buy lollies and go deep down the gold mine at Sovereign Hill but I didn't enjoy having to dress up so much, walk in very quiet lines and call women Ma'am or Madam and men Sir - Kade McKay

I gave it a 3 out of 5 because it was a different experience to the other camps but it was still really fun being in the 1850s - Sienna Cahir

I gave it a 3 because I liked the different experiences and I liked the gold pour. But  I didn't like how girls couldn't do what boys did. This annoyed me because I wasn't allowed to climb trees, and I didn't like how boys treated me and made me feel that I was not independent - Bonnie MacDonald

What elements of the costume school experience did you enjoy?

Writing with the ink pens and being in grade 5 - Jack Lenaghan

I enjoyed the dressing up part because it was a surprise and I got to see what they wore in the 1850’s. I enjoyed the classroom and learning what it looked like back then (which was actually a little scary, but interesting). I liked that we could climb trees during play time - Jai Britt

That my dress was not ugly and it was kinda pretty - Ahlia Sarra

Writing with ink, the rules of the school like stand when you talk - Lucy Dash

I liked the dresses because they kept me warm and they weren't as uncomfortable as I’d have thought - Bonnie MacDonald

What elements of the costume school experience did you not enjoy?

I didn’t like when the teacher whacked the desk, it gave me a fright (she winked at me when she was going to do it, as a warning, but it was scary). There weren’t lots of options of toys to play with. We couldn’t share toys, the boys played with boys toys and the girls played with girls toys - Jai Britt

Being in a younger grade - I was put into a junior level.

I enjoyed our teacher at St Peter’s, I liked that she was stricter on the girls rather than the boys - Felicity Ryan

What were the positive aspects of camp?

I know how real it was, I liked the buildings and the mine tour because it was dark and cool the whole experience was really cool - Oscar Britt

Dressing up and going to school, Watching the red coat soldiers and the gold pour and the lolly shop - Lucy Dash

Because we went underground and it was interesting to be underground and be in the mine. Another positive aspect was sleeping in our school groups. Getting to experience school as an 1850’s student. Combining with St Michaels to meet some new kids. The food was really good as well - Felicity Ryan

Why is a camp like this important?

Going on camp is important because we get to go on the experience of, mixing  with St Michael's kids, seeing what it was like to live and school in the gold rush to compare to what it's like today and it’s also so we can try new things - Kade McKay

What were some of the challenges for you at this camp?

Writing with the ink in the Queens writing and not eating all off my lollies on the first

Night - Ahlia Sarra

My New Gallery

COMBINED SCHOOLS DAY

On Monday 14th March the Juniors went to St Mary’s School, Clarkes Hill for our first Combined Schools Day for 2022. Our parents dropped us off at St Mary’s.

First we dropped off our school bags in their classroom and we went outside for a play.  We played tiggy with our new friends.

Next we went inside and said our morning prayer together.  Then it was time to go outside and wave goodbye to the Seniors. They were going to camp at Sovereign Hill. It was fun but some of us were sad!

After that we did some activities to get to know each other.  We had to get to know our new friends, Kamden, William, Patrick, Adelaide, Kaezia, Paige and Quinn.  Tina took us to the library to do Peaceful Kids.  We all got to have a turn with the Hoberman Ball.  Did you know you can stretch out the Hoberman Ball and put your whole body inside it?  Clare told us all about the book Fox by Margaret Wild.  The magpie got burnt and the dog looked after him.

At lunchtime Lucy played on the board with wheels and Billy and Aiden pulled her along.  Adele and Sophie played with the St Mary’s children and Lucy joined in too.  The boys were the robbers and the girls were the cops.  All the cops had a superpower.  Lucy had the power to freeze people, Adele had the power to become invisible and Sophie was Flash, she was superfast. Kaziah was nature, she could make flowers and Quinn could see and hear everything from really far away.

We did maths together and it was fun sticking the numbers on the Unifix blocks. After that we did some yoga to the story “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt.” It was great fun.   

Finally we packed our bags and said goodbye to our new friends.  Our parents picked us up from St Mary’s School.

We can’t wait for the next Combined Schools Day!

Conveyance Claims

The conveyance allowance is a form of financial assistance to help families in rural and regional Victoria with the cost of trans-porting their children to their nearest appropriate school/campus. The conveyance allowance is available to eligible students travelling by public transport, private car and private bus.
Eligibility
Reside 4.8km or more by the shortest practicable route from that school/campus attended
If you would like to apply for Conveyance allowance please download and complete the application form below.  The paperwork will need to be submitted to the office by the close of business today.  Thanks 

Camps, Sports & Excursions Fund (CSEF) Claim Information

School camps provide children with inspiring experiences in the great outdoors.
Excursions encourage a deeper understanding of how the world works and sports teach teamwork, discipline and leadership. All are part of a healthy curriculum.
CSEF will be provided by the Victorian Government to assist eligible families to cover the costs of school trips, camps and sporting activities.
If you hold a valid means-tested concession card or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible for CSEF. A special consideration category also exists for asylum seeker and refugee families. The allowance is paid to the school to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions or sporting activities for the benefit of your child.
The annual CSEF amount per student is:
•• $125 for primary school students
•• $225 for secondary school students.
HOW TO APPLY
Download the CSEF application form via link below
The paperwork will need to be submitted to the office by the close of business today.  Thanks 

Gardening and Tidying Roster 2022

BORAL