Congratulations to the students who received

the Term 1 Rainbow Awards. These 16 students have been consistently displaying our school values of respect, responsibility, compassion, kindness, creativity, challenge and forgiveness. Congratulations to Jesse H and Allegra B from KL, Joshua P and Ana L from 1/2W, Mallory B and Akito B from 1/2M, Sierra B and Hugo H from 1/2F, Grace A and Stefano C from 3/4YM, Chloe W and Frazer S from 3/4AK, Owen K and Olivia S from 5/6B and lastly Hamish L and Alana R from 5/6FW. 

Some feedback given by teachers about the above students were 'kind and caring', 'positive attitude', 'listens attentively', 'generous person', 'strives hard', 'encouraging peers', 'mindset of not giving up', 'calm and positive role model'. These comments encapsulate exactly our school values and what we would like our term Rainbow Awards to represent. 

Wet Weather Morning Routine

This is to inform the school community, that in the event of wet weather in the morning before school, we will not be holding a morning gathering. In the past all students went to the hall and morning gathering occurred there. This is not ideal and sets up the day (with wet weather days being more challenging at the best of times) to be a little unstructured and chaotic. Instead, we are now moving to Block areas in the morning - one block first for everyone and once the second teacher begins duty, they will take some students to the other block. We have trialled this on a couple of occassions and has worked much better. Any students receiving birthday certificates will be done the next day and in the event on a Friday morning when Harmony awards are presented, they will be done so at the next Friday morning gathering. Thank you for your support with this. 

SZApp (SchoolZine App)

It has become apparent that there are many families that have not downloaded the SZApp. This app provides opportunity for the school to push out an alert to inform the school community at short notice. For example, on Friday due to the rain, we pushed out an alert to inform families that Harmony Awards would not be presented that morning but instead the following week. In order to get information out to families quickly, we rely on apps such as SZApp. If you have any difficulties with downloading this app, please contact the Front Office. 

Catholic Schools Week Community Breakfast

It is that time of year again when we are planning for Catholic Schools Week. For new families, every year we hold a Community Breakfast and invite all those businesses, politicians, friends and Catholic Education staff to celebrate with our school community. We would love to see as many families as possible attend. This is a catered family event, so please rsvp numbers attending. 

I know I often receive neagative feedback when I mention school uniforms in the newsletter, and I would really like not to have to talk about it. However, we have a School Uniform Policy in place and therefore, must be followed and must be addressed when it is not. 

This is a reminder with the colder change occurring, that all students must be in school jumpers and jackets. It is important that students follow our school rules and wear their uniform with pride. It is not a choice for students to determine what clothes they will wear to school.

Often when I ask students why they are choosing to wear a different jumper, the majority of times the responses will be 'I couldn't find my jumper', 'my parents said it was ok' or 'my old one is too small'. As you are aware, we hold some second hand uniforms (including jumpers and jackets), so I am going to be asking staff, if students arrive in a different jumper or jacket, then they are to come up to the Front Office and get a school jumper or jacket.

It is important, like any school rule or expectation, that we all (home and school) encourage students to follow them, they are not choices where students can pick and choose which rules/expectations at school they follow and which they don't. This is not setting students up well for high school and beyond. Thank you to the majority of the school community who consistently support us with this. 

ENROLMENT FOR 2020

Week Two of next term marks the beginning of the official enrolment period, 6th– 31st May, for children starting school in 2020.

This week we will be sending bundles of flyers home to some families requesting they deliver them to homes in their street and the streets nearby in Kaleen, Giralang, Crace and Lawson.

If you are unable to deliver the flyers, please return them to the school asap for re-distribution.  

If you did not receive any flyers or you are able to help in some of the streets not covered, please contact Lisa. (Please note, whilst we have many suburbs represented in our community, we are only permitted to advertise in our main feeder areas.) 

We really appreciate your support in this way and hope you can share a healthy activity with your family at the same time.

Enjoy the week ahead.

Be Kind.

Regards,

Pat Ellis

Principal

School Photos for 2019 will be taken on Monday 8th April.  Envelopes have gone home and are due back to the Front Office by Friday 5th April to ensure a smooth running of the day.  If you would like sibling photos taken, envelopes are available at the Front Office.  If you are ordering three student packs, the sibling photo is free.  If your child/ren will not be here on photo day and you would still like to have their individual photo taken, please see Lisa in the Front Office for more information.

Whole School Prayer Time

This Friday 12 April at 2.20pm, 3/4YM will lead us in Whole School Prayer in St Michael's Church, focusing on Holy Week. 1/2F will lead us in Whole School Prayer on Friday 3 May at 2.20pm, where we will celebrate Easter. All most welcome to attend. 

Project Compassion

Thank you to everyone who has already returned their money. If you have not done so please return the boxes by the end of the week so we can finalise payment of your donations to Caritas. 

Nguyet is a teenager living with a disability in a small town in Vietnam. She lived the first 14 years of her life isolated at home. Her disability restricted her movements and any chance of going to school.

Read all about how Caritas has helped her.  https://lent.caritas.org.au/page/week-6

First Communion- Save the dates

It is that time of the year where students in Year 4 can take the next step on their Sacramental Journey by preparing to receive their First Communion. There will be a parent information night on Thursday 2^nd May in St Michael’s Church. This information session is for all members of our Parish, Our Lady of Perpetual Help. It will begin at 6:00pm and should be concluded within the hour. Children preparing to receive their First Holy Communion will need to be at a commitment Mass on either Saturday 4^th May or Sunday 5^th May. Their commitment may be made at any of the four parish masses over that weekend.

Easter Egg Raffle

The Year 6 Harmony Leaders and the Mini Vinnies will still be selling raffle tickets tomorrow at recess for our Easter Raffle. All money raised will go towards our partner school Jariah Education Centre in Kenya. Tickets are 50 cents each or 3 for $1.  The raffle will be drawn at Friday morning gathering. 

The app of the week is Quiver. A nice augmented reality app for the holidays where children can colour in a picture and make it jump off the page! This is a great way to engage children in a range of topics including History, Geography and Science.

On Monday the 1st of April, the Year 6 Technology Leaders had an excursion to the CSIRO Discovery Centre. The students explored the history, accomplishments of CSIRO through scanning QR codes that asked questions, and finding the answers that are displayed throughout the centre.

The students split into teams and used their knowledge and skills of robotics to construct and program a robot with the objective to help humanity, animals, or the environment.

            

Fun Colour Mixing, Value and Space

This week, Kindergarten and Year 1/2 will look at artworks created by Jackson Pollock. He is well known for his painting ‘Blue Poles’ which was purchased by the National Gallery of Australia.

The 3/4 and 5/6 students will discover how the element of value is used in artworks to create the illusion of space.

VALUE is a colours lightness or darkness.

When referring to pigments, dark values with black added are called “shades”. Light values with white pigment added are called “tints”.

SPACE is how an artwork uses or depicts depth or distance.

How is value used in this artwork?

How does the artist show space?

How do we know that the windmills at the front are closer to us than the windmills in the background?

Book Covering

We are fortunate to have purchased a significant amount of new quality literature for our library. We are calling for any parents or family members who could assist with covering these, ready to be put on the system and on shelves for students to borrow. 

If you could assist, please see Lisa or Erin and they can give you a pile of books and contact to take home, cover and return. Thank you for your support. 

Catholic Schools' Soccer Carnival

Our 3 teams had a fantastic day on Sunday. It was great to see everyone being encouraged by their teammates and so many students having fun. It is certainly one of the draw cards of the carnival that it is open to students of all playing abilities to get in there and have a go. 

On behalf of the students and their families, I would like to thank the coaches and managers for volunteering to assist our teams. 

Cross Country

Ribbons were presented yesterday at morning assembly and the winning house announced. Well done to the Blue Tongue Lizards who retain the trophy for another year. The Red Kangaroos came second followed by the Gold Dingoes and Green Crocodiles. 

The top 5 boys and girls aged 8-12 years are eligible to compete at the Belconnen Region Carnival on 30th May. Permission notes will come home with these students at the beginning of next term. Thanks to the parents who volunteered as course marshals for our carnival. 

St Michael’s Athletics Carnival 

Save the date - Tuesday 4th June

Special wishes to those children who celebrated their birthday in the holidays:

Liana 5/6FW, Alexander 1/2W, Connor 3/4AK, Kai 1/2F, Stella 3/4YM, Avi 1/2F & Maggie KL

We hope you had a great day!!

Special wishes to those children who celebrate their birthday this week:

Cooper 5/6B, Brodie 5/6FW, Sebastian 1/2M, Trisha 1/2M, Isabella 1/2F, Phoenix 1/2W & Samara 5/6F

We hope you have a great day!!

Congratulations to the following children who have achieved a Harmony Award in Week 10 and will receive their award this Friday at morning gathering.

Lunch Orders are to be placed by MIDNIGHT on Wednesday nights. 

The canteen still require assistance on Friday's from approximately 12.30-1.45 to help pack lunch orders, if you can assist in anyway, please contact Lisa in the Front Office.  Any help is greatly appreciated.  Helpers are urgently required for Term 2.

The 2019/20 Entertainment Book is now available to purchase.  Books can be purchased at the Front Office for $60 or digital copies can be ordered through the following link.  Please see Lisa in the Front Office for more information.