Just Like You sessions started this week for the 1/2 classes, Years 3-6 will begin next week. Feedback from the faciliator was very positive and she expressed how much acceptance, inclusion and empathy students at St Michael's have shown towards each other and how they all have understood that we are all different and that is ok. As a Principal, this is something that makes me extremely proud. A place where everyone is accepted, where empathy is shown and where we have created an inclusive environment. The staff at St Michael's go above and beyond to ensure this positive school culture is evident in all that we do. Thank you also to parents and carers for modelling and explaining this to your child/ren. It is a team effort and we appreciate the continued partnership.

Year 6 Leadership

Over the next semester, our Year 6 leaders will be responsible for many jobs across the school. Mr Webb and myself had a conversation with them all last week and explained that as a leader, we have added responsibility to ensure the smooth running of the school and ensuring students and staff have everything they need to continue to learn and grow. So, we brainstormed everything that needed to be completed from delivering note bags, to composting, watering, sorting lost property, ensuring front office and entry ways are clean, pushing in chairs, organising books in library etc. Many tasks that many people have to do each and every day. As part of the leadership program at St Michael's, these jobs will now be led by Year 6. This will lead up to their 'Big Day Out' at the end of the year. 

Thursday/Friday

Tomorrow and Friday I will be absent from school. On Thursday I will be attending the ACT Primary Principal's Meeting and later that afternoon, travelling to Galong for Siloam, a Principal's retreat, which will continue on the Friday. Mr Webb will be looking after things in my absence. As Year 6 will be at SFX on Thursday during the day (with Mr Webb and Ms Younger attending), Jo Krippner will also be contactable should you need anything. 

2020 Planning

We have begun the initial stages of planning for 2020. If you are intending for your child/ren to finish St Michael's at the end of the year (apart from Year 6), could you please email myself or the Front Office to indicate your plans. This assists us with staffing and classes. 

Enjoy the week ahead.

Regards,

Pat Ellis

Principal

Please RSVP via this link https://docs.google.com/document/d/155aPgqLJRC8Rxzus9ApYfwocQxV6ky5Y_XTawyjlMv4/edit?usp=sharing

We hope to see you all there!

Confirmation 

Year 6 are very excited about our Retreat Day tomorrow, Thursday 8 August. Students are to come in casual clothes and bring their own morning tea and water bottle. Pizza lunch and a juice box will be provided for them. Buses will depart by 9:15 and return for the end of the school day.

A reminder that all candidates for Confirmation need to make a commitment for preparation at any of our parish masses. Thank you to those who have already done so. I look forward to working with all candidates and their parents again at the Parent / Child evening on Thursday 22^nd August. That evening will be held in C Block here at St Michael’s. Paperwork to return at present:

• the registration form,
• Sponsor letter,
• white card information and
• Retreat permission note.

If you have any further questions please contact me at meaghan.younger@cg.catholic.edu.au .

Whole School Prayer Time 

We look forward to Whole School Prayer Time this Friday, 9^th August. We will gather in the Church ready to start at 2:25pm. Kindergarten have been excitedly preparing to lead us in prayer as we celebrate Australia’s first Saint, St Mary of the Cross MacKillop.

Feast of the Assumption

Next Thursday, 15^th August, is the Feast of the Assumption. This Feast Day is one of Australia’s few remaining days of holy obligation, meaning all Catholics are required to celebrate this day with Mass. As a school we will attend Mass at 9:30 in St Michael’s Church. 3/4AK are very excited to be leading us in this Feast Day Mass. All families are warmly invited to join with us.

Growing with the Spirit 

As we continue to consider how we ‘grow with the Spirit’ we are offering families an opportunity to try some different forms of prayer to add to their family prayer life. Each week classes will be sending home prayer bags for you to use. These will each have a holding cross and a prayer journal. You are invited to add to the journal your own prayers, either written personally or ones you have found or use often. Your family may wish to read the prayers added by other families over time or simply use some of the traditional prayers included. Staff have begun the prayer journals with some of their own favourites. Please be sure to return the prayer bags so all families have the opportunity to use and contribute to their growth. I am hopeful that these can become a tradition at St Michael’s over coming years.

Boorowa Touch Football and Netball Carnival

Save the Date:  Friday 25th October

Please consider if your child would like to take part in the Boorowa carnival this year. Information and permission notes went home last week and are due back by next Wednesday, as we need to register our teams. The carnival is a wonderful day and a terrific way to support the town of Boorowa and the surrounding region. Last year saw 434 teams compete and thousands of children enjoying a day of sport focused on participation rather than competition. We would love to have even more students involved than we did last year.  Students from Years 2-6 can participate in either touch football or netball. 

K-2 Swimming Program

Information and permission notes for our K-2 Swimming Program have been sent home with all students in Years K-2. The program will take place in Term 4 during Week 8 & 9 (2 Dec – 13 Dec). If you have any questions or require any additional information about the program please get in touch via email erin.hardwicke@cg.catholic.edu.au 

Please note that this year we require permission notes to be returned by next Monday to confirm numbers with the pool. Payment however is not due until the end of this term (27th September).  Notes are to be returned to your child’s classroom teacher.

Catholic Schools' Netball Carnival 

Please save the date: Saturday 19th October.  Notes will be coming home today for any interested players and will need to be returned by 19th August for registration purposes.  Watch this space for more information.

Scholastic Book Fair

The book fair is still open until Friday 9th August 

We are currently running our second Book Fair of the year. The theme for this Fair is
‘Dino-mite’

The Book Fair is a great opportunity to check out the new and exciting titles or even to make some early purchases for Christmas presents. We appreciate your support of these events as a percentage of the proceeds are given to our school to purchase new books for our library. 

The Book Fair will be open before school 8:20-8:50am and after school 3:00 – 4:00pm. 

Thank you to the Ryan Family for purchasing a book to donate to the library.

Celebrating Book Week 2019 at St Michael’s

During Weeks 5 and 6 we have lots of exciting events to celebrate Book Week!

Tuesday 20th August - Book Week Dress Up Day

Students can come to school dressed as their favourite character. Our parade will take place in the Hall immediatley following Morning Gathering. Parents are very welcome to attend.

Wednesday 21st August – Great Book Swap

We will be showing our support for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation by holding a ‘Giant Book Swap’ during library lessons on Wednesday. For a gold coin donation students can choose a book to take home from a selection of donated books.

To support this important cause, we are calling for donations of pre-loved (but still in good condition) books. These books will then form part of the Giant Book Swap. We are hoping to receive 200 books so there are enough books for each child to take part in the swap. If you are able to donate a book, or maybe even two, books can be left in the tub behind the library desk or dropped to the Front Office. If donations can be brought in to school by Friday 16th August, it would be appreciated.

The Indigenous Literacy Foundation aims to raise enough funds to gift over 35,000 books to remote communities in 2020. We would love to show our support and assist in addressing the literacy gap in Indigenous communities.  

Friday 30th August – Big Dreams Performance

Our whole school will come together for the ‘Big Dreams’ performance in the Hall at 9:10. The performance links together the themes of the CBCA shortlisted books for this year.  

The app of the week is BlueBot. This free app is similar to the BeeBot app however offers a range of other features encouraged to assist children in learning about directional movement. Adjust the background to a variety of maps or a photo of the room and the give the bee a series of instructions about its direction.

Unsafe driving and parking behaviours increase the potential road safety risk for children around schools.

Road safety is a shared responsibility, it is important the road rules are followed near our school to ensure the entire school community feels safe. Please remember children are more at risk than adults around schools because they are smaller and less visible to drivers. They are also less predictable and less experienced, which makes them more likely to make errors of judgement. Failing to follow simple road rules like parking on the verge, in no stopping zones, in bus stops, near children’s crossings, on footpaths or across driveways increases the risk to children around schools. Please do the right thing to create a safe environment around our school. 

Parking Operations use a Licence Plate Recognition vehicle (or electronic chalking), which regularly patrols school environments to increase safety for children. Motorists that commit an offence will receive their infringement notice in the mail (rather than on their windscreen) 5-7 days after the offence. While the school can become congested during the peak times, illegal parking should be avoided at all times as it creates an unsafe environment for children and local residents. Parents are welcome to park on side streets around the school, but please remember to park legally. Infringements for parking on nature strips, footpaths, verges, street corners and near children’s crossings start from $114. More information is available on the Transport Canberra website to promote safe behaviours around schools. Please help to make our school community safe.

Congratulations to the following children who have achieved a Harmony Award in Week 3 and will receive their award this Friday at morning gathering (weather permitting).

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

Jahzara 1/2M and Mitchell 3/4AK

We hope you have a great day!!

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

The canteen still require assistance on Fridays 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.  

Please feel free to contact Empire Catering on 0408 200 481 for queries with lunch orders or any constructive feedback you have regarding menu items.  

Playgroup is held on Wednesdays in Weeks 2 to 9 from 9am til 10.30am in the School Hall. It is for children ages 0-5 and their parents/carers.  Please contact Kylie Arena or Lisa Monro on 62414022 for any enquires. 

VOLUNTEERS FOR SUNDAY MASS AT ST MICHAEL’S CHURCH

More volunteers are needed for the ministries of Mass Coordinator, Reader and Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist for Sunday Mass at St Michael’s church. Please
pray and consider if God is calling you for one or more of these ministries. If you would like to receive training, and then be placed on a roster, please contact the parish office via email (belconnennorth@cg.org.au) or phone (6241 3364). Thank you.

Belconnen Youth Ministry

Inviting all students in year 3-7 to join us for an afternoon of faith, friendship and fun at South Belconnen Parish's Junior Youth Group and Youth Mass. Join us in Marian Hall just outside of St Matthew's Church, Page on Saturday 24th August at 4:45pm for Youth Group then stay on to celebrate Mass at 6pm. Contact Youth Minister Sarah for more information at Sarah.Larkin@cg.org.au

ONLY 3 BOOKS LEFT - LAST CHANCE TO PURCHASE

The 2019/20 Entertainment Book is still 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.