Christmas Carol Night 

Thank you everyone for your understanding with the cancellation of our Carol Night. Whilst disappointing, at least we aren't dealing directly at present in the ACT with the bushfires. We do have families who live outside of Canberra who are dealing and managing the threat of fires at the moment. We keep everyone in our prayers, especially at this time of year leading up to Christmas. 

Thank you to Community Council members and parents who continued with a Cake Stall on Tuesday afternoon to help raise money for Companion House. We raised over $200. We appreciate everyone's efforts. 

Kiss and Drop Trial

It has been pleasing to see families using the 'Kiss and Drop' option for morning drop off. Thank you to all the parents who have provided such positive feedback about it. We have had quite a focus on Wellbeing this year, in line with our Berry Street Education Model training, and having the opportunity to greet every child walking into school each day (and their families) is priceless. Mr Webb and I are loving that connection, so thank you. I know from listening to many parents that you are appreciating this and that it provides an easier option in the morning. This is something that the vast majority of schools already do, so I am pleased that we are looking into this also. 

Kiss and Drop will continue until the end of the term and at this stage, will continue next year. I will confirm this in next week's newsletter. 

Before School Care - 2020 

After the recent survey put out by YMCA, I am pleased to announce that we will be trialling a more formal before school care in 2020. As expected, there was enough interest to warrant providing this service. YMCA will run this service in our school hall (similar to after school care) and will operate from 7am each morning. There will be a fee for using the service and I will provide that information as soon as we get it. Students will have access to the breakfast program provided by YMCA. There will also be the opportunity through YMCA for you to apply for Child Care Subsidy as is the case for After School Care. Students will then be walked up to the courtyard and handed over to the St Michael's staff member who starts formal supervision at 8.20am. 

As mentioned previously, the early 8am library before school care arrangements in place this year will stop at the end of 2019. This was in place as an interim measure whilst we were sorting out more formal arrangements. From the start of 2020 school year, supervision at school will go back to 8.20-3.30pm. Anytime outside of these hours, we would ask people to access YMCA Before and After School Care Program. 

The YMCA Before School Program will run for semester 1 (Term 1 and 2) as a trial. Providing that the service is accessed by the community and numbers are maintained, this will continue for the remainder of the year. 

I will provide further information from YMCA as soon as I receive it. I am pleased we can now offer before and after school care, not only to our current families but that I can now offer this service to prospective families. 

Staffing 2020

Further on from information in previous newsletters relating to staffing for 2020, I am pleased to announce and confirm additional roles. Staffing for 2020 will be as follows;

Principal - Patrick Ellis

Assistant Principal - Damien Webb

Religious Education Coordinator - Meaghan Younger

Classroom Support and Wellbeing Leader - Josephine Krippner

Curriculum & Pedagogy (Technology) - Jessica Figura

Curriculum & Pedagogy (Literacy) - Bridgette McCann

Curriculum & Pedagogy (Numeracy) - Damien Webb

Curriculum & Pedagogy (Religious Education) - Meaghan Younger

Aboriginal Education - Jessica Lewis

Librarian - Erin Hardwicke

Sport - Erin Hardwicke

Art - Jane McKeough

Languages (Indonesian) - Jacqui Ramesh

Sustainability - Damien Webb

KL - Jessica Lewis 

1/2M - Bridgette McCann (Thursday - Damien Webb)

1/2B - Shannon Blakey

3/4FR - Laura Frogley

3/4A - Sarah Anderson (Friday - Meaghan Younger)

3/4F - Nadia Farhadi

5/6F - Jessica Figura (Tuesday - Meaghan Younger)

5/6K - Natasha Kapantais

Front Office Manager - Lisa Monro

Administrative Support - Maria Papasidero

Classroom Support Assistants

                - Kylie Arena

                - Sonja Vocisano

                - Sharon Friend

                - Unnati Shah

Maintenance & Grounds - Kim Kennedy

Damien Webb and Meaghan Younger will also be providing additional release and support in other classes over the course of each week. 

Year 6 End of Year Celebrations

Our Year 6 end of year celebrations all begin on Friday with their Final Assembly at 12.40pm. This will be followed by Passing of the Light Ceremony on Monday at 1pm, Graduation Liturgy and Dinner on Tuesday at 5.30pm, Staff and Year 6 Breakfast on Wednesday at 8am and their Big Day Out also on Wednesday. 

We look forward to celebrating and journeying with our amazing Year 6 students as they finish their primary schooling experience. 

Advent

Over the last few weeks, as a school we have been journeying through this Season of Advent. Our infant classes have been leading prayer each Monday morning at assembly. To move through the 4 weeks before the end of the year, we have been a little ahead (celebrating the week that is to come on a Monday). These prayer experiences have allowed us as a whole school community to pray and prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus. 

St Michael's Archies (Art Show)

A huge thank you to Jane McKeough for her hard work and energy with coordinating the recent Art Show. As you would be aware, this year we have introduced an Art Lesson each week (above what art students already do in class) with Jane. These lessons are to focus on specific skills and elements of Visual Arts. We have had amazing feedback from students about how much they love their Art lessons and for this reason, these lessons will continue next year. 

Thank you to everyone who popped in to have a look at the amazing art on display last week. We have so many creative students at St Michael's. The portraits were incredible!!

Last day of school - Thursday 19 December

Just a reminder that the last day of school is Thursday 19 December. There will be no school on Friday 20 December. This is in line with all other Catholic Primary Schools in the ACT and the ACT Education Directorate. 

As we journey into the last week of term, can I please ask that families settle any remaining school fees owing (unless in a direct debit arrangement). It is important to ensure fees are finalised each term. 

Important Dates for 2020 are now on our School Calendar! Hope this helps with planning ahead. 

Enjoy the week ahead. 

The countdown is on!

Kind regards, 

Pat Ellis

A big thank you to all the parents, carers, aunts, uncles, grandparents, siblings and friends of St Michael's students who have helped and supported us this year. We have had many people help with fundraising events, banking, reading, covering books, greenhouse, gardens, community council, sporting events and canteen, just to name a few. We really appreciate that everyone steps up and helps out in whatever way they can. We have an amazing small community school who has such a great family body. THANK YOU!

Advent Whole School Prayer Time

Thank you to Miss Kapantais and 1/2W for your beautiful WSPT on Monday. Next week Kindergarten will lead us in prayer as we prepare for our final week of Advent. Advent WSPT will be held on Monday 16 December directly after morning assembly. All families are warmly invited to join the whole school in our prayer preparations for the coming of Jesus at Christmas.

St Vincent de Paul Christmas Hampers

Thank you everyone for your generous donations to our Christmas Hampers for the St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal. There are many people in our local area who will be enjoying a brighter Christmas because of your generostity.

Graduation Liturgy

Our Year 6 students and their families will be celebrating a special graduation liturgy next week on Tuesday 17December from 5.30pm in our St Michael’s Church. Please keep the Year 6 students and their families in your prayers as they prepare for celebrating this special milestone.

Light Ceremony

Our Year 6 Student Leaders will participate in a special ritual of passing on the light to the current Year Five students as a symbol of handing on the leadership role for 2020. This special prayer liturgy will take place in St Michael’s Church on Monday 16December at 1:00pm. All families are welcome to share in this special ceremony with the whole school.

A big thank you to all the wonderful parents who have volunteered their time to assist
our students at either our carnivals or the various other sporting competitions over the year.  On behalf of the students, we thank you for your generosity.  We could not have done it without you.

Wishing you a wonderful Christmas and New Year with your families.  Looking forward to doing it all again in 2020.

Thank you to all those students that have returned their books. Any books still at home

can be returned before the end of the year. If you have misplaced any books, please contact erin.hardwicke@cg.catholic.edu.au so they can be deleted from student accounts.

It has been a big year for the library and I would like to thank all those who have volunteered their time by assisting with covering new books, helping at our book fairs or by coming into offer general assistance. 

See you next year!

Missing Artwork

A magnificent piece of sculpture has gone missing. It was on display earlier this term in C block as a part of the Sustainability Art Competition. The Sculpture was a bird that was created with recycled materials, including hand chosen spoons. It would be great if anyone has seen it or has any information regarding its whereabouts. A great deal of hard work and effort went into its creation. There is a picture below of the art work. If anyone has any information, please email me.

Many thanks

Mr Webb

Damien.webb@cg.catholic.edu.au

Could all students in K-2 please return their blue home reader bags as soon as possible, they will be reissued at the beginning of next year.  Thank you for your assistance with this.

Congratulations to the following children who have achieved a Harmony Award in Week 9 and will receive their award this Friday at morning gathering (weather permitting).  This is the last week for Harmony Awards for 2019.

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

Kosta 1/2M & Isaac 3/4YM

We hope you have a great day!!

There are lost property items on the bench going into B Block. Please check items if you are missing something.  All unclaimed items will be disposed of at the end of Term.

Please ensure that your children's belongings are clearly labelled at all times.  As the weather has warmed up, there are still quite a few jumpers discarded in the playground and unclaimed at the end of the day, please remind your child/ren to collect them at the end of playtime. 

Lunch Orders are to be placed by MIDNIGHT tonight (Wednesday).

This is the last week of Empire Catering servicing our canteen.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank Empire Catering for providing our canteen service for the last couple of years. This year we tried to change up the menu to ensure better quality and healthier options, however, it wasn't viable for Empire to continue.

As of 2020 - we will hold special lunch order days (Week 3 & 8 each term). More information to follow at the start of next year. This will be more a homemade, healthier and sustainable option.   

CHRISTMAS SEASON

You are invited to join Our Lady of Perpetual Help this Christmas!

SIMBANG GABI - Nine Day Novena Masses

from 15 to 23 December: 8pm, St Monica's Church

CHRISTMAS EVE - 24 DECEMBER, Tuesday

Christmas Eve: 6pm & 8.30pm, St Monica's Church

Christmas Eve: 5.30pm & 11pm, St Michael's Church

CHRISTMAS DAY - 25 DECEMBER, Wednesday

Christmas Mass: 8am, St Michael's Church

Christmas Mass: 10am, St Monica's Church

From our Youth Minister:

Youth Mass

Our final Youth Mass for the year will be held on 22 December 2019, at 5.30pm at St Michael's, Kaleen. The Youth Mass dinner is done in a potluck style, where all parishioners have a fellowship. This has greatly helped our parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help grow as a community. All young people are invited to partake in this, including playing any instruments in the choir, reading, procession, etc. Feel free to contact me if anyone would like more information.

Children's Liturgy

There is already a Children's Liturgy at St Monica's and we have been planning to kick start a weekly Children's Liturgy at St Michael's on Sunday's at 5.30 pm. A set of guidelines have been done up and approved by Fr. Loi, our Parish Priest. We would also be using the same materials as the ones that are currently being used over at St Monica's. 

We were looking to have a trial run in December to see how it goes but due to circumstances it has been pushed to begin in February 2020. We are currently looking for more volunteers to help out so we can develop a weekly roster. There has to be 2 adults present during the liturgy. Please ask around if anyone would like to be a volunteer and let me know. 

Children's Liturgy at St Michael's would however be held during Daylight Savings due to safety concerns when the children would have to walk from the parish to the parish office in the dark.

Monica Culas

Youth Minister | Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra & Goulburn

M: 0435 876 303

E: Monica.Culas@cg.org.au

Changes to School Sport ACT

From the commencement of this year there will no longer be Belconnen Region level trials for specific sports. To replace the regional level completion, many sports are holding gala days for schools to attend. We will enter teams in these gala days where there is student interest. The pathway for selection to an ACT sporting team is through trials offered in the same way as they have been previously. Please see the information below in relation to the process of registering your child for ACT trials on the School Sport ACT website.

SCHOOL SPORT ACT TRIALS 

Please keep an eye on the School Sport ACT website www.schoolsportact.asn.au for upcoming ACT trials.  The process for registering can be found below.  If you need any assistance registering your child please feel free to ask for assistance.

How to register your child with School Sport ACT

School Sport ACT now collects all registration information online – this is to prevent the movement to and fro of a paper note and have all information readily available to officials prior to the trial. As this process incurs a fee for data storage, system maintenance and admin, a small $5 fee payment via credit card will be required.

1. Go to the School Sport ACT website – schoolsportact.asn.au
2. Click Register (top right corner of homepage) for an Account – enter parent details and password
3. A confirmation email will be sent to your chosen email that will contain a link that you must click on to verify the email account.
4. Click Log In (top right hand corner of home page) enter password then click on top tab My Profile
5. You will see a ‘dashboard’ of your information, click green box to Add Student – enter student and medical details and save.
6. Go to the Sports Tab – choose your specific sport, click on Trial Information box then click on the Register to Trial link.
7. Select your child’s name from the dropdown box and then enter the optional fields for Playing History, Preferred Position (if applicable) and Representative Experience. If you are already in the system, ensure your child’s school is up to date in your profile – have they moved onto High School?
8. Make the $5 credit card payment then click to register.
9. An automated email will then be sent to your Principal/School Approver for their approval to trial (no need to take anything to school for the Principal to sign).
10. You will be able to see the process has been complete back in My Profile – once your Principal/School Approver has completed the approval process your child’s information will be collated onto a list for the Team Manager and Coach prior to trial.
11. Note the registration process closes two days before the first trial date to allow sufficient time for approval and sharing of collated information.

Looking forward to another big year of sporting participation,

Erin Hardwicke
erin.hardwicke@cg.catholic.edu.au