“All who exalt themselves shall be humbled and all who humble themselves shall be exalted.”

Luke 14:11

From the Gospel of the 22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time Year C.

Dear families,

This coming Sunday’s Gospel talks about humility. In today’s world of social media and the desire to be more than we are, it can be easy to lose one's humility. God challenges us to love ourselves for who we are not what we are and to be happy. As adults it is essential we model this for our children. They are like little sponges soaking up everything we do and say. Take time to consider what your family values are. As a school we are very close to launching our revised Vision and Mission and part of that work will be to look at what we as a school community value. From here we will try really hard to ensure we are reflecting these values in everything we do and say.

Book Week and Science Fair

Last week we celebrated Book Week which is officially this week along with Science week. I would like to thank the community for your participation in assisting your children with costumes for the parade and coming to see their science and technology work. It was wonderful seeing the joy on the children's faces as they arrived on the playground and saw each other's costumes.  The Science fair was predominantly organised by Mrs Claremont who had noticed great things happening across the grades so the idea of the fair emerged. The children love showing people what they have learnt and to talk about it. The day was such a success we hope to have other days inspired by the Science fair concept.

More photos can be found on our Facebook Page

Staff Development Day

On Friday teaching staff spent the day focusing on writing and quality assessment. We are working towards creating authentic learning experiences that develop children's writing while providing quality assessment feedback for students and teachers. Yesterday the teachers continued this work in two smaller groups and will be undertaking some work this term with their class to develop experiences that will enhance the children’s writing. We call this process Collaborative Inquiry. Collaborative inquiry work is identifying a need, researching possible solutions and then trialling recommendations. Finally we evaluate this and then take further actions beginning the process again. During this process the children are encouraged to have a voice in being able to articulate what it is they are learning, why they are learning it and what they can do to improve their own work.

During our research it has been highlighted how important oral language is to the writing process. The art of storytelling is ancient and developed well before pen and paper. For children to be able to write well they need to be able to tell stories orally and communicate well. All those little conversations you might have when travelling in the car or walking down the street or in the kitchen while dinner is being prepared are vitality important. Please make time in your busy days to ensure that you have conversations with your children and encourage them to talk as much as possible. When you finish reading a story, talk about what might have happened next. Talk about what might have happened if the complication had not gone the way it did. Talk about your favourite characters and why they are your favourite. The more children talk about things to more ideas they will have that will develop into great stories and written texts.

Principal’s Retreat

On Thursday and Friday I will be at the Principal’s retreat. This retreat is an annual retreat run by the Spiritual Formation Team from the Cathoilic Education Office Diocese of Wollongong. The Assistant Principal and Religious Education Coordinator also attend a retreat at different times. These retreats are an essential part of the leadership team's spiritual formation and assist us for the roles we work in.

Colloquium Day 4

On Wednesday 31 August Mrs Browne and Mr Farrugia will be attending a day at the Catholic Club Campbelltown where we will be learning about school improvement. This has been ongoing work led by Mr Peter Hill, Director of the Catholic Education Office Diocese of Wollongong. Mrs Carolyn Hadley will be onsite as Acting Principal that day.

Personal Planning Meetings

Later this term we will be in touch with families who are due for a personal planning meeting. Please keep a lookout for the compass booking in the next few weeks. Personal plans are for children that require adjustments to access the curriculum at school on the same basis as their peers. You would have been notified if your child is currently on a personal plan. For those families who do have a child on a personal plan and would like to read further information you can access the NCCD site via the link.

Compass details

Please ensure your current family's details are correct in compass including emergency contacts. From time to time a family's plans can not go to plan and therefore we may not be able to contact you. Children can miss the bus for a variety of reasons and therefore end up needing to be picked up or you can get held up and may not be able to let us know. If we cannot get you we need to be able to ring an emergency contact who you feel is a safe person to care for your children until you can be reached. If you need assistance with Compass please contact the office.

Back Gate pickup

As a part of our “Duty of Care” we will not let children go home with another family unless a message has been sent directly through the office by you as the parent or carer with this direction.  We are not able to allow another parent to take other children unless the direct permission has been given through the office. Therefore another parent/carer may not tell the duty teacher they have been contacted by you and asked to take the children on your behalf. Children are kept at the back gate until ten past three and then are brought back up to the office to wait and if we have not heard from you we will contact you. If you are caught up in traffic or an appointment please ring the office and let them know you are on your way. Come straight to the front office and your children will most likely be there waiting for you.

Excursions

In Week 4 Year 3 and 4 went to Mary MacKillop Place in North Sydney and Year 5 and 6 went to Canberra. Both excursions were fantastic and the children had a wonderful time. We are so thrilled that the children are able to go on excursions again and to be able to have hands-on experiences to enhance what they are learning at school. I would like to congratulate the children on the way they behaved and represented our school community.

More photos can be found on our Facebook Page

Sport

Congratulations to Emiko Curcuruto, Sam Blunt, Santi Isaacs and Cooper Salmond who all participated in the Diocesian Athletics Trials.  Emiko came first in the 1500m and has qualified for the MacKillop Trials to be held in Sydney in September. Well done.

Matthew Holmes is currently competing at the National Schools Swimming Championships in Brisbane. We are looking forward to hearing all about it when he returns.

God Bless,

Confirmation

As you know, the Confirmation program is well underway. Thank you for your enthusiastic participation so far. The third class will be held this Sunday 28th, beginning at 9:00 am sharp. Please let me know if you are unable to attend.

Third Class: 9am on Sunday 28th August followed by 10.00 Mass

Four Class 9am on Sunday 11th September followed by 10.00 Mass (followed by a practice after Mass)

Attendance of Mass is compulsory (Please note, there will be no class held on Father's Day 4th September).

The Sacrament of Confirmation will be held on Thursday 15th September 7pm.

Activate Fire

On Friday 9th September, St Paul’s will be hosting an immersive spiritual experience for our Year 6 students, as well as students in Year 6 from St Thomas Aquinas in Bowral, St Michael’s in Mittagong and St Anthony’s in Picton. The day is an Immersive Spiritual Experience based on the Year 6 Confirmation Unit: Celebrating the Gift of the Holy Spirit. St Paul’s is hosting the day with Catholic Youth Ministry Wollongong.

The school will be putting on a BBQ lunch for the Year 6 students on this day. If there are any parents who are willing to help cook or prepare/serve the food on this day, please let me know. Thank you to the parents who have already done this. Exact times to be confirmed in the near future.

Thank you

Catherine du Bois

Religious Education Coordinator

SCHOOL FEES

As per the  Diocesan Fee School Policy, all fees are due and payable by the end of the school year i.e. fees are expected to be finalised in full in the year of issue.

For those families who are on an agreement, plan or instalments, please ensure that you are meeting the terms of the agreement.

If any family is having issues, please contact the school to discuss the matter confidentially.

MEDICATION

Only medication that is prescribed by a doctor is permitted to be dispensed at School upon completion of a “Consent to Dispense Medication” form which is available from the office.  The form and the medication are to be given to the office staff in the original packaging with the student’s name and dosage.  We are not permitted to administer Panadol unless prescribed by a doctor and the necessary form completed.  Thank you for your cooperation with this.

STAFF PD = PUPIL FREE DAYS

All staff will be undertaking Professional Development on the dates listed below which means that they are Pupil Free Days (the school will not be operating on these days):

Term 4:

Monday 10 October

Tuesday 11 October

Tuesday 20 December

CHANGE OF CONTACT DETAILS

If you change your address, phone number or email, please inform the school office so that we can update our records.

BOOK CLUB

The book club catalogues were sent home this week.  The cut off date for orders is Wednesday 7th September.  Please have your orders in by the end of this day.

Last Friday 12th August, Year 3 and 4 went to Mary MacKillop Place in North Sydney. This excursion tied in with Stage 2 Religion - Study of Saints. Students had a lovely day out learning about the Life and Sainthood of Mary MacKillop.

More photos can be found on our Facebook Page

On Thursday the 11th of August, Stage 3 took an adventure of a lifetime to our capital city, Canberra!

This excursion links in with the unit “Australia as a Nation” and the students had the opportunity to participate in a variety of educational programs at Parliament House, the National Museum of Australia and Old Parliament House/Museum of Australian Democracy.

Their first tour was at Parliament House, where they were taken into the House of Representatives and the Senate. With a terrific tour guide, they learnt many interesting facts such as how Parliament originated and how laws are made.

The children then enjoyed an amazing hour of playground fun at the Arboretum.

After lunch, they went to the incredible National Museum of Australia where they saw things like a Muttaburrasaurus, the first Holden, a 16.2 tonne excavator bucket and Phar lap’s Melbourne cups and heart, just to name a few.

The final venue Stage 3 visited was old Parliament House/Museum of Australian Democracy. They had an incredible hour of learning about former prime ministers and the characteristics that make a good leader. Then they went into the House of Representatives and sat in the same seats as the politicians of last century. They also got to see what the speaker wore in early 1900 and in the 1980’s.

Overall, Stage 3 had an amazing time on their excursion and learned a great deal about

The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education. To assist families in meeting the cost of the excursion the Australian Government is contributing funding of $30 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program towards those costs. The rebate is paid directly to the school upon completion of the excursion and we thank the Australian Government for this contribution.

#parliamenthousecanberra

#nationalmuseumofaustralia

#museumofaustraliandemocracyatoldparliamenthouse

More photos can be found on our Facebook Page

Last week we had our Book Week Dress up and Parade.  We had some amazing and super creative costumes.  Everyone had a wonderful time!

The CBCA Winners - All Categories are:

Congratulations to Shirley Marr,  Andrea Rowe and Hannah Sommerville (Illustrator), Rebecca Lim, Claire Saxby and Jess Racklyeft (Illustrator), and finally, Sandhya Parappukkaran and Michelle Pereira (Illustrator).

Some of these books can be found in the library.

Our wonderful Kindergarten students will be performing at this year's Tulip Festival in Bowral. 

Our appearance date and time are as follows;

Saturday 24^th September 9.30am – 10am  - please mark this in you calendar. (This is the first Saturday of the school holidays).
 
Provisions have been made for a separate entrance for performers on Bendooley Street.
 
Please note for family and friends to attend as part of the audience, they will need to register for tickets and enter through the main gate. - please do this ASAP!

See the link to book tickets https://www.visitsouthernhighlands.com.au/general-admission-tickets-tulip-time-2022/

Please book tickets (they are free to all Wingecarribee residents) as they are you ticket to see your child perform.

I will send more details closer to the event - but for now - please book yourself some tickets!

Thanks for your support, 

Mrs Tania Calla- Hunstone

Congratulations to the following students who were awarded the Principal's Award in Week 4

Congratulations to the following students who were awarded a Merit Award in Week 4

Congratulations to the following students who were awarded a Mission Star Award in Week 4

Congratulations to the following students who were awarded the Principal's Award in Week 5

Congratulations to the following students who were awarded a Merit Award in Week 5

Congratulations to the following students who were awarded a Mission Star Award in Week 5

Please see below the calendar overview for Term 3 2022:

WORKSHOP - MANAGING CHALLENGING BEHAVIOURS COLLABORATIVELY

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