“Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

Matt 18: 20

(from the Gospel for the twenty third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A)

Dear parents and carers

This weekend we celebrate Fathers’ Day where we pay extra attention to the fathers and father figures in our lives. It is a time to acknowledge the joys and challenges of fatherhood and give thanks for the gift of a loving father. Jesus referred to God as “father” and “abba”, which literally translates from the Aramaic (the language Jesus spoke) as “dad” or even “daddy”. Such was the sense of intimacy Jesus felt with our creator God. 

Jesus tells us that when we gather, He is there amongst us. The relationships within our families ideally mirror the relationship between God the Father, Jesus the Son in the spirit of love shared between them known as the Holy Spirit. We summarise this in calling that relationship the Trinity. The true measure of service and humility is rendering this courtesy to those who can not repay us, do us any good or offer us any advantage. Fatherhood and motherhood are very much like this. We love and care for our children because they need us to love and care for them. This is the sacredness and ministry of parenthood. Father’s Day is an opportunity to acknowledge our fathers and the debt of gratitude we owe them. Let’s celebrate the father’s in our lives on Sunday. 

Have a great day on Sunday and make your dad’s feel special! Happy Father’s Day!

Check the CEDoW COVID-19 website for updates

Thank you everyone for your understanding and support of the additional COVID-19 measures that we have put in place. I fully appreciate that this is both unusual and not how we like to operate. It is challenging for everyone. Ultimately, all these measures here at school as well as within the wider community are aimed at keeping everyone safe and continuing to drive the transmission rates down. Please check in with Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong (CEDoW) COVID-19 Information centre which is available here. This site has been created and regularly updated with COVID-19 specific advice for all our school diocesan communities. 

CROSS COUNTRY

This week we have run cross country races for our Year 3 to Year 6 classes. We timed the class based races in order to facilitate age based results in determining the age champions. Kindergarten and Year 1 will run their modified (shorter) cross country on Tuesday. Year 2 will run their modified cross country on Thursday next week. If you have a child in Kinder to Year 2 your child should wear the sport uniform on the class cross country day. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 restrictions, parents and spectators will not be able to attend these planned events. 

We have filmed the start and finish of each race. We will compile these into an iMovie and share this with you after we have completed all the class events. We announce the age champion and winning colour house during a virtual assembly later in the term.   

BASKETBALL SKILLS CLINICS

Tomorrow, we will commence our basketball clinics for Year 2 to Year 6. We will continue these weekly clinics until Week 10. We have worked with the stadium to ensure that we have clear COVID-19 safe protocols in place and that we are complying with all COVID-1 restrictions. We want the children to have fun as well as staying safe.

“FILL the BUCKET” activities this week

This week all our classes have been participating in ‘Bucket Filler’ activities. Filling someone’s bucket means offering kind words and actions that lift the spirits of the other person. It is an important part of maintaining positive mental health. Bucket fillers are simply about doing and saying random acts of kindness with our classmates. The children have been undertaking simple activities to direct their attention to the important idea that we all have a responsibility to work together and try to make our school community the best it can be. The children will have the opportunity to talk about, share and celebrate their “bucket filling” activities. We are doing this to try and offset the challenges of the pandemic.

“Pirate day”- because it’s fun! To be held on Wednesday 23 September (Week 10)

We would like to finish the term with a bit of fun. We are going to hold “pirate day” during the last week of school. Your child can come dressed as a pirate or inspired by a pirate. The teachers have organised fun activities and there will be a pirate story reading for the youngest children. We want this to be fun and not a stress to anyone. We’d like the term to end with some joy. COVID-19 seems to attack joy and take the fun out of life more than anything. Let’s push back and have some fun for the day!

Sport Uniform Days by Class

Your child will need to wear the sport uniform on the following days each week.

Kindergarten- Friday

Year 1- Thursday & Friday

Year 2- Thursday & Friday

Year 3- Wednesday & Friday

Year 4- Wednesday & Friday

Year 5- Wednesday & Friday

Year 6-Wednesday & Friday

LOLS: Lessons and Liturgy and Scripture

The latest LOLS episode is almost ready and will be released very soon. The theme for this episode is creation, focusing on the appreciation of all of God’ creatures. The video also features some photos of pets that belong to students and teachers at St Paul’s. The LOLS episode will be uploaded to our school Facebook page as well as Google Classrooms to support students with their learning in Religious Education.  

Season of Creation

The Church is currently celebrating the Season of Creation, which is held annually between 1 September and 4 October. The Season of Creation is a time to renew our relationship with our Creator and all creation through celebration, conversion, and commitment together. During the Season of Creation, we join our sisters and brothers in the ecumenical family in prayer and action for our common home.

Throughout the month-long celebration, the world’s 2.2 billion Christians come together to care for our common home. The Season of Creation unites the world’s 2.2 billion Christians around one shared purpose. With so much injustice all around us, now is the time for Christians everywhere to come together and show the world how to love each other and creation.

Reconciliation Program

Students participating in the online Reconciliation program should have competed all of the Modules by now. At this point, it is not certain as to when the actual ceremony will take place.

Catherine du Bois

Religious Education Coordinator