Term 2, Week 5 Friday 3rd June 2022

It is National Reconciliation Week, and the theme is, Be Brave, make the Change.  Each year, National Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.  This week, classes have used this as a theme for prayer and Reconciliation was a focus during our Year 3 and 6 Mass on Thursday.  Our staff reflected on the Uluru Statement From the Heart and how this should propel us into action for National Reconciliation.

We are really looking forward to Sports Day next Friday.  As Santos Stadium is undergoing renovations, we will be holding it at Bridgestone Sports Stadium, Frost Rd, Salisbury.  All the information is in the notes sent home this week.  Please bring these back ASAP, so we can ensure adequate buses.  We are excited that parents can come along this year!  Please bring a chair as there is limited seated at the Stadium. 

We are also really in need of volunteers that can help with the classes during the day.  This is a great way to see all the events your child is competing in! Please let your child’s class teacher (or Angela in the office) know if you can volunteer on the day (all clearances and checks required).

On June 14^th we will be holding a Principal’s Tour at 9.15am for families who are interested in finding out more about St Margaret Mary’s School and Preschool.  Please let your families and friends know as we are finalising Term 3 enrolments and looking towards our 2023 enrolments (all year levels). 

Please remember that as we move into the colder months and flu season, it is important to keep your child home if they are unwell.  We will notify parents to collect children if they are unwell at school. If your child has any COVID 19 symptoms, please get them tested and notify the school of any positive results as soon as possible. 

Thank you for your continued support,

Kelly Campbell

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Last Sunday, we rejoiced in the Ascension of the Lord and this week we celebrate Pentecost Sunday. These are two of the most significant feasts in the liturgical calendar. Before his Ascension, Christ spent forty days teaching the Apostles and disciples about their responsibility to share the Kingdom of God with others. To do this, Jesus promised them that they would receive guidance from the Holy Spirit. Pentecost meaning fiftieth, always occurs 50 days after the death and Resurrection of Jesus, and ten days after his ascension into heaven. Pentecost celebrates the fulfilment of Jesus’ promise to the Apostles to send a helper and guide.

Confirmation Meeting

On Tuesday 24 May (Week 4), our Confirmation candidates were invited to attend an Information Evening for the ‘Sacrament of Confirmation’ at Whitefriars Catholic School.

On Monday 20 June (Week 8), the candidates will attend a full day Confirmation Workshop at Whitefriars Catholic School. All St Margaret Mary’s students are welcome to be dropped off in the morning and then after 9:00am we will transport them to Whitefriars. We will be returning to school from 2:30pm and pick up times in the afternoon will remain as usual.

Confirmation Ceremonies

The first Confirmation Ceremony will be on Friday 12 August, in St Margaret Mary’s Church at 7:00pm. The children attending this ceremony will need to attend the practice session one week earlier on Thursday 4 August in St Margaret Mary’s Church at 6:30pm.

The second Confirmation Ceremony will be on Friday 19 August, in St Margaret Mary’s Church at 7:00pm. The children attending this ceremony will need to attend the practice session two weeks earlier on Thursday 4 August in St Margaret Mary’s Church at 7:30pm. 

As always, if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact the Sacramental Coordinator Eleni Vailas on 8346 0944.

St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal

Each year, the St Vincent de Paul Society in connection with Croydon Park Parish offers the opportunity for our students to support their local community. The Society encourages school communities to live their faith through action and together we empower our students to consider donating something from our home to another family in need.

Over the next few weeks, we will learn to become advocates within our school and local community by putting our values into action. Starting Monday 6 June (Week 6), a St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal basket will be placed in each classroom. For those who are able, we are seeking your support to help your children collect a can of food from the cupboard at home, to donate to the Appeal. The experience of giving something from your family to help another family in need provides an authentic opportunity for students to experience our values in action.

Year 3 and Year 6 Mass

On Thursday 2 June (Week 5), we combined Year 6 and Year 3 classes to celebrate a Mass with our families and parishioners.  The theme of our Mass was “Open our hearts to your Spirit.” Our celebrant, Fr Charles, welcomed our classes back to the Church. In his homily, Fr Charles engaged in dialogue with the children about Pentecost and Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit. Thank you to Fr Charles and Eleni Vailas, the teachers and the students for helping to make our return to Masses such a joyous celebration.

The Year 4/5 celebration of the Eucharist will be held on Thursday 16 June (Week 7) in St Margaret Mary’s Church at 9:15am. From next week, our three Year 4/5 classes will begin practising the readings, responses and songs as well as have an opportunity to engage with the Gospel.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone,

Matt Harrison
Assistant Principal Religious Identity and Mission

During the recent school holidays, we said goodbye to our Preschool tree and its beautiful autumn leaves. We asked the children an important question – what’s next for this space? And here was the silver lining…a new plan, 39 in fact!

In Preschool, we see children as competent, creative and active participants in the learning journey. In asking for their designs and plans, we valued their ideas, welcomed creativity and provided opportunity for choice and decision making.

Here are a few of our ideas……We can’t wait for Ms Campbell to make them all happen!

‘I’m making a rainbow trampoline. A giant trampoline. All the colours! There’s the grass on the floor. The children will jump.’
Henry

‘We need a garden – it has flowers and rainbows and clouds and the sun. The children will do gardening.’
Elina

‘I drew a big one. A big sandpit. Yellow is my favourite colour today. There’s the excavator, rubbish truck and tow truck.’
Alex

‘This is the tree house. It has a ladder to go up and a waterslide to go down. Oh wait, I need to put arrows on it. There’s some rocks and dirt at the bottom.’ 
Koby

‘Where is that tree now? This is the animal’s house. This is the zoo, the lovely flowers, and a ladder to the animals at the top. Look at the tiger and the dinosaur. The preschool children can come and look at the tiger. They go to the cubby house and see the whole wide world ’
Finley

‘It’s a shop – we need some real food. The children can go and buy lunch. That’s someone selling in the shop. Her name is Bella and she makes smoothies for the kids. There’s windows, flowers, bushes and grass. My dad said that was a beautiful tree’
Lila

‘A pool and this is somebody jumping in it. Now I just got one more thing to do is the house. There’s a ladder and a slide’.
George

‘Let’s put up a slide. This is you Mrs B on the bumpy slide. Children can go on the slide.And see the blue, red and yellow plants.’
Adele

‘A rainbow and a tree. I’m going to make a rainbow. All the kids can play under it. The next colour in the rainbow is purple then pink Mrs B. This is the tree house with flowers and a sun. The children will play in there.’
Minha

‘I’m making a pool. You’re allowed in my pool Mrs B. The water is blue. I need a flower to make it beautiful. Sun flowers are beautiful. I drew the sun. Ladders are brown right? I guess I’ll put grass around it Mrs B’.
Angus

During Italian lessons students engage in learning through story, interactive songs and activities, speaking ,  listening , reading and writing . We have lots of fun learning Italian together. 

Gina Armiento
Italian Teacher 

Our Preschool students joined with Year 3GW and Year 6s last week to read, "Family Tree" (Josh Pyke and Ronojoy Ghosh) as a part of National Simultaneous Story Time. They enjoyed listening to the story and then participating in art and craft activities with their older buddies. 1/2AL, 1/2FL, 1/2VE, 3MK and the 4/5s also listened to the story and completed some activities.