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Dear families,
It is fabulous to see how well all the students have settled in so far! The teachers have all commented on how well the children have transitioned into their new year levels. It's hard to believe we are now into Week 5. Please see below for some important Term 1 information.
2024 Prep Enrolments
On Thursday 23 March, parents and friends are invited to an Open Day presentation and small group tours for 2024 enrolments. Current families are very welcome to attend. If you have friends or family who are interested in attending please encourage them to come along. Please call into the office for an enrolment form or email Louise at office@spbentleigh.catholic.edu.au.
Morning Meditation
One of the important traditions at St Paul’s is morning Meditation. Every morning from 8.55am the whole School stops and meditates. Over the course of a student’s time at St Paul’s they will learn to be able to stop and be silent and reflect in ways which assists them with their breathing and their connection with God. It has been a tradition at St Paul’s that parents are warmly invited to be part of this morning process. It is wonderful for the students to see adults also being part of meditation.
To help with the smooth running of this important time we would ask:
- Students sit on the floor and not on parent’s laps.
- Children, if they wish, to sit in front of parents in the circle and parents or grandparents to sit on chairs outside the circle.
- All mobiles to be turned off or be on silent.
- As this is a quiet time, parents take younger ones who may be unsettled outside, so as not to disturb the whole mediation process.
When meditation has finished, we ask that parents give their children a quick goodbye to help settle the class, especially with our Prep and Year 1 students.
Ash Wednesday
As we explain to our students, Ash Wednesday is the first day in the season of Lent. It is a special time where we remember Jesus’ sacrifice for us and prepare us for the Easter season. During Lent, we remember the 40 days that Jesus spent in the desert. As a school community, we gather together to mark this important time in the Catholic tradition.
On Wednesday, Years 4-6 students will attend Mass with parishioners. Any parents who would like to attend, please feel welcome to do so. Our Year 1-3 students will mark this special day at school with a small liturgy by teachers.
A Prayer for Ash Wednesday
We forget sometimes that ashes come from fire,
That this soft black powder was once a firm green frond,
Bright and vibrant before it became dry and brittle,
Stiff and fibrous before a flame transformed it into dust.
Every living thing submits to change. Let’s not fear it.
From seed to plant, palm to ash,
This bit of the earth smudged on our foreheads today
Was carried lovingly in the hands of the Creator.
What fires will we step into this Lent?
What new forms will our souls take
When we encounter the holy blaze of the Living God?
We are—it is true—ash to ash and dust to dust,
But whether in youth or in old age, in life or in death,
Let us be assured, We are held, and we are God’s.
Amen.
Parking
Please be aware of the red parking zones on Higgins Road near the crossing, which are not to be used for parking between 8-9:30am and 2:30-4pm on school days.
Riddle Street parking outside the Tennis Courts is a drop off zone only. Parents are asked not to park and exit their vehicle; this is a “kiss-and-go” drop off point.
We ask that parish car spaces are not to be used for drop off parking.
Further road works will begin on Higgins Road today. We have been informed that it will be closed from the Woods St roundabout for approximately 12 weeks.
Late to school/early pick up
A reminder to email the teacher and copy the office if your child is absent, arriving late or leaving early (if you know in advance). All parents need to sign in at the office if students arrive after 9am. Please don't go straight to the classroom without the office knowing.
NAPLAN
This year, the government has brought the sitting of the NAPLAN testing forward, from May to March, with the specific testing window running from 15th - 27th March. Going forward, this will be the time NAPLAN is held each year. This is of particular note to the Year 3 and 5 students and parents. The purpose of this change is to enable the results of the NAPLAN testing to be made available earlier to teachers and parents so as to assist in future planning. The students in year 3 and 5 have already begun their preparations for NAPLAN.
FRIENDSHIP LISTS
Class friendship lists will be distributed this week via email. The purpose of the Friendship List is to share the phone number and email address of parent/s to other parents of the class – to allow you all to communicate, organise class get-togethers, distribute invitations and so on.
For current families: the office is retaining previous years’ permissions rather than having you all provide this again. Please note, we no longer including the home addresses of any family on the Friendship List - just phone numbers and email addresses. Please let Louise know as soon as possible if there are any changes to your permissions for one or both parents.
For new families: Please let Louise know via email ASAP if you do NOT want your phone number or email address shared with the class. You may also elect to only have one parent on this list, not both.
LEARNING IN PREP
Our new Prep students have had a huge first month of school! They’ve met their buddies, formed new friends, and got to know lots of new teachers. We’re so proud of them and how they’ve settled in. On Friday, I asked the Preps two questions in the hope they could fill us all in on life at school.
Here is what they said:
Ms Tahtouh: What do you like about school?
-I like playing on the monkey bars and the sand pit
-my teacher
-playing with my buddy
-I like your earrings
-making new friends
-I like…um…learning new stuff
-going to art and sport and the library and the park
Ms Tahtouh: What is something new you have learnt at school?
-doing sport with Mr Maher
-I’ve learnt how to speak Japanese
-learning the teachers’ names
-I have learnt how to spell “cat” and “ant” and…ok…let me show you…cat is c-a-t
-I’ve learnt to sing new songs and do you know I love my mum and dad and my sister
-I like your dress
-I have an ABCD book and, Ms Tahtouh, do you know that K is for King?!
-I like new slushies.
These wonderful insights make life in Prep a joy. We hope the children keep their enthusiasm and curiosity about school all throughout the year. Keep it up Preps, you're doing a wonderful job!
Year 5 Camp - Sovereign Hill
Last week, the Year 5’s were on camp at Sovereign Hill. It’s always a fascinating experience learning about what life was like in 19th century Ballarat.
They went panning for gold (alas, no nuggets), went down the old mines, and were immersed in 19th century gold rush life. From the hardships of trying to make a living as a miner, to a day in the life of a school child, the Year 5 students certainly gained a deeper insight into life in the 1850’s.
The students were intrigued by many of the traditions and expectations placed upon people of this bygone era, in terms of what was deemed appropriate clothing for men, women and children as well as roles and responsibilities of family members. Many were shocked to learn that boys wore dresses until about the age of 5 and that women were not allowed to show their ankles. They were surprised at how young some children were when they were sent out to earn a living to help support their family. Candle making was of great interest to the students as well, and discovering that it was not just a fun and interesting pastime activity as we enjoy it nowadays, but an unpaid job that was only rewarded by free rent and food, definitely raised a few eyebrows among the students.
The gold pour demonstration was another highlight of our visit and the students were fascinated by the process of smelting and purifying the gold. The heat was definitely on here, not just to melt the gold, but to answer some tricky questions asked by the presenter. St St Paul’s students were on the ball and answered exceptionally well, earning the chance to hold the freshly smelted gold bullion. A very proud moment indeed!
It was fabulous to see this wonderful group of students explore this environment with open minds, keen to take on new learning. It was also fabulous to see them challenge themselves in various ways to also learn a little more about themselves as well. They represented the school, their families and themselves with pride and respect. Congratulations on a wonderful camp experience, Year 5’s and a huge thank you to those teachers who organised this special learning event!
Student Achievement - Loretta Wise
At St Paul’s we like to acknowledge some of the outstanding achievements of our students. Over the summer, Loretta in Year 4 participated in the Big Summer Read, an initiative through the Glen Eira Library. The campaign aims to engage young people over the summer in reading for pleasure and support literacy development.
Over the holidays, Loretta read 109 books, including reading The Man from Snowy River! The library celebrated the end of the Big summer read with a fun pyjama party. Loretta won first place and she received a voucher for…more books!
Well done, Loretta. What a fantastic achievement!
Upcoming events
Friday 24 February - P&F drinks at the Bowls club
Tuesday 28 February - Parent Helper/ Literacy Info night
- BDS Swimming
Wednesday 1 March - Year 4 Learning Assembly @ 2:30pm
Tuesday 7 March - Year 5 Learning Assembly @ 2:30-3:30
Wednesday 8 & Thursday 9 March - Parent Teacher Interviews. School finishes 1:40
Wishing you all a wonderful week.
Kind regards,
Freda
Dear St. Paul’s families,
We had our most successful fundraising year ever last year, raising almost $80,000 for our children, and we should all feel very proud of our phenomenal effort! Money raised either has been, or is being allocated to: plans for our next large scale landscaping upgrade, indoor and outdoor furniture for the junior school, wet day indoor activities/games for each year level, renovations to the storage area in the hall, marquee purchases for the annual fete, Grandparents Day, Junior and Senior school Christmas parties, playgroup expenditure, teacher gifts for camp and Year 6 graduation.
The following is an outline of how we raised our funds in 2022:
Welcome Night: $498.00
Disco: $1,136.70
Mothers Day: $405.29
Family Portraits: $1,380.00
Trivia Night: $16,736.27
Fathers Day: $838.35
Fete: $53,187.82
Election Day: $1,697.30
Colour Blast: $1,383.00
Uniform Shop: $2,286.00
Thank you to every P&F executive, general committee member, coordinator, helper and contributor to the school’s fundraising efforts. This year, most of the important P&F positions are vacant and we urgently need your help to fill them. If we have listed any volunteers incorrectly, please let us know:
Executive Committee Members:
President:
Vice President:
Treasurer: Luke Chesson
Secretary:
Assistant Secretary:
General Committee Members: Kate Densley, Toni Anderson, Sarah Easton, Donna Campbell (acting President / handover)
P & F Roles and Events:
Dads' Group Coordinator: Paul Holland
Parent Support Network: Kristina Rafferty and Anna Rowe
Secondhand Uniform Shop: Jade Clements and Julie Ko
Playgroup Coordinator: Ileana Idrobo
Parents Welcome Night: Paul Holland
Camp staff meal Coordinator: Kate Densley
Mothers Day Breakfast/Lunch Coordinator:
Mothers Day Stall Coordinator: Zoe Holland
Grandparents Day Coordinator: Julie Ko
Disco Coordinator: Rebecca D'Angelo
Colour Blast: Danny Maher (parents to assist)
Fathers Day Breakfast Coordinator:
Fathers Day Stall Coordinator: Vanessa Bevacqua
Trivia Night Coordinator: Sarah Easton
Trivia Night Assistant:
World/National Teachers Day Coordinator:
Fete Coordinator:
Year 6 Graduation (Year 5 parents):
Year 6 Jumper Coordinator: Kate Densley
Year 6 Yearbook Coordinator: Donna Campbell
If you are interested in any of these roles (even to join as co-coordinator), please email:
pandf@spbentleigh.catholic.edu.au
Kind regards,
Donna Campbell
President 2022
Financial Assistance through CSEF (Camps, Swimming, Excursions Fund)
Some families may have recently experienced changes in financial circumstances and now be eligible for CSEF. This fund is available if you hold a valid means-tested concession card issued by 30 January 2023.
If you have previously received this funding and are still holding a current concession card, there is no need to reapply.
Applications close on 23 June 2023 so please ensure your submissions are made to the school no later than 12 June 2023 to allow time for processing.
Check with Louise or Petina if you are unsure. In this Newsletter is an Application Form and Flyer.
