Dear Parents,

We had the most spectacular concert on Thursday night. It was such a wonderful atmosphere around the school during the buildup and I was so proud of the way all the students were fully committed to their rehearsals and the performance.  Feedback from families and the children has been really heartwarming!  

Thank you to Jess from Stomp. She has been an incredible dance teacher who has worked closely with all our students and their teachers throughout the term.

Thank you to all the teachers for the tireless energy and enthusiasm in learning the dance routines and practising with the children.

Thank you to the four teachers who made all of this happen: Gabrielle Berends,  Cath Knights, Margy D'Rozario, and Connie Antenuuci. This team worked on developing the script, practising with students, organising the night and I think we can all agree they have done an amazing job.

Last but not least, the students of St Paul’s! Some of you love dancing and were excited from the start. Some of you were nervous but you did fantastic work. We are very proud of you all. 

Details to follow about the recording.

Traffic update

The Department of Roads and Transport has advised us that we can expect the new traffic lights on Jasper Rd to be switched on this week sometime (all going to plan!).  When the new lights become effective, the old line markings will be removed at the same time, however the existing poles will be removed at a later date. It could look a little confusing, so please be extremely mindful that this change is expected to occur in the next few days.

This is a timely reminder of the importance of our highly valued crossing supervisors around the school. Pietro, Marissa and Allen's number one priority is to ensure the safety of our students and families when arriving and leaving school. They are passionate about their responsibilities and we cannot thank them enough for their commitment and exemplary level of service to our community.  To refresh everyone on being safe at our crossings, please ensure that you and your children adhere to the following expectations:

1. You must wait for the crossing supervisor to blow their whistle before stepping onto the road.
2. Walking at all tlmes, not running.
3. No bikes to be ridden through the crossing, you must walk the bike across.
4. Movement MUST be between the white lines and in FRONT of the crossing supervisor at all times.

We really appreciate your attention to respect and road etiquette to ensure the safety of everyone, and allowing the crossing supervisors to perform their vital roles.

Upcoming events

Week 9

Thursday 30 November: 2024 Prep Orientation 9.15 - 10.50 am

Thursday 30 November: Japanese Assembly 2.30pm

(certificates and blackbelts awarded in Hiragana alphabet)

Friday 1 December: School Closure Day

Week 10

Monday 4 December: Fun House Sports Day (not Thursday 7 December)

Monday 4 December: Final Assembly 2.45pm

Friday 8 December: Year 6 Big Day Out

Week 11

Tuesday 12 December: End of Year Mass 10am

Wednesday 13 December:  Meet the Teacher for 2024

Thursday 14 December: Year 6 final day - Graduation Mass and Celebration 6pm

Friday 15 December: Prep - Year 5 final day.  3.30pm finish.

Lost Property

With only 3 weeks of school left, we would really appreciate families checking for lost property - we still have a few items from the fete, and a few extras from the concert last week.  School uniform is building up each day, and if not collected in the final week of term will be washed and given to the second-hand uniform shop for resale.

Newsletters

I will be sending out a weekly newsletter for the remainder of Term 4. Next week's issue will announce staffing for 2024 and our final newsletter will be sent home on Monday 11 December.

Have a great (short) week everyone.

Kind regards,

Freda

Advent begins this coming Sunday 3rd December.  Advent is the beginning of the Church's liturgical year. It is a time of waiting, where we anticipate the birth of Jesus. 

Advent is marked by the presence of an Advent wreath which holds four candles. Each candle has a very special meaning: they respectively symbolize hope, peace, joy, and love. Some people will also light a fifth candle on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day to represent the birth of Jesus; this candle, when added to the Advent wreath, is typically white and larger than the other candles and is placed in the centre of the wreath.     

Advent candle weeks, names & colors 

• Advent week 1 – Hope: Prophecy Candle (purple)
• Advent week 2 – Peace: Bethlehem Candle (purple) 
• Advent week 3 – Joy: Shepherd’s Candle (pink)
• Advent week 4 – Love: Angel’s Candle (purple)

At St Paul’s we will begin our time of Advent with a short prayer/liturgy at assembly next Monday 4th December.   

On Monday the 4th December, the children in Grades Prep to Grade 6 will be participating in a fun House Sports Day.  All students will be representing their Houses in either Jacaranda – Blue, Waratah – Red, Wattle – Yellow or Eucalyptus – Green.  The Sports Day will be held at Hodgson Reserve (opposite St. Paul’s) and will split into two sessions with Prep, Grade 1 and Grade 2 from 9:30am – 11:00am and the Grades 3 – 6 from 11:40 - 1:40pm.

All children are encouraged to wear a t-shirt or top in their House colours to school on this day (sports top if not possible) and they are also asked to bring a clearly labelled drink bottle filled with water to take to the park. Please make sure that the children apply sunscreen in the morning and they have their school sunhat. 

The children and teachers are looking forward to the Sports Day and I am sure all will enjoy the experience. Parents are most welcome to come along to support and encourage the children.

OSH Club will be running a Pupil Free Day on December the 1st from 7:15-6:00pm. Join us as we indulge in the Christmas spirit early! Refer to the image that provides you with what we will be getting up to on the day, there are plenty of spots still open. 

How to book

Please log in to your account online at www.oshclub.com.au and book in under the Pupil Free Day Room. You can also contact Steph on 0402 617 747 or through email stpauls@oshclub.com.au

What to bring
Please bring morning tea, lunch and an extra snack. We will be providing waffles for breakfast and a fruit and veggie platter in the afternoon. Make sure your children wear/bring appropriate footwear and clothing, including a hat.