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Dear Parents,
As we enter the season of Lent it is an opportunity to take stock of how we are living our lives and reflect on what our priorities are. Where does God fit into your life? Matthew’s gospel today helps us to reflect on being authentic.
Open our eyes and ears Lord, so we may see and hear the goodness that surrounds us and the needs of your most vulnerable.
Most importantly, open our hearts, so we live more like you not only in these Lenten days but each day.
We ask these prayers through Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Loving God,
As we enter into Lent this year may we remember the words of the psalmist
‘If today you hear his voice harden not your hearts’. Ps 94:8
Student Leadership Positions for 2022
Congratulations to all Year 6 students as they embrace their new roles with optimism, energy, generosity of spirit and courage. We look forward to a wonderful year of student leadership and student voice.
School Captains - Zoe Burgess, Darcy North
Vice Captains - Michela Nandan, Miles Lamanna
Community Leaders: Josh O’Shannessey, Will Poles, Rex Trihey, Grace Healy, Cully Barnacle, Portia D’Angelo, Lily Dummet, Danielle Lee
Social Justice Leaders: Oliver Heggie, Raphael Contessotto, Michael Vilavi, Amelia Commerford, Mia Manakis, Nicola Schneider, Jade Pang
Arts Captains: Hannah Powell, Olivia Lentzios, Harrison Sawtell
Arts Leaders: Amelia Beliji, Ella Craig, Nash Quinn, Tom Regos, Caleb Haile
Sustainability Captains: Aidan Mendoca, Elizabeth Clements
Sustainability Leaders: Julian Oddo, Gianni Di Fabrizio, Heath Livingston, Evander Macri, Raemi Brown, Karly Adler
Sports Captains
Wattle Captains: Ava North, Zac Bevacqua
Wattle Leader: Eli George
Jacaranda Captains: Grace Board, Heath Lee-Kim
Jacaranda Leader: Ethan Lee-Kim
Eucalyptus Captains: Ruby Densley, Harrison Campbell
Eucalyptus Leaders: Maddie Teal, Tash morgan
Waratah Captains: Jade Barrett Water, Callum Smith
Waratah Leaders: Lachlan Crestani, Mylie Easton
Reminders so that we all stay safe and respectful of school protocols:
- dogs are not permitted on school grounds at any time (however assistance/guide dogs are always welcome)
- pick up zone is not for parking, do not leave your car in the pick up zone and walk to the gate to collect your children
- if pick up zone is full please drive around the block and try again
- please observe disabled parking signs to ensure they are available those community members who need these spaces
Building Progress
The Year 2 and Year 3 students are due to move into their new classrooms over the next few weeks. The students and teachers are very keen to see their beautiful new learning spaces. We are just waiting on the cabinetry, which has been delayed.
School Advisory Council
The Term 1 meeting of the Advisory Council is scheduled for Tuesday 22 March. Members of the Council include:
Helen Skinner (Chair)
Stuart Hall
Alex Poles
Lisa Galante
Jamie Hickey
Catherine Tammesild
Michael Juliff
Freda Tahtouh
Please contact any council members if you would like items to be added to the Agenda and discussed at the meeting.
Second-Hand Uniform Shop
St Paul’s second-hand uniform shop is located onsite and will be open for business once a fortnight on a Monday morning between 8.30 - 9.00 am (starting 14 March). We have had many donations from families whose children have outgrown uniforms and have a wide variety of sizes in stock. Limited numbers will be allowed in the uniform shop at one time and masks will need to be worn.
If you are unable to attend, please email Louise in the office at office@spbentleigh.catholic.du.au with your requirements, and we will do our very best to fulfill these orders.
School Photos
The new date for school photos is Tuesday 29 March. Students will be in full summer uniform.
Prep Enrolments 2023
Last week the Year 6 Leaders did a wonderful job of welcoming parents and friends to our Open Day, where OSHClub provided a coffee cart and hot muffins were served to the visitors. Applications are open now to existing and new families. Private tours can be arranged by emailing office@spbentleigh.catholic.edu.au. (next available dates are March 17, 21 and 24 at 9.30am)
Parent-Teacher Interviews Term 1
This Term we will be conducting Parent Teacher Interviews in Week 10. Interviews are offered either onsite in your child’s classroom or online via a google meet. Interviews will run for 15 minutes and students in Year 4-6 are asked to attend with their parents. We are looking forward to sharing the results of recent testing and the learning goals for Semester 1. Interviews will run over two days - 29 & 30 March from 2.00 - 6.00pm. Parents are asked to collect their children at 1.30 on both days to support teachers in completing all interviews in a timely manner. We appreciate your support. **Please note that details on how to book will be communicated to you during the week.**
Year 4 Camp
Best wishes to the Year 4 students who will be attending their first overnight camp this week. The students will be traveling to Maldon by bus where they will participate in a ‘bike Ed’ adventure!
Book Club
You should have received a Book Club catalogue last week. Orders close 5pm on Monday 21 March.
Labour Day Holiday
A reminder that Monday 14 March is a public holiday.
I will be on leave this week. Freda Tathouh and Michael Juliff will be replacing me while I am away.
ftahtouh@spentleigh.catholic.edu.au mjuliff@spbentleigh.catholic.edu.au
Best Wishes,
Catherine
Last Wednesday was Ash Wednesday. Grades 5 & 6 attended Mass and the children in Grades P -4 participated in a Liturgy in classrooms and children received the Ashes from class teachers.
Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. It occurs forty days before Easter not counting Sundays. The ashes remind us that God helps us to grow.
The message for everyone is that all actions help us to live more like Jesus and that we can all follow in Jesus’ footsteps. Lent is about doing good deeds and acting like Jesus. Here is a lovely prayer/reflection from Pope Francis.
Project Compassion
Project Compassion is Caritas Australia's annual Lenten fundraising and awareness-raising appeal. Millions of Australians come together in solidarity with the world's poor to help end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity. The theme of Project Compassion 2022 is ‘For All Future Generations’ and reminds us that the good that we do today will extend and impact the lives of generations to come. It invites us to make the world a better place by working together now and finding long-term solutions to global issues. We, at St. Paul's will be collecting for Project Compassion in our classrooms. Please donate to this very worthy cause, if possible, every cent counts. Your child can place any amount of money in the box. We will also be sending a Project Compassion box home for each family. At the end of the Lenten season we will forward all proceeds to Caritas to be distributed to their special causes in Australia and overseas.
Kind Regards
Marg Mitchell
Religious Education Leader
In week 9 it’s Harmony Week!
On Friday the 25th of March students are to wear ‘a touch of orange’ as it is the colour for Harmony. Students are encouraged to try and pack some ‘Orange’ food eg: carrots, oranges, mangos, peaches and many more. You could also pack your child some cultural food, for example if you're Italian you could pack some pasta.
In the canteen, Gill will be working hard and providing a special ‘Harmony Day’ menu for students and staff to order from. Some orange foods you could pack your child/children are:
All grades will be doing fun activities in art:
Preps, One’s and Two’s: making their hands with clay or paper.
Three’s: oranged themed gel prints
Four’s, Fives and Sixes: finger knitting
I hope to see every student wearing a touch of orange on the Friday!
From the SRC team
SRC - Semester 1 2022
At St Paul’s we are always looking for ways to increase student agency, one of which is having a Student Representative Council (SRC). I am very happy and proud to announce the Semester One SRC, as voted by their classmates:
Back Row: Jade Pang (6HA), Ethan Lee-Kim (6B), Emily D’Souza (5O),Ryan Craig (4GL), Harper Easton (4C)
Front Row: James Rafferty (1W), Mila Calafiore (1M),Xavier Ziola (2H), Sophia Yorke (2MA), Ava Rafferty (3W) & Christos Tsihitas (3B)
Absent: Ange Merceica (5K)
The SRC will be the student voice for their classes in helping make St Paul’s an even better place to be. They have already begun helping to gather ideas and design how we can best celebrate Harmony Week at St Paul’s later this term. They are currently helping to develop a St Paul’s ‘Positive Behaviours for Learning (PBL)’ matrix.
I look forward to working with this new group of students for Semester One and I’m sure they will do an outstanding job!
CARITAS FUNDRAISER - EASTER RAFFLE
We, the Year 6 Social Justice Group, are planning to have an Easter Raffle in order to raise money for Caritas Australia. On the 15th of March we are going to begin collecting easter-themed chocolates (easter eggs, bunnies) toys, coloring books etc to make up into hampers for the Raffle Prizes. We ask that each family donates either an easter chocolate or easter-themed item to help make up the hampers.
The Year 6 Social Justice Group will be standing at the gates each morning from Tuesday 15th March to collect any donations. If all donations could be at school by Friday 1st April that would be great!
To enter the raffle you would need to buy raffle tickets which will be on sale from the 1st to the 7th of April - Stay tuned for more information about this closer to the date. Tickets will cost $1 each or $3 for 4 tickets with the maximum of 6 tickets being able to purchase.
The raffle will be drawn on the last day of term Friday 8th April.
Thank you for your support!
The Year 6 Social Justice Group
Katrina Gardiner
Wellbeing Leader
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 31 January 2022.
If you have previously received this funding and are still holding a current concession card, there is no need to reapply.
Applications close on June 24.
Dear Parents of Girls!
