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| WEEK SIX |
|
| Monday 3 June |
Year 5 Drumming Workshop |
| Tuesday 4 June |
Dance Classes |
| Thursday 6 June |
Dance Classes |
| Friday 7 June |
Year 2 Prayer Celebration and Awards Assembly 9.00am Clothing Pool open 2.45pm Flexischools Lunch https://user.flexischools.com.au/login?returnUrl=%2Fhome |
| WEEK SEVEN |
|
| Monday 10 June |
Sovereign's Birthday Public Holiday |
| Tuesday 11 June |
Dance Classes |
| Wednesday 12 June |
Year Five Birrigai Camp |
| Thursday 13 June |
Dance Classes Year Five Birrigai Camp Year Two National Museum of Australia Excursion Mrs Lowe at ACT Catholic Principals Association Meeting |
| Friday 14 June |
Opening of Stage One and Stage Two Building Refurbishment 10.30 am in the School Hall Year One Excursion to Hall Museum Year Five Birrigai Camp Clothing Pool open 2.45pm Flexischools Lunch https://user.flexischools.com.au/login?returnUrl=%2Fhome |
Opening and Blessing of the Stage One and Stage Two Building Project
The official Opening and Blessing of our newly refurbished school classrooms will take place on Friday, 14 June. This significant event marks the culmination of years of hard work and dedication, and we are excited to celebrate this milestone with our school community.
The ceremony will be held in the School Hall from 10:30 AM, and we are honored to welcome several distinguished guests. Among them will be Archbishop Christopher Prowse, who will bless the classrooms; Director of Education Ross Fox; Deputy Chief Minister Yvette Berry; former School Principal Mr Graham Pollard; Parish Priest Fr. Simon; and representatives from the School Community Council, the Block Grant Authority, and Pier Projects. Their presence underscores the importance of this occasion and the collective effort that has gone into the refurbishment project.
We extend a warm invitation to all who would like to attend. Please join us in the School Hall at 10:30 AM on Friday, 14 June, to share in this special occasion. We look forward to seeing you there and celebrating the future of our school together.
Morning Drop-off Procedures
To ensure a smooth and safe start to the school day, we ask that all students be dropped off between 8:30 AM and 8:49 AM. This timing is crucial to help us manage the flow of students and ensure everyone is settled and ready for the day ahead.
All students are required to enter the school grounds through the gates that provide access to our Infants Playground. This designated entry point helps us maintain a secure and orderly arrival process, allowing us to monitor and support students as they transition from home to the classroom.
In wet weather, the students will enter the school hall via the double doors and sit with their cohort.
If you are late, you will need to 'sign-in' your child at the Office. Students will then be sent or accompanied by staff (depending upon their age) to their classroom.
Conversations with classroom teachers can be arranged before or after school. However, please be aware that these are unable to occur once the school day has commenced at 8.50 AM, as the teacher is focused on teaching their class.
Your cooperation is essential in helping us maintain a safe and efficient drop-off process for all students.
Should you have any questions or require further clarification, please do not hesitate to contact the school office.
Year-Round Hat or Beanie Requirement for Sun Safety and Warmth
As part of our commitment to the health and well-being of our students, we are asking all students to wear their hats (or beanies in cold weather) throughout the year. This initiative is designed to ensure that students remain sun-safe, protected and warm.
We encourage parents to ensure that their children come to school with the appropriate headwear each day. Please label your child’s school hat or beanie with their name to prevent loss. Please note beanies need to be in either maroon or navy blue.
Respecting Privacy at School Events
We are fortunate to have an active school community, and we appreciate your involvement and enthusiasm at school events. Your participation is invaluable in creating a warm and supportive atmosphere for our students. However, we need to address an important issue regarding the photography and filming of children during these occasions.
Respecting Privacy and Permissions
Many parents and carers have not given permission for their child's photograph to be taken or published. This decision can stem from various reasons, including privacy concerns, legal matters and safeguarding considerations. To respect these preferences, we ask that you refrain from filming or photographing groups of children during school events, in the classroom, or on school grounds.
By not taking group photos or videos, you help ensure the safety and privacy of all students. Unauthorized images shared on social media or other platforms can inadvertently expose children to risks, including unwanted attention.
What You Can Do Instead
Focus on Your Child: Feel free to take individual pictures of your child. Capture those special moments and memories while ensuring other children are not included in the background.
School Photography: Rely on the school’s official photographers. Our school ensures that all images taken comply with parental consent and privacy guidelines.
Seek Permission: If you wish to take a photo that includes other children, please seek explicit permission from their parents or carers beforehand.
Our Commitment to Privacy
The school is committed to protecting the privacy and safety of every student. We continually strive to create an environment where all children feel secure and respected. Your cooperation in this matter is essential to maintaining these standards.
2025 Enrolments
Thank you to the families who have put in their child's enrollment for 2025.
Formal interviews and the Kindergarten Transition Program will commence during Term Three. Information regarding these will be shared early next term - stay tuned!
Yours in peace and love,
Mrs Sarah Lowe
The Child Safe Standards provide us with tangible guidance about how to create cultures, adopt strategies and act to put the interests of children first, to keep them safe from harm. Each fortnight, we’ll present one of the standards, and ask you to reflect on how you think we’re addressing the recommendations. We welcome ideas and feedback from our families and community!
Child Safe Standard 3: Families and communities are informed and involved
The aim of this standard is that the school actively engages with our families and community to support children. This standard is important because children feel more valued when schools involve families and community members in decisions that affect them.
Our aim is to prioritise this standard for child safety in what we say and do:
- Families have the primary responsibility for the upbringing
- and development of their child and participate in decisions affecting the child.
- The school engages in open, two-way communication with families and communities about our child safety approach.
- Relevant information is accessible.
- Families and communities have a say in our policies and practices.
- Families and communities are informed about our operations and governance.
If we are addressing this standard successfully, we would expect our children to say:
- My family is welcome here.
- The adults at school talk to my family about me.
- The special days of my community are celebrated.
If you have any questions or feedback about how we are addressing this Standard, please email me (petra.cole@cg.catholic.edu.au).
Petra Cole
Assistant Principal
Upcoming Events
Please keep in mind some of the following events that will be occurring over the next few weeks of the term.
Week 6
Prayer Celebration led by Year Two- Friday 9am in the Hall
Week 8
St Vincent’s De Paul Fundraiser (PJ Day) - Thursday
Prayer Celebration led by Year One - Friday 9am in the Hall
Confirmation Commitment Masses - Saturday and Sunday
Parish Community Updates
After meeting with the Liturgy Committee from our parish to discuss our students' participation in Mass, they kindly purchased a grade set of ‘The Australian Children’s Mass Book’. These books are stored in the church and will help our students participate in Mass. We are grateful for this new resource. Our lucky Year 2 students were the first to try them at Mass last Friday.
Laudato Si’ Group
We have also been working closely on a few different projects with our Laudato Si’ group from the Parish. Our newest project is our gardening club run by Br. John, for students in years 4-6 on Friday at lunch. They have been working on planting natives such as ‘Lomandra’ ‘Poa’, ‘Hop bushes’ and ‘Wattle’.
St Vincent’s De Paul Fundraiser
As we head into Winter and begin to feel the cold, it is a time for us to think of those less fortunate than us. St Vincent’s De Paul is running its annual Winter Appeal. During this time, we at St Matthew’s ask for donations of new warm clothing items (e.g., beanies, gloves, jackets) and any non-perishable food items. These can be dropped off at the front office or brought in by your child.
On Thursday, 20th June, students will be able to wear their Pyjamas to school to raise funds by bringing in a gold coin donation, or parents can donate online here. Together, we can support the good works of St Vincent’s and allow them to help those who need it in our community.
Belconnen Regional Cross Country Carnival
Congratulations to all students who represented St Matthew’s at the Belconnen Regional Cross Country Carnival.
Well done to Elsie H (1st Place 12 Years Girls) and Alistair M (7th Place 10 Years Boys), who are moving onto the ACT Carnival. More information will be provided regarding the ACT Carnival.
K-2 Cross Country Carnival
Thank you to all of the parents who attended our K-2 Cross Country Carnival. It was a great morning of fun and lots of running. Well done to all the students who participated. Ribbons will be awarded on Friday after the Year Two Prayer Celebration.
Athletics Carnival
Our Athletics (Track and Field) Carnival is approaching. The carnival will be held at the AIS on Tuesday 13 August. If there are any parents interested in lending a hand on the day, please contact Mr. Payne (dillon.payne@cg.catholic.edu.au). Any help is always greatly appreciated to make these days a success.
Term 2 Fundraising
Chocolate boxes
We are about to kick off a Chocolate/Lolly fundraising drive!
As discussed in the week 4 newsletter, our goal for fundraising this year is to purchase more Chromebooks for St Matty’s students.
The good news is that this fundraiser is super simple… and delicious.
Every box of chocolates and Lollies we sell will raise $20-$25. So, we are asking all St Matty’s Community members to sell at least one box for us. Feel free to grab more than one box if you’ve got many hungry buyers lined up!
Tips for selling your treats
· Each item sells for $1 - $3.
· Sell to family members, colleagues, friends or neighbours.
· We don’t recommend that children sell the products alone – if they are involved, please ensure an adult is always with them.
The boxes will be ready for collection from the school in week 8, and the money collected will be returned to the school at the end of week 10.
If you would like to participate in the chocolate/lolly fundraising, please complete the form sent home with your children by school by Tuesday, June 11th, or complete the online form here.
End of term disco coming up!
- K-2: 12.40pm - 1.10pm
- Years 3-6: 2.00pm - 2.45pm
Term Two Open Meeting
Our next Community Council meeting will be held in Week 8, on Tuesday, June 18th, from 6 to 7 p.m. It will be an open meeting, and everyone is welcome to attend. We will provide an overview of our upcoming events and be available to answer questions and listen to ideas. We will also have an information session about Spelling Mastery and a tour of our new school facilities.
Contact Us
If you have any suggestions for other fundraising avenues or any questions in general, please feel free to talk to us at school or reach out via email.
stmatthewscommunitycouncil@gmail.com
Kylie and the Community Council
Hawker Community Repair Cafe
Winter Holiday Camp
