St Raphael’s Catholic School Term 4, Week 10/B Newsletter 11 December 2017
Second week of Advent
Dear Parents, Awards Day on Thursday has the whole school on display for the community. What we choose to recognize and award says a great deal about our school and all parents are encouraged to attend. The awards will be presented from 9:30-11:30 at St Raphael’s Church. Semester Reports and Awards Day provide the pleasant duty of looking back over the achievements of the year. Stepping back gives a wider and better perspective. The daily grind of little problems actually diminishes alongside the excellence of achievements and growth. Reports give an account of formal learning in school, person by person, for the last two terms. Documentation is a massive and very important task that we take very seriously. We aim to provide a comprehensive picture that will be a source of pride and satisfaction as well as a platform for planning learning in the new semester. Reports will be circulated this week. Staff members of our school invest hugely and personally in the lives of your children. The time, the commitment, the personal investment is extraordinary and I am privileged to work daily alongside such wholesome people. To aid learning is an investment in the future and, between the works of good families and good staff members, our children here have a very sound foundation. Come and pray with us at the end of year Mass on Friday at 9:30am. I want to specifically acknowledge the extraordinary work of the School Leadership Team this term. They both taught and carried out their own executive duties with professionalism, energy, thoroughness and good will. Thank you for the support you parents have given to the school in 2017. There isn’t a school anywhere that survives without active support of parents. Our school continues to grow due to your good will and help. Finally, our patron Saint, Raphael, is also patron saint of travellers, physicians and young people. I pray that this Christmas Jesus will be brought to life in your family and in our world and that St Raphael protect our travellers and our young people and bring healing through Christmas to those who suffer.
Lord, through the darkness, we look for your wisdom. We want our hearts to be open to you. But sometimes in these days, it seems that so many things come between us. Help us to be awake and aware of the radiance you bring to our lives. Help us to be grateful each day for the blessings of family and friends. Let us be peacemakers in our own lives and in the world. Let us pray especially for this difficult world and for those who are so much in need of an end to violence. Our hearts beg for this as our Advent prayer today. Amen
May you discover God’s love active in the world this Christmas, and share that love with others.
Monday 11 Happy birthday to Michelle Grech, Josephine Gunderson, Parneet Kaur and Natalie Smaluck iDevice Workshop 3-30 – 4-30 Tuesday 12 Primary BMP Treat Day Wednesday 13 Secondary BMP Treat Day Year 8 Anointing Mass Thursday 14 Happy birthday to Charlie Graham and Michael O’Leary Presentation day 9-30 Friday 15 Happy birthday to Sophie Richmond
Michael Gallagher Principal
P.O. Box 7, Cowra 2794 Tel: 6342.2940
Email: straphaels@bth.catholic.edu.au School Website: www.straphaelscowra.catholic.edu.au
Happy birthday to Kaiden Bischof, Melissa Mood, Flynn Bennett, Alex Cucchiaro, Grace Callaghan, Alannah Gocin, Lucy Proctor, Sebastian CasellaKeefe, Brianna Goricki and Sarah Myers who celebrate their birthday in the holidays.
Christmas Generosity Samaritan’s Purse is an international relief and development organisation that works through local churches to proclaim and demonstrate the love of God amongst communities in need across the world. The Shoebox Appeal works each year to provide a little bit of joy and happiness to children of all ages in poverty stricken areas of Latvia, Ukraine and Belarus. Last year the Shoebox Appeal helped over 700 children in Kenya. This year, our Year 8 HSIE students worked together to donate to the Christmas Shoebox Appeal run by the Samaritan’s. They chose a particular age group and a boy or girl to fill shoeboxes for. They had some guidelines. Something to love, something for school, something to wear, something to play with, something for personal hygiene and something special. The students all enjoyed doing something for others less fortunate. They learnt that as the saying goes, it's often better to give than to receive. The rest of our school have a chance to show their generous nature at Christmas by donating a gold coin to our local St Vincent de Paul society. Our local Vinnie’s are always very appreciative of the support given to them by our school. Australian Catholic Youth Festival Sydney Dec 2017
“And that new horizon that is opened up will be a source of joy for you and for others. Say a Marian YES, an in-God-I-trust YES, a with-all-my-heart YES, a for-today-and-always YES to God and see what he can do with you.” Pastoral Care and Student Wellbeing in the Secondary Department This has been a very busy and interesting year for our students and school; many new ventures have begun; new learning adventures experienced; and impressive personal growth observed within the student body. As we look forward to 2018, a number of initiatives will be added to those begun this year. We are very excited to be undertaking a program called The Rite Journey with the Year 9 cohort - a program which is focused on developing personal resilience, embracing the future, and challenging personal goals. It is also planned to begin an extension of the Peer Support Program, already successfully running in the Primary Department, for senior and junior Secondary students. In 2018 we will be working with a new system called Student Learning Behaviour focused on encouraging a positive approach to learning, where all students will be given opportunities to make serious and individual decisions to engage positively in the learning process, both in the classrooms and beyond. This replaces the Behaviour Management Program and levels of behaviour. Detailed information will be outlined at the beginning of the new school year. Recently students ran an i-Device Workshop for interested St Raphael’parishioners. With an enthusiastic group of “students”, the young men leading the workshops displayed impressive skills, patience, respect for the learners, and made some new acquaintances. The school is very proud of the generosity of these young men. It is hoped to expand this program in 2018.
Archbishop Fisher, the Bishops’ Delegate for Youth, challenged the young people present to follow the example of Mary and “Say Yes” to the plans God has for their lives and he reminded them of Pope Francis’ call for young people not to live as couch potatoes. “Get up off the couch and you’ll be able to see further as well as do more,” he said. P.O. Box 7, Cowra 2794 Tel: 6342.2940
Email: straphaels@bth.catholic.edu.au School Website: www.straphaelscowra.catholic.edu.au
Christmas Masses Dear Parents/Caregivers, please see below our Christmas mass times available to all across the Parish. While Christmas is a wonderful time of joy and family celebration, we are reminded that it is the gift of Jesus, our faith that brings us this joyful time. I encourage you as a family to join the celebration of this great event in any of our parish churches during this great and joyful time. God’s blessing to you all, Fr Laurie Parish Christmas Times nd December 18: 2 Rite of Reconciliation 7pm (Cowra) December 19: Canowindra Advent Reflection Evening 7pm (with Reconciliation) th
December 24 : Christmas Vigil Mass. Gooloogong - 6pm Eugowra - 6pm Cowra - 7pm (Children’s Mass) Canowindra - 8pm Cowra - 10pm th
December 25 - Christmas Day Mass. Wyangala - 8am Mass Canowindra - 8.30am Mass Woodstock - 8.30am (Communion Service in the absence of a priest) Cowra - 9.30am Mass Dates to Remember: Wednesday 13th December - Parish Anointing Mass 10am Year 8 students attending. Please remember to bring a plate of food to share with parishioners for morning tea. Friday 15th December - Final School Mass 9.30am Altar Servers’ Roster th Sat 16 Dec: Natalie Mallon, Darby Hubber and Maddi O’Reilly th Sun 17 Dec: Ky Garratt Gooloogong: Lily Vardy rd Sat 23 Dec: Grace and Phillipa Richmond and Ashley Langfield School Readers for Weekend Parish Masses: th Sun 17 Dec: Sue Whiteley School Eucharistic Ministers for Weekend Parish Masses: th Sun 17 Dec: Marg McMurtrie School Computer Roster th Sat 16 Dec: Casey Family th Sun 17 Dec: Grace Gallagher rd Sat 23 Dec: Rachel Myers
P.O. Box 7, Cowra 2794 Tel: 6342.2940
St Raphael's Annual Presentation Day The 2017 St Raphael's Annual Presentation Day will be held on Thursday 14 December at 9.30am at St Raphael's Catholic Church. It will conclude at approximately 11.30am. Morning tea in the convent courtyard will follow. Students who are to receive an award will receive a pink letter with relevant information. All students are to wear full school uniform. Primary BMP Treat Day Eligible students will be attending the Primary BMP th Treat Day on Tuesday 12 December. A packed recess and water bottle will be required. Lunch and drink will be supplied. Students will be participating in water slide activities, lazer tag, games and a movie. Appropriate mufti can be worn as indicated on the permission note.
Class Parties Classes from K-6 will be holding class parties on Wednesday 13th December. Teachers will be organising parties in consultation with students and parents. The afternoon session will include an infants disco in St Brigid’s Hall and Years 3-6 in St Raphael’s Hall. Students can come dressed in a Christmas theme. Engineering Without Borders On Tuesday 21 November students from Years 3-6 had the opportunity to participate in workshops organised by the UNSW Engineering Without Borders team. The workshops were: Floating Houses – a Physics and Chemistry based civil engineering activity where students use the concepts of buoyancy to create a structure that floats and holds weight whilst using minimal construction material. Renewable Energy - a Physics based renewable energy engineering activity where students create a prototype wind turbine which can be tested to show LED lights glowing proportionally to the energy generated. All students who participated in the workshops had a brilliant time designing and constructing floating houses and wind turbines. Students had to work in teams to “buy” items which they then used to construct their house or turbine. Teamwork and cooperation were major focuses of the day and the resulting structures modelled the well thought out designs.
Email: straphaels@bth.catholic.edu.au School Website: www.straphaelscowra.catholic.edu.au
Library News Week 10 Term 4 2017 Premier Reading Challenge: A total of 290 000 students took part in the 2017 challenge. Orlando Perry, Laura Price and Poppy Starr received their gold certificates at our last assembly for taking part in four successive years of the challenge, well done. Class Awards: At our week 8 assembly,the following classes were awarded 2017 Class Merit Awards: Kinder Gold, 1 Gold, 1 Green, 2 Green, 3 Gold , 4 Gold, 5 Gold, 6 Gold, well done. ** A reminder to return all library books as we near the end of another year of great borrowing. K.Skinner Librarian
Achieving Big Things Maurice Brown and his team travelled to Sidewinders Speedway track in South Australia to take part in the annual South Australian 125cc under 16s State Championships. Brown did not miss a point all night. He came into the finals having won every heat, displaying one of his most outstanding rides to date. With heavy competition from all around Australia Brown took out the title now giving him the NSW title as well as the South Australian Title. Maurice Brown NSW 1st Patrick Bowes SA 2nd Connor Bailey VIC 3rd Fraser Bowes SA 4th Brown now has a break until Boxing Day and then on to Mildura late January for the Australian titles!
Starting Dates Term 1 2018 Jan 30: Year 1-6 + 7 & 11 Jan 31: Years 8-10 + 12 Feb 1: Kindergarten Fee Schedule 2018 Attached for your information and planning Class Teachers 2018 The teacher / class allocations for 2018 in the primary department of the school are as follows: Kindy: Therese Johnston, Jodie Colemane Year 1: Grahame Statham, Jenny, White, Year 2: Monica Blazley, Kylie McNamara, Kathy English Year 3: Renae Downes, Chloe Gannon, Meg Jobson Year 4: Nicole Twohill-Scott, Darrel Colemane, Anna Farley Year 5: Karla Slaven, Kathy English, Laura Moodie, Amanda Edwards Year 6: Luke O’Reilly, Carolyn James, Lucy Ryan P.O. Box 7, Cowra 2794 Tel: 6342.2940
Staff Changes 2018 Lorna Ahern – New teaching appointment Kat Allan – New teaching appointment Craig Jeffries – New teaching appointment Steve Thomas - Resigned Ben Cooley - Extended Leave for 2018 Sue Whiteley – Extended Leave for 2018 Introducing new staff members and roles: Kristie Cruickshank – Secondary RE / English Larissa Atkinson – Secondary PDHPE Stephen Carroll – Secondary Wellbeing Coordinator / PDHPE Amy O’Reilly – Learning Enrichment Luke O’Reilly – Sports Coordinator Tahni Isedale – Secondary Wellbeing Coordinator Lenise Tidyman-Crawley – Secondary Curriculum Coordinator Ben Thomson – Secondary Maths / Science Curriculum Coordinator Helen Flannery appointment – Secondary English / HSIE Mr Embroidery Cowra Cash Card Mr Embroidery has once again kindly donated Cowra Cash Cards to our school which was drawn at the Special Assembly in Week 8. To be eligible for the draw, students need to have demonstrated good behaviour, sound work ethics and appropriate interaction with peers and teachers. Congratulations to Ruby Lazanski from the infants and Clare Harris from the Primary. Lost Property As we near the end of the school year a reminder to check the lost property tub at the front office for any items that students may have misplaced. There is a large accumulation of both summer and winter clothing. Canteen Update This week’s roster is as follows: Tues 12 Briony Woodhouse
Wed 13 CLOSED
Thurs 14 Fiona Kerin
Fri 15 Cindy Langfield
Carrie Simunic
Angela Kollas
Mon 18 Holidays
Lyn Terry
Thank you to all the canteen volunteers over the year we couldn’t do it without you. Have a safe and happy holiday!
Don’t forget to visit our website for updates of all that is happening with the P&F and for adding your views. This can be done via the school website at www.straphaelscowra.edu.au Email: straphaels@bth.catholic.edu.au School Website: www.straphaelscowra.catholic.edu.au
Cowra Civic Centre Theatrette, Darling Street Enquiries: 6340 2064 ANNABELLE: CREATION (MA15+) 8.00pm Thursday 14 December **ID Required** Tickets: $8 Concession, $10 Adults Candy Bar Open
MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET (G – 1947) 11.00am Friday 15 December All Tickets $8 includes light refreshments
HOME ALONE (PG) 11.00am Wednesday 20 December All Tickets $6 Visit from Santa and Lucky Door Prizes Candy Bar Open
P.O. Box 7, Cowra 2794 Tel: 6342.2940
Email: straphaels@bth.catholic.edu.au School Website: www.straphaelscowra.catholic.edu.au
P.O. Box 7, Cowra 2794 Tel: 6342.2940
Email: straphaels@bth.catholic.edu.au School Website: www.straphaelscowra.catholic.edu.au