St Raphael’s Catholic School Term 4, Week 10/B Newsletter 12 December 2016
Dear Parents Semester Reports and Speech 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 9:15am.
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. Michael Gallagher Principal
Third Week of Advent Loving God, We give you thanks for the blessings of this holy Advent season. You are the source of life, of hope, and of all good things. We look forward to the coming of the light of Christ at Christmas. Help us to turn toward that light in our lives. We rejoice at the gift of your Son who taught us to love in your name. May we be people of peace and justice all the days of our lives. Your kingdom come and your will be done now and forever. Amen.
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 2016. 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. I want to specifically acknowledge the long standing but quiet service provided by Mrs Jacquie Cusack as one of the teller behind the student banking scheme. Thank you Jacquie for helping us to create good saving habits over the years. P.O. Box 7, Cowra 2794 Tel: 6342.2940
May you discover God’s love active in the world this Christmas, and share that love with others. Email: straphaels@bth.catholic.edu.au School Website: www.straphaelscowra.catholic.edu.au
Monday 12 Tuesday 13 Primary Level 7 BMP Reward Day. Wednesday 14 Happy birthday to Charlie Graham. K-6 Class Parties and Disco. Thursday 15 Happy birthday to Jackson McLeish and Sophie Richmond. K-10 Reports issued Friday 16 End of Year Mass 9.15am Happy birthday to those students celebrating birthdays during the remainder of December: Melissa Mood, Flynn Bennet, Grace Callaghan, Alannah Gocin, Lucy Proctor, Sebastian Casell, Matilda Cruickshank, Storm Holmes and Brianna Goricki.
8 Green Anointing Mass On Wednesday 14th December, 8 Green students will attend the Mass of Anointing of the Sick at 10am in Saint Raphael’s Hall. The Mass is followed by morning tea. Traditionally our Year 8 students provide the morning tea, serve as wait staff and assist with cleaning up afterwards. This is a valuable link with our parish and an experience of service for our students. The attendance of the students is greatly appreciated by the parishioners and the students themselves benefit from this connection. Students are asked to please provide one plate of either: savoury finger food, slices of fresh fruit or something sweet to eat for morning tea. Food is to be left at the front office on the morning of the mass. Please label all containers you wish to be returned. Disposable plates are easiest. Any school community members who are praying for healing are also warmly invited to attend. Date for the Calendar Friday 16th December End of Year Mass 9.15am
Advent Timetable
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14 Dec. Wednesday Cowra Healing/Anointing Mass 10am in St Raphael’s Hall. Cowra Advent Reflection Evening 7.30pm in the Chapel 19th Dec. Monday Cowra 2nd Rite of Reconciliation 7pm in St Raphael’s.
Christmas Timetable
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24 Dec. Saturday Christmas Eve Masses - Gooloogong 5pm Vigil - Eugowra 6pm Vigil - Cowra 7pm Vigil (Children’s Mass)
P.O. Box 7, Cowra 2794 Tel: 6342.2940
- Canowindra 8.30pm - Cowra 10pm Vigil 25th Dec. Sunday Christmas Day Masses - Wyangala 8am - Canowindra 8.30am - Cowra 9.30am
Altar Servers’ Roster Sat 17th Dec: Isabelle Doorey, Destiny Pepper Sun 18th Dec: Mikelli Garratt, Ky Garratt Gooloogong: Flynn Bennett Sat 24th Dec: Christmas Eve volunteers please. Sun 25th Dec: Christmas Day volunteers please. School Readers for Weekend Parish Masses: Sun 18th Dec: Xavier Lynch Sat 24th Dec: Christmas Eve volunteers please. Sun 25th Dec: Christmas Day volunteers please. School Eucharistic Ministers for Weekend Parish Masses: Sat 17th Dec: Ms K Slaven, Ms R Downes Sun 18th Dec: Mrs S Whiteley Sat 24th Dec: Christmas Eve volunteers please. Sun 25th Dec: Christmas Day volunteers please. School Computer Roster Sat 17th Dec: Grace Gallagher Sat 24th Dec: Christmas Eve volunteers please. Sun 25th Dec: Christmas Day volunteers please.
LIBRARY NEWS WEEK 10 TERM FOUR 2016 A reminder to return any overdue library books please. At last week’s assembly, the following classes received a year merit award: Kindy Gold,1 Gold, 2 Green, 3 Green, 4 Gold, 5 Gold, 6 Gold. Thank you for all the support given to the library this year. Thank you to Mrs Jan Ware, Mrs Faye Jeffs, Mrs Wheeler and Ms Webb for their assistance with the covering of our new texts. A reminder that the Director’s Reading Challenge is on again this year so keep up the great reading over the holidays. HOW TO ENTER: If you would like to keep an informal record of the books you have read over summer, then download and complete the personal reading log. Once your challenge is complete, enter your list of read books online to go into the draw for a prize (the link to the entry form is available on the Catholic Education Office website via the News section www.bth.catholic.edu.au). A parent or guardian must confirm books read prior to entry. Please see Mrs Skinner if you want a log or more details. Entries must be received by 5pm, Monday 6 February 2017. The draw will take place on Friday 17 February 2017 and the winners will be published on the Catholic Education website. Happy Holidays Kerri Skinner - Librarian 2016 FINAL SCHOOL MASS: The school requests the assistance of parents to ensure that all students wear correct summer Email: straphaels@bth.catholic.edu.au School Website: www.straphaelscowra.catholic.edu.au
uniform on FRIDAY for the final school Mass of the year.
January 31: Yrs 8, 9, 10 & 12 February 1: Kindergarten
I-RESPECT As part of the school’s ongoing plan to provide learning opportunities of all types for our students, workshops addressing issues of respect have been arranged for the last week of Term 4.
Student Leaders 2017 Attached to this newsletter is the Student Leadership Team for 2017. Congratulations to all of those students who were introduced at last week’s Awards Day ceremony. Induction to the new roles will occur at the Opening Mass on February 3rd 2017.
The workshops are focused on areas of self-respect and respect for others, delivered as half day sessions for students in Stages 4, 5 and 6. The workshop for girls will be delivered by an experienced facilitator and will address body image, selfawareness, physical differences and positive self-talk. It’s important that our young women keep hearing messages which encourage positive thoughts and beliefs about themselves and how they look and feel to counter the often fake images projected by social media and other sources. The material will be delivered in age-appropriate groupings. The workshop for boys will address respectful relationships and conducted by PDHPE trained staff who are connected with CYMS Rugby League Club, Orange. The material has been delivered to other local secondary schools and involves presentations, physical activities and role plays. The workshop day is Thursday 15 December. All students will attend and are required to wear sport uniform. The workshops are subsidised and there is no charge for students. Special thanks to Miss Larissa Atkinson for setting up the workshop experiences.
High Jumping at the National Athletics Stand up and place your hand 205 cm above the floor. Now picture yourself leaping over that height! Unbelievable? Not so. That’s the level of athleticism shown by 16 year old John Terry (Year 10) who cleared a bar at that height at the National Institute of Sport, Canberra a little over a week ago. This humble but highly talented young flyer has positioned himself as seventh in Australia with a very bright athletics future ahead of him (and above him).
Fee Schedule 2017 Attached to this newsletter is a letter to parents from Mrs Jenny Allen, Executive Director of Schools in our diocese. The letter describes a change of fee structure being introduced in 2017 that we have already been working towards at St Raphs, so this is the final step of the change. The fee schedule is also attached. Class Teachers 2017 - Primary The teacher / class allocations for 2014 in the primary department of the school are as follows: K Kylie McNamara, Kathy English and Jodie Colemane 1 Jenny White, Grahame Statham 2 Laura Moodie (Pratt), Monica Blazley 3 Renae Downes, Amy O’Reilly & Amanda Edwards 4 Darrel Colemane, Nicole Twohill-Scott 5 Chloe Gannon, Karla Slaven 6 Luke O’Reilly, Carolyn James & Meg Jobson Staff Changes Lorna Ahern is on Maternity leave 2017 – Gabriella Zideluns replacing Ben Cooley is on Extended leave for 2017 - Craig Jeffries replacing Angela Calvert – New teaching appointment Introducing new staff members: Kathryn Allan (Secondary RE & English), Gabriella Zideluns (Secondary HSIE, Legal Studies, Business Studies) Alexandra Hamilton (Secondary Science & Maths) Meg Jobson (Primary Job Share) Anne Hickman (Primary Executive Release) Two additional appointments are yet to be finalised – Secondary Mathematics and Indigenous Educator. Changed Coordination Structure 2017 Coordinator roles have been modified in 2017and some appointments are yet to be finalised. The Primary Department will be under the direct guidance of three people: Kylie McNamara (Coordinator of Curriculum K-6) Darrel Colemane (Coordinator of Wellbeing K-6) Karla Slaven (Coordinator of Religious Education K-6) Assisting them in these key roles are: Carolyn James and Chloe Gannon (Curriculum K-6) Renae Downes (Wellbeing K-6) The Secondary Department is under the direct guidance of three people: Ben Thomson (Coordinator of Curriculum 7-12) Sue Whiteley (Coordinator of Wellbeing 7-12) Peta Bischof (Coordinator of Religious Education 7-12) Assisting them in these key roles are: Claire Spora, and three staff members yet to be confirmed.
Starting Dates Term 1 2017 January 27th: Staff members return January 30: students in Years 1-6, Year 7 and Year 11 and School Leaders
P.O. Box 7, Cowra 2794 Tel: 6342.2940
Email: straphaels@bth.catholic.edu.au School Website: www.straphaelscowra.catholic.edu.au
St Raphael’s Productive School Garden Summer has arrived and there is always an abundance of willing helpers when there is watering involved. Watering cans and hoses are popular tools of trade. The berry bed is also very popular with the students with red and blue treasures hidden amongst the leaves. Students have taken initiative when they have forgotten fruit for their morning fruit break and foraged amongst the berry bed for fresh berries. Students also enjoy fresh celery, carrots and snow peas straight from the garden. Watermelons and rockmelons are spreading across the understorey of the food forest, no melons for Christmas, but perhaps for Term 1 of 2017. Apricots are ripening and apples are taking shape. At the recent Christmas Fair the Productive Food Garden hosted a stall, selling value added and fresh produce from the garden. Volunteer students worked the stall serving customers and handling transactions. A cashbook of sales was kept by students. A special thank you to Mrs Kerrie Smith for her assistance with supervising the stall. Jacque Perry and Therese Johnston for their donations of produce and students Jock Stephenson, Brodie Whitty, Jasmine Whitty, Jayden Azzopardi, and Dekota Hindmarsh for their dedication to the operation of the stall. The stall netted sales of $292.05. The biggest triumph of the year was the recent acknowledgment of the Productive Food Garden initiative by the Council of Catholic School Parents. St Raphael’s P & F Association are the 2016 winners of the annual Roger O’Sullivan Family, School and Community Partnership Memorial Award this award, for the Productive Food Garden initiative. The award is for a school community that can show exemplary practice in family school partnerships that has led to improved outcomes in the faith development, learning & well-being for all students. The award is named in honour of Roger O’Sullivan who was the first Executive Officer of the Council of Catholic School Parents. The P & F Association will receive: $4000 to support the further development of an existing initiative which aims to build parent and community engagement through collaborative partnerships; a framed award; a write-up in the CCSP’s quarterly newsletter, Parent Talk, which is distributed widely to school boards, parent groups, principals, state and federal politicians, journalists, Catholic Church officials, the Catholic Education Offices and other state and national Parent Associations, and; be showcased on the Partners4Learning website. The Productive Food Garden continues to evolve; initially the productive food garden project was purely designed to provide students with the connection to food production. However as we move forward the fringe benefits to the entire school and parent community are slowly becoming more apparent.
Cowra Squash Competition The next Cowra Squash competition starts the week of th 7 February 2017. A grading night for new players is on th Wednesday 25 January from 6pm at the Cowra Services Club. Cost per competition is only $20 for juniors. If you have any questions please call Nicky Savage on 0417 423 219. Free coaching is run from 5.30pm every Monday by Pat Charnock. For more information please call Pat on 0427 421 021.
Canteen Update This week’s roster is as follows: Tues 13 Tammie Pengu
Wed 14 CLOSED
Jodie Travers
Thurs 15 Rachael Duff
Fri 16 Cindy Langfield
Ona Lawrence
Kristy White
Mon 19
Pupil Free Day
Kylie Kollas
P.O. Box 7, Cowra 2794 Tel: 6342.2940
Email: straphaels@bth.catholic.edu.au School Website: www.straphaelscowra.catholic.edu.au
St Raphael’s Catholic School
Student Leaders of 2017 School Captains: Michelle Grech
Brandon Melton
School Senior Prefects: Kitty Brooks
Anna McNamara
Richmond Bush
Anthony Day
School Vice Captains: Monique Chang
Jack Webb
School Prefects: Meg Jones
P.O. Box 7, Cowra 2794 Tel: 6342.2940
Inka Wilson
Eoghan Killick
Ben Smith
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