St Benedict's Primary School - Narrabundah eNewsletter

Dear Parents and Carers,

What a proud Principal I was watching all our students perform and shine yesterday in our two performances. I extend a heartfelt and warm thank you to everybody involved in making this year's Around the World performance such a great success. The list of thanks is very long, as the performance is a result of an amazing and unique cooperative spirit, within the proud and beautiful landscape of St Benedict’s.

Our whole school performance is a wonderful example of a whole team effort. There was not one member of the student body, our staff, both teaching and non-teaching who have not been involved and this includes relief staff. Very few, if any, organisations can state that every individual is involved in the production of one event like we can at St Benedict’s.

To the staff, huge thanks for taking a basic idea and turning it into a wonderful performance. Thank you for organising dances, rehearsing, planning and organising props. More importantly thank you for giving your students the opportunity to shine. Congratulations to our Year 5/6 students who choreographed their dances for the show. Well done Year 5/61

A special thank you to Mrs Quirk for her coordination of the whole school performance. We could not have done it without you. Thank you to Miss Walshe and Miss Slocomb for their efforts to provide the musical background and accompanying backdrops and to Miss Maple for the lights at each of our performances. They all help to enhance the performances. Thank you to Miss Moores and Mrs Jovi Van Der Kallen for leading and accompanying our choir at each of the performances.

A special mention also to Mrs Jan Simpson. Most of you would not know Jan, but she is our wonderful dance teacher who came back this term and gave of her own time to help our students with their dance moves and choreography. Thank you Jan for all you have done towards our performances.

Thank you to Mr Noble for opening the Tuckshop and providing yummy snacks for the audience, ensuring they have a ‘real’ theatre experience.

To the parents, grandparents and friends – thank you for attending our performance, for without your encouragement and support this would not have been possible. Thank you also for raiding cupboards to provide costumes for our performers.

And finally, to the students, every member of our school community could not be prouder than we are of you all. You have done an amazing job to bring our dance and show to life. Your enthusiasm for performing has been infectious and there has been a real buzz amongst you this week! Well done children we are ALL so very proud of you!

Thank you for your ongoing care and partnership in your child’s learning.

God bless.

Rachel Smith
Principal

Change in Eating Habits
With the recent change in weather, we are finding that many of our students both big and small are needing a lot more food at the moment and are eating most of the contents in their lunchbox at recess time. Over the next couple of weeks, you may like to consider sending your child with an extra piece of fruit or an extra sandwich.

The first thing the students do each morning as they enter the classroom is have their fruit break and sadly, for some children this is their first meal of the day. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and students are encouraged to eat a healthy breakfast every morning. A healthy breakfast can help children to concentrate and learn by providing energy and nutrients to fuel their brain and body. Breakfast does exactly what the word says; it breaks the fast after a night’s sleep and provides the body and brain with fuel to start the day. Just like any other organ in the body, the brain needs energy to work properly. With growing bodies and developing brains, kids need to eat breakfast to be able to perform their best at school. Eating a healthy breakfast can help children to concentrate, increase their attention span and assist with their memory.

You may like to consider giving your child carbohydrates such as wholegrain cereals and porridge for breakfast as they give your child immediate energy to start the day. Proteins such as eggs and low-fat dairy provide a slower release of energy to fuel the rest of the day. Foods with natural fibre, like wholegrain bread and fresh fruit, give a feeling of fullness and help with digestion.

Grandparents and Grand Friends’ Day – Save the Date
We are very excited to once again be celebrating Grandparents and Grand Friend’s day at school on Friday 6^th August in honour of all Grandparent figures in our lives. Just like us, Jesus himself had grandparents named Joachim and Anne, who were Mary’s parents. St Joachim and St Anne’s feast day is celebrated on 26th July. We do not know very much about Mary’s parents, but we do know that they were good, faithful parents who raised her with a love and devotion to God like none other except Jesus Christ Himself. Joachim and Anne serve as role models for parents and grandparents and both deserve to be honoured and emulated for their devotion to God and Our Lady Mary, the Mother of God. The day will begin with mass in the Church at 10am and morning tea will follow in the library after.

Learning Time
Missing the start of the school day has a real impact on a child. The morning gathering enables us to greet each other as a community and celebrate our efforts and special occasions. However, we work hard to have the classes inside and learning quickly after the bell rings. Classes are usually inside and ready for learning 5 minutes after the bell rings. Those children who are at school before the bell rings (at 8.50am) are usually more settled and focussed in their learning.

Sick Students
If your child is ill please keep them at home for their own benefit but also so as not to spread it to other students and staff. Please make sure that your emergency contacts are up-to-date so that we can contact you quickly if your child becomes ill or is injured at school. If your child needs medication at school, you are required to complete a “Request to Dispense Medication” form, which is available at the Front Office and on our website. A reminder that students are not to self-administer medication. Medication should not be kept in children’s bags but kept in the Front Office area and the Office staff will administer. All information is then noted in COMPASS. Teachers will not administer or supervise the taking of medication. Please ask your child to take medications to the Front Office upon arrival at school.

Boorowa Touch and Netball Carnival
Every year the local schools in Boorowa host a Touch and Netball Carnival for teams from Years 2 to 6. St Benedict’s has been attending this carnival for the last couple of years and parents and students who have attended the day are always enthusiastic to attend the day again.

Shortly an Expression of Interest form will go home to students in Years 3 - 6 to assist us with planning for this event. Please return the Expression of Interest form to school as soon as possible.

Leaving St Benedict’s
If you anticipate that your child will leave St Benedict’s at the end of this year, could you please notify the Front Office. We need to begin planning for staffing and class configurations for 2022. Thank you to those who have let us know already, this is very much appreciated. Naturally Year 6 parents need not respond to this request.

Confirmation Parish Preparation

An information note regarding the Confirmation Prayer Evening will be sent home this week.

Event

Date & time

Venue

Participants

Confirmation Prayer Evening

Wednesday

28^th July

6.00-7.30pm

St Benedict’s Parish

Greg Collins Wing

Candidates and at least one parent/carer

Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation

Saturday

11th September

3.00pm

St Benedict’s Church and Parish Centre

Candidates and their families and guests

Volunteers Needed

We are seeking volunteers to spend some time next Tuesday 27^th July (anytime throughout the day), putting together the Confirmation home packs together. The main task will be cutting felt into squares to distribute into each pack. Any help would be much appreciated! If you are available to assist, please email Nat Wright natalie.zarb@cg.catholic.edu.au

Grandparents and Grand Friend Day Mass

On Friday 6th August Kindergarten will lead our school community in celebrating our Grandparent and Grand Friend Day Mass. Mass is held in the St Benedict’s Church from 10:00am. Families are warmly invited to join us for this liturgical celebration. Morning tea will be provided by the families of students in Kindergarten. Parents and guests are invited to stay after Mass for morning tea in the Library. Parents of the hosting class are welcome to bring their child along to the morning tea. As part of the Mass, we would like to display photos of students with their grandparents/grand friends. All are welcome to submit photos. Please email these by 30^st July to Mrs Fran Tomadini.

fran.tomadini@cg.catholic.edu.au

Community Meals Program

The Community Meals freezer is one way we can assist families who are experiencing hardship. If you are able to cook a meal, please use disposable containers and label with ingredients and date. All meal donations can be brought to the Front Office. If your family requires temporary meal assistance, you can speak in confidence to any of our staff members.

Important dates to note for this term are:

21 July Whole School Performance, 6pm
22 July Athletics at Narrabundah Oval
22 July Yrs 4-6 Olympic Athlete Visit, 11.30am
26 July Footsteps Dance Workshop
27 July Parents & Friends Meeting, 6.30pm
28 July Confirmation Prayer Night
29 July     Yr5/6 Merici Visit for Matilda
30 July Whole School Assembly, 2.30pm
31 July National Schools Tree Day
2 Aug       Footsteps Dance Workshop
6 Aug Grandparents' Day & Mass, 10am
8 Aug      Feast of St Mary MacKillop
9 Aug Footsteps Dance Workshop
10 Aug     School Board Meeting, 6pm
13 Aug Whole School Assembly, 2.30pm
15 Aug Feast of the Assumption
16 Aug    Feast of the Assumption Mass, 10am
16 Aug Science Week begins
20 Aug Science Week Activities
24 Aug Parents & Friends Meeting, 6.30pm
27 Aug Whole School Assembly, 2.30pm
1 Sep Indigenous Literacy Day
3 Sep Fathers' Day Mass, 10am
5 Sep Fathers' Day
9 Sep Learning Showcase, 2pm to 4pm
9 Sep Kinder Health Screeening
10 Sep Whole School Assembly, 2.30pm
11 Sep Sacrament of Confirmation, 3pm
14 Sep School Board Meeting, 6pm
15 Sep Yr5/6 School Camp
16 Sep Yr5/6 School Camp
17 Sep Yr5/6 School Camp
17 Sep Ways of Being Award Ceremony, 2.30pm
17 Sep Last day of Term3

The following notes have gone home this week and also via Compass Parent Portal.

Note regarding Savannah Leane

Final Reminders Whole School Performance Note

A Lens on Learning
Last Friday Year 5/6 students were fortunate to have a visit from Mr Christopher Gilroy who is a Youth Minister at MacKillop College. He spoke to the children about the Sacrament of Confirmation and his experience of celebrating this sacrament as a young adult. Mr Gilroy spoke about developing a relationship with Jesus and sharing the joy of the Gospel with others around him.

After Year 5/6 students learn more about the Sacrament of Confirmation they will have a visit from another Youth Minister who will talk about how they can be inspired by the Holy Spirit to serve those around them and make a difference in the world.

NAIDOC MASS

Extra curriculum music lessons are provided at the school by the following businesses. If you are interested please contact them directly.

Happy Birthday to the following children who celebrate their special day this week: Mia F, Nathan W and Sixtine dSS

Year 1/2B: Sandile N and Mackenzie AH

Year 1/2G: James B and Elias Saco

Year 3/4G: Gurasees G and Benjamin F

Year 1/2G: Zoe N

Parent Representative
We would like to welcome Courtney Ball, Reuban's mum who is the Parent Representative for 1/2 Gold, Miss Maple's class.

P & F Meeting
The next P & F Meeting is Tuesday 27th July at 6.30pm in the school library. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Bunnings BBQ
The fundraising Bunnings BBQ will be held at Majura Park, Bunnings on Saturday 7th August. Rosters to volunteer will be out shortly. All help will be greatly appreciated.

The lost property box has already got a number of items in it and this is only Week Two. With the cold weather here please ensure your child / children bring their items home each day.

Please remember, if you require uniform items please email the school office.stbenedicts@cg.catholic.edu.au or contact Mrs McRae with the list of items. We will endeavour to fill your order and reply to you as soon as possilble.

Missing Items: Big blue winter jackets.

Please check that your child/ren are bringing their uniform home as it is an easy mistake to pick up someone else's uniform. Please place the incorrect uniform in the lost property box or return it to the student or front office.

PLEASE ENSURE YOUR CHILD/REN'S CLOTHING, LUNCH BOX AND DRINK BOTTLES ARE LABELLED WITH THEIR NAME.

School Ties
We have sourced new school ties from Savvy's. These ties are now available for purchase from the clothing pool for $25 each. Unfortunately, these are the only ties we have available as all donated ties have now been sold.

Tuck Day Tuesday and Thursdays are back.
The new menu is now up on Qkr! ready for your Tuesday and Thursdays orders. All orders for recess and lunch must be placed before 9.10am on the day it is required. The Qkr! app also gives you the ability to order in advance for a particular Tuesday and/or Thursday.