Dear Parents and Carers,

Following on from my newsletter piece last week about social media and online gaming below is some helpful hints about downloading apps that may be useful in helping develop your child’s numeracy and literacy skills.

If you have a smart phone, tablet or ipad in your house, chances are your child has expressed an interest in playing with it. Apps can be very useful in helping your child develop numeracy and literacy skills. Below are some tips for downloading educational apps:

• Decide what educational activity you would like your child to learn from an app. There are thousands of apps available. You can choose from many topics, such as phonics, number facts and problem solving.
• Read the app reviews, particularly those written by other parents. These reviews will be a good indication of how effective others have found it.
• Look at the app’s description to see whether it will engage your child.
• If the app costs money to download, search for a ‘lite’ version of it. If your child likes it, you could consider paying for the full version. Be careful of free apps that have in-app purchases.
• Educational apps come from all over the world. Be mindful that with literacy apps, some words may be pronounced or spelt slightly differently, particularly apps from the United States of America.
• When you are choosing an educational app, ensure your child will not be asked to share information, such as name and location. Use this opportunity to talk to your child about cybersafety.
• Manage the amount of time spent using the app. You can set a timer and tell your child the mobile device needs to be turned off once the time alarm chimes.
• Sit with your child and help them interact with the app. You will be able to see whether the app is too easy or too difficult for your child’s level of learning.

Rachel Smith
Principal

Stay Healthy
I hope you are keeping healthy, warm and avoiding the coughs and flus so common this time of year. As restrictions in Canberra ease we must continue to be vigilant about hand washing and physical distancing. Please remind your children, each day, of how important this is.

Our routines regarding drop off and pick up remain in place and I will let you know as soon as anything changes. Also, to ensure everyone’s health, if your child is sick please do not send them to school. Thank you for abiding by all these precautionary measures for the good of all. If you have any questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to contact me.

School Starting Time
Imagine if, at the end of the year, you were “given” a whole extra day?

A child who is 7 minutes late to class each day (dropped off 5 minutes late, 1 minute walk to the classroom, 1 minute to unpack) will have missed more than 23 hours of schooling in the year!

When late, children miss important announcements, social interactions and vital learning time. It also disrupts the entire class, as the teacher needs to stop what they are doing to welcome the child and repeat directions.

We know that unexpected delays can happen. A road accident, a sick pet, or even a broken dishwasher can all cause us to be late. Please though, try to do the best by your child, and the others in the class, by having children at school BEFORE 8.50am each day.

Our “warning bell” starts ringing at 8.55am, which allows students and teachers to move to morning assembly, ready to begin at 9.00am. On a practical note, the busiest time in the school car park each morning is at 8.45 – 8.55am.

Carpark Etiquette
We ask that all parents and carers using our carpark for pick up and drop off please do so with caution. With the increased use of the carpark we must all work together to ensure the safety of all our students. Please drive slowly through the carpark and park front in into a designated carpark. When reversing please be mindful of those around you and the flow of the traffic. The carpark space is limited and not designed for cars to turn around and go against the flow of the traffic. Thank you for your help with this.

Facebook
We try to use our Face Book page to give a snapshot of what happens each day at St Benedict’s. Please follow us at @stbenedictsnarrabundah

School Reports and Optional Interviews
School reports will be sent home with students next Friday, 26^th June. Optional interviews will be available for parents Monday 29^th June and Tuesday 30^th June. A note for requesting an interview with your child’s teacher will be included with their report.

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 where they a heading to. We need to begin planning for staffing and class configurations for 2021. Naturally Year 6 parents need not respond to this request.

Conceptual Inquiry in Jr Primary
All of our classes have really embraced the journey of Conceptual Inquiry with a catholic lens at its foundation. Check out what has been happening in Jr Primary!

Kindergarten: Actions and behaviours of living things change in response to the environment and each other.

Concepts: Change Connection Cycle

In Kindergarten we have been talking about the Bible story of the Good Samaritan. We then asked Ms Wright to talk to us about how she helps people that don’t have all the things we have. On the Night Patrol van she gives them food, clothes and talks to them. We drew pictures and Ms Wright put them up in the van for the visitors to look at. Ms Wright and other helpers are like the Good Samaritan helping others.

Year 1/2: Our World, Our Resource, Our Responsibility

Concepts: Nature Creation Custodian/Stewardship

In Year 1/2 we have been learning about the sacred creation myths from Genesis in the Bible. We have learnt about how people protect creation like trying to protect the turtles from plastic straws and plastic bags. I like the learning we are exploring at the moment because I love nature and animals.

Hector Yr 1/2 Blue

In Conceptual Inquiry we have been learning about micro plastics and how they hurt sea creatures. The rubbish on the ground can go into the drain and into the water, the plastic breaks into very small pieces and then the fish eat them and they die. Human beings need to take care of sea creatures and other animals. Some people see this and do something about it, like talking about it with others so everyone can learn to take care of creation.

Thisa Yr 1/2 Gold

Global School Partnership Day (Friday 19^th June)
This Friday our school will be celebrating Global Partnership Day. The purpose of this day is for the students to deepen their understanding of our Global Partnership School, Gesore Preparatory, in Kenya.  The day will include in-class activities which

will focus on revisiting the context of our partner school and an exploration of African culture. One activity will be focused on providing our students with an empathetic understanding of current challenges faced in Kenya and how we can respond in a meaningful way. 

The immediate needs for Gesore Preparatory School are for face masks, hand washing stations and soap. The COVID-19 curve in Kenya is climbing rapidly and the official numbers are not even close to correct because they are testing very few people. 

The day will be a uniform free day themed by the colours of the Kenyan flag- green, white, red and black. We ask that each child contributes a gold coin

donation which will go directly to our partnership school to assist with the purchasing of face masks, hand washing stations and soap. Families are of course welcome to make additional donations.

A few important dates to note for this term are:

Hats off for June and July

26  June   Semester 1 Reports sent home
29 June    Optional Parent Teacher Interviews
30 June    Optional Parent Teacher Interviews
3 July       End of  Term  2
20 July     Commencement  of Term  3

Morning assemblies continue till the end of Term 2 for students only.  We will let you know as soon as restrictions lift and parents and carers can attend once more.

All Friday afternoon assemblies will be cancelled until further notice. 

The following notes have gone home this week.

• Global Partnership Day
  Global Partnership Day note 2020
• Miss Walshe on leave (1/2Gold only)                                         Miss Walshe's leave letter

Please remember to check the Schoolzine App (SZapp) for all the latest school information.  You are able to register via either:

Google Play - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pidigi.schoolzine&hl=en_AU

Happy birthday to the children who celebrate their special day this week:  Isadora N, Jack O and Michael R.

Kinder:        Molly F, Reuben W and Roseleen K

Year 1/2B:  Beau F, Isla M and Selina H

Year 1/2G:  Benjamin F, Alessandra B and Penelope V

Year 3/4B:  Olivia B

Year 3/4G:  Lalia D

Year 5/6B:  Samuel F, Finn W, Adam O and Hubert K

Year 5/6G:  Obi O and Elvira H

Year 1/2B:  Nicolas C

Year 1/2G:  Mitchell S 

Year 3/4B:   Rocky-James B

Year 3/4G:   Mia F and Celeste M

Year 5/6B:  Hamish M and Lucia M

Year 5/6G:  Michael T 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our normal school clothing pool processes are not in place. If you need uniform, please email the school office.stbenedicts@cg.catholic.edu.au or contact Mrs McRae with a list of items required.  We will endeavour to fill your order and reply to you as soon as possible.

Due to current circumstances all clothes in lost property will be emptied and clothing will be washed and returned to the clothing pool, all other items will be cleaned and donated to St Vincent de Paul.

PLEASE ENSURE YOUR CHILD/REN'S CLOTHING IS LABELLED WITH THEIR NAME.

Please check your child/ren are bring their uniform home.  If they have accidently picked up someone elses,  please return it to the front office so it can be returned to the correct child.

St Benedict's Parish
Office Hours: Tuesday to Friday 9am to 12noon
Phone: 62957879
Email: narrabundah@cg.org.au
Web:   www.cg.org.au/narrabundah

Parish Team:
Fr Dan Benedetti MGL
Fr Rembert Fernando MGL
Fr Baiju Thomas MGL
Monica Nulley-Valdes (Parish Secretary)

Dear St Benedict’s community,

St Benedict’s Live Stream Masses

Facebook Page: “St Benedict’s Church and Mission Centre Canberra”

St Benedict's Church is open for masses at usual times with a limit of 20 people for weekday masses.
Sunday mass continues to be streamed at 10am.  If you wish to attend, please contact Father Dan or the Parish.

Daily Mass from the Archdiocese is available online at https://www.catholicvoice.org.au/mass-online/ .

If you would like to have email updates from St Benedict’s Parish, please contact narrabundah@cg.org.au . Be assured of our prayers for the whole St Benedict’s community at this time. Please keep safe and if anyone would like to contact Father Dan, he is available through the Parish or through the school.

St Benedict, pray for us.

God Bless

Fr Dan Benedetti MGL PP
Parish Priest
St Benedict's Catholic Community Narrabundah ACT

This month is Marriage and Family Month in the Archdiocese of Canberra/Goulburn.

Because of Covid-19 restrictions we’ve planned a series of live-streamed interactive events to take place immediately after the 11am Sunday Online Mass at the Cathedral for the next three Sundays of June.

There is also an online international Catholic Marriage Summit taking place this Friday-Sunday.

We realise, of course, that many of our school families do not include the experience of an intact marriage. This is something we are all sensitive to. I’m sure you agree though, that the need to support, encourage and equip those who are married still stands.

We hope you will be happy to support these two online initiatives – one local, one international, by advertising them, with or without the graphics, in your school communications with parents this week.

Thanks for your assistance,

Lara Kirk | Manager, Family and Relationships                                 Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn Archbishop’s Office for Evangelisation  GPO Box 3089 Canberra ACT 2601| Tel: (02) 6239 9835 | 0429 192 869 lara.kirk@cg.org.au   | www.cgcatholic.org.au | facebook  | twitter

NOTICES:

Live Streamed Marriage Seminars Sundays in June

The local Archdiocese has organised a series interactive live-streamed presentations for Marriage & Family Month immediately after the 11am Online Mass at St Christopher’s Cathedral for the next three Sundays (14^th, 21^st, 28^th June).

Listeners will be able to interact online and ask questions of our impressive line-up of international, interstate and local Catholic couples speaking at 11.45am each Sunday from mid-June. See full program at https://www.catholicvoice.org.au/marriage-family-month-june-2020/

 

 Free Online International Catholic Marriage Summit this week

Starting this Friday, 50+ high profile Catholic speakers & social media personalities will be appearing online with their spouses to share openly about the highs, lows and challenges of married life. 

This free International Catholic Marriage Summit is the first of its kind. The instructions to the committed Catholic speakers was to ‘keep it real’.  Talk topics include finances, grief, communication, conflict and sex. It should be a great resource for any engaged or married couple. Register for free here or at https://www.joyfuleverafter.org/

Award winning Canberra wine maker Tim Kirk and his wife Lara, a Catholic marriage educator, will be speaking on the topic: “I Can’t Make You Happy”.

All bus and light rail services, including special needs transport, are operating as normal.

Hello, Thank you for taking the time to read this. We hope you and your family are keeping well. On Thursday 4th and 18th of June, Marymead will be hosting virtual trivia nights and we would love for you to join us. These nights are designed both to help us re-coup funds lost by the cancellation or postponement of face-to-face events and to contribute to our current Tax Appeal, raising monies to replace our existing Kids' Companions bus. Play one night or two for just $15 each (plus small booking fee) and enjoy 3 rounds of Trivia. Winning team also walks away with a prize.  Players can be an individual team, play as a household or request (at the event) to join others. Upon ticket purchase, a link will be shared with individuals for your access to event. We promise we have made this a very simple process to ensure as many people can play.  BOOK NOW 4th June  18th June Our Kids' Companions support group provides critical inclusion support for children and young people isolated due to disability or mental illness. This support is done via social activities within our community. Our bus, lovingly named Big Ben, which currently transports individuals to and from these activities is now at the end of its days and needs replacement. In February this year, Australia saw its worst bush fires in history with Marymead communities also impacted. Thanks to supporters of Marymead, we were still able to raise $17k at our Rolfe Property Services Charity Race Day towards the bus. We are now asking our supporters during another critical time of the COVID19 pandemic to come together to achieve $13k across our Tax Appeal, to raise the money we need (along with trade-in value) to buy our new bus. We are today just over $6,000 away from our end goal. Thank you to those who have already supported our Tax Appeal. Read more or contribute directly to our Tax Appeal here. We hope you can join us. Thank you! Kind regards, Jaclyn Callaghan Communications & Fundraising Unit Manager

Just advising that the opening hours for Savvy Tuggeranong have changed to the following. The below changes to opening times will be taking effect on  8th June 2020.

Uniform will continue to be available online via https://www.savvyschoolwear.com.au/schoolwear/school and is the preferred method of purchase.

We are still encouraging families to purchase online but would also like to encourage families to call ahead to ensure the store is open and availability of uniform.

Savvy Tuggeranong current opening hours 

Monday Closed -  Public Holiday
Tuesday 10am to 4.30pm
Wednesday 9am to 4.30pm
Thursday Closed
Friday 9am to 4.30pm
Saturday 9am to 3pm
Sunday 10.30am to 2.30pm

Thanking you and stay safe,

Justin Newcombe
ACT/NSW Account Manager
P: 0499 056 234
E: justinnewcombe@lowessavvy.com.au
Shop 37 Homeworld, Soward Way, Tuggeranong ACT 2900