Dear Parents and Carers,

Despite the wet start to the school year, all classes have settled in extremely well, working hard, being friendly and respectful and showing an eagerness to learn. I would especially like to acknowledge the wonderful start our Year 6 students have made in the way they are carrying out their leadership roles and setting a positive example for younger students. I acknowledge that the weather has not been helpful in allowing our Kindergarten students to settle into the routine and structure of “big school” but they too have adapted extremely well and are loving being a part of Stella Maris.

WHOLE SCHOOL MASS

Parents and grandparents are warmly invited to join us for our Opening School Year Mass at All Saints Church, commencing at 9.30am tomorrow. This is the first time in many years that we have been able to hold such a Mass and it is a great opportunity for our whole school to ask God for blessings on our school year. The children will arrive at school as normal and catch a bus to and from the church with their teachers.

WELCOME BBQ

MEET & GREET SESSIONS

Thank you to parents for making the time to attend the Blue Classes Meet & Greet Sessions on Monday. The Gold Sessions are being held this afternoon from 3.30-4.30pm.

KINDER ENROLMENTS 2021

Enrolment forms for Kindergarten 2021 are now available from our school office and on the school’s website. Enrolment interviews will be held from early May. We will be holding two “School Tours” from 9-10.30am on Monday 2 and Wednesday 4 March for prospective families. These will be led by our Year 6 students.

SCHOOL DROP OFF TIMES

At 8am each morning the school gates are unlocked and three teachers commence supervision duty. Parents are asked to ensure that children are not dropped off before 8am as we cannot have children outside the school grounds waiting, unsupervised by either parents or staff.

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK

Catholic Schools Week (CSW) will be celebrated this year from 1st to 7th March 2020. The purpose of CSW is to increase public awareness of the strengths and distinctiveness of Catholic schools and to act as a focal point for community celebrations about the many positive things that take place every day in our Catholic schools.  The theme for CSW is  “Catholic Schools: Embracing Our Future Together.” 

This reminds us of the importance of placing our relationship with God, other people and creation at the centre of everything we do. Some of the events planned for CSW at Stella include:

Monday 2 March - 9am School Tours for prospective families led by our Year 6 Students.

Wednesday 4 March- 9am School Tours for prospective families led by our Year 6 Students.

Thursday 5 March- Staff attend the Diocesan Education Mass.

Friday 6 March-

8.45am-  Catholic Schools Week Liturgy;

9.30am- Open Classrooms;

10.30am- Parents and grandparents invited to share recess with their children.

11.00am-  Local area walk. Parents and Grandparents are invited to join their childrens' classes as we go on a combined school walk around the local area. Students are invited to bring a pair of gardening gloves along.

PROJECT COMPASSION LAUNCH

Next Tuesday, our school captains and Leaders of Liturgy will join myself and Mrs Hopkins at the 2020 Project Compassion Launch at St Benedict’s Catholic College Oran Park. The students will learn about this year’s Caritas Project where we raise awareness and funds for needy communities.

SPORTS SHOES

Thank you to the parents who are following the school’s uniform policy in regards to ensuring their children’s sports shoes are predominantly white. On occasions when this is not possible, such as wet or damaged shoes or an extenuating circumstance, would you please send a note into the class teacher.

PARKING

Please do no park on the unbroken lines in the roads around the school, this is illegal parking and there are often parking wardens or police driving around at school beginning and end times who will fine you if you are breaking the law in this way. Parents are also reminded to use the crossing when it is operating, to cross Wentworth Street.

PASTORAL SUPPORT- MEAL ROSTER

As part of his chaplaincy role, Mr Dodds will be coordinating a meals roster designed to assist Stella Maris families who may pastorally require support in this area from time to time. We are seeking volunteers to place their name on a rotating roster for the provision of meals. Mr Dodds will contact people on this roster as the need arises.

Ideally, meals will:

 Feed a family of 4-5 people

 Contain a list of ingredients used in preparing the          meal

 Be free of nuts and nut products

 Be delivered to the school.

When you are contacted and asked to provide a meal, Mr Dodds will supply an aluminium food

container with a lid, which will be sent home with your child. It can then be returned to school with the name of the meal written on the lid.

Those who would like to join this roster are to contact Mr Dodds at doddsg01@dow.catholic.edu.au. Thank you in anticipation of your support for this valuable service to our school community.            

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS

 This Sunday’s Gospel,

Mt 5:38-48

Love your enemies.

All Saints Catholic Parish Shellharbour

Mass times: All Saints Church

College Ave, Shellharbour City

Saturday  6:00pm Vigil 

Sunday    9.00am - Children’s Liturgy                            

               6.00pm 

We warmly invite all family and friends to our Opening School Mass at All Saints Church on Friday 21st February at 9:30am. We look forward to celebrating Mass with Father Joe and the Stella Maris Community.

Caritas Launch

This year the Caritas Launch will be held at St Benedicts at Oran Park. The School Captains and the Liturgy Team will be attending the launch with Mr Sykes and Mrs Hopkins.

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday is on the 26th March and Years 4 - 6 will celebrate Mass at Stella Maris at 11:00am. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent and is a day of fasting.  The season of Lent is a time to reflect on ways we can change and follow Jesus more closely through prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

Dates for your information:

21 February - Opening School Mass at All Saints

26 Feb - Ash Wednesday 

1 Mar - 7th Mar Catholic Schools Week

5 Apr - Palm Sunday

10 Apr - Good Friday

12 Apr - Easter Sunday

Mass at Stella Maris 

We would like to welcome all friends and families to the following School Masses commencing at 9:45am at Stella Maris.

10 March - Stage 3

24 March - Stage 2

31 March - Stage 1

Feast Days

17th March St Patrick’s Day

19th March St Joseph’s Day

25th March The Assumption

Reconciliation

Father will be assigning families to workshops for Reconciliation after Masses this weekend.

Opening School Liturgy - School Captain Inductions

Thank you to the parents, grandparents, family and friends who were able to attend our Opening School Liturgy. Our school leaders all received their badges after a special blessing from Father Joe.

Julie Hopkins

Acting Religious Education Coordinator

We are currently in the process of updating the Stella Maris Bike policy, which will be finalised over the next few weeks. This year there have been a number of students in Years 4 - 6 asking for bike notes to ride to and from school. We are very excited about this as it allows children to be active, spend time outdoors and socialise with their friends. A key component of the policy that will not change is students are not permitted to ride skateboards, scooters, rollerblades etc. to and from school. Students must also be aware of, and safely follow, the road rules and expectations outlined by the NSW Government when travelling to and from school.

Thank you for your ongoing support as we continue to provide happy, safe and enjoyable opportunities for all students.

GOLD AWARDS