A Prayer for Mothers

Where would we be without our mother’s love?
Lord, bless our mothers with wisdom to teach and guide
their children in a way that will help them to follow You and
to become men and women who will be pleasing in Your sight.

Give all mothers the patience to deal with the difficulties
of their job and, most of all, give them a special blessing as
they care so lovingly for the gifts that You have allowed them the honour of raising.

Father, please bless all our mothers on Sunday and on each and every day.  AMEN

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

We wish all our mothers and grandmothers a very special Mother’s Day on Sunday week, 9 May.

It is wonderful that we can hold our regular stall at school this year. Thank you to the P & F for organising this fundraiser and to the parents who have volunteered their time to assist next Friday 7 May.

SACRAMENTAL PROGRAMS

Towards the end of last term, many Year 3 students received the Sacrament of Penance after participating in a four week preparation program. Thank you to Father Joe and the Sacramental coordinator Christina Agius as well as the other participating priests and teachers who led the workshops. They will now prepare for their Holy Communion in Term 4. Year 6 students will shortly commence their preparation for Confirmation.

HOLY WEEK LITURGY

The students participated in a moving Holy Week Liturgy on Holy Thursday. Led by the Year 6 Leaders of Liturgy, the whole school came together to reflect on the events of Holy Week. It was wonderful to see our families attend many of the Church services, culminating in the 9am Easter Sunday Mass, which was followed by an Easter Egg hunt for the children. 

PROJECT COMPASSION  

Our Year 6 Leaders of Liturgy led a whole school approach to supporting Project Compassion this year and in total were able to raise over $2200.

WINTER UNIFORM

Due to supply issues at Lowes, the official start of winter uniform has now been pushed back to Monday 17 May (Week 5), however the children may start to wear their winter uniform earlier if the weather is particularly cold. I believe that there may be some ongoing supply issues, however please be assured that this will be taken into consideration if students are in the wrong uniform. I ask that if this is the case, parents make me aware via writing/email. I commend all students for the manner in which they proudly wear their school uniform and I know this will continue throughout the year, keeping in mind that winter shirts are to be tucked into school pants.

DIOCESAN CROSS COUNTRY CARNIVAL

On Tuesday, the Stella Maris Cross Country team travelled to Willandra to compete in the Diocesan Cross Country Carnival. After eight weeks of hard training and preparation, the children were ready to put on a great show and that is exactly what they did. We were very successful on the day with many wonderful performances from all the children. Through commitment and teamwork, we came first out of thirty schools in the overall pointscore, the first time since 1991! The Stella Maris boys team won the Champion Boys School trophy for the fourth consecutive year and the girls team came second. Congratulations to all the children involved in the Cross Country squad. You showed excellent team spirit and sportsmanship on the day. All of us here at Stella Maris are very proud of you. Significant results included:

Sianna Zammit (7th), Campbell Knox (7th), Bronte Grove (7th), Maya Heutter (9th), Isabella Clowes (9th), Elijah Sim (9th), Siair Paillis (11th), Alani Waters (12th), Cody Cannon (12th), Harry Thomson (13th), Chelsea Santana (13th), Lily Griggs (13th), Tyne McGregor (19th), Jett Parker (20th), Justin Lakeman (21st), Jesse Thompson (22nd). These results are outstanding when you consider there were 90 competitors in each race.

Finally, a big thank you to all the parents who helped over the course of the six weeks in transporting the students to and from training sessions and for helping out on the day. Without your generosity and help, the success of the students would not be possible. A big thank you also to Mr Price and Mrs Nieborak for all their assistance at training.

Congratulations to the following students who will be competing for the Wollongong Diocese at the Mackillop Carnival at Eastern Creek in June: Sianna Zammit, Campbell Knox and Bronte Grove.

NAPLAN ONLINE TESTING

This year’s NAPLAN Online tests for students in Years 3 and 5 will be held in the period from Tuesday 11 May until Friday 21 May. 

KINDER ENROLMENTS 2021

Once again this year, we have received a record number of applications for Kindergarten 2022. We will be conducting enrolment interviews for the next month and working with Father Joe to communicate what it means to join a Catholic faith community.

EXCURSIONS

It is great to have excursions re-commence after the impact of COVID-19. Our students will participate in two significant outings with a Year 5 overnight trip to Mary Mackillop House and Taronga Zoo, as well as Year 6 participating in a Sport and Recreation Camp at Berry.

CHESS COMPETITION

At Stella Maris we always strive to provide our students with opportunities to be involved in extra-curricular activities. For the first time we are very excited to announce that this term, Stella Maris will compete in the Inter-school Chess Competition in the Illawarra region. The competition will run Friday afternoons and students will travel to other schools in the Illawarra region to play against other students.

Congratulations to the students who were selected in our Stella Maris team.

Stella Maris Chess Squad

• Dustyn Kotwal (Year 6)
• Sam Huetter (Year 6)
• Isaac McAlister (Year 6)
• Kobi Lorkin (Year 5)
• Nash Lewis (Year 5)
• Jake Genford (Year 5)

We wish them all the best for their first game this Friday.

CLASS OF THE TERM

Congratulations to Year 1 Blue, Term One’s Class of the Term Winner. The children enjoyed a Pizza Lunch last week.

STUDENT SUPPORT

Each term our Year 6 Student Support Leaders visit the classes to ask them questions about the school. Over the next few newsletters I will publish some of the children’s responses starting this week with the question: What do you Like the most about Stella Maris:

• Opportunities for Gifted Education (SPLICED)
• Having a safe and welcoming environment
• Receiving regular support from teachers and friends 
• Sporting and other extra activities such as band, choir, STEM, chess, writing and dance clubs.
• Learning about the Catholic faith and how to pray
• Nice, caring, happy staff and Principal
• Minimal bullying
• Opportunity to go to the oval to play (Years 3-6)
• Using iPads/technology to improve learning
• Earning rewards and receiving awards
• Mini Vinnies and helping the poor in our community
• Using our seaside location for learning, sports training and class rewards.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS 

This Sunday’s Gospel

Jn 15:1-8

Jesus the vine, the Father, the vine grower.

All Saints Catholic Parish Shellharbour

Mass times: All Saints Church

19 College Ave, Shellharbour City

Saturday  5.00pm Vigil 

Sunday    9.00am 

               5.00pm 

Mass at Stella Maris 

This Term

Year 4 Gold Week 3 - 4 May

Year 4 Blue Week 4 - 11 May

Year 2 Gold Week 5 - 18 May

Year 2 Blue Week 7 - 1 June

Year 1 Gold Week 8 - 8 June

Year 1 Blue Week 9 - 15 June

Year 3 Gold Week 10 - 22 June

Class Masses in Term 3

Year 3 Blue Week 1 - 13 July

KIndergarten Gold Week 2 - 20 July

Kindergarten Blue Week 3 - 27 July

SPECIAL PERFORMANCE:

Kindergarten will perform at the 5pm Vigil Mass Sat 8 May for Mother’s Day.

Sacramental News

Confirmation enrolment forms will be distributed after Masses this weekend and names will be recorded for the programme.

Project Compassion Lenten Fundraising

As we continue to celebrate the joys of Easter, let us reflect on how for over half a century, generations of Australians have participated in Project Compassion – making it one of the nation’s longest-running charity campaigns.

Every year, countless people turn Lent into a demonstration of faith, love, and generosity.

Thank you to all those who have supported Project Compassion in our schools, parishes, homes, and offices this year. Thank you for being part of an incredible community, who believes that there are simple actions we can all take to “be more” for our world. For over 50 years, generations of Australians have participated in Project Compassion. Together our community raised over $1532 to help end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity.  Congratulations.

Anzac Day 

On Monday 26 April at 11am, we remembered with special visitors from the Warilla

RSL, the anniversary of the ANZAC landings at Gallipoli with a beautiful liturgy led by Year 5 and supported by our choir.    Anzac Day is not a day where Australia and New Zealand celebrate war; rather it is a day when we give thanks for all that our war veterans and heroes have sacrificed so that we can call “the lucky country” - Australia - home. Anzac Day also inspires our nation to strive for peace in our homes, in our country and in the world. We recognize that it is through the successful pursuit of peace, that we can truly live a content, happy and Christ-filled life.

Mother’s Day

Next Sunday is Mother’s Day.  We would like to wish all our Mums, Grandmothers and Carers a day filled with love, joy and happiness.  May you all be blessed by our most Holy Queen of all, the Mother of God, Mary.

Alicia Sanchez-Levine

Religious Education Coordinator

Mary Aikenhead Award Nominations

Every year we celebrate Foundation Day with the Mary Aikenhead Award.  This award is in recognition of the ministry of Sisters of Charity at Stella Maris Catholic School 1958-2009.

We are now calling for nominations from Parents/Teachers/Students.  You may only nominate one student using the following Criteria:

1. Exhibits qualities that reach out to those in need e.g. regularly contributes to missions, regularly prays petitions for others, helps other children in the classroom or playground, helpful to teachers
2. Excellent application during RE lessons.
3. Knowledge of Mary Aikenhead and the Sisters of Charity.
4. Displays reverence during Mass and liturgies and shows a willingness to always play a key role in these, for example reading at Mass/liturgies, offertory procession, role play, choir.

Please return all nomination forms to the office by 10th May. Using the criteria, a panel will decide on the winners of this award.  The Awards Ceremony will be on Tuesday 25th May 2021 at 9:30am

A nomination form follows or one can be picked up from the school office.

Mary Aikenhead Award Nomination - For Parents & Students

This award is in recognition of the ministry of Sisters of Charity at Stella Maris Catholic School 1958-2009.

Nominations due to Mrs Sanchez-Levine (or school office) by 10 May 2021

Canteen News

We are a school run canteen and rely on volunteers to operate.

Canteen is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays to make and prepare lunch orders and serve the children over the counter.

Online orders can be made via the My School Connect app - www.myschoolconnect.com.au/stellamarisps click on create account.

UOW Little Learning Labs

The University of Wollongong invites applications for LITTLE and EARLY LEARNING LABS, an academic and creative arts enrichment holiday program. Students from Years 1 to 6 who are passionate, self-motivated and curious learners are invited to apply.

Dates:            Little Learning Labs (Years 1 and 2): 28^th – 30^th June 2021

Early Learning Labs (Years 3 to 6): 6^th - 8^th July 2021

Venue: University of Wollongong (Wollongong campus only)

Applications close: Wednesday, 26^th May 2021

• LITTLE AND EARLY LEARNING LABS program brochure

• Parents/Guardians visit the learning labs websiteand read the full list of workshops 

There are several sponsorship places available for students who identify as Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander or students experiencing financial difficulty. 

For further information about workshops and the application process please visit our website, or contact the Learning Labs team via email at learning-labs@uow.edu.au or phone on (02) 4221 5557.