Filter Content
Three Essential Elements to Catholic Lenten Devotion
PRAYER as an opening to God:
During Lent we are asked to make more of an effort with prayer. There are daily Eucharist, Stations of the Cross, Lenten Prayer Reflections and on-line Reflections, individual and communal Reconciliation Rites. It would be helpful to look up Scripture readings for the Sunday and reflect on them during the week.
FASTING as an expression of self-denial:
While the Church asks us to keep Ash Wednesday and Good Friday as days of fast and abstinence, we may well consider keeping all Fridays of Lent as penitential days where we keep our meal simple, perhaps. We should make a sustained effort to deny ourselves of our favourite foods or activities during Lent.
ALMSGIVING as an opening to others:
Giving to the poor has been a long held tradition in the Church. What can we do this Lent? Support Project Compassion by having a Project Compassion box in a prominent spot at home to put change in. The boxes can be returned to All Saints Parish Church by Holy Thursday
Dear Parents and Caregivers,
As we continue on our Lenten journey it is a great time to engage with our children about ways that they are preparing for Easter through prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Discussing aspects of our faith as a whole family supports the children’s learning at school and will help them to see that their faith is a way of life, not just a subject they “do” at school. One small thing to do as a family is to introduce “grace” before the evening meal and thank Jesus for our daily blessings.
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK
Catholic Schools Week was held in Week 6. It was an opportunity to celebrate all the great things that happen in our Catholic Schools on a daily basis. We constantly strive to bring Jesus to everyone so that we live with a spirit of respect and care for each other. The highlights of Catholic Schools Week at Stella Maris included Open Classrooms, which was covered by WIN News, parents and grandparents joining their children for lunch, a Catholic Schools Week Liturgy and community sport.
NAPLAN Online Testing
This year’s NAPLAN Online tests for students in Years 3 and 5 will be held in the period from Tuesday 14 May until Friday 24 May. The school will notify parents of specific NAPLAN details in a letter, which will be sent home early next week. The test sequence which must be followed in order is writing, reading, conventions of language (Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar) and literacy. The Year 3 Writing test must be held on Tuesday 14 May.
HARMONY DAY- MUFTI DAY
Today we celebrated Harmony Day. Each year on March 21, Australians acknowledge the fact that we are all different and are made up of many varied nationalities. Harmony Day is a chance to practise inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all. The Mufti Day theme of orange is used as this colour relates to the freedom of ideas and the encouragement of mutual respect. The money raised today will go towards Project Compassion.
OUTDOOR EDUCATION
On Friday 15 March, the staff from Stella Maris participated in a full day of learning about outdoor education with Amanda Lloyd from Outdoor Connections. Amanda provided the staff with practical skills on how to successfully integrate this approach into Science, English and Mathematics activities, whilst enjoying the neighbouring rock pools. The staff engaged in sensory games utilising natural materials and enjoyed the serene location of the rock pools and harbour.
The teachers gained confidence with incorporating outdoor education across several Key Learning Areas and have many exciting plans to unfold in 2019. The school is fortunate to have numerous natural resources at their doorstep which lends itself to the inclusion of outdoor education into the school curriculum.
PARENT EDUCATION COMMITTEE
The first Parent Education Committee Meeting will be held in the staffroom on Tuesday 9 April from 8.45-10am. Miss Angela Crandell will be explaining the school’s whole-school focus this year on Mathematics, specifically discussing Challenging Tasks and Learning Progressions. Thank you to those parents who put their names forward to be on the committee. It is not too late for others to join or to just turn up on 9 April.
PARTY INVITATIONS
I once again remind parents not to send birthday party invitations to school for handing out or even handing them out on the playground before or after school. My experience is that this practice causes problems, especially when some children learn that they have not received an invitation whilst others have. It is also not the teachers’ job to be handing out invitations in class time. I thank all parents for their anticipated cooperation in this matter.
UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
Once again this year Stella Maris will be welcoming Primary Education students from both Wollongong University and Notre Dame. This partnership is so important as it enables our current staff to share their expertise and knowledge with the teachers of the future. The first intake will occur form this week with Mr O’Grady and 2 Gold welcoming Kate Rogers and Mrs Mansbridge and Mrs Sanchez-Levine supporting Jessica Carrman, both UOW 2nd Year students. They will be at school on ten consecutive Thursdays followed by a two-week professional experience session. During the last week of this term four students from Notre Dame will be assisting in the following classrooms- 1 Blue, 3 Blue, 4 Gold and 5 Blue. We wish all these trainee teachers all the best for a rewarding career.
REGIONAL SWIMMING CARNIVAL
On Thursday 7 March, the Stella Maris Swimming Team competed in the Diocesan Carnival at Corrimal. Lots of personal best times were achieved and all students displayed great sportsmanship on the day. Congratulations to the six students who made it through to the next level; Nathan Bitz, Indy Amatto, Will Fowler, Tane Tenana, Kobi Howard-Shilling and Chace Tenana. A special congratulations to Nathan, Indy and Will who both placed 4th overall in the Age Championship for their respective age groups and to the Junior Boys Relay Team (Nathan, Chayce, Kobi and Tane) who won their event. A great day was had by all and the students should be very proud of their achievements. A special thank you to all the parents and grandparents who supported the students on the day and helped out with timekeeping duties. At last Monday’s Selection trials, our Junior Boys Relay was placed second, Will second in the 100mts Freestyle and Indy second in the 50mts Freestyle. All six students will now represent Wollongong Diocese at the Mackillop Selection trials. Well done children!
DIOCESAN SPORTING REPRESENTATIVES
Congratulations to the following students on their selection in Wollongong Diocesan Teams after their performance in Week 6’s Winter Trials.
Netball: Rahni Lachlan, Adella Hopkins
Rugby League: 11s- Harry O’Shea, BJ Bell; 12s- Jake Floyd
The children now prepare for the Mackillop Winter Trials, which will be held on May 10.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS
This Sunday’s Gospel,
Lk 13:1-9
The parable of the fig tree.
All Saints Catholic Parish Shellharbour
College Ave, Shellharbour City
Saturday 6:00pm Vigil
Sunday 9.00am - Children’s Liturgy
6.00pm
Mass at Stella Maris
We would like to welcome all friends and families to the following School Masses.
26/3 Stage 1 Mass
Project Compassion Lenten Fundraising
On Tuesday the 5th March, Year 6 Liturgy Leaders Lucy Chinnock, Alexia Sanchez, Chelsea Sarkissian, Aleigsha Roy and myself, attended the Project Compassion Launch at St Bridget’s, Gwynneville with Bishop Brian Mascord. The students then proceeded to launch the Caritas Australia's annual Lenten fundraising and awareness-raising appeal throughout the school. All students in the school received Fundraising boxes to take home and return at the end of this term on the 8th April.
Ash Wednesday Year 3-6 Masses, as well as the Kindergarten and Year 1-2 Liturgy mark the beginning of Lent. This is a time of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Let us come together in solidarity with the world's poor to help end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity.
Harmony Day 21st March
Thank you to everyone who helped celebrate Australia’s cultural diversity on Harmony Day. Now more than ever, we need to demonstrate our inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone. The Orange Mufti-Day gold coin donation will go towards Project Compassion.
The following parent information sessions, will be presented by visiting theologian Fr James McEvoy;
Our Children – Engaging and Growing in God’s Love
Our children are precious to us and to God – made in his image. As parents, grandparents, catechists and sacramental program leaders, how do we encourage and nurture our children as they grow in this awareness? These sessions will reflect on the process of growth in faith, how children are actively involved in their own social and spiritual development – sometimes for the good and sometimes through suffering and hardship.
When and where:
Tuesday 26 March 2019, 7:30pm-9:00pm
Ingham Room, Xavier Conference Centre, 38 Harbour St Wollongong
Wednesday 27 March 2019, 7:30pm – 9:00pm
Phillip Room, Campbelltown Catholic Club, 20 Camden Rd Campbelltown
RSVP: To Helen Bennett by Friday 22 March on 4222 2403 or helen.bennett@dow.org.au
Let us pause …
Alicia Sanchez-Levine
Religious Education Coordinator
PLEASE REMEMBER TO PLACE YOUR ORDER ONLINE VIA THE MY SCHOOL CONNECT APP OR BY RETURNING YOUR FORM WITH THE CORRECT MONEY. IF ORDERING WITH CASH PLEASE DO SO BY THIS FRIDAY 22 MARCH.
ALL HOT CROSS BUNS WILL BE DELIVERED TO THE SCHOOL ON MONDAY 8 APRIL AND ARE BEING SUPPLIED BY BAKERS DELIGHT, ALBION PARK. ENJOY FRESHLY BAKED HOT CROSS BUNS THIS EASTER!!!
Catholic Schools Week
Thank you for joining our Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong (CEDoW) schools across the Illawarra, Macarthur, Shoalhaven and Southern Highlands, and Catholic school communities across NSW, in celebrating Catholic Schools Week for 2019. It's been a wonderful week of open days, activities, masses, liturgies and other special events - including the Diocesan Education Mass, which was a significant highlight of CSW. Read more about the Mass and listen to Director of Schools, Peter Turner's speech here.
Catholic Schools Week has showcased some of the fantastic things happening in our schools every day, and has very much highlighted our local Catholic schools - including yours! - as vibrant places of learning, faith, hope and opportunity. Thank you for your involvement.
We'd like to share with you our small Catholic Schools Week video that has been promoted throughout last week. Can you spot the students from your school in this video?
CATHOLIC EDUCATION OFFICE, DIOCESE OF WOLLONGONG