An Easter Prayer

Lord our God, we thank and praise you for the greatness of your love, shown to us in Jesus Christ, who was willing to die for us, to bring us into your family, and to bless us with the life that lasts for ever.

We thank you for the new life we celebrate at Easter; help us to keep growing in the life that never comes to an end.                       

We pray for our families, our friends, and all those we care about: fill them with hope and happiness.

We pray for those who are ill, or facing difficulties: may they find hope in the cross of Christ, and be strengthened by the knowledge of your love.

Lord, accept our prayers, and be with us now and forever. 


Amen.

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

I trust that all families had a wonderful Easter and a restful holiday period. I would like to welcome back staff, students and parents to a brand new school term. I trust that our children enjoyed their holiday and the brilliant weather, finding time to swim, play games, go to the movies or just simply relax at home. Term Two promises to be extremely busy with NAPLAN for Years 3 and 5 and of course half-yearly reports (Years 1-6) as well as parent-teacher interviews. Please do not hesitate to contact either the staff or myself if we can assist you in any way.

ANZAC DAY

Last Thursday our school captains and vice-captains joined Miss Crandell and myself at two Anzac Day services in our local community and yesterday we held a school-based liturgy, enabling all our students to come together in prayer and peace. It is important that our children understand that the focus is not only on remembering those who have given up their lives serving their country but also all men and women who have spent time in military service. The children were most respectful and I am sure that they now have a deeper understanding of why Anzac Day is such an important day for all Australians and New Zealanders.                

SCHOOL MAINTENANCE

During the school holidays, the windows and doors of all rooms in the Year 5/6 block were replaced in order to meet current safety standards. The work was made possible through funds contained in the Parish SEDSO account, to which all parents make contributions through the payment of school fees.

WINTER UNIFORM

All students are to wear their winter uniform from Monday 13 May (Week 3) although they are able to wear this uniform leading up to this date if we experience cold weather. I remind the boys that with the Winter uniform their shirts are to be tucked in to their long pants. I would like to thank parents for consistently ensuring that their children come to school wearing correct school uniform. 

MOTHERS’ DAY STALL

The Mothers Day Stall will be held at school next Friday. All children are asked to bring in $5-$10 so that they can purchase a present  for their mother. Thank you to the parents who have offered to  help on the stall.

BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT

There has once again been some pleasing data around behavior management for Term One with 87% of our students not receiving a minor recording and 93% not receiving a major recording. Overall Term One’s behavior this year has been the best on record with 20% less minor recordings and 25% less major recordings compared to the same period last year. This proves that the majority of students are closely following our school rules of Being Respectful, Responsible, Proactive and Safe. We continue to encourage and reward pro-social behavior in so many ways here at Stella Maris.

NAPLAN

Good luck to our Years 3 and 5 students who will be completing NAPLAN tests from 14-24 May. Thank you to the class teachers who have been preparing the children. Whilst NAPLAN is important for identifying the strengths and weaknesses of students in literacy and numeracy, it is only one component of ongoing assessments that are undertaken in all classes on a regular basis.

DIOCESAN CROSS COUNTRY

Congratulations to the following children who will be representing Stella Maris at the Diocesan Cross Country Carnival at Cambewarra next Tuesday.

Campbell Knox, Kobi Lorkin, Mason Soligo, Tane Tenana, Ryze Smith, Cole Motbey, Tyne McGregor, Jacob Wilton, Chayce Tenana, Joshua Lakeman, Corey Wilton, Beau Hart, Lachlan Muller, Jude Collinson, Macleay Kesby, Will Fowler, Kash Smith, Ethan Alekson, Isabella Clowes, Lily Griggs, Sidney Bartle, Noemi Branchi, Bronte Grove, Tahlia Muller, Eden Corcoran, Maya Hopkins, Ella Greatz, Indy Amatto,Emily Klein, Ruby Jones, Rahni Lachlan, Adella Hopkins, Aleisha Sleiman, Lucy Chinnock and Ruby Dimovski.

The children have been preparing enthusiastically and we know that they will do well.

P & F MEETING

The next P and F Meeting will be held next Monday 6 May at 6.30pm in our school library. Please come along and be involved in important school-based discussions and decisions, including preparations for planned school events such as the Colour Run, which will be held on Friday 17 May .

KINDERGARTEN 2020 INTERVIEWS

I have commenced interviews for the 2020 Kindergarten cohort and this is always an annual experience I cherish. It is exciting to meet the future students and parents of Stella Maris and acceptance letters will be sent out by the end of term.

PRINCIPAL’S PIZZA PARTY

Congratulations to Year 1 Blue on being the Class of Term One. This award encourages the students to be attentive during assemblies and to move to and from classrooms in an orderly manner. As a reward 1 Blue will enjoy the Principal’s Pizza Party next Monday 6 May and so they will not require to bring lunch to school on that day.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS

This Sunday’s Gospel,               

Jn 21:1-19

Jesus questions Peter.

All Saints Catholic Parish Shellharbour

  Mass times: All Saints Church

  19 College Ave, Shellharbour City

  Saturday  6.00pm Vigil

                 Sunday    9.00am inc. Children’s Liturgy

                                5.00pm (6.00pm daylight saving)

Mass at Stella Maris

We would like to welcome all friends and families to the following School Masses this Term.

7/5 Stage 3 Mass

14/5 Stage 2 Mass

18/6 Year 2 Mass

25/6 Kinder & Year 1 Mass

Project Compassion Lenten Fundraising

Thank you to everyone who generously donated to the Caritas Project Compassion Lenten Fundraising program this year.  Together our community raised over $2493 to help end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity.  Congratulations.

Anzac Day

Today,  the 1st May, we celebrated the anniversary of the ANZAC landings at Gallipoli with a beautiful liturgy lead by Mrs Hopkins.  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 who 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, Grandmother’s 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.   

We crunched it!

Our school participated in The Big Vegie Crunch, part of Vegetable Week.   We joined 270 other schools across NSW in an effort to break the record for the most children eating vegetables simultaneously. 40,612 students crunched together and a further 14,117 students crunched over Vegetable Week. That’s a whole lot of vegetable eating! Unfortunately, we weren’t able to break 2018’s record of 50,000 students eating vegetables simultaneously, but there is always next year!

Thank you for packing vegetables for your child/ren to crunch.  

Help your family to up the veg by:

• Having a regular Big Vegie Crunch at dinner – you could play The Big Vegie Crunch song too
• Veg up your snacks – put out veg sticks before dinner to battle the h-angries (hunger anger!), cook up heavy-on-the-veg fritters and muffins, and add vegies to post-school toasties
• Add more vegies to your meals – you can even use frozen veg and canned legumes to up the veg of your family fave recipes in an instant!
• Be a vegie role model -  actions speak louder than words! Let your kids see you enjoying a wide range of vegetables
• Check out the Vegetable Week 2019 recipe page for more ideas and recipes complete with how-to videos 

Catholic Primary Schools Basketball Challenge

Team ‘Try-Outs’

Basketball try-outs will commence in Week 2 of Term 2 for several weeks during recess and lunch.  Students who completed and put forward a CPSBC expression of interest note to attend this sporting event in Albury during Term 4, are required to attend the try-outs for the grading of school teams.  Selection is also based on observations at last years' Basketball Challenge as well as observations in Sport Lessons and Playground participation. 

Where possible, students will trial during their allocated basketball court time on the playground roster. eg. Year 3 & 4 girls will trial when year 3 or year 4 girls are rostered on. Students should refer to the Term 2 Playground Games Roster for Basketball in regards to what day and time slot that they are required to try-out at.  No basketball experience is necessary and every effort will be made to include all children, but attendance at the try-outs are necessary for placement in a team. Please discuss with your child their availability to take part in these trials.

The school’s Basketball Committee’s decisions will be final.

 Woolworths Earn and Learn Rewards

Once again, our school will be participating in the Woolworths Earn and Learn promotions. The aim is to collect as many stickers as a school community as possible for the period between 1 May through to the 25 June 2019. These are then returned to either school or, dropped in our school boxes which are located at both the Warilla and Shell Cove Woolworths stores. The more stickers we collect, the more equipment we will be able to receive for our school.

For anyone who hasn't been involved before, parents/carers earn stickers when they shop at Woolworths according to how much they spend. They receive one sticker for every $10 spent. The stickers are then attached to a sheet (which was sent home this week with the children) or alternatively, stickers can be placed in the collection boxes at the above-mentioned Woolworths stores or, at school outside the Staffroom.

Whilst this is a promotion directly related to Woolworths, it is not a promotion of one particular store above another, but a wonderful opportunity for our school to acquire great new resources.

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION – PARTNERS PROGRAMME 2019

For those enrolled, the First Session Commences in the Grealy Centre on

Wednesday 22 May, 7:30pm

Thursday 23 May, 1:30pm

Sunday 26 May, 2:00pm

Parents are to attend any ONE of these sessions.

ALL SAINTS PARISH ROSARY GROUP

The Rosary is prayed every Monday from 9:30am in our Parish Liturgy Room at All Saints Church. Followed by Readings and Reflection and a cuppa. As Catholics we pray the Rosary as a means to spiritual growth. Throughout Church history many saints and popes have highly recommended that we pray the Rosary. St Pope John Paul II declared the Rosary as his favourite prayer,a “prayer for peace and for the family”. Come join us in asking Mary to intercede for us with her Son, Jesus.