Principal's Message

Last week saw the beginning of Lent for us as a Catholic community. K-2 participated in an Ash Wednesday liturgy and Years 3-6 travelled to All Saints Parish for the Ash Wednesday Mass. This meaningful Liturgy marks the period when we are each called to revitalise our spirits as we prepare for Holy Week and Easter’s joy. 

Wednesday’s gospel reading encouraged us to pray, fast, and give alms for those in need, but most importantly, to do so with quiet humility. During this Lenten period, we can respond with kindness to those who are disadvantaged. The theme for Project Compassion is ‘For All Future Generations.’ Such a theme calls each of us to live out the gospels by ensuring that future generations can inherit a community where they can flourish. In this way, we not only encourage our students to give generously to this Caritas appeal but, through personal reflection, consider how we each can be the face of Christ to those we meet.

I would like to share a blessing from the Pope’s Annual Lenten message.

God Bless

Belinda Hughes

Principal

Parent Information Sessions

Thank you to all the families who were able to attend the parent information sessions. I enjoyed being able to get to each one and have the opportunity to meet you all. Each grade has great things happening and wonderful teachers supporting their learning.

Afternoon Dismissal Procedures - Friday and Wet Weather    

Last week a compass alert was sent to families clarifying afternoon dismissal procedures. Please find below the alert that was sent home. 

Thank you for your ongoing support and cooperation with school procedures and expectations. The last few weeks there has been some confusion for all involved with dismissal from assembly and wet weather dismissal. The intention of the procedures is to minimise disruption to learning and maximise learning time in the classroom. Additionally we anticipate that these will support families with managing after school pick ups. 

Friday Assembly

Students will go back to class for learning, after assembly and will follow normal afternoon dismissal procedures. 

Wet Weather Dismissal

If it is raining in the afternoon we will trial the following and gather feedback:

- parents may pick up their child from their class from 2.40pm 

- normal dismissal procedures from 2.50pm

Morning Drop Off and Afternoon Pick Up

The school day at Stella Maris begins at 8am, this means that supervision is not available before this time for students. Children are not to be dropped off at school before 8am as this causes a significant safety issue for the child and the school.

The afternoon dismissal begins at 2.50pm, buses are finished by 3pm and gates are closed from 3pm onwards. It is expected that all children are collected from school by 3pm. We understand that there are the one off occasions where families are caught in traffic or something unavoidable has occurred. In these circumstances please phone the school office and children will be kept in the office until you are able to arrive. If you are unable to pick up your children on a regular basis by 3pm due to work or other commitments families are asked to explore alternative arrangements, this may be the bus or after school service available.

We thank you for your understanding and cooperation with morning drop off and afternoon pick up, in the interest of the safety of all of our children.

Sport News

Representative Sport

Congratulations to Reid Coehlo,who represented the Wollongong Diocese at MacKillop Touch trials in week 4.

This week Maya Huetter has been representing MacKillop at PSSA cricket in Bathurst, having successfully been selected for the Wollongong and MacKillop teams.  Congratulations Maya!

Good luck to the following students who have been approved to trial for Diocesan teams:

Friday 3 March

Rugby League- Max Chinnock, Elijah Sim,  Harry Riddell,  Heath Paulissen, Harry Thomson, Hugo Manns, Reid Coehlo, Cooper Roche

Netball- Stormy Kahler

Hockey - Maya Huetter

Wednesday 8 March

Football/Soccer- Jayden Toskoski, Leila Volkanovski

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS 

Welcome to Lent! We've had the pancakes and the ashes, but there's a lot more to this season that ends at sundown on Holy Thursday. It can be hard for children to understand a period of preparation to celebrate the Lord's Resurrection at Easter so why not sit with them and discuss how they can follow the example of Jesus by helping those a little less fortunate through prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

God Bless

Alicia Sanchez-Levine

Religious Education Coordinator

This Sunday’s Gospel

Mt 17:1-9

Jesus is transfigured before Peter, James, and John.

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 

Grade Masses take place at our Stella Maris church on Tuesdays at 9:30am.  Parents, grandparents and carers are most welcome to attend.  Please find below a schedule of the Masses for Term 1, 2023.

Yr 3 Week 6 28 February

Yr 2 Week 7 7 March

Yr 1   Week 8 14 March

Kinder  Week 9 21 March

Join us for a Cuppa!

Additionally, we would like to invite parents, grandparents and carers to please join us for a cup of tea or coffee after Mass in the school staffroom.  Simply follow the students and Mrs Sanchez-Levine through the gates after Mass to join us for a 30 minute informal gathering.

The Sacraments

Reconciliation (5 April at 7pm) - Year 3 Students

After weekend Masses on the corresponding dates, the following events will occur… 

4/6 March: Examination of the children’s ability to recite the Act of Contrition.  Parents are also encouraged to learn the prayer.

11/12 March: Details for the ceremonies for First Reconciliation will be shared.

19/20 March: Families will be advised of the day and time of their ceremony.

26/27 March: Mementos for First Reconciliation distributed.

If there are any questions related to any of the Sacraments, please contact the parish office via email shellharbourcity@dow.org.a

Lent & Project Compassion

We began Lent last week, a time when we make an effort to consider others, to break down barriers and to support those who are on the margins. 

On Tuesday 21 February, Stella Maris’ Year 6 Leaders of Liturgy, Lucy Grove and Peyton Gelfius represented our school with myself and Mrs Hughes at the launch of this year’s Project Compassion.  It was a beautiful Liturgy led by Bishop Brian and St Columbkille’s, who reminded us of our role as the body and hands of God in this world to help those who need us most and to raise awareness and funds - ‘For All Future Generations.’

Project Compassion is Caritas Australia's annual Lenten fundraising and awareness-raising appeal.  Stella Maris’ vision as ‘a faith-filled, respectful community of learners’ engages us in our mission to ‘reverence the story of all people’ and as such lead us this year to begin raising funds to support all future generations.  Our Year 6 Leaders of Fundraising will lead this year's Project Compassion campaign for the school.  Students are getting involved this year in classes by watching the stories of Project Compassion and helping with fundraising.

Your generous support can help change lives today - and For All Future Generations.

Each child at school should now have brought a box home to assist with fundraising.  Please encourage family members to give generously.  Once your box is full, bring it back to school and we will add the funds to the on-going total.  Together, we can make a difference!

We sincerely thank the principal of Corpus Christi Rob Muscat for driving the Stella and Nazareth teams in their school bus to the Project Compassion Launch.  Together we truely come together in solidarity with the world's poor to help end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity.

St Patrick’s Day 17 March

Saint Patrick’s Day, is held on the 17 March each year, and celebrates the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. This feast day has been celebrated for more than 1,000 years. 

The tradition goes that Saint Patrick, born in Roman Britain, was kidnapped and enslaved in Ireland at the age of 16. However, Saint Patrick managed to escape, later returning to Ireland and bringing Christianity to the Irish. Saint Patrick managed to convert many people to Christianity.

Please join us on the 17 March at assembly 1:50 pm for some special Irish dancing with Mrs Emma Steele and her fabulous dancers.

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.

eSafety
eSafety is a government run support organisation that assists both parents and educators in teaching children how to be safe online. As we know,
children are often exposed to online content that can at times, be deemed to be inappropriate and can cause harm to their mental health. This
website provides opportunities for you to be engaged in the children’s online activity and teach them how to navigate the digital world in a safe,
secure way.

eSafety is currently providing online webinars for parents to assist them in teaching their children to be safe online. These live webinars give parents
and carers the knowledge, skills and tools to support their children to have safe online experiences. The webinars this term include a broad range of
topics that will be delivered by their expert education and training team. If you are interested, you can click on the relevant link and register your
interest to participate. There is no cost involved.

DATE TIME TOPIC WHAT IT COVERS

REGISTRATION

21/3/2023 7.30-8.00pm

eSafety 101: How eSafety can help you

 who we are
 what you can report to eSafety
 helpful advice and resources for parents and carers.

Register at:  https://register.gotowebinar.com/rt/9079267171533697803

14/3/2023 12.30- 1.00pm

Setting Your Child Up for Success Online

 age- appropriate expectations and boundaries
 online risks and strategies to keep your children safe
 where to find support for you and your child when things go wrong.

Register at: https://register.gotowebinar.com/rt/1671877126416238091

14/3/2023 7.30- 8.15pm

Getting the Most Out of Gaming

 when gaming can be beneficial and strategies to promote better in-game experiences
 how to keep children safe online – using safety and privacy settings in games and platforms
 strategies to promote more balanced gaming and how to create smoother transitions from game-play to other activities
 the key online risks and where to find help for things like bullying and harassment in games.

Register at: https://register.gotowebinar.com/rt/1334321559130979344