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Principal Message
Welcome back to Term 4! Where has the year gone. It is amazing to think that we are at this point of the year already. I have had the most fabulous year, getting to know the staff, students and parents. We are so fortunate to have such a loving, caring and giving community. I have felt so welcomed and I am enjoying working with you to move our wonderful school forward into it’s next chapter. I sincerely hope that you all managed to have a restful holiday break and are able to savour all that Term 4 brings and find grace and gratitude in the often craziness of term 4. I look forward to a fantastic term at Stella Maris, celebrating and acknowledging the year that has been.
It is unfortunate that we are currently living through world events where we are sharing support for our children in how to cope with what they may be exposed to. As always, the wellbeing of students and staff at Stella Maris is paramount. Recent events in Israel and Palestine are widely publicised across all media platforms, including Tik Tok and Instagram, and may cause distress and concern for our young people.
It is normal to have feelings of distress in response to these events and awareness of the impact of this information and images on our young people is important. If at any time, you are concerned about the explicit nature of any information your child, or the young people in your care are exposed to on social media platforms, please contact the e-safety commissioner website to report this. (Information regarding what constitutes inappropriate content, and ways to report this are available on the e-safety commissioner’s website.)
If you feel your child may require additional support at school, please contact your child’s class teacher.
Next Friday 27 October is World Teacher’s Day. We are truly blessed at Stella Maris with the teachers we have. They are all committed to doing the best for each and everyone of their students. Next Friday we will be celebrating the wonderful teachers. Thank you to the P&F who will be supplying a lovely morning tea.
Socktober
This term, our collective fundraising efforts will contribute vital funds to projects around the world, including Timor-Leste, where a medical clinic and a children's home are providing hope for generations of young people. The students will be learning about these children in their classrooms and preparing for the school’s Socktober Event Day, where the children will be able to literally kick goals for good during a Socktober Shootout. This is a fun and educational day, and you are invited to join us if you are able. The event will take place on Friday 27 October and each class will shoot goals at an allocated time of their choice. Please dojo your child’s teacher to find out their shootout time.
Thank you to those of you who have already donated, supporting our school in Socktober and for helping your child/ren kick goals for good. If you haven’t, I’d like to invite you to take a moment to donate for Socktober and make a difference for children around the world. DONATE NOW! https://www.socktober.org.au/fundraisers/stellamariscatholicprimaryschool
Why is Socktober so important?
Socktober points to applicable Catholic Social Teaching, drawing on Human Dignity, Solidarity, Common Good, Preferential Option for the Poor, Stewardship of Creation, and Subsidiarity among others.
So what is Catholic Social Teaching?
Catholic Social Teaching (CST) offers a way of thinking, being, and seeing the world. It provides a vision for a just society in which the dignity of all people is recognised, and those who are vulnerable are cared for. It consists of an interrelated body of Catholic social thought and principles which can be used to reflect on and guide how we relate to one another in our local and global communities.
“An authentic faith – which is never comfortable or completely personal – always involves a deep desire to change the world, to transmit values, to leave this earth somehow better than we found it.”
(Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium)
God Bless
Alicia Sanchez-Levine
Religious Education Coordinator
The Most Holy Rosary
The month of October each year is dedicated to the Most Holy Rosary. This is primarily due to the fact that the liturgical feast of Our Lady of the Rosary is
All Saints Day 1 November (Reflection by Greg Sunter)
Saints are sometimes regarded as ‘Catholic superheroes’. Stories of miraculous and remarkable deeds abound, though more in the vein of conversions and cures than speeding bullets and tall buildings. But to get caught up on the Saints of the stained glass windows is to overlook the vast majority of saints. You see, a saint is anybody whose soul is in heaven. The Church celebrates a certain number of Saints whose lives provide a glimpse of God for the rest of the Church. But there are many, many more saints whose glimpse of God was only ever experienced by their family, friends and those with whom they worked. The feast of ALL Saints is an opportunity to remember and reflect on the lives of those saints who’ve been known and loved by just a few and whose sphere of influence was such that they will never be recognised as Saints by the universal Church.
What is the difference between All Saints & All Souls day?
The feasts of All Saints (Nov 1) and All Souls (Nov 2) can be seen as something of a twin feast that celebrates all those who have died. With the feast of All Saints we celebrate all those who have died and have entered into direct and immediate communion with God in heaven. With the feast of All Souls we celebrate and pray for those who have died but have not yet entered into that direct communion with God. These two different states revolve around the Church teaching on purgatory – a state or process of purification before entering into heaven.
All Saints Day at Stella!
As All Saints Day is also the feast day of our Parish, Father Joe has asked for the two schools to celebrate with the children dressing up as a saint. Suggestions for each grade (boys and girls) are included below.
During the day on the 1st November, students will have a chance to draw and/or research their saint.
Additionally, students in Years 3-6 will travel by bus to our All Saints Parish for a special feast day Mass with Nazareth at 11:30am.
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 All Saints
Please come and join us as we celebrate Mass together on the following weekend dates:
Year 3-6 (Stage 2 & 3) Saturday 28 October 5pm
Mass at Stella Maris
Grade Masses also 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 this term.
Week 3 - Kinder - 24 October
Week 4 - Yr 2 - 31 October
Week 5 - Yr 1 - 7 November
Week 6 - Yr 4 - 14 November
Week 7 - Yr 6 - 21 November
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, Mrs Sanchez-Levine or Mrs Hughes through the gates after Mass to join us for a 30 minute informal gathering.
The Sacraments
First Holy Communion - Year 3 or Older
Please note that anyone who has not completed their Reconciliation and would like to do so can have workshops tailored for both Sacraments (Penance & Holy Communion).
Timetable of Events after the Vigil/Sunday Masses:
14/15 October - Workshop books distributed & selection of preferred Mass time
16-19 October - First Week of Workshops
21/22 October - Mass time shared for the Sacrament
23-26 October - Second Week of Workshops
28/29 October - Blessing & Distribution of Holy Communion Medals
30-2 October - Third Week of Workshops
4 /5 November - Instruction on how to receive Holy Communion
6-9 November - Last Week of Workshops
18 November - Rehearsals and Seating Allocations for 11am Communion Mass
19 November - Rehearsals and Seating Allocations for 2pm Communion Mass
26 November - FIRST HOLY COMMUNION MASSES 11AM & 2PM
If there are any questions related to any of the Sacraments, please contact the parish office via email shellharbourcity@dow.org.au
Interested in becoming a Catholic
Are you or someone you know interested in finding out more about the Catholic faith? All Saints Catholic Parish in Shellharbour will be starting a free program for interested teens and adults from 17 October, 2023.
We meet in the church on Tuesday evenings from 7pm for one hour. For more information or to express an interest please contact the parish office 02 4296 3939 and one of our team will return your call.
Congratulations!
Congratulations to Mr and Mrs Price who welcomed a beautiful baby boy late in the holidays. Mum and baby are doing well.
Returning to school with an injury
Parents a reminder that in accordance with updated regulations, any child who comes to school with an injury must have clearance from a doctor that clearly states the nature of the injury and what the student can and can not do at school, this includes them being on the playground at recess and lunch times. We understand that this can be difficult to obtain at some times, we have found that if you are able to ask for this information at the time of consultation it will save you the challenge of following up. We anticipate this will be helpful if you unfortunately find yourself in this situation. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to call the school office.
At the next P&F Meeting
At the next P&F meeting, I will be sharing the results of the recent School Cyclic Inquiry and a brief update on the school’s building master planning process. We hope you are able to join us for our last meeting of the year.
Please see below for some key dates in Term 4. As always any changes will be communicated via Compass and the Parent calendar will always have the most up to date information.
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Week 3 |
Monday 7.45am First Communion Workshop Wednesday 3.00pm First Communion Workshop Thursday 5.00pm First Communion Workshop Friday Socktober Shoot Out |
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Week 4 |
Monday 7.45am First Communion Workshop Tuesday 8.30am Whole School Photo (rescheduled due to weather) Wednesday 3.00pm First Communion Workshop Thursday 5.00pm First Communion Workshop |
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Week 5 |
Monday 7.45am First Communion Workshop 6pm P&F Meeting Wednesday 3.00pm First Communion Workshop Thursday 5.00pm First Communion Workshop Friday 11am 2024 Captain Speeches |
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Week 7 |
Thursday Swimming Carnival Friday Colour Run 26 November - FIRST HOLY COMMUNION MASSES 11AM & 2PM |
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Week 8 |
Friday Pupil Free Day - 1 December |
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Week 9 |
Thursday Year 6 Graduation Night Saturday 9 December Christmas Concert at All Saints Parish
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Week 10 |
Friday Last Day of school for students |
Assembly Timetable for Term 4
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Week 2 |
Week 4 |
Week 6 |
Week 9 |
Week 10 |
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1B Assembly item |
KB Assembly item |
2G Assembly item |
5B Assembly item |
Yr 6 Farewell |
Life Education Visit 2023
Information Technology News
- Early Stage One Winner- Kishan Singham (KG)- "Jack and the Egg"
- Stage One Winner- Eden Mace (1G)- "Jeremy the Giraffe's Big Adventure"
- Stage One Runner Up- Maggie Herbert (1G)- " The Girl Who Grew Books"
- Stage Two Winner- Dekoda Tolley (3B)- "The Little Worm"
- Stage Two Runner Up- Oliver Cunningham (3G)- "Oliver and the Big Monkey Adventure"
- Stage Three Winner- Lucy Grove (6B)- "Forging Liberty- The history of democracy, freedom and the creation of nation"
- Stage Three Runner Up- Maya Huetter (6G)- The Enchanted Forest"
| Year 1 | Ellie Kearney & Olivia Rich |
| Year 2 |
Amelia Goodes, Massimo Di Nunsio, Mia McKenna, Mai Parr, Maddox Wright, Samuel Iacono, Amarah Tungai & Peyton Thomas |
| Year 3 | Sienna Cole, Hailley Bond & Elijah Cockcroft |
| Year 4 | Olly Lachlan, Nicholas Nadis & Sianna Mickovski |
| Year 5 | Mia Iacono, Chelsea Santana, Evie Giovas, Max Henry, Ava Coleiro & Alyra Muller |
| Year 6 | Peyton Gelfius, Harvey Verdon & Harrison Riddell |
Canteen News
Canteen is open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
The canteen menu is on our website.
Online orders can be made via the My School Connect app - www.myschoolconnect.com.au/stellamarisps click on create account.
A big THANK YOU to all of our volunteers.
Second Hand Uniform Shop
Just a reminder that the second-hand uniform shop is open every Monday morning from approximately 8am until all customers are served.
We thank our P&F volunteer for manning the shop at this time.
Speed Zone Safety Changes in Shellharbour
Our school has been advised by Shellharbour City Council that road users will see a speed zone change on Addison Street, Wilson Street, Towns Street and Mary Street Shellharbour. As a part of the High Pedestrian Activity Area project, the speed limit on Addition Street will drop from 40km/h to 30km/h. The surrounding school zones will also be reduced to 30 km/h on Mary Street, Wilson Street and Town Street Shellharbour.
These changes will take effect on Monday 23 October 2023.
Please see attached flyer for more information.
2024 School Opal Cards
Free Family Events & Workshops
