Dear Parents,

It has been a very smooth start to the school year with all students settling in well, especially our Kindergarten students. I am sure some of our younger students will be very tired when they arrive home tonight.

The school calendar for the year is quickly filling up with events and initiatives. Next Thursday is the school swimming carnival for students from Year Three to Year Six. Notes regarding this event have been sent home via Compass earlier this week.

Year Six students from Mrs Connelly’s class will begin the service component of the Young Leaders Program next Wednesday with students heading to the majority of child care centres and preschools in Young, as well as assisting at the St Vincent de Paul shop. The following week students from Mrs Eastwood's class begin their participation in the program which will see some students also heading to ‘The Farm’ in Galong. We are fortunate to have a number of parents to assisting us. We are all looking forward to the commencement of the program.

Parents are advised that we will be holding our parent Information Evening on Wednesday 15th February. Please put this event in your calendar. More details will be sent home next week.

Seeing the crowds, he went onto the mountain. And when he was seated his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them:

How blessed are the poor in spirit: the kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

Blessed are the gentle: they shall have the earth as inheritance.

Blessed are those who mourn: they shall be comforted.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for uprightness: they shall have their fill.

Blessed are the merciful: they shall have mercy shown them.

Blessed are the pure in heart: they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers: they shall be recognised as children of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted in the cause of uprightness: the kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

'Blessed are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you falsely on my account.

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven; this is how they persecuted the prophets before you.

REFLECTION

Today Jesus is teaching his disciples. In his teaching, he gifts them with the Beatitudes. We all are familiar with the Beatitudes. However, do we take the time to sit with these eight beautiful teachings and ask ourselves: “How do I strive to be a living example of this beatitude?”

Today, I invite you to read the whole Gospel and reflect on it. Then I invite you to simply reflect on the 1st “Be-attitude” for 5-10 minutes. Ask yourself: how do I live this beatitude in my daily life? What does it mean to you to be “poor in spirit?” Do I strive to be “poor in spirit” as I go about my day? Whom do I comfort? How do I strive to show my concern and comfort to others? Whom do I ignore when they need comfort?

If you have sufficient time, you may continue with the other six “Be-attitudes.” Another option is to take one “Be-attitude” a day for the next six days. This will enable you to reflect deeply on each of the beatitudes and also on how you strive to live this beatitude out in your daily life.

Jesus does not want us to simply “act.” Jesus wants us to act mindfully, deliberately and lovingly! Will we choose to do this today? We may not only give a great gift to another, we may receive a great gift as we share the little that we have! (Sr Kristine Anne Harpenau)

SCHOOL THEME

This year, our school theme is Walking Together.  It is a theme we are celebrating across the archdiocese. We will launch our school theme on Monday 8:50am at our Whole School Prayer. We extend a warm invitation to any member of our school community who would like to join us.

God Bless,

Warren Ziebowski

(Religious Education Coordinator)

Swimming Carnival 2023

Helpers

The Primary Swimming Carnival will be held on Thursday 9th February 2023 at the Young Aquatic Centre. This event is open to students from Years 3 to 6 and only Year 2 students turning 8 in 2023 who wish to be considered for selection for the Western Region Swimming Carnival. 

We would love some parents to help with Timekeeping! Many hands make light work and ensures our carnival runs smoothly and on time. If you are available to help out for an hour or two please can you email me at leonne.challen@cg.catholic.edu.au 

 Nominations for events via Compass

All students need to nominate for events prior to the carnival, as this ensures the events run smoothly. An invite to this event has been sent out to parents from Year 3 to 6 via Compass. Please use the opt in permission feature to nominate your child for an event. Heats will be made up from these nominations and children will not be allowed to nominate for events on the day. The events button can be found by clicking on the 3 horizontal lines titled More. Please click on Events and then follow the prompts to opt into the carnival and select your child’s events. Click on Accept and then fill in the permission form which includes your event nominations. Once you have filled in all the required fields a green button at the bottom will light up for you to confirm consent. Your nominations will not be recorded until this green button is clicked and confirmed. Please contact me at school or via email if you need any assistance. Nominations for events can only be completed via Compass.

Year 2 students turning 8 in 2023

Any 8-year-olds that wish to compete for selection in the Western Region Swimming Team may attend the Years 3 to 6 Swimming Carnival on Thursday 9th February at the Young Aquatic Centre. They will be able to swim in the 25m, across the pool or novelty events, however, they must nominate for a competitive 50m race to be eligible for these 25m events. If your Year 2 child who is turning 8 in 2023 cannot swim 50m please do not send them to the carnival. For safety reasons we may only have Year 2 students turning 8 in 2023 who are capable of swimming 50m in a competitive setting. Please email me to let me know your child would like to attend with the 50m events they wish to compete in at leonne.challen@cg.catholic.edu.au

Archdiocesan Sporting Trials - Year 5 & 6 

Registrations are now open for the following sports:

Netball Championships 14th March 2023 - open to both teams and individual students. If your child is interested in forming a team please email me at leonne.challen@cg.catholic.edu.au so I can register our team prior to the 24th February. If we do not have enough for a team students are able to register for selection individually (nominations close 6th March) via the Canberra Goulburn Sports webpage.

Rugby League (11yrs and Opens) - 14th March 2023 - please register via the Canberra Goulburn Sports webpage. Nominations close 6th March 2023.

Hockey - please register via the Canberra Goulburn Sports webpage. Nominations close 10th March 2023.

Canberra Goulburn Sports webpage links:

https://www.sport.cg.catholic.edu.au/nominations 

https://csnsw.sport/help/help-guide-for-parents

The Full Sports Calendar is now available on the Canberra Goulburn Sports webpage:

https://www.sport.cg.catholic.edu.au/calendar

Thank you St Mary's students, parents and staff for your kind and appreciative $500 donation raised to help St Joseph's School, Eugowra. The money was raised on the last day of school 2022 with a mufti day gold coin donation. What a giving gift that follows our school motto 'To Love Is To Serve.' 

Mrs Mandy Williams, prior to Christmas, delivered the donation to St Joseph's school Principal Mrs Cathy Eppelstun. Mandy had taught at St Joseph's during her first year out of University (and also during this year experienced a flood at Eugowra, during Term 3 where the school was closed for one week). The 2022 way surpassed the flood back then.

During the last four weeks of Term 4, 2022, staff and students from St Joseph's conducted school at Eugowra Public School. In the new year, portable classrooms were to be delivered at St Joseph's school site in readiness for the start of the 2023 school year.

Mrs Eppelstun was very grateful for our donation. Job well done St Mary's!

2023 Student Residential Address Collection 

Please see attached the 2023 Student Residential Address Collection Notice that was sent out via Compass 

Term 1 School Fee Invoicing

Due to the change in financial systems, CE has a lot of back ground setting up that needs to occur before invoices can be generated and sent out.

We thank you for your understanding and patience as they work though the mammoth  task of setting the system up. 

If you wish to make a payment in the meantime please refer to the December statement for the new Biller Codes and Reference No# or alternately you can make payment via cash or EFT at the front office.

The canteen is Open from Wednesday and Flexischools is available now to place your orders. Flexischools is the online ordering system used via App or Webpage. Flexischools allows preordering and provides parents/students with up to date in stock and pricing of the St Mary’s Canteen Menu. Please remember the cutoff time is 8.30am on the day of service. Also be aware that you can place orders in advance, orders for each day are open well ahead of time so you can place them the night before or even plan ahead for the whole week.

Menu & Price Rise

Please find attached 2023 Canteen Menu for reference. Unfortunately due to the continued rising cost of groceries and supplies this year for the first time in several years we have had to increase our Canteen Menu prices across the entire menu.

Volunteers In the Canteen – Sign Up App

Introducing a new volunteering booking system. If you would like to volunteer in the Canteen please follow the Steps and link below to use the SignUp App to book in the days you would like to help in the canteen. Help is needed on Wednesdays & Thursdays, with two spots for helpers on Fridays. This is a flexible system that can be adjusted as we go through the term. You can book in the day/s you can help. Get the days you want with your friends. You can change your days if your availability changes or add more if you become available and you enjoy helping out at the School. You will receive reminder emails close to your day. Alternatively contact me and I can book the spot/day for you. My number is 0437806002 or shelley.mcrae@cg,catholic.edu.au

** We're using SignUp (the leading online signup and reminder tool) to organize our upcoming activity.

Please sign up for St Mary's Canteen Roster!

Here's how it works in 3 easy steps:

1. Click this link to go to our invitation page on SignUp: https://signup.com/go/KGoRoZV
2. Enter your email address: (You will NOT need to register an account on SignUp)
3. Sign up! Choose your spots - SignUp will send you an automated confirmation and reminders. Easy!

Note: SignUp does not share your email address with anyone. If you prefer not to use your email address, please contact me and I can sign you up manually.

Welcome Back Specials – First 2 weeks

PIZZA Wraps – Bacon & Cheese  $ 4.50

Spider Drinks – Lime or Raspberry $ 2.00