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Dear Parents and Caregivers,
NSW Grandparents' Day celebrates the contributions grandparents make to their families and communities. It recognises the diversity of grandparent relationships and the roles of older people in our community.
Our culture loves all things new and immediate. We love the latest technology, the ease of communication and the speed of transportation. There is nothing necessarily wrong with liking or wanting these things. It does, however, sometimes blind us to other, more important things. Not everything new is better. In fact, not everything new is even new! Scripture tells us that there is “nothing new under the sun” (Eccl 1:9). Likewise, what is immediate and efficient is not always better. At last week’s Public Speaking Competition one of the speakers focussed on this concept and reminded us that the practices lived by her great grandparents ~ sustainability, being frugal, avoiding waste, reusing and physical activity had held them in good stead and were indeed what we need as a society now. Sometimes we need to pause or slow down to find a more human pace of life. It was great to be reminded that time-tested practises often provide us with a perspective on what we need in our immediate circumstances.
This week we are all very excited to finally be able to welcome our grandparents and great people to our school. This celebration is an occasion for us to slow down, to appreciate the wisdom of years past, and to thank those who have handed it down to us. In short, it is a time to receive and to give. First, it is a time to receive and to appreciate all that our grandparents have given us. Many of us have wonderful memories of our grandparents. Maybe we recall a celebration or family tradition, or perhaps simply their presence in our lives. We might have a keepsake that reminds us of them, of the times we shared with them one-on-one, and of their love for us. We treasure their stories and advice. These things remind us of what we have received — and continue to receive — from them.
One thing we receive from our grandparents is perspective in the here and now. We live in turbulent times. We can focus so much on our current circumstances that we give them an outsized importance and perhaps think that we are alone in facing our challenges. Our grandparents help to put things in perspective and teach us that we are not alone. They remind us that there have been difficulties in the past — often greater than our current difficulties — and that many have gone before us and have faced similar struggles. They themselves struggled, suffered setbacks and sorrows, but still found much joy in their lives. By looking back and reflecting, we can see that they are able to offer us valuable advice and perspective.
Grandparents' Day is also an opportunity to give. Since they have given us so much, we should give back to them. What we have to give to them is both simple and powerful: time, attention and love. The exchange of wisdom and joy during visits from grandparents benefits both the children and the elderly. These opportunities can help to teach young people to honour the elderly when we live out the virtues and values passed on to us, and we appreciate them by keeping them in our daily prayers.
God of love,
We thank you for our wonderful grandparents.
They bring such joy and happiness into our lives.
Thank you for all the special times that we have with them.
Please watch over them, protect them and care for them now.
May they know your goodness and love always.
Tina Murray
Principal
STUDENT SIGN OUT ON GRANDPARENTS’ DAY
On Friday, some families may wish to sign out students earlier. This process must be completed with class teacher either before or after the scheduled lunch break.
GRANDPARENTS' DAY SCHEDULE
- Mass: 10.15 am.
- Grandparents’ Day Morning Tea 11.15 -11.45 am (includes performance by choir).
- Grandparents are to be served in the hall by the P&F. Students will be in the classroom during this time preparing for visit.
- Classroom Visit 11.45 -12.15 pm.
- Students may be signed out prior to lunch with class teachers.
- Picnic Lunch with grandparents 12.15 pm - 12.45 pm.
Families may sign out after the picnic lunch with the class teacher (not during, as teachers may be on duty).
WORLD TEACHERS’ DAY
World Teachers' Day will be celebrated this Friday 28 October 2022.
We are extremely grateful for the essential service provided by our amazing teachers who daily live out their vocation with dedication, diligence, and love for the students. I encourage you to take an opportunity to express your gratitude to our wonderful teachers.
Please never underestimate the power that simple words of gratitude can have on the life and work of a teacher.
P&F TERM 4 GENERAL MEETING
The Term 4 General Meeting will be held on Wednesday 2 November at 7:00 pm. Parents are warmly invited to attend this in-person event that will be held in the Library.
To register your attendance and to add any items to the agenda please complete the form via the link below. Please add any agenda items by COB on Monday 31 October to allow time for meeting documents to be finalised and distributed.
Tina Murray
Principal
PB4L – Playground Games
Over the last two terms we have reintroduced games onto the playgrounds for both Infants and Primary at lunchtimes.
The Primary playground areas consist of the COLA - handball, Basketball Court - basketball, Astroturf - volleyball, and surrounding grass area - tag. The activities that students can participate in are rotated daily to ensure that all students have an opportunity to play in each area.
The Infants playground areas consist of the undercover area in front of Kindergarten Gold and One Gold, the concrete area next to the canteen, the Infants grass area, the sandpit, and the concrete area behind K Blue. Students are allowed to play handball on the concrete surfaces, run on the grass areas and passive play which includes games, in the area behind K Blue.
Over the next few weeks, I will include the rules and expectations for some of these activities for you to discuss and remind your children about.
Mrs Lillian Del Giudice
Assistant Principal
GRANDPARENTS' DAY MASS AND MORNING TEA
We are extremely excited to invite our grandparents and the special people in our lives to our Grandparents’ Day Mass to be held on Friday 28 October 2022 commencing at 10.15 am.
This will be followed by a special morning tea, classroom visits and a picnic lunch with children.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
- Mass - 10.15 am
- Morning Tea hosted by the P&F - 11.15 - 11.40 am
- Special Choir Performance - 11.40 am
- Classroom Visits 11.45 am - 12.15 pm
- Picnic lunch with grandparents - 12.15 - 12.45 pm
MISSION MUFTI DAY
Our students will engage in a range of engaging activities to deepen their understanding of Mission and our school will celebrate on Thursday 27 October with a 'Mission Mufti Day'.
Students will be asked to wear a colour based on the Mission Rosary (this will be their house colour) and will participate in a Socktober challenge day with their grade.
STUDENTS ARE ASKED TO BRING A GOLD COIN DONATION FOR THIS DAY.
ALL SAINTS LITURGY
Parents and carers are warmly invited to share this special Feast Day with our students.
Mrs Kirsty Simpson
Religious Education Co-Ordinator
Friday 25 November - Bradbury Pool - Start - 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Swimming trials will be held on Friday 25th November for selection to represent Mary Immaculate at the Western Region Swimming Event held in Term 1 next year.
- Students must be able to swim 50m confidently and unassisted.
- Events are held for 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 year old students.
- This is the AGE YOUR CHILD TURNS in 2023.
- Parents will need to organise transport to and from the trials.
Parents can nominate their child to be included by completing the COMPASS form - 2023 SWIMMING TRIALS NOMINATION
When all nominations are received a COMPASS event will be shared for those students accepted to trial.
Congratulations to all those students who are remembering to bring their Library bags and overdue books - well done! There are lots of lovely new books ready for borrowing, and only a few more weeks of borrowing left this year, but we need to have our Library bags to carry the books to and from school. The Library bag protects the books while they are in the school bag. We regularly have books which have to be disposed because they get wet or damaged. If anyone has some old Library bags no longer in use we would be grateful for any donations to use as Loan bags for students who have forgotten theirs. Thank you.
Library tomorrow is for Kinder.
Next week:
Tuesday – Year 2
Wednesday – Year 5
Thursday – Year 3
POETRY
All classes continue to explore Poetry – we are sharing poems we enjoy, and looking at techniques the poets use to make their poems more interesting.
A list of Australian Poets can be found on the Australian Children’s Poetry website at
https://australianchildrenspoetry.com.au/australianpoets/
Poetry is a fun way to write if we don’t want to follow the rules we need when writing a story. Poets have what is called ‘poetic license’ – they can depart from the conventional rules of punctuation, grammar and paragraphs in order to create their poetic effect.
SCHOLASTIC BOOK CLUB
Orders for Book Club online have closed for this issue, thank you for your support.
Don’t forget to try to read with your children for at least ten minutes a day, maybe share some poetry. It’s best when read aloud.
"Children are made readers on the laps of their parents."
Emilie Buchwald, Children's Author
Happy reading!
Mrs Sue Bryant
Teacher-Librarian
For Catering Purposes for the Morning Tea please click on the link below:
Thank you so much to everyone who recycled their Bread Bags as part of our Wonder Bread Bag Recycling Program!
As a school we recycled 5 boxes (5kg each) of soft plastic recycling! Mary Immaculate had 2500 points to spend at RHSports! Below is what we were able to purchase with our points!
Thank you again for your support.
Mrs Alford