Support children through change

Change is a natural part of life, the ability to help our children cope with change allows them to build resilience and navigate everyday change in a positive and productive way.   Change can look as simple as having something different for breakfast, or lunch due to not having the normal supplies at home. It can be a change in routine, a casual teacher at school, change in school pick up and drop off, and even school holidays. Bigger change in life can include moving schools, starting high school, family situations and friendship groups changing.  No matter what change is occurring our children will deal with in it differently and what may impact one child may not impact another. Change can be scary and can anxiety however by following these guidelines below we help set our children up for success during times of change:

• Give time to prepare – allowing children time to process changes that will be happening in the future helps them accept change
• Listen to concerns – change brings about many different emotions and by listening to how our children feel we can help them navigate these emotions and accept change
• Safety in Routine – if we can keep as many routines such as bed time, meal time consistent this helps create a sense of safety and predictability that allow children to adjust to any change that may be happening
• Get them involved – if change is about moving or school change encourage your children to help in some the choice being made – for example if moving ask them what they would like for the first meal in the new home.
• Reflect on previous changes - reflecting on how they have successfully coped with change previously and can help a child understand that can do the same with this change they are facing

Remember change can be scary however it is a natural part of life and helping our child navigate small changes now develops them a solid foundation to adapt to change in the future.

Mrs Rita Maher

CatholicCare Counsellor

Dear Parents,

COUNTING THE COST

Jesus’ words in this weekend’s Gospel are far-reaching. They count the cost of true discipleship as far more than just an emotional response to a great speech or moment. It is a response, which lets go of all that we may hold dear to us, even life itself.

I would like to share a reflection by a contributor to the Spiritual Reflections Guide, which I recently read and I believe gives witness to this Gospel reading. The reflection begins:

“I recall a very difficult conversation with my wife Anne while she was going through some very demanding treatment. I knew that she was having a lumbar puncture procedure to collect cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for testing the spread of her Leukaemia. To say that this procedure is frightfully uncomfortable would be an understatement. I rang just after the procedure and simply asked how it all went. Anne’s first words were very short and sharp and I knew there was more to it. I paused. Then she started to cry. She said that the procedure was horrific as the practitioner pushed the needle into her nerve and the pain was excruciating. Through her tears she said that she was over all her treatment, she wanted to stop and go back to the way we were. Then she expressed beautifully the depth of her 'unconditional' love. She said, “I am only doing this for you, Maddie and Ben because I love you all that much.” Four years later these words still echo in the depths of my heart and bring a tear each time. In this Anne’s love for us was not a love of simple emotions but a radical, robust passionate love without bounds. This is what Jesus asks of us as disciples in this gospel and always. To risk it all in radical love. Is this a discipleship that we can embrace especially when the going gets tough? What is the cost of discipleship for you?”

(St Vincent de Paul Society, Spiritual Reflection Guide)

 

GRAND PARENTS', GREAT PEOPLE DAY - This coming Friday 6 September, our School Community will be celebrating our ‘Grandparents', Great People’ Mass. The Mass will commence at 10.30am. Morning tea will follow the Mass.  After morning tea parents and grandparents are invited to visit the classrooms and share in the work the children are currently undertaking. Hopefully all families who will be attending have RSVP’d. The children and staff are looking forward in celebrating our ‘GP’ day with you.

SUMMER / WINTER UNIFORM - As the days are becoming warmer, children may wear their summer uniform. We ask that either the Full Summer or Full Winter Uniform be worn, NOT a combination of both. Tab ties for girls and ties for boys are part of our winter uniform. All children will be expected to wear their summer uniform after the Term 3 pupil vacation.

BOOK WEEK - I would like to thank the students and staff for the enthusiastic way they entered the ‘Book Week’ celebrations last Friday. Thank you to Mr McInerney for organising and comparing the parade. It was wonderful to see so many parents and grandparents enjoying the parade.

Have a great week and let Christ be our way and life.

Don Spencer

Principal

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING

At Mary Immaculate the staff has an ongoing commitment to professional learning. The staff benefit from attending inservices, in curriculum areas, that assists them in providing quality learning opportunities for the students in their class. The following staff have or will attend professional learning and hence will be away from school.

Date	Staff Members	Professional Development
5-6 September	Mrs Lillian Del Giudice	Assistant Principals Retreat

PEER SUPPORT - This week in Peer Support children will revise what they have learned about resilience and discuss the people who show them support. Through a story the children identify where the character has used her personal qualities, strengths and skills to help her overcome challenges. They identify times when she needed support to continue. The children discuss a range of challenges and determine the best person to approach for support. The children consolidate the protective factors for resilience by revising their own strengths and skills and identifying 5 people they can go to for support. Remind your child of their qualities and skills and encourage them to ask for help in challenging situations.

  

CAR PARK - A reminder to parents that during school hours parking in the church car park is restricted to staff, parishioners who attend the 9.00am morning mass, and school deliveries. I ask parents to refrain from entering the car park-park to drop off their children. I have also been advised that further random surveillance by police and council rangers will occur around all school zones, especially during morning and afternoon peak times. Please be aware that the speed limit around our school is 50kph and 40kph during the morning and afternoon school zone hours. As always the safety of our children is paramount.

 

 

 

 

Happy Birthday to the following children who will be celebrating a birthday this week:

Sione A, Caleb L, Gilgamesh Z, Ofa D, Xavier D, Charlotte A

Congratulations to the following children who have won a Morning Tea with the Principal:

Nyadeng D 1 Green, Siena M 2 Blue, Alex H , Joshua V 5 Gold

What’s on…

• Friday 6 September Grandparents’ Day Mass
• Thursday 11 September Mr Spencer’s Farewell Mass
• Saturday 14 September Sacrament of Confirmation
  
  

Prayer of Care of Creation

This month is the Season of Creation.  From September to October each year, the Christian community celebrates the Season of Creation by praying and acting together to protect our common home. I have included Pope Francis’ special prayer for the Earth below.

Prayer for Creation

All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe and in the smallest of your creatures. 

You embrace with your tenderness all that exists. 

Pour out upon us the power of your love, that we may protect life and beauty. 

Fill us with peace, that we may live as brothers and sisters, harming no one. 

O God of the poor, help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth, so precious in your eyes. 

Bring healing to our lives, that we may protect the world and not prey on it, that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction. 

Touch the hearts of those who look only for gain at the expense of the poor and the earth. 

Teach us to discover the worth of each thing, to be filled with awe and contemplation, to recognise that we are profoundly united with every creature as we journey towards your infinite light. 

We thank you for being with us each day. 

Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle for justice, love and peace.

Amen.

ALTAR SERVERS REQUIRED

If there are any children in Years 4,5 or 6 who would like to be an Altar Server at weekend and school Masses the last Altar Servers Training Session will be on this coming Saturday 7 September at 10.30 am (approx. 30 to 45 mins).

The children will then be Commissioned at the 10:00am Mass on Sunday 22 September.

Year 5 Reflections: Advent

Year 5 were asked to reflect on why the birth of Jesus is important to us as Catholics and why is it important to them. I wanted to share a couple of their responses below:

If it wasn’t for the birth of Jesus, we wouldn’t have him to guide us with his unconditional love. Jesus is my saviour, my loving friend and guide.

Heaven (5 Green)

Congratulations to Kinder Green, the only class to earn a Gold Star this Term so far! Well done, let’s hope we see a few more this week, sadly lots of us are becoming very forgetful. It is important to bring our Library bags to transport the books we borrow safely to and from school.

Book Week 2019:  Reading is my Secret Power!! Thank you to the parents and friends who were able to join us for our Book Parade last week, it was a wonderful display by students and staff of the many book characters we know and love. Our Parade was such fun, we saw lots of very interesting characters, and a huge effort with costumes! Mary Immaculate community has some very creative people, thank you for your support of the students’ learning through reading.

Premiers' Reading Challenge  2019:  Congratulations to the students who successfully completed the challenge this year. We had 168 students who managed to read the required number and enter them online. There were another 117 who started but did not quite reach the target – better luck next year!

Scholastic Book Club: Catalogues went home last week for ordering online. Orders  close next Friday 13 September. Thank you for your support with this program.

"So please, oh PLEASE, we beg, we pray, 

Go throw your TV set away. 

And in its place you can install, 

A lovely bookshelf on the wall."

Roald Dahl in 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'

Loan Library Bags:  There are quite a few Loan Library Bags that have not been returned.  If your child has a Loan Library Bag can you please return it to the Library. 

Happy reading!

Mrs Sue Bryant

Teacher Librarian

A reminder that THIS Friday is DONATION DAY for the Spring Fair, please send in the following donations:

CHOCOLATE BLOCK / S