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Dear Parents and Carers,
“Everyone is looking for you.” In the gospel on Sunday Peter speaks these words to Jesus when he finds him in that deserted place. The Gospel of Mark continued to recount how Jesus engaged in his ministry by preaching and healing in the towns surrounding the Sea of Galilee. Peter wanted Jesus to know about his growing popularity and that many more people were expressing the need for healing themselves or had a desire to see healing come to someone that they know, someone they love. “Everyone is looking for you” means that when Peter found Jesus, his intent was to bring others to witness his healing, delight in his preaching, and listen in awe to his ability to teach God’s Word with great authority and insight.
That is how the early Gospel message spread, by word of mouth. Someone found Jesus and told another about the discovery. That person was invited to come and see for themselves. There is an authenticity in the invitation. We have seen and we believe and so we are compelled to tell others about the experience. Often parents speak of their motivation of choosing Mary Immaculate as the school for their children. They speak of the recommendations made by others who have experienced personally the impact made by this community.
This gospel calls us to consider our own call to action made by the experience of Jesus in our own lives. Will we be like Peter’s mother-in-law? After being healed she resumed her household duties of loving and serving the members of her family, a role that gave meaning to her life. Will we be like the people in Capernaum who brought their loved ones to Jesus for healing? Who do we know who may be in need of our prayers of healing? Or will we respond like Peter by seeking Jesus out in a 'deserted' place.
How will you respond to the Gospel in the coming week to the call to make Christ your Way and Life?
Tina Murray
Principal
PARENTS ATTENDING THE SCHOOL SITE
As Kindergarten students will be joining the other students on the playground before school from next Monday we request that the parents of Year 1 and Year 2 students recommence drop off at the gate from next Monday. This will support our newest students and their parents with an opportunity to transition into a new morning routine. Your support with this request is very much appreciated.
LEADERSHIP MASS
Due to the continuing COVID restrictions, Year 6 students had the opportunity to attend a special Mass Of Leadership today. During this Mass, our 2021 School Leaders received their badges and publicly made their pledge of leadership together with their fellow Year 6 students, witnessed by the attending parents and staff. We were grateful for the opportunity to be able to invite the parents of our leaders 2021 to this important celebration.
BREAKFAST CLUB
PHOTOGRAPHY
Often at school events parents take photos of their children. It is important to respect the fact that not all parents are comfortable with their child being photographed by other people. As such, all parents are asked to ensure that photos are only taken of their own child / ren.
Parents should never post photographs of students, other than their own child, without the express permission of each child’s parent on any web based social media site including Facebook,
Twitter or Instagram. This information supports the protocols documented in the CEDoW Social Media Policy. (https://www.dow.catholic.edu.au/about-us/policies/social-media-policy/)
Many thanks to the parents and friends of our school who have already indicated their attendance / submitted apologies for our Parents & Friends Association Annual General Meeting via Zoom on Tuesday 23 February commencing at 7:00 pm. Please ensure email contact details are up to date as the Zoom link for the meeting will be communicated via email to all parents who have indicated they will be attending. We very much look forward to welcoming as many parents as possible at this important meeting.
At the AGM all positions will be declared vacant and an election will take place. Please read the information outlining each of the roles and nominate your willingness to be considered via the nomination form. Please return the form to the Office by Monday 22 February.
Kindergarten have had a great start to full days of learning here at Mary Immaculate. The children are all excited about starting big school and enjoying the new challenge that Primary School provides. They have had the opportunity to meet new friends, learn through play and explore the school environment. If you have any questions, please contact the school.
WHAT I LIKE ABOUT BIG SCHOOL?
- I like the playground. Nina L
- I like playing in the home corner. Michael L
- I like my teacher. Jack P
- I like learning new things. Pyper A
- I like playing with my friends. Milana F
- I like being best friends. Daniel T
- I love learning. Sophia D
- I like the big yard. Oliver G
- I like all the toys. Carter M
Parent Meet and Greets
Just a reminder that Parent Meet and Greets for Years 1 to 6 (except for 2 Blue which are taking place this week) will take place next week. This is a great opportunity for you to talk about your child with their class teacher. Information was provided via COMPASS. Please book a timeslot through the COMPASS portal. If you are having difficulty accessing this, please contact the school. Could you also complete and return the ‘Getting to Know My Child’ questionnaire prior to your meeting.
Mrs Lillian Del Giudice
Assistant Principal
Happy Birthday to the following children who will be celebrating their birthday this week:
PROJECT COMPASSION LAUNCH
Next week our Year 5 and 6 students have been invited to attend the virtual launch of Project Compassion for 2021. Every year, countless people turn Lent into a demonstration of faith, love and generosity. This year we will continue to be part of an incredible community, who believe that there are simple actions we can take to ‘be more’ for our world.
Next week each family will receive a small ‘Project Compassion’ box. We encourage you to ‘Be More’ during this Lent and give generously to those in need of support.
Mrs Kirsty Simpson
Religious Education Co-Ordinator
Reconciliation for 2020 Candidates - Important Reminder
Here are the Zoom Links for our Reconciliation meetings for the parents AND children who are in the postponed group from 2020. The meetings will be held on Monday 15 February.
4:00pm https://dowcatholic.zoom.us/j/99883518243
6:30pm https://dowcatholic.zoom.us/j/93093870963
You can attend whichever of these meetings suits you best. There is no need to book in but you will need to have downloaded the Zoom app to your device prior to the 15 February if you have not already done so.
During this time we will be doing a brief revision of the 2020 program and explaining the arrangements for the reception of Reconciliation on either Monday 1 or Tuesday 2 March.
Kind regards
Anne Sheldrick on behalf of the Parish Sacramental Team
Holy Communion 2020 Candidates
Holy Communion will be celebrated on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 March 2021. A Zoom link will be forwarded to parents shortly for a final meeting to be held on the 22/23 February 2021.
Reminder of Dates for 2021 Sacraments
Important Sacrament Program Dates and Activities for 2021
Steps Required:
Confirmation: opens at 7pm Sunday 21 February Closes at 5pm Thursday 4 March Reconciliation and First Communion: open at 6pm Monday 24 May Close at 6pm Thursday 3 June
Confirmation by 26 March Reconciliation and First Communion by Thursday 10 June
Confirmation Dates: Session 1: Sunday 18 April 9.00am OR Tuesday 20 April 7.00pm Session 2: Saturday 24 April 9.00am OR Tuesday 27 April 7.00pm Session 3: Sunday 2 May 9.00am OR Tuesday 4 May 7.00pm Session 4: Sunday 9 May 9.00am OR Tuesday 11 May 7.00pm Practice: Wednesday 12 May 6.00pm or 7.30pm Reception of Confirmation: Wednesday 19 May 6.00pm or 7.30pm First Reconciliation Dates: Session 1: Sunday 11 July 9.00am OR Tuesday 13 July 6.00pm Session 2: Sunday 18 July 9.00am OR Tuesday 20 July 6.00pm Session 3: Sunday 25 July 9.00am OR Tuesday 27 July 6.00pm Session 4: Sunday 1 August 9.00am OR Tuesday 3 August 6.00pm Reception of Reconciliation: Monday 9 August 6.00pm Tuesday 10 August 6.00pm First Communion Dates: Session 1: Sunday 15 August 9.00am OR Tuesday 17 August 7.00pm Session 2: Sunday 22 August 9.00am OR Tuesday 24 August 7.00pm Session 3: Sunday 29 August 9.00am OR Tuesday 31 August 7.00pm Session 4: Sunday 5 September 9.00am OR Tuesday 7 September 7.00pm Practice: Thursday 9 September from 6.00pm to 7.30pm (Practice times will be staggered. You will be notified of your time) Reception of First Communion: Saturday 11 September 5.30pm, Sunday 12 September 8.30am, 10.00am, 5.30pm Saturday 18 September 5.30pm, Sunday 19 September 8.30am, 10.00am, 5.30pm |
Please phone the Parish Office on 02 4626 3055 if you require any further information.
We are still waiting for the first Gold Star for the year, I’m sure it will be soon! No classes have earned Gold Stars yet; we have had quite a few students who have forgotten to bring their bags! Below is a reminder of Library days next week when each student needs to bring a Library bag, and return the books borrowed in the previous lesson:
Tuesday – Year 6
Wednesday – Kinder
Thursday – Year One
The Library bag is important for transporting the books to and from school because it helps protect them while in the school bag. We regularly have books which have to be disposed because they get wet.
TECHNOLOGY
An important aspect of the Library lesson in today’s information-rich society is the use of technology. We have a pod of laptops and iPads available for use in the Library, and we use them to help the students become information-literate and cyber-aware. We aim to develop effective research skills, where the students identify the need for information, obtain it from the necessary sources, and evaluate its relevance and accuracy. We aim to teach the students not only what they need to know but how to find what it is they need to know, and how to develop skills in the use of technology for the presentation of their findings. Information literate people are avid readers, critical and creative thinkers, and organised investigators. We also focus on Cyber Safety, so our students become safe, responsible and respectful digital citizens.
“Technology resources are available to all CEDoW students. The effective use of technology relies on the responsible conduct of the users who must adhere to the following agreement, school-based processes and respect the dignity of all involved in line with our Catholic ethos. Students acknowledge the use of technology to access the CEDoW network (including CEDOW supplied technology as well as personal technology) can be remotely monitored and logged for auditing, forensic data gathering, planning and fault determination. … Inappropriate use will result in subsequent actions in line with the school’s behaviour management processes. “ – CEDoW Student Acceptable Use of Technology Agreement.
An expectation from the Catholic Education Office is that every student in our school is to read with their parents the CEDoW Student Acceptable Use of Technology Agreement. This agreement outlines the expectations regarding appropriate and safe use of technology in the education of our students. All students will receive a copy of this agreement in the first few weeks of school. Parents and students are then asked to sign the agreement and return it to school, before they will be able to use the laptops or ipads at school.
Scholastic Book Club: The brochures were sent home last week, ordering is only available ONLINE as indicated on the brochures. No orders or money are able to be accepted at school. If you have any problems, please don’t hesitate to contact us in the Library before or after school. Orders close for this issue, Issue One, this Friday12 February. Thank you.
Daily Reading: It is important to try to read with your children for at least ten minutes a day. Even in our very busy lives the rewards are priceless.
"Reading for pleasure is the most important way to
advance literacy attainment in children.”
- National Literacy trust UK, 2006
Happy reading!
Mrs Susan Bryant - Teacher Librarian
Let’s go to the Beach …..
For the past two weeks the students have been engaged in a school wide writing project focused on ‘The Beach’. Teachers have been transforming their classrooms into interesting and engaging learning spaces that replicate what you would see, hear and feel if you were to visit the beach. Throughout this mini unit, students have been immersed in quality literature that not only focuses on our theme of the beach, but demonstrates what authors do when they write an imaginative text. This week each class had the opportunity to visit our beach that was set up at Mary Immaculate. This experience allowed students to explore, plan and discuss an imaginative story they would write that was prompted by their visit to our beach. There were lots of things to look at and explore and write about. Some of the things students were wondering were, where did the giant footprint come from? What did the message in the bottle say? Why were shark eggs washed up on the beach? They then used these wonderings to write their imaginative text. It has been wonderful to see the interest and enthusiasm this writing stimulus has sparked and the fantastic writing produced by the students.
Mary Immaculate Beach
Amazing Classroom Displays
Holiday Reading Challenge
Congratulations to the following students who completed the Holiday Reading Challenge and have won the draw for their grade:
Samuel V - Year 1
Havana V - Year 2
Kara V - Year 3
Akansha C - Year 4
Alicia M - Year 5
All students that completed the Holiday Reading Challenge are to be commended for their efforts.
Rebecca Sidorenko
SCHOOL BANKING
WEDNESDAY 17 FEBRUARY 2021
If you wish to find out more information about how to open a School Banking Account for your child please click on the link below:
