Dear St Monica’s families and friends,

Yesterday we made the '2023 School Year' official, with our Opening School Mass. The students were joined by parishioners, parents and of course Fr Mick who celebrated this important occasion for us. At Mass, I shared the following messages to the students from John J Muth's book titled, ‘The Three Questions’ which is based on a story written by Leo Tolstoy, one of Russia’s great novelists and most influential philosophers.

The story focuses on 3 key questions….

• When is the best time to do things?
• Who is the most important one?
• What is the right thing to do?

The main character, Nikolai, seeks the answers to these questions by asking his closest friends, each of whom have very different answers! How often, when you feel uncertain about something, do you seek counsel from those around you but find their answers don’t really help? This is because you need answers that are particular to you, your circumstances and the present moment. 

Nikolai goes and finds Leo, the wise old turtle, who unveils the answers he is seeking. Leo advises Nikiolai that;

 

In a world where, on many days, things may seem tricky and overwhelming, these Three Questions are a refreshing reminder that no matter how large the task, how difficult the journey or how numerous the challenges, each of us can still be a force for good in this world. We need only to centre ourselves in the moment, cast a glance around and act immediately, with generosity and kindness, to the ones standing closest to us.

My wish for each of you this year is that you live in the present, ask lots of questions and do a lot of listening. Be careful about which answers you accept, don’t feel you always have to agree with them and be mindful of judging others for their views.

Parent Information Evening - it was a delight to see so many families in attendance at our Parent Information Evening on Tuesday. If you weren't able to attend, you should have received an information pack from your child's classroom teacher. Please take the time to read this information carefully and contact the school if you need to seek clarification around any of the forms or items that have been sent home. 

A very warm welcome to the Moharam-Bogan family who have joined the St Monica's community. We wish you a long and happy association with our school!

Dates for your diaries:

Year 6 Leadership Commitment Liturgy – Friday 10 February, 9:10am, in the Church

Sacramental Program General Meeting – this is for all families who will be registering their child to receive the sacraments of Reconciliation, First Eucharist & Confirmation. Thursday 16 February, 6.00 pm, at St Monica's Church.

Star Awards - Friday 17 February, 9.10 am, in the Hall

School Swimming Carnival – (Years 3 – 6 & competitive Year 2 students) Monday 20 February, Gungahlin Leisure Centre.

Peace and blessings to all families,

Happy Birthday to the following students  celebrating a Birthday this week.

Josephine C, Matilda T, Sienna D, Lucy D, Esther L

All schools in the Canberra/Goulburn Archdiocese use the Brisbane Diocese Religious Education Curriculum. The  distinct and complementary nature of both dimensions of religious education has been​ conceptualised in the following Model for Religious Education. To reflect this duel focus, the RE section of the newsletter will now be presented with the two headings, Religious Life of the School and Religious Curriculum.

Opening School Mass

Our whole school community gathered yesterday to celebrate the beginning of the school year in Eucharist. Thank you to all who contributed to making it such a beautiful celebration. Particular thanks to our readers from Year 6 and Mrs Pearson and the choir for leading our singing.

Whole School Prayer

Thank you to Year 5 for your wonderful efforts with the first Whole School Prayer for 2023. You have introduced us to some new songs about walking on a journey that we will no doubt hear again throughout this year. Thank you for breaking open the scripture, Luke 24:13-53 (The Emmaus Story) with your creative play. Read more below about our core scripture for the year.

Ash Wednesday

Our next whole school Mass will be in Week 4, on Wednesday 22 February. This will be at 9.30am in the St Monica’s Church. You are all invited to join us in prayer and reflection on this very special day as we begin our own Lenten journeys.

The Emmaus Story - Luke 24:13-53

The account of the journey to Emmaus is a story of journeying and discipleship. For the author of Luke’s Gospel, ‘journey’ is one of the key images of discipleship. It is a story about faith in resurrection reality. The eyes of faith were opened only after:

1. The Scriptures were interpreted
2. Bread was broken and a meal shared
3. A stranger was welcomed

Most Bible Commentaries suggest that these are the essential conditions upon which recognition occurs.

The Emmaus Story highlights several key aspects of the Resurrection reality, or bringing about the Kingdom of God here on earth. The Kingdom is about welcoming strangers, eating with outcasts, listening to stories of Jesus and of God’s interactions with God’s people and praying and responding to Scripture. That Jesus shared a meal with the disciples seems to be more of a reference to the importance of table fellowship than to a Eucharistic connotation, although this is always a key Scripture used with First Communion candidates.

During his ministry Jesus often practised table fellowship as a visible means of making Kingdom forgiveness and acceptance a reality. In other words, Jesus often chose to share a meal with women, outsiders, the poor, marginalized and the rejected sinners. In this way he offered the hand of acceptance, forgiveness, understanding, compassion and love as an example of the Kingdom lived here in our present.

Faith is presented by the author of Luke’s Gospel as a key condition of discipleship. The disciples in the story had lost their faith in Jesus when he died. For them, death was the end, not only of life but also of hope. In this account, Jesus presents a different interpretation. His presence is a reminder that death and resurrection are part of God’s plan for all. Death will not have the final say. Resurrection reality will.

Adapted from Rina Wintour

Religious Curriculum

This year at St Monica’s our staff continue our educational journey in Catalyst. For Religious Education this means examining where we embed our High Impact Teaching Practices in the teaching of RE, as well as exploring opportunities for a diocesan wide low variation scope and sequence to provide alignment of teaching and learning across our system. In the coming weeks I will share with you some of the superb learning being done across the grades at St Monica’s.

If you have a child in Years 4- 6 in 2023 this may be a Sacramental year.

A Parish Sacramental Program Information Evening will be held on Thursday 16 February 2023 at 6.00pm in St Monica’s Church for the families of students in Years 4-6 in 2023.  You are very welcome to attend the information evening where all the relevant information will be available.

First Eucharist will be celebrated on the weekend of 17 and 18 June 2023.

Confirmation will be celebrated in September during Term 3, 2023 (dates to be confirmed with the Bishop).

Reconciliation will be celebrated in Term 1, 2024.

For further Information – please contact the Sacramental Program Coordinator at sc.belconnennorth@cg.org.au or check the parish website for updates at www.cg.org.au/belconnennorth

Thanks to all families for familiarising their children with the drop-off and pickup arrangments. For our new families, here are some tips to keep the carpark smooth and flowing in the mornings and afternoons:

• The car spaces in the Hall & Church carpark are primarily reserved for St Monica's staff and people volunteering in the school for the day. This is so they don't have to move their cars off the basketball courts during the day when classes go and use this area for Sport / Play. If you would like walk your child down to the school each morning, we kindly ask that you park on the basketball courts and walk them down from there.   
• The Hall & Church carpark may also be used to drop children off in the mornings. There is a dropoff zone, right outside the hall where your child can exit the car safely without you getting out of the car. 
• When parking up on the Basketball Courts please follow the arrows on the map when entering and entering this parking space. It is important you come to the fence at afternoon pickup to collect your child/ren, the teacher on duty won't let your child across the crossing until your child sees you at the fence. When dropping off in the morning, please walk your child to at least the fence or path and then they can walk down to the school and utilise the crossings. The drive-through is closed in the mornings to allow children to cross safely.

SUPPORTING STUDENT SAFETY: Access Canberra speed and parking operations in School Zones

The start of the school year is a particularly busy time in our school carparks and surrounding streets. To help keep students safe when making their way to and from school, please ensure you drive and park safely and legally, at and around, school grounds. We all have an important role to play in supporting road safety. Access Canberra has notified us that mobile speed and parking vans will be in operation to support our students’ safety. These enforcement teams play a critical role in supporting our students get to and from school safely and we thank them for their ongoing support. In addition to sticking to the speed limit, please remember to park safely – including not parking across pedestrian crossings, in no stopping zones, on corners, verges and double parking. Unsafe and illegal parking can reduce visibility of our students and motorists to see each other, creating a significant hazard when students cross the road. Let’s work together to keep our kids safe.

Esaftey Parent and Carers Webinars

You are invited to join one of the free webinars for parents and carers through the esafety website. These live webinars give parents and carers the knowledge, skills and tools to support their children to have safe online experiences. The 2023 webinars include a broad range of topics that will be delivered by expert educational training teams.

 https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/webinars

Explanation COMPASS events and notes -

There has been much information sent home over the past week so to streamline and make things a little easier please refer to the quick overview below. If you require any assistance with COMPASS and accessing this information, please do not hesitate to come to the Front Office for support.

If accessing COMPASS on your desktop you will see the Organisation Tab (the nine dots), then select EVENTS.

If accessing on your phone you will see an events and payments section with a message indicating that you have an event requiring action. Please click on the link and select EVENTS.

Notes requiring Action:

ICT Agreement/Online Learning Platforms & Media Permission Forms

• Sent via Compass to all students Kindergarten to Year 6.
• Please read the information and give consent to these forms. All children must have read and agreed to the safe use of technology prior to being able to use the devices at St Monica’s.
• The Media Permission Form allows you to click yes or no for media events at our school. From this information we will update our digital records.

Swimming Carnival

• The swimming carnival will be for all students in Year  3-6 and competitive swimmers in Year 2 who are turning 8 years old in 2023.
• If your child is in Year 2 and is not a competitive swimmer you need to press decline through COMPASS.
• If your child is in Year 3-6 it is an expectation that they attend the swimming carnival and all teachers in Year 3-6 will be at the carnival throughout the day. If your child does not attend the carnival, they will be marked absent from school on this day.  

Meninga/Daley Legends Day North Canberra 2023

• This is a 7 aside Rugby competition for interested students in Year 3-6. Please select Accept Event only if your child is interested in participating. Based on this information and interest we will then be able to put teams together. More information will follow for interested students only.

Camp Year 5 Students

• If you have a child in Year 5 it is essential that you register for this camp through the NSW Office of Sport and Recreation. Registrations close on 13 February.
• Payment for camp is available via the Front Office or through Qkr and is due by Friday 31 March 2023.

Information on Paper Copy notes which were handed out on the Parent Information Night-

Student Information Sheet-

This paper copy has all your personal information such as current address, phone number, emergency contacts etc. Please read over this paper copy and return to the school. If you need to update any information write this on the sheet. Even if your information is still current, we ask that you return this sheet to the front office with acknowledgement that you have read and that all information is correct.

Medical Alert Form-

If your child has a medical condition, they must have an updated action plan. Please complete this form and return to school ASAP.

Parent Network Contact-

If you are interested in being a parent rep in your child’s class, please return this form to your child’s classroom teacher.  A rep will then be selected and then we will work on establishing a network for the class. Please read the information on what a Parent Rep role may involve. 

Today the first issue of Scholastic Book Club for 2023 was sent home with the eldest member of each family.  Orders need to be placed by Monday 20 February. The books can only be ordered through the Loop at www.scholastic.com.au/LOOP.  The orders will be delivered to classes on arrival. This is a fantastic way to grow your child’s love of reading. If you have any questions please contact me. 

Icon Water presents Royal Life Saving ACT’s “A Day At The Lake” community event - Sunday, 12^th of February 2023 at the Black Mountain Peninsula – 10am to 2pm

Royal Life Saving ACT would like to invite your school community to join us for “A Day At The Lake”, between 10am and 2pm this Sunday! At Black Mountain Peninsula on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin we’ll have hands-on CPR demonstrations, water-safety activities, a BBQ lunch, coffee van, competitions and prizes, picnic and music spaces and more!

Proudly supported by Icon Water and the Australian Government, “A Day at the Lake” is a FREE community event that offers practical interactive sessions, giving us all the opportunity to refresh our knowledge and understanding of local water safety issues. Come along and boost your learning about Backyard Pool safety, Inland Waterway safety, Beach safety, aquatic rescue and survival skills, and what to do in an emergency.

This weekend we welcome “A Day At The Lake” back for the first time since the start of the Covid pandemic, and we are very excited to see you there! If our event sounds like something your students and families would enjoy, please include this information in your digital communications this week. We have attached our promotional tile square for your convenience.Thank you! We’ll see you on the weekend for “A Day At The Lake”!

Ana Pender - Programs Manager, Royal Life Saving ACT Branch

P:02 6260 5800 l E: anapender@royalact.com.au l W: https://act.training.royallifesaving.com.au/