Dear St Monica’s families and friends,

Laughing oxygenates the blood, stimulates the metabolism, enhances mood, releases stress, improves relationships and even increases your chances of career success. “Laughter is so good for you in so many ways,” says Cris Popp, founder of Laughter Works, an organisation that teaches people how to laugh and why they should be laughing on a regular basis.

“When we laugh it causes blood pressure reduction, endorphins to kick in and our T-cell count to go up, just for starters. People who laugh more live longer, are sick less often, have better quality friendships and are generally more content than those who don’t laugh very much,” claims Popp.

Laughter has benefits for the mind - laughing is a very complex brain function that encompasses the entire cerebral cortex, releasing endorphins, oxygenating blood vessels and relieving stress. Do it enough – even faking it – and you’ll feel all the emotions and sensations associated with genuine happiness, such as euphoria and contentment, as well as an increase in overall energy levels.

“Laughter helps release negative emotions and pent-up tension, particularly anger, anxiety, fear and boredom,” says Popp. “It’s great for anything that involves innovation and creativity. Stress and anxiety restrict the mind, while laughter releases it.”

Laughter also provides an important distraction from everyday pressures, providing you with a valuable perspective that allows you to concentrate on the things that really matter in your life.

https://www.naturalhealthmag.com.au/content/get-laughing-get-healthy & https://laughterworks.com.au/

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

Ivy D, Tilly G, Liam R, Zach B, Saxon H

COMPASS Parent Portal- Absentee Information  

A reminder that COMPASS is the main form of communication between school and home. Using COMPASS is the most efficient way to submit absentee notes when your child(ren) is away. Catholic Education Canberra and Goulburn states the point below as Parent Responsibilities when it comes to their child's attendance at school.  

• Parents/carers must ensure that enrolled students attend every day of school, and every activity or event the school requires the student to attend, during the required times. This is known as the ‘full-time participation’ requirement.
• Parents/carers must provide an explanation to the school for any absence, ideally on or before the day of absence, and no more than five school days after the absence occurs. At St Monica’s we ask that this is done through the Compass Portal.
• Parents/carers may be liable under the ACT Education Acts if students fail to attend school without a reasonable excuse.
• Parents/carers must notify the school of planned absences of up to 25 school days in a 12- month period (including 25 part days) in writing, including the reason for the absence.
• Planned absences of more than 25 days in a 12-month period, other than sick leave, have additional requirements and parents/carers must apply in advance for extended leave or exemption. The application and approval process complies with strict requirements of the ACT government.
• Parents/carers should understand that schools are required to record any absence as an unapproved or unjustified absence, unless they receive and accept a reasonable explanation before the attendance register is finalised.

Child Safety- Reminder about Photographs and Social Media  

Taking photographs is made easier due to our usage of smart phones. We understand that parents enjoy taking photos of their children on special occasions such as awards or carnivals. However, please be mindful that we have students who are not to be photographed or images not to be published on social media.  

Please remember, if you are taking photos at any school events, we ask that you only take images of your own child. If other children are in the image, please refrain from posting it on social media.   

Thank you for your cooperation with this important consideration. 

Spotlight on Year Four

Year 4 are investigating the great question: What would the world be like if the only expectation was RESPECT? This unit kicked off with a crime scene level event in their classroom where clearly the Year 4 rooms had not been respected. They are thinking about how we show respect with prayer and have some fabulous initial thoughts and wonderings.

Religious Life of the School

Whole School Prayer

Thank you to Year 3 for your beautiful Whole School Prayer Time last Friday. What a wonderful reflection on the vital work being done by Caritas and how we can help to build a more equitable world.

You’re Invited!  Our next Whole School Prayer Time is next week on Friday 17 March. Whilst it is St Patrick’s Day that day, Year 2 will be leading us to reflect on our value of Respect. All families are warmly invited to join us from 9.10am in the church for this Whole School Prayer Time.

Project Compassion

Project Compassion’s theme this year is ‘Together, we can make a difference now, and For All Future Generations.’ Each classroom has a donation box where children are encouraged to help fundraise for Project Compassion during Lent. In Week 9 this term Year 5 will be holding special fundraising events in support of Project Compassion. Watch this space for more information on this!

Caritas works across the world helping people to live better lives. Each week they focus on one real story of how your charity changes someone’s life.

Tereesa’s Story - Australia

Tereesa is a Gamilaroi woman from Western Sydney who struggled with homelessness while raising her four children. Through the Baabayn Young Mums and Bubs Group, Tereesa was able to reconnect with her culture and create a better future for her children.

Check out the Caritas, Project Compassion website to learn more about Tereesa and the vital work being done by Caritas.

If you have a child that has been baptised in Years 4- 6 in 2023 this may be a Sacramental year for your family.

Sacrament of First Eucharist will be celebrated on the weekend of 17 and 18 June 2023 across the four Parish Sunday Masses - 

5.00pm - 17 June at St Monica's Church, Evatt

8.00am - 18 June at St Michael;s Church, Kaleen

10.00am - 18 June at St Monica's Church, Evatt and

5.30pm - 18 June at St Michael's Church, Kaleen.

Registrations open on Monday 3 April 2023 and will close by Friday 28 April 2023. Registration for the Sacrament must be made via the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Qkr! App (not the School App). No late registrations will be accepted after the closing date.

Sacrament ofConfirmation will be celebrated on 5, 6 and 7 September 2023.

Sacrament of Reconciliation will be celebrated in Term 1 in 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

The Year 3 classes put a call out to their parent group, to see if there may be someone willing to come and have a chat with them about some community volunteer work they do. 

They were delighted to have Sonny's dad, Paul, join them earlier this week to share his wealth of experience in volunteering for community sporting groups and also things as simple as helping his elderly next door neighbour with the maintenance of her yard and bringing in the bins. 

It was an enriching chat for the students and we are very grateful for Paul's time and effort that he put into his presentation. 

Netball Gala Day

Congratulations to all the players from Years 5 and 6 who participated in the Netball Gala Day on Tuesday. All the games were played with a great spirit of fun and respect for each other and the opposition. A very special thank you to Jackie N and Dani G for coaching and Emily P for umpiring.

Introducing private lessons provided by the ACT Academy of Music (ACTAM). These lessons will be held at St Monica’s during school hours.

Parents can enrol through the ACTAM website now for PIANO, FLUTE or SAXOPHONE. There are options for other instruments as needed so please let ACTAM know if you are looking for a particular instrument.

For more information please telephone 0419 308 918 or visit website - www.actam.com.au