St Monica’s Primary School - Evatt eNewsletter

Dear St Monica’s families and friends,

One of the most remarkable aspects of St Monica’s Primary School is our teachers, who posses an innate ability to create a supportive environment for our students to learn, and who demonstrate care and encouragement to ensure their students feel valued and respected.

You will have heard the term 'Pedagogy', but do you know what it means? Pedagogy is the art and science of teaching and learning. It is about understanding the best ways to educate and inspire students, taking into account their individual needs and interests.

Our teachers are the masters of pedagogy, they are able to seamlessly adjust their teaching methods to match the diverse range of learners in their classrooms and engage students in ways that ignite their curiosity and foster a love of learning. It is through our dynamic pedagogical and High Impact Teaching Practices that the students at St Monica’s are mastering and feeling success with their learning. It is our teachers and Catholic Education’s Catalyst Program that are the driving force behind student progress and success.

Next week, we welcome back Toni Hatten-Roberts from CogLearn to St Monica’s. Toni is one of our Catalyst coaches and she works alongside our teachers to be the best they can be! We have also welcomed teachers from other ACT Catholic Schools, who have come to observe the exemplary practice of our teachers and next week we will have a team of teachers from a Victorian school visiting our classrooms. Following each visit we are complimented on how engaged and focused our students are. It makes me incredibly proud to showcase the teaching and learning that is occurring here at our great school.

Mid-Year Enrolments – We are now accepting enrolments for Semester 2 in all year levels. Do you know of someone who is considering a transfer across to St Monica’s but they are worried they have left it too late to enrol or about how their child will transition to a new school? Please encourage them to make an appointment with me and reassure them that the St Monica’s community is comprised of families and teachers who genuinely care for one another and it is a place where you will instantly feel like you belong!

We welcome the Birhanu family to St Monica's - Nuhamin - 3 Blue and Hirute - 4 Blue. We say farewell to the Hughes family - Alex - 3 Blue. We wish you all the best with your travels overseas.

Warmest wishes,

Happy Birthday to the following students celebrating a Birthday this week

Dylan A, Bonnie C, Harriett B, Ilina D

Religious Curriculum of St Monica’s

This term Year 3 are considering how their relationship with God is shaped by their images of God. Consider your own image of God. Do you think of the all powerful Creator God? The loving father image provided in the parable of the Lost Son? Do you connect with the image of the Holy Trinity? Or is the mother image from Isaiah one you feel comfortable with? Perhaps the image of the shepherd watching over the flock? Whatever your image (or images) it is easy to see how the image we are most comfortable with speaks of our relationship with God. Year 3 students will investigate many different images of God, mostly sourced from the bible, helping to inform and shape their own image of God. You might like to explore your own understanding of God and investigate some of the different ones presented in the bible. Have you considered God as a potter (Jeremiah 18:6) or like rain (Hosea 14:5)? What does your image of God say about your relationship with God?

Religious Life of St Monica’s

NAIDOC prayer time

Thank you Year 2 for your amazing prayer time focusing on NAIDOC Week. You led us so beautifully to reflect on the contributions made by our Indigenous people and the journey ahead to real reconciliation and equality.

Confirmation

Thank you to the parents who attended our Formation Evening last Thursday evening. A reminder that commitment masses are this weekend and next weekend - all parish masses are available to all families for this important ceremony.

Whole School Prayer

Tomorrow, Friday 28 July, Year 6 will lead the whole school in prayer centred on our term’s focus value, engagement. All families are warmly invited to join us in St Monica’s Church from 9.10am tomorrow morning.

Winter Woolies

St Monica’s families are invited to send in donations for our Winter Woolies campaign. We are looking for good quality jumpers, jackets, beanies, gloves, socks and blankets to donate to the St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal. Items may be used but in good condition with the exception of socks – only new socks please for hygiene reasons. Donations can be sent in over the next 2 weeks with our final appeal day being Friday 11 August when students are invited to wear free clothes, particularly snuggly warm winter woollies! Donation baskets will be in the Office foyer as well as student classrooms. Thank you in anticipation of your generosity.

St Monica’s Feast – Save the Date

St Monica’s Feast Day is Sunday 27 August so we will celebrate her feast on Monday 28 August in Week 7. All families are invited to join the whole school at Mass in St Monica’s Church at 9.30am.

Sacrament of Confirmation

Sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated on:

Tuesday 5 September 2023 at 6.00pm in St Michael’s Church, Kaleen;

Wednesday 6 September 2023 at 6.00pm in St Monica’s Church, Evatt; and

Thursday 7 September 2023at 6.00pm in St Monica’s Church, Evatt.

Registrations will close tomorrow, Friday 28 July 2023 and no late registrations can be accepted.

Registration for the Sacrament must be made via the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Qkr! App (NOT the school app). If you are registering more than 1 child you will need to fully complete and pay for each separate registration.

Commitment Masses – Sacrament of Confirmation

Students and parents must attend one of the weekend Masses at either St Monica’s Church (5.00pm Saturday or 10.00am Sunday) or St Michael’s Church (8.00am or 5.30pm Sunday) on one of the dates listed below to make their commitment for the Sacrament.
Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 July
Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 August
There will be no additional commitment masses beyond these dates.

Home Booklets

Parents should now be working through the home booklet in preparation for the Sacrament.

Sacrament of Reconciliation

Sacrament of 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 at www.cg.org.au/belconnennorth

This year through our St Monica's Stars we will emphasise the ways we live out

Respect, Resilience, Engagement and Growth

through a focus on

Myself - Academic

Others - Social

Our Surroundings - Community

so we come to know Jesus.

Class	Student	Focus
K Blue	Tobi A	Others
K Blue	Francisco D	Myself
K Maroon	Hugo E	Myself
K Maroon	Emmanuel S	Myself
1 Blue	Sehajnoor K	Myself
1 Blue	Jack R	Myself
1 Maroon	Ethan S	Myself
1 Maroon	Nahum Y	Myself
1 White	Ethan E	Myself
1 White	Marlie H	Myself
2 Blue	Flynn C	Myself
2 Blue	Leila M	Myself
2 Maroon	Aleer A	Myself
2 Maroon	Oliver C	Myself
3 Blue	Sebastian B	Myself
3 Blue	Billy B	Myself
3 Maroon	Quinn A	Myself
3 Maroon	Angelo R	Myself
3 White	Jack B	Myself
3 White	Daniela S	Myself
4 Blue	Fatmata K	Myself
4 White	Maddie N-H	Myself
4 White	Joshua R	Myself
5 Blue	Suvi O-C	Myself
5 Blue	Jesse S	Others
5 White	Evie L	Myself
5 White	Pasquale A	Myself
6 Blue	Brando B	Myself
6 Blue	Lily H	Myself
6 Maroon	Ater A	Myself
6 Maroon	Esther L	Others
6 White	Pat H	Myself
6 White	Marianna R	Myself

Star Awards for Week 9 will be given out at Assembly next Friday 4 August at 9.10am in the School Hall

St Monica’s Street Library

Our Street Library has been a bit bare the last few weeks. If you have books you could donate please place them in the Street Library. If it is full leave them at the Front Office and I will add them as needed. Remember when you take a book to also donate a book so that everyone can continue to benefit from this wonderful resource.

Book Launch this Saturday

As part of our commitment to fostering a safe and positive learning environment we want to address the essential topic of online safety. In today's digital age, the internet plays a significant role in our children's lives, offering immense educational opportunities and connectivity. However, it also poses potential risks that we must be aware of and address collectively.

At St Monica’s we believe that by working together and maintaining open communication we can empower our students to navigate the online world responsibly and safely. Below, we have outlined some key points to guide you in supporting your child's online safety:

Open Dialogue: Initiate and maintain an open and non-judgmental conversation with your child about their online experiences. Encourage them to share any concerns or encounters that may have made them feel uncomfortable. Your support will help them feel more confident in seeking guidance when needed.
Cyberbullying Awareness: Discuss the importance of treating others with respect online. Educate your child about cyberbullying. Let them know they should report any instances of bullying they encounter or witness.
Social Media and Privacy: If your child uses social media or other online platforms, help them understand the importance of safeguarding their personal information. Encourage them to set their profiles to private and to be selective about the people they connect with online.
Responsible Internet Use: Teach your child about the consequences of inappropriate online behaviour, such as sharing sensitive information, engaging in cyberbullying, or accessing inappropriate content. Encourage them to think critically before clicking on links or sharing personal data.
Screen Time Management: Help your child strike a healthy balance between screen time and other activities. Set limits on device usage and encourage them to participate in offline activities.
Safe Online Gaming: If your child enjoys online gaming, make sure they are aware of gaming etiquette and safety guidelines. Remind them to only interact with people they know in real life and avoid sharing personal details during gameplay.
Cybersecurity: Educate your child about the importance of strong and unique passwords. Encourage them to avoid using the same password for multiple accounts and to regularly update them.
Digital Footprint: Explain the concept of a digital footprint and how their online actions can have lasting consequences. Encourage them to think before posting or sharing content online.
Parental Controls and Monitoring: Consider implementing parental control software and monitoring tools to ensure a safe online experience for your child. But remember, open communication and trust should remain a priority.

We understand that online safety is ongoing. We have booked a Think You Know presentation, which is led by the Australian Federal Police to address these issues proactively. This session will be held on Monday 23 October 2023, (Term 4 Week 3). Please mark this date in your diary’s.

Please feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns regarding online safety. Together, we can create a supportive and secure digital environment for our students.

Think_U_Know.pdf

Think_U_Know _pdf 670.77 KB

I am an established tertiary trained and long time singer, singing teacher, performer and theatre maker! I would like to offer singing lessons as an option for our students here at St Monica's. I am also a parent at the school.

Voice Lessons for Years 4-6

Half hour sessions where we learn to sing, breathe, read and sing music at sight, and cover the basics of music theory and learn to perform! We will start to work on technique and developing vocal tone - $40.00 per lesson.

Vocal Basics for Years 1-3

For our younger students I would like to offer small group classes (2-4 students) at a reduced rate of fees - $23.00 per lesson.

In these classes we will learn to breathe, sing together, learn some basic sight reading and scales, work towards a group performance and most of all have fun!

To make a booking or for any more information please email me - alpprideaux@gmail.com

Many thanks - Alira Prideaux