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Dear St Monica’s families and friends,
Synodality - On the Pupil Free Day, at the beginning of this term, all St Monica’s staff engaged in Part 2 & 3 of our Faith Formation Theme - Walking Together. Meaghan Younger (REC) unpacked the term Synodality with the staff. Synodality means journeying together as people of God, on a common mission. Listening to individuals to understand how God might be speaking to all of us, not just the religious i.e. those who are ordained. The phrase Kerygma was also broken open. Kerygma is proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel to others by proposing, not imposing. The recent Bishops paper on Evangelisation explains this beautifully, please click on the link to access the paper: 2023_Evangelisation_Statement pdf
Family Connect – Earlier this week, Maggie Lloyd and I met with members of the Executive team from Evatt Primary School, who have launched the Family Connect program. Family Connect aims to improve outcomes for children and their families by bringing together early years learning, education, wrap-around health and community services – all under one roof. Family Connect is currently supporting families living in the suburbs of Evatt & McKellar. While based out of Evatt Primary, all families who live in these suburbs are welcome and encouraged to access the supports, activities and services provided through Family Connect. For more information please click on this link: https://belconnenvillage.com.au/family-connect/
Rosebud Secondary School visit – On Tuesday the Principal and Deputy Principal from Rosebud Secondary School visited St Monica’s to observe the High Impact Teaching Practices that are occurring at our school. It was my absolute pleasure to show our visitors the wonderful teaching and learning that is taking place across our classrooms. I am so proud of the St Monica’s teachers and students for their ongoing engagement with the Literacy and Numeracy programs that are being delivered across the school.
Hats Back On – August 1 is hats back on! We have given students a one week grace period to transition back to hats. All students must wear a hat, during outside activities from next week.
Warmest wishes,
Religious Curriculum of St Monica’s
In Kindergarten this semester students are learning about celebrations. They are exploring secular and religious rituals and how we celebrate different events at different times of the year. This learning is a gentle introduction to the Catholic Church’s Liturgical Year and how we mark different religious moments throughout the calendar year in different ways. They will investigate how the Church is a sacred space and what this means for what we do and how we are in the Church. If it’s been a while since your last visit to the church perhaps you’d like to come along to one of our parish Masses with your children and take some time afterwards looking around the sacred space yourself. Kindergarten always have amazing questions about some of the icons and symbols in our church – feel free to share any great ones with me!!
Religious Life of St Monica’s
Year 6 prayer time
A huge thank you to Year 6 for your very engaging prayer time last Friday. From the heart-stoppingly beautiful rendition of Prepare Ye the Way to the fabulous exploration of examples and non-examples of how to be engaged in our learning, our community, our sports and our families it was a mesmerizing experience. Congratulations to Mr Meagher, Ms Moir, Mrs Pearson, Mrs Kelly and Mrs Jenner and all the Year 6 students for your preparation of this wonderful prayer assembly.
Confirmation
A reminder that registrations have closed for Confirmation this year. If you have not registered please feel free to do so next year. We keep the 34 candidates from St Monica’s in our prayers as they prepare for this important sacrament.
Whole School Prayer – Winter Woolies
Next Friday, 11 August, Year 5 will lead the whole school in prayer focusing on those in need and people and organisations who assist them. The prayer time will feature prayers for our Australian Patron saint, St Mary MacKillop of the Cross, and the good work being done by St Vincent de Paul. All families are warmly invited to join us in St Monica’s Church from 9.10am next Friday 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 week 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 9.15am.
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 are now closed and no late registrations can be accepted.
Commitment Masses – Sacrament of Confirmation - Last Weekend
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). This is the last weekend to make the commitment for the Sacrament.
There will be no additional commitment masses after this weekend.
Home Booklets
Parents should now be working through the home booklet in preparation for the Sacrament. If your child has not received their home booklet please contact the Sacramental Program Coordinator as a matter of urgency at sc.belconnennorth@cg.org.au
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
| 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 |
Family Connect from Evatt Primary are excited to bring to the Evatt and McKellar community the Dolly Parton's Imagination Library (from children 0-4). Imagination Library is a FREE book gifting program. By signing up, your child will receive an age-appropriate text every single month, delivered directly to your home.
Family Connect is a community hub located at Evatt Primary School. It provides wrap-around health and community services for all families: https://bit.ly/familyconnect-information. To sign up to Family Connect and Imagination Library, complete our online registration form, being sure to add your children’s details as the books will be sent directly to them: https://forms.microsoft.com/r/x2gwCXbqWZ
This pilot will run for two years and has been made possible through the generosity of businesses and local organisations in the community. Family Connect aims for this to become an ongoing program for all families in Evatt and McKellar while funding for the program continues. All children graduate from the program at 5 years of age.
If you have any questions, please get in touch with the Family Connect Coordinator, Alice Coen @ alice.coen@ed.act.edu.au
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