Dear St Monica’s families and friends,

This article may resonate with many of you. Have you noticed your child/ren are getting tired and grizzly of late? I hope you enjoy this read, taken from the Mamamia Website http://www.mamamia.com.au/end-of-school-year/

Is this what your home is like at the moment? by Shauna Anderson

I looked to the ceiling and spoke to a higher being this morning – begging for patience. I’m not sure who I was hoping would answer, but the moment was enough to give me strength before I snapped.

“Just get me through this morning” I begged.

It wasn’t an unusual morning. Just the normal bedlam of get-your-shoes-on, find-your-school-bag, where’s-your-homework? But three of the participants made me realise the true meaning of dragging your heels. My four-year-old daughter was lying on her floor, tears streaming, fists pounding the glitter-strewn carpet because SHE wanted to open the drawer where her Elsa undies were kept, not me. My six-year-old son – also on the floor half-asleep in his school shirt – was shouting, and half-sobbing that he wanted his advent calendar chocolate now and didn’t want to wait until AFTER BREAKFAST.   HE WANTED IT NOW!!

My eight-year-old, hiding under the covers of his bed with a contraband iPad (usually taboo on a school morning) was calling out for the two of them to be quiet because

he couldn’t hear the high-pitched tones of some British YouTube millionaire discussing the pros and cons of zombies and slime. And there I was pretending not to notice the strains of Minecraft coming out from under the sheets, prodding my kindergarten boy with my feet debating just giving him the chocolate to stop his begging, and desperately telling myself not to shout at the two of them (and that British guy) to just BE QUIET.

And really who can blame them?  We shuffle them from activity to activity, from school to ballet to tennis to piano, to daycare and playgroup to swimming to soccer. There is gymnastics and drama and in the mix is homework and parties and playdates and, our work which more and more often is at home on our devices. And somewhere, just somewhere this little thing we like to call family life.

It’s a constant rush of picks-ups and drop-offs, a mish-mash of who’s got who and where and when, of packing Tupperware boxes filled with cut-up cubes of fruit and crackers. It’s a never-ending cycle of concerts and performances, parties and end-of-year assemblies. There are award ceremonies and picnic days and endless trips to Woollies when you realise you have once again forgotten to “bring something to share”. No wonder they are crying over Elsa undies and advent calendar chocolates.

I am exhausted, let alone the little people who I drag around the shops on a Saturday to get the wrapping paper for the office Secret Santa. Everywhere I turn children are the same, looking a little glassy-eyed, a little bedraggled, they’ve lost their freshness.  Put simply, they are tired!

This year my six-year-old started school for the first time. He learned to count to 200 and to keep his letters together when he writes a sentence. He learned to stand in a line and to sing the national anthem. He got up each and every day and dressed himself in his golden school top and his bottle green shorts and opened his mind to a world of education. But after nearly 40 weeks of school he just needs a rest.  It’s hard to remember this as we adults mentally cross off that Christmas “to do list”. It’s hard to remember this as we rush through our lives trying to also co-ordinate theirs. But I am trying to.

I am trying to picture what it’s like to be six years old and so bone achingly exhausted that you fall asleep under your mother’s desk. I am trying to remember what it’s like to be the third child of two big brothers and be dragged from pillar to post each day a cog in the wheel of their busy lives.

There are only a few weeks to go for before the holidays hit. Then, homework can be left aside, dinners can be eaten in the garden, tennis and ballet and gymnastics and cricket can wait till next year. And those chocolates from the advent calendar, it’s time they are eaten before breakfast every single day till the 24th!

End of Year activities: Did you know there is only 15 school days left this year? We give thanks for the days and weeks that have preceded us and look forward to the many exciting events in the coming weeks! As such, I want to take this opportunity to remind you of some important dates. Take a moment, if you haven’t already, to note down these important dates on your calendars. There is lots on for everyone! Hoping you can make it to as many of these events as you can.

Last Day of Term 4 – Friday 15 December is a Pupil Free Day. As such, Thursday 14 December is the last day of Term 4 for all students. TeamKids OSHC is available on the Friday for any families who need this service.

Saturday 25 & Sunday 26 November: Family Portraits Fundraiser

Wednesday 6 December: St Vincent De Paul Giving Mass – 9:30am

Thursday 7 December: Community Carols Evening – 6:00pm

Friday 8 December:

• Y6 Graduation & Awards Ceremony – 12:00pm
• Semester Two reports available on Compass – 3:30pm

Monday 11 December: Passing of the Light, Candle Ceremony – 9:15am

Wednesday 13 December:

• Wear Christmas clothes
• 2024 Teacher Meet & Greet session – 9:30am

Peace and Blessings to all,

Reports and Parent Teacher Interviews 

Teachers are well into assessment and compiling your child’s Semester 2 Report. These will be available through Compass on Friday of Week 9. This Semester your child’s teacher will be providing grades and a general comment that outlines student success and areas for development.   An enormous thanks to our teachers who work tirelessly to prepare these for all students.  

Optional parent/teacher interviews will be available should you require a follow up conversation. We ask that you contact your child’s teacher to make a suitable time.  

Please ensure that all unexplained absences are updated on COMPASS as this will be reflected in your child’s report.  

Year 1- Year 6 Achievement Scale  

When a student receives a ‘C’ grade it means they have demonstrated the quality of learning described in the Achievement Standard, based on the content studied in the reporting period. If a student receives a ‘C’ in both semester 1 and 2 reports it indicates that the student has made progress, and learned new knowledge and skills based on the new and more challenging material studied. 

Kindergarten Scale of Assessment 

Our Kindergarten students will receive an alternative scale to A-E as outlined below. 

Engagement with Learning 

 Kindergarten Grade Scale  

Religious Education at St Monica’s

In Religious Education Kindergarten have been learning about the Old Testament. They have investigated the stories of Sarah and Abraham as well as David and Goliath. Students have made links between these sacred stories and their own experiences by sharing characters, events and messages that may be similar to or different from their own experiences. In the coming weeks Kindergarten will begin to explore the Advent season and how we prepare for the coming of Jesus at Christmas.

Religious Life of St Monica’s

Whole School Prayer

Our final Whole School Prayer Time will be led by Kindergarten next week on Friday 1December. This prayer time we will celebrate the first week of Advent. All families and friends are warmly invited to join the whole school in prayer at 9.10am in St Monica’s Church.

Illuminate

This Friday our Year 6 Youth Ministry Team will enjoy a day of fun, faith sharing and reflection as they attend the annual Illuminate gathering of Youth Ministers at St Vincent’s Primary School, Aranda. We look forward to next week hearing about their adventures.

St Vincent de Paul Christmas Hampers

As we prepare for Christmas it is important to keep in mind those within our own community who are struggling and are facing hardships. To support our local chapter of St Vincent de Paul we are once again inviting families to donate to the St Vincent de Paul Christmas Hampers Appeal. Your children’s classes have each been given a basket and a suggested list of items for donating to the Christmas Appeal. All food donated must be non-perishable - tinned, jars, boxes and packets and have an expiry date of not less than 6 months. Please check with your child as to the items being asked for within their class but of course all donations will be welcomed. How lovely it would be if we were to need to get more baskets if we fill these up quickly! All items in the baskets will be donated to St Vincent de Paul at our Giving Mass on Wednesday 6 December. Thank you in anticipation of your generosity.

2024 Parish Sacramental Program

For students who are baptised and in Years 4-6 in 2024.

Information Session

An information session for the 2024 Sacramental Program will be held at 6pm on Thursday 8 February 2024 in St Michael’s Church, Kaleen.

If your child is baptised and will be in years 4-6 in 2024 please put this date in your diary.

Sacraments to be celebrated in 2024

Sacrament of Reconciliation - will be celebrated in Term 1, 2024.

Sacrament of First Communion - will be celebrated in Term 2, 2024.

Sacrament of Confirmation - will be celebrated in Term 3, 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

Book Fair and Author Visits 

Thank you to all the families who made purchases at our Book Cow Book Fair last week. We will now be able to purchase about $900 worth of books for the library and have 5 new titles donated to the library.  Your generousity demonstrates how much you value reading and quality literature. 

A big thank you to local authors Jacinta Froud and Cate Whittle who visited the Book Fair on Tuesday where they talked about their books and signed copies. A huge thank you to local author David Conley who came and taught drawing skills to the students in Years 3 and 4.  The students loved having a go at drawing characters and produced some amazing pictures. 

Library Borrowing 

Library borrowing will finish on Friday 1 December.  All books need to be returned on student library days in Week 9.  

Week 7 Events 

• Saturday and Sunday 25 and 26 -  November Family Portraits  

Week 9 Events 

• Wednesday 6 December - St Vincent de Paul Giving Mass
• Thursday 7 December -  Community Carols  

• Friday 8 December -  Year 6 Graduation and Special Lunch 

• Friday 8 December -  School Reports available on COMPASS  

Week 10 Events 

• Monday 11 December - Passing of the Light Candle Ceremony  

• Tuesday December 12- Year 6 Big Day Out  

• Wednesday 13 December - Christmas Clothes Day and Teacher Meet and Greet

'One Talk at a Time', is a national campaign against child sexual abuse, launched by the National Office for Child Safety. 'One Talk at a Time' aims to protect young people from sexual abuse by encouraging adults to have ongoing, proactive, preventative conversations.

You might not be an expert in the topic but no one knows the people in your life better than you do. You are the right person to have conversations with children, young people and other adults around you.

Link: https://www.childsafety.gov.au/one-talk-time

Update from the Fete Committee – Mark your diaries for 6 April 2024!

Our school fete is a wonderful annual celebration of our community, and we were thrilled it was able to return earlier this year after a pause due to COVID. It is also the major fundraising event for our school with funds raised from this year’s fete going towards the new shelves in the library and lovely new instruments for the performing arts classroom. None of it would be possible without the generosity of our teachers, families and local businesses – we are very grateful for everyone’s support.

Planning is already underway for next year’s fete, which will be held on 6 April 2024. Next year’s fete will celebrate our school community by reflecting our rich cultural diversity through our food, activities and entertainment.

We’d love to hear from you:

• Previous stall coordinators and sponsors – please get in touch if you’d like to coordinate and/or sponsor a stall. Our fete staples were a huge success last year and we’d love for these to return.
• Food trucks – if you operate or know of someone who operates a food truck, we’d love to hear from you. We’d love to offer our community delicious dishes from our different cultures.
• Entertainment – if your family participates in a cultural dance and/or music group and would be keen to perform at the fete, please get in touch.

You can reach us via stmfete@gmail.com.

Keep an eye on our Facebook page and the newsletter for regular Fete Committee updates. More information will follow in the new year regarding volunteering – in the meantime, please get in touch if you are interested.

Fete Committee