Dear St Monica's families and friends,

Happy Sabbath Week! It has been an eventful time for the St Monica’s community over the past few weeks and there is still more excitement to come! Coming up in the next few weeks is the celebration for the Sacrament of First Eucharist, Parent / Teacher interviews, the Lamont Book Fair, Reports and then finally the end of term. I hope that all families enjoyed the King’s Birthday Public Holiday on Monday, that one extra day together to be with family and friends!

Hats Off for June and July

In June and July hats go away! In Canberra we have already started to witness daily UV levels decrease to what is considered "low" levels (under 3), during the morning and afternoon periods. Cancer Council ACT does not generally recommend sun protection, ie. hat wearing and sunscreen application, so we encourage the students to leave their hats at home during this time. Students may wear a navy or maroon beanie for warmth.

Winter Uniform and Rugging Up in the Cold

Students continue to play outside during the winter months and it can be quite cold. We encourage all students to dress with plenty of layers and our school uniform lends itself very easily to this. As we have already experienced some very cold mornings, in the minus range, students are expected to wear a jumper to school. If they get hot during the day they can take their jumper off, but they must wear it to school. Singlets and thermals can be worn underneath the shirt to add that extra layer. Students are also allowed to wear the following in winter:
Blue Jacket: can be worn when going outside, over the maroon jumper, and generally taken off in the classroom while the heater is operating.
Beanies / Scarves / Mittens: are very acceptable and must be navy blue or maroon.
Extra Layers - Sport uniform: If an extra layer is required, then a simple white top underneath the polo shirt is acceptable.

Interview Booking Times

We are looking forward to meeting with families for the Parent Teacher Interviews next week. These meetings are an opportunity for you to discuss your child’s progress at school. By meeting with the classroom teacher you are showing that you are a partner in their learning and interested in their life at school. Prepare for these interviews by thinking about areas of your child’s progress and development you would like to discuss. Your child’s classroom teacher will have information about how they are progressing in Key Learning Areas as well as how they are developing socially and emotionally. Thank you to those families who have already booked an interview time with their child’s teacher. If you haven't yet booked please do so by 4pm this afternoon.

Afternoon Pick Up

We encourage all parents to discuss road safety with their children. This week I witnessed a child run out onto the road in Montagu Place to get in their car. I wish to reiterate to families that Montagu Place is not a supervised or authorised drop-off or pickup location. Please use the Basketball Courts, Chomley Carpark or the Church carpark to drop off and collect your children. I know these locations are very busy right on 3.10pm. As such, we offer supervision at all pick-up points until 3.30pm. Feel free to arrive that little bit later, when the rush to get out of the carpark is over.
For further information about safe travel to school click on the following Transport Canberra link: Transport Canberra - Travel Options for Safe School Travel

Pupil Free Days

Friday 4 July and Monday 21 July are Pupil Free Days. TeamKids will have their School holiday program running on these days. Even if you don’t attend TeamKids for before or after school care you are still able to book into the service on Pupil Free Days.

Peace and winter blessings,

Religious Life of St Monica’s 

Whole School Prayer 

This term our focus is on Opening our Hearts to the Holy Spirit to live out our Footstep of Resilience to flourish in our relationships with ourselves, others, God, and our surroundings. Tomorrow 6 White will lead us for our Whole School Prayer on Opening our Hearts to the Holy Spirit. You are warmly invited to join our community in St Monica’s Church at 9.10am. 

Sacrament of First Eucharist 

Sacraments at St Monica’s are parish based, family centered, and school supported. Today all Year 4 students went over to St Michael’s Kaleen to participate in a retreat. It was a wonderful opportunity for the children in our parish to come together. I ask you to keep the following children and their families in your prayers as they prepare to receive Jesus’ body for the first time in the Eucharist - 

Matilda, Audrey, Valentino, Beau, Oliver, Ella, Flynn, Ethan, Robin, Alison, Lucy, Ella, Greta, Lucas, Georgia, Leila, Archer P, Archer S, Leo, Huxley, Eden, Catherine, Ayla, Ryan, Olivia and Faustina.

Social Action  

Save the Date: Winter Woolies Day to Support the 2025 St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal -  Wednesday 2 July  

We are proud to once again support the St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal. This year we are continuing to collect hygiene items for our Dignity Donation Station. With the cold weather settling in  there is also a growing need for Rough Sleeping Essentials like warm socks, gloves and blankets. 

Donations can be brought into school during the last week of Term 2. Donations will be stored in classrooms.  

Let us come together to support those doing it tough this winter. 

 Opening our Hearts to the Holy Spirit 

2025 Sacramental Program – for students who are baptised and will be in Years 4-6 in 2025.

Sacrament of First Communion will be celebrated this term on  22 June 2025 (Corpus Christi).

Sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated in Term 3, 2025. Information Evening will be held on 31 July 2025. Retreat Day and Parent Prayer Night will be held on 4 September 2025. Sacrament will be celebrated on 10 and 11 September 2025.

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 Semester Catholic Education Canberra-Goulburn has advised schools that general comments will not be included on your child's Semester 1, 2025 report. As a school community we will prioritise Parent/Teacher Conferences for every family. These meetings provide an opportunity to discuss your child’s progress, their strengths, challenges and future areas of focus. A Semester Report will be sent home providing A-E grading for Years 1 - 6, a 4 -point scale for Kindergarten, Work Habits and attendance information.

Parent Teacher Interviews will take place next week 16 - 20 June. 

Reports will be released via Compass on Wednesday 2 July.

Please take some time to familiarise yourself with the guidelines for assessment and reporting.

Kindergarten Scale of Assessment - Engagement with Learning

Consistently: Displays thorough knowledge, understanding and application of the content, processes and skills in this area.
Usually: Displays engagement with learning most of the time
Developing: Is beginning to display knowledge, understanding and application of the content, processes and skills in this area.
Needs Improvement: Is yet to display knowledge, understanding and application of the content, processes and skills in this area.

Kindergarten Grade Scale

Above Expectations: The student has a thorough knowledge and understanding of the content and a high level of competence in the processes and skills. In addition, the student is able to apply this knowledge and these skills in most situations.

Meeting Expectations: The student has a sound knowledge and understanding of the main areas of content and has achieved an adequate level of competence in the processes and skills.

Working Towards Expectations: The student has a basic knowledge and understanding of the content and has achieved a limited level of competence in the processes and skills.

Experiencing Difficulty: The student has an elementary knowledge and understanding in few areas of the content and has achieved very limited competence in some of the processes and skills.

Year 1 - 6 Scale of Assessment 

Outstanding: The student has extensive knowledge and understanding of the content and can readily apply this knowledge. In addition, the student has achieved a very high level of competence in the processes and skills and can apply these skills to new situations.

High: The student has a thorough knowledge and understanding of the content and a high level of competence in the processes and skills. In addition, the student is able to apply this knowledge and these skills in most situations.

At Standard: The student has a sound knowledge and understanding of the main areas of content and has achieved an adequate level of competence in the processes and skills.

Partial: The student has a basic knowledge and understanding of the content and has achieved a limited level of competence in the processes and skills.

Limited: The student has an elementary knowledge and understanding in few areas of the content and has achieved very limited competence in some of the processes and skills.

Year 1 – 6 Grade Scale

A: The student has extensive knowledge and understanding of the content and can readily apply this knowledge. In addition, the student has achieved a very high level of competence in the processes and skills and can apply these skills to new situations.

B: The student has a thorough knowledge and understanding of the content and a high level of competence in the processes and skills. In addition, the student is able to apply this knowledge and these skills in most situations.

C: The student has a sound knowledge and understanding of the main areas of content and has achieved an adequate level of competence in the processes and skills.

D: The student has a basic knowledge and understanding of the content and has achieved a limited level of competence in the processes and skills.

E: The student has an elementary knowledge and understanding in few areas of the content and has achieved very limited competence in some of the processes and skills.

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.
A student’s report will list a grade for each subject studied.

The following A-E descriptors will appear on the report:
• A demonstrating outstanding achievement of the standard
• B demonstrating a high achievement of the standard
• C demonstrating achievement of the standard
• D demonstrating partial achievement of the standard
• E demonstrating limited achievement of the standard.

In support of a shortage of clothes for school-age children the ladies in the Uniform Shop are collecting items of clothing for Roundabout Canberra.

Please ensure items are:

• In as new or excellent used condition
• Freshly cleaned & laundered

These items can be dropped off on Friday mornings only to the Uniform Shop.