Dear Parents 

Today the children all stopped, just before morning tea, to enjoy a beautiful storybook for National Simultaneous Storytime. Several of our Year 6 students led the storytelling sessions in the Kinder and Year One classrooms.   

It has been wonderful to see everyone back this week, however, the teachers are noticing the children are struggling a little returning to their daily routine. To celebrate our return to school we have set Friday aside as a wellbeing day for everyone and promoting it as a Fri-Yay! Refer to the flier attached. 

Parent-Teacher Interviews

This week the teachers have made themselves available for parent-teacher interviews, via Zoom. Like all new technology ventures, we have had some minor issues, apologies. The purpose of these meetings is to review your child's learning goals and discuss their engagement with learning at home over the last few weeks. I would like to sincerely thank the teachers for giving this time to speak with parents so that the learning over the next few weeks is focused on the specific needs of each child.  

Food & Birthdays

We love to celebrate birthdays and special occasions. However as a health precaution, due to COVID-19, I ask that parents avoid bringing in home-baked cupcakes for birthdays. As adults we can make a choice, however, it is much harder for the little ones. Packaged foods such as the little packets of tiny teddies or small non-edible treats may be an option. Remember, please no lollies due to the number of children we need to monitor regarding sugar intake. Do not hesitate to contact your child's teacher to discuss options.    

Enrolments  for 2021 - Due Friday 29 May

The official enrolment period has been extended until Friday 29 May. Enrolment applications can be submitted online, please share this information with neighbours and friends. This year, due to social distancing restrictions, I will be conducting virtual tours, via Zoom, to share all the wonderful qualities St Monica's has to offer with new families. Spread the word! https://www.stmonicas.act.edu.au/enrolments

Baby News

Congratulations to the Arganese family - Isabella (KB) on the arrival of her baby brother Elias born last Thursday. 

Congratulations to the Abiona family - Iyin (2RR) on the arrival of his baby brother born last Friday.

Special Prayers

Please keep the Platts family - Ava (6FH) and Grace - ex St Monica's student, in your prayers as their grandfather passed away last Sunday.

“The End of May is Hats OFF Day” 

Children to be dropped off in the hall car park or at the top of the ramp to the basketball courts between 8.25am and 8.50am. A teacher will be available to supervise the children crossing the staff car park crossing near the office. Please display extra car etiquette during this difficult time as your child’s safety must come first.

Afternoon Arrangements

Pick Up – Front of School

Commencing at 3.00pm prior to the 3.10pm bell.

• Families with K, 1 and siblings to drive through the staff carpark, enter from Moynihan Street.
• Clearly display your family name in the passenger window.
• Suggestion: Place baby or toddler seat on the righthand side so children can access the car from the left-hand side.

3.10pm Bell and dismissal for Years 2 – 6 and all other children from K – 2 not being picked up from the front of the school.

3.15pm Drive through pick up for Year 2 & 3 and siblings

3.20pm Drive through pick up for families with children in Years 4 – 6. 

Chomley Carpark - A teacher will walk the children across to the carpark. Adults are asked to remain in their car. Suggestion - families with children in Years 3 - 6 use Chomley 

Copland College Carpark – this carpark will not be supervised.

Walkers and Bike Riders – Children will be dismissed as usual. Parents can wait at the boundary of the school to collect their child/ren; please remember social distancing while you wait.

Bus Travellers - Moynihan and Copland Bus Stops will be supervised.

SMOOSH – will be collected at the Kinder play equipment and supervised across the crossing near the office.

Multipurpose Wipes

We have acquired small packs of wipes for the children to purchase for $1.00. The senior students will take around a collection tin each day for anyone who would like to purchase some for their desk. No change will be given as we need to reduce the handling of cash. 

Continue to stay safe and healthy. 

Principal  

Our Lady Help of Christians Patron Saint of Australia

On Monday we celebrated the feast day of Our Lady Help of Christians. As a whole school we stopped to prepare ourselves for our first whole school gathering. It looked a little different as we were all in our own classrooms, with Carmel Maguire welcoming us to pray over the PA. There was a quiet and calmness as we all learned about Our Lady Help of Christians. After the liturgy, classes made a paper chain Rosary to display and use in their classrooms.

Did you know…?

That this feast day has been celebrated in Australia since 1844. The early Church in Australia had a very special reason for turning to Mary. It was a time of great challenge for establishment of the Catholic faith in Australia. Priests were often not allowed to say mass or perform sacraments, and these were often done underground, away from the eyes of the law. It was largely the Rosary that helped to keep the faith alive during this time. Catholic Australia remained faithful to Mary, and was the first nation to choose her, under the title of Help of Christians.

St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney was dedicated in her honour by the Irish Pioneer Priest, Fr John Therry.

Reconciliation Week 2020

This week as we gather on the sacred lands of the Ngunnawal people, we as a school community acknowledge that “The Spirit of God has been present in Australia for all its ancient history and that Aboriginal people have had their own way of experiencing the mystery of the Creator among them.”

Each year between the 27 May and the 3 June members of all faith communities across Australia offer prayers for Reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. This week is a time for us to renew our commitment to working together in partnership for justice and the healing of relationships. This years theme is ‘In this Together’. This theme is even more poignant at this time as we grapple with the effects of COVID-19 on our daily lives.

Reconciliation Week is framed by two key events in Australia’s history which provide strong symbols of the aspirations for reconciliation. May 27 marks the anniversary of Australia’s most successful referendum and a defining event in our nation’s history. The 1967 Referendum saw over 90 per cent of Australians vote to give the Commonwealth the power to make laws for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and recognise them in the national census. 

On 3 June 1992, the High Court of Australia delivered its landmark Mabo decision which legally recognised that Indigenous people had a special relationship to the land—that existed prior to colonisation and still exists today. This recognition paved the way for Indigenous land rights called Native Title.  

As a school community, we began Reconciliation week today by taking part in a liturgy in class or across grade levels. There will be several more activities completed over the week which I will share with you in next weeks newsletter.

Next week the teachers will be available for Parent-Teacher interviews to review student goals, discuss your child's recent engagement with their learning and set new goals for the coming weeks. Information regarding booking times will be published tomorrow. We are planning to conduct the meetings via Zoom to restrict access to the classrooms. 

To support the conversation during Parent-Teacher Interviews we would ask all parents to spend some time reflecting on the Individual Goal Setting questions and skills in the Engagement with Learning section. These areas will now be included on the revised school report for Semester One. 

Whilst we have returned to face to face teaching, we will continue to publish the sequence of lessons for those families who have been having protective behaviours conversations at home. This week the is for students to name their early warning signs. What are your child/ren's early warning signs? Do they get sweaty? Say the feel sick in the tummy? Have wobbly knees?

You might like to go around the dinner table one evening and share what your early warning signs are.

Over the first half of Term One many of our Years 2-5 students were busy putting together speeches and their nomination to be the representative of their class SRC. Unfortunately with COVID-19 occurring we were unable to publish our elected SRC names and commence meetings. Now that we are back at school we are pleased to announce the following members of the SRC who will work with Mr Donnelly and our Year 6 leaders to listen to student voice and contribute to change in our community.

Healthy Families is an informative website all about giving you the information, knowledge and confidence to support the young people in your life – whether you’re a parent, guardian, grandparent, a favourite uncle or an awesome auntie. They have advice to help you take care of your own mental health and wellbeing, especially if you’re a new parent or about to become one. There are a range of topics to browse and discover including:

• Pre-schoolers: one to five years
• Children: six to twelve
• Teenagers: thirteen years +
• Creating healthy homes
• Building resiliency and optimism
• Helping kids cope with anxiety

 Visit this link to find out more https://healthyfamilies.beyondblue.org.au/home

Kindergarten Parents - Please read attached letter regarding Kindergarten Health Checks.

Happy Birthday to the following students

Joel M, Claire H, Lachlan D, Adelina S, James Mc, Arabelle S, Chelsea A, Marissa den H, Ante P, Grace B, Shaye S

If you have any ideas or concerns please email them through to our Secretary Fiona Steinberg at council.stmonicas@cg.catholic.edu.au

Archdiocesan Protocols regading Covid-19 as of 15 May 2020

Churches may now be open but will be restricted to no more than 10 people in the building at any time. Mass may be celebrated for no ore than 10 people, excluding those conducting the service. Funerals celebrated inside the church building are restricted to 20 people, excluding those conducting the service. Funerals celebrated outside the church building are restricted to 30 people, excluding those conducting the service. Weddings may now be celebrated with 10 people, excluding those conducting the ceremony. Parishes and communities are to keep an accurate register of people who come for public and private prayer. Frequently touched surfaces are to be regularly cleaned. These gatherings are permitted with the physical distancing rule of 1.5 metres. No physical sign of peace is permitted and the current protocols for Holy Communion remain in place.

Visit the parish website for the full Archidocesan Protocols - www.cg.org.au/belconnennorth 

Parish Protocols regarding Covid-19 as of 15 May 2020

The Celebration of the Eucharist

Due to the restriction of a maximum of ten people, (excluding the celebrant), being permitted to gather in the church, Masses in our parish will not recommence until the next stage of the Covid-19 recovery plan. 

Prayers and Devotions in the Church

Groups of up to ten people who already possess a key to the church, may gather for prayers or devotions, observing the social distancing rule of 1.5 metres. For individuals who would like to pray privately in the church, please contact the parish office to arrange a time for the church to be opened.

Attendance Register

In accordance with the Archidocesan protocols and as requested by the Australian Government for the Covid-19 recovery plan, all those who use the church for public or private prayer must record the details in a register. Upon entering the church, please write your details in the register which has been placed on the small table in the church foyer. Please record the reason for using the church, the date, your name and contact number.

Hygiene in the Church

Upon entering the church, please make use of the antibacterial handwash which has been placed at the entrance.

Live Streamed Parish Mass

This is via the parish Facebook account, every Saturday at 6.00pm. Search for Our Lady of Perpetual Help-North Belconnen or enter @OLoPHNBelco in the Facebook search field. Mass is live streamed on Saturday at 6pm. The recording can be viewed anytime afterwards.

All parents volunteering at our school must have a current WWVP card.  When your card is due for renewal please ensure you have your updated card copied at the Front Office.