Dear Parents

Fabulous Vinnies Winter Appeal

There was much excitement at St Monica's today as WIN News arrived to report on our special Winter appeal led by the St Monica's Social Justice Leaders and Mrs Haley Stonham. Check out our great news story - Well done team and a great way to end the term!

Click to view our WIN News Story

Families Leaving 

This week we say farewell to the Steele family (Annalise - 4R). We wish Annalise all the best at her new school.

To help with class planning for 2021 please advise the school in writing if you do not intend returning to St Monica's in 2021.

St Monica's New Bus Stop - Ready for use in Term 3

Commencing next term we will return to the new bus stop located near our school hall. This will improve the waiting area for the children catching the bus on the school side of Moynihan Street. Don't forget to check that your child knows the number of the bus they are to catch. We will also arrange for the Hall (NSW) bus to also pick up near the hall in the afternoon.  

Late Arrivals - What you need to know!

Children arriving after the 8.55am bell MUST walk through the foyer to access their classroom. Children arriving late are to be signed in by a parent/carer at the Front Office. Do not just drop them off. The information documented on a late slip is now transferred to our new student roll data system to accurately record all arrival and departure times. The class roll is now taken each morning by 9.05am. Any child arriving after 9.05am will be documented as arriving late for school.  Eventually, an automated SMS notification will be added to our system which will advise a parent when a child has not been accounted for at school. 

Parish Sacramental Program 2020

After a Parish Sacramental Team meeting on Friday, the following dates/times are confirmed. Please note, Sacrament of First Eucharist for Year 4 students, will move over to 2021 in Term 1. 

Sacrament of First Reconciliation (Year 3) - Key Dates for your calendar

Term 3, Week 1 - Thursday 23 July 6pm (Zoom) - Sacrament of Reconciliation Information Night

Term 3, Week 1, 2, 3 - Weekend of 25/26 July, 1/2 August or 8/9 August Commitment Masses

Term 3, Week 2-5 - Home Preparation (Book provided to work through as Parent/Child)

Term 3, Week 6 - Thursday 27 August - Sacrament of Reconciliation Retreat Day (at school)

Term 3, Week 6 - Thursday 27 August 6pm (Zoom) - Parent/Child Formation Night

Term 3, Week 8 - Sacrament of First Reconciliation (First Rite). Families to book in a time between 3.30-6pm.

     Tuesday 8 September - St Michael's Church (3.30-6pm)

     Wednesday 9 September - St Monica's Church (3.30-6pm)

     Thursday 10 September - St Monica's Church (3.30-6pm)

Sacramental of Confirmation (Year 6) - Key Dates for your calendar

Term 3, Week 9 - Thursday 17 September (Zoom) - Sacrament of Confirmation Information Night

Term 3, Week 9, 10 and first week of holidays - weekends of 19/20 September, 26/27 September and 3/4 October Commitment Masses

Between Term 3, Week 10 and Term 4, Week 3 - Home Preparation (Book provided to work through as Parent/Child)

Term 4, Week 3 - Thursday 29 October - Confirmation Retreat Day 

Term 4, Week 3 - Thursday 29 October - 6pm Confirmation Parent & Child Formation Night

Term 4, Week 5 - Sacrament of Confirmation

      Tuesday 10 November - St Michael's Church (6pm)

      Wednesday 11 November - St Monica's Church (6pm)

      Thursday 12 November - St Monica's Church (6pm)

Parish Sacramental Coordinator

It is with great excitement that we can introduce our new Parish Sacramental Coordinator, Sue Collins. Sue will be your first contact for families with children preparing to receive First Reconciliation, First Communion and Confirmation. We welcome Sue and look forward to working with her as you prepare your children for these special events in their faith journey.

Reconciliation

Children in Year 3 who are baptised Catholics and would like to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation are invited to take part in the Parish Preparation Program next term. An invitation from Father Loi is coming home this week (and is included further in this newsletter under Parish News). Please be sure to respond to the invitation and register via Qkr! app under the ‘Our Lady of Perpetual Help’ account (not the School account) to ensure your child is enrolled in this program.

There will be a virtual information session available via Zoom on Thursday 23 July at 6:00pm. The link for this will be included in the invitation coming home this week.

Books to assist with home preparation in your family will be sent home with your child in Week One of next term.  You are asked to attend a Commitment Mass over the coming weeks. Please be sure to register online prior to attending Mass as numbers are limited to 75 people at St Michael’s Church and 90 people at St Monica’s Church per Mass. There will be a family formation evening on Thursday 27 August. At this stage this will probably be run through Zoom unless social distancing restrictions ease – we will let you know closer to the date. After the Information Evening families will be invited to make an appointment time for celebrating the First Rite of Reconciliation on either the 8, 9 or 10 September. This booking will be made through the Parish Office.

Sacramental Invitation Letter - Reconciliation 

Wishing everyone a relaxing break and please continue to stay safe and healthy. 

Principal  

With the easing of restrictions in place  from Friday 19 June for 100 people, we are moving forward with commencing Weekend Masses starting this coming weekend (20 and 21 June).

In order to follow the strict observance of the 1.5m or 4 square metres distancing, St Michael's Church can hold 75 people and St Monica's Church can hold 90 people.

A TryBooking system has been set up and the links will be on the Parish website, Facebook and Instagram accounts from Friday midday. They will also be shared on the school’s newsletter and social media accounts.

To ensure as many people can attend Church as possible, two additional Masses will start. The times and locations are as follows;

St Michael's Church

      Saturday 6.00pm (additional)

      Sunday 8.00am & 5.30pm 

      Saturday 6.00pm

      Sunday 10.00am 

      Sunday 5.30pm (additional)

If you are in a position to help with Church cleaning, reading etc. please contact the Parish Office.

We look forward to welcoming everyone who would like to back to Church to pray and worship as a Community.

From Saturday 18 July 2020, Transport Canberra will be updating timetables for bus services.

These changes will help make public transport in Canberra easier to use by providing more services and increased frequency, to ensure that people have greater opportunity to spread out their travel across the day as we recover from COVID-19.

Transport Canberra has worked closely with the school community and we are providing increased frequency and additional services for school students across Canberra.

As a new timetable is being introduced, there will be minor changes for all students travelling to and from school on public transport across Canberra from the first day of Term 3, 2020 (Monday 20 July 2020). In most cases, this will mean that students will catch the same service from the same stop, but the times that services arrive and leave may change.

In addition, Transport Canberra has made the following changes:

Bus stop re-opened at St Monica’s Primary - Our very exciting news!

• From the beginning of Term 3, 2020, a bus stop on Moynihan St, Evatt will be reopened. This stop is adjacent to St Monica’s Primary School.
• This will address an issue raised by the school about the safety of students walking to stop further away from the school.
• In the morning, students will be able to catch one route 41 service to this bus stop. While most route 41 services will no longer travel down Moynihan St, one bus each morning will divert to provide a service from St Monica’s Primary and Miles Franklin Primary to Flynn and Melba.
• In the afternoon, students will be able to use a new school special (school route 1068) to make the return journey, leaving from the same bus stop.
• Students catching other buses stopping at the school (Rapid 3 and route 43) will be able to continue to use bus stops adjacent to the school on Copland Drive. Students crossing Copland Drive at these stops can use the pedestrian underpass.
• There will be no changes to services in Term 2, 2020.

• checking the information packs for each school, which are online at transport.act.gov.au
• checking timetables for each route (including school specials), which are online at transport.act.gov.au
• calling 13 17 10.

School Fees were due on Friday 12 June.

This is a friendly reminder to families to please settle accounts as soon as possible, except for families on Direct Debit arrangements.

We currently have over $120,000 outstanding. 

Every courtesy has been extended in relation to family circumstances during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the CE offering those families experiencing hardship the opportunity to apply for fee relief for Term 2 fees if needed.

Please make every effort to settle your account before the end of the term. The school cannot bear the running costs alone.

Thank you to families who have paid their fees. 

Happy Birthday to the following students and all the students celebrating a Birthday in the holidays -

Cameron H, Skyla L, Adele M, Charles V, Noah P, Lily H, Charlotte T, Ruby M, Mya L, Aiden Mc, Toby Mc, Tasharna S, Laura R, Xavier P, Maggie P, Cooper A, Morgan K, Bailey S, Tahlianna B

With the excitement of return to school so quickly we forgot to finalise our Name that Teacher competition that was running during remote learning. 6 of our closest entrants came to the board room to go over the results with Mr Donnelly and find a winner. We are pleased to announce that the David-Hoole family were victorious with correctly naming 19 of our staff. The girls were thrilled to choose a board game each as their prize!

Here is the answer sheet for families to check against their efforts!

Rhee Taekwon-Do - Martial Arts Lessons

Rhee Tae Kwon-Do is an effective affordable martial art for all ages. 

You improve personal confidence, fitness, discipline, self-control, co-ordination and respect.

Classes held at St Monica’s Primary School, Moynihan Street, Evatt on  Monday and Wednesday nights

Monday - 6:30 – 7:30pm, Wednesday - 6:30 – 7:30pm

For more information contact Lee on 0412 406 359 visit: http://rheeact.com.au/classes/evatt

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

Our SMOOSH care is taking enrolments for the July Vacation Program 

VAC_plan_April_2020_UV.pdf

Enrolment_Form_VAC_July_2020_updated_15.6.20.pdf

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.

Please find information for Junior Winter Touch Football in Flyer.