Dear Parents

On Wednesday afternoon 43 very excited preschoolers and their parents attended our first Kinder Orientation session. It was so lovely to be able to gather, while social distancing, to connect with current and new families. I look forward to reconnecting again for our second session today.

Principal  

Congratulations!

Last week the Year 6 Candidates from both of our Parish schools and Parish School of Religion received the Sacrament of Confirmation. Often we ask, ‘how do I know that I have received the gifts of the Holy Spirit?’. Father Loi explained that we know when we are transformed; transformed in mind, heart and hands. What does this look like? Father Loi explained that you are transformed when you act in different ways to your normal reactions, then you are transformed.

• When your mind is transformed
  • You think kind words and actions rather than using hurtful words
• When your heart is transformed
  • You pray for the situation or person who has been unkind to you and
• When your hands have been transformed
  • Your actions show how your mind and heart have been transformed – speaking kindly and acting kindly.

 A timely reminder for all of us as we prepare for the season of Advent and Christmas.

Sacramental Program 2021 – First Eucharist for catch-up students from 2020
The Sacrament of First Eucharist for the students currently in Year 4 in 2020 will be celebrated in Term 1 of 2021.

Registration for the Sacrament of First Eucharist will open on Monday 23 November 2020 with registrations made via the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Qkr! App. Registrations will close by Friday 11 December 2020 and no further registration will be accepted.

Parent/Child Formation Night
The parent/child formation night is compulsory and will be held on Thursday 3 December 2020 via zoom (address to be provided closer to the event).

Commitment Masses
Students and parents must attend one of the Commitment Masses listed below to make their commitment for the sacrament. 
Please remember to make a booking for the Mass in advance, through the parish website at www.cg.org.au/belconnennorth

Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December
Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 December
Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 December 2020

There will be no additional commitment masses beyond these dates.

The Sacrament is available in 2021 for the School of Religion. Any queries can be made to sc.belconnennorth@cg.org.au

For further information regarding the Sacramental Program for 2021 please contact the Sacramental Program coordinator at sc.belconnennorth@cg.org.au

Our Neighbourhood Walkathon is on tomorrow! The teachers and students will be going on a walk around Evatt and Melba. The children are to wear old casual clothes as the day will end with a fun colour run around the oval.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we will only be asking for two parents to walk with each class and volunteers to be at various checkpoints around the course (this will be done on a first in first served basis). These volunteers are identified as essential. Students will leave the school grounds from 10:00am in year level groups and with their buddy class, following their morning fruit break, to walk a loop around the pathways of our local suburbs. Volunteers must hold a WWVP card, register with the Check In CBR app and observe all COVID-19 protocols.

The walk will lead the students back to school for recess. The distance for the Neighbourhood Walkathon is approximately 3km and will take about one hour to complete (Kinders will walk a slightly shorter route).  As this is a community event the students will accompany their school ‘buddy class’ for the walk. Please no pets on the walk!

The Neighbourhood Walkathon is traditionally one of our major fundraisers. However, due to COVID and the financial strain it has placed on families we are only asking for families to obtain sponsorship donations if you feel comfortable doing so.

Our preferred payment method is Qkr! Cash collected needs to be returned by Friday 20 November to be included in the draw. Cash needs to be returned in an envelope clearly marked with the student’s name, the amount of cash inside and the pledge card. Money raised from the Neighbourhood Walkathon goes towards the cost of purchasing resources needed in our school. This year our focus is on upgrading the classroom Maths equipment.

There will be one small prize ($25 gift voucher) for each class group. Children will be issued an entry into each prize draw for every $5 receipted against their name. The prize draw will occur after lunch. All money must be in by the Walkathon day to be included in the prize draw.

Please return the permission note or offer of assistance

Last week as a school community we celebrated NAIDOC week. Across the week in our classrooms we reflected on the theme for this years NAIDOC week, 'Always Was, Always Will Be'. Some of the other work completed included:

• Kindergarten completing some beautiful dot paintings and learnt a traditional Aboriginal song with Mrs Pearson in their Music lesson.
• Year 1 lead the school very respectfully in prayer on Friday afternoon on Microsoft Teams. Special thanks to Mrs Rosenfeld and Mrs Edwards for preparing the prayer service and preparing the children.
• 3GB completed some wonderful artworks of Uluru inspired by an Aboriginal artist.
• 3CD looked at the Aboriginal Map of Australia and talked about how they view Australia as a continent.
• Year 4 completed and reflected on the history of Aboriginal people in Australia and how they have contributed to Australian society and history.
• Year 5 completed some art activities and 5E and 3CD completed a buddy activity.
• Year 6 completed artworks based on this year's theme.
  
  

Thank you to all the families who supported the library through your book fair purchases. The library will be purchasing non-fiction books linked to the curriculum to ensure that students have access to the most up to date information for their research.

Library Books 

There will be no more borrowing of books from the Library from Tuesday 1 December onwards (Week 8). All books will need to be returned to the Library by Thursday 3 December.  I have commenced sending overdue notes home with students.  It would be greatly appreciated if these books could be returned as soon as possible. Please email me if you are unable to locate books - veronica.melville@cg.catholic.edu.au 

In School Sport Week 5 results

3/4 Netball

Swifts 1 defeated Giants 0

3/4 Touch

Bulldogs 4 defeated Titans 3 

3/4 Soccer

Victory 5 defeated Red Devils 1

Dragons 2 drew with Wolves 2

5/6 Netball

Sapphires 9 defeated Diamonds 2

5/6 Touch

Tigers 7 defeated Raiders 4

5/6 Soccer

Roar 7 defeated Glory 0

Wanderers 5 defeated United 1 

Just a reminder to the parents of Kindergarten students that Canberra Health Services is offering a targeted kindergarten health check concentrating on vision and hearing. Uptake of the appointments is now slowing down. These health checks are performed  in clinics at the City Health Centre on Mondays and Fridays until Monday 14December. An appointment can be made by calling the Central Intake Line on 51249977.

St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal

Each year St Monica’s School participates in the St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal. The local conference of the Society packs and distributes over 50 hampers to families in our parish just prior to Christmas. Over the years, the generosity of the St Monica’s School community has filled many hampers. The Appeal will launch again shortly. St Monica’s School will collect items up until Friday 11 December. This year classes have been allocated a food group to collect. Donations are not limited to the listed items but providing these will enable the Conference to provide a Christmas dinner to their clients.

6H - Minced pies and fruit tarts

6FH - Long life custard and packets of jelly crystals     

6M -  Sweet and savoury biscuits

5W  - Packets of muesli bars/fruit bars

5E - Tinned vegetables beetroot, potatoes

5SM -Tinned vegetables – carrots, peas, corn,

4R -  Tinned fruit – pineapple, peaches, pears

4MF -  Packets of pasta

3CD - Packets of chips/pretzels/etc

3LK -  Packets of coloured popcorn

3GB - Boxes/packets of chocolates (without nuts)

2CP - Christmas Bon-Bons

2RR – Drinks – Fruit juice 1 litre

1E -  Cordial - 1 litre 

1R – Tin salmon

KCH -  Sponge jam rolls – check expiry date is after Christmas

KB - Packet of sweet or savoury biscuits

Staff - Tinned hams 

Many thanks for your generosity.

Fees are now overdue!

Term 4 school fees are now overdue. 

Please let us know if you have not received your fees statement. Statements were not issued to families with a direct debit arrangement in place, however, please let us know if you wish to receive a copy.

Please make full payment of your school fees as a matter of urgency, and get in touch with our School Finance Officer, Allison Walsh should you need to discuss your account.

Any families who are leaving us this year must ensure their account is settled in full, please.

We are well underway with our preparations for 2021. 

If you have older children at Systemic Catholic Schools other than St Monica's, please complete the attached form as soon as possible, by Friday 4 December 2020, please.

This information is required by us to ensure you are charged the correct amount for fees. If you have older children at Systemic schools you are entitled to various discounts on your school fees here at St Monica's, if you do not provide this information you will be charged the full fees.

Happy Birthday to the following students  celebrating a Birthday this week

Jacob O, Alex C, Laura G, Harleen T, Declan H

Reminder all families: 

Catholic Education COVID-19 Website - Click to open web updates

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

St Monica's Annual Chess Tournament

Students are invited to participate in the St Monica's Annual Chess Tournament on Friday 27 November.  Students do not need to be chess experts and will play within their divisions (Years 1-3 and Years 4-6).  Entry forms are available via the Schoolzine App or from the Front Office.  Entry is free. Forms need to be returned to school by Tuesday 24 November.

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.