Dear Parents

As we enter the last weeks of the school year the teachers are busy preparing reports, following up on notes explaining a child's absence, and calling back all classroom reading books and library books in preparation for our end of year stocktake. Please return all books as soon as possible. Our lost property boxes are bursting with jumpers, hats and lunchboxes not claimed at the end of each day. We will endeavour to return items that are clearly labelled. 

Over the last few weeks, I have noticed a general lack of respect across the school in the way the children are dealing with one another and their manners towards the staff. While I know everyone is tired - children, parents and staff - we need to be vigilant and consistent in our expectation of the children regarding how they speak and treat others.

Principal  

Happy New Year!

Last Sunday marked the beginning of the new Church liturgical season. Pope Francis delivered his homily in Vatican City, giving us his first message for Advent and the new Church liturgical season. “we need to recognize God’s closeness and to say to him: “Come close to us once more!”,” Pope Francis said in St. Peter’s Basilica  Nov. 29. Pope Francis urges us to invite Jesus in by praying a traditional Advent prayer – “Come, lord Jesus!”.  The Book of Revelation ends with this prayer (Rev 22:20).

Another theme of Advent that we would all be familiar with is ‘Stay Awake!’. Pope Francis explains that this can be hard because not even Jesus Apostles could stay awake in the Garden. But we can stay awake ‘through the vigilance of prayer’. We can begin our mornings and end our days with the little prayer, “Come, Lord Jesus!” and invite God to be close to us and gives us hope.

Blessing to you all during this Advent season.

In School Sport Week 7

3/4 Netball - Swifts 2 defeated Giants 1

3/4 Soccer - Red Devils 3 drew with Dragons 3, Victory 3 defeated Wolves 1

3/4 Touch - Bulldogs 5 defeated Sharks 4

5/6 Netball - Sapphires 8 defeated Diamonds 0

5/6 Soccer - Roar 8 defeated United 0, Wanderers 3 defeated Glory 1

 5/6 Touch - Storm 3 defeated Raiders 7

We had 34 students participate in our 7th  Annual Chess Tournament. Students played a total of 7 rounds of chess over the course of the day.

In the Junior division we had the following winners: 1st place Jett S (5.5 points), 2nd place Isabella H (5 points) and a tie for 3rd place Sian S, Isabelle J and Zarah L (4.5 points). Honourable mention to the following students who played well: Emanuel S, Lachlan P and Sophie P (4 points) and Ostin D and Lisia F-J (3.5 points).

In the Senior division we had the following winners: 1st place Mary D-H (with a perfect 7 wins), 2nd place Charlize S ( 6 points) and 3rd place Angelino S (5 points). Honourable mention to the following students: Sarah D-H and Michael H (4 points) and with Rohan G, Gabe J, Indiana H, Darcy B, Annalene L and Geordie T (3.5 points).  

Our International Arbiter Shaun Press (who has umpired international tournaments) commented that the chess skills utilised by students at St Monica was impressive!

Josephine H (6M), has been accepted into the QLD Ballet Academy Guest Associate Program for interstate/international school age students. Josephine will attend the QLD Ballet Academy in Brisbane for one week of each school term for ballet training in 2021. Congratulations Josephine. What a wonderful achievement.

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.

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

Jamie L, Bailey G, Daniel H, Jesse S, Antonia H, Anneliese L, Marquez P

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

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.