Dear Parents and Carers,

This week we entered the fourth week of Lent. In the Gospel last Sunday we heard John’s well known verse:

‘God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so everyone who believes in him might have eternal life’

The Gospel reminds us about love. If we take a small part of this verse ‘God so loved the world that he gave…’ and reflect upon just this part of the verse, we are taken to another form of understanding what we are being asked to do. God so loved the world that he gave…

We are being asked to think about love as an outward expression rather than inward. God is asking to be loved, because he loved. We are being asked to recognise that our highest joy, just like God, is to give love.

I reflected on this on Sunday and was reminded of our Good Samaritan boys and girls. They give so much love - to each other, to their classrooms, to their school, to their families - their love is outward and obviously so. Our Year 6 students demonstrate this by giving back to their school community, diligently committing their time to actions that occur across the school. I see this love between friendships in the younger years. Children who draw pictures for one another, give each other cards that they have made - all an ever so simple outward pouring of their love.

As parents, we give love and security to our children particularly when they are young. Then, as they grow and mature, we slowly give them freedom. This freedom however small it may seem is our outward expression of love. I recall my daughter who, at 21, set off on a 6 week European holiday with her best friend. As we left the airport, she had boarded the plane, I could not stop crying! We had given her a freedom that she had never before had and that outward pouring of our love was really hard to do.

But, had she not been given the freedom, the love I have for her would have been held within me - I would have felt much better, she would have been home where I knew she’d be safe but how would that really be love?

As we continue through Lent this week, take some time to think about how you show your love and how others show theirs to you.

As we journey together, with Jesus,

Toni Sillis

Principal

On Friday the children will be participating in a day filled with activities to celebrate Harmony Week, World Happiness Day and National Day Against Bullying which all fall throughout this week. The students are able to wear mufti for the PB4L Day using the theme of Wear What Makes You (& Others) Happy! eg: football jersey, butterfly wings, funny hat. Students need to wear enclosed shoes and remember to wear something that makes another person smile.

The day will begin with a Liturgy in the Church celebrating St Joseph’s Day. Unfortunately, we are unable to invite parents to the Liturgy due to numbers and space restrictions in the Church.

The Council of Catholic School Parents (NSW/ACT) has joined with the eSafety Commissioner to present two free webinars for parents and carers in late March 2021.

The webinars are:

• Helping kids thrive online (for parents/carers of 5-12 year olds)
• Tech, teens and time online (for parents/carers of 12-18 year olds).

Both are free but registration is required.

Provided are two flyers to use to promote these webinars in your parent/carer community via the school newsletter and any school social media platforms.

For newsletters - link to the pdf version so that the relevant hyperlinks remain active. For social media - use the jpg version as the graphic/visual and include the relevant links in the text of the post so that people can link to the registration page.

The relevant link for both webinars is https://www.ccsp.catholic.edu.au/webina

I will be taking a period of Long Service Leave beginning on Monday 29 March. I will return to work following the Princial’s Retreat on Wednesday 5 May. During this time, Mrs Sharon Smithers will be Acting Principal.

As part of WH&S compliance regulations, Good Samaritan undergoes a tree audit each year. The results of the audit have instructed that one of the trees on the decking area be removed. This will occur over the coming weeks.

In addition, some of the trees that are overhanging the building also need to be trimmed. All work should be completed by the beginning of Term 2.

On Holy Thursday, 1 April, students will participate in an Easter Hat Parade. All students are invited to participate. The Easter Hat Parade has its  historical roots as a fancy head covering that people wore in readiness for the Easter celebration. During the Great Depression the Easter Hat was a simple luxury. It represents the harmony associated with having something new and the new life that we, as a Catholic community, celebrate at Easter.

The following are some reminders for morning and afternoon car lines. These actions help to keep the car lines running smoothly and ensure the safety of all our community.

 Morning Car Lines:

• Begin at 8:20am
• Supervision by duty teachers who hand sanitise students on arrival
• Students must be able to get out of vehicles on their own
• School bags are to be in the car with the student, not in the boot
• Students must get out of the car on the passenger side
• Parents are not to exit the vehicle
• Supervisors are not allowed to open &/or close car doors

 Afternoon Car Lines:

• Begin at 3pm (unless wet weather)
• Students must enter cars on the passenger side
• Students must be able to buckle their seatbelt independently 
• Supervisors are not allowed to open &/or close car doors
• Bags are to go into the car with the student/s, not in the boot
• Parents are not to exit the vehicle

Thank you to all our parents who consistently support the safety in the operation of car lines.

On occasions where it is raining at dismissal time a Compass notification will be sent to parents to advise that wet weather dismissal arrangements will be put into place.

Wet weather dismissal means that:

• Car Lines begins at 2:45pm unless the weather is such that it makes it unsafe for students and staff
• Parents and carers are asked to ensure that the car line does not extend out into Cabbage Tree Lane and that a loop of the block is completed until the driver can safely enter the school
• Parent pick up dismissal is from classrooms beginning at 2:50pm
• Year 4 parents will meet their child/ren under the COLA. Year 4 parents are asked not to access the stairs during wet weather.
• Bus lines operate as usual from 3pm

Congratulations to:

Bonnie Kennedy & Hope Hill who were recently selected for the U11 Illawarra Netball Squad.

On Friday 12th March we had a wonderful day for our annual GSFM Cross Country carnival. All students participated in an event and displayed good sportsmanship and enthusiasm during the carnival. It was lovely to see support and cheering from all the students on the sidelines. Some students even ran an extra lap to encourage younger students to try their best!  A huge thank you to all the wonderful parents that gave their time to help support the students during the event - we feel truly grateful for the support you give. Thank you also to the Year 6 students who provided extra help and support for students and staff in the recording area. 

Well done to the following students who placed in their age races. 

Congratulations to our GSFM Cross Country team who will go on to compete at the Cross Country Championships in Nowra on April 27th.

Touch Football:

Well done to the boys and girls who trialled for Touch Football yesterday and Hockey last week. We are proud of the skill and sportsmanship you demonstrated.

Transport NSW has a complete set of Guidelines for managing school students behaviour on buses. These guidelines unpack the Code of Conduct responsibilities of students, parents and school principals in relation to bus behaviour. The guidelines also indicate the consequences for a breach of the Code of Conduct. 

For your information, the following is taken from section 2 of the Guidelines - Student Code of Conduct.

CODE OF CONDUCT FOR SCHOOL STUDENTS ON BUSES 

It is every student's responsibility to behave in a manner that ensures the safety and comfort of passengers and drivers. This includes: 

Behaviour on buses: 

• Use appropriate language not offensive or racist language 
• Fighting, spitting, feet on seats, throwing things in or from the bus is not permitted 
• No eating or drinking (other than water) — unless for medical reasons or the bus operator gives written permission 
• Offer seats to adults including people with a disability, elderly or expectant mothers 
• Do not touch, push or shove other people 
• Do not bully or harass other passengers or the driver. This includes photographing, making lewd or suggestive comments, acting in a manner or participating in activities that may be deemed inappropriate or of a sexual nature. 
• Avoid attracting the attention of the driver except in the case of emergency 
• Do not play music at such volume that it may distract the bus driver or other passengers. 

Parent Action: If your child/ren  catches a bus to or from school please familiarise yourself with these guidelines and speak to your child/ren about their responsibilities on the buses.

Safety within the Parish car park is everyone’s business. Students, parents and staff can only be kept safe if everyone is vigilant about their actions when using this space. It is every parent/carer’s responsibility to exercise safe actions within the carpark. This includes using the car park as indicated below:

• Parents are not to park on school or Parish grounds during drop off (8:20am-8:50am) or pick up (2:30pm-3:20pm) times
• When arriving prior to dismissal at Car Line Pick Up parents are asked to turn engines off once the car is stationary
• A safe speed of 10km/h when driving into the car park
• Do not exit your vehicle when dropping off or picking up students
• Ensure that children are well within the school gate when dropping off before moving off
• Children only exit vehicles when the vehicle is at the front of the queue
• Ensure students have safely entered the car and closed the door when picking up
• There is no pedestrian access to the carpark when car lines have begun in both the morning and afternoon
• Gates into the school are closed and locked from the Parish car park following morning assembly.

Thank you to those parents who continually exercise the utmost care when accessing the school via the Parish car park. Every child’s safety is everyone’s concern.

March

• Wednesday 17 March - Year 6 Captain & Vice Captain Speeches 

• Thursday 18 March - Year 6 Captiain & Vice Captain Speeches 

• Friday 19 March- Feast of St Joseph School Liturgy PB4L Day: Mufti Day for Students Wear What Makes You (& Others) Happy!

• Sunday 21 March -Feast of the Passing of St Benedict

• Monday 22 March -  Year 6 Student Leadership Day with Cameron

• Tuesday 23 March -  Touch Football Trials

• Tuesday 23 March - Touch Football Trials 

• Thursday 25 March - Year 5 St Joseph Liturgy with Fr Bernard 

• Friday 26 March - Easter Egg Raffle returns due 

• Monday 29 March - Holy Week Begins daVinci Decathlon

April

• Holy Thursday 1 April - Last Day Term 1 -Easter Hat Parade 

• Friday 2 April - Good Friday 

• Sunday 4 April - Easter Sunday 

• Monday 5 April - Easter Monday 

• Monday 19 April - First Day Term 2

• Tuesday 20 April - 9:30am: Easter Liturgy

• Thursday 22 April - School Photos 

• Friday 23 April - ANZAC Day Prayer