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Dear Parents and Carers of Good Samaritan,
This week we recognise and celebrate Laudato Si’. Laudato Si’ is the second encyclical of Pope Francis in which he calls us all to care for our common home. In this encyclical he reminds us of the dangers of consumerism, irresponsible development, environmental degradation and global warming. Pope Francis calls us to ‘take swift and global action’.
This clip simply explains what Pope Francis’ speaks about and gives some simple ideas as to what we can engage in to make sure we are caring for our common home.
One of the goals of this week may be to consider how much you reuse something rather than immediately discarding it. Pope Francis teaches us that this can be an act of love which expresses our own dignity. We are invited to take ‘Head Heart and Hand’ actions this week.
Head: Assess where you have power or influence for procurement e.g., at work, school or in parish life. Research available ethical purchasing guides that address your regular purchases, for example food, clothing, and energy, and follow their advice.
Heart: Before purchasing anything, ask: Do I need this? Will this make me happy?
Whose lives will be impacted by this purchase? Where are there opportunities for me to make a change?
Hands: Actions could include reducing waste, recycling, and adopting sustainable practices across your life e.g., using fair trade products, sustainable dietary habits, greater use of public transport, walking and cycling, and avoiding single use items.
It is only when our children see us questioning our own actions that we can then expect them to understand why they should do the same.
Until next time, journeying together with Jesus,
Toni Sillis
Principal
This interesting article was recently published in The Catholic Weekly. It speaks very openly about the importance of watching for changes in our children’s behaviour particularly if they have access to mobile phones without expectations and restrictions.
Administration Building Recovery Update:
Currently, the builders are sourcing materials to recover the building. All carpet will be replaced and many walls have been removed. Work on the building is expected to begin over the next week.
Specialist Setting Fence Removal:
The fence around the Amaroo classrooms and the Learning Support Centre has been removed. This fence was becoming a hazard as it aged. The area is now open enabling an easy flow for the students to the general playground and classrooms.
Cabbage Tree Lane Gate Access:
An electronic gate has now been installed on Cabbage Tree Lane. This was necessary during the relocation of the administration area but will also prove to be an additional layer of security for the school during the school day.
This week we acknowledge the work of our school support officers at Good Samaritan Catholic School.
They were given a special blessing at our Laudato Si liturgy on Monday and all staff celebrated with a special morning tea.
We thank them for their commitment to the students at Good Samaritan. School support staff play an important role in ensuring students are learning in a safe and supportive learning environment.
LOOK CLOSER
Love:
Love is not just a feeling. Love is a choice we make to put the good of another before our own needs and desires.
LAUDATO SI’ WEEK
This week we celebrate Laudato Si’ week. The words Laudato Si’ are Italian and mean “praise be to you”. They are a part of a quotation from St Francis of Assisi’s “Canticle of the Creatures' where the saint praises God by meditating on the goodness of the sun, wind, earth, water and other natural forces. Laudato Si’ is a reminder of how people should not only respect the Earth but also praise and honour God through their engagement with creation.Laudato Si' is an encyclical of Pope Francis published in May 2015. It focuses on care for the natural environment and all people, as well as broader questions of the relationship between God, humans, and the Earth. The encyclical's subtitle, “Care for Our Common Home,” reinforces these key themes. Pope Francis has called for us to care for the planet.
We will come together for a liturgy at 9.30am on Monday 16th. All are welcome.
LUMEN CHRISTI PARISH RECONCILATION &
CONFIRMATION CLASSES
LUMEN CHRISTI PARISH RECONCILIATION & FIRST HOLY COMMUNION ENROLMENTS 2022
The Sacramental Programme for Reconciliation & First Holy Communion will begin with the Parent/Caregiver Meeting at 6.30pm on Wednesday 29th June, and Thursday 30th June 2022, at St John Vianney Co-Cathedral, Fairy Meadow.
Parents/caregivers must attend either one of these meetings to enrol their children for the First Holy Communion Programme.
Please bring your child’s completed enrolment form and a copy of your child’s Baptism Certificate. You can download the enrolment form from our parish website. Go to: www.lumenchristi.org.au/sacramental2022
Enrolment forms will only be accepted at the Parent/Caregiver session held 6.30pm on 29/30 June at St John Vianney Co-Cathedral. Strictly No late enrolments will be accepted. The cost for administration and materials for the First Holy Communion Programme is $60.
The sessions for each sacrament will be held in St John Vianney Co-Cathedral commencing at 6.30pm sharp. If you require any further information or need to discuss any concerns please, contact Cathy on 4211 0506 email: cathy.zamroz@dow.org.au
CONFIRMATION SESSION 3: St John Vianney Co-Catherdral @ 6.30pm Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 May.
If you require any further information or need to discuss any concerns, please, contact Cathy prior to the enrolment directly on 4211 0506 email: catherine.zamroz@dow.org.au
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION ENROLMENT FORM 2022
Musical - Save the Date! Thursday 23 June
For Creative Arts release this term, students will be preparing, perfecting and performing a musical. Each class will focus on ONE scene and song. Students will perfect their section by focussing on one element per lesson at the beginning of the term (Singing, acting, dancing, rehearsing, costumes and props). Towards the end of the term all aspects of the musical will join together into whole scene rehearsals, school rehearsals, dress rehearsals and performances for the GSFM community.
We will be having an infants musical and a primary musical.These musicals are
The Litter Muncher and The Giant Slayer.
Please check compass and this space to receive updates over the next few weeks.
News From our Year 1 Classrooms
In Science, Year 1 has been very busy this term. The students have made the musical instruments that they designed last term then they played them together in a class band. Year 1 has also started this term's topic: The Living World. Students have investigated the qualities of living and non living things and explored the playground to identify and categorise the things we saw as living and non living. This term our Science is linked to our English unit that is called Endangered Animals. Students are learning to identify important information when reading and to record this information in a fact file to help us write information reports.
In Religion, Year One is learning about the Easter Season. One Gold created artworks representing Good Friday, the resurrection of Jesus and when the disciples met Jesus on the road to Emmaus.
In Science, Year Two is enjoying the topic of ‘Watch It Grow’. This unit provides opportunities for childrens to explore the growth of a range of living things and explore the processes of growth and change. In order to do this, the children have been caring for mealworms and carefully watching for changes in the life cycle.
In Mathematics, Year 2 has been learning to represent and describe the position of objects in everyday situations and on maps. The students enjoyed sketching buildings and key features located in the school grounds and designing simple maps to describe positional routes to different destinations located within the school.
Two Gold created their own sketches of different buildings and features they identified in our school.
In the event of poor weather an announcement will be made through Compass.
In the event of wet weather, the carnival will continue for competitive students only. This means students who are likely to progress to the Diocesan level carnival. A compass notification will be sent if this should occur.
- All children will come to school as normal and then you will get your name marked off and travel to Beaton park on a bus. If you are participating in the 800m race, you must be at school early and get on the first bus.
- Bring food, water, sunscreen, hats, jackets, tracksuit pants, you could also bring something to sit on in the grandstand. Please keep the grandstand clean and tidy with your belongings in your bag and rubbish in the bin.
- The grass at Beaton Park is currently out of bounds. When you are at the carnival please be careful, no one is allowed to walk on the grass.
- If you need the bathroom throughout the day, you must tell your teacher and go in pairs. You must stay with your age group at all times.
Following is the proposed schedule for the day.
Please note that all times are approximate & are subject to change.
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8:50am |
Parent helpers meeting |
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9:00am |
800m runners arrive at track |
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9:15am |
800m races begin |
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9:15am |
8-12 year old STUDENTS ASSEMBLE in age groups with supervising teachers in the grandstand |
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9:30am |
House Chants - Year 6 leaders |
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9:45am |
Primary rotations begin |
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12:30pm |
Lunch Break |
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12:30pm |
200m (Optional relays if time allows) |
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1:30pm |
Carnival Clean up Parents to take their students home after having name marked off the roll |
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1:45pm |
Buses leave Beaton Park to Return to School |
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2:00pm |
Buses arrive back at school for normal dismissal |
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Competitive track & field events may occur at different times throughout the day.
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9:15am |
800m |
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Stations → Rotation Times ↓ |
1. Long Jump |
2. 100m Heats |
3. High Jump |
4. Rest/Recess (Grandstand) |
5. Relays/Games |
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9:45am |
8 years |
12 years |
11 years |
10 years |
9 years |
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10:15am |
9 years |
8 years |
12 years |
11 years |
10 years |
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10:45am |
10 years |
9 years |
8 years |
12 years |
11 years |
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11:15am |
11 years |
10 years |
9 years |
8 years |
12 years |
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11:45am |
12 years |
11 years |
10 years |
9 years |
8 years |
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12:15pm |
Pack up field events |
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12:30pm |
200m (to start when the 100m is finished) |
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At the end of the carnival, if you go home with a parent or guardian, you must sign out with your teacher.
Always Be Safe, Respectful and Responsible and most of all, HAVE FUN!
Cross Country News
Due to the condition of the Cross Country track at Nowra, the Diocesan Cross Country has now been moved to Narellan Sports Hub on Tuesday 24 May.
Given the short time to organise a new venue and one that is not a specific Cross-Country course, the restrictions placed on all schools by CEDoW (Catholic Education, Diocese of Wollongong) won't be running a full point score carnival. Unfortunately this means the GSFM Cross Country team will not be able to attend in its full capacity.
We wish those students who will be representing GSFM the very best of luck for the trial.
Love of Learning
How Can We Involve in Our Community?
- Encourage others through turn taking.
- Encourage students to listen to each other.
- Raising your hand
- Not giving up - persist when things get tough
- Working through or facing a challenge
- Using good manners when asking for help
- being a willing and consistent helper
- including others in games and activities
- students are encouraged to ask for help - every question is relevant and valued
From the School Handbook:
Bus Travel
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.
If you have a sibling that will be ready to begin school in 2023 contact the office for an enrolment pack.
MEDICAL PLANS
PLEASE CHECK & UPDATE
If your child is on an Asthma or Anaphlylaxis Action Plan please make sure that the school has an updated copy of their plan. Copies can be scanned and emailed through to the school email. info@gsfmdow.catholic.edu.au
The Canteen will be open
WEDNESDAY,THURSDAY and FRIDAY EACH WEEK
PREMIER’S READING CHALLENGE (PRC) 2022
PRC is back again. From Monday 21 March, students will be able to borrow any books from their respective challenge group (3-4 or 5-6).
Those students doing the PRC can check in SORA and find one of the Premier's Reading Challenge categories matching the right challenge level. If students are having trouble, they can download the reading log from the PRC website (https://online.det.nsw.edu.au/prc/home.html) to keep a track of what has been read. We will assist them to enter their data.
Students from Yrs 3-4 need to log 20 titles in which 5 of them are free choices. Yrs 5-6 need to log 20 titles of which 5 are free choices. Students from K-2 will do the Challenge (K-2) as a classroom.
The last day to log PRC titles is 19 August 2022 for students.
Mrs Medina
2022
May
Friday 20 May
School Athletics Carnival
Tuesday 24 May
Cross Country Narellan
Monday 30 May -3 June
Screen Aware Week
June
Friday 3 June
7pm Confirmation
Saturday 4 June
2pm & 6pm Confirmation
Sunday 5 June
Pentecost Sunday
Friday 10 June
PB4L Day
Monday 13 June
Queens Birthday
Tuesday 21 June
Parent/Teacher Interview Week
Thursday 23 June
School Musical
Wednesday 29 June
Parish Reconciliation & First Communion Enrolment Sessions
6:30pm: Parent/Cargiver meeting at St John Vianney Co-Cathedral
Thursday 30 June
Parish Reconciliation & First Communion Enrolment Sessions
6:30pm: Parent/Cargiver meeting at St John Vianney Co-Cathedral
July
Friday 1 July
Whole School Run & Picnic
Last Day of Term 2
Monday 18 July
First Day Term 3
Friday 22 July
Grandparents & Great People Day
September
Friday 2 September
Father's Day BBQ Breakfast & Stall
Wednesday 14 September
Feast of the Holy Cross - Feast Day 10 Years of Good Samaritan
18-25 September
UCI 2022 Road World Championships- Wollongong