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- From the Principal's Desk
- Assembly Week 3:
- 10 Year Gala Dinner Update: Tickets are now available!
- From the Assistant Principal
- Our Catholic Life and Identity
- School News
- PB4L @ GSFM
- Sports News
- Parent and School Partnership
- P & F Father's Day Raffle
- Canteen News
- School Photos
- Important Dates
- Noticeboard:
Dear Parents and Carers of Good Samaritan,
This week we celebrate the Feast of St John Vianney, the patron saint of the co-cathedral. St John Vianney lived during the time of the French Revolution and was actually drafted into Napoleon Bonaparte’s army.
Following the revolution, Vianney came to recognise that many people were indifferent or ignorant to religion which made him work tirelessly to gain pilgrims who would follow him to come to a better understanding of God through prayer. St. John Vianney would often say: "Private prayer is like straw scattered here and there: If you set it on fire, it makes a lot of little flames. But gather these straws into a bundle and light them, and you get a mighty fire, rising like a column into the sky; public prayer is like that."
Next Monday we celebrate the Feast of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop - Australia’s first saint. Mary MacKillop was a trail-blazer in her lifetime, leaving a culture of exemplary living for her followers to emulate. Mary paved the way for education of poor children and a variety of ministries which addressed the needs of 19th century Australia.
Her legacy continues today in countless ways. Education in its many facets is still a strong ministry for the Sisters of Saint Joseph.
Mary’s work continues today with a myriad of ways of bringing healing and hope through spirituality, counselling, supervision and mentoring.
Mary MacKillop’s legacy encourages us to be people of justice and ecumenism.
Mary inspires us to be courageous and hopeful and to have a deep faith in our God who provides.
Mary MacKillop has shown us how to forgive and how to be compassionate; she teaches us about spirituality and is a saint for all of us today.
The lives of St John Vianney and St Mary of the Cross MacKillop demonstrate the deep commitment that was shown to their faith and the Church. They both stood for others believing that their work was for the good of others; that those around them would live lives that were fulfilled and filled with prayer and the Holy Spirit. Mary is remembered by many quotes, and I leave this one with you this week to reflect upon as we journey through the week.
“If disappointed, don’t say hard things. Only think a little, pray a little, and try to remember that God will bring about what is best in God’s own time.”
Mary MacKillop, 2 September 1873
Enjoy the week, together, with Jesus,
Toni Sillis
Principal
Good Samaritan will celebrate 10 Years of Catholic education in Fairy Meadow with a Gala Dinner event on Friday 16 September.
Individual tickets are now available for purchase. Tables will be able to accommodate 10 of your family and friends or you can join a table for the evening.
Cost: $120 per person includes 3 course meal , 4 hour beer and wine package and live entertainment. This will be a cocktail attire event.
https://www.trybooking.com/CBMCB
If you are unable to attend the evening but would like to make a donation please contact the Office.
We look forward to celebrating this significant event with you.
10 Year Gala Dinner Sponsorship:
Sponsorship Packages
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Platinum $1 000 + |
Gold $800 - $999 |
Silver $500 - $799 |
Bronze $200 - $499 |
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Facebook promotional post and business link added |
Group Facebook mention |
Group Facebook mention |
Group Facebook mention |
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Business name announcements /promotions during the gala evening |
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Contact information published within the School Newsletter & social media leading |
Contact information published within the School Newsletter & social media leading |
Contact information published within the School Newsletter & social media leading |
Contact information published within the School Newsletter & social media leading |
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Permission to erect your own banner at the evening |
Permission to erect your own banner at the evening |
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Your business name on school electronic sign for remainder of the year |
Your business name on school electronic sign for remainder of the year |
Your business name on school electronic sign for remainder of the year |
Your business name on school electronic sign for remainder of the year |
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Commemorative 10 Year gift and Certificate of Appreciation |
Certificate of Appreciation |
Certificate of Appreciation |
Certificate of Appreciation |
By sponsoring the 10 Year Gala Dinner, you will be contributing to the school’s ability to:
- upgrade classroom audio visual equipment
- purchase playground equipment
- maintain a consistent renewal and replenishment of English & Mathematics resources
- upgrade play and garden areas of the school, including a prayer garden
- redesign and landscape the school’s pedestrian entrance from Cabbage Tree Lane.
Respectful Relationships, Child Safety, Growth, Development & Human Sexuality Education
In week 1 this term we held a ZOOM meeting on Respectful Relationships, Child Safety, Growth, Development & Human Sexuality Education. This meeting was well attended and we have had interest for a repeat session for those who were unable to attend.
We invite all parents - Kindergarten to Year Six to attend a repeat meeting on Monday 8 August from 2pm-3pm.
At this meeting we will address the myths around this topic and also be informed by the facts. You will have the opportunity to to hear about the cyclical nature of skill and knowledge development across the areas of respectful relationships, child safety, child growth, development and human sexuality.
Please indicate if you will be attending this meeting by completing the Google Form.
PDHPE
To support the implementation of the new PDHPE Syllabus, information about what each grade are learning in their Personal Development and Health lessons will be provided each week in the newsletter. This will include a question for parents to use to engage in discussion with their child/ren.We acknowledge parents as the first educators of their children and the importance of values instilled in them from home. We as a school community also acknowledge that young people are growing up in very different times and we know a lot more than we did in the past in relation to appropriate and well informed respectful relationships, child safety education
We are all united in purpose and mission to keep our children safe, cared for and help them to experience a life that is full and inclusive of respectful, caring relationships now and in the future.
Changing culture is about schools, parent/carers and communities being on the same page and being counter-cultural to the narrative currently being displayed to our young people around relationships.
WEEK 2 Learning in Personal Development and Health
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Kindergarten are learning to identify people they can trust so that they can ask them for help in different situations. Question to discuss your child/ren: Everyone needs a support network of people they trust - Which people do you as a parent include in your support network? Share this with your child. |
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Year 1 are learning to identify and name different groups they belong to. Question to discuss your child/ren: What are some groups you/your family belongs to? |
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Year 2 are learning to identify their own trusted people so that they can know their support network. Question to discuss your child/ren: As a parent - how has your support network changed from when you were at school? Discuss this with your child. |
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Year 3 are learning to identify their trusted adults so that they know who to go to to ask for help. Question to discuss your child/ren: Why do we need adults in our support network? Discuss your child’s support network encouraging them to identify adults who are from a variety of settings, for example not all living in the same house or from the same family. |
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Year 4 are learning to identify how gender stereotypes can affect identity. Question to discuss your child/ren: What is an example of a gender stereotype? |
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Year 5 are learning to identify how positive and negative emotions can have an impact on relationships. Question to discuss your child/ren: What are some positive strategies to deal with negative emotions? |
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Year 6 are learning to identify the differences between the male and female anatomy. Question to discuss your child/ren: When did you start to experience some changes that were a part of puberty? |
HAPPY FEAST DAY ST JOHN VIANNEY!
WHOLE SCHOOL MASS: ALL WELCOME
Thursday August 4, 2022 is the Feast Day for St John Vianney. Bishop Brian Mascord will offer a Mass on the anniversary of Dedication of St John Vianney, Fairy Meadow, on Friday 5 August at 10.30am at St John Vianney Co-Cathedral.
AMENDED TIMES FOR FIRST HOLY COMMUNION SESSIONS: 2022
- Session 1 3 August 2022
- Session 1 4 August 2022
- Session 2 10 August 2022
- Session 2 11 August 2022
- Session 3 17 August 2022
- Session 3 18 August 2022
- Session 4 24 August 2022
- Session 4 25 August 2022
YEAR 6 ACTIVATE
Year 6 went to St Therese, West Wollongong, for Activate. For those who don’t know what that is, Activate is a chance for Year 6 to meet other schools and participate in prayerful activities, songs and games. This year our school participated in Activate with St Therese, St Brigid's and St Pius X.
Each student was assigned a small group and we got to know students from other schools and we made heaps of new friends for high school next year. Both classes had an amazing time playing fun games, doing cool activities in small groups and singing fun songs about Jesus. Year 11 students from Holy Spirit College assisted alongside Catholic Youth Leaders from various countries.
Throughout the day the representatives from the youth ministry group of Wollongong took turns to teach the children about the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit, about prayers and how to pray. We discussed the sacraments and how to accept Jesus’ everlasting life. At lunch time, the St Therese P&F were kind enough to make us some yummy sausage sizzles to eat. Upon returning from lunch we sang our final prayer, “10,000 reasons”, which was most uplifting and a perfect conclusion to the day. Overall we had an amazing time and are definitely looking forward to meeting our new friends again soon.
By Calli Foster, Chloe Olima, Emmerson Best, Jack Hawke, Zac Epton and Harrison Clarke.
Lumen Christi Parish Dinner
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/lumenchristiparish/731526
News from Year 3 Classrooms
What a busy start to Term 3. Year 3 has been engaging in so much new learning already!
This term our writing focuses on Persuasive Texts. We have been using the picture book I Wanna Iguana to help us understand persuasive writing, to learn about persuasive devices and to expose us to rich and engaging texts. We have also been working closely with Mrs Stackhouse who has been teaching us to use persuasive language features such as exaggeration, rhetorical questions and high modality vocabulary in our writing. Eventually, we will use all of our new learning to write our own persuasive letters to our parents, persuading them to get us a new pet, just like Alex in I Wanna Iguana.
We absolutely love our Grandparents and Great People in our lives and it was such a blessing to have them visit our school in Week 1. Our Grandparents and Great People were lucky enough to sit in on an Art lesson with Mrs Jancetic and to play some fun games back in our classrooms. We love our Grandparents and Great People very much and would like to thank them for visiting us at school.
News from Year 4 Classrooms
So far this term, Year 4 have been focusing on building resilience when faced with challenging situations and strategies that help build respectful relationships with our peers. We have done this through evaluating and rating problems, understanding the impact of our actions in social situations and by analysing and explaining scenarios that help us to build respectful friendships.
Year 4 also thoroughly enjoyed having our Grandparents and Great People visit us in Week 1. We were proud to show our Grandparents and Great People our hard work in the classroom and spend quality time playing games.
Love of Learning
How Can We Build & Maintain Empathy in Our Community?
- Show kindness towards others through actions and/or words.
- Use active listening & showing this with your whole body
- Think through what you say before you say it
- Be aware and supportive of those less fortunate
- Value the perspective others even though you may not always agree
- Turn taking when listening and speaking
- Setting expectations for social interactions
- Recognise different opinions and viewpoints are ok
- Speak up when you know or hear something that is not right
GSFM Social Norm focus for our Playground
Social Norm #2: Take turns talking.
- Listen when others are speaking and look them in the eye.
- Wait if adults are talking.
- Respond appropriately and at the right time.
Age Champions 2022
Cancellation of Basketball Gala Days
We have been advised that due to the ongoing concerns about the extreme levels of staff and student absenteeism, all non pathway sport is suspended until further notice. The aim is to ensure that teachers are available for classroom teaching in this time of excessive staff shortages.
The Diocesan basketball gala days set for September involve 5 venues, 4 of which are played over two days and therefore a total of 9 days all up. The number of teams involved would take a large number of staff out to each venue and also a significant number of secondary students who act as our referees.
This is unfortunate, as the gala days are so valued and enjoyed by our students in a time when exercise and activity are so vital. It is, however, most important to consider the widespread nature of current illness and absenteeism and the very real stress on schools to have staff able to cover existing classes.
Athletics, being a pathway event, will continue as planned and communicated with regional carnivals.
From the School Handbook:
What do I do if I have a concern regarding a student/s who is not my child?
At times parents may become concerned about the behaviour of other students and, in an effort to resolve the situation, approach the student concerned. However, under no circumstances are parents to approach other students when trying to resolve an issue. Always seek assistance from the school. Incidents such as this can very quickly lead to reportable Child Protection matters that have to be investigated and reported.
It is also good practice to seek assistance from the school when you have a concern rather than approaching other parents about school related matters.
Always think about what you would do, or how you would feel, if another parent approached your child or confronted you about a matter where you were not fully informed of the details.
The Canteen will be open
WEDNESDAY,THURSDAY and FRIDAY EACH WEEK
Good Samaritan school photos will be held on Wednesday 24 August.
Students are expected to wear full Winter uniform for the photos.
Term 3 2022
August:
Wednesday 3 August
Eucharist Programme -Session 1 SJV 6pm
Thursday 4 August
Eucharist Programme -Session 1 SJV 6pm
Monday 8 August
Feast of St Mary of the Cross
Tuesday 9 August
Sth Coast Athletics Carnival
Wednesday 10 August
Eucharist Programme -Session 2 SJV 6pm
Thursday 11 August
Eucharist Programme -Session 2 SJV 6pm
Monday 15 August
Feast of the Assumption
Friday 15 August
Science Week Begins
Wednesday 17 August
Eucharist Programme -Session 3 SJV 6pm
Thursday 18 August
Eucharist Programme -Session 3 SJV 6pm
Monday 22 -26 August
Book Week (Dreaming with eyes Open)
Wednesday 24 August
School Photos
Wednesday 24 August
Eucharist Programme -Session 4 SJV 6pm
Thursday 25 August
Eucharist Programme -Session 4 SJV 6pm
Friday 26 August
Book Parade
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
Friday 23 September
Last Day of Term 3
18-25 September
UCI 2022 Road World Championships- Wollongong
October:
Monday 10 October
First Day Term 4
