Dear Parents and Caregivers of Good Samaritan,

Today marks the end of Term 3 and what a terrific term it has been. When I reflect back over the term, it becomes clear that we are starting to get back into normal school routines and events following two years of having no events or events that were limited by restrictions. It highlights how important community is and how important it is to be together to celebrate and share experiences.

Just this term alone we have celebrated Grandparents & Great People Day, Father’s Day and, of course all our 10 Year celebrations. Students have enjoyed excursions again visiting many venues across the Illawarra and Sydney. Our playground space has been enhanced with the artificial turf making a huge difference at recess and lunch but also during Sport and PE lessons.

We have enjoyed a couple of gala days as well as our athletics carnival. Students have achieved at Diocesan and MacKillop levels in Sport and also at the Christmas Art competition. 

We finally moved back into the administration space after almost two terms since the flooding of this area. This week we changed platforms of learning once again to remote learning to accommodate the bike race in Wollongong.

Throughout all of this our committed staff have continued to teach and monitor student learning and progress. I sincerely thank our staff for all that they have done this term as it has certainly been very busy. I would also like to thank our P&F for their continued support in all they do for our school. The organising committee for the 10 year anniversary events provided such great ideas and contributed to a truly memorable celebration of our school.

The next two weeks provide an opportunity to put ‘tools down’ for a couple of weeks allowing rest and rejuvenation as we head into the final term of the year.

In the words of St Mary MacKillop of the Cross - 

We have done all that we can at our disposal and we have calmly left the rest to God. 

Until next term, as we journey together, with Jesus.

Toni Sillis

Principal

It is bittersweet to communicate with you that Mrs Sarah O’Donnell will leave Good Samaritan at the end of the year. Sarah has been appointed to the significant position of Religious Education Coordinator at St Brigid’s Catholic Primary School, Gwynneville. 

Sarah will be very much missed at Good Samaritan and what is our loss is certainly St Brigid’s gain. Sarah has given an incredible amount to Good Samaritan over the last ten years with a significant contribution to the Diverse Learning needs of students.

Sarah is an excellent practitioner who has contributed significantly to the leadership of the school. I am particularly grateful to Sarah for the support and encouragement that she gives to all her colleagues and, in turn, the students of Good Samaritan.

I also advise that Mrs Kerrie Hennessy will take an extended period of leave during 2023. Kerrie has also significantly contributed to our school community particularly in supporting students who access the Learning Support Centre and Amaroo.

Kerrie is an exemplary educator who consistently demonstrates the values of the Gospel in her thinking and decision making. Kerrie has brought a dynamic, compassionate and reflective approach to her work. She is an educator to whom many of her colleagues look towards for advice and guidance.

We wish Kerrie every blessing as she undertakes this period of leave.

The process of recruitment for these positions has begun.

Throughout Term 3 in the area of Creative Arts, our Stage 3 students have been busily engaged in creating artworks for the Diocesan Christmas Story Art Competition and Exhibition, a joint initiative of Catholic Education Offices in Wollongong and Sydney. We are incredibly proud of the commitment, teamwork, creativity and talent shown by so many of our students. 

Last week, after a judging and shortlisting process by staff at Good Samaritan, the following six students were selected to have their artworks submitted for further shortlisting at the Catholic Education Office:

• Marisa Conte (Yr4)
• Sofia Salera  (Yr5)
• Ella McDonald  (Yr5)
• Isaac Stone (Yr6)
• Chloe Olima (Yr6)
• Ezekiel Daszkowski (Yr6)

Father Bernard also spent considerable time viewing and reading the students’ work and awarded the inaugural Fr Bernard’s Choice Award to Bede O’Donnell (Yr 6)

Out of approximately 180 artworks sent in for shortlisting, from our 30 diocesan primary schools, the top 40 are chosen to be displayed at an exhibition at the Wollongong Art Gallery. Yesterday Mrs Sillis received some exciting news from the Catholic Education Office, congratulating THREE of our students whose work has been selected for next month’s exhibition, a great honour for these students and our school. 

• Marisa Conte (Yr 5)
• Chloe Olima (Yr 6)
• Isaac Stone (Yr 6)

Congratulations to all of our Stage 3 students, the shortlisted students and our three exhibitionists. We look forward  to sharing all of the Stage 3 artworks with our school community during Term 4.

                 

Schools have been contacted by NSW Police with information regarding the possession and use of GEL BLASTERS. These are considered to be a firearm and, therefore, come under the NSW Firearms Act (1996).

Please carefully read the information below regarding these devices.

IMPORTANT TERM 4 DATES

Students return to school for Term 4 on Monday 10 October. 

All students wear full Summer uniform in Term 4.

10 October 10am: Good Samaritan Award Presentation (Parents will be notified via email)

14 November: Andrew Chinn Day for Christmas (students only)

18 November: P&F Colour Run

25 November: Staff Spirituality Day This is a Pupil Free Day - students do not attend school on this day. Staff will be off-site for the spirituality day.

6 December 9:30am: Year 6 Farewell Mass Year 6 parents please note change due to an adjustment in Fr Bernard’s calendar

9 December 6:30pm: Christmas Carols - a combined Lumen Christi, Good Samaritan and St Brigid’s event

15 December: Year 6 Farewell - Fraternity Club (students only) 

16 December: Final day of school for students 2022

Last Friday night, we hosted the 10 Year Gala Event at The Fraternity Club and what a great night it was!

We shared together in an enjoyable evening of food, drink, games, music and dancing whilst reflecting on the importance of community.

We would like to again acknowledge and say THANK YOU to our wonderful sponsors who contributed so significantly to make the gala event such a success.

Platinum Sponsors: 

Construction Science

First Class Accountants

Gifts by Bella

R&D Group

Journey 2 Business & Personal Wealth

Adam Casey’s Football Academy

SMAI Fitness

Soul Fit Woonona 

Maintenance Made Easy

Gold Sponsors:

Balgownie Beauty

Stella Interiors

Silver Sponsors:

Carbon Reduction Institute

Evil Eye Cafe 

The Fraternity Club

Interscope Flooring

Quest Accounting & Financial Services

Regional Appliance and Electrical Services

Figtree Travel

Bronze Sponsors:

Boston Money

Emmanuel’s Barber Shop

Grand Connection Gifts

The Humber Bar

Ianni & Co Property

Studio Mikayla

Ivy & Quill

Lighthouse Home Loans

MG Marino Group

MCR - Multi Civil & Rail

One Agency - JD Property Agents

PCC Computers

Perossa Hair Artistry

Perre Bros Smash

Vantage Dental

Wolf & Woman Distillery 

This week we had several students compete in the MacKillop trials. Callum (Y5), Maddi (Y3), Jacob (Y3) and Annie (Y5) all represented Good Samaritan and the Wollongong Diocese in their various events.

It is great to be able to congratulate Callum who placed 3rd in the 1500m event and Maddi who placed 2nd in the 100m event. Both Callum and Maddi will now represent in the MacKillop Team at the All Schools State Athletics on 19 October. We wish them well!

Parents Supporting Student Learning: Replenishing Equipment for the New School Term

As we approach the upcoming holidays parents are asked to ensure that their child’s pencil case and school supplies are replenished. Having everything at their fingertips each day aids in the learning process allowing children to focus on the task at hand rather than worrying about not having the equipment to complete the task.

Uniform Check:

Throughout the holidays please check your child’s uniform is clearly labelled with their name. Also, if your child needs new school shoes or joggers they must be within the uniform requirements i.e: black school shoes and predominately white joggers similar to the images below.

Good Samaritan will be holding a Small Steps Anxiety Information Seminar for Parents in Term 4 - Tuesday 18 October. The Small Steps is a program  aimed at raising awareness and improving the recognition of anxiety disorders in children.

Topic covered during  a Small Steps session:

• Signs and symptoms of anxiety
• Different types of  anxiety and how they present
• Evidence-based treatments for anxiety disorders
• Referral and treatment options
• Stressors, including COVID-19 and natural disasters

The Small Steps session is run by an independent facilitator. The sessions will be attended by members of the school leadership team and our school counsellor, Kath Walsh. 

The sessions run for one hour, with time afterwards for discussion and questions.

If you think your child might have anxiety, you have observed symptoms of anxiety in your child or you are just interested in what to look out for, come along to learn a little more.