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Our students and staff are getting ready for a great P&F Colour Explosion Fun Run on Friday 18 November. Thank you to the many parents who have already signed up for the run.
This is the major fundraising event of the year for the Good Samaritan P&F. The Colour Explosion Fun Run has not been held since 2019 so we are very excited about being able to hold it in 2022!
The challenge is on!
The highest fundraising student gets to slime Mrs Sillis - our Principal.
But that’s not all!
The 2nd highest fundraising student gets to slime Mrs Hailstone - our Assistant Principal.
But that’s not all!
The highest fundraising class gets to enjoy a pizza party!
Get behind the P&F Colour Explosion Fun Run on Friday 18 November.
Details on Compass.
The Good Samaritan P&F wants to keep you informed each term. By joining the P&F mailing list, you will receive meeting agendas and subsequent minutes, details of upcoming events and much more to remain informed about the school community.
The P&F is committed to supporting the strong communication of the school through this email group. So, if you haven’t signed up to join the email group, simply click on this link and complete the form.
As this term progresses the children will become excited about the approaching Christmas season. It is very important that the children remain focused and settled throughout Term 4. When the children begin to bring Christmas cards, candy canes and the like to school too early they tend to ‘tune out’. It is for this reason, and the fact that waiting is a part of our Catholic Christian tradition with the season of Advent, that the children may begin to bring Christmas cards, candy canes etc for their classmates from the end of Week 9 – Friday 9 December.
The evening of Friday 9 December is our combined Parish and Schools’ Christmas Concert. The children have been practising their part of the concert. It will be a wonderful evening of Christmas celebration for us to have together.
Please begin to speak to your children about appreciating the card, gift or candy cane that they receive no matter who it is from and that when they give something they shouldn’t always expect something in return.
The Origin and Significance of Remembrance Day
- Remembrance Day is an important day in Australia, and across the world.
- We observe one minute’s silence at 11am and hold commemorations to remember those who died or suffered in all wars, conflicts.
- Red poppies are worn, inspired by the thousands that grew across the battlefields of the Western Front.
Parents and carers are invited to join our school community for a liturgy to commemorate Remembrance Day on Friday 11 November at 11am in the school hall.
New Year! New Class!
Last year Good Samaritan ran a most successful transition program for all students that introduced them to the changes to expect in the new school year. This program will be run again this year as we work our way through Term 4 in readiness for the new school year.
The program consists of four sessions that will address common concerns experienced by students as they face the changes of a new school year and provide strategies to overcome these.
The session topics are:
- I Can Try New Things: Here we talk about things that will be the same and those that will be different moving into a new grade.
- How Do I Feel? Identifying feelings and what we can do to keep calm.
- What Is It Like? Current students speak to participants about their experiences in that grade.
- I’ll be OK: Students complete An ‘All About Me’ sheet to provide information about themselves to their 2023 teacher.
Upon completion of the sessions, participants will meet their teacher for the 2023 school year. As a focal point for this meeting, the student will share some information about themselves with their new teacher.
Good Samaritan Factor
It is that time of the year again when we look forward to watching the talented children of Good Samaritan showcase their talents on the stage. For those new to this event, it is an opportunity for students from Yr 1 to Year 6, to perform in front of an audience of their peers, teachers and families. There is no audition process, but we ask that the students take the time to rehearse and try their very best. The act may be solo, a pair or a group and the ideas for acts are endless.
WHEN:
- Monday 5th December, Week 9 from 11.30 - 1pm (approximately)
WHERE:
- GSFM School Hall
WHO:
- Year 1 - 6 (Kinder will be part of the audience)
WHAT TO WEAR:
- Clothes from home to suit your act. It must be appropriate clothing.
QUESTIONS:
- Can siblings perform together? Yes
Can different classes/grades perform together? Yes
Can I wear my outfit from my dance school/karate class etc? Yes
What if my music has an inappropriate word in it? It cannot be used
How do I share my music? Teachers will provide the audio (if you are using a specific track for example from your dance class please provide it on a labeled thumb drive).
Parents and caregivers are very welcome to join the GSFM student community audience.
Children wishing to perform will be given a note this week. We ask that the note is returned by Friday 18th November, Week 5 to either Ms Rae (3B) or Ms Malady (4G).
The note will ask:
- who is in the act and what classes they are in (first and last name)
- what the act is (eg dance, singing, instrumental)
- is music required (If a song is used the lyrics MUST be appropriate for school AND NO LONGER than 2 minutes. It is YOUR responsibility to check the lyrics
- are any props required eg chair, table, music stand or microphone
- what day is PREFERABLE to perform (Monday or the Tuesday)
Any questions please see Ms Malady (4G) or Ms Rae (3B)
Faith in Action at Good Samaritan
As we approach the end of the 2022 school year, we will be having our yearly Vinnies Christmas Appeal for people in need in our community.
Mini Vinnie’s Christmas Hamper Appeal
The annual St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal is fast approaching! To contribute to the Christmas Hamper Appeal please bring in the following food items. These will be collected by the St Vincent De Paul Fairy Meadow and Wollongong Conference Members and distributed to people in need in our community.
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Kindergarten Amaroo |
Fruit cake (no mince pies please) |
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Year 1 |
UHT milk/custard |
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Year 2 |
Sweet Biscuits |
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Year 3 |
Cereal |
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Year 4 |
Crackers/chips |
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Year 5 |
Soft Drink |
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Year 6 |
Lollies (soft) |
Andrew Chinn Concert: On Tuesday 29 November, Australian religious songwriter and singer, Andrew Chinn, will be visiting our school to lead an Advent/Christmas Concert with our children. Andrew’s songs, such as “These Hands”, “Rainbow”, “An African Blessing” and “Rise Up!” are used in classrooms and liturgies around Australia, New Zealand, USA and Canada. This is a STUDENT ONLY event. We are looking forward to celebrating with Andrew Chinn.
News from Amaroo Gold
Amaroo has had a busy start to Term 4! We have been engaged in lots of different learning activities and have enjoyed writing, painting, praying, cooking and making lots of exciting things.
Religious Education
We have loved hearing the Creation Story and how God created the world in seven days. We painted pictures to show all the wonderful things that God created for us.
We have also been learning about Noah’s Ark. Noah did what God asked him to do and saved the life of all the animals from the flood.
English
This term we are reading lots of books about Elmer the Elephant written by Davis McKee. Elmer books teach us lessons about accepting others and celebrating our uniqueness. We have also been learning how to write procedural texts including step by step instructions, recipes and how to make things.
Adjectives to describe Elmer
Adjectives to describe Elmer's Bear
How to make a city Collage How to Brush your teeth How to make an ocean collage
Mathematics:
This term so far in Mathematics, we have been very busy learning about money, time and place value. We have really enjoyed problem solving during our number sense activities and our daily Maths groups.
Amaroo Blue
Term 4 is proving to be a busy, busy term full of fun and excitement!
English
Students are learning to research and take notes about the Titanic expedition, they will have a go at writing an historical recount using appropriate text structure, language and features. Students will also learn and apply proofreading and editing skills. The Titanic is a topic of great interest to Amaroo Blue students, they are able to bring prior knowledge that enhances our conversions and their research.
Mathematics
So far in Term 4 we have learned about fractions and decimals and have gained skills in telling the time on both analogue and digital clocks. The next few weeks will be solving problems involving money and learning about chance and data.
Science and Technology
Our ongoing unit is “Exploring Forces” which includes investigating gravity, air resistance and magnetism. We especially enjoy the hands-on activities where we test what we have been learning and see the forces in action.
Cooking is a favourite activity for the students of Amaroo Blue and the Learning Support Centre. We discuss the format of a recipe, measure out the ingredients and enjoy the end product. Mrs Sillis often tries what we have prepared. So far this term we have made spooky spider biscuits, mini hot dogs and Chiko Rolls.
There are so many things that we are looking forward to this term. This week we will participate in the SportsReady Gala Day run by the Disability Trust Wollongong to be held at Beaton Park. Next week is the very exciting Colour Run! We wonder who will slime Mrs Sillis and Mrs Hailstone? There is a visit from Andrew Chinn where we will be performing with him and the upcoming Carols evening with St Brigids and the parish.
Learning Support Centre
In the LSC we have been developing our interest in reading by sharing lots of great books. We are asking and answering ‘wh’ questions - who, where, what,when and why - and making connections between what we read and our own experiences to improve our comprehension skills. This book generated lots of discussion!
We have been improving our conversation skills by taking turns to ask questions and make comments that are related to what the other person says.
In Maths we have been learning about the concepts and language of time in the past, present and future. We have referred to calendars and practised reading times on analog and digital clocks.
We have also been making good use of our new Lego to cooperate during our Brain Breaks!
We congratulate our Good Samaritan girls who were selected in the Illawarra Netball Representative Squad.
12 Years Girls: Holly Lawson, Darcie Wise, Lucia Ioppolo and Annie Parolin.
13 Year Girls: Bonnie Kennedy and Hope Hill.
The girls will now train for the next four weeks and then participate in phase 2 of Selection Trials to be selected in the representative and development teams.
Congratulations and best of luck for the next part of the process!
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
From the School Handbook:
Car Park Safety
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 the morning bell at 8:50am.
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.
P & F Christmas Gifts
The GSFM P&F is excited to be running a Gingerbread House Fundraiser this year to get us all into the Christmas Spirit. You may like to buy one for yourself or as a gift. It’s such a lovely Christmas activity to do with the kids!
Please read the information flyer attached HERE.To purchase click on the following link:
Good Samaritan Fairy Meadow Gingerbread Folk Unique Purchasing Link:
2023 School Fees:
We have been advised of the following regarding School Fees for 2023. There has been a slight increase in fees for the upcoming school year. The following is billed to parents per family.
School Fees are generally due 30 days after invoicing, however, families are provided with flexibility to meet their commitments. To facilitate this flexibility families must complete a Request to Pay School Fees by Instalment Form to advise the school of their intended payment option. Once you have completed the Installment form the instalments will show on your fee statements with the amount to be paid each instalment and the date by which it is due. The instalment amount will be calculated so all fees are paid in one school calendar year with an end date the first week in December.
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Primary School Fees Diocese of Wollongong |
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Tuition Fees K-6 (Family Fee Type) |
$1781 |
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SEDSO Levy K-6 (Family Fee Type) |
$1187 |
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GSFM School Resource Fee K-6 (Individual Student Fee Type) |
$200 |
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GSFM Athletics & Cross Country Carnivals (Individual Student Fee Type) |
$14 |
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At Good Samaritan, excursions are billed at the time of the event.
Year 6 School Camp and annual activities are also included within the school fee structure.
The Canteen will be open
WEDNESDAY,THURSDAY and FRIDAY EACH WEEK
Term 4 2022
November:
Thursday 10 November
Kindergarten 2023 Playgroup
Friday 11 November
Kindergarten 2023 Playgroup
Thurday 17 November
Kindergarten 2023 Playgroup
Friday 18 November
P&F Colour Run
Friday 18 November
Kindergarten 2023 Playgroup
Thursday 24 November
Kindergarten 2023 Orientation Day
Friday 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 day.
December:
Tuesday 6 December
Year 6 Farewell Mass 9.30am (Year 6 parents please note change due to an adjustment in Fr Bernard's calender.)
Friday 9 December
Christmas Carols -a combined Lumen Christi, Good Samaritan and St Brigid's event 6.30pm
Thursday 15 December
Year 6 Farewell - Fraternity Club (students only)
Friday 16 December
Final day of school for students 2022
