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Dear Parents and Carers of Good Samaritan,
Welcome back to the new school year! We are really looking forward to meeting up with the children in their new classes tomorrow. The staff have used the last couple of days to make sure that the school and rooms are ready for another year of learning!
Tomorrow, Tuesday 31 January, all students are to wear their full Summer uniform. Mrs Olima will take classes for their first Physical Education lessons of the year on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Sports uniform is to be worn on those days (see below).
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GSFM PHYSICAL EDUCATION (PE) & SPORT CLASSES Students are to wear full Sports uniform on these days |
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MONDAY |
Year 1 Year 2 Year 4 |
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TUESDAY (31 January: Full School Summer Uniform for Years 1-6) |
Kindergarten Year 3 Year 5 Amaroo Gold and Blue |
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WEDNESDAY |
Year 1 Year 2B (Mr Novak’s Class) Year 4 Year 6 |
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THURSDAY |
Year 2G (Mrs McRobert’s Class) Year 3 Year 5 |
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FRIDAY |
Kindergarten Year 6 |
Students must wear their full uniform with pride each day including wearing black school shoes with their school uniform (both Summer and Winter) and predominately white joggers with their sports uniform. Please take time to read the information below regarding the GSFM school uniform policy.
iPads:
iPads will not be required in Years 3-6 until Tuesday 14 February. This is to allow teachers to establish the classroom procedures and expectations regarding the iPads for learning. Parents are asked to ensure that iPads do not come to school until Tuesday 14 February.
The school newsletter has had a bit of a ‘revamp’ to include dates and reminders for the week ahead. As much as possible, all reminders (whole school, class, grade & stage) for the week will be published in each Wednesday’s newsletter.
CLAIM THE DATES!
Below are some significant diary dates to claim for the year:
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DATE |
EVENT |
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Monday 6 February |
Good Samaritan Swimming Trials (UOW Pool) |
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Friday 17 February |
9:30am: Year 6 Leadership Badge Presentation & Opening School Liturgy |
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Tuesday 21 February |
6:30pm: Confirmation Parent Evening - Year 6 (SJV Co-Cathedral) |
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Wednesday 22 February |
11am: Ash Wednesday: students will attend Parish Mass Parents welcome to attend |
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Thursday 16 March |
Good Samaritan Cross Country (Kembla Joggers) |
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Saturday 29 April |
6pm: Confirmation for GSFM students (SJV Co-Cathedral) |
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Thursday 11 May |
Mother’s Day Liturgy & Morning Tea |
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Friday 12 May |
Mother’s Day Stall |
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Tuesday 18 July |
6:30pm: Reconciliation & Eucharist Parent Information Evening - Year 3 (SJV Co-Cathedral) |
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Monday 24 July |
GSFM Athletics Carnival (Beaton Park) |
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Wednesday 26 July |
Feast of Joachim & Ann GSFM Grandparents & Great People Day |
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Monday 21 August - Friday 25 August |
Book Week |
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Monday 21 August |
GSFM Book Parade |
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Friday 25 August |
Reconciliation & Eucharist Retreat Day |
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Sunday 27 August |
8:30am: First Holy Communion for GSFM students (SJV Co-Cathedral) |
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Friday 1 September |
Father’s Day Breakfast & Prayer |
Please note that these dates are subject to change as the year progresses.
I look forward to sharing in the learning and all that we will do this year with our students and the community of Good Samaritan.
Sincerely,
Toni Sillis
Principal
Safer Internet Day Tuesday 7 February
Tuesday 7 February, Good Samaritan will recognise Safer Internet Day. The students will engage in activities to learn about the importance of playing it safe and fair online. This will be used in conjunction with establishing the routines and procedures that make iPads an effective tool for learning in Years 3-6.
The eSafety Commissioner is offering a series of free parent webinars across the year. The term 1 webinar offers tips for parents about how to socialise, learn and have fun online safely. You can access more information about the webinars here.
The theme for Safer Internet Day 2023 is:
- Connect safely and with purpose – by keeping apps and devices secure and using social media in positive ways.
- Reflect before we act – by taking a moment to consider how what we do and say online may affect others.
- Protect ourselves with knowledge – by telling family, friends or colleagues about eSafety and how we can help.
POSTER can be downloaded here
Grade Newsletters
Teachers will send out a Term Grade Newsletter in Week 3 for Years 1-6.
Consistent and accurate communication between home and school allows for a positive relationship to develop and be maintained. The school will continue to publish a weekly newsletter to keep the community informed about the activities within the school.
In addition, each grade will publish a grade newsletter at the beginning of each term. This newsletter will highlight the planned learning to take place for the term. In addition, grades will be able to highlight key dates, remind parents about school and grade expectations.
A link to a Google Form will be included in the grade newsletter which will be sent out in Week 3. We invite all parents to take the time to complete this form. This form is to gain any further information from you to help your child's teacher this year to support them to reach their full potential. Please provide any specific details or information about your child.
Within this form there will be an option to request a face to face or ZOOM meeting with your child’s class teacher.
Kindergarten teachers will send a grade newsletter in Week 4 once the students have had a week to start school.
As an introduction to the new school year, all students will revise the Parable of the Good Samaritan and reflect on ways they can be like the Good Samaritan in their daily lives.
Our Parish
PARISH CONTACT DETAILS:
General enquiries
Lumen Christi Catholic Parish, Wollongong
Diocese of Wollongong
PO Box 874 (36 Harbour Street)
Wollongong NSW 2500 Australia
Ph: (02) 42 110500
Email: wollongong@dow.org.au
Office hours: Monday to Friday (9:00am–1:00pm)
YEARS 3&6:
THE LUMEN CHRISTI PARISH & PARISH PRIMARY SCHOOLS SACRAMENTAL PROGRAM 2023
AN INVITATION TO ALL PARENTS AND CHILDREN
Following a review of the sacramental program and its structure, it has been decided that the students will engage in preparation lessons for the sacramental program during Religious Education lessons at school. Parents will still play an active role in the preparation of their child for the sacrament.
The first step parents must take is to enrol their child into the 2023 program for Reconciliation (Year 3), Holy Communion (Year 3) and Confirmation (Year 6).
Parents and caregivers will need to attend a compulsory information session with the Parish Administrator, the School Principal and the Religious Education Coordinator of our at the commencement of the program.
To enrol your child in the Sacramental program visit the Lumen Christi Parish Online Portal no later than Monday 6 February 2023. The portal contains further information about the program.
Focus on Handwriting & Book Work:
This year Good Samaritan will join with all other schools across the state to implement the new English and Mathematics curriculums from Kindergarten - Year 2. We will also be taking the time throughout the year to become more familiar with the new curriculums planned for Years 3-6.
One aspect of the English curriculum that has a renewed focus is that of Handwriting and general book work. At Good Samaritan we have developed a Handwriting Statement of Practice which explicitly outlines the expectations of all students. Based on research the following points are made about handwriting.
Handwriting: Why is it important?
- Research findings indicate that handwriting is causally related to writing and that explicit and supplemental handwriting instruction is an important element in preventing writing difficulties in the primary grades.
- Individual letter processing is an especially important component of both reading acquisition and skilled reading.
- One interesting hypothesis that has emerged from this literature is that letters may be processed differently than words partially because of our motor experience with them. When we write, we write one letter at a time, so there should be motor information affiliated with the stored visual information about individual letters, and perhaps not with representations of the changeable combinations of those individual letters.
The attached pdf has more information about the NSW Foundation font and general tips for parents to support handwriting development.
From the School Handbook:
School Uniform:
Please note that the School Uniform policy remains updated and reflects all current expectations to ensure that all students work to create a greater sense of equality among the student population despite the diverse socio-economic backgrounds of their families.
Of particular note are hairstyles. Current popular hairstyles include the ‘mullet’. This is not an acceptable hairstyle for school. Please note the section of the policy regarding hairstyles, jewellery and nail art.
HAIR
Students are required to wear their hair in a neat and tidy manner. Haircuts should be of an even grade. Hair should be well brushed and combed and it is assumed that hair will not be in such a condition as to invite comment.
BE AWARE OF THE FOLLOWING:
♦ Extreme styles, bleaching, colouring or dyeing of hair are not permitted.
♦ No mullet hairstyles are allowed i.e: where the hair is cut short at the front and sides, but is longer at the back.
♦ Gel, mousse and hair spray or other substances should not be used.
♦ There will be no undercuts, steps or shaved lines within the hair.
♦ Nothing shorter than a Number 3 comb is acceptable.
♦ Hair should not extend to cover the eyes.
♦ Long hair is to be tied back or plaited.
♦ Ribbons and bands of school colour are to be worn.
Students who do not abide by the haircut requirements will be asked to fix the identified problem.
JEWELLERY
Jewellery should be kept to a minimum – watches, chains with religious symbols are to be worn under the uniform, for girls one pair small earrings (studs or sleepers) in the ear lobe – no multiple earrings to be worn.
NAILS
Students’ fingernails are to be of a natural colour therefore no nail polish, acrylic, gel or shellac nails are to be worn to school.
MAKE UP
Students are not wear any makeup - no mascara, foundation, eye liner, lipstick, false eye lashes.
SHOES AND SOCKS
♦ Students are required to wear black leather school shoes.
♦ Shoes should be cleaned and polished.
♦ Sports shoes should be supportive, predominately white sport shoes/joggers.
♦ Sports socks must be white socks i.e. covering the ankle. ‘Sockettes’ are not appropriate for school wear.
ALL ITEMS OF UNIFORM MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED WITH THE CHILD’S NAME
All parents are asked to support their child/ren in adhering to the uniform policy. This will avoid the uncomfortable situation of receiving a uniform note or a phone call requesting the situation be rectified.
Diary Dates & Reminders for the week ahead:
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DATE: |
REMINDER: |
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Tuesday 31/01 |
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Wednesday 1/02 |
Year 1, Year 2B (Mr Novak’s Class), Year 4, Year 6 |
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Thursday 2/02 |
Year 2G (Mrs McRobert’s Class), Year 3, Year 5 |
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Friday 3/02 |
Year 6
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Saturday 4/02 |
FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A |
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Sunday 5/02 |
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Monday 6/02 |
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Tuesday 7/02 |
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Wednesday 8/02 |
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Congratulations!
We are very excited to announce that Mrs Tessa Robertson is expecting her second child. A sibling for Joel.
Mrs Grace McKay:
Mrs McKay began treatment over the Christmas break. She is in very good spirits and has taken to the treatment with a great sense of hope. Your continued prayers for Mrs McKay are asked as she continues this journey throughout the year.
Please see attached Welcome Letter from Fresh Start, School Online Ordering System, 2023 Menu.