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Dear Parents and Caregivers of Good Samaritan,
Recently I came across this reflection of Katharine Hepburn. It made me think about the Benedictine values that we have focused on for our Good Samaritan School. With each of the values there is an element of giving and thinking of the other. As you read the reflection take into consideration how the values of:
Love of Christ and Neighbour
Stewardship
Hospitality
Community
are exemplified in this story.
Once when I was a teenager, my father and I were standing in line to buy tickets for the circus.
Finally, there was only one other family between us and the ticket counter. This family made a big impression on me.
There were eight children, all probably under the age of 12. The way they were dressed, you could tell they didn't have a lot of money, but their clothes were neat and clean. The children were well-behaved, all of them standing in line, two-by-two behind their parents, holding hands. They were excitedly jabbering about the clowns, animals, and all the acts they would be seeing that night. By their excitement you could sense they had never been to the circus before. It would be a highlight of their lives.
The father and mother were at the head of the pack standing proud as could be. The mother was holding her husband's hand, looking up at him as if to say, "You're my knight in shining armour." He was smiling and enjoying seeing his family happy.
The ticket lady asked the man how many tickets he wanted. He proudly responded, "I'd like to buy eight children's tickets and two adult tickets, so I can take my family to the circus." The ticket lady stated the price.
The man's wife let go of his hand, her head dropped, the man's lip began to quiver. Then he leaned a little closer and asked, "How much did you say?" The ticket lady again stated the price.
The man didn't have enough money. How was he supposed to turn and tell his eight kids that he didn't have enough money to take them to the circus?
Seeing what was going on, my dad reached into his pocket, pulled out a $20 bill, and then dropped it on the ground. (We were not wealthy in any sense of the word!) My father bent down, picked up the $20 bill, tapped the man on the shoulder and said, "Excuse me, sir, this fell out of your pocket."
The man understood what was going on. He wasn't begging for a handout but certainly appreciated the help in a desperate, heartbreaking and embarrassing situation.
He looked straight into my dad's eyes, took my dad's hand in both of his, squeezed tightly onto the $20 bill, and with his lip quivering and a tear streaming down his cheek, he replied; "Thank you, thank you, sir. This really means a lot to me and my family."
My father and I went back to our car and drove home. The $20 that my dad gave away is what we were going to buy our own tickets with.
Although we didn't get to see the circus that night, we both felt a joy inside us that was far greater than seeing the circus could ever provide.
That day I learnt the value of giving.
The Giver is bigger than the Receiver. If you want to be large, larger than life, learn to Give. Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get - only with what you are expecting to give - which is everything.
The importance of giving, blessing others can never be over emphasised because there's always joy in giving. Learn to make someone happy by acts of giving.
~ Katharine Hepburn ~
Take this reflection into the week with you,
Toni Sillis
Principal
Staffing - 2024:
The staffing process is currently continuing and we are hoping to have this complete by early next week. Following this I will be able to communicate staff and class allocations with parents.
Organising School Uniforms for 2024:
The wearing of the school uniform is an outward sign of the respect that a student has for themselves and the Good Samaritan Catholic Primary School community. The Good Samaritan uniform serves as an outward sign of what the school stands for, and the correct wearing of uniform is an indication of students’ pride in being members of the school community. At Good Samaritan, we believe that the wearing of a school uniform reduces the social inequities that may be evident in a community that does not enforce a standard uniform. This assists in respecting the dignity of each individual by reducing social class barriers.
Joggers that are predominantly white are to be worn for sport and fitness. They must be predominantly white and may be lace up or velcro. No slip on ‘Raben’ type shoes, indoor soccer boots or coloured joggers are to be worn. Pictorial examples of appropriate joggers are shown here.
What is an appropriate haircut for school?
School holidays can be a time where rules and expectations may relax in relation to haircuts and colours etc. However, parents are required to support these expectations as we head into the new school year.
HAIR
Students are required to wear their hair in a neat and tidy manner. 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.
- 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.
- Students who do not abide by the haircut requirements will be asked to fix the identified problem.
- Long hair is to be tied back or plaited.
- Ribbons and bands of school colour are to be worn.
How are classes formed each year?
Attached to the newsletter this week is the Formation of Classes Policy and Procedure. This policy is used to direct the process of class formation each year. This is a lengthy process that works towards ensuring that every child’s needs are considered. The process begins throughout Term 4. It is important that parents are aware that the teachers know the students within the school - classroom and playground - environment exceptionally well and always put the best interests of every child first.
Please take time to read the policy. This will give you some indication of the process. Whilst parental requests are considered, there is never a guarantee that they will be granted. If you plan to make a request, particularly about your child being placed within a friendship group, please be aware that there may be circumstances surrounding such requests that prevent it from being granted.
Often there can be experiences where children are placed in classes with friends upon parental requests. The children have then encountered difficulties with the friendship causing awkward situations for all involved that could possibly have been avoided. In addition, parents have requested that their child not be with a particular child/ren and the concern rests more with the adults than the child/ren involved.
Please remember that, first and foremost, Good Samaritan is a place of learning. Learning involves academic achievement as well as learning how to work effectively with a range of people including peers, teachers and school support officers.
Classes will be finalised on Monday 27 November.
No further changes to classes will be made beyond this date.
On 29th November the 12.10pm Cathedral Mass will be offered for those who are suffering the effects of serious illness or the infirmity of old age. Anyone in such need is very welcome to receive the Anointing of the Sick. The Anointing of the Sick is attested by Saint James:
“Is anyone among you sick? Let him call in the presbyters of the Church and let them pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord” (James 5:14-15). All parishioners are very welcome to attend the Mass of Anointing. It is a wonderful opportunity for the sick and elderly to receive the Anointing, but it is also a great opportunity for everyone to show support for those who are ill and suffering.
ADVENT RECONCILIATION TIMES AT LUMEN CHRISTI
Mater Dolorosa Church
Sunday 10th December after the 10am Mass
St John Vianney Co-Cathedral
Tuesday 12th December after the 9.30am Mass
St Brigid’s Church
Thursday 14th December after the 9.30am Mass
St Francis Xavier Cathedral
Friday 15th December 11am –12pm (2nd Rite)
Friday 15th December 6pm – 7pm
Every Saturday 11am – 12pm
Christmas Mufti Friday 24 November
Students and teachers are encouraged to come to school dressed in your green, white and red Christmas clothes. Students will be asked to contribute a gold coin donation. This money will be used to add to hampers or buy small gifts such as soft toys, books, or beach towels.
Christmas Cards of Hope Lunchtime Club
Each Tuesday in Weeks 4-8 students are invited to join the Mini Vinnies team in the STEM ROOM to make Christmas Cards that will be added into the hampers. Students are to bring their pencil cases with scissors and glue.
There is lots to look forward to at this time of year and Miss Rae, Mrs Apolloni and The Mini Vinnies team thank you for your support.
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)
2024 School Fees:
We have been advised of the following regarding School Fees for 2024. 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) |
$1843.00 |
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SEDSO Levy K-6 (Family Fee Type) |
1245.00 |
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GSFM School Resource Fee K-6 (Individual Student Fee Type) |
$215.00 |
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GSFM Carnivals (Individual Student Fee Type) |
$26.00 |
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At Good Samaritan, excursions are billed at the time of the event.
Year 6 2 single day School Camp and annual activities are also included within the school fee structure.
The Canteen will be open Wednesday,Thursday and Friday
CASH ONLY
We're excited to announce an upcoming PB4L (Positive Behaviour for Learning) day this Friday dedicated to reinforcing essential playground rules and implementing new procedures for playground equipment management.
During this special day, students will actively participate in engaging discussions about playground zones and the proper handling and storage of equipment. Specifically, we'll be focusing on the important 'No Hat No Play' rule to ensure a safe and enjoyable playtime for everyone.
We encourage parents to discuss these topics with their children to reinforce the lessons learned during this dedicated day. Thank you for your continued support in creating a positive and nurturing environment for our students.
From the School Handbook
Being Considerate of Confidentiality
At times there may be incidents within the school that involve certain students and you may hear about them through other parents. These may relate to another child’s progress and learning or their behaviour. It is most important that the confidentiality of that student, and of his or her family, is protected. Always treat such incidents with empathy – no one would like their own child to be the topic of discussion amongst parents. If you have some specific concerns that relate to your own child please do not hesitate to address these through the classroom teacher, Stage Middle Leader, Mrs Hailstone or Mrs Sillis.
Diary Dates & Reminders for the week ahead:
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DATE: |
REMINDER: |
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Friday 24 November |
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Saturday 25 November |
Last Sunday in Ordinary Time OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, KING OF THE UNIVERSE YEAR A Welcome into the kingdom prepared for you. Neither baptism nor the profession of faith in Christ guarantees our entry into Christ’s kingdom. What is most important is the way we treat the least of Christ’s brothers and sisters. What we do for them we do for Christ. By our care for them, we reveal that our profession of faith at Mass is more than just words. |
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Sunday 26 November |
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Monday 27 November |
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Stage Three News- Year 6
As our current Year 6 prepare to leave Good Samaritan and start their new journeys into High School, we asked them to reflect on how they live out our school values. Here’s what they had to say:
How do you show the Love of Christ & Neighbour?
- I show love and support towards others by assisting them with their needs, and giving back to the people who have helped me, just like the saying, ‘love one another as I have loved you’.
- Respecting others and welcoming them, even if they have different opinions and beliefs to mine as well as being kind to strangers.
How do you show Community?
- We can show we are a part of a community by helping out the people in our communities such as; helping a kindergarten pack their bag or asking if someone is okay – these may seem like simple things but they show you contribute to the group.
- One way of showing community in my eyes is to be a leader not a follower. You should always participate even if there isn’t a reward even if your friends aren’t doing it because you're doing it for you.
How do you show Hospitality?
- Hospitality is helping people out not to get something back just because it is a selfless act. It is welcoming people even if they are different because everyone is unique in their own ways, it does not matter what they look like or if they are of a different culture it is about who they are inside!
- You show hospitality by being open to new ideas and thoughts. By being accepting and inclusive. When we are hospitable, we are responsible, respectful and safe, also making sure others around us are safe.
How do you show Stewardship?
- I can show stewardship by treating the earth with care and kindness. By not ruining creation instead by helping grow plants or only taking what we need. We treat our earth as a gift and make sure we keep it safe and protected.
- Stewardship is respecting, admiring, appreciating and cherishing the sacred beauty around us that God has created for us. To hold that sacredness at high ground and into consideration.
Year 5
Year 5 have been very hands- on with their learning this term.
In Science, students investigated what causes changes in motion by exploring pushes and pulls. Students used prior knowledge and information gained from their observations during various tests to design a miniature golf course. Students explore concepts that include the following:
- Pushes and pulls can have different strengths and directions.
- Pushing and pulling on an object can change the speed or direction of its motion and can start or stop it.
In English, Year 5 students have been learning to write informative texts about a famous Australian Landmark. Students developed their research skills, finding reliable sources to answer questions about their landmarks. They then presented their research in a form of their choosing such as imovie, pod vase or brochure. Students then creatively made a diorama of their landmark using a variety of materials.
The Good Samaritan P&F invites all parents to assist in planning our Christmas Carols event on Monday, November 27th in the school library commencing at 7pm.
If you have anything you would like to add to the agenda for the evening please email: gsfmpandf@dow.catholic.edu.au
Zoom link for the meeting is below:
Topic: P&F Meeting
Time: Nov 27, 2023 07:00 PM
Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android:
https://dowcatholic.zoom.us/j/69892540479?pwd=eXJvVDhMTTN2RXd3MGdsdG05a1ZrUT09
Password: 594532
News from the P&F: