Last Sunday’s Gospel...

Last Sunday we celebrated the event that Jesus foretold before His ascension. He said that He had to leave so that His Advocate, the Holy Spirit, could come and be with them forever. This Spirit brought everything the Apostles and Our Lady needed to go out and tell the world the Good News of Jesus. They could in turn pass on the Spirit given to them to other believers.

Did you know...

Every one of the apostles except one, was martyred – executed because of their staunch belief in God and the work they were doing. The Holy Spirit gave them the courage to remain faithful while they faced this greatest test of all.

From the Principal...

I had the privilege and pleasure of attending the Diocesan commemoration of 200 years of systemic Catholic Education in Australia with our captains, Melanie and Ethan on Monday. Every Diocese in Australia celebrated this on the same day – the Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians, patron saint of Australia. We are all part of that great story of Catholic Education and try to continue to be a contributing foundation to society in the way those who went before us have been.

I wrote to you a couple of newsletters ago about the swimming lessons. We have been able to secure buses at a reasonable price. In order to assist with the additional cost this year, I am proposing we run a shortened program instead of the full 10 weeks. We are applying for a sporting grant that has been offered just this week, so when I know whether or not we are successful with that, I will let you know how many lessons we’ll have this year and what the extra cost is. Next year, the full amount including bus fare will be added to your school fee account so you know and can plan for payments. 

You will by now have seen the message about Parent Induction. I hope as many of you as possible can come to one of the sessions so we can fulfill Child Protection obligations. This will be a program we run in the future on a needs basis because all parent helpers in any capacity must have completed it. It should only take 30 minutes in total, including the paperwork.

We are very excited to be able to hold the Athletics Carnival next week. We do have some Covid restrictions to maintain – marshals at the gates and parents and friends in the grandstands, but it should still be a very happy day. I know you will be understanding of directions given to you by staff regarding this. We are working hard to make sure you get to see as much of the carnival as possible. There are still some permission notes not returned. They must be in before the day or your child will not be able to attend. If you need another one, please tell your child to get one from the classroom teacher. We will not be making multiple phone calls on the morning of the carnival – I am sure you can understand how unmanageable that is!

I look forward to seeing you at the parent inductions, the Athletics Carnival and at assemblies on the basketball court.

God Bless,

Michelle Rolfe

Principal

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION REPORT with Mrs David

I hope that your week has been enjoyable and that everyone had a lovely Mother’s Day!

Mothers Liturgy

We had a wonderful Mother’s Day liturgy on Friday afternoon despite the recent rain. We received such positive feedback - we all enjoyed watching Year 1 lead us through the Gospel passage and children read reflections on their mothers and mother figures. We had a chance to reflect on the privilege of motherhood but  were also able to reflect on our role as “gardeners” -  to nurture our children's growth.

We thank everyone that was able to attend or assist us in preparing for the day. We also publicly thank Mrs Sharon Day for being so brave to reflect on motherhood with us all.

Congratulations everyone on our fundraising efforts for Project Compassion. We raised $959.20. 

Mothers Day                                     

WHAT’S THIS ALL ABOUT?

In Australia, only 18%* of plastic packaging is recycled.

Wonder has created a fun and easy program for Aussie schools to recycle bread bags that might otherwise go to landfill, and earn rewards points to redeem on new sports equipment for their efforts. All the collected plastic will be used to create wonderful new things like school play equipment! PLUS all registered schools are in the draw to WIN one of five exercise circuits made from the recycled plastic we collect.

Please click on the link for further information.  

https://images.rhsports.com.au/pdf/wonder/WonderRecyclingRewards_ProgramVideo.mp4

Frequently Asked Questions

Can we recycle all brands of bread bags?

YES! All bread bags can be recycled, not just Wonder. If it has contained bread of some sort, then it’s a bread bag in our eyes.

When can we start collecting?

You can start collecting as soon as possible. We are currently waiting for our Collection Boxes to arrive however please send your empty bread bags and tags to school! Currently our Year 6 students will go around to each classroom and collect the bread bags and tags at Break 1 until the Collection Boxes arrive. Once we have received our Collection Boxes we will inform all students where they can place their empty bread bags and tags. The final day of collection is 25th of June, or the end of Term 2.

Can I clarify exactly what a bread bag is for recycling purposes? The rule of thumb is that if it has contained bread of some sort and is a soft plastic, then it’s a bread bag. If it hasn’t contained bread, then it’s not a bread bag. And if it’s a plastic tag from a bread bag, then it’s a bread tag! 

Do our bread bags need to be clean? 

Bread bags should be as free from crumbs as they can be to keep the recycling process free from contamination (there is no need to wash them).

How to give your child self-confidence

Helping your child to feel good about themselves provides a foundation of confidence long into adulthood. As parents, how can you give your kids the tools for facing challenges positively?

Creating a solid foundation of self-esteem early in your child’s life gives them the tools needed to face the challenges and changes that lie ahead.

Fostering self-confidence means they can feel good about themselves and their choices, opening them up to new opportunities and possibilities without fear of failing.

It’s important to remember that having good self-esteem doesn't mean arrogance or overconfidence; it’s about liking yourself, knowing what you’re good at, and having confidence in your own decision-making process.

So how can you give your child confidence? We look at some useful strategies.

A ‘have a go’ attitude

Encourage your kids to try out new skills from an early age, making them understand that it’s ok thing to just ‘have a go’, even if they’re not successful the first time. Real confidence comes from knowing that failure is part of the process of learning.

What does your child enjoy doing? Perhaps they like sport, art or playing a musical instrument? Whatever their preferences, involvement in an activity they enjoy will give them a sense of satisfaction and wellbeing.

Focusing on strengths

Positive affirmation, rather than concentrating on the negatives, will give your children confidence to keep trying out new skills, instead of feeling anxious about failure.

If they get upset about a lack of success, listen to their worries, then give possible solutions for how to approach the activity next time. Helping them to learn problem-solving skills will give them valuable life tools.

Role modelling

An important aspect to consider is your own self-esteem as a parent – are you habitually critical of yourself? Do you focus on the negatives of a new challenge rather than the positive? If so, you could be unintentionally influencing your child. As their model for behaviour, they look to you for how to react, copying your actions and words. How can you improve your own self-image?

Quality time

Feeling loved and valued is essential for building self-esteem. Try setting regular times to spend with your children to give them a sense of belonging. Another idea is to develop unique family routines, such as a story at bedtime or preparing a special meal together.

Encourage sociable behaviour

Forming friendships with other children is a great way to build self-esteem. Humans are naturally sociable and learning to empathise and enjoy the company of others is an integral part of growing up. Encourage your kids to invite their friends over for play dates.

If you’re worried that your child lacks self-esteem, you can get help. Talk to teachers, other family members, or call Parent Line NSW at 1300130052. They provide phone and online support and are staffed by experienced counsellors.

^{Disclaimer: This article does not give professional advice.  The contents constitute general information of a summary nature of interest and relevance at the time of publication. You should not rely on the contents as professional advice but should seek, formal advice in particular matters relevant to your particular situation}

Source: Raising Children Network: About self-esteem

Catholiccare courses that could be of benefit:

^{Bringing Up Great Kids}

^{Build positive relationships and interactions with your child.}

^{About the Course
Promotes and supports respectful, caring, and nurturing relationships between you and your children. In a supportive group setting, you are encouraged to become more reflective and mindful in your parenting approach.}

^{What will I learn?}

• ^{explore and reflect upon the evolution of your parenting style}
• ^{develop an increased understanding about the 'messages' you communicate to your child through behaviours, acts and attitudes}
• ^{learn about child brain development and understand how to meet your child’s growing needs.}
• ^{develop skills in identifying and managing the stressors associated with parenting}

^{Who is it for?
Parents wishing to reflect on their current parenting style}

^Sessions

• ^{4 x 2.5 hours weekly}
• ^{Campbelltown - 2, 9, 16, 23 Jun - every Wednesday at 10:00am-12:30pm}

Location:

^{35A Cordreaux Street, Campbelltown}

School Photos

Just a reminder that on Monday, 17 May 2021 we will be having our School Photos

Full Winter Uniform must be worn 

Please find details of our School Uniform below:               

 HAIR

The emphasis is on "neat and tidy"

Girls hair below the shoulder Must be tied back

Boys' hair is to be no longer than eyebrow or collar length

Extremes of haircuts are NOT permitted - hair must be evenly cut - no rat's tails or shaved sections/lines

Colouring of hair is NOT permitted

School Athletics Carnival

Our Athletics Carnival will be held on Thursday 3 June 2021 at Campbelltown Sports Stadium.      

Please see Compass for Information and permission notes.  These notes need to be returned to school by Wednesday, 19 May 2021