Last Sunday’s Gospel…

We hear the story of Zacchaeus and the fact that in his effort to see Jesus, he climbed a tree. Jesus surprised everyone and disgusted some by going to dinner at Zacchaeus’ house. In showing mercy though, without telling Zacchaeus it was ok to do what he was doing, Jesus brought about a huge change in Zacchaeus who not only stopped what he was doing, but made up to all the people he cheated as well.

From the Principal...

Some of you will be aware that a baby plover fell down the large pit drain in the car park. Mrs Smith, who has completed a writing course with the other teachers recently as part of our professional development, decided to write it into a story with a little reference to the Pamela Allen book. She is very clever! I have included it in the newsletter. Please read it with your children. I guarantee you will enjoy the story of ‘Alexander’ and every word is true!

I have done some work with our staff on the playground we are getting courtesy of Campbelltown Catholic Club. Our wish list is being put into some draft plans which I will be able to share with you. We may do some one off fundraising if needed and I’ll let you know about that too. I was surprised to find that $50,000 doesn’t go as far as I thought when it comes to playgrounds!

It’s the time of year again when teachers are putting the students into classes for 2023. If you have any requests about separating your child from another student for any reason, please send them to me in writing. Even if you have told the classroom teacher, please also write to me. I check them all against the lists. I will make contact with you if I have a difficulty accommodating your request. If something has been put in place in a previous year that you want to continue, please also write that too. With 370 students in the school, we just can’t look up the record of every student! Once students are told their classes on promotions afternoon in the last week of school, no changes will be made. Requests to avoid a particular teacher will not be granted. Any concerns you have about any of the staff should already have been brought to my attention and worked though. Please email or telephone the office if you would like to speak to me and the office staff will make an appointment for you.

Thank you for the way you have so quickly and helpfully made an effort in the car park with the new markings. We are having a few glitches but working them out together!

God Bless,

Mrs Michelle Rolfe

Principal

"Alexander"

Alexander lived with his mother and his father and his little sister at the most amazing school in the whole of Sydney, Holy Family, Ingleburn. Even though it was the best school, Alexander’s mother was bored! So one sunny morning they all set out in search of adventure, past the Kindergarten classrooms, through the school gates and onto the grass in front of the hall. 

“Stay close, take care!” piped Alexander’s mother, but Alexander did not stay close and Alexander did not take care. He straggled behind with his head in the air. 

In the carpark, one of the parents rushed out and stopped the cars. “Stay close, take care!” piped Alexander’s mother, but Alexander did not stay close and Alexander did not take care. He straggled behind and he did not hear. By the time they reached the other side of the carpark, Alexander had disappeared. 

Alexander’s mother piped and piped. “Alexander! Alexander!” And his little sister piped and piped and flapped and flapped, but they couldn’t find Alexander anywhere. 

When they stopped making such a din they heard a faint and distant “ehh, ehh, ehh” from deep down in the earth. 

Mrs Lo and baby Lo came over to see what was going on. Mrs Lo tried to reach Alexander but her arms were not long enough. 

Mrs Fiez and Mrs Fahey heard all the commotion. “How are we going to get him out?” Mrs Fiez asked. Mrs Fahey wasn’t sure so they decided to call Wires and The Fire Brigade to come and help. 

Mrs Smith passed by on her way to her car and felt sorry for Alexander’s mother, so she also called Wires to see if they could hurry up. Mrs Smith then phoned Mrs Rolfe to let her know that Wires was coming and to let Father Henry know too. 

When Mrs Rolfe went to her car, she saw Father Henry over at the drain trying to get Alexander out. Even though Mrs Rolfe was wearing her best clothes and very high heels, she raced over to help. The grate would not budge.They both tried to peer down the deep dark hole to see. 

How were they going to get him out? 

Mrs Rolfe then had an idea. She helped Father Henry open the very heavy grate and told him to get a ladder. Father Henry got the ladder and placed it into the drain. He then climbed down very carefully and very gently lifted Alexander back out of the drain to his mum! 

His mother flapped and flapped and piped and piped and his little sister and his dad all flapped and flapped and piped and piped. Such joyful piping! Such happy flapping. When the celebrations were over, Father Henry and Mrs Rolfe set off home for their tea, but before they got very far, along came a fire truck with six very strong and well-trained firefighters aboard! 

Father Henry and Mrs Rolfe told the firefighters all about Alexander’s adventure and Alexander’s mother tried to pipe in too!                                                Everyone was very happy!

I would like to thank all of you for all your support with ensuring your child is dressed in the correct school summer uniform. At the end of last term teachers completed a uniform check with their class and reminded students about the school uniform policy. You may have received a uniform slip informing you if your child was in the incorrect uniform. Please ensure you have made these appropriate changes. 

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s school uniform please speak to your child’s classroom teacher. 

Just a reminder about a few things: (Please see the images)

1. School sport shoes: are to be predominately white with white shoelaces. 
2. School leather shoes: are to be plain, standard black leather lace up traditional school shoes. No deck shoes or boots.

Please give our school Facebook page a like. We regularly upload photos of students through this platform and would love to keep our school community updated. Select the link for Holy Family, Ingleburn Facebook page.

Regards, 

Miss Alana Stroligo

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION REPORT with Mrs Deanna  David

Greetings and many blessings to you all. Here are some updates and resources that I feel will be of benefit to you.

The Sacrament of First Holy Communion will take place on Sunday 20th November.      

Please see the dates and times below for details regarding Mass and Liturgical Celebrations. You are welcome to attend. More information will follow regarding some of these events. 

Grade/Parish Mass at 9:15am

8th November: Year 4 and Kindy

15th November: Year 2 and Year 3

22nd November: Year 5 and Year 1

29th November: Year 6 and Year 4

Remembrance Day Liturgy

Friday 11th November (time to be confirmed) 

Whole School Christmas Concert

Wednesday 14th December 1130am 

Whole School End of Year  Mass/ Farewell to Year students

Friday 16th December 11:30am 

Podcast: Ripples Ripples is a PODCAST developed for staff and parents on-going spiritual formation. It seeks to offer a space where people can draw on the wisdom of a series of guest speakers and can experience some treasured stillness through meditation. See the link - you can either download the files as podcasts or listen to them directly from the website. 

Do you yearn to have a moment of stillness or inspiration?

Have you listened to one of the CEO Ripples Podcasts? 

Scan here to access the podcasts and download onto your phone.    

You can download straight onto iTunes or PodBean.

The Mini Vinnies Voice

Term 3 2022 was very busy for the Mini Vinnies group.  We participated in a number of different projects to broaden our awareness of social justice issues.  

Some of the highlights from Term 3 are:

• Nagle Centre Campbelltown

During Term 3 we were visited by Corinne Lindsell from the Vinnies Nagle Centre Campbelltown.  Corinne spoke with the group about what the Nagle Centre offers the Macarthur community.   

 The Nagle Centre is located at 22 Iolanthe Street, Campbelltown.  It is a joint venture between St Vincent de Paul Society and the Presentation Sisters.  The Presentation Sisters are a Roman Catholic religious institute founded by Venerable Honora “Nano” Nagle in Cork, Ireland in 1775.  

 The Centre operates with a small group of paid workers, but the majority of work is carried out by volunteers.  These volunteers provide administrative support, help in the kitchen, or carry out any maintenance work required.  

 The Nagle Centre offers family care and support services for people of the Macarthur area who are experiencing homelessness, crisis, disadvantage or otherwise require support.  This support takes various forms from help with utility account payments, advocacy, referrals to other services or clothing vouchers.  The Centre also offers free counselling (by appointment) as well as an open door dining room which provides a number of meal services throughout the week.  The Nagle Centre also refers families in need to local St Vincent de Paul Society Conferences who can assist with food vouchers or home visits.  

 Some other services the Nagle Centre offers include:

• Macarthur No Interest Loan Scheme - providing access to affordable credit for essential household items without creating additional financial hardship.
• Wellness support programs - anxiety support groups, therapeutic yoga and general care and support.
• Education programs - free literacy course for basic reading, writing skills and university course through the Australian Catholic University.

• Refugee Camp Excursion 

The Mini Vinnies group visited the “Refugee Camp In My Neighbourhood” in the grounds of Western Sydney University, Parramatta Campus.  

 This is a simulated and interactive camp.  We were shown around the camp by guides with various refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds.  Our guides shared their personal stories with us of their journeys of how and why they had to flee from their home country, the challenges they faced in their search for safety and protection, and how they were able to settle in Australia.  

 The Refugee Camp was able to further our understanding of the refugee experience.  During this tour, by listening to our guides lived experiences, we were able to gain further understanding of the reasons why people have to flee their home country, the issues and barriers they face in attempting to seek asylum and settle in Australia - things like not having any identification, not being able to speak English and the impact their journey has on their mental and physical wellbeing.  It was enlightening to hear the experiences of those who had escaped persecution to find peace in Australia and wonderful to listen to their desire and willingness to give back to this beautiful country that gave them a home.  

Term 4 2022 - projects and activities to look forward to in Term 4 include:

• St Vincent de Paul store excursion 

In Week 6, the Mini Vinnies group will travel to the local Vinnies store at Macquarie Fields.  While at the store, each student will be provided with a small budget that they will use to purchase an outfit (shirt, blouse, shorts, jeans, skirt, dress, shoes, etc).

The need to fund the many services and programs Vinnies offer (for example, people experiencing disadvantage or homelessness, to provide crisis accommodation for people experiencing domestic or family violence, assisting with health, addiction or financial issues), brought about the opening of the NSW Vinnies Shops.  The first NSW Vinnies Shop opened in 1922 in Newtown and there are now 226 shops across NSW.  The money raised from each item sold in Vinnies Shops goes towards helping those in the local community.  

• De Fashionista De Vinnies

In Week 8, Mini Vinnies students will be invited to model their Vinnies Store outfits, on a fashion runway, in front of the whole school.  Accompanying each model will be a narrator, who will describe their model's outfit, including the total cost of the outfit. 

The aim of the Vinnies store excursion and the fashion show is to help improve awareness of how a small price paid for a good-looking outfit can make a huge difference towards assisting those in need - "From little things big things grow."

• Talent Quest and Hamper handover

Each year at Christmas time, CatholicCare seeks to bring some extra joy and hope to children and young people in foster care through their Fostering Futures Foster Care program.  The CatholicCare Foster Care program provides short term, long term and respite care for vulnerable children and young people who are unable to live with their birth parents.

Mini Vinnies is inviting all students to take part in the Holy Family Talent Quest [NAME TO BE DETERMINED].  The Holy Family Mini Vinnies Talent Quest is open to all students in the school, and entry is only a gold coin donation. 

Auditions will be held during Friday lunchtime of week 5 (11 November) and Friday lunchtime of week 7 (25 November).  The Holy Family Mini Vinnies Talent Quest Grand Final will be held in week 8 (2 December).

All donations received from the Holy Family Mini Vinnie's Talent Quest will go directly towards buying a gift for a vulnerable child or young person in foster care to try to help to make their Christmas a little brighter.

Mini Vinnies students will visit classrooms soon to provide further information regarding the audition process.

Thank you for your ongoing encouragement and support of the Mini Vinnies group.

Annie Day

Mini Vinnies Secretary 

Mrs Jones, who liaised with her parish of St John's Campbelltown, has shared with us photos of our old classroom furniture arriving in Tonga. It's very exciting to see that the people of Tonga have found it useful after their devastating cyclone.

2022