Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT)

Thank you to all our school families who are following the guidelines of testing students twice a week. As outlined on Operoo, the testing will continue until the end of the term. Additional RAT kits will be available for families to collect from outside the school office on Tuesday 22 and Wednesday 23 February. If you are unable to collect your child's kit, they will be sent home with students on Thursday 24 February.

If your child is unwell, please keep them at home and ensure you conduct a Rapid Antigen Test.

School Uniform

It has been great to see so many students wearing the new uniform items. All reports indicate that the new items are fantastic to wear and wash up well. Just a reminder that students are not to wear jewellery ( this includes friendship bracelets) to school. Hats and sunglasses are to be worn in term one.

School Photos

School photos will take place on Thursday 24 February. Students are required to wear the Summer Uniform. This means students may wear the new navy and blue panel top, navy jumper or navy zip jacket. As some classes have physical education on this day, students may bring their runners to change into.

Year 6 Student Leaders

All year 6 students submitted a leadership application, explaining to teachers why they would be suitable for their preferred leadership role. All applications were thoughtful and indicated how they may like to support others in our school. The opportunity to be a leader in year 6 at our school, provides a chance to learn skills, explore ideas and model doing the right thing. Our student leader groups meet formally twice a term supported by a staff member to discuss and plan for initiatives/changes that they would like to see take place at a local school level. They take on responsibility, and build skills to work with and influence others. Congratulations to our year 6 leaders. Students will formally be presented to the school community and receive a leadership badge at our whole school mass on Ash Wednesday 2 March. Families are welcome to join us at the parish mass at 10:00am. 

Pancake Tuesday

It has been a tradition at St Catherine’s for students and families to join us for a Pancake Breakfast on Shrove Tuesday. This year the staff will be cooking pancakes on Tuesday 1 March. Students may arrive at school from 8:15am for a pancake in the courtyard. Hope to see you there.

Student Assessments

All students have been undergoing school based assessments. It is important for teachers to gather data on student learning, as this supports planning for targeted learning. Students will be working on setting a literacy and numeracy goal for learning, which they will share  at the parent/teacher/student meetings in week 8 of this term. Information on booking these meetings will be available in our next newsletter in week 6.

HOLT Swimming 

Congratulations to Lex Lovegrove and Alexander Arnoutis for representing our school at the HOLT swimming event. 

School Advisory Council (SAC)

Thank you to Peter Brook and Carlo Piccolo who have come forward to join our School Advisory Council. Our first meeting will take place on Monday 7 March. SAC provides a crucial point of connection between the wider school community and school leaders. While the School Advisory Council does  not have governance responsibility or decision-making authority, it supports the principal and school leadership and provides an important connection to the parish. 

Student Residential Address and Other Information Collection

As requested by the Australian Government, schools are required to provide parents/carers/ guardians with a copy of the 2022 Student Residential Address and Other Information Collection Notice.

The Student Residential Address and Other Information Collection (the Collection) informs Australian

Government school education policy and helps ensure funding for non-government schools is based on need

Basis.

The information collected will be used to inform school funding calculations. It is combined with data held by

the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) to calculate a non-government school community’s anticipated

capacity to contribute to the costs of schooling.

From 2020, a new measure of capacity to contribute, the Direct Measure of Income (DMI), was introduced.

The DMI is based on the median income of parents or guardians of students at a non-government school using data collected through the Collection.

Please see PDF for further information-Student Residential Address and Other Information Collection

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS

Dear Parents,

Welcome to 2022. This year I will be the Religious Education Leader at St Catherine’s. 

My role will involve:

• Supporting staff to plan and teach the Religious Education Curriculum
• Plan and lead prayer services throughout the year
• Liaise with the Parish Staff to organise school masses
• Liaise with Parish Staff to deliver the Sacramental Program (Reconciliation- Eucharist- Confirmation)

2022 Sacramental Program

Lynda and I met with Father Jacob and the Parish Team last week to finalise the 2022 Sacramental Program.

Please note relevant dates in your calendars. More detailed information will be sent to relevant families later in the term. Please note that dates may change if Covid Restrictions are changed throughout the year.

Reconciliation - 2022 dates

Year 3 students will be eligible to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation in 2022

• Sunday 6th March- 10.30am Parish Mass- Presentation of Candidates at Mass- Family attends
• Wednesday 9th March- 7pm Reconciliation Family Workshop- Parents and child attend- Learning Hub
• Wednesday 16th March- Reconciliation Reflection Day for students at school
• Saturday 26th March- 10.00am Year 3 Group Celebrating Reconciliation- St Catherine’s Church

Eucharist - 2022 dates

 

Year 4  students will be eligible to receive the Sacrament of Eucharist in 2022

• Wednesday 20th July- 7pm Eucharist Family Workshop- Learning Hub
• Wednesday 27th July-  Eucharist Reflection Day for students at school
• Sunday 7th August- 8.30am Parish Mass-Presentation of Candidates at Mass- Family attends
• Sunday 21st August- 10.30am Parish Mass- Year 4 Group Celebrating Eucharist

Confirmation- 2022 dates

Year 6 students will be eligible to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation in 2022

• Wednesday 4th May- Confirmation Family Workshop- Learning Hub
• Wednesday 25th May- Confirmation Reflection Day for students at school
• Sunday 1st May May- 10.30am Parish Mass- Presentation of Candidates at Mass- Family attends
• Thursday 2nd June- 7pm Mass- Celebration of Confirmation- St Catherine’s Church

 

Term 1 Parish Mass Attendance

Easing Covid Restrictions has meant that we have been able to plan for students and staff to attend the 10.00am Parish Mass. Parents are welcome to attend as long as Covid Safe Practises are followed.

• 10.00am Wednesday 2nd March-  Years F-6 Ash Wednesday Mass- Beginning of School Year Mass (Year 6 Leaders presented with their leadership badges)
• 10.00am Wednesday 9th March- Year 5/6AT & Foundation
• 10.00amWednesday 16th March- Year 3 Reconciliation Candidates- Part of Reflection Day
• 10.00am Wednesday 23rd March- Year3/4JD & Year 1CG
• 10.00am Wednesday 30th March- Year 3/4MD & Year 2TC

Please contact me by phone or email if you have any questions or require clarification.

Carmel Donlon- Religious Education Leader

Email: carmel.donlon@scmoorabbin.catholic.edu.au

Even though the Foundation students have only been at school for 12 days they have already achieved so much. They have been sharing lots of things about ourselves so we can get to know each other. The students have talked about our families and pets noticing similarities and differences in the makeup of their families. They have met their year 5 & 6 buddies and completed a scavenger hunt together around the school while getting to know each other.

We have discussed the importance of drinking lots of water and eating our fruit, snacks and lunches to give us energy for the day. They have been to the garden to pick and take home a fresh cucumber. We have exercised daily to music or using the equipment in the adjoining room. The students have enjoyed doing team work activities in all areas of the curriculum. Their favourite stories so far have been about Pete the Cat and David goes to School. They have followed instructions and practised using our fine motor skills to create each character.

How to be a Bucket Filler

In Grade 1, we have been learning what it means to be a bucket filler. Being a bucket filler means that you act in a way that fills another person's bucket and refers to those who practise kindness and good behaviour. Students listened to the picture story book ‘How Full is your Bucket’ and created their very own bucket to display in the classroom. We then picked a classmate’s name out of a hat and wrote them a note to fill their bucket. This was in the form of a compliment or thank you letter. Throughout the year, students will be able to fill another person’s bucket if they see them doing the right thing and being a kind and supportive friend. 

Examples of bucket filling behaviour:

• Being kind to everyone you meet
• Helping those who are struggling
• Paying someone a compliment
• Being respectful
• Showing someone you care for them

For Health and Wellbeing in Year 2 we have been learning how to be Friendship Ninjas! This forms part of our Friendology program where students are developing friendship skills as well as the ability to recognise and embrace their own feelings.

Students have begun applying the Friendology 101 Guidelines: Be kind to yourself and others, be open to learning and growing, be honest, be brave, and have fun.

In year 3/4MD, we have been looking into each others 'soles'. Students thought about their personalities and created a shoe that best represented them. This shoe was drawn onto a paper bag. Inside the bag, they put in items that captured who they are on the inside. We started sharing these bags with each other in class today and we have learnt so much about each other already. It is really brave to share what matters most to you aloud with others. 3/4MD are thankful to each other for sharing their souls!

Holt Swimming

The Star of the Sea College Year 7 2024 application portal is now open.  Access to the link is via the How to Enrol page on our website. 

Click on the image to visit Star of the Sea