Newsletter 12 August 2022
- Principal's Message
- 2022 Upcoming Events
- Faith and Mission News
- Learning and Teaching
- Sport News & Sport Calendar
- School Fees Information - Catholic Schools Office
- Father's Day Breakfast Friday 2 September
- Hoodwinked Musical Information
- COLOURTHON - Friday 14 October
- Grandparent's Day - Save the Date - 7 Nov
- Canteen Menu for 2022
- Canteen Roster
- Lunchtime Clubs 2022
- Parenting Ideas
- Community Notices
Principal's Message
101 Days of Kindergarten
Lismore Diocesan Athletics Team
Friday 12 August 2022 - Term 3 Week 4
Dear Parents and Carers
A big thanks to our volunteers for the Friday morning storytelling sessions. Today we also had the Kindy Coffee morning, which was a great success and many stayed on to read as well. If you’d like to volunteer, just bring a rug and turn up at 8.50am on Fridays. All parents, grandparents and friends are welcome.
On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday next week, an outside panel will put the school under the microscope to affirm what we are doing well and to identify ways to improve. We are especially keen to get feedback that will help us formulate a new 3 year plan. We will also use the ‘Tell Them from Me’ survey data from teachers, students (Yr 4-6) and parents to help us reflect on the steps we need to take to fulfil our mission, to ensure ‘Every Child Thrives’. When we receive the final report in a few weeks we will share the recommendations.
Book Week is fast approaching and we will be celebrating on Wednesday 24 August with a dress up parade. In the library, Mrs Catling has been busy reading all the short-listed books to the children and getting their opinions on who will win the book of the year. It’s an exciting time for kids and another chance to remind your child to read, read, read. Every night, 7 nights a week is the goal. Getting good at something doesn't happen without practice and this is especially true of reading, as regular exposure to many books promotes fluency and understanding which equals success at high school and beyond.
The Barney Barselaar Cup is a soccer competition held between Mary Help of Christians, St Francis Xavier, Bishop Druitt College and our School. It is run in memory of a student at St Francis who tragically passed in an accident a number of years ago and is held in his honour. It’s a mixed team for Yr 5 & 6 students and is always held as a friendly competition on the windy Woolgoolga fields. Go team!
Apologies if this seems like a broken record, but would you please ensure your child comes to school in uniform every day. All black, polishable shoes are required and if new ones are on order, please send a note from home as a way of explanation so we don’t have to continually remind students. Please ensure jewellery is as per the policy on the website and there are no necklaces. Notes will be sent home next week to children out of uniform.
Grace and peace
Peter Watts
Principal
2022 Upcoming Events
August 2022
| 15 | Assumption of Mary Mass - 12:00 noon |
| 18 | ICAS English - Years 3-6 |
| 23 | ICAS Science - Years 3-6 |
| 24 | Book Week Parade |
| 25 | ICAS Spelling Bee - Years 3-6 |
| 26 | St Augustine's Feast Day Celebrations |
| 26 | Whole School Assembly - 2:00pm |
| 31 | ICAS Mathematics - Years 3-6 |
| 31 | Year 2 Excursion Aquarium/Jetty Beach |
September 2022
| 2 | Father's Day Stall |
| 2 | Father's Day Liturgy - 9:00am |
| 13-15 | HOODWINKED Musical |
| 16 | Whole School Assembly - 2:00pm |
| 19 | Year 4 Accendere Spiritual Retreat |
| 21 | Sacrament of Confirmation - 4:30 pm and 6:15pm |
| 22 | Last Day Term 3 for Students |
| 23 | Staff Development Day - No Students |
Faith and Mission News
Feast of the Assumption
On Monday 15 August the whole school will gather together to celebrate the Feast of the Assumption. The Feast of the Assumption is the main celebration of Mary's life and ministry. God assumed Mary into heaven, Catholics believe, because of Mary's special relationship with God.
Catholics hold Mary's assumption as a reminder that God loves them and yearns for them to join Jesus, Mary, and all the saints in heaven.
Spotlight on Religious Education: Year 5
This term, Year 5 are exploring how we can deepen our relationship with God through prayer. Students are investigating different forms of prayer and how we use prayer to strengthen our relationship with God and unite us in solidarity with the needs of others.
A huge thankyou to the Catholic Schools Office Mission Services Team, Mrs Gemma Ballantine and Mrs Helen Hunter who shared their wealth of knowledge and guided our Year 5 students on a spiritual journey to connect to God through prayer. Students learnt about the history of Christian Meditation and Labyrinths before exploring how we can use these to expereince the presence of God.
Feast of St Mary the Cross Mackillop
August 8 is the Feast Day of St Mary MacKillop (Mary of the Cross). Mary is Australia’s first and only canonised saint. She was a person who rejoiced in God, loved the poor deeply and believed God would provide all that she needed. Mary was faithful to her God even when times were tough. During her life, Mary MacKillop met people who made it hard for her to perform her good works but she never gave up and today the Sisters of St Joseph are still doing the work that Mary MacKillop started all those years ago. She saw herself as God’s humble servant and was always ready to do God’s will. Mary shows us how to be people of Spirit.
Here are just two of Mary’s sayings that have been inspirational to many.
“Remember we are but travelers here.”
Mary believed that we are here for a limited amount of time and must look for opportunities to do God’s will.
“We must teach more by example than by word.”
Mary believed that her faith was about action, that we are called to do good works not just talk about them. We are called to be examples of Christian living.
Sacrament of Confirmation
Preparation for students in Years 3-6 who will be receiving the sacrament of Confirmation on 21 September has begun.
Please keep these children and their families in your prayers.
Parents of the candidates, please note that the completed White Card and the Pray for Me Flame with a photo attached should be returned by 12 August.
Prayer for Confirmation Candidates:
Lord, You send out Your Spirit to touch the hearts of all people, so that they may believe in You and in Jesus whom You sent.
Look kindly on all candidates for Confirmation as they listen to Your voice.
Open their hearts to Your Spirit and bring to fulfilment the good work that You have begun in them.
As we prepare these children for Confirmation, make each of us an instrument of Your love.
Teach us to appreciate what is holy in others, and to be patient with what we do not understand.
Deepen our faith in the Gospel and help us to pass it on by our example.
We pray that You will continue to guide us and sustain us. We ask this: through Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Parish Playgroup is back
9am Tuesdays (during school term) at the Curran Centre (Parish Office), 12 Gordon St, Coffs Harbour.
We warmly invite families with babies, toddlers, pre-school age children/grandchildren to join our parish playgroup.
If you are interested in becoming a Playgroup helper, to offer assistance with set-up or leading a craft or music activity, please contact the parish office on 6651 0000.
Naomi Loader- Assistant Principal Mission
Dominique Montford - Leader of School Catechesis
Maria Woods - Leader of School Evangelisation
Learning and Teaching
LARC NEWS
BOOK WEEK Parade 2022
As part of the Children’s Book Council of Australia's (CBCA) annual Book Week this year, we invite all students across the school (K-6) to dress as their favourite book characters. We will have a whole school Book Week Parade at 9:15am on Wednesday, 24th August and parents are warmly invited to come along and watch the parade.
Our book parade will culminate with a reading of the winning Early Childhood Book of the Year. We have no prizes for best costume as the focus is on the joy of reading and the characters in the stories we love.
Costumes can be simple and not cost a lot. Many book characters wear everyday clothes.
In preparation for Book Week 2022, the students in Kindergarten to Year 2 have been listening to the CBCA’s shortlisted books and have begun to vote for their favourite Early Childhood book. Students in Years 3 to 6 are welcome to visit the LARC to view the shortlisted books.
Early Childhood Shortlist Books:
Jump into Reading Challenge
A huge thanks to the families and students that have logged reading minutes. During Book Week in Week 6 we will be drawing another round of winners from thiose that have submitted in Term 3.
Every minute added helps us to reach our goal of 1 million minutes!
Digi Tech in the LARC
While Year 5 are working on learning how to be entrepreneurs, Years 3, 4 and 6 are participating in a design thinking challenge.
They will work their way through the design thinking process to create something useful for someone in their lives.
This week and next they are working on the first two skills: Empathise and Define.
In this stage they think about who their user is and design questions to ask to get an understanding of how they can create something useful.
After this stage they will ideate a design, seek feedback before moving on to TinkerCAD where they will create a 3D model.
Sport News & Sport Calendar
LISMORE DIOCESAN ATHLETICS CARNIVAL WEDNESDAY 10 AUGUST
On Wednesday the Lismore Diocesan Athletics Carnival was held at the Coffs Harbour International Stadium. St Augustine’s had a strong representation in the Clarence Zone Team including all four relay teams. Congratulations to the following students who represented Clarence Zone on the day.
Mia Henry, Ruben Simpson, Jack Cardow, Louis Burbridge, Henry Haira Ri, Savannah Newman-Doves, Grace Majambere, Charlie Hottes, Lily-Mei Wong, Carter Crowley, Frankie Selmes, Max Crowley, Hannah Burton, Harlow Smith, Alexis Johnson, Pippa Dodd, Reef Winkler, Ashton McFarlane, Coco Becker, Grace Davis, Rosemary Nealand, Tillie Reibelt, Grace Duede, Billy Backhouse, Preston Burbridge, Noah Keshk, Cohen Straw, Jack Tyler, Vinnie Fensom, Poppy Warren, Nate Butcher, Pippa Rowbotham, Joey Galvin, Blake Galvin.
Congratulations to these students who will now represent the Lismore Diocese in Newcastle on the 9th September, including two of our relay teams.
Mia Henry (100m, 200m)
Ruben Simpson (100m, Long Jump, Senior Boys Relay)
Jack Cardow (Senior Boy Relay)
Louis Burbridge (Senior Boy Relay)
Grace Majambere (Shot Put)
Carter Crowley (800m)
Frankie Selmes (100m, Senior Boy Relay)
Hannah Burton (800m, 1500m)
Harlow Smith (200m)
Coco Becker (Junior Girl Relay)
Grace Davis (Junior Girl Relay)
Rosemary Nealand ( Shot Put)
Tillie Reibelt (100m, Junior Girl Relay)
Grace Duede (High Jump, Junior Girl Relay)
Preston Burbridge (100m)
Nate Butcher (High Jump, Discus)
COFFS HARBOUR RUNNING FESTIVAL - SUNDAY 11 SEPTEMBER
We are excited to announce that the Schools Challenge is back for this event! St Augustine’s have previously been proud winners of this event thanks to the large number of students coming along to show their support. We’d love to see even more students join us in 2022 and help us win a very healthy prize of $2 000 towards sporting equipment!
To register simply click on the link below. You don’t need to be an experienced runner. All ability levels are encouraged to run! ENTER HERE
Sport Calendar
| August 2022 | |
| 24 | Netball Cup (Port Macquarie) |
| 25 | Barney Barselaar Cup |
| 26 | Polding Cricket Trials (Tamworth) |
| September 2022 | |
| 6 | Soccer and Netball Clarence Zone Gala Day |
| 9 | Polding Athletics (Newcastle) |
| 11 | Coffs Harbour Running Festival |
| 21 | Soccer and Netball Lismore Diocese Gala Day |
School Fees Information - Catholic Schools Office
Father's Day Breakfast Friday 2 September
Hoodwinked Musical Information
COLOURTHON - Friday 14 October
Grandparent's Day - Save the Date - 7 Nov
Canteen Menu for 2022
- SUSHI WEDNESDAYS
A reminder that we cannot accept sushi orders on Wednesdays - please order by the Tuesday prior - by 2pm for a paper bag order or 8pm for an online order. Thank you. - CANTEEN VOLUNTEERS
We really need help with our SPECIAL LUNCH DAYS which fall on alternate Tuesdays and the last day of every term. Helping in the canteen is a great way to meet other parents, support your child and our school. Please contact the school if you can spare a few hours on these busy days. Thank you. - CANCELLATION OF CANTEEN ORDERS
Please remember to cancel online canteen orders if your child is away or sick prior to 7:30 am on the day of the order. Thank you - Alicia and Rosa
Canteen Roster
Week beginning 15 August
- Monday -N Williams
- Tuesday - Help Needed !
- Wednesday - C Jones, E Taylor
- Thursday - J Martin, C Williams
- Friday - W McLean, H Butler - Help Needed !
Week beginning 22 August
- Monday - N Williams
- Tuesday - M Mainey, Help Needed !
- Wednesday - C Jones - Help Needed !
- Thursday - L Horne, C Burbridge
- Friday - P Duffy, W McLean, K Cochran
Week beginning 29 August
- Monday - V Wall
- Tuesday - J Ward
- Wednesday - P Duffy, B Symons
- Thursday - C Williams - Help Needed !
- Friday - G Dodd, L Knight, W McLean - Help Needed !
Week beginning 5 September
- Monday - L Seccombe
- Tuesday - C Williams
- Wednesday - J Martin, N Flintoff
- Thursday - S Crawford, M Van Den Boom
- Friday - P Duffy, W McLean, K Cochran
Canteen News
Canteen helpers are always required, especially on Wednesdays as this is our sushi day, and on Fridays. Help is needed for three hours from 9:00 am until 12:00 noon once every four weeks. Grandparents are very welcome also. If you are able to help in the Canteen on any day please call us on 6652 1204.
Alicia Betland & Rosa Thomas - Canteen Managers
Lunchtime Clubs 2022
Parenting Ideas
Community Notices
