ST JOHN S PRIMARY SCHOOL NEWSLETTER

Transcription

1 ST JOHN S PRIMARY SCHOOL NEWSLETTER 4 November 2015 Edition From the Principal Dear Parents, Two important days of the Church year occurred in the past few days which I'd like to highlight to you. ALL SAINTS DAY - LAST SUNDAY, 1st NOVEMBER All Saints Day is the day on which we celebrate all the saints, known and unknown, is a surprisingly old feast. It arose out of the Christian tradition of celebrating the martyrdom of saints on the anniversary of their martyrdom. When martyrdoms increased during the persecutions of the late Roman Empire, local dioceses instituted a common feast day in order to ensure that all martyrs, known and unknown, were properly honoured. ALL SOUL S DAY - LAST MONDAY, 2nd NOVEMBER Last Monday, was All Soul's Day and a day that we remember our friends and loved ones who have died. Father of all, we pray to You for those we love, but see no longer: Grant them your peace, let light perpetual shine upon them; and in your loving wisdom and almighty power, work in them the good purpose of your perfect will; through Jesus Christ our Lord CLASS STRUCTURES After a formal consultative process with the school's Consultative Committee the following class structures are now confirmed. Class numbers are approximate for this stage. 2 x Prep : x Year 1: x Year 2: x Year 3: x Year 4: x Year 5/6 15/13:28 15/13:28 16/12:28 REMEMBRANCE DAY COMMEMORATION, 11th November Next Wednesday, 11th November is Remembrance Day. It marks the anniversary of the armistice which ended the First World War and commemorates the loss of Australian lives in all wars, conflicts and peace keeping operations. On the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month, a minutes silence is observed and dedicated to those soldiers who died fighting to protect the nation. This was a significant component of our recognition. To support the R.S.L, poppies may be purchased from the school office from this Friday, 6th November. CONGRATULATIONS - MORE BABIES! Congratulations to Caprice and Garth Flynn on the recent arrival of a beautiful baby son, Tate Indie. I know that both Cleo (PrepV) and Hunter are thrilled by the arrival of a brother. We also extend our congratulations to Mr James Egan, out ICT teacher, and his wife, Claire, on the arrival of a beautiful baby son, Harry Nicholas last week. 55 Cape Street, Heidelberg Vic 3084 Ph E. office@sjheidelberg.catholic.edu.au

2 GRADE 6 TOPS 2016 LAST CHANCE TO ORDER A reminder that the final opportunity to order Year 6 Polo Tops and try sizing is this Friday after school on the OSHClub balcony. Further details are in this Newsletter. JUMP ROPE FOR HEART DAY 6 th November This Friday the Student Action Team for Sport is conducting our annual fundraising activity for the National Heart Foundation, All children are asked to wear their sports uniform on this day (ideally wearing their House Team colour) and donate a gold coin to assist the Heart Foundation with its great work PREP ORIENTATION VISIT # 1 TOMORROW, THURSDAY, 5th NOVEMBER There will be a great deal of excitement tomorrow as the 2016 Preps visit the school formally for the very first time. No doubt, younger siblings will take the visit in their stride, but for new families, their first visit to St John s will be exciting and new. If you happen to be in the yard in the morning, please make the new families in particular, feel welcome. Yours sincerely Nick Marinelli Principal RE News - Elizabeth Williamson, Education in Faith Leader Remember our brothers and sisters who have gone to their rest in the hope of rising again. Bring them into the light of your presence. Memorial Book Especially through the month of November Catholic Christians offer prayers to remember the dead and to thank God for their lives. You are invited to write the names of loved ones who have died in the Memorial Book, which is in the school foyer. The children will pray for those named throughout November during their class prayer times. The Presence of God in the Universe and in our Lives The final in a series of talks by Sister Mary Dennett RSM BSc MA will be held tomorrow evening. Sister Mary, who is currently engaged in leading reflection days on Theology and Science, will speak about the universe that speaks to us of the existence of God. Pope Francis has invited us to reflect on the universe as our common home. You don't have to attended the other evenings to attend the last one. The talk will be held in the LRC this Thursday, November 5th - 7:30 to 9:00pm. Class Masses Term 4 (9.15a.m.) Week 6 Tuesday November 10th Years 1L and 1T Week 7 Tuesday November 17th Years 2D and 2P Week 8 Tuesday November 24th Years 4C and 4F Week 9 Thursday November 26th Years PN and PV These mass dates and times are correct at time of publication. Sometimes unforeseen circumstances occur to change these dates/times. 2

3 Family Christmas Eve Mass Each year on Christmas Eve the Family Christmas Eve Mass is celebrated. If your child/children would like to be involved actively in this mass please complete the form below and return it to school by Thursday November 19th in an envelope marked: Family Christmas Eve Mass.. Family Christmas Eve Mass December 24 th 7.00p.m. Please tick the ministry your child/children would like to be involved in on Christmas Eve at the 7.00pm Mass Name of child and year level Please print Name of child and year level Please print Name of child and year level Please print Reader (Years 4-6) Prayer of the Faithful (Years 3-6) Offertory Procession (Years P - 2) Altar server Signed: Date:... Children's Choir for the Family Christmas Eve Mass December 24 th 7.00p.m. We are looking for children from Years 3-6 who would like to sing in a choir at the Family Christmas Eve Mass. Please return the form to school by Thursday November 19th in an envelope marked: Children's Christmas Eve Choir. My child/children would like to be part of the Christmas Eve Family Mass Choir. Name: Name: Signed: Year Level: Year level: Date: 3

4 Sport News, Steph Doutre, Sport & Physical Education Jump Rope for Heart This Friday our Sport Student Action Team will run our Jump Day. Children are asked to bring along a gold coin donation for the Heart Foundation and to wear their school sport shorts, runners and their House Colour top. Each class will participate in different skipping activities throughout the day and at lunch time. Uniform A reminder to please return all sport uniform to Miss Doutre as soon as possible Drink Bottles With the warmer weather approaching please ensure you bring a full drink bottle to physical education classes. Sports Carnival This year the St John s Sports Carnival will be held on Friday November 20 at Heidelberg Park. We are looking for parent helpers on the day. If you are available between 11am-3pm please sdoutre@sjheidelberg.catholic.edu.au If anyone has any Halloween decorations they no longer require, please deliver them to the school office. They will be used to decorate the Haunted House at the School Fete. Thank you 4

5 GRADE 6 TOPS 2016 LAST CHANCE TO ORDER Where: Friday 6 November after school on the OSHClub Balcony. There will be sample sizes for the children to try on. We also want you to check the spelling of your child s name. Cost: $30 per top CASH ONLY. Please be aware you must pay to place an order. You may want to consider purchasing two tops. Note once the order is in we can t change it. BIRTHDAYS FORTHCOMING EVENTS Nov 6 Nov 9 Adam P PN Rafael P PV Tess B 3W Tom R 5/6B Thursday Nov 5 Prep 2016 Orientation (1st Visit) Friday Nov 6 Jump Rope for Heart Day Friday Nov 20 Twilight Sport Day 5

6 Hours of Operation: Before Care 6:45am-8:45am After Care 3:20pm-6:00pm Staff: Trent Harkom & Jill El-Khoury Hi everyone, We hope everyone enjoyed their much deserved long weekends! Last week at OSHClub we had our Halloween themed week where we came up with lots of spooky, creepy activities! Throughout the week we decorated the room with our wall of scary faces and paper plate ghosts and we also did some scary biscuit decorating and even made some witch s potions (fruit smoothies!). It s that time of year again where all of our medical records need to be updated so please be aware I might have some forms to hand out to children/parents to be filled out in regards to medical conditions. Please be aware that as our numbers are increasing significantly (particularly on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays) it is becoming more important for parents to book their children in online or to give more notice for an on the day booking. This gives us enough time to ensure we are adequately staffed and able to provide a quality program for you and your children. If your child/ren are absent from school or other arrangements are made for them, could you please let us know that they won t be attending afterschool care. On the day cancelations/bookings must be made with a phone call or text to the program number on You will not be able to make online bookings or cancelations on the day. Online bookings or cancelations can be made up until midnight the night before. We hope to see you at OSHClub! Enjoy the rest of your week NEXT WEEKS ACTIVITY Before Care Activities Wednesday Thursday Friday Monday Tuesday Horse Shoes Fishing Game Blueberry Pancakes Blow Painting Water Density Experiment After Care Activities Feather Painting Banana Bread Pixel Art Aquarium Jars Anatomy Art Parent Information OSHC program phone: Coordinator: Trent Harkom Assistants: Jill El-Khoury OSHClub Head Office: All families must be enrolled to attend the program, remember this is Free!! Please create an account online at all bookings and cancellations can also be managed via your online account. For on the day bookings please contact the Coordinator direct at the program. 6

7 Father Mario s Sermon 01 November 2015 (Solemnity of All Saints, Year B) Apocalypse 7:2-4,9-14; Psalm 23:1-6; 1John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12. They shall see God! Every human person created to be the image and likeness of God, is called to holiness. Our aim is to grow into this image of God and to develop the image of God perfectly within us. Since God is perfect love, we need to live as images of this love. How can I become ever more perfectly an image and likeness of God here on earth? What seems a complicated question has a very simple answer: by always doing God s will in my life. Jesus calls blessed those who hear God s word and do it (Lk 11:28). To be holy is to discover God s will for me and to carry it out to the best of my ability. From the beginning of the world all of humanity has been travelling on this same journey: to be with and to see God. Today we celebrate with all our sisters and brothers who came before us and have already reached the fullness of their journey; they now enjoy the love and presence of God. Isaiah speaks of this reality as of a banquet of rich foods (Is 25:6), a wedding feast where all are welcome to celebrate (Mt 22:10). In today s gospel Jesus calls blessed (in Greek makarios) those who are poor in spirit, who mourn, who hunger and thirst for justice, those persecuted because of justice; they are blessed by God and will enjoy the vision of God. Blessed are the poor in spirit seems an odd statement. Why would the poor be blessed? In last week s gospel reading we witnessed the blind man, Bartimaeus. He lacked his physical sight and wealth; he had to depend on others for his needs and for his living. Yet he was more blessed than the rich man who wanted to know what he could do to enter the kingdom of God. The rich man could not see the wisdom in Jesus instruction and refused to follow him, the blind beggar recognised Jesus as the son of David and followed him! Poverty, purity of heart, grief, gentleness, hunger and thirst for justice, are all qualities that help us remain open to the needs of those around us. We learn that in order to grow we need the support of our sisters and brothers; in them and through them we witness to and experience the love that is God. The poor man was not concerned about what others would say when he threw off his cloak and ran to Jesus, his whole focus was on the one that mattered. The rich man had too much to let go of and could not follow Jesus. Happy are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account; rejoice and be glad! The abuse, persecution and calumny happen because we choose to follow Jesus. He needs to be the focal point of who we are and all that we do. He becomes my wealth, my comfort and my happiness; in him I will be satisfied. The Church chooses some of its members and puts them before us as role models through a process of canonisation; these have validly journeyed along the Christian way, you can look at them as an example of how to follow Jesus. There are many others who have also validly journeyed along the Christian way of life but have not been canonised. They too are among the saints and see the face of God. Among this throng of saints we recognise our own relatives and friends who have been faithful to their calling to grow into the image and likeness of God. When we draw pictures of the saints we place a halo of light around their head to remind us that with their life they shone a bright light on how to journey along the path of discipleship. When we strive to understand and live God s will in our life, we too become a light to follow. We are all called to be saints, here on earth, and at the end of our life, in God s presence. Fr Mario 7

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