Friday 12^th February 2020

Dear Parents and Carers,

We have had a wonderful beginning to Term One with many initiatives that encourage empowerment for student learning being enacted.

I would like to say how impressed I was with the interest from the whole school around the SRC initiative. The children who put their names forward all showed their ability to be proactive learners. Parents relayed to us that they have had discussions with their children at home about the SRC, which has shown genuine support and interest. Our current team of six met today for the first time, they came prepared with lots of serious suggestions and really good ideas for improving engagement in their own education. Please look further down the newsletter for this report.

“Prayer of the Air” started this week and our three-member-team announced and spoke to the whole school about the story of the Leper being healed, Mark 1: 40-45. They created a prayer around the idea of Jesus healing. All read beautifully and the feedback they got from their peers was very positive. Next Monday they will visit the Foundation room. Looking for a volunteer to read the prayer that they create.

Our official school leaders continue to show their skills of inclusion and care of their fellow students. They have included all students from Grade 6 in the activities of the leadership team and are excited to begin the “buddy” program with the Foundation children next week.

UNIFORM NEWS

Our uniform is going to change. It will be a three-year process and there are a few challenges for us as our uniform is so unique in colour. The company we have used for a long time, LOWES has a lot of stock and we will need to clear the majority of that before we begin a new uniform design. To do this we have decided to raise funds to buy out the knitted jumpers (these, brand new, are big ticket items and are often handed down so families don’t purchase them frequently hence the huge amount of stock). Once the jumpers have been  purchased we will donate them to  people in need and we will probably connect with the St. Vincent de Paul society (international). The current uniform will continue to be used for the next three years along side the new one when it comes in. More information with the design and changes will be had in the next coming weeks.

COMMUNICATION

We are asking all communication with teachers is to be via email or phone. Written notes often get lost and teachers are able to revisit the digital message at any time. The teachers will respond as soon as practicable, within the next day of your message.

 Teachers emails are as follows:-

arobb@shmorwell.catholic.edu.au - Anne-Marie Robb - Principal

minchincoli@shmorwell.catholic.edu.au - Michelle Inchincoli – Grade 1/2 teacher, Learning Adjustment Leader, Senior Middle Leader, Senior Teacher

kbarton@shmorwell.catholic.edu.au - Kerry Barton – Grade 1/2 teacher, Middle Leader, performing arts teacher

hdawes@shmorwell.catholic.edu.au - Heather Dawes – Foundation teacher

kprecht@shmorwell.catholic.edu.au - Kayla Precht – Grade 1/2 teacher

jmcdonald@shmorwell.catholic.edu.au - Julianne McDonald – Grade 3/4 teacher

csmyth@shmorwell.catholic.edu.au - Cassandra Smyth – Grade 5/6 teacher

msmith@shmorwell.catholic.edu.au  - Mark Smith – PE teacher, support teacher across all levels

smartin@shmorwell.catholic.edu.au - Sheridan Martin – Art teacher

LENT and the EASTER JOURNEY

Next week we will begin our 2021 Lenten journey. Children will be invited to share in a morning tea of pancakes on Tuesday. There will be no charge this year. The Grade 6 students will be assisting in the process and our focus is all about cleaning out the busyness in our lives before we start Lent and then maintaining that fresh outlook for the duration of Lent and beyond.

Lent is "the 40 weekdays” from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. Sunday is not included as it is always a day of celebration. For the Roman Catholic, Eastern, and some Protestant churches it is a period of penitence and fasting, taking up good deeds and a commitment to extra prayer.

This name comes from the “Old English lencten springtime, spring” and “from West Germanic langitinaz long-days or lengthening of the day.”  For us in Australia that is backward for our seasons. 

Caritas is the Catholic body that focus’ on helping people in poverty during Lent. We will follow this tradition for our school’s efforts with Lenten alms giving.  The teachers will supply icy tubes which will be sold on Friday for the rest of the term for 50c. This money will directly go to Caritas. There are Lenten boxes in each classroom if children would like to donate some of their pocket money…

Caritas literally means Christian love of humankind; charity.

SRC February 2021

God Bless,

Anne-Marie Robb

Christine Oliver has arranged a "Come and Try Guides" night to be held at the Morwell Guide Hall, Margaret Street Morwell, on Tuesday 23rd February, 2021 from 5pm to 6.30pm..

Please register for the event with Chris Oliver on 0428 644 397 or chris.oliver@guidesvic.org.au.