Hello lovely families of St Michael’s,

As it is week 7, we celebrate Sabbath Week or Family Week. In these uncertain and challenging times, it is critical that we take time for ourselves and families and look after each other and enjoy each other’s company and relax. Play boardgames, go for a walk, get to the oval and watch a movie together and celebrate week 7 with your family. Please send through some pictures of you and your family enjoying Sabbath week together.

Just a reminder that we are in the process for nominations for the St Michael’s Community Council. If you are interested in being a part of this dynamic and exciting group, please read the attached information and nomination form and send them to Judy or myself.

Please check compass for information about booking Parent/Teacher conferences next week. These will all be conducted via MS Teams and are a great way to check in and communicate with teachers about the learning needs of all students.

Cold/Flu Symptoms

If your child experiences any cold or flu symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, runny or blocked nose they should undertake a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) test, these have been sent home.

If the test is negative but your child is still unwell, they should stay at home and undergo a PCR test (polymerase chain reaction) if this is negative and your child feels well and is not experiencing symptoms they can return to school.

If your child tests positive; Please email the school

office.stmichaelsps@cg.catholic.edu.au

damien.webb@cg.catholic.edu.au

In the ACT, everyone who tests positive for COVID-19 must isolate for at least 7 days (where the day of your test is day zero).

If your child tests positive for COVID-19 with a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT), you must register with ACT Health using an online form.

If someone in your household tests positive you are a household contact this means you need to have a test as soon as you can and quarantine for 7 days from the date of collection of the positive COVID-19 test result (day 0) of first case in your household.

If your child is unwell, please do not send them to school and if you have any further questions please visit; https://www.covid19.act.gov.au/home

Our parents and community have been vigilant and supportive around keeping everyone safe and it is important that we all continue to follow the ACT Government Health advice.

Please have a safe, happy and healthy weekend and don’t hesitate to get in contact if you need anything.

Many thanks

Damien Webb

Damien.Webb@cg.catholic.edu.au

Emails sent to School 

Previously, if you have emailed Lisa Monro directly for any school correspondance, please note this email is no longer active.

For all correspondance please email:office.stmichaelsps@cg.catholic.edu.au

Recording of Student Absences

A notification went home via Compass reminding parents/carers to ensure the school is provided notes for absences. It is a legal requirement for schools to ensure they have documentation around student absences, and we need your help. Please follow the instructions on the Parent Portal to send an absent note or email the front office and let us know.

office.stmichaelsps@cg.catholic.edu.au

We will be sending reminders each Thursday to any families missing notes, this is a generated email from compass, please email or phone the front office if you have any concerns. 

Kind Regards

Judy Egan
Principal

Religious Education around our school – Spotlight on staff – interview sharing our prayer life

Our theme for the year is Faithful in Prayer. With all of their fabulous work on teaching about prayer in 3/4 I thought Miss Frogley and Miss Lewis would like to share their own thoughts and experiences of prayer.

Miss Frogley: For me prayer comes in many forms. I know over the years I have spent a lot of time in prayer taking to God but lately I have been trying to really stop and listen to what is asked of me instead of always doing the talking. Prayer is a time to calm my mind and reset myself each day.

Miss Lewis: Prayer has definitely changed for me over the years as I have grown up. At first my prayer was more formal and done in school. But as I grew up and grew in my faith, I realised prayer can be very personal too and I can fit it into my life in many ways. Whether it be a quiet moment in my car on my way to work, a prayer when I am in need or feeling low or acknowledging all the gifts I have in my life. Praying brings me closer to God and is a great tool that helps me with my emotional regulation.

Religious Life of St Michael’s

Project Compassion boxes / Lenten Appeal

If you need another small money box for the Project Compassion Lenten Appeal there are some left at school. Please send me an email or just ask your child to come ask me for another one. Once they are filled please return them to the Front Office or the Church. Thank you for your generous support of this import fundraiser.

Week 3 Caritas

This week we meet Janice, an Indigenous Australian who has been supported by the great work of Caritas. A Wagilak woman, Janice is a traditional dancer who tells stories through movements handed down over generations. Read more about her story here.

Sabbath week – rest in God

Week 7 is our traditional week for Sabbath – a time of rest and recharging. This ancient tradition was closely connected with the farming world and their understanding of land needing to lie fallow regularly (every seven years). Please enjoy this time to unwind, recharge, reconnect as a family. No homework this week and staff try to limit meetings to also have time to enjoy the Sabbath.

Chief Minister's Reading Challenge

Unbelievably, we have already received some completed forms in the barrel for the Chief Minister’s Reading Challenge! All students will participate in the challenge this year, which sees them aim to read 30 books by August. The challenge will be completed at school during class and library lessons.

Families can also complete the challenge at home, if they wish. More information can be found at https://www.education.act.gov.au/public-school-life/additional-programs/chief_ministers_reading_challenge

Each completed form (whether completed at school or at home) can be placed in the barrel in the library for the chance to win a prize. Prizes will be drawn when the challenge concludes on 19^th August.

Erin Hardwicke

Erin.hardwicke@cg.catholic.edu.au

Parish Sacramental Program 2022
If you have a child in Years 3, 4, or 6 in 2022, this will be a Sacramental year.

This also applies if your child is in Year 5 and he/she has previously missed the Sacraments of Reconciliation and/or First Eucharist.

Sacrament of First Eucharist will be celebrated on the weekend of 18 and 19 June 2022 (Corpus Christs Sunday) across the four Sunday Masses.

6pm - 18 June at St Monica’s Church – Evatt;

8am - 19 June at St Michael’s Church – Kaleen;

10am – 19 June at St Monica’s Church – Evatt; and

5.30pm – 19 June at St Michael’s Church – Kaleen.

Registration for the Sacrament of First Eucharist

Registration must be made via the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Qkr! App.

Registrations will open on Monday 4 April 2022 and will close by Friday 29 April 2022.
No further registration will be accepted after the closing date.

Commitment Masses
Students and parents must attend one of the weekend Masses at either St Monica’s Church (6pm Saturday or 10am Sunday) or St Michael’s Church (8am or 5.30pm Sunday) on one of the dates listed below to make their commitment for the Sacrament.
Saturday 30 April and Sunday 1 May
Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 May
There will be no additional commitment masses beyond these dates.

Confirmation will be celebrated in Term 3, 2022.

Reconciliation will be celebrated in Term 4, 2022.

For further Information – please contact the Sacramental Program Coordinator at sc.belconnennorth@cg.org.au or check the parish website for updates at www.cg.org.au/belconnennorth

Special wishes to those children who will celebrate their birthday this week:

Olivia 3/4L, Lachlan 5/6H, Elise 5/6S, Maxwell 3/4F, Elliarna 3/4F, Mahlia 3/4F, Dominic 3/4L, Jerry 1/2B

We hope you have a great day!!

Congratulations to the following students who achieved a Harmony Award in Week 7.  Awards will be handed out to students during the day on Friday.

Well done!!   

As several of the students at our school have a life threatening allergy to nuts and related products we have adopted a NUT FREE policy. 

Our school does not sell any nut products and we ask you to support our efforts by ensuring that your child does not bring peanuts, peanut butter, nutella or other nut related products to school in their lunch boxes.  This will require you to take note of the content of items such as muesli bars etc.

We appreciate your support in ensuring the health and safety of all our students.

Parent Support Network

Dear Parents

We are calling for nominations for parents to be the class representatives on the Parent Support Network.

This network would help support communication between the classroom teacher/s and the parents in the class. These networks have proven very successful in past, but with the interruptions of the past 2 years, we haven’t called for parent volunteers since 2019.

We are looking forward to getting this network up and running again and helping everyone stay connected and continuing to build our wonderful school community.

Parents on the network will receive a copy of the email address of the families in the class and there will be a short digital meeting in the coming weeks with Mr Webb to discuss the simple duties of the role and the ways that you can support the class. It is not a time consuming role, so the commitment to role is certainly not demanding 

If you are interested please email Mr Webb, damien.webb@cg.catholic.edu.au and include the following information

• Your name and name of child
• Class of child
• Email address
• Best contact phone number

Once again, thank you all for the continued support

Many thanks

Mr Webb