Special wishes to those children who will celebrate their birthdays in this week: Heloise G, 5/6P, Finn P, 3/4O.

Congratulations to the following students who achieved a Harmony Award this week.

Well done!!   

ANZAC Day Commemoration

Last week, our school community gathered to commemorate ANZAC Day and the 110th anniversary of the Gallipoli campaign. During the liturgy, we reflected on John’s Gospel, 15:1–17. This passage is part of the Farewell Discourse, where Jesus prepares His disciples for His death. In verse 13, Jesus says, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” These words give profound meaning to His sacrifice—Jesus died for our sins so that we might have eternal life.

Just as God gave His Son for us, on ANZAC Day we pause to remember and give thanks for the many who have made great sacrifices so that we may live in peace and freedom. We continue to pray for peace in our community and throughout the world.

Thank you to the students who assisted with the readings, the defence families who attended, and all members of our community who were able to join us.

Easter Colouring Competition

Congratulations to the winners of our Easter Colouring Competition! We were thrilled to receive so many creative and beautifully decorated entries, which are now proudly on display throughout the school. Thank you to all students who participated and helped spread the joy and spirit of Easter through their artwork.

Term 2 Whole School Focus

This year at St Michael’s, our Whole School Focus theme is “Walking Together in Friendship.” This theme reflects our school’s vision to live and learn in harmony with one another. Guided by Jesus’ teachings in the parables from Luke’s Gospel, we are learning what it means to be a caring and compassionate friend. 

Last term, we focused on walking together with a listening heart. This term, our focus shifts to walking together with acceptance and inclusivity. Students will explore the importance of welcoming others, celebrating individuality, and fostering a sense of belonging. These friendship values will be embraced in classrooms and recognised through our Harmony Awards.

Honouring Mary

Mary is the first and greatest among the saints. Through her openness to the Holy Spirit, the gift of Jesus came into the world. She is known by many important titles, including Our Lady of Perpetual Help, after whom our parish is named.

For centuries, the Catholic Church has dedicated the entire month of May to honouring Mary. During this special month, Catholics take part in various devotions, including the daily recitation of the Rosary. A long-standing tradition is the crowning of Mary’s statue with flowers — a beautiful tribute of faith and love.

If you would like to join the parish in prayer, a decade of the Rosary will be prayed at 5 pm on Sundays at St Michael’s Church during the month of May. All are warmly welcome.

Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is a special occasion that honours mothers, mother figures, and the vital influence of mothers in our lives and society. The Catholic Church has recognised and celebrated the importance of mothers since its earliest centuries.

This Sunday, we come together to celebrate and give thanks for the mothers in our lives. In particular, we offer our heartfelt gratitude to all the St Michael’s mums for their love, support, and dedication. We ask God to bless them today and always.

We look forward to welcoming many of our mums this Friday at our open classrooms from 8:20 am and at the Mother’s Day liturgy, which will be held at 9:30 am in the church.

Prayer for New Pope

Loving Father,

Guide Your Church in this time of transition.

Grant the cardinals discernment, wisdom, courage and unity

As they seek to do your will.

Prepare the heart of the man You have chosen-

A shepherd of compassion, faith and hope.

May he lead us in love and truth.

We trust in Your perfect plan.

Amen

Qkr! Registration opening for the Sacrament of Eucharist – Closes Friday the 2nd of May

Registration opens this week for the Sacrament of Eucharist through the Qkr! App. Registrations close Friday the 2^nd of May.

In Qkr! Search for Our Lady of Perpetual Help to find the Parish.  Then go to Sacramental Programs.

The Sacrament will take place at Masses on Saturday the 21^st and Sunday the 22^nd of June 2025.

If you have issues or questions please contact the Parish at sc.belconnennorth@cg.org.au or speak to the school’s Religious Education Coordinator.

Belconnen Region Cross Country

The Belconnen Region Cross Country will be held on 22 May at Stromlo Forest Park. The Compass event is available to families of children who have qualified to represent our school at this year’s competition. Please complete the Compass permission to consent or decline your child’s attendance. All event information can be found in Compass.

St Michael’s Athletics Carnival

Our school athletics carnival will be held on 13 May at Merici College. All students will travel to Merici via bus departing at 9:15 and returning at 2:00pm. Our Kinder and Year 1 students will return from the carnival at 12:30pm. A sausage sizzle will be available for lunch. This a compulsory school event and there will be no supervision at school. Attendance requires consent to be provided via Compass. Please see Compass for further details.

AFL Clinics

We are excited to have ACT AFL run 5 weeks of clinics for all classes commencing in Week 3. The clinics have been made possible thanks to a grant from Sporting Schools.  

AFL AusKick Afterschool Program

We are excited to be hosting 4 weeks of after school AFL program in Term 2. If your child is interested in participating, please see the attached flyer for details on how to register.

At school, students regularly participate in conversations around the core concepts of The Resilience Project. We call these “GEM chats.”

GEM chats are questions and prompts designed to start a positive conversation or encourage students to reflect on gratitude, empathy, emotional literacy and mindfulness in their lives.

If you would like to learn more on how to embed GEM regularly at home - we are excited to offer: Building Resilience at Home with Luke on Tuesday 13th May, 6:30 - 7:30 pm (60 minutes)

What the webinar will explore:
A whole community approach is key to enhancing student wellbeing. This workshop is designed to empower parents and carers by equipping them with practical strategies to practise Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness (GEM) at home. 

To register, use this link or scan the QR code. The Resilience Project will then send you a zoom link and a calendar invitation.

My name is Meili Rae and I have been employed through the National Student Wellbeing Program (NSWP) to work as a Student Welfare Officer at St Michael’s.  I have previously worked as a Classroom Support Assistant here at St Michael’s and will continue aspects of this role alongside my position as Student Welfare Officer. I am writing this letter to inform you that I may have some interactions with your child in the classroom setting. This support will continue throughout the year on Mondays and Fridays.

My role is to assist students to make connections and maintain positive social relationships. My aim is to positively impact the health, wellbeing and learning outcomes of students through improving resilience, coping skills, personal engagement and a sense of belonging and life skills.

I support teachers by engaging with students in small group settings, providing creative avenues of expression including reading, drawing, art, games, outdoor play and just general support in the classroom. I am excited to join St Michael’s community in this important role.

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact me via email at Meili.rae@cg.catholic.edu.au

Parent and Carer series: Exploring the online experiences of boys and young men

For boys and young men, the internet can be a place where they seek connection, validation and guidance as they explore what it means to be a man today. However, it also exposes them to risks like harmful content, online exploitation and the growing influence of misogynistic ideologies.

This 45-minute webinar will help parents understand:

• the social and cultural influences shaping boys and young men
• how boys engage online, build relationships and how they may be vulnerable to manipulation or exploitation
• the impact of social media, gaming, and influencers on their attitudes, behaviours and sense of identity.

This presentation will share practical strategies to build critical thinking, challenge harmful narratives, and create open conversations that empower boys and young men to navigate the online world safely and respectfully.

Term 2 (Australian Eastern Standard Time)

• 27 May, 12.30pm
• 30 July, 12.30pm

REGISTER NOW

Exploring the online experiences of boys and young men  

We are pleased to announce that St Michael's Primary, Kaleen has recently introduced the BPoint Enterprise Solution to manage direct debit arrangements for the payment of school fees.

What is BPoint and What Do You Need to Do?

BPoint is a secure Commonwealth Bank payment processing platform designed to facilitate online payments, while ensuring the highest security standards. This system safeguards your financial information using industry-leading security measures.

Our new direct debit platform will allow you to pay school fees using either a bank account or a credit card (excluding AMEX). Please note that payments made via credit card will incur a 0.5% surcharge.

Establishing Direct Debits.

Families will receive an email outlining estimated weekly, fortnightly, and monthly repayment options to ensure all fees are paid by the end of the year. These amounts will also include any outstanding 2024 balances.

What next?

You will receive an email that will provide a start date for direct debits and options for selecting your preferred payment frequency. Once a payment frequency is selected, you will be directed to enter your bank/credit card details. Once the information is entered, you will receive an email from no-reply@bpoint.com.au . The email will contain two links,

1. The first link requires confirmation of the direct debit arrangement. Please note that the link will expire within 7 days.
2. The second link provides a copy of the eDDRSA for your records.

 While using the direct debit payment option is not compulsory, many families find it helpful in staying up to date with their financial obligations.

For any questions or further assistance, please contact us.

School Sport ACT - ACT Teams Selection - Important Information 

Please see the School Sport ACT webpage http://www.schoolsportaustralia.edu.au/stateterritory-school-sport-offices/school-sport-act/ or Facebook page for the most up to date information.

SCHOOL SPORT ACT TRIALS – Please keep an eye on the School Sport ACT website www.schoolsportact.asn.au for upcoming ACT trials. The process for registering can be found below. If you need any assistance registering your child please feel free to ask for assistance.

How to register your child with School Sport ACT

School Sport ACT now collects all registration information online – this is to prevent the movement to and fro of a paper note and have all information readily available to officials prior to the trial. As this process incurs a fee for data storage, system maintenance and admin, a small fee payment via credit card will be required.

1. Go to the School Sport ACT website – www.schoolsportact.asn.au
2. Click Register (top right corner of homepage) for an Account – enter parent details and password
3. A confirmation email will be sent to your chosen email that will contain a link that you must click on to verify the email account.
4. Click Log In (top right hand corner of home page) enter password then click on top tab My Profile
5. You will see a ‘dashboard’ of your information, click green box to Add Student – enter student and medical details and save.
6. Go to the Sports Tab – choose your specific sport, click on Trial Information box then click on the Register to Trial link.
7. Select your child’s name from the dropdown box and then enter the optional fields for Playing History, Preferred Position (if applicable) and Representative Experience. If you are already in the system, ensure your child’s school is up to date in your profile – have they moved onto High School?