Dear Parents, Staff and Students

This week is Wellbeing Week. It is a time to stop and take a breath and reflect on all that is good in our lives. Students (and parents) have the week off from written homework. It is encouraged that students still read daily during the week. Wellbeing of all students is a central focus of our Catholic Schools. What is your family going to do? Play a boardgame? Go for a bike ride? Visit the beach?

Project Compassion

Thank you to the students and families who have already donated to the Project Compassion appeal this Lent. Your donations make a difference to families in Australia and other countries, enabling improved lives for many.  Our almsgiving this year has been extremely generous so far!

The Lenten practice of almsgiving, traditionally done in the Catholic Church through contributing to the Project Compassion appeal, is a key focus for us at school. Another of the spiritual practices of this season of Lent recommended by the Church is that of fasting, taught by Jesus. This practice was taken up in the early centuries of the Church’s history and is still encouraged today.  The third practice is that of praying. We should mindfully attend to daily prayer and building our relationship with God during this time of Lent.

Almsgiving   -    Fasting   -   Praying

We look forward to a fun St Patrick’s day tomorrow – don’t forget to wear green!

NAPLAN Practice Test

Leading up to NAPLAN each year, students are always involved in practice tests. Due to our students doing testing ONLINE we will be participating in an online practice test along with most other students state wide. This will occur on Thursday March 25th and will involve both the Yr 3 and Yr 5 classes. This will allow students to experience the online environment and for us to ensure our devices are ready for the May testing. It will also test the capabilities of the state wide platform for performance in readiness for May.

The schedule for testing in May will be communicated to parents early in Term Two.

Prep enrolments 2022

Prep enrolments for 2022 are well underway with many applications already received. If you have a child who was born between 1 July 2016 and 30 June 2017 please go onto the St Clare’s School website and complete the Application for Enrolment online. If you have any queries please contact the Office.

Interviews for 2022 Prep students will be during Term 2.

Best wishes for the week ahead,

Narelle

Welcome   Community   Hospitality

Prayer of St Joseph by John Fiester from Go to St Joseph

St Joseph,

teach us to listen. Help us to open our hearts,

and at least for now,

To shut our mouths.

Prayer for us to see in Jesus

The answer to our questions,

Our need,

God’s will.

Inspire us, at least for a moment,

To stop doing

and to start being;

To stop talking

And to start listening.

Then let us be sent forth,                                                                  

As you were,

to serve the Father’s will

With passion.

St. Joseph’s Feast Day – 19^th March

Pope Francis has proclaimed a “Year of Saint Joseph” from 8 December 2020, to 8 December 2021. 2021 is the 150th anniversary of the declaration of Saint Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church. Saint Joseph was Jesus’ father on Earth and one of the first things we learn about Saint Joseph is that he was “a righteous man”.

St Joseph’s Day Mass

This Friday is St Joseph’s Feast day and Years 3 – 6 students will attend the Parish mass at 10.00am. 

There will not be a Parish Mass at 8.00am this Friday 19^th March.

Catholic Missions

Anna Jimenez from Catholic Missions is visiting St Clare’s this Friday to work with the Prep-Year 4 classes. Anna has planned her social justice sessions around St Joseph.  

St Patrick’s Day (Green Frozen Cup fundraiser for Project Compassion)

Tomorrow is St Patrick’s Feast Day, and everyone is invited to wear green for a gold coin donation. The Year 6 Jarra team have planned and organised a green frozen cup fundraiser and they will be sold at first lunch for 50c each.

Project Compassion Boxes

Thank you to all families for their very generous donations so far this Lent. 

Students are encouraged to bring in the money boxes and empty into their class box throughout Lent.  There is a picture graph on the toilet wall to show how we are going with our donations.  Very impressive! 

RAP Icon Design

Some Year 6 students participated in a workshop with Antoniette Cole from CES Identity & Outreach Team last week to develop a St Clare’s Reconciliation icon to reflect our schools’ values and beliefs of faith, knowledge, love, respect and truth.  We look forward to seeing the finished product from the graphic designer.   Antoniette was very impressed with the student’s participation and reflections throughout the process. Well done Hannah, Makayla, Kaitlin, Corrinne, Aiden and Marty.

 

Fourth Week of Lent

Arsad, an Indonesian farmer, had no toilet in his house, so always had to walk into the forest to the open defecation area. His family was often sick and open defecation caused many neighbourhood disputes. With the support of Caritas Australia and its partner agency, Laz Harfa, Arsad took part in hygiene, sanitation and financial management training. He then funded the building of a toilet in his house and helped other community members to save money to construct their own toilet. Now, Arsad’s family is healthier, their community no longer practices open defecation and is more harmonious. Arsad inspired his community to ‘Be More.’

• Around 17 percent of Indonesia’s rural population, or 45 million people, practice open defecation – going to the toilet outdoors in fields, forests and other open spaces. (World Bank)

Watch a short film about Arsad’s story here.

 “Aspire not to have more, but to be more.” Please support Project Compassion: lent.caritas.org.au

• Around 60% of people in rural areas in the Solomon Islands don’t have access to piped water, while about 80% don’t have access to latrines or toilets. (UNICEF, 2019)

Year 6 Leadership and Justice Day

Our Year 6 class are participating in a Leadership workshop with staff from CES Identity & Mission team tomorrow.  They will be having a fun day of activities based on developing leadership skills and reflecting on their character strengths and how they can use their strengths. 

Feast of the Annunciation

Next Thursday 25^th March is the Feast of the Annunciation which is when Mary was visited by an angel and received a special message from God that she would be the mother of Jesus. There will be a school liturgy at 9.00am for all students followed by reconciliation for those students who have received the sacraments.

School Calendar

It has been a busy term for sport and district selections.

On the 26th of February the southern zone rugby league gala day was held with eight students being selected from St Clare’s to play against the Northern zone team. For the 11/12 year old team four students: Riley Berge, Case Durighello, Jackson Solien and Liam Quabba were selected, well done boys!

For the 10/11 year old team we had 5 boys selected with Liam also being eligible to play in this team along with David Aspinall, Declan Slattery, Ben Langdon, and Clay Chappel. Congratulations to everyone who participated in the rugby league gala day. It was a great day in terrible weather.

On the same day, Feb 26, the Netball Gala day was held with Charlize Gee being selected to represent the southern zone team. Congratulations Charlize!  Congratulations to all students who played netball on the gala day.

Congratulations  to Riley Berge who was away at peninsula selections for basketball yesterday.

A parent slip was sent out yesterday for the Touch Gala Day being held at TSHS on Friday March 26. Please respond to the permission and medical notes asap so that arrangements can be made for teams and transport.

St Clare’s Cross Country will be held on Wednesday March 31^st commencing at 9am on our school oval.  Each morning leading up to that our students are running laps of our oval to build up stamina and fitness levels.  This also gains points towards the House Cup for each lap run.

 

Southern Zone Cassowary Coast Sports Raffle

It's time again to do our screen printing of Woomera and Cooby shirts so that the students are ready for our team events.  Jo Sichter has offered to manage this again for us this year but will need 2 or 3 helpers. We will be requiring a parent to take over this role for next year so please think about it and come and help Jo and learn what is involved. We thank Jo for her time that she has given over the years with the screening of sport shirts. Please contact the office if you are able to take on and do the screening. 

Printing will be done this Thursday March 18th at 9am. If you can assist please contact Jo on 0448715455.

Student shirts (blue or yellow) need to be sent in by tomorrow, Wednesday March 17th - clearly labelled with your child's name and class.  Remember that these shirts are plain blue or yellow and can be purchased for reasonably cheap prices.  

Parent Teacher Interviews are scheduled for Week 9 of this term and bookings are now open via the PTO website.  Parents can access this site via our school website, parent portal or by clicking on this link https://bookings.parentteacheronline.com.au?school=cnp2w  Use the PIN you were sent home with your information to log in.  If you have any issues, please contact Chris Edwards on cedwards@cns.catholic.edu.au

Payment of outstanding fees would be appreciated as soon as possible. 

Please contact the principal if you have any issues of concerns. 

Thank you to all families who have made their payment.

TUCKSHOP ROSTER - Term 1  

Friday 19/3/2021 -

Coordinator: J Berge  Helpers: L Hansen  L Robertson

Bakers: K Kampe  R Lund  (Cupcakes)

Friday 26/3/2021 - Touch Football Carnival - TSHS

Friday 2/4/2021 - Good Friday - Holiday

St Clare's P&F meeting is being held tonight, Tuesday 16th April at 7pm.

Pie Drive Pick up is tomorrow PLEASE be at the school Tuckshop between 2.30 and 3.00pm to collect your pies. Please bring your own bags or boxes. I’m not able to store any at school so please make sure you or someone collects them on your behalf. All pies MUST be collected by 3pm. 

Touch Football Carnival - Thank you to those who are kindly giving up time to help work at the canteen for the Touch Football Carnival next Friday the 26th March. I still have time slots available and would love it if some other people would step forward and help. This will help so all mums get to go around and watch their children play. 

If you are able to help please let me know by texting me by this Friday, as I will be getting out the roster next week along with the Menu for the day. 

Thank Marie 
0418 158 872