Dear Families,

Firstly, thank you to those families who helped with the cake stall and sausage sizzle on Saturday. With your support, we were able to raise $3763. This money will go towards resources for the school. The day also provided a wonderful opportunity for the community to come together after such a long time.

Speaking of coming together, I would like to re-iterate that parents are once again allowed onto the school grounds. We would like to celebrate this by holding a ‘Welcome Back’ party on Friday 3rd June (weather permitting). Families are invited to join us in the courtyard from 8.30am and to stay for the morning assembly. This event will be sponsored by the School Community Council and is a way of helping our community to reconnect with one another.

You may notice some more building happening over the next few weeks. Our long-awaited pergola over the drop off and pick-up area will go up on Tuesday. This cover will help to protect students from the elements when they are waiting to be picked up in the car line as well as providing another outdoor covered area outside.

I hope you are all now aware that there will be a strike on Friday. A significant number of our staff will be taking part in this industrial action on Friday and there will be extremely limited staff available to supervise. Given this limited supervision I am requesting that you make alternative arrangements for your children. Please read the notification sent out via Compass or the physical note placed in your child’s bag today regarding arrangements for Friday. The ELC will not be impacted by this industrial action and will operate as normal.

I would also like to remind families that next Tuesday 31st May, is a pupil free day. OSH will be open on this day to provide care. If you would like to use this service and have not booked it, please do so as soon as possible. The ELC will not be affected by this pupil free day and will be open.

Students have been busily exploring the new ELC playground. While the grass is still settling, they are being very good at keeping to the paths and using the stepping stones. The children have really taken to this new space and are finding lots of wonderful new ways to explore. Have a look at some of the photos of the Waratahs from today.

If you are travelling this long weekend, I wish you safe travels and we will see you on Wednesday.

Take care and God bless

Yours in Faith

Leah Taylor
Principal

Please note the following days are Pupil free days:

• Tuesday 31 May 2022 (Week 6) - Staff Planning
• Friday 31 July 2022 (Week 10) - Staff Planning
• Monday 18th July 2022 (Week 1, Term 3) - Staff Training 

We look forward to welcoming students back, ready for Term 3  on Tuesday 19th July 2022. 

BRAINways Education, in conjunction with Australian Catholic University, is pleased to invite gifted
and talented students of Canberra to participate in

With research suggesting that many gifted children are fascinated by, and excel in STEM topics, and that developing STEM skills is essential for the fast pace advances of the technological revolution, the STEM School of Excellence gives them the chance to explore four different topics in these areas.
Based on studies underlining the importance of providing gifted learners with learning experiences that are authentic, appropriate, and challenging (See, e.g., Renzulli, Leppien, & Hays, 2000; Tomlinson et al.,2009; Treffinger et al., 2004), the STEM School of Excellence introduces participants to the following:

Years 2-4
Day 1
Are Bees Mathematicians?
Amusement Park Science

Day 2
A Magic Pill? An Introduction to Antibiotics
Great Inventions: A Light Bulb Moment

Years 5-8
Day 1
A Tough Knot to Crack: An Introduction to Topology
From TikTok to Hollywood: The Science of Stunts

Day 2
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: The Pharmacology of Antibiotics
From A to B: The Workings of Engines that Power the World

Program developed and presented by BRAINways EDUCATION.

Program Dates: July, 11th – 12th
Program Times: 9.30am – 2.30pm
Place: Australian Catholic University - Canberra Campus
Cost: $88/day or $168/two days

For enrolment and payment, please access the registration website at
https://registration.brainways.com.au/stem-school-of-excellence-canberra/
The Nomination Letter will be required on the day to be sighted by the BRAINways registration
staff.

What to bring: Drink (water only please), morning tea and lunch, pencil/pencil case, smile

Should COVID-19 restrictions (or other situations outside our control) prevent the programs from going ahead, the online offering will be attempted. Alternatively, the program will be postponed, with the Cancelation and Refund Policies (Term 6) applying in that case.

Our school is participating in the Active Streets for Schools program.

Active Streets delivers infrastructure improvements around schools to make it safer and easier to ride, walk, scooter or skate to and from school.

To support students who may be beginning to travel independently, we will distribute an Active Streets resource pack to students in years 4-6. The pack will include a map highlighting routes to our school.  

Parents are encouraged to talk to their children about how they can use these resources to support walking or riding to school. Starting small is often a good approach, so try using part way points a short distance from the school and accompany students to teach them safe habits.

The Active Streets program helps children to develop independence, while providing health and safety benefits for the school community, with increased physical activity and fewer cars on the road.  

CANTEEN

The Canteen is open from Wednesdays to Fridays - for the first 10 minutes of each break.  We sell a limited selection of healthy canteen approved chips and ice blocks.

SUBWAY

Parents and staff are able to place Subway Orders Online.  Click on the link below to place an order and payment as well. 

Cut-off time is 9:15 AM for same day delivery.
Call on 02 6259 9101 to place your order after this time

Subway Lunch Orders can also be made, via Subway Envelope, at school.  Subway envelopes, including cash, need to be placed in the Lunch Order Subway box, located outside the Front Office,  by 9:30am on the day before the lunch is required.  For example, if you would like a lunch order on Wednesday, the lunch order needs to be manually submitted by Tuesday 9:30am.

Here is a sample of the Subway ordering envelope.  Envelopes are available from the Front Office or the classroom.

May 2022
Congratulations to the following students who will be celebrating their birthday this month:

Jesse R, Cooper K, Rohan T, Lorelei M, Clarence G, Alice T, Nikola G, William S, Amelia M, Lewis T, Oliver H, Ariana R, Hunter B, Emily L-B, Brooklyn S, Ashan H, Jacie L, Scarlett F, Achiek A, Shaela S, Patrick S-P, Lyla M, Lachlan R, Mitchell R, Gabriel T, Chimaobi M, Nuer D