APRE News
Dear Parents and Carers,
Hoping that everyone is enjoying the slightly warmer weather, the longer days and the sunshine!! This last fortnight we have been busy as usual but I have picked a few events/ items to share with you.
Firstly, Monday, August 8th, was the Feast Day of Australia’s first saint, Mary MacKillop. Mary MacKillop is also known as Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop and she is Australia’s first saint. At assembly, we enjoyed singing "A Cross of Stars" and watching a videoclip showing photos of "Mary Mac" and explaining how she made a difference, particularly in the lives of poor Australian Catholics.
One of Mary MacKillop's sayings was,“Find happiness in making others happy.” As a school community we prayed...
God of happiness,you have given us many gifts and talents.
Help us to find small ways each day to make others happy
by smiling, speaking positively and looking for ways we can help others.
This coming Monday (August 15), we are gathering for our whole school Term 2 Mass at 1:45 at St Pat's.
WE WOULD LOVE to have parents/ grandparents attend this with us, on the Feast of the Assumption.
CEW ARTWORKS, representing each school in the diocese. Thanks to Melinda Harkins for creating our " masterpiece" depicting what makes SSPS special as a "Community of LOVE".
The Week 5 staff meeting was delivered by me, revisiting the Pedagogy of Encounter model, a process which invites both teacher and student to feel comfortable to open their experiences, feelings and thoughts in reflection and meaning-making. This process can be utilised across all learning areas but is particularly powerful when interpreting scripture as it assists learners (teacher and student) to find links between Jesus’ message and their own lives.
Weekly Parish Masses: Over the last two weeks, Years 4 and then Prep and Year 5s participated in the 9am Tuesday Mass. Again, everyone is most welcome to attend these simple but most enjoyable celebrations.
Next week, Year 6s will be attending.
Year 5s' Mini Vinnies Chat with Julie Inskip:
Last Friday, Julie Inskip (St V D Paul) visited the Year 5 classes. Along with collecting the last of the blankets (Winter Appeal), she shared information about St V d Paul, describing how big their fridge and freezers were, to store food. She also mentioned that if people don’t feel safe at home, there are places available where people can go to find sanctuary. Even Mrs Inskip does not know where these safe places are…it is all very confidential.
She mentioned Frederick Ozanam who lived in Paris in the 1800s, where there was lots of sickness and the men got sick mostly as they were leaving the homes to work. On one occasion Frederick found a widowed mother who needed firewood and so he left it at their door without speaking with them. One of his friends prompted him to actually talk to them and this was the beginning of Ozcare, Mini Vinnies and Rosies type community support groups.
Kobe and Emily found Mrs Inskips’ talk to be very interesting, and inspiring and look forward to her visiting again in the future.
Enjoy the rest of your week,
Judy