Welcome to Term 4

It is absolutely wonderful to welcome everyone back to onsite learning this week. We have been very fortunate that our Local Government Area has remained out of 'lock-down' and that we can return to school.

The students have started with a spring in their step and a smile on their faces and I noticed immediately that all classes knuckled straight down to work.

We look forward to a productive term of learning and we will endeavour to adhere to the Stage 3 restrictions, outlined in the letter I sent home last Thursday, as closely as possible.

Please note the current dates for important events this term. Please be aware that whilst we are in Stage Three Restrictions many of these will not be able to run.

School Public Speaking Competition

Today we held our school Public Speaking Competition for selected students in Years 3-6. The following children did an exceptional job representing their classes:

Year 3 -  Gabrielle Price, Henry Galland, William Waldron, Thomas Walsh and Sophie Culley

Year 4 - William Croker, Addin Grove, Charlie Tarlinton, Patrick Croker and Chloe Bensley

Year 5 - William Millet, Ava Nicholson, Sophia Galland, Finn McCormack, Rorey Hearne and Toby Charnock

Year 6 - Olivia Pursell, Lucy Gamble, Bridie Croker, Sethan Grove and Patrick Walsh

I would like to congratulate them on all their fine effort.

The teaching staff adjudicated the speeches and have selected the following students to represent us at the Northern Region Competition.  

Congratulations to:

Year 3 - William Waldron and Sophie Culley

Year 4 - Chloe Bensley and Addin Grove

Year 5 - Rorey Hearne and Ava Nicholson

Year 6 - Lucy Gamble and Sethan Grove

The Northern Region Competition, hosted by St Bede's, Braidwood, will be held virtually next Wednesday 13 October for Years 4-6 and Thursday for Year 3. The families of selected students will receive information about this event via email. 

The students who are successful at the Northern Region level will then speak at the virtual Archdiocesan Competition hosted by St Patricks, Cooma, on Tuesday 26 October.

October is Catholic Mission Month

The Catholic Church teaches that human life is sacred because we are all created in the image and likeness of God and all people have the right to live a dignified life in their homeland. In 2019 the UN Refugee body advised a new record of 71 million displaced people around the world. War, natural disaster, persecution and discrimination have deprived millions of people of their home, employment, family and homeland. The dignity and human rights of people seeking asylum must be respected regardless of citizenship, visa status or mode of arrival. Many people seeking asylum are already survivors of crimes, torture and trauma and indefinite detention adds further stress and suffering and may impact mental and physical health. Jesus and his family became refugees when they fled to Egypt after Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem. During his mission, Jesus identified himself as a stranger to be welcomed, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in” (Matthew 25:35). All people everywhere have a right to be welcomed as part of a community.

Catholic Mission’s vision is that all may have life in Christ. “I have come that they may have life and have it to the full” (John 10:10). They work to provide people the opportunity for a full, enriched life—physically and spiritually—regardless of race, stigma, religion or gender.

The theme of this year’s World Mission Day Message is “We cannot but speak about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20), and is a summons to each of us to do the following:

• See– open our eyes to really see injustices in the world (keep informed, hear and read stories, study social systems)
• Judge– analyse what is happening in our world using our faith, our values, our intelligence
• Act– take action to right wrongs in an ongoing cycle: seeing, judging and acting

St Mary’s School Values

This school term, our focus values are JUSTICE and SERVICE. We will follow in Jesus’ footsteps and support Catholic Mission by being…

Jesus’ feet - walking with others in the spirit of Justice

Jesus’ hands - offering Service to others

Please help us promote a just world by supporting our Mission Month awareness and fundraising activities. Stay tuned to hear more.

There are many ways we can use our voices to speak out for justice on behalf of those in need “We cannot but speak about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20)

• Sign up to volunteer and support the work of the End Child Detention Coalition, Catholic Mission’s advocacy work for the protection of children.
• Learn more about the work of the International Detention Coalition and how positive change happened in Thailand.
• There are a range of ways you can get involved with CAPSA, the Catholic Alliance for People Seeking Asylum, and their work to achieve a compassionate welcome of people seeking asylum in Australia.
• Watch this TEDx talkwhere the experience of seeking asylum by boat is brought to life.

Challenge stereotypes and misinformation when you hear them in the playground, in class or at home and use social media to highlight what’s happening in Australia and overseas.

“Go therefore to the highways and byways, and invite everyone you find” (Mt 22:9). No one is excluded, no one need feel distant or removed from this compassionate love.

Library Classes

Library classes for Term 4 will be:-

Tuesday:  Kindergarten, Year 2, Year 3 and Year 5.

Wednesday: Year 1, Year 4 and Year 6.

Please ensure your child has a library bag to borrow.

Book Club

Issue 7 of Scholastic Book Club has been distributed.

Please place your orders through LOOP. The web address is: scholastic.com.au/LOOP

LOOP enables parents to order and pay for your child’s order online using a credit card or voucher if you have one. Catalogues will still be handed out at school and books will be distributed at school. The school will continue to receive rewards.

• For a quick start, just click on ORDER
• OR Register first to save your details for next time
• Select your school and your child's class 
• Add your child's first name & last initial (so the school knows who the book is for) 
• Enter the item number from the Book Club catalogue
• Follow the instructions for payment and submit
• All orders are sent directly to the school for submission to Scholastic. Books will still be delivered to your child's classroom if you order by the close date
• Afterwards, there's no need to return paper order forms or payment receipt details back to your school! 

Please contact me if you have no internet access at home and would like to order or if you experience any difficulties.

The current restrictions on school-based sport and coaches have led to some logistical changes for Term 4. The sporting focus for all grades for Weeks 1-5 will be on touch football skills. This is content that we were unable to cover last term. It is hoped that by mid term, we may be able to arrange an inter-school touch football afternoon for our Years 2-6, who were going the be taking part in the Boorowa Touch Football carnival, stay tuned. 

Sport of Weeks 6-10 is dependant on our restrictions. We are hoping to be able to bring in a specialised coach for another sport.

For Parish and Sacramental matters please forward your enquiries to Goulburn Parish Secretary, Sharon Cashman, via email or call into the Parish Office at the Old Convent Building on Thursdays only.

Email: Crookwell@cg.org.au

Website: http://cg.org.au/crookwell/Home.aspx 

Phone: 48321 633 

Address: 55 Wade Street (the Old Convent Building)

Crookwell cricket registrations now open