School Registration

Next week we welcome a panel of six people at St Mary's for our five-yearly School Re-registration. The panel, consisting of Chair Katrina McGrath, Peer Principals Anne Staines and Nicky Trinder, Performance Improvement Leader Noel Hurley, Curriculum Officer Anne Spence and Catholic Identity Officer Nathan Gallea, will view our policy documentation, teaching, facilities and programs. The visit will include classrooms and interviews of staff.

By next Wednesday afternoon, the panel makes Commendations, Affirmations and Recommendations. The school is assessed under the National School Improvement Framework.

The staff are looking forward to this process as we feel that feedback helps with school improvement and it is great to share our fantastic school with others.

Cross Country Carnival

Next Friday 29 March from 11.30am - 1.30pm we will be holding our school Cross Country Carnival on our bottom playground. PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A CHANGE OF VENUE TRIAL. If you are able to assist with the running of this carnival can you please complete the eform below. At this stage, we have no helpers to assist on checkpoints. 

Cross Country Helpers

Harmony Day

Tomorrow we will be celebrating Harmony Week. This event is a day to celebrate Australian multiculturalism. This year's theme is 'Everyone Belongs'. It is about inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all Australians, regardless of cultural or linguistic background, united by a set of core Australian values. To celebrate Harmony Week, Year Six students will host a Fundraiser. Students can come to school dressed in multi-coloured clothes TOMORROW Friday 22 March. A gold coin for this privilege will be collected. The money raised from this event will go towards our Caritas Project.

Work Commencement

Next week work will commence on our bottom playground. Kent Writer and Bayden Selmes will kick off the job with the removal of the fence and cutting and filling of the surface.  The court will be 36.6m x 21.35m, a championship sized basketball, netball and tennis court. It is predicted that by the beginning of Term 2 the court will be poured and ready for use. The synpave surface will be applied in Spring when the weather begins to warm so it sets appropriately.

We are selling the basketball posts and backboards so if you are interested in purchasing these, for a donation, please contact me. The steel fence posts will also be sold.

Showcase of Learning

Our first Showcase of Learning Assembly will be hosted by Stage 3 on Friday 5 April at 12.30pm. Save the date!

Year 6 Camp

Year 6 are currently preparing for camp, which will be held in the last week of school, Tuesday 9-12 April at The Academy of Sport, Narrabeen. Year 6 have been fundraising to offset the cost of this excursion. There are approximately 30 tickets left in the 100 Club Raffle. If you would like to purchase a $10 ticket, with the possibility of winning $500, please contact Belinda.

School Fees

Just a reminder that all school fees are due tomorrow. We would appreciate it if your account could be finalised by then.

Happy 50th Birthday

I would like to wish our fantastic Japanese Language and Culture Teacher and Classroom Support Teacher, Rie O'Brien, the very happiest 50th Birthday for this Sunday 24 March!

St Patrick’s Day – March 17

Last Monday was St Patrick’s feast day. He is the patron saint of Ireland and one of the world's most popular saints. He was born in Roman Britain and when he was fourteen or so, he was captured by Irish pirates during a raiding party and taken to Ireland as a slave to herd and tend sheep. At the time, Ireland was a land of Druids and pagans but Patrick turned to God. He wrote:                                                                                         

"The love of God … grew in me more and more, as did the faith, and my soul was rosed, so that, in a single day, I have said as many as a hundred prayers and in the night, nearly the same. I prayed in the woods and on the mountain, even before dawn. I felt no hurt from the snow or ice or rain."

St Patrick is an important saint in Crookwell as many of our ancestors are from Irish decent.  During this season of Lent, Saint Patrick could teach us a thing or two about putting our Lord at the centre of our lives. Perhaps you have heard his beautiful prayer…

The Prayer of St. Patrick

I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me;
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's hosts to save me
Afar and a near,
Alone or in a multitude.

Christ shield me today
Against wounding
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through the mighty strength
Of the Lord of creation.

St Patrick used the 3 leaf clover to teach about the nature of God.

 Project Compassion

We have been working hard on raising money for our brothers and sisters in need. Remember to send in a gold coin donation for Harmony Day tomorrow.

Cross Country- CHANGE OF VENUE

Arrangements for the St Mary’s Cross Country Carnival are as follows –

Venue:                        St Mary's School Bottom Playground

Date:                           Friday 29 March 2019

Time:                          Convening at 11:45am

Age Division/Distances (in order of running)

            12 years boys/girls                   3000m

            7 years boys/girls                     600m

            6 years boys/girls                     600m

            5 years boys/girls                     600m

            8 years boys/girls                     1000m

            9 years boys/girls                     2000m

            10 years boys/girls                   2000m

            11 years boys/girls                   3000m

Children from 9 years age division and above, will be chosen to represent the school at the Northern Region Carnival in Braidwood.

There is no 8 years division at representative level. 8 years children of exceptional talent may compete in the 9 years age group at school level if they wish to be considered for representation.  Please notify the school if you wish this to be the case.

On the day of Cross Country, children will eat lunch at school at 11.15am, followed by a short play. The children will then move to the bottom playground for the Cross Country races. There will be a viewing area set up in the middle of the oval so that spectators will have a 360-degree view. Please feel free to bring picnic rugs and fold up chairs. Children will go back to school to eat afternoon tea, or if we have gone over time this will be brought across to us. Please note we are just trialling this as a Cross Country venue this year. Feedback from parents, staff and students will be sought after the event.

Please bring clothing appropriate to the weather forecast. The carnival will go ahead even in light rain. If it is lightly raining the students will be able to return to the shelter of their classroom after their event.

Volunteers – Parent helpers are required to make the running of our carnival a success.  Helpers will be asked to be course checkpoints and line place judges/markers. Please complete the below eForm ASAP if you can assist on this day.

Cross Country Helpers

Local Consent Forms completed at the beginning of the School year will cover this event.

Representative Sport- Canberra/Goulburn Archdiocese

This year there is a new format for registration of students at Diocesan and Archdiocesan level and for individual nominations for Sports, eg. Rugby Union

The website is up and running and all trial nominations for Archdiocese Representative sports trial must be completed by the parents/carers by the due date advertised on the website.

www.sport.cg.catholic.edu.au

THOSE WHO HAVE PROGRESSED FOR HOCKEY AND SOCCER ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO LOG ONTO https://www.csss.nsw.edu.au/nswcps-home.aspx TO FINALISE THEIR CHILD’S REGISTRATION

Students with dyscalculia have difficulties with numbers and mathematical concepts. They have difficulty with simple mathematical concepts. They have problems learning maths facts and applying them to mathematical problems. They can have a delay in effective counting strategies.

Morning Club

Morning club has proved to be popular with our families. Most mornings we have around 12 students utilising this service, ranging from Kindergarten to Year 6. Children are choosing to colour-in, to draw, to play a game, to use an ipad or use the OSMO activities of coding, shopping, number, letters or tangrams or some children simply enjoy talking to their friends.

Autism Workshop

Attached today is an outline of a workshop offered on April 6 at Canberra University. The first session is called The Emotional Well-being of Autistic Students, presented by Chris Varney. The second session is based on using research to enhance student-learning outcomes.

Year 4 – Kiowa Morning

Year 5 - Ethan Whittle

Year 6 - Ashleigh Bachta & William Gorman

School Spirit Awards

The School Spirit Award recipients this week are:

Anna Cuskelly for caring for our environment

Kaitlin Francis for caring for our environment

Harley White for consistently showing care and concern for others

Awards are presented at our Monday morning Assembly in the Old Hall at 9.05am.

It is common to think about safety and predictability of the world when tragedies such as the Christchurch incident occur.

Reactions are influenced by many factors:

• Knowing someone impacted.
• Identifying with the victims and survivors.
• Seeing and hearing terrifying images and discussions. 

The developmental age of the person influences what they understand and how they respond. Some may be unaware, others will be following all the discussions and media coverage, looking for understanding.

What to say and how to ​​care

Here are some ways you can make children and young people feel safe:

• Give reassurance that the incident is over.
• Keep to routines, as they are reassuring.
• Have time to listen and talk. Listen to concerns and worries and discuss strategies for feeling safe, dealing with worry and being able to take action. This helps in repairing safety and calm.
• Give a calm response to their concerns.
• Keep your explanations appropriate for their age and development. Start at their starting point: ask what the child/young person understands about what has happened and what their key worry is. Each child will have a different understanding and will find different parts of what has happened frightening or worrying. Very young children need simple, factual information balanced with assurances of safety. Older children will be appraising their own, and loved ones, safety. They may need help with separating reality form fantasy, and to dispel rumours.
• Reduce exposure to media coverage and conversations that are distressing and not age-appropriate.
• Monitor their emotional state. Changes in behaviour, appetite and sleep can be an indicator of anxiety or worry. Young children often express worry through bodily aches and pains.

Friday 22 March: Katherine Freaser, Jayde Costello, Daria Lawson

Monday 25 March: Brooke Wong, Mandy Kemp, Jackie Blowes

Friday 29 March: Jane Fraser, Elizabeth Egan, Tory Simmons

Monday 1 April: Nicola Pursell, Nat Cosgrove, Angella Cuskelly

Friday 5 April: Jackie Blowes, Angella Cuskelly, Claire McCormack

Monday 8 April: Jenifer Heffernan, Dave Culley, Jo Grove

Please remember it is your responsibility to find a replacement if you cannot do your allocated shift.

If you would like to offer a date/s you are available to help , please contact Rechell Naughton

New Tuckshop Monthly Specials!

The tuckshop will be intoducing once-a-month specials. For the remainder of Term 1, the items available will be:

Friday 29 March- Homemade mini sausage rolls, $1 each PLEASE NOTE: CHANGE OF DATE

Monday 1 April- Spaghetti Bolognaise.

Yummy!

***** Frozen Yoghurt: due to supplier issues, there will be no frozen yoghurt available until Term 2.

Parish Office

For Parish and Sacramental matters please forward your enquiries to Parish Secretary, Janet Haynes or Pastoral Associate Sr Rosemary via email or call into the Parish Office at the Old Convent Building on Tuesdays or Thursdays.

Email: Crookwell@cg.org.au

Phone: 48321 633

Address: 55 Wade Street (the Old Convent Building)

Altar Roster

24 March- Eliza & Chloe Kemp

31 March- Lillian & Paige Croker, Regan Picker

7 April- Ashleigh Bachta & Olivia Anderson

14 April- Nathaniel Waters & Oliver Gray

21 April- Bella Croker

28 April- Eliza & Chloe Kemp

Please arrive 15 minutes before Mass to help Father prepare.

Thank you to all who have already returned the slip to assist with the Crookwell Rugby BBQ on Saturday 30 March. A roster will be made up and distributed shortly.

We can always have more helpers, so please use the below link to list your available times.

P&F BBQ Helper

The first game will commence at 1.30pm.

Pop into Upper Lachlan Shire Libraries at Crookwell and Gunning to borrow titles on the NSW Premier's Reading Challenge lists.

The Premier's Reading Challenge is available for all NSW students in years K to 9. The Challenge aims to encourage in students a love of reading for leisure and pleasure, and to enable students to experience quality literature. The NSW Premier's Reading Challenge website has information and advice such as book lists, rules, FAQs and online registration - https://online.det.nsw.edu.au/prc/home.html

Goulburn Art Gallery

Our Autumn Education Program is open...

The great news is that Goulburn Mulwaree Council is a now a registered Creative Kids provider. Bring your voucher along to the Gallery to redeem for your workshops fees.

While things are cooling off outside, we're heating things up with a great Autumn Education Program to keep the kids busy. Enrollments are now open for April School Holiday and Term 2 Workshops. Contact Sally O'Neill, Education Officer on 4823 4442 or artgallery@goulburn.nsw.gov.au to book your spot. We're finding these are selling out within days so do book early to avoid missing out

School Holiday Workshops

Steampunk sculptures with Anna O'Neale When: Wednesday 17 and Thursday 18 April Time: 10 - 12 both days Ages: 6 and older Cost: $40

Photomontage with Sally When: Thursday 20 April Time: 10 - 12 Age: 6 and older Cost: $25

Skill Course Yurt Farm