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ST. BRIGID’S CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL 25 Bayview Road, Officer Vic. 3809

Telephone: (03) 5943 2447 Fax (03) 5943 2579

Email: principal@stbofficer.catholic.edu.au Website: www.stbofficer.catholic.edu.au

Term 1 Week 4 NEWSLETTER 22nd

February 2012

Dear Parents,

Today is Ash Wednesday and we enter the Season of Lent. Lent is a penitential season of prayer,

self-denial and helping others. We are challenged to take up our responsibility of creating a better,

more peaceful world.

In Sunday’s Gospel, Mark tells us that before Jesus began his public ministry he

went into the desert for forty days, away from the crowds and daily life, and

faced temptation. During Lent we turn to prayer, reflection and self-denial to

face our own temptations. No matter how many Lenten seasons we have

journeyed through our need to renew and strengthen our relationship with God

this year is just as important as ever. Lent is an opportunity for us to look

closely at our lives and recognise the temptations that keep us from responding

to the needs of others, avoiding the solution to our personal difficulties and

turning away from God and not responding to his call.

The forty days Jesus spent in the desert fasting gives us a wonderful example of what we need to do

to prepare for Easter. After facing and rejecting temptation Jesus was ready to carry out his mission

of proclaiming God’s kingdom. We are also called to join in that mission to bring the Good News to the

world. During Lent, we are invited to take time out of our daily routine to examine our lives. We are

invited to a time of prayer and reflection to begin anew. Merciful God,

You called us forth from the dust of the earth.

You claimed us for Christ in the waters of baptism.

Look upon us as we enter these Forty Days

bearing the mark of ashes.

Bless our journey through the desert of Lent

to the font of rebirth.

May our fasting be a hunger for justice,

our alms, a making of peace,

our prayer, the chant of humble and grateful hearts.

All that we do and pray is in the name of Jesus,

for in his Cross you proclaim your love now and for ever.

Amen.

Inside this issue: Free Dress Day – Friday, February 24th Mass – Thursday, March 1st at 9.00 a.m. School Assembly – Friday, March 2nd 2,30 p.m.

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Welcome Barbeque

Thank you everyone for making our Welcome Barbeque a terrific success. I was overwhelmed by the

attendance of our families and especially happy that people were extending St. Brigid’s hospitality to

our new families and students and enjoying everyone’s company.

As I mentioned in last week’s newsletter thank you to those who donated items for our Barbeque and I

extend a heartfelt thank you to our Social and Fundraising Committee for taking on the organising of

this opportunity to gather and coordinating the many helpers who volunteered to assist us on the night

and before hand. It is the spirit of our volunteers that make nights like these so successful.

Thank you everyone!

IMPORTANT NOTICE

Food Allergies We have several children at St. Brigid’s with life threatening allergies. To support these students we

respectfully ask that lunch boxes do not contain any nuts or any products containing nuts. We

understand that this may be an inconvenience for some families, however we ask for your cooperation in

minimizing any risk to our students in this regard and remove the consequences that may follow.

Free Dress Day – Friday, February 24th 2012 We are inviting students to come along in Free Dress on Friday, February 24thfor the cost of a gold

coin donation to assist St. Philomena Catholic School in Moree New South Wales following the hardship

facing many families at the school due to February floods this year. Please see information under our

Community Notice heading later in this Newsletter.

Labour Day Public Holiday Monday, March 12th is Labour Day for 2012. As this is a Public Holiday, there will be NO SCHOOL for

students and staff on this day.

Accounts

School Fee accounts will be sent home this week. Accounts will be for the entire year, however you are

only expected to complete Term 1 payments and levies by the end March 30. For those on Direct

Debit, this is a reminder only.

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News from the Deputy Principal– Mr. Simon Greely

R.E. News Ash Wednesday Mass was celebrated today in the Multi Purpose Room, marking the beginning of Lent.

Lent is a time of prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

Prayer can take many forms and happens here at school so try and make it part of your

home routine also.

Fasting from food is tricky for children, so maybe they can fast from television for an

hour, or unplug their X-box for a day or two.

Almsgiving means trying to provide money for those less fortunate, so we will begin a

Caritas Project Compassion program in the school shortly.

Our Beginning of Year / St. Brigid’s Feast Day Mass is on Thursday 1st March at 9am in the

multi-purpose room. All children will attend.

As with any Mass or Liturgy here at St. Brigid’s all parents, family members and friends are very

welcome to attend.

Parish News

The St. Michael’s Parish Pastoral Council is coordinating a ‘Parish Life Weekend’ on the 3rd and 4th of

March. Our children have been invited to sing after the 9am and 10.30am masses on Sunday 4th March.

We will combine with St. Catherine’s and St. Michael’s children to sing ‘This is Your House’ by Don Moen

and ‘What a Feeling’ by Irene Cara. Notes have gone home to children in Grades 3-6 who are

interested in attending and singing. Hopefully we will get a good response. If your child is in Grade 1

or 2 and know the songs they would be very welcome also. Please see me or Mrs. McKenna for a note.

P.E. News

My P.E. Blog is up and running again so please feel free to have a look and offer ideas and feedback on

the P.E. Lessons: http://sgreely.global2.vic.edu.au/

Another reminder for Prep parents: The first few Wednesdays the Preps aren’t here, so they can

wear P.E uniform on Fridays for the next few weeks and I will have a short session with them.

This Friday is casual clothes day, so try and have your Prep child in suitable footwear where possible.

As always, if your child is unable to participate in P.E. lessons due to injury or illness, please write a

note in their diary for them to show me. Otherwise I will think they can participate fully in the

lesson.

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Leader of Intervention and Wellbeing – Mrs. Lisa Piasente

EXTENDING MATHEMATICAL UNDERSTANDING or EMU

Another of the intervention programs offered at St Brigid’s is the EMU program or Extending

Mathematical Understanding program offered to Year One students. At the beginning of the

year all students in Year One are assessed using the Maths Assessment Interview. After

analysis of the results, students who need some extra assistance are identified and invited to

participate in the program. The students do EMU lesson in the EMU room each day for 30

minutes. They work with two other students and myself - a specially trained teacher. An

individual learning plan and a series of lessons is developed for each student.

There is a strong emphasis on assisting the students to develop some basic skills and

knowledge in the areas of counting and place value, addition and subtraction strategies and

multiplication and division strategies. The students are encouraged to develop a range of

mathematical strategies to use and to make choices about the most efficient strategies to use

in a particular situation. Reflection and home activities are an integral part of the program.

If your child is identified as needing extra assistance in the area of Maths, you will be

contacted and asked to come in to school to discuss your child’s results and be informed about

the EMU program in more detail.

If you have any questions about the EMU program please feel free to contact me at school.

WELLBEING TIP No 1.

How many hours sleep should your child get?

School-aged children should get between 10 and 11 hours of sleep a night, although researchers have found they only get an average of nine. Because of the additional schoolwork and activities that children in this age range have to fit into a day, it can be difficult for a child to get to bed early enough. Bedtime should be anywhere from 7.30pm and 9.00pm.

Humans are hard-wired to operate optimally in the daytime; sleeping at night Newborns have sleep-

wake cycles, which are frequent and evenly spaced during any 24-hour period; sleeping for 3-4 hours,

waking for 1-2 hours, around the clock. During the first year, this pattern progresses toward

consolidation of the sleep period, trending toward increased nocturnal sleep and daytime wakefulness.

At one year the infant typically sleeps about 10 hours from around 7 pm until about 5 am, with a couple

of naps in the early and late afternoon, respectively. By age 4-5, the child has lengthened the night sleep

to about 11-12 hours with one nap in the afternoon. At age 10, the time of sleep onset is somewhat

delayed to 8 or 9 pm, and sleep lasts until 6 or 7 am: the nap disappearing.

Read more:

http://www.ehow.com/list_7322963_recommended-bed-times-children.html#ixzz1n073Xwwm

http://stason.org/articles/wellbeing/sleep/how_many_hours_do_you_need_to_sleep.html#ixzz1n0A9Zwso

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Leader of ICT and Media Liaison – Mrs. Karen Inguanzo How To Get The Most Out Of Mathletics

• Take an active role in your child's mathematics progress.

• Encourage your child to use Mathletics 3 to 5 times a week.

• Encourage a balance between the Full Curriculum section and Live Mathletics.

• Take time to work together with your child. The Support Centre in each activity will help

show how to solve a particular problem.

• Encourage your child to do activities that challenge, rather than those he/she finds easy.

• If the Course is too difficult or too easy, then change to a more appropriate Course.

• Celebrate your child's successes. Print the Certificates out and put them on the fridge!

Leader of Learning and Teaching - Mrs. Dianne Ahern We are coming to the end of our Literacy and Numeracy assessments. Thank you for your

cooperation in organizing children to attend assessment times.

With the support and guidance of Mrs Lisa Piasente, all teachers will be analyzing the data

gathered. Following this analysis all teachers will implement appropriate classroom programs

and teaching/learning rotations. Our aim always is to teach to the point of need. In future

children may move from area to area to access the best learning situation for their particular

needs. Our data will also guide us in assessing current programs we have in the school to

ensure they are providing the best learning for your child.

We wish the children who have celebrated or are celebrating a birthday shortly all the best

for a great day.

February 2nd Mitchell Drury 4th Luke Ryan Sierra Elsegood 7th Caitlin McKee

7th Dylan Anseline 12th Kaytie Overdyk 12th Livinia Hockey 12th Charlie Weavers

13th Mia Drumbrell 18th Elijah Sinnathamby 21st Zara Odnoral 22nd Monique Rodman

23rd Patrick Cooper 24th Lainie Wilson 25th Kristie Blundell

26th Chelsea O’Callaghan 27th James Gallie

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School Assembly – Friday, March 2nd 2.30 p.m. We will hold our next school assembly on Friday, March 2nd at 2.30 p.m. in the Multipurpose Hall. Prep I

will lead us in Prayer and Year 1/2L will share class news. Everyone is most welcome to join us as we

pray and celebrate together.

The following Awards were presented at our last assembly on Friday, February 17th:

Year 5/6WAwards: Madeleine for applying and extending herself in all areas of the curriculum.

Charli for her outstanding efforts in completing all set work.

Year 4/5A Awards Kerri for being a kind and valued member of the class.

Lachlan for kick starting his reading at home.

Year 3/4A Awards

Megan for her enthusiasm and skills in reading tasks.

James for excellent presentation and completion of all work tasks.

Amy for her thoughtfulness toward others.

Year 3/4 B Awards

Attila for displaying hospitality by welcoming new students to our class.

Abbey for working productively during writing time and making attempts to use

correct punctuation.

Lainie for accurately completing comprehension tasks during reading tasks.

Year 1/2Mc Awards Amelia for always politely offering assistance in the classroom.

Taylah for making a great start to the school year.

Voted by 1/2Mc for being a star on the playground.

Year 1/2L Awards Charlotte for her care and concern toward those around her.

Ethan for being a responsible and enthusiastic learner.

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Year Prep/1 M Awards

Jhai for always being cheerful and helpful.

Holly for always being ready to start her work.

Jessica for great work in all areas.

Year Prep I Awards

Nathan for showing excellent patience and great listening skills.

Harry for being kind and looking after others.

Year Prep H Awards

Tiger for always tidying up and pushing your chair in when you finish

your work. You are such a great helper!

Jaime for sitting and listening so beautifully during mat sessions. I

love the way you sit still with your legs crossed and give me your full

attention. Well done Jaime!

P.E. Awards

Jessica for her great listening skills.

Jarad for his exceptional effort in his time trial.

Brendon for the “magical 10” laps.

Beth for her super running.

Luke for being a ‘running machine’.

Principal’s Award Emily Little and Courtney Jenkins received my Principal’s Award for

displaying the qualities of Strength. Both these students recognised

the need to look after our school when they noticed an increase in

the litter in the playground. They made a poster to encourage every-

one to look after our school. The poster was displayed in the Learn-

ing area.

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School Drop Off Times

We have had a number of children being dropped off before our school yard

is supervised by our teachers in the mornings.

It is very important that parents do not drop off their children prior to 8.30am.

Teacher supervision begins at 8.30am, and classrooms are opened at 8.35. It is our duty of

care to oversee the children from this time only. It is not safe for your children to be in the

school prior to this time.

Parent Helper’s Training A Parent Helpers meeting has been scheduled for FRIDAY 2nd MARCH from 8.30am—9.00am in the

MULTIPURPOSE HALL. Please note that parents who wish to help in the classroom must hold a

Current Working with Children Check.

Play Group Due to the Social and Fundraising Committee Meeting on 23 February and the school Mass on 1 March,

please note that there will be no playgroup held for the next two weeks.

Playgroup will resume on Thursday 8 March 2012.

Social and Fundraising Committee News

The Fundraising and Social Committee are an enthusiastic and dynamic group of parents that

meet once a month (during term) to plan and conduct fundraising and social activities for the

St Brigid’s school community.

Funds raised over the past two years have been used to purchase essential items like the

shade sails over the play areas and resources for our class rooms along with landscaping of the

school grounds. The Committee also organizes social activities like the Welcome Barbeque this

evening and catering for special events.

Involvement in the Committee is a great way to meet new friends while making an important

contribution to the successful running of our school

Our first meeting for 2012 will be held Thursday 23 February at 9.00am in the Parents’

Retreat.

We hope to see you there! If you are keen to join the Committee or assist with activities but

are unable to attend the meeting, please contact Julie in the Office, leave your details and a

Committee member will contact you.

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.Community Noticeboard

St. Brigid’s Free Day – Friday, February 24th 2012

Our wider Australian community have experienced major flooding this year. The community of Moree

in northern New South Wales and surrounding rural areas have many challenges for the start of the

2012 school year. This particular flood is recorded as the biggest in 35 years and has been officially

categorized as a natural disaster. Major flooding commenced on Thursday, February 2nd and was

widespread through the town until Sunday, February 5th. The school students of St. Philomena Catholic

School only returned for the start of the school year last Monday, February 13th.

The School Principal, Mrs. Karen Jagers and staff have reported that whilst St. Philomena’s school

infrastructure was damaged, they are more concerned about the affect of the floods on their school

families. Some of St. Philomena’s families have suffered severe loss of personal property, including

school uniforms.

To show our concern and support for the St. Philomena’s community we have decided to have a FREE

DRESS DAY for students and staff on Friday, February 23rd to raise money to directly help these

families. We invite students to wear free dress on this day for the cost of a gold coin donation or an

amount you are able to offer in support of this cause.

Following the Black Saturday fires in 2009, the Catholic Education Offices in Melbourne and Sale were

offered help from Catholic Schools and Catholic Education Offices from many parts of Australia. We

now have the opportunity to return their generosity to our Victorian Catholic Schools. During their

difficulties and their long road to recovery.

All proceeds will be forwarded directly to Mr. John Mula, Diocesan Director of Catholic Schools,

Catholic Schools Office in Armidale New South Wales who will in turn forward our donations onto

St. Philomena’s School who will pass these funds onto the families affected by the floods to help with

the purchase of school uniforms for their children.

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MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER WEEKEND We all do things to enhance our lives; Fitness programs and diets to improve our

health; Professional Development programs to improve our job skills. We offer

you an opportunity for married couples to give a wonderful gift to your children by

enhancing your marriage through a Marriage Encounter weekend. Good marriages

need some attention occasionally. Please join us in 2012. Take a look at our website on

www.wwme.org.au

Our weekends in 2012 are: 20-22 April, 15-17 June, 10-12 August and 12-14 October.

For further information and bookings contact Marianne & Marcel Van den Bronk (03)9733 0997 or

Email vicbookings@wwme.org.au

News from St. Michael’s Parish Berwick

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Education Maintenance Allowance

The Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is provided to assist eligible families with the costs asso-

ciated with the education of their children.

To be eligible for receipt of the EMA you must: be either a parent or guardian of a primary or secon-

dary school student up to the age of sixteen; and be an eligible beneficiary of a Centrelink pension, al-

lowance or benefit within the meaning of the State Concessions Act 2004 or be a Veterans Affairs

(TPI) pensioner or be a foster parent.

The eligibility criteria must be met as at the first day of Term 1 (1 February 2012 which is the first

day for teaching staff) and Term 3 (16 July 2012).

The EMA application must be submitted to the school by 29 February 2012 for the first install-

ment. Forms are available from the school office.

Conveyance Allowance Conveyance Allowance is available to families who are eligible according to distance from closest

denominational school. For more information please visit

www.education.vic.gov.au/management/school operations/students transport.htm

Please note that letters must be attached from St Michael’s or St Catherine’s if you were unable to enrol

there. This payment is audited every year. Applications close Wednesday 7 March 2012.

School Newsletter In an effort to reduce the amount of paper we use, we would like all parents to assist us

by taking up the email option for future newsletter.

You will receive a reminder in your inbox as soon as the newsletter is available on the web-

site. This will include a link to the website for your convenience. To join our environmen-

tally sound group please email Cathie Waters at cwaters@stbofficer.catholic.edu.au

St. Francis Xavier College

YEAR 7, 2013 PARENT INFORMATION NIGHT

Thursday March 22, 2012 at 7.30 p.m. Beaconsfield Campus Hall

(not Berwick Campus as previously advertised)

Tours of the Berwick Campus will leave from the front of Berwick Campus at

6.00 pm, 6.15 pm, 6.30 pm and 6.45 pm This will allow ample time to drive to Beaconsfield Campus

prior to the meeting at 7.30 pm

(Tours will also be conducted at the Berwick Campus on Monday March 5, 12, 19 and 26 at 9.15 am)

Tours of Beaconsfield Campus

will leave from the front of the Beaconsfield Campus Hall at 6.15 pm, 6.30 pm, 6.45 pm and 7.00 pm

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Looking ahead...

Wed. February 22nd ASH WEDNESDAY Mass 11.35 a.m. Multipurpose Room

Thurs. February 23rd Social and Fundraising Committee Meeting 9.00 a.m.

Parents Retreat Room

Fri. February 24th Free Dress Day

Sun. February 26th First Sunday of Lent (Mark 1:12015) ‘Jesus in the wilder-

ness’

Fri. March 2nd World Day of Prayer

Sun. March 4th Second Sunday of Lent (Mark 9:2-10) ‘The Transfiguration’

St. Michael’s Parish 125-129 High Street, Berwick 3806

Parish Priest: Fr. Peter Slater (03) 97071355

Weekend Masses Saturday: 6.00 p.m. Sunday: 9.00 a.m., 10.30 a.m. and 6.00 p.m.

Brainteaser The answer to last week’s brainteaser was

‘up roar’. This week’s brainteaser is:

May the Lord grant us a Lenten Sea-

son that is different from all the others

that we have experienced.

May we know how to take advantage of

the opportunities that we will be given to

enable us to begin anew.

May we know how to do what Christ

asks us to do so we are able to be faithful

followers and people of peace.

Amen.

Yours in friendship and unity,

Ken Gale

Principal

“Books are the perfect

entertainment: no com-

mercials, no batteries,

hours of enjoyment for

each dollar spent.” Stephen King

William March William June William September