1.

Term 3

July 2016

22nd Music World Performs at Assembly

Foundation Dad’s Night - 7.00pm

26th Confirmation Rehearsal - 10.00am

28th Gr 4 Superspeak Program Gr 3 at Parish Mass - 9.05am Bishop Elliott visits the Confirmation

Candidates - 10.00am

29th Gr 3 - 6 Athletics Try Day at

Mentone Athletics Track

August 2016

1st School Closure Day

P & F - 7.30pm

2nd PEAB - 7.00pm

3rd Sacrament of Confirmation - 7.00pm

5th First Friday Mass

6th P & F Social

11th Gr 4 Superspeak program

Gr 2 Faith Night - 6.30pm

12th Dendy Athletics

(squad from Gr 3 - 6)

15th Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Whole School Mass at

12.00pm

15 - 17th Scholastic Book Fair

open before / after school

18th Gr 4 Superspeak Program

Parent Session

19th Book Week visiting Production

‘Fair Dinkum’

21st Children’s Liturgy

25th Gr 3 / 4 Hoop Time

27th Working Bee

Thursday 21st July 2016 Term 3 - Newsletter 2

Dear Parents,

In considering the play spaces we provide for our children during break times the

staff and I have been reflecting over recent weeks on how these spaces are used.

We have also been thinking about the different types of opportunities students

have access to during their break times. While there are ample opportunities and

spaces for students to engage in a plethora of sporting activities we felt that there

was an opportunity to provide some different settings and activities for children

who might wish to engage in other kinds of play and recreation.

In order to provide that variety for our children the staff have worked to provide

support for a number of different initiatives that we hope will be attractive to

many of our children. These initiatives include the following:

Recess

Daily except Wednesday Games on the Deck (supervised quiet space)

Wednesday Story time with Mrs Charles

Lunch

Daily Games on the Deck (supervised quiet space)

Monday Games Club with Ms Laker

Tuesday Art Club in the Art Room with Mrs Stansfield Smith

Wednesday Story time in the Library with Mrs Flynn

Computers (Grades 3-6) with Mrs White

Thursday Charisma Dance - External Provider

Chess Club - External Provider

Concert Club in the Hall with Ms Inglese

Friday Table Tennis Club in the Hall with Mr Ottobre

While the focus and frequency of these additional activities may change over time

we are keen to trial the use of this kind of programming to provide the children

with greater variety while simultaneously supporting their wellbeing.

I wish to thank and congratulate our staff for their generous and enthusiastic

support in developing and implementing these opportunities for the children.

Wishing you a wonderful week

Shane Tobin

2.

Fr. Bill

FROM FR. BILL 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time [Luke 10:38-42]

Okay! So Mary got it right - Martha got it wrong. Stop worrying about active service. Just - Stop - Sit - Listen - Relax! End of lesson - just let everyone else do the work.

Always beware of those who quote you a few verses of Scripture and then tell you it proves X, Y and Z - end of story. Remember that all scripture has a context which affects its interpretation and meaning. There are a number of parallels between this gospel story and that which immediately precedes it - the story of the Good Samaritan - which we heard last week.

In the Samaritan story, Jesus introduces "a certain man" (vs. 30). In this story, he introduces "a certain woman" (vs. 38).

The Samaritan shows his love for his neighbour by taking an active role and helping. Mary shows her love for the Lord by sitting at his feet and listening to him.

The Samaritan sees and responds. Mary hears and responds.

Moreover, both the Samaritan, an outcast, and Mary, a woman, represent marginalized persons — unlikely heroes. As a composite, they are model disciples: 'those who hear the word of God and do it' (8:21)".

These stories balance each other. The early part of the Samaritan story lifts up love of God, neighbour and self, and Jesus concludes by saying, "Go and do likewise" (vs. 37), an active, "doing" discipleship. The Mary-Martha story is very different. Jesus criticizes Martha for her worry and distraction and affirms Mary for listening, a "being" discipleship.

Perhaps the key to understanding this dichotomy is to emphasize, not the active or passive role of the one who loves, but his or her responsiveness to the needs of the other. The wounded man needed the Samaritan to love him actively. He needed the Samaritan to bind his wounds and to arrange for his care. Jesus, on the other hand, needs Mary and Martha to keep him company and to listen. The best love is that which tailors its response to the needs of the other.

Jesus repeats Martha's name, a sign of exasperation. He notes her worry and distraction rather than her hospitality. Certainly Jesus welcomes food and lodging, but he welcomes companionship even more. He is on the road to Jerusalem, moving toward his cross, and this is his final visit to the home of his dear friends. Martha and Mary need Jesus, and Martha's busyness distances her from him. Jesus needs Martha and Mary, too. He knows what awaits him in Jerusalem, and he needs good friends more than good food.

The better part that Mary has chosen is sitting at Jesus' feet and listening. There will be time enough for action later. First, the disciple must learn from the Master. Otherwise, the disciple's busyness may create more problems than it solves. This has implications for us today. We, too, are busy about many things. We, too, are troubled with many worries and distractions. We, too, need to choose the better part – to sit – to listen – to love – to recreate - and only then to respond actively.

Some musings and conclusions

The story of Mary and Martha does not teach us that it is better to sit than to do. It teaches us to discern carefully what the other person needs.

There is a time to go and do; there is a time to listen and reflect - knowing which is a matter of spiritual discernment. If we were to ask Jesus which example applies to us, the Samaritan or Mary, his answer would probably be “Yes” to both.

What is Hospitality? It’s not domestic performance – it’s listening to and meeting the needs of our guest.

Luke does not present listening and service as being options or opposites, that a disciple could be a “listener” or a “servant”. Both are required.

This is also a story of Jesus liberating women. Martha get out of the kitchen and stop waiting on the men! The scribes and Pharisees may think that the kitchen is your place - and they may be affronted that a woman seeks to be my disciple and sit at my feet - but Mary has chosen the better part - and I call all of you - men, women, Samaritans, lepers, outsiders - everyone - to sit at my feet - to listen and to respond - as disciples equal before their creator God.

Finally the gospel speaks to our own society and nation where all too often policies of work, industrial relations, maximum production and the economy are given a higher value and dignity than human beings and human relationships. A good example of that is to compare our international free trade agreements with our refugee policy. It’s okay to allow money and material goods freedom of movement across our national borders but not freedom of movement to human beings. No it’s border protection from people but not from money and goods. “We will decide who comes to this country and the circumstances in which they come.” I personally think we would be a healthier and more virtuous society if we spent more effort in reflecting on the morality and ethics of some of the wealth and goods that we allow so freely across our borders. The gospel seems to be addressed to those who have placed work and wealth before human relationships – and to those who have placed things before people.

3.

Fr. Bill

4.

P & F

5.

Learning & Teaching

NUMERACY

During Terms 1 and 2 I shared tips and handy hints to assist your child with reading at

home. Each week this term, I will be sharing some handy strategies for you to try at home

to support your child with their Numeracy skills. Children need a lot of experiences in

making, counting, drawing and talking about numbers. It is important that children are

assisted to make connections with numbers and the roles they play in everyday life. We

can help children to develop their understanding of mathematics by discussing and

identifying the numeracy skills we use day to day. The activities and suggestions that I

place in the newsletter will give you some ideas and ways you can help your child to

further develop their numeracy skills.

Foundation - 2

Playing Shop - collect food and grocery items and label them with prices (whole numbers

only) written on sticky notes or use prices cut from catalogues.

Talk about how we pay for items using notes and coins

Make paper money or use play money to buy and sell items from the shop

Order shop items from height or price

Introduce scales and order items by weight

Year 3 - 6

Sports Scores - Ask questions similar to the following:

How does your favourite sport tally the score? What Maths is presented on the

tally?

How do other sports tally the score for example, tennis, golf, cricket, netball and

football?

What maths is involved to find the total scores?

Are there other ways to record scores?

How long do your favourite sport games go for in minutes and seconds? Are you

favourite sports divided into equal halves or quarters or something else?

What angles and edges can be seen on the sporting field of your favourite sport?

Can you estimate and/or calculate the perimeter of the playing field?

Erin Nagel

Junior Level Leader

6.

Education in Faith

On Wednesday 20th July 2016, our Grade 6 students attended a

Confirmation Reflection Day with other children also preparing

to be Confirmed within our Parish.

There was very positive feedback from the Grade 6 students

who participated in their Confirmation Reflection Day

yesterday at St. Patrick's Cathedral.

During the morning the Grade 6 students

had an opportunity to explore and learn

about different areas within the Cathe-

dral. Many students were amazed by the

organ and found it fascinating to learn

about the crypt. After lunch they attended Mass together. In the

afternoon Fr. Bill ran a session with us exploring what we are called

to do as Confirmed Catholics.

Many thanks to Fr. Bill, Sam Vella, Penny Anderson,

David Gallacher, Bronwyn Mancini and Amy Burns who

supported the Grade 6 students throughout the day.

Next Thursday, the Grade 6 students will have the

opportunity to meet Bishop Elliott, who will be

Confirming them at St. Mary’s on Wednesday 3rd September at 7.00pm.

We wish the Grade 6 students every blessing in preparation for such a special Sacrament.

7.

P & F

ST. MARY’S MUFFIN STALL

Clinic #11 is on this Saturday 23rd July and the St Mary’s Muffin Stall will be open from 9am.

If you have the time, please bring a batch of muffins down to the stall.

Your muffin stall hosts this week are Louise Pooley, Katie Tribe & Deahn Dewar.

Come on down for a chat and grab a coffee and a muffin (or a snake and a juice) while you're there.

Thanks very much for your support,

Ali Gibson

After School Care

THE CHILD CARE REBATE IS NOT INCOME-TESTED. Get the facts! The Child Care Rebate (CCR) is NOT income tested, which means the minimum reduction you could receive in your fees is 50%. Simply provide us with your CRN and DOB details

Extend OSHC at

St. Mary’s Primary School

8.

Community

Congratulations to Mark and Helen Secrette on the birth of Xanthe.

A sister for Connor and Zaria.

9.

Community

10.

St. Mary’s Sponsors