Issue 16, 22 September 2023

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From the Principal, Mr Damian Smith
Saint Matthew the Apostle
2024 Student Leaders
All Saints Parish Mass and Picnic
Interim Reports
Staff Reflection Day
Enrolments for 2024
Staffing
From the Leader of Catholic Identity, Chloe Shanahan
Season of Creation Masses
Years 4-6 Liturgy of the Word with Holy Communion - St Vincent de Paul
International Day of Peace
Teaching and Learning
Year 1 Blue - Habitat Diorama
Year 5 - Camp
Year 8 - VR Experience
Out and About

From the Principal, Mr Damian Smith

Saint Matthew the Apostle

Thursday was the Feast Day of Saint Matthew the Apostle. He is credited with writing one of the four gospels in the New Testament. He has an amazing story. Before becoming a follower of Jesus, he was a tax collector. When Jesus called Matthew to be an apostle the Pharisees were unhappy because they thought they were more righteous than him. Despite this, Jesus saw something in Matthew that others did not. Matthew repaid Jesus’ faith in him and turned out to be one of his most loyal followers.

2024 Student Leaders

I am pleased to announce our student leaders for 2024. The process for electing the school leaders included the nominees delivering a speech to their peers and staff. They spoke genuinely about their commitment to leadership and contributing to our school community in ways that would benefit others. The students and staff then voted on who they believe will fulfil the role of Captain and Vice Captain. The nominees were also interviewed by leadership as part of the process.

I am confident and excited for our school leaders next year. I know they will support one another and lead our school community in a way that reflects our Catholic values and Josephite tradition. I’m sure you will join me in congratulating our student leaders for 2024.

All Saints Parish Mass and Picnic

On Sunday 24th September our College will host mass at 10:30am. This will be a Parish mass held onsite and will be followed by a picnic. The Mass will take place around the Entry Statement near the front of the school. There will be a shared BYO morning tea afterwards, which will no doubt spill out into the Nature Play for the kids who come along! The Penola Learning Centre will be open for our visitors to see the lovely learning environment for our younger students. All welcome!

Interim Reports

Parents/Caregivers of students in Years 3-12 will receive an Interim Report for their child(ren) at the end of next week via SEQTA Engage. The Interim Report will indicate the grade achieved so far this semester, as well as the student’s effort in each learning area. Please take this opportunity to discuss your child’s achievements and growth at this point in the school year. Please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher if you have any questions about their Interim Report.

Staff Reflection Day

Last Friday staff engaged in a reflection day that was held offsite at the Port Augusta Golf Club. We spent valuable time reflecting on our College’s mission and vision and how we perpetuate it through our daily work. Staff made strong connections between our aspirations and St Mary MacKillop’s dream by finding meaning and purpose in our work. Thank you to the families who support this important experience for staff on a student free day.

Enrolments for 2024

We are currently mapping out how 2024 will look for our school. We would appreciate any anticipated changes in enrolments to be communicated to the front office as soon as possible. We also ask that an Application for Enrolment form be filled out for any new children starting in 2024 (both at the beginning of the year and mid-year intake). These can be requested via our website or collected from the front office at any time.

Staffing

I will be taking leave from 25 September until 22 October 2023 (Week 10, Term 3 – Week 1, Term 4). I am pleased to announce that Mary Manning has been appointed by Mrs Nichii Mardon, Director of Catholic Education, to the position of Acting Principal for this period. Mary is well known to the Caritas College community in her current role as Deputy Principal. Mary has capably performed this role many times and I appreciated her taking on this leadership position in my absence.

From the Leader of Catholic Identity, Chloe Shanahan

Season of Creation Masses

The Season of Creation unites the world’s 2.2 billion Christians around one shared purpose. With so much injustice all around us, now is the time for Christians everywhere to come together and show the world how to love each other and creation. This year’s theme is “Let Justice and Peace Flow,” taken from Amos 5:24. We are called to join the river of justice and peace, to take up climate and ecological justice, and to speak out with and for communities most impacted by climate injustice and the loss of biodiversity.

Throughout this season, our students in Years 7-12 have celebrated a special mass at All Saints Church. Both Fr Ranjith and Fr Boguslaw spoke beautifully about the importance of caring for creation, something that was gifted to us by God. We were reminded that as the urgency flows, just like a river, we must make visible peace with our common home, as we consider our personal attitude and actions. As we join the river of justice and peace with others, then hope is created instead of despair.

Years 4-6 Liturgy of the Word with Holy Communion - St Vincent de Paul

Next Wednesday 27 September, our Year 4-6 students will celebrate a special Liturgy with Holy Communion to celebrate the feast of St Vincent de Paul. St Vincent de Paul was a priest who devoted his whole life to the poor. His family were disadvantaged however he still received an education and later entered the seminary to train to become a priest. He worked throughout his priestly ministry teaching others the Good News of Jesus and working with the most disadvantaged in our community – two values which the St Vincent de Paul Society continue in their good works today.

Students will need to be dropped at All Saints Church by 8:45am. At the conclusion of the liturgy, students will catch buses back to school

International Day of Peace

Each year, the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on 21 September. The United Nations General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, through observing 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire.

The theme this year is a call to action that recognises our individual and collective responsibility to foster peace. Fostering peace contributes to the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) and achieving these goals will create a culture of peace for all humanity. These goals aim to bring us closer to a more peaceful, just and inclusive society, free from fear and violence.

Teaching and Learning

Year 1 Blue - Habitat Diorama

The Year 1 Blue students have been making habitat dioramas. They have been researching an animal and made the habitat diorama to match their chosen animal. They then shared the diorama with their buddies, the Year 7 Blue class.

Year 5 - Camp

The Year 5 students headed off on their Year 5 Camp last week. They stayed at the Pichi Richi Park overnight and the weather certainly ensured they had a wonderful time. They participated in lots of team games, went on a number of hikes and enjoyed a movie night. There were some very tired students on the bus on the way home, including Miss B who fell asleep for most of the ride home!

Year 8 - VR Experience

Last Friday, our Year 8 students were lucky enough to take advantage of the 360 Degree Flinders Ranges VR Experience which was visiting the Yarta Purtli Art Gallery. The visit related to their study of the history of Earth and landscape which they are currently investigating in Science. The excursion also complemented the upcoming excursion to The Dutchmans Stern. From all reports back, the VR experience was fantastic!