Week 4, Term 1, 2022

Dear Rosary Community

Next week we will celebrate Shrove Tuesday, a day that has traditionally been a ‘feast’ day before the start of Lent. Lent was a time when families would empty their homes of ‘luxury’ food items such as eggs and sugar. Lent is a time when we are all challenged to consider how we live out Gospel values in our lives. Our gold coin donation for Project Compassion on Shrove Tuesday is one tangible way we demonstrate our commitment to social justice and our care for the poor and vulnerable in our world. I am excited that we are able to have some volunteers back on site in Week 5 to support the cooking of pancakes.

COVID-19 has certainly created some challenges for school and families. I thank everyone for their support and co-operation as we navigate having children in isolation and quarantine. A weekly Learning Continuity Plan will be developed for each year level to ensure that children remain engaged and connected to their learning when unable to be at school. We are delivering devices to families as required. Families at home, please reach out if we can support you in any other way.

A comment from one of our teachers this week “children are happy to be at school”. This is so evident as I visit classes and see children working together and engaging with their peers. A highlight for me is when children share their learning with me. This week I had a visit from Nicholas (Year 6). At Rosary School we use Seven Steps to support the teaching of writing. One of the seven steps is “tightening tension” – Nicholas certainly mastered this when writing about bungy jumping.

Below is an exert from Nicholas’ writing:

I glared down at the river below me, and the fearless people jumping down so close to it. Smelling and unfortunately tasting my sweat drip down from my head, a scream echoed through the hills, startling me. I smelt a tad of the salt-water scent while tasting the vomit building up in my mouth, excitement and stress flowing through my brain.

I stuck on my helmet and attached it so firmly I almost assured myself I was safe. The wind was howling wildly around me, throwing a cold breeze at me. Clutching on to the pale-yellow cord with faint dark spots attached to me, I held my breath. And jumped.

Congratulations Nicholas – wonderful writing!

DATE CHANGES

In 2021 the School Board approved a pupil free day on 11 March 2022. As we are unable to gather as a whole staff, with School Board approval we have cancelled the Pupil Free Day and postponed it until 10 June 2022.

In anticipation of some restrictions being lifted in Week 9, we have also postponed the AGM until 29 March 2022 at 7.00 pm. At the AGM we will present Rosary School’s Master Plan. Please put this date in your diary. Further information about the AGM is under the School Board News.

Parent Information Sessions

Unfortunately, our Parent Information Sessions on Mathematics and Literacy at Rosary School will also need to be postponed due to COVID restrictions. We are hoping to reschedule these events early in Term 2. We will keep you informed of the new dates.

Susan Hennessy

The School Board invite all community members to the AGM.

The meeting will include the presentation of:

· Presentation of Master Plan – Esther Chew, Grieve Gillett Anderson

· President’s Report - Fr Paul Rankin

· School Board Report – Chairperson Rebecca Moore

· Principal’s Report – Susan Hennessy

· RE Report – Seva Maitianos

· Parents & Friends Report – Chairperson Laura Papa

· Finance Report - 2021 Financials and 2022 Budget – Kasia Kelly

Nominations

Below is a description of the role of a School Board Member. If you wish to nominate to be part of the Rosary School Board please email susan.hennessy@rosary.catholic.edu.au or karin.skinner@rosary.catholic.edu.au.

In the event of more nominations being received than necessary, voting will take place at the AGM. At this stage we have at least three vacancies.

Potential members of a School Board should:

· Possess an enthusiasm for and willingness to promote the mission of Catholic Schools

· Bring to the Board their gifts and skills

· Desire to give service to their school community

· Have an ability to work cooperatively and constructively with all Members of the Board

· Be prepared to undertake formation

· Have an ability and desire to uphold confidentiality in Board matters

· Have sufficient time to devote to Board duties

· Have a current Catholic clearance and meet all the requirements to be a volunteer.

The School Board meets twice during the school terms (Tuesday of Weeks 4 & 8 at 7pm).

Meetings run for no longer than 90 minutes at which discussion is based around reports from the Principal, APRIM, Staff, Finance, P&F, WHS, Parish, OSHC and Sports Committee.

If you require further information please feel free to contact me.

Susan Hennessy

Principal

We were so excited to welcome back most of our 3LP class members last week. It was wonderful to share news and discover more about each other in our Flying Start Week. We were involved in many interesting activities and we would like to share some of them with you. 

Experiencing the Wonder and Awe of God’s Creation

Celebrating Random Acts of Kindness Day and then taking action

Learning to work collaboratively together

Learning about the School theme for the year, ‘Awaken Your Mind’.

One of the activities we completed during the flying start week was an ‘All About Me’ poster. Students needed to make their t-shirt bright and colourful whilst thinking abstractly about how they could show their favourite food, game, subject and a variety of other favourites.

Welcome RileyRovers!

Our students have using the newly purchased Lego MINDSTORM EV3 kit to build 12 RileyRover bots ready to program.

Over the coming weeks our students will use these to

• Learn the basic characteristics of a robot
• Learn how to program two types of motors and the ultrasonic sensor
• Investigate how they can solve problems on issues such as sustainability, pollution, recycling and waste disposal.

Prayer Cloths

A very big thank you to Anne and Martha, grandparents in our school community, for hemming 68 prayer cloths. Each class and specialist area now has new prayer cloths for each Liturgical Season. We are grateful for your expertise, time and support Anne & Martha.

Family Mass

A warm invitation is extended to all of our Rosary families to join us for our first Family Mass for 2022 on Sunday 27th February at Rosary Church.

Beginning of Year Class Prayer

Each class celebrated our theme “Awaken your Mind” with a class prayer on Monday 14th February. We were fortunate that Father Paul visited our school three times during the day to celebrate Class Prayer with a different year level at different times throughout the day. We are grateful for the strong links Father Paul creates between our school and parish. Thank you to our staff for their flexibility and our students for their active participation and willingness to share ideas on how they let their light shine.

Shrove Tuesday

On Tuesday, 1st March we will be celebrating Shrove Tuesday with pancakes for everyone. Thank you to the wonderful parents who have volunteered their time to prepare and make at least 450 pancakes. We ask that the children bring a gold coin donation for their classroom prayer table Project Compassion box. The theme of Project Compassion 2022 is ‘For All Future Generations’ and reminds us that the good that we do today will extend and impact the lives of generations to come. It invites us to make the world a better place by working together now and finding long-term solutions to global issues. Through our social justice initiatives this year, we look to “Awaken our Minds” on how we can let our light shine and live out what we learn from the Gospel.

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Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Church’s season of Lent. The marking of the ashes on our foreheads on this day is a public expression of our faith and humility. Lent prepares us for the season of Easter, the most important time in the Church’s calendar. By praying, fasting and giving alms, we are reminded of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Jesus brought the promise of hope to all people so that we may “Have life and have it to the full.” (John 10:10) As we live into that fullness, may we also be challenged to act with love and hope, now and for all future generations. Each class will celebrate the beginning of Lent with an Ash Wednesday Class Prayer.

Prayer of the Week

Faith Facts

Have you ever wondered why … faith fact of the week.

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Seva Maitianos

The issuing of the 2022 school fees statements has intentionally been delayed to allow all families to focus on returning to face to face learning.

It is expected that school fees statements will be sent home in the post by the first week of March 2022. 

A reminder that an early payment discount of 5% is available to all full fees paid in full by the end of Term 1, being 15 April 2022.

If you are eligible for the School Card discount, I invite you to apply online at the following link: https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/education-and-learning/financial-help-scholarships-and-grants/school-card-scheme

If you wish to discuss your financial situation in person, please do not hesitate to contact the Business Manager, Melanie Fazio.