From the Principal
Dear SCA families,
We are probably all aware that today is St Patrick’s Day. But did you know that this week we also celebrate the feast day of Saint Joseph?
We know little about the life of St Joseph but what we do know is that God chose him to play a special role in the salvation story. Joseph stood by Mary and trusted her account of God’s intervention in her life through an unexplained pregnancy. It was Joseph who protected the infant Jesus and Mary when they fled to Egypt to escape certain death. Under Joseph’s care and influence, together with that of Mary, “Jesus grew in wisdom and grace, finding favour with God and among people”. (Luke)
St Joseph is a model for us of good living, of living and acting in such a way that reflects God’s goodness and love by constantly doing what is right and good. We celebrate the Feast of St Joseph on 19th March.
May St Joseph and St Patrick bless our school community this week with a desire to always do what is right, and with a firm faith in God’s loving presence within and among us.
National Day of Action Against Bullying
At SCA we aim to create a safe and supportive school community for everyone. You are an important part of our work to prevent bullying and to respond effectively if it happens. Stopping bullying involves everyone.
Following are some pointers from Bullying. No Way! with tips on what to do if your child talks to you about bullying. Parents know their children best and know the best way to tailor communication to their needs. Adapt these tips to what works for you and your child.
If your child talks to you about bullying:
- Listen calmly and get the full story. Your calm response is important to allow your child to tell you all about the situation. After they’ve told you their story, ask questions to get more details if you need: who, what, where, when. Although you may feel some strong emotions about your child’s experience, try to keep calm to avoid more distress to your child.
- Reassure your child they are not to blame. Many children blame themselves and this may make them feel even worse. You could say things like, ‘That sounds really hard to deal with. No one should have to put up with that.’ or ‘I’m so glad you told me. You should be able to feel safe at school; that’s not fair at all’.
- Ask your child what they want to do and what they want you to do. A critical part of your response is to avoid jumping in to solve the problem. While it is natural to want to protect your child, helping them to find their own solution is a better option. It helps them feel they have some power in the situation.
- Visit bullyingnoway.gov.au to find some strategies. The website has tips and ideas for different bullying situations. One idea is to practise strategies at home to help your child feel more confident.
- Contact the school. Your child may be reluctant for you to do this, so discuss the idea and reassure them that the school would want to know and is able to help. Make an appointment to meet with your child’s teacher. Contact the school immediately if you have a concern about your child’s safety.
- Check in regularly with your child. Keep the conversation going. It can take time to resolve issues, so check in regularly with your child about their experiences and their feelings. Your ongoing support is important.
If you are looking for support for yourself to deal with a bullying situation, you will find ideas on the Bullying. No Way! website for parents. As well, please feel free to contact the school if you would like to discuss any aspect of our approach to preventing bullying.
Thanks for your support to make SCA a great school for everyone.
School Fees
Term 1 Fees were due Friday, 5 March 2021, unless paying by Direct Debit or other approved method. If you have overlooked your payment please organise this week, as we need to pay our bills also.
If you would like more information regarding Direct Debit payments or have any queries regarding your fees, please contact the Front Office.
Progress Reports
Progress reports were sent home with students last Thursday 11th March. If you have not received your child’s progress report, please contact their teacher as soon as possible.
Communication
It is VITAL that we maintain accurate and current contact information for all families. If you change a phone number, email address, postal address or emergency contact, you must inform us immediately.
Our primary and most effective form of communication is via the SchoolZine App. (SZapp). Emergency announcements will be communicated via the app.
Please ensure you have installed the app on your devices, enabled notifications, and checked the settings for the correct year levels and class groups.
If you would like help accessing or installing this, please contact the Front Office.
This Friday
Don’t forget, this Friday is Harmony Day and we are celebrating the diversity of our community. Please encourage your child to dress up in national costume, or orange to show their support. Please send in a ‘splash of cash’ to contribute to our Project Compassion appeal.
Term Two Starting Date – Tuesday 20th April
Catholic Education Canberra Goulburn has declared Monday 19th April as a pupil free day for all Catholic schools in Canberra. Students will commence Term 2 on Tuesday 20th April.
It was once said…
Whenever one person stand up and says, “Wait a minute, this is wrong,” it helps other people to do the same. ~ Gloria Steinem
Blessings to you and your family.
Matt Egan-Richards
Principal