Dear SCA Families,

As the days grow longer and the warmth of the sun gently coaxes nature to awaken from its winter slumber, we too find ourselves entering a season of renewal and growth. Spring is a time of new beginnings, a season that mirrors the fresh opportunities that lie ahead for our school community.

In the classroom, this season offers us the chance to approach our learning with renewed energy and curiosity. Just as the flowers blossom and the trees regain their vibrant green leaves, our students are encouraged to blossom in their own right—exploring new ideas, embracing challenges, and nurturing their individual gifts. Spring reminds us that learning is a continuous journey, one that flourishes when we are open to growth and change.

But growth is not limited to academics alone. Spring also invites us to cultivate and renew our relationships within the school community. It’s a time to foster deeper connections with our peers, teachers, and families, strengthening the bonds that make our school a vibrant and supportive environment. Just as the garden flourishes when tended with care, so too do our relationships when we invest time and kindness in them.

Let this season inspire us all to approach each day with a spirit of hope and renewal. May we take this opportunity to not only grow in knowledge but also in compassion, understanding, and respect for one another. Together, let’s make the most of this beautiful season, nurturing the seeds of learning and friendship that will continue to grow throughout the year.

Wishing you all a joyful and enriching Spring and final weeks of Term Three.

Fathers Day Breakfast

Thanks to the Parent Network, staff and volunteers for all your help with our Father’s Day Breakfast last Friday. We started cooking at 7.00am and kept on cooking! 600 rolls, 12 loaves of bread, 540 eggs, 40kg of bacon and 380 sausages. Phew! What a great community event. Special thanks to Fay Holden, the Parent Network, our Front Office crew, staff and all the parents who assisted. Events such as these help to build our fantastic community spirit.

Summer Uniform

Summer Uniform commences in Term 4, so please check the wardrobe and visit the Clothing Pool,  Lowes or Working Gear if any items are needed. We will have the usual transition period early in Term 4 to cater for the unpredictable weather.

A reminder that black leather school shoes are an essential item of uniform. Several parents comment that their Year 6 child only has one term left at school. However, students also need black school shoes in high school

Dos and Don’ts on School Grounds

1. I draw your attention to the following ACT Legislation regarding dogs on school grounds (Domestic Animals Act 2000) - Prohibited places (1) A person must not take a dog into the grounds of a child-care centre, preschool or primary school unless— (a) a keeper of the dog resides in the grounds; or (b) the dog is taken into the grounds with the permission of the principal or person in charge of the child-care centre, preschool or primary school.
2. Please also bear in mind that, in line with Catholic Education policy (CE Policy “Smoking Free Environment), smoking is prohibited in all areas of the school grounds, including the car park.
   All CECG schools are designated smoking free environments. Smoking is prohibited in all CECG school environments, including but not limited to: school facilities, buildings, grounds, sports fields, vehicles on school grounds and car parks. All students, staff, other authorised persons and visitors are informed that schools are smoking free environments.
3. Drive Safely - ACT Police advise (https://www.police.act.gov.au/road-safety/safe-driving/speeding) that in shared zones (such as our school carpark) where pedestrians and vehicles have access; motorists must not exceed 10km/h and must give way to pedestrians.

Fete – Friday 15^th November

Excitement is already building with our Fete coming up later in the year. Please set it aside in your calendar, knowing it promises to be a fun-filled family afternoon. (Of course if you can also help in the lead-up, you can share in the pride of contributing to our great SCA community.)

Winter Sports

Congratulations to many of our students who have been playing a range of sports over the winter months. Many parents have also been involved in coaching, umpiring/refereeing and managing teams. Thank you to all our players, coaches, officials and supporters for a very successful season. We are happy to hear about any great results to put in the Newsletter.

Extravaganza – Two Weeks to Go

Our biennial show promises to be spectacular.

Everyone in our community is invited to attend; you don’t need to have a child involved. Please see details later in the newsletter on how to book a ticket.

Learning Journeys

Next week, on the afternoon of Tuesday 10^th September, our classrooms will be open for all family members to visit and see what has been happening in your child’s classroom this term.

Your child will take you on a journey, sharing their learnings so far, as well as some of their challenges. Class teachers will be present to say hello. If you think you might need a one-on-one conversation with your child’s teacher, please speak with them to arrange a mutually convenient time.

We hope to see many families visiting us next Tuesday from 3.00pm – 4.30pm.

Trailer Repairs

Thank you to Suzie and Damien from Better Trailers, who so generously and quickly repaired our school trailer. It is greatly appreciated.

It was once said…

Blessings to you and your family.

Matt Egan-Richards

Principal

matt.egan-richards@cg.catholic.edu.au

This Sunday’s Gospel is from the book of Mark, where Jesus heals a deaf man. 

Nick Brodie's reflections on this Gospel remind us that Pope Francis drew our attention to an interesting aspect of today’s Gospel passage. ‘The first thing Jesus does,’ the Pope notes, ‘is take the man far from the crowd.’

The Pope suggests that in doing so, Jesus ‘doesn’t want to publicise this deed he intends to carry out.’ Jesus avoids turning the incident into a self-promotion exercise. His focus remains on the man concerned.

On another occasion, the Pope says that this incident shows that Jesus ‘does not want to impress people; He is not seeking popularity or success but wishes only to do good to people. With this attitude, He teaches us that good is to be done without clamour, without ostentation.’

‘The lesson we can take from this episode,’ the Pope affirms, ‘is that God is not closed in on himself, but instead he opens himself and places himself in communication with humanity.’

With that in mind, we can reflect on what it means. ‘Jesus revealed to us the secret of a miracle that we too can imitate,’ the Pope suggests. By ‘becoming protagonists of “Ephphatha”,’ we can be the ones who open the world to Jesus. We should always be conscious of the needs of others. In doing so, we might open their hearts and minds to Jesus.

Important Reminders and Upcoming Dates:

Eucharist Retreat Day

Our Year 5 students had a wonderful time at their Eucharist retreat day! It was a day filled with reflection and learning as they explored their faith and deepened their understanding of the Eucharist. A big thank you to everyone who helped make this retreat a memorable experience for our students!  

First Eucharist Masses

We are looking forward to celebrating the First Eucharist with most students on the weekend of September 14th and 15th. We invite all members of our school community to join us in celebrating this significant milestone.

First Reconciliation - Year 4

The Sacrament of Reconciliation will occur in Term 4. If you would like more information about this Sacrament, you can contact the Sacramental Coordinator at the parish office directly. 

Email:  tuggeranongsouth.sacraments@cg.org.au 

Susan Strickland 

Religious Education Coordinator (Acting)

Congratulations to the children who will be awarded white cards at the 8.45 am Friday Morning Assembly.

HELP NEEDED

Volunteer for Extravaganza Filming

We are looking for someone who may be able to film our Extravaganza performance. Ideally we would like someone with a video camera who could record some high quality footage of one of the shows.

We could also explore the possibility of distribution of the film as well. 

If you are a interested in helping out or know someone who could help, please email jo.thomson@cg.catholic.edu.au

Boorowa - this is the last week to sign up.  The Compass event will close this Friday 6th September.  Boorowa is for children in Years 2-6 who want to play netball or touch football.  The bus is almost full, so be quick to sign up!

Raffle tickets supporting the 2024 SCA fete will be coming home on Friday the 6^th of September, with the eldest child of every family.  Please keep on returning your raffle tickets.

Player of the Week

Speckles – Abi

Smiggles – Niki

Squiggles – the whole team           

Swifts – Montana and Maddie

Skittles – the whole team

Sparkles – the whole team

Smurfs – the whole team

Sunshines – the whole team

Stars – Mia

Smarties – the whole team

Swifts Match Report

Round 13 brought the highly anticipated clash between the Sunshines and the Swifts, and it truly lived up to the hype.

The atmosphere was electric as both teams played with joy and camaraderie, exchanging smiles and high fives after each goal. It was heartwarming to see the mutual support on the field.

The Swifts ultimately secured the win (and the bragging rights!), but the real victory was the evenly matched competition and the sheer enjoyment of the game. It was, without a doubt, the highlight of the season.

The Netball Trophy Presentation

will be held on the following dates at 8.45am morning assembly.

Tuesday 10^th of September: Years 2 and 3

Thursday 12^th of September:  Years 4, 5 and 6