Dear SCA families and carers,

There has been significant sorrow in our staff room this week following the news that Mary-Anne McGrath, an SCA founding teacher, passed away in the early hours of Monday morning.

Since 1994, Mary-Anne was a vibrant, passionate and caring member of staff until ill health forced her resignation in 2019. All who knew Mary-Anne admired her passion for learning, her sense of community and family, and her strong faith. “Grazie” as she was known by her SCA friends, was held in great affection. She will be missed by all, and her friends at SCA in particular.

Our deepest sympathy is for Mary-Anne’s family, her husband, Paddy, and children, as well as her extended family. Her son, Joseph McGrath, is a much-loved Classroom Support Assistant at our school. Please keep Mary-Anne and her family in your prayers and thoughts during this very sad time and in the coming weeks.

Eternal rest grant unto Mary-Anne,

O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her.

May she rest in peace.

Learning in the Classroom

Yesterday I shared morning prayer with one of our Year 6 classes. The students led prayer, and their reflection song was My Lighthouse by Rend Collective.

The first verse reminds us of both the reason we can move forward after sorrow or tragedy, and the importance of not giving in after failure. This ties in beautifully with our 2020 theme, “Shine your light before others”.

In my wrestling and in my doubts

In my failures You won't walk out

Your great love will lead me through

You are the peace in my troubled sea

You are the peace in my troubled sea

Parent Network

SCA has a network of parents who liaise together to establish and strengthen relationships amongst parents, families and the school. The network is a friendly, informal group who recognise that it is not easy to find time to volunteer, so they keep the focus on sharing small tasks in an understanding ‘no pressure’ atmosphere.

If you would to help, or simply want more information, please contact our Parent Network Coordinator, Anne Scollen on 0414 433 710 or email scaparentnetwork@outlook.com.au.

Let’s Make it Work (safely)

Please, please, please ........The safety of our children is paramount and we need your assistance in regards to our drop off and pick up procedures.

• Morning Donut Drop Off - This is a drop off area only. Please do not park your car as it inconveniences other parents and disrupts the flow of traffic.
• Afternoon Donut and Heidelberg St Pick Up – The afternoons are pick up only. Parents should not get out of their car or park in these areas. Staff are there to assist your children. If you need to get out of your car, please park in the carparks and walk over to collect your children.

• When you are leaving the school carpark between 8.45 - 9.15am and 2.45 -3.15pm you MUST turn left. When you sit there and wait for a break to turn right, you add to the congestion of the traffic. Please do not be selfish. Please set a good example to your children. We have had many phone calls of complaint so please do the right thing.

• The speed limit in the carpark is 10km.
• The Pedestrian crossing goes right across the carpark. Please be vigilant.
• Parking near the Crossing (Box Hill Ave)- It is illegal to park near a crossing and it is also unsafe for the children. Please use the donut and front pick up as they are supervised areas. We have also had numerous complaints about illegally parked cars on Box Hill Avenue and parents with children walking on the road.

All of the children are supervised until they are picked up.

If we all follow the rules it makes it easier and much safer for everyone!

E Safety Night for Parents

All parents, especially those with children from Years 3 and up, are invited to attend a special presentation from the AFP on Cyber Safety for Children. The Think U Know Parent Presentation will be on Tuesday 18 February at 6.00pm.

Bushfire Appeal

Thank you for your generosity, when I know many families will have already donated towards various Bush Fire appeals. Our students brought in $1342, which will be fully given to the Vinnies Bush Fire appeal. They have promised to use 100% of the funds raised for support of victims of the fires.

Staff Are Learners Too – Sounds-Write

Last year we commenced the implementation of Sounds-Write, a proven approach to the systemic teaching of phonics from Kindergarten to Year 2. All of our Infants teachers have or are presently participating in an intensive training course, which included two full days of their holiday period. I thank them for their interest, enthusiasm and commitment.

Uniform

Thank you for ensuring the children started the year dressed well. It helps develop a sense of pride in self and the school when children take the time to present themselves neatly in their uniform.

Meet and Greet / Parent Information Night

It was great to see so many families meeting the teachers and mingling with other SCA families at last night’s event. We hope the new format, with dedicated classroom information sessions, met your needs. Please let me know via email, or feel free to speak with me in person.

Thanks to the staff for being present for a long day and to the Community Council and staff for cooking up a feast.

School Fees

School Fees statements will soon be emailed to families. Fees are due by Friday 5 March. If you would like to set up direct debit arrangements, please contact the office. Please contact me if there are going to be any difficulties in meeting this expense. We have a Fee Assistance Policy in place to help families who find themselves either in short term or long term financial difficulties.

Tuckshop Help

Our tuckshop does a great job of feeding many, however, we are seeking the help of more volunteers. It’s a great way of getting involved in the school, so if you are able to help, please complete the attached form and return to school as soon as possible.

Opening Mass

We’d love to see you at our Opening Mass, this Friday (14^th February) in the School Hall, at 9.30am.

Email Contact

Staff are always happy to receive parent emails and will endeavour to answer them as swiftly as possible. Please note though, that, as we work face-to-face with the children, staff will usually not read their emails until the afternoon or the following morning.

My email address is matthew.egan-richards@cg.catholic.edu.au. (Yep, it’s a long one!)

It was once said…

Mistakes are a great educator when one is honest enough to admit them and willing to learn from them.   

- Alexander Solzhenitsyn

Blessings to you and your family.

Matt Egan-Richards

Principal

Be the Light 

At St Clare of Assisi, we are all striving to live like our patron saint, Clare. We aim to do this through our four school ‘Rays of Light’, which are:

• Faith,
• Community,
• Learning and
• Leadership.

This year at St Clare of Assisi our theme is ‘Shine your light before others’. This quote is taken from the gospel of Matthew 5:16 and relates directly to our school motto ‘Be the Light’.

Your child will be doing work in class on the theme finding out how we can shine our light through the rays of faith, community, learning and leadership. As a school we will be celebrating the theme through masses and prayer celebrations. We invite you to chat to your children about what the theme means to them and how they think they can shine their light before others each day at home, at school, in the parish and at weekend masses, and in the wider community.

This Friday 14^th February we will be celebrating our opening school mass at 9:30am in the school hall. The Year 6 Leadership ceremony will be celebrated at the conclusion of mass.

A note from our Youth Minister – Tommy -

I’m Tommy Seselja, and this year I will be the new Youth Minister at St. Clare of Assisi! I graduated from Marist last year after nine years of school there. At Marist there was a huge focus on faith and youth ministry which really had an impact on my life, so I sought to be involved in youth ministry ever since. This role proved to be the perfect opportunity! Together with twenty other youth ministers in other primary and high schools all around the Canberra region, we will run retreat days and really get involved in the religious life of our individual schools.

I’m excited for the year ahead. I will be working with all the year groups, but particularly the Year 6’s as they lead the school and enter into the Sacrament of Confirmation. We’re planning on implementing a Junior Youth Ministry class in Year 6 as well, where we can teach and train them in youth ministry.

For the other year levels, as well as being involved in the Year 4 Eucharistic and the Year 3 Reconciliation programs, I will also be a friendly face around the school. I might play some soccer or handball at lunch with them or be there for a chat or conversation if they need it.

I’m looking forward to meeting and getting to know you all!

God bless,

Tommy.

Congratulations to the children who will be awarded white cards at this Friday morning assembly.

WEEK 2

Wednesday 12th February - Kinder Introduction to School Session (K.I.S.S.) 4pm

Friday 14th February - Opening School Mass 9.30am

WEEK 3

Tuesday 18th February - ThinkUKnow Cyber Safety Parent Presentation - 6pm

WEEK 4

Friday 28th February - Swimming Carnival

WEEK 8

Wednesday 25th March - School Photo Day - please do not make any appointments on this day. Full school uniform to be worn.

Swimming Carnival Year 3-6

Friday 28th February, 2020

On Friday 28th February, St. Clare of Assisi will be holding our annual Swimming Carnival at Queanbeyan Pool.  All children from Years 3 - 6 will participate.  The cost will be $12.00 per child to pay for buses & pool entry. For those students making their own way to and from the pool the price for admission only is $5.00. Payment is to be made through Qkr. 

Please follow the link below for permission and nomination forms.

https://stclareconder.schoolzineplus.com/form/65

Year 2 Expression of Interest Swimming Carnival  

Dear Year 2 Parents, 

This carnival is specifically for Year 3-6 children but we occasionally take some Year 2 children if they fit under the following criteria.   

Year 2 children who are 8 years old or turning 8 this year (ie, born in 2012) and are already swimming at a competitive level and can complete a 50m race. 

If your child fits into this category and you would like them to enter please click on the above link to submit a form.

St Clare of Assisi will be hosting a ThinkUKnow presentation on Tuesday 18th February in the school library from 6 - 7.30pm and all parents, carers and teachers are encouraged to attend. All students in Year 3-6 will participate in age relevant programs throughout the week during class, so your presence at this presentation will support the information they receive. 

ThinkUKnow Australia is a cyber safety education program that educates parents, carers and teachers of how people are using technology, the challenges they may face online, and how to help them overcome these in a safe and ethical way.

ThinkUKnow Australia is a partnership between the Australian Federal Police, Microsoft Australia, Datacom and the Commonwealth Bank. The program is delivered in collaboration with policing partners New South Wales Police Force, Northern Territory Police, Queensland Police, South Australia Police, Tasmania Police, Western Australia Police, as well as Neighbourhood Watch Australasia.

The presentation will be delivered by a local law enforcement member and an industry volunteer. The presentation covers issues relating to children and young peoples’ privacy and security online, their relationships with other users and their online reputation. It provides insight into the devices young people are using, as well as the popular websites, apps and social networking sites they’re accessing.

This is a fantastic opportunity for you to learn more about young people and the online environment, and how you can help them to be safe and responsible users of technology.

For more information, you can visit www.thinkuknow.org.au or contact the school office. 

Get involved in the School Banking program

SCA offers the Commonwealth Bank School Banking program to all students.

School Banking is a fun, interactive and engaging way for young Australians to learn about money and develop good savings habits. Children who deposit money into their Youthsaver account through School Banking will earn an exciting reward everytime they reach 10 deposits.

School Banking is also a fundraiser for our school. Our school receives a Regular Savers Contribution of $5 for every 10 deposits processed per student as well as an Annual Contribution which is based on the number of students who made at least one School Banking deposit in the prior year.

Getting involved in School Banking is easy!

All you need to get involved in the School Banking program is a Commonwealth Bank Youthsaver account. You can open an account for your child in one of two ways:  

1. Online

Visit commbank.com.au/schoolbanking and click on the link to open a Youthsaver account. 

2. In branch

Visit a Commonwealth Bank branch with identification for yourself and your child, like a driver’s licence and birth certificate.

If your child has an existing Commonwealth Bank Youthsaver account they can start banking straight away. They just need to bring their deposit in every week on School Banking day using their Dollarmites deposit wallet. 

School Banking day is Friday. Each week you need to hand your deposit wallet to your teacher who will then get it to the banking coordinators.

If you would like to know more about School Banking, please ask for a 2020 School Banking program information pack from the school office or visit www.commbank.com.au/schoolbanking