Starting the journey from Ash Wednesday to Easter.

Ash Wednesday begins the Christian celebration of Lent. Forty days of prayer, fasting and almsgiving to prepare believers for the celebration of Easter. A part of Lent is the call to quiet and reflection. A call to still ourselves and consider our faith lives. We cease searching and striving for the external markers of success and fulfillment and settle in to listen to what the still, small voice of God is saying in our lives and in our hearts. It’s an opportunity to ask ourselves: Am I able to hear the voice of God?

Our lives are filled with noise. From our televisions and computers, tablets, phones and radios. Calls have to be made. Emails must be answered.

Lent calls us away.

Lent calls us back to our inner room. To an extra moment of quiet at home, in the car or our office. To soften our hearts and listen for the voice of God. The still, small voice that whispers and waits inside of us. Calling us to return. Calling us to faithfulness. Calling us to begin our Lenten journey back home to the God who loves us.

How can we make space in our days this Lent to hear the still, small voice of God in our hearts?

A reflection from ©The Catholic Health Association of the United States

Meet the Teacher Interviews

Thank you to everyone who was able to make time to come and catch up with your child's teacher for this year. It was a fantastic opportunity for the teachers to find out more about what makes them tick.

If you were unable to make a time last week, please take the time to give the teacher a call and make a time to have a chat. It is very helpful in building the student - teacher relationship.

NAPLAN 2023

From 2023, NAPLAN will be held earlier in the year to give teachers and parents important information about a student's skills and capability sooner, so that more targeted support can be delivered to improve literacy and numeracy skills throughout the year.

Information regarding NAPLAN 2023 can be found it here: https://nap.edu.au/docs/defaultsource/resources/naplan-online-information-brochure-for-parents-and-carers.pdf

In 2023, NAPLAN will be held during Term 1 from Wednesday 15 March to Monday 27 March.

If you have any other questions please call.

Shrove Tuesday

Tuesday was Shrove Tuesday and we made pancakes. In the olden days, people had ingredients that would go off, such as milk,eggs,flour and butter. People wanted to cook these just before Lent starts.On Wednesday it is Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent.

When it is the time of Lent, people give up things like lollies,screens and CHOCOLATE for 46 days,some people practise almsgiving, like clothes,toys and art stuff.

Made by, ALYSSA,BIANCA and Jonte

Nude Food

Keep up the efforts of sending nude food to school! Let’s decrease the amount of waste we create and aim for a more sustainable future. Our sustainable practices are a hallmark of the St Mary's school culture.

Make sure to have a conversation with your child about their lunch box and its contents. It is a great way of developing responsibility as well as reducing the amount of waste that comes home.

Toast Breakfast Club

The P&F resumed their wonderful work with the morning toast ritual. The students are incredibly excited and so lucky to have such a wonderful group of parents and community members providing this amazing service to our school community!

Plain toast? Butter? Vegemite? Honey?

What ever your preference.

All it takes is a please and a thank you!

Keep up the great work everyone.

John

St Mary's School, Castlemaine

Respect, Resilience, Responsibility

TERM 1, WEEK 4 · 26 Feb 2023

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