From the Principal

Please note that weekly Parish mass times will now be located each week on our School Hours / Timetable page in our newsletter. 

Prayer 

Prayer for the Assumption of Mary

Dear Mother Mary,

Today we celebrate you going up to Heaven, body and soul, to be with Jesus. 

Thank you for being such a loving and caring mother to all of us.

Help us to follow your example by loving and helping others just like you did. 

Please watch over us and keep us safe.

Teach us to be kind and to always trust in God, just like you did. 

We love you and ask you to pray for us every day.

Amen.

Annual Parent, Staff and Student Surveys

In the coming weeks, our annual feedback surveys will be distributed to all within our community. The details from these surveys are used alongside the quadrennial School Improvement Process which helps us to set goals and targets for improvement. For details about the surveys and exactly what they cover, please see MACSSIS Survey information in the Deputy Principal's section of this newsletter. I strongly urge you to complete the survey so that we can use this information to make St Michael's School the best we can. Thank you, in anticipation. 

Father's Day and Special Friends' Breakfast

We are getting really excited in our planning for the upcoming Father's Day breakfast on Friday 30th August. Thank you to the many families who have already responded to the Operoo notification. As we are arranging catering, can we ask ALL families to please make sure you complete the details on Operoo by this weekend. This would be a huge help for us and help us make sure no one misses out on breakfast!! Dads, the coffee cart is booked!

St Michael's School Library

Just a reminder that our school library is open for parents to come in on Mondays, 3.15-3.30pm. If you wish to select some reading material with your child or even just see what your child is reading, feel free to visit Kate Borg in there on Mondays. Next week is BOOK WEEK, a perfect time to come to the library with your child!

Prep Transition Dates

We ask all families who have a Prep child commencing in 2025 to please take note of the following dates and put them into the calendar now! These will be the dates we hold the Prep Transition sessions for the pre-school students and general parent information while students are with the staff in structured sessions.

Session 1: Wednesday 16th October, (9:00-10:00 am) 

Session 2: Wednesday 30th October, (9:00-10:00 am) 

Session 3:  Wednesday 27th November (9:00-10:00 am) 

Session 4: Wednesday 4th December (9-11am) Please take note of this 2 hour session

Additionally we invite all parents to an information and social parent night on Thursday 14th November (7-8:30pm) . This is a parent only evening so please put it on the calendar now. This will be held in the hub and there will be light refreshments served.

Bullying, NO WAY, dress up day

This week we acknowledged the 2024 National Week of Action Against Bullying! We invited students to TAKE A STAND against bullying and come as Superheroes who can SAY NO to bullying and learn how to be upstanders. Our Student Wellbeing and Religious Education programs focus on these themes throughout the year so there are many conversations and class discussions that happen around ways we can show care and respect to each other. Bullying, No Way week, gives us the opportunity to show our understanding and support of this along with the nation. It was wonderful to see so many students in their hero outfits, capes and other wares to show their support of this important concept. Well done all!!

Book Week Parade

We welcome all families to join us this year for our Book Week Parade on Friday 23rd August from 9am in the hub. Year One/Two G families, please be aware that the class assembly item will be the commencement of this parade. The students in One/Two G will be leading us in prayer and presenting something related to Book Week, so there won't be an assembly for One/Two G at 2.40pm on this day.

St Michael's Front Door

As noted last week, we remind parents that from now on we will keep the front door to the office locked throughout the day, as was the intention of it's design. The reason for this is to increase the security measures for our staff and students, especially given we face busy High Street. We understand the frustration of having to wait for the door to be opened, and we endeavour to open it as soon as possible, but we feel this is the right choice for all of our safety. Thank you for your understanding.

Year Five/Six Incursion - "Thrive" Resilience Program

This week our Senior students had Bully Zero visit in their classrooms to talk to them about how we can "thrive"; what we can do in our lives to build our resilience. As we know, it is vital that children learn these types of skills from a young age in readiness for the challenges of the teenage years and beyond and to build good habits. These sorts of sessions support the comprehensive work that we do with our students everyday within our Wellbeing Programs and Positive Behaviours for Learning approach. Jay and Eleni from Year 5 have shared their experience of the session here.

St Michael's School Advisory Council

The School Advisory Council continues to seek one or two more members to join us in 2025. If this is something you are interested in and would like to ask more about it, please check in with any of the SAC members this year (listed in previous newsletters) or with myself. Please consider joining this vital committee!

Term 3 Events - reminder

Over the next few weeks St Michael's will be engaging in a range of special events and celebrations. For many of these events we invite our children to dress up as part of the celebrations and to aid in their memory and understanding of the events. We understand that for some families this can be an added, anxiety-provoking experience, so we ask that you please keep things simple, no-fuss. Dress ups that are designed with what you have at home is all we ask as a way of your child participating. Please note the following on your calendar:

• Friday 23rd August - Book Week Dress Up Parade - This year's theme is Reading is Magicso anything relating to magic for this day is suitable. For ideas, google "book week 2024 dress up ideas" and remember, you can use things you already have at home to create a costume. Friday 23 August is also a Kinder Kids day - we invite any visitors to wear a "Magic" costume.

St Michael's Art Show

Official Opening Ceremony

The St Michael's Art Show will commence with an official opening ceremony, from 2.30pm on Thursday 12th September. All are welcome to attend this special ceremony and then see the art show directly after it. A reminder the art show will be open for visitors in the hub at the following times:

Thursday 12th September: 2.30-6.30pm

Each week we will be sharing with you one of the advertisements designed by some of our Year Five/Six students:

Clare W