SCHOOL NEWS

Learning

PRE-PRIMARY NEWS

During the term, the children have been building strong relationships with their peers, along with the Pre-Primary staff members. We have been developing these relationships through our play, whole class and one to one discussions, indoor and outdoor experiences, and through a various games. It is an extremely beneficial process for the children, as it provides them with a sense of belonging and a foundation from which to grow.

In Religious Education we have explored the unit, “Special Me”. We explored the uniqueness of each child and provided opportunities to develop our understanding of one another and the gifts we bring. We reflected on how our special talents and uniqueness are gifts from God and discussed ways that we can use our gifts and talents to show love to others.

We also be explored the unit, “Thanking God for our Feelings” where we continued to build our understanding and knowledge of feelings. We continued to develop the ability to recognise our own feelings, manage these and express these in loving ways.

Our third unit, “A Happy Day”, which focused on the importance of new life. The children learnt about and reflected upon the true meaning of Easter which is that Jesus was raised to new life. An authentic understanding of the concepts of new life was developed by investigating the life cycles of bugs. Our insect investigation was complimented by the Spineless Wonders incursion.

Our Mathematics program uses a 'hands-on' approach where  the children have had opportunities to develop their mathematical understanding in an authentic and meaningful context. The focus has been to develop a strong awareness of everyday mathematics in an enjoyable way.

This term we have:

• developed an understanding of numbers 1-10 and beyond.
• developed an understanding of direct correspondence in numbers ie. accurately counting objects to find how many
• explored the days of the week in chronological order and linked each day to a specific event.

Our Literacy Program supports the children to continue to build their understanding of the English language. This has been developed through play based, child led experiences, explorations and exposure to environmental print, and shared reading and writing. The children have been encouraged to take risks which allows them to develop a positive approach to understanding of written and spoken language.

This term we have

• continued to develop an enjoyment for literacy through oral language, shared reading and modeled writing.
• developed the children's oral language through a variety of planned and spontaneous experiences.
• developed an understanding that the spoken word can be written and in turn, the written word can be spoken.
• continued to develop an enjoyment of literacy through shared reading and modeled writing.
• developed the children’s awareness of words. We have focused on hearing sounds in words, recognising the letters that make these sounds and encouraging the children to have a go at writing.
• encouraged the children to use writing and reading as a way to explain their creativity and inquiries.
• used language to explore, explain and problem solve.

INTERSCHOOL SWIMMING CARNIVAL

The Interschool Swimming Carnival will be held next term on Thursday 4 May 2017 (Term 2 Week 2) at Challenge Stadium (Indoor Pool) from 

9:30am-2:00pm

Interschool Swimming notes have gone home to those children selected to compete at the Carnival. Please complete them and return to the classroom teacher by the end of Week One (Friday 28 April).

As always, we are required to assist with the running of the carnival. If parents are available to help on the day please notify Mr Sheridan on the permission slip.

We wish the Swimming Squad well as they represent our school.

PERCEPTUAL MOTOR PROGRAM (PMP)

Our first term of the Preceptual Motor Program has come to an end and our Pre-Primary childlren have been amazing! They have been fantastic in moving through the 10 stations, marking off their 'Passports' and improving their fundamental movement skills.  This week the children have completed and been assessed on the first 10 stations and 10 new ones await them next term.  A big thank you to all the parents who offered to help lead a station, the program would not have run as confidently without your support.  As the program will continue in Term 2 we are still requiring parent help, so if you are able to lead a station in Term 2 please see the Pre-Primary staff.

Have a wonderful break.

Mrs Jenkins 

(Sports Specialist - Pre-Primary and Year 1)

PERFORMING ARTS

This year we celebrate the 28th Performing Arts Festival for Catholic Schools and Colleges. The Infant Jesus Choir, Band and Year Four Music Classes have commenced work upon their Performance pieces for the Festival.

Entries for the Festival are now open. If your child studies voice or learns an instrument and would like to perform in the Festival this year, please contact me on nicole.boddy@cewa.edu.au

Also please see attachment for Jazz for Juniors coming up at His Majesty's Theatre for children aged 4-7 years.

Nicole Boddy

Italian Festival 2017

The Italo Australia Welfare and Cultural Centre are running a number of competitions for the Italian Festival this year, one of which is the children's colouring competition. This year the topic for the colouring competition is 'L' Anno Internazionale del Turismo Sostenibile/The international Year of Sustainable Tourism.'

We are asking all parents to encourage their children to participate and do their best. It is a State competition and certificates and prizes are awarded from the Centre. Also could you please sign and send back the entry form available from our Italian Teacher Signora Cole.

Engagement

P&F News

PARENT REPRESENTATIVES - FACES TO NAMES

We would like to say a big thank you to our wonderful Parent Representatives who have done an amazing job in their roles throughout Term One!  We thought it would be a nice idea to put Faces to Names and have included photographs of the Parent Reps for your reference.

LOOSE CHANGE CHALLENGE

We're excited to announce that we are holding a Loose Change Fundraiser in Term 2!  Children in each class will be asked to donate change into their class bucket.  The class who raises the most will win a Class Pizza Party! Children will receive a pizza lunch, juice, a longer lunch break AND a secret surprise!  All classes will want to win this one so why not use the school holidays to start saving your small change!!

Nicola Cecchele - P&F President

ENTERTAINMENT BOOK FUNDRAISING

Infant Jesus School is raising funds. Here's how you can help...

We are raising as much as we can to support our technology and innovation room, and we need your help! Order your NEW 2017/2018 Entertainment Book or Entertainment Digital Membership now. You'll receive hundreds of valuable offers for everything you love to do, and help our fundraising at the same time!

"The Entertainment Book is such a great way to try new restaurants. It’s also a great opportunity to help community organisations."

Nicola Cecchele - P&F President

INFANT  JESUS FAMILY CAMP  2017

A big hello to all the families.  At this stage we have confirmed the date for the 2017 Family  Camp. This will be during  the middle weekend  of September/October  school holidays, being Friday 29 September, and concluding Sunday 1 October.

We have reduced it by one night, but extended the last day until the afternoon. This will not be the long weekend, giving families  the option  to still make use of the  Queen's birthday long weekend.

Family camp  has been going for over 40 years, and we need to keep this tradition going, as it has made some of the best school memories for both the parents  and the kids  of those who have ever attended. 

Linda Prestianni 0433 925 857

Ardrian Gonsalves 0403 439 888

3YO (Pre Kindy) CATCHUP

Date:  Tuesday 11 April

Time:  9am

Venue:  Robert Thompson Reserve, Noranda.

Hope to see you all there. Weather permitting.

YEAR 4 PARENT DINNER

Friday 28 April 6.30pm

Save the Date!

Mum’s and Dad’s of our Year 4’s please save Friday 28 April for our first Parents dinner.

The venue is to be confirmed.

Keep an eye on our Facebook page for details. And we will also email details out soon.

YEAR 5 DINNER

Save the date: Friday, 28 April - Dinner!!

YEAR 6 CATCHUP

Friday April 21 – from 11am Noranda Park (Robert Thompson) hopefully weather permitting

Save The Date – Friday May 12 Lunch, noon, place to  be confirmed

Canteen Roster

Friday 7 April  

 Mina Pillera, Marisa Gulluni, Carol Penwald

TERM 2

Wednesday 26 April 

Sara McMenemy, Alison Wilathgamuwa, Justine Scriva

Friday 28 April

Rosa Ridolfo, Emma Yates, Patricia Rivera

Monday 1 May

Sandrine Teo, Franca Colli, Tracy Caputo

Please see the attached Canteen Winter Menu for Term 2 and 3.

Accountability

VOLUNTEER WORKSHOP AND CODE OF CONDUCT 

To assist with school based events, please ensure that both of these have been completed. 

1. Complete the Volunteer Workshop 

2. Read and Sign the Code of Conduct which is new in 2017.  

It is a requirement that not only the Parent Volunteer Workshop has been completed, but the school based Code of Conduct has been signed and returned to the office.  

Copies of the Code of Conduct are available from the front office or online. 

Discipleship

Feastday of St John Baptist de La Salle 7 April

PATRON OF TEACHERS

In 17th-century France, education was reserved for those who were rich, and only by special providence did John Baptist de La Salle become interested in schools for boys who were poor. Born into a powerful, wealthy family, John’s background and early training for the priesthood prepared him for high offices in the Church. By chance, John met Adrien Nyel, who was establishing some charitable schools for boys in need. John disliked the rough behavior of those who were poor and the smells and sights of the slums, but he sympathized with their poverty. John helped open a school for boys in need. He secured five teachers and rented a building. As John checked on his school, he witnessed shocking conditions. John decided he had to bring order to the school. He planned to upgrade the standards of the teachers and train them to be religious educators. His teachers quit. But soon men of better quality took their places and thrived under John’s training. John began to see that he must identify with his teachers, so he gave away his fortune and dedicated himself to education.

John founded the Brothers of Christian Schools to educate those who were poor. “The more religious a school is, the more successful it is,” was John’s philosophy. His boys attended daily Mass, were taught the catechism and prayers, and had religion integrated into other subjects.

John motivated the students to prepare for a career and to live their lives by Christian principles. His schools attracted boys from fee-paying schools. Jealous instructors tried to bring lawsuits to ruin his work, but his efforts were praised by the people. John opened boarding schools for boys in need and gave them courses in practical skills. He founded schools for troubled children from wealthy families so that the young boys would not be sent to prison. John died on Good Friday in 1719. He is the patron of teachers.

Parish News

EASTER AT MORLEY

Sunday 9 April—PALM SUNDAY.

Masses at 6.30pm (Sat Vigil),  7.30am, 9.30am (procession of palms with the parish children), 11.30am (Italian) and 6pm.

THE TRIDUUM

Three days, one celebration                                          

Thursday 13 April—HOLY THURSDAY.  Morning prayer of the Church 8am in the Parish Hall. Confessions 8.30 - 9.30am. Mass of the Lord’s Supper at 7.30pm, followed by Adoration at the Altar of Repose until 10.00pm

Friday 14 April—GOOD FRIDAY.

Morning Prayer of the Church at 8.00am in the Parish Hall. Stations of the Cross (parish youth) at 9.30am, Confession 8.30 - 9.30am (English), 9.30 - 10.30am (English and Italian), Via Croce (Italian) at 11.00am

The Passion of the Lord at 3pm.

Saturday 15 April—HOLY SATURDAY.  

Morning Prayer of the Church at 8.00am in the Parish Hall, Confessions 8.30 - 9.30am ,  Easter Vigil—Service of Light at 7.30pm. Includes adult baptisms (approx. 2 hours service). The service will begin outside the church around the fire. Followed by a celebration supper in the Parish Centre (approximately 10pm). Please bring a plate to share.

Sunday 16  April—EASTER SUNDAY.  Masses at 7.30am, 9.30am, 11.30am (Italian) and 6pm.

SACRAMENTAL PROGRAM

Sacrament of Confirmation 2017

Many thanks to all the parents and children who came along to the Commitment Masses over the weekend, It was lovely to see many families

 attending Mass together.

Dates to Remember:

PARENT INFORMATION NIGHT Monday 1 May at 7.00 pm

PARENT and CHILD NIGHT  Monday 22 May at  7.00 pm

RETREAT, EPISCOPAL VISITATION AND PRACTICE Friday 9 June at 9.00 am

CONFIRMATION MASSES  Saturday 10 June at 12.00 noon and at 3.00 pm

PARISH BUSY BEE  FOR EASTER

SATURDAY 8 April 9am—1pm

We need many hands to help make our parish grounds and centre clean and fresh for our celebrations at Easter. There will be gardening, cleaning and small maintenance jobs to be done.

Children are very welcome to come with their parents to help.  Morning tea and a sausage sizzle lunch will be provided to all the workers.  Lists will be in the foyer detailing the jobs that need to be done and the equipment required for each task. If you can bring your own equipment, that would be a help, but the parish will provide equipment if you do not have your own. It would be great to see some new faces!

MORLEY YOUTH GROUP

Infant Jesus Parish 24:7 Morley Youth Group

All youth in Years 6-12 are invited

Join us this Friday night, 6-8pm in the Parish Hall

For more info call Roger 0434 988 711 or Elizabeth 0410 554 393

Project Compassion

 ALOMA'S STORY - the Philippines

Love Your Neighbour

A victim of Typhoon Santi, Aloma was provided with the skills to lead her vulnerable community in developing resilience to extreme weather events.

"All the skills that I learned, I pass on to friends and neighbours."

Aloma

When Typhoon Santi destroyed her home in coastal Philippines, Aloma feared for her family’s safety and their future. Extreme weather events such as typhoons and cyclones are a common occurrence in this country, threatening the safety and food security of many families.

In the Philippines, GDP per capita is around one-tenth that of Australia’s, and life expectancy is around 14 years lower. Poverty is the single most important factor determining vulnerability to natural disasters, which makes communities like Aloma’s particularly vulnerable.

However, confidence began to replace fear for Aloma as she began participating in the Integrated Community Development Program (ICDP) in 2011. The program, run by the Socio Pastoral Action Center Foundation Inc., is supported by Caritas Australia. It helps communities to prepare for disasters, and adopt environmentally friendly practices.

Aloma’s training in disaster risk reduction empowered her to take a leadership role in her community in caring for the environment. She manages logistics during natural disasters, and encourages the families in her village to plant mangroves for land conservation.

The program also offers guidance on working together for the common good. As a result, Aloma says,

“All the skills that I learned, I pass on to friends and neighbours.”

Aloma’s community now cares for their common home together, and Aloma sees a brighter future for her children.

"My dream for my community is to continue what we are doing right now, so that the next generation will benefit from what we have started." - Aloma

World Meeting of Families - 22-26 August 2017

"Please say Please" - Pope Francis

Family life would be better if people used the words “please”, “thank you”, and “I’m sorry” every day, he said, and the world would be a better place if the Church reached out to the imperfect and the wounded.

The Pope’s reflection was part of a letter to Cardinal Kevin Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life, which is helping plan the World Meeting of Families in Dublin in 2018. The Vatican released the text of the Pope’s letter yesterday.

The letter was meant to help Catholic families and parishes around the world prepare for the gathering, which will focus on the theme, “The Gospel of the Family: Joy for the World.” Francis said he hoped the event would help families reflect on and share his apostolic exhortation, "Amoris Laetitia".

“Does the Gospel continue to be a joy for the world? And also, does the family continue to be good news for today’s world?” Francis asked.

The answer, he said, is “yes” because God’s love is his “yes” to all of creation and a “‘yes" to the union between man and woman, in openness and service to life in all its phases; it is God’s "yes" and his commitment to a humanity that is often wounded, mistreated and dominated by a lack of love.

“Only starting from love can the family manifest, spread and regenerate God’s love in the world. Without love, we cannot live as children of God, as couples, parents and brothers,” he said.

Making sure family life is “based on love, for love and in love” means “giving oneself, forgiving, not losing patience, anticipating the other, respecting. How much better family life would be if every day we lived according to the words, ‘please,’ ‘thank you,’ and ‘I’m sorry.'”

Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin told reporters that the Pope’s letter shows the clear, central role families have in his great dream of renewal of the Church and society.

(cathnews.com)