Principal's Report

40 DAYS OF LENT

It’s nearly football season again! Sometimes members of a football team wear black armbands as a symbolic mark of sorrow for the passing of a close associate. Their supporters are decked in the team colours to show their willingness to be identified as a club supporter. True believers live the game with their heroes expressing their support physically and emotionally.  In good times and bad they stick by their club.

Lent is here and we are presented with the opportunity to give expression to the type of supporters that we are.  Some supporters celebrate only the happy time in Jesus’ life such as Easter and Christmas. As “true believers” we should also pray with him on Holy Thursday, stand by him on Good Friday and join him in prayer and fasting during the forty days of Lent.

Lent is a time when we can choose to put ourselves to the test both physically and emotionally by some acts of fasting and abstinence, periods of reflection and self-examination and perhaps spiritual redirection.  It’s a time to grow in closeness to Jesus.

It’s sobering to realize that if we “give up” TV watching, chocolates etc, we are “giving up” things that most people in the world have never had!  What is really meaningful to us? Our time, given to assist people in need; Our pride, through an act of long due reconciliation; Our finance, given to an aid organisation. So how will you this Lent renew your Christian commitment and express Christ’s message of love, care and forgiveness.

Lenten Penance: Practices of penance are meant to help us to come to openness to God. They need to be educative, transforming us so that our hearts may turn more easily to God. The choice of Lenten penance is important. It is not just what we do; it is why we do it, and the effect that it has on our lives. Choose wisely and Lent can become a time of many graces and significant growth in our relationship with God.

DAYS OF PENANCE Abstinence from meat and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. On all other Fridays of Lent the common practice of penance is fulfilled by performing any of the following:

• Prayer – for example: Mass attendance; family prayer; a visit to the church or chapel; reading the Bible; making the Stations of the Cross; praying the Rosary.
• Self-denial – for example: not eating meat; not eating sweets or dessert; giving up entertainment to spend time with the family; limiting food and drink so as to give to the poor.
• Helping others – for example: special attention to someone who is poor, sick, elderly, lonely or overburdened.

#ExpectGreatThings

Our theme of “Expect Great Things” calls us to be the best people we can be. It challenges us to be better tomorrow than we were today.

Schools are communities where staff, parents and students come together for the common good, which encompasses the welfare of all and the educational progress of each individual student. As a school, we try and support parents in the education of their children. As parents, we are role models not only to our children, but others associated with this school.

For our school community to offer an environment of harmony, goodwill, opportunity for individual development and the exercise of Christian virtues, it is important that we constantly remind ourselves to think about what we are saying and how we go about saying it, particularly in the presence of children.

Family Picnic

It was wonderful night last Friday night with the annual P&F Back to School Picnic. It was a very warm evening; however, it was wonderful to see so many families in attendance, enjoying one- anothers company. Many Thanks to our P&F for coordinating the event.

Aerial Images

The aerial images seen in this newsletter  were taken  by PlaneTorque Australia Pty Ltd a CASA approved drone operator. Alan and Alister Jupp (parents and grandparents of the school) once again worked with the school on Friday night to get some great aerial images of our school and the Family Picnic.

Royal Commission

Now that the final hearing of the Royal Commission has concluded, Archbishop Costelloe has published a pastoral letter, as well as a video conveying the same message, for the Catholic Community of the Archdiocese of Perth, including Catholic schools.  Please view the Archbishop’s video here:

http://www.perthcatholic.org.au/Our_Archdiocese-Archbishop-Videos.htm

Parent Class Representatives 2017

We held a very productive Parent Class Representatives meeting on Tuesday. This band of enthusiastic and energetic ladies will act as the conduit between the P&F Association and the various classes. Among other things, the Class Representatives will assist in:

• Organising social events for your class during the year e.g. parent coffee catch ups, class play dates for the children, parent lunches/dinners, family picnics
• Welcoming new families and support them as they integrate into the Infant Jesus School community
• Encouraging and support parents to be involved in school community events and activities
• Creating and maintain a contact list for your class
• Co-ordinating the community morning tea for your class assembly
• Attending P&F meetings (two meetings per school term)
• Liaising with other Parent Representatives when required

We are extremely grateful to these ladies for assisting the school in this capacity.

Innovation Technology & Resource Centre 

It has been a busy start to the term as we have endeavoured to transform our library and old computer lab into a very contemporary and modern innovation and resource centre.

We will share more information about the room and how it will be used in next week's newsletter; however, we thought parents may appreciate a look at a few photos of this centre.

2017 Residential Address Collection

Non-government schools are required, as part of their obligations under the Australian Education Act 2013 (the Act), to provide the residential addresses of their students across all campuses.

In accordance with section 21 of the Australian Education Regulation 2013, the Australian Government Department of Education and Training (AGDET) will be collecting student addresses for all non-government schools between 1 March and 31 May 2017. This data is traditionally used in conjunction with the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census to determine the Socio Economic Status (SES) of each school and, ultimately, of the System. This has had a direct impact on the System and your own school`s funding.

Parking Around the School 

Following on from last weeks addition to the newsletter regarding parking around the school, please find attached a diagram showing parking. Please be mindful of parking restrictions and carefully observe and follow signs. 

Kindergarten 2018

We are currently accepting Kindergarten enrolment applications for the 2018 school year. Interviews will take place in Term 2.  If you have a child ready to start Kindergarten in 2018 and wish to enrol him/her at Infant Jesus School, please make sure you complete an application form.   This includes families currently enrolled in the Infant Jesus Pre-Kindergarten Program.

It is important to note prospective enrolments that have a brother or a sister already enrolled at Infant Jesus School,  still need to complete an application form and come in for an interview.

Attendance

It is not okay to stay away from school for any reason except legitimate illness and extreme family circumstances. Any unexplained absence and extended holidays during school time, even with a note of explanation, are all considered illegal by the Department of Education and the Federal government, and may mean fines to families who do not send their children to school.

As a school we are legally responsible to report via an electronic program, all absences every day, including continual lateness to school. Please make sure you are compliant with this legislation and please assist by contacting the school by 9am on the day of absence. Please also send a note upon return even if you have been contacted by phone from the school. Your support is appreciated.

Prayer

God, our Father,

 in spite of the fact that 

you are all loving and forgiving to us, 

our words and actions

 do not always

 express love and forgiveness. 

Rouse up and

 sustain within us a friendliness and cheerfulness that is fitting

 for Christian people.

Amen.

Up from the Waters - Reflecting Sharing and Living the Gospel

 A six-week LENTEN program reflecting, sharing and living the Gospel and is also being run in the Infant Jesus parish. The program focuses on the significance of the waters of Baptism in each one of us.

Parents are invited to register their interest in this program that will be conducted at the school each Wednesday evening at 7pm. Currently we have 7 parents enrolled in the program.

Dates for this LENTEN  program are as follows:

• Wednesday 8 March
• Wednesday 15 March
• Wednesday 22 March
• Wednesday 29 March
• Wednesday 5 April

Please register your interest via the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7BLVBKC

Infant Jesus Family

We congratulate the Scaletti Family (Nick PK) on the birth of baby Lilliana. Blessings on you all as you welcome your little one home.

A message from the Director of Catholic Education - Dr Tim McDonald 

Please find attached the State Election commitment responses from both major parties, in addition to a summary document that has been compiled.  

Thought for the Week

Learning and teaching should not stand on opposite banks and just watch the river flow by; instead, they should embark together on a journey down the water.

Loris Malaguzzi 

May the week ahead be filled with many blessings

Paul Hille

Principal