Principal's Page
Dear Parents,
Winter is certainly upon us! I found this beautiful prayer that provided me with comfort and hope.
In the midst of Winter, when the days are cold and wind can pierce remind us of the warmth of your love. In the midst of Winter, when days are short, dawn comes late, and dusk arrives early remind us that in the darkness your light still shines. In the midst of Winter, when the flowers of spring still lie hidden in the earth, when leaves are off the trees, and the world can seem bleak remind us that Easter was only a short time ago. And when in our lives we feel as if we are experiencing a season of winter, reach out to us with the power of your resurrection so that we may feel the warmth of your love and see your light that alone can take away the darkness of our hearts. Amen
Grandparent/Special Friend Day
It was wonderful to see so many Grandparents and Special Friends last Friday. It is important to recognise and celebrate these important people in the students' lives. We all benefit from the experiences and wisdom that they share with us.
Reconciliation Week
Last week we celebrated Reconciliation Week. Our FIRE Carrier student leaders - James, Emma, Liam, Willow , Lachlan and Evie B showed great initiative by suggesting and leading lunchtime activities throughout the week to raise awareness and celebrate aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures. Some of the activities they led and participated in included: flying the aboriginal flag, basket weaving, organising a display of Aboriginal books, wire/fabric art piece, colouring sheet, assembly presentation and chalk drawing of this year's National Reconciliation Week's theme: Be Brave. Make Change.
Metung Conference
I was extremely fortunate to travel to Gippsland the week before last, to attend the Peninsula Principal Network Conference. It provided a wonderful opportunity to learn about the local Aboriginal people of Gippsland, their histories, cultures and stories.
The Gunnaikurnai people are the Traditional Owners of the land and waters of the area we visited. The Bataluk cultural trail is a Gunnaikurnai touring route that showcases significant Gunnaikurnai sites in the region. We visited many of these sites including Krowathunkooloong Keeping Place in Bairnsdale, Buchan Caves, Den of Nargun at Mitchell River National Park, Raymond Island and Gippsland Lakes Coastal Park. The trail follows significant traditional routes used by the Gunaikurnai for over 30,000 years. The theme of the conference was Connection to Country. Country is the term often used by Aboriginal people to describe the lands, waterways and seas to which they are connected. The term contains complex ideas about law, place, custom, language, spiritual belief, cultural practice, material sustenance, family and identity.
Assembly Awards
It was wonderful to see so many students being recognised at assembly with awards last Wednesday. The awards were distributed for students going "above and beyond" around the school, class, Italian and Mighty Recyclers. We do this to acknowledge and reinforce positive student behaviour as it contributes to a positive school climate where students strive to do better both socially and academically.
ResourceSmart Schools Award
Mrs Jane Byrne and myself accompanied Kye, Lucy and Charlotte to the Resource Smart Schools Award Ceremony at the MCG last Thursday. We were the only primary school finalist for the School of the Year award. We received a Highly Commended Award for our Sustainability Program. The day confirmed for me the importance of ensuring schools make sustainability a priority
Open Door Afternoon
We are aware that many parents have not had the opportunity to come in and see their child's learning space yet this year, so we are inviting parents in on our Open Door afternoon on Tuesday 21 June from 2:30pm. Parents will be able to observe students in their learning spaces and view past and present learning.
Emailing teaching team
When emailing your child's teacher, could you please include all teachers in the learning space. As we approach learning and teaching of all students as a team, including all teachers, would contribute to effective communication processes.
Reports
Student Semester One Reports will be available to view on the Parent Portal on Wednesday 22 June. Please refer to School Reports page in this newsletter for more information.
Student Free Day
Please note that the first day of Term Three will be a school closure day as staff participate in learning about Student Wellbeing and First Aid. Students will commence Term Three on Tuesday 12 July.
Movie Night
The premier of our 'Sensational Shorts,' will take place on Monday 20 June at Sorrento Cinema. Remember to book your tickets!
Good Bye and Good Luck
We say good bye and good luck to the Rice (Darcy & Matilda) and Mc Donald (Taj) families who are both moving interstate - Queensland and New South Wales. We wish them every happiness.
Enjoy your week and keep warm,
Monica
moshannassy@sjsorrento.catholic.edu.au