Dear Parents and Friends,

This coming Sunday is the first Sunday of the Season of Advent on the Liturgical Calendar. At this time, Christians around the world pray using an Advent Wreath. The Advent Wreath is in the shape of a circle to symbolise eternity and remind us that God has no beginning or end. The wreath is predominantly green; a symbol of eternal life and a reminder that God is unchangeable. The four candles, representing Christ as the light of the world, are placed around the wreath. Three of the candles are purple; a sign of penance. These candles are lit on the first, second and fourth weeks of Advent. The remaining candle is pink; a sign of joy and is lit on the third Sunday of Advent. This day is known as ‘Guedete Sunday’ Latin for ‘rejoice’.

Advent is the perfect time to reflect on the real meaning of Christmas and to dedicate time to preparing ourselves to welcome our Saviour into our hearts and homes.

Classes 2022

Class lists for 2022 will be displayed on Thursday 16^th December at the end of the school day. However, by this time, students will already know who their teachers will be for next year as they will spend Tuesday afternoon of the last week in their new classroom spaces getting to know their new teachers and classmates. Please be aware that the time frame to inform me of any special concerns related to the wellbeing and development of students and their class placement for next year has now closed.

Semester Two Reports

Semester Two Reports will be available via the Compass Parent Portal at the end of the school day on Friday 10 December. Please note that hard copies of the Report will not be distributed.

The Report for this Semester will include grades for the following Key Learning Areas:

• Religious Education
• English – all strands
• Mathematics – all strands
• Music
• Two other learning areas per grade level as identified by the teaching team in accordance with what is possible to mark given the combined remote and face-to-face learning period.

The Semester Report will not include comments but will include ‘Engagement with Learning’ which is based on the Australian Curriculum General Capabilities and covers four key areas of learning engagement: Creative and Critical Thinking, Communication, Responsibility and Collaboration.

Please note that Indonesian will not be reported on this Semester due to the fact that Mrs Jo Chilver has had a major health scare and has been unable be at work to teach or assess the students. I am sure you will join me in wishing Mrs Chilver a strong return to full good health.

Parent/Teacher Learning Conversations

Parent/Teacher Learning Conversations will go ahead on Monday 29 and Tuesday 30 November and will be conducted on site in the junior wing classrooms. However, due to current distancing and capacity restrictions, parents will need to wait in the quad until their allocated time and will need to go back out to the quad to wait for the next scheduled time if there is more than one booking.

The Learning Conversations have been scheduled to take place close to the release of the formal written report as we highly value the conversation with parents in giving meaning to the Semester Report.

Readers and Library Books

Staff are now collecting all home readers and library books. We would appreciate all families taking a very close look at home to find any outstanding school readers or library books and returning them as soon as possible.

Carols

We are planning a Carols Evening for December 9 starting at 5.30pm. The exact location is still being worked out but families are invited to bring a picnic dinner and to spread out in family groups. Remember to bring picnic rugs and folding chairs. Students, in grade groups, will sing two songs each – leading the community in sharing Christmas cheer. Please be aware that we are required to follow physical distancing requirements throughout the evening.

An Advent Reflection:

Lighting a candle is a prayer;

When we have gone it stays alight

Kindling in the hearts and minds

Of others the prayers

We have already offered for them

And for others

For the sad, the sick and the suffering

And prayers of thankfulness too.

Lighting a candle is a parable;

Burning itself out,

It gives light to others

Christ gave himself for others.

He calls us to give ourselves.

Lighting a candle is a symbol;

Of love and hope,

Of light and warmth.

Our world needs them all.

From A Canopy of Stars Christopher Gleeson

With so many things and events ‘lost to covid’ this year, we are very excited to announce that we have rescheduled our annual Scholastic Bookweek Bookfair and Dress-up day! We have negotiated for the Bookfair to run from Monday December 6 to Thursday December 9. The Bookfair will be held in the Library. More details about access will be given closer to the time. Many students have asked about if and when we will have our dress-up day; our virtual Bookweek just wasn’t the same!!! So…..we will have our annual dress-up as a book character day on the same Monday the Bookfair starts!

Please think about, or find, a costume that fits a book that can also be brought along to school on the day. We’ll keep reminding you in the coming weeks!!

Sandy Vincent and Jodie Dawson

Hayfever season has arrived with the weather being particularly windy and the pollen count high. We have had many children coming to the front office with hayfever symptoms. If your child is prone to hayfever please consider the treatment you would like them to receive. If you would like your child to be given hayfever medication please fill in a Request to Dispense Medication Form and provide the medication to be stored in the First Aid area. Parents will be contacted prior to any medication being administered. On particularly windy days you may like to consider treating your child before they attend school. 

The Request to Dispense Medication Form can be accessed via this link: Request to Dispense Medication and on the school website. 

Unfortunately, there are still a large number of parents that are yet to log in to the Parent Portal. Currently just over half of the accounts have recorded a login.

If you have not already logged in, we ask that all parents log in to the Parent Portal as soon as possible to verify details.

Every parent has been sent an email with their login details. If you did not receive the email, please contact the school.

Login emails have been re-sent today for accounts that have not yet logged in.

Please direct all enquiries regarding the Parent Portal to the front office. office.rosaryps@cg.catholic.edu.au

When logging in, you will be asked to confirm your email and phone number. If they are incorrect, please update them.

You will then be asked to change your password.

Please note that it is recommended to use the desktop version for greater functionality.

Please do not share your login details with anybody. Each parent has their own login which provides them access to their child’s records and their own email and phone numbers only.

Please note that all absences should now be notified via the Parent Portal. You will also need to log in to Parent Portal to view reports at the end of the Term.

Please see below for the remaining planned events for 2021. Should there need to be any changes made, communication will be sent out as soon as possible.

• Confirmation Retreat Day - Friday 26th November
• Confirmation - Friday 26th November
• Learning Conversations - Monday 29 November and Tuesday 30 November
• Kinder 2022 Orientation - Wednesday 1 December
• Book Fair Dress Up Day - Monday 6 December
• Book Fair - Monday 6 December to Thursday 9 December
• Carols - Thursday 9 December 5:30pm
• Year 6 Graduation Dinner - Tuesday 14th December
• Year 6 Big Splash Excursion - Wednesday 15th December
• Last day of Term 4 - Friday 17th December

If your child is absent from school, please submit details of the absence via the Parent Portal. This should be completed within 7 days of the absence.

Please note that Schoolzine absence notifications are no longer functional.

Unexplained absences for your child will be displayed on your homepage when you log in to Parent Portal.

If an unexplained absence appears that you believe to be incorrect, please send an email to the front office for investigation.

The school counsellor, Jessica O'Rourke, is available every Monday and until 1pm on Friday.

You can refer your child for counselling by filling in a referral form available on Catholic Care’s website or follow this link: https://catholiccare.force.com/housing/s/school-referral-form

After you have filled out the referral form you will automatically be sent an email requesting your consent for your child to access the service. In the case of families where parents are separated, consent of both parents is normally required. If this is difficult for you please feel free to discuss with Jessica.

The Rosary Community Council Representatives for 2021 are:

Should you wish to contact the council please email: rosarycouncil@gmail.com

Old Watson High School Oval site.

Consultation on the proposed new inner north play space has just opened.

Transport Canberra and City Services is planning to upgrade the green space adjacent to Canberra Technology Park in Watson to provide a wider range of outdoor recreation opportunities for inner north residents (and visitors) of all ages and abilities. The proposed upgrade will feature a new play space and recreation park.

Residents are invited to help shape the future upgrade by telling us what recreation facilities and play equipment you would like considered. Children can have their say too by submitting a drawing or short story via our online kids’ corner.

For more information visit:

Inner north play space | YourSay ACT

https://yoursayconversations.act.gov.au/inner-north-play-space

Consultation closes Tuesday 14 December 2021.

The school year is divided into four terms. Term dates for the year 2021 are as follows:

Term 1 (9 weeks)     Monday 1 February - Thursday 1 April

Term 2 (10 weeks)   Tuesday 20 April - Friday 25 June (Monday 19 April is a system wide Pupil Free Day)

Term 3 (10 weeks)   Tuesday 13 July - Friday 17 September (Monday 12 July is a system wide Pupil Free Day)

Term 4 (11 weeks)   Tuesday 5 October – Friday 17 December