Dear Parents and Friends,
Welcome back! I hope that everyone had opportunities to enjoy special time with family and friends over the break and to re-charge the batteries in readiness for a busy term ahead. We’ve had a very settled start to the term and we welcome the new families – McCann, Jamtsho, Lysenko, Buckley, Baekalia and Clarke – who have just joined us. We hope they will enjoy many happy years of association with Rosary School.
Walkathon Thanks
It was a rather cool day but the sun did come out to warm us up on the final day of last term for the Walkathon. The whole school enjoyed the walk around our neighbourhood in the company of family, friends and classmates. Thank you to everyone who has been involved in the lead up to this day. I especially thank Mrs Hinds from the staff and Kirsty Saunderson and Jackie Brady and the team of parent helpers who took on the task of coordinating the event. Thank you also to all teachers, parents, families and friends who volunteered to help on the day and parents who have been involved with the counting of incoming monies and sourcing of prize donations and sponsorship. The Rosary Walkathon is a big event that would not be possible without the support of our community. A great big ‘thank you’ to the children and families who have been out and about raising funds for the school by filling up sponsorship forms.
In total, we raised just under $15,000 which was a great result! (Some expenses yet to be deducted.) Thank you, thank you, thank you!
The class winner was Kinder Dublin as they raised a staggering $1,841.05. Their prize is a pizza and popcorn movie party! The highest individual fundraiser as well as the highest family fundraiser prizes went to the Hannaford family. They won the family prize of a weekend away at South Durras.
I do hope that the children and their family members have been enjoying these wonderful prizes.
The whole school incentives will be awarded over the next few weeks. Details to come.
All in all, it was a great day and I thank everyone involved for their generosity in terms of time, funds and community spirit.
Confirmation
Please keep the students who will be making the Sacrament of Confirmation this term in your prayers. The Information Evening will take place tonight at 5.30pm in the church and the Commitment Mass for this Sacrament will take place this Sunday 28th July at 10am in Rosary Church.
Kinder Enrolment Acceptances Due
Please note that acceptance slips for enrolment in Kindergarten next year are due in to the front office this Friday – tomorrow!
Absences
Please email the front office or send an SZapp notice if your child is absent from school so that the school is informed as to your child’s whereabouts. A written and signed note, email and SZapp messages are all acceptable forms of notice in terms of meeting legal requirements.
Emergency Contact Details
It is imperative that the front office is informed of parent contact details. Please remember to update us as soon as there is a change as we need to be able to contact parents in the event of an emergency.
Wakakirri
I am very much looking forward to sitting in the Canberra Theatre next Wednesday evening to see our Year 5 students perform their item for Wakakirri. Everyone has been very busy preparing the story line, dance moves, costumes, props, make-up and hair designs. The Year 5 teachers and Mr O’Brien have put such a lot of effort into making sure everything is perfect for the performance and I take this opportunity to thank them and all the other assisting staff members and parent helpers for the wonderful work that has been done in the background to do the myriad of things required to bring this show to life. As it’s bad luck to say “break a leg” as is customary in ‘show biz’, I will follow Wakakirri protocol and say “Chookas”!
St Dominic’s Feast Day
Next Friday, 2nd August, is the Feast Day of our school Patron Saint. We will celebrate St Dominic’s Feast Day with a whole school Mass and activities in the afternoon where students gather in vertical groups. The activities will help the students to unpack the meaning of our ‘BEST’ focus for this term – ‘Strive’. Everyone is most welcome to join us at the Mass to be held in Rosary Church at 10am.
Recent works at the school
During the holidays, we had some plumbing work done to clear pipes blocked by tree roots on the junior playground. We also had some internal re-painting done in the Year 6 and the Year 1/2 classrooms and corridors. This work was covered by Catholic Education through the contributions that parents make to the Building Fund. These tax deductible donations make it possible for the system to maintain our schools with minor and major works as required. The Building Fund is not used to construct new schools.
Also, at the school’s cost, we had new basketball backboards installed and the Peace Gates had their locking mechanisms adjusted and the heavy metal crossbars removed.
Staffing News
Mrs Yvonne Morris has decided that it is time for her to retire. She is looking forward to spending more time with family, especially grandchildren, and to enjoying a new phase of her life. However, it is not quite ‘goodbye’ but rather ‘farewell’ as Yvonne will be available to do casual relief within our system. She will certainly be a great asset to our schools in the Archdiocese in this capacity. At the moment, Yvonne is on leave and this will continue until her retirement takes effect in August. I take this opportunity to thank Yvonne for her nearly 20 years of dedicated service to the Rosary School community as the Front Office Manager. She will be sorely missed by colleagues, students and parents but I know you will join with me in wishing her every blessing as she embarks on this new journey.
Baby Congratulations
Sincere congratulations to Ms Rebecca van der Sanden (my daughter, who is a Classroom Support Assistant at the school) on the birth of her 3rd baby (and 7th grandchild for me!), little Sophia. Bec and Byron are delighted with the new addition to the family, as are Sophia’s siblings and, of course, grandparents!
Thought for the Week:
“Baby (noun): A little bit of heaven sent down to earth.” Anon