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- Principals Report Week 3 Term 1
- Protective Behaviours - Safety and Problem Solving
- Religious Education News
- Library News
- Absence Notes
- SZapp subscriptions - please update
- School Counselling Service
- Dates for Your Diary
- Gelato Day – next Tuesday, February 23rd
- Clothing Pool Open during School Hours
- Rosary Community Council 2021
- Rosary Netball
- Rosary Rugby
- Extracurricular Activities at Rosary
- Rosary OSHClub
- 2021 Term Dates
- Artkids
- Tennis Canberra
- Girl Guides
- Australian Girls Choir – Canberra Open Day
- Merici College Enrolling Now
- Positive Partnerships
- Parentline ACT Free Telephone and Face-to-Face/Zoom Counselling Services
- Hand Washing Poster
- Coughing and Sneezing Etiquette Poster
- SZapp Download Instructions
Principals Report Week 3 Term 1
Dear Parents and Friends,
I have a few phrases that I like to share frequently with the students. Their purpose is to help children think about treating others the way that they like to be treated themselves – with respect. They are also designed to assist peaceful and gentle, inclusive play. The phrases are:
You can’t say ‘you can’t play’
Nobody’s the boss of the game
The more the merrier
To have friends, you have to be a good friend
If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all
These also fit beautifully with RPS which you can see displayed around the school and are core values of Rosary Primary School. RPS stands for Respect - Pride - Safety.
The Season of Lent
The beginning of Lent is marked by Ash Wednesday. Lent is a good time to slow down a little and to reflect on what we are doing to grow closer to God. It is a time to consider the needs of others who may not be as fortunate as we are. It is a time to give thanks for the many blessings that we enjoy and to think about how we might share these blessings with others. One way that we can do this is to support Project Compassion. During Lent, each classroom will have a box on the prayer table which is a donation receptacle for Project Compassion. Lent is an excellent time to think about the difference between our ‘needs’ and ‘wants’ and to sacrifice some of the money that might have gone toward achieving a ‘want’ so that someone else may have a ‘need’ fulfilled.
After School Activities and OSHClub
Parents are asked to be aware of the following procedure that applies to students who attend after school care and also extra-curricular activities offered immediately after school on site:
- Students who are booked in with OSHClub sign in with OSHClub first and then go to their respective afternoon activities.
- OSHClub will check each student’s permissions before allowing the children to attend the activities.
- The educators providing these extra-curricular classes will accompany the children back to OSHClub at the conclusion of their sessions.
OSHClub, the extra-curricular activity providers and the students have been informed of this arrangement.
Successful Grant Application
It is with very great pleasure that I inform you of the school’s success in securing a grant through the ACT Government's Better Schools for our Kids Program through the ACT Block Grant Authority. The Minister for Education and Youth Affairs, Yvette Berry MLA, has made the official announcements so this information can now be made public. Whilst we have not secured the full amount needed for the project, the $150,000 will go a long way toward ensuring the success of the project and will mean that the loan amount required will be significantly reduced. The total cost of the project is estimated to be $382,000. The grant is for creating Connected Outdoor Learning Spaces along the length of the junior wing of the school. The works will complete the school's Master Plan. I sincerely thank Catholic Education for all the hard work that has been done behind the scenes in preparing the application and I thank the staff and Community Council for their support of the project and input during the design phase. This is a very exciting development for our school with work expected to start and finish within the year. I am very much looking forward to a wonderful outcome that will benefit the whole school community.
Reporting to Parents
Included in the Information Packs that were sent home last week, was a questionnaire for parents to fill out and return to teachers. This provides invaluable information to support teachers in getting to know the students in their classes. We really appreciate parents taking the time to complete the questionnaire.
There is a form of reporting to parents in each term with regard to student progress and achievement:
Term 1: Parent/Teacher Learning Conversations
Term 2: Semester One A to E Report
Term 3: Parent/Teacher Learning Conversations
Term 4: Semester Two A to E Report
The Learning Conversations take place after school hours in the last weeks of Terms 1 and 3. The aim of these meetings between parents and teachers is to check student progress and to set learning goals. Please be aware that the Parent/Teacher Learning Conversations in Term 3 replace the Learning Journeys in response to parent feedback in last year’s satisfaction survey.
Parents are welcome to meet with the teachers at other times during the year but we ask that parents make an appointment through the front office for a mutually agreed time and do not try to meet with teachers whilst they are with a class. Teachers may also request an appointment to see parents outside of the scheduled reporting periods should this be required.
Pupil Free Days
You may have noticed, when checking the school calendar, that there are two pupil free days scheduled this year – this means that staff attend but students do not. Both days have been added to the school holidays following Term 1 and Term 2. The first falls on Monday 19 April and the second falls on Monday 12 July. These days have been allocated by the Catholic Education Directorate to allow staff to engage in professional learning corresponding to a new system wide initiative called Catalyst that will be rolled out over the next 3 years. Catalyst empowers teachers with evidence-based professional learning in High Impact Teaching Practice, K-2 Literacy, quality curriculum resources and in-classroom coaching. It is a framework for united understanding of and practice in teaching ‘what matters most’ and ‘what works best’ based on soundly researched evidence.
A Lenten Prayer
Blessed are you, O Lord our God.
You have made the sun to light the day and the moon and stars to light the night.
Help us walk in your light.
During this season of Lent, renew us through the gift of your Holy Spirit.
Help us grow in faith, hope and love.
During this special time, we remember that Jesus died and rose from the dead,
So that we might be free to love.
Help us to grow to be the people you call us to be … letting go of old habits of selfishness,
Forgiving those who have hurt us, giving quality time to our families,
And spending time in quiet prayer.
Amen.
COMMUNITY COUNCIL NOTICES
Positions Vacant:
The Community Council Executive is seeking a couple of Parent Representatives to fill current vacancies. The Council urges parents to seriously consider being part of the Executive. Nominations, of self or of others, can be lodged via the Community Council email account by Monday 1st March: rosarycouncil@gmail.com
Should the Council be overwhelmed with nominations, a formal election of candidates will need to be held.
Clothing Pool Caretaker
The Community Council is seeking an interested parent or family member from the school to look after the Clothing Pool. The role requires the person to regularly sort donations of uniform items and maintain the space so that it is an orderly environment for those seeking to purchase items.
If you would like to take up this role, please contact the front office or email the Council Secretary: rosarycouncil@gmail.com
Protective Behaviours - Safety and Problem Solving
Dear Parents,
This week our students will be learning about safety and problem solving as part of the Protective Behaviours Program.
Safety
Safety is a physical state. The Protective Behaviours Program stresses the need to ‘feel’ safe, as well as ‘be’ safe, recognising the importance of psychological or emotional safety. Safety involves having informed choice and control over any situation in which we find ourselves.
Feeling safe and adventurous go hand in hand when we maintain our choice and control. Each of us has experienced feeling safe and unsafe and these situations may be quite unique to the individual. Examples are feeling safe or unsafe around a dog, or feeling safe or unsafe in the dark. Recognising the difference between feeling safe and unsafe is a crucial part of the protective behaviours program.
As a parent, you cannot define a safe or unsafe situation for your child. You can, however, help your child to recognise when they may be feeling unsafe by identifying their early warning signs and help them choose strategies that assist them to have choice and control in any particular situation. When children feel safe, they talk about feeling: loved, warm, secure, noticed, happy, in control, trusted… Some common feelings associated with feeling unsafe are awful, stupid, stuck, left out, powerless, stressed and shaky.
What can I do?
- Encourage your child to draw a picture of a place where they feel safe – this is referred to as their ‘safe place’. Discuss with your child what their ‘safe place’ looks like, smells like, how they feel when they are there, what they can hear in their ‘safe place’. A child may have several ‘safe places’.
- Talk about ways that someone who is feeling unsafe could help themselves feel safe again.
Problem Solving
A good way to help children practise the skills to keep themselves safe is to play problem solving games. It is often less frightening for a child to pretend that someone else has the problem – like a puppet or character in a story. By using ‘teachable moments’ in your everyday lives and planned activities, your child can learn everyday strategies and understand that they have the right to feel safe at all times.
What can I do?
- Share some of your experiences with your child, acknowledging that we all have times when we don’t feel safe.
- Continue to practise problem solving with your child. The objective is for your child to practise thinking and using a number of safe actions which they can use when faced with unsafe or difficult situations.
- Discuss with your child how unsafe risks could become safe risks if we increase our choice and control for example, being willing to enjoy the thrill of riding their bike down a hill at speed as long as they know the brakes work, they’re wearing a helmet and there are no cars or rocks in the way.
The link below is a very helpful resource for parents.
Kind regards,
Julie Godfrey
Coordinator
https://www.aifs.com.au/static/media/uploads/childwise_parentsguide.pdf
Ash Wednesday Mass – thank you!
Thank you to all families who attended the Ash Wednesday Mass. Fr Mannes reminded us that Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent - a time for increased prayer, self-discipline (going without), and helping others.
Project Compassion
The theme of this year’s Project Compassion is ‘BE MORE.’ As Saint Oscar Romero said, “Aspire not to have more, but to be more.”
Every year, countless people turn Lent into a demonstration of faith, love and generosity. You can be a part of this incredible community, who believe that there are simple actions we can all take to “be more” for our world. Taken from: https://lent.caritas.org.au
Every class has a Project Compassion box for donations.
Please give generously.
Year 6 Leadership Mass
Year 6 will participate in a Leadership Mass next Thursday, 25 February @ 10am, Holy Rosary Church. Parents are most welcome! Upon arrival, please register via the Check-in CBR app, sanitise and adhere to sanitising and physical distancing regulations.
1st Sunday of Lent | 21 February | Year B
“This is my Son, the beloved; listen to him."
Click on the link below to go the readings and activities for this Sunday.
Sacramental Programs
The timing for the reception of the Sacraments has been reviewed by Fr Mannes. The Sacrament of First Reconciliation will now be offered to students in Year 3 and First Eucharist will be offered to students in Year 4. Therefore, the Sacrament of Reconciliation will not be offered to students in Year 2 this year.
The Sacrament of First Eucharist will be offered to eligible students in Year 3/4 this year.
Sacramental Program 2021 |
Sacramental Program 2022 |
Year 3/4 Eucharist Year 6 Confirmation
|
Year 3 Reconciliation Year 4 Eucharist Year 6 Confirmation |
Dates will be confirmed.
If any Baptised Catholic students, new to Rosary, have missed out on the opportunity to receive a Sacrament, and wish to do so, please let me know.
Peace and best wishesLiz Higgins
Religious Education Coordinator
So wonderful seeing most of our students remembering their Library days and bringing in their library bags! We have a collection of over 34,000 books worth a lot of money. Sadly, I have already had a book returned ruined by the condensation of a water bottle against it in a school bag. The book was being returned to the Library without a bag. Please check your child has a clean bag of any sort that can be used on a weekly basis to and from school. We do have Rosary library bags for sale in the Library for $5 if you would like to buy one to last through their schooling years!
Library days:
Tuesday- 2 Barcelona, 2 Osaka, 1 Hague, 1 Vienna, 3/4 Casablanca
Wednesday- 3/4 Cairo, 3/4 Bangkok, 5 Washington, 5 Panama
Thursday- 6 London, 6 Athens, Kinder Paris, Kinder Nagoya
Additionally, Rosary Library provides access to all our families 24/7 (on any device or computer) to World Book Online. Classes have been shown the website at school (except for Kinder). We recommend the 'kids' tab for our junior students and 'student' for year 3-6 students. Have a look at what this valuable resource can provide in a secure and informative platform.
username is: rosary
password: fleming
Sandy
If your child is absent, please inform the school in writing via email to office.rosaryps@cg.catholic.edu.au or using the SZapp, ensuring the following information is included:
- Child's full name
- Child's year
- Child's class
- Date/s of absence
- Reason
Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
SZapp subscriptions - please update
Please update your SZapp subscription preferences to ensure you receive communications relevant to your child/ren's current year level. This can be done via the 'Manage' tab within the app.
If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter or any notifications from Rosary Primary School, you can select to 'remove subscription' at the bottom of the 'Manage' tab within the app.
Hello, my name is Kate Dean and I work for CatholicCare in Canberra, in the Student and Family Counselling Unit. We provide short term counselling for many of Canberra’s Catholic schools as part of the school’s pastoral care program.
I have a master of social work and have many years’ experience working with families and children. I also have three children of my own, aged 10, 14 and 18.
My role is to support the emotional and social wellbeing of students and their families. I offer a professional service and provide a safe space to talk about any issues your child is experiencing.
We see children with difficulties which are just part of normal growing up, as well as issues of concern for either the school, or the family, or the child themselves. It doesn’t have to be a big problem, it is better to get help sooner rather than later. Typical concerns can be fears, anger, relationships with peers, grief, family relationships and family difficulties including parental separation, stress, or anything that is perceived to affect student’s learning or their general well-being.
As well as individual sessions with students during school time I work with families, consult with parents, carers and teachers and may carry out some group work. I may also refer students and families to specialist services and professionals when appropriate.
You can refer your child for counselling by filling in a referral form available on Catholic Care’s website or via a link provided by the school. Or you can 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 our service. In the case of families where parents are separated we normally require the consent of both parents. If this is difficult for you please feel free to discuss with me.
I will be at Rosary every Tuesday and alternate Mondays on even weeks. If you would like to talk to me, please feel welcome to contact me directly through the school when I am attending.
I look forward to working with your child and wish you all a happy and peaceful year.
Kate Dean
Student and Family Counsellor
CatholicCare Canberra & Goulburn
We have been able to reinstate most of our events for the 2021 calendar year. However, due to the ongoing Covid-19 situation, some events may need to change or be conducted differently. If there are changes, we will advise you as soon as practicable.
- Gelato Day - Tuesday 23rd February
- Yr 6 Grade Mass - Thursday 25th February 10:00am (Yr 6 parents welcome)
- Swimming Carnival - Thursday 4th March (registered volunteers only - no spectators)
- Canberra Day Public Holiday - Monday 8th March
Gelato Day – next Tuesday, February 23rd
FORMS
Forms for Gelato Day were due today. If you have not returned the Gelato Day form and payment ($2) please return it as soon as possible. Spare forms will be available at the front office.
VOLUNTEERS
We do not currently have enough Year 1 parent volunteers to assist on the day. If you are a Year 1 parent who is available next Tuesday (February 23) from 12:15pm to 1:30pm, please let the Front Office know as soon as possible.
Clothing Pool Open during School Hours
The Rosary Clothing Pool is open to families to purchase second hand uniform items for $5 per piece. Please note that currently only one family is allowed in the room at any one time and hand sanitisation is required upon entry and exit. A key is available from the front office to access the room during school hours for your convenience.
All new uniform items can be purchased from Personally Yours. They are located at 218 Gladstone St, Fyshwick ACT 2609 and can be contacted on 6280 4166.
The Rosary Community Council Representatives for 2021 are:
Council Chair : | Jackie Brady |
Deputy Chair : | Libby Reardon |
Treasurer : | May Kain |
Secretary : | Kate Roggeveen |
Parent Representative : | Lucy Steen |
Parent Representative : | Raphaela Higginbotham |
Parent Representative : | Rachael Moore |
Staff Representative : | Rachel McKerrow |
Ex Officio : | Parish Priest |
Executive Officer : | Principal/Assistant Principal |
Should you wish to contact the council please email: rosarycouncil@gmail.com
ROSARY RUGBY 2021 SEASON
The 2021 Rugby Season is fast approaching, and the Rosary Rugby Club is welcoming all existing players and any interested players and their families to join our club for the 2021 rugby season!
Rugby gives your children the opportunity to make new friends, stay fit and active, be part of a team and develop life-long skills. Rugby at Rosary is very well regarded by the broader community and has produced current Super Rugby players Mack Hansen and Jordan Jackson-Hope.
In 2021 Rosary Rugby Club will once again field teams in the ACT Junior Rugby Union competition. Games, which are played on Saturday mornings, will commence at the beginning of Term 2. All interested and eligible players are invited to join. Rugby at Rosary includes:
- All boys and girls are welcome;
- NO TACKLING for players in the U7s age group;
- Equal opportunity provided for all players especially beginners in all age groups;
- Fully-supervised training sessions are held on the school oval after school each Wednesday during the season - this means pick-up isn’t required until 4:30pm (wet weather activities take place on rainy days); and
Rosary Rugby Club, established in 1964, is the only stand-alone primary school rugby club in Canberra. A number of our former players have gone on to represent the ACT Brumbies and the Australian Schoolboys rugby teams.
On Wednesday the 10th March we will hold a come try day after school at the school oval – all are welcome.
For enquiries or more information, please contact: Eamon O’Donoghue (club secretary) on 0406 566 463 or Dave Dwyer (club president) on 0403 977 575 or Michelle Kowalik on 0411 322 762.
Extracurricular Activities at Rosary
There are many extracurricular activities available onsite for our Rosary Students. Please note all of these activities attract a fee and are delivered by external providers. Please see the timetable below for details:
- French Lessons - Monday 3.10pm - 4.25pm
- Mandarin Lessons - Tuesday 3.10pm - 4.25pm
- Chess Club - Tuesday 3.10pm - 4.30pm
- Tae Kwon-Do - Monday 6.30pm - 8.30pm
- Artkids - Thursday 3.15pm - 5.15pm
- Italian Lessons - Friday 3.10pm - 4.25pm
- Musicorp (various instruments) / Piano Lessons - during class time
Please contact the school if you require further information.
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) Monday 5 October – Friday 17 December
Enjoying the tennis on TV? Play Tennis with an Official Tennis Canberra Coach.
BOOK A FREE JUNIOR TRIAL GROUP LESSON
www.tenniscanberra.com.au/try-tennis
- Junior Programs from ages 5-16
- North & South Canberra Tennis Canberra Venues
- All abilities from starter to advance
CONTACT TENNIS CANBERRA™
- E-mail: play@tenniscanberra.com.au
- Phone: 0416 186 121
Website: www.tenniscanberra.com.au
Australian Girls Choir – Canberra Open Day
Look no further than the Australian Girls Choir (AGC) because we encourage, challenge and inspire girls as they learn to sing, dance and perform. School aged girls are invited to come along to our Open Day on Saturday February 20 to try our fun and inclusive classes and learn more about being part of the AGC! Please visit our website to register to attend our free Open Day: https://ausgirlschoir.com.au/febopenday/
NOTICEBOARD