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- Principal's Report
- Religious Education
- Sports News
- Mt Carmel Annual Easter Hat Parade
- 2AH Happiness Spreads Happiness
- Piper Incursion - Year 2
- Premier's Reading Challenge
- Coordinator Merits
- Stage 3 Inquiry Mathematics
- St Patrick's Day Photos
- KNB Making Patterns in Maths
- Lost Property
- Uniform Shop - New Girls' Winter Pants Now Available
- Daramalan Open Evening and Enrolment Flyer
- Streetbeat - 90's Neon Dance Party Invitation
- Spinifex Tennis - Easter Tennis Camp
- NRL Holiday Clinic
- Holiday Happenings
Dear Parents, Teachers and Students,
NSWCPS Swimming
Congratulations to Brooke Reardon, Grace Ryan and Jack Ryan who represented the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn at the New South Wales Catholic Primary Schools Swimming Carnival at Homebush on Monday. Well done to each of you for your hard work and magnificent achievement.
Cross Country
Because of the large amount of rainfall this week, we will be postponing both the K-2 and 3-6 Cross Country Carnivals until early next term, as both our school oval and Walker Park are unlikely to be sufficiently dry to safely run the event by Friday. The new date will be communicated as soon as it is finalised. The Northern Region Cross Country is scheduled to be held on Friday 7 May, Week 3, next term.
Yass Show
Mt Carmel School was very well represented at the Yass Show on the weekend. In the class art displays, KNB, Year 1, 4TC and 4SS were all Highly Commended, KJG and 3MA awarded a third placing, 2LS a second placing and 2AH and 5/6TD a first placing. We also had many students awarded for individual submissions, including some First Place and Champion awards in categories including baking, produce, lego, and equestrian—well done to you all! After a year of cancellations, it is wonderful for our community to be able to enjoy events such as this again.
Holy Week
In preparation for the celebration of Easter, we will be holding a Palm Sunday Prayer Assembly on Monday Morning led by Year 1 and a school-wide Stations of the Cross journey on Holy Thursday, commencing with a reenactment of the Last Supper at a morning Prayer Assembly with Fr Peter, led by Year 3. The Stations of the Cross will be set as prayer spaces, created by individual classes, in various locations throughout the school, and each class will make their journey through the Stations at different times throughout the day. Because this will be predominantly an indoor event this year, we are unable to invite parents to attend. We will, however, share an online version with the school community via our usual channels.
Easter Bonnet Parade
Next Wednesday 31 March at 12:30pm, we will be holding the Mt Carmel Annual Easter Bonnet Parade under the shade cloth in the playground. All students are encouraged to create an Easter Bonnet out of materials from around the home; reuse, recycle and be creative! Being an outdoor event, we have enough space to accommodate parents who would like to enjoy the spectacle of the parade, but it is important, for our COVID-Safe operation, for all visitors to the parade to check in with the NSW Service app and to ensure that appropriate social-distancing is maintained whilst on school grounds.
Parent-Teacher Interviews
Parent-Teacher Interviews commenced yesterday and will continue this afternoon and tomorrow. If any parent wished to make a booking for an interview and has not yet done so, please contact the school office; most teachers still have space for additional bookings. A general reminder that parents are always welcome to contact their child’s teacher to organise a meeting if there are important matters to discuss.
Parent-Teacher Interviews are a substantial commitment outside of regular school hours, so I would like to publicly thank our wonderful teachers for the valuable work that they do at Mt Carmel School.
School Uniform
After the school holidays we return in winter school uniform. I would like to request parent support to ensure that each child is complying with school uniform requirements. We hope wearing the uniform is a source of pride for our students in identifying themselves as a Mt Carmel School student. Students should be wearing the correct school hat, in Terms 1 and 4, and school jumper; and although it is an honour to be selected for representative sports, souvenir apparel is not part of our school uniform. Please ensure that all uniform items are clearly labelled on the inside so that if misplaced it is easily returned. Likewise the full school sports uniform should be worn on Tuesdays and Fridays. We need to collectively maintain the high standard of wearing the correct uniform items, which reflects our pride in our School. I thank you for your attention to this.
After a big clean-out of lost property, we have a number of school jumpers, in various conditions and sizes, all with no discernible name. Until the end of term, these jumpers will be available to inspect at the school office and for sale to any family, for the price of a small donation to Project Compassion.
May God’s peace be in your families,
Michael Green
Principal
GOSPEL: John 12:20-33
Among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. These approached Philip, who came from Bethsaida in Galilee, and put this request to him, 'Sir, we should like to see Jesus.' Philip went to tell Andrew, and Andrew and Philip together went to tell Jesus. Jesus replied to them: Now the hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified. In all truth I tell you, unless a wheat grain falls into the earth and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies it yields a rich harvest. Anyone who loves his life loses it; anyone who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me, must follow me, and my servant will be with me wherever I am. If anyone serves me, my Father will honour him. Now my soul is troubled. What shall I say: Father, save me from this hour? But it is for this very reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name! A voice came from heaven, 'I have glorified it, and I will again glorify it.' The crowd standing by, who heard this, said it was a clap of thunder; others said, 'It was an angel speaking to him.' Jesus answered, 'It was not for my sake that this voice came, but for yours. 'Now sentence is being passed on this world; now the prince of this world is to be driven out. And when I am lifted up from the earth, I shall draw all people to myself.' By these words he indicated the kind of death he would die.
REFLECTION
As Holy Week begins to draw near, the Gospels begin to prepare us for the unfolding drama of Holy Week. In the each Gospel this week, there are hints of the drama that will unfold in the days ahead.
Today’s Gospel begins as some of the Greeks who were in Jerusalem for Passover went to Philip and told him that they would like to see Jesus. The Greeks had recently arrived. How had they heard about Jesus? Had word of Jesus and his teaching and miracles spread to Greece? Or had these Greeks simply heard stories about Jesus since they arrived in Jerusalem?
Philip and Andrew told Jesus that these Greeks wished to see him and also hear him speak. However, Jesus did not focus on the Greeks’ desire to meet him. He doesn’t respond to what Philip and Andrew just told him. Rather, Jesus began to prepare his disciples for the events that would unfold in the next few days. Jesus tells them that the hour has come. He also tells them that he would be glorified. Jesus then uses the image of a grain of wheat that has to fall into the ground and ultimately die. Only after dying, would the wheat be able to produce fruit! Did his disciples understand what Jesus was saying? Or was he just confusing them?
Jesus then tells his disciples that he is deeply troubled. Jesus realized that pain, sorrow and death were in his future. Can you imagine the emotion, pain and fear that Jesus must have been experiencing? True, Jesus was God. However, he also was fully human. Yes, he was committed to this path. Did he also experience fear, sorrow and loss? And how would Mary, his mother, deal with his impending death? He was all she had.
Jesus had committed himself to this journey and to his people. Jesus is choosing to do this to glorify God’s name. Then Jesus hears a voice speaking to him from heaven, affirming him in his decision to glorify God’s name. What a comfort it must have been when Jesus heard God’s voice from heaven reassuring him. What a wonderful gift to receive. This experience must have strengthened Jesus for the path that he would walk!
In our lives, we also have moments like Jesus, when we know we need to take a path that will be difficult and painful. Are we willing to surrender ourselves into God’s hands? Do we trust God to be with us, to grace? Do we believe that God also will strengthen and console us? Do we trust that we will not be alone on this journey?
Jesus was human! He experienced many of the unpleasant realities of life that we all have to deal with. Yet, he completely trusted his Father, his God, to support and help him on every step of his journey. Today may we ask Jesus to give us a share of Jesus’ trust and faith in God! And may we say yes to what life is asking of us at this time in our lives! Truly God is and will be with us! (Sr Kristine Anne Harpenau)
PROJECT COMPASSION: HALIMA FROM BANGLADESH
Halima is raising two children under seven in a refugee camp in Bangladesh, while caring for her mother who has a disability. Widowed at just 21, Halima fled violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State in 2017, arriving at the camp with nothing.
Caritas Australia, through its partner, Caritas Bangladesh, helped Halima out with a shelter and cooking equipment so that she could feed her family. She participated in hygiene and sanitation training and took on the role of community trainer herself, organising the cleaning of washrooms, wells and toilets.
Halima’s training became all the more invaluable as the COVID-19 pandemic struck - when safe hygiene and preventative measures suddenly became lifesaving.
Halima is proud that she is able to earn a small income, while maintaining the health of her family and the cleanliness of the camp community. Her children are adapting to life in the camp and are now at school.
Halima aspired to ‘Be More’ for her family and for the community around her.
“My hope is that our children will be able to do a job, to live with pleasure, they will find their happiness - that will bring wellbeing for them,” Halima says.
Please remember to send in your donations for Project Compassion and help make the world a fairer place for all. Let us be more!
Thanks to your wonderful generosity and combined with our St Patrick's Day fundraising last week, we have currently raised a total of $1610.00
PALM SUNDAY
On Sunday we commence our Holy Week celebrations with Palm Sunday.
Palm Sunday is the final Sunday of Lent, the beginning of Holy Week, and commemorates the triumphant arrival of Christ in Jerusalem, days before he was crucified.
Palm Sunday is known as such because the faithful will often receive palm fronds which they use to participate in the reenactment of Christ's arrival in Jerusalem. In the Gospels, Jesus entered Jerusalem riding a young donkey, and to the lavish praise of the townspeople who threw clothes, or possibly palms or small branches, in front of him as a sign of homage. This was a customary practice for people of great respect.
Palm branches are widely recognised symbol of peace and victory, hence their preferred use on Palm Sunday.
The use of a donkey instead of a horse is highly symbolic, it represents the humble arrival of someone in peace, as opposed to arriving on a steed in war.
A week later, Christ would rise from the dead on the first Easter.
We will be celebrating Palm Sunday on Monday morning at 9am.
God Bless,
Warren Ziebowski
Religious Education Coordinator
School Cross Country
Due to the extreme wet weather this week, we will postpone our carnival until Term 2.
Canberra Goulburn Netball Championships
The Canberra Goulburn Championships will be held at Southwell Park on 29/3/21.
All students that are trialling for the Canberra Goulburn team are to complete the online registration through the CSNSW Sport Website; https://csnsw.sport/help/help-guide-for-parents
Canberra Goulburn Rugby League Trials
The Canberra Goulburn Rugby League trials will be held at Taylor Park 1B Yass Road, Queanbeyan on 29/3/21. All students that are trialling for the Canberra Goulburn team are to complete the online registration through the CSNSW Sport Website; https://csnsw.sport/help/help-guide-for-parents
U11’s – 9:00am – 12 noon
Opens – 12:30pm – 2:30pm
School Sports shirt. Football Shorts and Socks and all protective gear that is worn. Please note that Mouthguards are Compulsory – Headgear is strongly recommended.
Ted Dunstan
Sports Coordinator
Mt Carmel Annual Easter Hat Parade
Students will parade with their class.
Parents are invited and asked to be mindful of the 1.5m social distancing requirement.
We look forward to sharing this enjoyable event with you.
Trish O’Dell
Primary Coordinator
Year 2 were treated to a visit from Ken Fraser today. He played his bag pipes and told the students some wonderful stories from his time in Ireland.
https://youtu.be/_xVPu2rghb8
Hello everyone,
The Premier's Reading Challenge is a fantastic initiative and I encourage all students to participate.
The K-2 Challenge doesn't require students to be able to read independently; they are able to have books read to them. For older students, they are able to listen to audio books and read along with the books.
Use this link to view the rules so you can see what the challenge involves.
Now that the PRC site is back in working order, I can upload new students to the challenge. I am trying using an online form this year - fingers crossed it works - and I will email through usernames and passwords. Please use this link to register your child as participating in the PRC in 2021. Please note that you will need to fill in a form for each child participating in the challenge.
Please email me with any questions or queries.
Keep reading,
Jaclyn Green
PRC Coordinator
jaclyn.green@cg.catholic.edu.au
Congratulations to the recipients of this week's Coordinator Merits, which focused on 'Stay Safe'.
KJG Madison McGurk George Pidgeon |
KNB Evelyn Platt Oliver Irwin |
1EK Claire Coster Maxwell Gold |
1SS Isabelle Davis Atticus Gilchrist |
2AH Bonnie Maxwell Benjamin Webster |
2LS Amelia Pandoo Jackson Harvey |
3JR Isabelle Dunstan Tommy Markota |
3MA Lola Finnangan Ekaterina Mulcair |
3ML Sophie Connell-Hewlett FletcherDouglas |
4SS Emily Ryan Isabelle Hewlett |
4TC Emily Foran James Lynne |
5/6EG Neve Luckie Elliott Barnes |
5/6GZ Georgina Burke Yossarian Baker |
5/6TD Ava Walker Lyle Arnold |
Merits will be presented at Thursday morning's assembly.
Next week, teachers will focus on 'Be Fair'.
As part of their Inquiry Mathematics Unit, Stage 3 are designing a new garden for the infants playground.
The Lost Property box has been cleared this week. All un-named, non-uniform items are being sent to St Vincent de Paul.
All un-named uniform items will be in the school office from tomorrow along with un-named drink bottles and lunch boxes. Parents are encouraged to call in as soon as possible and inspect the uniforms for any items that may be missing from home.
From Monday 29 March, all unclaimed un-named uniform items will be avilable to purchase in exchange for a gold coin donation. Any funds raised will be donated to Project Compassion.
On Wednesday next week, all items left in Lost Property will be donated to St Vincent de Paul.
Uniform Shop - New Girls' Winter Pants Now Available
The Mt Carmel School Uniform Shop is open each Tuesday afternoon between 2.30pm– 4.00pm during school terms.
The new style of Girls' Winter Pants have arrived. Please pop into the shop and try them on. They have an adjustable waist and are a great fit.
Ordering Options - Uniform orders can be placed online via Qkr! or by order form, which can be collected and paid for from the front office.
All Qkr! orders placed before 2pm each Tuesday will be bundled up and sent home with your child on Wednesday afternoon.
Please note that if the incorrect size/item is ordered or the size selected does not fit correctly, please return the item along with a note regarding changes required and the correct size/item can be sent home.