St Canice's Primary School Newsletter

Dear Parents and Carers,

I wrote to you at length last week so will be brief on this occasion!

As I write, our Cross Country runners are competing at Eastern Creek. Good luck to them all and many thanks to those parents who transported children other than their own to the event to enable them to participate. Thank you also to Ms Kylie and Mr White for all the organising behind the scenes.

Pentecost Sunday is on 23 May. We will have another big event 

on Monday 24 May to mark this liturgical milestone in the 

Church’s calendar and to also launch our Positive Behaviours 

Plan. You may have heard the children talk about lyrebird tokens 

if not, ask them to tell you all about how to earn a token. This is 

all connected to our Positive Behaviours Plan, details of which 

will be revealed in the weeks ahead. Again, can I thank those 

generous parents in our community who have been helping us 

get the tokens ready for distribution.

Miriam Meaney, Principal

Dear Mothers and Carers,

You are invited to the St Canice's Mother's Day Mass

Wednesday 5th May

9am

Followed by Morning Tea at school

Please bring a small plate to share.

Students will also have the opportunity to purchase a gift from the Mother's Day Stall, gifts are available for $5 & $10.

Please ensure your child comes to school with correct money in a sealed and labelled package

The children can’t wait! I am very grateful to the Mums who are helping us with the event and to Mrs Wedesweiler, who is coordinating it. 

Lord Jesus Christ, You chose to put yourself—tiny, needy and helpless—into the nurturing and watchful hands of a human mother. 

Since then, every act of mothering, both physical and spiritual, in every time and every corner of the world recollects Mary’s. 

Inspired by this example, we, too, honour our mothers and mother figures today. 

Bless these women, that they may be strengthened as Christian mothers and nurturers. 

Let the example of their faith and love shine forth. 

Grant that we, their sons and daughters, honour them always with a spirit of profound respect.

We ask this in your holy name. Amen.

All the best to Stage 3 as they head to Yarramundi for their camp. How exciting, especially since last year’s camp had to be cancelled.

Stay safe and have fun, students and teachers!

The children and their teachers will enjoy a host of outdoor activities, challenging their resilience and developing many skills including  problem-solving and team work.

Thanks to all of our Stage 3 parents who have supported the children in getting ready and a big thank you to Mrs Karatovic, Ms Morley, Ms Taylor (Ferey), Mr McCarthy and to Mr White who will be present. Mrs Meaney will visit on Friday.

With all of this happening, there will be no assembly on Friday this week. Students will continue to have Sport on Friday.

We shared the sad news of the death of Ms Magann’s brother with you last week. We continue to keep her in our prayers and look forward to her return to us in the weeks ahead. Ms Honeyman has not returned this term as she is unwell. We wish a return to full health for her and she is in our thoughts and prayers. We are blessed to have staff who can replace our teachers when such inevitabilities arise. My thanks to Mr Christopher Scanlan and Ms Margaret Ryan who are working alongside Mrs Karatovic in Stage 3. We are ensuring that Ms Honeyman’s attention to students with diverse learning needs is being carried on by our teaching teams under Mr White’s leadership.

NAPLAN is on the 

horizon and Mr White has provided great information for our 

Year 3 and 5 community. Our thanks to the parent helpers who are providing breakfast for our students on three of the NAPLAN testing mornings. We believe that this will be a great incentive to get to school and will feed all of those hungry brains ahead of the assessments.

We have a number of children preparing for their First Communion, which will take place on Sunday, 6 June at St Canice’s Church. The Parish sacramental program for First Communion commences this Sunday, 2 May and will continue for 5 weeks. Should you have any enquiries about First Eucharist for your child, please contact Mrs Wedesweiler

This year, we are hosting a Biggest Morning Tea to help Cancer Council raise vital funds for Cancer Council in honour of Mr Geerligs and those in our community who have been impacted by cancer. – and we would love for you to join us for this great cause!

Wednesday 26th May

9am

In the St Canice’s Hall 

Entry: Please make a donation to our fundraising page

https://www.biggestmorningtea.com.au/fundraisers/stcanices/nsw 

Raffle: We will be holding a major raffle with ample amazing prizes that have been kindly donated by organisations from around our Blue Mountains Community.                                               

Tickets are $2 each or 3 for $5.

Prizes include: 

$250 gift card to Pins on Lurline 

2 course dinner in the Jamison View Restaurant at the Mountain Heritage, 

High Tea at Bygone Beauties 

A variety of Gift Vouchers from Madame Lash Lift and Tint, Cattlefish, Blue Mountains Food Co-Op, Bras Kada Bras, Katoomba Music Store, Katoomba Work Gear, Megalong Books, Mitre 10, Sage Nails and Beauties, The Source Bulk Foods & Wilde Ivy

$150 Gift pack from Chris Wolfe Hair 

$189 Dermatonics Gift Pack 

A variety of DIY kits from Bunnings, including a raised garden bed, hanging planters, ceramic kit and mosaic kits.

If you would like to purchase a ticket, please send in correct money to the office and your ticket will be sent home with your child, or you can pop in to the office and purchase directly 

(EFTPOS Unavailable).

We can’t wait to get together and share some tasty treats, all while helping create a cancer free future.

If you can’t make it, you can still help make a difference by donating to our fundraising page or purchasing tickets for the raffle.    

Every dollar helps!

Many thanks to Kellie Clarke’s Dad, Dave Lethbridge, who spoke so movingly to our students about the effect of war on those who have fought in the past to protect us and to support our allies.

 Parents are invited to gather and chat in Sister Colleen’s Room before Assemblies. If you would like to book the room, please contact the office. 

All visitors will be required to sign in at the office for both the CEDP Visitors Register and the NSW Health QR code.

Mr White and Mrs Rana accompanied our Sydney Writers’ Festival winners to Sydney last Friday to hear from writers such as Emily Rodda about being an author. What an opportunity for our budding writers! On the subject of authors, my thanks to Nancy Wolthers who passed on a signed copy of Emily Rodda’s latest book to us, signed by Emily herself and dedicated to St Canice’s! 

School attendance is a legal requirement. As we approach Winter, punctuality and attendance get harder for some. Please work with us in getting your child to school on time each day and for ensuring he / she is at school for a full day of learning.

Please consider others when parking your car in the morning and afternoon. If Studleigh Place is full, why not get your child into the habit of walking with you from the extensive parking area adjacent to KMart / Woollies etc.

Families who wish to engage therapists to work with children on site should contact the school to arrange an appointment with Ms Meaney.

Thank you to those parents who have already been in contact.

School attendance is compulsory for children over the age of 6 years until the minimum school leaving age of 17 years (students may leave earlier only to attend TAFE or work in full time employment). The Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta has a set standard for all schools that every student be present at school for at least 90% of the time. 

To achieve this student absences need to be minimised. While we understand the impact of COVID and the need to keep children who are sick at home we need to balance this with the impacts on student learning.

Additionally students who have been ill due to COVID related symptoms have provided the school information and certificates that explains this illness and this will be acknowledged. 

It is a requirement of all schools to acknowledge, inform and follow up student attendance patterns and absences. 

This week letters will be mailed to families if students have had patterns of absences forming. This information may be confronting for some families, we ask that you work with us to understand student absences and develop strategies to improve attendance if required.

For students  arriving late to school, we ask that students  are walked to the office by their parent/carer so they can receive a late note. It is unsafe to let your child wander down the driveway unaccompanied by a parent.  We are currently having a large number of students arriving late, thank you for your patience while we are entering late arrivals into the computer.

I want to thank all parents for their continued support in this area and for maximising student attendance in what has been a challenging time.

Diocesan Cross Country

Goodluck to our 19 students that are representing St Canices today at the Parramatta Diocesan Cross Country carnival at Eastern Creek. These students are competing against other schools within our Dioceses. Many thanks to all the parents who have offered their assistance with transportation down to the venue. 

Sporting Sports Grant 

St Canices received a sports grant at the end of last term. This funding has been used to deliver an Athletics program for all stages at our school over four weeks.  The Athletics program is a standardised games-based program (not traditional track and field) and is mapped to the Australian curriculum with the goal of coaching fundamental movement skills with a focus on fun and participation. Coach Danny’s  Athletics program is held on Fridays and started back in Week 1 this term.

Rolling your way Presentation

On Tuesday 11th May, each stage will have an hour long presentation about living with a disability/life in a wheelchair as well as receive some important information about road safety.  There will be interactive sessions where children can ask questions, Then students will have the opportunity to form two teams, jump into wheelchairs and play a game of wheelchair basketball. 

Stage 2 Futsal

The gala day will be held at Katoomba Aquatic Centre on Friday 14th May. We have two teams participating in the fun filled day which is run by Mrs Kondek.  We are pleased to announce that the covid restrictions at the aquatic centre have been lifted, so parents, carers and spectators are welcomed to attend. 

Please ensure that you check in with the QR code at the front desk of the sports centre before making your way to the courts. 

Kind Regards, 

Kylie Ranson 

The Stage 2 Futsal Gala Day will be held on Friday 14th May 2021.

Parents of school-age children are reminded to register for their Active Kids and Creative Kids vouchers. The NSW Government’s Active Kids program provides  vouchers for parents, guardians and carers of school-enrolled children to use towards sport and active recreation costs each year and also vouchers that can be redeemed for creative activities  such as drama & visual arts. Creative Kids vouchers are also available to be redeemed for creative activities and craft supplies.To find out more information on how to apply please visit www.service.nsw.gov.au

Mothers Day Celebrations - Wednesday 5th May

Stage 3 Yarramundi Camp - Thursday 6th - Friday 7th May

NAPLAN Breakfast -

Year 3 - Tuesday 11th May

Year 5 - Wednesday 12th May

Year 3 & Year 5 - Thursday 13th May

Stage 2 Futsal Gala Day - Friday 14th May

Dear parents and carers, This year Ms Frazer has a tiny school choir. At this stage we have no year 6s, two year 5s, five stage 2s and two stage 1s. It will be almost impossible to create a strong, solid sound and confident harmony with such a small number of students. If you know your child loves to sing, or wants to sing, can you please encourage them to join choir? Ms Frazer would love to see them there on Wednesday (even weeks) at recess in the conservatorium.Thanks so much!

Choir is on Wednesday every even week at recess in the conservatorium. Students need to bring their recess and their voices.

For those students participating in private lessons, please ensure your child brings their instrument to school on the following days

Ensemble - Wednesday Morning 8.20am - 9am with Bonita Silva

Violin Lessons & Strings Program - Wednesday with Ms Frazer & Ms Silva

Cello - Friday with Paul Smith

We are now taking enrolments for Kindergarten 2022, if you know of people looking for a school for their child (even if it is for the other grades), please let them know about St Canice’s. The power of your words of recommendation has an enormous effect on our enrolments. Let’s keep working together to make St Canice’s that great school that has been in operation for the past 120 years.

Building Child Safe Communities - Volunteer Undertaking

Dear Parents/Carers 

All Volunteers have until 30th September 2020 to submit a new Undertaking in the new system.

In Catholic Education Diocese Parramatta (CEDP), we see parents and carers as partners in your child's learning journey. Parents and carers are encouraged to become involved in our schools in many important ways such as supporting classroom learning, being part of advisory groups, mentoring programs, coaching sporting teams and supporting other extra-curricular activities and other kinds of help.

A range of checks and undertakings are required for people who work for or provide services to CEDP. These checks reduce potential risk and form part of our strategy to build child safe communities.

CEDP has launched a new Building Child Safe Communities form and online training module that all volunteers are required to complete. 

The purpose of this training is to inform you of the standards of behaviour and other requirements that must be adhered to when volunteering for CEDP.

The undertaking should take no more than 5 minutes to complete and the training module approximately 10 minutes. Once the form and training modules are submitted, an automated email will be sent to you within two business days to confirm the status of your submission.

The undertaking form will expire within two years or when your Working With Children Check expires (if applicable), whichever is sooner. At that time you will need to complete the undertaking form and training module again. You will receive an automatic reminder email when this occurs. 

Further information on the new online form and training module can be found at www.parra.catholic.edu.au and clicking on about us/building child safe communities. Within the form you will also find help sheets and a video tutorial to assist you. 

Thank you in advance for your support.

St Mary of the Cross MacKillop Parish

Parish Administrator Fr John McSweeney

 Presbytery Contact  Ph: 02 4782 2804

                                     Fax: 02 4782 6090

Website: marymackillopupperbluemountains.org.au

Monday 8.30am Friday 12.00pm Saturday 9.00am Sunday 10.00am

Saturday 9.30am Confession outside this time is available on request

Saturday Cenacle Rosary and Consecration following benediction after 9am Mass

1st Friday of month, 12.30pm

Fridays (Except 1st Friday) 12.30pm

Benediction Saturdays following 9am Mass

Sundays 12.00pm to 1.00pm

4th Monday of month - 6pm