Our Lady of Lourdes Primary Newsletter

Term 4 Week 4, 29th October, 2021

Key Dates


Monday 1st November All Saints Day
Tuesday 14th DecemberLast Day of Term
Wednesday 15th December Staff Development Day
Friday 28th & Monday 31st January, 2022MAI Testing

THIRTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark

One of the scribes came up to Jesus and put a question to him, ‘Which is the first of all the commandments?’ Jesus replied, ‘This is the first: Listen, Israel, the Lord our God is the one Lord, and you must love the Lord you God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: You must love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.’ The scribe said to him, ‘Well spoken, Master; what you have said is true: that he is one and there is no other. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself, this is far more important than any holocaust or sacrifice.’ Jesus, seeing how wisely he had spoken, said, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ And after that no one dared to question him any more.

Living the Gospel – Love

Jesus reminds us ‘You must love your neighbour as yourself.’ There’s an unspoken, underlying idea here that is absolutely crucial. Before you can love your neighbour, you must first love yourself. To say that you love yourself today can imply a level of boastfulness or ego. However, what is required is a genuine love of self – an acceptance; a respect; a true valuing of self. Only then can we know how to treat others. When we ask ourselves how we would want to be treated it points us towards how we should treat others. What is summed up so simply by Jesus is a very tough ask!

 © Greg Sunter

ALL SAINTS DAY

On Monday we celebrate All Saints Day- a day dedicated to the saints of the Church.

Calling on the Saints

Saints play an important role in the devotional life of many Catholic people, but it is a role that causes some confusion for other traditions. Whilst all prayer is directed to God, sometimes that prayer may be directed through one of the Saints or a Saint is called upon to pray on behalf of the petitioner. Images of people kneeling before statues of Saints has led to a misconception that Catholics pray to Saints, rather than to God through the Saint. The Litany of the Saints, with its ‘Pray for us’ response, calls on the Saints to intercede for us.

© Creative Ministry Resources Pty Ltd

ALL SOULS DAY

On Tuesday we celebrate All Souls Day, a day for us to remember and pray for all those who have died. We pray for all those in our community who have died and gone before us and pray for their joyful reunion with you, their loving creator.

Sacrament of Reconciliation

Congratulations to all who received the Sacrament of Reconciliation this week. 

Return To School

It was wonderful to see all our students from K-6 return to school this week. I am sure the children enjoyed being back in class and having fun with their friends.

Covid Symptoms

Advice from NSW Health is that parents and carers should not send children to school if they are unwell, even if they have the mildest flu-like symptoms.  Schools will make arrangements for students who are unwell or have flu-like symptoms to be sent home.

If students are absent or have been sent home due to flu-like symptoms, they should not return until they have a negative COVID-19 test and are symptom-free.

Schools must sight the negative COVID-19 test result prior to allowing students  to return to school i.e. NSW Health or COVID-19 Testing Centre correspondence (SMS or email or hard copy) and/or a medical certificate must be provided to the school and a record of this kept by the school.

Computers and Readers

Dear Parents,  

If you borrowed any computers or readers during the lockdown period, could you please now return them to the school?

Many thanks for your cooperation.

Water Bottles

A reminder that all children bring their own labelled water bottle to school each day. 

ICAS Competitions 2021

Due to remote learning ICAS have extended the period that enrolled students can sit the assessments. We will be completing these assessments during the next two weeks.

IMPORTANT Canteen update

The canteen will no longer accept credits/I O U's , for this reason we strongly enrourage parents to open up a canteen school account  This can be used for student lunch orders, forgotten lunches and buying off the bench at recess and lunchtime. To open up a canteen account, please go to 

www.melstastybites.com then click on "Online Ordering". See instructions attached for further information. 

Lunch orders need to be placed via Flexi Schools or written on a paper bag brought in from home with the exact money placed inside before 9.30am .

Please see latest menu Melstastybites Menu

Setting up a Canteen Account

Please see attached.
Download

Staff Development Day

Wednesday 15th December, (Term 4, Week 11)  is a Professional Learning Day for the staff.

Therefore studnet's last day to attend school for 2021 is Tuesday 14th December. 

Please make alternate arrangements for your children on that day.

Outside School Hours Care 2022

Please see the attached information regarding Outside School hours Care 2022. This service will be conducted by an organisation within the Catholic Diocese of Parramatta. We thank Cubbyhouse for their cooperation and support over recent times.
Download

2022 School Travel Applications

Please see attached newsletter regarding travel applications.

Applications for student travel in 2022 opened on Tuesday 12 October 2021.

Students who need a School Opal card or travel pass for 2022 can apply now. A new application will need to be submitted if they are applying for a school travel pass for the first time, or if they are requesting an additional travel entitlement as a result of a new shared parental responsibility situation (e.g. joint custody).

Download

Library

Mathematics in the home

Summer Reading Challange

Parish News

Youth Ministry

We will be continuing with our online youth groups! Sessions take place weekly on Friday nights for those In Y5-12. The sessions themselves have a great focus on games and activities, and are an opportunity for youth to relax, and take a break from the different pressures and anxieties of the week. 

 If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact the youth office via email or mobile (youth@parishofbaulkhamhills.org.au | 0407 773 174). 

 Y5-8: Online youth group is back this Friday, from 7-7:30PM (with the room open for you to join from 6:50-7PM).  

If you are interested in signing up for wither group and receiving a zoom link, complete the registration form below (please note if you have already filled the form you will receive the link i.e. there is no need to fill the form out twice).

Registration Form: https://tinyurl.com/k3hnf6jb

Kind Regards,

Paul Fam

Youth Minister 

Parish of Baulkham Hills, NSW

Children's Rosary

Community News

Skoolbag App- Have you downloaded the app?

Skoolbag is the school’s primary avenue for immediate communication with parents.

Skoolbag is a communication app which all parents are strongly advised to install on their smartphones, ipads etc. 

Our Lady of Lourdes Primary