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Newsletter Week 4
Children's Week 2021
Each year Children’s Week is marked in Australia in the third week of October to acknowledge Australia ratifying the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC ) in 1990. Children’s Week is an opportunity for children to celebrate and for adults to reflect on ensuring that we are doing everything in our power to ensure that children’s rights are upheld and that all children have the opportunity to thrive.
The theme for 2021 Children’s Week is based on Article 15 of the UNCRC - Children have the right to choose their own friends and safely connect with others.
This year, Universal Children's Day in Australia is celebrated today, October 27.
Lord God, we thank you for the gift of knowledge!
We praise you, that you provide us with brains to think and question the world around us.
We pray that you would help our children learn well and flourish.
May they discover their unique talents and gifts.
Give them a passion for the world around them.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord.
Amen
Student Drop Off
Parents will continue to be able to use Kiss & Drop in the usual places on Powell St as well as near the hall gates on the basketball court. This will mean that there will be NO PARKING on the basketball court in the morning. This is in keeping with guidelines to separate students as much as possible and not to have parents congregating around school entrances.
Kiss & Collect from Basketball Court
This commences at 2.50pm. All students should be collected no later than 3.20pm - after this time, any students still here will be taken back to the office.
Student Pick-Up by 3.30pm
All students should have been collected by 3.30pm unless parents have notified the school office. Delays, unfortunately, do impact staff who are involved in meetings and personal commitments.
OOSH 6.30am - 6.30pm
Catholiccare OOSH services operate out of the school hall during the above times. Please make contact with Catholiccare (see Louise in the office for details) if you would like details / costs for this service. No children should be at school before 8.15am as they are unsupervised. OOSH provides a fun, safe environment where children get breakfast or afternoon tea.
Classes 2022
As usual at this time of the year, parents are invited to communicate with me if they have any concerns regarding their child’s learning in 2022. This is not an opportunity to pick and choose your child’s teacher but a time where you can let me know about your child’s learning style, friendship issues, etc. Ultimately we can only split students into one of two classes. While I will take onboard parental concerns, I cannot guarantee all requests will be met. Communication from parents must be received by Friday, 29 October.
Hair Styles
As part of the transition back to normal routines, I ask parents to be aware of the uniform requirements and school guidelines around hair styles. In saying that, I am aware that there is a 3 month backlog of barber/hairdresser appointments so I am not expecting things to happen overnight.
First Day Back At School
Learning Labs
The University of Wollongong invites our students to LITTLE and EARLY LEARNING LABS, an academic and creative arts enrichment holiday program. We are targeting students from Year 1 to 6 who are passionate, self-motivated and curious learners.
Dates: Little Learning Labs (Years 1 and 2): 10th – 12th January 2022
Early Learning Labs (Years 3 to 6): 17th – 21st January 2022
Venue: University of Wollongong (Wollongong campus only)
Applications close: Wednesday, 17th November 2021
School Birthdays
27 October 2021 - 2 November 2021
Happy Birthday:
Bowen Saunders, Teni Ogunniyi, Aria Pantsos, Christopher Wojewodka, James Young, Ruby Baker, Blair Murphy, Gabriel, Badakhsh.
Happy Birthday
NO AWARDS THIS WEEK
St Therese School Facebook Page
www.facebook.com/westwollongong.sttherese
School Vision Statement
“St Therese Primary School – a dynamic, Catholic community
educating and empowering learners for life’s journey.”
PARISH
Dear Parishioners,
As mentioned in my communication on Sunday, we begin public Masses this weekend, 23-24 October, with 6pm Saturday Vigil and 8am Sunday Mass at Unanderra, and 10am and 5pm Sunday Masses at West Wollongong, followed by usual weekday and weekend Mass timetable.
Having met with Immaculate Conception and St Therese (ICAST) PPCs last night, we have decided upon the following:
PUBLIC HEALTH REQUIREMENTS
As per the Diocesan Directives (attached):
- Vaccination is encouraged but not mandatory
- Masks must be worn inside the church
- 4 square metre rule applies at this time
- No congregational singing at this time
- Strong hygiene practices will be maintained
- QR Registration
REGISTRATION PROCESS
There will be no pre-registration for Masses. That process was demanding in terms of admin hours, and we will need to ensure ready availability of digitized records at short notice to the government in case of a Covid case. All attending Mass will be asked to use the Service NSW QR Code at first, and if unable to do so, the monitors will sign you in using a parish QR code.
4 SQUARE METRE CAPACITY LIMIT
Given that there will be no pre-registration, and the 4 square metre capacity, there is a chance that we will reach capacity at Sunday Masses. Based on average Mass counts this will be most likely at the Sunday Morning Masses. We ask your understanding if this occurs as monitors are legally bound to maintain 4 square metre rule (86 at WW, 96 at Unanderra)
7PM SUNDAY MASS DURING OCTOBER-NOVEMBER (STAGE 2)
During stage 2 only, starting this weekend, I will celebrate an additional 7pm Mass at St Therese on Sundays. Many are unable to attend such a late Sunday Mass. If you yourself are able to attend, please consider doing so to free up spaces at the 4 standard Sunday Masses. Only if attending this Mass please email Melissa at unanderra@dow.org.au
IF YOU ARE RELUCTANT TO ATTEND PUBLIC MASSES AT THIS TIME
We understand that some are concerned about attending public Mass during stage 2 as churches are among the only venues allowing "mixing" of vaccinated and unvaccinated. If you are concerned for this reason, please do not hesitate to contact us, and we will do our best to organize Communion to be brought to you at home. (All ministers attending your home will be double vaccinated.)
RECONCILIATION
Normal times for Reconciliation to resume from 5pm Saturday 23rd October, please refer to the weekly bulletin this Friday for the details. In addition, Fr Jerzy will be offering Reconciliation from Monday 25th October until Saturday 30th October after Mass as needed.
BAPTISMS
We are in the process of rescheduling baptisms that were postponed during lockdown. For any new requests please contact Kathy at the Parish Office (email: westwollongong@dow.org.au any time or call 4229 1074 on Tuesdays 9am-3pm).
God bless you all,
Fr Duane
Calendar Dates 2021
October 2021
29 - World Teachers Day
November 2021
1 - All Saints Day
2 - All Souls Day
5 - Year 6 Excursion to Canberra - CANCELLED
11 - Remembrance Day
December 2021
3 - Whole School Mass - End of Year - TBC
8 - Reports released to Parents
13 - 7pm Confirmation Ceremony - Immaculate Conception, Unanderra
14 - 7pm Confirmation Ceremony - St Therese, West Wollongong
15 - Last Day Term 4 Students
17 - Last day Term 4 Teachers and Staff
January 2022
26 - Australia Day
27 - Student Vacation (Pupil Free Day)
28 - Term 1 Begins - Student Vacation (Pupil Free Day) - Staff Return
31 - Student Vacation (Pupil Free Day)
February 2022
1 - Students Return
Best Start Assessments commence
7 - Best Start Asessments conclude
8 - Kindergarten 2022 commences