St Bernadette's Primary School Dundas Valley

Newsletter 2022 Term 3 Week 2

FROM THE PRINCIPAL...

Dear Families of St Bernadette's

A few points to clarify:

One of the concerns raised by some parents recently is the confusion around a number of items that have changed due to the change in restrictions. I apologise for this confusion and I hope this clears it up.

  • Parents are allowed back onsite before and after school with access via the front gate.

  • The back gate will remain closed in the afternoon until the teacher on duty opens it at 3:05pm. It will be open in the morning from next week by the teacher on duty and closed once the students go into class at 8.55am.

  • Assemblies will begin this week on Fridays of even weeks from 2.30pm. We will now go back to the practice of letting parents know if their child is receiving Principal or Assistant Principal awards on the Thursday before the assembly. At present we have been advised that anyone attending is to wear a mask until further notice.

A couple of other items I have been asked to discuss:

  • Blocking priest’s and neighbours driveways: It has come to my attention that some parents are parking across driveways in the afternoons which has caused residents to be blocked in or out of their residence. This can be very distressing and would be an issue if emergency vehicles need to be allowed access. Unfortunately, one resident remarked that when they asked one of our parents to move their car they were treated quite rudely. Please let's work together and try to be more mindful of others.

  • Doing U Turns in Cox Crescent - While I understand that Cox Crescent can be difficult to navigate, it is safer than making these kinds of turns in a school zone. Regardless of whether there is traffic or not, please refrain from this action.

We have enjoyed having parents back onsite and we hope that you and your family stay safe and well in the coming weeks.

Stay well and take care, 

Love & Light  

Lisa Gerrard

(on behalf of the St Bernadette’s staff & students)

FROM THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL...

On Monday of Week 1, the staff participated in some professional development around the new Kindergarten - Yr 2 English and Mathematics syllabus. This update to the syllabus has come about to ensure we are preparing our students for the 21st century. The aim of both syllabus’ is to enable students to understand and use language (including the language of mathematics) efficiently and effectively.

The English K–2 syllabus includes a new structure that highlights foundational literacy skills, the connections across oral language, reading fluency, comprehension and writing, all supported by the latest research.

The new Mathematics syllabus highlights the importance of quantity, the different representations of quantity, the links between measurement, space and number and understand how number structures are organised. Students will see how important mathematics is in their everyday lives and how mathematics can help them in solving a variety of problems. 

The NSW Education Standards Authority will be updating the Stage 2 and 3 syllabus for English and Mathematics in the coming months and years. As these are updated, we will have further information available as to how parents can support their children at home and instill a love of learning across all Key Learning Areas.  

Have a wonderful week, 

Jackie Willard

Assistant Principal

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION...

Sunday 31st July 2022

REFLECTION by Dianne Bergant CSA

Both the first reading and the psalm response speak about the transitoriness of life.  Life is all we have and it is so fragile, so fleeting.  When we realise this, we may fear that in the end we will have nothing to show for our lives.  Such thoughts show that we have not learned the most basic lesson of life – life is to be lived!

The goods of the earth are both good and essential for survival and advancement.  However, they do not satisfy the deepest longings of the human spirit.  They provide us with pleasure and challenge, but they cannot shield us from the transitoriness of life itself.  In the face of such impermanence, they are ultimately worthless.  Life itself is the far greater good; goods only enhance life.

Recognising the transitoriness of life and the vanity of goods, we come to see that the only reality worthy of our total commitment is our relationship with God in Christ.  Though made of dust and thus subject to perishability, we are joined with Christ and are promised imperishability.  Having died to the vanities of this world, having taken off our old selves with their evil desires, we can now live as a new self, in generosity rather than greed, with openness to others rather than religious or gender or social biases.  In our commitment to Christ we will discover that we can transform what is transitory in life by giving it away in love.  If we can live in this way, life is anything but vanity!

Grandparents Day

Saints Joachim and Anne

In the Scriptures, Matthew and Luke furnish a legal family history of Jesus, tracing ancestry to show that Jesus is the culmination of great promises. Not only is his mother’s family neglected, we also know nothing factual about them except that they existed. Even the names “Joachim” and “Anne” come from a legendary source written more than a century after Jesus died.

The heroism and holiness of these people however, is inferred from the whole family atmosphere around Mary in the Scriptures. Whether we rely on the legends about Mary’s childhood or make guesses from the information in the Bible, we see in her a fulfilment of many generations of prayerful persons, herself steeped in the religious traditions of her people.

The strong character of Mary in making decisions, her continuous practice of prayer, her devotion to the laws of her faith, her steadiness at moments of crisis, and her devotion to her relatives—all indicate a close-knit, loving family that looked forward to the next generation even while retaining the best of the past.

Joachim and Anne—whether these are their real names or not—represent that entire quiet series of generations who faithfully perform their duties, practice their faith, and establish an atmosphere for the coming of the Messiah, but remain obscure.

This is the “feast of grandparents.” It reminds grandparents of their responsibility to establish a tone for generations to come: They must make the traditions live and offer them as a promise to little children. But the feast has a message for the younger generation as well. It reminds the young that older people’s greater perspective, depth of experience, and appreciation of life’s profound rhythms are all part of a wisdom not to be taken lightly or ignored.

https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saints-joachim-and-anne

A Prayer for Grandparents

Eternal God who lives with us and beyond time,

We praise you this day for all those who came before us,

Giving us the gifts of life and faith.

We thank you especially today for our grandparents.

Creator God, you are the author of all life and your scripts are

those who pass on that life to others through the ages.

Bless our grandparents whose hard work and faith are our inheritance.

Give them good health, heal them, and renew their confidence

in your faithful love for them.

Grant eternal rest to grandparents who have died.

We remember them today and ask you to help us pass on to others

the gifts we inherited from them.

Compassionate God, grant that any sadness or pain that remains

From their memory may be healed by the power of your Son,

Jesus Christ.

We thank you for their wisdom, their memories and their humour.

We celebrate their presence now and pray to join with them in

praising you forever in eternity.

Amen

Confirmation Program

Fr Christopher has made the decision to only offer Confirmation to students in Year 7 and above. This program is currently running in the school hall on Thursday evenings at 6.30pm. Please contact the parish office for further information.

Community Of Learners

Religious Education Year 1 Work

This term Stage 1 are learning to demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of God as our Loving Creator. This week Year 1 shared a special memory they have of a time they have spent in the outdoors and felt God’s presence.

Parish Mass

We are again attending Mass with the parish, both as a school and in class groups. As parish Masses begin at 9:00am, the classes involved will assemble at 8:45am, in order to be seated in the church before Father enters. Your extra effort to be at school by 8:45am on these days would be greatly appreciated. Please see the roster for when your child will be attending Mass and/or Reconciliation.

SCHOOL NEWS...

Commonwealth Games A-Thon

Last Friday we held our major fundraiser, the Commonwealth Games A-Thon! It was a fantastic day, with all of the students displaying great sportsmanship and excellent teamwork skills. We must acknowledge our fabulous parent volunteers, especially those who just stepped in on the day. 

I think we all agree it was a fantastic day, with many parents asking when our next one would be! 

Please remember to donate via the QKR app. We are using this fundraiser to purchase new furniture for our classrooms, so all students will benefit from the money that we raise. The QKR for donations will be open until August 1st. 

Online Lunch Orders are Back!

From this week we will be offering lunch orders twice a week. The new company providing this service is called Total Canteen Solutions. They will cater to our school every Tuesday & Thursday. All orders are to be processed online. 

We have asked for these two days to begin with so that our Parent Committee can still run Canteen Days on Fridays as planned. I think all parents and students will be happy as the prices are reasonable and most of the food is prepared by them. 

Please see below the instructions on how to order and the student menu.

We wear our uniform with pride.

Yesterday we sent home a note regarding wearing the correct uniform via Skoolbag. We thank you for your support in helping our students to wear their uniform with pride.

Mufti Day Friday 12 August

"Mufti for our Mates"

Stage 2 is inviting the school to join with them in supporting St. Joseph's Primary School at Woodburn. This small school, on the Wilson River near Lismore, was completely flooded earlier this year. Some of the children also lost their homes. On Friday 12th August we are asking you to wear Mufti to school and to send your donations to school via the QKR app. 

All money donated to St. Joseph's will go towards their costs of providing lunches and excursions for the students, which is an expense currently being covered by the school.

Thank you for your support and helping the students put their faith into action.

Celebrating Book Week 2022

This year the theme for Book Week is Dreaming with eyes open.

St Bernadette’s will be celebrating Book Week by having the Scholastic Book Fair visit our school. The Book Fair is like having an exciting bookstore come to the school and children will be able to purchase items from the store. The Book Fair will be open from Monday 22nd August until Wednesday 24th August.

On Tuesday 23rd August we have a book parade where all children are encouraged to come dressed up as their favourite book character. Parents, grandparents and carers are invited to come and watch their child’s class parade. Stay tuned for more information sent out via Skool Bag.

Premier’s Reading Challenge

The Challenge is quickly drawing to a close. Friday 19th August is the final date for entry of Student Reading Records by students. Please ensure you have added all your books by this date.

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER

Week 2:

Friday, 29th July: 100 Days of Kindy Celebration

Friday, 29th July: Afternoon School Assembly

Week 3:

Friday, 5th August: Canteen Day (Run by year 3)

Week 4: 

Monday, 8th August: School Athletics Carnival

Friday, 12th August: Mufti Day Fundraiser

Friday, 12th August: Afternoon School Assembly

Week 5:

Friday, 19th August: Canteen Day (Run by year 1)

Friday, 19th August: Zone Athletics Carnival

Week 6:

Monday, 22nd August- Wednesday, 24th August : Book Fair At School

Tuesday, 23rd August: Book Week Parade 

Friday, 26th August: Afternoon School Assembly

Week 7:

Monday, 29th August: School Photos 

Friday, 2nd September: Father's Day Stall & Breakfast

Week 8:

Friday, 9th September: Canteen Day (Run by Year 4)

Friday, 9th September: Afternoon School Assembly

Week 9:

Monday, 12th - Friday 16th September:  Swimming Program

Week 10:

Monday, 19th - Thursday 22nd September: Swimming Program 

Thursday, 22nd September: Last day of Term 3

Friday,  23rd September: Staff Development Day (no students at school)

Happy Birthday

Mia G - 05/07

Jamie - 06/07

Max C - 08/07

Tevita - 08/07

Amy - 08/07

Layla - 09/07

Christian P - 12/07

Oliver O - 13/07

Siosiana - 17/07

Noah A - 19/07

Tahlia - 19/07

Henry - 19/07

Gameia - 24/07

Ayden - 25/07

Savanna - 25/07

Jayden E - 28/07

Chloe K - 30/07

Just a reminder that any treats sent in are kept to a minimum and individual.

Clothing Pool

If you wish to purchase any items from our school clothing pool, please email the school office via dundasvalley@parra.catholic.edu.au . If the items are available, they with be sent home with your child. We are no longer able to have uniforms paid for via QKR! app, as unfortunately refunds aren't able to be processed if your required uniforms aren't available.  Therefore all payments need to be processed via EFTPOS only in the school office. 


Our Digital Sign

We would love to advertise events in our community so if you know of an upcoming event please email the details to dundasvalley@parra.catholic.edu.au.

Don't forget to collect your Bread Tags!

COMMUNITY NEWS...

Community Health Advice

St Bernadettes Primary School

St Bernadette's Primary, Dundas Valley is a community focused, Catholic parish school catering for boys and girls from Kindergarten to Year 6. The school strives to build a Christ-centred community where faith is integrated with daily life. We provide learning and teaching experiences which enable the children to deepen their faith understandings, investigate, solve problems and explore their learning. We recognise the importance of creating a learning environment that provides opportunities to develop 21st century learning. Technology is integrated into the learning at St Bernadette’s in all Key Learning Areas.