A Creed To Live By

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
Last Sunday 66 children and adults from across St Michael’s Parish made their Confirmation. In a
beautiful ceremony Bishop Peter talked about the impact of the Spirit in our lives and our need to be
active in the Spirit’s involvement in our lives. It doesn’t happen by osmosis. Perhaps this
contemporary creed can assist us in setting our priorities.
A Creed To Live By
by Nancy Sims
Don't undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we
are different that each of us is special.
Don't set your goals by what other people deem important. Only you know what
is best for you.
Don't take for granted the things closest to your heart. Cling to them as you
would your life, for without them life is meaningless.
Don't let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or for the
future. By living your life one day at a time, you live all the days of your life.
Don't give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until
the moment you stop trying.
Don't be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect. It is this fragile thread
that binds us to each other.
Don't be afraid to encounter risks. It is by taking chances that we learn how to
be brave.
Don't shut love out of your life by saying it's impossible to find. The quickest
way to receive love is to give love. The fastest way to lose love is to hold it too
tightly; and the best way to keep love is to give it wings.
Don't dismiss your dreams. To be without dreams is to be without hope; to be
without hope is to be without purpose.
Don't run through life so fast that you forget not only where you've been, but
also where you're going. Life is not a race, but a journey to be savoured each
step of the way.
“And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”
— Abraham Lincoln
Damai, Paul Brodie
Religious Education Coordinator.
NEWSLETTER – TERM 2 WEEK 8
Thursday 27 June 2013
St Michael’s Catholic School
Dates to remember in
Term 3 - 2013
PO Box 126 NOWRA NSW 2541
Phone: 4421 3630 Fax: 4423 2861
• Mon 15th Jul – Pupil Free Day
• Wed 17th Jul - Parent Reconciliation –
7pm – Parents only
• Thurs 18th Jul – Naidoc Assembly &
Celebrations
• Wed 17th Jul – Years 5 & 6 to St
Johns for school production
• Wed 24th Jul – 2nd Parent Night FHC –
7pm
• Fri 26th Jul – Grandparents Day
• Fri 26th Jul – Assembly – 2pm
• Mon 29th Jul – Mini Vinnies Kids Café
all week
• Wed 31st Jul – ICAS English
• Thurs 8th Aug – Special Meal Deal
• Thurs 8th Aug – Life Education Van
• Thurs 8th Aug – Feast of Mary
MacKillop
• Fri 9th Aug – Assembly – 2pm
• Fri 9th Aug – Happy Socks Mother
Ruth Scholarship Fund Fundraising
Day
• Fri 9th Aug – Mary MacKillop Liturgy &
Peer Support Morning Tea
• Mon 12th – Thurs 15th Aug – Life
Education Van
• Tues 13th Aug – P & F Meeting –
6.30pm for a 7pm start
• Thurs 15th Aug – Year 5 Excursion to
Imax & Mackillop
th
website: www.smndow.catholic.edu.au
e-mail: info@smndow.catholic.edu.au
Wollongong CEO ©
Week 8
Friday
21.06.13
Year 2 Excursion to Mogo Zoo
South Coast Paul Kelly Cup
Class Mass Year 3
Week 9
Monday
24.06.13
Make it Monday – Making, Cooking & Shoe Shine
No Canteen, only over the counter sales
Primary Athletics Carnival – Year 3 - 6
Tuesday
25.06.13
No Canteen, only over the counter sales
Wednesday Netball Gala Day
26.06.13
Thursday
27.06.13
Special Meal Order Day
Friday
28.06.13
Pupil Free Day
Canteen Roster
Friday
21.06.13
Monday
24.06.13
Tuesday
25.06.13
Wednesday
26.06.13
Thursday
27.06.13
SUNDAY MASS TIMES
Nowra
6pm Vigil (Sat)
8am, 9.30am, 6pm
Berry
8am
Bomaderry
9.30am
Culburra
6pm Vigil (Sat)
Kate Harrison & Lucy Duncan
Vincentia
6pm Vigil (Sat) 9.30am
Sarah Bagnall
Kangaroo Valley
11.00am
Terry Delahenty, Tamara Wilkinson &
Julie Ledger
Recess & Lunch: Marion Campbell
Recess & Lunch: SOS
Seasons for Growth: Attention Parents of students in Years 2, 3, 4
Have you received the letter sent home with each child concerning the Seasons for Growth programme being
offered in Term 3? If your child has experienced significant loss in the family due to death, separation or other
significant change, this programme may be helpful.
Forms need to be returned by next Monday as groups need to be finalized before end of term. Enquiries:
Contact Sr Sue Barker through the school.
Principal’s Message
Dear Parents, caregivers, Staff and Students,
As we conclude our second last week of school, I am continually grateful to the staff and parents who support all that occurs
at St Michael’s Nowra. Last Sunday a number of our staff assisted to make the Confirmation masses very Spiritual and
meaningful for our students. Bishop Peter loved his time within our community and I know that Father Pat and Father Duane
appreciated everything that parents and staff did to prepare the students to receive this final Sacrament of Initiation into the
Catholic Church. I ask all families to continue to give our students at St Michael’s Nowra an opportunity in our busy lives to
attend regular weekend mass.
This coming Saturday we have a working bee to clear the exterior of the grassed playground and trim the trees, clean the
walkways and generally give the place a bit of a facelift. In Term 3 we will have another series of working bees to continue
enhancing the playground. Last week I posted a Powerpoint of what we needed to achieve in the working bee. To find the
Powerpoint, go to the “DOWNLOADS” feature on our school web page and you will find the link. We presently have at least
18 families who have returned assistance slips. We still require more assistance from parents willing to do raking, gathering
of branches and spreading of mulch. If you are able to join us between 8am and midday, just bring a rake, gardening gloves,
possibly a shovel and wheelbarrow. We will make an enormous impact on the playground in a very short period of time. If
you are not able to join us this time, I hope you can help in the next one. It would be fantastic to have each family join us for
at least one working bee a year. Looking forward to seeing many of you on Saturday morning.
On Monday 24 June 2013, we have our Athletics carnival for students in Years 3-6. This is our third attempt to have it and we
are not sure what the weather will be like. This carnival will be held at the showground. I do need all families to subscribe to
our email system as I will be sending out a group email to all families in the school on Sunday to inform whether the carnival
will go ahead or not. The steps to subscribe to the newsletter are: 1. go to our website www.smndow.catholic.edu.au.
2. On our home page you will see in red “Download Newsletter” Click on to this.
3. You will then go to the page below. Please click on the Newsletter List and the Whole School Notes.
Type in your name and email address and then hit subscribe.
4. Lastly the message below will come up to show that you have subscribed and you will have an email in your
inbox to complete.
An email has been sent to (your email address).
To complete your subscriptions please follow the instructions within the email.
Next Wednesday afternoon we will send home to all families of students in Years 1-6 the half yearly student
progress reports. With these reports will be an information slip inviting you to go online and book an appointment
to meet with your child’s teacher in Week 1 and 2 of Term 3. Each teacher has made certain times available and it
will be a matter of going online as soon as you can to book the appointments. We are using a website called PTO to
facilitate the automated booking of interviews. You will have a unique code to put in to book your family
appointments.
Common Grade Scale A-E
When you receive the reports next Wednesday, I hope that you will take the time to read the report and praise
your child for their efforts. Some children take a greater effort to come to the results that they achieve and some
children may make a particular grade with little effort.
Quite often the biggest area of concern for parents is in understanding the Common A-E Grade Scale. Many parents
equate a C grade on the scale as not very good. This must relate to their time at school. A C grade means the
student has a sound knowledge and understanding of the main areas of content and has achieved an adequate
level of competence in the processes and skills. This means that the student is on track to achieve the expectations
of the NSW Board of Studies Foundation Statements. Those students who achieve an A or B grade are working
beyond the expectations of the Foundation Statements and those students who receive a D or E grade are being
supported to work toward achieving the level expected in the Foundation Statements.
The NSW Board of Studies Foundation Statements for your child’s grade can be found on their website. Do a google
search and type in BOS. It would be beneficial to have this site open when looking at your child’s report. There are
even samples for you to look at to show you what an A,B, C, D, or E student consistently needs to achieve to receive
one of the Common Scale grades. In looking at your child’s report it is important to also consider the comments
that teachers have written and the level of effort being put in by the student. These are a greater guide to your
child’s ability and performance. Not all children can achieve A or B grades but hopefully all children are working to
their potential. We all need to work together to dispel the myth that a C grade is some kind of failure.
I would like to commend our teachers who have spent countless hours working together after school, in the
evening and on weekends completing reports collaboratively and validating their grade partner’s judgements. At
your parent/teacher interview you will have the opportunity to view work samples and bookwork for your child.
Thank you for your ongoing support.
Yours in Partnership
Christopher Paton – Principal
Woolworths Earn & Learn
This week is your last chance to bring in any ‘left over’ stickers. They will then
be counted, so look out for the total collected in following newsletters.
Upcoming Events for Term 2
Friday 21st June
Class Mass Year 3
… and looking ahead to Term 3
Wednesday 17th July
2nd parent night - Reconciliation, 7pm school hall
th
Wednesday 24 July
2nd parent night - Eucharist, 7pm school hall
Friday 26th July
Grandparents Mass 9.30am school hall
Week 3 – Mini Vinnies Kids Café 8.20am – 8.40am Mon – Fri, school canteen
Thursday 1st August
Michael Mangan Concerts 9.30am and 11.30am
Friday 2nd August
Class Mass Year 1
Sunday 4th August
Year 2, 9.30am Parish Mass followed by morning tea
Friday 9th August
Mary Mackillop Liturgy 10am in hall
Friday 16th August
Class Mass Year 4
Friday 23rd August
Class Mass Year 2
Friday 30th August
Class Mass Year 3; Fathers Day Breakfast
rd
Tuesday 3 September
First Reconciliation 7pm St Michael’s Church
Wed 4th September
First Reconciliation 7pm St Michael’s Church
Friday 6th September
Class Mass Year K
Sunday 8th September
Year 1, 9.30am Parish Mass followed by morning tea
th
Friday 13 September
Class Mass Year
Friday 20th September
St Michael’s Feast Day Mass – 11.30am, school hall