ST PATRICK’S GUILDFORD Principal: Steven Jones Parish Contact Details 34 Calliope Street Parish Priest: Fr Peter Blayney, Guildford 2161 Parish Associate: Sister Helen Cunningham OP Phone: 8728 7300 Phone: 9632 2672 Email: [email protected] www.stpatsguildford.catholic.edu.au Newsletter 1 Thursday, 7th May 2020 PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE Dear Parents, As we come towards the end of the second week of Term 2, we are excited as a school community to commence the gradual transitioning back of our students from next Monday 11 May. We understand that some families and students will be very excited, whilst others may be a little hesitant and even quite nervous. These are all natural feelings during this time of unprecedented times. By slowly transitioning our students back, staff can support each and every child to feel once again comfortable and that school is just as it was before they left. The feedback was extremely positive and helpful in providing further ways to support our school community. It is important that parents please take time to read important information within this newsletter to assist in the safe transition commencing next week. Thank you to the parents who attended the two Zoom meetings yesterday. “God gave mothers special gifts, He made them unique. But one thing that all mothers love, Are Kisses on the cheek.” This Sunday we have the opportunity to display in words and actions our appreciation and thanks to all the mothers in our lives. Unfortunately for children, mothers and grandparents this year there has not been the opportunities as a school community to celebrate Mother’s Day (Mothers’ Day stall, Mothers’ Day Mass, Mothers’ Day morning tea). But our students can still with their family (and two visitors) take the time this Sunday to thank their mum, grandmother and mother figures through gifts, nourishment and prayer for the encouragement, support, compassion, forgiveness and consistency they display each and every day, especially during these difficult times. As an adult I reflect on all that my mother did to support, guide, encourage and discipline my brothers, sister and I during our childhood and adolescence. It was ultimately not what our mother did for us but what she taught us to do for ourselves, that was the most important gift. Whilst there were no doubt times when we whinged, whined and complained, she continued to persevere. I watch with tremendous admiration and appreciation now for all that my wife Lynda does for our three boys, even when they become adults, that innate sense of love, compassion and care 24/7. This Sunday is an opportunity for us to express our gratitude and thanks for all that mothers do. Our student leaders on behalf of our school community would like to thank our mums and have created the following clip. ​ ​ Happy Mothers’ Day to all our Mums, Grandmothers and mother figures. Enjoy the special day with your family. Steven Jones Principal At St Patrick’s we are making a difference by being safe, respectful learners. ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE Covid-19 has brought us a lot of new challenges to face as families, as a community and as a school. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you as parents for taking on the role of teacher and educator in the learning of your children. We know that it is difficult balancing your day (especially if you are working from home) with the education of your child or children. We appreciate that you are doing your very best to follow the learning activities provided by the teachers and we understand that some family households have a number of children needing each other’s time. I want to thank the teachers who have worked extremely hard preparing the learning for you. Please understand that they still have children in the classroom that they are supporting as well as preparation of the online learning grids. Wherever possible they are providing feedback to work already submitted and are making notes that will go towards assessment and reporting. Teachers have done their best to keep the activities as easy as possible for the children so they can be completed independently but there will be times that you still need to provide the instructions for them. So thank you. The hardest thing for us as parents though is to let our children struggle. With the toy that they don’t know how to work, the worksheet they are supposed to cut up or the maths problem they can't solve. We need to let them work it out. We need to let them struggle rather than doing it for them. Let them discover a new way to play with that toy. Let them go back to another sheet and cut it out. Let them go back to the maths problem and work out where they went wrong. We know that you know how....but let them discover that for themselves! Allow them time, verbally encourage them but don't do it for them. When they do the work, they do the learning. As the children gradually head back to school this term it is important that we prepare them mentally and physically for school again. Some children may be anxious about returning after such a long period. Some families may be out of routine and children are staying up later or sleeping in longer. Can I please encourage families to get back into routine as much as possible to help with the transition back to school. Set a wake up time each day (around 7, 7:30), get dressed and out of pyjamas, have breakfast and end the day with a reasonable bedtime. To help relieve the anxiety, arrive at school before the bell (which rings at 8.30), let them know that the teachers are excited to see them and provide them with all the equipment they will need for the day (ie chromebook if leant out, pencil case, readers etc). I know over the last few weeks, it hasn’t been easy and we all have been, at times, in the learning pit. So please stay happy, stay active, be a learner, visit the iLearn@home site, be safe and let's all make sure that we go into this term with a positive mindset for learning. Tracy Hoey Assistant Principal RELIGIOUS EDUCATION COORDINATOR Easter Message We live in a society eager for certainty, scientific explanations, and clear answers. In such a world, to believe in the mystery of Easter, to have faith in something we cannot fully understand, is not only counter-cultural, it is a small rebellion! Believing the mystery, realigns us. It is an orientation of awe and wonder, of trust in God, of hope in everlasting love. The Easter season lasts for fifty days, from Easter Sunday through to Pentecost Sunday. Consider taking time this Easter season to sit with this mystery, to feel the discomfort of uncertainty and to rest in God’s great love which is, in the fullness of time, making all things new. The incredible narrative of Jesus’s resurrection we tell at Easter can sometimes sound like we have given a neat and tidy ending to a challenging story. But Easter is not the end of the story, it is a new beginning. The story that unfolds after the Resurrection, from the Ascension to Pentecost and beyond, is equally compelling. In the mystery of the Ascension, we celebrate Christ returning to God the Father and at Pentecost we celebrate Christ sending us his Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church. The narrative of Christ’s resurrection is still unfolding, 2000 years later, for we all receive the gift of the Holy Spirit at our baptism, which leads us deeper into the knowledge and love of God. This Easter season may we take time to consider our part in the Resurrection story, our lives in light of the Risen Christ. Sacraments This term the students at St Patrick’s will be focusing on an aspect of Sacraments in their Religious Education Curriculum however, the students in Years 2, 3 and 5 will have more direct focus on the Sacraments that they will be preparing to receive later this year (if they haven’t already done so through baptism). Year 2 will be focusing on Penance, Year 3 the Eucharist and Year 5 Confirmation. If Parents have any questions regarding their child receiving the Sacraments, please contact me through the school office or by sending an email to the school. Ways to stay connected with our Faith STAYING CONNECTED DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC We’re not closed… we’re just doing church differently. The global pandemic COVID-19 has forced us to adjust and adapt how we do church and stay connected to one another as a congregation. Discipleship is about your own spiritual and religious rhythms as well as walking alongside others who are following Jesus together in community. Here are a few things you can do: ● Practise contemplative or centering prayer. Pray using Lectio Devina, the daily examen or the daily office method ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ with a prayer book. Also, try the Pray As You Go website or mobile app. You can listen at home or on the go. It ​ ​ only takes about 10 minutes! ● Make prayer a part of your family routine, morning, before meals, at noon and at bedtime. ● Join the St Patrick’s Catholic Church Guildford on facebook to get their mass feeds or go to their website https://guildfordcatholicchurch.org.au/ for updates. ​ Feast Days 12th May Sts Nereus and Achilleus, St Pancras 13th May Our Lady of Fatima 14th May St Matthias 20th May St Bernardine of Siena 21st May St Christopher Magallanes 24th May Ascension of the Lord 25th May Our Lady Help of Christians 26th May St Philip Neri Yours in Christ, Wardeh Khoury MANAGED RETURN TO SCHOOL BASED ON HOUSE COLOURS From Week 3 the scheduled day for students to attend will be as follows … Monday: Matthew (green) and children of essential workers ​ Tuesday: Mark (red) and children of essential workers ​ Wednesday: Luke (yellow) and children of essential workers ​ Thursday: John (blue) and children of essential workers ​ Friday: children of essential workers ​ As per the skoolbag notification, each student’s colour house is listed on the iLearn@home site under each grade’s tab.