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Dear Parents, Carers and Guardians,
From August 11 to August 15 we recognise Bullying No Way Week.
Bullying No Way Week is Australia's key bullying prevention initiative for schools. It provides an opportunity for schools to create a shared understanding about bullying behaviours and share their bullying prevention policies and strategies.
The national week of action unites government, Catholic and independent schools and their communities across the country. Together, we can foster practical approaches to prevent bullying in Australian schools.
The theme for 2025 is 'Be bold. Be kind. Speak up.'
It takes courage to spark change.
Bullying is everyone's responsibility. It takes a community to be brave and address bullying behaviours, within and beyond the school gate. Students can be bold, kind and take a stand to support others being bullied. While parents and teachers are there to support children and young people learn how to behave in a positive way.
In our community and in our school, we want a place where everyone can belong, a place that celebrates everyone, and where bullying is never accepted.
This Bullying No Way Week, we're asking students, schools, families and communities to be bold and say something, be kind and support someone, and be proud to take a stand against bullying.
Over the past few weeks, students have been receiving extra lessons on bullying. To further raise awareness, this Friday the students will have a Crazy Hair Day. Also on Friday, the students will participate in a multi age activity whereby they will rotate through a number of activities based on this year's theme - “Be Bold, Be Kind, Speak Up”.
Library changes
As part of our preparation for the building works that are soon to commence, we will be packing up our existing library to free up spare classrooms. These two classrooms will temporarily house the grade 3/4 grades whilst their part of the new build is occurring. We are working with Latrobe City Council who have offered for our students to use their library facility on a regular basis whilst our new school library is being built
Before we pack up the existing library, we will be having a huge tidy up. This includes going through and re-homing books that are deemed out of date. On Wednesday 27th August at 3.20pm, students and their parents can come to the library and choose up to 3 books in exchange for a gold coin donation. The monies raised will be donated to Catholic Mission. Any leftover books will be donated to a local charity. Thank you to Mrs Edward and Mrs Kamphuis for their organisation of this event.
We anticipate the closure of the current school library will occur in Week 7 of this term. Further information will be provided when dates for construction have been confirmed.
Exciting News - Before and After School Care update
We have been successful in securing a new Before and After School care provider. We welcome Their Care to the St. Michael’s community. Please save the date: Wednesday 20th August at 7pm for an online parent information session. We anticipate a seamless transition to Their Care during the Term Three school holidays.
Last week we celebrated the Feast day of St Mary MacKillop of the Cross. Mary MacKillop was Australia's first saint. She was born in Victoria and dedicated her life to providing education to vulnerable children in many rural areas. Mary is known to live by the motto “ Never see a need, without doing something about it”, which emphasises the importance of actively responding to the needs of others, particularly those who are marginalised or vulnerable. This is exactly what some members of the Mini Vinnies team did last Thursday evening when they assisted the St Michael’s staff in providing a meal to members of our community at Mick’s Kitchen. Well done and thank you to Chad, Isla and Jordan.
Important Dates:
15th August - Crazy Hair Day
19th August - Reconciliation Parent Workshop
20th August - Their Care Parent Information session online
22nd August - Junior School Athletics
25th August - Pyjama Day
29th August - Grade 1/2 Mass at 9:30am
4th September - Latrobe Valley Eisteddfod (Grade 1/2s, 3/4s and 5/6s)
Each week students from each class are awarded Student of the Week certificates. These children are nominated for the example they have been within the school based on the School Wide Expectation focus for that week. The weekly focus will be from Wednesday until Tuesday the following week. Awards will be given out assembly on Friday.
In Week 4 the School Wide Expectation focus is Honesty:
I always tell the truth.
I am honest when reflecting on my personal performance.
I take responsibility for my actions.
| Ryan Brydon | Indy Kyle | Maddex Fue |
| Isabelle Gill | Lara Webster | Vienna Cummins |
| Theodore Gounder | Evie Ploegmakers | Harrison Rathjen |
| Henry Watt | Marcus Mandolado | Riley O'Mara |
| Kevon Attachchi | Boston Shaw | Erjon San Diego |
| Robert Johnson | Dylan Rawson | Izza Nabeel |
| Leo Kennedy | Leopold Notting | Hudson Marsland |
| Elise Howell | Zara Hodge | Isabella Constantinou |
In this short, sharp gospel Jesus reminds us that if we take on his message of compassion, hospitality and table fellowship then it can set us apart from those who have not accepted the message – even family members. It’s a challenging message that even love and loyalty within a family can be disrupted by seeking to authentically live the model of Jesus. If we authentically place the needs of the lowly and the outcast ahead of our own and ahead of our family, then this can be very confronting and very disrupting. What are the consequences for family gatherings? What might the gathering at Christmas dinner look like if we take this message seriously? Jesus says that the normal obligations to family have to take second place to acting on his message and bringing about the kingdom of God.
Today’s gospel reminds us that the message of Christianity is not always a popular one. Sometimes we are called upon to speak a hard message; a challenging message; a confronting message. The message of the gospel frequently confronts our popular culture and accepted social practice. It often contradicts the expedient decisions of our political leaders. There is a responsibility on us to speak the hard message of the gospel even at the risk of unpopularity and even in the face of threat. The Christian heroes of our time are those who call leaders to measure up to the demands of the gospel.
We are about to begin our preparation for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
On Tuesday 19th August at 6pm there will be a Parent Information night for the parents of children receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation this year. This meeting will take place in the new hall behind St Michael’s Church.
If you have not yet enrolled your child for this Sacrament can you please complete an enrolment form and return it to the Parish Office. Please find a link to the Enrolment Form attached to this newsletter.
If you have any questions please contact Sue Rickwood on srickwood@stmtraralgon.catholic.edu.au.
We offer hot lunches weekly on a Monday with Munch Lunch. They are a local company that offer a variety of lunch items.
Ordering is simple, download the Spriggy Schools app via your App Store or Google Play store, select St Michael's School, add your children and their class to the app and place your order! Lunches will then be delivered to school. Orders need to be placed by 9:00am on the day. You can pre order lunches 2 weeks in advance.
Contact: Munch Lunch 0459 220 445 or hello.munch.lunch@gmail.com
