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Dear Friends,
Welcome to the end of Week 4!! Today's prayer reflection above was shared at our parent information session for First Eucharist last week. It is also relevant as we gather together tomorrow with the Sts Peter and Paul school community to celebrate our Parish Feast Day, the Feast of The Transfiguration.
Yesterday I had the privilege of accompanying Kindergarten on their excursion to St John's School House Museum and Church. I was particularly impressed with the children's insightful and thoughtful questioning posed to the guides at the differing areas of exploration. We know this critical thinking and questioning enables students the agility and imagination to respond to new knowledge and unexpected challenges. It was so impressive to see this natural curiosity extend their learning collaboratively in a new environment.
Yesterday our staff met together to further look at preparation and planning if we were to go into lock down in the ACT. Please be assured we will be ready for this situation if it arises and I will keep you continually informed of what this will mean for our community and remote learning. We are planning for the following measures for lock down as follows:
- We would continue to remain open for children of emergency workers and families needing support
- We would move to a remote learning model for all students
- Leadership and skeleton teaching staff would be on site on a rotational basis (excluding medically vulnerable staff)
As far as families preparing for a lockdown situation, it is important to stress that school will not be open for many children to attend. This is because of the Delta strain of COVID and the high level of contagion that goes with it. We know from observing cases of this variant spreading amongst students in Victoria, NSW and QLD that there is a much greater risk for all in our community. Our priority is to best support the well being and safety of students, staff and our wider school community.
Let us pray for those currently in lock down and also that we continue to remain COVID free in our area.
Hats, Hats, Hats
Our SunSmart policy states that all children and staff are required to wear hats and sunscreen when outside from August to April each year. Please ensure your child has a clearly labelled hat each day ready to wear during breaks and outside activities.
Philippa
Philippa Brearley
Email: philippa.brearley@cg.catholic.edu.au
Feast of Transfiguration
Tomorrow we look forward to celebrating the Feast of Transfiguration with Sts Peter and Paul, Garran. All students from K-6 will gather for Mass led by Father John and share in activites with a buddy class. We look forward to sharing photos with you all next week!
First Eucharist
Thank you for all for your attendance at the Parent Information Evening on Tuesday. All workbooks have been sent home today if your child is in a home group. If you need to access the home group spreadsheet, please see below.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Tayotqj6Ir-fxytFXLPmVm3ni8zxd7nSP9dHzXJad_4/edit#gid=0
First Eucharist Dates
| Event | Date | Venue |
| Presentation Mass |
Saturday 14th August @ 6pm Sunday 15th August @ 9:30am Sunday 15th August @ 5:30pm |
Holy Trinity Church |
| First Eucharist Retreat | Thursday 19th August | Holy Trinity Primary School |
| Sacrament of First Eucharist |
Saturday 4th Sept @ 6pm Sunday 5th Sept @ 9:30am Sunday 5th Sept @ 5:30pm |
Holy Trinity Church |
Term 3 Dates
Week 4
- Friday 6th August - Feast of Transfiguration
Week 5
- Monday 9th August - 3/4W Prayer Celebration 2:30pm
- Saturday 14th August - Parish Mass 6pm
- Sunday 15th August - Parish Mass 9:30am & 5:30pm
Week 6
- Monday 16th August - 2G Assembly 2:30pm
- Thursday 19th August - First Eucharist Retreat
Week 7
- Sabbath Week
Week 8
- Monday 30th August - KW Assembly 2:30pm
- Friday 3rd Sept - Year 1 Fathers Day Prayer Celebration 9:30am
- Saturday 4th Sept - First Eucharist 6pm
- Sunday 5th Sept - First Eucharist 9:30am & 5:30pm
Week 9
- Monday 6th Sept - 1W Assembly 2:30pm
Week 10
- Monday 13th Sept - 2W Assembly 2:30pm
Emily Capper
Religious Education Coordinator
Covid-19
We wish to reassure our ELC families that we have plans in place should we ever have to respond to Government regulations. Information will be communicated to ELC families via the Szapp app and home learning via Seesaw (the ELC does not have access to the Compass app). Please stay safe, support your child maintain good hygiene and reminder to stay at home if sick.
Hatching Chicks
The ELC has had the hatching chick program as a provocation to the current unit of inquiry, Living Things Have Needs. The chicks and ducks are ready for a new home. If you are interested, please read the information here, and email an EOI to elc.holytrinity@cg.catholic.edu.au. They are available for $5 each and will need to be picked up from the ELC between 12pm-1pm Friday.
Hats, Hats, Hats
Our SunSmart policy states that all children and staff are required to wear hats and sunscreen when outside from August to April each year. Please ensure your child has a clearly labelled hat each day and support them in applying sunscreen when they arrive in the morning.
Spare Clothes
Sometimes learning is messy, outdoor play can be wet or accidents happen. So we are all prepared for this, please pack season appropriate spare clothes in a your child's bag each day. The ELC also welcomes any donations of leggings or trackies that maybe on their way to Vinnies for our empty 'spares' basket. Thanks so much.
QR Code sign-in
We continue to welcome families into the ELC building when dropping off and picking up children. All families and visitors entering the ELC building are requested to sign in using the Check In CBR app. QR codes are located at each entry point of the building. Please remember to practise physical distancing when in the playground and sign in areas.
Stay and Play
Playgroup for pre-preschoolers and their families. Wednesday mornings from 9am-10.00am in the ELC Playground (weather permitting). Parents, grandparents, carers and children are all very welcome. Please sign in using the Check in CBR app.
Nurturing young boys’ friendships
There are a couple of factors in helping our kids in the early years at school. One is a warm connected relationship with the teacher or education assistant. The other is having at least one friend they can rely on at school.
Boy friendships are fragile
Since boys often talk later (and less) than girls, little boys can struggle with friendships. I am astounded at the capacity of most little girls to have real conversations that explore things friends have in common, help them play games and negotiate, and experience mutually bonding moments. Girls also tend to have a better grasp on the non-verbal cues of building rapport such as smiling, waving, and hugging.
One of the world’s leading boy experts, Dr William Pollack, author of Real Boys, believes that while girls communicate more, boys seek connection more indirectly through activities or play. So, for boys to bond they need significant amounts of time spent playing with other boys.
Boys need play to facilitate friendships
‘Play dates’ are a reasonably recent happening. Years ago, children tended to play for hours either in each other’s backyards or at sporting events. Now, less recess and lunch time at school, remote learning, and more emphasis on technology than real play is impacting this key window of building emotional and social skills.
We need to create opportunities outside of school. Finding families in your neighbourhood with kids of similar ages and older is still an excellent way of creating friendships. Yes, it involves some scheduling, but many families still make time to gather maybe one afternoon a week in the same playground with the same grownups and kids to create cohesion.
Play has many benefits other than the obvious one of helping our boys discharge excess energy and stress. Unstructured play helps to create feel-good neurochemicals, especially when it allows kids to follow the often-unspoken randomness of boy play which frequently includes adventures, hunts, and targets. It teaches them to lose, to wait, to take turns and much more.
Coaching young boys
I often share the story of the little boy who at the end of the day at school ran up to his best little mate and punched him in the head. In no way did this little boy mean to hurt his friend however at that moment his actions, which looked confusing to everybody, were an attempt to express how much he liked his friend and how much he was going to miss him.
Helping boys to create (and practice!) welcoming and farewell strategies can help alleviate some of these awkward moments. Giving a high five, having a secret handshake, teaching them to smile and calling out ‘hello’ using their friend’s name are all great strategies to coach and teach.
Having a friend at school can make a huge difference to our boys, but sometimes they need a little help from parents to find their way.
(Source: Parentingideas.com.au)
Heidi White
Email: Heidi.white@cg.catholic.edu.au
Sports News
Boorowa Touch and Netball Carnival- Years 3, 5 and 6
We are excited at the opportunity to send teams to the Boorowa Touch and Netball Carnival on the 15th October 2021. It is a well run and enjoyable day where schools from all over Canberra and the surrounding areas come to compete.
We have already received lots of registrations but need a few more to have complete teams. We are also requiring some more parent volunteers to coach and referee games. Please check out the Compass form for more information.
Cricket Mascot Challenge
Kindergarten begun the Mascot Challenge this week. It is a four week challenge where they spend 10 minutes a day developing fundamental motor skills, which help lay the foundation for them to lead a healthy and active life. It is a great opportunity to develop their skills and take movement breaks in the classroom.
Camille Gerbich
Email: Camille.gerbich@cg.catholic.edu.au
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Students celebrating their birthdays this week: Week 3: Emilia W, Sara W, Evie L, Adriana L, Scarlett F, Cadoc S, Amelia N, Eva S, Sarah B |
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