Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome to Week 6! This week the new NSW guidelines for schools regarding COVID 19 are fully in place. Students, and staff, who are experiencing cold/flu like symptoms are to stay at home and seek a COVID 19 test. A negative test result is to be registered in the front office upon the return to school. Please assist us in adhering to the guidelines by notifying us promptly as to the reason for student absences so that we can confidently safeguard all students and staff.

Unfortunately, the new guidelines have resulted in the cancellation of the African Drumming workshops and our Community Council Trivia Night. It is hoped that both events will be scheduled for later this year. Our gymnastics program, scheduled for Week 7 to Week 10 this term will proceed as it, fortunately, lies within the guidelines.

On a final note the weather dusted our beautiful town in white last weekend. What a lovely memory to hold onto for a year that has dealt us many hurdles.  I saw many photos on social media of our students making snowmen and enjoying their time in the snow. It looked like great fun! The cold weekend was also a gentle reminder that students need to wear their coats to school in winter and be prepared for extreme weather. Please check out the uniform shop for beanies, coats and gloves. Tricia Marsh and Tracee Holland are happy to help.

 Have a lovely week everyone.

 Jannine

Special Note: From September, Sunday Mass at St Mary’s Batlow will now be held on the 1st and 4th Sunday of the month. 

GEM Award Week 5

The Resilience Project 

Emotional Literacy – having self-awareness and recognition of one's own feelings and knowing how to manage them – is also an integral part of the program. 

https://theresilienceproject.com.au/at-home/learning/emotional-literacy/

These daily questions have been developed to help families practise the GEM principles. They are a great way to facilitate positive conversations as your family shares a meal either in the morning, afternoon or evening or at a time that works best. 

Check out some great GEM questions here.

• Remember a time when you felt really happy. What made you feel this way?
• Remember a time when you felt really sad. What made you feel this way? How did you turn your mood around?

Next Tuesday CALEB & LIAM will be our radio announcers.

Student of the Week - Week 5 Term 3

Principal's Award

In History, Year 2/3 are learning about first contacts.

We have been looking at Aboriginal artworks and how they used painting to tell stories and pass down history.

We made our own dot paintings to appreciate the great paintings done many years ago.

Please remember to pack a drink bottle everyday. The bubblers are out of use because of COVID restrictions.

A reminder that hats still need to be worn. School hats are available for purchase from the uniform shop.

The Premiers Reading Challenge ends THIS FRIDAY 28TH AUGUST. 

Please enter your reading log online.

Operation Christmas Child is a hands-on way for you to bless children in need across the world by filling shoeboxes with toys, hygiene items, school supplies, and fun gifts. We collect the boxes and distribute them in the name of Jesus Christ to children living in vulnerable situations. If you would like a Christmas Box to fill let the school know and we can send home as many boxes as you would like to fill.

Boxes must be returned to school by the end of Term 3.

This is an optional activity for families. More detail can be located at 

https://samaritanspurse.org.au/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/

St Mary's has a position vacant for a school cleaner, 12 houirs per fortnight. Please contact Jannine o 69491270 for more information.

The weather forecast for Wednesday 26^th August is for a mostly sunny day & what better day to come and visit the Batlow Literary Institute for a cuppa and a chat.

I will be joining many external services from 10am – 4pm, open and welcoming everyone to come in, have a catch up and share a cuppa. 

We hope you can attend.

Joanne Murrell

Bushfire Relief Coordinator Batlow – 0490 707 543

(Monday,Wednesday & Thursday 9:00am-3:30pm, Tuesday & Friday 9:00am – 2.00pm)

All women are invited to participate in an Archdiocesan Women’s Reflection Afternoon which will be livestreamed to all corners of the Canberra Goulburn Archdiocese this Saturday 29^th August from 2.00pm to 4:30pm. Gather with friends at home, in the parish or at school to hear inspiring talks and participate in short guided prayer experiences.  Register for free at www.bit.ly/WomensReflectionAfternoon More info at https://www.catholicvoice.org.au/event/womens-reflection-afternoon/

Enquiries email catholic.women@cg.org.au or ring/text Lara on 0429 192 869

This event is hosted by the Archdiocesan Women’s Taskforce https://womenstaskforceacg.org/

SPEAKERS:

Clara Geoghegan is the Executive Secretary to the Bishops’ Commission for Evangelisation, Laity & Ministry.  Clara has lectured in Church History and Spirituality at Catholic Theological College (Melbourne). Clara is also the Co-Director of the Catherine of Siena Institute, Australia.

Clara hopes to inspire the women of the Archdiocese to respond to their baptismal calling to intimacy with Christ and to co-responsibility for the mission of the Church.

Brigid Cooney Official Delegate from the Archdiocese of Canberra Goulburn to the Plenary Council of Australia Brigid is a 21-year-old native Canberran. Since working on the Youth Mission Team in 2017 and 2018, Brigid has been studying a double degree in History (ANU) & Teaching (ACU) and hopes to make a difference to young people by teaching history and religious education.

Brigid will share her personal journey of discovering her own baptismal calling to intimacy with Christ and co-responsibility for the Mission of the Church. She will also explain why she put her hand up as a delegate for the Plenary Council and what she hopes will be achieved.

Guided Prayer:

As well as these inspiring talks, the Women’s Reflection Afternoon will be punctuated by short guided prayer experiences lead by the following groups:

• Winniefred Rebello, Women Alive (Indian, Pakistani & Sri Lankan Catholic women’s prayer group)
• Anne Hartwell, Mothers Prayers
• Bronnie Schlager, Call to Connect
• Karen Doyle, Sisterhood National Catholic Women’s Movement
• Vikki McDonough, Christian Meditation

Register for free at www.bit.ly/WomensReflectionAfternoon

Enquiries text Lara 0429 192 869 or email catholic.women@cg.org.au