Filter Content
- Prayer
- From the Principal
- Religious Education
- Student Wellbeing
- Student Health
- Student Levy
- Shrove Tuesday
- Sacramental Program
- Hub News
- Sports News - School Athletics Day
- Parish News
- Upcoming Important Dates on the Parent Calendar
- Parents and Friends Association
- Information for 2020 for new Catholic Secondary School Iona College
- Community News
God of equality
let us pray for those who work for Caritas Australia,
that they may continue their work with love and commitment.
God of fairness let us pray for those who are supported and encouraged by
the work of Caritas Australia, that they may live with dignity and self-respect.
God of love
let us pray for ourselves that, through our generosity, we may act
with compassion and justice.
We asks this prayer through your Son, Jesus, who is the lived
example of fairness, justice and equality.
Amen
Dear Parents,
This week sees us celebrate Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Holy Season of Lent and fasting for 40 days. As Father Darien spoke about in his homily yesterday, Lent is a time when we are called to “turn around” with prayer, reflection, charity and review of our personal life. We make a concerted effort to be more positive in our words and actions to ourselves, others and our world. He referred to Fr Andrew Hamilton who says, “ From the ash of bushfires, grass and plants spring green. When we attend to the ashes of our lives and our world, we can recognise their causes and change our way of life.”
Ash Wednesday reminds us that when all seems lost, there is hope and that is the message leading up to Easter and the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday. Take the time to reflect and pray and be thankful for what we have, understanding that while life can be a struggle there is always hope.
As a school community, the students from Years 3 - 6 will attend the 12 noon Mass on Ash Wednesday at Star of the Sea Church with the Parish community. Prep-Year 2 will have a paraliturgy at school and will be provided with ashes. Please take the time to discuss with your children the meaning of Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday and their personal pledge or pledges during Lent, to be more positive in their words and actions and how we are responding to God’s call in our daily lives.
Thank you for working with us and your children in adhering to the uniform policy. It has been very pleasing to see the students, respectfully and responsibly, following uniform expectations. A reminder that all hair needs to be tied back if reaching shoulder length.
We had a wonderful morning with our Cross Country event and a big thankyou to Miss Lisa and teachers for their organisation. As parents, you are to be very proud of the excellent behaviour and sportsmanship your children showed. There was great team and individual spirit, cheering all on and as a staff we were certainly proud of the students.
The positive feedback from our new newsletter has been greatly appreciated. We are glad you are enjoying the ease of the new format. We also have a new website and the address is the same, www.staroceangrove.catholic.edu.au .
Please take the time to read the 2019 Parent Letter from Catholic Education which is more than just a welcome to the school year but an important statement of the values, ethos and achievements of Catholic schools and our commitment to work with parents, along with a brief outline of some key issues confronting Catholic education, particularly in an election year.
Best wishes for the week ahead
Kerryn Sells
Background to Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, which lasts for six weeks. According to the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the desert, where he endured temptation. Lent originated as a mirroring of this, fasting 40 days as preparation for Easter. Every Sunday was a commemoration of the Sunday of Christ's resurrection and so was a feast day on which fasting was inappropriate. Accordingly, Christians fasted from Monday to Saturday (six days) for six weeks and from Wednesday to Saturday (four days) in the preceding week, thus making up the number of 40 days. Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of blessing ashes made from palm branches blessed on the previous year's Palm Sunday, and placing them on the heads of participants to the accompaniment of the words, ‘Turn away from your sins, and believe in the gospel.’
Online Safety
The MOMO Challenge is the latest online viral sensation raising fear and alarm worldwide. The Momo image of a sculptured woman with bulging eyes, long black hair, bird legs and distorted features, has been linked to some disturbing incidents around the world. It is reported that this image has been embedded into social media sites and popular Youtube videos that appeal to children.
In the past week it has featured prominently on news broadcasts and has become a point of discussion for students in the school yard. Some Star of the Sea students have had this image appear whilst they have been online recently. It is concerning when young people have been exposed to any content that scares them or plays on their emotions. If you or your child comes across someone promoting any challenge with an inherent risk or harm, please flag it to Google immediately using this link:
https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/2802027?co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid&hl=en
Your children’s online world is as much a part of their life as offline, so it is crucial that parents are as involved in supporting their online wellbeing as they are their physical health. Skills in rule setting, support, guidance and respect are just as important to helping ensure your children enjoy positive digital experiences and to help them gain confidence in asking for advice and support. Knowing they are equipped to make sound decisions and manage risks online is so important, especially with the number of internet-enabled devices that can be used without adult supervision.
Advice on how you can help keep your child safe online is available at iParent website (from the Office of the eSafety Commissioner).
Our Lady Star of the Sea Ipad and Internet Users Agreement
Paul Anderson
Student Wellbeing Leader
Food Shared as Treats and “No sharing Food” rule
The “no sharing food” rule is about children understanding that they do not give or receive food from others, without teacher or parent knowledge, as some children can become sick if they eat certain foods.
At times parents provide a birthday treat for their child and for the class. Due to food handling regulations, children who have allergies and food choices families make, parents who wish to provide treats are to provide individually wrapped, commercially produced food with the ingredients description and the use by date presented with the food to the classroom teacher. If for any reason you do not want your child to have the birthday treats shared throughout the school year, if and when they are offered, then please see your child’s classroom teacher.
Cick here to view Healthy Eating and Oral Health Policy
Anaphylaxis and Epi-pen
Anaphylaxis is a generalised and potentially life threatening allergic reaction, which often involves more than one body system (e.g. skin, respiratory, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular). A severe allergic reaction usually occurs within 20 minutes of exposure to the trigger. Anaphylaxis can be caused by accidental ingestion of a trigger food or exposure to a situation, plant or product. The most common causes in young children are peanuts, eggs and cow milk, but children can be allergic to a variety of things, including bee or other insect stings, and some drugs. If a child experiences a severe allergic reaction then an Epi-Pen is administered to the child and an ambulance is called. Prevention is better than a cure so the rule for children at risk is the “no sharing of food rule.” Children at risk are only to eat food supplied and, or, prepared by parents or guardians and therefore no cakes, lollies or treats are to be accepted from other children. There are also risks for children through the use of containers that contain or have contained allergic foods, with products such as play dough, shaving cream and sunscreens, which may contain traces of the allergic foods. There are children attending Star of the Sea school who are at risk to life-threatening allergic reactions.
An ALLERGY MANAGEMENT PLAN is to be provided to the school if your child is at risk of an allergic reaction and has medication at the school. All medication is to be kept at the school office.
To be supportive of these children please ensure that your child understands:
- the “no sharing food” rule. Children are to understand that they do not give or receive food from others without teacher or parent knowledge as some children can become sick if they eat certain foods.
- the importance of washing hands after eating.
- that they are to sit while eating and do not wander around. The children usually sit at their tables in class to eat their fruit, play lunch and lunch.
The 2019 Student Levy was due on Friday 15 February. Thank you to the families who have made this payment.
The Student Levy is used to purchase student requirements necessary for the learning and teaching program, including the required book list items, the swimming programs and class excursions, Sacramental Programs - Year 3 Reconciliation, Year 4 Eucharist, Year 6 Confirmation; Year 5/6 Interschool Sports.
Traditionally Shrove Tuesday is the last day of feasting before fasting for Lent. Lent begins the following day, Ash Wednesday, and goes through until Easter Sunday.
On Tuesday 5 March students can have a pancake, for a gold coin donation. Proceeds from the donations will go to Caritas, which is a Catholic organisation which assists communities around the world through Project Compassion.
This year the teachers will be linking the history of Shrove Tuesday to why and how pancakes are made on Shrove Tuesday. Parents do not need to be concerned about supplying ingredients for the hub. Teachers in each hub will be sourcing the ingredients.
School registered volunteers are needed to cook the pancakes on the day. Information will be in Hub news in coming weeks.
Lib Macpherson,
Social Justice Leader
Students in Year 3 have begun preparation for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Year 4 students will soon begin preparation for the Sacrament of First Eucharist. If your child is baptised in the Catholic Church, or has been received into the Catholic Church and is not in these year levels, and is above Year 3, and you would like them to celebrate these sacraments please email Maddy Fenton mfenton@staroceangrove.catholic.edu.au and your child can be included in the preparation.
School Athletics Day - Landy Field
Our school Athletics Day is Wednesday 13 March. All students will need to be at school no later than 8.50am as buses will be leaving at 9am. Students will not need to go into their classrooms upon arrival at school. Juniors will assemble at the front of the school and middle and senior students on the basketball court/assembly area.
Children are to wear their school sports uniform, including school hat. Each child will also require to pack their snack, lunch & water bottles in a bag that is clearly labelled. Sunscreen should be applied before coming to school and brought along to be applied during the day. Depending on the weather, it may be advisable for students to bring a coat. Please attach a small safety pin to their sports top for ribbons.
Children are able to wear their house colour hair spray and zinc however all must be applied at home and not be brought to school.
A CareMonkey form will be going out today. All parents will need to reply to this including if you can volunteer on the day and if your child will be travelling back to school via the buses. Any queries can be directed to your classroom teacher or Ms Lisa Grigg lgrigg@staroceangrove.catholic.edu.au
Cross Country
Final scores:
1 - Wathaurong 227
2 - Boyd 214
3 - Malady 208
4 - Mercy 172
Prep students ran a total of 9 km. Years 1 and 2 students ran 214 laps of the oval, Years 3 and 4 students ran a combined total of 250km, Years 5 and 6 students ran a combined total of 400km.
Hi my name is Rosie Garner and my daughter is in Grade 6.
As well as being part of our wonderful school we are also part of the wonderful church at the end of street.
On the 1st Sunday in every month we have children's liturgy within the mass and the children head out for about half an hour with myself and other helpers and learn more about the gospel in a practical and fun way. So we welcome you to bring your children to take part in that during 7 April mass.
However, we also really need more helpers. We take the liturgy on a roster so you would probably end up leading and planning no more than 4 a year and will always have help. We have some great resources to help plan sessions. You need a Working With Children Check (WWC) that we can help you apply for and we also have a child safety policy and code of conduct which comes 1st. Please do let me know if you think you can lend a hand.
Thanks Rosie 0418534067 or rosiescott99@hotmail.com or find me on FB.
Term 4 2020
Friday 16 October: Respectful Relationships "Gratitude Day"
Monday 19 October: Book Week Dress Up Day
Thursday 22 October: Footy colours casual clothes day and Gold Coin donation for Cherished Pets Ocean Grove.
Friday 23 October: AFL Grand Final Public Holiday, school closed
Sunday 25 October: School working bee 10am - 12pm - Purple Hub TBC
Tuesday 3 November: Melbourne Cup Public Holiday, school Closed
Friday 6 November: Mission Fete Day
Monday 9 November: School Photo Day Individual and Class Photos
Tuesday 10 November: School Photo Day Family Portraits
Monday 23 November - Tuesday 24 November: Year 6 Camp Wyuna
Tuesday 24 November: Prep 2021 Parent Information Session 6 - 7pm TBC
Thursday 26 November: Prep 2021 Parent Information Session 6 - 7pm TBC
Friday 27 November: Staff 2021 Planning Day, student free day
Monday 30 November: Year 3 Camp Wyuna
Tuesday 1 December: Year 4 Camp Wyuna
Wednesday 2 December: Year 5 Camp Wyuna
Wednesday 2 December: Prep 2021 Orientation Day 9.30am - 11am TBC
Tuesday 8 December: Prep 2021 Orientation Day 9.30am - 11am TBC
Thursday 17 December: End of Term 4
Please note: Please refer to the Parent Calendar for all dates
Easter raffle tickets will be sent home this week to the eldest child in the family. Spare books will be held at the front office. Families are asked to donate one Easter Egg per family. Please send in tickets and eggs no later than Monday 1 April. It would be wonderful if you could separate each ticket and fold up individually when returning. Many thanks in advance.
