Dear Parents and Carers,

We have been enjoying the rain this week and remembering what we can do during wet weather play! Board games, drawing, puzzles and reading have been part of the indoor games. In the COLA the juniors have been skipping, developing their handball skills and playing LEGO. 

We are so proud of Michael for taking up the Sudsy Challenge in support of raising funds and awareness of homelessness! If you want to support Michael and the work of Orange Sky Laundry you can do so here https://www.thesudsychallenge.com/fundraisers/michaelkoolis/four-au?ref=ch_3JnBEwKik8sCSDlV01saOxJZ

World Teachers' Day

Thank you Deanna

  

For many years a member of our parish, Deanna, has come to school each week and dedicated time to listening to our students read. Covid times have been tough with no volunteers in school, and the children have missed Deanna and her reading support and encouragement. Many blessings on your move to Yass, Deanna!

Happy School

A recent article in Happy School was Eight Steps to Happiness. The full description is at the end of this newsletter, in brief the 8 steps listed are:

1. Practise random acts of kindness

2. Be mindful

3. Find your strengths and solutions

4. Practise gratitude

5. Learn to forgive

6. Create social networks

7. Write your own eulogy

8. Reflect, review, renew

Enjoy creating and recreating happiness for you and your family this weekend and into the future!

Next Week

Next week we celebrate Grandparents Day in a different way. More about our plans for remote celebrations are in Mrs Grant's news.

Next Friday we once again WEAR RED on our DAY FOR DANIEL. Day for Daniel is Australia’s largest child safety education and awareness day. Held annually on the last Friday of October, Day for Daniel honours the memory of Daniel Morcombe.

Blessings for a happy family weekend

Jo

Soft Plastic Collection Bags

To help facilitate soft plastic recycling at home, Bega Valley Shire Council is providing every child attending school in the Shire with a reusable soft plastic collection bag.  The purpose of these bags is to encourage the collection and transport of household soft plastic waste to be dropped back to participating supermarkets (Coles and Woolworths) where REDcycle bins are located. 

Soft plastics are things like bread bags, biscuit packets and frozen vegetable bags. If you’re unsure if it’s recyclable check the packaging for the Australian Recycling Label store drop-off symbol, or the REDcycle logo. If it’s on the packaging, then bag it and recycle it.

The distribution of these bags aligns with a competition Council is running where 5 schools across the Bega Valley have the chance to win a REPLAS seat made from recycled soft plastics!  To enter the competition entrants must take a photo of a funny or unique way that they use their soft plastic collection bag and enter by 15/11/21 (check out Bega Valley Shire Council’s Facebook page or website for more details). Winners will be selected to nominate a school of their choice to receive one of the seats.

So lets help support the circular economy and win a REPLAS seat for our school!

More information about recycling soft plastics can be found at https://www.redcycle.net.au/

SCHOOLS PLUS; FAIR EDUCATION;

ENGAGING FAMILIES AND COMUNITIES TO IMPROVE STUDENT OUTCOMES

Schools plus is a national charity that exists to help vulnerable children succeed at school. Our vision is that all young Australians reach their full potential through access to a great education. Schools Plus has worked closely to help close the education gap cause by disadvantage. We work with teachers and schools in disadvantaged communities to implement projects and initiatives that will help address the key issues which are preventing their students form thriving. Participation in the program is ideally suited to schools who have identified significant room for improving students outcomes and have prioritised strengthening family and community engagement as a key strategy to address this. 

At the Community Council Open Meeting on Wednesday, I spoke about the possibility of applying for a grant through the Schools Plus; Fair Education program to support community engagement at our school.

During application rounds, eligible schools are invited to apply for funding and strategic support for a school-led project designed to create sustainable change for their students. Applications for a Smart Giving grant open once per year. This year’s application period has now closed. Schools can register their project on the Fundraise Yourself platform at any time.

The council has endorsed the Leadership Team taking on the beginnings of an application for the grant however it was agreed school community input is of utmost importance in creating an application. The Leadership Team will seek ideas for ways we can build engagement and enriching involvement in our school community into the future. I will be seeking the support of the parent class contacts in the next week to reach out to parents asking them to give input on their thoughts and ideas on ways to continue to build school involvement. The Leadership Team will also listen to student voice via the SRC.

If you wish to gain further information please access via the link below.

https://www.schoolsplus.org.au/for-schools/grants/

Religious Education

Upcoming Events:

Friday 29th October Week 4 - Virtual Grandparents Day

Friday 29th October Week 4 - Trash & Treasure Stall, Crazy Sock Day and Day for Daniel 

Chapel Masses:

Friday 5th November Week 5 - 1/2B

Friday 12th November Week 6 - 1/2M

Parents are able to attend Chapel Mass following the Church COVID guidelines. 

Grandparents Day

Next Friday we celebrate another remote Grandparents Day. With level 3 restrictions still in place we are not able to host events at school and have parents or grandparents onsite. We look forward to a change in restrictions to allow us to celebrate together sometime in the future!

Shhhh! Top secret for our grandparents. Students have been busy preparing a special postal delivery (by hand or by post worker) for Grandparents. 

Please visit our website to see our virtual Grandparents Day activities: https://stpatsbega.nsw.edu.au/grandparent-s-day 

Mission Month & Children's Week

Next week it is Children's week so as part of Mission Month we are celebrating what it means to be a child by holding a Trash & Treasure Stall. All proceeds will go to Catholic Mission.

In the chaos of wet weather play this week when many students were crowding in under the covered "Cola" area, by chance I saw a grade one student Indy sitting in her "Calm Zone". 

In the most unlikely places, whether at work, in nature or a few seconds at a red traffic light take moments of stillness and quiet ...they are yours.

Stay in the NOW, stay PRESENT

Alicia Spicer

Wellbeing

Thank you to the families who have already finalised their term 4 fees.

Term 4 fees are due 10 November 2021, except those with direct debit arrangements.

If at any time your family is experiencing financial hardship due to Covid-19 or any other reason or your family is in need of other support, please contact the school to make a time for a confidential meeting with our Principal, Jo Scott-Pegum to discuss how the school can help support your family.

WEEK 2 ANSWER:

Popcorn

WEEK 3:

It belongs to you, but other people use it more than you do. What is it?

IT’S TIME TO DANCE!

Join the fun with FLING’s wide range of public class programs for young people and adults.

We’ve got classes in venues across the Bega Valley including Dance Gym, Parkour, Ballet and Young Dance Creatives, as well as Dance FIT, Tap and Beginner Ballet for Adults.  

Join now and get involved in our end of year performance. FLING is a Covid Safe Organisation. 

All our programs are designed by trained professionals to keep children, teens and adults active. Our classes stimulate creativity, build strength, coordination, confidence and new friendships in a safe and joyful environment.  

We can’t wait to dance with you.

To sign up and find out more- go to:  www.flingphysicaltheatre.com.au/community-dance-classes