Dear Parents, Friends, Staff, and Students

 

Holy Week Liturgies

The classes have been working hard preparing for the Holy Week Liturgies taking place next week.  Holy Week, commencing with Palm Sunday on Sunday 2nd April is the holiest week in our Catholic Church calendar. The students have prepared liturgies to commemorate each of the important events of the week leading up to the great Feast of the Resurrection of the Lord on Easter Sunday.  The schedule for the week is:

• Monday 3rd April 9.00am – PP and Year 1: Palm Sunday Liturgy.
• Tuesday 4th April 9.00am -Year 2: Jesus in the Temple
• Wednesday 5th April 9.00am – Year 3 and 4: The Last Supper
• Thursday 6th April 9.00am – Year 5 and 6: Stations of the Cross.

Parents, friends, and parishioners are invited to come along each day to join in with the liturgies and to show appreciation for the work the students and teachers have put into preparing each of the events.

 

Parents, Friends, and Parishioners End of Term Morning Tea

Please join us for morning tea on Thursday 6th April following the Stations of the Cross Liturgy at 9.00 am.  All members of our community are encouraged to come along and enjoy a delicious morning tea, put on by the P&F to celebrate all that we have achieved in Term One.  Please rsvp for catering purposes using the link: https://form.jotform.com/230810884310853

 

Energy Drinks Not Permitted At School

At school we encourage our students to drink water throughout the day, from their drink bottles, to remain hydrated.  Water is great for healthy brains. Students are not permitted to bring sports or energy drinks to school.  Energy products, most specifically PRIME, may contain high levels of caffeine and are not suitable for daily school hydration.  Whilst I understand these drinks are popular and attractive to students, parents are respectfully requested to keep them at home.  Thank you for your understanding and support.

 

Friday Giving.

We continue to support the St Vincent De Paul Association with Friday Giving.  The Friday Giving box is available in the office for donations of non-perishable food items that are delivered to the St Vincent De Paul Association in Kalamunda each weekend.  Donations may be left at any time during the week.

 

Bicycle and Scooter Safety

Parents are kindly requested to talk to their children about safety on bikes and scooters travelling to and from school.  It is wonderful that so many of our students ride to and from school each day.  However, over this past week, I have received 2 messages from concerned members of the public about students from Matthew Gibney Catholic Primary School not checking for traffic when crossing roads.  I have spoken to all the children who ride to school about the importance of road safety – to slow down and double-check for oncoming traffic.  Please support us in ensuring the safety of our children by reminding them about road safety procedures.

 

This Week at Matthew Gibney

It has been a busy and productive week at our school.  It was terrific to see parents attending the Keeping Safe Curriculum Workshop on Thursday.  The Lunch on the Lawn was another successful initiative with many visitors joining us for a picnic lunch on a beautiful sunny afternoon.  The school tours held on Thursday were very successful with our Year Six students leading the tours with confidence and pride in their school.  We had 18 new families come along for the tours– a wonderful result!

 

Pre-Kindy to Year 6 Parent and Teacher Interviews – 4th April

Parents are reminded that we have an early close at 12.00 pm on Tuesday 4th April for parent and teacher interviews.  A booking information form has been sent home.  Please contact the administration office if you have not received a form and cannot make your online booking. Interview bookings are for 10 minutes only.  If you feel as though additional time is required, please see your child’s teacher, and make an interview time for another day.

 

Winter Uniforms Term Two Delayed Start Option – 15th May

At the commencement of Term Two, we can continue to have warm weather.  Although we traditionally require Winter Uniforms to be worn in Term Two, we will have a phase-in period of three weeks for those who find it too warm for the Winter Uniform.  This applies to all students but may be more applicable to the boys who are required to wear long trousers.  The phase-in period from Summer to Winter Uniform will be for the first three weeks of the term.  All students will be required to wear their full Winter Uniform from Monday 15th May.

 

Winter Long Trouser Option for Girls and Winter Jumper Sleeve Inserts

Parents are reminded that commencing in Term Two there will be an option for the girls to wear Winter trousers for their school uniform.  Parents are also reminded that we have sleeve inserts available for the school jumpers for students who find the jumpers itchy.  Please see Lisa in the Uniform Centre to order both the girls’ trousers and the jumper sleeve inserts.

 

After-School Sports Term Two

MBA Sports is offering an after-school sports club, commencing in Term Two. The club will be for students from Year 1-6 and will be on Monday afternoons, 3.10-4.10 pm.  MBA will allocate coaches to the school to run the sports sessions.  Registration is required and numbers are limited.  Please register using the contact details available on the flier that is in the newsletter.

 

Palm Sunday

Sunday, 2nd April, is the celebration of Palm Sunday.  This is the commencement of Holy Week and commemorates Jesus entering Jerusalem triumphantly prior to his arrest, imprisonment and crucifixion.  Families are encouraged to reflect on the events of Holy Week by joining us for the liturgies each morning commencing at 9.00 am in Week 10.

Merciful God, as we enter Holy Week, turn our hearts again to Jerusalem,

and to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

 Stir up within us the gift of faith that we may not only praise him with our lips,

but may follow him in the way of the cross.

Amen.

Next week is the final week of Term One.  The final day for students and staff is Thursday 6th April.  Best wishes to Mrs Hewitt and the swimming team for the Inter School Carnival on Friday. Have a lovely weekend.

Warm regards

Therese