Parent and Teacher Communication

Teaching staff have included contact details for parents in their Class Information Booklets, which were sent home on Wednesday.  Parents are reminded to always contact the class teacher, in the first instance, should you have any queries or concerns.  Our teachers are most accommodating and will work with you to organise a suitable time to meet.  Teachers are generous with their time in responding to parents questions via email.  However, please do not expect an email response outside of usual office hours.  Staff will get back to you in as timely a way as possible.  Work and life balance is as important for the wellbeing of our staff as it is for the wider population.

Photo Privacy and Social Media

Parents are reminded to take care when photographing their children at school.  Please do not take photographs of other parent’s children, without their permission.  Under no circumstances are parents to post photographs of children, other than their own, on social media sites.  The school gains permission from parents to use their child’s image and this permission is not available to parents.

Term Planner

A term planner accompanies this newsletter.  A copy is also available on the website.  Please place the planner somewhere handy for easy reference.  Dates may change from time to time, and we will do our best to provide as much notice as possible.

Before School Supervision

Parents are reminded that supervision commences at 8.35am each morning, once the classrooms are open.  Students from Year 1 to Year 6 arriving at school prior to 8.35am must wait on the benches in the undercover area.  Supervision cannot be provided at this time, so it is essential that those arriving early wait quietly without running around.  Parents coming early with their children must also wait in the undercover area.  Please do not wait at the doors of the main teaching block or outside the Year 1 classrooms.  The crowds can be problematic for parents dropping their children off to the Kindy and Pre-Primary learning areas.

Name on Everything!

Please, please, please make sure your child’s name is clearly labelled on their hats, lunch boxes, drink bottles and jumpers.  We collect loads of unclaimed clothing and school supplies each week. It is such a shame that often they are not labelled with a name.  Please take the time to ensure your child’s name is on their belongings so we can return them to their rightful owners.

Uniform Purchases Amongst Parents

I am pleased that our parents buy and sell no longer needed school uniforms amongst themselves.  Recycling school uniforms within the community is of benefit to many parents.  Please organise the buying and selling of second-hand uniforms between yourselves and do not involve the administration office staff.  The admin staff should not have to organise the receipting of money for unforms that are personal transactions.  Thank you for your cooperation with this matter.

Religious Education News

Making Jesus Real 2022

As we begin a new school year, we look forward to our community making Jesus real through our thoughts, words and actions.

Our first focus value for this year is TO WELCOME OTHERS.  Just as Jesus welcomed and accepted every person, as MJR people we:

• Welcome our students, staff and parents each day in the playground and classroom.
• Acknowledge the presence of others through our words and actions.
• Include those who are lonely or new to our community.
• Greet people “Good Morning” & “How are you?”
• Treat people with respect and use manners.
• Speak kind words and we listen.
• Smile and show friendship.

TONGAN RELIEF APPEAL

Each morning next week 7th -12th February, we will be collecting donations for CARITAS to support relief efforts in Tonga. 

On 15th January, a volcano beneath the sea off the coast of Tonga erupted – sending an ash cloud 18km into the sky, and tsunami waves that have caused devastation across the nation’s largest island, Tongatapu.    It estimated that 12,000 households were affected, all agriculture suffered substantial losses, and water supplies were contaminated by the ashfall.  The full extent of the disaster’s impact is still unknown, as assessments of the damage continue.

Many thanks for your support of this appeal. 

Year Six Good News

Meet the Leaders for 2022 – May all Year 6 students be wonderful role models for MGCPS!

Upcoming Term One Dates

Wednesday 9th February

9.00am Opening Liturgy to commission Year 6 student council members and new staff.

Wednesday 16th February

6.00pm Catholic School Advisory Council Meeting

7.30pm Parents and Friends Meeting

Friday 18th February

9.00am School Merit Award Assembly

Wednesday 23rd February

9.00am Year 4 Class Liturgy

Friday 25th February

5.30pm P&F Welcome Picnic

Monday 28th February

11.00am Year 5 and Pre-Primary Class visit to St Francis of Assisi Church.

Wednesday 2nd March

9.30am Ash Wednesday Mass.

Friday 4th March

9.00am School Merit Award Assembly

Monday 7th March

Public Holiday – Labour Day