St Colman's School Mortlake eNewsletter

A Prayer for our Confirmation candidates

God of all ages,

You send out your Holy Spirit to touch the hearts of all people, look kindly on our candidates for Confirmation as they seek to hear your voice. As they embark on their preparation, we pray that you send your Holy Spirit to enlighten, guide, strengthen, console, and open their hearts as they continue to seek a closer relationship with you. Help them to truly know the deep and abiding love you have for each of them and fill them with the joy of your presence.

As our community prepares these children for Confirmation, make us an instrument of your love, teach us to reverence what is holy in others and to be patience with what we do not understand. Deepen our faith and help us to pass it on by our example. We pray that you continue to guide and sustain us, and teach us the Way of Love.

We praise you through Christ our Lord.

Amen

From the Principal

Dear Families,

Our term started with a short but very busy week, culminating in our school Cross Country on Friday. It was great to see so many families and friends here to cheer our kids on. There were some fantastic results and many examples of our students showing grit and persistence as they completed their race. Well done to everyone who participated on the day and congratulations to all age champions and to Red House who were the house winners on the day and will be the first team to be inscribed onto the new St Colman’s Cross Country plaque. A huge thank you to Anna Bourke and Brianna Barr for organising another seamless event.

A reminder that this Thursday is the Warrnambool Cup public holiday for all of the Moyne Shire.

Read on to find out what is happening in our school community. It is always a good idea to familiarise yourself with the key dates section of the newsletter. Please feel free to contact me at any time with any questions, concerns or suggestions you may have.

Have a great week.

Kind regards,

Janet

Key dates for the Diary

Term 2

Monday 1st- Friday 5th May-Meals on Wheels

Monday 1st - Friday 19th May- Ms Stape on LSL

Thursday May 4th - Warrnambool Cup Holiday

Thursday May 9th - Whole school mass @ 10am- all welcome

Friday May 12th- Mother's Day Breakfast

Sunday May 14th- Confirmation candidates to attend Mass-

Tuesday May 16th - Whole school mass @10am- all welcome

Sunday May 21st- Confirmation candidates to attend Mass

Monday May 22nd- Catholic Education Week commences

Sunday May 28th - Sacrament of Confirmation

School Closure Dates 2023

Term 2: Thursday May 4th Warrnambool Cup Holiday

Term 3: Tuesday 22nd August (Literacy)

Term 4: Friday 10th November (Catholic Social Teaching)

Working Bee this Friday

We need to re-apply mulch for soft fall in our playground area. We would like to organise a Working Bee for this Friday commencing at 12:30. We will sweeten the deal by providing a light lunch for you before you begin work! This should only take about an hour or two, depending on how many volunteers we get. Many hands will make light work. If you can spare even 30 minutes on Friday afternoon, please pop in to help out. If you could bring a wheelbarrow and a shovel and rake with you that would be great!!

Please contact the office if you are able to help out.

Thank you to the following people who are helping with Meals on Wheels this week.

Monday: Jo Van Den Heuvel

Tuesday: Kate Draffen

Wednesday: Jo Dolling

Thursday: Jenna Wardlaw

Friday: Lily Convery-Oborne

Lunch Orders

A reminder that as of the start of Term 2, LUNCH ORDERS are only available twice a week on Monday and Friday.

ANZAC Day March

St. Colman's School was very well represented at the local ANZAC Day march and service last Tuesday. Thank you to all families who participated in this very significant community event.

ANZAC Day 2023

St. Colman's Community Garden

We are so grateful to local community member, Marie Varley, who has volunteered to work with our students each week to re-establish our neglected community garden. While we are still in the planning phase of this project, you can help by donating any of the following items needed for this project.

Used soft drink bottle (1.25 or 2 Lt)
Old carpet off cuts, door mats or hessian bags
Old plastic pots
White plastic that can be cut up and used as name tags (for example, ice-cram containers).

Wonder Recycling Rewards for Schools

This year we are participating in this program that will raise reward points that can be cashed in for sporting equipment for our school. Ask all your friends, neighbours and family members to save their bread bags and bring them to school and put them in the big white box at the front door at school. All bread bags (including muffins and wraps) are accepted. These bags are then returned to Wonder to be responsibly recycled.

So let's get recycling!!

DOBCEL Consultative Committee Vacancies

The Diocese of Ballarat Catholic Education Limited (DOBCEL) Board provides opportunities for members of the diocesan education community, and others with relevant expertise, to participate in the mission of DOBCEL, to assist its governance and decision making and to inform faithful stewardship of the mission through DOBCEL Consultative Committees.

A range of vacancies exists across the DOBCEL Consultative Committees. These committees are an invaluable opportunity to ensure that the work of the Board and CEB reflects the needs of DOBCEL school communities right across the Diocese. Typically, the committees meet once each term for a duration of 90-120 Minutes. The opportunity exists to attend face-to-face or virtually. For volunteers to the organisation, compensation for expenses is available.

Opportunities exist for parents/guardians/carers with a child/children enrolled in a DOBCEL School to join one of the following;

Catholic Faith Community & Culture Consultative Committee
Children & Young People Safeguarding & Wellbeing Consultative Committee
Family and Community Engagement Consultative Committee
Learning and Teaching Consultative Committee

In the event of multiple nominations, the Board will invite Consultative Committee members on the basis of the general balance of the committee, taking into account factors such as gender, diversity, skill mix, location, school size, etc.

For more information please contact Jo Mckee jmckee@dobcel.catholic.edu.au or speak with your school principal. Expressions of interest are open until Wednesday, 3rd May.

Unwanted School Uniforms

At the end of last year we were looking for a solution as to what we should do with our old school uniforms. Jane has signed up to a company called ‘Wornup’ who collect old school uniforms and put them to good use for schools in need. If you have any of the old, out dated uniforms at home please drop them off at school so they can be passed on to this company.

We are also keen to start up a Second Hand Uniform cupboard at school for families who are currently suffering financial hardship to access. If you have any uniforms or shoes that your children have outgrown and that you no longer need, please consider donating them so they can be given to families in need within the school community.

Easter Raffle

Thank you to all the families that have donated something that will be given as a prize in the raffle and sold your raffle tickets. It was a great success and an easy fundraiser for our little community. We raised abot $620!!!

Project Compassion

Please return your Project Compassion boxes to school as soon as possible. Each class will be creating a coin line with the contents of these boxes at our Assembly this Friday, 5th May at 2:30. The class with the longest money line will win a hot chip lunch.

2023 Footy Tipping Competition

Our Footy Tipping Competition is up and running and we have 35 registered entrants.

Methodical Flame and Stacey Atkins are currently sitting on top of the Leaderboard with a score of 43.

Entry fee is $20 adults and $10 school aged children and is due to be paid ASAP

If you haven't already done so, please pop into the office to pay for your entry.

School Advisory Council

We would like to introduce you to our SAC members for 2022-2023. Lily Convery-Oborne (Chair), Jo Wallis, Alison Greig, Michelle Lehmann, Jo Dolling, Zion Palmer, Sophie and Nick Allen, Rachel Baulch, Rosie O’Connor (School rep), Janet Cain (Principal) and Fr. Gary Jones (Parish Rep)

These people are the voice of the parish and parents in the school. If you have any questions or anything that you would like raised please contact one of these people.

The SAC meets twice a term and we thank these people for agreeing to be a part of this group that provides an essential link between the school and its families.

🎂 🥳 Happy Birthday 🥳 🎂

Happy Birthday to two of our Foundation students, Armani and Kyra, who will be celebrating their birthdays this week. We hope you enjoy your special day!

Cheap trees for sale

Yellow Tail Nursery has grown thousands of native trees from seeds. See attached flyer for more details.

Out of School Care

A reminder that during 2023 we have access to Out of School Care, supplied by TheirCare, at Mortlake College. Registration is made via the TheirCare website. https://theircare.com.au/

Many of our students have already begun to use this program and the feedback from both parents and children has been overwhelmingly positive. Everything has run seamlessly so far, so if you are considering sending your children to Before or After Shool Care, you can be assured that this program is extremely easy to utilise.

Feel free to contact the office if you have any questions about accessing TheirCare or use the contact details at the bottom of the flyer to contact them directly.

St. Colman's School is a Child Safe Community

Child Safety Officers

Janet Cain and Rosie O'Connor are our Chuild Safety Officers.

Contact them on:

Phone: 55992285 or 0490539167

Email: jcain@scmortlake.catholic.edu.au or roconnor@scmortlake.catholic.edu.au

Standard 8: Staff and volunteers are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children and young people safe through ongoing education and training

In complying with Child Safe Standard 8, St. Colman's must, at a minimum, ensure:

8.1 Staff and volunteers are trained and supported to effectively implement the organisation’s Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy.

8.2 Staff and volunteers receive training and information to recognise indicators of child harm including harm caused by other children and young people.

8.3 Staff and volunteers receive training and information to respond effectively to issues of child safety and wellbeing and support colleagues who disclose harm.

8.4 Staff and volunteers receive training and information on how to build culturally safe environments for children and young people.

NCCD

Please read the attached information sheet for parents regarding NCCD.

NCCD Information.pdf

Our Lady of Mercy Parish Bulletin

Bulletin 30th_April_2023.pdf

Term 2 Week 2 Monday 1st May 2023