SchoolTV - Respectful Relationships

Fostering a nurturing environment of respectful relationships within your family holds the key to not only harmonious living, but also improved academic outcomes for your children. As parents and caregivers, embracing the art of teaching children about respect at a young age sets the stage for a lifetime of healthy interactions and empathetic understanding. It will help cultivate a positive environment where communication flourishes, conflicts are resolved constructively, and bonds are fortified.

Teaching children to respect themselves and others will open up avenues for both personal growth and academic achievement. Fostering an environment where respect is not just a word, but a practiced behaviour, will empower young people with essential life skills. Effective communication, active listening, and the art of compromise, will provide your child with a solid foundation that will transcend family interactions and help them collaborate effectively with peers, teachers and the broader community.

Equipping children with an understanding of healthy versus unhealthy relationships is an important aspect of their development. It will guide them to make informed choices, foster positive connections, and set boundaries that contribute to their emotional wellbeing. Understanding the nuances between healthy and unhealthy relationships provides children with the essential tools to navigate their social world, build self-esteem, and cultivate meaningful relationships.

In this edition of SchoolTV, learn how to empower young people in healthy interactions to embrace differences and forge connections that honour their self-worth. We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this month’s edition, and we always welcome your feedback.

If you do have any concerns about the wellbeing of your child, please contact the school for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to this month's edition https://stangelawarragul.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/respectful-relationships

Swimming Program

A big thank you to all families and students for your support of our swimming program thus far. Whilst they make for busy weeks, the importance of children learning to swim is vital and now an important part of our school curriculum. Please see information below on where swimming is included within the Victorian Curriculum.

Swimming and water safety is included in the Health and Physical Education Curriculum from Foundation to Level 10. This means that schools must ensure that they are implementing a swimming and water safety program that meets the requirements of the curriculum.

The Health and Physical Education curriculum includes four focus areas with specific reference to swimming and water safety which schools are required to teach

• Fundamental movement skills (FMS) = Develop foundation movement and skills to enable students to participate in a range of physical activities. E.g. Floating and moving the body through water.
• Safety (S) = Practise behaviours and skills to keep themselves and others safe in and around water. E.g. Sun safety, use of protective equipment and first aid.
• Lifelong physical activities (LPA) = Understand that swimming can enhance lifelong health-related fitness and wellbeing.
• Challenge and adventure activities (CA) = Participate in challenging swimming activities in a range of contexts. E.g. Triathlon, diving, water polo.

Development of knowledge and skills relating to survival swimming and basic water safety can significantly reduce a child’s drowning risk and enhance community safety.

Father’s Day Breakfast 

Thank you to all the dads and special guests who joined us for our Father’s Day Breakfast last Friday. The students really enjoyed having you within the school community and spending time with you all and the school appreciates your ongoing support.

A big thank you to our school staff for cooking the breakfast and organisation of this great extra-curricular event.

End of Term

A reminder that term 3 concludes for all students next Thursday 14th September at 3:20pm. 

Next Thursday September 14th is R U OK? Day. This is a national day of action dedicated to inspiring all people of all backgrounds to regularly ask each other ‘Are you OK?’. The theme for 2023 is, ‘I’m here to hear’. This theme emphasises the importance of creating space to have meaningful conversations. The R U OK? model for approaching these conversations is ALEC:

1. Ask

2. Listen

3. Encourage action

4. Check in

On this day, our students will be participating in teaching and learning activities that will help them learn the importance of staying connected with those around them. They will be encouraged to have meaningful conversations with their peers and will learn how these important conversations can make a big difference to someone’s wellbeing.

Come dressed in your finest pyjama's to school!!

Monday 11th September

Money raised goes to A Better Life for Foster Kids charty, assisting children in out of home care. 

We have had a number of students who have been unwell recently. In light of this, we kindly request that you closely monitor your children's health and keep them at home if they are feeling unwell. By working together, we can help ensure the well-being of all our students and maintain a healthy school environment.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in keeping our school community safe and healthy.

To ensure seamless end-of-day pick-ups, we kindly ask for your assistance in communicating your child's end-of-day arrangements directly with them. We understand that unexpected changes in your schedule can arise, prompting the need to call the school for adjustments to your child's pick-up arrangements. However, we have noticed an increasing number of phone calls related to end of day collection.

Your calls are always welcome, however where possible we kindly request that you communicate any changes to your child's end of day plan with them directly in the morning.

Thankyou for your continued support.

Congratulations to our superstar recyclers!

Thanks to your efforts with Wonder Recycling Rewards, we've been able to collect a fantastic array of extra items for our sports department. These include a Bullseye Activity Mat, Foam Tennis Balls, Ezy Fling Sets, Soft Fluro Volleyballs and Exercise Spot Markers.

Your dedication to recycling is making a positive impact, and these items will certainly enhance our sports activities.

Keep up the great work, and thank you for your fundraising efforts

Foolish Forgiveness

Australian theologian Fr Frank Moloney tells us, “The number of people who have turned away from the Church because they found it too forgiving is not large! Many have abandoned it because they found it unforgiving.”(Moloney, F. This is the Gospel of the Lord) 

It is astounding how often a small passage of scripture is used to justify actions quite contrary to the original purpose!  As with any large text, simply picking up the Bible and taking a wild stab at a part of scripture is likely to be unsatisfactory and misleading. Some scripture is intended to be read literally, some as metaphor, some as linking the Old and New Testaments and some again pointing to moral positions. At the very least, it should be read in the context in which it is written and in relation to other messages around it. 

Jesus, in this week’s gospel from Matthew (Matt 18:15-20), tells his community to treat anyone who refuses to listen like a pagan or a tax collector. On the strength of this some Christians understand him to mean, “ignore them or cut them out of the community.” Obviously they haven’t read down to the following passage where Jesus tells Peter to forgive such people seventy seven times (ie: limitlessly). And they haven’t noticed Jesus’ particular affection for people on the margins, especially both pagans and tax collectors.

Christians do need to speak truths and we do need to point out when people stray from the teachings of Christ. He authorises and commissions the Church to bind and loose in this context. We state the truth; we live the truth ourselves and we reach out again and again as Jesus himself did. And at the core of his teaching we find love and forgiveness and so we forgive limitlessly as he taught us, to the point of foolishness. 

Rather than pushing people away, we need to reach out to them as they are, without judgement or condemnation. 

Deacon Mark Kelly