Dear Parents,

The Wellbeing Barometer Survey 2024

The Wellbeing Barometer survey has proven to be an invaluable tool for schools, providing insights into the state of youth mental health and wellbeing.

Participating in this year's survey, will assist in identifying areas of strength and concern, as well as pinpointing opportunities for early intervention. Previously gathered information has helped support families as they navigate difficult conversations that enable understanding and foster connections to build relationships.

This survey is part of an ongoing, longitudinal study, with the results being instrumental in tailoring support for students and their families. Participation is strongly encouraged, as it provides a comprehensive view of students' experiences, challenges, and achievements over the past year. Its aim is to capture a comprehensive picture of young people's lives, allowing for a tailored approach to enhance mental and emotional wellbeing.

We encourage you to take a few moments to complete a survey for each of your children. This will help us determine the nature and extent of your concerns and how best to support families in the months ahead. Responses remain anonymous and will only be reported on an aggregated basis. You are asked to base your responses on observations made in the last 12 months.

Acquiring the skills for future independence and taking healthy risks are key developmental tasks that are essential if we are to stave off the impact of mental illness in the future. Here is the link to the survey https://stangelawarragul.catholic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-wellbeing-barometer-20

Parent/Teacher Interviews

Thank you to all parents who booked interviews. These interviews are vitally important as they provide you with the opportunity to get to know your child’s teacher and set learning goals for the year. Positive partnerships and relationships between home and school are critical in allowing your child to reach their full potential.

Classroom teachers will contact families who were unable to attend due to the severe storm on Tuesday night.

Parents and Friends News

Thank you to the parents who attended our first Parents and Friends meeting for 2024. Tamielle Nichol will be the President of our committee this year and Belinda Thompson Vice President. All families are welcome to be a part of our committee and join our meetings. 

All families should have received a letter home on Monday outlining the fundraising initiatives for term 1 and we appreciate any support you can give to these initiatives. All money raised through our parents and friends this year will go towards new resources for our school.

Our next meeting will be held on Friday 22nd  March, 9am in the staffroom. 

If you have a sibling who will be starting with us in 2025 (currently attending 4-year-old kindergarten), we kindly ask you to complete the below webform. Upon the commencement of our enrolment period, an enrolment form will be sent home.

https://stangelawarragul.schoolzineplus.com/_admin/edm/campaign/view/518

Please Note, enrolment tours and interviews are not required for siblings, however can be made upon request. Confirmation of enrolment will be made upon completion of your child's enrolment forms. We kindly request that this form is completed by Friday 16th February

Sacrament of Reconciliation| Commitment Masses

A reminder that there is a commitment Mass this Sunday, 18th February at St. Ita's Church Drouin at 10.30 for families who have not attended a commitment Mass. 

Mini Vinnies| Student Leadership

Hearing the voices of our students and providing them with opportunities to develop as leaders and individuals is important to us. This year, we plan to create a ‘Mini Vinnies’ group that will consist of two students from each classroom from Grades 1-6. The Mini Vinnies group will be responsible for promoting St Vincent de Paul values within our school and local community. They will meet twice every term to learn about social justice issues, acquire leadership skills, and engage with the wider St Vincent de Paul Society. Additionally, students will help organise fundraising activities for Catholic Mission and St Vincent de Paul throughout the year, as well as support school-wide liturgies

To become a 'Mini Vinnie,' students are required to nominate themselves to their classroom teacher by Wednesday, 21st February. Each class will vote and the top two candidates will be selected as Mini Vinnie leaders of the class. The announcement of Mini Vinnie group members will be made during our Feast Day Mass on Friday, 1st March, which will be held at St Joseph's Catholic Church at 11:00 am.

Shrove Tuesday

On Tuesday students celebrated Shrove Tuesday with learning activities and eating pancakes. 

Thank you to our Parents and Friends Committee who volunteered their time to cook pancakes for the whole school. 

Project Compassion| Caritas

Our school captains visited Marist Sion College on Tuesday for a special celebration in launching the Project Compassion Appeal with Bishop Greg Bennet.

Donations to Project Compassion allow Caritas Australia, the Catholic Agency for International Aid and Development, to work with local communities around the world to end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity. With your support, Caritas Australia has been able to assist communities around the world through income generation, water and sanitation, food security, education and disaster risk reduction programs. 

You can donate through Project Compassion donation boxes sent home with your child next week or online by visiting caritas.org.au/project-compassion

Choices, choices!

Like ourselves, Jesus has choices. Entering (as best we can) Jesus’ mind at the
commencement of his ministry (Mark 1:12-15), we witness his encounter with John the
Baptist, who has emerged from contemplative time in the desert, courageously calling for
repentance and proclaiming the coming of the Messiah. John baptises Jesus. Elsewhere Jesus
says of John – greater has never been born of woman. What a mighty man he was!
The Spirit descends on Jesus and the Father hails him as “beloved Son”. Wow! Jesus’response is the model for us.

First a retreat – the Spirit inspires him to take contemplation time in the wilderness. We can
imagine what inducements Satan might have tried to make Jesus abandon his mission.
“C’mon – God has just claimed you as his beloved Son – you are the man – numero uno! You
can do anything; have anything you want! Imagine the magic you can do – you can really go
places! Don’t waste your talents with these peasants – you’re for the big time.”
And we can imagine Jesus’ strength, supported by angels, in resisting Satan’s blandishments.
Instead, we visualise him prayerfully, reflectively discerning just what the Father wants of him.

Confident of the Father’s will, he knows the cost. As the pieces fall into place, John is
arrested and Jesus, focussed by his desert experience, begins his ministry in his home region
of Galilee – among the ordinary people where most of his ministry will take place.
Here is the model par excellence for us. Quiet, prayerful contemplation of what the Father
wants for me? Is it the easy, self-centred way of fame, fortune, power, glamour and self-
interest? Or is it the selfless, self-sacrificing way of John? How do we, like Jesus, bring the
Good News of the Kingdom among the ordinary people and circumstances of our lives? Lent
is the best time for contemplation of what the Father wants of us.

Deacon Mark Kelly