St Michael's Catholic Primary School 24 Margaret Street BELFIELD 2191 Telephone: (02) 9642 8199 Fax: (02) 9642 6729 eMail:[email protected] www.stmbelfield.catholic.edu.au

NEWSLETTER Term 4 Dates to Remember 15 Dec

Last day Term 4

30 Jan

Term 1 Year 1 – 6 only Kindergarten Start School Last Day Term 1

2018 31 Jan 13 Apr

Week 10

15 December 2017

Dear Parents / Carers, What a wonderful and prayerful event we all experienced on Wednesday evening when we gathered to retell “The Christmas Story”. Every child was dressed beautifully and it will be a night we will treasure for a long time. Lord, May we be like the Wise Men who were guided to you by a Star, Give us the wisdom to seek you, Courage to search until we find you, Graciousness to worship you and Generosity to lay our gifts before you who are our King and our God forever and ever. Amen May the Peace and Joy of Christmas be with you and your family.

Mary Colagrossi Principal

Principals Award KB

KG

1B

1E 2K

2V 3H 3W 5V

6A

Alma O Viana S Anabel C Stephanie A Samisoni B Anthony k Agnes k Skye L Sophia L Olivia B Venice K Isaac T Lucas B Aden O Eva B Isabella C Chloe P Joel C Chanel H Robert A Matthew A Alex D Robbie G Thomas H Sofia K Vito M Alana T Benjamin A Alanah B Charlotte M Michael A Daniel B Mario A Ella C Lucas G Johnny A Charlene S Jacob Y Zavier A Carmellia B Lauren M Zachary S Anthony T Cooper W Ysabella E Gabriella A Sandra T Christina A Brendan B Demi C Layla S

Farewell Today at our Farewell assembly we gave thanks for the gifts the following leaving staff members shared with our community. They will be sadly missed. Mrs Josephine Colagrossi who will be moving to St Brigid’s Catholic Primary Marrickville in the role of Assistant Principal. Mrs Chris Quigley, who will be retiring. Ms Brigid Vieira, who will returning to full time study. Mr John Burfoot who will be moving to work in the Northern Beaches. Ms Danielle Hill who has graduated and will take up a new career. We ask that God blesses them and keeps them in his tender loving care always. We thank the organising committee for planning the farewell assembly, all the children and the parents and carers who came along to give thanks and farewell our leaving staff members. Congratulations School Captains 2018 We congratulate our school captains for 2018. School Captains Liana S Lucas G School Vice Captains Elia D Selin B Graduation On Friday night 1 December, our Year 6 class celebrated their graduation. We wish our students many blessings in their life as they complete their Primary School Education and step into Secondary Education. May God be their guide in life always.

Dates For 2018 30 January 2018

Term 1 Year 1 – 6 start school

31 January 2018

Kindergarten start school

Mandarin Chinese Classes – Term One Trial We are introducing Mandarin classes in term one. This will be a trial program for the term and you will invited to a feedback session towards the end of term 1 to review the program.

End Of Year Mass On Friday 8 December we gathered to celebrate the year we have shared together and to give thanks to you the parents and carers for working with us in the education of your child/ren. We give thanks to Fr Slattery and now Fr Benton for leading us in prayer, we acknowledge and give thanks to the dedicated staff who love each child and work tirelessly to ensure that a wholistic program is offered to nurture and develop the full child. We also give thanks to our active P&F. Throughout this year many events were planned. Money raised was used to purchase our Defibrillator, and begin the process of installing a shade cloth over our assembly area. We also give thanks to the kind hearted and wonderful children of our school. May they continue to thrive in learning, thrive in love and thrive in God’s care. School Supervision Begins At 8.20am Please be reminded that supervision of children begins at 8.20 am therefore please do not drop off your children before 8.20 am Message From Mrs Josephine Colagrossi-Religious Education Coordinator

Dear Parents/Carers and Students I wanted to take a moment to thank the school community. I will be starting my new position as Assistant Principal at St Brigid’s Marrickville filled with so many long lasting memories I have experienced here at St Michael's over the last 9 years. I have enjoyed my time here and I appreciate having had the opportunity to work with your children and in partnership with you . Thank you for the support, guidance, and encouragement you have provided me during my time at St Michael’s. Even though I will miss my colleagues and the school community, I am looking forward to this new challenge and to starting a new phase of my career. May our paths meet in the near future. I wish you all a Holy Christmas and Happy and Safe New Year. Thank you and God bless! “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.” Thessalonians 3:16

Josephine Colagrossi Religious Education Coordinator

Merry Christmas to all our families. May the birth of our Saviour bring you joy and peace. May 2018 be filled with many blessings. From all the staff of St Michael’s Catholic Primary School

St Michael's Catholic Primary School 24 Margaret Street BELFIELD 2191 Telephone: (02) 9642 8199 Fax: (02) 9642 6729

Staff – 2018

eMail:[email protected] www.stmbelfield.catholic.edu.au

School Leadership Team: Principal

Mrs Mary Colagrossi

Assistant Principal Literacy and Numeracy Coach

Mrs Sandra Mendonca

Religious Education Co-ordinator

To be advised

Co-ordinators Gifted Education WHS Compliance Student Wellbeing

Mrs Natalia Flinn Mr Gerry Curran Mrs Kimberly Poidevin Mrs Michelle McClelland

Literacy Numeracy Success Co-ordinator

Ms Christine Walsh

Class Teachers: Kindergarten Ruby Kindergarten Silver

Miss Kellie Chapman Miss Jacinta Perestrelo

Year 1 Ruby Year 1 Silver

Miss Tania Ibrahim Mrs Michelle Rodriguez

Year 2 Ruby Year 2 Silver

Miss Natasha Calderaro Mrs Natalia Flinn/Mrs Michelle Campisi

Year 3 Ruby Year 3 Silver

Miss Sarah Vale Mrs Kimberly Poidevin

Year 4 Ruby Year 4 Silver

Mrs Megan Straney Miss Sabrina Jammal

Senior Ruby Senior Silver

Mr Gerry Curran Mrs Maria Cannavo

Reading Recovery

Mrs Michelle McClelland

Language Classes K-6 Mandarin

Trial in Term One

Special Education Teachers

Ms Nancy Etter Mrs Norma Fekete

Music

Miss Brigid Vieira

PDHPE

Mrs Josephine Virgara/Mrs Sandra Mendonca

EAL/D Educator ICT

Mrs Natalia Flinn Mrs Sandra Mendonca

Family Educator

Ms Maria Alessi

School Office

Mrs Anita Johnston - Finance Mrs Emma Pereira – Administration Mrs Helena Kim - Administration

Message From Miss Maria Alessi Family Educator Dear Parents and Friends, Thank you to all of those families who attended the Visit of The Statue of Our Lady of Fatima here within the Parish Church of St Michael’s on Saturday 2 December. This marked the beginning of Advent and was such a special and beautiful afternoon and evening. The day started at 4pm with The Statue arriving followed by the Rosary , Exposition and then Solemn Sung Benediction of The Blessed Sacrament. A fully sung Solemn Mass in honour of Our Lady followed at 5.30pm. The procession of the statue to the Parish Hall at 6.30pm proceeded a talk about the statue and the apparition of Our Lady of Fatima and the message of the apparition at 7pm. A shared supper in the Parish Hall concluded the evening where families were able to obtain a blessing and pray in front of the statue. Thank you to those Flower Girls who scattered the rose petals for the procession and to those Candle Bearers who lit the way. This helped to make the day so wonderful in honouring Our Lady of Fatima. A big thank you also to our school dad’s who were prepared to carry Father Andrew’s new canopy that sadly was not used due to the wet weather. I am sure that Our Lady will bless your efforts. I would also like to thank all of those families that donated food for the supper in the hall and those students who helped set it up with me. May Our Lady of Fatima bless us all and all of our loved ones. During Advent, there will be a GIVING TREE PLACED NEAR THE FRONT OF THE CHURCH. This will be a place where you can leave non-perishable food for the poor and needy. Those in our Parish or the wider local

Community. Tinned food, long-life products and other food that does not require refrigeration can be left under the tree. Presents for children can also be left wrapped so that we can arrange for these to be distributed to the needy in our Parish and Community. Presents should have a note stating what age child the present is for and whether a boy or a girl. I would also wish to remind you that the gift of our Catholic faith and the gift of prayer is the most precious gift we could possibly pass onto our children and families. Being an active witness for the faith which we all love and hold dear is what remains with others long after we are gone. On Monday nights 7.00pm-7.30pm here within the Parish Church of St Michael’s there is a children’s rosary being led by some of the school fathers. The children present recite the rosary taking turns with the Hail Mary’s. It is a beautiful prayerful time that will strengthen the faith and unity of the families participating. Please feel free to join in with your families as we prepare for the Season of Advent. This will be a most special and wonderful way to celebrate the Advent Season as we prepare our hearts and souls for the birth of Jesus, the REAL REASON FOR CHRISTMAS. May God bless each and every one of you! Maria Alessi Family Educator

ST MICHAEL’S Parents & Friends Newsletter.

Issue 4, December 2017

Well what a year it has been. There has been so many great events this year and they could not have been possible without your help, contribution and attendance. We would like to extend a massive thank you to all of the parent volunteers who helped throughout the year, your help is genuinely appreciated, as we could not do it alone. To Mrs Colagrossi and the leadership team for allowing these fun events to take place, so your children can make some wonderful memories here at St Michaels. To the Office ladies, who continually help with all our paperwork and requests, and last but not least, the teachers who have stepped in to help when we have needed a few extra hands. Congratulations to all the Raffle winners at the disco, with the money raised from the raffle the school will be able to purchase a defibrillator to be kept on the premises. In the next few days we endeavour to finalise our account and with the total of our fundraising efforts this year, we hope to present the school with a substantial cheque to purchase a shade structure for the quadrangle.

Amount raised this term Art plates:$912 Raffle: $1470 Disco: $2504 Newsletters & minutes found here https://sites.google.com/a/syd.ca tholic.edu.au/stmbelfield/forparents/parents-and-friends

The Disco was our major event this term, and what a fun fluro night it was. Your children had a great time dancing the night away thanks to Bop Till you Drop as well as having their faces painted, buying novelties and purchasing raffle tickets. Thank you to all those parents who helped on the night. We couldn’t have done it without you. We look forward to another successful year in 2018 and urge all parents to attend the P&F meetings that are held once a term (held both at night & during the day to accommodate all parents). Not only do you get to hear about what is going on at the school, you get a chance to voice your opinion and offer suggestions for school initiatives and fundraising ideas throughout the year. We would like to wish all families a Merry Christmas and a wonderful holiday. From Rosalie Gossow & Nicole Ortado

For any suggestions, concerns and feedback contact us [email protected]

DISCO 2017