Dear Parents and friends,

Mary Help of Christians... pray for us

Today we celebrate the feast day of Mary Help of Christians. This feast has been celebrated in Australia since 1844 but the history to this day dates back to the start of the 1800s.

Napoleon Bonaparte had jailed Pius VI who died in jail. When Pope Pius VII was elected he too was jailed by Bonaparte, who kept him prisoner at Fontainbleau in France.

The Pope vowed to God that if he were restored to the Roman See, he would institute a special feast in honour of Mary.

The military eventually forced Bonaparte to release the Pope and on May 24, 1814 and Pius VII returned in triumph to Rome.

Twelve months later the Pope decreed that the feast of Mary Help of Christians be kept on 24 May.

The early Church in Australia had a special reason for turning to Mary. In those early and mostly priestless days, it was largely the Rosary that kept the faith alive. Catholic Australia remained faithful to Mary, and we were the first nation to choose her, under the title of Help of Christians, as our nations patron saint.

Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Yours in Faith, Justice and Learning

CLIMBING FOR THE SUN - OBSTACLE COURSE COLOUR RUN

What a brilliant day we celebrated last Friday in support of Levi Gibson's mission to climb Mt Kilimanjaro, Tanzania in July 2019 in an effort to raise funds for our school to install a Solar Photovoltaic (PV) System, and in doing so become the first primary school in the Illawarra (124 schools) to be virtually electricity independent. A huge thank you to Ms Harris in designing the obstacle course and working with Claude Spinelli to ensure that we were challenged whilst having the best fun ever!!!! We exceeded our target goal and raised $7565! An extraordinary effort for a small school who is leading the way in sustainability.

 
Visit our Facebook page to see the full album of photos from the day!

NATIONAL SIMULTANEOUS STORYTIME

National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) is held annually by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops and many other places around the country. 

What a lovely day we had on Wednesday sharing morning tea with our family, followed by the reading of Alpacas with Maracas written and illustrated by Matt Cosgrove. 

Thank you parents, grandparents and friends for sharing the love of reading with the students at St Brigid's!

LAST SUNDAY'S WORKING BEE 

It was a lovely sunny day for a working bee! Thank you to the Petre, Macdonald, Harman, Miller, Arriaza and Holgate families who trimmed the hedges; pruned the trees, weeded the gardens; and removed the old sandpit to make way for a collaborative project with the UOW in building an integrated composting station. Once the work was completed we downed tools for a scrumptious sausage sizzle.

THANK YOU P AND F - STEM RESOURCES

One of our School Improvement goals for 2019 is to ensure that the new Science and Technology syllabus is implemented and that STEM learning is evident across the school K-6.

To date, the teachers have engaged in five hours of twilight meetings to unpack the pedagogy of the syllabus and are collaboratively planning exciting units of work for student engagement. 

In order to successfully immerse students in the world of Science and Technology and deliver a contemporary curriculum, we have purchased, with the support of a $5000 donation from the P and F, a very comprehensive range of resources, including PLUGGED (Mbots, Lego robots) and UNPLUGGED resources (construction materials).

STUDENT LEARNING LOGS

All children will be bringing home their Learning Logs today to share their learning to

date.

Please take some time to sit with your child/ren and reflect on their learning using the following questions:

• What have you found interesting about your learning so far this term?
• What questions do you have about what you have learned?
• My learning goal for this term is…….

Reflections are to be posted on SeeSaw (Kindergarten and Year 1) or Google Classroom (Year 2 - 6). All student work books MUST be returned to school on Monday 27 May 2019.

COMPASS PARENT PORTAL

Thank you to those parents who have registered for the Compass portal. All details on how to register were sent home last week. Please ensure that both parents register so they can access all student details.

Within the next two weeks, automated attendance notifications will commence. If your child is absent from school you will receive an email. This email will include a link for you to click on and record your child’s reason for absence.

From Week 5 we will be using Compass as the main communication tool for St Brigid’s. This will mean that all school alerts and emails will now come through Compass and not Skoolbag. You may like to download the Compass App onto your Smartphone to ensure you receive all alerts and messages.

OFFICIAL ST BRIGID'S FACEBOOK PAGE

St Brigid’s have launched a school based Facebook page that will regularly post announcements about school events, share good news stories and promote upcoming events. The page can be accessed using the following link:

www.facebook.com/stbrigid.gwynneville

It is important that all parents are familiar with the Diocesan Social Media Policy and comment and contribute as per the guidelines.

DIOCESAN TRIALS

Congratulations to Henry J who has been selected in the MacKillop Hockey team who will now play in Lismore. This is a wonderful achievement Henry!

WOOLWORTHS EARN AND LEARN

The Woolworths Earn and Learn Program is beginning again this year. This program gives schools the opportunity to earn new resources. Woolworths has partnered with Modern Teaching Aids who have a large range of categories to choose from including; ICT, science, sports, mathematics, arts and crafts.

How you can help?

1. Between 1 May and 25 June 2019, collect as many stickers as you can.
2. Stick them on the sticker sheets and give them to school. Or drop them into a collection box in the store in Figtree or Wollongong
3. Don’t forget, you can always download and print extra sticker sheets at woolworths.com.au/earnandlearn
4. Ask neighbours, friends and grandparents to collect stickers as well.

STAFF RETREAT

    'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your                   strength and with all your mind; and, Love your neighbour as yourself.’                      Luke 10:27

On Friday 10 May 2019, our staff experienced a retreat at the Hermitage in Mittagong. The weather was ‘chilly’, the accommodation was comfortable, the surroundings were picturesque and the food was plentiful.

Our facilitators, Beth Riolo and Pat O’Gorman, took us on a journey that lead us to thevery beginnings of St Brigid, Gwynneville. We were reminded that, at the core of our being, we have a strong heritage in Good Samaritan education that is based on the Gospel way of life around the Rule of St Benedict.  

St Benedict was born in Norcia, Umbria in Italy, of a wealthy family in 480 CE. He had a twin sister, Scholastica. Benedict was blessed by God. He spent time in retreat – (in the cave of the heart). He founded the monastery that became the roots of the Church's monastic system. Instead of founding small separate communities he gathered his disciples into one whole community. His own sister, Saint Scholastica, settled nearby to live a religious life.

The Rule of St Benedict is beautifully embedded in our St Brigid’s Vision and Mission Statement:

• That Christ is at the centre of everything we do.
• That we provide a quality education that is solid to encourage lifelong learning.
• That our students become good citizens to take their place in the world.
• That we treat others with justice, love and compassion.

 Some final thoughts:

• LISTEN – to God, to others, to yourself
• REFLECT – on your actions, your thoughts, your impact
• ACT – with kindness, maturity, compassion
• SEEK – wisdom for the appropriate people
• OFFER – your wisdom with humility and without the expectation that your way is the way it will happen.

MISSION - ONE HEART, MANY VOICES 

We are called to be holy by living our lives with love and by bearing witness in everything we do. (Pope Francis)

Last week, I was privileged to be able to attend a three-day conference, in Sydney. I travelled up and back each day by train immersed in a world unfamiliar to me, with most sitting, not conversing, spending time on devices, while the awesome world passed by.

I felt exhilarated as I watched the sun rise over the calm, glassy water, and the bushy escarpment beneath me made me curious as to what could be lurking. This, truly, is God. But where was God in my carriage?

 I had a lot of time to reflect on the focus of the conference:

 Include                        Dialogue                      Encounter      

The carriage I sat in did not demonstrate inclusion, in fact, when people entered the train carriage, most heads were down, perhaps hoping that no-one would come and sit next to them. And if someone did sit in the same seat, I could see the shuffle of bodies, so that there was not even body contact.

Dialogue only existed in the way of texting and typing. No-one made eye contact and struck up a conversation or attempt to know another’s story.

I didn’t encounter anyone.

Again, where was God in my carriage, in my seat? Did I miss an opportunity to Look at Others with the Very Eyes of God = LOVE.

 So, in conclusion, the retreat and the conference rekindled in me something I have known, but needed reminding of -

• LISTEN (with the ear of the heart)
• LEARN (the story of others)
• LIVE (go and do the same)

SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION 

The last session for our Year 6 students will be Thursday, 30 May  2019 at St John Vianney’s Hall, Fairy Meadow at 7.00pm.

I ask that you keep our Year 6 Confirmation candidates in your prayers as they continue on their journey in faith.

NATIONAL RECONCILIATION WEEK 2019 

This year, National Sorry Day 2019 falls on Sunday 26 May 2019 and is a day when we pause to remember the Stolen Generations of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

It leads us into the Week of Prayer for Reconciliation and National Reconciliation Week which is held each year between 27th May and 3rd June.

The theme for National Reconciliation Week 2019 is Grounded in Truth: Walk Together With Courage.  

At the heart of reconciliation is the relationship between the broader Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. To foster positive race relations, our relationship must be grounded in a foundation of truth.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have long called for a comprehensive process of truth telling about Australia’s colonial history. Our nation’s past is reflected in the present, and will continue to play out in future unless we heal historical wounds.

Reconciliation must live in the hearts, minds and actions of all Australians as we move forward, creating a nation strengthened by respectful relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous peoples.

The Gospel calls us to stand in solidarity with the most vulnerable and marginalised in our society. It is our Christian responsibility to stand for and contribute to a vision of a reconciled, just and equitable Australia.

SAVE THE DATE

Catholic Primary Schools Basketball Challenge (CPSBC)

Thank you to all the parents who submitted an ‘Expression of Interest’ form for their child to participate in the CPSBC in Albury in October. Unfortunately after looking at the returned forms, we are unable to form teams for the Junior Boys, Junior Girls and Senior Boys due to lack of numbers. We will, however, be taking a Senior Girls team away for the weekend as there was enough interest to form a team. I will be in contact with the parents of the Senior Girls team shortly.

I know there will be disappointed students, but hopefully in the future we may be able to build on these numbers to form teams in all divisions.

Netball Gala Day

On Monday an email was sent informing parents of details about the upcoming Netball Gala Day. The Netball Gala Day is a popular sporting event at St Brigid’s and is open to Junior Girls (Years 3 and 4), Senior Girls (Years 5 and 6) and Senior Boys (Years 5 and 6).

If your child is interested in participating in this Gala Day, please return the permission note with $5.00 in an envelope with your child’s name and class on the front. Students can hand this into their classroom teacher. There is a definite cut off date – the Netball Gala Day note and money must be returned by Friday 31 May 2019 as teams need to be organised and entries submitted. No late forms will be accepted.

If there are any questions about the above information, please don’t hesitate to contact the school.

Ms Sparks

FETE COMMITTEE VOLUNTEERS

We need your help! The fete is a great community event and brings in significant

funding to the school. The better organised it is, the better the outcome for our little people.

The Fete Committee works together as a team to organise the 2019 St Brigid’s Fete. We have two meetings each term, which usually go for about an hour. We provide overall planning and oversight, but we also need more volunteers who are able to help out as the fete approaches.

WHAT DO WE NEED?

1. Logistics Coordinators - Look after basic compliance, including food safety, working with children checks, Council DA, and insurance. It may sound daunting, but the DA is already finalised, and much of the work from previous years is well documented.
2. Marketing Communications Coordinators - Plan and implement basic advertising before and at the event
3. Treasurer - Luke is our fete treasurer, but we’d prefer each role to have two volunteers - it’s easier to share the responsibilities.

Without these roles, we risk not being able to hold a fete.

IS IT HARD?

These roles don’t require experts or a huge time commitment. We are all busy parents but more of us lending our talents, time and skills will make for a great fete and a great fete means a memorable day for our families, and also some great funding for our beautiful school!

 We suggest that you job share, so talk to a friend if you’d like to volunteer together for a role.

WHAT TO DO NEXT

If you are interested in one of the available positions please email David Macdonald at davidmac26@gmail.com. Remember you can job share… share the work, share the responsibility.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Upcoming P&F events for your diary:

WANT TO BECOME MORE INVOLVED IN THE LIFE OF THE SCHOOL?

Are you interested in volunteering for P&F events? Would you like to help out the wonderful St. Brigid’s community but don’t know where to start? We’d love to have you on board.

Drop the P&F a line and we’d be very happy to get you involved in events or as a coordinator. We can also team you up with an existing volunteer to help share the work and learn the ropes. Email us at pandf@sbgdow.catholic.edu.au
 

THANK YOU to our Volunteers!

If you can volunteer for an hour or two for any upcoming events, please add your name to our Google doc.

Dragons v Sharks this Sunday! Can you help?

Congratulations to the following students on receiving their awards during the last fortnight.

Week 3 - Term 2

Week 4 - Term 2

CLASS	JUSTICE AWARD	LEADER OF THE WEEK
Kindergarten	Charlie	Hunter
Year 1	Sarah	Ruby
Year 2	Emerson	Hugo
Year 3	Samuel S	Shay
Year 4	Aryan	Addison
Year 5G	Alina	Arabella
Year 5W	Harrison	Leki
Year 6	Noelia	Zane

Congratulations to the following students who have received their Assistant Principal Award. Well done!

CLASS	STUDENT
Year 1	Bethany
Year 1	Molly
Year 2	Reed

Year 2	Oliver E
Year 5	Erin
Year 6	Lucas

Happy Birthday to the following students.

We hope you have a great birthday!

St Brigid’s Gwynneville

Saturday	5.30pm Vigil
Sunday	9.00am
Thursday	9.30am

For the most current Mass times and Parish information, please visit the Parish website http://www.lumenchristi.org

COME AND TRY CUB SCOUTS NIGHT