Last Sunday in Parishes throughout the Diocese of Wollongong we celebrated the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle Year B. The Gospel reading was from Mark’s Gospel where we learn more about the ministry of Jesus.

The reflection by Loyola Press outlines that the Gospel completes a picture of Jesus’ ministry: preaching, curing the sick, driving out demons, and then moving on to continue this work in another place. Mark's Gospel tells us that Jesus did this throughout Galilee.

Jesus’ compassion and healing of the sick is a sign of the Kingdom of God. The Church continues to extend Christ’s healing presence to others in its ministry to the sick. In the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, the Church prays for spiritual and physical healing, forgiveness of sins, and comfort for those who are suffering from illness.

In Sunday’s Gospel we also notice the importance of prayer in Jesus’ daily life. Jesus rose early in the morning, removed himself from the crowds, and went to a deserted place to pray. When the disciples found him, he told them that it was time to move on. We believe that in his prayers Jesus found guidance and direction from God. We also bring our decision-making to God in prayer, asking for his guidance and direction in our lives.

If your child has sustained an injury that would require assistance or modification to usual routines or movement around the school or concussions we ask parents to contact the office via email or phone to make an appointment to meet with the Assistant Principal. 

During the meeting we would review medical advice you have including:

• Details of the injury sustained - e.g hospital discharge papers, medical certificate, x-ray reports
• Will the child need to use crutches, wear a moon boot, sling or cast.

The Assistant Principal will discuss the assistance or modifications the child will need to follow usual routines or to move safely around the school. A support plan will be developed to share with school staff to ensure the ongoing safety of the child, to support them to have a full recovery.

Angela Pecnik

Principal

Acknowledgement to Country

St Paul's Albion Park acknowledges and pays respect to the Dharawal people past and present, the traditional custodians of the land on which our school is built.

Tuesday 6 February is Safer Internet Day. the theme for 2023 is "Connect, Reflect, Protect". During this week Year 3, 4, 5, and 6 will all participate in a webinar that focuses on how to stay safe when using the internet. All other classes will engage in class activities to acknowledge the day.

At the start of each year, the school engages in teaching students how to be respectful, responsible, and safe when using technology. This is aligned with the CEDOW expectations listed in the Social Media Policy. All parents and carers were asked to acknowledge the Technology User Agreement that is visible as a Compass Insights to acknowledge the agreement for technology use in CEDoW schools.

The eSafety Commission hosts webinars for parents and carers. 

See the link for details on how to register for the webinars listed in the flyer.

You can access further information for parents and carers about keeping safe online from the Think U Know website

Term_1_2024_parent_carer_webinar_flyer.pdf

Term_1_2024_parent_carer_webinar_flyer _pdf 79.76 KB

Over the last few years, St Paul's has consulted with parents and carers through P&F meetings and grade-appropriate meetings regarding the iPad program. 

Since 2020 students have used the 'School Mangaged' system and the 'Bring Your Own Device' model has been phased out. This year all students from Year 4 to Year 6 will have a personal device to use. 

The devices for Year 4 have arrived and are being prepared for student use commencing today. 

Explanation of some of the benefits of the School Manager Program
	School Manager Program
Who purchases the device	The school bulk orders the devices. Your child’s device is paid off over a two-year period and billed as part of your school fees. The device could also be paid off as one lump sum.  Other options are available on a needs basis and can be discussed in consultation with families and the school. The device is for the sole use of the students and will be taken home for use at home by the student.
Price	School prices are generally cheaper than what is available at a retail store. Prices are subject to change dependent on pricing at the time of purchase. The device is paid off over a two-year period and billed with school fees.
When will I receive the device?	The students receive their devices within the first few weeks of school. They will go through a setup process known as a Bootcamp to ensure their device is connected to the school management system and running appropriately.
Apps	The school remotely supplies apps (including paid apps) to the device — no Apple ID is required.
Types of apps	Apps are restricted by the school and are strictly educational. All social media apps including Messages and Facetime are blocked.
Internet filtering	The iPads are also filtered during their use at home.
Managing the device	The school manages the controls and security settings for the device.
At the end of Year 6	When your child leaves Year 6, the iPad will be restored to factory settings for you to continue to use without the restrictions.

This year we will be commencing our Project Compassion fundraiser on Shrove Tuesday (Tuesday 13th February). Shrove Tuesday, also known as Pancake Day, holds significant religious importance as it marks the beginning of Lent, a period of fasting and reflection leading up to Easter. It is a time for us to indulge in feasting before the solemnity of the Lenten season begins. 

Year 6 Pastoral Care and Hospitality Leadership will be leading this event. On Tuesday 13th February from 8:30am Year 6 will be selling pikelets and maple syrup to students on the Front Playground. Students are encouraged to bring a gold coin donation which will go towards Project Compassion.

We will be providing a gluten free option. For catering purposes please complete the form below by Friday.

Throughout the season of Lent, students are encouraged to engage in acts of almsgiving, which involve giving to those in need as a form of charity and compassion. This practice fosters empathy, generosity, and a sense of community among students, instilling important values beyond the academic curriculum. 

Each class will be given a Project Compassion money box. These will be collected each week. To show the amount of funds raised each week the tree in the Year 6 corridor will be updated to inform students of the total amount raised.

This term, our value is INTEGRITY! Integrity has been linked to St Joseph which is Blue House. St Joseph was strong enough to choose to be the husband to Mary and earthly father to Jesus. 

This term we will be celebrating the feast day of St Joseph on 19th March. On this day students will be engaging in prayer and responding to activities in their classroom. 

At school we will use the Parable of the Good Samaritan as an example of integrity. When you have integrity, your actions match your words, even when you don’t feel like it. The Samaritan man stepped outside of the norm. He took a risk and spent money and time to care for a stranger, who was most likely Jewish – a people at odds with his people. Nevertheless, his heart and character held enough love to cover over any rivalry or pride and to do what was right. We need courage, like the Samaritan man, to do what is unpopular and unexpected, when it is the right thing to do. 

At St Paul’s we encourage all students to have courage to choose to do what is right and stand up to others, showing honesty and integrity.

In Bearers of Christ’s Love, Bishop Brian highlights the importance that Catholic Schools are committed to “being places of encounter with Jesus Christ and the Good News that he preached, by living the life of Jesus Christ., being places where Jesus is made known…fostering a partnership between diocese, parishes, parents, and staff in the education of children to bring the Kingdom to fulfilment. Taking time to stop and honour significant events assists us with our faith formation.

Miss Alana Stroligo

 The St Paul’s 2023 Swimming Carnival will be held at Albion Park Public Swimming Pool on Friday 16th February. Students in Years 3 to 6 are to attend the swimming carnival. An information note has been sent home with students  and a Compass Event has been published for parents and carers to complete for each child that is attending the swimming carnival. 

If your child is in Year 2 and can confidently swim 50m and they would like to attend the carnival please email Mrs Patricia Staff at info@spapdow.catholic.edu.au to discuss their involvement in the day. 

Parents and carers will need to transport their children to and from the carnival. Those students who attend Catholic Care before and after school care will be escorted by staff to and from the venue.

We will be seeking the assistance of volunteers on the day of the carnival. If you are able to assist please indicate this on the Compass event.

Canteen facilities for snacks only will be available on the day. Students are asked to bring their drink bottles and recess and lunch if not purchasing snacks from the canteen.

The winning house and swimming age champions will be announced on Monday 19th February. We look forward to a wonderful day at the St Paul’s Swimming Carnival. All parents and carers are invited to attend. 

Mrs Patricia Staff

Sports Coordinator

Communication to Families 2024 School Fees

SEDSO – PRIMARY BUILDING FUND CLARIFICATION

Primary school families will note on their 2024 school fee statements a change in name in relation to the ‘SEDSO Levy’.  This levy as now been renamed and will be known as ‘PRIMARY BUILDING LEVY’.  This is not an additional fee, merely a name change and funds are still used to provide capital grants to schools for new facilities and to meet loan payments for school buildings.  We are currently in the process of amending all documentation and websites to reflect this variation.