Dear Parents & Carers

Welcome back to Term 4. Hope everyone had a great holiday. I am writing this newsletter on behalf of Mrs Maslen who is currently on Long Service Leave. Mrs Maslen will return next week.

Over the holidays we have a number of improvements made within the school. All of our benches have been repainted as well as the retaining wall around our Bush Tucker Garden stained.

We have also had a new cleaning company start during the holidays. The school received a thorough deep cleaning will be cleaned every week day morning before school. The three classrooms will also receive new carpets starting on Saturday. The new carpet will be finished by Tuesday.

This term we will be launching our new School Vision and Mission Statement. The process to write this Vision and Mission Statement has taken over 18 months. It has had the involvement from students, parents, staff and the parish. It is a statement that clearly outlines what the Vision of the school is and what qualities we want all our students to develop and demonstrate now and into their future lives. As a part of this launch we will be providing the students with a formation experience next week that will help explain what a Vision and Mission Statement is and how we can all demonstrate the important qualities within the statement. We are looking forward to launching this new statement to our school community at Grandparents Day at the end of week 5.

Next week we see the introduction of a Playgroup for any interested parents of preschool age children. It will run for three Fridays starting Week 2.  The Playgroup will be run by our Learning Supprt Teacher, Krystal Shannon. A flyer for the Playgroup can be found in this newsletter.

Our first Assembly will be held on Friday 8th November at 10.30am. It will be a combined assembly for 2/3 and 4/5/6.  We needed to combine this assembly as next Friday we will be going to Gloucester Public for Musica Viva performance.

Congratulations to Lola Forbes Collins and Georgia Morton for their work in the ASPIRE Young Scrptwriters Program. Lola and Georgia have been involved in workshops to learn how to write a script. On Thursday the girls travelled to Taree to complete their script. Their script was then performed at night in the Flett Studio in the Manning Entertainment Centre. Well done Lola and Georgia. We are all very proud of you efforts in this program.

Finally a big congratulations to Miss Emerson who has been formally acknowledged as a Proficient Teacher. After graduating, teachers are required to submit evidence to prove that that are meeting the teaching standards set by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA). This process is lengthy and quite daunting at times. However, we are pleased to acknowledge that Miss Emerson is now a fully qualified teacher. Congratulations Sophie.

Have a nice weekend.

Yous sincerely,

Adam McCann

(Acting Principal)

Parents please note that there will be a Pupil Free Day Monday 21 October (Week 2 Term 4). Staff will be receiving professional development in 'Verbal Intervention'. Also on this day all three classrooms will be receiving a freshen up with new carpet being installed.

Please Note: Unfortunately due to lack of numbers OOSH will not be operating for the Pupil Free Day.

This term is going to be a busy one (as always). Already it is only 67 days until Christmas Day!

The Mini Vinnies Christmas Appeal will run for 2 weeks from November 28th until December 12th. At that time, we will be asking for donations of non perishable food items, so that we can send these to those in need within our Gloucester community.

On Thursday December 5th, our Mini Vinnies group of Sienna, Miley and Bella will be hosting a fundraising day to support the work of the "Dolly's Dream" charity. This organisation works to educate young peole and communities about anti-bullying and online safety. 

We will publish more details closer to those dates.

Each week we display a message for the week on our large blackboard in the undercover area. These messages change weekly. Here is a photo of this week's message. 

Thank You everyone for your continued support and care for our school and our students.

A huge congratulations to the Mini Vinnies team of Lola, Mattea and Clarry for the Save the Rhino Fundraiser Day at the end of the last term. It was an incredible afternoon with so many treats and activities for the students to participate in. There was an incredible cake store, pin the horn on the rhino, colouring competition and raffle. The genorisity of our small school is always amazing. In total over $590 was raised for this cause. Well done.

Just a reminder that we will be celebrating Grandparents Day on Friday November 15. The day will consist of a Liturgy commencing at 10am in the Church. During the liturgy we will also be launching our new School Vision & Mission Statement. Visitors are welcome to stay for a morning tea following the liturgy.

Each year we celebrate Catholic Mission Week to raise money for the care and protection of vulnerable children all around the world. This year the focus country for Catholic Missions is Mongolia.

Mongolia, a land of vast steppes, rugged mountains, and nomadic culture, is one of the most fascinating and unique countries in the world. Nestled between Russia and China, Mongolia boasts a rich history dating back to the era of Genghis Khan. Its people are known for their warmth, resilience, and deep connection to their land and traditions. From the bustling capital of Ulaanbaatar to the serene expanse of the Gobi Desert, Mongolia offers a blend of ancient heritage and modern development.

Mongolia also has many children that face difficult circumstances within their lives. It is through the generous support of the children of Australia that these vulnerable children of Mongolia can be provided with the support that they need in their young lives.

This year we will raise some money by having a Crazy Sock Day. This day will be held on Thursday 31 October. We kindly ask that the students wear their normal sports uniform but wear some crazy socks as well. Students will be doing some soccer based activities for sport and we ask that they bring in a gold coin donation to support the fundraising efforts of Catholic Missions.

This term we will continue to have sport each Thursday. 

Weeks 1 & 2 - Tennis

Week 3 - School based (Socktober Fundraising / Crazy Sock Day)

Weeks 4 - 9 Swimming

We will send home with more details of swimming in a couple of weeks.

SPECIAL REPORT: The Cost of Living Crisis

In our ever-changing economic landscape, parents and caregivers are increasingly faced with the task of broaching the subject of growing expenses with their children. While the instinct may be to shield young people from life’s challenges, there's a growing belief that addressing real-world issues, including financial uncertainties, can actually foster resilience and understanding. Striking a balance between protection and education is crucial for those looking to empower their children.

To effectively introduce the topic of finances, we need to be mindful of the timing and setting of the conversation. Using straightforward, age-appropriate language helps maintain transparency, and openly discussing adjustments to the family budget can carry significant weight. By encouraging children to participate in finding creative ways to save and make thoughtful spending choices, parents can nurture a sense of responsibility.

This Special Report offers a valuable opportunity to enhance children's financial literacy, equipping them with the resilience needed to thrive in an increasingly complex world.

Here is the link to your Special Report https://gloucester.catholic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-cost-living-crisis-au