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Dear Parents, Guardians and Carers,
The staff at St Michael’s Traralgon wish all our families a very happy and holy Easter.
We hope you have a wonderful holiday and enjoy the time spent with your family. Please note that school is finishing at 1pm on Thursday and that the school buses are not running. The students will return on Tuesday 16th April. Staff will be having a professional Learning Day on Monday 15th April working with staff from St Gabriels on trauma informed practice and the importance of relationships.
ALONG THE TRACK by Jim Quillinan
KIDS ROAR PARENT SESSION
Just a reminder about our online KidsROAR Parent Information Session that is on tonight at 6pm. During this session, we will share information on sexual abuse, statistics of child sexual abuse, child sex offenders and grooming. This highlights the importance of delivering body safety education to children. We will also discuss the content covered in the children’s body safety sessions, which includes: feelings and emotions, feeling safe/unsafe, early warning signs, a safety network of trusted adults, private body parts and secrets. The content covered in this Parent Education session is not suitable for children. We ask that children are not present throughout this meeting. Details for how to register were sent out via email last week.
Kind regards,
Jodie
IMPORTANT DATES
- 28th Mar Term One ends - 1pm finish
- 16th Apr - Term Two commences 9am
- 25th Apr - ANZAC Day
- 26th Apr - School Closure Day
- 30th Apr - District Cross Country
- 1st May - Confirmation parent Meeting 6pm at the Church
- 20th - 22nd May - Grade 5/6 Phillip Island Camp
- 24th May - Sacrament of Confirmation 6pm at the Church
PARISH NEWS
Term 1 school fees were due by Friday 23rd February. Thank you to those families who have already paid.
Camp Sports and Excursion Fund
Camps, Schools and Excursion Funding (CSEF) is provided by the Victorian State Government for students (of eligible Centrelink cardholders) to attend activities like: - School camps or trips - Swimming and school-organised sport programs - Outdoor education programs - Excursions and incursions. Funding is provided annually at $150 per student for primary school students. Applications must be submitted to the school by 28 June 2024.
The applicant must be one of the following on the first day of Term 1 (29 January 2024) or Term 2 (15 April 2024):
- a parent or carer who is the beneficiary of a financially means-tested Centrelink concession card – please refer to the list of eligible cards
- a temporary foster carer
Full information (including list of eligible card types) is available on the following website:
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/camps-sports-and-excursions-fund/guidance/eligibility
School Fee Concessions
St Michael’s endeavours to make Catholic education affordable for all in our local community.
The school has an application process for any enrolled family to seek a fee concession based on financial hardship. There are two categories under which an application for a concession can be made:
Category 1 – Eligible means tested Health Care Card (HCC) and Pensioner Concession Card (PCC) holders. Any family in which the fee payer holds an eligible means tested CCC is automatically eligible for a school fee concession. There is a simple application form and streamlined approval process. The Diocese of Sale Catholic Education Limited recommended concessional fee for 2024 is $520 per family.
Category 2 – Special Consideration
For other families experiencing financial hardship, the application process requires more detail to be provided to enable a fair and equitable assessment of eligibility for, and level of, fee concession.
Please contact the school office if you wish to discuss your eligibility for a fee concession.
Each week students from each class are awarded Student of the Week certificates. These children are nominated for the example they have been within the school based on the School Wide Expectation focus for that week. The weekly focus will be from Wednesday until Tuesday the following week. Awards will be presented to students in the classrooms this week.
In Week 9 the School Wide Expectation focus is Honesty:
I always tell the truth.
I am honest when reflecting on my personal performance.
I take responsibility for my actions.
| Toby Flowers | Mark Edgar | Yaazhini Arun Kumar |
| Jack Hill | Ava Hopkins | Sebastian Mazza |
| Robert Johnson | Evie Howe | Gracie Pryce |
| Rie Rankcom | Quinn De Ligt | Milla Koppen |
| Quinnie Tiong | Olivia Uren | |
| David Edgar | Brock McInnes |
As we celebrate Palm Sunday we begin our journey to the cross and, in this week's gospel, we listen to the narrative of the Passion. The Passion narrative is very aptly named. The emotion and power of this story is nothing short of passionate. The gospel writer’s style of fast paced, unadorned factual narrative is a very effective way of helping the reader/listener to engage in the story. It is, after all, the first half of the most important Christian story – finished off by the resurrection that is celebrated on Easter Sunday. It is easy to see why this stark, narrative style was embellished and expanded upon by the later gospel writers and yet it is perhaps the more passionate for the lack of explanation and theologising.
As Jesus dies, a centurion standing by utters the inspired words, ‘In truth, this man was a son of God.’ Famously played by John Wayne in the movie, The Greatest Story Ever Told, the centurion is the voice of the gentile – the non-Jew – representing all those throughout the world who will recognise the truth of Jesus’ life and purpose.
This gospel has raised many questions over the years. You might ask yourself: Why is the detailed retelling of this Passion narrative such an important part of the Christian tradition? What emotions might Jesus have been feeling when he prayed at Gethsemane? Why is it important that we continue to ‘tell the story’ of the Passion?
SECOND HAND UNIFORM SHOP
The next second hand uniform shop will be on Wednesday 27th March from 3:00-3:30pm. Please enter through the office. This is a great opportunity to get your winter uniform ready for Term 2.
We are excited to offer hot lunches weekly on a Monday with Munch Lunch. They are a local company that offer a variety of lunch items.
Ordering is simple, download the Spriggy Schools app via your App Store or Google Play store, select St Michael's School, add your children and their class to the app and place your order! Lunches will then be delivered to school. Orders need to be placed by 9:00am on the day. You can pre order lunches 2 weeks in advance.
Contact: Munch Lunch 0459 220 445 or hello.munch.lunch@gmail.com
