St. Agnes’ Catholic Primary School Highett Peterson St. Highett, Victoria 3190

Phone: 9532 0344 Fax: 9553 3039 E-mail: principal@sahighett.catholic.edu.au Website: www.sahighett.catholic.edu.au

NEWSLETTER No.37 — 13th December 2011

Please note this Week’s Events:

Tuesday 13th Swimming and Bayside Carols

Wednesday 14th 9.30am Junior School Christmas

Concert

10.45am Morning Tea for Parent

Helpers

Thursday 15th Swimming

10.15am Advent Prayer Service

Friday 16th Swimming

Please note December Events:

Monday 19th Students Meeting New Classmates

Tuesday 20th 6.30pm Mass of Thanksgiving

Wednesday 21st 2.00pm Farewell Grade 6 Assembly

2.30 pm END OF TERM

BAYSIDE CAROLS The choir are singing at Dendy Park tonight

as part of the Bayside Carols.

Everyone is welcome to come and support our wonderful choir.

Advent – Preparing a way for the Lord Christmas – the Light that came into the world

In this season of expectation

We prepare to welcome Christ Jesus, Messiah

Into the bustle of our lives

and the hard to find moments of solitude

We prepare to welcome Christ Jesus, Messiah

Into our homes and situations

along with friends and families

We prepare to welcome Christ Jesus, Messiah

Into our hearts, and those often hidden parts of our lives

We prepare to welcome Christ Jesus, Messiah

We cannot comprehend the reasoning

only marvel that Salvation comes to us

through a baby born in a stable,

and reaches out to a world in need.

In this season of anticipation

We prepare to welcome Christ Jesus, Messiah

Dear Families, Reports Semester Two Reports will be sent home tomorrow (Wednesday). Each report also has a 2012 class list for each child Junior School Christmas Concert The juniors are excited about their concert in the hall at 9:30am on Wednesday (tomorrow). We welcome parents to be part of the fun tomorrow

Parent Helpers Morning Tea The Parent Helpers Morning Tea is tomorrow (Wednesday) at 10:45 in the MPR. This is an opportunity for the staff to thank all the wonderful parents who have assisted during the year e.g. classroom helpers, excursions helpers, lunch order helpers, lice checks etc. It is also an opportunity to acknowledge the great work of our Parents and Friends Committee. If you have been a helper or have been involved in the Parents and Friends this year please come along so we can officially thank you.

News from the Principal

Staffing for 2012 As we approach the end of the year please read this important information. Please find the staff list for 2012 below. Sadly, we say goodbye to Mrs Kelly. We thank Mrs Kelly for all the wonderful work she has done in her role as Literacy Co-ordinator and Reading Recovery Teacher over the last five years. You will be greatly missed by our St Agnes’ community.

We welcome Jessika Bradshaw and Mary Stiglich to the staff of St Agnes’. We also welcome Anna

Gugliucciello, back from maternity leave. Principal: Andrew Butler Deputy Principal: Rosemary Beadle Secretary: Maria Brennan/Sherralee O’Reilly Teachers: Prep L: Sue Lema Prep B: Jessika Bradshaw 1\2K: Andrea Kennedy 1\2C: Cecily Kerr & Paula Warden (1 day) 3\4H: Emma Herbert 3\4Z: Peter Zammit & Rosemary Beadle (1 day) 5\6H: Andrea Harvey & Paula Warden (1 day) 5\6S: Mary Stiglich & Barb Lillie (1day) Religious Education Coordinator: Mary Stiglich Teaching and Learning Coordinator: Rosemary Beadle Special Education /Student Wellbeing: Rosemary Beadle Literacy Coordinator /Reading Recovery: Julie Grace LOTE - Italian: Anna Gugliucciello Physical Education: Amanda Baker Performing Arts: Amanda Baker Visual Arts: Barb Lillie Library Technician: Julie Gonzales LNSLN/Teacher Aide: Deb Smith LNSLN/Teacher Aide: Lynn Miller

News from the Principal Cont..

Mass of Thanksgiving – 20th December On Wednesday 20th December at 6:30pm all families are invited to our school Mass of Thanksgiving. This is an opportunity to thank students, parents, staff and the Parish for our 2011 school year. It is also an opportunity for us to celebrate the Grade 6 Graduation, the Preps to farewell and acknowledge their grade 6 buddies and to pass the mantle of school Leadership to our current Grade 5 students. I strongly encourage all families to attend our Mass of Thanksgiving. St Agnes’ Advisory Education Board AGM

The Annual General Meeting for the Advisory Education Board was held last Tuesday. Nominations for 2012 were forwarded and five

new members were nominated. I would like to congratulate Bruce and Lynette Shelley, Felice McCartney, Michael Inserra, Sam Carson and Stuart Gittus on being newly elected. We look forward to a great year as a board in 2012. We thank Kathleen O’Dowd and Hanni Alston for their time in serving the board over the years. Katheleen and Hanni are both retiring and have been very supportive in their time on the board. Board Members for 2011 Chairperson: Tony Rees Secretary: Lynette Shelley Fr Vincent John, Andrew Butler, Rosemary Beadle, Bruce Shelley, Deb Ball, Dale Sheppard, Rob Stewart, Tony Vlahandreas, David Perreira, Felice McCartney, Stuart Gittus and Michael Inserra

News from the Principal Cont..

2012 – Student Meet and Greet A reminder that on Monday, 19th December, the students will meet their new class and teachers for 2012 from 9:00am – 10:45am. The students will go to their new classes and will hear from their teacher! (Unfortunately Miss Bradshaw (Prep 2012) and Mrs Stiglich (5\6) will not available at the Meet and Greet as they are teaching at their current schools). Good Luck to the Choir

The choir are singing at Dendy Park tonight at 8:00pm as part of the Bayside Carols. We wish them luck tonight. Everyone is welcome to come and support our wonderful choir.

A Date for Your Diary On Sunday 12th February 2012 there will be the special ‘Opening of the School Year Mass’. The mass is at 10:00am and we would like to see all families there to begin the school year. All staff will be in attendance at this mass. The date will be on the school calendar which is currently being completed. Year 6 Leaders will be presented with the leadership badges at this mass. Uniform Shop – Advanced Notice for 2012 The Uniform Shop will be open on Wednesday 1st February 2012 (the day before the first day of school) from 9:30am- 1:00pm. Have a great week, Andrew Butler Principal

News from the Principal Cont..

School Timetable 2012

For 2012 the daily timetable has been altered, although the start and finish times for the day will remain the same as this year. The change relates to having two, 2 hour blocks of learning and only one hour learning block in the afternoon. Therefore, the morning sessions will be longer as this is the best learning time for stu-dents. The afternoon session will be shorter and will allow for one solid session of learning before home time at 3:15pm. You will also notice that recess and lunch times will be of the same duration to balance the time outside as lunchtime can be a very long time for students, especially the younger ones. Lunch is later than the existing time, however we encourage students to eat more at recess time to avoid becoming too hungry by lunchtime. There is also a fruit break in the morning which gives the students an energy boost. The overall time in the classroom remains the same for each day. These changes are well supported by the staff and the Education Board as they see the changes help to enhance learning opportunities. Please see the time table below School commences at 8.40 a.m. Children will go to their lines in the playground at 8.40 a.m. Where possible, the children in Prep-2 are engaged in an ‘Uninterrupted Literacy Block’ for the first two hours of each school day 8.45 a.m.—10.45 a.m. Morning Recess: 10.45 am-1.25 am Lunch Eating Time: 1.25 pm-1.35pm Lunch Recess 1.35 pm-2.15 pm Dismissal: 3.15 pm

NEW SCHOOL TABLETABLE FOR 2012

The Opening of Gates and Doors in the Morning

As families would be aware, a teacher is on playground duty in the morning from 8:25 onwards until classes begin. The Locinda street gates open at 8:25am.

Some students arrive before 8:25am and wait in the administration foyer. However, there are an increasing number of students waiting in the foyer which is becoming quite congested at a time when staff are preparing for the day or in before school meetings. Parents are also finding it difficult to access the administration window in the morning due to students waiting in the foyer. We do not have staff to supervise before 8:25am and as a duty of care, a change needs to be made. For 2012, I would like to request that students don’t arrive at school before 8:25am please. This decision was made only after great consultation with teachers and the Education Board. The Peterson Street door foyer doors will be opened promptly at 8:25am to allow students direct access to the playground where a teacher will be on duty. Some possible alternatives are that families may choose to mind each others’ children before school and bring them to school. Kingston Family Day Care may be able to assist you on 95814866 or Windermere, Bayside on 95985097 may be able to assist with before school care. In the event that this is not possible for your family and your child/children regularly arrive before 8:25am due to family cir-cumstances, please see Andrew Butler for support as we do not wish this change to become a stress to families. Your co-operation in this matter is greatly appreciated as our school enrolments are rising from 163 students in 2011 to 196 in 2012 and the current before school procedure will not be manageable or sustainable. Andrew Butler Principal

Susan Lema Religious Education

Coordinator

Term 4,Week 10, 2011 Term 4,

Religious NewsReligious NewsReligious NewsReligious News

Advent Prayer Advent Prayer Advent Prayer Advent Prayer

ServiceServiceServiceService This Thursday the children

will be involved in an Advent

Prayer Service in the Hall at

10.15. The Instrumental

students will be

accompanying the students.

The service will be hosted by

3/4L.All parents are most

welcome!

Religious

Events

*This Thursday Advent Prayer

Service in the Hall

10.15

*Tuesday 20th Nov

Thanksgiving Mass

6.30pm

End of Year Thanksgiving Mass All families are requested to attend the End of Year Thanksgiving Mass. It is a wonderful time to gather as a school community to give thanks for our wonderful year, to celebrate the season of Christmas and to farewell the students, families and staff that are saying farewell. It will be 6.30 pm in the Church.

Looking forward to seeing you there!!!

Sunday’s Gospel Lk 1:26-38 Advent

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke

You will conceive and bear a son.

The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. He went in and said to her, ‘Rejoice, so highly favoured! The Lord is with you.’ She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her, ‘Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God’s favour. Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘But how can this come about, since I am a virgin?’ ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you’ the angel answered ‘and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God. Know this too: your kinswoman Elizabeth has, in her old age, herself conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible to God.’ ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord,’ said Mary ‘let what you have said be done to me.’ And the angel left her.

St.Agnes’ Parish Newsletter Parish Team Weekday Masses Fr. Vincent John CMI (P.P.) Monday: 9am Communion Service Andrew Butler (Principal) Tues - Sat: 9am Mass Office: Rosary: Before Mass each weekday Kate Meiklejohn (Parish) Maria Brennan (School) Reconciliation: Saturday 9.30am-10.30am or by appointment with the Phone: Parish Priest Parish: 9532 1794 School: 9532 0344 Special Devotions: Every Friday after Mass Mass Times: Weekend Exposition of the Blessed Saturday Vigil 6pm Sacrament, Novena, Sunday 8am &10am Benediction

ROSTERS: 17/18TH DECEMBER 2011 READERS: Sat 6pm T Kennedy, P Dwyer

Sun 8am Sun10am T Hickey, H Layzell

SPECIAL MINISTERS Sat 6pm: (A) B.Wilson, P.Dwyer Sun 8am Sun 10am (A) H Reece, F Forbes, J Tucker (C) F Forbes, H Reece (A) Ciborium (C) To the sick Cleaning Roster: Group 3: M.McCormick, M.Brooke, S.D’Souza Collections: Thanksgiving: $ 917 In 2001, the Commonwealth and Victorian Goverments introduced legislation that deals with the manner in which public and private sector organisations may record, use, store and disclose information, including health information, collected from the individuals. The Parish of St. Agnes is committed to upholding and implementing the Privacy Principles set out in the legislation..

Died Recently:

Anniversaries:Desmond Doherty, Erik Bekierz, Vic Adcock, Antoinette Nime, Eric Unger, John Puccetti, Patrick Carew

MOM APPEAL THIS WEEKEND Since its foundation in 1969, Melbourne parishioners have supported our own mission fund to help developing nations. This has marked our Archdiocese for its exceptional generosity. Archbishop Hart commends the fund to your continuing support. Donation of $2 and over are tax deductible.

FEAST DAYS: Tues 13 DecemberLucy Wed 14 December John of the Cross

READERS/MINISTERS OF THE EUCHARIST Please give your name to Kate if you are available for Christmas/New Year Masses.

Readings for 17/18 December. 2011 4th. Sunday of Advent (B)

1st. Reading: 2 Sam 7: 1-5, 8-12, 14, 16

2nd. Reading: Rom 16: 25-27 Gospel: Lk 1: 26-28

Respons. Psalm: Ps 88: 2-5. 27. 29

Response: I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord

PARISH NATIVITY PLAY Sunday 18 December at the 10am

Mass. Following Mass, we will have refreshments in the foyer of the Church. If you are able to

bring a plate, it would be appreciated.

RECONCILIATION Community Celebration

(Individual Reconciliation following this)

Wednesday 21 December 7pm

CHRISTMAS MASS TIMES Family Mass: 6pmSaturday 24th. Dec.

beginning with carols. 11.30pm Carols followed by Midnight Mass Christmas Day 10am Mass (no 8am Mass) (If anyone would like to participate in the Carols by playing a musical instrument, please see Alice.)

NEW YEAR MASS TIMES Sat 31 December 5-6pm Holy Hour, Sat 31 December 6pm Vigil Mass Sunday 1 January10am (no 8am Mass)

Congratulations to Mary and Don Moran who are celebrating their 40th. Wedding Anniversary. ST. VINCENT DE PAUL MEETING: Tues 13th. Dec. at 7.30pm in the Church. ST. V DE P GIVING TREE Please select a gift card and help make Christmas special for someone in need. Dona-tion envelopes are available also. PLEASE RETURN ALL GIFTS BEFORE FRIDAY 16TH DECEMBER HEALING MASS: Sat 17th. December at 9am. If you know parishioners who would like to attend, please invite them. ODE TO SONG: A CHRISTMAS RECITAL: Kate Amos (our Cantor) and pianist Leslie Desjardins will perform a classical recital of well-loved Christmas carols as well as famous and delightful melodies such as O Holy Night, Pie Jesu, Ave Maria, Edelweiss, at St. Agnes on Friday 23rd December at 7:30pm. A warm welcome for all parishioners to at-tend. Entrance Fee: donation

2012 Grade 6 Leadership 2012 Grade 6 Leadership 2012 Grade 6 Leadership 2012 Grade 6 Leadership

Dear Parents Thank you so much for your support during our ‘Leadership Program’ this term. During the speech presentations, all of the Year 5 students demonstrated the skills, abilities and special qualities they would bring to the leadership positions for 2012. We were impressed with the each child’s performance as they spoke with clarity, confidence and enthusiasm in front of an audience of teachers and other students. As a result, we are pleased to announce the Year 6 captaincy positions for 2012:

School Captains Hamish McCartney and Chloe Malouf

Vice Captains Adam Ball and Hannah Layzell

Red House Captains Connor Murphy and Nina Alston

Yellow House Captains Ciaran McAninch and Joshua McEvoy

Blue House Captains Caiseal Kelly and Georgia Rees

Arts Captains Madison Rogers, Lisa Kilburn, Emma Cristiano, Sophie Daw,

Angela Velluto, Meg Sheppard and Joel Iseli Library Captains

Liam O’Neil, James Reece, Lucas Duffus and Stavroula Vlahandreas Environment Captains

Phillip George, Daniel Murnane, Hamish Campbell and Marco Rubino

Congratulations to all these wonderful students. Andrew Butler, Rosemary Beadle, Andrea Harvey, Peter Zammit,

Paula Warden

Due in b

y Thu

rsday

am

Christmas Gifts Every year we encourage the

students at St. Agnes’ School to think of other children who may not be as fortunate as they are. We are asking each family to donate a

present for a needy child. We have decorated our tree in our

reception and invite each family to bring a small gift that our local St.Vinnies may be able to

distribute to children who may go without this Christmas.

Could the present please be wrapped in Christmas paper with a label indicating whether the present is suitable for a boy or girl and an

approximate age. This is a great way to help your

children understand the importance of thinking of others during the Advent and

Christmas season. Could all wrapped presents please be under the

Christmas tree in the school foyer

Due in on Thursday am

Thank you

Due in b

y Thu

rsday

am

Parents and Friends Weekly Update 13th December 2011

Thanks to those that came for dinner last Tuesday night. Who would have thought the number 55 could lead to so much discussion…….

Without a PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT the P&F

WILL NOT continue into 2012.

How are you going to explain to your child/children that there will be *no lunch orders, *no father’s day stall, *no mother’s day stall, *no sushi lunch, *no disco, *no icy poles, *no walkathon, *no themed fun lunches just to

name a few…...

Please consider taking up these important roles within the school community and showing your child leadership

skills. Please see us if you wish to discuss further.

Tiffany Griffin and Jen Horvath-Co Presidents of Parents and Friends

ST AGNES’ NATIVITY PLAYST AGNES’ NATIVITY PLAYST AGNES’ NATIVITY PLAYST AGNES’ NATIVITY PLAY

Sunday 18 December 2011

We are having our Nativity Play at the 10am Mass.

Could all children participating in the play please

be at the church at 9.30am on Sunday.

Mass will be followed by light refreshments.

All are welcome.

Any queries, please contact Michelle D’Abate 0411 566 562.

This Sunday!

!

Have a wonderful Birthday!

December: 14th Emma C in 5/6BZ Natalie M in 1/2G 15th Nathan M in 5/6H 19th Kelvin M in 3/4L

DECEMBER Friday 16th Yiota Birbilis Monday 19th Helen Reece

Thank you Helen Reece Lunch Orders Co-ordinator

LUNCH ORDER REMINDERSLUNCH ORDER REMINDERSLUNCH ORDER REMINDERSLUNCH ORDER REMINDERS BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONSBIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONSBIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONSBIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

SWIMMING NOTICE FOR

PARENTS AND STUDENTS Thursday 15th

Just a reminder that this week is water safety week.

All students will need to bring shorts and a t-shirt to swimming on Thursday

On December 20th the Year 6 students will take a special part in the Mass of Thanksgiving. Following the Mass the Year 6 students will have a sit down dinner which will be catered for by the Year 5 families. After the dinner graduation certificates will be presented to the Year 6 students. The following day there will be a special assembly at 2.00 pm where the school community will farewell our grade 6 students We would like to thank Bernie Quinn for organising the printing of the Graduation Memories Book.

GRADE 6 GRADUATIONGRADE 6 GRADUATIONGRADE 6 GRADUATIONGRADE 6 GRADUATION

GARDENING CLUBGARDENING CLUBGARDENING CLUBGARDENING CLUB

The Gardening Club grew has grown to over 40 Students with

the help of our wonderful gardener mums and dads.

So a big thank you to :

James Rohan, Sonia Blakey,

Robyn de-Boers, Bernie Jarvis and

Karyl McGlinn.

It was a lot fun!

Thank you Christine Kelly

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