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St Ita’s Catholic Primary School acknowledges and pays respect to the past, present and future Traditional Custodians and Elders of this nation and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
KEEPING MRS. PATERSON IN OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS
Could I please ask everyone in the St Ita’s school community to keep Mrs. Helen Paterson, her daughter Kristy and her family in our prayers and thoughts as they work through a very emotional and challenge time. Mrs Paterson will be taking some leave over the coming weeks and I will keep our community posted on any changes that may occur.
CHILD SAFETY WEEK
SEPTEMBER 4 - 10 2022
In 2022, National Child Protection Week will continue to embrace the overarching message that ‘Every child, in every community, needs a fair go’. In particular, this year we will be shining a light on children growing up safe and supported.
Children and young people thrive when they grow up safe, connected and supported in their family, community and culture.
They have the right to grow up in environments that support them according to their needs, now and into the future.
This year let’s talk about how we create a supportive environment for every child.
National Child Protection Week will be looking at what works to keep children safe and supported… what children are telling us… what families are telling us… what the evidence is telling us… and how to translate this knowledge into action.
We know that too many children are not growing up safe and supported and that Child Protection systems are overloaded. There are many opportunities to change the trajectory for these children.
We can stop child abuse and neglect – and reduce its impact – by working together to make sure every child in every community has a fair go.
UNDERSTANDING PEER PRESSURE
As your children grow older, they will be faced with some challenging decisions and choices that they have to make, which involve serious moral questions like; whether to cut school, try cigarettes, drugs or alcohol, or lying to your parents or family members.
Making decisions on your there own is hard enough, but when other people get involved and try to pressure you them one way or another it can be even harder. People your child’s age are called peers. When peers try to influence how your child acts or to get them to do something, it is called peer pressure. Peer pressure is something everyone has to deal with — even adults.
Peers influence your life, even if you do not realize it, just by spending time with you. You learn from them, and they learn from you. It is only human nature to listen to and learn from other people in your age group. Peers can have a positive influence on each other. Maybe another student in your science class taught you an easy way to remember the planets in the solar system or someone on your team-taught you a cool trick with the ball. You might admire a friend who is always a good sport and try to be more like him or her. Maybe you got others excited about your new favourite book, and now everyone is reading it. These are examples of how peers positively influence each other every day.
Sometimes peers influence each other in negative ways. For example, a few kids in school might try to get you to wag school with them, your football friend might try to convince you to be mean to another player and never pass her the ball, or a kid in the neighbourhood might want you to shoplift with him.
WHY DO PEOPLE GIVE IN TO PEER PRESSURE?
Some kids give in to peer pressure because they want to be liked, to fit in, or because they worry that other kids might make fun of them if they do not go along with the group. Others go along because they are curious to try something new that others are doing. The idea that "everyone's doing it" can influence some kids to leave their better judgment, or their common sense, behind.
WALKING AWAY FROM PEER PRESSURE
It is tough to be the only one who says "no" to peer pressure, but you can do it. Paying attention to your own feelings and beliefs about what is right and wrong can help you know the right thing to do. Inner strength and self-confidence can help you stand firm, walk away, and resist doing something when you know better.
It can really help to have at least one other peer, or friend, who is willing to say "no," too. This takes a lot of the power out of peer pressure and makes it much easier to resist. It is great to have friends with values similar to yours who will back you up when you do not want to do something.
You have probably had a parent or teacher advice you to "choose your friends wisely." Peer pressure is a big reason why they say this. If you choose friends who do not use drugs, cut class, smoke cigarettes, or lie to their parents, then you probably will not do these things either, even if other kids do. Try to help a friend who is having trouble resisting peer pressure. It can be powerful for one kid to join another by simply saying, "I'm with you — let's go."
Even if you are faced with peer pressure while you are alone, there are still things you can do. You can simply stay away from peers who pressure you to do stuff you know is wrong. You can tell them "no" and walk away. Better yet, find other friends and classmates to pal around with.
If you continue to face peer pressure and you are finding it difficult to handle, talk to someone you trust. Do not feel guilty if you have made a mistake or two. Talking to a parent, teacher, or school counsellor can help you feel much better and prepare you for the next time you face peer pressure.
PARENTS DROPPING CHILDREN OFF AND PICKING UP AT SCHOOL
A reminder to all parents that school drop off at St Ita’s is between 8.30am and 8.50am, and school pick up is between 3.20pm and 3.40pm.
We have noticed that an increasing number of students are being dropped at school around 8.00am, and similarly collected after 3.40pm during which times they are being left unsupervised.
To support our child safety practices at St Ita’s could we ask all parents to refrain from early drop off’s and late pickups on school days.
School on the last day of term concludes at 2.20pm
NAPLAN
On Thursday, parents of children in years 3 and 5 will receive NAPLAN results. These tests in key areas of Literacy and Numeracy provide parents and teachers with a snapshot of how children are progressing.
It is important to keep in mind that the NAPLAN tests are just one of the many ways we track the children’s progress, and that these are not the sole indicator of how your child is performing.
You may like to make a time to have a talk with your child’s teacher. Talking to your child’s teacher will help you to put the NAPLAN results into context and understand what you and the school can do with the results, and how to assist your child in the areas that they may need help in.
Remember that NAPLAN is only a snapshot of how your child performed in literacy and numeracy at that one point in time. Whatever you do, don’t stop any activities your child enjoys and don’t focus your child only on reading, writing and maths. All activities are crucial to the school program and contribute to developing informed, happy children who are confident in their own abilities.
FATHERS DAY BREAKFAST
A big thank you to all the fathers, step-fathers, grandparents and special friends that turned up celebrate the wonderful role fathers play in the development of our children. We cooked up over 400 sausages and the The Little Corkers coffee van seemed to be well recieved. Well done to dads that picked up a little prize in the assembly on last Friday.
2022 CLASS STRUCTURES
Each year when we begin the process of setting class lists for the following year we invite parents to let us know if there are particular educational needs their child has which might impact class placement. Over the past few years the majority of requests we receive are regarding the child's social group or a parent preference for a particular teacher.
School is the formative place for young people to begin to explore a world beyond the home. They begin to discover the differences between being friends and being friendly, how to work with people that might have different views and skills, how to develop positive, respectful relationships with a broader range of people and how to deal with change.
The hope for all parents and educators is that we can best equip our young people for a world where they can be effective and affective, can work to bring change in the world and demonstrate a respect and care for all. They will move into a variety of working lives and research shows that each is likely to have a much larger number of jobs and job types than their parents.
For a child changing classes at the end of the year brings uncertainty, a little reluctance, a little excitement, a little nervousness and a little anxiety. It also brings opportunity to practise the skills they will need to enter a new workplace and form effective working relationships with co-workers.
As adults we are aware that a change of workplace means leaving those friendships we have developed in our work life. Some friendships are strong and continue outside of our work life and are nurtured and maintained in our social life. Others are replaced by new working friendships which support and engage us in our new workplace but may or may not last beyond that placement. This is exactly what children have an opportunity to learn as they change class. Being kept with only the same group, or the same teacher robs them of the learning about how to experience change, to grow relationships, to become more quickly comfortable in new situations and to take control of what is possible in their environment.
We hope that our parents trust that we know our students well; both individually and collectively. We plan classes with great care and discussion balancing the wellbeing, learning and social aspects of each child and class. We consider teacher skills and styles, support requirements and opportunities as well as the requests of the children as to their preferences for peers in their new class.
When the conversations in your house turn to next year please look at the opportunity given to you to discuss how changing workplaces is a reality and how we grow as people each time we form new working relationships with peers and bosses. Talk to them about your experiences, about the things that worked well and please avoid tales of woe!
Class requests for the 2023 can be completed on the following google form. Please do not make assumptions that previous years requests will be honoured. It is best to put everything in writing again.
FOOTBALL COLOURS DAY
On Friday the last day of term we will be having a footy colours day. On this day students can come dressed in their favourite football team colours. If they don't follow footy please encourage them to wear an alternate sporting team clothes (Soccer, Netball, Polo, etc) There will be a gold coin donation that we will use to put towards the St Vinnies Food Relief projects.
ASSEMBLY NEXT WEEK
We will have an end of term assembly starting at 12.00pm in the school hall (Friday 16th September). Please feel free to attend, we just ask that you wear a mask or social distance where required. If you intend to take your child home after the assembly please ensure you let your child's teacher know via ClassDojo or in person before leaving the school. (Signing out at the office is not required after the assembly)
ST ITA’S VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
We are seeking 15 volunteers to waitress at the Baw Baw Big Blokes BBQ on Friday, 14 October held at Lardner Park. Two sessions available 11am to 2pm or 12noon to 3pm. The committee has kindly agreed to donate money to the school in return for the waitressing. No waitressing experience is required. If you can assist, then please contact the school either via email admin@stidrouin.catholic.edu.au or phone the school on 03 5623 7222.
VIDEO RECORDING USB ORDER FORM
A video recording of the full concert performance is now available to order on USB memory stick for $15.00 per copy.
Attached is a copy of the order form, which can be emailed back to the Admin Office at admin@stidrouin.catholic.edu.au
2023 FOUNDATION ENROLMENTS
Our 2023 enrolments for Foundation are open to all prospective St Ita’s families. To arrange an interview and school tour for your child, please contact Beck or Helen at admin@stidrouin.catholic.edu.au or 5623 7222.
SCHOOL FEES & CONCESSIONS
Term 1 -3 fees are now overdue, please ensure payment is made at your earliest convenience.
If any families would like to set up a weekly, fortnightly or monthly direct debit schedule for school fees, please complete the Direct Debit Form below and return to the school office. For any assistance regarding calculations of payments, please contact us via email on: admin@stidrouin.catholic.edu.au
For any families that have recently received a Government means-tested health care concession card, please forward a copy of your card to the office to check your eligibility, as a fee concession may apply. The card must be in the name of the parent/fee payer for a fee concession to apply.
If your current Health Care card is due to expire this year and your card is re-issued, please send a copy of your new card details to the office as soon as possible for the concession to be checked and applied for next year's fees, if not already done so.
CONGRATULATIONS TAYLAH & INDIE
MS READ-A-THON CHAMPIONS
SPORTS NEWS
Sports Teacher: Hayley Roberts Sports Coordinator: Joseph Black
Email: hroberts@stidrouin.catholic.edu.au jblack@stidrouin.catholic.edu.au
ROUND ROBIN
PARISH NEWS
Unjust God?
Sometimes it seems our Creator takes this “boundless love” business too far! What about the good guys for a change? Surely “we” should get preferential treatment?
Many of us, hearing the Prodigal son story (Luke 15:1-32), have sympathy for the faithful son rather than the reprobate who has blown his inheritance on wild living. Maybe that is because we feel we are the faithful sons and daughters and that, like the older son, we are maybe a bit ripped off. By our notions of “a fair go”, perhaps the younger son should get the paid servant role that he asked for; but as for embracing him, honouring him, celebrating his return with a party! Too much! This elder, wiser, faithful son feels he has a superior claim on the father and he is resentful of the usurper.
Faithful, steady, church goers can slip into the same mind-set as the elder brother. God - embracing, honouring and celebrating the return of our less savoury citizens is too much! What is God thinking about? Doesn’t he/she know how pious we are and how sub-standard these others have been? Where’s the justice?
How arrogant are we! Trying to place boundaries on God! Trying to make our almighty Creator jump to our ideas of justice; to get with our program. For that is what we do.
God doesn’t need to answer to us but, as the father in the parable reminds us, if we are truly constant and faithful, then we already live in the father’s bounty, so what is our problem about the brother?
Jesus’ core teaching is the Kingdom of a Father who loves each and every one of us equally, absolutely, infinitely and intimately, just the way we are. In this parable above all, Jesus gives us an example of the boundless mercy of the Father who loves us beyond human reckoning and upon whose mercy we all ultimately depend.
Deacon Mark Kelly
CONFIRMATION |
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We pray for the following students and their families as they journey towards their Confirmation, may they be blessed with the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit. Cooper Bills Keelie Carbboneau Jack Carbboneau Holly Dignan Matisse Elton Tara Hart Dillon Jagoe Makaylah Monckton Aidan Noonan Sophia Phillips Evie Piner Ebony Seabrook Emilia Trapnell Ava Upston Charlie Ventura Taylah Wassenberg |
2022 Migrants and Refugees Sunday |
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What?: Mass and after Mass gathering When?: Sunday, 25th September 2022 Why?: Urged by Pope Francis and Bishop Greg to celebrate our cultural diversity Where?: St Ita’s Church and St Ita’s Hall
If you can bring a national food dish to share please contact: Barbara 0414 965 079 or Joan 0434 647 816 |
CONFIRMATION |
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COME HOLY SPIRIT “May today there be peace within you. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith. May you use those gifts you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content knowing you are a child of God. Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us.” - St Thérèse de Lisieux – SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION The celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation will be held this week on Friday, September 9th at 7pm in Marist-Sion College School Hall. On behalf of the Parish and our Confirmation families, the Sacrament Team would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank Lisa Harkin, Deacon Mark Kelly and his amazing team at Marist-Sion College for all their support in making this possible. At this very exciting time we would like to wish our Confirmation families every blessing for this next stage in their child’s faith journey. We are very grateful for the support and cooperation shown by families, school staff and parish in helping to make this occasion meaningful and special for our young parish families. We ask our school communities to please keep these children in their prayers. Many thanks, The Sacrament Team. |
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION |
 Please note there will be an invitation letter sent home to all Grade 4 families early next week with details of next term’s First Holy Communion preparation. We are looking forward to sharing this very special time in your child’s faith journey. Please remember to check your children’s bags for this letter. Many thanks. Important dates for your diaries: Parent Information Meeting: Wednesday, 19th October, St Ita’s Church, Drouin at 7pm or Thursday, 20th October, St Joseph’s Church, Warragul at 7pm |
PARISH SACRAMENT ENQUIRIES
Sacrament Enquiries: Mrs Therese Meggetto
Mobile: 0439 306 642 Email: Warragul.sacraments@cdsale.org.au
PUBLIC NOTICES
PIANO & SINGING LESSONS
DRUM AND GUITAR LESSONS
