2 November 2020 (Term 4, Week 4)
CEO/PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
Dear Parents and Carers,
We are already in week 4 of the term and Christmas is fast approaching. Tonight I will be hosting our second Principals’ Zoom Forum with the assistance of our Acting Assistant Principal, Kylee Laugesen. All parents and carers are welcome to join in. I don’t imagine it will be a very long meeting, as most of the information we have to share has already been circulated through Compass, but it is a great opportunity to see some faces and to talk, albeit through the virtual world.
As I will reiterate tonight, we are hopeful of easing restrictions to enable our end-of-year events to proceed in some way, and for further easing in 2021 to help us get back to normality. We are assuming with hopeful optimism that 2021 will be a better year, so we are putting all the usual Mater Dei events on the calendar, but time will tell whether that is possible. No one could have predicted the year we have been experiencing, but my knowledge of the Mater Dei community is such that I could have predicted how well everybody was going to rally and work together to make the best of things under trying circumstances. That is never in doubt.
Please keep yourselves safe and well, and I look forward to seeing more of you as the world struggles to return to normal.
Kind regards
Mark Raue
CEO/Principal
NOTES AND REMINDERS
COVID TEST RESULTS
Thank you to families for keeping their children home if they are unwell. Please continue to do so and if required email your COVID test results to admin@materdei.org.au
UNIFORM UPDATE - SKORT
As per our recent Compass Post, as of Term 1, 2021, there will be an option for female students to wear a skort and unisex summer shirt, in place of the summer tunic. This is completely optional.
PLEASE REMEMBER the skort is a pre-order item and orders need to be placed by Friday, 13 November 2020.
At this stage, we have samples sizes 4 to 18 available at the School for fittings. However, due to COVID Guidelines, parents/carers are unable to come in. If you are interested, please contact the School before Wednesday, 11 November and we will arrange to fit your child and notify you of the size you will need to order.
GROOMING GUIDELINES
Please be reminded of the following student Grooming Guidelines:
- Hair should be clean, neat & tidy and of a natural colour. Excess use of product (mousse, gels and sprays) is discouraged. Girls shoulder length hair needs to be fully tied back off the face and eyes. Only school coloured hair accessories are to be worn.
- Boys are encouraged to be clean shaven
- Fingernails are to be natural and of an acceptable length. Nail polish is not to be worn.
- No jewellery is to be worn except Watch, neck chain with a religious symbol under the uniform and/or one set of plain, silver or gold, studs or sleepers in the lower ear
More information on the Grooming Guidelines can be found in our Parent Handbook on Compass.
PAST EVENTS
K-6 BOOK WEEK PARADE
Our K-6 Book Week Parade ‘Curious Creatures, Wild Minds’ looked a little different this year but was still a wonderful celebration. K-2 and 3-6 students all walked the red carpet, with confidence and pizazz! The students loved to see their teachers and TAs dressed up in character too! DJ Elvin kept the tunes coming and a good time was had by all.
STUDENT LEADERSHIP DAY
On 23 October 2020, Students in Years 10, 11 and 12 participated in a Leadership Day run by Youth Mission Team. The students participated in a wide range of activities including drama and small group challenges where they had to display their leadership qualities. The students thoroughly enjoyed the day and used what they had learnt to deliver some fantastic speeches that afternoon. Congratulations to all students who presented their speech.
In previous years, our new Student Leadership team has been annouced after our Graduation Mass. However this year, due to COVID restrictions, we are unsure if this will occur. Further information on the annoucement will be provided with the End of Year Events updates.
CAMDEN COUNCIL GARDEN COMPETITION
11/12 Gibbons entered our school vegetable garden in the Camden Council Garden Competition. The students planted new seedlings, watered and spread mulch before judging day. Thanks to Michael Reynolds too for his gardening expertise. Mater Dei was awarded second place for School Plot category.
The winners were announced on Camden Council's Facebook page @camdencouncil
MOVE IT 4 MATER DEI WRAP
WOW! What an incredible result for the Move It 4 Mater Dei challenge over the past few weeks. Thank you to all the staff, parents & friends and children and young adults for getting involved and contributing to such an outstanding outcome.
Collectively, 204 participants raised over $86,000 and moved 143,000 minutes which is extraordinary. We are thrilled to announce our overall winners. Congratulations to our top individual fundraisers:
Peter Sheehy from Australian Pilates Academy
Luke McLachlan from TRN
Olivia Toole, who is one of our Mater Dei students
Shout out to our top fundraising teams for their amazing effort:
Wards Accounting Group, TRN Engineers Team 2 & Team O'Neill
Our Selfie Quest Raffle Winner – Nikki Joseph
Our most Creative Selfie Winner as judged by the Mater Dei students – Jennifer Dowdy-Pitt
Special mention to the Catholic Club Catering team whose aim was to run 500 kms in the 2 weeks. Peter, Tim, Allyson, Nicole and ex-Mater Dei student Ethan smashed it!
In our eyes all the participants are winners for taking on the challenge. We hope it was fun, got people moving and most importantly spread awareness for the great work at Mater Dei.
UPCOMING EVENTS
As per our previous Compass Post, Mr Raue will be hosting a Principal's Forum tonight (Monday 2 November) 7:00pm-8:00pm via Zoom
To attend, click the below link at 7:00pm.
MUFTI DAY
A Mufti Day is scheduled for Friday, 13 November 2020 (Week 5). Students are requested to bring a donation of new toiletries for the Santa Teresa Mission. This community, south of Alice Springs, is supported by Good Samaritan Education schools. It is wonderful for our students to see how we show our Benedictine Value of ‘Love of Christ and Neighbour’ for other people.
PUPIL FREE DAY
Students are not required at school on Friday, 20 November 2020 (Week 6).
PAN UPDATE
As previously advised in our Compass Post last week, the editing process for PAN has taken a little longer than expected. The performance link will now go live one week later on Friday, 20 November at 5pm. Purchase information has been posted on Compass and will be done online through TryBooking.
Ticketing Link is $20 and USBs are $15 each and the link will be emailed to the address used when purchasing online.
YEAR 12 FORMAL
A Reminder to Year 12 families that payments need to be made on or before Friday, 20 November 2020 (Week 6). Formal arrangements are based on current NSW Health guidelines and are subject to change at any time. Should changes occur, families will be notified as soon as possible.
END OF YEAR EVENTS
At this stage we are not yet able to give families specific information regarding End of Year events (except the Year 12 Formal). COVID guidelines for award assemblies are continually being reviewed and information will be released as soon as we are able. Please be advised we have multiple options currently being planned, dependent on whether we can have parents/guests on site.
CANTEEN DATES AND PRICE LIST
COMMUNITY NEWS
SOURCE KIDS
Source Kids is Australia’s first magazine for parents, carers, families, professionals and teachers working with children with special needs. Source Kids delivers the latest information on a range of topics that touch the lives of children with disabilities and their families and carers. Please refer to the below link to their website for further information.