Term 4, Week 8 (28 November 2022)
CEO/PRINCIPAL'S ADDRESS
Dear Parents and Carers,
This is the last newsletter of the year, a year that has gone by so quickly. As I write this note I am aware that we are soon to farewell our senior students and their families, and eventually to welcome others who are joining the Mater Dei Community with children in Kindergarten. It is the natural cycle of life where we spend time with one group of people in a particular place and time, and then move to other places where there are other people. Farewells can fill us with sadness but also remind us of the possibility and excitement of what comes next. They can also fill us with a deep sense of gratitude.
One very significant farewell applies to the long-standing staff member, Helen Flett. Helen has been at Mater Dei for over twenty years and families would know her from her work in School Reception. Helen’s contribution to Mater Dei has been quite something and she will be very missed. Helen has asked me if she could this message to you:
FAREWELL FROM HELEN FLETT
Dear Parents and Carers,
My 20 years plus of being 3 days per week School Receptionist at Mater Dei has been an enormous privilege and I have learnt much as well as experienced a great deal.
Most of all I have learnt to feel huge respect and admiration for you, the parents and carers of children whose needs are big, whose personalities vary as much as any of us and whose talents and abilities and interests are sometimes not the same as ‘mainstream’ children, but are nonetheless valuable and can be extraordinary.
I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know many family members of ‘our students’ and have tried to be an effective conduit between families, staff and the many and various people connected with Mater Dei, with the ultimate aim of working to improve the lives of each of your children. My old-fashioned style of being a listener who genuinely cares has brought me great joy and satisfaction. At times it has also been heart breaking!
I have not been at the Reception desk this year. Hence, I am taking this opportunity to thank you all for being the parents and carers that you are and for having enriched my life. Through events such as the P&F Country Fair etc, I hope to still see many of you from time to time.
Fare Well and Thank You. May God continue to bless you and your families.
Helen
I also wish to advise that the Mater Dei Board has approved a 5% increase to school fees for 2023. Increasing fees is not a decision that is taken lightly, however, assessing the cost of delivering high quality educational services at Mater Dei has indicated that an increase for next year is required.
Mater Dei is committed to supporting all families to ensure ongoing enrolment, so please make contact with the school if you encounter any difficulties in meeting your financial obligations. All such enquiries will be dealt with sensitively.
As we head towards the end of another school year, I would like to wish all families a wonderful Christmas break and pray that you will all be safe and rested ready for what 2023 brings.
MARK RAUE
CEO/PRINCIPAL
SCHOOL NEWS
SEMESTER TWO REPORTS
Semester Two Reports will be available on Compass for families on the following dates:
- Year 11 and 12 - Friday 2nd December
- Kindergarten to Year 10 - Friday 9th December
More information regarding accessing reports will be provided via Compass on the above dates.
Please note, you will be able to access your child’s reports via the app/website at any point while they are enrolled at Mater Dei however we recommend that you download a copy of the report as you will no longer have access to the app/website once your child has left Mater Dei.
MISSION & VISION
The Season of Advent
Advent, which begins the Church’s liturgical year, began on Sunday, November 27th. Advent encompasses the four Sundays and weekdays leading up to the celebration of Christmas. The Advent season is a time of preparation for our hearts and minds leading up to the birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
This week, we light the first purple candle of the Advent Wreath, which symbolises HOPE. Hope is a light the shines in a dark place. As we look at this light, we celebrate the hope that we have in Jesus Christ. As a family, you may like to pray this prayer as you light a candle of Hope in your home, as shared with us by the ‘Mercy Partner’.
Holy One, Essence of Kindness,
Each day of this Advent Season guide us to your love through messages of hope, easy smiles, opened doors, unexpected generosity, words of understanding, forgiving hearts and other signs of human kindness.
Help us to recognise your dwelling amongst us .
Amen
SPORT NEWS
Congratulations!!! to Maria for her amazing results in the 2022 National Under 12 Track and Field Championships. Last week, Maria represented NSW at Nationals, where she was a finalist in long jump and won a bronze medal as part of the 4 x 100m relay team.
Last week was 5/6 Mackillop and 5/6 Gibbons last visit to St Gregory’s Junior School as part of the Shared Learning program. The students have visited St Greg’s each fortnight this term and participated in a range of sport and music activities. The program has provided the students with the opportunity to make new friends and work on their social skills.
YEAR 7 VACCINATIONS
The nurses from NSW health came to our school on the 16th of November 2022 to provide our Year 7s with their second dose of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. Many Year 7s were not eligible to receive their vaccine as they are reuqried to have more than a 6 month gap between their two doses. Any student who did not receive their second dose this year will be able to have the vaccine when the nurses return to the school in Term 1 next year.
If you are unsure of when your child is due to their vaccine we encourage you to contact South Western Sydney Local Health District or to check your child’s immunisation history statement from Medicare.
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES 2022
The estimated one billion people living with disabilities worldwide face many barriers to inclusion in many key aspects of society. As a result, people with disabilities do not enjoy access to society on an equal basis with others, which includes areas of transportation, employment, and education as well as social and political participation.
The right to participate in public life is essential to create stable democracies, active citizenship and reduce inequalities in society.
International Day of Persons with Disabilities falls on the 3rd of December each year, with the aim of promoting empowerment, and helping to create real opportunities for people with disabilities. This enhances their own capacities and supports them in setting their own priorities. Empowerment involves investing in people in jobs, health, nutrition, education, and social protection. When people are empowered they are better prepared to take advantage of opportunities, they become agents of change and can more readily embrace their civic responsibilities.
PBIS FOCUS
Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is an evidence-based whole school process to improve learning outcomes for all students at Mater Dei. PBIS aims to establish positive social expectations for all members of our school community. This term our key focus is our school rule ‘Be Kind’
This fortnight the students have been learning about kindness and how we are kind at Mater Dei. Students have undertaken activities, listen to stories and identified different ways we can be kind in the playground. Another focus this fortnight has been preparing our students to welcome our Wellbeing Support Canine, Maisy.
WELCOME MAISY!
The introduction of a Wellbeing Support Canine within Mater Dei has the capacity to create an environment better than fine, growing confident students in excellence, wisdom, and service. We are currently developing a bespoke program for Maisy and her trainer Miss Prue to be in selected classes. We are sure she will quickly become a major highlight in the week for many students who benefit from the presence of a dog in the classroom.
We look forward to Maisy’s arrival to the school in 2023.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
COVID SMART MEASURES
COVID TESTING KITS
In response to rising COVID numbers recently, we have arranged for each student to receive two packs of Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) Kits (total of 10 tests). These will be sent home with students on Tuesday.
STUDENT BIRTHDAYS AND SPECIAL EVENTS
A reminder to families, we are currently not able to share any food at school including birthday cakes. If your child is celebrating a special event, we kindly ask families not to send in homemade treats or birthday cakes.
We understand these are important milestones and are more than happy to distribute individually wrapped, pre-packaged items such as lollipops, freddo frogs and cake bars.
EVENTS
FUTURE EVENTS:
END OF YEAR MASS & ASSEMBLY
Our End of Year Graduation Mass, will be held on Friday 2nd December at 9:30am in the Carmela Ritchie Hall.
This will be followed by the Secondary End of Year Assembly from 11:30am.
Friends and Families are welcome to attend this wonderful celebration.
YEAR 6 PRINCIPAL'S LUNCH
Mr Raue will be hosting our Year 6 Principal’s Lunch on Monday 5th December. This is a student only event for Year 6 students along with their Teachers and Teacher Assistants.
Lunch for these students will be provided on the day.
YEAR 12 END OF YEAR IMPORTANT DATES
Friday 2nd December | Year 12 Graduation and End of Year Mass starting at 9:30am.
Friday 2nd December |rSecondary Assembly 11:30am - 1pm
Friday 2nd December | Years 11 and 12 last day of school for 2022.
Monday 5th December | Year 12 Formal - Rydges Campbelltown
PRIMARY END OF YEAR ASSEMBLY
Our Primary End of Year Assembly will be held on Friday 9th December at 9:30am in the Carmela Ritchie Hall.
Friends and Families are welcome to attend.
HELPFUL REMINDERS
PARENT FORMS AND SCHOOL DOCUMENTATION
Just a reminder that Compass now has a range of forms and Compass support documents for parents to access. Parent Forms are now located on Compass using the following steps:
(Steps 1-3 are for App users only)
- Click on the student
- Click on the 3 lines in top left corner
- Click Open in Browser
- Click on Community Icon (2 heads)
- Click on School Documentation
- Click Parent Forms
ATTENDANCE EXEMPTION FORMS
Any families who wish to apply for attendance exemptions to attend therapy services in 2022, please download the Application for Leave Exemption form on Compass, complete and return to schooladmin@materdei.org.au
AFTERNOON ARRANGEMENTS 2022
In the event of either of the following:
- Student to be collected by a different family member or family friend over 18 years of age
- Student to be collected INSTEAD of usual taxi arrangement for specified day
Parent/Guardian is required to advise the school of the change, and MUST include the full name of person collecting, PRIOR to 2:30pm on the day of the change. This may be done via one of the following options:
- Noting change in student diary
- Phoning School Reception on ph. 4655 7481
- Emailing schooladmin@materdei.org.au
If your child needs to be collected by a service provider, a Parent/Guardian is required to complete a Collection by a Service Provider form (available on Compass) and email it to schooladmin@materdei.org.au
This form must be received PRIOR to 3pm on the day before the new arrangement is to take place.
If unable to provide the full name of the staff member collecting, the Parent/ Guardian is required to arrange the Service Provider to notify the school via schooladmin@materdei.org.au email by 2:30pm on the day the student is to be collected.
COMPASS CALENDAR TO YOUR PHONE
Any parents or carers wishing to sync the School Compass Calendar to their iPhone will need to set up a Google account and then following the below steps:
You can sync Google Calendar with the Calendar app that comes on your iPhone or iPad.
- On your iPhone or iPad, open your device settings.
- Scroll and tap Passwords & Accounts.
- Tap Add account Google.
- Enter your email address Next.
- Enter your password. If you don't have the latest operating system and you use 2-Step Verification, enter an app password instead of your regular password.
- Tap Next.
- Emails, contacts, and calendar events will now sync directly with your Google Account. To sync only your calendar, turn off the other services.
- Open the Calendar app on your iPhone to find your Google Calendar events.
To sync with an existing account, tap the account and turn on Calendars.
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