Term 1, Week 4 (20 February 2023)

Dear Parents/Carers, Grandparents and Friends of Mater Dei,

It is hard to believe that we are already into the third week of Term 1, how time flies.  Our school has settled into its routine and there is a number of school activities on the horizon, and these are referenced in this Newsletter.  One of the important times of the year commences this week for us as a Catholic community.  This coming Wednesday, which we know as Ash Wednesday, begins the season of Lent.  Lent is a time at which we reflect on ourselves and what it means to be a Christian, a child of God, a great gift given to us at our Baptism.  In our reflections during Lent, we should think about those times when we have not lived up to the mark of being a Christian and have missed the target in our behaviour and thoughts in living out our lives as followers of Jesus.

This Lent reflection should relate to how we have, and are, living our lives, and especially our relationship with God and our neighbour, at work, within our families, within our local community and the world. The alignment of our work at Mater Dei with the parable of the Good Samaritan projects the prospective of compassion linked to helping, caring for and supporting those in need.  The display, of behaviour in the parable of the Good Samaritan came from the inner self of the person who showed compassion to his neighbour, who was a victim of violence and disrespect

Hugh Mackay has written a great book about the inner self.  In this book he challenges us to think about our behaviours, our relationships and actions towards others.  He points out that when our behaviours display integrity the driving force for these behaviours comes from our inner self. Other behaviours which fall short of being authentic to ourselves and are not linked to our core beliefs, are smoke screens and acting out a false identity of self. The inner self of a Christian is linked to our core values aligned to the teachings of Jesus, and when our behaviours are driven and aligned to those beliefs, we create meaning and purpose to our lives, and that of others, from a Christian perspective.

In the time of Lent much is talked about developing our self and our self-control through prayer, almsgiving and fasting.  I encourage you to set aside a time in the business of life during Lent to stop, reflect and spend some time speaking with your God. I also encourage you to reflect on your core Christian beliefs and whether your behaviours are authentically linked to these core values.  If they are, you will be creating meaning and purpose for all around you, aligned to a Christian perspective on life.  However, if your behaviours are not a reflection of those core beliefs, they are not a contributor to a meaningful and purposeful Christian community.  This is a pretty high standard, and we all fall short of the target at times. Lent is a time to trim those parts of our life-giving tree, especially the inner self, that are not contributing to building meaning and purpose to our Christian Community.  

Regards,

PAUL McCANN
INTERIM CEO/PRINCIPAL

Dear Families,

I have been visiting classrooms and getting to know the students and staff over these past few weeks and I have enjoyed the many and varied learning experiences that I have witnessed, some of which I was fortunate enough to join in. Likewise, in the playground, I have witnessed many acts of kindness and inclusion as students across each stage look out for each other and invite others to join in their games, especially our new students who are making new friends. 

I want to acknowledge the effort and care of our staff in preparing for the many significant events over the coming weeks to ensure that our students are truly enriched by the experience. 

With the Swimming Carnival next week, there has definitely been a lot of practicing in the pool and I acknowledge the work of Mrs Hanrahan in getting us ready for the day while having to respond to a change of date. I look forward to my first Mater Dei Swimming Carnival!  

Our focus on the beginning of the Lenten Season with Ash Wednesday liturgies and our Opening School Mass on Friday clearly places Christ and our Catholic Tradition at the centre of our work in Catholic Schools. During the season of Lent we are particularly asked to have an increased focus on prayer. I welcome this as an opportunity to pray for all in our Mater Dei Community and invite students, families and staff to do the same as we begin the journey towards Easter. 

Lord Jesus, 

during this Lenten season,

may Your light guide my day, 

and your spirit bring peace to me 

and all I meet. 

Amen. 

JENNIFER FOLDES
DEPUTY PRINCIPAL

OPENING MASS

Our families and friends are warmly invited to attend our Opening Mass, which will be held on Friday, February 24 at 9:30am, in the Carmela Ritchie Hall. 

Morning Tea will be provided after the Mass.

YEAR OF NEIGHBOUR

Our Year of Neighbour brings into sharp focus Jesus’s redefining of the concept of neighbour beyond proximity or familial relationship to all we encounter, even those we are tempted to shun. Living as neighbour challenges us to see ‘the other’ and to live with ‘unboundaried’ hearts that welcome the stranger and shatter all barriers. It is the call of God to enter into an even deeper immersion in the present needs of the world.

Congratulations to St Mary’s Star of the Sea College, Wollongong on their 150th  Anniversary. The fellow Good Samaritan College has been forming young women in the tradition of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan.

Born for higher things.

THE GOOD OIL

A publication from the Sisters of the Good Samaritan of the Order of St Benedict.

https://www.goodsams.org.au/article/2023/02/

Last week Mrs Musso shared her experiences after attending the Catholic Schools NSW Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander State Conference last year. This professional development highlighted key points about truth telling, education and Aboriginal perspectives. The staff talked about the Aboriginal  Perspectives and how these may be incorporated into our class lessons. 

Mater Dei School is continuing our journey into increasing our cultural competency.

In 2022, Year 11 had been involved in Project 5, which aimed to transform skills, engagement and perceptions through individualisation.  An evolution of growth for students, families and staff in their self-determination skills.

This year Stage 6 will continue this process, allowing the students to create their own goals and focus on developing skills in the workforce and self determining if they have confidently reached their goal or strengthened the area of focus.

HEROS WITH ABILITY LUNCH

On Friday 17 February, Mrs Hanrahan and Jack C were asked to attend the Heroes with Ability lunch at Commbank Stadium. Mrs Hanrahan and Jack were part of a panel that spoke about the benefits of participating in the program. Jack did an amazing job representing Mater Dei.

SWIMMING CARNIVAL - 28 February

All students in Years 3-12 are encouraged to attend the swimming carnival. Students will be transported to and from the carnival in Mater Dei vehicles and hired buses. 

Parents and carers are welcome to attend, students can be signed out at the end of the carnival. Students will not be able to be signed out during the carnival unless prior consent has been granted. This is due to supervision requirements.

INFANTS WATER FUN DAY - 28 February

All students in Kindergarten to Year Two will participate in a range of water themed activities, onsite at Mater Dei.

Unfortunately, we are not able to host families at this event.

PARENTS & FRIENDS (P&F) AGM

Mater Dei's P&F Annual General Meeting is being held on Monday, 6 March 2023.

The P&F Executive Team - President, Treasurer and Secretary will be elected as well as the Country Fair Coordinator and Canteen Coordinator for 2023. 

The evening will begin at 7pm in the School Hall with light refreshments and a chance to meet other parents and carers, followed by some brief reports from the outgoing executive and the election of the 2023 executive team. 

We hope you can join us and if you would like any further information please email - pandf@materdei.org.au

TRIVIA NIGHT

POST SCHOOL INFORMATION NIGHT

This year's Post School Information Night will be held on Wednesday 15th March at 6pm.

Year 12 families are expected to be present. Year 11 and 10 families are encouraged to be present.

Please bring NDIS plan

Students are very welcome to attend.

TREK FUNDRAISER

2023 AFTERNOON ARRANGEMENTS

In the event of either of the following:

• Student needs to be collected by a different family member or family friend over 18 years of age
• Student needs to be collected by parent INSTEAD of usual taxi arrangement for a 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 2:30pm 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.