Dear Heavenly Father,

As we embark on a new school year, we come to you with gratitude and hope.

We ask that you bless this new chapter in our lives and guide us along the way.

Give us the strength to face the challenges that come our way and the wisdom to make the right choices.

Help us to focus on our studies and to seek knowledge and understanding in all we do.

Bless our staff and give them the patience, passion and dedication they need to inspire and guide us.

May we develop positive relationships with our classmates and work together in harmony. Above all, dear Lord, help us to grow in character and to become the best versions of ourselves. Help us to be kind, compassionate, and respectful to all those we meet.

We pray this in Jesus’ name.

Amen

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

The collaboration between parents and school is essential for the student’s academic and personal growth. When parents and the school work together, they provide a supportive and nurturing environment for the student, promote effective communication, and ensure that the student is receiving the best education possible. Schools can involve parents in the educational process by keeping them informed about their child’s progress, involving them in school events and activities, and encouraging their involvement in decision-making. On the other hand, parents can support the school by being involved in their child’s education, volunteering, and advocating for their child’s needs. A positive relationship between parents and the school can lead to improved academic outcomes and a better overall experience for your child.

What a wonderful start to the school year, our students were keen to begin their first day and the result was many happy and smiling faces. It was great to see our families return as staff have been very busy for the past two weeks preparing for our students.

SCHOOL STATIONERY

This year all school stationery was purchased by the school and is waiting in classrooms for your children to use. The stationery order was not placed on the school fees. The school advisory council wished to help parents with the cost of education, and this was seen as a positive way to assist parents and caregivers.

PARENTS & FRIENDS (P&F)

P & F groups are a fantastic organisation in every school. They provide a way for parents and community members to be actively involved in the educational experience of students. Some further benefits are:

1. Increased support: P & F groups can help to build strong relationships between parents, teachers, and administrators and provide additional support for the school and its students.
2. Improved resources: P& F groups can raise funds for school programs and resources, such as technology, equipment, and facilities, which can enhance the educational experience for students.
3. Stronger Community: P & F groups can bring together families, teachers, and community members, promoting a sense of community and shared responsibility for the education of the students.
4. Student engagement: P & F groups can provide opportunities for students to participate in school events and programs, encouraging their engagement and involvement in the school community.
5. Enhanced Communications: P & F groups can facilitate open and regular communications between the school, parents and the community; promoting transparency and understanding.

In conclusion, our P & F provides numerous benefits for our school and the students they serve, by promoting collaboration, increased support, and enhanced resources. Think about joining us and becoming an active member of our community.

Our first P & F meeting will be held on Thursday 16th February at 3.30pm in the Pre Kindy classroom, children are welcome to come with their parents to the meeting.

We look forward to seeing you there. All members of our community are welcome, bring your ideas and join in.

For those who are interested there will be a PSPWA Parent induction Evening held on Thursday 2nd March at 6.00pm St Peter’s Primary School Inglewood (103 Wood Street) to discuss the new P & F Terms of Reference.

The Midvale Hub Parenting Service offers a range of parenting programs to assist you to grow happy healthy children. Individual assistance with parenting is available for any parenting concerns you may have, just talk to one of our Parenting Educators and they will be more than happy to listen and provide practical support and skill building.

Our Parent Information and Support is offered through:

• Parenting programs for groups and individuals

• Individual and group support sessions

• Community events

Please click on the below link to view the workshops and programs that are being offered this school term for 2023.

https://www.midvalehub.org.au/copy-of-midvale-hub-parenting-servi

PARENT INFORMATION NIGHTS

Parent information nights are held to provide important information to parents about the school, their child’s education, and any updates or changes in policies and procedures. This year parent information nights will take place in week two and three, please take the time to join us and be involved with your child’s teachers.

• Communication: parent information nights provide a platform for teachers, schools and staff to communicate important information to parents.
• Awareness: The events help to keep parents informed and aware of what is happening in the school, the curriculum and their child’s education.
• Collaboration: The events provide and opportunity for parents to ask questions, voice their concerns. This fosters a sense of collaboration and a shared commitment to the education of the students.
• Community building: parent information nights provide an opportunity for parents to meet each other, build relationships, and form a supportive community.
• Encouragement: Parents feel more involved in their child’s education and can provide encouragement and support for their child’s academic and personal growth.

So, we look forward to seeing you on the evening supporting your child’s education and growth.

PLAY GROUP

Our Play group is up and running in our school community. All parents and children from birth to 4 are welcome to attend. The sessions are being led by our Pre Kindy-Teacher Mrs Bonnie Faed. Play group is a time for you to come with your child and join in with play. It is an ideal time to leave your phone behind and engage with your child and other members of our community. The session takes place on a Monday morning at 9.00am til 11.00am. A gold coin donation is appreciated, but your presence is the most important part of our play. Look forward to seeing you there.

THE ESSENCE OF PARENT AND SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS

At times there is a need for parents to work with the school when we are seeing behaviours that are inappropriate at school. It is one of the most difficult conversations you need to have, and it can be uncomfortable for parents to hear and staff to share. We are here to work with you and to help support your child so that they can flourish and develop. When we work together your child will benefit and this is a shared goal. There are many reasons that children behave inappropriately at school, and I will mention a few but this is not the total list, and every child and circumstance is different. Our goal is to work with you and support you and your family.

• Mental health issues: if a child is struggling with depression, anxiety, or any other mental health issue, it may be difficult for a parent to hear and accept.
• Bullying: if a child is being bullied at school, it can be difficult for a parent to hear, especially if they feel helpless in finding a solution.
• Poor academic performance: if a child is not performing well in school, it can be difficult conversation for a parent to have, as they may feel they are not providing their child with the necessary support, or they may not know how to help their child.
• Inappropriate behaviour at school: If a child is struggling with their behaviour and it is challenging parents may find this hard to hear and we are happy to share ways to support you and your child.
• Special need Concerns: if a child is not progressing as they should and there are behaviours that we are seeing that may require extra assessment. This can be a sensitive issue and we are here to work with you. We are not experts, but you may need to be referred to those who are to assist your child.

These are just a few examples, but there can be many other difficult conversations that parents may need to have but remember we are on this journey with you and wish to support you and your child. Open communication is the best way to tackle all concerns. If we work as a team, then children will benefit and in turn families.

God Bless you

Paula MacKenzie

ASH WEDNESDAY EXPLAINED......

Ash Wednesday is popular with children because ashes are such a tangible symbol. People of all ages love when the spiritual is made physical, when they can touch and feel something real. The Church gives us sacramentals such as blessed ashes, palms, rosaries, and candles to help us open up to God’s grace. Explaining the meaning behind the ashes is important for children to understand why they are walking around with dirt on their foreheads.

I like to explain Ash Wednesday using a visual, such as a bowl of ashes or fine dirt. I let the children feel its grittiness and make crosses on the back of their hands with it. I tell them that the ashes come from burnt palms from the previous year’s Palm Sunday Mass. Palms are a living plant, and a symbol of victory and triumph, but they are burned to dust and become a symbol of sorrow and repentance.

To help children understand the meaning of the ashes, I explain the two prayers that might be said as the ashes are marked on the foreheads of the faithful.

“Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.”

This phrase comes from God’s response to Adam (Genesis 3:19). God reminds Adam of the effects of sin and of humanity’s dependence on God. Read Genesis 2:4–9, and explain that the breath of God sustains all living things. Adam and Eve turned away from God when they ate from the tree of knowledge. When we mark our foreheads with ashes at the beginning of Lent, we are indicating that we are turning back to God.

“Repent and believe in the Gospel.”

Wearing ashes on our foreheads is a tradition of repentance that comes from the Old Testament. There are several stories that mention ashes, but one that is easy for children to understand is the story of Jonah. When Jonah preached repentance to Nineveh, the king covered himself in sackcloth and ashes and ordered the people to do the same (Jonah 3:6–9). Ashes and scratchy clothes were a way for people to be humble before God and show that they were willing to make a big change in their lives. We are marked with ashes for the same reason: to show that we are willing to change. The physical symbol—ashes—is for our benefit. God knows what is in our hearts; the ashes remind us to turn our hearts toward God.

The Church gives us Lent as a time to change, to become a better version of ourselves, and to become more like Jesus. The ashes we receive on Ash Wednesday remind us of our call to repent and believe in the Gospel. The disciplines of Lent—prayer, fasting, and almsgiving—help us prepare for Christ’s victory on Easter.

- By Darcey Osby

I have read many of Father Richard Leonard’s Homilies. I’ve also flown him over to Perth to speak to staff. He has an amazing perspective of life. His words below will hopefully make you smile and reflect.

Ash Wednesday

After Quasimodo's death, the Archbishop of Paris sent word through the streets of Paris that a new bell ringer was needed at Notre Dame Cathedral.

The Archbishop decided that he would conduct the interviews personally and went up into the belfry to begin the screening process. After observing several applicants demonstrate their skills, he had decided to call it a day when an armless man approached him and announced that he was there to apply for the bell ringer's job.

The Archbishop was incredulous. ‘You have no arms!’

‘No matter’, said the man, ‘Observe!’ And he began striking the bells with his face, producing a beautiful melody on the carillon. The Archbishop listened in astonishment, convinced he had finally found a suitable replacement for Quasimodo. But suddenly, rushing forward to strike a bell, the armless man tripped and plunged headlong out of the belfry window to his death in the street below.

The stunned Archbishop rushed to his side. When he reached the street, a crowd had gathered around the fallen figure, drawn by the beautiful music they had heard only moments before. As they silently parted to let the Archbishop through, one of them asked, ‘Your Grace, who was this man?’ ‘I don't know his name’, the Archbishop sadly replied, ‘but his face rings a bell.’

The following day, despite the sadness that weighed heavily on his heart due to the unfortunate death of the armless campanologist, the Archbishop continued his interviews for the bell ringer of Notre Dame. The first man to approach him said, ‘Your Grace, I am the brother of the poor armless wretch that fell to his death from this very belfry yesterday. I pray that you will honour his life by allowing me to replace him in this duty.’

The Archbishop agreed to give the man an audition, and, as the armless man's brother stooped to pick up a mallet to strike the first bell, he groaned, clutched at his chest, and died on the spot.

Two monks, hearing the bishop's cries of grief at this second tragedy, rushed up the stairs to his side.

‘What has happened? Who is this man?’ the first monk asked breathlessly.

‘I don't know his name’, sighed the distraught Archbishop, ‘but he's a dead ringer for his brother.’

There are some Catholics who think that a humorous story should never begin an Ash Wednesday sermon. After all, over the centuries this season has been marked by the call to tough acts of self-denial and penance. And rightly so. But today’s Gospel tells us it’s not just the acts of mortification that are important, but that even more central is the attitude that accompanies them. Jesus tells us that when we deny ourselves anything, we should not put on a show but be discreet and go about our lives as normal. The Preface to today’s Mass goes as far as describing Lent as ‘this joyful season’.

Lent, then, is the time when warning bells are rung for us to live life to the full because one day we will die. And if we want to prepare for the best possible, most loving and peaceful death, then being selfless, sacrificial and generous is the way to live, not only because others benefit from our denial of self, but also because Jesus showed us that this is the way to eternal life.

So let’s wash our face, anoint our heads, not babble like the pagans, and joyfully face up to death because of the selfless way we want to live our lives.

- Father Richard Leonard. SJ

Parents, we are here to support you and your children in before and after school hours! We offer a secure, safe and exciting environment for your children to thrive and be a part of a socialized group.

Please note an enrolment form and 1 days' notice is to be given to make your casual bookings for your children.

We are here to help! Enrolment forms are now online https://www.helpinghandsnetwork.com.au/register/#.

Vacancies Available Now!

E: stbrigidsmiddleswan@helpinghandsnetwork.com.au