St Columban's Primary School Mayfield Newletters 

NEWSLETTER
15th March 2001

Dear Parents,

We look forward to our Mission Day tomorrow. Fr Brian Brock spoke to the school today. He has recently returned to the Diocese after six years as National Director of the Pontifical Mission Society. He was able to give the children first hand experience of the projects we support particularly in Papua New Guinea and East Timor. The children will attend Mass at 9:15am followed by a concert with Richard Cootes ($3-00 per child) in the hall.

After Recess stalls and games will continue to raise money for the Missions which will finish with a Shamrock money line before lunch. Children wear green to celebrate St Patrick’s Day (a little early). The canteen will only be open for lunch.

SPORT. The North Region Winter Sports Trials are being held this week in Rugby League, Soccer, Netball and Hockey. The school will participate in the AFL Paul Kelly Cup at Wallsend next week. A mixed team has been chosen.

The swimming program for primary classes continues with improved weather.

Congratulations to Gabrielle Taylor who has been chosen for the Polding (NSW Catholic Schools) Softball team to contest the State Championships in Wagga Wagga later this year.

The team manager wrote, "I would like to acknowledge that Gabrielle is an excellent ambassador for her school and family. She is a pleasure to work with and I am looking forward to taking her to the NSW PSSA Girls Softball Carnival. She presented herself very well at the Polding Softball Trials conducted in Newcastle and was a credit to herself with her excellent attitude and sportsmanship. Thank you for your support and assistance." Andy Lockwood, Team Manager Polding Girls Softball.

The Diocesan Winter Sports Trials are scheduled for April 29.

INSERVICE DAY – BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT. The school will be closed on March 26 for the Inservice Day. The teachers will be working with Ms Kathy Gillespie from St John of God Family Services and psychologist Mr John Collett and staff of the St Laurence Centre Broadmeadow.

CHILDREN DO NOT ATTEND SCHOOL ON THAT DAY.

HEALTH PROMOTION – WEEK 10 APRIL 2-6. The teachers are planning a week of activities to encourage healthy eating particularly during the recess and lunch breaks. Every child with a piece of fresh fruit to eat at recess will receive a short early mark every day that week. The Red Cross is working with Sandgate Markets to provide free fruit for disadvantaged students.

The Hunter Area Dental Health Service will provide lessons and displays in the Library (April 4) as well as dental checks on April 5 for those who have returned permission notes.

We also hope to organise some sports clinics that week. Parents may be interested to know that volunteers are presently serving 90 breakfasts a week at our Red Cross Breakfast Club which is the best attended of the breakfast clubs that operate in the Hunter Region. The number of breakfasts will increase as winter approaches. We are always looking for help on the Red Cross Breakfast Club, which is subsidised by the St Vincent de Paul Society.

HEALTH SCREENING. We have received notification from CAYHNET (Child and Youth Health Network) as a reminder that school screening services are no longer available to schools. Parents should arrange for screening with their own general practitioner or by making an appointment with the child health nurses who work at Child Health Centres.

Parents of children starting Kindergarten in 2001 should have had their children immunised against Diphtheria, Tetanus, Whooping Cough, Measles, Mumps, Rubella and Polio. These immunisations can be provided by general practitioners or by attending a free immunisation clinic. Free Hepatitis B vaccine is now available to all 10 year olds. This involves a course of three vaccinations over six months, which can be provided by the GP or free immunisation clinics. Protection is not guaranteed unless all three doses are given. Child Health Nurses ask that parents bring along their child’s Personal Health Record (Blue Book) when attending the Child Health Centre. On page 68 of the "Blue Book" parents will find a checklist of questions they can consider in relation to their child’s hearing, vision and development, which can help them assess potential problems. The Clinic at Charlestown Square Community Centre (in the Mall opposite Crazy Prices) operates on the 2nd Thursday of each month from 9:00am – 12 noon.

ROAD SAFETY. The school has been a member, for the past 5 years, of the "Safer Routes to School" program designed by the RTA. In conjunction with the RTA and Newcastle Council the school planned the safest arrival and departure procedures for the students. The front car park was locked as a result of this process during particular periods.

The back car park remains open on the understanding that drivers

Please co-operate with the school in these safety measures. It would be a shame to have to lock the back car park after the next RTA inspection.

MOTHER’S DAY CONCERT AND STALL. The school will hold our annual Mother’s Day Concert on May 11 at 10:00am in the hall followed by morning tea for mothers and grandmothers. A Mother’s Day Stall will be held in the library after recess so that every child can purchase a gift for Mum. Donations of gifts can be sent to the school. Mrs Sue Clegg and Mrs Cathy Powell will be co-ordinating the effort.

EASTER RAFFLE. Chocolate goodies are now being sought for our Easter raffle. Please consider throwing an extra Easter egg in the shopping trolley. Mrs Ryan will accept all donations in the school office. 40 prizes were won by the children at our Holy Thursday assembly last year.

CABLING. All our fundraising this year will be directed to cabling the whole school and purchase of fileserver so we are connected to the CSO Intranet. Also, the purchase of 4 more computers for the Infants classes. Our aboriginal families began the process of cabling the school several years ago. This year we will complete the project.

STUDENT REPORTS FOR YEARS 5 AND 6. "On the 1st March 2001 some of our editorial team went to San Clemente to listen to Father Brian Gore, a Columban missionary, talk about his life in the Philippines. He worked in poor areas helping those who needed his assistance and gained international attention when falsely imprisoned by the Government. He said that once during a release of prisoners he refused to leave until his assistants were released. The guards didn’t know what to do because they’d never encountered a situation like it before. Father was in gaol for 6 months. Father Brian is working with Caritas to raise money for those in need." Gabe Taylor, Year 6.

"On Friday 9th March at 2:00pm, Alan Morris, Newcastle member for Parliament visited St Columban’s Mayfield, to see our website project on David Watkins. David Watkins was Newcastle’s first Member of Parliament. Mr Morris told Year 6 what his tasks and duties were as our representative. We shared his future visions of Newcastle, as a research centre, with us. He also told us that he thought Newcastle’s greatest strength was its people."

Dominic Conway Year 6.

HOUSIE. Br Hubert Williams, Principal of St Francis Xavier’s College, Hamilton, has asked if we could advertise the Colleges Friday Night Housie which has been running for many decades but is in danger of closing without more players. All our Catholic children complete their secondary education at the College, which has a fine reputation. The details are as follows:

READING. Thank you to the parents who have already volunteered to be reading helpers. However, we are still in need of more helpers to assist children on reading programs on a one-to-one basis. So if you are a parent, or even a grandparent, and can spare even an hour each week assisting some children to further develop their reading skills, your help will be greatly appreciated. You will be required to fill in a "Prohibited Employment Declaration" form, which is required of all volunteers working with children.

Please fill in the section below if you can assist and return it to me in the Resource Room. Mary Moffat, Teaching/Learning Facilitator.

UNIVERSITY PEN PALS. Children in Years 5 and 5/6 have pen pals from the Newcastle University. These Uni students are doing their studies in children’s writing and over the next 4 weeks a correspondence between children and students will be in process. St Columban’s children will assist the uni students in understanding children’s writing and our children will develop writing skills after this program. The children were very excited to receive their booklet with their first letter on Thursday of last week and have quickly replied. This Wednesday the students from the uni will be keen I’m sure to receive their letters from Years 5 and 5/6 students.

ABC RADIO 1233. Congratulations to our intrepid weather reporters who have been reading the weather on ABC radio this week after the 7:30am news and sports report. They were Cassie Rominger, Amanda Wolfe, Adrienna Gain, Dominic Conway and David Hutchinson. A job well done. The ability to use the scientific instrument to measure air pressure, temperature and humidity was a useful lesson.

FUNDRAISING. The Fundraising Committee is keen to start work on the Recipe Book, however, as we have not received many recipes we are unable to begin. We will need the recipes to be donated very soon after the Easter break to enable us time to compile the book, so please send us in some of your favourites. The Fundraising Committee.

Michael Doyle
PRINCIPAL

RUGBY UNION. Eastern Districts Junior Club and Waratah Junior Rugby Club have approached the school seeking more junior rugby players for the coming season. Contact the school for more details.

NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS MINI & MOD EASTER COACHING CLINIC.

Date: Thursday 26th April 2001

Venue: Marathon Stadium – Newcastle

Times: 9:30am – 12 noon 7, 8 & 9 years old Mini

1:15pm - 4:00pm 10, 11 & 12 years old Mod

Cost: $15-00 for Mini and $20-00 for Mod

Application forms at the school.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

READING HELPERS

Name………………………….

I will be able to assist as a reading helper

(Please circle day and indicate time)

Monday ………………………………

Tuesday……………………………….

Wednesday …………………………..

Thursday ……………………………..

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