Wednesday, 4th May, 2016

St Margaret Mary’s School Listen Share ActListen Share ActListen Share ActListen Share Act

7 Chetwynd Road, Merrylands 2160 Tel (02) 9637 4600 Fax (02) 9637 0509 Email: stmargaretmarys@parra.catholic.edu.au www.stmmmerrylands.catholic.edu.au

Newsletter No 13

Diary Dates

Thursday, 5th May • Year Six leave for Canberra.

Friday, 6th May • Mother’s Day Liturgy 9:00am in

the Hall. Mother’s & Grandparents are invited to attend. Tea/Coffee will be served after the Liturgy.

• P&F Mother’s Day Stall for students to purchase a gift for their Mums.

Monday, 9th May • 8:40am Assembly and Prayer

Service.

Tuesday, 10th May • NAPLAN Testing for Students in

Years Three and Five (Spelling, Writing & Grammar).

• 1-2-3 Magic Parenting Course Session No 1.

Wednesday, 11th May • NAPLAN Testing for Students in

Years Three and Five (Reading).

Bulletin

2017 Enrolment Enrolment forms for Kindergarten, 2017, are available for collection from the school office. If your child was born between 1st August, 2011 and 31st July, 2012 you will need to contact the school office to collect an enrolment form.

THE GIVING TREE:

Very Much Like our Parents Dear Parents, Boys and Girls,

Once upon a time, there was a big apple tree. A little boy loved to come and play around it. He climbed to the tree top, ate the apples, read a book under its branches. He loved the tree and the tree loved seeing him. Time went by, the little boy grew older, and he no longer played around the tree. One day, the boy came back to the tree with a sad look on his face. “Come and play with me,” invited the tree. “I am no longer a kid, I don’t play around trees anymore,” the boy replied, “I want a com-puter but I need money to buy one.” “I am sorry,” said the tree, “but I don’t have any money. You could pick my apples and sell them so you can buy your computer.” The boy excitedly picked all the apples on the tree and left happily. The boy didn’t come back. The tree was sad. One day, the boy, now a man, returned. “Come and play with me,” invited the tree. “I don’t have time to play. I have to work for my family. We need a house to live in.” “I am sorry,” said the tree, “I don’t have a house, but you can chop off my branches to build your house.” So the man cut all the branches off the tree and left happily. The tree was again lonely and sad. One hot summer day, the man returned and the tree was delighted. “Come and play with me!” invited the tree. The man said. “I am getting old. I want to go sailing and have some fun. I need a boat.” “I am sorry,” said the tree, “I don’t have a boat but you can use my trunk to build one. You can sail far away and be happy.” So the man cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went sailing and didn’t come back for a long time. Finally, the man returned after he had been gone for many, many years. “I am sorry,” said the tree, “but I don’t have anything left to give you. No more apples to give you.” The man said. “I don’t have teeth to bite.” “No more branches or trunk for you to climb on.” “I am too old for that now,” the man said. “The only thing I have left are my dying roots,” the tree said. “I am tired after all these years,” the man replied. “Good!” said the tree. “Old tree roots are the best place to lean on and rest.” The man sat down and the tree was glad and smiled. Like the apple tree, our mothers love to help us, all through our lives. Too often, as we

get older we come and see them only when we need help. Remember your mother and all

she does for you and thank her with your love and care. And always keep in touch and

visit often. As we approach Mothers Day, take care to say, “Thank you.” Acknowledgement: Shel Silverstein

I would like to wish all our Mothers a Happy Mother’s Day

God Bless. Kevin Mills Principal

1 2 3 Magic Session 1 - Tuesday 10th May 6pm to 8pm. Session 2 - Tuesday 17th May 6pm to 8pm. Session 3 - Tuesday 24th May 6pm - 9pm.

Price Increase Unfortunately we have had a price increase on our school caps. All school hats and caps are now $10.00 ea.

Administration

Teaching and Learning

Faith Community

Winter Uniform All students must be in full Winter Uniform by Monday, 9th

May. All uniforms must be worn neatly and correctly. Long hair must be tied back. Our Sun Safe program—No Hat No Play requires students to wear our school cap or school hat when outside. These hats and caps are available at the school office. Sleeper earrings and stud earrings may be worn. Please be aware that these can be dangerous during sports time. Simple signet rings may also be worn. No expensive jewellery is to be worn at school.

1-2-3 Magic Parenting Coaching Just a reminder to all the parents who registered for the parenting course the first session starts on Tuesday, 10th

May, from 6pm—8pm. It is important that you attend all three sessions. Session 2: 6pm—8pm Tuesday, 17

th May

Session 3: 6pm—8pm, Tuesday 24th

May .

If you have registered and are unable to attend any of

these sessions you must contact the school office as soon

as possible, as we have a waiting list.

Mother’s Day This Friday, 6th May, we are celebrating Mother’s Day with a Liturgy in the hall at 9am, followed by a morning tea in the LARC.

All Mothers and Grandmothers are most welcome.

A Year of Mercy

Pope Francis Reflections

Reflection: To encounter the

poor is to encounter Christ. It is

in giving mercy that we learn to

receive it as well.

Let us all try to encounter the

poor in our lives. We can do this

through prayer. Let us pray

especially for mothers who are

struggling with poverty and in

particular refugees.

“How can I find the wounds of Jesus today? I cannot see

them as Thomas saw them. I find them in doing works of

mercy, in giving to the body — to the body and to the

soul, but I stress the body — of your injured brethren, for

they are hungry, thirsty, naked, humiliated, slaves, in

prison, in hospital. These are the wounds of Jesus in our

day.”

We must heal the wounds of Jesus with tenderness. “What

Jesus asks us to do with our works of mercy”, the Pope

concluded, “is what Thomas asked: to enter his wounds.”

-Homily, Domus Sanctae Marthae July 3, 2013

Year One Recount

My Holidays

In the holidays I went to Nelson Bay and I went with my family.

First we went to the beach with my family. We saw lots of fish and I saw a brown

octopus and I saw crabs.

On the last day we went to a farm. I saw a cow and it was big.

I had fun on my holiday. By Scarlett Neculman

Monday Morning Assembly During our Monday Morning Assembly, students representing St Margaret Mary’s in the Cross Country were reminded to be at school early to travel to Eastern Creek for the event. Students were also informed that Year Six

will be going to Canberra on Thursday and Friday for an excursion, therefore, they will be able to purchase gifts from the Mother’s Day Stall on Wednesday. All other students will be able to buy presents on Friday after the Liturgy. (Media Team)

Groundsmen This week we welcomed our new groundsman, Mr Ron Stewart, who will be working with Mr Joe Culligan to take care of the school grounds.

Pentecost Liturgy Parents are invited to join us in celebrating the Feast of Pentecost to be held on Friday, 13th May, at 9am in the Hall.

Skoolbag App Parents can now access the Skoolbag App as per the instructions at the back of this newsletter. As time goes on parents will be able to access the newsletter via this app or via our school website. More information regarding this we be in later newsletters so please keep watching.

Partnership

Personal Growth

Simeon D’Souza Jessica El Ghoussain Katherine Meksass

Cheska Mendoza Sophia Caraan Billy Russell

Joanne Farah

April Zhang Edwin Khairallah Eden Khairallah

Jessica Ogbuehi Laura Nursoo Jackson Raftery

Lakkari Harrison Aguer Biar Ella Moses

Royce Amankwatia Roycelin Amankwatia Chadi Haouchab

Elissa Soltani Samara Cummings Nicole Koroma

Georgia Diab Claudia Ghosn Isaac Abousleiman

Michael Aoun Danielle Horish Patrick Nguyen

Kwabena Kwansah-Aidoo Arvin Manalang

Patrick Saba Christopher Faddoul Noelle Nakhoul

Sam El Khoury Almah Yaghya Patrick Abou Zeid

Joseph El Rassi Lian Chen Jack Bedrossian

George El-Hajjeh

Congratulations to all those children who celebrate their birthday around this time.

Julian Delogado Molina

WE NEED YOUR HELP

Parents and Friends Mother’s Day is on Sunday, 8th May, and our Mother’s Day Stall is this Friday, 6th

May. We will need people to help sell the gifts on Friday following the Liturgy. Our gifts range in price from $1.00 to $10.00.

Please complete the details below if you are able to help and send it to the school office. We would greatly appreciate your help. If you are unable to help but would like to send in a plate of food to help feed our wonderful helpers please complete the form below.

Thank you for your on going support.

�———————————————————————

Mother’s Day Stall Helpers

� I am able to help with the Mother’s Day Stall on

Friday 6th May.

� I have completed the Child Protection Module.

Name: _________________________________________

Phone:__________________________________________

Child’s Name: _______________________Class: _______

Times Available: __________

�———————————————————————

Mother’s Day Stall Food Donations

� I am unable to help but I am able to provide Morning

Tea / Lunch. e.g sandwiches, quiche or savoury foods. Name:__________________________________________

Phone:__________________________________________

Child’s Name:_____________________ Class:__________

Food to be provided: ________________________________________________

Special Visitors –

Mr Mills Review Panel

On Wednesday, the 27th of April, St Margaret Mary’s School had the opportunity to show off their talents to two visitors from the Catholic Education Diocesan Office, (CEDP) Mrs Sophie Ryan, Ms Christine Howe and Mrs Danuta Maka Principal of St Michael’s Baulkham Hills. At the beginning of the day our visitors participated in the Staff Morning Prayer. Later, they visited the different learning spaces and observed students and staff working and interacted with them. The visitors were very impressed with all the aspects of our wonderful school. By Grazia Carrano (Media Team)

Hosting CEDP FACES Meeting On Thursday, the 28th of April, St Margaret Mary’s hosted the CEDP FACES Meeting in our newly furnished Staff Study. We accommodated over 50 staff, in two sessions, from various schools in the Parramatta Diocese as they discussed issues relating to the FACES software, which is in use in all of our Diocesan schools.

Visitor from The Learning

Exchange (CEDP) Mrs Lisa Nash, teacher/librarian at The Learning Exchange for the Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta, visited Mrs Balogh-Caristo to discuss various aspects of technology ranging from eResources, eBooks and Makey Makey kits. Makey Makey kits will be used with students in addition to our robotics program already in place at St Margaret Mary’s.