Leader's Message
Last week we highlighted the situation of others in our Diocese who have been devastated by the extreme flood events in the north. There has been a continued request from our Parish and Diocese to support those who have lost so much, in some cases everything. While we know some will be happy to send money to the Flood Appeal (see details below), others are happier giving something more personal and tangible.
Having spoken to some of the wonderful teachers and leaders in these schools who have spent the past two weeks caring for their communities and cleaning up an unbelievable disaster to provide a safe place for their students to come back to, they are not yet ready to receive and allocate a wide variety of donations that we may want to contribute. They have named a wish to support their students who have lost all they own and whose schools have been completely devastated through the simplicity of a care pack with items such as school bags, drink bottles, lunchboxes and some snack items that schools can keep for them on any day they need to be supplied with something. Emailed to you today and included below, is a flyer outlining what would be helpful. Our other parish primary schools will also be assisting in this task, so if you feel you would like to assist, please refer to the flyer for ideas. We would like these specific donations to be given to your child’s classroom teacher so they can then be collected to one space in the school ready to be delivered next weekend. Please could any of these donations be received at school by Wednesday 16th March so they can be organised for delivery.
Please also continue to pray for those who are helping and those in need at this time. Thank you for your generosity of spirit, prayer and support, which is so aligned to the values instilled in our school by the Sisters of St Joseph when they first established this special school. In Mary MacKillop’s words: “Never see a need without doing something about it.”
Bishop Greg's Diocese of Lismore 2022 Flood Appeal (https://www.lismorediocese.org/)
Click on the link which will provide details, or simply use the bank details below.
BSB: 037-889
Account No: 1061 5829
Account Name: DOL Flood Appeal
CELEBRATING OUR FAITH
The Season of Lent - a Season to grow, reflect and find a better way of building the Kingdom of God today … continued.
Lent is the perfect Season to reflect on why and how we interact with others. If we do ‘good’ things without thinking about why we do them, then we have missed an opportunity to treat others with the dignity and respect that mirrors Jesus’ way of interacting with others.
Jesus always gave people time and his full attention.
Doing the ‘right’ thing by our fellow beings is important, but it’s equally important to our growth to always be aware of why and how we see other people.
As we consider the above paragraph, perhaps we can find opportunities to grow as a family through the following practices.
Practice thinking of others by giving up your place. Lent could be a great time to challenge your children to live out Jesus’ words where the ‘first’ will be last and the ‘last’ will be first.
Maybe your children could practice letting someone else be first - to get the treat, to get their dinner, to get through the door….
As we continue to find ways to ‘serve’ others, discuss with your children how every day interactions are a way to serve God. This could be as simple as bringing in the shopping, volunteering to take out the rubbish, or even cleaning a room without making a big deal about it … or even without being asked.
St Agnes' Parish First Reconciliation Workshop at St Joseph's
This week we held our First Reconciliation workshop that is part of our preparation for Year 4 students and any eligible student in Year 5 and 6 who hasn’t made this Sacrament.
Thank you to all our parents, students and staff for your contributions and participation that made this workshop a great success.
Please see below some important information that was shared at our workshop.
All ceremonies for the Sacrament of Reconciliation (the Second Rite of Reconciliation) will take place in St Agnes’ Catholic Church at 6.00pm on:
- Tuesday 5th April
- Wednesday 6th April
- Thursday 7th April
Please arrive 20-30 minutes prior to the start time.
Parents may choose which date is most suitable for their family to attend.
An email will be sent out on Friday 18th March with a link for online registration for the Sacrament of Penance ceremonies.
If you have not received this email by Friday night, please check your junk or spam folders.
All outstanding information such as parent ID etc, will need to be finalised before this time.
Learning Together
Sleep is your superpower
It has been a very busy start to the school year and I thought it timely to remind us all about the importance of sleep. Children and adults alike, need sleep. Without enough sleep, we get cranky and, with time, unhealthy. But for children, it’s especially important because the effects of sleep deprivation can lead to lifelong problems.
Studies show that children who do not get enough sleep can end up with behavioural and learning problems that persist for years and affect a child’s life forever. The prevalence of devices such as mobile phones and IPads also has implications for sleep. More and more, children are staying up, or being woken up, by these devices. Add to that our achievement culture; between homework and extracurricular activities, many of us simply have less time for sleep.
So, how much sleep does your child need? Here are the recommended amounts:
- Infants: 12 to 16 hours (including naps).
- Toddlers: 11 to 14 hours (including naps).
- Preschoolers: 10 to 13 hours (including naps).
- Grade school-aged children: 9 to 12 hours.
- Teens: 8 to 10 hours.
Here are four ways you can help your child get enough sleep:
- Make sleep a priority.
- Set the bedtime routine earlier.
- Switch all screens off.
- Keep the same routines on the weekend and during the holidays.
