Dear Parents, Carers and Friends,

Although this week is a little quieter at school, next week things are ramping up! We start the week opening our classrooms on Monday August 18^th for parents to visit and see what the children have been learning. It is also a time for you to have a quick chat with your child’s teacher should you wish to. We look forward to welcoming all parents on Monday if you can make it.

The exciting adventures of Book Week occur next week too. A huge part of book week is the Book Character dress up day that the students love to participate in and strut their stuff in the parade. This year the Lowe Street students will dress up on Tuesday August 19^th and Macquoid Street students will dress up on Wednesday August 20^th. Both parades will take place first thing in the morning after the students drop their bags into class and the class rolls are marked. We welcome parents to join us if you can, to enjoy the fun Book Week parades. There are other fun things for the students to be involved in during their library lessons as well. I want to thank you, our parents and carers, for supporting the children to make (or buy if it’s easier) their costumes. Remember costumes do not need to be elaborate, and things can be easily fashioned from things and clothes they already have at home. There is no need to go to great expense.

The children in Year’s 3 to 6 have been busily preparing for and competing against their peers in public Speaking over the past few weeks. On Friday August 22^nd our most successful public speakers from each grade will travel to Crookwell to participate in the Northern Region Public Speaking competition. I wish them all the best and know they will do our school proud.

Coming up in Week 7 (Wednesday September 3^rd) we have a big celebration on one day. We will commence the morning with our Father’s Day breakfast at Macquoid Street. The students will then walk to Lowe Street for our Feast Day Mass before walking to the park for our annual Lap-a-thon. The sponsorship cards for the Lap-a-thon were sent home with the children today. Everyone is welcome to join us if you can, please add it to your calendars. I want to thank the Community Council for their support with organising the Lap-a-thon. The money raised will go towards a major upgrade to the Macquoid Street hard top area out front of the canteen. We will share drawings in the coming weeks. Thanks for supporting this important school fundraiser.

This week we celebrate the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Friday 15^th August. This day commemorates the Catholic belief that the body and soul of the immaculate Mary, mother of God was assumed into heaven. We will be celebrating with four liturgies, one on Lowe Street at 10:15am in St Raphael’s church. The Macquoid Street classes will have their liturgies in the St Gregory’s church with Years 3 & 4 at 9:15am, Year 2 at 10:00am and Years 5 & 6 at 12:00pm. Please feel free to join us if you would like or there will be the usual parish masses at St Raphael’s church at 12noon and 5:30pm if you would like to attend mass.

Let us pray together…

Father in heaven,
all creation rightly gives you praise,
for all life and all holiness come from you.
In the plan of your wisdom
she who bore the Christ in her womb
was raised body and soul in glory to be with him in heaven.
May we follow her example in reflecting your holiness
and join in her hymn of endless love and praise.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Please continue to pray for those in our community who are sick and their families who care for them. We also pray for all the Year 6 students who are preparing for their Confirmation in September, that they will truly experience God’s grace and guidance in their lives.

Have a blessed fortnight.

Tiffany Reedy