Last week we had the opportunity to celebrate Harmony Week and this was also an opportunity to highlight the wonderful diversity we have here at Catherine McAuley School. This is a week across Australia where we are able to embrace cultural diversity and share what we all have in common.
Students were provided with the opportunity to engage in a wide range of activities throughout the week which encouraged them to think about all the wonderful things we can do to make everyone feel included and valued.
Students and Families were able to identify where their families originated and this highlighted the many parts of the world that our families represent.
Kindness is something that we are all able to give to someone else and is a big part of the message given throughout Harmony Week. Students and families created a mural outside the office which represented all the ways in which we are able to say hello and welcome to others in a range of languages. Saying a simple hello or welcome to someone could be the small act of kindness that could change someone's day.
Thursday was Funky Sock Day, and it was great to see everyone wearing their favourite funky socks to support World Down Syndrome Day. Just another way in which diversity and inclusion is celebrated at Catherine McAuley School.
We ended the week with messages of kindness around the school as well as a sea of orange on Friday for the final day of Harmony Week.
Thank You to all staff, students and families for their active involvement in Harmony Week 2024.
At Catherine McAuley, we pride ourselves on providing an inclusive, supportive and kind environment where diversity and cultural diversity is celebrated.
Yours in Faith, Growth and Unity
Leadership Team
Holy Week
Blessings All, I hope you are all travelling well during this festive season of preparing for the Resurrection of our Jesus Christ, King of Kings.
This week as a school community we have acknowledged Holy Week and the Easter Triduum, the most sacred period in the Catholic Liturgical Calendar. While it is the most sacred it is also the most dramatic week, starting with a hero’s welcome for Jesus arriving in Jerusalem, known as Palm Sunday, and ending only a week later with those same excited crowds chanting ‘Crucify him” and insisting on Jesus being sentenced to death, we know as Good Friday. Jesus’ death on the cross, we know, is not final. Two days later, his followers discover an empty tomb, and encounter the Risen Lord on Easter Sunday or Resurrection Sunday.
As such, we have marked a few sacred and significant moments of Holy Week through our prayer and liturgy services at Catherine McAuley this week. During Monday morning prayer, Mr Hill’s Year 4E class acknowledged Palm Sunday and performed a re - enactment of the Last Supper. On Holy Thursday, Mr Zoccali, and Mrs Kenyon/Ms Norris-Ruiz Year 5s with the Guidance of Mrs Pollard presented the Stations of the Cross, a solemn and moving re-enactment.
You are all welcome to attend our Easter Liturgy celebrating the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ on the 2nd of April, Tuesday Morning Prayer, presented by our Mercy Leaders.
“I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” John 11:24
Mercy Leaders
This week on Tuesday, we presented to the school community the Student Leaders of 2024, it is with great pleasure and honour I present the Mercy Leaders of 2024.
Lachlan Blanchard, Indy Bromilow, Aishah Bryan, Grace Davies, Mason Field, Mackenzie Hale, Jacinta Halls, Alisha Holland, Abiel Muzanamombe, Amelia Nuttall, Liam Rowen, Acacia Walkington, and Isla Winterbotham.
I am looking forward to continuing working with this vibrant and keen group of students. As a group, the Mercy Leaders are looking at assisting with school programs, maintaining ecological sustainability within the school and local environment, and are aiming to connect with the wider school community.
Project Compassion
Please continue to support our two fundraising activities for Caritas - Project Compassion. Keep bringing recycle plastic bottles or cans in your child’s/children House bin. Secondly, please donate what you can to your child’s/children project compassion donation boxes in the classrooms. Thank you to all who have already donated. The last week of Project Compassion fundraising programs is week 11 of this Term.
Class Visits to St Ann Parish Church
Please come along and support your children when their class are hosting the Friday morning Mass at St Ann Parish Church. Our next visit is on the 12th of April with the Year 5M students.
Easter Prayer and Blessing
I would like to conclude with an Easter Prayer,
Dear God,
Who through your only‑begotten Son Jesus Christ overcame death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life.
Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the day of the Lord’s resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by your life-giving Spirit.
Amen
I hope you all have a safe and peaceful Easter, with your family and friends.
Blessings,
Maria Girolamo-Corbo
Assistant Principal in Religious Identity and Mission
ANZAC Day will be commemorated during these school holidays. There are many things you can do to remember our heroes both past and present. The Department of Veterans Affairs have a wonderful website with facts about our history, Veterans’ stories and interactive games and activities for all ages.
Take the time to visit the website here: https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/
We also have many Military Museums here in SA. We have the Army Museum of South Australia at Keswick Barracks, the National Military vehicle Museum located at Edinburgh, the Maritime Museum and the South Australia Aviation Museum both located in Port Adelaide.
Each of these Museums have hands on exhibits and provide many things to see for all ages.
They are certainly worth the visit!
Have a lovely school holiday break and I will see you all back in Term 2.
Yours in Faith, Growth and Unity,
Jacqui Langstreth
Defence Mentor
jlangstreth@cms.catholic.edu.au
On Friday 5th April Catherine McAuley School will celebrate Sports Day starting at 9:10am. All children have been allocated to their team colours: John Smith (Gold), Mercy (Navy), Harley (Maroon) and John Coolock (White) will gather to contest the Sports Day Shield and Spirit Cup. Students are to arrive at school at the normal time.
The Parents & Friends (P&F) group will once again be providing a sausage sizzle lunch, student pre-orders will be necessary. Pre-orders can be made on the Qkr! app under School Payments > Events. Pre-orders close 3pm Tuesday 2nd April.
Parents, family members and friends are invited to join us for the day. A sausage sizzle and drinks will be available for sale during the day for parents and visitors (no pre-orders are required for parents and visitors).
The front office will be closed all day from 9:30am Friday morning.
Please discuss with your child, pickup arrangements for sports day prior to coming to school.
All early student departures will be processed via the class teacher and all parents must inform the classroom teacher, so they can be marked off the class attendance list.
All access for Sports Day will be via Adams Road, the back gate will close at 9:30am and reopen at 2:30pm.
Please click here to download the Sports Day Program Booklet for more information on activities, maps and schedules.
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