Term 3 Week 2 (28/07/2023)
What is On?
August
Wednesday 2nd August - Confirmation Retreat in Maclean
Thursday 3rd August - Meerkat Production - Please give permission on COMPASS
Monday 7th August - Stage 3 Basketball Gala Day
Monday 14th August - Stage 2 Basketball Gala Day
Tuesday 15th August - Confirmation- St Mary’s Church, Maclean
Tuesday 15th August- Dio Athletics - Coffs Harbour
Wednesday 23rd August - Reconciliation- in Hall
Friday 25th August - Book Week Parade
Saturday 26th August - First Holy Communion- St James Church Yamba, 5:15 – 6:15pm
Monday 28th August - Mary MacKillop Performance, 1:45 – 2:45pm
Tuesday 29th August - Public Speaking Competition- School Final
September
Friday 1st September - Fathers Day Breakfast, 7:00 – 8:00am
Wednesday 6th September - Zone Soccer Netball Carnival
Monday 11th September - Public Speaking Competition Finals- Coffs Harbour
Thursday 21st September - Last day of term 3 for students
Thursday 21st September - Colour Run Stage 3 Fundraiser
Friday 22nd September - Staff Development Day
Dear Parents and Carers
I have spent the week watching the happenings at Saint James' through Instagram and emails. I missed a couple of significant events.
The Feast of Saint James celebrations at St James church looked wonderful and was the culmination of the previous month’s work in Religious Education and the Staff Professional Learning Day at the end of the Term 2. Saint James as Jesus' first cousin and a fisherman from Jesus' village and he went with his peers in service of others which is our goal for our year at Saint James.
Last night a group of parents from Stage 1 worked with Laura Hamilton to look at how we can assist the children to grow in resilience as community members and peers. This was to unpack the work done in Stage 1 by the team in presenting the PDH syllabus with the Thriving Friends focus in Semester 1. From all reports, the session was fabulous and very well received.
While on sick leave I have loaded all the documentation for our NSIT Review in Week 4. During this time a team of 3 external reviewers will be working within the school to support future directions in School Improvement. I am very keen to encourage participation in the process as I found it a most thorough and rewarding process when I was on the panel in Kingscliff last term.
Miss Haines is as we speak on the other side of the world! beginning her pilgrimage for the World Youth Day in Portugal. We cannot wait to hear the updates.
That is what I have missed and hope next week to have some önsite news!"
I will be back next week all being well.
Ann
RE News
THE FEAST OF ST JAMES
On Tuesday we celebrated the Feast of St James with a liturgy at St James Catholic Church. Students shared prayers and used drama to share the learning they had undertaken about who James was in the time of Jesus and the important Mission he and the other disciples undertook in spreading the good news.
Many thanks to those family members who were able to attend.
Students received an ice block when we arrived back at school, as a special treat!
SACRAMENTS
Confirmation
We have a group of 12 students who are preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation at present. During Confirmation, students will receive the gifts and the fruits of the Holy Spirit which help them throughout their life. Confirmation completes Baptism, by which in the laying on of hands and the anointing with Chrism Oil, which first happened at Baptism, we are confirmed with the fullness of the Holy Spirit.
The Sacrament of Confirmation will be held in St Mary’s Church, Maclean on Tuesday 15th August.
First Holy Communion & Reconciliation
Following Confirmation, we have a group of 14 students who will be receiving the Eucharist of the first time at Mass. These students have been preparing for this Sacrament during Religion lessons. This is the final Sacrament of initiation. Students will receive Reconciliation from Father Nicolas, prior to First Communion. Eucharist is unique among the sacraments as it is at the heart of our faith. For Catholics, the Eucharist, or Mass, is the most powerful way we encounter the real presence of Jesus Christ.
The Sacrament of First Communion will be held in St James Church, Yamba on Saturday 26th August.
The order of Sacraments in the Lismore Diocese is: Baptism, Confirmation (Year 3), Reconciliation (Year 4), First Eucharist (Year 4). All preparation is undertaken at school.
If you would like your child to receive these Sacraments, please contact Mrs Howland at school ASAP. We are currently finalising numbers for the parish office.
For your child to receive any of these Sacraments they must first be Baptised. If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact me at school.
If you are interested in your child/ren being Baptised, please contact the Maclean Parish Office on 66451188 Mon/ Wed/ Fri 9am-2pm.
Renee Howland
Assistant Principal Mission
Sacrament Dates 2023
Confirmation- Tuesday 15th August - St Mary’s Church, Maclean.
Reconciliation- Wednesday 23rd August in Hall
First Holy Communion- Saturday 26th August, 5:15 – 6:15pm - St James Church Yamba
Sport Dates 2023
Term 3
Stage 3 Basketball Gala Day - Monday 7th August
Stage 2 Basketball Gala Day - Monday 14th August
Dio Athletics - Tuesday 15th August- Coffs Harbour
Zone Soccer Netball Carnival - Wednesday 6th September
Term 4
Polding Atheltics - Friday 13th October
Dio Summer Sport Trials -Friday 24th November - Lismore
Fingers Crossed
Mid next week (4th August) the ground works commence for our playground. If you are into praying -pray, if you are into manifesting good- start manifesting, if you are into wishes- wish for fine weather!
Stage 1 News
English
In our Sounds Write spelling we have been learning about the different ways to spell /e/. We have been learning that < ai e ea > are some of the different ways to spell this sound. Check out Addy and Aria hunting and listing the words using this spelling. Students are making great progress with decoding and encoding words in their reading and writing!
Story Dogs
We have started our special story time with Yannick and Sassy the chocolate labrador! The more Declan adds expression to his reading the more Sassy’s tail will wag! The accepting, loving nature of dogs gives this program its magic and helps children relax, open up, try harder and have fun while reading to a friendly, calm dog like Sassy!
Birthdays
Amelia MacInnes – 29th July, Jack Drayton – 30th July, Sage Edwards – 30th July, Aiden Johnson – 3rd August, Louis Collins – 6th August, Rashad Rice – 6th August, Isabel Duckett – 8th August, Layla Hodge – 10th August