Parent Nights. Updated ICT Forms. Key Points COMING EVENTS. Term 1 Week 3 February 15, 2018

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1 Term 1 Week 3 February 15, 2018 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16 R-12 College Mass at Saint John's Campus FEBRUARY Year 8 Camp - 1st group FEBRUARY Year 8 Camp - 2nd group COMING EVENTS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23 Please return all payment method forms OLHCC Assembly, 12:30pm, OLHC Church STC Assembly, 2:45pm, Shelter Shed FRIDAY, MARCH 2 SJC Sports Day, Jubilee Park MARCH 5-7 Year 12 Retreat THURSDAY, MARCH 8 College AGM MARCH 23 Spencer Gulf Sports Carnival - SJC Pupil Free Day for those not participating Key Points Parent Nights Updated ICT Forms Pupil Free Day AGM Opening College Mass Payment Method Forms and Direct Debit Option Parent Night Assemblies Student Leaders acknowledged Medical forms Above all, I urge the members of the Church to take up the Lenten journey with enthusiasm, sustained by almsgiving, fasting and prayer. If, at times, the flame of charity seems to die in our own hearts, know that this is never the case in the heart of God! He constantly gives us a chance to begin loving anew. Message of the Holy Father Francis for Lent 2018, A very important week for the College. Shrove Tuesday events and Ash Wednesday liturgies and one of our major Masses tomorrow, when we formally launch the school year. The Opening Mass is a big event for any Catholic school and we warmly invite our community to join in the celebration with us. Details are in this newsletter. Parent Nights Thank you to those parents and friends who joined us during the week at one of our campuses to meet the staff and hear what s in store for their child for If you were unable to attend, your child s teacher will be more than happy to meet with you. Please make a time through one of our front offices. Updated ICT Forms Hopefully you noticed some slight changes to the ICT Agreement you signed with your child (Year 5-12) last week. We tightened up some areas around students refusing to hand in their phones if we had reason to suspect some illegal or highly inappropriate material on them, including bullying continued p2 DAMIEN JUDD PRINCIPAL

2 continued from p1 material. Whilst we reserve the right to confiscate them, it does not mean we are searching through your child s phone. We normally leave that for the police or wait for you to arrive. We also reinforced that parents should not be allowing or approve of their child contacting them during the day on their phones. Students need to use the front office or a House Leader s phone should they need to make urgent contact. Mobile phones do not form any part of the school day at Samaritan. Pupil Free Day As mentioned in our first newsletter, we will be having a Pupil Free Day for the secondary campus only on Friday, March 23. This is when we host the Athletics Carnival for the four Catholic secondary schools in our Diocese. We host this once every four years and all staff are needed to run the event, hence why it is always a pupil free day that day. I also remind parents there will not be a Pupil Free Day on the first day of Term 4. AGM The 2017 Board will meet for the final time tonight as they work through parent/staff/student feedback for the Strategic Plan. On March 8, is our Annual General Meeting and we will be seeking at least one new member to join the board in 2018 and beyond. Please consider this important role with more information found here: board-and-governance Apology Anniversary Tuesday marked the 10th anniversary of Kevin Rudd s 2008 apology to our First Australians and acknowledged in particular the Stolen Generation. This is an important event for all Australians. We pray that those who have been wronged are supported in their healing as a result of our compassion, understanding and commitment to action that promotes reconciliation now and into the future. Religious Dimension Ash Wednesday Yesterday each of our campuses celebrated Ash Wednesday. This day marks the beginning of Lent in the Catholic Church. We are marked with a cross of ashes as an act of humility to recognise that we are human and don t always live up to the vision that God holds for us. We wear the ashes to recognise that all our gifts and blessings flow from God and it is a life in God we wish to return. During the season of Lent which lasts for forty days, Catholics pray for themselves and others, carry out good works or give up some habit or vice and give to the poor and needy. Caritas Australia begins its Social Justice fundraising program, Project Compassion, which all schools in our diocese support and is a practical way for our community to help the poor and disadvantaged. Lent is a time of contemplation and preparation for the death and resurrection of Christ at Easter. The life and mission of Jesus helps us reflect on how we are called to live in our homes, school, workplaces and community. This Lent we pray we can follow Christ s gentle way and live fully in a way that brings peace and love to our world. DO YOU WANT TO FAST THIS LENT? In the words of Pope Francis Fast from hurting words and say kind words. Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude. Fast from anger and be filled with patience. Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope. Fast from worries and have trust in God. Fast from complaints and contemplate simplicity. Fast from pressures and be prayerful. Fast from bitterness and fill your hearts with joy. Fast from selfishness and be compassionate to others. Fast from grudges and be reconciled. Fast from words and be silent so you can listen. 2 of 8 February 15, 2017

3 10th Anniversary of the Apology to the Stolen Generation Samaritan College recognises the importance of this anniversary of the apology to the Stolen Generation made by former PM Kevin Rudd in We pray for the continued acknowledgement and recognition of indigenous people and that all Australians honour Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island culture and beliefs. Year 12 Retreat The Year 12 Retreat will be held on Monday, March 5 to Wednesday, March 7. We will travel to Port Hughes which is near Wallaroo. Notes have been distributed to Year 12 students and they need to be returned as soon as possible. If you have any questions or concerns about the retreat please do not hesitate to contact me. Students with specific dietary requirements need to contact me with details as soon as possible. Opening College Mass Opening Hearts and Minds The college will gather together on Friday, February 16 to celebrate Mass. This is our Opening College Mass and it is a time for our community to give thanks for the blessings we have received and will receive over the year. This is an important celebration of our Catholic Identity and an important time of prayer. Each and every parent is welcome to attend Mass. Primary students will need to be dropped at Saint John s Campus by 8:45am and meet their teacher on the oval. Please be careful as there will be a greater volume of traffic and more children arriving at this time. The primary students will be transported back to their campuses by bus at the completion of Mass. Bernie Meixner ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL IN RELIGIOUS IDENTITY AND MISSION Parish News This week our Parish Community begins the Lenten Journey, as we prepare for Easter. On the first day of Lent, Ash Wednesday, we will be holding Parish Masses and school liturgies to mark the Church entering a season of renewal, wherein it hopes, through God s grace, to experience a conversion of heart. Lent is a time for stopping and thinking about our life, especially our need for God in our everyday life. Each Lent in our Parish and School communities, we, together with thousands of other Australians, support Project Compassion who helps the world s most vulnerable communities by working to end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity. Our Prayer, fasting and almsgiving is very important during Lent. In the Parish this week we begin our Lenten Discussion groups; these groups help us to pray, share and live the Sunday gospels in our daily life during the coming week, and are also a good way to get to know other parishioners. We have some mothers who have been coming to the RCIA since last October and are learning about our Catholic Faith. At the Easter Vigil they, along with their children, will be welcomed by Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist into our Parish community. Please pray for these families on this journey of faith. Our meal program on a Monday evening at the Good Sam Inn have been going well, with the generous support of many people who help in many ways. The meals are really appreciated by the people who attend and many weeks we serve around 50 meals. If you would like to be involved or find out how to help you can contact the Parish office. As Father Jim mentioned last week you will soon be hearing more about the Alfa program, commencing in May. As we begin Lent let us pray for our School, Parish and the people of Whyalla. Sr Cheryle Thomson ON BEHALF OF THE PARISH TEAM WEEKEND MASS TIMES St Teresa s Church Our Lady Help of Christians Church Saturday 6:00pm Sunday 10:30am Sunday 8:30am Sunday 5:30pm February 15, of 8

4 College News Payment Method Forms and Direct Debit Option Payment Method Forms were sent to families last week. These are to be completed and returned to any campus by Friday, February 23. For those families who wish to arrange for the direct debit option, there is an additional form to be completed. This form can be found on the website: files/d/4978/2016%20direct%20debit%20form.pdf For any assistance in completing either form, please contact Cheryl Murfitt on Terry Costello BUSINESS MANAGER From the Business Manager BYOD Insurance Do you have insurance on your child s BYOD device? ibroker and Brightside are two companies that specialise in BYOD insurance. As always, it is up to the parents if you want insurance and we don t recommend either way. If, however, your household contents policy does not cover your device and you are thinking about insurance, maybe consider a web search on laptop insurance and obtain a quote. It may be cheaper in the long run. New device Does your child s device meet their needs? Is the battery life sufficient to get through the day? The college can support families with payment plans on devices. From as little as $75 a term, we can provide a choice of several suitable devices. If you would like to discuss this further, please contact the Business Manager or info@samaritan.catholic.edu.au Heartfelt thanks to the families and staff who donated goods and assisted with sorting our 72 gift boxes. I have had an update from the Whyalla Coordinator letting us know some statistics regarding gift boxes this year. SA/NT sent a total of 21,998 gift boxes. Whyalla donated approx boxes. Nationally 327,451 boxes were sent to children in need all over the world. Some of the NT boxes were sent to Madagascar, but all of the Whyalla boxes, including our 72, were sent to Thailand. We have directly given gifts to 72 children in Thailand, who might never have received a gift in their lives before. Thank you sincerely for your generous and thoughtful donations. We will again be collecting for Operation Christmas Child later this year, so please keep an eye out for further information. Tania Taylor 4 of 8 February 15, 2017

5 Primary Campus News OLHCC: Our Lady Help of Christians Campus STC: St Teresa's Campus Parent Night On Tuesday and Wednesday of last week we held our Parent Information Evenings at the primary campuses. Many parents attended the sessions to meet our staff. These nights always provide a great opportunity for parents and teachers to mingle and make connections for their essential partnerships. Thank you to those families that braved the heat to attend. As always classroom teachers are the first port of call regarding queries or concerns. College Mass Tomorrow our college community gathers together to celebrate the beginning of the school year and join in prayer for Mass with the theme Opening Hearts and Minds! Parents from the primary campuses are asked to drop their children off at Saint John s Campus by 8:45am, where teachers will take the class role and assemble in designated areas prior to Mass. The Mass will begin at 9:10am, ending at approximately 10:30am. Students are able to wear their sports uniform and will need their college hat. Families are most welcome to attend. Please refer to the note sent home earlier in the week for further information. Positions of Responsibility To lead particular initiatives or focus areas on the primary campuses we have staff who undertake Positions of Responsibility. For 2018 the primary Positions of Responsibility include: Teaching and Learning Coordinator - Jenna Edwards Sustainability Coordinator - Stevie Smith Early Years Learning Coordinator - Jenna Warren In future newsletters aspects of these initiatives will be shared with the school community. Assemblies School assemblies provide an opportunity to celebrate and share learning with the whole campus and the wider community. OLHC campus assemblies are held on Fridays at 12:30pm in the Church and STC assemblies are held on Fridays under the Shelter Shed at 2:45pm. As always, families are welcome to come along and share in these community events. Assembly dates are advertised in the newsletter, the school calendar on our website and our app. Student Leaders acknowledged Leadership is fostered in a variety of ways in classes and within our school community. More formally these skills are fostered through our Student Representative Council and our House Captains. Congratulations to the students who have been elected by their peers as Student Representative Councillors for Semester 1 and to our House Captains who will be announced tomorrow. These students will be presented to the school community and receive their badge in recognition of this achievement at campus based assemblies on Friday Week 4. OLHC Campus assembly is on February 23 at 12:30pm in the Church and STC assembly will be held on February 23 at 2:45pm under the Shelter Shed. The full list of the Semester 1 SRC and House Captains will be published in the Week 5 newsletter. Shrove Tuesday/Ash Wednesday It was a pleasure to be a part of our Shrove Tuesday activities earlier in the week. Students came in buddy classes to enjoy a pancake and celebrate this Catholic tradition. I particularly noted the care and concern shown by our older students as they assisted their younger buddies with their pancakes. What a great example of opening our hearts to others. As I chatted with students their understanding of the significance of the day was evident. Not only were they enjoying the pancakes but also making connections with past traditions. We thank the parents and community members who assisted with the cooking and serving of pancakes on the day. Ash Wednesday Liturgies were also held at both campuses, prayerfully lead by Year 2/3 Warren and Year 4/5 Foran. Ash Wednesday is the day which marks the beginning of the season of Lent, the liturgical period of forty weekdays which leads into Easter. It is a season during which we as Catholics traditionally examine our lives and reconcile in many ways. Medical forms Please ensure medical and permission forms are returned by the end of this week. It is very important that we have an up to date account of your child s medical profile to avoid complications in an emergency situation. If you have changed address or your mobile phone number, please contact the front office so that office staff can adjust your details. February 15, of 8

6 Congratulations Samaritan students Daniel and Jace Hanley represented South Australia in the Under 12's section of the Australian Eight Ball Federation championships during the January school holidays this year. The boys finished with amazing results with Daniel finishing as the Under 12's Australian Champion and Jace placing a very respectful 5th place overall. Daniel and Jace's family and friends as with the college are very proud of the achievements of these young gentlemen and wish them every success as they follow their passion for this sport. Shrove Tuesday 6 of 8 February 15, 2017

7 Secondary Campus News Secondary attendance hotline: TEXT messages only, otherwise please phone Please follow up phone calls with a diary note to the caregroup teacher. SJC: Saint John's Campus We are moving through the first term quite rapidly, with the third week almost complete. By now students should have settled into a routine at school and be working regularly on tasks that are set for homework. Movement between subjects should have finished by now, especially in senior classes to enable students to complete all aspects of the work to the best of their ability. Thank you to the parents who attended the Meet the Teacher evening last Thursday. It was excellent to see so many new and familiar faces and have the opportunity to chat after the formalities. Ash Wednesday All students were involved in the Ash Wednesday liturgy. Taking the time in a busy day to reflect on personal matters and to bring them to Christ through prayer can be an uplifting experience. Our celebrations of the Eucharist and Liturgies of the Word enable the students and staff of the college that opportunity. Opening School Mass On Friday we are hosting the entire student body from R 12 as we celebrate our Opening College Mass. This will take place from 9:10 until approximately 10:30am on the oval and grandstand. All students are expected to attend and be part of the celebration. Parents and other family members are welcome to be part of the morning. Seating for parents and family are set up in the announcers box, next to the grandstand as well as near the shed on the oval. World of Maths On Wednesday this week we had representatives from World of Maths provide the students in Years 7 to 9 with a variety of challenging problems to solve. Whilst they might not have immediately realised that they were exploring patterns, or gathering statistics to determine the area of a shape they certainly seemed to be enjoying themselves. World of Maths is something that we try to bring back each year as they have several different programs that they can run each time. Communicating without a diary It is important that the lines of communication between home and the school are maintained in the absence of the diary. Notes from home are still required if your child is to leave at any time during the school day. These would be shown to the class teacher and then again at the front office when the child signs out. The office will keep all notes as a record of a child having left the grounds. From a teaching perspective we would like to be able to parents if there are concerns with regards to a studnet's learning. Ideally all parents have provided an address to the school through which you can be contacted. Having access to an address allows us to leave phone calls for emergency calls only. If you are not sure whether the school has a valid address please your details, including child(rens) names to colleen.dowling@samaritan.catholic.edu.au and we will include you in our system. Year 8 Camp Next week our Year 8 students are on their camp, either Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, Thursday. By now parents should be aware of the days that your child is on camp. If there are any last minute questions please contact Jodie Hopkins who has arranged this camp. Year 12 Retreat Our Year 12 students will be on Retreat from Monday March 5 Wednesday March 7. All students are expected to attend for the three days as the retreat is an integral part of the education and formation of our young individuals as they move through their final year of secondary schooling. Sports Day reminder Our secondary Sports Day is on Friday, March 2. The event is held at Jubilee Park, and we thank the Whyalla Little Athletics Association for allowing us to use their equipment. Students will need to wear their hats when they are not competing. We ask that parents ensure that their child's hat is clearly labelled with their name. It is recommended that students bring a drink bottle. Various stations will be set up where they can topup their water on the day. Students may choose to bring their lunch but a barbeque has been organised and other drinks and snacks will be available from the Little Athletics canteen during the day. Students are not allowed to leave the venue during the day without written permission from parents. First aid is available at the event and staff will have access to emergency contact details if required. Parents are more than welcome to come and spectate and support their children. John Lyons HEAD OF SECONDARY CAMPUS February 15, of 8

8 Term 1, Week 4 and 5 ST TERESA S CAMPUS SAINT JOHN S CAMPUS February February 26-March 2 February February 26-March 2 Mon Rachel Brokken Kaitlyn Geering Helen Bell Fiona Wilson Tue Amy Quist Layla and Taleya Helen Bell (Recess) Wed Kellie Sarret Maresa Lyons Jodie Gould (Lunch) Thu Kim Hubner Helen Bell Judith Hill Fri Mandy Schmidt Anne-Marie Fisher Karla O'Neill Ali Westlake No help required at OLHCC. Thank you for your assistance. Annette Cameron, Rose Cassar and Carolyn Goldsworthy CANTEEN MANAGERS Canteen Rosters Registration Form To: Or online: Marina Davidson PO Box 1206 PORT PIRIE SA 5540 mdavidson@pp.catholic.org.au Name/s of participants: Parish. Tuesday evening you are invited to dinner at the Port Football Club Rooms, corner of Wandearah and Esmond Roads, commencing at 6:30pm. Please tick I will be attending lunch at the Festival Centre Tuesday 20 March I will not be attending lunch. I will be attending dinner at the Ports Club Rooms Tuesday evening. I will not be attending dinner at the Ports. 8 of 8 February 15, 2017 A Brief Outline Tuesday 20 March :00am Doors Open for Registration 10:00am Looking Forward in Hope.. Key Note Speaker, Fr Noel Connolly Facilitator, Larna Turvey-Collins 6:30pm Dinner, Port Football Club Rooms Wednesday 21 March :00am Doors Open 8:50am Looking Forward in Hope.. 10:00am Raffle, Summing Up, Commissioning 11:30am Chrism Mass at St Mark s Cathedral A donation of $40 for registration is requested to assist with the costs. This is a donation to help the Diocese cover the shortfall. If the donation makes it difficult for you to attend, please come as our guest. RSVP by Tuesday 6 March 2018