St Raphaels Central School Newsletter Term 1 Wk4

St Raphael’s Catholic School Term 1, Week 4/B Newsletter 16 February 2015

bathurstcatholicyouth.org

Dear Parents Every one of us is officially a member of the P&F Association. Tonight at 7pm in the staffroom, the association will meet for the first time this year.

You are invited to become an active part of this vital part of our school.

Our Representative Swimming Squad travels to Wellington this Friday 20th to compete at the K10 Schools Swimming Competition. Thank you to those parents providing transport and support.

Travel safely and compete strongly.

This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday and it marks the start of Lent. If we expect improvement in anything we do it involves planning, preparation and training. Many pay big money for gym membership and personal trainers, they invest time daily to raise their physical performance levels. Lent is our six week training and personal improvement period, a time for daily testing, training and improvement. This Lent; work hard, become better.

On Thursday we are conducting a Parent Information evening for parents of K-6 children.

Crucial to ongoing improvement in the learning of children is the collaboration between parents and teachers, between home and school. If we each have a clear understanding of where we are going and how we are getting there our children cannot help but benefit. Please set aside this time on Thursday to ensure that our efforts are aligned.

Ash Wednesday Prayer Father in Heaven, May this season of repentance bring us the blessing of Your forgiveness and the gift of Your light.

Grant this through Christ our Lord.

Amen

Monday 16 Happy birthday to Ava Broad, Jarred Stead and Brooke Lewis P&F Meeting 7pm – Staffroom Tuesday 17

Wednesday 18 Ash Wednesday, Mass 9.30am Thursday 19 Happy birthday to Maiah Bright Parent Information Evening K-6 Friday 20 K-10 Schools Swimming Carnival - Wellington

Michael Gallagher Principal

Happy birthday to Max Myers, Zoe Budge and nd Madison Harcombe for the 22 .

P.O. Box 7, Cowra 2794 Tel: 6342.2940

Email: straphaels@bth.catholic.edu.au School Website: www.straphaelscowra.catholic.edu.au

Ash Wednesday Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten Season.

It is a time of penance, reflection, and fasting which prepares us for Christ's Resurrection.

The ashes we receive are a symbol of penance. The ashes are made from the blessed palms used in the Palm Sunday celebration of the previous year.

A reminder to students from K- 6 of the need to have a library bag for borrowing. This can be a plastic or cloth bag with the students’ name clearly marked on the bag.

Please remind students to place their library books in a SAFE and easily accessible place at home. Lost books will need to be paid for or replaced.

Library Lessons 2015 Reminder: Monday - 2 Green, Year 6; Tuesday - Year 4, 2 Gold, Kinder Gold, Year 5; Wednesday - Kinder Green, Thursday - Year 1; Friday - Year 3.

Happy Reading Kerri Skinner Librarian

Dates For the Calendar  Week 4 Ash Wednesday: February 18th - 9.30am High school students to be in school uniform.

If necessary bring sport clothes to change into.  Week 7 Catholic Schools Week ‘Educating For Today and Tomorrow’: March 9th-15th Heritage Day Fete: Friday March 13th 1pm-2.30pm

Sports Uniform Year 3 and 4 Year 3 and 4 will be wearing sports uniform this Wednesday for Physical Activity. They will still wear sports uniform for normal Sport on Thursday.

Year 11/12 Update Work is going ahead on producing a K-12 Prospectus as well as on a review of the uniform in preparation for Stage 6.

Selection of courses to be offered at Stage 6 and the staffing options for those courses, leading into recruitment plans is well underway.

Detailing the building plans is proceeding and the aim is for completion by the end of March. Tendering will run through April, approvals in May and construction June until the end of January 2016.

Stage 6 target dates: December 11, 2014 - CBGA funding approved March 9-13, 2015 - Catholic Schools Week Stage 6 exhibit May 4 2015 – Mail out of K-12 Prospectus June 1, 2015 – Building construction commences June 2, 2015 - Year 11 Subject Information Night / Uniform exhibit July 14-31, 2015 - Subject selection discussions with individual families January 28, 2016 - Year 11 Courses commence October 7, 2016 - HSC courses commence Library News Congratulations to the new 2015 Library Monitors who have been of great assistance already to fellow students and me during library lunch sessions.

Library Monitors are: Claire Hines, Felicity Henderson, Sienna Emseis, Joel Stendall, Charli Hubber, Rachel Myers, Chloe Robertson and Nicholas Brown.

Chess Club for Years 5 and 6 has commenced again during Wednesday lunchtime.

P.O. Box 7, Cowra 2794 Tel: 6342.2940

Polding Summer Sports Trial On the Friday of Week 2, children who had qualified for the Bathurst Diocese Summer Sports Team played in Lismore. With the long travelling distance to be covered, most competitors from our region left on the Wednesday. Our school was well represented with 3 girls competing in the sport of Tennis. Zara McKenzie, Matilda Proctor and Mikelli Garratt had all qualified last year at our Diocesan Trials in Dubbo. These 3 girls performed admirably, playing quality tennis against the best in the top half of the state. Although none of the girls made it onto the next level, they were close.

Congratulations to all three of you. Being in Year 5 means that Mikelli gets another chance next year. Well done.

St. Raphael’s Catholic School Swimming Carnival 2015 A great turn out on a perfect swimming day! Great fun was had by all, especially year 10 with their novelty race. Hilarious! Thank you to year 10 and Mr Cooley for your input.

A big thank you goes to all of our helpers both, parents and students, as without you the day would not have been the success it was!

Thank you.

Winners of the Best Dressed go to Madison Sparks from Kilbreda, and Breanna Burton.

Xavier wins most enthusiastic house, as they displayed the greatest house spirit on the day, with Email: straphaels@bth.catholic.edu.au School Website: www.straphaelscowra.catholic.edu.au

strong chants and continual encouragement for those in the pool.

Championship points: Raphael – 2814 points Xavier – 2280 points Kilbreda – 2199 points Age Champions: 8yrs - Laura Price 9yrs - Carter Langfield, Lecksi Killick 10yrs - Eoghan Killick Imogen Chambers 11yrs - Sam Kelly Philippa Austin 12yrs P - Finn Ryan Ruby Frazer 13yrs P - Kelsey Pollard 12yrs S - Tom Treasure 13yrs - Ky Johnson / William Cain, Kate Price 14yrs - Cameron Trengove, Samantha MacCabe 15yrs - Ben Price, Madeleine Cain 16yrs - Riley Barron Anna McNamara 17yrs - Richard Scott

Services Club and Mr Embroidery. The St Raphael’s community congratulates this year’s student leaders and looks forward to the 2015 school year with excitement, as the school prepares to expand to deliver a quality, Catholic education K-12.

L to R Front: Bill Statham, Hugo Skene, Alex Brown, Matilda Proctor, Ruby Frazer and Zara McKenzie.

L to R Back: Kitty Brooks, Tom Statham, Anna McNamara, Michelle Grech, Mitchell Beer and Riley Barron.

L to R School Captains, Tom Statham and Michelle Grech, Cowra Services Club Manager, Mr Lloyd Garratt, School Vice-Captains, Matilda Proctor and Hugo Skene.

On Monday 9th of February St Raphael’s Catholic School celebrated our Opening Mass for the 2015 school year. During the celebration, the Student Representative Council for 2015 were presented with their badges of office by their parents. Also present was Mr Lloyd Garratt, Cowra Services Club Manager, who presented Michelle Grech and Tom Statham with their School Captain blazers. The blazers were donated to the school leaders by the Services Club and tailored by Mr Embroidery. The school gratefully acknowledges the generous support provided by the

P.O. Box 7, Cowra 2794 Tel: 6342.2940

The Study Centre @ St Raphael's The Study Centre @ St Raphael's opened its door this week and many students took advantage of the opportunity to complete homework tasks, work on assignments and receive some valuable assistance with tricky problems!

Parents and students are reminded that The Study Centre is staffed by our own talented teachers and is open to all students from Years 3-10. Students of all levels and abilities are welcome to attend.

Opening times: 8:00-8:45am Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday each week.

Please contact Therese Johnston for further information: t.johnston@bth.catholic.edu.au Email: straphaels@bth.catholic.edu.au School Website: www.straphaelscowra.catholic.edu.au

Newsletter 23 February Week 5 Please note next week’s newsletter, Monday rd 23 February will only be circulated on Tuesday, th 24 February. Sorry for any inconvenience.

Canteen Update This week’s roster is as follows: Tues 17 Karen Campbell

Wed 18 CLOSED

Rachel Frazer

Thurs 19 Heather Keen

Fri 20 Cindy Langfield

Mon 23 Jen Shady

Cathy Gee

Vicki Banks

Brooke Marks

Sian Tangye

Natalie Rush

Next P&F Meeting Our first P&F Meeting for 2015 will be held tonight, th Monday 16 February at 7pm, in the School’s Staffroom. We are looking forward to seeing some new faces at our meetings – everybody is most welcome! Exciting times ahead!

Don’t forget to visit our website for updates of all that is happening with the P&F and for adding your views. www.straphaelspnf.wordpress.com

Cowra No Interest Loans Small loans of up to $1000 for the purchase of household items, computers and tablets, furniture and some medical and dental services, for people on a Health Care Card or Centrelink benefits, living in the Local Government Areas of Cowra, Cabonne and Grenfell.

For more information, contact Debbie on 6340 1100 on Tuesdays or Wednesdays.

available with a sausage sandwich and a popper for the kids at $4.

For further information and registration please email cowrajunioreagles@gmail.com or register at the Cowra Eagles Rugby Club in Hartley Street from 5pm on 27 February.

AFS Australia High School Student Exchange AFS Australia, world leader in High School Student Exchange to over 57 countries are kicking off their 2015 information sessions and invite you to come along and find out if a student exchange program is for you.

An AFS student exchange is all about excitement. New countries. New cultures. New friends. There are heaps of countries to choose from. If you want to experience something new, take the leap and join the hundreds of young Aussies who head overseas with AFS every year.

Students in years 10-12 can spend anywhere between 2 weeks to 11 months studying abroad, learning a language and becoming a part of a whole new culture.

Learning by doing. You'll be supported the entire way

by AFS. We will be running a free information session for you and your parents to find out more: When: 11am Saturday 21st February 2015 Where: Bathurst Public Library, 70-78 Keppel Street, Bathurst For more information and to register your attendance, head to www.afs.org.au/opendays or call the AFS Sending Team on 1300 131 736 or email ausafs@afs.org On the day there will be returned students eager to share how the AFS experience has impacted their lives, and keen to encourage you to take a chance and study abroad.

Sevens Rugby Try Sevens Rugby. All players are welcome. No previous experience of rugby or sevens is required.

Cowra Junior Rugby Union will be hosting a sevens tournament on Friday night over five weeks from 27 February to 27 March 2015. There will be teams in five age groups, under 7’s, 9’s, 11’s, 13’s and 15’s. The under 7’s will play touch rugby while the older age groups will play tackle. Mouthguards are compulsory for all and players will need to bring shorts, socks, boots & water bottle with headgear optional. Game jerseys will be supplied by the club.

Girls are welcome to sign up to compete in the 7, 9 and 11 age groups while the under 13’s and 15’s age groups will be boys only.

The registration fee will be only $10 for the tournament to cover insurance for all players. Kick off will be at 6 pm sharp and the games will finish at 7pm. Bring the family and stay for the games. A full canteen will be P.O. Box 7, Cowra 2794 Tel: 6342.2940

Email: straphaels@bth.catholic.edu.au School Website: www.straphaelscowra.catholic.edu.au