#Expect Great Things
KINDERGARTEN NEWS “I am special and unique.”
PRE-PRIMARY NEWS “We were all very happy and excited to bring in our own special teddy… “
PRE-KINDY NEWS “The children have been involved in many hands-on activities…”
VERITAS
Infant Jesus School | Issue | Week 8, Term 1
1
March
IN THIS ISSUE…
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FROM THE PRINCIPAL ‣ ‣ ‣ ‣ ‣ ‣ ‣ ‣
Online Safety Parent Teacher Mee2ng Lent Harmony Day Kindergarten 2021 From My Readings This Week Prayer of the Week Thought for the Week
ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS’ CORNER ‣ ‣ ‣ ‣ ‣ ‣
Talking to Children about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Thank you! Kiss & Drop Helping Children Learn at Home Resources for Parents Reading Comprehension
WE ARE CALLED ‣ ‣ ‣
Lent Parish Informa2on Sacramental Program
CLASS NEWS
IMPORTANT DATES 9 April
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Pre-Primary Class News Kindergarten Class News Pre-Kindy Class News
3 5 5 6 6 6 6 8 8 9 9 9 10 10 10 11 12
13 14 14 15
16 16 17 18
Last Day of Term One
P&F NEWS ‣
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No2ce from CommBank School Banking
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FROM THE PRINCIPAL Parent Teacher Meetings This week we conducted our Parent Teachers interview
Online Safety Many of our students will engage in online learning in the coming weeks.
Dear Parents We are certainly living in interes2ng 2mes. Never before has the world seen a global pandemic that has spread so quickly across Australia and indeed the whole world. 2020 will be a year that we all remember for some 2me to come. My prayers and thoughts go out to families that may have been directly affected by the COVID-19 virus, as well as to all families, as we live in these unprecedented 2mes. It is in these situa2ons, I believe, when we start to appreciate the very simple and basic things in life like, health, family, friendship, faith and even schooling. It is important that we remain calm, keep lines of communica2on open and be pa2ent, as we strive to deliver a curriculum that is in line with our Catholic ethos, is meaningful and produc2ve for our students and teachers. I am very apprecia2ve of the efforts of the staff of Infant Jesus School. Each of them has turned up to work without hesita2on, puZng the children first in all instances. I am very proud of each one of them and the posi2ve nature in which they have approached this global pandemic. Never once has it been said “We can’t do this anymore!” Rather, “what can we do to ensure that we are looking a_er the students and families in our care?” From the ladies in the office, Cheryl, Anne and Irene and the two Assistant Principals, Clare Moffat and Frank Colangelo, their mindset has always been on “what is best for the school . . .and how we can we help.” I am most grateful to them for their efforts and commitment.
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Harmony Day Congratula2ons to all our students who par2cipated in Harmony Day last week.
Our Teaching Staff and EducaOonal Assistants have turned up to work with a posi2ve mindset each day amidst all the doom and gloom that is plastered across social and print media 24/7. To their credit, they have been professional, caring, commieed, going above and beyond what has been asked of them. Each one of them have been AMAZING! I have certainly appreciated the numerous emails that have been sent to me and the staff thanking us for all that we are doing through a very difficult 2me. One person even le_ a gi_ on my desk . . . Thank You! As I have communicated to each of you (regularly) Infant Jesus School is well placed to con2nue your child’s learning from home if this happens to be the case. We are trying to make school as normal as possible. So, if this (school) moves to an online environment (or Work Packs sent home) we will endeavour to con2nue this train of thought. The work set for the students by the teachers is not “busy work”. It will be work that is designed to achieve set outcomes and therefore cri2cal that each student completes/aeempts the ac2vi2es outlined. The work that is sent home will be assessed and evaluated. It is most important that you assist your children only, not do the work for them (we would hate you to fail). Teachers will be assessing each piece of work and providing the child with feedback. The work we receive will help the teacher assess the piece of work according to the Learning Inten2on (Outcome) and Success Criteria outlined. These grades will help the teachers develop the Semester One reports. Pope Francis reminds us that as we grapple with the daily challenges posed by the Coronavirus pandemic, ‘We need to rediscover the concreteness of small things, the small acts of kindness shown to those who are close to us, family, friends. We need to realise that our treasure lies in small things. There are Ony gestures that someOmes get lost in the rouOne of everyday life, gestures of tenderness, affecOon, compassion, that are nevertheless decisive, important.’ We will con2nue to guide you as parents to assist you with any concerns you may have if and when we move to this online environment. Informa2on will be shared with parents through NewsleVer(Veritas), SEQTA, Seesaw or Connected App. Currently our students are familiar with the use of: ★ ★ ★ ★
Seesaw Zoom Teams OneNote
Kindergarten – Year 6 Year 1 – Year 6 Year 2 – Year 6 Year 3 – Year 6
These are the plamorms we will con2nue to use in the coming weeks. The staff are working extremely hard, burning the candle at both ends, to develop an online curriculum or work packs that are in-line with the Curriculum Outcomes we are required to teach. This is important. We are not trying to provide your children with “busy work”. There is further informaOon in the Assistant Principals secOon on how we as parents can support our children in their learning journey. So, it is business as usual (albeit in a completely different format) here at Infant Jesus School. Learning is meaningful, purposeful and enjoyable. If we move to online lessons or live streaming, the same rules apply at home as they do at school. We #ExpectGreatThings. Therefore, I remind the students (and parents) that whether we are learning at school or home at Infant Jesus School:
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We value Uniqueness – this means that we: Value every person as having been made in the image and likeness of God (CCC 27) ๏ Share and celebrate the gi_s and talents of
ourselves and others
๏ Acknowledge the uniqueness of individuals ๏ Celebrate the cultural diversity of all people ๏ Recognise that we all learn differently and have
individual needs
We value Respect – this means that we: Treat others as we would want to be treated (Luke 6:31) ๏ ๏ ๏ ๏ ๏
Parent Teacher Meetings
Use manners at all 2mes Are kind, considerate and tolerant Allow others to learn without interrup2on Play fairly, co-opera2vely and inclusively Look a_er and care for our school
This week we conducted our Parent Teachers Interviews. Most parents have opted for the opportunity to have a conversa2on with the class teacher over the phone, which from all accounts has been quite successful. As you are aware at Infant Jesus School, parents are encouraged to play an ac2ve role in the educa2on of their children and these interviews are an ideal forum in which to help enrich the learning opportuni2es for students and to build partnerships between home and school.
We value Excellence – this means that we:: No one a_er ligh2ng a lamp hides it under a jar, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lamp stand, so that those who enter may see the light!’ (Luke 8: 16) ๏ #ExpectGreatThings of ourselves and others ๏ Are accountable for our ac2ons and words (we own what we do) ๏ Work hard and strive to improve in all areas ๏ Show pride in our school and our uniform ๏ Aeempt challenges, take risks and learn from our mistakes
This partnership may never be stronger as we poten2ally move to an online learning plamorm as a result of COVID-19. Parents and the broader community play a vital role in suppor2ng successful learning outcomes for our children. It will be important that parents work with teachers to assist their child to meet the outcomes set for the year level.
Online Safety
Research tells us that the most meaningful partnerships are those where schools, parents, students and the community work together to focus on student learning. Parent and community engagement that is effec2vely focused on student learning can deliver powerful outcomes.
Many of our students will engage in online learning in the coming weeks. It is important to con2nue to upskill and monitor students on prac2ces which will foster safety in a digital environment. The following websites have been designed to support young people, parents and teachers.
Our students and teachers are very competent users of technology, so I feel very confident that this can be achieved. However, there may have to be some pa2ence and tolerance shown by all, as the whole world is striving to access the internet all at the same 2me.
hVps://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/ blog/covid-19-keeping-schools-andlearning-safe-online hVps://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/ blog/covid-19-online-safety-kitparents-and-carers
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Lent The Daily Encouragement from Pope Francis Have you thought about the talents that God has given you? Have you thought of how you can put them at the service of others? Do not bury your talents! Set your stakes on great ideals, the ideals that enlarge the heart, the ideals of service that make your talents fruimul. Life is not given to us to be jealously guarded for ourselves, but is given to us that we may give it in turn.
Prayer The Pope emphasises the importance of prayer, recalling how the Apostles turned to Jesus to save them during the storm (Mark 4:35-41). "Prayer helps us understand our vulnerability”, he says. “It is the cry of those who are sinking, who feel they are in danger and alone. And in a difficult, desperate situa2on, it is important to know that the Lord is there to cling to".
Harmony Day Congratula2ons to all our students who par2cipated in Harmony Day last week. It was a wonderful opportunity to recognise the many different cultures at our school. To highlight this occasion our children wore something with the colour Orange! The purpose of Harmony Week is to celebrate Australian mul2culturalism, and the successful integra2on of migrants into our community. Australia is one of the most successful mul2cultural countries in the world and we should celebrate this and work to maintain it. The money raised will go towards Project Compassion this year. Harmony Week is about inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all Australians, regardless of cultural or linguis2c background, united by a set of core Australian values.
Kindergarten 2021 Enrolments are now being taken for siblings and new students wishing to commence Kindergarten at Infant Jesus School in 2021. Families with children eligible for Kindergarten in 2021 are required to fill out a Kindergarten Enrolment Applica2on Form. Infant Jesus School will con2nue to operate two concurrent Kindergarten groups next year with the days of aeendance being Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Kindergarten places are limited so it is important that parents within the Infant Jesus School community submit their applica2ons as soon as possible. Forms can be obtained from the office.
From my Readings this Week . . . Leading the way for children during the COVID-19 pandemic (Michael Grose)
If you’re like me, the news of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has your head spinning and your heart pumping. That’s only natural as life as we know has taken a seismic shi_ in recent days. Interna2onal travel bans, cancella2on of spor2ng and cultural events, shopping frenzies and talk of school closures con2nue to dominate the airwaves. Terms such as social distancing, self-isola2on and social lockdowns have entered our vocabularies and may soon become part of our daily lives.
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Coronavirus is having an unprecedented impact on our daily lives and will probably do so for some 2me. While keeping ourselves and children healthy and safe is our main concern, it’s also essen2al to address the anxie2es of children and young people during these changing 2mes. Here are some ideas to help inform, reassure and keep children and young people safe.
Build on what your children know
Children and young people have already been exposed to a great deal of informa2on about Coronavirus through media, digital means and direct social contact. Their understanding will vary depending on their age and also the quality of their informa2on sources so you probably will need to help kids process what they already know. Casual conversa2ons with teenagers and older children can be useful ways to glean their understanding. You could ask ques2ons like “What are you hearing about Coronavirus? Is there anything you’re not sure about?” Younger primary age children may need a more direct approach with parents addressing their specific concerns without giving too much informa2on that can overwhelm them.
Check your own thoughts and feelings
Check your own frame of mind and emo2ons about COVID-19 before talking to kids. Most children are astute mood detec2ves and they’ll gauge their safety by the way you communicate with them. If you tell a child, “You’ve got to wash your hands or you’ll get infected,” you are communica2ng your own anxie2es, making it difficult for them to maintain a healthy state of mind. Have a think about how you can frame your instruc2ons and their importance in a way that doesn’t heighten your child’s anxie2es.
Stay informed
It’s difficult to work out fact from fic2on, correct from incorrect, informa2on from exaggera2on when the news is changing so fast. However, you need to educate yourself about the virus itself, including how it’s transmieed and how to stay safe. Get informa2on from trustworthy sources such as The Australian Government Health Department website and the current federal government Coronavirus informa2on media campaign. Answer quesOons truthfully It’s important that parents and teachers answer children’s ques2ons honestly in age-appropriate ways and within context of what is happening at the given 2me. If their sport or hobby has been temporarily cancelled empathise with their concerns, while helping them maintain a sense of perspec2ve.
IniOate posiOve acOon
One way to reduce anxiety and allay children’s fears is to involve them in planning and prepara2on for their personal and group safety. Posi2ve ac2vi2es such as maintenance of personal hygiene, gree2ng people with an elbow tap and geZng plenty of sleep can help restore a sense of control, that is so important for their wellbeing.
Find refuge in rituals
Regular rituals such as meal2mes, bed2me stories and regular one-on-one 2me provide both an anchor to normality and a sense of connec2on for kids at 2mes of change. Consider recons2tu2ng favoured family rituals at this 2me if they have lapsed due to lack of 2me, or lifestyle frenzy.
Look outwards
In difficult 2mes there is a tendency to look inwards, which is a natural protec2ve strategy. The alterna2ve is to establish a sense of connec2on and community spirit by focusing on generosity and togetherness. Help children see past their own needs and look for ways to assist others whether it’s shopping for an elderly neighbour, helping a younger sibling occupy themselves, or planning an indoor movie night for the whole family.
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The Coronavirus presents many prac2cal challenges to parents and other important adults in the lives of kids. Staying calm, keeping informed, and adjus2ng our own habits are just some of the challenges we face. However, a significant challenge is one of personal leadership. That is, during these difficult 2mes we need to be civil to each other, look out for each other and be mindful of the common good in everything we do. In this, we can all take a significant lead.
God, our Father, in spite of the fact that you are all loving and forgiving to us, our words and ac2ons do not always express love and forgiveness. Rouse up and sustain within us a friendliness and cheerfulness that is fiZng for Chris2an people. Amen.
Best wishes - Stay Healthy
Paul Hille Principal #ExpectGreatThings
Thought for the Week A home represents the most precious human wealth, that of encounter, that of the relaOonships between persons who live together and who, together help one another to grow... Pope Francis
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ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS’ CORNER Talking to Children about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) With recent news and media coverage about the Coronavirus (COVID-19), following on from a difficult bushfire season, it is normal for children and adults to feel overwhelmed and stressed during this 2me. This curated selec2on of resources will assist parents and carers to best to support their children and reduce worry and distress. It contains a video, factsheets and 2ps about what you can expect and how you can help children cope This short video introduces ways for parents and carers to manage media coverage of trauma2c events, and talk to their children about their worries and fears.
heps://vimeo.com/394049129 This fact sheet provides 2ps for parents and carers to help support their children who may be feeling stressed due to the recent news of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
heps://d2p3kdr0nr4o3z.cloudfront.net/content/uploads/2020/03/17140913/Helpingchildren-cope-with-COVID19.pdf More informa2on can be found at: heps://emergingminds.com.au/resources/suppor2ng-children-during-the-coronaviruscovid-19-outbreak/
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Thank You!
Helping Children Learn at Home
As a Leadership Team we would especially like to thank the parents of our school for their ongoing support for all we have been doing at this difficult 2me. If you have spare soap at home that you could share with the school it would be much appreciated.
Tip 1: Use play and fun ways of gehng children involved everyday Use lots of different fun language - play name games, sing, recite names, play nonsense rhymes Use things in the home to build experiences for touch, taste, and smell and talk about colour, smell, and shape. For example, how an orange is round, how an orange smells, how it feels outside and inside its peel, how it can be cut into pieces, how it tastes etc You can try stringing beads, playing with clay or play dough, cuZng with scissors and drawing with crayons to help children develop the skills they need for holding pencils and wri2ng Play ball games, run, jump, skip, and hop. Go out where children have lots of room to run, can explore and climb safely, and can play with different things like water, sand, s2cks and stones Use crea2ve games like making up stories, pretending to be different people or characters, dress ups and puppet shows for fun, make believe play.
Kiss & Drop As Paul suggested in his update last week it is important to maintain an air of calmness in all we do at the moment … However, we s2ll encourage people to implement a ‘Kiss and Drop” program for all children in the school – this includes Pre-Primary and Kindergarten. We thank you.
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Tip 2: Talk! Talk! Talk! Talk about everyday things as you do them at home – sor2ng the washing, seZng the dinner table, wri2ng the shopping list. Point out things you see when out in the car, shopping or walking in the park. Talk about street signs, paeerns, numbers on houses or cars, plants and animals. Play ‘I Spy’ together It doesn’t maeer if children don’t talk back at first, eventually they will! You can also start to ask ques2ons like ‘which sock goes with this one?’ and ‘how many plates do we need on the table?’ Older children can then get involved in ac2vi2es like sor2ng the washing, or wri2ng and reading the shopping list.
Tip 3: Help your child develop social skills Talk to children about things they need to learn, ways they should act in different circumstances and what is expected of them when they are at home or outside of home (e.g. at the shops, at school) Help build independence, responsibility and skills for teamwork by involving them in shared family ac2vi2es like preparing meals, seZng the table, unpacking the shopping Play team games helping them in taking turns in a game, understanding rules for a game, and resolving arguments without figh2ng Provide encouragement and praise. Tell them what they are good at. Tell them when you are proud of them. Thank them for their helpfulness.
Tip 4: Help your child develop thinking and problem solving skills Talk about everyday things at home and their colour, shape and size. Match and label items e.g. a breakfast cereal in a bowl - the bowl is round, is red, is heavy, is light etc Par2cular toys and games help develop these skills such as construc2ng a block tower, following direc2ons in a game, doing a puzzle, matching shapes and pictures, and stringing beads in a repe22ve paeern Discuss ideas and opinions. For example, talk to children about and encourage children to make decisions themselves about what to wear in different weather and for different types of ou2ngs Allow children to make mistakes and to learn. Help children solve problems themselves – when something happens or goes wrong, ask them ‘what should we do?’
Resources for Parents Staff are working extremely hard to develop an online curriculum or work packs that are in-line with the Curriculum Outcomes we are required to teach. This is important. We are not trying to provide your children with ‘busy work.’ It is designed to achieve set outcomes and it is therefore cri2cal that each student aeempts and completes the ac2vi2es outlined. An addi2onal resource for parents is the Learning Poten2al, an Australian Government website, that provides ac2vi2es that can be done at home and ar2cles for parents to read. Ac2vi2es are linked to the Australian Curriculum and are organised according to the age of the child from babies to toddlers to preschool, primary school which is divided into founda2on, Years 1-2, Years 3-4 and Years 5-6 and high school. Informa2on has been sorted into ‘Toolkits’ focusing on ac2vi2es, career educa2on, communica2on, crea2vity, development, life skills, literacy, numeracy, play, school, science and wellbeing. An example of some of the resources and informa2on available in Year 3-4 literacy includes: Cri2quing the media - suppor2ng your child's learning through discussions about books, films, television and current affairs
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Ac2ve learning - developing your child's vocabulary and maths skills while playing and talking about sport Ready for recipes – ideas to prac2se literacy and numeracy, with the promise of delicious food at the end! Time to plant – using your garden to improve your child’s vocabulary, strengthen their reading, and cul2vate their calcula2on and data skills. Reading between the lines - finding meaning in signs and adver2sements by developing an understanding of some simple techniques used to influence readers. For more informa2on go to heps://www.learningpoten2al.gov.au
Reading Comprehension Sequencing
Sequencing is an important reading comprehension strategy and enables children to have an enhanced understanding of a variety of texts. Strong sequencing skills helps children: with their reading comprehension of a text, especially narra2ve texts. understand the structure of a text and how it is put together. understand how texts are kept cohesive through the use of linking devices such as connec2ves (words and phrases that join ideas in texts) and transi2ons (words or phrases that help to progress from one idea to the next idea). organize informa2on and ideas in their own wri2ng. Being able to iden2fy the sequence of events in a piece of wri2ng is essen2al for children to gain a clear understanding of what they are reading. In turn, these reading skills will help children when they are wri2ng so that their wri2ng is easy for the reader to follow. There are also many reasons for good sequencing skills in other curriculum areas. For example, sequencing skills are needed to effec2vely perform the steps of a science experiment in the correct order for wri2ng a set of instruc2ons for making sense of an historical series of events for problem solving in mathema2cs When sequencing is introduced younger readers and writers may focus on the beginning, the middle and the end. For older children sequencing is also evident in other curriculum areas including HaSS when they are researching and sequencing historical events to provide reasons for decisions or in Mathema2cs when steps are needed to solve the problem. Sequencing is a very easy comprehension strategy to focus on at home as it can be part of a discussion or a conversa2on and only takes a minute or two – try asking about the beginning, middle or end of the story, what is needed first, then next to make a cake, or what is needed to be understood and organised first to aeempt a mathema2cal problem.
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WE ARE CALLED 13
Lent
‣ Temporary Suspension of the Public CelebraOon of Mass All public Masses at all churches and chapels across the Archdiocese of Perth will be temporarily suspended from the receipt of these direc2ves on Wednesday 18 March 2020. This temporary suspension of public Masses within the Archdiocese of Perth is in place for an ini2al period of two weeks between Wednesday 18 March to Wednesday 1 April. Subsequent revisions and advice will be given prior to Wednesday 1 April in rela2on to this temporary suspension. ‣ The Sunday ObligaOon for the faithful does not apply during this 2me of emergency. ‣ 'Mass on Demand' (Online), a daily service of the Australian Catholic Bishop Conference and CathNews can be accessed online at YouTube. 'Mass For You at Home' (Television) is shown at 6am every Sunday on Channel 10.
Traditional Prayers – Stations of the Cross The Sta2ons of the Cross, also known as the Way of the Cross, is a form of prayer carried out by Chris2ans to recall and reflect upon the suffering, death and resurrec2on of Jesus. Followers of Jesus have prayed the Sta2ons of the Cross for hundreds of years. Originally, people would have walked, prayed and reflected at the scene of Jesus’ suffering and death, in Jerusalem. Not all followers of Jesus; however, would be able to visit Jerusalem to pray at the actual sites of Jesus’ suffering and death. The Sta2ons of the Cross were promoted as a way of physically imita2ng this pilgrim prayer anywhere in the world. The Sta2ons of the Cross focus on specific events of Jesus’ last days, beginning with when he was condemned to death. At each sta2on, people recall and meditate on a specific event from the last day of Jesus’ life. Prayers are said, then people move to the next sta2on un2l all are complete.
Infant Jesus Church
‣ No Masses on weekdays and weekends for two weeks as of 19th March to 1 April un2l further no2ce. ‣ Our Church is open for private prayers Monday to Friday from 6.30am to 12noon, Saturday from 7.30am to 12noon and Sunday from 7.30am to 12noon. ‣ Morning Prayer of the Church is suspended ‣ ReconciliaOon (individual) on Saturday is at 10am to 11am and 5pm to 5.30pm. 2nd Rite of ReconciliaOon (communal) 1 April is cancelled. ‣ Sta2ons of the Cross for Lent on Wednesday are cancelled. ‣ Exposi2on of the Blessed Sacrament on Friday is suspended. ‣ The Way of the Cross on Friday is cancelled. ‣ Parish office will remain opened from Monday to Thursday, 9.30am to 12.30pm.
The Sta2ons of the Cross are commonly found in churches as a series of fourteen or fi_een images. In the Infant Jesus Church the Sta2ons of the Cross are displayed on the Church walls. The Sta2ons of the Cross can also be arranged outside and on Good Friday the Sta2ons of the Cross prayer may include moving or walking from one sta2on to the next.
These following parish groups have been suspended:
Parish Information
‣ ‣ ‣ ‣ ‣ ‣ ‣ ‣
IMPORTANT NOTICE Our response changes to COVID-19 In light of the latest development of the Federal Government's ban on 'non-essen2al gatherings of persons of one hundred or greater in indoor areas' and the exis2ng ban on 'non-essen2al outdoor gatherings of five hundred persons or greater', Archbishop Tim Costelloe asks us: Do I put myself first or should I act for the good of my brothers and sisters in the reality of my own life's circumstances? As a Chris2an community we must act in the best interests of all the members of our society and has therefore issued following direc2ves:
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Alpha Friendship Group Infant Jesus of Prague Prayer Group Lec2o Divina Playgroup PREP Rosary Sacred Heart Sodality
We will keep you informed as more informa2on comes to hand. Con2nue to check our parish webpage www.infantjesusparish.org.au or Facebook page at infantjesusparishmorley, we shall post the updates as they become available. Should you have further queries please contact the parish office on 9276 8500.
Sacramental Program CHANGES TO THE PREPARATION AND CELEBRATION OF SACRAMENTS FOR ALL SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF PERTH IN RELATION TO COVID-19 In line with the direc2ves of Archbishop Timothy Costelloe, the Celebra2on of all First Eucharist, Confirma2on and First Reconcilia2on have been temporarily suspended. As the situa2on con2nues to develop, all parents and guardians will be informed of any changes that might occur. Please do not hesitate to speak to Fr Greg if you have any concern or thoughts that you would like to discuss. You are also welcome to send an email to Mrs. Faith Rico, Parish Sacramental Co-ordinator at sacramental@infantjesusparish.org.au
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CLASS NEWS
Pre-Primary Class News In English, we have been par2cipa2ng in guided reading and exploring new stories. Some of the stories we have read include, ‘The Very Cranky Bear’ and ‘The Bears Picnic’, so we thought it fiZng to have a Teddy Bears Picnic! We were all very happy and excited to bring in our own special teddy and enjoyed the yummy treats that we baked for this day. Over the last couple of weeks, we have also begun to learn more about Lent and Easter and what an important 2me it is for the Church. In prepara2on for the beginning of Lent, we made pancakes on Shrove Tuesday and discussed the special meaning behind this. We also had Mr Hille and Ms Moffat come down and distribute ashes on Ash Wednesday. Another part of our Easter prepara2ons included a visit from Bunnings. The Bunnings ladies helped us to create cute liele bunny rabbits that we are excited to use as part of our family gi_s. We look forward to con2nuing our learning journey and experiencing new adventures.
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Kindergarten Class News In the first couple of weeks of the term we focused on ‘I am special and unique’. The children enjoyed sharing their special gi_s with each other and talking about ‘how we show love to one another’ as Jesus showed us love as recounted through stories in the Bible. We then moved into healthy ea2ng and how we look a_er our bodies. The children enjoyed this and were able to relate it back to their everyday rou2nes of washing our hands, etc. As we approached Lent our focus turned to the topic of ‘New Life’. The children were surprised and excited to observe caterpillars turning into bueerflies. They completed ac2vi2es such as observa2onal drawings, pain2ngs and plas2cine modelling. The children thoroughly enjoyed the process of watching our caterpillars hatching out of their cocoons, turning into bueerflies and then being released out to the world. We are currently looking at our family unit and the roles our family members play within our lives. We also wondered about Jesus’ role in his family as we approach Easter. This term has been very busy as we have introduced morning groups, in which the children’s learning is focused on the different learning centres in our room. This group work has enabled the children to be more focused in their learning. This rou2ne will con2nue throughout the year and will focus more specifically on learning in literacy and numeracy. It has been an incredibly amazing start to our school year. We are looking forward to the year ahead.
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Pre-Kindy Class News In Pre-Kindy, we have been inves2ga2ng our bodies, both inside and outside, as well as our senses and emo2ons. Developing our social skills such as sharing and taking turns has also been a focus for us, as for many children, this is their first experience away from their family. The children have been involved in many hands-on ac2vi2es that engaged all their senses and this in turn is helping to develop their fine motor and language skills. It is wonderful to see how the children are beginning to become more independent and gaining confidence to explore the Pre-Kindy environment and the many ac2vi2es offered.
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P&F NEWS
P&F News Notice from CommBank School Banking The health, safety and wellbeing of our communi2es and our people is our first priority. Due to the rapidly developing situa2on with coronavirus, School Banking has been temporarily paused from 20 March 2020 un2l the start of Term 2. Please don’t bring your deposit book with your weekly banking into school and we will no2fy you when banking will recommence.
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Contact Us 17 Smith Street, Morley Western Australia 6062 9276 1769
info@infantjesus.wa.edu.au
www.infantjesus.wa.edu.au
We promote Truth and Justice in the spirit of Infant Jesus. We value the individuality of each person. We show respect and kindness to all. We work hard to be the best we can. We cooperate and engage in open communication 20with one another.