Veritas, Week 9, Term 4

MERRY CHRISTMAS

#Expect Great Things

VERITAS Infant Jesus School | Issue 19| Week 9, Term 4

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DECEMBER

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IN THIS ISSUE… FROM THE PRINCIPAL Christmas Prayer End of an Interes3ng, Challenging and Rewarding Year Christmas Concert Thank You and Goodbye… For Now! Year Six Gradua3on Orienta3on Day Student Reports School Uniform 2021 Term Dates Pupil Free Days 2021 Sports News Past Infant Jesus Students Seesaw Rollover Canteen Parent Teacher Informa3on Night P&F Family Picnic Christmas Masses at Infant Jesus Church Prayer of the Week Thought for the Week 2021 Staffing Christmas Concert

IMPORTANT DATES 11 December Last day of the Term 1 February

First day for Students for 2021

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FROM THE PRINCIPAL School Christmas Concert Tuesday night was a fantas3c celebra3on for all!.

Year Six Graduation This year we have decided to do things a liTle differently…

Dear Parents As we prepare for Christmas let us ponder a while on three human beings like ourselves: Jesus, Mary and Joseph. We try to imagine how they reacted to the extraordinary events in their lives. In a vulnerable, fragile and beau3ful new-born baby God’s giZ of love was made known to us. The baby Jesus challenges us to live with the tenderness he s3rs in our hearts.

How will Christmas be this year? Hopefully, it will be a family celebra3on that builds treasures of memories for our children which will include a respect for Christ’s humble entry into our world. As Chris3ans, we are a community that should be known for its compassion, care and love without discrimina3on.

Christ came for all people, but especially the disadvantaged; we need to be bearers of his a^tude to the people who come in and out of our lives.

Where will the giZ of Christ be born this Christmas? in the retelling of a well-loved family story? in a reconciling phone call to an estranged family member or friend? in the giving up of the commercial excess of the day and sharing with those in greater need?

Perhaps we could give the giZ of ourselves this Christmas, in all our vulnerability, fragility and beauty.

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Orientation Day Yesterday, the students met their new teachers for 2021.

God, our Father, We ask the Spirit to, “clothe us with compassion, humility, meekness and paNence and to let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts”, so that we, “God’s chosen ones” will give true witness to the message of Christ.

Amen.

End of an Interesting, Challenging and Rewarding Year In 2020, our school, parish and broader communi3es were significantly affected by the uncertainty and disrup3on of the COVID-19 pandemic. I wish to thank each member of the Infant Jesus School Community on your outstanding work throughout the year. Everyones effort provided much needed support and care, to foster connec3on for students via online technologies, and to create new opportuni3es to par3cipate in the religious, social and cultural life of schools.

(Colossians 3. 12:15)

Parents, once again we have been in partnership with you, working for the common goal of educa3ng your child.

Once again, I would like to give you my hearfelt thanks for all your support of the school during 2020. Parent support and input is valued at Infant Jesus School and we look forward to con3nuing this partnership in 2021.

May the Christ Child bless whatever we bring to him, and may we carry that blessing with us to all the people that we meet in the year ahead.

Christmas Prayer Lord, in this holy season of prayer and song and laughter, we praise you for the great wonders you have sent us: for shining star and angel's song, for infant's cry in lowly manger.

We wish all the best to the Year 6 students who are leaving us this year. They have been an outstanding group of students who we have all watched grow and mature. I have certainly been most impressed with the level of leadership they have offered the school this year. I pray for God’s guidance as they enter the next phase of their learning journey.

We praise you for the Word made flesh in a liTle Child.

We behold his glory and are bathed in its radiance.

Be with us as we sing the ironies of Christmas, the incomprehensible comprehended, the poetry made hard fact, the helpless Babe who cracks the world asunder.

We kneel before you shepherds, innkeepers, wiseman.

Help us to rise bigger than we are.

Amen.

Infant Jesus School con3nues to make a las3ng impression on the lives of those who are associated with our beau3ful school. Many of our successful outcomes are achieved because of the fantas3c rela3onship forged between staff, children and their families. I am extremely proud of the endeavours of our staff who work diligently to make our vision become a reality. It is evident that they are deeply commiTed to their voca3on and con3nue to support our children to ‘#ExpectGreatThings’.

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On behalf of the staff of Infant Jesus School, I would like to congratulate all students and their families for their effort and support over the school year. We are very fortunate here at Infant Jesus School to have such a dedicated and hardworking staff. I am proud of each and every staff member who works at Infant Jesus School, and I sincerely mean this. There is something special about this school and it is my belief that it originates from the staff. We are well aware of how fortunate we are to have a school (resources, facili3es, equipment) such as ours and feel very privileged to be able to work and learn in this environment.

Thank You and Good-bye. . .

For Now! I have been very privileged and most honoured to be the Principal of Infant Jesus School for the past four and half years. We have achieved many things together, that I am extremely proud of within our school. I know the school is in good hands for the next two years with Miss Clare Moffat at the helm.

She has a very suppor3ve Execu3ve Team in Mr Frank Colangelo, Miss Melissa Myles and Mrs Irene Baginski, as well as a well-func3oning staff to support her. It is going to be difficult for me to leave Infant Jesus School at the end of the year as I take up a two-year secondment at Mel Maria Catholic Primary School.

We all know that children receive the best educa3on when parents and staff work as a team. Parents’ enthusiasm, support and involvement are integral to the success of our school as are the skills, dedica3on and professionalism of teachers. Together, staff and parents can provide educa3onal excellence for every student, so that they can achieve their personal best. Together, we can support one another to provide a friendly learning environment and celebrate our achievements.

I have loved every moment of my 3me here at Infant Jesus School. Working with the students, parents and staff of this community has been my pleasure.

Infant Jesus School is A GREAT School. Some3mes, we don’t realise how fortunate we are to be working and learning in this environment. Believe me, I have worked in numerous schools over my journey and IJS certainly rises to the top!

Throughout the year, our school provided experiences of liturgy and prayer for our students as invita3ons to know and experience the enormous love and special friendship of God. I hope that our school this year was a place where staff, students and families had opportuni3es to experience God’s presence in their daily lives.

I have loved working with all the staff, a truly inspiraNonal group of people of whom I am going to miss terribly next year. We have accomplished so much as a school and we have always had the vision of wan3ng the best for our students (A LEADing Learning School) and all who belong to Infant Jesus School. The students at Infant Jesus School are held in the highest regard which is a credit to the parents and staff of this school.

Christmas Concert Tuesday night was a fantas3c celebra3on for all! The bright cheerful colours of Christmas shone throughout the night as did the performances of our students. I congratulate the School Choir, School Band, the main actors of the Christmas play (made up of our Year 6 students), as well as each of the year levels for their performances on the night. A HUGE debt of gra3tude is owed to Miss Claire Condipodero and Miss Yen Wong for coordina3ng the en3re night. Thank You! Well done to all – it was a great night!

The Christmas concert on Tuesday night, the song the children all sang to me (twice) and the video the students presented about me at the Mass on Wednesday, were all very moving and emo3onal for me. The students and staff have been amazing, and I THANK them all for the effort they went to making it a most memorable occasion for me.

As I have said numerous 3mes, I am very proud of the staff and students at Infant Jesus School. So, it is going to be difficult and sad for me, on a personal level, when I walk out the doors at the end of 2020; however, I do promise to pop in every now and then to see how things are going and say hello!

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At the beginning of this year it was never in my plans to be moving schools. It just shows that you never know what God has planned for you, but you have to have faith in what the future holds and work to His plan. Please keep me in your prayers over the next couple of years as I will for you.

May each of you have a very safe, enjoyable, happy and holy Christmas and summer holiday and best wishes for 2021! Take care.

Year Six Graduation This year we have decided to do things a liTle different in rela3on to our Year Six Gradua3on. The following has been put in place and has been well supported by the Year Six teachers and parents.

Thursday 10 December - GraduaNon Luncheon The Year Six students, the Leadership Team and their teachers had their Gradua3on Luncheon (three course meal) at Italian’s Restaurant today. This was a terrific way for the students and their teachers to all come together and remember their 3me at Infant Jesus School.

Thursday 10 December - GraduaNon Mass at 6.00pm Tonight, we will celebrate the GraduaNon Mass at Infant Jesus Church commencing at 6.00pm. Students are expected to be there by no later than 5.45pm. The School Choir will also be celebra3ng the occasion with the students, making it a very special 3me for our Year Six classes.

All Year Six students will need to wear their Infant Jesus School Summer Uniform for this event. At this celebra3on each Year Six student will receive their Gradua3on cer3ficate and a school giZ (Bible).

Gradua3on cupcakes will be given out to all students at the end of the Mass.

Orientation Day Yesterday, the students met their new teachers for 2021. This was an exci3ng 3me for the students who appeared happy to learn of their class teacher as well as the children who will be in their class next year.

As men3oned previously, many factors are taken into considera3on when crea3ng class lists. It is a huge task and is not something that is taken lightly. Fortunately, our Infant Jesus School staff are truly amazing, and parents are assured that no maTer who their child's teacher may be - they will be focused on ensuring the best possible outcomes for each and every child in their care. Our staff also work and plan together across year levels and our children have numerous opportuni3es to work with other children in their year level.

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Student Reports

2021 Term Dates

Semester Two student reports will be available to parents on Friday 11 December from 3.30pm.

Parents are reminded that this report is a summary of what has been achieved throughout the Second Semester of 2020.

Please find below the listed Term Dates for Infant Jesus School for 2021. Included in these are the scheduled Pupil Free Days for the year. Students will finish on Friday 10 December 2021.

Term Dates 2021 Term 1 Monday 1 February 2021 to Thursday 1 April 2021 Term 2 Tuesday 20 April 2021 to Friday 2 July 2021 Term 3 Tuesday 20 July 2021 to Thursday 23 September 2021 Term 4 Tuesday 12 October 2021 to Friday 10 December 2021

Students can be commended on their efforts throughout the semester and we thank the parents who have supported us by ensuring that students are con3nuing in their learning and development as a whole person. We encourage parents to take the 3me to discuss the Semester Two Report with their child/children and, if there are areas of concern, to make an appointment to see the class teacher.

Pupil Free Days 2021 • • • • •

School Uniform A reminder to all parents that all students are expected to abide by the Infant Jesus School Uniform Policy. This isn’t open to interpreta3on and we do not want parents purchasing different varia3ons of items of the school uniform. For example, some students are not wearing the correct Navy-Blue Shorts to school, as they have been purchased from somewhere other than our uniform supplier. One of the main reasons why we changed the school uniform this year is because we had so many varia3ons of the boys’ shorts as parents were buying these from different places e.g.

K-Mart, Big W etc. The only place parents are able to purchase the Infant Jesus School Uniform is at One World Uniform in North Perth. Please ensure that your child has the correct uniform for the start of 2021 school year.

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Friday 26 February 2021 Monday 19 April 2021 Monday 19 July 2021 Friday 24 September 2021 Monday 11 October 2021

Sport News

Seesaw Rollover

Swimming Training

Next year we will con3nue to use Seesaw to allow the children to share their learning with home. The children’s journals from this year will be rolled over and their 2020 class work will be s3ll accessible.

However, if you would like to save your child's journal from this year please read the instruc3ons at the following link.

Well, I can’t believe this is our final newsleTer for the year…and what a year in Sport it has been!

We had our last week of Swimming Training this week, I would like to say a big thank you to all our children and parents who braved the cooler weather and early mornings to get down to Bayswater Waves for some swimming! This term, the children were rewarded with a healthy breakfast back at school. As it was our last swimming session for the year, the children were treated to a bacon and egg muffin, hash brown, muffin and juice…YUM!!!!

hTps://help.seesaw.me/hc/en-us/ar3cles/208754866How-do-families-download-an-archive-of-their-child-swork-

Canteen The Canteen will be closed TOMORROW.

Parent Teacher Information Night

Training will con3nue in Term 1, 2021 at Bayswater Waves for any keen children in Year 4-6. I look forward to seeing you all there.

The Parent Teacher Informa3on Night will take place on Tuesday 2 February 2021. Please save this date as this is an important 3me for parents to learn about the expecta3ons for the year level and how they can support their child’s learning and the school.

Lacrosse

This week the Year 4-6 children completed their very last Lacrosse session with Jaxon Bowran from Lacrosse Australia. The children have been awesome learning these new skills and I can already see some budding Lacrosse champions! The three skills that Jakson taught were ‘Catching, Throwing, and Scooping’. Anyone interested in joining the Bayswater Lacrosse Club please click on this link: http://www.bayswaterlacrosse.com.au/.

P&F Family Picnic The P&F Family Picnic will be held on Friday 12 February. Please join us to welcome and meet new families and celebrate the children’s first two weeks of school.

Christmas Masses at Infant Jesus Church

Past Infant Jesus Students

Thursday 24 December – Christmas Eve ★ Christmas Vigil Mass at 6.00pm ★ Christmas Midnight Mass at 12.00am Carols 30 minutes before each Mass

We love hearing stories about past Infant Jesus students and their amazing accomplishments. This week we would like to acknowledge the tremendous efforts of two Year 12 students at Chisholm College, both former Infant Jesus students: Elise Panicciari and Julian Del Riccio. Elise won the pres3gious DUX of the College Award and Julian won the VET (Voca3onal Educa3on and Training) award at the recent Chisholm College Presenta3on night. What a tremendous effort by both these former students and a fantas3c example of the power of an Infant Jesus School educa3on! Well done Elise and Julian!

Friday 25 December – Christmas Day ★ Christmas Masses at 7.30am, 9.30am and 11.30am (Italian Mass) Carols 30 minutes before each Mass Saturday 26 December – Boxing Day ★ Mass at 8.30am From Saturday 5 December, Churches and parish centres are required to maintain contact registers for theWA Health Department. The contact registers help to protect us all by enabling the WA Health Contact Team to quickly iden3fy and assist anyone that may have been exposed to COVID-19. Infant Jesus Parish will be using the SafeWA app to register Mass aTendances. The Parish encourages everyone to download the app to help make this process easier.

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Prayer for the Week At the end of this school year we give thanks to God: For all the teaching and learning that has taken place in our school, both in and out of the classroom, For the talents and giZs that have been shared and the challenges that have been faced; For the burdens that have been liZed and the hurts that have been healed; For the respect and care that has been given.

We give thanks for the friendships that have just begun and for those that have grown.

For the faith that has been lived in our daily struggles, For the hope that has liZed our hearts on the dark days And for the love that has kept us going.

We give thanks for the community that we are, and we ask you Lord Bless our families as we take our holidays, may our 3me together leave us with memories to cherish.

Pour out your love on us that we may return renewed and refreshed to con3nue our journey together.

We make this prayer through Christ our Lord.

Amen

Thought for the Week “Merry Christmas�

Best Wishes

Paul Hille Principal #ExpectGreatThings

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2021 STAFFING Principal

Principal Assistant Principal Assistant Principal

Clare Moffat

Clare Moffat Melissa Myles Frank Colangelo

3-Year-Old Kindergarten

Mary-Ann Limerick

Kindergarten Blue Kindergarten White

Tina Fazari Chris3ne Padua

Pre-Primary Blue Pre-Primary White

Tania Kosovich Gabriella Clementson

Year 1 Blue Year 1 White

Rebecca O’Connor Sophie Jorissen

Year 2 Blue Year 2 White

Leanne Griffin Sandra McMullen

Year 3 Blue Year 3 White

Deanna Fo3 John Haydon

Year 4 Blue Year 4 White

Jade Rotondo Leesa Hermans

Year 5 Blue Year 5 White

Maureen O’Neill Alexander EllioT

Year 6 Blue Year 6 White

Sophie Keeffe Daniel Silla

Support Co-ordinator Support (PP-Year 2) Support (Year 3 & Year 4) Support (Year 5 & Year 6)

Yen Wong Mary Tampalini Kerry King Frank Colangelo

Specialist Teachers Physical EducaNon Health (Year 1-6) Science (Year 2-6) Science (Year 1) Pre-Primary Science Pre-Primary Science Music InnovaNon & Technologies Mandarin

Lauren Jenkins Kate Witkowski Rocco Capolingua Kate Witkowski Chris3ne Padua Tina Fazari Clare Condipodero Melissa Myles Fay Yang

Social Worker

Julie Merrells

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EducaNonal Assistants Pre-Kindergarten

Ornella Boogaard

Kindergarten Blue Kindergarten Blue Kindergarten Blue

Raj Kaur Emilia Cardile Anne Foley

Kindergarten White Kindergarten White

Sue Bonomi Ornella Boogaard

Pre-Primary Blue Pre-Primary White

Angie Spadaccini Judy Pugliese

Support EducaNon Assistants Year 1 Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 3 – 6 Year 4 & 5 Year 4 - 6

Trish Wyllie Cathy Duschka Nicky Mabbs Cathy Duschka Anne Foley Sue Bonomi Kerryn McLaughlin

AdministraNon Staff ExecuNve Assistant Finance Officer AdministraNon Officer Library Officer Canteen Manager

Irene Baginski Anne Stent Cheryl Macpherson Jennifer Houwen Francesca Ienco

Groundsman

Tuan Nyugen

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CHRISTMAS CONCERT

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Contact Us 17 Smith Street, Morley Western Australia 6062 9218 1700

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 13 with one another.

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