Guardian Angels' Newsletter - Term 2 | Week 3

Term Two Events

Please keep up to date with Term 2 activities and events by referring to the School Calendar on the Parent Portal or BCE Connect App.
https://extranet16.bne.catholic.edu.au/parent/guardianangelswynnum/Pages/default.aspx 

Don't have access to the Parent Portal or BCE Connect App? See attached instructions on how to sign up. 

Principal News

“God couldn’t be everywhere, so he created mothers!”

With these words in mind, we prepare to celebrate Mother’s Day at Guardian Angels’ School.

Mothers’ Day, celebrated in May, coincides with a month that is dedicated to honouring Mary, the mother of Jesus. Mary is an example of strength for each of us and a true model of discipleship. She saw her role as mother to Jesus as a vocation from God. She was with Jesus throughout His life; from His birth, throughout His childhood, beside Him during his ministry, by His side when He was crucified and with the disciples at Pentecost. She truly is ‘blessed among women’.

Like Mary, the mother figures in our lives are models for us of great love, gentleness, patience, strength and kindness. This Sunday, we will each take the time to celebrate the gift of our mothers. We pray for all our mothers and special women who make such a difference to our lives:

Bless all mothers, that their love may be deep and
tender, and that they may lead their children to know and
do what is good, living not for themselves alone but for God and for others. Amen

There are many images and titles for Mary. Each being a reminder to us that Mary, as the mother of Jesus, has a special relationship with her son Jesus as we have a special relationship with our mothers.

As our Prep Green students led us in a beautiful Prayer Assembly yesterday, it was an opportunity to give thanks and to remember that our mothers and other special people, nurture our love of God by the example they provide for their children.

We are truly thankful for the rich contribution that mothers and other special people make to our school community. May we as a school, parish and as individuals continue to serve God as Mary did - with trust in Him, confidence, obedience and love.

Happy Mother’s Day!

May peace be with you,
Veronica Tomerini-Smith

Assistant Principal - Administration News

Good afternoon lovely families

I’m starting to forget what our little angels’ faces look like on a Monday morning with all of these public holidays! It will be lovely to see their beautiful smiles on Monday.

DROP OFF and PICK UP ZONES

It is so wonderful to see so many beautiful families utilising the drop off and pick up zones. I love witnessing how our little ones especially, become more independent as the year progresses; getting themselves in and out of their cars.

Thank you most genuinely to those people who use the zones so responsibly; following our processes and procedures that are put in place for the safety of all. I’d also like to extend my most sincere gratitude to the beautiful parents who come to help us in the mornings and afternoons. You make such a difference!

Just a few gentle reminders as I still see some practices that are unsafe and are not adherent to our processes.

It is important that if your child/ren is collected by family day care, a grandparent or someone outside of the family members reading this, that you remind those people of the appropriate ways to use the drop off and pick up zones.

When using the drop off and pick up zones, please:

• wait patiently in the line for your turn. Do NOT cut in front of other parents (around a corner) who have been waiting.
• keep your children IN THE CAR in the mornings BEFORE the gates open at 8:05am.
• encourage your child/ren to exit the car independently. I know that some cars have child locks and I understand this completely.
• DO NOT EXIT the vehicle as a driver (or passenger). No adult should be getting out of cars in a drop off or pick up zone.
• Keep the students’ bags in the car with them or in the front seat. No person should be accessing a car boot to get school bags. It’s dangerous to be in between vehicles.
• approach the zones as per the instructions provided in newsletters, on the parent portal and in the parent handbook. Please do not cut in around corners or perform U-turns in the street in front of the zone.
• always be mindful and respectful of our neighbours and the entries to their properties. Be sure that your car isn’t blocking driveways.

The drop off zones need to be efficient and fast moving, while maintaining everybody’s safety. Please encourage your child/ren to exit the vehicle quickly when it is safe to do so.

The school gates open and teacher supervision begins at 8:05am. Please do not drop your child/ren at a school gate or door and leave them unsupervised before this time.

The gates will close and be locked at 8:25am in the morning when the bell sounds to begin school. Any student arriving at school after this time must be escorted by a parent to the relevant office to be signed in.

In the afternoon, the gates will close at 3:20pm when supervision at the Pick Up Zones in the afternoon finishes. Any child left waiting after 3:20pm will be taken to the relevant office to await collection. If you are aware you will be later than 3:20pm, please phone the office and let us know. This way we can let the children know what is going on as sometimes they feel anxious if no one is there to collect them before 3:20pm. The children will be supervised in the office area/s until a parent arrives to collect them.

LIFE EDUCATION

We are so excited to welcome our friends from Life Education back to Guardian Angels from tomorrow (Friday 6 May). They will be here with us until Tuesday 17 May. Throughout this time, each class will enjoy one lesson with the Life Education team.

Life Education has been working with Queensland students for over 30 years; empowering our wonderful children with knowledge and skills that encourage healthy, safe lives.

In the world around us, these life skills are as important as ever. Through the Life Education programs, the students learn about key influences on health and wellbeing; including nutrition, cyber safety, bullying, substance abuse and use, emotional health and relationships. This is done in an informative, age appropriate and entertaining manner .. and the students really love to ‘chat’ with Harold the Healthy Giraffe.

Allow me to provide you with a snapshot of the Life Education program content for each year level in 2022 for your information:

Prep: Harold’s Friendship
This module focuses on the things that children can do to keep themselves healthy, including:

• the importance of personal hygiene
• choosing foods for a healthy, balanced diet
• benefits of physical activity and sleep
• ways to keep safe at home, school and in the community

Year One: Safety Rules
This module helps students to problem solve through:

• recognising safe and unsafe environments
• how to care for others
• behaviours that maintain friendships
• places and people who we can go to for help

Year Two: Growing Good Friends
The animated story that students will enjoy in this module will allow the students to:

• explore what healthy messages mean
• identify safety signs
• recognise how physical activity and nutrition contribute to a healthy lifestyle
• explore how positive relationships benefit our health and wellbeing

Year Three: All Systems Go
Throughout this module the students will explore the functions of various body parts and the actions required to keep these systems working well. This includes:

• factors that influence the function of body systems such as nutrition and exercise
• the impact food choices can have on health and energy levels
• exploring ways to manage peer pressure
• the effects of second hand smoking
• the function of vital organs (heart, lungs, brain, kidneys)

Year Four: Harold’s Diary
This module uses the platform of class diary entries over the course of a week at school to explore concepts including:

• emotions connected with new situations and change
• the importance of friendships and support networks
• the safe use of legal drugs including medication and caffeine
• strategies to manage peer pressure and bullying
• benefits of an active lifestyle and healthy diet

Year Five/Six: Decisions
This module is explicitly directed at students of this age group and the content is always age appropriate. The content focuses around the use of both legal and illegal drugs; specifically what they are and how they are classified, the effects of drugs on our body, an analysis of the health messages of drugs in the media, and influences on decision making (eg family, peers, media, culture, the law).It explores the students’ decision making processes as they get older and targets the improvement of decision making skills by looking at:

• choices
• consequences
• responsibilities
• facts
• influences
• strategies and skills to be safe.

Blessings of peace to you all for the coming week,
Nicole Waller

Assistant Principal - Religious Education News

Year 5/6 Formation Day
Last Friday, our Year Five and Six students, accompanied by their teachers and staff from Brisbane Catholic Education (BCE) Youth Leaders, had a leadership formation day. The day began together with songs and fun icebreaker games, before moving to work in their Year Levels.

The Year 5 students discovered what being a leader means and used LEGO to create symbols of leadership at GA. The Year 6 students explored what servant leadership is, finishing their session by writing on each other’s leadership traits.

At the end of the day, all the students came back together to celebrate Mass with Father Thomas in the Church. During Mass, the students had a final chance to reflect upon what leadership means to each one of them and how they can contribute to our GA community through their leadership this year.

It was a great day of reflection and fun.

Year 5/6 Formation Day

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Parish Led Mass
On Sunday 15 May, we will be joining with our Parish community on the Sunday evening Mass. This year, each year level across the school will be involved in leading a weekend Parish Mass. During the Sunday 5:00pm Mass on Sunday 15 May, our Year Two students will be leading this parish Mass. We look forward to sharing more about this Mass after the 15 May. Our Year Two families will receive an email containing details about the Mass in the coming days.

Anzac Day
I appreciate Anzac Day was a couple of weeks ago, however during our school Anzac Day service, we had the privilege of Lieutenant Colonel David Marshall speak to the children. He shared what it means to be a member of the Australian Defence Force and we wanted share his speech with the community. We once again thank Lieutenant Colonel David Marshall for speaking to the students on this very special occasion.

Being a member of the Australian Defence Force is a privilege, and I think all of us in the Australian Defence Force can agree that serving our country is one of the highest honours we can give.  People find their calling in many ways, and from the age of many of you here, I knew I was always going to be in the Army. I think that all Australians serve their nation in their own way. I am just lucky enough to do it in the Army. Now when I say I am in the Army, not all of us stand on a frontline with a gun. I am actually an aeronautical engineer and I fix helicopters making sure they are ready and safe to fly. Earlier, we heard about Simpson and his donkey, where in the midst of gunfire, noise and explosions, and at great danger to himself, he took on an important role to carry his injured mates to safety.

Being part of the Army gives me a great sense of belonging and I have learnt many things that have allowed me to strive with excellence to do the best job I can in getting those helicopters ready and safe. I take great inspiration from heroes such as Simpson and other great Anzacs. Thinking of how hard and tough they had it, never knowing if they could be killed at any instant, they never ever gave up; they were never going to let their mates down. I think of this and over my career and I like to think that I never quit on my mates and I never gave up, that I maintained my faith in God and myself, I had respect for my mates and respected their belief in me, and that I had the courage to continue to always strive for excellence. When I reflect upon this, I find that these are the same as your core values here at Guardian Angels: Belonging, Excellence, Courage, Respect and Hope. Following values such as this is how I serve my country, it’s how the Anzacs did it and I hope that it is how you all take every day too.

I have had the honour to serve overseas in a warlike operation. During my time in Afghanistan I was involved in supporting a special group of Australian soldiers. These men and women were sent to Afghanistan to assist and protect us as we helped the Afghan Army learn the skills they need to defend their country. These Australian soldiers main role was to ensure that the rest of us were safe, that we could be carried away in the event of an attack. These Australian soldiers had all sorts of weapons and armoured vehicles to do their important job. We gave them an important name. We called them Guardian Angels. They too strove to be the very best soldiers every day, making sure they looked out for us, making sure we had every hope that we would get home safely at the end of our day. Guardian Angels are important and I hope that you can think about how you strive for excellence, remember how these soldiers were always there for us, just like Simpson and his donkey, and that you take pride in belonging to your own special group of Guardian Angels. If as an Army soldier I ask that you do one important thing and that you honour the spirit of the Anzacs by being the best Guardian Angel that you can be. Boy and Girls, this Anzac Day, be proud to be Australian and be proud to be a Guardian Angel.

Blessings for a great week ahead,
Hannah Goodwin

Primary Learning Leader News

NAPLAN Online

Next week our Year 3 and Year 5 students will complete their NAPLAN Online assessments for the first time. The teachers have spent time familiarising the students with the NAPLAN Online assessment platform, ensuring each individual has a successful NAPLAN experience.

Just a reminder that with the new online format children who are absent for a particular assessment will have the opportunity to catch up upon their return to school if this is within the 10 day testing window which runs from Tuesday 11 May to Friday 20 May. The schedule attached shows the dates and times for each test. Please note the times for catch up sessions may vary.

If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s participation in NAPLAN please contact myself or your child’s class teacher.

Premier’s Reading Challenge

I am delighted to invite all students at GA to join in the 2022 Premier’s Reading Challenge (PRC).

The PRC is not a competition but a way to encourage students to develop a love of reading for life. Students are encouraged to select a range of fiction and non-fiction books suited to their reading ability and record books read during the reading period, between 9 May to 26 August. Teachers have copies of the reading record form for each child, however, should you require an additional copy please click on the link below. Alternatively, you can pick up a copy at either reception desk.

To complete the challenge:

• Prep to Year 2 must read or experience at least 20 books
• Years 3 and 4 must read at least 20 books
• Years 5 to 9 must read at least 15 books.

Experiencing books can include shared reading, listening to stories, or reading picture books. The aim for the 2022 challenge is to engage more students to read. This year we are aiming to have every student at GA complete the challenge, something that we have never done before. Every student who completes the challenge will also receive a Certificate of Achievement signed by the Premier and will be entered into the GA draw for a chance to win some exciting prizes. Happy reading everyone!!

Best wishes for the week ahead,
Liz Morrissey

In other news...

Drop off and pick up zone volunteers

Thank you to those parents who have already so generously volunteered their time in the pick up zones. We truly appreciate your help.

We would love parent helpers at both campuses from Term 2. Pick up zones operate from 8:00am – 8:25am in the morning and from 2:55pm – 3:20pm in the afternoons. It's an easy 25 mins, opening car doors, helping little people in and out of cars.

If you can spare 20-30 minutes once or twice a week please email Jenny Druce at jdruce@bne.catholic.edu.au with your preferred day, time and campus.

If I have nominated you for a shift, and it’s not suitable, please let me know. 

A friendly reminder, before commencing your role as a volunteer or other personnel at our school, you are required to complete the online volunteer training. The training can be found here: https://www.bne.catholic.edu.au/students-parents/student-protection/Pages/Student-Protection-and-Code-of-Conduct-Training-for-Volunteers-and-Other-Personnel.aspx

You will need to download, print and complete your registration form, which is contained within your online training. Return it to the School Office prior to commencing your role.

School Fees

All Brisbane Catholic Education schools had an upgrade to our finance system over the Easter break. While most things have been working well there are issues with school fees integrating correctly. For this reason, there will be a delay in sending out Term Two school fees.  We are hoping to be able to send them out next week. The due date for payment is then 14 days after issue. 

In the meantime, should you wish to pay fees for the remainder of the year via Direct Debit or Credit Card please complete the relevant form found in our School Portal and email to the address below.  Your payments will be calculated and after your approval, payments can commence.

Should you have any queries in relation to fees please email pwynfinance@bne.catholic.edu.au

COVID-19 Update

Upcoming changes to quarantine requirement for close contacts

There will be no quarantine requirements for close contacts as long as they:

• do not have COVID-19 symptoms
• test negative every second day for a week from the day of becoming a close contact (day 0, 2, 4 and 6)
• wear a mask outside of home for 7 days
• do not visit any vulnerable settings (hospitals, residential aged care facilities, disability accommodation services, corrective services facilities and detention centres) for 7 days
• let their employer know they are a close contact, and work from home if possible.

Please note, students Under 12 in primary schools will continue to be exempt from the mask-wearing requirement.  

Close contacts

Someone is a close contact if they have been with a person that has COVID-19 for more than four hours in a house or other accommodation, a care facility or similar. For more information see the close contacts definition. You are not a close contact if you have had COVID-19 in the past 12 weeks.

Thank you for your continued support and please contact the school via pwynnum@bne.catholic.edu.au should you have any queries. 

COVID-19 in our school community

We continue to have positive cases of COVID-19 in our school community this week. These cases are currently isolating as required by Queensland Health and we wish them well as they recover.

A reminder to keep your child at home if they are experiencing any COVID-19, cold or flu-like symptoms, however mild. If we contact you because your child is unwell, please collect your child as soon as possible. This will help us to reduce the risk of spreading infections in our school.

Thank you for your support and understanding in these challenging times. 

Second-hand Uniform Shop

The second hand uniform shop will open on the first day of the month starting this term. Due to the public holidays at the start of Term 2 the first shop open will be on Monday 9 May. The shop will open between 7:30 and 8:00am on the GA campus. Each item is $5. Cash only sales.

A big thank you to Shannon Dobson for her invaluable time in managing the second hand shop.

School Photos - reminder

School photos take place in Week 6 this term (Monday 23 and Tuesday 24 May).

• Photos are ordered online.
• Sibling photos must be ordered before Thursday 19 May (Week 5)
• All other photo orders must be placed before Tuesday 31 May to avoid late fees.
• Orders placed after 31 May will incur a $9 late fee.

Photos should be available to take home early in Term 3.

From the Tuckshop

Tuckshop Volunteer Roster

Wednesday 11 May - HELPER NEEDED
Thursday 12 May - Angela Pannakoek
Friday 13 May - Karlie Keal-Smith

Helpers are still needed this Term. Please contact Annalise Olm if you are able to volunteer your time in the canteen.

Before commencing your role as a volunteer or other personnel at our school, you are required to complete the annual online volunteer training. The training can be found here: https://www.bne.catholic.edu.au/students-parents/student-protection/Pages/Student-Protection-and-Code-of-Conduct-Training-for-Volunteers-and-Other-Personnel.aspx

You will need to download, print and complete your registration form, which is contained within your online training. Return it to the School Office prior to commencing your role.

Awards

Congratulations to the following students who received an award at Assembly:

Iris M, Lyra G, Mackenzie H, Paige J, Matilda M, Max L, Abbie F, Elijah D, Stella M, Oliver W, Eloise N, Chloe W, Ava P, Lachlan M 

From the P&F

Enrolments

At Guardian Angels' we place particular importance in acknowledging the various gifts and talents each community member is blessed with, as we strive to unite under the theme, ‘We Are One’.

Principal's Tour

The next Principal's Tour will be held on Thursday 26 May at 9:00am. Please register by email to pwynnum@bne.catholic.edu.au or by calling enrolments on 3396 4486.

Existing Guardian Angels' Families - sibling Prep 2024 enrolments

Calling all current Guardian Angels' families with sibling enrolments for Prep 2024. Please submit your applications and supporting documentation now.

For further information or interest in upcoming tours please contact Jenny Druce on 3396 4486 | pwynnum@bne.catholic.edu.au

Next Week @ GA

Monday 9 May
Second Hand Uniform Shop open - GA Campus - 7:30am
Prep 2023 interviews continue for new families
Life Education - in classrooms - all week

Tuesday 10 May
NAPLAN commences - all week
Iona students visiting Year 4

Wednesday 11 May
Tuckshop (orders must be in by 7:45am)
Assembly - Prep R - The Ascension of the Lord - 1:50pm - MC Shed (all welcome)

Thursday 12 May
Tuckshop (orders must be in by 7:45am)
Uniform Shop open 1:00pm-4:00pm
Year 1-6 Instrumental Music Program
Creative Kidz Music Lessons
SuperStars Dance Lessons (P-2)

Friday 13 May
Tuckshop (orders must be in by 7:45am)

From the Parish

Children’s Liturgy of the Word  will be held on  Sunday 22nd May at 9:00am

At the beginning of Mass, the children (Prep to Year 3) will be invited to proceed to the Parish Hall with our Safeguarding-approved volunteer catechists where they will celebrate and reflect upon the Sunday Gospel reading adapted to their level of understanding. The children then come back to re-join their families and the congregation before the Liturgy of the Eucharist begins.

From the Community...

Have your details changed?

Did you know that you can confirm or change your details online using our Parent Portal? The Update Your Details page (https://extranet16.bne.catholic.edu.au/parent/guardianangelswynnum/MyDetails/Pages/MyDetails.aspx) allows you to check the contact information we have for you so you can help us keep your details accurate for emergencies, billing and to keep you up-to-date with happenings in our school community. A friendly reminder, if someone in your family changes their contact details, we are required to check with other members of the household sharing the same contact details (ie home or mailing address) whether or not your details have also changed. We cannot assume that changes made to one student contact can be made to another. Not sure how to get access to the Parent Portal? Please email pwynnum@bne.catholic.edu.au and we can get you up and running.

Contact Us

Guardian Angels offers a broad-based inclusive curriculum with a range of opportunities and experiences that foster the growth of the whole student. We pride ourselves on the spirit that can be found in our students, staff and parents.

Visit us on the web at www.guardianangelswynnum.qld.edu.au

For all enquiries please email us at pwynnum@bne.catholic.edu.au

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