Guardian Angels' Newsletter - Term 4 | Week 6
Coming up @ GA
Week 7
Monday 14 November
Parent Teacher Interviews - all week
Social Justice Week: St Vincent De Paul (Minnie Vinnies)
Tuesday 15 November
Bandanna Day
Year 5/6 Formation Day
Wednesday 16 November
P-6 Assembly - Social Justice - led by Year 5/6G - 1:50pm - MC Shed
Thursday 17 November
Tuckshop (orders must be in by 7:45am)
Uniform Shop open 1:00pm-4:00pm
Years 1-6 Music Program (Creative Kidz)
End of Year Creative Kidz Music Performance - 1:45pm - MC Shed
Friday 18 November
Tuckshop (orders must be in by 7:45am)
Swimming Lessons - Year 1 and Year 2
Year 5/6 Formation Day
Week 8
Monday 21 November
Tuesday 22 November
Wednesday 23 November
P-6 Assembly - Volunteer Celebration - led by Year 1B - 1:50pm - MC Shed
Thursday 24 November
Tuckshop (orders must be in by 7:45am)
Uniform Shop open 1:00pm-4:00pm
Years 1-6 Music Program (Creative Kidz)
Year 6 Thanksgiving Liturgy and Awards Celebration - 5:30pm-9:00pm
Friday 25 November
Tuckshop (orders must be in by 7:45am)
Swimming Lessons - Year 1 and Year 2
P-2 Disco | 4:30pm-5:45pm
3-6 Disco | 6:00pm-7:30pm
From the Principal
We remember…
Tomorrow, 11 November, we remember the Armistice which ended the First World War (1914–18). Each year on this day, Australians observe one minute’s silence at 11:00am, in memory of those who died or suffered in all wars and armed conflicts. During our liturgy tomorrow, we will gather as a faith community in prayer, in commemoration of the sacrifice of soldiers in conflicts past and present. As we remember those who have died, let us give thanks to God for each of them. Let us remember all those precious souls who no longer walk by our side in this life, yet whose integrity and steadfast love profoundly touched and enriched our lives:
We Shall Keep the Faith.
Oh! You who sleep in Flanders Fields,
Sleep sweet - to rise anew!
We caught the torch you threw
And holding high, we keep the Faith
with all who died.
We cherish, too, the poppy red
that grows on fields where valor led;
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies,
But lends a lustre to the red
Of the flower that blooms above the dead
In Flander’s Fields.
And now the Torch and Poppy Red
We wear in honour of our dead.
Fear not that ye have died for nought;
We'll teach the lesson that ye wrought
In Flanders’s Fields.
In Flander’s Fields we fought.
(Moina Michael)
Policy Update: Improvements to the BCE Code of Conduct
Improvements have been made to the Brisbane Catholic Education (BCE) Code of Conduct and Student Protection Processes. We are sharing these improvements with you because each of us plays a part in ensuring safe and successful schools.
The improvements are designed to further support a safe school environment and assist school staff in managing risks. Improvements focus on areas including, reporting obligations around safeguarding, and developing and maintaining professional boundaries between staff and students. Improvements support staff to confer with our school-based student protection contacts or Brisbane Catholic Education subject matter experts for any student protection concerns to ensure the best outcomes for our school community.
Another key area of improvement is around the use of recording devices. The Code has been updated to make clearer when and how staff may use recording devices for appropriate educational reasons. Resources are continuing to be developed to ensure, with your consent, your children’s memories and learning is captured in ways that supports their safety and privacy.
These improvements do not represent a change to existing expectations of staff. As we strive for excellence, we encourage you to let us know of any behaviours that may not meet our expectations.
The Code of Conduct and Student Protection Processes are available on BCE’s website.
Blessings for the week ahead,
Veronica Tomerini-Smith
Assistant Principal - Administration
Good afternoon lovely families
Important safety reminder regarding Mt Carmel Pick Up/Drop Off Zone
Chestnut Street (outside the MC School Office) is NOT a pick up or drop off zone. These areas should not be treated as a stop, drop and go under any circumstances and we will not allow students to wait outside the MC Office or school gate for collection. We have a designated drop off and pick up zone for the Mt Carmel Campus on Pine Street to ensure student safety.
As always please remain mindful of and respectful towards the residents along Pine Street when using the pick up/drop off zone and Chestnut Street if parking to collect your child. Cars should not be blocking driveways and impeding a resident’s ability to enter or leave their own home.
Please do not use the driveway of High Point apartment building on Chestnut Street as a turning circle. This is not only an inconvenience to the residents of this apartment building it is incredibly dangerous at drop off and pick up time when there are additional pedestrians around and a lot of children who do not always understand the dangers of roads and vehicles.
Please ensure extra care is taken when parking on the roads and streets around the school and always follow the signed parking rules. Students should not be hopping in or out of cars that are randomly (or double) parked.
Your support in ensuring the safety of our students is appreciated.
Parent Teacher Interviews
A gentle reminder that teachers will be offering Parent Teacher Interviews next week (Monday 14 – Friday 18 November). These interviews are a wonderful opportunity to touch base with your child/ren’s teacher/s and discuss their progress and achievements as we prepare to round off the year.
Interview opportunities will be offered through Parent Teacher Online (PTO). This is the same system we used for the Term 1 Parent Teacher Interviews.
PTO is accessed through the Parent Portal. Interview times have been open to parents since Monday 31 October at 9:00am. Please log into the Parent Portal and find/click the PTO icon.
Follow the instructions ie entering email and/or surname to receive your individual PTO Pin. The pin should then be emailed to you.
- When booking your interview, you will only see time slots that are AVAILABLE at the time you are using the system. As time slots are booked for teachers, those time slots are no longer displayed as available.
- Parent Teacher Interviews are 15 minutes in duration. Please honour this time as there may be other parents waiting for their interview.
- Please be on time to your interview as the teachers are often running to a very tight schedule.
- You can log in and change your bookings up to 8:00am the day before your interview booking.
Booklists
Please remember to order your book packs for 2023. All families (2023 Year 1 – Year 6) have received a hard copy of your 2023 booklists and there are digital copies uploaded on the Parent Portal also. You are able to place orders either online (preferred) or by returning your paper copy to school.
To qualify for free delivery, please order by tomorrow (Friday 11 November). Orders placed before 11 November will be delivered on or before Monday 19 December to your nominated address.
Late orders will be accepted of course however the delivery date cannot be guaranteed and a standard delivery fee would apply.
Blessings to you all for the coming week,
Nicole Waller
Assistant Principal - Religious Education (Acting)
Good afternoon families and friends,
The final few weeks of the year always seem to be packed full of events and this year is no different!
Remembrance Day
Tomorrow, we will pause as a community to share in a prayer celebration honouring the men and women of Australia’s armed forces. Year 4 Green will lead our prayer celebration which will begin at 10:45am in the MC Shed. Families and friends are most welcome to join us at the prayer celebration.
Volunteer Thank You Assembly
On Wednesday 23 November, we will take time to celebrate and thank the wonderful volunteers who have generously donated their time over the course of 2022. If you have volunteered at school (drop off zone, class reading, tuckshop etc.) please complete the attached form by clicking on the link below to indicate whether you can attend the assembly.
Volunteer Thank You Assembly Response Link
Bandanna Day
Our Year 6 leaders have been busily selling bandannas over the past week on both the GA and MC Campuses. National Bandanna Day is celebrated on Tuesday 15 November and raises money for the charity Canteen. Bandannas will be on sale before school until Bandanna Day and can be purchased for $5. We thank you in advance for your support, so far we have raised over $1,000, which is amazing and will make a huge difference to the lives of young people living cancer.
“Love and charity, are service, helping others, serving others. There are many people who spend their lives in this way, in the service of others. … When you forget yourself and think of others, this is love!” – Pope Francis
School Led Parish Mass
A friendly reminder that our final School Led Parish Mass for 2023 will be on Sunday 13 November at 5:00pm. This Mass will be led by our Year 4 students, however, all families are welcome to attend.
Blessings 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 in Term 4. 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.
Health and Wellbeing at GA
Important Update: COVID-19 mandatory isolation periods to cease from 14 October 2022
From Friday 14 October 2022, mandatory COVID-19 isolation periods will no longer be required in Queensland. Whilst the mandate has been lifted, the risk of infection from COVID and other contagious illnesses is still present, with Brisbane Catholic Education advising the need to maintain high levels of personal hygiene and to not attend school if unwell.
Thank you for your ongoing support and please contact me at school if you have any queries.
Please 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 continued challenging times.
Second-hand Uniform Shop
The second hand uniform shop will be open on the first Monday of the month with the next open day on Monday 6 February.
The shop will open between 7:45am and 8:20am on the GA campus. Each item is $5. Cash only sales.
Need items outside of shop open times? Please email pwynnum@bne.catholic.edu.au with what you need and one of our amazing parent volunteers will fill this order for you.
World Kindness Day - Sunday 13 November
Ahead of World Kindness Day this Sunday 13 November our friends at the RAK Foundation have shared more than 50 ways to be kind. How will you show kindness this World Kindness Day?
Awards
Congratulations to the following students who received an award at Assembly:
Harper C, Jake S, Olive B, Sophie B, Luke G, Noah M, Emmi M, Charlotte B, Amelia B, Mason J, Nathan L, Oliver P, Cadence D, Leighton P
From the Tuckshop
Tuckshop Volunteer Roster
Week 7
Wednesday 16 November - Stephanie Taylor
Thursday 17 November - Simone Winsch
Friday 18 November - Karen Slater
Week 8
Wednesday 23 November - HELPER NEEDED
Thursday 24 November - Natasha Staal
Friday 25 November - Angela Pannakoek
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.
From the P&F
Our Casino Night social event and fundraiser was a smashing success! Parents and friends had a wonderful night of great food, great company, and tons of fun. Games, raffles, and James Bond glamour stole the show. Thank you to everyone who attended, organised, and supported our event. Special thanks to our sponsors -- Councillor Peter Cumming (Wynnum Manly Ward), BackChat Speech Pathology, Ocean Realty, and Waller Plumbing -- for their amazing generosity. Check out the photos from the night.
Save the date for our highly anticipated End of Year Disco on 25 November. We'll send out the details shortly so stay tuned.
Our next P&F meeting is on 20 February 2023. We'll send the agenda closer to the date. Our meetings are a great way to connect with other parents and friends and to find out more about our events, fundraisers, and activities.
We always welcome input and feedback from our parents and community members. Please feel free to email us on pwynnumpandf@bne.catholic.edu.au if you have any ideas, questions, or would like to get involved.
Thank you all for your continuous support!
From the Parish
CHILDREN'S LITURGY | 5:00pm Sunday Mass | 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month
At Children’s Liturgy, children aged Prep to Year 3-4 are invited over to the Hall to break open the Word of God at their level with an activity before re-joining us in the church as they bring up the gifts to the altar.
All families welcome.
Next Children’s Liturgy:
13 November - School-led Mass by Year 4
27 November - followed by sausage sizzle and Christmas Carols in the Courtyard
*** * *** * ***
Carols in the Courtyard and Sausage Sizzle
All are invited to join us for Christmas Carols and a Sausage Sizzle after the 5:00pm Children’s Liturgy Mass on Sunday 27 November. It will be in the Courtyard outside the Parish Hall. We’re hoping to make it a truly memorable and family-friendly occasion. More details to come.
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’.
2023 Enrolments
Currently a very small number of places remain available for Prep 2023. We are also managing waitlists for Year 4 and Year 5/6 2023.
We encourage families interested in a place at Guardian Angels' in 2023 to apply online as soon as possible:
http://www.guardianangelswynnum.qld.edu.au/enrolments/Pages/Enrolment-Information.aspx
Your child should be turning 5 before 30 June 2023 to be eligible for Prep next year.
Prep 2024 enrolments
Enrolments for Prep 2024 are now open. Interviews for current families with children eligible for Prep in 2024 will take place early in Term 1 2023. Any existing families with children eligible for Prep in 2024, if you haven't already done so, are strongly encouraged to submit their applications and supporting documents now.
All enrolment applications are submitted online via our website:
http://www.guardianangelswynnum.qld.edu.au/enrolments/Pages/Enrolment-Information.aspx
For further information or interest in upcoming tours please contact Jenny Druce on 3396 4486 (ext 4) | or by email at pwynnum@bne.catholic.edu.au
From the Community
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
Visit us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gaswynnum
For all enquiries please email us at pwynnum@bne.catholic.edu.au
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