Guardian Angels' Newsletter - Term 2 | Week 1
Coming up @ GA
Week 2
Monday 24 April
Uniform Shop open 7:30am-10:30am
Prep 2024 Enrolment Interviews
Whole School ANZAC Day Liturgy 10:00am
Tuesday 25 April
ANZAC DAY - PUBLIC HOLIDAY
Wednesday 26 April
Sport Aerobics - Hall - 7:30am
Tuckshop (orders must be in by 7:45am)
Prep 2024 Enrolment Interviews
Instrumental Music Program - brass and wind only (Creative Kidz)
Thursday 27 April
Tuckshop (orders must be in by 7:45am)
Uniform Shop open 1:00pm-4:00pm
Met Boys & Girls Hockey (select students)
District Football Boys & Girls (select students)
Year 1-6 Instrumental Music Program (Creative Kidz)
Prep 2024 Enrolment Interviews
Friday 28 April
Prep 2024 Enrolment Interviews
P-2 Dance Lessons
Week 3
Monday 1 May
LABOUR DAY - PUBLIC HOLIDAY
Tuesday 2 May
Wednesday 3 May
Sport Aerobics - Hall - 7:30am
Tuckshop (orders must be in by 7:45am)
Prep 2024 Enrolment Interviews
Instrumental Music Program - brass and wind only (Creative Kidz)
P-6 Assembly (led by Year 5/6B) - 1:50pm - MC Shed (all welcome)
Thursday 4 May
Tuckshop (orders must be in by 7:45am)
Uniform Shop open 1:00pm-4:00pm
Year 1-6 Instrumental Music Program (Creative Kidz)
Friday 5 May
P-2 Dance Lessons
From the Principal
Welcome back to what is already shaping up to be a wonderful term at Guardian Angels'.
There is always a beautiful feeling of excitement around the school at the start of any new term, and it is a time of reconnection with staff, students and families.
As we start our week together, we ask that God be present with us in all that we do this term.
Launching LIVE the GA Way at Guardian Angels'
Our first assembly for the term provided the opportunity to launch LIVE the GA Way to our student and parent community. LIVE the GA Way aims to inspire all in our Guardian Angels’ School community to fulfil our school motto ‘To Achieve Life’!
To LIVE the GA Way is to connect our words and actions to the special meaning of each letter. In the coming weeks, our teachers will be delivering a learning and teaching sequence to all our students from Prep to Year 6 to support their understanding of what it ‘looks like’ in action, every day.
There a number of great opportunities for our students to be celebrated for working to LIVE the GA Way. We have reimagined our awards, day to day affirmations and behaviour learning processes to connect to LIVE the GA Way, with the aim to create a simple and positive approach to our way of ‘being’ with self, others and our environment.
As LIVE the GA Way builds momentum in the coming weeks, I look forward to showcasing this with you.
Staffing Announcements
Farewell and Thanks: Carolyn Matta (Teacher Librarian)
Each person has an important role in our school community, and this is acknowledged as we farewell from our teaching staff, Carolyn Matta, who has advised of her intention to resign from Guardian Angels’ School, Wynnum.
As you may be aware, Carolyn has been on a period of extended leave, and has made the decision to resign her position at Guardian Angels’ School and become a member of relief staff.
Carolyn has a long history with Guardian Angels that spans 18 years. Her professionalism and dedication to the staff and students that she has supported has made her a respected member of our teaching team. Our community is richer for her knowledge and love of literature that she so willingly shared with all in our community.
I extend sincere thanks to Carolyn for her commitment to her role that has contributed to making our school the wonderful learning community that it is today.
There will be opportunities to gather and to share words of personal farewell and thanks to Carolyn in the first weeks of Term 2.
As we farewell Carolyn, we will do so in recognition of her service to our Guardian Angels’ community.
We pray for Carolyn as she farewells our school community and moves into new beginnings, and are thankful to our God for gifting us with her:
May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face.
May the rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God keep you in the palm of his hand.
Specialist Staff: Teacher Librarian
During Carolyn’s extended leave, we have been grateful to have Kim Nearhos working in a part time capacity as our Teacher Librarian.
Kim will continue to work in this role until the end of the 2023 school year and we are looking forward to having her to continue as part of our teaching team.
Our part time arrangements for our Teacher Librarian staff will remain unchanged, with Kath Bynon working each Monday/Tuesday, and Kim Nearhos working each Wednesday/Thursday.
Welcome Emily Cronin (Workplace Health and Safety Officer: WHSO)
We welcome Emily Cronin to Guardian Angels as our Workplace Health and Safety Officer (WHSO) commencing Thursday 20 April 2023.
Emily will join our team in a part time capacity, working each Thursday during school terms.
She has a range of experiences and expertise in areas of WHS, safeguarding and compliance that she brings to the role.
I know that you join with me in welcoming Emily to our school.
Lest We Forget: ANZAC Day 2023
As we prepare to participate in ANZAC commemorative events on Tuesday, 25 April 2023, it is at this time that we are reminded of the ‘Spirit of ANZAC’. The ANZAC Spirit, although intangible, is reflected so often in our communities, ANZAC Day being one of those times.
ANZAC Day is a time to share in reflections that honour this spirit. A spirit that is often identified as a cornerstone which underpins our Australian image and way of life and is an important part of our heritage. It is this spirit that lives in our hearts when we remember and give thanks for the endurance, courage, ingenuity, good humour and mateship, shown in the actions of those men and women who have served our nation in the past, and those who serve us now. A spirit that is to be admired and to be grateful for, and to always be remembered with honour and pride.
On Tuesday, our School will join with many local military, service, school, and community groups to honour our service men and women, past and present. Our participation in the march shows that we are a proud part of the community but more importantly, it gives us all an opportunity to respect and honour those who laid down their lives for the freedom that we enjoy today.
Often, it is activities like these, where we join with others in our community, that remind us that the students that we teach each day, may well be the future leaders of tomorrow. Research on student wellbeing shows that connectedness to family, school and the wider community is a key factor in developing strong, resilient, confident young adults. Participation in one or more of the many groups represented at the march, provide the nurturing and support for our students to display and develop their leadership talents.
Thank you for the commitment to honour our nations service men and women, past and present, through our ANZAC Liturgy that we will share in on Monday 24 April, the classroom learning and teaching activities that our students have engaged in, and attendance at the Wynnum RSL ANZAC march.
Honouring the tradition of the ANZAC fills us all with intense feelings of thanks, gratefulness, pride and, from our Catholic perspective, hope. Hope that we may understand significant values, like equality, unity, mateship, courage, love and respect, while having an intense commitment to peace and value for all life.
Lest we forget.
Blessings for the week ahead
Veronica Tomerini-Smith
Assistant Principal - Administration
Good afternoon lovely families,
Welcome back to Term 2; a term full of wonderful learning and fabulous fun.
I’d just like to take a moment to genuinely thank you all for supporting us throughout Term 1. We are all part of a significant relationship (yourselves, your beautiful children and the school); a privilege and responsibility we take very seriously. Like all relationships, sometimes things can be a little challenging or cause some worry. Thank you all for always working with us in true partnership to celebrate the successes and work through any concerns so that we can make Guardian Angels’ the most wonderful place for your little angels and your family.
Curriculum Newsletters
The classroom teachers and specialist teachers have been working to prepare the Curriculum Newsletters for Term 2. I know at times we can become inundated with emails and correspondence from so many places/people. The Curriculum Newsletter (released at the beginning of every term) is a really worthwhile read; providing information about the incredible learning that will take place in Term 2, as well as important excursion and date/event information.
The Curriculum Newsletters will be uploaded to the Parent Portal next Monday 24 April.
Dance Superstars (Prep-Year 2)
Yes! Yes! Yes! …. One of my favourite times of the year!!!! The Superstars dancing lessons will begin with our students in Prep to Year 2 next Friday 28 April. Every Friday until 16 June (Week 9) our little ones will enjoy a specialised dance lesson with our friends from Superstars. This culminated in, what I like to call, a DANCE EXTRAVAGANZA! You may think I am talking it up a bit … I AM NOT. This is one of my favourite days of the year because when you see those little angels dancing their little hearts out, showcasing the dance they have been learning all term, it will make you cry with happiness and pride … well, that could just be me … I ALWAYS cry when I watch the concert at the end of the term.
Of course our beautiful parents and families are invited to join us for this concert so be sure to pencil it in to your diary and come along if you can. Friday 16 June at 2:00pm in the MC Shed. I will provide more information and reminders about this as the event draws closer … but trust me … if you ever want to see me cry … oh and of course see your little ones dancing … then be sure to join us for this great celebration of learning.
Life Education
We are so excited to welcome our friends from Life Education back to Guardian Angels’ in a few weeks’ time. From Monday 8 May our Life Education friends (including Healthy Harold) will join us at GA for almost two weeks.
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 well-being; 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.
We are currently in the process of selecting the most appropriate modules for our students from Prep to Year 6. When this information is finalised, I will communicate all details about the modules with you via the next full newsletter.
School Photos
Our official school photos day is scheduled for Monday 29 May. Historically school photos have been taken over the course of two days, however they will be taken on the one day this year. I just want to let you all know as I know that some people make appointment plans around the photo day.
There will not be any catchup photo days at school so it would be wonderful to have as many of our beautiful students here as possible.
It is an expectation that all students wear their full formal school uniform for School Photo Day. Of course this includes correct hair ties, shoes and socks. Our Prep students will wear their sports uniform as usual.
The students in 2 Red and 2 Yellow will have HPE in the afternoon on Monday 29 May. These students must also arrive at school in their full formal school uniform please. Of course you may pack their sports uniforms in their bags if you want them to change for their sport lesson in the afternoon. This is optional. The students can certainly participate in their sports lesson in their day uniform as a one off. I will schedule these Year 2 students early in the day, allowing time for them to change into their sports uniform if you feel that is necessary.
I have contacted our School photo contractor to get the instructions for ordering so that I can communicate these with you. I will forward ordering instructions to you as soon as I receive them.
Blessings to you all for the coming weeks
Nicole Waller
Assistant Principal - Religious Education
Welcome to Term 2, I hope that you were all able to have a safe and relaxing Easter break. We are very much looking forward to a wonderful term of learning.
Season of Easter
“Alleluia, He is risen”
While we were on school holidays, we experienced an important part of our faith; the Resurrection of Jesus. This event is the most significant foundation of what it means to be Christian. Easter did not stop on Easter Sunday. The Easter season, symbolised by the colours white or yellow, lasts for the next 40 days, finishing with Pentecost. During this time, let us remember the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made for us.
Project Compassion
Thank you to all our families who have supported and donated to our Project Compassion Appeal this year. This year we raised just over $1200. Thank you for your generosity and support of this appeal.
ANZAC Day
As a school community, we acknowledge those who died at the rising of the sun in Gallipoli on 25 April 1915. We also take the time to remember all the service men and women who have served our country and continue to protect us. For them, we say THANK YOU! We will acknowledge this day with a whole school liturgy on Monday 24 April at 10:00am.
ANZAC Day Community March Information
The annual Wynnum RSL ANZAC Day Commemorative March and Ceremony is taking place on 25 April 2023.
Guardian Angels’ School students have a proud tradition of representing the school at this ceremony, and this year we will again participate in the Wynnum RSL ANZAC Day March.
Meeting Time & Meeting Place: 8:45am Participating students/families are required to gather outside the Municipal Hall on the corner of Cedar Street and Bay Terrace. Parents and siblings are very welcome to march with us or to meet us at the Wynnum RSL carpark.
March and Service Times: The march to Wynnum RSL (carpark), commences at 9:15am and then the service follows. Our Guardian Angels’ School Leaders will lead our march, carrying our school flag. Once we are at the RSL, we will participate in the ceremony with our school School Leaders laying a wreath on behalf of all of us at Guardian Angels’.
Uniform: Children are required to wear their formal uniform with clean shoes and tidy hair. They must also wear their school hat. Your child may like to bring a water bottle with them as it may be hot.
Children can be collected after the ceremony, which should be completed after 10:00am (approximately). Please ensure you advise a teacher when you pick up your child.
Please indicate, via the parent slip (sent by separate email), by Friday 21 April, if your child and/or family will be participating.
Change to Assembly
As community of learners, we have taken time to reflect on the way we gather as a whole school community, with our focus around our students being engaged and active participants in all aspects of their school day. Assembly is a time dedicated for our community to gather to celebrate and acknowledge our school traditions and to showcase the learning and teaching within our community. To help best support active an engaged students at this time, we will be trialling moving our whole school assembly to fortnightly and introducing a junior and senior check-in on the weeks in between. The whole school assembly will be on a Wednesday at 1:50pm in the Shed.
Whole School Assembly – odd weeks – Wednesday at 1:50pm
Our whole school assembly provides our community with a collaborative time to the sharing of our acknowledgement of country, school song and prayer, to acknowledge students for awards, a class presentation to showcase the learning in the classroom and to sing our National Anthem. The purpose of moving assembly to fortnightly is to help maximise our learning and teaching time in the classroom, in connection with supporting student engagement. Assemblies provide us with a time to communicate whole school messages and acknowledgements and they are an important part of our school community. Moving to fortnightly gatherings, provides us with an opportunity to ensure we are providing purposeful messages that showcase all aspects of Guardian Angels’ school life.
Junior and Senior Check-Ins – even weeks - Friday at 1:35pm
Building on this and the weeks following whole school assemblies, we will have our junior and senior school check-ins. The purpose of the check-ins are to support age-appropriate conversations around our LIVE the GA Way implementation and school based messages. The junior and senior school check-ins will be a time to exemplify our LIVE the GA Way and address campus related matters to support our students learning and wellbeing.
Timeline
This term, our whole school assembly focus is on launching our LIVE the GA Way framework. We will be using our whole school assemblies to exemplify our learning and teaching sequence for our students and to deliver messages focusing on this exciting new framework. Below is an overview of the term and the dates we will be having our whole school assemblies. We would love to see you on those dates.
We look forward to sharing our journey of learning with you on these dates.
Class Mass Timetable – Term 2
This term we are excited to begin class masses. We will be combining our class masses with sacred singing and over the remainder of the year all classes will have a chance to host Mass in our beautiful church.
Below are the dates, time of mass and hosting classes, we hope to see you there.
Important Dates:
- Monday 24 April – ANZAC Day Liturgy – 10:00am
- Friday 5 May – P&F Mother’s Day Event
- Friday 26 May - Pentecost Liturgy – 9:00am - Shed
God bless and take care,
Rhiannon Cameron
In other news...
Too sick for school?
Please keep your child at home if they are experiencing any COVID-19, cold or flu-like symptoms, however mild.
If your child vomits or has diarrhoea at home we ask for 24 hours after the last episode of vomiting or diarrhoea before your child returns to school.
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 keeping our school community well.
Drop off and pick up zone volunteers
We would love parent helpers in pick up zones this year. 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.
I have had a few parents contact me about shifts and I will update the roster and publish in next Thursday's bulletin. 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. This training needs to be renewed annually and 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.
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 8 May.
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.
Awards
Congratulations to the following students who received an award at Assembly:
Mila P, Josie H, Madeleine C, Theo W, Charlie P, Poppy C, Nevaya F, Mufaro Z, Will B, Addison G, Ava H, Riley D, Hannah F, Charles G, Makenzie H, Sullivan T, Lachlan M, Yvonne J, Amy G, Sophie V, Mae D
From the Tuckshop
Tuckshop Volunteer Roster
Week 2
Wednesday 26 April - Kendall Trevisan
Thursday 27 April - Natasha Staal
Friday 28 April - HELPER NEEDED
Week 3
Wednesday 3 May - HELPER NEEDED
Thursday 4 May - HELPER NEEDED
Friday 5 May - Shelley Walters
Please contact Annalise Olm - aolm@bne.catholic.edu.au - if you are able to volunteer your time in the canteen in 2023.
Before commencing your role as a volunteer or other personnel at our school, you are required to complete the annual online volunteer training. This training needs to be renewed annually and 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
From the Parish
Sacramental Preparation
We had our Parents’ Session for the First Holy Communion Preparation on 23 March. Any parents who were unable to attend and who have not yet done so, could you please contact the Parish Office to make an appointment to meet with Father Thomas so that everything is set for the lessons and dates for the children’s preparation. Parents should have received Module One for their children in an email on Friday 14 April. If you didn’t receive that email, please contact the Parish Office too (check your spam folder first).
Thank you, and continued prayers for this time for your families.
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’.
2024 Enrolments
Prep 2024 enrolment interviews are well underway with offers expected to be made by the end of May.
Currently a very small number of places remain available for Prep 2024.
We encourage families interested in a place at Guardian Angels' in 2024 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 2024 to be eligible for Prep next year.
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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