Weekly
news
Term 1, Week 4
Coming up this week
Date
Event
Tuesday 1 March
Kindergarten Readiness Night
7:00pm - 8:00pm
Monday 7 March
School Information Night
7:00pm - 8:00pm
Saturday 12 March
Family Fun Day
11:00am - 3:00pm
MISSION STATEMENT
To work under God in partnership with parents to provide an inclusive, nurturing and high quality education for every student.
VIsion
Flourishing through faith, belonging and the pursuit of excellence.
From The Principal
A Place to Grow
A lecturer once told me that organisations are like vegetation: they are either expanding and flourishing or they are wilting. A static organisation is headed in the wrong direction.
Long-term facilities plans
The idea of expanding and flourishing leads us into the fourth part of or Strategic Plan: Establish a Master Facilities Plan. Our plan has been drafted and is now ready for your input. Over the next month you will have the opportunity to look at the plan and give us feedback.
The Family Fun Day on 12 March allows you the first chance to have a look at the plans, tell us what excites you and offer suggestions to consider in the final draft.
Below is not the plan, but #9 on the map is the place you will visit to look at the actual architectural drawings. A staff member will be there to talk to and you are encouraged to write down your feedback. Feedback received will go back to the architect for further revision. The playground and the gardens are open to your children as you chat.
Our BIG question
A Feasibility Study Committee has been active in the background, asking this question: What would be the benefits and risks of opening a Preschool? An Early Childhood Centre? We know that Child Care and Preschool facilities are needed in Wagga. One of the considerations is the extent to which they would fit onto our grounds.
You have three opportunities to lend your voice to the conversation:
- Come to the Family Fun Day and talk with us
- Attend the P&F meeting at 7.00 on Tuesday, 22 March
- Let us know your thoughts in writing through [email protected]
Physical environments affect wellbeing and reflect the school community’s shared values. We endeavour to enhance facilities so that they do the following:
- reflect the Christian faith,
- promote safety, healthy relationships and learning,
- support co-curricular and extracurricular activity,
- model sustainability and
- honour indigenous and multicultural perspectives.
We hope you will join us in this important conversation.
Janet Moeller
Principal
From The DEPUTY Principal
Care Coordinators
In last week’s Parent Information Night, the teachers talked about Care Coordinators for each class. This is an opportunity for you to involve yourself in the life of the school. It might involve liaising with the school in supporting a family in need from your child’s class or organising some social events with the grade’s parents to continue to build some school community spirit.
I have had several parents contact me already to volunteer their services as a Care Coordinator. If you are interested in the role please contact me via the office.
Student Representative Council (SRC)
This week, students in Years 1-5 will be electing their SRC representatives for Semester One. Our first meeting will take place next week and the nominated students will be announced in next week’s newsletter. There will be further details to follow about the date and time for the installation at our Friday chapel service led by Pastor Dave.
Team 6 Leadership roles – Technology and Mission & Worship leadership roles
This week Ms Moeller, Ms Grant and myself will interview a number of students who submitted a written expression of interest to be involved in one of these leadership roles. This is a new initiative designed to give more meaningful opportunities for students in Team 6 to be involved in leadership roles. This could involve setting up the technology for chapel and assemblies and assisting students around the school with minor technology issues. It might also mean writing prayers and helping during chapel services.
After meeting with the candidates this week, a decision will then be made who will be taking up these roles for 2022. Best wishes to all students participating in this process.
Parent Volunteers
We are excited to announce that as of Monday, 7 March parent volunteers will once again be invited onto campus.
For parents new to the school there is a parent volunteer process that you will need to follow prior to working with our young scholars at school. This has a number of parts to it.
- Complete the attached paperwork and obtain a Working with Children Check number. This can be done by visiting Services New South Wales center in Wagga. They are free of charge.
- Complete the online module ‘Valuing Safe Communities’ (VSC). Please follow the prompts attached in the newsletter. This module will take around 25 minutes to complete. Upon completion of the module you will receive a certificate, please email this certificate to [email protected]
- While you are sending in your VSC certificate, please also provide us with proof of vaccination. A phone screenshot will suffice.
- Finally, arrange a time to meet with the Deputy Principal who will talk to you about a number of routines and expectations when you are working with students.
Once you have completed this process your parent volunteer status will be valid for 3 years. This means, once Covid restrictions ease, you are then able to assist in the classroom, sporting events and carnivals, excursions and overnight camps. In Ms Stewart’s newsletter piece she also talks about ensuring you have completed the parent volunteer process to assist in all sporting events.
Below are a number of dates and times that I will be meeting with parents who have completed steps 1-3 in the parent volunteer process.
- Monday, 28 February at 4pm in the Resource Centre
- Monday, 7 March at 4pm in the Resource Centre
If these dates do not suit please contact the office to arrange a mutually convenient time.
Dylan Evans
Deputy Principal
Collection Notice for parents/guardians
Values Focus
WITNESSES TO CHRIST: PEOPLE FROM HIS PASSION
This Lent, you are invited to join Bethlehem church as we hear the witness of those in John’s Gospel who journeyed to the cross. Along the way, we’ll meet villains, such as Barabbas and Pontius Pilate, as well as sinners, such as Peter (who denied Jesus three times), Mary Magdalene (who was possessed by seven demons), and Judas Iscariot (who betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver).
Please join us for worship as we hear the witness of these people in John’s Gospel:
- Wednesday 2 March, 7pm Ash Wednesday: John the Baptist, John 1:29–34
- Wednesday 9 March, 7pm Lent 1: Mary, the Sister of Lazarus and Martha, John 12:1–11
- Wednesday 16 March, 7pm Lent 2: Malchus, John 18:1–11
- Wednesday 23 March, 7pm Lent 3: Peter, John 18:12–27
- Wednesday 30 March, 7pm Lent 4: Barabbas, John 18:33–40
- Wednesday 6 April, 7pm, Lent 5: Pontius Pilate, John 19:1–16
- Sunday 10 April, 9.30am Palm Sunday: The Disciples, John 12:12–19
- Thursday 14 April, 7pm Maundy Thursday: Judas Iscariot, John 13:21–30
- Friday 15 April, 7pm Good Friday: John, the Gospel Writer, John 19:25–37
- Sunday 17 April, 9.30am Easter Sunday: Mary Magdalene, John 20:1–18
Confirmation opportunity
The “Rite of Confirmation” or “The Affirmation of your Baptismal Covenant” is a time for people to confirm or affirm the promises made to them by God in their Baptism. This is also a time to publicly announce the understanding of our responsibilities as Christians, knowing that we live under the forgiving power of the risen Christ.
Confirmation is a place where young people learn about the promises God has made, why he has made them and how this impacts our lives today. In order to understand this we need to look deeply into the Bible in order to see how God has worked throughout history and still continues to work today, as well as how Dr Martin Luther has interpreted the meaning of those events in his Small Catechism. Whether or not you come from a Lutheran tradition, you and your children are welcome to come and explore your faith journey. For more information on Confirmation, please contact me at [email protected].
Blessings
Pastor David Cherry
Bethlehem Lutheran Church
Curriculum Matters
This year we are offering STEM – Science Technology Engineering and Maths as a specialist subject. STEM is an innovative program that builds students’ deep understanding of identifying, researching and solving real world challenges.
Mrs Bowman’s lessons have excited and ignited students to be engaged, interested and innovative. If you walk past the STEM room during the day, you might see our students collaborating, discussing, analysing data, measuring and designing. This is the thinking process our students go through to explore a deep understanding and solve authentic problems and challenges!
Art
Our resident artist, Mrs Rodda, has designed a Visual Art program to encourage and challenge students to achieve their artistic potential in an enjoyable and supportive environment. Students develop their creativity and imagination as well as refine their practical and fine motor skills. The Art Studio is a wonderful space with lovely natural light coming through. It is well equipped and Mrs Rodda has created an inspiring learning environment.
Chess Club
The legacy of Mrs von Mengersen’s Chess Club has been handed to Mr Gardner. Mr Gardner has commenced friendly games with Stage 3 students on Wednesdays during afternoon tea. Once the stage bubbles lift, Mr Gardner hopes to offer Chess to all students in Years 2-6. This year the school will invite top players to be a part of the Interschool Chess Competition. Lutheran School will also host its own Summit Cup, one-day Chess Tournament in Term 2.
Maths Olympiad, Maths Games and Maths Explorer
I am excited to be coordinating the APSMO Primary School Maths Competitions and Programs to Years 3-6. This year we are offering Maths Olympiad, Maths Games and Maths Explorer, with every student in years 3-6 being given the opportunity to participate in one way or another.
- Maths Olympiad aims to introduce students to important mathematical concepts, teach major strategies, develop flexibility for problem solving and foster creativity and ingenuity and strengthen intuition. The Maths Olympiad team will compete against other schools across Australia.
- Maths Games provide an opportunity for mainstream students in Years 5 and 6 to learn valuable problem solving skills, exposing them to the application of mathematical problem solving strategies and techniques.
- Maths Explorer allows students in Years 3 and 4 to collaborate with their peers and work together to make decisions about the way they explore a problem, regardless of their abilities. It uses fun and relatable themes to showcase how problem solving strategies can be applied to a variety of problems. It also encourages students to work together to expand their knowledge and understanding.
Have a wonderful week.
Emma Grant
Learning Innovation Coordinator
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From The Sports Desk
Sport Volunteers
Throughout the year we will be asking for volunteers to assist with the officiating of a number of LSWW sporting events. To be eligible to assist, all volunteers are required to complete the Valuing Safe Communities (VCS) online module.
The module takes approximately 25 minutes to complete and is valid for 3 years. If you are available to assist with the officiating at one of our Term 1 and/or Term 2 sporting events (see below) and have not completed the VSC training and/or or your certificate has expired, please contact Dylan Evans.
Term 1
LSWW Swimming Carnival (Year 3-6), Soccer Gala Day (Year 3 + Year 5), LSWW Cross Country (K-6) and the Paul Kelly Cup (AFL) (Stage 3).
Term 2
LSWW Athletics Carnival (K-6), Rugby Union Gala Day (Stage 2 + Stage 3), Netball Schools Cup (Stage 2 + Stage 3) and the Mortimer Shield (Rugby League/League Tag) (Stage 3).
Caroline Stewart
PE Teacher/Sports Coordinator
OSHC
The children have been having an abundance of fun at OSHC this week as we decorate paper lanterns and make friendship bracelets with loom bands.
As the weather has been so pleasant this week we have been enjoying our afternoons outside.
The sand pit has been particularly popular as the children work together to build and create.
We have also been enjoying our afternoon tea outside.
As we progress through the term please keep an eye out for the Autumn Vacation Care program which will be available next week.
We look forward to another wonderful week.
Rebecca Cameron
OSHC Coordinator
Other Information
Notices
