Weekly
news
Term 1, Week 5
Coming up this week
Date
Event
Monday 7 March
School Information Night 7pm-8pm
Saturday 12 March
A place to grow - 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
Alignment of core values and action
If you’re like me, you know when you’re not living your truth. You get this nagging feeling inside that something isn’t right. Perhaps you regret something you said to someone and you realise that, while the comment was honest, the delivery didn’t align with your core value of love. Perhaps you wish you had done something when you had the chance and, upon reflection, you are most struck by a lack of courage, another value you hold dear.
The more we learn about wellbeing, the more we know that living out of alignment with our core will eventually catch up with our physical health mental health or both.
Core values also affect the health of an organisation. In Strategic Plan Strategy 5, we highlight our Biblical roots. The strategy is this: Grow together as a community where the gospel of Jesus Christ informs all learning and teaching, all human relationships and all activities in the school.
What does it mean to be Lutheran?
LSWW is one of around 85 Lutheran Schools across Australia. We are very transparent about what we believe and how we operate.
Our beliefs and values are considered next to government requirements and legislation when we develop our policies as well as our approach to wellbeing, teaching and learning. Our publications, such as What is so special about a Lutheran School? ensure that families understand and trust us. This trust is the foundation of our partnership together.
Our Christian Studies Curriculum Framework is also freely available. Should you have any questions about our teachings, I encourage you to look at the Framework to better understand our approach.
Lutheran schools are places of service. God works through individuals and the school to renew, inspire and transform ministry to students families staff, and others both locally and globally. Each individual contributes to the school in the Lutheran context. You contribute as well, and we are ever grateful for your partnership. As we move forward with our Strategic Plan, we are ever mindful of our roots, our Christian Biblical values.
Janet Moeller
Principal
From The DEPUTY Principal
Care Coordinators
Last week I talked about parents that might like to be 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)
Congratulations to the students who were elected as SRC representatives for Semester One this year. They will be installed by Pastor Dave at our chapel service on Friday, 4 March at 2.40pm. A link will be sent out to parents to view the installation.
SRC MEMBERS – SEMESTER 1 2022
Year 1 Bailey Smith and Joel Thompson
Year 2 Logan Seaman and Molly Nicholson
Year 3 Satpreet Satpreet and Michael Casilen
Year 4 Charlie Ward and Eliza Gentle
Year 5 Naaz Gill and Joseph Zheng
Team 6 Clara Labens, Angus Tait, Caitlin Oakley and Noah Thompson
Y3 Bible presentation
This Friday, 4 March during chapel the Y3 students will be presented with their Bibles from members of the Bethlehem Lutheran Church congregation. Many thanks to Bethlehem Lutheran Church for making the donations of Bibles to our students.
Shrove Tuesday
Pastor Dave and church volunteers were busy cooking over 500 pancakes for the students and staff to celebrate Shrove Tuesday and the start of Lent as we lead up to Easter. Many thanks to Pastor Dave, Russell Clarke, Graeme Wenzke and Jodie Hodgson who were our volunteers. The students really enjoyed the pancakes for morning tea.
Parent Volunteers
As Covid restrictions start to ease, it should be easier for parents to volunteer their services in the life of the school. For parents new to the school there is a parent volunteer process that you will need to follow. This has a number of parts to it.
1. Complete the paperwork and obtain a working with children check number. This can be done by visiting Services New South Wales centre in Wagga. They are free of charge.
2. Complete the online module ‘Valuing Safe Communities’. 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]
3. As you are sending in your Certificate of Completion of the VSC, please also send us your proof of vaccination. At least double-vaccination is currently required to work or volunteer on school sites.
4. 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, you are then able to assist in the classroom, sporting events and carnivals, excursions and overnight camps.
Next Monday, 7 March at 4pm I will be running a Parent Volunteer session in the Resource Centre for parents who have completed steps 1-2 in the parent volunteer process.
If these dates do not suit please contact the office to arrange a mutually convenient time.
Being safe online
Below is a link from the eSafety Commissioner website. It gives excellent practical advice for students to remain safe online. If you have spare moment it really is worthwhile to have look at the pages with your child.
https://www.esafety.gov.au/kids/be-an-esafe-kid/being-safe-online
Riverina Associated Sports (RAS) Swimming
Congratulation to all of our students who competed at the RAS swimming event yesterday in Wagga. Many thanks to Ms Stewart for her meticulous organisation in running the event. Results and photos to follow on our social media sites and newsletter next week.
Dylan Evans
Deputy Principal
SCHOOL FEES
Term 1 Fee Statements have been emailed with due date being Friday, 25th February 2022 (for parents who do not have a direct debit set up).
If you have not received your email please let me know.
Important information regarding direct debits:
Parents who have a direct debit will receive a statement each term. Please do not pay this statement as it is for your information only.
Calculation of direct debits: It is the annual fee, minus any credits on the account divided by the number of payments you have elected.
If you have a direct debit, you should receive a confirmation by email saying that your payment has been processed.
If you receive an email saying that your direct debit has been unsuccessful it is up to you to make sure the payment is caught up.
If you have any concerns regarding your account please feel free to contact me to discuss payment options.
Jenny Hausfeld
Finance Officer
Values Focus
WITNESSES TO CHRIST: PEOPLE FROM HIS PASSION
John tells us why he wrote his Gospel: “Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:30–31). Life! When we believe that Jesus is the Christ, God gives us life—abundant life, forgiven life, and eternal life.
Historically, the Fourth Gospel is likened to an eagle—an image that suggests John soars to heights of glory and grandeur. That’s because the evangelist paints a stunning portrait of Jesus, who is the bread of life, the resurrection and the life, and the way, the truth, and the life. Life in Jesus. That’s God’s gift to you!
This Lent, our life in Christ will be strengthened 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:
Midweek of Lent 1: Mary, the Sister of Lazarus and Martha, John 12:1–11
Midweek of Lent 2: Malchus, John 18:1–11
Midweek of Lent 3: Peter, John 18:12–27
Midweek of Lent 4: Barabbas, John 18:33–40
Midweek of Lent 5: Pontius Pilate, John 19:1–16
10 April: Palm Sunday: The Disciples, John 12:12–19
14 April: Maundy Thursday: Judas Iscariot, John 13:21–30
15 April: Good Friday: John, the Gospel Writer, John 19:25–37
17 April : Easter Sunday: Mary Magdalene, John 20:1–18
Appreciation
This week I would like to pause with you and take time to discuss appreciation. Usually, we show our appreciation when we receive something we like. For instance, if we receive a present and it’s something that’s been on our wish list for a while, we are very appreciative. But what about what about when we are receive something we do not want, how hard is it to show appreciation then? It’s not a natural thing for us to consider because we feel hard done by. Whether it’s a present at Christmas or your birthday or even everyday life when thigs are not going as we would like.
I mention this because when God freed the Israelites for Egypt, they were thankful to God at first for their freedom, but after a while that appreciation changed. It changed into worshiping a golden calf instead of God, they forgot God and no longer believed or showed appreciation. In the end they ended up spending 40 odd years in the desert because of their behaviour. Often we can be this way too, not spending 40 years in the desert, but not being appreciative of what God has given us here in this community.
Here at Lutheran School in Wagga we are blessed with staff that care about all the children at the school. A government that supplies funding to ensure our children can have education. Buses that can take people to school, so they don’t have to walk 10kms everyday just to get to school. We even have clean flowing water that we all to often take for granted. There are many things in our everyday life that we take for granted here in Australia that we just forget to appreciate what we have. Even as a pastor I forget about showing appreciation for what God has given me sometimes.
So as we watch events unfold around the world between Ukraine and Russia, the floods up north in Queensland, and COVID still causing some problems in 3rd world countries. Take time to appreciate what God has blessed you with, your community, friends, family, teachers and many other things in your life. God has blessed all of our lives in many different and simple ways, and if we as parents and leaders of this school appreciate what we have. The children will see this being modelled to them and start to show appreciation for things in their life too.
God’s peace be with you.
Pastor David Cherry
Bethlehem Lutheran Church
Curriculum Matters
COLLABORATIVE PLANNING MEETINGS
This year at our school Ms Grant, the Learning Innovation Coordinator and Mrs Hamilton, the Learning Enhancement Coordinator are meeting with classroom teachers on a rotating weekly basis. The ‘ Collaborative Planning Meetings’ are intentional and driven by contemporary learning and what works best for our students. Ms Grant focuses on the teaching and learning and Mrs Hamilton focuses on supporting students in a whole class setting. This model allows teachers to work together to provide the best outcomes for our students.
This week the focus for teaching and learning with Ms Grant has centred around teachers setting clear learning intentions and success criteria. Learning intentions are descriptions of what learners should know, understand and are able to do by the end of a learning experience or unit. Success Criteria are the measures used to determine whether, and how well, learners have met the learning intention.
Emma Grant
Learning Innovation Coordinator
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OSHC
Over the past week the children at OSHC have enjoyed a lot of time outside in our garden, building in the sand pit and playing on the equipment.
Last week the children each got a balloon and had fun running around on the oval, they also worked together to fold paper planes.
This week we have been decorating library bags, doing sand art and a making few different styles of picture frames.
Parents, we are now ready to accept your before and after school care vouchers. If you have any questions about the vouchers please feel free to call 69238124 or email us at [email protected].
The Autumn Vacation Care program is also now available.
We have some amazing activities planned including an Easter egg hunt, a visit to the Junee Licorice Factory and so much more.
Please feel free to call into OSHC to get a copy of the program or email us on [email protected]
We look forward to another wonderful week.
Rebecca Cameron
OSHC Coordinator
Other Information
Notices
Notices
