Weekly
news
Term 4, Week 6
Coming up this week
Date
Event
Thursday 17th November
Year 2 excursion to Erin Earth & Botanic Gardens
Friday 18th November
8:10am Choir (years K-6) optional
Sunday 20th November
9:30am School Choir at Bethlehem Church - 11 Athol Street
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
Simplifying and Enhancing Communication: Part 2
In the last newsletter article, we shared exciting news about an interactive calendar that is currently our Lutheran School app beta test.
This week, we announce communication enhancements that are live!
Longer-term planning through our website calendar
We know that you need to plan more than a week at a time. We also know from the parent feedback survey that you sometimes struggle to know where to look for things. There is now a single point of reference for you to look for upcoming events, locations and notes.
Events are continuously updated. They are currently in place through to the end of 2022.
Janet Moeller
Principal
Mark your calendars
Earlier this term, we sent out a “Save the Date”…We are excited to re-announce our upcoming Christmas Concert, “A Light has Come”. The story focuses on a family who help their father show grace and generosity, just as Jesus came in love for every person.
All students in Years Kindergarten through Year 5 will perform two songs. Select Year 5 and 6 students will present the story on stage. Team 6 students who are not on stage will serve as technology leaders, dance leaders and be supporting their Kindergarten buddies throughout the performance. Be at The Range at 5.30pm for a 6.00pm start. The concert will last until approximately 7.15pm.
Everyone is invited – grandparents, godparents, cousins, neighbours… We look forward to celebrating the birth of Jesus with all of you as our final whole-community event for the year. You really won’t want to miss it.
From The DEPUTY Principal
School Representative Council (SRC) News
Mufti day and Food Drive
The School Representative Council have been meeting regularly this term. The have decided our mufti day this term will be on Wednesday 7 December. The theme will be to wear something with Christmas colours, (red, green and white) and accessories if you have them.
The SRC have decided that our fundraising effort this term will be a ‘Food Drive’ with all food being donated to the Anglicare organisation. All donations will be gratefully received. Please ensure the food items donated are non-perishable and packaged and not out of date. The items will be placed under the Christmas tree in the office until collection by Anglicare. This is a great initiative to support the disadvantaged within the Wagga community.
New Student Awards system for 2023
A team of teachers and students have been looking at our Student Awards system and process. From 2023 there will be a new process. Further details will follow from our SRC representatives via a video.
Year 3 Camp
Last week I was lucky enough to be part of the Year 3 camp at Borambola. The students had a terrific time engaging in a range of activities from kayaking, BMX bike riding, team building games and of course the mud run. There were so may good outcomes for the group emotionally and socially. A special thanks to Mrs Thompson, Mrs Whatmuff and Mrs Hodgson for the time they took in planning and preparing the students for the camp. We were also grateful for the help of Mr Michael Davis, a parent helper who participated enthusiastically in all activities. Michael informs me he will be volunteering again!
Parent Volunteers
We are always looking for new parent volunteers. The swimming carnival will be taking place in Week One of Term One 2023. If you would like to help out on the day can you please complete the Valuing Safe Communities online volunteer training (see VSC iLearn enrolment notes attached to this newsletter) and then arrange a time to come in and meet with me. Once this process is completed you be an ‘active’ parent volunteer. This is valid for three years.
Kindergarten Transition for 2023
Yesterday was the last day of Kindergarten transition for our 2023 students. The new Kindergarten students spent some time meeting their Y5 buddies for next year. Exciting times for our Y5 and new Kindergarten students await! Many thanks again to Mrs Forsyth for her meticulous planning of this process.
Dylan Evans
Deputy Principal
2022 Spring Fair - Saturday 12 November 10am - 2pm
Silent Auction Report
Thank you to all the people who made the Spring Fair Silent Auction a success:
A special thank you to school families who kindly donated items for this event
Many businesses also generously supported our school, so please consider utilising these businesses:
Chim Cheroo
Complete Skin
Do Re Mi
Food I Am
Garden St Gin Club
Kooringal Hotel
Luxury Seidler Apartment, Potts Point
Magpies Nest
Mint Agency
Moorong Vet Clinic
Ninja and Jhi
Northside Pharmacy
Pastorale
Pretty Little Party Hire
Romano’s Hotel
Saltbush Stretch
Seed Food For Love
Thyme Nursery
Townhouse
Two Providores
Wagga Yezidi
Zachariah Naumann
Thanks to the year 6s who gave up their time to make announcements during the day, the parents who helped on the stall, everyone who bid at the auction, Lyn who happily managed items in and out of the office, and last but not least, a huge thank you to Harry Richards who created all the silent auction sheets and the slideshow for the day.
There are a handful of items left to be picked up from the office, so if you won one of these, can you please pick it up from the office this week.
Values Focus
The Jesse Tree is The Jesus Tree
A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots, a Branch will bear fruit.
Isaiah 11:1
Advent is fast approaching, the time before Christmas that gives us a time to reflect, pray, and worship the Christ who came, who comes today, and who will come again. Can I encourage you to just pause for a moment to consider what was the world like a little over 2000 years ago before the birth of Jesus?
People were busy doing whatever defined their lives at that moment. For some, it was struggling against hunger, fear, and desperation. Others enjoyed their wealth and ease. For yet others, it was simply dealing with the pressures of their lives. But for all, the weeks we call “Advent” were just days and nights lived in darkness.
The world really was dark if we think about it for a moment. God created the world to live in union with him. God breathed life into Adam, who was made from the dust of the earth. After forming Eve from the side of Adam, God joined the two of them together. How bright and beautiful the world must have been living in harmony with God the creator.
But darkness came. Those created and loved by God rebelled against Him, bringing a darkness that penetrated all creation. Death had entered through sin, and as the children of Adam filled the world, they took with them the darkness of that dreadful day in Eden when sin and death entered the world.
It was a world of darkness cut off from the source of all light, the Creator. Yet a light was breaking into the world. A young girl carried in her virgin womb a Son. This daughter of Eve was about to give birth to the one who would be the light of the world. The horror of humanity’s fall into sin and death would be reversed by this infant. This was the miracle of miracles: our human sister Mary became, by the power of the Holy Spirit, the mother of God, the bearer of the Saviour of the world.
No one could understand what that one little child meant, and all that would be seen by that little baby. Yet this child would forever destroy the darkness, for He brought life into death, and His light was to be the light of the world.
Every force of Satan would seek to put that light out. Herod would attempt to destroy Him by killing every male infant. Scribes and Pharisees would seek to silence Him as He spoke words of life. Failing to silence Him, they would seek to kill Him. Some 33 years after the first Christmas when Jesus was born, that same baby that laid in the manger would be brutally murdered and nailed to the cross. But this is what he came to do!
The Advent story, including the culminating Christmas story, is about a baby who had been born to die—yet not just to die but to be placed in the utter darkness of a tomb and on Easter morning to burst forth from the tomb. When the child of Mary rose from the grave, the light that began at Bethlehem shone so brightly that no one can put it out.
This Advent, we are gathering together to consider his great news story in a new light. The Jesse tree is full of symbols telling the story of Jesus from creation right through to his second coming. The story of the Old and New Testaments alike is the story of Jesus. Jesus is the seed of the Jesse tree; he is the life of Jesse’s tree. And Jesus is the first fruit from this tree!
Pastor Dave
Bethlehem Lutheran Church
Curriculum Matters
Thank you to the P&F
As a school, we are incredibly grateful for the people behind the scenes that care and contribute to our community. Last month I attended a Parents and Friends meeting and had the opportunity to listen and learn from the amazing parents who dedicate time in their busy lives to make a difference for our school.
I would like to express my gratitude to the P&F on behalf of the staff and students at Lutheran School for the generous monetary donation given in order to purchase essential educational supplies that benefit all students.
The P&F have funded; iPads and electrical items for STEM, decodable readers for K-1, Chromebooks for Year 2, construction and manipulative toys and puzzles for Kindergarten, Maths resources – which will be fabulous for supporting learning with the new 2023 K-2 Maths Syllabus and 2 quality Aboriginal texts ‘Wiradjuri Country’ by Larry Brandy and Growing up Wiradjuri by Dr Anita Heiss.
Emma Grant
Learning Innovation Coordinator
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From The Sports Desk
Todd Woodbridge Cup State Finals
On Monday 14 November our Stage 2 Tennis Team participated in the Todd Woodbridge Cup State Finals at Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre. This year, over 50 Todd Woodbridge Cup events were hosted across NSW, culminating in the State Finals event in Sydney. Our team qualified for the State Finals by winning two of these preliminary events.
In 2022, there were 24 schools represented at the State Finals. The representing schools played one another in their pool, followed by the playoffs.
Our team performed extremely well in the preliminary rounds, wining all pool games. We defeated St Marys 5 sets – 3, Kendall PS 8 sets – 0, Gunnedah South PS 8 sets – 0, St Cecilia’s PS 6 sets – 2 and Broughton AC 7 sets – 1.
As a result, we finished top of Pool B and qualified for the semi-finals. Our semi-final match was against the highest ranked team in Pool A, Kangaroo Valley PS.
We started our semi-final very well winning 3 of our boys/girl’s doubles sets. We needed to win a further 2 sets in the mixed doubles to win overall. Fortunately, our mixed teams kept their composure and won 2 of the 4 remaining sets. As a result, we defeated Kanagroo Valley PS, 5 sets – 3 and qualified for the State Final.
Our final match was against Eleebana PS in Newcastle. The State Final was played in front of approximately 200 spectators and the Tennis NSW officials.
We started the final very well, winning 2 of the 4 boys/girls doubles sets. We needed to win 3 of the 4 mixed sets to be crowned champions. Our mixed teams again kept their composure, displaying awesome teamwork, winning 3 of the 4 sets. As a result, we defeated Eleebana PS, 5 sets – 3 and were crowned State Champions.
Congratulations to our Stage 2 Tennis Team on this amazing result, the school community is super proud of you on your awesome achievements. A big thank you to our super supportive parents, the Tennis NSW Officials, and Zac Burhop for coaching and promoting tennis in our region.
Caroline Stewart
PE Teacher/Sports Coordinator
OSHC
Vacation care
The Program for the Christmas and New Year school holidays is now available and is already booked out on most days.
If you would like to use OSHC these holidays please book in ASAP. Should you miss out on a space please speak to Bec at OSHC via email [email protected] or 69238124 and we will add you to the wait list.
This week at OSHC we have been doing mindful stretching in the chapel, decorating chef hats and getting energetic with Little Champions in the chapel.
We have loved getting outside a few days this week and handball has very popular during Before school care.
Wishing you a wonderful week.
Bec Cameron
OSHC Coordinator
Other Information
Families leaving the school
Please note that one full term’s written notice is required if you are withdrawing your child from Lutheran School. We purchase learning materials based on projected enrolment numbers at least one term in advance. Hence, the enrolment contract you signed specifies that failure to provide a term’s notice will result in you being charged for the subsequent term.
Uniform Shop Orders
If you would like to purchase uniforms from the Uniform Shop, please email [email protected]
We will email you once the order is ready to be picked up from the office. Thank you.
