Twenty-Third Ordinary Sunday 10 September 2023

 Words and Actions

 Jesus tells his disciples if someone close to you sins against you, go to that person one-on-one and try to set things straight. If the person will not listen, bring someone else with you and confront the person. Do not allow them to hurt you again. 

As a church and as a family, we are responsible for each other’s welfare. Loving my sister or brother as myself, the way Jesus commands, means being concerned not only for their physical welfare, but also their spiritual welfare. This is especially true in families.

 As parents, we have been told that our children’s faith formation is our responsibility. We help them grow in their faith by sharing what we believe about God and our church through our words and actions. Clearly, we have not only the right, but also the responsibility, to talk to our children and take action when they are doing something wrong. Parents should also be aware that children are often capable of giving them the same guidance. Sometimes a child’s words or actions offer a subtle insight into our own actions or lack of action. Without even meaning to, children can give us clear signals about how we are doing as their primary role model. 

A young person acting out can sometimes be a clear warning sign that we are not spending enough time with them, or we are over indulging them. Sometimes it’s their words that hit the mark. “Why doesn’t daddy go to church?” or “How come we have so much, and other people have so little?” 

For centuries, the Christian family has been called the domestic church. What holds true for congregational churches also holds true for the church that gathers around the kitchen table. “For where two or three gather in my name, I am there among them (v. 20). We need to listen to our children’s actions and words and remember that sometimes Jesus can speak very clearly through the words of a child. 

Dear Families,

I hope this message finds you well. As we wrap up a truly exceptional Term 3, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to all of you for your incredible support and dedication to our school community. Together, we've achieved remarkable successes, and I'm excited to share some highlights and important information with you.

Farthers Day:

Thank you to all the families that helped make Fathers Day Breakfast a success. I was unable to attend this event as I was on Long Service Leave, but from the feedback I know it was well attended. Thank you to the parents for supporting the Fathers Day stall and those that helped serve food on this morning. Without your support we could not run events such as these. 

Celebrating Student Achievements:

I am delighted to congratulate three of our outstanding students, Yvette H and Tiffany C from year 5 and Lachlan P from year 6 who represented our school with pride in the Divisional Regional Sports events. Each of them demonstrating remarkable skill and determination and we are thrilled to announce that they have progressed to the next stage. We wish them the best of luck in their upcoming competitions.

Concert Summary and Gratitude:

Our recent school concert was a resounding success! It showcased the immense talent and dedication of our students and staff. I want to express my heartfelt thanks to all the students who performed, the teachers and staff who worked tirelessly behind the scenes, and the parents who supported and cheered for our young stars. Your enthusiasm and commitment made the evening truly memorable. A special thank you to Sonia Mazzei for coordinating such a wonderful event. 

I would also like to acknowledge the following sponsors who made both nights possible:

Signarama in Heidelberg 

Mackintosh Floor Sanding

Moomba Park Newsagency

Astwood Netball

Creamy Dreamy Bakes

Coburg Podiatry 

Capital for castles 

Italian automotive spares

Footy Colours Day Fundraiser:

I'm thrilled to share that our recent Footy Colours Day on Tuesday was a hit! Thanks to your generous contributions, we were able to raise an impressive total of $295.20 to support Challenge. For over 30 years Challenge has supported families living with Cancer by delivering practical, personalised services to ensure that children and families are well supported. If you haven't had a chance to donate yet, it's not too late. You can still contribute via CDFPay, and every donation counts towards making a positive impact.

Early School Finish this Friday:

A reminder that this Friday school will conclude at 12:00 pm. Students should be dressed in their usual school uniform.

Sun Smart Policy:

With the arrival of spring, it's important to follow our Sun Smart policy. Please ensure that your child has their school hat for outdoor play. Remember that the school is not permitted to apply sunscreen, so make sure it's applied at home.

Asthma and Allergies Reminder:

As we enter the high pollen season, please ensure that your child's asthma plan and medication are up to date. This includes antihistamines and Ventolin for those who require them.

Magpie Swooping Season Awareness:

We're now in the magpie swooping season, which typically lasts from July through December. Please be vigilant and cautious while around magpie territories to ensure everyone's safety.

Maternity Leave Farewells and Staff Updates:

This week, we bid a fond farewell to Belinda Finocchiaro and Vanessa Cutajar, who are embarking on their maternity leave journeys. Belinda will be temporarily replaced by Illona Kennedy, and Vanessa by Emma Kelly. We wish them all the best during this special time in their lives.

As we approach the break, I want to wish you all a restful and enjoyable time with your families. School will resume on Monday, 2nd October, and we can't wait to welcome our students back for the last term of the year.

Thank you once again for your unwavering support and dedication to our community. Together, we continue to make our school a place of excellence and opportunity.

Warm regards,
David Hurn
Principal 

Click this link to subscribe directly to our STM Public Events Google Calendar

• Friday 15th - End of Term 3 - 12.00pm finish: normal school uniform wear: canteen closed

• Saturday 30th -  School accounts to be finalised/paid by this date

OCTOBER

• Monday 2nd - 1st day back in Term 4 2023

**'Public Events' are listed on our website under 'News and Events', the link being; https://www.stmhadfield.catholic.edu.au/news-events

On the bottom right hand side there is a blue box with a + symbol. If you have a google account, you can link the 'Public Events' calendar to your own personal Google calendar and keep up to date with the most current events and times.

Please don't hesitate to contact the office if you have any questions.

Author's Corner 

Zero’s Perspective

Everyone thought I was stupid, I just stood there. “From now on, there will be no more reading lessons,” the Warden looked at Stanley, “and no more digging other peoples’ holes.”  She looked at me. Stanley and I agreed. “Digging holes is good for you. You ALL need to be digging your own holes everyday” the Warden instructed. I nodded.

“Wait,” Stanley said, “why can’t I dig my own hole and teach Zero to read?” 

“Because it leaves Zero in trouble, he almost killed ZigZag.” Mr Pedanski replied, “It makes him stressed. That's what makes his blood boil, not the hot sun.” 

“I’m not digging another hole!” I said.  Mr Pedanski handed me a shovel and said “DIG.” I held the shovel and thought for a moment, then I raised my arm and hit Mr Pedanski in the head with the top of the shovel. He fell to the ground and I saw my chance. I ran and didn’t stop. I turned to look, and I couldn’t see Camp Green Lake anymore. I had escaped.

By Allegra (Year 6)

The Warden’s Perspective

Mr Pendanski had called me outside to tell me that someone had found something. He had told me that X-Ray could have found something interesting, something that I would like. As I walked past all the dirt piles and towards the holes that the boys in D tent were digging, I saw that X-Ray had found something that looked shiny and rare. Inside of X-Ray’s dirty, dry, bleeding palms, I saw a shiny gold looking tube with a smallish K and B engraved on the side. I noticed that all the other boys had stopped digging and had dropped their shovels to have a look at what was going on. 

“Is this where you found it X-Ray?” I said in a soft tone to him. 

“Yes.” X-Ray replied. 

“Your hard work will be rewarded, you will get a fresh set of clothes, a warm shower and the rest of the day off.” I mumbled. Everyone stared at us, no one said anything. X-Ray packed up his things, got in the pickup truck and left.

By Mia (Year 6)

Julie Hanna,
Literacy Leader

I am being bullied, what can I do?
1. Stay calm
2. Report it - tell trustworthy adults and keep talking to them until the bullying stops; reporting it helps keep people safe (and isn't the same as 'dobbing’)
3. Get support - bullying can affect your mental health and self-worth - having the support of family, friends, teachers and/or professionals can make a big difference

It would be great to discuss this further with your child at home.

With thanks,
Mel Horan