Dear Families and Friends,

I hope that everyone had a restful Easter break and were able to spend quality time with your loved ones. Thank you to all those who assisted in organising the Easter ceremonies throughout the Parish and making these liturgical experiences memorable and relevant to our communities.

This Easter, Pope Francis has called for all of humanity to work towards peace.  The pope said the message of the Resurrection, “offered hope in a world marked by so many acts of injustice and violence.”

At the Easter Mass, Francis urged all people not to remain paralyzed in the face of injustice, and he challenged us to “break out of our routines, reach out to others and to let God in.”

Pope Francis asked us to reflect on the following question. “Do I have a heart open to God’s surprises?" “Am I able to go quickly, or do I always hang back and excuse myself until tomorrow.”

He concluded his address saying:

“Jesus Christ is risen!

Love has triumphed over hatred, life has conquered death, light has dispelled the darkness!”

This month on SchoolTV - Physical Activity & Exercise

In the last decade, children's participation in physical activity and exercise has been in decline. In this digital age, children are using computers and mobile devices, not only for learning, but for relaxation and recreation purposes. This sedentary behaviour is having a detrimental effect on today's youth. The key is finding the balance.

Research shows, that regular physical activity and exercise leads to changes in the brain. It improves cognitive function, elevates mood, enhances learning and improves academic outcomes. Playing sport helps kids develop fundamental movement skills impacting positively on their confidence, self-esteem and ability to develop social skills. Parents play an important role in helping children establish positive habits that will benefit them in the long-term. 

In this edition of SchoolTV, parents will discover practical advice relating to the benefits of regular physical activity and exercise, as well as tips on how to get their kids motivated and moving more. We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this month's edition and we always welcome your feedback. The link to SchoolTV is available from our school’s website.

May the joy of the risen Christ be with us all as we strive to live well!

Have a great week

LEARN  SERVE  LEAD  SUCCEED  

I hope you all had a Happy Easter and a lovely weekend with your family and friends.

I trust you were able to attend the Easter ceremonies in our community.

EASTER REFLECTION… An Easter Prayer from Joan Chittister

To say "I believe in Jesus Christ . . . who rose from the dead," is to say I believe that the Resurrection goes on and on and on forever. Every time Jesus rises in our own hearts in new ways, the Resurrection happens again. Every time we see Jesus where we did not recognize him before—in the faces of the poor, in the love of the unloved, in the revelatory moments of life, Jesus rises anew. The real proof of the Resurrection lies not in the transformation of Jesus alone but in the transformation awaiting us who accept it. To say, "I believe in Jesus Christ . . . who rose from the dead," is to say something about myself at the same time. It says that I myself am ready to be transformed. Once the Christ-life rises in me, I rise to new life as well. "Christ is risen, we are risen," we sing at Easter. But it has a great deal more to do with life than with death. If I know that Jesus has been transformed, then I am transformed myself, and as a result, everything around me. Until we find ourselves with new hearts, more penetrating insights, fewer compulsions, less need for the transient, greater awareness of the spiritual pulse of life, resurrection has not really happened for us. Jesus has risen but we have not. Resurrection is change at the root of the soul. It marks a whole new way of being in life.

Prayer

Jesus, help me to understand that in every life, something good fails, something great ends, something righteous is taken unjustly away, something looms like an abandonment by God. Give me the wisdom to know that You rose from the dead as a sign to us that every one of these “little deaths” is life becoming new all over again. Be with me in living Your Resurrection over and over again.

Years 3 & 4.

Thank you, Year 3 and 4 for leading the school and our Parish Holy Thursday Mass. It was a lovely, reverent Mass with many attending.

Thank you!

Caritas Australia would like to THANK YOU for supporting Project Compassion 2018. It is time to return your Project Compassion box to the school.

Through your generosity, you are helping to empower our most vulnerable neighbours worldwide to build a just future for themselves, their families and their communities.

Dates to mark on your calendar:

06/04- Liturgy led by Kinder (12:30pm).
13/04- End of term Mass led by SRC (12pm).

Thoughts/ Questions / Reflection for the week:

Breaking Open the Word

Breaking open the word enable us to gain a deeper understanding of and education in the Scriptures. Through reading the Scriptures prayerfully and searchingly, we encounter the Living Christ who calls us to an ever-fuller experience of Him in the Sacraments and life of the Church.
Step One: Listen to the Word
As you hear this very brief reading, what words or phrases strike you? What image or feeling lingers for you?

A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Colossians.

Look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is.

Since you have been brought back to true life with Christ, you must look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is, sitting at God’s right hand. Let your thoughts be on heavenly things that are on the earth, because you have died, and now the life you have is hidden with Christ in God. But when Christ is revealed – and he is your life – you too will be revealed in all your glory with him.

The word of the Lord.

Step Two: Look into Your Life

Question for Children: What sacrifices do you make for those whom you love?

Question for Youth: Even the disciples had a hard time understanding Jesus’ Resurrection – it is that surprising. What does Resurrection mean to you? What does Easter mean to you?

Question for Adults: In what ways has God called you to die in Christ? How is this expressed in your own life?

WHAT A GREAT DAY!!

We are now in the final week of the Run 4 Fun Colour Explosion Fundraiser, which means it’s time to pick prizes.  With a current Fundraising total of just over $7,000 we are guessing there will be some pretty awesome prizing coming our way and some very excited children.

The online fundraising has now closed, however cash donations can still be added. Either by clicking on the ‘add cash amount’ within your child’s profile or by contacting Michelle or Kim.

Once all cash amounts have been updated you will notice that there is now an ‘Order Prize’ button within your child’s profile. Prizes need to be ordered by this Friday 6^th April. Alternatively, the prize order form can be filled in on the back of the sponsorship booklet and returned to the school office.

All cash donations and sponsorship booklets need to be returned to the front office by this Friday.

Any questions please contact Michelle (0409928119) or Kim (0427164167)

Thanks

Kim

Easter Raffle - Project Compassion

As part of our Lenten Season this year, the SRC ran an Easter raffle. The students raised $161 which will go to project compassion. Congratulations to Tom Scott, Hugh Ryan, Allie Sullivan and Sarah Scott on being the lucky raffle winners. 

We have our annual street stall coming up on the 12^th, 13^th and 14^th of April – the very end of the school Term. We will have a number of prizes for our raffle along with as much of your delicious cooking as you can prepare. A call for volunteers to sit on the stall and a request for hamper items from each family will be sent home tomorrow.

Last year we had enormous success with a trailer load of wood as our major prize. As the weather has turned cold this again will be a drawcard for ticket sales. If there is a family that would be prepared to donate a trailer load of wood for this event, it would be greatly appreciated. Please contact Leanne McDonnell, our street stall coordinator, to let her know on 0427 455 100 or email dandlmcdonnell@bigpond.com

We will be having Rugby Union skills for the Year 5/6 boys on Wednesday 11 April with Zac Elliott, Rugby Union Development Officer - Southern Inland. Boys will need to bring along all of their equipment for this training session. The Rugby Union Gala Day that was to be held in Tumut on Tuesday 27 March has now been cancelled and the boys will head straight to Wagga on Wednesday 9 May to compete in the McTaggart Cup.

If you could please follow this link https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Q8HL3N3 to fill in the survey for Catholic Education it would be greatly appreciated. The sports coordinator will be using the feedback from the survey for a couple of important reasons;

1. To propose an improved set up for the trials we hold. For example 2 or 3 regional trials closer to the school's locations in the most popular sports than a Canberra Goulburn trial where the 2 or 3 teams play against each other in a central location.
2. To push for the introduction of an online system where parents can pay levies, order and pay for uniforms and have access to all of the information for the trials. This will take the pressure off the office, financial officers and the school’s sports coordinators.

Week 7 of Term 1

Week 7 of Term 1

Melissa Bailey will be visiting our school on the following dates in Term 1. If you would like your child to visit Melissa you will need to fill out a permission form. Please contact the front office and a form will be sent home with your child or emailed for you to sign and return prior to the session's commencement.

Week 10: Thursday 5 April

GUNDAGAI NETBALL ASSOCIATION

CALL OUT TO ALL THE GIRLS THAT WOULD LIKE TO TRY NETBALL.

It is not too late to register!!

We are looking for the little ones that would like to play for the first time and those girls that would like to keep on playing.

Contact

Donna Scott        0458 081787

Carmel Lemon    0418 432654