Today is Shrove Tuesday, so it is fitting that we take time to give thanks for the traditions we celebrate. It marks the beginning of Lent when we start our preparation for Easter.  We pray that we use this time to get ready for the most important Christian event of the year – the death of Jesus and His rising from the dead, and may we always remember the importance of this time.

We marked today with our first community breakfast of pancakes and toppings. It was lovely to see so many families join us from 8am on such a beautiful summer morning. We will have one community breakfast each term so that they become a significant and important feature on our calendar. 

Tomorrow begins the Lenten period and we celebrate it with Ash Wednesday Mass at 10am. This is to be followed by Rice Day, where we try to restrict ourselves to eating only one bowl of rice for the day and share the experience that many children around the world live every day.

Taking pride of place in our front office is an outstanding piece of artwork by an ex-colleague and valued staff member, the late Tina Holihan.  Tina completed this contemplative painting during her latter months of treatment when she reflected on her faith and the guidance of our Mother Mary. We thank Marianne McInerney for the generous donation to our school history and community. It is well worth a closer look to recognise the talent, faith and hope of Mrs Holihan.

Over the past months  Catholic Education has conducted and safety Risk review where our posts and connections have been assessed providing us  with a comprehensive knowledge of the current level of social media exposure, about information controlled and generated by the school and originating from others.  We strive to present a positive, harmonious image on social media that focuses on the wellbeing of students and staff across social media. They made many recommendation to be considered and implemented as a foundation to continue developing a positive social media presence.  Issues of privacy and reputation management are areas of concern. This also supports our insistence that students are not taking and posting photos and content of school. Over the coming weeks Leadership will be involved in education around device usage, privacy and settings. Stay tuned for parent information as well because it is of paramount importance that parents are aware and informed about risks and what their child is doing on social media at all times. This is doubly important for students and their messenger groups. Many of our students are online late at night, talking to people they do not know and are unaware of the risks that these habits pose.

Next Thursday 5^th March and Tuesday 10^th March Primary staff will host the parent/teacher/student conversations for the early weeks of 2020. This is an important opportunity to meet ‘up close and personal’ with the Primary staff to identify how the year has started for each child and to be informed about where their child currently is and where they plan to take them in the coming weeks of the year. Keep an eye out for session times and bookings and don’t miss out on an invaluable forum to support your child.

Don’t forget the important Community Working bee on 21 March at 10am. This is in anticipation of lots of parent helpers to get our school yards and gardens ready for registration at the end of March. There are so many jobs that we can do around the school, with the help of parents, that will make the school experience for our students even better. We will be shovelling soft fall for the climbing equipment, manicuring garden beds and mulching new plantings, pressure washing eating areas and the outside of buildings to remove caked on dust and dirt, small repair jobs and some general maintenance. We would so love to see as many parents as possible spare a few hours to help us tidy up the school grounds and buildings. We will provide a BBQ lunch and refreshments for the helpers.

This week, like every other week, we strive to ‘Learn, Lead and Live ‘  in all we do at school, to give our very best to rise by lifting others.

Remember if you have to choose between being exceptional or kind, be exceptionally kind!

God bless

Mrs Nicky Trinder

Principal

Rice Day Lunch: Newsletter Weeks 5

Ash Wednesday at Lunch Time (Week 5) we will be holding our annual Rice Day lunch. This lunch serves a twofold purpose. Ash Wednesday is traditionally a day of penance where we do an act of self-denial and offer this up to God. We are asking our students to forgo their usual lunch and buy a bowl of rice. The money from this day is given to the Mercy Works Foundation who support the needs of children in some of the poorest parts of our world. The lunch also provides the students with a sense of walking in the shoes of a child from a developing country who only gets one bowl of rice to eat for a day. This exercise in empathy also allows our students to recognise how blessed we are to have what we do – plenty of food, an education, freedom and safety. In 2017 Sr Frances Fitzpatrick and Sr Angela Jordan came and spoke to the students about what Mercy Works does around the world. They spoke about how through “Ordinary Means, Extraordinary Results” can happen. That even our small donations can make a difference.

Please support our Rice Day – a bowl of rice for $2. The Canteen will be open for drinks only at lunch time. No lunch orders will be processed to support the Rice Day. If your child is unable to eat rice please notify his/her teacher in writing. If your child has particular nutritional needs, please follow their usual program. For our younger students – parents can use their discretion for their food intake.

Passion_Play_permission_letter.pdf 

Australian_Geography_Competition.pdf

Project_Compassion_2020.pdf

Stage 2 Heritage Centre Excursion 

Yesterday, Stage 2 visited the Heritage Centre as part of their History unit. They enjoyed discovering Cootamundra's history and thinking about how much things have changed overtime. They discovered an old school projector and were fascinated that Mrs Litchfield used this when she was at school, rather than writing with an Apple Pen on the iPad! Thank you to the staff at the Heritage Centre for having us and sharing many stories and the town's history!

Primary Sport

This Thursday is the Primary Biathlon! Students will begin swimming at the Cootamundra Pool, followed by running around the old dog track at Fisher Park. Parents are more than welcome to come and support their child/ren! Races will begin at 1:30.

Students are to come to school with their swimming gear (including a rash top and $2.50 entry money). Please ensure that students have a hat! 

Week 6 (Thursday 5/3) will be the final week of swimming for Primary Sport. 

Archdiocesan swimmers competing in Narooma on March 2nd, please ensure that you have returned your consent form to Mrs Litchfield. Parents are to nominate and pay the levy online using the https://csnsw.sport/ website. 

Congratulations to Zara Bodycott who trialled last Thursday for the C&G Soccer Team in Canberra. She will now play as a C&G team member, trialling for the Mackillop Team. Good luck Zara!

Secondary Sport

A note went home on the first day, outlining the dates booked for likely PE and Sport sessions at the pool. As with the nature of schools, these dates may need to change. Students will be notified of these changes via their ‘PDHPE’ and ‘Sport at SHC’ google classrooms and on their respective google calendars. Please read the note carefully. 

A note went home in week 1 for any students seeking more information regarding the representative sport pathways on offer this year. Please see Mrs Gale for more information. 

Archdiocesan Swimming

Good luck to the students who will represent Sacred Heart at the Secondary Archdiocesan carnival this Tuesday in Goulburn.

Declan Brown, Charlotte Campbell, Isobel Cram, Mackenzie Gale, Sarah Harris, Caleb Jones, Evie Leahy, Ryan Peacey, Bridget Sharman, Emily Annetts, Georgia Harris, Brock Holder, Toby Lawson, Xanthe Tozer, Matilda Coggan, Sam Gash, Jed Guthrie, Alexandria Oliver, Abbey Gammon, Harvey Holt.

Full report in next week's newsletter.

Secondary Triathlon - Now a Biathlon

Due to track damage and repairs at Fisher Park, Secondary will be having a biathlon this year (swim and run). A note will go home soon regarding the event that is being held Friday 6th March (Week 6) during normal sport time. Students are required to wear their normal sport uniform and runners, as well as bring their swimming gear (including $2.50 pool entry money). 

2020 Soccer Registration

Welcome to season 2020!! Our club registrations are now open & ready to go!! Simply click on the link below & it will take you directly to our club's PlayFootball portal. Once there click on the tab "Get Started" & follow the prompts.

As in 2019 if you would like to use & redeem an Active Kids Voucher please obtain your voucher prior to starting your PlayFootball online registration.

Play football registration link for Coota junior soccer

https://registration.playfootball.com.au/…/welcomeregplus.a…

Office of Sport Active Kids Voucher Apply Online

https://bit.ly/2DKbAMs

If you need more information or assistance please contact the Club Registrar or visit playfootball.com.au, email playfootball.support@ffa.com.au or call PlayFootball Helpline on 8880 7983.

Registrations close 5th April 2020

Regards

Tamara Fallon 

Secretary

Cootamundra Junior Soccer

cjssecretary@gmail.com

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