Dear Parents

As part of our preparation for Easter, all classes participated in a journey through the Stations of the Cross. The 13 Stations were laid out around the Church and the Primary play area culminating with a reflection on the Resurrection and appearance to the disciples. we hope you will enjoy reflecting on the beautiful photos of the 'Stations' in this newsletter.

I hope you are looking forward to some quality time with your children over the Easter period. Our children do need to be reminded of the reason for the season. The Death and Resurrection of Jesus established your place and mine in heaven, for our part, all we need do is choose to accept. For the younger ones it is important they understand that the Easter Bunny exists only as a vehicle to celebrate the sacrifice and victory of Jesus.

“The Lord has indeed risen and has appeared to Simon.” Then they told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognised him at the breaking of the bread. Lk 24 Vs 34.

CANTEEN MANAGERS POSITION:

The McAuley Canteen Manager's position has been advertised. Please go to the Catholic Education website (employment) for full details. The link is provided below. 

In closing I wish everyone a happy and holy Easter and safe travels.

All K-10 classes resume on Tuesday 30^th April.  

HOLY WEEK
This Sunday is Palm Sunday which marks the beginning of Holy Week. Holy Week is a very sacred time of the year, for it is during this week that we will commemorate and remember the last week of Jesus' life on this earth. The greatest focus of the week is the suffering and Resurrection of Jesus Christ and the events that led up to it.

Throughout the world, faithful communities will gather this weekend, to remember the significance of Jesus’ decision to return to Jerusalem. This was for Jesus, a deliberate choice to enter the Holy City, knowing that this would mark the beginning of His suffering, passion and ultimate death. Jesus surrenders with confidence to God’s never-failing love. In the life and death of Jesus we see the way God honoured and reverenced the trust and surrender of Jesus. God journeyed with him, strengthening, affirming, guiding and living in him. So, as we begin our journey through Holy Week let us be aware of the trust and surrender of Jesus into God’s unconditional love, and how that faith and reliance was met with such constant love as to give hope and bring about what was considered impossible. Let us remember also, that the story of Jesus does not end with the resurrection, rather it continues in our lives and is seen and felt when we make love present and possible, when we trust in the unconditional love of God and shape our lives in that hope.

Let us pray - 

God of infinite love,                                                                                       

May we by our faithful remembrance of Jesus’ passion,                                         Be drawn ever more deeply into the mystery of your generous love. We make this prayer through Jesus your Son, who reigns as our eternal King. Amen

Each year the McAuley community gather to remember the events in Holy Week. This year we commemorated this special week through a symbolic journey of the Stations of the Cross. 

 A Lenten Prayer

By Mother Theresa

It Is Between You And God

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and

self-centered. Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish,

ulterior motives.

Be kind anyway. If you are successful, you will win

some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.

Succeed anyway. If you are honest and sincere people

may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy

overnight. Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.

Be happy anyway. The good you do today, will often

be forgotten. Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.

Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It

was never between you and them anyway.

Amen

PASCAL CANDLE

At the Easter Vigil Mass, the Pascal candle is blessed and lit for the first time. It will be used throughout the Easter season and at baptisms until next Easter when a new candle is blessed. The Pascal candle has the symbols of Jesus on it: a cross, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, alpha and omega, symbolising that Christ is our beginning and end, and the current year showing Christ is Lord of our time. Five grains of incense in the form of a cross are inserted as symbols of the five wounds of Christ.

The Easter Triduum 

The Easter Triduum refers to three days in the Church’s calendar which expresses the central mystery of our Christian faith.

It begins on Holy Thursday as we focus on Jesus’ farewell words and deeds at the Last Supper. Good Friday is when we ponder the events of his suffering and death. It finishes with the Easter Vigil when we celebrate the liberation of humankind through Christ’s resurrection. This three –stage sequence of worship allows to take in an enormous mystery in small parts and relate it to our own lives-the sorrows, joys, successes and failures.

The Easter Triduum is considered the highlight of the Church’s Year.

In our Tumut Parish the ceremony times are:

• Holy Thursday 7pm
• Good Friday 3pm
• Saturday Easter Vigil 7pm

The Way to Mercy

The Way of Mercy is four simple steps to heal a relationship based on the principals of restorative justice. When we say or do things that we shouldn’t hurt someone or break the trust of another, it’s important to take ownership of our actions, or inactions, apologise for it and rebuild the relationship.

Making an Apology

Step 1… Sorrow: I am sorry for

Step 2... Empathy: It was wrong because…

Step 3… Promise: in the future I will…

Step 4… Mercy: Please forgive me.

We offer our deepest sympathy to the Mr Joe Fava and his family at the loss of his mother. We ask that you keep Mr and Mrs Fava and their family in your thoughts and prayers during this sad time.

PRAYER
Dear Lord,
May we find comfort in knowing that when God calls His children home, He leads them along a shining path into a place of love, light and peace … into everlasting joy of eternal life with Him.

‘May God hold him in the palm of His hand’

Students and staff gathered together today to commemorate Anzac Day; a day when Australians and New Zealanders give thanks for their free and peaceful country. We also remember all who have served our nation in times of conflict. This year we celebrate the contribution of woman serving in the armed forces especially those who served in World Wars.

Each year we commemorate ANZAC Day to remember those who fell during conflict in all wars Australians have been involved.  

We remember those who suffered as prisoners of war, and those who were killed in action. Our service men and women have left us a splendid heritage. May we and our successors prove worthy of their sacrifice.

It is an important day for us to stop and pray for peace – peace in our world, peace among people in our own country, peace in our families, and peace in our own hearts.

We know that war brings sadness, grief and death. We also pray for those in our world who are affected by war.

Almighty God, our Heavenly Father,

We remember with thanksgiving those who made the supreme sacrifice for us in time of war.

We pray that the offering of their lives may not have been in vain.

May your grace enable us this day to dedicate ourselves to the cause of justice, freedom and peace; and give us the wisdom and strength to build a better world, for the honour and glory of your name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

We celebrate the achievement of student's achievement this Thursday at 2pm in the School Hall. We hope many parents, grandparents and friends are able to come along to share in their success. 

Don't forget our EASTER CHOCOLATE BASKET RAFFLE will be drawn at the conclusion of the Assembly. Good luck everyone. 

This week we 'throw back' a few years to previous Awards Assemblies .....  Oh how you have all grown!

Congratulations to secondary boys Hamish Plum and Callum Keenan who, as this newsletter is in production, are representing their school and Archdiocese at NSW CCC in Nelson Bay. What a wonderful opportunity for the boys to represent at this prestigious level. Best of luck to you both. 

Congratulations to the team of 40 students who have qualified to represent at the Western Region Cross Country Carnival - this year in Harden. Please note this carnival is the FIRST FRIDAY of term 2 - Friday 3rd May. 

The team will travel by Goodes Coaches departing at 8am and returning at approx 3pm.

Please refer to the details attached. Full payment of $27 along with permission notes, are due by Tuesday 30th April.

Lucky Kinder & Year one students will enjoy an educational excursion to the Wagga Civic Theatre to view the live-show POSSUM MAGIC. This excursion will take place on Thursday 2nd May (week one, term two) and will cost $21-00 per student.

Please ensure your permission note and money is returned by first day back in term one - 30th April.

Thank you everyone. 

 

Kindergarten students have been doing a variety of activities looking at the properties of shapes.

They have had lots of fun creating shapes with tangrams.

The tangram is a puzzle consisting of seven flat shapes, called tans, which are put together to form shapes. The objective of the puzzle is to form a specific shape using all seven pieces, which can not overlap.

We hope you enjoy our photos. 

This term in Geography, Year 5/6 have been looking at 'Factors that Shape Places'. They have really enjoyed making their models and architects drawings for their GRASP Task, which involved researching homes around the world, and how they are built with their unique environment in mind.

Here are some lovely examples of their handiwork.

Our Library has a wonderful upcoming BOOK FAIR which will be held in the second week back of Term 2.  

Parents and students can 'Catch the Reading Wave' into the McAuley School Library from Tuesday May 7th to Wednesday 15th May.

Shopping is available mornings 8:30-9:00am and then after school from 3:30-4pm.

On Thursday May 9th from 9-10am, the Book Fair will be open for a secret sale for our parents to shop student free, which is the perfect opportunity to stock up on gifts without the children knowing. In library lessons leading up to the Fair students will be able to make wish lists of the books they love to assist in the choosing process. Books can be purchased using cash or by card via the eftpos machine.

The Book Fair is a fantastic way to help the library replenish book supplies, with the school earning a commission on each book sold. Last year the Library used the money to purchase information texts from the fair, which the students have loved.

During the week following the fair McAuley will be again participating in the National Simultaneous Storytiime, reading Matt Cosgrove's hilarious book Alpacas with Maracas on May 22 at the same time as thousands of children around the country.

Year 1's Lachlan O'Brien is pictured participating in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths)  Lego week in the Library. A great invention Lachlan!

We will be holding our ever popular Mother's Day Stall on our Primary Campus on Friday 10th May. Thanks to Narissa and Alicia who have kindly offered to coordinate the stall. We will need parents to wrap the gifts prior to the stall and then parents to help on the day. Thanks everyone for your support. 

Recycling News

As you all know, McAuley collects the 10cent drink bottles that your children bring from home or buy at the tuck-shop here at school. So far we have raised $285.00 which is great 'free money'. That's 2850 containers! 

Ms Gray is asking for help to continue this venture. All it means is a family collecting one or two small garbage bags from 3-4 G classroom (room 2) on a Friday afternoon and take them to Woolworths 'Return and Earn' facility.

If you can help please contact school and Ms Gray will pop you on a roster and inform you of your week for collection. Thanks so much for supporting our children.

Some great photos from the recent Yr 3-6 Netball Gala Day.

Students enjoyed their day - with quite a few surprised at just how much they enjoyed the game of netball! Well done everyone :) 

Well done to the McAuley "Rubies" who have progressed to the next round of competition. 

The Festival Parade will take place on Saturday 27th April - THE LAST SATURDAY OF THE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS. 

Everyone is invited to participate so please come along dressed to match a theme of autumn - yellow, red, brown or maybe let your imagination run wild!

Anyone interested is asked to meet outside the Tumut Town Library at 1:30pm before the Parade, for a 2pm start. All students will remain with teachers until parents come to collect them from the old RTA building carpark in Fitzroy Street - approximately 2:30pm.

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORT YOUR SCHOOL AND YOUR COMMUNITY! 

GIRLS IN ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM - for any interested Year 7-10 student who may wish to explore a career in engineering or technology. Free course at ANU Canberra. more details form cecs@anu.edu.au or phone 61257429. Own transport is required. Friday June 15th. RSVP for catering purposes. 

TUMUT MINOR LEAGUE: Invites all players to register for the 2019 season. $75 per person. Registration Link on Tumut Minor League Website. Or contact Jayson 0427 509 757. Tumut Minor League is registered for the 'Active Kids Program' - click on the link below.

TUMUT AusKick CENTRE (AFL Junior Footy): Registrations NOW OPEN! Register your child now for the 2019 season. Please contact Dwayne Murray dmurray@amurray.com.au or ring 0421000401. Registered for the 'Active Kids Program' - click on the link below. 

SCHOOL HOLIDAY TENNIS CLINIC: Monday 15th to Thursday 18th April. Tumut Tennis Courts. Limited numbers. 10:30am to 12noon. Bookings essential. Bernadette Cahill 69474968 or email birdietennis@bigpond.com

NETBALL NSW - SCHOOL HOLIDAY CLINIC. 26th April at Netball Courts. Ages 5 through to 10. Register via https://www.trybooking.com/BBIPV 

Tumut Day VIEW Club (a valued part of 'The Smith Family') offering support and friendship, skills development, enriching experiences, and give the satisfaction of making a difference in your community. If you would like to join this great club or maybe find out more, call 1800805366 or visit www.thesmithfamily.com.au/view 

TUMUT EASTER MARKETS. Good Friday and Easter Saturday. Boys Club Hall - 9am to 4pm both days. Free entry. Great bargains. BBQ, tea and coffee. Bookings and more info from 02 42322337.

TUMUT TAFE PLAYGROUP: Playgroup sessions for local families. Students studying Certificate 3 in Early Childhood will be delivering the sessions. Next session if 10th April. $3-00 per child. 10am to 12noon. Please bring water bottle, hat and morning tea. Tea and coffee available for parents. Contact Kim Pollack 69814831 for more details. 

Children’s Mosaic Classes. Monday and Wednesday afternoons at 3:30pm to 5:00pm. Cost involved. More info from kerriebellette@live.com.au or 0407265828

Pilates Mat Class with Jaime. Do you need to increase your core stability? Correct muscle imbalances? Improve your posture. 45 minute classes on Saturday 8am @ The Gym. Tuesday 5:15pm @ St Mary's Hall. $15-00. Bookings essential via Facebook. Or call 0420309301

Piano/Keyboard Lessons: Individual lessons available, during school hours at McAuley. Ages 6 years and up. Ring Vanessa Hall for more details on 0448609479.