Dear Parents and Carers,

The year has gone so quickly, and we are coming to the end of another term. Information regarding Parent/Teacher Interviews for those parents who have not already had a chance to catch up with their child’s teacher will be included in today’s newsletter.

 Sacred Heart Day

Tomorrow we celebrate the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus which is held 19 days after Pentecost, on the Friday after the Solemnity of Corpus Christi

When I was a young girl, one of the most popular images of Jesus was the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is the image of God’s love revealed in the pierced heart of His Son. It is the symbol of the One who loved us to the end.

The devotion to the Sacred Heart began when Jesus appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, showing her a vision of his Sacred Heart surrounded by flames of love. He said to her, "My Heart is so full of love for” humanity “that It can no longer contain the flames of Its burning love”. I must share with humanity the treasures of My Heart.

Jesus asked her to show a special devotion to the Sacred Heart and to share this practice with others. A special devotion to the Sacred Heart has been part of the Catholic tradition and remains an important part of the our faith.

I include this small prayer that you might like to share with your family on Friday or over the weekend.

 Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love. Have mercy on us.

We look forward to digitally sharing our Friday celebration. As advertised last week our Sacred Heart day outreach this year will be raising money for the St Vincent de Paul Winter appeal through pyjama day. Further details are included below.  

 Kindergarten Interviews.

I am currently doing one of my favourite jobs in my role as  Principal, conducting Kindergarten interviews for our new enrolment for 2021. I am privileged to have the opportunity to meet young human beings full of potential, creativity, imagination and joy. They tell me openly and honestly what they love to do best. They show curiosity and wonder about the world and ask questions that surprise and sometimes challenge. Some become a little shy in the new experience and so parents have an opportunity to celebrate with me the things that they admire and love about their child.

 Take care and God bless,

What Content are children watching?

The latest Insight from Parenting Ideas discusses the impact on children of watching content that is aimed at more adult audiences. It provides some useful strategies to stop the pester power.

Booking for Parent Teacher ZOOM meetings – Bookings open from 5pm today.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions we are offering parent-teacher conferences via ZOOM only. This will best manage the number of adults in the school building during Week 10, Monday 29 June to Thursday 2 July.

If parents and carers have had a significant meeting with their child’s teacher before 29 June, you may have come to a mutual decision that no further meeting is required at this time. If the teacher feels that a face-to-face chat is required, they are currently contacting parents to lock in a meeting time that suits both parties. If as a parent you need to request a face-to-face meeting, please contact your child’s teacher before making an online booking.

Due to the online format, some teachers are opening appointment slots on the Tuesday or Wednesday during the day, when they have release time.

To make a booking for a ZOOM Parent-teacher meeting:

1. Visit schoolinterviews.com.au
2. Select ‘MAKE A BOOKING’ from the top menu.
3. The code you need is tc3ck (it is case sensitive).
4. Follow the instructions to select your child’s teacher and reserve yourself a time. Enter your best contact phone number so if there are technical issues the teacher can call you.
5. Repeat for each teacher.
6. You will receive an email with your booking information. It will confirm your date and time. It will contain a link to enter the ZOOM session the teacher has created. Please save this important email and enter the time in your calendar. Reminders will not be sent.
7. The email can be forwarded to a second parent, so both parents can join the ZOOM meeting.
8. On interview day, please prepare to enter the ZOOM meeting well before your appointment time to sort out technical issues. We will have the school phone manned to help troubleshoot.
9. Click on the link, or cut and paste the link, into the ZOOM window to enter the meeting. Teachers have set it up that you will be placed in the ‘waiting room’ until your appointment time. Your microphone should be on mute.

We thank you for your flexibility with this change to practice. Please be considerate of yourself and your teacher with this new meeting procedure. If the outcome is not working, please reschedule or arrange a meeting face-to-face.

 The importance of play

During an online workshop presented by BeYou last week, as adults we were challenged to think of 1) How we play? 2) How we make time for play?

Also, a provocation popped up in my facebook feed, which I shared on the school facebook page about what the ‘new normal’ looks like for children as we resume out-of-school activities. And so, I share with you today a few thoughts from my reading about the importance of play this week.

1. Play helps children develop social skills.
2. Play helps children develop emotional skills.
3. Play is a way that children can work through and resolve problems.
4. Play helps children develop physical skills.
   

We will be opening our creative play shed next week as social distancing rules become more relaxed. This area has in the past created many opportunities for play.

As we return to or redefine our family lives after isolation, may we all remember the importance of play. To read a little more click here (https://beyou.edu.au/fact-sheets/social-and-emotional-learning/why-play-is-important)

Yours faithfully,

(And currently playing a new family game called ‘Zeus on the Loose’. Fantastic maths!)

Sacred Heart Feast Day

The Sacred Heart (also known as the Sacred Heart of Jesus) represents Jesus Christ’s actual heart as His love for all of humanity. 

On Friday, the students will participate in a variety of activities to celebrate the feast of the Sacred Heart, a symbol of love and mercy. They will reflect on the meaning through prayer and deepen their connection of mind, heart and spirit.

A focus of the day will be the symbolism of the heart and how it is often used to represent the moral, emotional and spiritual substance of a person. The heart is believed to be the core of one’s humanity and is recognised as a symbol of love, compassion, joy and charity.

Last week the students made and sent cards for every student at Sacred Heart Central School Cootamundra. They will receive cards as a gift on the feast day, with the hope it will bring happiness to know we are thinking about them.

In conjunction with the Vinnies CEO Sleepout (Thurs 18^th June), students are encouraged to wear their pyjamas tomorrow for Sacred Heart Feast Day, Friday 19^th June.  For the privilege of wearing their pyjamas students are asked, if able, to bring a gold coin donation to support St. Vincent de Paul. Just a reminder to wear appropriate footwear that will allow safe participation in school activities.

The Faith Leaders will collect donations on Friday morning.

• Our Parish and the COVID protocols from this weekend:

  

  + Weekend Mass times have reverted to normal – Saturday Vigil 6pm, Sunday 8.30am and 10am.

  + The Sunday 9am Mass is discontinued.

  + Weekday Masses have returned to normal.

  + 100 attendees will be allowed in the church, they MUST be seated as per the protocols of one person per 4 square metres (no standing allowed).

  + You DO NOT need to register at the parish office to attend, there will be an attendance sheet at each entrance of the church, please sign in. (Please be mindful of hygiene practices, there will be sanitiser available to use before/after you use the pen to sign in).

  + Sunday Obligation is STILL suspended. With 300 people being allowed at normal weekend Masses, that accommodates less than half of our regular Parishioners. 

  + Our Parish Council is requesting that people use one of the week day Masses OR consider attending a weekend Mass fortnightly to meet your wish to attend Mass.

  + There are no longer any collection bags being passed in the church. There are four collection points located at our entrances and these will accommodate TapnGo,  Planned Giving envelopes and other offerings. We need to discourage the use of coins please. Following the new archdiocesan protocols, TapnGo and loose monies will be split between 30% archdiocesan clergy support and 70% our parish support.

  I am trusting people to help us self-regulate, keep to the social distance guidelines and to ensure hygiene protocols are met. Thank you all for your support and perseverance through these troubling times. We look forward to seeing many more faces in the Parish.  God bless. Fr Richard.

• School Photos are on the 23rd July (Week One Term Three). Full school uniform is to be worn including maroon jumper.

• Canteen Recess Reminder: Counter sales for the canteen are unavailable at the moment. You can order recess from Qkr-Canteen-snacks and your child's order will be delivered to their classroom. 

• Canteen/Clothing Pool product update: 

  • Spray/wind jacket (navy) $25
  • Gloves (navy) $5
  • Healthy snack: carrot/cucumber strips with hommus

• Snap Chat: Please see the document below that has some important and valuable information for parents in regards to the use of Snap Chat

• Holiday Happenings:  
  
  The Holiday Happenings Winter Edition is now available online.
  To see the Programs, Activities & Events happening these holidays go to:
  www.holidayhappenings.com.au/online-booklet

School Community Connection

Sacred Heart family and friends are welcome to join in the celebrations of Sacred Heart Feast Day by planting a red or white flower/shrub or taking a photo of an existing plant in your garden.

Another idea for our families is painting kindness rocks to place around your house or garden.

 We would love to see how families are joining the school in celebrating Sacred Heart Feast Day and create a community collage. Please send any photos to office.shps@cg.catholic.edu.au

Congratulations to the following students celebrating their Birthday 

Asha K. Keneth SV, Anna D.