2024 Term 1 Week 2
From the Principal - Term 1, Week 2
Welcome to the 2024 School Year!
It has been wonderful to see how excited the students have been to come to school each day, not only to see their friends, but to engage in the learning. I thank all the families for the work they have done in preparing their children for school over the holidays as it has greatly assisted in this smooth transition. Thank you also to the staff who have been busy over the past couple of weeks preparing for students return. From what I have seen over the past couple of days, I am really excited about what the year holds for our school community.
Last Thursday we welcomed 76 Foundation students and their families into the school community. It was an exciting morning filled with smiles (the students) and tears (the parents). This is a very special moment in the lives of our students and their families and one that will be remembered for a long time to come. We also welcomed 7 new students throughout the school. Thank you to all our families for choosing Trinity and placing your trust in the school. We look forward to working in partnership with you.
This year our enrolment numbers have grown from 502 at the start of 2023 to 515. This is a real testament to everyone in our school community for the role they play in making it a great place to work, learn and grow. Thank you for making Trinity the great place it is.
Shrove Tuesday – Tuesday 13 February
Next Tuesday we will celebrate Shrove Tuesday with a special morning tea of pancakes. The Catholic tradition of Shrove Tuesday is where families eat up all the rich foods left in their pantries. One way they use up the eggs, milk and fats in the house is to add flour to make special pancakes! It is the day before Ash Wednesday, which is the commencement date of Lent, when we try to live a simpler life and follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Last Friday your child would have brought home a pink permission form. These forms must be returned for your child to receive a pancake. If you are able to help out on the day, your support will be greatly appreciated.
Ash Wednesday – Mass at 9am
Next Wednesday we will celebrate Ash Wednesday with a Mass at 9am in the school hall. Families are warmly welcome to attend.
Parent Helper Online Workshop
At Trinity we value parent participation and support at special events and on excursions. For parents to volunteer it is a requirement that a Working with Children’s Check is valid and that the Trinity Parent Volunteer Induction is completed. This involves watching an online video that can be located on PAM under Parent Links. Once completed, please bring in your WWCC to the office and sign our Code of Conduct (if not already done).
PAM
Please ensure your child’s PAM profile is up to date. If you have made any changes, especially contact or medical details, can you please also let the office staff know so they can update their records.
Medication
Any student requiring medication at school for allergies, asthma or anaphylaxis must have a current action plan that has been signed off from the doctor. Please ensure these are updated and the plan and medication are handed in to the office on the first day. If your child requires medication for a medical condition, please collect and complete the medication distribution form from the school office. All medication must be handed into the office by an adult. Please DO NOT send any medication to school in your child’s school bag.
Assemblies
School assemblies will be held fortnightly on a Thursday afternoon at 2.30pm in the school hall. The first assembly for the year will be on Thursday 15th February. At this assembly, the Year 6 School Leaders will be announced.
School Photos
This year our photos will be taken by a new company, Leading Image School Photography. Online orders can now be made from now at www.leadingimage.com.au using the Access Key: TBYX9SU7. Please note, paper order forms will not be sent home as we have done in the past. Family photos must be ordered by 4.30pm on Tuesday 5th March. The office staff will send out another communication regarding photos in the coming weeks to remind families.
School Colour Run – Tuesday 27th February
Last year we held our first colour run and not only was it an amazing community event, but it also raised over $5000 for our new playground. This year we have teamed up with the Australian Fundraising Association who will facilitate the day providing everything we need and assisting us in reaching our fundraising goal of $5000 or more. This is the same company that organised our cookie dough drive last year. The company will provide all the colour powder, glasses and head bands for the students. Instead of the school asking every child to pay $7 (as done in 2023) to participate, families will be encouraged to sponsor their child to do the event (any monetary amount) and invite extended family members and friends to do the same should they wish too. Last week your child received a brochure from the Australian Fundraising Association detailing all this information and how their child can sign up. We can’t wait for this day as it was such a hit last year!! The official starting time on the day is still to be confirmed. Estimated time is around 1.30pm.
School Carnival – Sunday 17th March
Preparations for our exciting School Carnival are well under way so please save the date. This will be our major fundraiser for the year and we are hoping to raise enough money to finally redevelop our school grounds (after last year’s fundraising, we are about halfway to reaching our goal for a new playground). We are also looking for donations of goods and services for the school carnival. These can include vouchers, merchandise, services etc. In return we will promote your business for the term and on the day of the carnival. We are also looking for small prize donations for our carnival games, e.g. lollies, chocolates, small novelty toys etc. If anyone has a contact who could possibly donate some of these items or sell them cheaply, it would be greatly appreciated. Any support would be fantastic!!
The next carnival meeting is TOMORROW at 8.45am. All parents are welcome to attend.
2025 Foundation (Prep) Enrolments
We have now begun the process of enrolling 2025 Foundation students. If you have a child coming in 2025, or know of someone else who does, please contact the office for further details. Enrolment forms can be downloaded from the Trinity School Website.
Important Dates
Tuesday 13th February Shrove Tuesday
Wednesday 14th February Ash Wednesday Mass @ 9am
Tuesday 27th February Colour Run
Wednesday 28th and Thursday 29th February Family Learning Conversations
(more details to come shortly)
Kind regards
Kathryn Pepper
Literacy in Foundation to 2
Little Learners Love Literacy
Little Learners is an evidence-based, structured approach to teaching children to read. This method helps children to learn the relationships between the sounds (phonemes) of spoken language and the letter symbols (graphemes) of the written language. This is a sequential, explicit teaching program backed by research. The philosophy behind LLLL, is that all children can be successful readers, writers and spellers. What they need are the right tools, explicit teaching, plenty of practice and family support.
In the early years of learning how to read, the best thing you can do with your child at home is read to them. For enjoyment! We all know how important bedtime stories are, but let us reassure you that reading a range of books to your child is a valuable activity at any time of day. While children develop their own word reading skills, it is vital they hear books read to them for vocabulary and comprehension development. Ask questions- “What happened next?” or “What was your favourite part?”.
Religious Education - Term 1, Week 2
Dear Families,
Welcome back! Our students have been using our 'Learning to Learn' unit to explore Trinity's Catholic Identity through icons, traditions and reverent spaces. It has been wonderful to see our students learning about mass and creating prayer spaces in their classrooms. Our prayer mats are a great way of developing connection to prayer and reflecting on scripture. Watch this space!
Meet Fr Michael
Dear School Community,
It’s good to be back. Not because it’s the start of the school year, but because I was a parishioner here for 10 years from 1989. Our family home was in Roy Close, Narre Warren North (next to Mary MacKillop Primary). My father and mother are Bernie and Connie and I am 57, the fifth of six children. You can see who my football team is from the photo with Fr Brendan. It’s a selfie taken at the elimination final last season. Carlton won by 6 points. We’re still friends and enjoy the occasional game of golf together as well as going to the footy.
I have felt warmly welcomed by everyone in the three weeks so far, especially our hard working staff in the Parish Office. Fr Ajin ensured that my start here was smooth and he has been very patient and generous with me. I’ve enjoyed some of Anthony’s Vietnamese cooking in the presbytery and I’m looking forward to accompanying him to the seminary on February 18 when he begins his formation to be a priest for our Diocese. Please continue to pray for him and encourage him.
As we begin this new chapter of Parish life together at Our Lady Help of Christians, I look forward to further opportunities to be with the school community now that the commencement Mass has been celebrated. I am committed to building on the 13 year legacy of Fr Brendan and the priests before him. This Parish is very different to Bairnsdale, where I was for 8 years while also being the Parish Priest of Lakes Entrance and Orbost. But, having been born in Dandenong and raised in Doveton, I continue to feel quite at home here.
Sincerely in Christ,
Fr Michael
Sacramental Program
In the Church today, all the sacraments are seen as sacred links that unite the faithful to each other and bind them to Christ. The seven sacraments of the Church include the three sacraments of Christian initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist), the two sacraments of healing (Penance and Anointing of the Sick) and the two sacraments at the service of communion and the mission of the faithful (Marriage and Holy Orders).
The Sacramental Program provides a balanced approach to growth in faith. To achieve this, the family, the parish and the school each recognise and carry out their particular role, always recognising that it is the child, who is the focus.
IMPORTANT DATES
- Payment for the Sacrament of Reconciliation via CDF is open now.
- Parent Formation Night
7th February at 6:45pm OR 15th February at 6:45pm - Booking for Reconciliation Workshops opens 19th February via www.schoolinterviews.com.au and closes Monday 26th February.
If you have any questions or concerns in regards to your child completing the sacrament of Reconciliation, please reach out to me via email; emily.rogers@trinitynarre.catholic.edu.au
Please find the Sacramental Program Booklet below for all dates and information regarding all Sacraments for 2024.
Shrove Tuesday Volunteers
Thank you to all the parents who volunteered to help cook our pancakes next Tuesday! I will be sending out an email confirming later this evening.
Ash Wednesday
On Wednesday the 14th of February at 9am we will be celebrating our Ash Wednesday Mass with Fr Michael in our Readman Hall. We warmly invite parents to attend this celebration.
Safer Internet Day - T1 W2 2024
Safer Internet Day is a global initiative to raise awareness of online safety issues. In Australia, the eSafety Commissioner leads this initiative by educating people about remaining safe online and where to go to for help.
This Safer Internet Day we are encouraged to take three simple actions when approaching online safety:
Connect safely by keeping apps and devices secure and reviewing privacy settings regularly.
Reflect on how actions online may affect ours and others' safety.
Protect ourselves and others by visiting eSafety.gov.au to find out how to stay safe online and report online abuse.
The eSafety Commissioner website provides parents and carers with many resources around how children can be supported in dealing with online safety issues. There are also live webinars which have been designed for parents and carers with a focus on keeping children safe online.
OLHC Parish News
Leten Season Calendar
Chrism Mass Invitation
Reconciliation Celebration
Invitation to Mothers Who Pray - St Agatha's Parish
Mass Times
Sacramental Booklet Link
Parish Bulletin Link
Parish Website Link
SCHOOL PHOTO DAY
BIRTHDAYS
CHILD SAFE STANDARDS WORKING WITH CHILDREN
Trinity has zero tolerance towards child abuse and is therefore committed to complying with the Ministerial Order No. 1359 – Implementing the Child Safe Standards – Managing the Risk of Child Abuse in Schools and School Boarding Premises. All parents/guardians wishing to help in the classroom, canteen or attend excursions MUST have completed the PARENT HELPER WORKSHOP and hold a current WORKING WITH CHILDREN CARD.
Further details are available from the school office or the Justice Department website. All parent/guardian helpers must sign in at the office before proceeding to the classrooms. Your current Working with Children card must be displayed at all times when working in the classrooms and attending excursions.
A reminder to all Parents/Carers, supervision by School Staff begins at 8.30am before school and after school only at the drop off area until 3.30pm.
Trinity Car Park Etiquette
- For greater safety and visibility, we are requesting that all drivers reverse park into the marked bays.
- Thank you all who use the pedestrian crossing area. You are demonstrating to your children correct road safety practices. Once children cross the pedestrian crossing into the parking area, they, for their safety, need to be placed into vehicles promptly. The car park is NOT a meeting area.
- The lane around the edge of the car park (closest to the oval) are for vehicles waiting to pick children up from the Pick-up Zone ONLY.
- The two parking bays closest to the office path are the PICK-UP ZONES. These are NO STANDING zones. If your children are not ready to get into your car as you pull up to the pick-up zone, you must continue on and rejoin the end of the pick-up queue.
- There is NO RIGHT TURN when exiting the car park. All vehicles must turn left for the safety of others and to maintain traffic flow.
- THE GATES CLOSE AT 8.50am. They will RE-OPEN AT 3.00pm. The gates close for the day at 3:30pm. Occasionally they might reopen slightly later due to school activities.
- The Staff Car Park is for STAFF PARKING ONLY. Please do not use it as a drop off/pick up for students.
Thank you for your patience and consideration of others