St Luke's Catholic Primary

Dear Parents & Carers

It’s hard to believe that we are almost at the midpoint of the term. I am pleased to share some exciting updates and important events from our school community. Term 3 is busy and as a school we try to spread events evenly across the term to put as little pressure as possible on families.

Our Jumps and Throws Carnival highlighted the talent and positive attitudes of our students. From all accounts, it was inspiring to see such enthusiasm for those students who found some events challenging and encouraged by their classmates were able to finish their events. A big thank you to all the students, volunteers, particularly the Mater Dei Students and the staff who made this event a success.

On Tuesday evening the Year 4 students and their parents attended a workshop as part of their preparation for First Holy Communion, which will be celebrated on the weekend of the 17/18 August. The Sacrament of Eucharist is a significant step in their spiritual journey and we ask that you continue to keep these students and their families in your prayers as they prepare for this Sacrament.

This week we celebrate Book Week. My thanks to Leone Simmonds for all work to get staff costumes sorted and preparation for the Book Fair. Sincere thanks to all the parents who have volunteered to ensure this runs smoothly and for making sure your child had a costume to wear at the parade on Wednesday.

Today we celebrated the feast of St Mary of the Cross Mackillop with a special Mass. Mary MacKillop was the first Australian Saint whose motto was ‘Never see a deed without doing something about it’. Fr Greg’s homily reiterated this message and reminded us not to worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself. We’ll be right!

There is much excitement in the school about the Athletics Carnival which will take place tomorrow for PP - Year 6. We encourage everyone to participate, to cheer on their peers, and contribute to making this carnival a memorable and spirited occasion.

Science Week takes place from 12- 16th August. Mrs Farcich I am sure has prepared some exciting learning experiences for our students around this year’s theme Species Survival – More than just Sustainability.

A huge thank you to Fr Greg Donovan who has been our interim Parish Priest while Fr Stan has been on holiday in Poland. We thank him for his guidance and support over the past two months.

NAPLAN reports for students in Years 3 & 5 were sent home last week. Whilst these reports give us valuable data about trends over time, they do not define a student, they are one test on one day. Staff have now had the opportunity to analyse these results. In Year 3 our school mean was above the national mean in Numeracy Writing, Spelling, Grammar & Punctuation; we were slightly below in Reading. In Year 5 our school mean was above the national mean in all five areas.

A reminder that from the beginning of Term 1 2025 all students need to be in the new school uniform. Students should currently be wearing either the old uniform or the new uniform, not a combination. The tracksuit top is only to be worn on sports days and is not part of the formal uniform. Our uniform policy can be found on the school website: https://www.stlukeswoodvale.wa.edu.au/uniforms

In recent months there has been an increase in the number of students wearing smart watches and are sending and receiving text messages to parents during the day. Students need to have their watch set to do not disturb during school hours. If you need to get an urgent message to your child, please contact the school office. Smart watches come under our ICT Acceptable User Agreement which can be found here: https://www.stlukeswoodvale.wa.edu.au/policies-and-handbooks

Please keep an eye on our school calendar for upcoming events and activities. Your continued involvement and support are critical to the success of our school community.

Let’s continue to work together for the benefit of everyone.

Kind regards

Kerry Hewitson

Principal

It is that time of year again when we acknowledge and thank the wonderful fathers and male figures in our lives. To celebrate this special day the St Luke's P&F would like to welcome you all to a Father's and Grandfather's Day appreciation morning here at school.

Time: 7.30am
Date: Friday 30th August 2024
We will have the coffee van and bacon rolls for all our Dads and Grandads.

This year, children will not be catered for; however, you are welcome to share your food if you wish. This event is about celebrating the men in our lives, so let's focus on them and spoil them!

At 8.20am you will be invited into your child's classroom.

At 8.40am we will have a Year 1 assembly which you are all welcome to attend!

Please RSVP here for catering purposes by Tuesday 20th August 5pm

On Friday 6th September all students may come to school in free dress to help raise money for Br Olly's Wheelchairs for Kids. Wheelchairs for Kids and Br Olly Pickett have spent the last 19 years helping the world's disabled children. This year the team of volunteers has built more than 3600 wheelchairs, expanding their reach to 76 countries. Br Olly came to our school today to speak with our Leadership Team, Parish Priests and teams from surrounding schools on the importance of Christian Service. Our staff can often be seen at their Wangara factory helping to load up shipping containers before school when they need extra hands. If children could please bring a gold coin donation to assist this worthwhile cause, it would be very much appreciated. Thank you!

Please keep the Year 4 students who will receive their First Eucharist on the weekend of 17th & 18th August in your prayers. Thank you to Mr Di Blasi, Mrs Tedesco and Mrs Angela Coon (Sacramental Coordinator) for preparing the students and Fr. Stan for leading the celebrations.

A reminder that Monday 26th August is a Pupil Free Day for all students.

Getting absorbed in a new activity is a great way to boost your wellbeing. When facing challenges, it can really help to take a new perspective or find a new way forward.

You may be interested in the free Action for Happiness app for iOS and Android, for more info click this link: https://actionforhappiness.org/all-calendars

Please click here for this week's Kids' Bulletin and activities.

Have a wonderful end to the week and an even better weekend!

Kristy Graffin & Sarah Williams

Assistant Principals

Recently, Jess, a mother, gave Billy, her school-aged son, a simple yet profound resilience lesson. Billy missed an excursion because of his poor school behaviour. Addressing his protests about teacher unfairness, Billy’s mum responded calmly, “Oh well!” Then she busied herself getting dinner ready. Sideswiped by his mother’s apparent nonchalance, Billy shrugged and finished his homework.

Our responses to kids’ challenges are crucial.

Your response to kids’ everyday mistakes, mess-ups, and hurts are the real lessons in resilience.

The lessons for Billy were simple but profound. “Oh well” meant:

• Stuff happens.

• Don’t look for fault or blame.

• Keep your perspective.

• Pick yourself off and continue with what you were doing.

It's how you say it that counts.

When a minor mishap with a child or teenager occurs:

• Match your response to the incident.

• Stay calm and be positive.

• Use strong body language to show certainty and inspire confidence.

• Remember, stuff happens.

  
  

“Oh, well” situations happen every day.

Every day, you will have many opportunities to develop children's resilience.

Recognise any of these situations?

• A child is disappointed after not being selected for a team he really wanted to join. "Oh well, let's see how you do next time."

• When a boy experiences rejection in the playground at school. "Oh well. Not everyone wants to be your friend.”

• When a teenage girl doesn’t get the mark in an assignment, she thinks she should. "Oh well. Sometimes we don’t always get what we think."

  
  

Some hardships need more than “Oh well.”

There are times when ‘Oh well’ won’t cut it.

• A child who is bullied needs your continued support.

• When a student’s continuous efforts are constantly met with criticism, you may need to act on his behalf and meet with a coach.

• When a child struggles to make the grade and is never picked for a team, you may need to help him make different choices.

These tougher situations also present opportunities for daily lessons in resilience, but they require more parental support and teaching.

The resilience lessons are deeper, including:

“Things will eventually go your way.”

“There are times when you need to seek help.”

“This too shall pass.”

Building resilience is not a one-off event.

Promote your child’s personal resilience by helping them cope with life’s hurts, disappointments and challenges in the present while building strengths for the future. When your child experiences challenges, your reactions matter, so be ready to make the most of these valuable daily resilience lessons.

Source: Michael Grose- Parenting Toolbox

As calendar dates can be subject to change, please always confirm events by checking our online calendar - https://www.stlukeswoodvale.wa.edu.au/community-calendar

Week 4

Book Week

Friday 9th August

• PP- Year 6 Athletics Carnival

Saturday 10th August

• P&F Fathering Group iPlay and Pizza Night

Week 5

National Science Week

Monday 12th August

• Holy Communion Retreat

Tuesday 13th August

• School Advisory Council Meeting 6:00pm
• P&F Meeting 7:30pm

Wednesday 14th August

• Reconciliation for Holy Communion Candidates 10:00am

Thursday 15th August

• Whole School Mass- Feast of the Assumption 9:00am

Friday 16th August

• Performing Arts Assembly 2:00pm

Saturday 17th August

• Holy Communion Mass 6:00pm

Sunday 18th August

• Holy Communion Mass 9:30am

Week 6

Monday 19th August

• Choir Performance at Catholic Performing Arts Festival, Vasto Club Balcatta 9:30am
• Year 6 World Expo in the Undercover Area 2:00pm

Wednesday 21st-Friday 23rd August

• Year 6 Camp at Swan Valley Adventure Centre

Week 7

Monday 26th August

• Pupil Free Day

Wednesday 28th August

• Year 6 Spring Carnival

Thursday 29th August

• Year 3 & 5 Dance performances at the Catholic Performing Arts Festival

Friday 30th August

• Father's & Grandfather's Appreciation Breakfast 7:30am
• Year 1 Assembly 8:45am

Week 8

Friday 6th September

• Free Dress Day for Br Olly's Wheelchairs for Kids
• Merit Award Assembly 2:00pm (please be aware of the earlier time for this assembly)
• School Disco in the Dance Hall

We have a very exciting week ahead in the Science Room celebrating the Science Week theme for this year: ‘Species Survival: more than just sustainability’. In Australia, we share our home with more than 200,000 animal species and around 24,000 species of native plants. During our class lessons, we will be having a look at how we’re all part of a big, interconnected web of life. Every creature, from the bees that pollinate our fruit trees to the worms that enrich our soil, play an essential part. Their survival doesn’t just protect nature’s beauty, it ensures the health of the ecosystems that provide our food, clean water and the air we breathe.

If you would like to be involved with an online national project, then go onto www.abc.net.au/scienceweek between 5th and 18th August to look Australia’s beautiful night skies. You can log in and vote on your most amazing night sky experience.

Finally, for all of our St Luke’s families that are involved in Science, we hope you all have a special week. Thank you for your contribution to our future.

Tania Farcich

Science Co-ordinator

The dance and choir students have been very busy over the last term preparing for the 2024 Performing Arts Festival. This year we have our Year 3 and 5 dance students performing, as well as our choir students from Years 3-6. If you would like to come down and support our talented St Luke’s performers, you can purchase tickets via the Ticketek website. Students who are performing do not require a ticket.

Choir Students (Year 3-6)

Monday 19th August 2024

9.30am–10.30am

Vasto Club, Balcatta

Tickets are now available - https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1205321

Dance Students (Year 3 & 5)

Thursday 29th August 2024

6.30pm–9.30pm

Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre

To access tickets, click on the link below and select “Section P: Dance” to find the Ticketek link. - https://www.spiritofthearts.com.au/performing-arts-festival/

We look forward to showcasing the dance items, choir performance and solo entries at a special Performing Arts Assembly next Friday 16 August at 2pm. All are welcome!

This Friday 9th August, there will be a stall at St Luke’s supporting the 36th annual Red Nose Day. Merchandise will be available in the morning, selling all of your Red Nose favourites, including the new plush toys.

Every dollar raised on Red Nose Day helps save little lives, support grieving families and fund groundbreaking research. Donations can be made to Red Nose on the day or by visiting https://www.rednoseday.org.au/fundraisers/catirvine/tribute

Book Week is currently running this week, with the Book Fair in the Library open for purchasing books Tuesday 6th to Friday 9th (Friday only open in the morning due to sports carnival).

Our wonderful Pre-Primary families have organised a delicious cake stall which will be set up this Friday 9th August at the sports carnival. Please note this is cash only, and only parents to purchase items.

Our school disco is fast approaching! Friday 6th September in the Dance Hall. Please see below session times. Tickets available to purchase on Flexischools.

PP & Yr1: 3pm - 4pm

Yr2 & Yr3: 4:30pm - 5:30pm

Yr4, 5, 6: 6pm - 7:30pm

The next P&F meeting will be held Tuesday 13th August in the Library or via Zoom at 7:30pm.

A vote will occur at this meeting in regards to replacement water bubblers in the Upper Primary to the value of $9545.80. Those wanting to vote, must be present at the meeting.

Zoom details:

Meeting ID: 814 0438 4938

Passcode: 037186

There is consideration for putting a group together to perform some songs at next year's Evening on the Green event. If you play an instrument and/or love to sing, and would be interested in being a part of this entertainment idea, please contact Drew on 0403 765 550 or drewfrance@yahoo.com.au.

Congratulations to Max, Gael, Nate and Kobi (Year 2) who were all part of a team that won the Under 8 Basketball League at Kingsway at the end of Term Two. All the boys played an incredible season, improving each game. They put so much time and effort into both training and their games, along with their coach Kyle. Well done!

If you have any good news stories about our students that you would like to share with the community, please send any photos and a short blurb to natalie.vennitti@cewa.edu.au

If your child will have an extended absence during the school term, please ensure you fill in the form, found here on the school website, at least two weeks before your scheduled departure date.

If your child is not returning to St Luke's in 2025, we kindly ask that you provide written notice of this a minimum of 10 weeks in advance to admin@stlukeswoodvale.wa.edu.au

Families are encouraged to follow St Luke's on social media to keep up to date with the many learning experiences offered to the children and all of the fun happening around our fabulous school:

• St Luke's Facebook
• St Luke's P&F
• P&F Fathering Group
• St Luke's Twitter
• St Luke's Instagram- @stlukeswoodvale
• Lulu the St Luke's Dog Instagram- @luluthestlukesdog

Each year level also has a Facebook group for families to join which are managed by our class representatives. These groups are a great way to keep in contact with other families in your child's year level and can be found here.

Welcome to Mass everyone and a big welcome to all new parishioners and visitors to our

Parish of St Luke, Woodvale.

If you are new to our parish, we invite you to complete the Visitors' Book in the foyer.

Fr Stan would also love to meet you, so please introduce yourself at school or after Mass. You are welcome to visit the pastoral office on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9.30am—2.30pm.

For more information about our wonderful St Luke's Parish and to read the current

Bulletin please click here.

Children's Liturgy will be held most Sundays during the school term. All children are welcome to attend as part of the 9:30am mass at St Luke's Parish.

The liturgy is conducted in the church hall for the first 20-30 minutes of mass. After the sermon, children will rejoin their families.

Kindly note there will be no Children's Liturgy on 28/7 or 18/8 due to Family Mass and Sacramental Mass.

Thinking about becoming a Catholic?

The process for preparing and welcoming new members into the Catholic Church is called the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). This process offers a way to grow in the knowledge of Christ and the Catholic faith in the company of others on a similar journey. It helps each person explore more deeply their personal connection with Jesus through prayer, worship and the Gospels.

If you are interested in becoming a Catholic, wish to learn more about or deepen your understanding of our faith, we invite you to join us at St Luke's Catholic Church for an enquiry session on Thursday 8th August, from 7 to 8pm. This will be followed by weekly sessions at the same time.

If you have any questions, please contact me on 0409 021 135.

Yours in Christ,

Michelle Dastlik

St Luke's Catholic Church, Woodvale

Last week at 24:7 Woodvale, we had an incredible night. To introduce the third term, we began with a few high energy games. After this, Trinity introduced our term theme of The Sacrificial Struggle of Prayer. Instead of a sit-down talk, everyone was involved in a whole-group survey. We had a series of questions relating to prayer, such as how easy you find it and how difficult you find it.

We also looked at ways to make prayer easier by discovering which forms of prayer suit us - silent prayer, vocal prayer, singing, reading, structured prayer, etc. Everyone was able to reflect on what the best form of prayer for them.

God Bless, Trinity & Michael

24:7 Woodvale Youth Ministers

Dear Year 4 Parents and Guardians,

Sacred Heart College warmly invites you to express interest in Year 7 2027 enrolment.

The Year 7 2027 enrolment process commences in mid-January 2025. To ensure you are invited to complete an application for your child and for a tour of the College, we strongly recommend completing an Expression of Interest (EOI) for each child by the end of Year 4. The EOI has an $85 non-refundable fee. To commence an EOI please click here.

For more information regarding our enrolments policy, please click here to view our website.

If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact College Registrar Niki Jenkins on 08 9246 8283 or registrar@sacredheart.wa.edu.au.

Kind regards,

Niki Jenkins

College Registrar & Alumni Coordinator