Newsletter Term 3 Week 5

Happy Week 5!
It's hard to believe we're already halfway through another term.

Tuesday's Book Week celebration was nothing short of sensational! The turnout was fantastic, with students enthusiastically participating and showcasing some truly outstanding costumes. In all my years of involvement in Book Week events, this one stands out as the best yet! We're incredibly fortunate to have such supportive families and dedicated staff who help make these events truly special. A big thank you to all the families who visited the classrooms to read. The students loved having you there, and it's yet another testament to the wonderful sense of community that Star of the Sea fosters.

This week, I had the pleasure of attending the Year 6 Camp at Woodhouse in the Adelaide Hills. The camp was filled with excitement, learning, and adventure. The children fully embraced the challenges of Challenge Hill, Zip Lining, Laser Skirmish, and more. They had a fantastic time, and I was particularly impressed by their exemplary behaviour and conduct throughout the camp.

PRINCIPAL UPDATE – DAMIAN WEEKS
You would have received news last week that Damian Weeks will not be returning for the remainder of 2024 and will officially retire in January after a remarkable 37 years of service in Catholic Education.

Damian has led with deep faith, vision, and innovation, making a significant impact on the Star of the Sea School community. His dedication to educational excellence and his commitment to providing students with contemporary learning experiences, grounded in spirituality, have been central to his leadership. Damian has found his time in leadership at Star of the Sea School to be both personally and professionally fulfilling, greatly enriched by the strong support from students, staff, parents, parishioners, and the broader community.

We will have a farewell event for Damian later in the year. In the meantime, I will continue as Acting Principal for the rest of 2024, with Kelly Manera serving as Acting Deputy Principal. Catholic Education South Australia will be conducting a comprehensive recruitment process to appoint a new substantive Principal, who will commence in Term 1, 2025.

2025 AND BEYOND FUTURE ENROLMENTS
As we prepare for the 2025 academic year and beyond, we kindly ask for your assistance in confirming your family's intentions regarding your child/ren's enrolment at Star of the Sea School. This information is vital for our planning and will ensure we continue to provide the best educational experience for all our students. Please follow the link if your child is NOT returning to Star of the Sea School.

We greatly value your cooperation and request that you notify the front office by Friday 30 August 2024, if your child/ren will not be returning in 2025. Your prompt response will significantly aid us in our preparations for the upcoming academic year.

Thank you for your continued support and commitment to Star of the Sea School.

With kindness
Annette Diassinas

Below is some of our discussions from our School Board Meeting in Week 4.

COMMUNICATION WITH OUR STAFF
This week, you would have received communication regarding the importance of staff wellbeing, along with updates to the Fair Work Act 2009 concerning employees' "right to disconnect." In line with these changes, our teachers will now respond to emails only during their working hours, which are from 8.00am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday.

Please also keep in mind that due to their busy classroom schedules, teachers may require up to 48 hours to respond to non-urgent communications. While their dedication to providing the best education for your children remains steadfast, immediate responses may not always be possible for non-urgent matters.

Thank you for your understanding and support on this matter.

CHURCH CAR PARK
The Sacred Heart Parish continues to face challenges with some families disregarding carpark etiquette by parking in spaces reserved for parish members, creating their own parking spots, or using disability spaces without a valid permit. These actions prevent those who genuinely need these spaces from accessing them.

What exacerbates the situation is the response our parish staff receive when they ask these individuals to move—often met with arrogance or refusing to move. This behaviour is completely contrary to the values of our school community. I strongly urge parents and grandparents to reflect on their behaviour and consider the impact it has on others.

To address this issue, new measures have been implemented, including the use of bollards to prevent unauthorised parking in reserved spaces. However, if this disrespectful behaviour towards our parish staff persists, the Parish will be forced to take further action, which could include limiting access to the carpark entirely.

There is ample parking available along the beach, just a short 2-minute walk away. Please make every effort to park there.

Please do the right thing, prioritise the safety of our families, and ensure we treat everyone with the respect they deserve.

Below are some pictures indicating areas where parking is strictly prohibited at all times.

NAMING OF THE NEW BUILDING
I am pleased to announce that our new building will be named the Chevalier Building. Before the recent building project, the previous structure also bore the name Chevalier Building, in honour of Jules Chevalier, the founder of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, who is central to our Star of the Sea Charism.

This naming decision will be officially communicated to Catholic Education. Once a suitable date and time have been coordinated with officials from the State and Federal Government, as well as Catholic Education, a formal opening ceremony will be scheduled.

Book Week Prayer

This week we celebrated Book Week with our gorgeous Book Week Parade.

We should be grateful for the gift of books and everything they provide for us.

One way to show our gratitude is to thank God for the gift of books and for the authors and illustrators whose imaginations take us on magical journeys and adventures through their words and drawings.

Thank You God for Books Prayer

For the places they show us, and the people we meet,
We thank You God for books.

For fascinating facts and interesting information,
We thank You God for books.

For creepy tales and funny stories,
We thank You God for books.

For helping us with our homework,
We thank You God for books.

For illustrations and cartoons that bring joy,
We thank You God for books.

For providing comfort on rainy days,
We thank You God for books.

For the endless titles awaiting us,
We thank You God for books.

In these pages, we find wisdom, imagination, and companionship.
May we always cherish the gift of reading,

And may books continue to enrich our lives.

Amen.

Sacramental Family Formation Workshops

When a family expresses their desire for their child/ren to take part in the Sacramental program, as they believe their child/ren are at the right age to begin this journey, then the family are also committing to take this journey with their child/ren. Part of this commitment involves the families participating in two Family Formation workshops. The purpose of these workshops are for the families to spend time with their child/ren exploring the importance of the Sacraments in our lives and deepening their understanding of how the Sacraments of Confirmation and First Holy Communion strengthen our relationship with God.

These students are preparing to celebrate the Sacraments at the following times:

The Vicar General Fr Dean Marin will confer the Sacrament of Confirmation on 

• Tuesday 10 September at 7pm
• Thursday 12 September at 7pm
• Tuesday 17 September at 7pm In the church.

First Holy Communion (Eucharist)

Will be celebrated on the following dates:

• Saturday 21 September at 6pm
• Sunday 22 September at 11am
• Sunday 22 September at 5.30pm

Please pray for these children and their families as they take this important step on their journey of faith.

Children’s Parish Mass

On the 3^rd Sunday of every month at 9:30am, a children’s mass is held at the Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish. This is a great opportunity for the children and their families to be involved in the Parish Community.

Last Sunday the Children's mass was hosted by our Reception and Year 1 families. Thank you to Fr Paul Mac who presided the mass and involved the children. Thank you to our wonderful parents and students who took part in the ministries. We especially thank our gorgeous students who sang a song and entertained all the parishioners. It was a wonderful celebration. 

With Gratitude
Dominque Laurendi