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Dear Parents/Caregivers,
During the last two weeks we have had a number of important events including:
- School Photos
- Kindergarten 2025 Playgroups
- Kindergarten 2025 Orientations
- Extended transitions for numerous Kindergarten 2025 students
- Year 1 Intensive Swimming program
- Year 6 Cupcake Fundraiser
As usual, our school staff have been magnificent in supporting all of our students in these various endeavours. The school staff at St Michael's Nowra genuinely care for all students and I am very thankful for their commitment.
Thank you to Year 6 students and parents/carers for providing a range of delicious treats for the Year 6 Cupcake Fundraiser held on Wednesday. $770.70 in sales were made, adding to the $854.80 in sales generated during the first Cupcake event in June. Year 6 are well on their way to their goal of raising enough funds to purchase a drinking water fountain for the front playground for their graduation gift to the school.
Next week is looking to be a very important one for all staff, students and parents. On Monday 11 November 2024, each grade will gather in a class space to honour Remembrance Day. This is a very significant day for the local Nowra area and throughout the world. Remembrance Day, observed on 11 November each year, honours the sacrifices of military personnel who fought and died in wars, particularly World War I. It marks the anniversary of the Armistice that ended World War I in 1918, and it’s a time to reflect on the bravery and sacrifices made for peace. In Nowra, Remembrance Day holds special significance as the area has a strong military presence due to the nearby Royal Australian Navy base, HMAS Albatross. The day serves as a reminder for the community to honour those who served and to appreciate the ongoing efforts for peace and security.
On Tuesday 12 November 2024, students attending St John’s Nowra in 2025 will attend an Orientation Day at the school. Best wishes to these students. A group of Year 6 students will also attend the State Championships of the Mixed Netball Competition’ as well. These students have won two regional carnivals to have the right to participate in the State Championships. Well done to these students.
On Tuesday evening at 6pm in the staffroom, the monthly Parents and Friends meeting will occur. All are welcome to attend.
On Thursday 14 November 2024, POWER FM will be hosting their breakfast show on our back playground. They will commence broadcasting on air at 7am and finish at 9am. What an exciting opportunity for our students, staff and parents. All are welcome to attend. A coffee van will be present for parents to purchase your morning caffeine. To add to the excitement, a helicopter will land on our back playground. POWER FM will be continuing to promote the Colour Run and Fun Day which will occur on Friday 15 November 2024. Thank you POWER FM.
Over the last number of months, the School Parents and Friends (P&F) have been busily preparing for the annual Colour Run and Fun Day fundraiser. This is the biggest P&F event for the year. Most students have now created a profile and the direct profit continues to grow each day. I encourage all students to gather sponsorship from families, friends, neighbours and any known businesses. The money raised will go towards much needed playground enhancements. Please continue to scroll through the newsletter to read the P&F section which describes what the day will be like. Congratulations to the school P&F for their incredible work organising the Colour Run! Thanks for your efforts in securing sponsors, prizes and volunteers. The students will have an absolute blast participating in all the colourful fun next Friday. Thank you to our P&F, staff and parents for making this event such a memorable experience for everyone!
On Monday 18 November 2024, the annual Year 2-6 Swimming Carnival will occur at Bomaderry pool. This carnival offers students the opportunity to participate in competitive and non-competitive races. Thank you to Mr Allmark and the staff for their hard work in organising this upcoming swimming carnival for our students in Years 2-6. We appreciate your dedication in making this event possible, and we’re looking forward to a fantastic day of fun, sportsmanship, and swimming! Thank you for your commitment to our students and school community.
Finally, on Friday 22 November 2024 the school will be holding a Professional Development Day. This is a Pupil Free Day and the school appreciates the students remaining at home on this day. A busy two weeks ahead!
Yours in faith & virtue
Chris Paton
School Principal
As the Sacramental Program is managed by the Nowra Parish, all enquiries may be directed to Madira Arnold at the Parish Office on 0473 360 183.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION
YEAR 6 GRADUATION MASS
The Year 6 Graduation Mass will be in St Michael’s Church Nowra on Thursday 5 December at 9.30am.
The Year 6 Awards Ceremony will be in the school hall on Tuesday 10 December at 5.00pm. Students MUST wear their full summer uniform.
As a community of faith, this is a lovely way to celebrate and farewell our Year 6 students.
Kind Regards
Martine Mathieson
Religious Education Coordinator
Father Joseph Pothenparampil
Nowra Parish Priest
WEEK 5
| Monday 11 November | |
| Tuesday 12 November |
Year 7 2025 St John's Orientation Day P&F Meeting 6pm Staffroom (All Welcome) & Via Zoom |
| Wednesday 13 November | |
| Thursday 14 November |
Power FM Breakfast & Broadcast from St Michael's |
| Friday 15 November |
P&F Colour Run Nominations for Diocese Rep Sport close (Yr 4 & 5 2024 students only) |
| Monday 18 November |
Year 2-6 Swimming Carnival (Bomaderry Pool) |
| Tuesday 19 November | |
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Wednesday 20 November |
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Thursday 21 November |
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| Friday 22 November |
Staff Development Day (Pupil Free Day) |
| Saturday 23/Sunday 24 November |
Year 3 Sacrament of First Holy Communion |
UPCOMING DATES FOR THE DIARY
| Thursday 5 December |
Year 6 Graduation Mass (9:30am in Church) |
| Tuesday 10 December |
Year 6 Graduation Award Ceremony (5pm in Hall) |
| Tuesday 17 December |
Mission Fair & Christmas Concert |
| Wednesday 18 December |
Students Final Day for 2024 |
| Thursday 19 & Friday 20 December |
Staff Development Days |
| Friday 31 January |
Staff return to school for 2025 |
| Monday 3 February |
Staff Development Day |
| Tuesday 4 February |
Years 1-6 2025 Return to School for Day One |
| Wednesday 5 February |
Kindergarten 2025 Commence School |
CRICKET TRIALS
On Tuesday 29 October, Charles Meagher, Lennox Wills and Archie Richards of Year 5 attended the Diocesan Cricket Trials in Figtree. The boys displayed their best batting, bowling and fielding skills, trialling with 58 students from within the Diocese. Charles, Lennox and Archie enjoyed playing in the perfect conditions and look forward to using this experience to improve their skills for the upcoming Summer cricket season.
ST MICHAEL'S YEAR 2-6 SWIMMING CARNIVAL
Our annual School Swimming Carnival is scheduled for Monday 18 November at Bomaderry Pool. All students will be transported to and from the venue by bus. The event will begin with the Competitive Carnival, followed by the Non-Competitive events.
Competitive Carnival entries are now closed. There are still a few parents who have not completed the permission for their child to attend the Carnival. All students in Years 2-6 will be attending the event and permission must be provided through the Compass Parent Portal as well as completion of the google form to indicate your child's swimming ability.
Parents are welcome to attend the carnival, however we ask that you watch from the side of the pool closest to the entrance. For safety reasons, please do not enter the area where students are assembled.
SPORTING OPPORTUNITIES IN 2025
This is the final call for students in Years 4 & 5 2024 who wish to trial for Wollongong representative teams in 2025. Nominations for 2025 representative pathway selection trials will close on Friday 22 November. Parents may nominate their child via the instructions in the Compass letter sent in September 2024. Entries are available for AFL, Rugby League, Netball, Hockey, Football, Touch, and Rugby Union. No late entries will be accepted.
PB4L FOCUS: TERM 4 WEEK 4
No Hat - No Play
The PB4L team would like to remind parents and carers about the importance of students having their school hat with them each day. The temperature is continuing to rise and the school hat is an essential part of the uniform. Our school has a ‘no hat, no play’ policy in place to ensure students are sun safe. We ask students and parents to please ensure their school hat is with them each day.
Drink Bottles & Spread of Germs
The PB4L team would like to remind parents and carers to ensure students bring a refillable drink bottle to school each day. This will allow students to stay hydrated throughout the warmer temperatures. Secondly, there has been a lot of illness around within the school community. Having a personal drink bottle may help prevent the unnecessary spread of germs and sickness.
Our school canteen is available for ordering four days per week (Tuesday-Friday). I would like to remind parents/carers wishing to place lunch orders for their children for Friday to please place their order online prior to 2pm Thursday.
The link for ordering online may be found on our school website;
https://smndow.catholic.edu.au/parents/canteen/
We are very grateful for all of the parents, carers, grandparents and friends who volunteer to assist with various school events.
To ensure childrens' safety, all volunteers are required to provide the school with their details and a Working with Children Clearance or signed volunteer declaration. To streamline this process, the following QR code may be scanned to register your details with the school. Once registered, you will be provided with a digital token (number) to be used for signing in at the school office.
COLOUR RUN UPDATE- WEEK 4 WRAP UP!
We’re now at the end of Week 4 of our Colour Run, with just one week to go until the big day on Friday 15 November! The excitement is building, and so are the donations!
Next Week’s Challenge – Win a Colour Run Pack!
For our final week’s challenge, the class that raises the most funds overall by next week will win an exclusive Colour Run pack for every student, perfect to get ready for next Friday’s big run! Let’s rally together and see which class will come out on top!
Raffle and Individual Fundraiser Prizes
Every $10 you raise earns you 1 entry into our Colour Run Raffle, with $50 and $100 gift cards up for grabs! Plus, the highest fundraiser in each class will receive an incredible prize!
It’s your chance to win big while supporting our school!
A Look Back on Last Year’s Fun! Last year’s Colour Run was a fantastic day, filled with
laughter, colour, and unforgettable moments as students, staff, and families joined in the fun.
We’ve included a few photos from last year to bring back those memories and get everyone excited for this year’s event!
Shout-Out to This Week’s Stars!
A huge congratulations to our Week 4 challenge winners: 1R! They pulled together an incredible effort and raised a whopping $965 in just 7 days, earning them an awesome pizza or movie party! Way to go, 1R! Your teamwork and determination have set a high bar for next week!
A special mention to our top-performing classes this week, who were hot on their heels:
- Winning class: 1R: $965- Incredible!
- 3B: $650 – Fantastic effort!
- 4B: $635 – So close!
- KR: $555 – Amazing teamwork!
- 5B: $513 – Great job!
You’ve all put in an incredible effort – well done, everyone!
Top Individual Fundraisers So Far
Our top individual fundraisers have shown incredible dedication and spirit:
- Cordelia D (KB) – Leading with an impressive $850 raised!
- Lilly H (1R) – An amazing effort with $620 raised!
- Eva W (2R) – Putting in a great effort with $540!
- Ollie S (4B) – Close behind with $530!
Well done to these amazing students for their hard work and dedication to their fundraising!
The Soaking Continues…
We now have four teachers lined up for a soaking – Ms Rosskelly, Miss Van Eeden, Mr Spain, and Mrs Firkin! But there’s more suspense ahead… only $2,453 separates us from the next soaking milestone! Who will be the next teacher to face the splash? Keep those donations coming, and all will be revealed!
And the grand finale? If we reach $35,000, Mr Paton will take the plunge! Let’s keep
pushing to make it happen!
A Huge Thank You to Our Sponsors!
We couldn’t do this without the support of our generous sponsors. Your contributions are
making a direct impact on our school and community, and we’re grateful for all that you do!
Current Fundraising Total and Our Goal
Congratulations, St Michael’s! We’ve raised an incredible $22,547 so far and are well on our way to reaching our goal of $35,000. Let’s keep the momentum going to make a lasting difference for our school!
Check out our school’s fundraising page for the most up-to-date totals:
https://tinyurl.com/StMichaelsColourRun
Haven’t Set Up a Profile Yet?
It’s not too late to join in and support our Back Oval Redevelopment Project! Simply click the link below to get started and help us reach new heights:
https://tinyurl.com/StMichaelsColourRun
We’re also seeking parents, carers, and grandparents to volunteer for the event. Please mark Friday 15 November in your diaries and consider joining us for a fun-filled day that will bring our community together!
The P&F Committee, in partnership with our school and CEO, has developed a visionary plan to upgrade our Back Oval over the next five years. All funds raised will go directly towards making this dream a reality, creating a space for all our children to enjoy.
Thank you for your incredible support so far – let’s keep pushing to make this
year’s Colour Run our biggest success yet!
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE POSITIONS VACANT
Our P&F Committee currently have two Executive Positions available;
Assistant Vice President
This role supports the President and Vice President for all official business and steps in if either are unavailable. eg. chair P&F meetings, award ceremonies, etc.
Grants Officer
This position is ideal for someone who is eager to help identify and apply for grants to support various school projects. The role involves collaborating with the P&F and the school to secure funding for identified projects.
If you are interested and able to assist, please send your expression of interest by completing the Google form: https://forms.gle/1Q878XBh4th9eAj1A
If you have any questions please email stmichaelspnf@gmail.com.
Grants Officer Nomination Form
Warm regards,
St Michael's P&F Committee
