Newsletter 18 2022

Dear Parents/Caregivers, Students, Staff and Friends of St Raphael's School,

Congratulations to our wonderful performers at yesterday’s matinee and evening Christmas Concert performances! What a day/night of fantastic celebration. Thank you to all our families who ensured that their child/ren were well prepared and came along to support. Thank you to Mrs Mandy Flynn for her organisation of the concert. As you can appreciate both performances were over in a flash, yet there was much to prepare behind the scenes to enable students to be prepared, know their songs lyrics and dance moves, create props, create costumes and prepare the evening’s schedule. We had something for everyone!  I wonder what we can anticipate next year?

2023  Classes

Parents/Caregivers are no doubt thinking about next year and what the 2023 class structure will look like at our school. I am happy to announce that we are once again going to offer 7 single streamed classes for 2023. This is only possible through the consistent generosity of the Catholic Education Office, SA and their affirmation that St Raphael’s School has a tremendous amount to offer families who want a Catholic education. We have much to be thankful for because through Catholic Education SA’s generous support, we have been able to offer not only 7 classes next year, we have also been provided the funds to design and build our new multi-million dollar building including a new Administration area, new front of house facilities, offices, and contemporary learning spaces. We are currently waiting on final approvals before we enter the next stage of calling for building tenders.  I anticipate that we will begin the new building early next year.

2023 staffing is not yet finalised, and I will inform our parent community within the next few weeks.

Water Safety Week

Next week we begin our Water Safety Program at the Unley Swimming Centre. This year we are able to utilize school registered parent/carer volunteers and I thank all our parent/caregiver volunteers for their commitment in attending.  If there are any other registered volunteers who have a Working with Children Check and are able to attend on one or all four days, please let your child/ren’s class teacher know.

Car Boot Sale

On Sunday 27 November we are involved in supporting the Parkside/Glen Osmond Parish in their Car Boot Sale at the Monastery.  On Friday we are having a ‘Bake Off Day’ and baking a few goods to sell. Thank you to our bakers, Lindy and Theresa for their help on Friday. Thank you to Nadine for organising the St Raphael’s School car boot stall on our behalf. Please support us by visiting the Monastery from 9:00 am – 2:00 pm and purchasing a bargain or two!

Pod Casting Awards

On Sunday 27 November several of our Year 5 and Year 6 students will be attending an awards ceremony as part of the Podcasting Primary School Awards at Sacred Heart College. We have been nominated for a couple of podcasting awards in these two categories a ‘Collaboration Award’ and a ‘Most Creative Award’. The judging panel has involved Arch D Radio, Triple M, Life FM and CESA representatives. We wish our students all the best on Sunday.

With every best wish,
Mia Harms
Principal

Please click the 'read more' button on your right to enjoy a wonderful gallery of photos from yesterday's Christmas Concert.

PE Week

Thank you to all students and staff that participated in Physical Education Week. It was fantastic to see so many students bring their wheels to school at recess and lunch. A huge congratulations to all of our award recipients at the PE assembly and to our Year 6 students for leading morning aerobics.

Athletics Carnival

Congratulations to our athletics team who will be participating at the annual SACPSSA Athletics Carnival at Bridgestone Stadium on Wednesday 23rd November.

St Raphael’s School Athletics Team 2022 

Year 3   Milla, Maria, Lachlan, Herbie, Joshua, Henry
Year 4   Amy, Isla, Celine, Ebony, Jacob, Lucas, Harry, Manny
Year 5   Jessica, Loraine, Luella, Mia, Jemima, Nathan, Braxton, Nicholas, Oliver
Year 6   Savannah, Mia, Holly, Natalia, Lucy, Aiden, Roman, Sidney, Rafael

Aquatics Week

Students in R-5 at St Raphael’s School will be involved in Water Safety Education as part of the Health and Physical Education program next week (Monday 28- Thursday 1). The Department of Education and Child Development (DECD) Water Safety Education program provides an educational experience that:

• Is designed to encourage students to think for themselves, make good decisions and understand the consequences through simulated open water scenarios and personal survival strategies.
• Promotes confidence and awareness by providing opportunities for students to develop skills and knowledge that can help keep them and others safe in a variety of aquatic environments.
• Focuses on what primary school children are able to learn in their school program to ensure they are able to save themselves in potentially dangerous situations.

When:  Daily from Monday 28 November to Thursday 1 December, Week 7, Term 4 2022
Where: Unley Swimming Centre, Ethel Street, Goodwood
Times:  11.30am -12.30pm      Years 4,5 and Reception    60 Minute Lesson
             12.30pm – 1.30pm      Years 1, 2 and 3                 60 Minute Lesson

What to bring

• School Sports uniform including hat
• Bathers- Swim pants and/ or similar for boys and one piece racer style or similar for girls.
• Rashie / Top to swim in (no rashie, no swim)
• Towel
• Change of underwear
• Sunscreen
• Swimming goggles
• Swim cap (optional)
• Drink bottle

Hannah Reid
PE Teacher and Sports Coordinator

Our major fundraising effort for Term 4 is contributing to the Brother Michael Hamper Appeal in conjunction with our Parish. We have been asked this year to provide non-perishable items to support the appeal. Suggested grocery donations of include jars of baby food, rice, pasta, cereal, jam and tuna. Families are invited to bring in donated goods over the coming weeks.

Below is an excerpt from the Glen Osmond/Parkside Parish outlining the history of the Brother Michael Hamper Appeal.

The story of our parish Christmas Hamper Appeal started in 1983 when a few members of the St Vincent de Paul Society Glen Osmond Conference were preparing a small number of Christmas hampers for people in need. Brother Michael Kirgan, CP, expanded the initial concept and took it upon himself to door knock local businesses for donations. This has grown to the distribution of more than 200 hampers to over 700 individuals by up to 70 volunteer drivers across the Adelaide metro area every year for the past 38 years. After Brother Michael’s death in 1994 the Appeal was incorporated as a charity in October 1997 and each year the organising committee obtains the names of vulnerable families and individuals from four Vinnies conferences and other welfare and disability services in Adelaide. Through the generosity of our parishioners the Appeal raises funds for food hampers, grocery vouchers and toys. Local schools and parishioners also contribute extra groceries for distribution and parishioners are involved in wrapping gifts, packing hampers and delivering to people’s homes. The work of the committee has continued with the support of our Parish Priests and parishioners and demonstrates that Br Michael’s spirit of caring is still amongst us. The parish’s support of the Brother Michael Christmas Hamper Appeal is charity and outreach in action and demonstrates a hands-on commitment to our faith, a commitment to a spirit of caring which has motivated our parishioners to support people in need in the wider community over the last 38 years. All monetary and grocery donations to our hampers will once again be distributed throughout the Adelaide metro area, providing a brighter Christmas for those in need.

Kelly Manera
Assistant Principal – Director of Learning

My favourite experience on camp was…

... when I went rock pooling and going to the beach. It was very fun, but boogie boarding was the coolest for sure! Maria
... rock pooling and going to my old lookout tower and the night walk. Reggie
... rock pooling and boogie boarding. Nicholas 
... basketball and rock pooling. Lachlan
... the last day on the beach and dinner. Camp was great! Grace
... the tug-of-war because I was on two different teams and both teams won! Peter 
... boogie boarding, tug of war and the seal. Camp was fun! Mila 
... boogie boarding because I am very good at it and it’s fun! Quade
... surf safety because we went boogie boarding and, even though the water was freezing, I couldn’t stop.  Henry
... the good dorms and the boogie boarding. Leonardo (Leo)
... when we tried to find crabs and name them. My favourite crab name was George. Leo
... the rock pooling and the basketball hoops. Herbie
... boogie boarding because I can do it. Isaac 
... boogie boarding because it was fun! Joshua
... rock pooling – I liked looking for crabs and I found a lot of crabs! Owen

Please click the 'read more' button to your right to see photos.

Our Student Voice are pleased to announce that as a school we raised enough funds to purchase two goats for a community in Ethiopia that Catholic Missions is supporting. Unfortunately, due to inclement weather, the shoot-out has been rescheduled for this Friday. Our learners will be able to play with the recycled soccer balls that our Student Voice representatives made using old t-shirts, plastic bags, foam and bubble wrap.

Additionally, all our representatives for 2022 will be acknowledged at an assembly in Week 7. This enthusiastic group of students have made a wonderful contribution to our community and demonstrated passion and leadership across the school year. It has been a pleasure working alongside each and every one of them.

Have a wonderful week ahead!

Kelly Manera
Assistant Principal – Director of Learning

Thank you 

Last Sunday our School Playdate was attended by Alex from Year 2 and his parents Li and Zeng. It was lovely to spend some quality time chatting with Li, when the sun finally came out. We were disappointed that the weather put a dampener on our day, however, please check the list below for 2023 events you might like to attend. 

We also want to say a HUGE thank you to Nadine Pike for putting her hand up to manage our stall at this Sunday's Car Boot Sale at the Monastery. She will be there from an early 8am to set up and be selling donated items along with all the delicious biscuits our Bake Off Crew will be producing this Friday morning.  Feel free to come and along and help us out if you can.

Let's get together to socialise and support each other

Friday 25 November
Meet in the school canteen at 9am to help bake goods to sell at our fundraising stall at the Monastery's Car Boot Sale on 27 November.

Sunday 27 November 
The P&F will be holding a stall to raise funds for our school and support the Monastery at their Car Boot Sale. If you would like to help on the day, please email Katrina ktucker@raph.catholic.edu.au and if you would like to donate items to sell, please drop them off at the front office by Friday 25 November. Note: we are unable to accept furniture, white goods, bedding or clothing.

2023 events for your calendar

Welcome Night for all families in the Hall on Wednesday 8 February at 6:30pm.

Welcome BBQ for all families on school grounds Sunday 19 February from 11:30am.

Car Boot Sale on Sunday 5 March on the oval from 9am to 2pm.

Thank you for your support!

Katrina Tucker
Marketing and Communications Coordinator

Calm Down Techniques

It's normal for children to get upset and angry at times, just like adults do. However, it can become a problem if the anger and emotional meltdowns become a regular occurrence. Available here is a poster and list with 101 Calm Down Techniques. Not all of the techniques will suit your child but you may get some ideas that you hadn't thought of, or your child might pick out some that they would like to try next time they have an overwhelming negative response to a situation. Children learn so much by watching modelled behaviour from parents and caregivers, so this list could be used by the whole family. Print a copy and pop it on the fridge, or somewhere accessible for your child so they can go to it and have a look at what they can do. It is one thing to be told to do something, but its even better if they can be prompted by a visual - words or pictures. 

Sarah Byrnes
School Counsellor - School Counselling Program