PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
Dear Parents and Carers,
Term four in schools is traditionally very busy, filled with graduations, new classes, teachers, Christmas parties etc. Without context, the rich spiritual traditions of Advent can quickly become secularised and commercialised. It’s important that as the busyness around Christmas builds, we make time to remember the real reason we celebrate Christmas.
Advent is the four weeks that lead up to Christmas and is when we watch and wait for the coming of Christ. It began this year on Sunday, Dec 1st and goes through to Dec 24th and always contains four Sundays. Advent is the official beginning of the Church year, and the liturgical colour purple represents it. The word Advent derives from the Latin word meaning coming. The Lord is coming. (Wait/Prepare/ Be Ready for Christmas). It is a time of preparation for Christ’s birth and is symbolises ‘new beginnings’. It is the season when the impossible becomes possible and the Gospel stories during Advent provides examples of this.
The use of the wreath and candles during Advent are a longstanding Catholic tradition that was originally adopted by Christians in the Middle Ages as part of their spiritual preparation for Christmas. The wreath and candles are full of symbolism tied to the Christmas season. The wreath itself, which is made of various evergreens, signifies continuous life. The circle of the wreath, which has no beginning or end, symbolises the eternity of God, the immortality of the soul, and the everlasting life we find in Christ.
The candles also have their own special significance. The four candles represent the four weeks of Advent, and one candle is lit each Sunday. Three of the candles are purple because the colour violet is a liturgical colour that signifies a time of prayer, penance, and sacrifice.
The first purple candle symbolises hope. It is sometimes called the “Prophecy Candle” in remembrance of the prophets, especially Isaiah, who foretold the birth of Christ. It represents the expectation felt in anticipation of the coming Messiah.
Carols
We welcome families along to the Community Council Christmas Carols picnic on Wednesday 11th of December in the school grounds. The students have learnt three songs that will be sung on the night. Carols will fill the air and ice blocks will be provided for all students.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Sport in 2020
Mr Jenkins has decided to have a break from organising sport in the school next year. We thank Mr Jenkins for his tireless work organising clinics and countless carnivals and sporting days for us this year. This work often goes unnoticed in the community but is vital to the Physical Education of our students. If you see Mr Jenkins around the school, please join me in thanking him for his efforts this year. Ms Mary De Smet will take over the sports coordinator role in 2020.
Maths consolidation in 2020
This year we moved away from our Mathletics subscription based on the usage reports that we reviewed part way through the year. This showed the platform was not hitting its targets in consolidating maths for students at home. We utilised a classroom approach for the remainder of the year which saw several different programs, platforms and techniques used. We will trial for 2020 a numeracy program called Mangahigh which is an engaging Mathematics based program that adjusts to the student's individual learning needs. It adapts the wording of questions and offers support to ensure that all children can make meaning from math problems and experience success. It makes learning fun, supportive and engaging. I will seek parent feedback and usage data partway through the year to assess its effectiveness in this space. More information will be rolled out in 2020. If you want to know more, please feel free to visit their website https://www.mangahigh.com/en-au/
Blessings and best wishes
Sean Rutledge