Dear Parents and Carers,

This Sunday we celebrate our fathers, grandfathers and those who are like fathers to us. Through the love and goodness of God, who is like a loving father, we can see how fathers can be models of strength and gentleness, justice and compassion, and mercy and kindness.  We wish all our dads and those who are like dads to us a wonderful Father’s Day this Sunday and ask that God will bless them and reward them for their goodness and the gift of life they have given us.

Helping your child with Mathematics
Mathematics is a skill that needs practice! There are lots of simple things you can do to help your child with their math skills. Whether your primary school child is bringing home math’s homework that you are familiar with or not, you can still support them to learn. Here is how:

Understanding the question
Encourage your child to take the time to think about what is being asked of them. Ask them to explain to you what the problem means and how they would solve it, for example, “How would you work that out? Do you need to use addition, multiplication or division?” Talking the math problem through will assist them with their learning and comprehension.

Multiplication practice
Simple multiplication is an important part of mathematics, and practice is the key! Encourage your child to practise the times tables. Try turning multiplication practice into a fun game by asking your child the occasional multiplication question as they wait for dinner, in the car or walking the dog. For example, “What’s six times seven?”

Pause with the answers
When your child is struggling to answer a math equation, hold off giving them the answer. Instead, encourage them to solve it themselves by giving them tips such as, “We know six times five is 30, so seven times five would be 30 plus five”.

Keep expectations high with positive praise
Giving your child praise is important in building their mathematics confidence. Encourage your child by giving genuine and specific praise about their efforts and achievements. For example, “Well done! Seven times five is 35. I like the way you kept trying until you got it right, great job!” 

Importance of maths skills
If your child understands the importance of mathematics in their everyday life, they will be more likely to embrace it.  So keep the maths conversation going by talking about mathematics as you go about your everyday activities, such as measurements while cooking, speed and distance when driving, and patterns in the things in the environment around you.

If you are concerned about your child’s maths, contact their teacher. They can work with your child in class and may be able to suggest some activities you could try at home to support their learning.

Happy Father’s Day!

God bless.

Rachel Smith
Principal

St Benedict’s Colour Splash & Dash
At St Benedict’s we have one major fundraiser a year on a two year cycle – Spring Fair (even years) and Walkathon (odd years). This year we are adding a splash of colour to our walkathon. All money raised will contribute to the purchase of Chromebooks and robotic equipment. Students will come home this week with a letter and sponsorship card outlining how the St Benedict’s Colour Splash & Dash works and how they can raise funds. Please encourage your children to participate in this fundraising opportunity. The St Benedict’s Colour Splash & Dash will take place on Friday 20^th September and we would love as many parents to be involved as possible. You too can participate in the Colour Run!

Whole School Performance – St Benedict’s ‘Disneyland’
Our end of term performance is well underway in its preparation. The date for the performance is the 25^th September at 6pm for 6.30pm start. All students are participating in the performance and are busily practising their class items and whole school finale. Notes may come home soon with a few little costumes or prop items that class teachers will be looking for students to have. We will keep these to a minimum.

Safety In and Around the School Grounds
I am asking for all our drivers to be careful and alert when driving along the roads around our school, in particular on Jerrabomberra Avenue where the cars are parked outside the townhouses next to the church. It is difficult when cars are parked in the street, but please be mindful that this is a shared road and at times we do need to give way to other oncoming traffic. If we are all aware of the traffic, the parked cars and remember to stick to the school zone speed limit, we should all continue to remain safe getting to and from school. Thank you for your assistance with this.

School Uniform
There have been many children arriving at school in the incorrect footwear lately. Just a reminder that students are to wear black school shoes with their winter uniform and not sports shoes. Thank you for your support with this.

Leaving St Benedict’s
If you anticipate that your child will leave St Benedict’s at the end of this year, could you please notify the Front Office. We need to begin planning for staffing and class configurations for 2020. Thank you to those who have let us know already, this is very much appreciated. Naturally Year 6 parents need not respond to this request.

Confirmation Preparation
A reminder that the Confirmation Details note is urgently due (last Friday). This provides important details used for Confirmation certificates, seating and catering.  This note was given to all Confirmation Candidates in their Confirmation Home Program pack.

Confirmation Practice 1- students only
Wednesday 11^th September 9-10.30am

Confirmation Practice 2- (including Reconciliation, parents are not required to attend, but are welcome to attend if they wish)
Wednesday 18^th September 9-11am

Father’s Day Mass
Kindergarten will be leading our school community in a special Father’s Day Mass 6^th September. In preparation for this Mass, families are invited to share photographs of their fathers, grandfathers, great grandfathers, uncles or any father figures, to be shown in a PowerPoint reflection. Please email all photos to Fran Tomadini: franca.tomadini@cg.catholic.edu.au

Year 5/6 Class Parish Mass

Year 5/6 will be leading and joining the parish on Sunday 15^th September to celebrate Mass.  We ask that those who have children in Year 5/6 make a special effort to attend the school’s Parish Mass. The parish choir will be at this Mass and warmly welcome anyone to join in singing. If you are planning to attend Mass on this Sunday and would like your child (or any family member) to have a formal role such as a reading, bringing forth the offertory or the Gospel procession, please email: alana.quirk@cg.catholic.edu.au

Community Meals Program

The Community Meals freezer is one way we can assist families who are experiencing hardship. If you are able to cook a meal, please use disposable containers and label with ingredients and date. All meal donations can be brought to the Front Office. If your family requires temporary meal assistance, you can speak in confidence to any of our staff members.

30 Aug Fathers’ Day Stall
1 Sep Fathers’ Day
3 Sep Parents & Friends Meeting, 6.30pm
4 Sep Indigenous Literacy day (Book swap)
6 Sep Kindergarten’s Fathers’ Day Mass, 10am
10 Sep School Board Meeting
15 Sep Year 5/6 Family Mass, 9am
19 Sep Learning Showcase, 2pm
19 Sep Year 3/4 Mountain View visit
20 Sep Colour Run
22 Sep Sacrament of Confirmation, Mass, 9.00am
25 Sep School Performance, 6pm
26 Sep Mindfulness Day
27 Sep Last day of Term 3
27 Sep 5 Ways of Being Award Ceremony, 2.30pm

The following note has gone home this week and will be sent home via Schoolzine App:

• Boorowa Touch & Netball Carnival
• Bake Da Cake 
• Australian Girls Choir (to be returned ASAP if interested)
• Book Swap (going home tomorrow)

Commonwealth School Banking News 

School Banking is processed on Wednesday of each week.  Please ensure your child's deposit book and money are at school by Wednesday morning in order to be processed.  Bank books will be returned via the note bags on Wednesday afternoons. 

Thank you to all the students (and parents) for your support with School Banking.

Australian Girls Choir
On Monday 2nd September at 10.30am the Australain Girls Choir - Performing

Arts will be holding a workshop at the school for any girl that enjoys singing.  A permission note went home yesterday and needs to be returned by Friday afternoon.

School Fees
Thank you to all the families that have paid their school fees so far.

Please remember if you have not received your school fees yet, please contact Belinda at the front office.

Term 3 School Fees are now overdue and reminders went home last week.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Belinda in the Front Office.

Qkr!
A quick and easy way to now pay for items such as school fees and canteen lunch orders is available through the Qkr! app.  As excursions and P&F events have final costs available these activities will also be added to Qkr!.  Please see below how to upload and use Qkr!.  There are a number of 'St Benedict's' using Qkr! so in the search bar type Tallara and our St Benedict's Primary School with logo will pop up.

Bake Da Cake

On Friday 23rd August, Bake Da Cake (a Year 5/6 students initiative) made $200.20!  The Bake Da Cake initiative is to help raise money for Vinnies to help the homeless. All of these delicious baked goods and treats were kindly made and donated by our students. We would like to thank all the people who helped in this process.  We were very happy to see so many students caring and supporting this cause.

The Bake Da Cake student representatives.

Happy Birthday to the children who celebrate their special day  this week: Dianna N

Kindergarten:  Vincentia B, Fergus K

Year 1/2B:      Rocky James B, Alexander H

Year 1/2G:      Sarah R, Gordon S

Year 3/4B:      Alain K, Alannah C

Year 3/4G:      Violeta B, Lalia D and Elvira H

Year 5/6B :      Adam A, Mila M and Teresa D

Year 5/6G:       Josephine L, Amiah G

Year 1/2B:      Laua K

Year 5/6B :    Fionn L

Fathers' Day
This is the last week that St Benedict's will have Entertainment Books available for purchase on sight.  This can a great opportunity just before Fathers' Day. Please have a look in your diary and see if you have any time available on Friday 30th August to help with setup and helping students select presents for one of their favourite people in their lives.  

Make his day and support St Benedict's Primary School!
It's smart, dynamic and fun, just like Dad. The Entertainment Digital Membership is more useful than a tool kit, fits neatly in Dad's smartphone and has great offers for dining, movies, activities and travel - all the things he loves to do with you :)

We are still selling the 2019-2020 Entertainment Book Membership for $60. You will receive hundreds of valuable offers for shopping, dining and accommodation.  $12 of every membership sold will go towards our school. A sample copy is available for viewing at the Front Office.

Please make sure you buy a book through St Benedict’s School, and tell your family and friends about it too!

Entertainment           Book           using           the           link: https://www.entertainmentbook.com.au/orderbooks/23231n Then pickup your book from Belinda at the Front Office. 

Purchase now and go in the draw to win the ultimate Father’s Day gift. When you purchase a Membership online during August you will go into the draw to win 2 tickets to the AFL Grand Final, along with accommodation at Melbourne Shortstay Apartments, flights from Jetstar and dinner for 2 at Red Spice Road.

The Clothing Pool will be open each Tuesday and Thursday between 2.50pm to 3.15pm by appointment. 

The Lost Property box has been emptied this week and all named items have been returned to students via their class note bags.  All items without a name have been washed and returned to the Clothing Pool for repurchasing.

Please let Mrs McRae know at the Front Office if you need something from the Clothing Pool, even if you are unable to make the opening times.  Where possible we will always help.

The Lost Property Box is located in the  canteen area.  Please take some time to go through the box on a weekly basis as the lost property box is continually overflowing. 

PLEASE ENSURE YOUR CHILD/REN'S CLOTHING IS LABELLED WITH THEIR NAME.

Extra Lost Items
There are still a number of expensive personal items and cash that has been handed into the office. If you are missing any jewellery or accessories please call in and see Mrs McRae at the Front Office.

Hello parents and friends,
Canteen days are Mondays and Thursdays.

Qkr! is now operating for the canteen and it is a quick and convient way to order your child's lunch if you have no spare change.  If you are using Qkr! please check that you have selected the correct day and date otherwise your child's order will not be come through to the school on the correctly. 

This week during recess, available are:

gluten and lactose free savoury muffins $1
pumpkin soup $2
nachos $2
cheese and herb pastry twists 10c
pizza slices 50c
delicious muffins of the day $1
fresh fruit $1 ea (Bananas, Apples and Pears)
whole carrots 50c
jelly 50c
jelly and lactose free custard 50c
warm corn cobs 50c
seasonal fruit and custard $1

If your child forgets their morning munch and crunch, please see the front office.

THURSDAY 29th August
9am to 11.30am - Helpers Required - Over counter sales only
11.30am to 2pm - Helpers Required

MONDAY 2nd September
9am to 11.30am - Helpers Required - Over counter sales only
11.30am to 2pm - Helpers Required

If you would like to touch base about volunteering please either drop in or contact me on Cara.Cook@cg.catholic.edu.au.

Yours in tongs,

Cara Cook, Canteen Manager

Weekend Mass Times

Saturday          6.00pm

Sunday            9.00am

Youth Mass      6.00pm

Charismatic Mass    6.00pm (last Sunday of the Month)

Baptisms: 11.00am, 2nd and 4th Sundays of the Month

Fr Dan and St Benedict's are running a Men Alive weekend Oct 12-13. A low key weekend to explore what it means to be a Christian man. Contact Fr Dan at Daniel.Benedetti@cg.org.au or check out the website: www.menalive.org.au

Interested in becoming a Catholic or learning more?
Contact Fr Dan at Daniel.Benedetti@cg.org.au for info about the RCIA program for adults.

Welcome/Info night Thurs Sept 5 at 7:30pm in the Collins Wing next to the School Hall.