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- Deputy Principal's Report Term 4 Week 3 - 2021
- Religious Education Term 4 Week 3 - 2021
- MTS University of Canberra Occupational Therapy Program
- Parent Return to School Information Sheet
- Compass Parent Portal
- Heping children transitioning back to school in the Covid 19 era
- Community Council Year Book Orders
- Fresh Tastes - Healthy Lunchbox Ideas
- Bunnings Thank you
- Community Service Announcements
Dear families,
It is with great excitement that we welcome a large majority of our students back to school next week. While I have always enjoyed working at Mother Teresa School, a little bit like a house not being a home until you add a family, the same can be said of a school without children. All of the staff, and I’m sure many of the parents, are excited to get back to some type of normality.
Back to School Information
There have been trickles of information distributed over the past couple of weeks, including a ‘return to school’ fact sheet which has been sent via Szapp earlier this afternoon. This outlines protocols including arrival at school, collection areas after school and other key points.
Please take the time to speak with your children about all of the great aspects of returning to school and also how things might be a little bit different than what they are used to.
Allied Health Services on Campus
A number of parents have reached out regarding therapy services resuming sessions on campus at MTS.
Allied Health services can work on site from the 25th October 2021. Therapists must show proof of their vaccination and have their first dose by 1st November 2021. This has been mandated by the Chief Medical Officer.
Could you please inform your therapist that they will be required to present their vaccination certificates to the front office upon their first visit to school.
Tennis Award
At an awards night held virtually on Saturday, Mother Teresa was awarded the Most Outstanding School by ACT Tennis. This award is a great acknowledgement of the participation of our students. We thank the talented Mr Brendan Roweth, who has instigated many of the tennis initiatives at MTS. Our school will now be nominated for the Australian School of the Year!
iPads
We have many school iPads out on loan to students which will be needed once school returns. Please have the students return any borrowed ipads to the front office for check in. Please dont forget any accessories borrowed as well!
School Year Book Cover Competition Winner
Congratulations to Thomas Beeton (6 Ebony) who won the Mother Teresa Yearbook Art Competition. This amazing artwork will proudly adorn this year’s edition of the yearbook.
Best wishes,
Craig Hart
WHOLE SCHOOL FOCUS The Whole school focus theme for this year is:
‘We Are Bee-Attitude Keepers”
30th Sunday in Ordinary Time
24 October 2021 - Year B
“Master, grant that I may see.”
Something to Think About
Imagine for a moment that you are blind. Close your eyes. What would it be like to have never seen colours? How does it feel not to be able to see your surroundings?
The Story
Bartimaeus was a blind man who sat begging by the side of the road. But Bartimaeus could 'see' and understand the real Jesus. He asked Jesus for help and for healing. He believed in Jesus. He had total faith in Jesus and he could see again. And in the end we are told, Bartimaeus followed Jesus!
Video
Reflecting on the Gospel
To say, 'I see' is to mean 'Now I understand'. Invite children to name things they 'see' and understand now that they did not understand when they were younger.
Have a pair of sunglasses. Invite children to imagine these glasses are the 'eyes of faith'. When wearing the glasses, a person understands many things. Invite children to put on the glasses and share what they can 'see'.
Reconciliation & First Eucharist
Please pray for our Year 3 teachers and students who are currently preparing for the Sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Eucharist.
Thank you to all those families who attended our Reconciliation Hearts Mass last Sunday. It was great to see so many of our students there. Thank you to Mrs Radic who took the screen shots and was able to share some of the amazing hearts that the students had decorated.
Important Dates:
Thank you for your patience and commitment during the past few months. We are pleased that we will be able to celebrate the sacraments next month.
Students at Mother Teresa School will make their sacraments on the following dates:
First Reconciliation will be celebrated at school on Thursday 4 Nov at 9am
The Liturgy will be held during the school day. Parents will be unable to attend.
First Eucharist will be celebrated on:
Thursday 11 Nov at 6pm & 7:15pm
Thursday 18 Nov 6pm & 7:15pm
Weekend Mass is celebrated every Sunday morning at 9:30am (via zoom) during the lockdown period. All First Eucharist families are asked to attend Mass each week as part of the commitment you made to the program. Children should bring along their Mass books and follow along.
Please visit our website: https://www.holyspiritgungahlin.org.au and download our Pocket Parish App to join in the celebration.
Click here to access the parish newsletter or you can view it on the Parish App.
Join us for Mass on Sunday 24th September 2021 at 9:30am via Zoom. Click on this link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/824036573 or use meeting number 824 036 573 to join our Mass.
Peace and best wishes
Anne Leet
Religious Education co-ordinator
Dear Parents,
Due to Covid-19 and remote learning, I regret to inform you that we are drawing our UC Occupational Therapy program and partnership to an early close this year. We will recommence the program in 2022.
The pilot program has been very successful with many celebrations. We have supported 206 students from Kinder to Year 5, provided additional assessments and observations to a number of students from Preschool to Year 3, including screening all the Kinder students.
20 Occupational Therapy students have participated in the on-campus MTS program and thoroughly enjoyed their time. In fact, 4 OT students volunteered to attend an additional day at MTS for part of the time!
There have been many benefits for our staff also as we participated in OT workshops focused on attention and sensory processing. Additional professional conversations to support the individual needs of our students and build teacher capacity have also been very beneficial. The UC students have benefited from understanding the complexities of the classroom and collaborating with class teachers.
The online workshops offered to parents at the end of last term were very successful and well attended by our families.
We have learnt a great deal through the trial of the pilot program and are in the process of reviewing and planning for 2022. The opportunity to initiate such a unique partnership has been exciting and challenging. We are leading the way in exploring how Allied Health Services and Education can work together to support the needs of our students.
We would like to thank all the OT students involved for their enthusiasm, energy and willingness to participate in our initiative. We extend a special thank you to Jacqui Etherington, Occupational Therapy Clinical Educator, for her constant support, enthusiasm and professionalism. Jacqui has accepted a job with the Education Directorate and will not continue with us next year. We wish her all the very best in her new role and look forward to continuing our partnership with Jacqui’s replacement.
In the coming weeks, parents will receive an evaluation survey and feedback for their child where appropriate.
Karen Garrity
Diverse Learning Coordinator
If you have not already done so, please download the Compass app on your phone urgently. Once you have registered and updated your password, please search for "HARRISON", then "MOTHER TERESA SCHOOL" to complete your registration.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact the front office via email office.mts@cg.catholic.edu.au.
