Term 2 Week 7 2025

Another busy fortnight has passed, and we are certainly in the season of Winter now. I hope over the blustery long weekend that you were able to have some time to relax and enjoy some precious down time. I must admit watching Port Adelaide finally win a game was quite heartwarming.

Last week, our Year 3s and 4s attended camp at AFL Max. I popped in to see them on Thursday evening and their energy levels were very high. The children participated in all the activities with enthusiasm and determination. I was so proud to see so many children take themselves out of their comfort zone and take a risk on the various pieces of equipment such as the rock wall, the leap of faith into a giant air bag, footy skills and many more activities. I would like to acknowledge and thank the staff who attended because school camps and school events will only happen if teachers are prepared to be present after school hours and be away from their own families. Thank you to Jim Mihelios, Leonie Pitt, Rosalia Vivian, Rachael De Tullio and Victoria Renney.

On Wednesday night, an amazing and informative parent information session with Madhavi Nawana Parker from Positive Minds Australia was held in our library. Madhavi shared with us powerful insights and research into the importance of navigating emotions and anxiety through developing resilience, self-regulation and strategies for parents when their child is struggling with their emotions. Please keep reading this newsletter for more information from Sarah Morris.

On Tuesday, Education Officers from the Walkerville Council attended St Monica’s during drop off and pick up time to distribute pamphlets on road safety around schools. This education program will continue for another week. The next stage is to monitor Brunswick St with expiation notices be issued if necessary. The goal is to reduce unsafe behaviours and to model safe practices for our children, especially when crossing the road and when children are alighting from a car. I would also ask for families to be respectful of our patient neighbours who are having their driveways parked in or across. Please move further along Brunswick St to find a safe and appropriate place to park.  

Only one more week to go until the exciting School Disco and the Pizza and Wine Night! I hope that many of you have ordered your pizzas and booked a babysitter for the non-school aged little ones. If you haven’t made your selections yet, it is not too late! Visit the Qkr app and you can order and pay in one easy step. The theme for the disco is Fluoro so any old 80s clothing that you may still have can be dragged out and dusted off ready for a night of grooving. I am looking forward to seeing many of you on Friday 20 June. Please remember this is not an event for children under school age.

God’s blessings,

Emily Sayer

On Wednesday, the 11th of June, our school came together to celebrate the special occasion of Pentecost. The event was thoughtfully hosted by our wonderful 1/2BR class, who led the celebration with enthusiasm, creativity, and a deep sense of reverence.

Pentecost, often known as the birthday of the Church, marks the moment when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples and empowered them to share the Good News with people of all nations. It’s a time of joy, unity, and the beginning of something new.

Our celebration was a meaningful reflection of this spirit. The 1/2BR students shared prayers and songs that reminded us of the power of kindness, courage, and the importance of working together as a community. Their heartfelt presentation helped everyone – students, teachers, and families alike – to understand the significance of Pentecost in a real and personal way.

We also extend a heartfelt thank you to Father Matthew for leading us in this special Mass of celebration. His presence and words helped guide our reflection and reminded us of the enduring presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It was a truly uplifting occasion and a beautiful reminder of the spirit that connects us all.

As part of our school’s commitment to the St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal, we are excited to announce a cozy and fun event organised by our Student Voice team – Hot Chocolate, Muffin & PJ Day!

This special event will take place on Friday, 4th July 2025. Students are warmly invited to come to school dressed in pyjamas, dressing gowns, Oodies, beanies, or gloves for the day. (Please note: for safety reasons, slippers and Ugg boots are not to be worn – regular P.E. sneakers are the appropriate footwear.)

Students can enjoy a cup of hot chocolate and a muffin for $5.00. Orders can be placed by completing and returning the order slip by Friday, 27th June 2025, with payment made via the Qkr! app. Please check your child’s school bag for the note containing more information and the order form slip.

In addition to this event, and in the true spirit of giving, we encourage families to show further support by donating an article of winter clothing. Please see the image for more details about what to donate.

All donations and proceeds from the day will go directly to the St Vincent de Paul Society, helping support families in need. Your generosity will assist vulnerable members of our community, including those facing or experiencing homelessness, and offer comfort during the colder months.

Thank you in advance for your kind support of this important cause – together, we can make a real difference.

Next Tuesday evening, a very special celebration will take place as some of our students receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. We ask our school community to keep Beatrice, Stella, Sera, and Kingston in your thoughts and prayers as they prepare to take this important step in their faith journey.

They will be confirmed alongside students from St Martin’s School, in a shared parish celebration at St Martin’s Catholic Church. This is a joyful milestone that marks their growing commitment to their faith and to living out the values of love, compassion, and service in their everyday lives.

We are incredibly proud of these students for their preparation, reflection, and courage. We also thank their families, teachers, and parish leaders for supporting them along the way.

May the Holy Spirit guide Beatrice, Stella, Sera, and Kingston always, and may this sacrament be a source of strength and inspiration for their futures.

We had a wonderful turn out for our Parent Information Night.  As both an educator and parent I felt it was of great value and many parents have given us feedback that they felt it was a practical and informative sessions with lots of laughs along the way.

Madhavi Nawana Parker from Positive Minds Australia is a leading expert in the field of wellbeing.  She consults with families and children, has written many books and works in schools to educate teachers and parents.  Her session around Emotional Regulation, Anxiety and Resilience addressed important information for parents including:

Child development and co-regulation

Our children’s brains are not developed enough to process big emotions; in fact they won’t be until they are about 26 years old! Therefore, as parents it important to let your children feel their feelings (eg. anger, sadness, jealousy, frustration, disappointment etc) recognise them and find appropriate ways to manage these feelings.

Getting comfortable with uncomfortable

Parenting is unpredictable.  There will be many times that our children do not do what we expect them or want them to do.  This includes managing emotions.  When we acknowledge with our children their emotions, but DO NOT solve the problem for them, we are building up their skills and resilience to manage bigger problems later in life.  For example, a child not making a sports team is disappointing, however, experiencing this (without mum/dad speaking to the coach) prepares children for when they may not win a job they applied for. 

Focus on the things you/your child can control

Opening up the conversation around things we can and can’t control helps us to understand what we can actively work on (eg. how we treat others, how we learn from mistakes, asking for help) as opposed to what we can’t control (eg. the past, the weather, how other people think or act).

Emotional Regulation is inherited from our memory bank

When children see their parents managing their emotions well (or not well!), this is inherently passed onto children.  Just as we learnt from our parents how to cope with stress or pressure, we can reflect on how we want our children to deal with stress in the future.

Four Pillars of Health

There are some health factors that we have little control over (eg. a medical diagnosis) but the areas we can control are very impactful on our children’s wellbeing:

Food (healthy and unprocessed foods regularly)
Movement (sports or outdoor play)
Relaxation (mindful ways to relax without screens such as reading and music)
Sleep (9-12 hours for Primary aged students)

90 seconds

Neuroscience researcher (Dr Jill Bolte Taylor) has proven that anger for external circumstances (eg. your child yelling, hitting, arguing) only lasts for 90 seconds. If you can delay your reaction to these behaviours for 90 seconds, your response will be in a calmer manner that helps your child to regulate.

Evidence based wellbeing enhancers

There are many quick, free and easy ways to enhance the wellbeing of not only your children, but the adults in the house too.  These include:

Gratitude journals (reduces stress and increases empathy)
Sunshine (Vitamin D and serotine release)
Movement (increases blood flow and endorphins)
Laughter (instantly changes mood and releases endorphins)
Playing with a pet, hugging someone (releases the love hormone oxytocin)

Excessive Reassurance and Avoidance can STRENGHTEN anxiety

Our job as parents is to protect our children, but sometimes, we need to let them experience discomfort (in a safe manner).  For example, when our children are on the playground let them explore and try new things without coaching them through every moment.  By stepping in for our children too much we reduce their independence and ability to problem solve and can increase their anxiety.

If you would like more information, Madhavi’s website is a wonderful place to start:

https://positivemindsaustralia.com.au/

Sarah Morris

Assistant Principal: Learning and Inclusion

 Premier’s Reading Challenge 2025

This term would be a good opportunity for all our students to complete the Premier’s Reading Challenge which consists of reading 12 books, 8 from the Premier’s Reading List and 4 of their own choice. Further information about the Reading Challenge can be found at www.prc.sa.edu                            

Book Club Issue 4 – Orders close Monday 16 th June 2025

Book Club Issue 4 closes this Monday 16th June, 2025. Thank you for your ongoing support of the Book Club which helps provide additional resources for the students.

Overdue Library Books and Readers

There are many readers and Library books overdue. Could you please check at home and in school bags and return books found as soon as possible.  Thank you.

Dates to remember

Book Week 16th-23rd August -This year’s theme is ‘Book an Adventure’.

Premier’s Reading Challenge – runs until 7th September.

Premier’s be-active Challenge – runs until 26th September.

More information about these exciting activities will be in future newsletters.

We had a lovely visit from Natalie Brampton (APRIM) who is currently on leave and we got to meet the handsome Harvey. What an absolute blessing. 

The parent community has established a private group on Facebook that facilitates the trading of second-hand uniform items.

Please visit www.facebook.com/groups/stmonicasbuyswapsell and request to join the group if you are interested.

The page is ideal for selling items in good condition that your child has outgrown, or to sell items if your child is moving on. Simply post images and your contact details. Alternatively, you can join the group to take advantage of the pre-loved items that become available.

For those of you who are not on Facebook, please contact the P&F pandf.stmonicas@gmail.com and they will assist you with the sale of items.

Please note the sale of old-style uniform items is not allowed. St Monica's Parish School does not manage this page and takes no responsibility for any private sales.

We acknowledge the Kaurna people as the traditional custodians of the land upon which St Monica’s learn, work and play.

May we walk gently on this land acknowledging the Kaurna people's deep spiritual connection with their country.

We pay our respects to Kaurna elders past and present and commit to the ongoing journey of Reconciliation.