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Dear Families and Friends,
I trust everyone took advantage of the long weekend to recharge the batteries as well as maybe get out of town to do some travelling. If the freeway was anything to judge by, it seems plenty of other Victorians also had the same idea.
We had our School Photo Day today and it was terrific to see everyone looking magnificent for their photo. Thanks to Mrs.Campbell for her time and generosity in sorting children out so they were in the correct uniform. Just another reminder for parents to take advantage of the Uniform shop and in particular the range of school shoes. It was quite noticeable today that we have a few students in runners instead of all-black shoes. If you can't locate any school shoes in the shops please call by the Uniform shop as we have a good amount of new and second hand shoes available to purchase.
This week in the media we continue to see a range of stories from Meghan & Harry through to the horrific allegations around individuals in Canberra. At Lumen Christi our students sing (loudly) the lyrics 'building the Kingdom' in our school song. If you asked them what this means, a reasonable answer from a child would be a nice place, through to maybe using words like respectful, responsible and resilient. Our Catholic story is headlined by Jesus telling us to 'build the Kingdom' and we do this through our informal actions with each other as well as through our curriculum delivery.
Regarding the recent media stories, we are hearing more and more about the need to educate our children about concepts such as consent. Tricky conversations are made easier when we have a shared language and context to use. As a staff we have two initiatives that we are pursuing this year that are timely as well as crucially important to the health and well-being of our students. During the year we will offer parents the chance to engage with staff in information sharing about we were are doing in school that you can piggy back onto at home. The first idea comes from a strengthening of the Sexual Education curriculum beyond the bi-annual Family Life sessions and the second is the implementation of the Western Australian Protective Behaviours program. From the early work we have already done engaging as a staff with these two initiatives I can see how they will be tremendously important to offer to all our children.
Finally, I will commence a period of long-service leave after I attend a Catholic Principal Conference later next week. Our son gets married during this break so I will enjoy this special time with my family ..... but hopefully I receive word that I've won a prize in the Lumen Christi Easter Raffle. During this time I'm very confident that our school leadership team will be able to lead the school, with Mr. Camillo Redi being asked to take on the role of replacing me during my absence.
So wishing you all a lovely end to the term, have a blessed Easter.
Dave
Arsad, an Indonesian farmer, had no toilet in his home, so he had to walk into the forest to the open defecation area, even at night or in the rain.
Around 17 percent of Indonesia’s rural population practice open defecation , with many unaware that it contributes to spreading diseases.
Arsad’s family was often sick and open defecation caused neighbourhood disputes. With the support of Caritas Australia and its partner, Laz Harfa, he took part in hygiene, sanitation and financial management training. He decided to fund the building of a toilet in his house and facilitated others in his neighbourhood to save up for toilets.
Now, Arsad and his family are healthier and have reduced their medical expenses. Their community no longer practices open defecation and is more harmonious. A community event, called ‘Declaration of Open Defecation-Free’ was even held to acknowledge their achievements.
Maybe in your home you might think about how you could raise your child's awareness of how they might in some small way contribute a donation to Project Compassion through an act of generosity, forgoing a treat or getting paid for a chore.
The preparation for the Sacrament of Reconciliation has commenced.
UPCOMING EVENTS
The Sacrament of Reconciliation will be celebrated on Wednesday 17th of March at Lumen Christi Church, at 5pm.
If you require any further information please contact Mrs.Colaciello or Mrs.Campbell
Please take note of these dates for your family calendar
16th March: Whole School Trip to Morwell Art Gallery
17th March: Casual Clothes Day - please bring an easter donation
18th March: Walk to School Day
25th March: District Athletics (All students) at Yinnar (Back-up date 31/3)
1st April: Easter Play, Easter Raffle and End of Term
It’s Lumen Christi’s first Walk To School Day on Thursday the 18th of March!
We have two meeting points, Churchill Police Station and Churchill Tennis Courts where we will begin our walks at 8.05am. If by any chance you don’t get there on time, we can always pick you up along the way!
Cambo’s Kitchen will be open for a scrumptious breakfast when you arrive.
Let the competition begin! Which class will get the most students walking this term?
So what are you waiting for, put on your walking shoes and get moving!
Our school is part of the Healthy Together Program and we participate in various initiatives during the year. Walk-to-School is a one of those activities that encourages a healthy lifestyle and physical activity.
What happens on Walk-To-School Day?
Families are encouraged to walk to school on these days. We offer two starting points for students to leave from - the Churchill Tennis Club and the Churchill Police Station. A staff member will lead the group to school.
What time do I need to be there?
Arrive at 8am. Each group will leave their starting point at 8.05am.
Do you have to start at these two locations?
No, you decide what works best for your family. Some families choose to escort or drive their children to these starting points as the children enjoy the social aspect of walking with friends.
Can you join the walk along the way?
Some families live along the path the group will walk so join in along the way.
What happens when they arrive at school?
The students are served some food when they arrive. In the past this has been either some warm toast or fresh fruit sticks - depends on the weather!
Can parents also walk?
Certainly - The idea of these days is to create healthy active habits. We hope these events inspire families to consider walking to school as an alternate mode of transport. We could also consider starting a walking group for parents who could meet at school at morning drop off and then head off on a walk together.
The mental health benefits of having children actively involved in their local community are well known, as well as added health advantages of being involved in physical activity.
We are extremely fortunate in Churchill with the collaboration of the different sport and recreation groups to operate under the banner of Active Kids Churchill. If I had a magical wand it would be to do a magical swish to have every family involved in at least one of these groups, if not multiple connections.
I have personally experienced and interacted with many of these groups and clubs and cannot speak more highly of them. If you would like further information please reach out to me or follow 'Active Kids Churchill' on Facebook as they regularly post updates and information from all the great clubs in Churchill.
Do your children a tremendous favour and get them involved and active ..... and I'm sure the parents and extended families would enjoy the social engagement that happens along the way.
Be a Blue Devil, Brave, Cobra, Cougar, Ram, Tennis or Hockey star this year!
