Newsletter March 26th, 2024

May the glory and the promise of this joyous time of year bring peace and happiness to you and those you hold most dear.

And may Christ, Our Risen Savior, always be there by your side to bless you most abundantly and be your loving guide.

St Brigid's Primary School Ballan wishes to acknowledge respectfully the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live, work, learn, play and gather.

Dear Members of our St Brigid’s Community,

As we enter the season of Easter, we are filled with hope, joy, and gratitude for the many blessings surrounding us. It is a time of renewal, reflection and new beginnings.

Yesterday, our Foundation class facilitated a Liturgy focusing on Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week and the final days leading up to Easter Sunday. It commemorates Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem, where he was greeted by crowds waving palm branches and laying them at his feet, as a symbol of honour and respect.

The story of Palm Sunday can be found in all four Gospels of the New Testament. According to the Bible, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, which was a symbol of peace and humility, while the people around him shouted "Hosanna!" and waved palm branches. This event fulfilled a prophecy from the book of Zechariah in the Old Testament, which spoke of a king coming to Jerusalem "gentle and riding on a donkey."

Palm Sunday is a joyful celebration, but it is also a reminder of the sacrifice that Jesus would make in the days to come. It is a time for reflection and contemplation, as Christians prepare for the solemn events of Holy Week, including the Last Supper, Jesus' arrest and trial, and his crucifixion and death.

In many churches, Palm Sunday is observed with a special service, which includes the blessing of palms and a procession around the church. The palms are often shaped into crosses or other designs, which people take home with them as a reminder of the day. Some churches also include a reading of the Passion narrative, which tells the story of Jesus' arrest, trial, and crucifixion.

As we approach Easter Sunday, let us take time to reflect on the events of Holy Week and the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. May we be reminded of the love and grace that we have been shown, and may we seek to share that love with others.

This week we will continue to reflect upon the events of Holy Week as each class facilitates a Holy Week Liturgy. We look forward to sharing our reflections with our community.

Term 1 concludes at 2:20pm this Thursday 28th March, and I extend my warmest wishes to all of you. Easter is a time for renewal and new beginnings, and I hope it brings you and your family peace and happiness.

Take care and God bless,

Jayne Bosworth

'Inspire us to act justly and to reverence all God has made.'

Excerpt from St Brigid's Prayer

This year, each year level will facilitate Holy Week liturgies at St Brigid’s church. Please see the outline below. All welcome.

Congratulations to the following  students who celebrated the Sacrament of Reconciliation last week. Many thanks to Therese Winter, Fr Justin, the sacramental team and families for their organisation and preparation.

Every blessing to:

Reina Borg, Alexander Cauchi, Archie Clarke, Grace Conlan, Petar Filipovic, Hamish Fodor, Bridget Grigg,

Jamie Jarvis, Noah Kettle, Ciara Paolini, Oscar Phillips and Georgia Shanahan

Spanning across the six weeks of Lent each year, Project Compassion brings thousands of Australian schools, parishes and supporters together to raise funds for people living in some of the most vulnerable communities across the world.

Last Friday, our school was filled with an atmosphere of compassion and generosity as we came together for Project Compassion Day.

Our day commenced with meaningful whole school prayer, facilitated by Year 5/6B. Following prayer, our fundraising efforts were in full swing as we dedicated our day to supporting Caritas and mission communities.  We raised $110.

Our next P&F meeting will take place on Thursday 2nd May from 3.15pm - 4.00pm in our school Library. An active P&F committee allows families the opportunity to play a valuable part in providing social and fundraising activities.  Please attend this meeting if you are interested in joining our P&F committee. Any help would be greatly appreciated as all funds raised contribute to resources and materials to support your children in their holistic development.

Assemblies have commenced this term. As we now have specialist classes on a Friday afternoon, we will need to move assembly to Friday mornings from 9:00am - 9:20am. 

Assembly Schedule Term 2

On Assembly days, members of our St Brigid’s community are invited to meet at the front gate at 8:15am for a leisurely walk. This will be a great opportunity for you and your child to connect with other members of our school community. This walk will include stopping at a local cafe for a hot or cold drink! Our first Step, Sip & Socialise event was a huge success.

As in past years we will once again be conducting our Annual Easter Egg Raffle. All families are asked to donate an Easter related item for our raffle. The raffle will be drawn on the last day of Term 1, Thursday 28th March 2024.

As previously communicated, school will conclude at 2:20pm next Thursday 28th March, 2024.

All of the timetabled events (to date) for the school year can be found on our school calendar which can be accessed through PAM and via this newsletter.

Please ensure that your child is wearing the correct summer uniform to school each day including bringing the St Brigid’s school bag to and from school daily. A navy wide brim hat is also required, which stays at school for the Term. If your child does not have a hat to wear they will need to play in the sheltered area only during breaks. 

Children are able to wear sports uniform each Wednesday and on classroom nominated sports day as directed by your child’s classroom teacher. Given the nature of Physical Education lessons, on Wednesday’s children can wear either correct sports shorts or pants.

We are currently exploring options regarding rain coats. More details to follow regarding these items.

SZappp Mobile Application is a fantastic way for communicating and making information or resources available to our St Brigid's school community. 

Please follow the instructions in the below guide on how to install the SZappp and register an email account for communication.