Dear Parents,

On Monday, several of our Year 6 students represented our school at the Halogen
Leader Day in Melbourne. They had a wonderful day and expressed their
appreciation for the opportunity to represent our school and to hear from some
impressive speakers who taught them valuable lessons for life and leadership. The
consistent message is that it is so important to keep trying, to do your very best and
that failure is an important part of growing as a person.
This week we were very busy with two days of camp for our Year 3 and 4 students.
The children had a wonderful time at Mill Valley Ranch and thoroughly enjoyed riding
horses and a wide range of other activities.
Our swimmers competed in the Division Swimming Competition and we congratulate
them on their wonderful performance and the exceptional way they represented our
school.

LENT
This week we began the liturgical season of Lent. On Tuesday, all classes made
pancakes to celebrate Shrove Tuesday. Shrove Tuesday, also known as Pancake
Day, is a day of celebration before the start of Lent. It's a time to use up ingredients
like eggs and milk before the traditional 40-day period of fasting that is Lent.
This Wednesday was Ash Wednesday. This is a very special day in the liturgical life
of the Catholic Church. Ash Wednesday marks the commencement of Lent, a
pivotal season in the Christian liturgical calendar. On this day, Catholics attend
services where ashes, made from burned palm branches, are applied to their
foreheads in the shape of a cross, symbolizing repentance. Lent spans 40 days,
excluding Sundays, and serves as a period of fasting, prayer, and reflection in
preparation for Easter. This observance commemorates the 40 days Jesus spent
fasting in the wilderness, providing an opportunity for spiritual growth and self-
discipline as followers prepare for the celebration of Christ’s resurrection on Easter
Sunday. In the weeks ahead, I encourage you to engage in discussions with your
children about the lessons they have learned regarding Lent and the last days of
Jesus’ life on earth as we move towards Easter.

NAPLAN FOR YEAR 3s and YEAR 5s
NAPLAN will be administered this year from March 12th to March 24th. This online
assessment is conducted nationally for students in Years 3, 5, 7, and 9. Each student
who participates will receive an individual report, providing insights into their
performance relative to their peers at the state and national levels. The data
gathered from NAPLAN is used by schools to evaluate the impact of teaching
practices and inform future instructional planning.
NAPLAN is the only national assessment available to all Australian students in these
year levels. For further details, including a brochure for parents and carers, please
refer to the VCAA website, where resources are offered in multiple languages.

https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/assessment/f-10assessment/naplan/Pages/parents/index.aspx

I hope that you have the opportunity to enjoy an extra long weekend this weekend as school is closed on Friday and Monday.
Kind regards
Lisa