St Martins Lutheran College Newsletter Week 10 Term 2 2020

A MESSAGE FROM THE COLLEGE COUNSELLORStrength Through Weakness

This term, our focus for Worship and other devotional opportunities, has been Strength through Weakness. I have really enjoyed hearing and learning about other people’s understandings of this theme and how it relates to our staff, students and wider community at St Martins. What a wonderful concept to see

our weaknesses as opportunities for God’s strength to be more visible.

Over the last week I have been fortunate to work with the gorgeous young people and lovely teacher, in 2B. We have been preparing the Worship presentation for this

Friday. Our bible reading for the service comes from 2 Corinthians 1: 3-4.

“Praise be to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

This verse compliments our theme of Strength through Weakness and also introduces the idea that through our own experiences of trouble and hardship, we are better able to help others when they too experience challenges. We can comfort them and show compassion, just as God provides comfort and compassion to us. In this way, our times of weakness can become strength, in that our weaknesses allow us to empathise with and provide support to those around us.

Often my involvement with those in our school community is at times when they are feeling weak, vulnerable and experiencing troubles in their lives. I consider it a privilege to be able to provide comfort and support to others at these moments and am very aware that I don’t do this alone. I rely on God and the comfort he provides me, to be able to comfort others.

I also believe that one of the great strengths of our school community, is that we understand that when we are weak we are able to see more clearly God’s strength working through us, and that providing comfort to others is what God calls us to do.

I wish you all a very safe, relaxing and well-earned holiday break.

Jane Savage | College Counsellor

THE SPIRIT

Term 2 to Conclude at 2:15pm, Friday 3 July

A reminder to parents there will be an early dismissal on the last day of Term, Friday 3 July at 2:15pm. Please note, the office will close at 3:15 pm on this day.

TERM 2 EARLY DISMISSAL

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UPCOMING DATESFriday 3 Jul• Last Day of Term 2• 2:15pm Dismissal

Monday 20 Jul• Student Free Day

Tuesday 21 Jul• Term 3 Commences

Wednesday 22 Jul• Soccer Tryout Day• Open Boys/Girls Basketball

Thursday 23 Jul• Hockey Tryout Day

Monday 27 Jul• Primary Assembly• House Day• Netball Tryout Day

Tuesday 28 Jul• School Photos

Wednesday 29 Jul• School Photos• Kindy Buddies• Year 8/9 Boys Football

Year 3 Students Create Bouquets for Residents at Boandik Lodge.

With the current COVID-19 restrictions in place, sadly our Year 3 students have been unable to visit their buddies at Boandik Lodge Crouch Street.

Recently, students wrote letters and created flower bouquets as a special gift for the residents.

We hope that the visits will soon resume.

BOANDIK BUDDIES

Please Ensure all Uniform is Correct and in Line with the Current Policy

A reminder for all families to please take the time to ensure that your children are wearing the correct uniform neatly and presentably.

You can find a link to our Uniform Policy Here

We also have helpful infographics which show how the uniform should be worn.

The Uniform Shop will be open in the second week of the school holidays on Tuesday & Thursday, you can also shop online Here

St Martins has a lovely uniform and it only takes a few moments each morning to make sure the children are neatly dressed in the correct uniform.

Thank you for your support

UNIFORM REMINDER

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Department of Education Collect College Information

The Australian Government provides funding to Australian schools under the Australian Education Act 2013 (AE Act). This Act and the associated Australian Education Regulation 2013 (the AE Regulation) require that a school authority provides the Australian Government with certain information about the school, it’s staff, and student body to ensure the school’s funding is properly calculated and appropriately managed. This information is collected by the Department of Education, Skills and Employment (the department) on behalf of the Australian Government.

To read more please Click Here.

2020 CENSUS PRIVACY NOTICE

Sisters Win Poetry Takeover!

Recently, the South Australian History Festival held “Poetry Takeover” - a competition for school students. Participants were required to choose an artwork, artefact or photo from an online museum collection and write a poem about it.

We are very pleased to announce that Year 7 student, Lauren Agnew, won first place in the Year 7/8 category and also took out the People’s Choice Award. While Year 5 student, Jenna Agnew, won second place in the Year 4 – 6 category.

Congratulations to both girls on a fantastic achievement!

To read Lauren’s poem click here and to read Jenna’s poem click here.

SA HISTORY FESTIVAL

Junior School Students Join Club to Replant Vertical Garden.

Last week, Foundation Student Evie and a group of her Junior School friends began replanting the College’s vertical garden!

Fortunately, the sun came out for the moment, making the task a little more fun - but no doubt the plants will receive a good rain to ensure the garden grows beautifully

VERTICAL GARDEN REPLANTED

Senior Student Holds Photo Exhibition in College Library.

Year 12 student, Abby Shaw, recently held a photo exhibition in the College Library.

Her exhibition titled “Arts and the Community” featured photos of Mount Gambier, with a focus on the Blue Lake and Valley Lakes precinct.

Congratulations to Abby for her fantastic work!

YEAR 12 PHOTO EXHIBITION

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Drama Students Finish Term with a Strong Performance.

The Year 9/10 Drama class finished the term with some short extracts from contemporary drama scripts. They all did a fabulous job, arranging their own props and costumes and giving strong performances to our audience of Senior Drama students!

Andy Ahrens | Teacher

YEAR 9/10 DRAMA

Students Undertaking Certificate in Dance Participate in Local Showcase.

Recently, St Martins students studying a Certificate 3 and Certificate in Dance were invited to perform at Grant High School. The performance was organised and managed by Certificate 3 students from schools across Mount Gambier.

The students put on a highly polished, professional performance. It was easy to tell they were well rehearsed and had thought about the types of dance they would showcase, the music they would use and most importantly, the choreography. Certificate 3 students performed a group hip hop routine and solo routines of different genres, choreographed by themselves. The Certificate 2 students choreographed their own routine and performed together as a group.

It was great to see students from St Martins Lutheran College, Tenison Woods College, Grant High School and Mount Gambier High School work and perform together – Congratulations to everyone involved in the event.

Linda Polomka | VET Coordinator

DANCE SHOWCASE

Thank You for a Successful Term and your ongoing Support.

Thanks to the teachers and staff for all the work you’ve done supporting and teaching our kids this term. We appreciate the work that you do!

Thanks also to all who supported the Hollicks wine fundraiser. It was great quality wine for a bargain price, as well as a great way to support a local business during a difficult time. For those who missed out, we hope to run it again.

In Term 3, we are looking into the possibility of a Scroll Queen fundraiser and a Father’s Day Stall -considering COVID-19.

To make meetings more flexible for working parents, each month this year the P&F are alternating meeting at night/daytime, near the middle of the month on Tuesdays. It’s also possible to zoom into meetings from the comfort of your own home. Email me if you want more details of when we meet.

The next two meetings are 1pm to 3pm on 21 July and 7pm to 9pm on 11 August. We’d love to hear your ideas on how to grow community and support the College while still appropriately socially distancing.

Sally Duffett | Parents and Friends Secretary

PARENTS AND FRIENDS

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Book Now for the School Holidays!

SMOSHC (St Martins Out of School Hours Care) is an inclusive on-site service, providing after hours and vacation care for Junior School students. For more details about our SMOSHC program, please visit our website.

To book now for the upcoming school holidays please email oshc@stmartins.sa.edu.au or message 0418 815 101.

To view the Term 2 Holiday Program, please click here.

SMOSHC

College Initiative Aims to Support Family Businesses

In the current global climate, it’s so important that we take care of each other. As our 2020 College motto says, we are “Stronger Together”. At St Martins, we recognise that our community is made up of many hard working families.

The College has launched an initiative, called ‘St Martins College Connection’. This is a directory of local, family-owned businesses that are connected to the school Community. The directory is easily accessed on the College website.

The College community is encouraged to support these local family businesses and ensure that we continue to stand Stronger Together.

Families of the College that own a business are welcome to complete this online form and provide details about their business.

Please support those who support St Martins Lutheran College.

COLLEGE CONNECTION

Bread Tags for Wheelchairs

St Martins Lutheran College is currently participating in the ‘Bread Tags for Wheelchairs’ program. Bread Tags for Wheelchairs have been recycling the small plastic tags in South Africa to fund wheelchairs since 2006.

We ask that the College community collect their plastic bread tags and bring them to the Front Office collection point.

Plastic Bottle Lids

We would like to thank everyone who donated their plastic bottle lids over the course of the year. We have been fortunate enough to collect an abundance of lids. This will allow us to complete a recycling mural at the College.

Michelle Yates | Environmental Committee Coordinator

ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE

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QKR! Lunch Order App – Coming Soon!

St Martins Lutheran College is introducing “QKR!” - an online ordering and payment app for canteen lunch orders!

This app allows parents and students to place and pay for lunch orders at anytime, anywhere, using their credit or debit card. In one transaction, parents can order lunches for their child for one day - or the entire week! Over time, QKR! will replace the current brown paper bag and cash ordering system.

More information will be released in the coming weeks!

CANTEEN NEWS

ICAS Entries are Now Open for Year 2 – 12 Students.

A reminder to parents that ICAS Entries are now open for students in Year 2 to Year 12. Cost per test: $15.95 including GST.

View the ICAS Parent Letter here or Learn more about ICAS here: unsw.global/ICAS

If you would like your child to participate in any of the subjects listed, please visit the new online Parent Payment System to make a direct payment to UNSW Global. The Parent Payment System is a simple and secure online payment service specifically for parents to purchase ICAS Assessments.

The web link is: https://shop.unswglobal.com.au/pages/ppsOur school’s unique access code is: MPO375Online payment closes Friday 17 July 2020. Please enter your child’s name accurately into the System as it will appear on their ICAS certificate.

ICAS ASSESSMENTS

Middle and Senior School Scholarships Close Soon!

Scholarships close soon for both new and existing students, currently studying in Year 6 & 7 (for Middle School) and Year 9 & 10 (for Senior School). The scholarships will provide full or part-reduction of tuition fees for 2 to 3 years.

Scholarships will be awarded on academic merit based on a scholarship test, student reports and a teacher reference.

Applicants are required to complete the scholarship application form and forward it to the College office. All applications must be received by 4:00 pm on Friday 3rd July 2020.

Please click here to access more information and complete an application form.

Results will be advised approximately four to six weeks after the scholarship test date.

MIDDLE AND SENIOR SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS

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Students Create Fantastic ‘Strength in Weakness’ Posters.

The St Martins Theme for this year is ‘Stronger Together’ and this term in Worship we have been exploring one aspect of being stronger together by looking at ‘Strength in Weakness’. God’s strength shining through in our weakness is a strong theme in the bible.

The story of the cross is a story of weakness. Jesus died. Yet out of that weakness all nations are offered the inheritance as part of God’s family. Therefore, weakness, by faith, brings life.

During Worship, we focused on bible passages from 2 Corinthians, where the Apostle Paul speaks often of weakness. People had been criticising him for being weak and he responds by saying that weakness can be used for God’s glory. In fact, it is preferred! It is in our weakness that God’s light shines through!

As part of the ‘Strength in Weakness’ theme, we had a poster competition, using the bible verses that we used in Worship. I would like to congratulate the following winners, who will receive their prize after our first Worship back next term. We will see their posters displayed throughout next term.

Junior School• Carson Bradley• Henson Bruins• Joanna Zozuk• Lucos Koenig-Hill• Noah Ellis• Paige Koch• Ronja Ellison

Well done to the winners and thank you to all those who participated.

POSTER COMPETITION

Middle School• Lawrence Considine• Myia Hill• Thomas Considine

Senior School• Sophie McDonald

Whole School Worship to Resume in Term 3.

We are pleased to announce that Worship will resume to a whole school gathering in Term 3. Unfortunantly, due to COVID-19 and social distancing restrictions parents will be unable to attend during this time. Videos of the Worship services will be made available to the St Martins Community.

WORSHIP TERM 3

School Photos to take place in Week 2.

St Martins 2020 school photos will take place Tuesday and Wednesday of Week 2, Term 3.

Order forms are being distributed now – please make sure to keep an eye out for them. Orders can now be placed on-line, please check the forms for more details.

Full winter uniform must be worn for school photos. To access the uniform policy, click here.

SCHOOL PHOTOS

Latest Notices and Community Events

Please click here to access the Community Noticeboard for posters and Information of upcoming events and activities within the College, and the wider community.

COMMUNITY NOTICE BOARD

Keep Updated with the Upcoming College Events

Please click here to access the College Term Planner for all important dates and upcoming events.

COLLEGE TERM PLANNER

Monday 20 July and Friday 21 August

Monday 20 July (Week 1) will be a pupil free day. Term 3 will commence on Tuesday 21 July.Friday 21 August (Week 5) will be a pupil free day.

TERM 3 PUPIL FREE DAYS

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Front Office and Uniform Shop

Week 1Front Office and Uniform Shop Closed

Week 2Front OfficeMonday – ClosedTuesday – Closed Wednesday – 8:30am to 4:00pmThursday – 8:30am to 4:00pmFriday – 8:30am to 4:00pm

Uniform ShopTuesday – 8:15am to 4:00pmThursday – 8:15am to 4:00pm

SCHOOL HOLIDAY OPENING HOURS

Photo Competition Closes Soon.

Send a photo of you reading in an unusual place to sjagger@stmartins.sa.edu.au for your chance to win a Collins Booksellers gift voucher. Competition closes Friday 3 July at 1:00pm.

GET CAUGHT READING