From the P&F Association
So much has happened in the last three weeks. It has been fantastic to see the Santa community out and about at the various events. More than halfway through the term but yet still so many more events planned!
Father’s Day Week of Events
Yet another very successful Father’s Day week. The Father’s Day stall and the Breakfast couldn’t have happened without the months of planning and hard work of the P&F committee, school staff and our wonderful volunteers in assisting putting these events together. A special acknowledgment goes to the Father’s Day Committee & Sub-committee who gave up their time to purchase and wrap the presents for the dads, granddads, uncles and all father figures in our children’s lives and also to those who were volunteering in the morning helping serve breakfast. Without your assistance it makes putting on events such as this very difficult.
A big thank you also goes to our sponsor Primo Foods, who have generously catered for the Father’s Day breakfast. It is due to their support and generosity that the P&F is able to donate $1,000 to the Parramatta Women’s Shelter as a token of our appreciation and able to help a very worthy local organisation with financial assistance.
Parents and Friends (P&F) General Meeting
The next Parents and Friends (P&F) General Meeting is coming up and we would love to see as many of you there as possible!
🗓 Date: Wednesday 4 September 2024
⏰ Time: 6:30 PM
📍 Location: Benincasa, Senior Campus, Santa Sabina College
This meeting is a fantastic opportunity for us all to come together, share ideas, and discuss plans to support our school community. We’ll be covering several important topics, including upcoming events, fundraising initiatives, and ways we can all contribute to making our school an even better place for our children. If you have any items you’d like to add to the agenda, please send them to the P&F Secretary, Mary, via email at secretary@ssc.nsw.edu.au by COB Monday, 2 September 2024.
Your involvement makes a real difference, and together, we can achieve wonderful things for our school and our children.
Trivia Night – 20 September 2024 at Del Monte Hall
The Santa Sabina Trivia Night is fast approaching! If you have not already formed your team then get cracking. It’s going to be a night full of laughs, games and lots of fun. We are fortunate enough to have a local pizzeria, Miz Tutti, who will supply us with unlimited pizzas on the night. BYO drinks. So gather your friends and book your tickets. Link to purchase the tickets is below.
Parent and Family Catch Ups
We have several Catch Ups over the past few weeks and more Save the Dates below so please mark them in your calendar!
We look forward to seeing you at Trivia Night!
The P&F Association
Upcoming Events
🎉 Santa Trivia Night! 🎉
Come along to the Santa Trivia Night for an evening of fun and a chance to put all your knowledge to good use! Start forming your groups of ten!
🗓 Date: Friday 20 September 2024
⏰ Time: 6:30pm for a 7:00pm start
📍 Location: Del Monte Hall
Ticket price $55. The trivia ticket includes trivia, unlimited pizza from Miz Tutti and games. BYO drinks.
Parent Catch Ups
🌟 Prep Catch-Up! 🌟
It’s been a while since the last catch-up so let’s see all the Prep families join us for an afternoon where the kids can run around and the parents can get to know each other better!
🗓 Date: Sunday 15 September 2024
⏰ Time: 1:30pm
📍 Location: The Briars Sports Concord
Order your own dinner and drinks.
🌟 SAVE THE DATE – Year 6 Dinner Dance! 🌟
Save the date for the Year 6 Dinner Dance for the Year 6 students and their partners.
🗓 Date: 29 November 2024
⏰ Time: 6:00pm
📍 Location: Details to come.
Past Events
🌟 Dads’ Night for Kinder, Year 5 & 7 Dads! 🌟
The Dads’ night out was a success. It was a MEGA night full of laughs, fierce competition & bruised egos! The boys clearly had a great night and there were some serious bonding sessions!
🌟 Mums’ Night for Kinder, Year 5 & 7 Mums! 🌟
The mum’s night out was filled with lots of banter, laughs and making new friends! It is always nice to be able to get out and mingle with likeminded mums 😊
🌟 Year 2 Family Catch-Up! 🌟
What’s a Year 2 catch-up without our in-house photographer popping into our photos not once but twice…how does he do it?! Let’s just say the night was a blast!
Parent Education
‘R U OK? Any Day‘ by Debra Brodowski
Thursday 12 September is R U OK? Day, a national day of action where we are reminded to look out for, and check in on, those around us to ask R U OK? R U OK? is a suicide prevention charity that inspires Australians to support one another through asking the simple question ‘R U OK?’
R U OK? acknowledges that a lot can happen to a person in a year, in a month, in a week, or even a day, and if we are noticing a shift in someone’s social and emotional wellbeing we need to remember ALEC:
- Ask R U OK?
- Listen with compassion to what is going on for them and the potential impact that this may be having
- Encourage action, what’s one thing we can do that may make a difference to this situation?
- Check-in, not just once, but regularly, to show that you care and that they are an important person in your life
Teaching the young people in our lives about R U OK? and ALEC will help them develop empathy and understanding in the care for others. It also helps develops strong and lasting connections. One of the most powerful ways of fostering these skills is role modelling the behaviour in the home, allowing yourself to be open to others asking you ‘R U OK?’’ and having you answer in a genuine and authentic way? What’s meant by this?
Have you ever had a rotten day (I could use much stronger language, however will maintain decorum)? Nothing’s gone to plan and you just want to reset and have a do over? In those moments, have you ever had anyone at home ask you, R U OK? because they’ve noticed that you don’t seem yourself, a bit more cranky, a little more snappy? And when you’ve been asked R U OK?, was your answer the stock standard beige ‘I’m fine?’ because you don’t want to be a bother to others and so you’ll just straighten yourself up and push through?
Now think of this kind of situation, but with your young person in your life. If they’re having a bad day and you ask ‘R U OK?’ do you want them to answer ‘I’m fine’ and just push through, like you? Or would you prefer them to be genuine and open up to what’s going on for them?
The power in the message of R U OK? as a parent or a caregiver isn’t just in being able to ask of your young people and expect a response; it’s also about role modelling vulnerability and openness about how to answer a question. Acknowledge the rotten day, be open to how you feel, sit with the feelings, and share how you might be able to then problem solve the feeling.
Modelling how to ask, and to respond to R U OK? any day of the year has a profound and positive impact on people’s willingness to talk about their challenges, and reduce stigma around mental health impacts.