Change in Eating Habits
With the recent change in weather, we are finding that many of our students both big and small are needing a lot more food at the moment and are eating most of the contents in their lunchbox at recess time. Over the next couple of weeks, you may like to consider sending your child with an extra piece of fruit or an extra sandwich.

The first thing the students do each morning as they enter the classroom is have their fruit break and sadly, for some children this is their first meal of the day. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and students are encouraged to eat a healthy breakfast every morning. A healthy breakfast can help children to concentrate and learn by providing energy and nutrients to fuel their brain and body. Breakfast does exactly what the word says; it breaks the fast after a night’s sleep and provides the body and brain with fuel to start the day. Just like any other organ in the body, the brain needs energy to work properly. With growing bodies and developing brains, kids need to eat breakfast to be able to perform their best at school. Eating a healthy breakfast can help children to concentrate, increase their attention span and assist with their memory.

You may like to consider giving your child carbohydrates such as wholegrain cereals and porridge for breakfast as they give your child immediate energy to start the day. Proteins such as eggs and low-fat dairy provide a slower release of energy to fuel the rest of the day. Foods with natural fibre, like wholegrain bread and fresh fruit, give a feeling of fullness and help with digestion.

Grandparents and Grand Friends’ Day – Save the Date
We are very excited to once again be celebrating Grandparents and Grand Friend’s day at school on Friday 6^th August in honour of all Grandparent figures in our lives. Just like us, Jesus himself had grandparents named Joachim and Anne, who were Mary’s parents. St Joachim and St Anne’s feast day is celebrated on 26th July. We do not know very much about Mary’s parents, but we do know that they were good, faithful parents who raised her with a love and devotion to God like none other except Jesus Christ Himself. Joachim and Anne serve as role models for parents and grandparents and both deserve to be honoured and emulated for their devotion to God and Our Lady Mary, the Mother of God. The day will begin with mass in the Church at 10am and morning tea will follow in the library after.

Learning Time
Missing the start of the school day has a real impact on a child. The morning gathering enables us to greet each other as a community and celebrate our efforts and special occasions. However, we work hard to have the classes inside and learning quickly after the bell rings. Classes are usually inside and ready for learning 5 minutes after the bell rings. Those children who are at school before the bell rings (at 8.50am) are usually more settled and focussed in their learning.

Sick Students
If your child is ill please keep them at home for their own benefit but also so as not to spread it to other students and staff. Please make sure that your emergency contacts are up-to-date so that we can contact you quickly if your child becomes ill or is injured at school. If your child needs medication at school, you are required to complete a “Request to Dispense Medication” form, which is available at the Front Office and on our website. A reminder that students are not to self-administer medication. Medication should not be kept in children’s bags but kept in the Front Office area and the Office staff will administer. All information is then noted in COMPASS. Teachers will not administer or supervise the taking of medication. Please ask your child to take medications to the Front Office upon arrival at school.

Boorowa Touch and Netball Carnival
Every year the local schools in Boorowa host a Touch and Netball Carnival for teams from Years 2 to 6. St Benedict’s has been attending this carnival for the last couple of years and parents and students who have attended the day are always enthusiastic to attend the day again.

Shortly an Expression of Interest form will go home to students in Years 3 - 6 to assist us with planning for this event. Please return the Expression of Interest form to school as soon as possible.

Leaving St Benedict’s
If you anticipate that your child will leave St Benedict’s at the end of this year, could you please notify the Front Office. We need to begin planning for staffing and class configurations for 2022. Thank you to those who have let us know already, this is very much appreciated. Naturally Year 6 parents need not respond to this request.