5/11/2014

Issue 34

Your Kingdom Come. Matthew 6:10 These three words come from the Lord’s Prayer – the prayer that Jesus taught his

disciples. In our church, this prayer is used every Sunday, and it is often used in

school chapel and class devotions. But what are praying for when we ask for God’s

kingdom to come?

In the world today, there aren’t that many “kingdoms” with actual kings and

queens anymore. They are often a remnant of something long past. But it recently

struck me that tiny little countries like Tonga (in the Pacific) and Swaziland (in

Africa) have kings. Kingdoms today almost seem insignificant on the stage of world

politics.

What about God’s kingdom? God’s kingdom often seems small and weak—(hardly

a member of the G8!) And yet, in the bible we read, “My power is made perfect in

weakness” (2 Cor 12:9). God’s kingdom is a hidden kingdom—at Christmas

(coming up soon), Christians remember how the birth of Jesus, the king of heaven

and earth, was hidden in a small, insignificant stable. God’s kingdom comes when

He sends the Holy Spirit, and even when there is so much weakness and suffering,

the Holy Spirit is all the power that we need.

Lord Jesus, let your kingdom come to us, and let your power be made perfect in all

our weakness! Amen.

Pastor Stephen van der H

As we look to the calendar and it turns over to November we realize how quickly a

school year passes by. I’m encouraging us all to appreciate, enjoy and make the

most of the remaining weeks of this 2014 school year.

Special Friends Morning

Friday will be an exciting morning as we welcome our students’ special friends to

St Mark’s. The morning will begin with Class 5I leading our chapel. Visits to

classrooms and tours of the school will follow. We’ll complete our morning being

entertained by our Junior Choir as we enjoy morning tea.

Pupil Free Day Structure

Thank you to families who provided their perspectives on the option we were

considering for the structuring of pupil free days for staff learning.

As I advised in my update to families on Friday 17th October, it was more likely that

we would make a change to our existing structure following the feedback

received to that date. Since then I have received further feedback from families

with more families supporting a change to be made.

As a consequence, I can advise that we will be making a change from 2015 as

outlined below.

2015 Term Dates

Term 1

Tuesday 27th January - First day of term for students in Years 1 to 6

Wednesday 28th January - First day of term for Reception students

Friday 10th April - Last day of Term 1

Term 2

Monday 27th April to Friday 26th June

Monday 29th June to Friday 3rd July - Pupil Free Week for staff professional

development

Term 3

Monday 20th July to Friday 25th September

Term 4

Monday 12th October to Wednesday 9th December

As I expressed in my previous correspondence, this change will enhance the

greatest resource we have in our school - our staff. They remain the key to St Mark’s

being a learning community of the highest order. Thank you to families who

provided feedback. We will be working with Camp Australia to provide care

options during the Pupil Free Week.

Cont’d o/leaf ….

37 Hampden Road, Mt Barker SA 5251 T 8391 0444 E contact@stmarks.sa.edu.au W www.stmarks.sa.edu.au

2015 Teaching Staffing

I am pleased to announce that two appointments

have been made to our teaching staff beginning in

2015.

Miss Kimberley Hein has been appointed as a

classroom teacher. She is in her first year of teaching

and currently teaching at Navigator Lutheran College,

Pt Lincoln.

Mr Tyson Scott has been appointed as our fulltime PE

teacher. Mr Scott is known to us as he taught PE at

St Mark’s during Terms 2 and 3 of this year.

Our teaching staff roles in 2015 will be as follows:

Reception Classes: Miss Schultz and Mrs Hassold

Year 1 Classes: Mrs Mackenzie and Mrs Uebergang

(Mon-Wed)/Mrs May (Thurs-Fri)

Year 2 Classes: Ms Kotzikas and Ms Liebelt

Year 3 Classes: Mrs Schubert and Mrs Steven (Mon-

Wed)/Mrs Moseley (Thurs-Fri)

Year 4 Classes: Miss Hein and Mr Schulz

Year 5 Classes: Mrs Angwin and Mrs Innes

Year 6 Classes: Mrs Kluge and Ms Barolo

Music: Mrs Steffan

German: Frau Loffelbein

Physical Education: Mr Scott

Library Teacher: Mrs Paterson

Learning support Teachers: Mrs Page and Mrs

Messenger

Our teaching staff will of course be supported by our

administration and support staff teams.

2015 Class Placements

In several weeks, we will begin the process of forming

our 2015 class groupings. As parents, you are invited to

place in writing and forward directly to me, any

specific educational needs that your child(ren) may

have that the school may not be aware of that should

be taken into account when we form 2015 class

groupings.

Parents are asked to respect and trust school staff to

complete this process by refraining from making

requests or comments to teachers. We will work to

ensure that all class groupings are balanced and

appropriate. If you have information you believe we

need to know, please place it in writing to me by the

end of next week - Friday 14th November.

James Heyne

Principal

TeachMeet LEAH (Lutheran Education Adelaide Hills)

Last Thursday afternoon Year 6 and 7 teachers from

Cornerstone College, St Mark’s, St Michael’s and

Spring Head Lutheran held their inaugural TeachMeet

LEAH afternoon. A TeachMeet is an organised but

informal meeting for teachers to share best practice,

practical innovations and personal insights in teaching.

Our teachers across campuses will continue to meet in

2015 knowing full well that these rich conversations will

pave the way for a seamless transition between our primary schools and the middle school at Cornerstone

College.

Pre-Loved Book Sale

In preparation for stocktake, we have been doing a

‘cull’ of some of the older novels in the Library. These

books are really only suitable for Year 4-6. On Friday

14th November we will be having a 50c Book Sale.

Children may visit the Library at Recess or lunch time.

Take the opportunity to purchase some good priced

holiday reading!! Thank you.

Mrs Paterson

Chapel Offering in Term 4

In Term 4 our Chapel offerings will provide Gifts of

Grace for people in developing countries around the

world. Gifts of Grace is organised by the ALWS. We

hope to provide some pre-school toys and teach me

packs for children in countries like Cambodia and

Burundi.

If you would like to know more about Gifts of Grace,

there are brochures available at the Front Office or

you can go online https://www.alws.org.au/gifts-of-

grace.html

Through just 50¢ a week in the Chapel offering box, we

can make a big difference to people’s lives this

Christmas. Thank you for your support.

SRC

Music News ‘Music: Count Us In’

Last week, the whole school participated in a national

musical occasion when every student in every school

in Australia was invited to sing the same song at

precisely the same time! Music: Count Us In is run by

the Music Council of Australia (MCA) and is supported

by funding from The Australian Government. We

participated via live streaming of the celebration

event from the Great Hall in Parliament House,

Canberra! Music: Count Us In (MCUI) is Australia’s

biggest school initiative, with more than 500,000

participating students from over 2,100 schools

nationwide. This year “Paint You A Song” was co-

written by some Australian school students especially

for the occasion. Senior Choir will be very busy sharing their music as the

school year comes to a close. They will be performing

at the following events.

• Sash Ferguson Aged Care Homes in Mt Barker on

Friday 28th November from 9.50am -10.15am.

Students will walk to the venue from school after

chapel and will return to classes at 10.30am.

• Choir Tour to the Barossa Valley on 1st December

(all day). Please note that students need to arrive

at school early (by 8.30am) as the bus departs at

8.35am.

• School Chapel Service on Friday 5th December at

9.00am

• Closing Service & Year 6 Graduation in Inbarendi

at 7.00pm on Wednesday 10th December

Instrumental Lessons

These are available at any time on piano, guitar,

drums, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone &

violin. If you are interested in your child learning from

one of our visiting specialist tutors, please fill in the

enrolment form available from the front office. You will

then be allocated a tutor who will contact you to

arrange details. Enrolments can be made now to

begin immediately or for the start of 2015.

Thank you for your support of our Music program.

Narelle Steffan

Bible Study Seminar

Blessed Are the Peacemakers

15th November 2014

9.00am-3.30pm

St Mark’s Lutheran Church

(Learn practical ways to live out your Christian

faith, even in the face of conflict.

Call 8391 1695 - Register today

Presented by Rev Bruce Zagel

Director of Reconciliation Ministries

Lutheran Church of Australia

Registration forms are available

from the front office

YOU CAN DO IT

Please find enclosed with this newsletter, a third

handout on ‘Getting Along’, one of the five keys

associated with the You Can Do It program.

Organised by our P&F

ST MARK’S STUDENT

Please see reply slip

included with this newsletter

SWIMMING - RECEPTION-YEAR 4

Could parents please undertake to return their

child’s swimming consent form as a matter of

urgency - thank you.

NO FORM - NO SWIM!

MUSIC COUNT US INMUSIC COUNT US INMUSIC COUNT US INMUSIC COUNT US IN

RECEPTION SLEEPOVERRECEPTION SLEEPOVERRECEPTION SLEEPOVERRECEPTION SLEEPOVER

Let’s Boogie! St Mark’s Student Disco - Friday 28th November

Disco Reply Slip

Junior (Rec to Yr 3) Disco 6-7pm

Senior (Yr 4 – Yr 6) Disco 7.30-9pm Please return the completed forms with money enclosed before

Tuesday 25th November 2014. **(Please do not sticky tape money to the reply slips, an envelope or snap lock bag would be appreciated).

Name: ______________________________ Class:_________________ □ Entry Fee $2 (includes fruit box and chips) □Junior Disco OR □Senior Disco □ Lolly Bag $1 (optional) □ Crazy Hair $2 (optional)

Total Enclosed $_______________

Name: ______________________________ Class:_________________ □ Entry Fee $2 (includes fruit box and chips) □Junior Disco OR □Senior Disco □ Lolly Bag $1 (optional) □ Crazy Hair $2 (optional)

Total Enclosed $_______________ Name: ______________________________ Class:_________________ □ Entry Fee $2 (includes fruit box and chips) □Junior Disco OR □Senior Disco □ Lolly Bag $1 (optional) □ Crazy Hair $2 (optional)

Total Enclosed $_______________ Name: ______________________________ Class:_________________ □ Entry Fee $2 (includes fruit box and chips) □Junior Disco OR □Senior Disco □ Lolly Bag $1 (optional) □ Crazy Hair $2 (optional)

Total Enclosed $_______________

PARENT HELPERS Each disco requires 8 parent helpers if you are able to assist please return the completed form. Name:________________________________ Mobile Number:______________________ I will be helping with the junior/senior disco (please circle) For further information please contact the school