The Holy Trinity School Board met for its second meeting of Term 1 on Wednesday 11 April, at the end of a busy Term 1. We welcomed three new Board members – Ms Chloe Stoddart; Ms Natalie Roche; and Mr Scott Pearsall.  All three bring very good experience and qualifications to the Board, and they will provide important continuity as Board members retire at the end of this year, as well as being important voices for parents on the Board.

Mrs Brearley and Miss Smith briefed the Board on their recent visit to Singapore to take part in International Baccalaureate 50^th Anniversary Global Conference in March.  The conference was a very enriching experience for both, and as a Board we are very pleased to support the activity. 

The Parish Priest of the Parish of the Transfiguration, Monsignor John Woods, also spoke to the Board on his initial impressions of the interaction between the Parish and Holy Trinity, and we will work with him over the coming months to strengthen engagement between the two, in advancing our joint mission of bringing the Good News of Jesus to all parts of our lives.  

Please remember that if there are any issues which you would like to bring to the attention of the Board, do not hesitate to contact me on john.owens@bigpond.com, or bring them to the attention of Mrs Brearley. 

I would like to thank all concerned for your efforts over Term 1 in giving Holy Trinity School and ELC a great start to 2018, especially those who have contributed through volunteering at Tuckshop, movie nights, welcome barbecues, working bees and all the other ways in which we build our community at Holy Trinity. 

I would also like to wish everyone a great holiday, and look forward to seeing as many as I can in Term 2.

Yours in Faith, Hope and Love

John Owens

Chair, Holy Trinity School Board

School Holiday Program Confirmation has been sent to all families who have enrolled in the School Holiday Program. There are still spaces available on some days, contact the ELC directly if you require a place.

ELC Working Bee Huge thanks to all who helped out at the working bee on Friday afternoon. There was a generous focus on the ELC playground, sandpit and general cleaning and we are all very grateful for the hug amount of work that was accomplished. The preschoolers are loving the fresh soft sand in the sandpit. (photos below)

ANZAC Day Liturgy 

5/6 Red will lead us in our ANZAC Day Liturgy tomorrow morning at 9:30. Thank you to the Scott Winchester, Wayne McIntosh and Jen Graham for helping 5/6 Red in leading us in this liturgy. 

ANZAC and Peace Day Ceremony

Yesterday Hannah Miller, Ani Kay, Claire O'Connell (5/6) and myself represeted Holy Trinity at the ANZAC and Peace Day Ceremony hosted by the Woden Valley Sub-Branch R.S.L. The three girls were escorted by a veteran as they laid a wreath at the Memorial Obelisk.

Helping your child navigate tricky friendships by Sharon Witt

Friendships are an important aspect of all of our lives – perhaps even more so for our children as they navigate the often complex years of growing up and discover their place in the world. As our young people grow and develop, so do their friendships.

In the early years, many friendships are developed through manufactured situations and groups we are involved in as parents. First time mother’s groups, antenatal birthing classes, playgroup, church groups and other friendship groups for mothers, often become the first opportunities that our children have to play and develop these early skills of relating to their peers. It is during these early toddler years that we can safely observe and guide our children’s play time. We can help them deal with minor disputes over whose turn it is to play with the truck, use the dress up cape or the blocks. We teach our children to play fairly, share and take turns.

As our children enter their early Primary School years, these friendships develop more out of our earshot. Some parents may even feel a little concerned that they will not know each of your child’s friends at school and whom they choose to be influenced by. However, there is a lot we can do as parents to help guide our children through these years of critical relationship building. Developing the strategies to deal with friendship conflicts, tricky situations and issues of bullying are lifelong skills that will stand them in good stead for the years ahead.

What makes a good friend?

From an early age, we can have conversations with our children around what makes a good, healthy friendship. What are the qualities we look for in a friend? I have asked this very question of hundreds of chldren over the past two decades and the same qualities are mentioned time and time again:

Honest

Trustworthy

Friendly

Dependable

Kind-hearted

Humorous

Forgiving

These qualities are probably the same for many of us parents too. However we also need to remember that we should also display these qualities if we are seeking positive and healthy friendships. We will actually attract these same qualities in the friendships we make when we model these ourselves.

Lead by Example

Whether we like it or not, our children are observing us all the time. They watch how we speak, act and conduct our own friendships.

A few days ago, I was astounded by an exchange I observed on social networking site Facebook between two grown women – mothers – right in front of their children’s watchful gaze. What was perhaps the most distressing for those observing, were a few comments posted intermittently by the young children of these women – who were observing every hurtful missile fired between the two! One child simply wrote: ‘Please! will you stop calling my mum names!” “Please will you stop speaking to my mum that way, she doesn’t deserve it!’ And my heart broke!

These parents were clearly having a very heated falling out – but to play this out in a very public way and under the ever-watchful eyes of their children was just so sad. To these children, the modelling is already occurring before their eyes.

Model your own positive Friendships

As parents, we can do a lot to teach our children about navigating friendships by modelling our own in a positive way. Demonstrate that a friendship is a two-way street by phoning your friend occasionally, sending an encouraging note or card, or making a meal for them if they are unwell. When we do these things naturally in our own relationships, we are teaching our children how supportive real friendships can be.

Dealing with Tricky Friends

We will always encounter friendships that can become a little complex or tricky at times. Our children will find this very difficult when it occurs but we can teach them how to handle this effectively and let them know that it is okay to set their own boundaries and enforce these when necessary.

Hurt Feelings

Feelings will often be hurt during our friendships- that is the nature of living in relationship and part of a community. However, it is how we deal with hurt feelings – that is most important. When your child experiences hurt feelings, try and use this as a teachable moment!

Recently my daughter came home from school feeling down. A girl in her class had distributed her birthday party invitations in front of a gathered group of friends – however she did not invite my daughter.

My daughter was clearly stunned as she relayed the story to me.

‘Why would someone DO THAT?!’ she questioned. ‘It is just SO mean!’

It became a great teachable moment for her. We talked about how this girl must be feeling about herself and her position amongst the girls if she has to noticeable, in front of everyone, NOT invite a well-liked, popular girl in the group. It was all about this girl’s feelings of power, or lack of. I talked to my daughter about how she was feeling at that moment, and explained to her that there will always be people who deliberately (in this case) or accidentally hurt our feelings. What my daughter could learn from this is how NOT to treat others – whether they are your closest friend or just a part of your social group at school. Be mindful of other’s feelings.

When it came time for my daughter to plan her own birthday party, and she had a limited number of guests allowed, she made it a point to hand out her invitations in private and at a time that would not cause upset to others.

We cannot possibly protect our children from having their feelings hurt or having to deal with difficult people – but we can teach them how to respond and learn valuable life skills about navigating tricky friendships.

Most Friendships won’t last Forever

If you had have told me at age 8 that my best friend in the entire world, would not have been my lifelong friend forever, I would simply not have believed you! But to our children, their friendships do seem ‘lifelong’ and permanent. They cannot imagine these relationships ever drifting apart. However, the reality is, most of our early friendships don’t continue on forever and this is a good point to teach our children. Some friends are with us for a reason, and some for just a season. But each will bring something unique to our lives and perhaps teach us a lesson – even if that lesson is what we don’t want or need in a friend.

Be Friendly!

As much as this may seem like such a simple point to make, it is important that our children learn to be friendly – even to those who are unkind or cause conflict in our lives. There will always be people who annoy us, speak rudely to us for no apparent reason. But we are not always privy to what is going on in their lives. If someone is mean or nasty to your daughter, explain to her that we don’t always understand why people choose to be rude to us or react in certain ways. What we can do is demonstrate some grace and act with kindness.

Elbert Hubbard said: ‘In order to have friends, you must first be one.’

This is a good mantra to teach our young people. So often, our children complain that they have no real friends, or they are not popular at school. But this quote is a timely reminder that they need to practice being a friend. The more you practice being friendly and being interested in others, the more people will be drawn to you.

Friendships will always be a lifelong learning opportunity. Hopefully, as we navigate and manage our own friendships as adults, we can model to our own children how to best take this journey through life.

(www.parentingideas.com.au)

A HUGE thank you to all in our community who were able to come and give some time last Friday Night to our School and ELC working bee.  I would particularly like to thank the staff, especially those  in our Learning Environment Committee,  who stayed and executed the great planning of our new sensory and play area in the Kitchen Garden.  Thank you also to all those who mulched, shovelled, erected flagpoles and constructed the shed.  A HUGE thank you also to Greg Bayada who cleaned out our ELC roof guttering, and to Jo Pratezina and Mark Bauer who are going to concrete the base and complete assembling our shed in the holidays.  Thanks to Rob Shiner for organising the feeding and watering of the troops and for those who not only brought themselves, but their partners and families!  It was just so wonderful to see so many of our community working together and volunteering their time for our school. 

Catholic Schools Soccer Carnival

Our two teams enjoyed a great day at the soccer carnival. They both were very competitive and demonstrated outstanding sportspersonship on and off the field. Thank you to the coaches and managers of both teams, they were well prepared for the day and ensured all players were well looked after. The countdown is now on to the next soccer carnival.

Jump Rope for Heart

We have raised over $750! Thank you to Grace Pembroke, who raised $350. Thank you to all students who contributed this worthy cause.

Athletics Carnival

The carnival is planned for Week 4, Wednesday 23^rd May. Information and call our for parent assistance will be posted on our szap early next term. 

Tennis Canberra - Autumn Junior Tennis Coaching Programs

Sign up for an Autumn Junior Tennis Coaching Program at one of Tennis Canberra's Southside Venues.

• Old Parliament House Tennis Club: Monday & Saturday
• Barton Tennis Club: Wednesday
• Erindale Active Leisure Centre (Tuggeranong): Friday

New players will receive a FREE tennis racquet and tennis playing shirt

Sign Up: www.tenniscanberra.com.au/coaching

COMMONWEALTH GAMES - 800m 

HOLY TRINITY CHEERING KEELY ON. 

TERM 2, WEEK 1 - WED 2 MAY

Team Leader: Kim/Anthony Hoffmeier, Christine McCann, Stephen/Nicole Carberry, Vas/Lisa Cheriachan, Dale Lawrence

    

HUGE congratulations HT Community on your fantastic response to the bonus early bird offer (now closed); excited to report that we have sold 30 memberships (combination of hard copy and digital) to date – YAY!!

More good news - there is still time to purchase your digital or hard copy Entertainment Book membership while also helping raise $ for HT (20% of every membership sold is donated to our school fundraising efforts).  Memberships are valid from 12 April to 30 June 2019.

Order your copy now for ACT (and/or other states) and surrounding regions by going to our online HT payment page (https://www.entertainmentbook.com.au/orderbooks/232w05) for electronic completion.

Don't forget to select "Pick Up" as Delivery Option for hard copy memberships - we will send it home with your child/ren once books available.

Any qus or issues, please contact Jo Hamilton on htpsentertainmentbook@gmail.com or
0407 002 513.

Thank you for your valuable support - it is genuinely appreciated.