In Parishes throughout the Diocese of Wollongong we celebrated the 6th Sunday of Easter Year A.  In Sunday's reading Jesus offers encouragement to his disciples, who will soon see him crucified. He reassures them that even though he will leave them, he will not abandon them. Instead he will send them the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, through whom the disciples will continue to live in union with Jesus. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, the disciples will come to know and appreciate the unity of the Son and the Father. They will also understand that they too participate in the communion between the Father and the Son and that only through the Spirit will God’s revelation and love be known. This is such a fitting Gospel reading as last week we celebrated with our Year 6 Confirmation candidates as they received the Gifts of the Holy Spirit in the Sacrament of Confirmation. 

Dear Parents and Carers,

Last Tuesday and Wednesday evening, within a beautiful Liturgy of the Word celebrated by Fr. Leo, a number of our Year 6 students received the Sacrament of Confirmation. It was a privilege to join Fr. Leo, Year 6 students and parents and carers, and the St Paul’s Parish community to give witness as our Year 6 students received the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Fr. Leo  spoke with our Year 6 students about the importance of the Holy Spirit who helps us think with clarity, make decisions with sound judgement and view others with fresh eyes, seeing others always as brothers and sisters in Jesus, to be respected and loved. My sincere thanks to all those who contributed towards the formation of our students, especially Fr. Leo, the St Paul’s Parish Sacramental Team, Mrs Jodi Marsh. Miss Alana Stroligo and Mrs Katie Colquhoun and the staff of St Paul’s who attended the ceremonies. The team effort speaks highly of the wonderful collaborative culture we enjoy at St Paul's.

Mother's Day Celebrations at St Paul's

It was wonderful to spend time with our mothers, grandmothers, aunts and all those who play such a pivotal role of female influence in the lives of our students on Thursday11 May at our Mother's Day Breakfast and Open Classrooms.  Our students were very proud to showcase their learning and their learning spaces and connect as a community.

It is very fitting that we celebrate Mother’s Day in the month of May which is the month in the Catholic Church that we devote to Mary the mother of Jesus. Mary is a role model of love, strength, courage and faith. As a mother, Mary teaches the art of meeting and walking together and at St Paul’s we recognise that our mothers and grandmothers are an integral part of our St Paul’s community. Thank you to those mothers, grandmothers, aunts and friends who were able to join staff and students for a wonderful morning of celebrations.

A special thanks to Amy DeSantis and Sara-Jay O’Shea for organising the Mother’s Day Stall and for Kelly Fuller, Olivia Akele, Diana Young, Michelle Hooper, Claire Phillips, Mark Dalkeith, Kira Groznik and former St Paul's student Isabella De Santis for helping at the Mother’s Day stall.  

I am certainly looking forward to celebrating Grandparent’s Day and Father’s Day with our students, staff and school community.

Michelle Rodwell

Principal

Acknowledgement to Country

St Paul's Albion Park acknowledges and pays respect to the Dharawal people past and present, the traditional custodians of the land on which our school is built.

This year the school has set goals for improvement. The CEDoW strategic plan Lighting the Way 2023+ has focus areas that aim to drive real and lasting improvement. This year St Paul's has an annual improvement goal that links to the focus area of 'Student Learning and Wellbeing'. The aim of this focus area is to ensure the holistic growth of students is optimised by taking an integrated approach to learning and wellbeing, including supporting students to build resilience, confidence and self-efficacy.

The St Paul's annual improvement plan lists our goal as:

Students will have an improved understanding of interpersonal skills so they respectfully interact with others.

Staff will be involved in collaborating on approaches to teaching evidence-based strategies. They will identify the starting points for each student to improve. The school hopes to communicate with parents about their child's social and emotional progress. The school will monitor support systems in place for supporting students' wellbeing.

The dignity of the human person is the foundation of all Catholic Social Teaching. When students can not engage respectfully or respect others' dignity conflict can occur. CEDoW would state that "The prevention of and responses to incidents of bullying, inappropriate use of technology and disrespectful behaviour in schools is more readily achieved in a caring and supportive school culture that promotes positive relationships and reflects the ethos of catholic schools."

The National Safe Schools Framework (2011) defines bullying as repeated verbal, physical, social or psychological behaviour that is harmful and involves the misuse of power by an individual or group towards one or more persons. By contrast, conflict between equals and single incidents are not defined as bullying although, of course, such incidents may require intervention by the school.

The school is aiming to create a shared and consistent approach towards building respectful relationships through education.

Respectful Relationship Education involves teaching students the skills to engage in respectful and equal relationships. Supporting students, school staff and school leaders to create school cultures that promote positive attitudes and behaviours towards relationships, equality, diversity, gender, consent, power, resilience, help-seeking and respect for all.

We look forward to collaborating with parents and carers around individual student growth in interpersonal skills and with the school community about building the positive culture that will support respectful relationships.

The Council of Catholic School Parents NSW/ACT is excited to be able to continue to provide our families across NSW and the ACT with opportunities to build their capacity to support their child’s learning.

We are delighted to present Corey Tutt OAM, a proud Kamilaroi man and the 2020 Young Australian of the Year for NSW to read a section of his book, The First Scientists to our children and young people.

Parents and carers are encouraged to register for this online event and, on the evening of 30 May, from the comfort of their home, they can connect with us online to hear Corey read to their children.

Registrations are now open.

The first 100 families to register will receive a FREE copy of the book “The First Scientists” to read along at home. 

All those who register, whether they receive a free book or not, will also receive helpful tips to support their child’s reading at home.

View the flyer here.

Parents of students in Year One to Year Six will be provided with a Semester One report via the Compass Portal on:

Wednesday 21 June

At this time of year, Kindergarten parents have the opportunity to meet their child's teacher to discuss their progress so far this year. They do not receive a written report. Kindergarten only receives an end-of-year report (Semester 2).

The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) states that students in Year One-Six receive grades ranging from A-E.

The A to E grade scale summarises the standard (or quality) of achievement associated with each grade. The scale describes:

• the depth of knowledge and understanding and
• the range of skills that students working at that standard typically show.

Grades are given for individual achievement. Students will get the grade that best matches the standard of their achievement. Teachers should consider all evidence gathered and should not be limited to a set number of children allocated to each grade within their class or school.

Grades are one aspect of school reporting to parents. Other important tools include:

• teacher comments
• parent-teacher conversations and
• information about student effort and application.

We are currently seeking feedback on the processes for electing student leaders at St Paul's. Could you please take the time to complete the attached survey which should take no more than five minutes?

We thank you for your feedback regarding student leadership.

Each grade will have the opportunity to present an assembly fortnightly on Friday afternoons in the hall at 2:30pm. ACE, Principal and Mary MacKillop Awards will be presented at these assemblies. Parents are welcome to attend. Please see below the dates for the remainder of the year. 

NB: On Friday 26th May, Year One will present a liturgy with awards presented at the end.

Term 2

Term 3

Term 4

On Tuesday 9th May and Wednesday 10th May at 7pm, Confirmation candidates from the St Paul’s Primary School received the Sacrament of Confirmation in the Parish. Father Leo confirmed each candidate in a reverent ceremony.

Mini-Vinnies continues to be well attended by students from Years 3 to 5. 

On Monday 15 May, Mr Tony Young from the Oak Flats Branch of St Vincent dePaul came along to our meeting to speak to the children about the needs of the wider community, especially as we approach the winter months. Students over the next few weeks will prepare to promote our Winter Appeal - held on the last day of Term 2, with the hope of helping those in need within the wider community.

In the Catholic Church the month of May is Mary’s month. It’s the month we honour Blessed Mary as the Mother of Jesus and our Heavenly Mother. Take time to pray the Hail Mary this month.

Mary Help of Christians is one of the names given to Blessed Mary. The 24th May is the Feast Day of Our Lady Mary Help of Christians - the Patron Saint of Australia. At St Paul’s we will have a short prayer at the morning assembly on Wednesday 24th May.

Students from the older grades will be attending Mass on the Fridays below. Parents and carers are invited to attend Mass, followed by an opportunity to visit the grade classroom and have morning tea in the hall. Mass begins at 9:30am in St Paul’s Catholic Church.

Please find a list below of Liturgies and events that will be celebrated in Term 2. Some Religious occasions will be recognised in the classroom during Religious Education lessons.

Mrs Jodi Marsh

Religious Education Coordinator

PARISH SACRAMENTAL PROGRAMS

RECONCILIATION AND FIRST COMMUNION IN 2023

Dear Parents and Carers of Catholic Children in Years 3 to 6 in 2023.

If you wish for your child to receive the sacraments of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion in 2023, please check the St Paul's Parish website (www.st paul's parish.org.au) for information on dates and expectations of the parish for each of these sacraments.

Thank you,

Therese McQuade

Coordinator, Sacramental Programme

St Paul's Parish

First Reconciliation & First Holy Communion Parent/Carer Meeting, was held in church on Tuesday, May 16th at 7pm.

Introducing Kindergarten and their celebration of learning!

Last Monday, Stage 3 students had the opportunity to participate in a stage 3 Leadership Day facilitated by Cameron Brown from Explore! Discover! Act! 

Students engaged in experiential and hands-on activities that allowed them to gain greater connection to self, others and the world around them. The students learned valuable skills to allow them to love, to lead and to shine. Students loved the games, challenges and reflective tasks that pushed them just a little bit more!

Congratulations to our incredible Maths Olympiad team on a remarkable performance in our first Maths Olympiad Competition! Each one of you has exhibited exceptional problem-solving skills and worked hard in the preparation for the first mathematics competition. Well done, keep up the fantastic work!

Reading at home to and with adults, and/or independently is an essential part of each student’s learning and reading development.Home reading provides children with an opportunity to consolidate the skills and strategies they have learnt when reading with the teacher at school. In addition, research shows that reading aloud to, and reading with your child:

• models what good reading sounds like
• nurtures a love of reading of good quality literature
• strengthens bonds with your child
• develops oral language and vocabulary
• helps your child learn about our world and develops empathy, and problem solving skills
• supports the development of essential comprehension skills

Even if your child is a proficient reader, we encourage you to continue to read to, and with your child. Students are encouraged to widen their reading through a broader range of texts or more complex texts including poetry, fables, classic novels, newspapers, magazines, library books or reference materials.

Throughout the year teachers have access to a variety of quality professional development opportunities. Casual teachers are employed to cover classes with the teacher ensuring the teaching program and routines are followed. 

“Those who dare to teach, never cease to learn” John Cotton-Dana

As part of the K-6 NSW Personal Development, Health and Physical Education Syllabus students learn content related to road safety. This learning includes strategies for road safety and awareness. On Friday 19th May St Paul's students will participate in Road and Bike Safety Workshops facilitated by NRMA. The workshops aim to increase our students' knowledge about road safety. The road safety shows use visual learning and science demonstrations to debunk any myths that students have about road safety. Please note that students are invited to bring their bike helmet to school to practise how to fit their helmet properly.

We are looking forward to engaging in the Road Safety workshops on the 19th May to compliment the work that our students and teachers engage in during our Health learning experiences. 

St Paul’s community would like to congratulate Harrison and Laikyn who competed at the hockey tournament in Canberra for the Wollongong representative team. From this competition, they have both been selected in the NSWCPS Mackillop team and will attend the NSWPSSA Hockey Championship to be held in Tamworth. Congratulations boys, we are extremely proud of your amazing achievement and wish you well in Tamworth.

The Catholic Education Office has a very useful website that has information on all gala days, representative sport, news announcements and the sports calendar. This website is a go to for all information sports! The link is attached below. 

https://www.dow.catholic.edu.au/sport/diocesan-sport-news/?ref=quicklinks

The Catholic Education Office also has a document outlining the philosophy all schools must follow in regard to Gala Days. Please have a read through the following document created by the Catholic Education Office. 

Congratulations to 2 Blue who had the least contamination in their recycling bin this week. They will be receiving a Zooper Dooper and the opportunity to display the prestigious Laudato Si’ Plaque in their classroom for the week. 

The Waste-Free Warriors have been busy keeping our school free from waste and continuing their important job of composting on a Tuesday and Thursday with Miss Ryan and Mrs Colquhoun. They have noticed the need to revamp our pond, which has been neglected since COVID. After they get their job done on a Tuesday and Thursday, the Waste-Free Warriors have been devising ways to recreate our pond. They have been researching cost-effective ways to repair the pond, which currently has a hole in the tarp. This term, they have been working to empty it and re-lay a new durable tarp. With the help of Mrs Colquhoun and Jon, we’re excited to get this beautiful space back up and running for classes (and little critters) to enjoy. 

Thank you for all the mothers, grandmothers, aunts and friends that joined the St Paul's staff for a wonderful morning of celebrations for Mother's Day. This was an opportunity to recognise and pay tribute to the many wonderful contributions mothers, grandmothers, aunts and important female figures make to our school community and to the life of our students here at St Paul’s. Our students were so proud to have their mothers, grandparents, aunts and special friends in their classrooms so they could  express their gratitude to all mothers and grandmothers for the love and support you express daily to our students and the support you provide our school community.

A great day was had by everyone at our Mother's Day Event!

St Paul’s will acknowledge National Sorry Day and the beginning of National Reconciliation Week on Friday 26 May. Year 1 will lead the school in a liturgy at 2:30pm in the hall to acknowledge these significant dates. All students will take part in a class-based learning activity on Wednesday 31 May to learn about these significant events.

On Monday 29 May, all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students along with Aunty Jo, Mrs Rodwell, Miss Tonini and Miss Dryden will attend the Reconciliation School Flag Walk. The walk starts at Warilla Surf Club and proceeds to the official ceremony at Reddall Reserve East. The ceremony includes a Welcome to Country, Smoking Ceremony, Dance as well as the official exchange of flags with Elders, Civic Leaders, Community and school flag bearers. A compass event will be created and a note sent home to participating families.

“The dates for National Reconciliation Week remain the same each year; 27 May to 3 June. These dates commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey— the successful 1967 referendum, and the High Court Mabo decision respectively.

Reconciliation must live in the hearts, minds and actions of all Australians as we move forward, creating a nation strengthened by respectful relationships between the wider Australian community, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

We all have a role to play when it comes to reconciliation, and in playing our part we collectively build relationships and communities that value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories, cultures, and futures.” 

(Source: https://www.reconciliation.org.au/our-work/national-reconciliation-week/)

Miss Julianne Tonini

The Year 6 Graduation Committee are holding a Pie Drive fundraiser to raise funds for the 2023 Year 6 Graduation. Please see the information below.

The students have enjoyed starting CatholicCare wellbeing programs this week and I have had the honour of working with some amazing students. With such a variety of personalities and experiences it makes our group work fun and active. Our focus has been learning about and practicing assertive behaviour through role play and listening and communication skill games, so we can work towards being the best me we can be. This included looking at Body Posture, Eye Contact, Speaking clearly and calmly and using the appropriate Tone of voice. Some groups have started making their own journals for adding thoughts and feelings about friendships. We look at what it means to be a good friend, starting with being our own best friend first. We have also been able to incorporate our school focus of 'asking for help' when we get upset during a game. By asking a trusted adult for help we can learn to help ourselves.

Bernadette Taylor

Pastoral Support Worker

Please ensure when your contact details change to email the info account, so we have a record of the new details. info@spapdow.catholic.edu.au

If there has been any change of information in relation to your child, please contact the office as soon as possible.  This could include change in emergency contacts, change of address, email or phone number, or updated medical information. 

The NSW Education Act (1990) and Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong (CEDoW) require Parents/Carers to ensure that children of compulsory school age attend school on each day that the school is open for instruction. If students are absent from school, Parents/Carers are required to provide the school with an acceptable explanation, within seven days of the absence. 

After seven days, absences will automatically be recorded as Absent - unexplained / unjustified if the school is not provided with an acceptable explanation from Parents/Carers. Parents wishing to provide the school with an acceptable explanation after the seven-day period, will need to contact the school and the school will adjust the attendance register. Parents will no longer be able to enter the absence through the parental portal in Compass after the seven-day period. 

The school will continue to support Parents/Carers and frequently send home letters giving Parents/Carers the opportunity to provide the school with an explanation for absences.

Please remember to inform the office or your child's class teacher if there is going to be a change in routine. If a parent is running late please contact the school office. If you have organised for someone else to collect your child, please inform the office of this as soon as possible or write a note for your child's class teacher.

Parents are reminded that in accordance with updated regulations, any child who comes to school with an injury must have clearance from a doctor that clearly states the nature of the injury and what the student can and can not do at school, this includes them being on the playground at recess and lunch times. We understand that this can be difficult to obtain at some times, we have found that if you are able to ask for this information at the time of consultation it will save you the challenge of following up. We anticipate this will be helpful if you unfortunately find yourself in this situation. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to call the school office.

Any parent requesting leave for their child for 10 or more consecutive days is required to complete an Application for Extended Leave Form. These are available from the school office. To ensure approval before the Leave takes place, we require the completed form lodged at school office a minimum of 2 weeks before the Leave commences. Please complete one application per student.

An article for Parents and Carers by Michael Grose

                                                           "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”

This reply to playground name-calling has been taught to children by generations of parents. While the sentiments are true, it demonstrates how destructive language can be when it’s used to hurt or humiliate.

Name-calling dehumanises the child or young person on the receiving end, making it easier for a perpetrator to bully, put down or abuse. The language of bullying and sexual abuse is deliberately vague and generalised making it easier to hurl insults about gender or ethnicity. It’s much harder to insult someone when real names are used as it becomes personal.

Bullying uses language that dehumanises. Respectful relationships has its own language, and it’s through this language that respect is shown, and personal safety and integrity are assured.

Parents can help children and young people to develop the language of respectful relationships in the following ways:

Use first or preferred names

The sound of a person’s name respectfully spoken is music to the listener’s ears. Teach kids to refer to other people by their first or preferred name. If a relative prefers to be called aunt or uncle rather than by their first name, then out of respect, encourage children and young people to adjust their language accordingly, even though you may not subscribe to such formalities. Politeness is respect in action.

Differentiate between behaviour and the person

It’s incorrect to define a child’s character through their poor behaviour. A child who tells lies is frequently called a liar, someone who steals is often labelled a thief, or someone who inadvertently shares secrets is deemed untrustworthy. In sporting parlance, focusing on the behaviour rather than on the person teaches kids about to play the ball, not the person. It may sound like splitting hairs but the focus on  character traits rather than on a person’s behaviour is hurtful, often degrading, and leads to resentment rather than change.

Call out disrespectful behaviour

The standard of behaviour you ignore is the standard of behaviour you accept. Disrespectful behaviour needs to be called out by adults so kids learn that bullying, racism and other forms of disrespectful language are not acceptable. When discussing the behaviour and character of friends, fictional characters in books and personalities on film differentiate between the behaviour and the person, calling out the use of negative labels when you hear them. It’s easy  to ignore disrespectful language when you hear it, but this is one area where a consistent approach by adults is critical.

Frame behaviour as a choice

Framing behaviour as a choice is an essential respectful relationships strategy that needs to be reinforced for children and young people. “That’s a smart/good/helpful choice!” is the type of response kids should repeatedly hear, reinforcing that their behaviour is a result of choice rather than driven by others, circumstances, or emotion. Personal choice negates the idea that somehow other people or circumstances determine behaviour, or become convenient scapegoats for all types of abuse and disrespectful behaviour . “She/he made me do it” just doesn’t wash in a civilised society.

Develop a wide vocabulary

Build a wide vocabulary of terms essential to respectful relationships. Terms such as safety, choice, respect, acceptance, tolerance, love, likeable and host of others should be familiar to kids as well as phrases that emphasise fair and respectful treatment of others in all types of environments.

In closing

Respect is shown not only through the treatment of others but through the language kids use every day. By focusing on the language of respect you are laying the basis for kids to enjoy respectful relationships both now and in the future.