In Parishes throughout the Diocese of Wollongong we celebrated the 12th Sunday of Ordinary Time Year A. In last Sunday's Gospel the disciples of Jesus are called upon to keep their focus on God. Those who can harm the body do not have ultimate power; God does. Still persecution and suffering can not be avoided or prevented. But Jesus reassures his disciples that God knows and cares about what happens to his children.

We might not face the same type of persecution, but we do experience difficulties as we endeavour to live a Christian life. Sometimes we let the opinions of others prevent us from doing what we know to be right. We need the reminder that what God thinks about us is more important. We are reassured by the promise that God cares for us and protects us.

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome to the final newsletter edition for this term. This term has seen many experiences of community that make us uniquely who we are here at St Paul’s Catholic Parish Primary School. Over the past two weeks we have focused on providing our students with opportunities to live their faith through action and outreach.

Faith in action is an opportunity for our students to develop attitudes and values founded on Catholic social teaching and act to promote social responsibility, human solidarity and the common good. Through a focus on Refugee Week, St Vincent De Paul and in Term 3 Naidoc Week initiatives at St Paul’s, we have and will continue to explore the principles of the Catholic Church’s teachings on issues of justice and responsibility in society through just action.

Sunday June 18 marked the beginning of Refugee Week. Australia joined with the world in celebrating Refugee Week which is Australia’s peak annual activity to raise awareness about the issues affecting refugees and to celebrate the positive contributions made by refugees to Australian society. During Refugee Week students and staff at St Paul’s were asked to reflect on and contribute to creating a better understanding between different communities and to encourage successful integration enabling refugees to live in safety and to continue making a valuable contribution to Australia. This year we continued to celebrate the positive contributions made by refugees to Australian society. Teachers explored the stories of refugees and acknowledged and celebrated the diversity of our wonderful country. May we as a Catholic community continue to be accepting of all people whatever their cultural or social background, whatever their faith tradition, because that is what makes St Paul’s a community that cares.

This Friday we recognise the importance of outreach with the participation in the St Vincent De Paul Winter Appeal. The 2023 Winter Appeal has a focus on the number of older woman in our communities who are experiencing and at risk of homelessness. Thank you to our parents and carers for your support with this outreach initiative that our students are participating in this coming Friday. 

I would like to congratulate the Year 3 students who received the Sacrament of Penance today. I would like to express my gratitude to our parents and carers for their support with the preparation of our students. Thank you to Fr. Leo, the St Paul's Sacramental team, Mrs Jodi Marsh, Miss Julianne Tonini and Miss Samantha Ryan for their support with the preparation of our students to receive the Sacrament of Penance. 

Semester One Student Reports and Teacher and Parent/Carer Learning Conversations

Both the Semester One Student Reports and the Teacher and Parent/Carer Learning Conversations are an opportunity to celebrate the many achievements and growth students have made in the first Semester of the 2023 school year. I would like to express my gratitude to the teachers and Grade Leaders who have spent much of their time finalising the student reports that were shared with parents and carers last Wednesday.  I am very proud of our students and the growth they have made in their learning, faith and well being during Semester One.

Throughout this week many parents and carers have met with teachers to discuss the attainment and growth of their child/ children in their faith and learning. This has been an opportunity for teachers and parents and carers to communicate openly and to share detailed information about our students’ learning and well being, and to celebrate the many achievements of our students. 

I would like to acknowledge and thank those parents and carers who have engaged in learning conversations as this has enabled teachers and parents and carers to provide each other feedback and collaborate so that our students can continue to experience growth in their faith, learning and well being.

I have received feedback from a number of parents and carers stating how professional and well prepared the teachers have been for the learning conversations. I would like to thank the St Paul’s teachers for the care and support they show all students at St Paul’s and for their professionalism and dedication to ensure that our students faith, learning and well being growth and development is communicated clearly to parents and carers.  Another great example of the collaboration between our staff and parents and carers that we value at St Paul’s.

Whole School Community Events

Over the past two weeks there have been quite a number of extra curricula, whole school events that our students have participated in. Many students remember these events as a highlight of the school year. I would like to thank the staff who plan and facilitate these activities and events and I recognise that these activities take time out of their busy teaching schedule to plan and lead.  

Thank you to Mrs Louise Frendo, Miss Alana Stroligo, Mrs Amy Lyons and Miss Eliza Treble who organised and led the school Athletics Carnival on Friday 23 June. The day was a great success due to the support of parents and carers and staff and the support they provided Mrs Frendo and Miss Stroligo throughout the carnival. I witnessed the way in which the staff and parents and carers all participated with such professionalism and dedication and I would like to recognise this commitment, well done everyone and thank you!!! Our students had a wonderful time, many smiles and laughs to be seen and heard. 

Afternoon Tea with the Principal

It was a pleasure to be able to spend the afternoon today recognising and celebrating the achievements of those students who received Principal and Mary MacKillop Awards in Term 2. We had a lovely afternoon and thank you to those students who shared jokes, riddles and artistic performances.

On behalf of the whole school, I would like to take this opportunity to extend my gratitude to all the St Paul’s staff, for the way in which they have supported our students in their academic, faith and well being growth this term. It has been a very busy term, and that the generosity of spirit is quite remarkable. I  am very proud of the work of my colleagues and most grateful to them for all that we do in partnering with parents and carers to support and care for our students. 

I would like to thank the students for their hard work and commitment to their learning this term. It has been a very busy term and our students certainly deserve a holiday. I would like to thank all parents and carers for your ongoing partnership as together we create a vibrant Catholic school community. I would like to thank the St Paul's Parents and Friends Association for their great work and the support they have provided throughout the term.

I wish you all a very relaxing pupil vacation period and hope you have an opportunity to spend time with your family and friends and look forward to seeing you all in Term 3. Please see the messages below of our St Paul’s School Captains Poppy and Dante.

Thank you to all parents and carers for your ongoing support.

Yours in Faith and Learning,

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.

NAPLAN was held in March this year for students in Year 3 & 5. This Year the report each student receives will be different.

Parents will receive the results of NAPLAN early in Term 3.

Education ministers have agreed to change the way NAPLAN results are reported to parents and carers, now that all students are taking the tests online, and with the move to an earlier NAPLAN in March. New proficiency standards with 4 levels of achievement for each year level will replace the previous 10-band structure that covered all 4 levels tested and the old National Minimum Standard set in 2008 when tests were on paper. The new proficiency standards include a baseline benchmark to identify students who are likely to need additional support.

The numerical NAPLAN bands and the national minimum standard will be replaced by the following 4 levels of achievement:

• Exceeding
• Strong
• Developing
• Needs additional support

The descriptors for each category will make it clear to parents what their child’s literacy and numeracy skills are at the time of NAPLAN testing, and support discussions with their school on their child’s progress.

See the flyer for more information.

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 school’s Annual Improvement Plan goal for the year is

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

The following social/interaction skills are vital for successful learners in a classroom. They address the following social-emotional competencies enhancing a positive classroom climate, a sense of belonging and connectedness: 

• Self-awareness  identifying own emotions and strengths 
• Self-management managing emotions through self-reflection
• Social Awareness identifying and understanding feelings in others - “sense of other”
• Relationship skills communicating and relationship building
• Responsible decision making problem solving, personal responsibility, respecting others 

A number of staff members have completed professional learning. The Berry Street Education Model (BSEM) provides strategies that enable teachers to increase the engagement of students with complex, unmet learning needs and to successfully improve all students’ self-regulation, relationships, well-being, growth, and academic achievement. Key staff has begun training our staff with strategies from the BSEM. 

In Term Three, staff will be supported to look at individual students in their class and groups of learners. They will target small group teaching and focus on specific classes to teach them interpersonal skills so that we continue to encourage a culture of respect.

BSEM strategies encourage teachers to focus on five domains that enhance the development of a child’s ability to manage themselves and be aware of themselves in relation to others. It covers many of the skills of the social and emotional competencies including- needing to be self-aware, managing themselves, being socially aware, developing relationship skills, and making choices that respect others.

The PB4L Team will continue to develop school focusses based on the data and encourage respectful behaviours across the school. 

Keep an eye out for dates in the second half of the school year for a Parent Workshop regarding developing a child’s Social and Emotional Learning competencies.

Mrs Rebecca Nunes

Assistant Principal

In 2023 one of our Annual Improvement Plan goals at St Paul's is for students to demonstrate understanding of the school's Catholic values. While it is important to live all Catholic values, as a school we would like to focus on those specifically important to the student community at this point in time. Staff have worked together to identify values that they feel are most valuable. 

We are now seeking input from the wider community. 

Could you please read the selection of goals and choose four that you believe are most important for the community of St Paul's Primary School to hold as their school values?

Follow this link to access the survey: https://forms.gle/TVLakRgNSubRv9NZA

Please note: The settings have been updated to allow responses from all domains.

This survey will close at the beginning of Term Three.

This Friday our school community will be supporting the St Vincent de Paul, 2023 Winter Appeal by holding a Pyjama Day on Friday 30th June. Students are invited to wear their winter pyjamas (along with enclosed shoes and school hat) to school. 

We are offering an optional hot chocolate and cinnamon donut deal on the day. The cost of the hot chocolate and donut will be $5 with all profits raised from sales going to support St Vincent de Paul. Most students have pre-ordered their hot chocolate and donut, but we will accept orders up to Friday.

The St Paul’s Community will gather together at a Liturgy on Wednesday 19th July at 1.00pm to celebrate NAIDOC Week. Parents are invited to attend.

On Tuesday 25th July, St Paul’s will be celebrating Grandparents Day beginning at 9:30am. The day will begin in the school hall at 9:30am with a Liturgy of the Word for our Grandparents only led by the Year 6 Liturgy Team. At 9:45am a showcase with each grade performing a small item, e.g. song, poem, dance etc will be presented to all Grandparents. Grandparents will then move to classrooms at about 10:30am till 11am. Grandparents are then invited to the school hall for morning tea with staff at 11am.

Students from Year Three have been preparing to receive the Sacrament of Penance over the last six weeks in the Parish. Students from St Paul's made their First Reconciliation today. Please continue to keep these students in your prayers as they prepare for their First Communion over Term Three.

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. 

Term 2

Term 3

Term 4

Mrs Jodi Marsh

Religious Education Coordinator

ACE AWARD RECIPIENTS

Harlow 1 Blue

Stefan 1 Red

Carolina 2 Red

Eli 2 Red

Kyiah 2 Blue

Elijah 2 Blue

Stephanie 3 Red

Brianna 3 Red

Nicola 4 Red

Roman 4 Red

Jorge 4 Red

Grace 4 Blue

Charley 5 Red

Kirsti 6 Red

Mason 6 Red

Alex 6 Blue

PRINCIPAL AWARD RECIPIENTS

Liara 2 Red

Eli 2 Red

Ivy 2 Red

Ruby 5 Red

Congratulations to our students for their amazing efforts!!

Please see our Year One Celebration of Learning- We are so clever in Year One

This week our staff have engaged in professional learning and planning time with Bridgeen Pritchard, Numeracy Educational Officer from CEDoW. 

We are focused on our school goal:

Improve teacher and student mathematical understanding through key evidence-based strategies in teaching concepts in number. 

On Thursday 21st June, after school, many of our teachers participated in a Maths Workshop at Kiama Public School, focused on practical activities and strategies to enhance your child's mathematical thinking and problem-solving skills. The workshop was based on the research conducted by Peter Liljdahl, a renowned expert in mathematics education, and his Building Thinking Classrooms approach. 

During the workshop, our teachers engaged in hands-on activities that promote critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity in mathematics. They gained valuable insights into research-based strategies to support your child's mathematical learning. 

We are excited to apply these new strategies in our classrooms and provide your child with an enriched mathematical experience.

Mrs Belinda Evans

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

Pie orders will be available for pick up in the school hall between the hours of 11am - 2pm Friday 30th June. Please enter via the hall gates on the Western side of the school.

Thank you to all parents and carers for your support

The Year 6 Fundraising Committee

Last Wednesday, four students from our SPLICED group traveled to Ss Peter and Paul Kiama to participate in an Artist workshop led by talented Kiama art teacher Mrs Rachael Luna. Ava, Scarlett, Chelsea and Zara shared their thoughts for their artworks with Mrs Luna giving advice and showing the girls different techniques that they could use. All engaged in different art styles to begin their art work for their SPLICED Project.

Below are some photos of the students working through the process.

Mrs Jodi Marsh

Diverse Learning Leader

We have had a great term of weekly choir rehearsals and performances with Miss Tonini and Mrs Taylor. 

We have been working on our beat and rhythm by using claves or clapsticks. 

We did such a good job singing and playing percussion during Reconciliation Week that we are planning to sing and play during our NAIDOC Week liturgy in Term 3, Week 1. 

Here are some photos of us practising keeping the beat with our feet while we play a rhythm with our hands. Tricky! 

Thank you to the parents who attended the K-2 Reading Workshop this week. Parents discovered what reading looks like in the K-2 classroom at St Paul’s and explored the importance of reading aloud, fostering a love for literature, and nurturing critical thinking skills. We exchanged tips to support home reading and we participated in some games that consolidate key phonics skills that are quick, easy and fun! 

Mrs Alexandra Hingston

K-2 Curriculum Advisor and Diverse Learning Leader

Congratulations to the Maths Olympiad team for successfully completing the second competition paper. Throughout the term you have continually demonstrated dedication, persistence and problem solving skills and achieved some wonderful results. Well done!

Mrs Alexandra Hingston

K-2 Curriculum Advisor and Diverse Learning Leader

Eliza Treble and Alexandra Hingston are representatives of the NESA Teacher Expert Network and are leading the implementation of the reformed NSW Curriculum at St Paul’s. In Week 10, St Paul’s hosted a group of 10 teachers from schools across the South Coast, sharing knowledge, expertise and our experience as we continue to work through the implementation process at each of our schools. This year, K-2 English and Mathematics curriculum were implemented at all schools in NSW. Students at St Paul’s have engaged deeply in the new content in both English and Maths and students in Years 3-6 have begun trialling aspects of the new curriculum, in preparation for full implementation in 2024.

On Wednesday the 21st June, Miss Ryan and six students from Stage Three attended a VEX Robot Scrimmage at St Joseph’s High School. The students selected had been attending coding sessions and building and engineering VEX iQ robots throughout the year. Kobi E, Harrison McD, Logan H, Cooper S, Beau Z and Charley M all took part in the day and had the opportunity to work alongside other students from various schools within our diocese. They were able to participate in four scrimmages and have opportunities to talk about their strategies and work together to build and change their robots based on their performance and ability. The students represented St Paul’s with pride and it was a fabulous day.

Miss Samantha Ryan

Year 3 Teacher

We were blessed to be able to hold our Athletics Carnival on Friday the 23rd of June. We had beautiful weather and all the students had a wonderful day. Students competed in a range of events and demonstrated great sportsmanship and support for each other.

A big thank you to our parent helpers who made our day run so smoothly! Without your help, it wouldn't have been as successful. 

Congratulations to our Age Champions!

Girls:

8 Years - Amarli 2R

9 Years - Baye 3R, Chloe 4B

10 Years - Jacinta 5B

11 Years - Madelynne 5B

12 Years - Milla 6B

Boys:

8 Years - Lachlan 2B

9 Years - Kai 3R

10 Years - Jackson 4R, Jacob 4R 

11 Years - Cooper 5R

12 Years - Dante 6B

Congratulations to St Francis who were the overall house winners of the carnival!

Please see below photos of our wonderful Athletics Carnival!!!

Tuesday the 14th of June while most students had a sleep in on our Staff Development Day, we had three super star runners competing at the Diocesan Cross Country. Madelynne, Cooper and Sienna represented our school in a fabulous display of grit, determination and great sportsmanship. We are so very proud of each of you! A huge Congratulations from the St Paul’s community! 

Could all parents and carers please contact the school office if there is any change to your child's school dismissal/pick up arrangements. Students will not be able to leave with any other parents or carers if the school office has not been notifiied prior to 3:15pm. We thank all our parents and carers for supporting our school with transparent communication about our students dismissal/ school pick up arrangements.

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. 

Parents are reminded that in accordance with updated regulations, any student 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.

The article below is from Happy Families, and highlights excellent points when reading the Semester One student reports. The article is titled "Are you a good listener?"

The Parents and Friends Association is currently needing additional clothing racks to hold the second-hand uniforms. If anyone has any, preferably with wheels, that they could donate we would really appreciate the assistance. If you have one to donate, please drop it to the school office. Thank you to those parents and carers who have donated a clothing rack.

A reminder that the Second Hand Uniform Shop will be available after the Week 10 School Assembly this coming Friday 30 June.

Thank you for your support

Amy De Santis

St Paul's Parents and Friends Association President

Kat