In parishes throughout Wollongong Diocese we celebrated the fifth Sunday of Lent Year B. The reflection by Loyola Press explains last Sunday's Gospel outlines the framework against which we are to understand Jesus’ passion, death, and Resurrection. Through his death and Resurrection, Jesus conquered Satan, the ruler of this world. In this way the world is judged, but the judgement is not condemnation. Instead, through Jesus’ dying and rising, salvation is brought to the world.

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome to Week 8 of Term 1. I am excited to have the opportunity to invite all of our families to our Welcome barbecue on Thursday 21 March from 4-6pm. Traditionally, this was organised to welcome our new families predominantly our Kindergarten parents and any other new families joining our school community. Being your new Principal, I wanted to offer all families a warm welcome to join our staff in sharing a meal together. I hope the barbecue will enable our parents to get to know other parents as well as our staff in a relaxed setting. Our student support officers have organised some fun activities for our students to engage in while our parents socialise. 

Last year, parents of St Paul’s were invited to a parent consultation at 7pm Tuesday 5 December, which took place at St Joseph's Catholic High School, School Hall.  All parents from St Joseph's High School and St Paul's Parish Primary School were invited to attend. Prior to the meeting all parents received a copy of this document which outlines the proposed bus scheduling and school times.

St Joseph’s will be changing their school times as follows:

Start time: 8.15am

Finish time: 2.40pm

The proposal to change the school times, bus scheduling and bus times is projected to commence in Term 2. 

It is important that the families at St Paul’s understand that as a result of this being implemented the following will occur:

• Shared buses with St Joseph’s will no longer be available
• There will be a reduction of bus runs to St Paul’s from outside of the parish area.

I have reviewed the bus schedules and times and this is what will be available for our St Paul’s families. 

Morning Buses

Students arriving prior to 8.30am will need to organise Before and After School Care as the school gates open at 8.30am.

Afternoon Buses

This year St Paul’s will be undertaking a School Cyclic Inquiry where we have the opportunity to review our achievements over the past four years and to plan for our future growth as a school learning community. This will occur over two days on the 4 and 10 September in Week 7 and 8 of Term 3.

Part of the process is the data gathering exercise where we seek reflection and input from the students, parents and staff. To gather this information we will be participating in the Tell Them From Me Survey. 

Tell Them From Me is a suite of surveys for measuring student engagement and wellbeing. The surveys can be used to capture student, parent and teacher voices, providing reliable evidence for schools to use in identifying strengths and areas for improvement.

Student Survey

The Tell Them From Me student survey provides school leaders with insights into student engagement, wellbeing and effective teaching practices at their school, from the perspective of students. The survey will provide St Paul’s with valuable feedback on what our students think about school life, how engaged they are with school and the different ways that teachers interact with them. 

If you would prefer your child not to participate in this survey please print, sign and return this letter to the school.

Parent Survey

The parent survey helps to clarify and strengthen the important relationship between parent and school.The parent survey provides school principals and school leaders with parents' perspectives on their school as well as their child's learning at home. Communication between parents and staff, activities and practices at home, and parents' views on the school's support of learning and positive behaviour to help build an accurate and timely picture that schools can use for practical improvements.

We will share an electronic survey that will take no longer than fifteen minutes to complete and will be critical to gaining your input. There will be a one week window for the survey to be completed (1 April - 5 April). A link to the survey will be shared via Compass next week.

This year St Paul’s will participate in the ANZAC Day Memorial Service on Thursday, 25 April 2024 (Week 2 of the holidays). The Anzac Day Dawn Service which will be held at Albion Park RSL sub Branch on Thursday 25th April 2024, will commence at 4.15am for a 4.30am start. The Memorial service will be held in the car park of the Albion Park RSL Club.

Attendance Notes

For any whole day of absence, parents will need to access their Compass parent portal and log the absence before 11am on the day their child is not at school.  If you fail to do this you will receive a Compass alert requesting that you explain your child’s absence on the day your child is away.  The school must receive notification of the reason for the absence within 7 days of the return to school. In the event that an explanation is not supplied the absence will be recorded as Unjustified/Unexplained.  

Partial Absences

We ask that you do not enter an attendance note if your child has a partial absence (eg; arriving late or leaving early). These will be entered by office staff when you are in the foyer to drop off or collect your children.

Leave During the School Term

When taking your child/children out of school, during term time for a holiday or extended leave (3 school days or over) you are required to submit a request for leave. This can be done by emailing info@spapdow.catholic.edu.au

Student Messages

Student messages must be via a phone call to the school office to ensure they have been received. If you are making changes to afternoon dismissal please either call or email the office by 1.30pm. 

This is an urgent reminder to please complete the Insight cycles for the Consent for Use of Student Image and Acceptable Use of Technology. This is a mandatory requirement which has been communicated via Compass. Students' images can not be used without parent consent each year.

If you have not provided consent for the Acceptable Use of Technology your child will not be able to use their iPad at school as of the 25 March.

Please complete this by Friday the 22nd of March. 

We have had inquiries regarding the types of birthday treats parents can provide to celebrate their child’s birthday. This is not an expectation however if you would like to provide a treat we ask you to follow the guides below:

• Parents are able to bring in purchased (with dietary information on the packaging) treats (individual items such as muffins, cupcakes or order zooper dooper birthday buckets from the canteen. These can be easily distributed to students at break times.
• We request that no whole cakes or food items that require cutting are brought into classrooms. 
• We have a number of students in each class with allergies and different dietary requirements. If parents of these students would like to supply their own treats in a sealed small container each term with their child’s name that would be appreciated. The teachers can access these when the students receive treats during birthday celebrations.

Kind Regards,

Angela Pecnik

NAPLAN testing has occured for students in both Years 3 & 5. Testing continues over the coming days with catchup tests available for students who have been sick.

Last year, parents and carers were given earlier, simpler, and clearer information about their child’s NAPLAN achievement based on more rigorous national standards.

Education ministers changed 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.

Proficiency standards with 4 levels of achievement for each year level replaced the previous 10-band structure. The 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 were replaced by the following 4 levels of achievement:

• Exceeding
• Strong
• Developing
• Needs additional support

The descriptors for each category 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.

Social and Emotional Learning- Berry Street Learning Module

The school has had an ongoing focus on supporting the student's wellbeing and engagement in learning.

Last year we had a focus on interpersonal skills to encourage students to interact respectfully with others. The school teaches social and emotional learning through whole-class teaching, small groups and one-to-one support.

Research would support that in order to be the best they can be children need various needs met first (Maslow). 

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 

The school has engaged in Professional Learning around supporting students to learn and use these competencies. Staff have attended Professional Learning entitled "Berry Street Educational Model". This course supports the teaching of social-emotional competencies and supports students to engage respectfully with each other and be 'ready to learn'. This year additional staff will engage in the training to assist students throughout all grades.

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, wellbeing, growth and academic achievement.

The staff will continue to explore the framework together to support students wellbeing at St Paul's.

E-Safety Commisioner

Just a reminder that there are still a few available workshops run by the e-Safety Commisoner's website. These webinars are a great way to learn how to keep your child safe online.

2024_parent_carer_webinar_schedule.pdf

2024_parent_carer_webinar_schedule _pdf 99.30 KB

I am thrilled to share the fantastic outcome of our Lenten Project Compassion fundraiser! Thanks to the remarkable generosity and commitment of our school community, we have amassed a grand total of $717.50 to support those in need. Over the Lenten period, our tree situated in the Year 6 Corridor has been regularly updated by the Year 6 Pastoral Care Leadership Team to keep both staff and students informed of the cumulative amount raised.

If you have any Project Compassion boxes containing donations and would like to contribute, kindly send them to school with your child by the conclusion of Week 9 (Thursday, March 28th).

Feast day of St Joseph - 19th March

On 19th March we celebrate the feast day of St Joseph. He is the patron saint of the Universal Church, families, fathers, travellers and craftsmen.

Pope Francis describes Saint Joseph as a beloved father, a tender and loving father, an obedient father, an accepting father; a father who is creatively courageous, a working father, a father in the shadows.

As Jesus’ father, Joseph  was one of the key people in helping Jesus to become the man he was. Joseph would have taught Jesus about God and his Jewish faith. He was  a faith-filled man and his decision to do what the angel told him to do changed the course of his life. St Joseph was a very good man who took care of Jesus when he was a baby. He showed integrity because even when things got difficult, he stayed true to what was right. He listened to God and did what God asked him to do, even when it was hard. This shows us that being good and doing the right thing is important, even when it’s not easy.

This year, while learning about St. Joseph, our students participated in an activity during their Religion lesson. Look at the amazing work throughout the school community. 

St Joseph Feast Day

St Joseph Feast Day 16.18 MB

Stations of the Cross Liturgy

Participating in the Stations of the Cross helps students understand Christianity better and grow spiritually. This year, students from Year 5 and Year 6 will lead their classmates through the Stations of the Cross around the school. They will cover stations 1-10 and then Year 6 will lead a special prayer session for stations 11-14. Parents and carers are warmly invited to join us on Thursday, March 28th, at 2:30 pm in the Hall.

Mini Vinnies: Where little hearts make a big difference!

On Monday, March 18th, students from years 3, 4, 5, and 6 gathered for a Mini Vinnies meeting. During the session, we delved into the life of St. Vincent De Paul, learning about his impactful lifestyle. Engaging activities like puzzles and a Find a Word helped us grasp his story better. St. Vincent De Paul was born on April 24th, 1581, and passed away on September 27th, 1660, with his feast day celebrated on the latter date. 

Personally, we joined Mini Vinnies because we find joy in assisting those in need and supporting the less fortunate. Additionally, organising fundraisers such as the Winter Appeal, Socktober, and Christmas Appeal adds an element of fun to our activities.

By Zara and Emily

Last week our PB4L focus was ‘I can show respect for my school when wearing my uniform’. Throughout the year, staff will be awarding students stickers and raffle tickets for students who are correctly wearing the school uniform, for example school uniform and sport uniform worn on correct days, students wearing their school hat when outdoors. We appreciate your support with this matter. If you have any questions regarding your child’s school uniform please speak to your child’s classroom teacher or please refer to the SPAP School Uniform Policy for additional information.

Our current focus is allowing staff the opportunity to reflect on one of the School Values, INTEGRITY. This value has been linked to blue house, St Joseph. He displayed that he was strong enough to choose to be the husband to Mary and earthly father to Jesus. 

At school we will use the Parable of the Good Samaritan as an example of integrity. When you have integrity, your actions match your words, even when you don’t feel like it. The Samaritan man stepped outside of the norm. He took a risk and spent money and time to care for a stranger, who was most likely Jewish – a people at odds with his people. Nevertheless, his heart and character held enough love to cover over any rivalry or pride and to do what was right. We need courage, like the Samaritan man, to do what is unpopular and unexpected, when it is the right thing to do. 

At St Paul’s we encourage all to have courage to choose to do what is right and stand up to others, showing honesty and integrity.

Students will always feel better if they choose to do what is right and kind in all situations. When your children show integrity, tell them what you admire about their behaviour. When children feel good about doing what’s right, they learn to measure the quality of their lives beyond grades and extra-curricular achievements. As a role model to your children, you can help them understand how integrity is part of a successful and rewarding life.

Here are some ideas to get you thinking about how your child can show integrity at home:

• Taking responsibility for one’s actions
• Treating siblings, parents and others with respect
• Admitting mistakes
• Being honest in all situations
• Doing the right thing, even when no one is watching

Just a reminder, this week on Thursday March 21st, we will be celebrating Harmony Day by encouraging all students to come to school dressed in their regular school uniform with an orange accessory. Harmony Day is a day dedicated to celebrating cultural diversity, inclusiveness, respect, and a sense of belonging for all Australians. 

Here are some ideas for incorporating orange accessories into your school uniform:

• ribbon
• scarf
• headband or hair accessories
• socks
• wristband
• bow tie
• hat

This week, students kicked off their celebration of cultural diversity by engaging in various activities during their playtime. Mrs Hastings took the lead on Monday, guiding students in crafting Chinese lanterns. Check out the photos below and check out Facebook over the coming days for additional photos!!

Last week students in Years 3-6 completed the PIVOT survey. This survey provides staff with school based trends and gives students more voice in their classrooms. Throughout the year students will complete the survey and tips will be shared to the parent community via the school newsletter. 

We kindly ask that no children bring in toys from home to use on the playground. If children bring in a toy for news they are encouraged to keep it in their school bag or put it on their teacher’s desk until the required time. We understand that at times some students may require a sensory item in their pocket which is known by their classroom teacher. 

Kind Regards,

Miss Alana Stroligo

ACE Awards: 

Johan 2B

Oscar 2B

Andrej 3R

Ava L 3B

Lara 4B

Zali 6R

Principal's Award: 

Ava 3B

Lachlan 3B

Mary MacKillop Awards: 

Christian 5R

Ameirah 6R

Mrs Michelle Griffiths, Mrs Annalise Hastings and Mrs Tracy Whalan

Year 4 Teachers

Annual Improvement Goal - Assessment and Numeracy 

During weeks 7-10, our staff will be actively engaged in various professional learning opportunities aimed at enhancing our understanding of quality assessment aligned with our school AIP goal. We will be unpacking the outcomes outlined in the new Mathematics syllabus, which are aligned with our school's AIP goal on assessment.

GOAL: Students will demonstrate continuous improvement in Mathematics as a result of explicit instruction at their point of need, informed by ongoing quality assessment.

Our dedicated staff members have been immersing themselves in the Mathematics syllabus, analysing the progression of learning across the outcome from Kindergarten to year 6. In collaboration, our teachers have been designing assessments that inform the next steps in teaching and support students in developing essential mathematical skills.

On Tuesday 2nd April, our teachers will be engaging in a staff development day with Shane Chapman from NESA around “Developing Quality Teaching and Assessment” to further enrich our knowledge and skills in this area. 

New English Curriculum 3-6

Additionally, our teachers in grades 3-6 have been working closely with Mrs Hingston, Mrs Evans and Mrs Staff to collaboratively design learning sequences using the new English 3-6 syllabus centred around English concepts such as characterisation, authority, and perspective. 

VEX iQ Scrimmage  - St Pius X Unanderra 

On Friday, 22nd March, some of our students from Year 4 and 6 will participate in the VEX IQ Robotics Challenge at St Pius X Catholic Primary School in Unanderra. This event will showcase our students' robotics skills, obstacle navigation, point scoring, and teamwork and collaboration strategies. From engineering custom robots to navigating challenging terrains, our young innovators are geared up for an exciting competition. These students had a wonderful opportunity to work with MR Woods last Friday to learn additional coding skills.

By Beau Zonneveld and Harrison McDonald - Year 6 Students 

 

On Friday in between lunch and recess we had Mr Woods come to show us how to do different things with the VEX IQ robots such as the programming needed to make them work. He also told us the rules that we need to follow to be able to compete, like the height, width and length limits. He also told us what the amount is of certain parts we can have like motors and sensors. When we had trouble programming our robot Mr Woods came to help us and it turned out that it needed an update so we did that and then it worked. By the end of the day we had the robot ready for the competition except for a bit of programming.

 

Congratulations to Jacob M who was selected in the Wollongong 11's Representative Rugby League Team.

Cross Country will be held at school on the top oval, as part of Sport lessons on Friday 12th April (last day of term). Our students have been preparing for this event in PE lessons with Mrs Lyons. This will then be followed by the Colour Run in the afternoon. We look forward to a busy day with lots of running fun!

Enrolment applications are now completed online via the following link

You can also find this link on our school website

The timeline for the Kindergarten 2025 enrolment application process is as follows

Term 1: 30/1/2024 - 28/4/2024. Online enrolment applications should be submitted by the end of Term 1. You will receive an acknowledgement email and invitation to attend our Open Day.

Term 2: Interviews are held during Term 2 — you will receive an invitation to interview in the second half of Term 1.

Term 2: week commencing 24/6/2024 Enrolment Offer of Place letters are sent to successful applicants.

Should you have any questions about the Kindergarten application process, please get in touch with the school office.

We would be most grateful if you shared this information with other friends or family who might be interested in applying for a kindergarten place in 2025.

Attached is a flyer for our upcoming School Tour. Please register by scanning the QR code on the flyer. 

WriteOn is an annual writing competition open to all NSW primary students in Years 1 to 6.

The annual WriteOn competition gives students the opportunity to become published authors and develop skills in writing to express their ideas.

Students are to compose an imaginative text of up to 500 words, using an image as the stimulus.

Each year, winning entries are published in 'The Best of WriteOn' anthology. The 2023 version of the anthology is available for purchase from the  NESA Shop.

The WriteOn 2024 competition opens on Monday 25 March (Week 9, Term 1) and closes at 4 pm on Friday 28 June (Week 9, Term 2).

More information about the competition can be found here and further details will be communicated via NESA News and on this webpage on Monday 25 March.

If your child is interested in entering the NESA WriteOn Competition, please email their submission to info@spapdow.catholic.edu.au and Bree-Anna Fogliada will enter the submission.  For any additional information, please contact Bree-Anna Fogliada via the school office. 

Bree-Anna Fogliada 

Year One Teacher and Middle Leader