On Sunday, Catholics around the world celebrated the resurrection of Jesus. It is the beginning of the Easter Season, our 50-day meditation on the mystery of Christ's Resurrection. Our Sunday Gospel tells us about the disciples' discovery of the empty tomb. It concludes by telling us that they did not yet understand that Jesus had risen from the dead. Thus, the details provided are not necessarily meant to offer proof of the Resurrection. The details invite us to reflect upon a most amazing gift, that is faith in Jesus and his Resurrection. (Loyola Press)

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome to Week 10 of Term 1, this is our last newsletter for the term. I hope the Easter weekend enabled you to spend quality time with your families. Easter is an important time in our liturgical calendar. Last week, on Holy Thursday, our students visited the Stations of the Cross 1-9 presented by Year 5 and 6 students positioned around the school grounds. In the last hour of the day our Year 6 students presented the Stations of the Cross 10-14 to our K-5 students in the hall. 

Parent Survey

Parent feedback is important for our school community. 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. 

To complete the survey paste this into your address bar.

http://tellthemfromme.com/spap2024parent

Winter School Uniform

Thank you to parents and carers for the care you take to ensure that your child is in the correct school uniform. During the first three weeks of Term 2 parents and carers can decide if the summer or winter school uniform is suitable for your child to wear depending on the weather. The formal change over date for students to wear their winter uniform is Monday 20 May.

Uniform Policy - Hair

Just a reminder with the holidays in a few weeks that students should return to school with hairstyles that follow our uniform policy. We thank our parents for their ongoing support of our school policies and guidelines.

CEDoW Social Media Statement

School Tour 3 April -  5-6pm

This afternoon we will be hosting our school tour for prospective families. Leading our groups will be our Year 5 students who will use this opportunity to demonstrate their leadership skills. Joining them will be our Year 6 Senior Leaders. A school tour serves as a crucial step in the school selection process, allowing prospective parents to gather information, ask questions, and assess whether the school aligns with their values and aspirations for their child's education.

Mothers Day

Below is a flyer for our Mother's and Grandmother's Day Celebration for 2024. You can RSVP for this event via the QR code attached to the bottom of the flyer.

Student Learning

Over the past two weeks our students have continued to enthusiastically engage in learning activities. I am so pleased to see teachers sharing our students' learning with me each week. Below are a group of students who have been highly motivated during their writing lessons. It is wonderful to see our students smiling and proud of their accomplishments.

Every week, I wander through the K-6 classrooms to visit our students and teachers. Below is a snapshot of learning in Kindergarten. Our Kindergarten students have settled in well and are continuing to learn the routines of primary school. In the photos below they are learning many important collaboration skills as they work in small groups and share equipment. 

THANK YOU

I would like to thank Jodie the Manager of Woolworths, Albion Park, for her generosity in donating the pancakes for Shrove Tuesday. Jodie has also donated other items throughout the term. At the Year 4 assembly we acknowledged Jodie’s contributions to St Paul’s and presented her with a gift of appreciation. It is important to have the support of our local business community.

Welcome BBQ

Thank you to our parents and students who attended our welcome barbecue. I enjoyed having the time to meet many of our parents throughout the afternoon. A huge thank you to Mr Spicer who cooked the sausages for us, they were delicious. Also the P & F for their help with serving the sausages and monitoring the guessing competition fundraiser. It was a lovely afternoon for our students who engaged in some fun activities facilitated by our student support officers. I know that face painting was a popular activity for the children. I would also like to acknowledge our staff for attending and the admin team for organising the food and drinks for the event. 

WEN Day

On the 20 March our school hosted twentynine schools from across the diocese for the annual Wollongong Environmental Network Day. Four students from Year 5 represented our school. They heard from PiP Kieran the chair of Clean Up Australia Day who is leading the environment charge begun by her father Ian Kieran 30 years ago. This day reminds us about the importance our schools place on environmental practices and sustainably .

World's Greatest Shave

One of our parents Shane Young and his son Chase are participating in the World's Greatest Shave.

Please see below the link and QR code for the Fundraising Page.

On Friday 5 April we will acknowledge World Autism Understanding Day. This event is recognised internationally on 2nd April 2024. 

Autism Spectrum Australia would define autism as "a condition that affects how a person thinks, feels, interacts with others, and experiences their environment. It is estimated that one in 70 people are on the autism spectrum."

In order to raise awareness from World Autism Understanding Day the school is asking students to wear the colours of the rainbow to school as mufti for the day.

Please see some information provided by Autism Spectrum Australia about Autism.

Understanding_Autism_Factsheet.pdf

Understanding_Autism_Factsheet _pdf 767.89 KB

Religion Workbooks Being Sent Home- 5 April

We will be sending student workbooks home for parents and carers to discuss their child’s learning in the Key Learning Areas of Religion. On Friday 5 April we will send home Religion books.

Please note that not all learning is recorded in the student workbooks. Students discuss, collaborate and learn through oral language and storytelling. They record by using whiteboards, posters, worksheets, and electronic recordings such as Seesaw.

Your child will bring home their workbook to celebrate some of the work they have completed this term. Please ensure you return the workbook to school the on the next school day. 

Your child would love you to look through their book and use this as a starting point to discuss what they have been learning. If you would like to give your child some feedback you might like to try the following format. 

Acknowledge a success	✓ Identify what is done accurately ✓ Describe something that is quality work ✓ Point out if they have used a good strategy eg: evidence of editing
Guide a future action	✓ Ask a question about something  ✓ Offer a suggestion to improve one aspect of learning- try to reinforce any comments from the teacher

The Lenten season has ended, and now we enter the season of Easter. This liturgical season is significant because it commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, which happened on Easter Sunday. It's a time of joy and celebration, symbolising new life and hope.

We are currently finalising the total amount raised for Project Compassion. Keep an eye out on facebook for the announcement. If you have any Project Compassion boxes at home containing donations and would like to contribute, kindly send them to school with your child by the conclusion of Week 10. I would like to thank everyone for their remarkable generosity and commitment to this fundraiser.

We can only begin to imagine the excruciating physical and emotional pain Jesus must have experienced as he carried the weight of the heavy cross through the streets of Jerusalem on Good Friday. On Thursday, Year 5 and 6 students guided the school through Stations of the Cross 1-9, moving around the school. As the day concluded, Year 6 students took the lead, presenting Stations 10-14 to the entire school.

I would like to thank Year 5 and 6 students, for generously dedicating their time to craft a poignant and remarkable journey of the Stations of the Cross for all students in the school to experience. These students chose to give up their playtime to rehearse and prepare for their assigned Stations of the Cross roles diligently.

Students celebrated Harmony Day on Thursday 21st March. They were involved in a number of activities in their classroom and immersed themselves in activities whereby they learnt about a different culture. We are continually reminded each and every day of the message that ‘EVERYONE BELONGS’. Just like Jesus we welcome and include everyone.

Harmony Day

Harmony Day 4.65 MB

Please find important dates below outlining grade attendance at Parish Mass. After Mass, parents are invited to join an open classroom followed by a Morning Tea held in the Library. 

Mini Vinnies Report

Last week, Mini Vinnies students made a cross and wrote their prayers and hopes on them. During our lesson, we spoke about the importance of Holy Week and when Jesus carried the cross through Jerusalem.

Within our Catholic faith, the cross symbolises Jesus Christ's sacrifice and redemption on Good Friday, showcasing his suffering and compassion as he offers forgiveness and victory over sin and death. On Good Friday, Jesus Christ was crucified, enduring immense suffering and ultimately sacrificing his life as an act of redemption for humanity's sins.

Check out these photos to see our hard work. 

PB4L Focus Week 9: Being Respectful with the Playground Equipment

Students revised what they can and cannot do with the playground equipment.  This ensures student safety when using the equipment and longevity of the equipment. Below is the video that the PB4L Student Leadership Team created for staff to share to the students. 

PB4L Focus Week 10 & 11: Behaviour Definitions 

Students will learn to discern between expected and unexpected behaviour at school in the classroom and playground.

Staff will be awarding students stickers and raffle tickets for playing with the playground equipment respectfully and showing expected behaviour.

PB4L Focus Term 2 Weeks 1 & 2: We need to be self-aware so that we can follow the school rules

Over the past number of years,  the St Paul's community focussed on the social and emotional development of students through the practice of social and emotional learning (SEL).  The aim of embedding SEL into the context of St Paul's is to assist in the development of a positive climate within our school and to equip students with the knowledge and skills to function with the complex social and emotional contexts of the world.  Through the PB4L Framework and the PDHPE syllabus, students have engaged in learning skills within the 5 domains of SEL:

1. Self Awareness: The ability to accurately recognise one's emotions and thoughts and their influence on behaviour.
2. Self Management: The ability to regulate one's emotions, thoughts and behaviours in different situations.
3. Social Awareness: The ability to take the perspective of and empathise with others from diverse backgrounds and cultures, to understand social and ethical norms of behaviour and to recognise family, school and community resources and supports. 
4. Relationship Skills: The ability to establish and maintain healthy and rewarding relationships with diverse individuals and groups.
5. Responsible Decision Making: The ability to make constructive and respectful choices about personal behaviour and interactions based on the consideration of others.

During Week 1 & 2 of Term 2, the PB4L focus will be on developing self-awareness.  Classroom teachers will explicitly teach students a selection of the following skills:

• Labelling my emotions
• Knowing my strengths
• Positive awareness
• Knowing my triggers
• Knowing my body language

Why is SEL important for learning?

Research supports the concept that the facts a child knows and even early ability to read are not as predictive of school success as are factors like self-assurance, impulse control, ability to seek help from teachers and social skills.  Students with well-developed social and emotional skills find it easier to manage themselves, relate to their peers, develop resilience and a sense of self-worth, resolve conflict, engage in teamwork and feel positive about themselves and the world around them.  Improving social and emotional skills has a positive influence on children's attitudes, behaviours and performance, including academic success.  

Riding Scooters and Bicycles to School

A reminder that parents must provide permission for their child to ride their scooter or bicycle to school.  This is to ensure the ongoing safety of all our students.  Please see the following note or contact our School Office if you have any questions about this process.  

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

Annual Improvement Goal - Assessment and Numeracy 

During weeks 8-11, 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.

On Tuesday 2nd April, our teachers engaged 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. We deepened our knowledge of the Mathematics syllabus to determine key essential learnings across the outcome so we can design quality assessments and learning experiences for the students. 

VEX iQ Scrimmage  - St Pius X Unanderra 

On Friday, March 22nd, students from Year 4 and 6 participated in the VEX IQ Robotics Challenge at St. Pius X Catholic Primary School in Unanderra. Our students developed their knowledge and skills in block coding with VEX IQ. Throughout the day, they encountered numerous engineering, coding, and team challenges. Our students performed exceptionally well, securing 2nd and 3rd place overall in the competitions.

We have a large number of awards this week due to some updates with our Compass system which has now been rectified. 

Ace Awards:

Principal's Awards:

Xavier 2R

Oscar 2B

Spencer 2B

Lennox 3R

Daniel P 4R

Mary MacKillop Awards: 

Flynn C 6R

Mrs Suzanne Hayes and Mrs April Grove

Year Three Class Teachers

On Wednesday 20 March, our school hosted 120 Catholic primary school students for a day focused on eco formation, inspiration, and action. Part of CEDoW's Wollongong Environment Network (WEN) Program, the event aims to educate students about environmental stewardship and empower them to lead local action in their schools - and to learn how to work on their "own little bit of the puzzle" to help the environment.

Four of our Waste-Free Warriors, Jennifer, Harrison, Grace and Logan, represented our school on the day. They were chosen to lead the students and staff in prayer to kick off the day. They heard an inspirational keynote address by Pip Kiernan, Chair of Clean Up Australia, who highlighted the organisation’s impact since its inception by her father, Ian Kiernan, thirty years ago. During her talk, Pip encouraged repurposing and reusing, rather than throwing things out. 

After the keynote address, students gathered ideas and inspiration from other schools about their environmental initiatives. They wrote a school prayer for creation and transformed an old t-shirt into a tote bag, using nothing but a pair of scissors. 

Overall, it was an awesome day shared with like-minded eco-enthusiasts and we look forward to making some changes in our school to make it an eco friendly place to be. 

Wollongong Environmental Network (WEN) Program

Congratulations to the winners of our Easter Raffle!

Did you know that statistics show that only 5% of NSW children eat enough vegetables? This is outrageous!

In Week 8  St Paul’s recognised Vegetable Week and on Thursday the 21st March we participated in the Big Vegie Crunch. ‘The Big Vegie Crunch’ is an attempt by NSW primary school students to break the record for the highest number of children eating vegetables simultaneously – and to get kids excited about vegetables!

Throughout Vegetable Week, students engaged in learning experiences that promote healthy eating and emphasised the importance of fruit and vegetables for their growing brains.

Dear Parents and Carers of Catholic Children in Year 3.

If you wish for your child to receive the sacrament of First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion in 2024, there will be a Parent Discernment Meeting on Tuesday 14th May in the Church from 7:00pm.

This meeting is for parents/carers only. If you are unable to attend this meeting, you will need to arrange a private meeting with Fr Leo.

No application forms will be issued to anyone who has not attended either the discernment meeting or met with Fr Leo.

Please check the St Paul's Parish website (www.stpaulsparish.org.au) for information on dates and expectations of the parish for this year's Sacramental Program.