Last Sunday we celebrated the Solemnity of All Saints. All Saints' Day is a solemn holy day of the Catholic Church celebrated annually on November 1. The day is dedicated to the saints of the Church, that is, all those who have attained heaven. Bishop Brian Mascord in his homily explained that the Solemnity of All Saints reminds us that we are too called to reveal the story of God in our own time. St Paul states that the Saints came to know Jesus and to make him known so that we too can know Jesus and make him known to others.

Dear Parents and Carers,

On Monday 2 November the staff of St Paul’s participated in a spirituality day facilitated by personnel from the Catholic Education Office. The focus of the day was Being Present, and the day provided the staff an opportunity to reflect on the year and the challenges that the community have embraced and responded to with professionalism, care and wisdom. 

This coming Sunday 8 November the staff have the privilege to celebrate with a number of our Year 6 students  as they receive the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit through the Sacrament of Confirmation. I would like to thank Fr. Leo, Paula Potts and Julie Ferguson for preparing our students for the Sacrament of Confirmation.

After a recruitment process I would like to congratulate Mrs Bree-Anna Fogliada on her permanent appointment to St Paul’s Catholic Parish Primary School. Bree-Anna is a valuable member and leader of the St Paul’s community who will continue to flourish in her teaching and leading roles at St Paul’s and I congratulate Bree-Anna on her appointment.

After a recruitment process I would like to congratulate Mrs Alexandra Hingston on her appointment at St Paul’s under the Conditional Permanency Program. Alexandra currently teaches at Good Samaritan Catholic Primary School Fairy Meadow. Alexandra brings much knowledge, expertise and experience to the St Paul’s community and I congratulate Alexandra on her appointment.

This coming week a survey will be shared with parents and carers asking for feedback that will be included in the St Paul’s Catholic Parish School’s Annual School Report. The survey link will be sent via Compass and only takes a few minutes to complete.

Over the next few weeks we welcome our new Kindergarten students and their families as they prepare for Kindergarten in 2021. On Friday 13 and 20 November our new kindergarten students will participate in two orientation sessions.

Thank you to those parents who have emailed me their thoughts regarding class placement for their child for 2021. As we begin to move towards the end of the year, planning for 2021 is underway and as a teaching staff we continue to focus on our students and their learning. The best person to determine your child’s class placement for next year is their current class teacher, in consultation with their grade partner(s), student’s past teachers and members of the School Leadership Team, as they know your child best in the classroom and playground settings. At St Paul’s  we take into account the spiritual, academic and emotional well being of each child, as well as considering their social interactions, so that we work towards our main goal of having balanced classes in all grades.

I also recognise that as your child’s primary carer, parents and carers may have specific information that you wish to share with me, as the Principal of the school, that may assist in the organisation of class placements for next year.

In light of the above, the following protocols will need to be adhered to when making a request for class placements in 2021: 

• All requests must be in writing no later than Friday 6 November 2020 via the school email account addressed to Michelle Rodwell.
• At the discretion of the Principal an interview may be organised to discuss the requests in further detail. Asking the class teacher to follow up your request on your behalf will not be accepted.
• As there will be changes with teaching staff for 2021 please do not request a particular teacher as there is a possibility that the current classroom teachers on a grade for 2020 will not be the same in 2021.
• Ultimately, the decision concerning class placements must rest with the Principal and class teachers as we are privy to information concerning the spiritual, academic and emotional well being of each student, therefore no guarantees will be given to supporting any requests. 

Please note that no changes to class placements will be made after classes are announced at our Meet the Teacher Transition morning on Thursday 10 December.

Wishing you every blessing,

Michelle Rodwell

Principal

As communicated in the last newsletter, reports will be distributed via the Compass portal on Monday 7 December (Week 9). If you wish to discuss the report with your child's teacher then it will be conducted over the phone due to COVID-19 restrictions. To request an interview / phone call you can email info@spapdow.catholic.edu.au by 2 December 2020. Include your child / children's names and classes.

The CEDoW Social Media Policy released in 2019 and made compliant on 1 Feb 2020 has a section relating to Parents and Community Use of Social Media.

It states that schools must:

SCHOOLS MUST:

- ensure the CEDoW Social Media Statement is clearly accessible on each official school social media presence. St Paul's currently has a Facebook page. St Paul's Facebook page can be accessed using the following linked URL

- provide parents/carers with the CEDoW Social Media Statement yearly

- advise parents/carers of each official school social media presence approved by the school, to the exclusion of all others

- advise parents/carers of the expectation to seek permission from the Principal to establish a social media presence that is in any way associated with the school

- advise parents/carers of the expectation not to post content on social media of other students without the express consent of their parents/carers

- advise parents/carers of the expectation to promptly notify the school of inappropriate use of, or content on: any official school social media presence; any social media, that may negatively impact on CEDoW or any of its school communities

- adhere to the CEDoW Social Media Standards Procedures when they are concerned about inappropriate use of, or content on: any official school social media presence; any social media, that may negatively impact on CEDoW or any of its school communities

Rebecca Nunes

Assistant Principal

Usually NAIDOC Week is held nationally during July but due to COVID-19 celebrations were moved to Sunday 8 November through to Sunday 15 November.

This year's NAIDOC 2020 theme is Always Was, Always Will Be. 

This theme recognises that First Nations people have occupied and cared for this continent for over 65,000 years. 

During NAIDOC, we remember in our thoughts and prayers the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of our country and celebrate their rich cultures and inspiring contributions to Australia. NAIDOC Week 2020 acknowledges and celebrates that our nation’s story didn’t begin with documented European contact.

To celebrate this important week, the students will do an activity each day of next week to learn about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders’ culture and acknowledge their history.

Next Wednesday 11 November (the day World War One ended) the school will come together for a short liturgy commencing at 10.55 to remember all those who have fought in wars and the many that have given their lives for our freedom. After Opening Prayers and saying, “The Ode,” the children will listen to “The Last Post" then observe two minutes of silence. The silence ends with a bugle playing "Reveille". It may be a special family moment for you to discuss with your child the importance of this day for all Australians both young and old.

This coming Sunday, 8 November, the first two Confirmation ceremonies for this year will be celebrated. Due to the unusual circumstances of COVID, Bishop Brian has delegated the parish priests to celebrate the sacrament with the candidates this year.

May God’s Spirit come upon Tamara Frendo, Declan McCann, Talisha Ristevski, Jemma Caruana, Charlotte Van de Voorde, Archie Faulks, Chloe Harmsworth, Bella and Bailey Brennan, Timothy Bloomfield, Kobe Dunn, Luke Pyers, Joshua Cowell, Cooper Hili and Ella Di Martino this weekend. May they be filled with courage, strength and love.

Throughout the year the teachers of each grade have displayed some of the children’s work in the corridor leading from the front playground to the central playground area. Since the beginning of term, we have celebrated the work of Year One. I thank the teachers for all the time it has taken to display all this work. I see many budding artists for the future.

Julie Ferguson

Religious Education Coordinator

Thank you to all students who are trying their best to follow our school rules in the playground and classroom

Congratulations to all students who are consistently displaying positive behaviours in the playground and classroom. All classes are working together towards achieving Green Zone rewards.

Our focus for PB4L continues to be using the playground equipment respectfully and responsibly. We all enjoy having the equipment to play with at breaks. All classes have reported that they have appreciated the hard work of staff to purchase and provide games and sports resources for lunch breaks.

Our PB4L Draw winners for Week 3 are:

Dante Rosete - 3 Red

Samuel Mansbridge - 5 Red

Ella Di Martino - 6 Blue

Joshua Scholfield - 5 Red

Sophie Groznik - 5 Red

Our PB4L Draw winners for Week 4 are:

Lily Hingston - 2 Blue

Romeo Barber - 1 Red

Ava Dawson - 2 Red

Flynn Shelton - 1 Red

Mia Hamilton - 2 Blue

Congratulations to the following students who have received or will be receiving a Principal Award and/or a Mary MacKillop Award:

Principal Awards

Elias Maounis - 6 Blue

Timothy Bloomfield - 6 Blue

Hunta Surian - 2 Red

Mary MacKillop Awards

Sienna Allitt - 5 Blue

The PB4L Team

Showdown at Two Bob Billabong

Last Wednesday students from Kinder to Year 5 were able to participate in a livestream performance of Showdown at Two Bob Billabong performed by the Australian National Theatre for Children and sponsored by Horizon Bank. 

The premise of the performance is to explore financial literacy and encourage students to develop their understandings of needs and wants and the importance of saving money and spending money purposefully.

The feedback from students indicated that they really enjoyed the experience, including the show and the follow up booklet and students walked away keen to “pay yourself first!”

Annalise Hastings

Middle Leader

Some of our Year 3 students have been learning to programme a Mbot in Coding Club at lunchtime.

They are learning to Bluetooth the device so that they can use the coding apps, mBlock and Blockly to code a series of commands.

They are learning to navigate a driver control; block code and trouble shoot problems that arise in their sequence of commands.

It has been wonderful to see the students collaborating, communicating and problem solving with each other.

Belinda Evans

Acting Middle Leader

Unfortunately our Canteen providers, Fresh Start Canteens, will be finishing up at St Paul's at the end of the year.  From Week 6 onwards the canteen will only be open on Thursdays and Fridays.  Michelle Rodwell will be in touch with the Catholic Education Office to organise another tender for next year.  We thank you for your understanding in this matter.

The Parents and Friends (P&F) committee  will be holding a meeting for all parents and friends on Monday 16 November at 6:30pm. If you would like to add any agenda items could you please email your item to the school’s email address by close of business Friday 13 November. The P&F meeting will be held via Zoom and a link for the Zoom meeting will be communicated via Compass on Monday 16 November, all parents and friends are welcome.

The P&F will be organising 2 fundraising events for Term 4.

1. Pizza Day - On Wednesday 2 December will be an opportunity for all students to order Domino’s Pizza for the second break. An information flyer and order form will be communicated to parents and carers via Compass this week.
2. Gingerbread House Fundraiser - There will be an opportunity for families to order Gingerbread House kits to decorate as a family activity. An information flyer and order form will be communicated to parents and carers via Compass this week.

The Second-Hand Uniform Stall is still operating. Parents/carers who require uniform items please contact Maria Bancroft - 0400 570 105. Items requested will be left at the office to pay and pick up at your convenience.

All items $5

Please Note:

Office can only accept EFTPOS payments when purchasing uniforms.

DONATIONS of uniforms no longer required are always needed to replenish our stock.
It is important that all uniforms have been WASHED and are in relatively GOOD condition (no rips, big stains or broken zippers please).
Parents/Carers are welcome to drop off the uniform donations at the front office.