In Parishes throughout the Diocese of Wollongong last Sunday we celebrated the 6th Sunday of Ordinary Time Year C. The reflection by Loyola Press explains that last Sunday’s  Gospel reading is the beginning of what is often called the Sermon on the Plain. We find a parallel to this passage in Matthew's Gospel that is often called the Sermon on the Mount. As these titles suggest, there are differences and similarities between these gospel readings.

When spoken from the mountaintop in Matthew's Gospel, we can't miss the impression that Jesus is speaking with the authority and voice of God. The mountaintop is a symbol of closeness to God. Those who ascend the mountain see God and speak for God; recall the story of Moses and the Ten Commandments. As Luke introduces the location of Jesus' teaching, Jesus teaches on level ground, alongside the disciples and the crowd. Luke presents Jesus' authority in a different light. He is God among us.

Another distinction found in Luke's version is the audience. Luke's Sermon on the Plain is addressed to Jesus' disciples, although in the presence of the crowd; Matthew's Sermon on the Mount is addressed to the crowd. In keeping with this style, the Beautitudes in Luke's Gospel sound more personal than those in Matthew's Gospel—Luke uses the article “you” whereas Matthew uses “they” or “those.” There is also a difference in number: Matthew describes eight beatitudes; Luke presents just four, each of which has a parallel warning.

The form of the Beatitudes found in Luke's and Matthew's Gospel is not unique to Jesus. Beatitudes are found in the Old Testament, such as in the Psalms and in Wisdom literature. They are a way to teach about who will find favour with God. The word blessed in this context might be translated as “happy,” “fortunate,” or “favoured.”

As we listen to this Gospel, the Beatitudes jar our sensibilities. Those who are poor, hungry, weeping, or persecuted are called blessed. This is, indeed, a Gospel of reversals. Those often thought to have been forgotten by God are called blessed. In the list of “woes,” those whom we might ordinarily describe as blessed by God are warned about their peril. Riches, possessions, laughter, reputation . . . these are not things that we can depend upon as sources of eternal happiness. They not only fail to deliver on their promise; our misplaced trust in them will lead to our demise. The ultimate peril is in misidentifying the source of our eternal happiness.

The Beatitudes are often described as a framework for Christian living. Our vocation as Christians is not to be first in this world, but rather to be first in the eyes of God. We are challenged to examine our present situation in the context of our ultimate horizon, the Kingdom of God.

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome to the Week 4 school newsletter and the 4th week of learning at St Paul’s. It has been a pleasure to welcome our kindergarten students to St Paul’s as they have spent the last week transitioning into formal education. The kindergarten students bring such joy to the school community with their wonder and awe and inquisitive minds. A warm welcome to our new kindergarten parents and carers. It was wonderful to see both familiar faces and new faces throughout the week as you have supported the transition processes we have in place for our kindergarten students, it is great to welcome you to our school community. Our school community has been very supportive in welcoming our new kindergarten students and parents and carers and providing care for our students. This is certainly testament of the caring and supportive St Paul’s school community culture that I witness daily.

Thank you to those parents and carers who have attended the Zoom Parent and Carer Grade Information sessions over the past week. We facilitate the final session tonight with our Kindergarten parents and carers. This has been an opportunity to connect as a grade community with parents and carers and it has been wonderful to see so many faces on the screen!! 

As I have mentioned as a way of introduction in the Parent and Carer Grade Information sessions over the past week, one of the key School Review and Improvement Priority Areas is Parent and Carer Engagement in their child’s learning, wellbeing and spiritual growth and attainment. I took the opportunity in the Parent and Carer Grade Information sessions to outline a number of processes that the school community have put in place this term to engage parents and carers in their child’s learning, wellbeing and spiritual growth and attainment. These processes include:

Grade Curriculum Overviews were shared with parents and carers in Week 2 on Friday 4th February. The Grade Curriculum Overviews outlined the core content in each Key Learning Area that students will focus on for Term 1. 

Student Information Notes were distributed to parents and carers in Week 2 on Wednesday 2nd February. This provided an opportunity for parents and carers to share information with the classroom teacher highlighting your child’s strengths and other relevant information. Thank you to those parents and carers who have returned the student information sheets.  

Parent and Carer Grade Zoom Information Sessions have been facilitated with parents and carers throughout weeks 3 and 4. The Parent and Carer Grade Information Sessions provide an opportunity to further understand the content of the Term's learning for each grade and the expectations and key dates and information pertinent to learning. The powerpoint used to facilitate the content of the Parent and Carer Grade Information Sessions has been shared with parents and carers. 

Individual Parent and Carer and Teacher Learning Conversations will be facilitated throughout the remainder of the term on request by either the classroom teacher or parents and carers. This is an opportunity to share relevant information about your individual child’s academic, spiritual, wellbeing and behaviour needs. 

Student Mathematics Assessment of Learning will be shared with parents and carers throughout the term. Students will be bringing home 1 Assessment of Learning in Mathematics following the completion of a unit. The purpose of this process is to provide ongoing information to parents and carers outlining your child’s progress in particular strands in mathematics.

Student Work Books in the Key Learning Areas of Religious Education and English will be sent home at the end of Week 9 on Thursday 24th March. This will provide another opportunity for parents and carers to talk with your child about the learning your child has engaged in throughout the term. 

At St Paul’s we certainly value the relationship and partnership we have with our parents and carers. In this partnership, the responsibility for student’s learning, wellbeing and faith development is shared between parents and carers as the first and primary educator of their child, and the school community. Thank you to our parents and carers for this wonderful partnership. 

Tomorrow students in Years 3 to 6 will participate in the St Paul’s Swimming Carnival. Our students are very excited to participate in a planned community event. Thank you to Mr Brian McCann and Mrs Louise Frendo for their tireless work and excellent organisation of the event. I am looking forward to seeing our students in Year 3 to 6 participate and have plenty of fun!!

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.

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is a point in time assessment of literacy and numeracy skills that are essential for every child to progress through school and life. Students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 participate in the annual NAPLAN tests in writing, reading, conventions of language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy.

The NAPLAN Online testing window is between 10–20 May 2022.

The school sets dates for the assessments and has set make-up days for any absent students. This will be advertised closer to the date.

In preparation for NAPLAN Online, our school will also be participating in a practice test. The practice test is a trial-run and key preparation activity for NAPLAN Online in May. It is not an assessment of student ability and the tests will not be marked. The date will be advised when it is known.

Teachers will be familiarising students with the public demonstration site to teach them how to navigate the types of questions and tools available in the NAPLAN Online tests.

If you have any questions about NAPLAN Online, please contact your child’s teacher or Mrs Belinda Evans & Mrs Rebecca Nunes (NAPLAN Coordinators).

Just a reminder to return the following forms:

- CEDoW Use of Student Image Form

- CEDoW Responsible Use of Technology Form

- Seesaw Parent Code of Conduct

- 2022 Student Information Form

If you require additional copies of these forms please contact the office.

This term students will be bringing home their English and Religion workbooks in week nine of the term (21-25 March). The students enjoy sharing their learning with you. 

Today students in Year 5 received their iPads. Last year we successfully commenced the School Manager system. This system allows the school to support the management of devices for students and parents. This comes with additional safety features to help keep our young students safe.

Year 5 is so excited to begin using their own device as a learning tool for the next two years. 

Rebecca Nunes

Assistant Principal

On Sunday 13th February 2022, Australia commemorates the 14th anniversary of the National Apology to the Stolen Generations. In 2008, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd presented this apology in the Australian Parliament which was a momentous occasion of recognition and reconciliation in our nation's history.

It was a moment of solidarity and empathy that could be shared by everybody who heard it.

National Apology Day is a day to remember and pray for the children who were taken away from their families and homes and commit to right the wrongs of past injustices and build a bridge of respect between all people.

As a system of schools we are committed to walking together with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sisters and brothers in a spirit of reconciliation.

One way of expressing this commitment is to acknowledge this apology in our school communities.

Please pray the prayer below

Loving God, Creator Spirit, God of the Dreaming,

You who created all people in your image and likeness,

May we listen with care to all people of this land and treat all with respect.

Source of all creation and unity, bless us in our endeavours to live as one in Christ. 

All: Amen.

May you our God of justice, give us the strength and courage to transform

the world according to the vision of Jesus. 

All: Amen.

May you our God, model of community and equality, inspire us to bring

harmony and a new vision of peace and reconciliation to all. 

All: Amen.

And may Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 

All: Amen.

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Church’s season of Lent. The marking of the ashes on our foreheads on this day is a public expression of our faith and humility. It is a time of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Through prayer we come closer to God so that we are better able to realise the promises made for us at our baptism, to live justly as Jesus teaches us. Fasting joins us in solidarity with people experiencing poverty who often have no choice but to go without the basic human needs. Sharing what we have, or ‘almsgiving’, is a sign of our commitment to justice and our thanks for all that God has given us.

Lent prepares us for the season of Easter, the most important time in the Church’s calendar. By praying, fasting and giving alms, we are reminded of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Jesus brought the promise of hope to all people so that we may “Have life and have it to the full.” (John 10:10) As we live into that fullness, may we also be challenged to act with love and hope, now and for all future generations. 

The blessing and distribution of ashes on Ash Wednesday normally takes place during the celebration of Mass. However, when circumstances require, the blessing and distribution of ashes may take place apart from Mass, during a celebration of the word of God.

At the Ash Wednesday Liturgy we receive a cross on our forehead of ash. This year we will celebrate with a liturgy on Wednesday 2nd March. All grades will receive ashes in a prayer celebration in the Church, Hall or classroom. The format has not been finalised as it is dependent on Covid restrictions.

Shrove Tuesday or ‘Pancake Tuesday’ takes place the day before Ash Wednesday. It is the day that Christians are encouraged to go to confession in preparation for the penitential season that ends 40 days and 40 nights later with Easter Sunday.

Over the years Shrove Tuesday not only became a day for Confession but a time for Catholics to feast on eggs, sugar and dairy which are traditionally restricted during the Lenten fast. These foods became pancakes.

On Tuesday 1st March, pikelets (a smaller version of the pancake) will be available in the school canteen as a pop up special. There will be the option to donate towards "Project Compassion". Project Compassion donations support Caritas Australia's community development and emergency relief programs in partnership with marginalised communities around the world.Please order your pikelets online or students can bring money on the day.

2022 SACRAMENT DATES

Please see below the proposed dates for each of the Sacraments at St Paul’s Parish this year.

CONFIRMATION

For Year 6 students or older who have been baptised.

Confirmation Parent Information Night: Tuesday 22nd February, 7pm.

Four consecutive weekly lessons begin on Saturday 12th March 4:15 pm - 5:30pm or Monday 14th March 4:15pm - 5:30pm

Confirmation Ceremony: Tuesday 17th May or Tuesday 24th May

FIRST RECONCILIATION

For Year 3 or older students who have been baptised.

Reconciliation and First Holy Communion Parent Information Night: Tuesday 3rd May, 7pm.

Four weekly lessons begin on Saturday 14th May or Monday 16th May.

First Reconciliation to occur Tuesday 14th June or Wednesday 15th June.

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION

For Year 3 or older students who have made their First Reconciliation.

Four weekly lessons begin on Saturday 13th August or Monday 15th August.

First Holy Communion Masses: Sunday 18th September 

Jodi Marsh

Religious Education Coordinator

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

Awards Overview structure

St Pauls has a school wide merit award structure, awards are regularly given to students for academic, social and positive behaviours. When your child has accumulated awards as per the structure below, please send it to the classroom teacher. 

PB4L Focus: Back gate dismissal procedure

Teachers have been sharing a social story with all students to revise the back gate dismissal expectations. The social story revises existing procedures on how the students safely line up for dismissal, travel to the back gate and leave the school grounds when they see a parent to collect them. When students are dismissed from the back gate, we ask that the parents please ensure that they move with their child/ren quickly to avoid congestion and keep all students and community members safe in a busy car park area. 

PB4L Student Leaders 

We will begin the process of selecting students for the PB4L student leaders team in the next few weeks. 

The purpose of the PB4L Student Leader Team is to give students a voice at St Paul’s. We aim to create an inclusive learning community where everyone feels respected. We believe this is created when students participate in decision-making, and their ideas inform the day to day procedures they experience, to co-create empowering environments. An empowering environment is one where students have a voice, participate and have routine opportunities for leadership. (Adapted from https://beyou.edu.au) 

PB4L class representatives from Stages 2 and 3 are chosen by the classroom teachers based on the following criteria:

*Someone who is honest and trustworthy

*Someone who is reliable

*Someone who will listen to others respectfully and share their own ideas clearly

*Someone who follows school and class rules at all times

Students who are selected will support the Staff PB4L team by collecting tickets and drawing playground raffles, chairing class meetings and reporting back to the Staff PB4L Team, communicating with their peers about classroom and playground issues, and modelling positive behaviours that contribute to a safe, respectful school climate. 

An audit has been conducted on our Playground Equipment available to all students on each of our playgrounds.  A number of new pieces of equipment have been purchased to replace some equipment that has become worn, broken or lost but also to provide additional options for play on our playgrounds.  We look forward to adding the following equipment to our playgrounds over the coming weeks:

• Front Playground:
• High Steppers
• Handballs
• Balance beam
• Netball posts
• Large tennis balls

• Central Playground:
• High Steppers
• Grip Balls
• Large tennis balls
• Additional beach toys for use in the sandpit

• Top Oval:
  • • Additional set of Soccer Goals
    • Netball Hoops
    • Volleyballs 
    • Hula Hoops

St Paul’s school values each idividual student’s gifts and acknowledges the responsibility to provide opportunities for all students so that they can achieve personal excellence.

At St Paul’s we strive to be a student-centred school, which provides learning and teaching experiences that are appropriate for each individual child’s zone of proximal development.

Staff use a variety of pedagogies and learning frameworks to diversify the curriculum and facilitate quality learning and teaching experiences for all students.

The staff at St Paul’s recognise that each student is unique and has different gifts, abilities, interests and styles of learning, and that some students will require adjustments and additional support to access the curriculum.

For more information, view our CEDoW Diverse Learning Needs Policy 

MEETING THE NEEDS OF ALL STUDENTS

The St Paul’s Diverse Learning Team works in collaboration with staff across the school in consultation with parents and carers to ensure the whole range of student abilities and needs is catered for so that each student has the opportunity to achieve their personal best.

We do this by making reasonable adjustments to ensure students with disabilities and students who are high achievers can actively be involved in courses and curriculum offered by the school.

Within the structure of a collaborative curriculum planning model, students with diverse learning, wellbeing and behavioral needs are provided with suitable adjustments to participate and progress through the curriculum within an inclusive learning culture.

Adjustments to teaching, learning and assessment experiences support students in accessing the New South Wales syllabus outcomes in suitable ways.

The development of Individual Learning Plans and Personalised Learning Plans is a collaborative process that involves the Diverse Learning Support teacher, classroom teachers, the student and their parents and carers, providing the student with an opportunity to set learning goals in the spirit of growth that is an imperative of the St Paul’s philosophy of learning and teaching. 

INTERVENTION PROGRAMS

To support students' additional academic needs in Literacy and Numeracy St Paul’s offers evidence-based Tier 2 Literacy and Numeracy Interventions.

The St Paul’s Diverse Learning Needs team in collaboration with classroom teachers identify students who require additional intervention by analysing assessment data and using this data to determine the most suitable evidence-based intervention.

Reading Recovery, MiniLit, MaqLit and Extending Mathematical Understanding are the evidence-based interventions implemented at St Paul’s to provide additional support beyond the classroom.

The length of time a child is on a program can vary. The program may also identify children who require long-term specialist assistance.

INDIVIDUAL PLANS

All students who receive additional support for learning, wellbeing or behavioural needs have an Individual Plan (IP) developed collaboratively with parents and regular meetings are held with parents to discuss progress and concerns.  Goals and adjustments within Individual Plans are evidenced in all teaching and learning programs facilitated by Classroom Teachers and School Support Officers.

GIFTED EDUCATION

Gifted education is a shared responsibility between the school, home and parish. The school follows Gagné’s model and he defines giftedness as the possession of natural abilities at levels significantly beyond what might be expected for one’s age – that is, giftedness is outstanding potential that may or may not yet be evident in outstanding performance. Gagné defines talent as the achievement or performance of one or more systematically developed skills at a level significantly beyond what might be expected for one’s age.

At St Paul’s, each student in Year 3 and any new student to the school undertake the ACER General Abilities Test which provides an estimate of a student's general reasoning ability.

Teachers may devise specific Individual Plans for students who have been formally assessed as gifted. This may include:

• Differentiation within the classroom
• Opportunities for growth outside the classroom such as SPLICED, Maths Olympiad Mathematics Enrichment and STEM/Coding and the ICAS Assessment
• A variety of grouping strategies
• Acceleration by subject or grade
• Modified reporting procedures

CONSULTATION WITH PARENTS, CARERS AND EXTERNAL PROFESSIONALS

A priority at St Paul’s is to ensure that Parents and Carers are a significant part of their child’s learning.  As such, parents and carers will be consulted throughout the school year to update learning plans, discuss reasonable adjustments to learning and discuss their child’s academic, social and behavioral progress. These opportunities are made available during Learning Conversations held twice a year and, for those children with Personalised Plans, during our Personalised Plan Collaborative Meetings held twice a year.  Our classroom teachers and support staff will contact parents and carers throughout the school year as required to provide updates as required.  If you would like to discuss you child’s learning with their classroom teacher, please contact your child’s teacher via our School Office to book an appointment. 

Bree-Anna Fogliada

Diverse Learning Support Instructional Leader

All schools in Australia are required to participate annually in the National Consistent Collection of Data for Students with Disability (NCCD). This allows our Catholic sector to continue to provide and prioritise innovative and high-quality teaching and learning to support all students on their learning journey. Above all though, our Catholic tradition demands that educators see every child as equal, inherently sacred and worthy of dignity and respect. Our Catholic schools support children and young people with disability as an act of love, not merely as a legislative requirement.

What is the National Consistent Collection of Data?

The Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on Student School Students with Disability (NCCD) is a process that all schools must complete on an annual basis. It is designed to count the number of students who receive additional adjustments or “help” at school because of a disability. This national data collection helps federal and state governments plan for the needs of students with disability. It is also the way that schools seek and receive funding to support the learning needs of their students.

Who is included in the Data Collection?

To include a student in the NCCD collection, schools must consider some key questions:

1. Is the student receiving adjustments to assist them with their ability to participate in schooling on the same basis as their peers?

2. Does the student meet the NCCD's broad definition of disability?

3. Has this school discussed the adjustments(help) with the student and/or parent/carer/ guardian?

4. Does the school have documentation (assessments, medical reports or other paperwork) about the student’s functional needs, the adjustments (help) that they provided and how the student progressed overtime?

Where the school decides that the four steps above are in place (i.e. the student meets the NCCD criteria), the school then decides the best disability category and how much help (adjustment level) that the student is provided with.

What is the broad definition of Disability?

The NCC definition of disability is based on the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and there are four categories; sensory (e.g. vision / hearing impairment), cognitive, social-emotional and physical.

The definition of disability is very broad and many students that need help at school can be counted in the NCCD. Students with learning disorders e.g. specific learning disability or reading impairment (sometimes referred to as dyslexia), ADHD or auditory processing disorder, chronic health conditions (e.g. epilepsy or diabetes), physical disability (e.g cerebral palsy), vision/hearing impairment and social emotional disorders (e.g. selective mutism, anxiety disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorder) may be included in the data count.

A formal diagnosis by specialist may be very helpful for the school but is not needed in the NCCD. A student's inclusion in the NCCD collection is based on professional teacher judgement. Schools can consider school based and external documents to decide if a student can be counted.

What are examples of adjustments?

Students need different types of help at school. Some students need a little help sometimes (minor adjustments) but other students need a lot of help nearly all the time (extensive adjustments). The type of help and support that a school provides is also very different depending on the needs of the student. The adjustments can include physical changes to the school buildings or grounds (e.g. ramps or special equipment), extra teacher support in classes, special learning programmes, changes to the way the curriculum is presented and delivered or extra adult assistance.

What information is needed about my child?

Schools work together with parents /guardians/carers to understand the needs of each child. Your knowledge of your child's development and learning is important and valuable in this process. It will be very helpful to provide your child's teacher with a copy of any relevant past reports (e.g. from a psychologist, speech pathologist, doctor, Paediatrician, OT etc). these reports will be used with information from your child's teacher, such as information about your child's reading progress or a Personalised Learning Plan, to build a picture of your child's needs and the help that the school is providing.

How is information collected?

The data collection process involves input from teachers, principals and other school staff working together to consider the data for students with disability in their school, the category of disability and the level of adjustment that best reflects each student’s needs. As a first step, teachers consult with the student and their parent/guardian/carer, to discuss the student’s strengths in the areas where the student needs extra support. This support could be support for their learning, behaviour support, support for medical needs, participation, or other areas where the student needs extra help. Information collected about the type of adjustments the school is making so that they can participate and learn on the same basis as other students. Documentation, such as diagnostic reports, school reports, parent teacher interviews, Collaborative Planning Meetings and Personalised Learning Plans, will help to provide evidence of the type of support that the school is providing.

What happens to the data? Is it confidential?

All schools must complete the NCCD. Each school principal is required to verify and submit data about students with disabilities in their school during August of each year. The privacy and confidentiality of all students and their families is respected and handled as per the school's Privacy Policy and Collection Notice. Please refer to your schools’ policies for further information.

Do schools require active consent from parents to include students in NCCD?

Amendments were made to the Australian Education Act 2013 and subsequent regulations. As such, schools do not require parents/carers/guardians to provide active consent for students to be included in the NCCD nor is there an option for parents/carers/guardians to request their child not be included (e.g. an optout option).

As the St Paul’s students, staff and parents are still unable to join together in community due to current NSW Health Restrictions and Guidelines we will be continuing our Virtual Assemblies for the foreseeable future. The virtual assemblies will be shared fortnightly via a link on our Compass portal commencing this Friday.

The virtual assemblies provide opportunities for our school and parent community to “virtually” celebrate and recognise the achievements of our children in learning, sports and leadership, and to highlight other significant events happening across the school until we can, once again, join together. Student leaders will play an important role in hosting the virtual assemblies as part of the significant role they are undertaking as leaders of St Paul’s with support from their year 6 teacher’s Miss De Sousa, Mrs Koczka and Mrs Nunes.

Our virtual assemblies will include students receiving the following St Paul’s Whole-School Awards:

1. ACE Award - awarded after receiving 5 Merit Awards in class,
2. Principal Award - awarded after receiving 2 ACE Awards, and the
3. Mary MacKillop Award - most prestigious award at St Paul’s awarded after receiving 2 Principal Awards

Term 1 Virtual Assembly Schedule

• Week 4 - Friday 18th February
• Week 6 - Friday 4th March
• Week 8 - Friday 18th March
• Week 10 - Friday 1st April

Bianca Koczka

Middle Leader - ICT and Special Projects

On Friday, Year 6 will be celebrating a Liturgy of the word, where they will be commissioned as student leaders of St Paul’s for 2022. This is a very exciting time for all of our students, as they undertake various roles in leadership. Students will receive their leadership badges during this liturgy.

Over the coming weeks there will be a spotlight video clip on each student leadership group so that we can get an insight into their role and responsibilities across the school. This fortnight, we will be putting the spotlight onto our sport leadership team, especially their leadership of the upcoming swimming and cross country carnivals.

Wow, what an active and productive start to Year 6! We have been busy learning routines and procedures around being responsible, respectful and safe leaders of our school. In our reading lessons, we have been learning about Reciprocal Teaching routines. This allows us to have deep reflective discussions with our peers about a chosen text. We take on roles based on four comprehension strategies that we know - summariser, questioner, clarifier (monitoring) and predictor. In Science and Technology we have been exploring the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on our society and we had the opportunity to create our names using binary code.

Katie De Sousa, Bianca Koczka & Rebecca Nunes

Year 6 Teachers

Kindergarten have had an amazing start to 2022!! 

Our first experience at BIG school was completing the BEST Start Assessment. We all did such a great job. It was hard to be brave and leave mum and dad but we did a wonderful job. We all tried so hard and did our very best. Our teachers were so surprised at how clever we were! We got to visit the kinder classrooms for the very first time and even had time to play with some of the toys.

Since we started our full days at school we have begun each day in the hall to experience some play-based activities. It has been so wonderful to play with the toys and meet our teachers and new friends. We enjoyed the cubby and the lego. The clothes line and the dress ups have been lots of fun as well.

We have had fun exploring the classrooms. They are so big and we even have an enormous TV that we will use for learning. We have been learning about using glue sticks and scissors so that we can be safe in the classroom. We have had fun learning new brain breaks. We have also had a go at mindfulness to get our body and minds ready for learning. We have been trying very hard to be bucket fillers. We know that a bucket filler is a loving and caring person who says and does nice things to make other people feel special!

We have visited some places at our school like the library and we cannot wait to borrow this week on Wednesday! On Friday we visited the hall and played our favourite games including ‘duck, duck, goose’ and musical statues. We had so much fun on our first sports day.

We have so many playgrounds at St Paul’s! We have played on the front playground and central playground and are looking forward to playing some more on the top oval soon. We have learnt  our school rules that help keep us safe.

Big school has been so much fun! We can’t wait to find out what we are learning about next.

April Grove and Alexandra Hingston

Kindergarten Teachers

• Term 2:  26 April 2022
• Term 3:  18 July 2022
• Term 4:  4 November 2022

We would like to say a big thank you to Julianne Tonini and her mum for making our skirts for our Indigenous performances throughout the year. We appreciate it very much - thank you!

Josephine Ball
School Support Officer (Indigenous)

Thank you to parents and carers for supporting the school canteen.

This term we have a number of students attending Diocesan Trials for a variety of sports. We wish the following students the best of luck at their upcoming trials.

Congratulations to James Schubert who gained selection to the Diocesan team and will attend the Mackillop trials on 25 February.

SWIMMING CARNIVAL

A reminder that the annual school swimming carnival will be held at the Albion Park Swimming Pool on Thursday 17 February. 

The swimming carnival will be organised and will run following strict COVID guidelines therefore there will be no parent spectators allowed on the day, only parent volunteers will be allowed to attend the carnival if they are double vaccinated and have a current working with children check. COVID safety measures will be put in place throughout the day to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all students. Students will be sitting in their grade cohorts supervised by grade teachers. 

The gates will open at 8:30am for the students with the carnival due to begin at 9am. The carnival will conclude by 3pm. Students are to wear their full sports uniform although they may wear a shirt in their House colour. Swimming attire as appropriate for a swimming carnival (swimmers, goggles, swim cap), towel, hat and sunscreen. Students are required to wear a hat at all times whilst not in the water. Students will be encouraged to apply sunscreen on a regular basis throughout the day. Students are required to wear a t-shirt over their swimmers whilst not competing throughout the day.

Canteen facilities will be available on the day and students will access the canteen facilities in grade cohorts. Students are asked to bring their drink bottles and recess and lunch if not purchasing from the canteen.

Please ensure you have given consent to attend on compass and select the events your child would like to participate in.

Brian McCann

Sports Coordinator

As part of CEDoW's commitment to encourage and support schools in their ecological conversion journey, a $2000 Environmental Education Grant is offered to selected schools who apply. 

We are pleased to announce that St Paul’s was one of the ten grant recipients for 2022! We plan to utilise this money to continue to reduce our school’s ecological footprint by introducing soft plastic recycling (redcycle) in 2022. The project is called Scrunch it ‘N’ Bin it. We will be purchasing specified white bins for the classrooms and playgrounds, along with signage. Students will be taught the importance of recycling their soft plastic waste, along with correctly using our other bins. 

We look forward to reinvigorating our recycling procedures at St Paul’s, with the help of our upcoming Year 5 Waste-Free Warriors.

Katie De Sousa

Year 6 Blue Teacher

Enrolments for Kindergarten 2023 are now open. Enrolments packs are available for collection at our school office. Please let your friends and the wider community know that enrolments are now open.

Applications close 3.00 pm, Friday 1 April 2022.

St Paul's Catholic Parish Primary School has a duty to take reasonable care for the safety and welfare of our students.  This care extends to assisting students manage their medical condition that requires medication, where medication cannot be administered outside of school hours.

If your child requires staff to administer prescription or over-the-counter medication at school, you will need to complete a Request to Administer Medication Form.  

School staff will only administer prescription medication that: 

• Has been prescribed by a qualified medical practitioner (e.g. doctor, dentist)

• Is in its original container 

• Has an attached pharmacy label to the container

• Has been delivered to the school by the parent / carer and is accompanied by a completed Request to Administer Medication Form 

School staff will only administer Over-The-Counter medication that: 

• Is in its original container 

• Has been delivered to the school by the parent / carer and is accompanied completed Request to Administer Medication Form including the signature and stamp from a qualified medical practitioner

If your child requires more than one medication, you will need to complete a form for each medication.

ASCIA ANAPHYLAXIS ACTION PLANS / ASHTMA MANAGEMENT ACTION PLANS

If your child is at risk of anaphylaxis, asthma or an allergic reaction, it is important that the school is provided with a current ASCIA Anaphylaxis Action Plan / Asthma Management Plan completed by a doctor.  This plan provides up-to-date information for the school regarding the medical management of your child’s condition.  

If there are any changes in your child’s health care needs, please inform the school as soon as possible.

During the school holidays, Gabrielle O’Shea from 5 Red donated 36cm of her hair for the Alopecia foundation. She has been growing her hair for the past few years with the intention of donating it to this wonderful organisation, which makes wigs for people suffering with alopecia. Congratulations Gabby, what a great gesture of kindness!

On the weekend, Jasmine Wau from 2 Blue received 2^nd place in the Under 6 Year Champion Girl (2021) in BJP Physical Culture Junior National Competition.  Congratulations Jasmine!

The St Paul's Parents and Friends Annual General Meeting will be held on Monday 28th February and will commence at 6:30pm via Zoom (log on details will be provided closer to the date).  It will be followed by the Term 1 General Meeting.

The P&F's key meeting of the year will include:

• Hearing reports of the Association's activities during the year.
• Election of office bearers -  Executive;  President, Vice-President, Treasurer & Secretary and Sub-Committees
• Decisions such as changes to policy affecting the P&F’s constitution.

The primary purpose of the P&F is to provide an opportunity for parents to be involved in the school through social events, fundraising and supporting various school initiatives throughout the year.

At this meeting a number of positions will be decalared vacant and elections will take place.

If you are only able to attend one P&F meeting in 2022 - this is the one!  New parents to the school will find it particularly interesting and worthwhile.

 So come along, find out what the parent body is doing to support our wonderful school and consider how you may be able to contribute to the P&F's activities. 

The St.Pauls 2nd hand uniform shop is run by the P&F with all proceeds going directly to the school. We are always seeking donations of good quality uniform items, no holes or large stains. All items may be purchased for only $5 (EFTPOS only).  We accept and sell the following items:

Please find attached a letter with updated fee information from the Catholic Education Office. If you have any questions please contact Kristie via email info@spapdow.catholic.edu.au or via phone on 42 562772.

Kristie Bicknell

Senior School Support Officer