In Parishes throughout the Diocese of Wollongong we celebrated the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C. Last Sunday’s Gospel reading explored the notion of wealth and had three messages for reflection. The first is to be prudent about the use of wealth. Like the steward in the parable, those who would follow Jesus must put transitory affairs in proper perspective. The second concerns trustworthiness. Those who can be trusted in small things can also be trusted in great things. If Christians handle money and other passing things responsibly, then they can also be trusted with the affairs of the Kingdom of God. Finally, Jesus tells his listeners that no one can serve two masters simultaneously. God must be put ahead of money.

Queen Elizabeth II

This week we also acknowledge Queen Elizabeth II and all that we can learn from her life. Queen Elizabeth modelled many values throughout her daily interactions. Her commitment to duty and the promise she made to serve. Commitment to serving others is what Jesus calls us to do. Queen Elizabeth's perseverance even when things got tough for her. Jesus teaches us that reaching out to others helps us to persevere. Queen Elizabeth modelled kindness. Many stories have been in the media about how kind she was to other people. Being kind at St Paul's and acts of kindness not only make others happy but also contribute to our own happiness. 

We give thanks for Her Majesty's life. As a woman of faith, she made a real difference in the world. May she rest in peace, in the loving arms of our God.

Dear Parents and Carers,

On Sunday 18 September we celebrated with our Year 3 students and families as a number of our Year 3 students received the Sacrament of the Eucharist. I would like to express my deep gratitude to Fr. Leo Duck and the St Paul’s Parish Sacramental Team, Mrs Jodi Marsh, Miss Julianne Tonini and Miss Samantha Ryan for their support in preparing our students to receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist.

I look with great satisfaction as many of our families continue to pass on their Christian tradition, faith and spirituality to their children.  This is not only something that happens within a Catholic school but must come from home, as well as from connection with the Parish. Jesus is obviously central to everything we do at St Paul’s and thank you to those families who celebrated with the St Paul’s Community last Sunday and ask that you continue to keep our Year 3 students and parents and carers in your prayers.

World Mission Month Launch

On Tuesday 13 September Mrs Jodi Marsh and I had the privilege to accompany our school captains Charlotte Hooper and Oliver McDonald to St Thomas More Ruse Catholic Church for the Diocesan launch of World Mission Month. Schools from the Diocese of Wollongong joined together with Bishop Brian Mascord to celebrate a Liturgy of the Word and the launch of Catholic Mission's Socktober. 

Speakers from Catholic Mission spoke about the importance of education and the availability of and one of the speakers shared her experience of how Catholic Mission changed her and her family's life. Catholic Mission has many outreach programs that cover food security and life-saving nutrition.  Socktober's ‘kicking goals for good’ was launched on 13 September and focuses on the people in Ethiopia and how they could be living life to the fullest. Catholic Mission, in the month of October, will focus on raising awareness of the people in Ethiopia.

Afternoon Tea with the Principal

Thank you to the many students at St Paul’s who have worked very hard in their classrooms and on the playground.  The following chart outlines the Student School Award System used at St Paul’s to recognise students who are trying very hard with their learning and on the playground.

Due to COVID restrictions in place in 2020 and 2021 we could not hold our afternoon tea with the Principal celebrations. Now that restrictions have been lifted I was able to celebrate an afternoon tea with our students to recognise their wonderful achievements. We were entertained with students tap dancing, telling jokes, dance performances and sharing riddles. It was a great way to spend an afternoon!!! Congratulations to those students who received a Principal or Mary MacKillop Award in 2021. In Term 4 we will celebrate with students who received a Principal or Mary MacKillop Award in 2022.

Kindergarten Excursion

I had the pleasure of accompanying our Kindergarten students and Mrs Grove, Mrs Hingston, Mrs Shaw and Mrs Shultz to Symbio Animal Park on the 16 September. It was a fabulous day full of much fun, exciting animal shows with the highlight being Koala’s bellowing for Kindergarten. Excursions are an extra-curricula activity that the staff and students at St Paul’s value and it is such a joy to see the amazement on our students faces as they encounter new activities with their peers and teachers.

St Paul's School Uniform Policy Update

Thank you to Amy De Santis and the St Paul’s Parents and Friends Association Executive who led a rigorous consultation process with parents and carers for further additions and review to the current SPAP School Uniform Policy. Please see the additions for the Girls Summer Uniform below.

Girls now have the option to wear the current summer school dress, or blue shorts/ culottes and blue blouse. This addition will enable girls to choose to either wear a dress or blue shorts/ culottes and a blue blouse depending on their preference. Diane Hazelton has worked alongside the SPAP Parents and Friends Association Executive to order the new additions for the girls summer uniform. I would like to sincerely thank the SPAP Parents and Friend's Executive and Diane Hazleton for their guidance, support and counsel with the additions to the SPAP School Uniform Policy.

Principal Appraisal

As you are aware, my Principal Appraisal took place on Wednesday 7 September. Last week I was able to reflect on my principalship of St Paul’s with the appraisal process that took place over the last couple of weeks.  My sincere thanks to the many parents and carers who completed the survey and provided feedback on my leadership of our school either via the survey or phone calls.  I was so humbled to receive such positive feedback from parents and carers, students and staff. The responses from the surveys and from those parents and carers, students and staff who were interviewed are used by the appraisal panel to prepare a report for the Director of Schools. Whilst I acknowledge that I may influence the culture of St Paul’s, it is truly the community - staff, parents and carers and students - who make a school the fabulous place it is.

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

I would like to thank the students for their hard work and commitment to their learning this term. It has been a very busy term and our students certainly deserve a holiday. I would like to thank all parents and carers for your ongoing partnership as together we create a vibrant Catholic school community. I wish you all a very relaxing pupil vacation period and hope you have an opportunity to spend time with your family and friends and look forward to seeing you all in Term 4.

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

Yours in faith and learning,

Michelle Rodwell

Principal

The Catholic Education Office (CEDoW) has a framework entitled 'Life to the Full’. This Framework provides a shared and consistent approach for CEDoW schools towards building respectful relationships, child safety and human sexuality education, and promotion of respectful school cultures in a Catholic context.

“I have come so that they may have life and have it to the full” — John 10:10

It is mandatory to teach respectful relationships and child protection (safety) education in every stage of learning from Kindergarten to Year 10 as part of the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE) K-10 Syllabus. Identity, growth, development, and human sexuality are context areas studied as part of the PDHPE Syllabus.

Our school believes in a culture of respect that keeps others safe and helps develop a positive well-being for all.

In Term Four the school will focus on how to be respectful as part of the school rules. The Year 6 students will have direct teaching regarding respectful relationships. We will teach skills to allow students to be respectful to others and themselves. This teaching will then be a focus for other grades throughout the 2023 school year.

Respectful Relationship Education aims to teach skills to engage in respectful and equal relationships. This teaching aims to support students, school staff, and school leaders to create school cultures that promote positive attitudes and behaviours towards relationships, equality, diversity, gender, consent, power, resilience, help-seeking, and respect for all.

Respectful relationships help us feel…

• safe 
• valued 
• comfortable
• accepted
• understood
• trusted 
• listened to
• encouraged
• that you matter!

Everyone has the right to feel…

• safe
• valued
• cared for
• respected

At St Paul’s we show respect!

On 14th September St Paul’s year six went to Nazareth Catholic Primary School for the ACTIVATE Spirituality Day. Students from Stella Maris Shellharbour Village and Sts Peter and Paul Kiama also attended. 

When year six arrived, they went straight to Nazareth’s school hall. There were a couple of Youth Ministry Leaders from Corpus Christi Catholic High School and St Joseph’s Catholic High School. They all did fun games together, and had small groups. There were fifteen groups altogether. First a youth leader named Vez introduced herself and told them what they would do for the day. Then they all played Extreme Paper! Scissors! Rock! Afterwards they listened to and sang songs, one being ‘10,000 Reasons’, and ‘Lighthouse’. Next another youth leader, called Dom came out and talked to them about the Sacraments, or should we say, sacra-MINTS, and also Confirmation. 

Year six then separated into their small groups and talked to their high school leaders about confirmation. Once it was recess, year six got to go outside and play in Nazareth’s playground. After recess finished, year six went back into the hall and learnt the actions for a ‘fruit of the spirit’ song. They played Simon says after, and if you were the last two left they needed to win a staring contest. All of year 6 performed ‘Lighthouse’ again and learnt the actions. It was fun but really loud! 

The leaders talked about their experience with God. Vez talked about receiving a gift from her friend's aunt, but the meaning was to value your gifts that the Lord gives you. Later year 6 went out for lunch and had a sausage sizzle! Afterwards, the youth leaders showed an act about sharing the good news of God. They then sat quietly and prayed. Then year six had a break and played Simon says again. Next year six went back with their groups and talked about how they can connect with God. At the end they all played a quick game with people from other schools. Finally, it was time to go home!

-By Madison Smith, Sienna Dawson and Isabella Oanea

The Senior Leaders ran a handball competition for students this term. They gave up their lunch times to facilitate handball games for each grade. They played finals and have awarded winners. The results for each grade are listed below. The Senior Leaders showed organisational skills, patience, respect, and kindness to all those they worked with. 

St Paul's staff and students thank our Senior Leaders: Charlotte, Oliver, Matthew, Stacey, Myah, Grace, Charlee, Wez, Jack and Max G.

PB4L is an evidence-based framework that emphasises school-wide systems of support for all students and staff. These include proactive strategies for defining, teaching and supporting appropriate student behaviours. Positive behaviour supports are implemented for all students, across all school settings, by all staff, at all times. This continuum of support ensures students’ academic and social outcomes.

All student behaviour expectations are founded on our three school rules – Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be Safe.

PB4L Focus for Weeks 10 Term 3 and Weeks 1 Term 4 

Based on the PB4L data, the focus for weeks 10 - 1 will be Respectful behaviour at assembly.  The whole school participated in a PB4L practice during Week ten, during this practice the students were shown exactly how to enter the assembly and what the expectations are during assembly.

PB4L Focus for Weeks 10 Term 3 and Weeks 1 Term 4 

Please see the behaviour matrix below for further details.

The PB4L team is reviewing the merit award system, from Term 4 classroom teachers will be notified when students are due for an ACE, Mary Mackillop or Principal Award. Compass will also notify parents when their child is due to receive an award at the next school Assembly. Please still continue to look at the school newsletter for when your child will receive an award.

ACE Awards

Mitchell Diamant

Harrison McDonald

Addison Stroemer

Abbey McCabe

Hunta Surian

Chase Crilly

Principal Awards

Isabella De Santis

Dakota Sydenham

April Van Akker

Chase Crilly

Mary MacKillop Awards

Oliver McDonald

PERSONALISED PLANNNING COLLABORATIVE MEETINGS

Personalised Plan Meetings are conducted between parents and teachers for those students with Personalised Plans at least two times each year.  Thank you to the Parents/Carers who met with Classroom Teachers during Weeks 9 and 10 of this Term.  

If you did not have the opportunity to meet with someone from the school, your child’s Personalised Plan will be sent home in the coming weeks. Please review the plan and return the attached form signed.

PIVOT SURVEY - STUDENT WELL-BEING

Students from Year 3 to 6 continue to have the opportunity to be involved in the Pivot Survey each week.  

Following a review of the data, an area of need identified in PIVOT Survey is promoting a positive response to the question: 

“I believe things will work out for the best”

Over the next few weeks we ask that you promote ‘Optimism’ through:

Encouraging end of day reflections. 

At the end of each day spend time asking your child to share one positive thing about their day. When students are encouraged to think about the positive experiences of their day, they are more likely to develop an optimistic mindset. 

Mrs Jodi Marsh

Diverse Learning Needs Support Teacher Monday - Thursday

Mrs Alexandra Hingston

Diverse Learning Needs Support Teacher Friday

Just a reminder to parents and carers of students currently in Year 3 and Year 4 to complete and return the acknowledgement slip included in the School Managed iPad Program letter that was sent home on Monday. Please contact the School Office if you require any further information.

On Friday 23rd September the students are invited to come dressed in mufti by wearing football colours or jerseys. This could be from your favourite NRL, AFL or local sports club.  The P&F have organised a meal deal for the students to pre-order a meat pie or sausage roll. 

The Year 5 students and teachers have organised some fun sports games and activities, run by our Year 5 student leaders on the oval.

Staff professional learning is a key component for professional growth for the staff at St Paul's and a key component for teacher accreditation and maintenance as established by the NSW Education Standards Authority. At St Paul’s, we value the critical role ongoing professional development plays in enhancing quality learning and teaching. Therefore, throughout the year all staff are encouraged to engage in professional learning opportunities. The New South Wales Education Standards Authority requires Staff to ‘participate in learning to update knowledge and practice targeted to professional needs and school and/or system priorities’ and regularly ‘undertake professional learning programs designed to address identified student learning needs’. (NESA Standard 6)

Week 1

Olivia Roberts

Middle Leader

• Thursday 22 September 2022

Cricket Gala Day: Unfortunately the Cricket Gala Day which was scheduled to take place on October 13 has been cancelled.

School Cross Country / Athletics Singlets: If any student still has a St Paul's singlet from either the Diocesan Cross Country or South Coast Athletics Carnival could they please return it to either Mr McCann or Mrs Frendo as soon as possible. Thank you.

Diocesan Sports Trials: Last week all students in Years 4 and 5 were given a note regarding the Diocesan Sports Trials. Every year the Diocese of Wollongong conducts trials for a variety of sports.  Students who are successful during these trials represent the Diocese of Wollongong at MacKillop Level (against elite students from Wagga, Canberra/Goulburn, Sydney & Parramatta) and if selected may represent at the NSWPSSA State level as a member of the MacKillop team.

Students are required to be experienced players and extremely talented at their chosen sport to nominate for the trials. The trials are not gala days or school-based carnivals, rather are for students who are elite at their sport and expect to make it to the next level. 

For any clarification around these trials please contact Mr McCann. All trial notes need to be returned by Friday September 23. 

Mr Brian McCann and Mrs Louise Frendo

During Term 3, Stage 2 and Stage 3 students participated in a Taekwondo program run by coaches from South Coast Martial Arts Centre and Mrs Lyons. Due to the great enthusiasm and interest from this program, Mrs Lyons is seeking expressions of interest for a Martial Arts Club which will take place one lunchtime a week in Term 4. Teachers in Stage 2 and Stage 3 are in the process of nominating interested students from each class who would enjoy taking part in this program.

Amy Lyons

Physical Education Teacher

On Friday 23 September the Parents and Friends Association will be facilitating a Footy Fever Fun Day Meal Deal. All orders should now be finalised for Friday.

Our Term 4 School Disco will be held on Friday 21st October 2022. The cost of the disco will be $5 per student and notes have been sent home to Parents and Carers last week. We are looking forward to our second school disco for the school year. 

Amy De Santis

SPAP Parents and Friends Association President

Occasionally we will be including articles from the 'Happy Families website' for your information. This week have the article "Is Playtime Dead?"

Become part of Jamberoo Abbey’s Cottage Retreats hospitality team
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For full job description and requirements please contact accounts@jamberooabbey.org.au