In Parishes throughout the Diocese of Wollongong we celebrated the first Sunday of Advent, which is also the first Sunday of a new liturgical year for the Church. The Advent season includes the four Sundays that precede Christmas. It is a time of preparation for the coming of the Lord. In this season, we recall two central elements of our faith: the final coming of the Lord in glory and the incarnation of the Lord in the birth of Jesus. Key themes of the Advent season are watchful waiting, preparation, and justice. 

In last Sunday's Gospel, we heard Jesus speak about the need for wakefulness, for watchful waiting, for the coming of the Son of Man. No one knows the precise time of the coming of the Lord in glory, so watchful waiting and vigilance are required.The question for us as members of the Christian community, then, is how do we prepare for this? As Christians, we know that our Lord is coming even if we cannot know the precise timing. Jesus calls us to be watchful and vigilant in our Christian living so that we can be prepared for the Lord to enter into our hearts.

Dear Parents and Carers,

Today we had a wonderful day led by staff and students at St Joseph’s. The planned gala and fun day was an opportunity to celebrate the fabulous achievements of St Paul’s students and to also apply the skills of cooperation, collaboration and team work that students have been learning in their Health and Personal Development lessons. On behalf of the students and staff at St Paul’s I would like to thank the staff at St Joseph’s, in particular Ms Natalie Behl and Ms Brittany Sharkey for their organisation of the day and the students in Year 9 and Year 10 who led the activities. A great amount of time and effort was put into the day by the staff and students at St Joesph’s and we certainly thank them very much!!

Congratulations Aunty Jo Ball

I would like to congratulate Aunty Jo Ball who received a prestigious Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong Lighting the Way Faith and Learning Recognition Award.

The Lighting the Way Faith and Learning Recognition Awards acknowledge the outstanding efforts of individual staff in schools and the Catholic Education Office who, in the course of their work, have been exemplary in one or more particular areas of educational endeavour. Jo received the Engaging and Working with the Community Award. Congratulations Jo!!

Welcome Kindergarten 2023

Last Friday 25 November we held an orientation morning for our 2023 Kindergarten Parents and Carers and students. This was the first of many parent and carer and school partnership experiences that our Kindergarten 2023 parents and carers will engage in throughout their child's education. The orientation morning was an opportunity to outline to the 2023 Kindergarten parents and carers our many achievements at St Paul's and the value we place on parent and carer and school partnership. We welcome 61 Kindergarten students to the St Paul's Catholic Parish School community and I am certainly looking forward to our students joining us in 2023.

Student Leadership

I would like to congratulate the Year Five students who presented a Captains Speech as part of the selection process for School Captains for 2023. I had the privilege of listening to the wonderful speeches delivered by our Year 5 students who have nominated themselves for School Captain for 2023. I was very impressed with our Year 5 students' understanding of leadership qualities, the importance of Christian values, being approachable and a role model for other students. In developing students as school leaders in the school community, all Year 5 students will take on leadership responsibilities and work within teams in 2023 to ensure all students are represented and have a voice at St Paul’s. 

We expect our school leaders to model responsible, respectful and safe behaviours. They are a student leadership team that supports our Principal, staff and greater school community in delivering the school’s mission and vision. Voting will be finalised in the coming weeks and the School Captains and Senior Leadership Team will be announced for the 2023 school year at our 140 Year Celebration Liturgy of the Word on Wednesday 14 December.

Annual School Survey Results

This year we have achieved a great deal and there is much to celebrate. The recent results from the Annual School Survey which parents and carers, students and staff completed is indicative that our community values and acknowledges the many strengths of our school.

Student Satisfaction

96% of students agreed that they are proud of the school, 97% of students agreed that the school helps them in their understanding of the Catholic faith, 97% of students agreed that their teacher encourages them to learn to the best of their ability, 98% of students agreed that they understand their rights and responsibilities at school, 94% of students agreed that they felt safe at school, 94% of students agreed that there are people at school they could approach for help if they had a problem, 97% of students agreed that there are sporting and other activities in which they can become involved.

Staff Satisfaction

99% of staff agreed that the school helps students to develop a knowledge and understanding about Catholic tradition,  96% of staff agreed that the school helps students understand their rights and responsibilities, 95% of staff agreed that students are challenged to maximise their learning outcomes, 95% of staff agreed that the school strives to meet the individual learning needs of students, 96% of staff agreed that the school provides appropriate information to parents and carers about students’ academic, well-being and behaviour needs, 100% of staff agreed that the school provides a safe and supportive environment.

Parent Satisfaction

90% of parents and carers agreed that the school helps their child to develop knowledge and understanding about Catholic tradition. 80% of parents and carers agreed that their child is challenged to maximise his/her learning outcomes. 80% of parents and carers agreed that the school strives to meet their child’s individual learning needs. 80% of parents and carers agreed that the school provides appropriate information about their child’s academic, wellbeing and behaviour needs, 90% of parents and carers agreed that the school provides a safe and supportive environment and 95% of parents and carers agreed that the school develops partnerships with parents and carers.

Staffing 2023 Update

After a recruitment process I would like to welcome Ms Alana Stroligo to St Paul’s for the start of the 2023 school year. Ms Stroligo is currently a Middle Leader at Holy Family Catholic Parish Primary School at Ingleburn. Ms Stroligo will take a teaching and leadership role at St Paul’s and we are looking forward to welcoming Ms Stroligo to the school community in 2023.

After a recruitment process I would like to welcome Ms Eliza Treble to St Paul’s for the start of the 2023 school year. Ms Treble is currently acting Assistant Principal at St Michael’s Catholic Parish School at Thirroul. Ms Treble will take a teaching and leadership role at St Paul’s and we are looking forward to welcoming Ms Treble to the school community in 2023.

The staffing process is currently continuing and we are hoping to have this complete by the end of next week. Following this I will be able to communicate staff and class allocations with parents and carers.

Thank you to all parents and carers for your continued 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 CEDoW Assessment and Reporting Policy states that schools must:

• provide written reports to parents/carers at the end of Kindergarten
• provide written reports to parents/carers for students in Years 1-10 twice annually
• ensure that the Common Grade Scale (see description below) is included as part of written reports for Years 1-10
• ensure that information about student attendance indicating total whole and partial absences for the reporting period is included as part of written reports 
• include on written reports advice about how students are developing in non-academic learning 
• provide opportunities for parents/carers to discuss reports after each reporting period

Semester Two reports will be released on Compass on Friday 9 December 2022.

If you would like to take up the opportunity to meet with a teacher please email the office info@spapdow.catholic.edu.au

Your request will be forwarded to the class teacher for a phone or face-to-face meeting between 12-16 December. Requests for meeting close Friday 9 December.

Common Grade Scale: Student Reports (Years 1 – 6) are standards-referenced, which in NSW means reporting based on the Common Grade Scale. Standards-referenced reporting requires teachers to consider the performance of each student according to the standard detailed at each level (A–E) of the Common Grade Scale for each Key Learning Area (KLA). Students are then awarded a grade based on the evidence teachers have of their learning in that particular KLA and the standard it reflects. According to the Common Grade Scale, a ‘C’ grade is considered sound. That is, if awarded a C in a particular KLA the student has demonstrated that they have gained the knowledge, skills, and understanding expected of them at that point in time.

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

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.

The PB4L focus for weeks 9 to 10  is Respecting our school environment. Please refer to the PB4L matrix for further clarification. 

ACE Awards

Daniel Phillips

Chloe Fletcher

Vanessa Matta

Cooper Shepherd

Laikyn Shelton

Principal Awards

Piper Smith

Matthew Parker

Mary MacKillop Awards

Abbey McCabe

Abby Goodwin

Jack Miller

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

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

“I ask for help when I need it.”

Over the next few weeks we ask that you promote a Self Advocacy:

“Students demonstrate self-advocacy when they self-identify that they need support and then directly ask for help. Asking for help requires students to have an awareness of their skills and knowledge.”

One way to promote self advocacy is to:

Get the whole school reflecting 

- All members of the school community can spend five minutes reflecting on how their week is going and what they may need some help with.

Mrs Jodi Marsh

Diverse Learning Needs Support Teacher Monday - Thursday

Mrs Alexandra Hingston

Diverse Learning Needs Support Teacher Friday

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 8

Week 9

From 2023, NAPLAN tests will be held in March each year. In 2023 the dates are 15-27 March, Term 1. Traditionally NAPLAN has been administered in May each year.  

NAPLAN assesses literacy and numeracy skills to give families and schools an understanding of how individual students are performing at the time of the test.

The National Assessment Program has made changes to NAPLAN. The improvements aim to provide further support for parents, students and schools.

“Bringing the test forward puts information in teachers’ hands sooner, allowing for more targeted support for students to ensure they are gaining important literacy and numeracy skills.”

Education Ministers Meeting, 16 March 2022.

“These assessments will provide additional information for schools that take up the opportunity, showing teachers how well students are acquiring essential knowledge and understanding in key areas.”

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA).

Belinda Evans

Middle Leader 2

Recently St Paul’s hosted a VEX Robotics Scrimmage with teams travelling from within the Illawarra and from as far away as Goulburn and Sydney. Our school had two Stage 3 VEX Robotics teams competing during the first half of the day; Team Lightning consisting of Leah Carbonara, Charlotte Hooper and Ketzia Jomon, plus Team Power consisting of Sam Goodwin, Oliver McDonald and Matthew Parker. St Paul’s also had two developmental teams participating including Wezley Smith and Luke Tsolkas from Stage 3 and Logan Holt, Harrison McDonald and Beau Zonneveld from Stage 2. 

The Scrimmage Day provided our students with the opportunity to experience STEM learning and engage in VEX skills development in a fun, competitive context. A HUGE congratulations to 

Charlotte, Ketzia and Leah received Judges Choice award for their outstanding contribution to the day. 

Bianca Koczka

Middle Leader ICT and Special Projects

On Thursday 24 November over 100 St Paul's students in grades 3-6 participated in the Dragon-Tag event at Reed Park, Dapto. After having another year of gala days being cancelled, it was great to finally have the opportunity for our students to take part in an event. The students had mixed levels of experience with Oztag but all enjoyed the day and developed their skills as the day went on.  We would like to thank the parents who volunteered their time to look after a team on the day as well as those parents and carers who came to cheer on the students. Special thanks to Mr Hu for being our schools photographer for the day.

Last Friday, Year 6 participated in their Extreme Green Zone reward for Weeks Six and Seven. We have been working hard over the past two weeks to:

• Complete set tasks in the classroom to the best of our ability
• Follow the school rules in the classroom and on the playground
• Play fairly and kindly with our classmates
• Be respectful to staff and each other

Once we earned enough points, we became eligible to participate in our Extreme Green Zone reward. This week the reward was Pizza, Popcorn and Pictures. We had dominos pizza, watched the movie Shrek and enjoyed a popcorn snack later in the afternoon. We had the best time!

In the Year 6 Transition to High School program this week students reviewed what we had done over the last 5 weeks. Students wrote letters to themselves reflecting on their learnings, celebrating their strengths and encouraging themselves with positive self talk. The students will be able to open these letters in the future to remind themselves of how much they continue to grow and learn and how they have the strength within to overcome challenges they may face. The students broke open the pinata, covered with worries and anxieties they had identified at the start of the program, to symbolise smashing their fears. They celebrated with the lolly feast inside.

Next week there will be a final session with hints and tips for managing friendships and relationships and ways to help students be the best version of themselves.

During our weekly choir sessions we have been learning about warming up our voices and breathing.

We have been singing the tongue twister “my mother makes me mash my mini m&ms on a Monday morning”. Maybe you’ve heard this at home :) . 

We have been busy rehearsing for the Christmas concert and learning about singing in unison (altogether) and in parts. We will be showing off our echo skills during our Christmas performance.

A little breathing exercise to try at home as shown by our choir here:

“Ff, ff, ff, ff, Ss, ss, ss, ss, blow, blow, blow, blow”

Last Friday we held the 2023 Kindergarten Orientation. Parents attended an information session in the hall whilst the pre school students visited the Kindergarten classrooms. Children listened to a story about starting school, drew a picture, had some crunch and sip and made a frog craft. Teachers were very impressed with the wonderful manners and brave attitudes the children demonstrated. We are looking forward to welcoming the students and families into the St Paul’s community next year.

Mrs April Grove and Mrs Olivia Roberts

To celebrate the end of the year St Paul’s will be holding a talent quest on Monday of Week 10. Students will have the opportunity to perform one act for approximately one minute long in front of their stage peers. Teachers will be taking sign ups from this Thursday the 1st of December until next Thursday the 8th of December. Class teachers will speak further with students this week.

Olivia Roberts

Middle Leader

Please see below dates for your Diary for Term 4

Could all library books please be returned to the library by Friday December 9. Students can return books to the library's return desk on any day. If your child has misplaced their borrowed books please contact Mrs Frendo via email at spaplibrary@dow.catholic.edu.au

If your child will be leaving St Paul's at the end of 2022 to attend another Primary School a form will need to be filled out prior to this. Please come to the school office to complete.  If you have any questions please contact Kristie at the school office.

Just a reminder that if your child is unwell please keep them at home until they have recovered and no symptoms, especially with flu-like symptoms.

If students are unwell throughout the day at school they will present to sick bay for the office staff to call home to be collected as soon as possible.

Any parent requesting leave for their child for 10 or more consecutive days is required to complete an Application for Extended Leave Form. These are available from the school office. To ensure approval before the Leave takes place, we require the completed form lodged at school office a minimum of 2 weeks before the Leave commences. Please complete one application per student.

The Parents and Friends Association will be holding a Pizza Day fundraiser on Friday 2nd December. Students will be able to order pizza for their lunch for the day. Order forms have been sent home if you would like another copy please contact the office.

Self-Esteem and Social Media

For healthy self-esteem to form, positive feelings toward oneself must be cultivated from within.  Unfortunately, social media teaches children to seek approval and affirmation from others, which then teaches them to equate self-worth with what others think of them. The feel good effects of getting a “like” on social media have been compared to the brain response when eating chocolate or winning money. This means that kids have instant access to a dopamine-inducing activity while their brains are still developing. Obviously, this is a recipe for disaster, particularly for young children.  

Some of the ways children seek approval online are: 

1. How many "friends" they have online
2. How many "likes" they receive on what they post 
3. Comparing how they stack up against other kids
4. The feedback they receive on a selfie or video they post

Children with anxiety may feel safer communicating online but continually doing so can intensify their fears of person-to-person interaction.  

What you can do to help:

• Remind your child that real connection requires facial expression, tone of voice, body language, and mutual self-disclosure. Without these, empathy and intimacy will not form. 
• Help them practice and sharpen their inter-personal social skills. 
• Help your children embrace their strengths and teach them that self-esteem and self-worth are not dependent on other people; it's what we feel about ourselves that is important.
• Explain to your child that social media is largely an illusion, and it is not a good indication of their own worth.  
• The most important thing you can do for your child is to limit the amount of time they spend on social media

 FREE Anxiety parenting course is available online. It is quite comprehensive.

Online parenting course - help kids overcome anxiety | Triple P (triplep-parenting.net.au)

Doreen Waddington

Catholic Care School Counsellor

Occasionally we will be including articles from the 'Happy Families website' for your information. This week have the article "Mind your Language - how what you say creates your child's mindset".

James Anderson is an international speaker, author and educator. In an educational landscape focused on teachers, Jamesʼ work focuses on learners. His signature work defines Learnership – the skill of learning. He answers the question: What does it mean to be a skilful learner?