In Parishes throughout the Diocese of Wollongong we celebrated the 5th Sunday of Lent Year A. Last Sunday's Gospel reading invites us to reflect upon what it means to call Jesus the Resurrection and the life. Many elements of the raising of Lazarus foreshadow the good news of Jesus’ own Resurrection. Jesus, facing the conflict with the Jewish authorities, acts in complete obedience to God. In raising Lazarus, Jesus shows his power over death so that when Jesus dies, those who believe in him might remember that and take hope. The Gospel calls us to reflect on Baptism as a dying and rising with Jesus. In Baptism we die to sin’s power over us, rising as children of God. In Baptism we join ourselves with Christ, who conquered death once and for all so that we who believe in him may have eternal life and we are called to profess our belief that Jesus is indeed the Resurrection and the life.

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome to Week 10 Term One. It is hard to believe that we are coming to the end of Term One. As we come to the end of Term 1 I would like to acknowledge the effort of our students at St Paul's and thank them for the commitment they have all shown to their learning and the care they show their peers and staff. I would like to thank the staff for their ongoing professionalism and dedication to planning high quality learning experiences for our students. Thank you to all parents and carers for the ongoing support you provide to our staff, we are very grateful for your partnership at St Paul's. Thank you to Fr. Leo for his guidance and support and for the time he provides the students and staff of St Paul's. 

It was fabulous to see our Year 6 students smiling faces as they returned from their school camp at Fitzroy Tops. A huge thank you to Mrs Rebecca Nunes, Mrs Belinda Evans, Miss Alana Stroligo, Mrs Katie Culquoun, Mrs Lauren Wilson and Mr Brian McCann for accompanying our students. The Year 6 school camp was an opportunity for our Year 6 students to learn about the importance of leadership, collaboration and develop furthr leadership strategies to support their significant leadership roles at St Paul's. I would like to congratulate our Year 6 students for their excellent behaviour, companionship, collaboration and maturity they displayed throughout the 3 day camp.

At St Paul’s we aspire to create a learning community which builds and maintains collaborative partnerships with parents and the broader community which enhance student learning and well being outcomes. I would like to thank parents and carers for participating in the various initiatives we have implemented this term which have provided opportunities to share information between school and home to complement learning across both settings. The initiatives have included: 

Grade Curriculum Overviews were shared with parents and carers in Week 2 on Friday 3rd 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 1st 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 Information Sessions have been facilitated with parents and carers throughout weeks 4 and 5. The Parent and Carer Grade Information Sessions provided 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 power point 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 were facilitated throughout  the term on request by either the classroom teacher or parents and carers. This was an opportunity to share relevant information about individual student’s academic, spiritual, well being and behaviour needs. 

Student Mathematics Assessment of Learning were shared with parents and carers throughout the term. Students brought home 2 student samples of Assessment of Learning in Mathematics following the completion of a unit. The purpose of this process was 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 were sent home on Friday 3rd March and also this coming Friday. This has and will provide another opportunity for parents and carers to talk with your child about the learning your child has engaged in throughout the term. 

Kindergarten Best Start Meetings were an opportunity for Kindergarten teachers to meet with kindergarten parents and carers to discuss the learnings gained from the Kindergarten Best Start Assessments. Strengths and learning goals were discussed for each student.

Collaborative Meetings for those students who have a Personalised Plan were an opportunity to discuss the goals which are set for individual students and adjustments to learning which are being made to allow academic, social and behavioural growth. 

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, well being 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.

K-2 New Classroom Furniture

Last week new student furniture arrived for our K-2 classrooms. I would like to thank the Catholic Education Office for their financial support with the purchasing of the new furniture. Our students are very happy with the new furniture!!!

Winter School Uniform 

Thank you to parents and carers for the care you take to ensure that your child is in the correct school uniform. We have received such positive feedback regarding our updated school uniform policy, thank you to those parents and carers for your feedback. During the first three weeks of Term 2 parents and carers can decide if the summer or winter school uniform is suitable for your child to wear dependant on the weather. The formal change over date for students to wear their winter uniform is Monday 15th May.

Central Playground Update

Over the course of this year there will be ongoing additions to the Central Playground. During the April pupil vacation period additional work will occur for the preparation of a new sandpit in the Central Playground. During Term 2 students from St Joseph's will making shop fronts for the Central Playground. We are looking forward to these upcoming additions.

World Autism Awareness Day

On Friday 31st March we recognise a very important day, World Autism Awareness Day. World Autism Awareness Day is an internationally recognised day on April 2 every year, encouraging member states of the United Nations to take measures to raise awareness about people with Autism Spectrum Disorder throughout the world.

On Friday we are acknowledging World Autism Awareness Day by inviting our whole school community to wear rainbow mufti for the day. The choice to dress up in rainbow mufti has been made to symbolise the spectrum of colours in a rainbow that represent the wide range of abilities and talents of people with autism. We are each unique and the importance of inclusion and respect of the other is a virtue that is held in high regard at St Paul’s.

We look forward to celebrating this day with our ASPECT students and colleagues at St Paul’s. 

I am looking forward to seeing parents and carers at our school cross country carnival tomorrow.

I wish you all a faith-filled Easter and safe and happy holiday, spending time with your children, family and friends. May the Risen Lord who is present to you, fill your hearts with joy! Happy Easter.

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.

On Friday 31st March we will acknowledge World Autism Understanding Day. This event is recognised internationally on 2nd April 2023. 

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

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

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

Understanding_Autism_Factsheet_WAUD_2023.pdf

Understanding_Autism_Factsheet_WAUD_2023 _pdf 864.01 KB

Autism_friendly_Tips_Hints_WAUD_2023.pdf

Autism_friendly_Tips_Hints_WAUD_2023 _pdf 71.00 KB

Understanding_Autism_Resource_for_primary_school_students.pdf

Understanding_Autism_Resource_for_primary_school_students _pdf 61.24 KB

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

Holy Week will be celebrated in Week 11 of Term 1. On Thursday 6th April, we will have a Whole School Liturgy at 9:30am in the Hall. At this liturgy we will recount the events of Holy Week in prayer, beginning with Palm Sunday followed by Jesus Washes the Disciples Feet, The Last Supper, In the Garden, Jesus Meets Pilate, ending with Jesus is Crucified. Nominate students from each grade will have a role to play.

Parents are warmly invited to attend.

On St Patrick’s Day, many students dressed in green for a donation towards Project Compassion. Our Mini-Vinnies team counted $394.10. This money has been deposited at Caritas as funds towards the Turkey / Syria Earthquake appeal.

Lent continues for forty days after Ash Wednesday. Each week we will share a story from Caritas about those supported by Project Compassion. Our classroom Project Compassion boxes are being collected each Friday by the Mini-Vinnies team. Thank you to the many students and families who are donating their loose change. If you have a Project Compassion box at home please return it to the school or Parish by the end of term.

Each grade will have the opportunity to present an assembly fortnightly on Friday afternoons in the hall at 2:30pm. ACE, Principal and Mary MacKillop Awards will be presented at these assemblies. Parents are welcome to attend. Please see below the dates for Semester One.

Term 2

The school will celebrate ANZAC Day on Wednesday 26th April with a liturgy at 9am on the front playground if the weather permits.

The key event of the story of Jesus is the Resurrection - Easter. It is the climax of Jesus’ life and mission. After the Resurrection the disciples were changed. Their memory and understanding of the life and teachings of Jesus are all viewed through this great event of his Resurrection.

The Paschal Mystery is a central mystery of the Christian tradition. The Paschal Mystery refers to the Passion, including death, Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus. Jesus suffered, died and rose from the dead, then ascended into heaven.

Students will celebrate Easter with a Liturgy on Friday 28th April at 2:30pm in the hall. Parents are welcome to attend.

HOLY WEEK IN ST PAUL’S PARISH

Next Sunday (2 April) is Palm Sunday – the beginning of Holy Week. 

The program for Holy Week in our parish is as follows: 

Monday 3 April – 8am Mass 

Tuesday 4 April – 8am Mass 7pm Chrism Mass at the Cathedral 

Wednesday 5 April – 5pm Adoration 6pm Mass 

Thursday 6 April (Holy Thursday) – 7pm Mass of the Lord’s Supper 

Friday 7 April (Good Friday) – 10am Stations of the Cross 3pm Commemoration of the Lord’s Passion 

Saturday 8 April (Holy Saturday) – 7pm Easter Vigil Mass (no 5pm Confessions or 6pm Vigil Mass) 

Sunday 9 April (Easter Sunday) – 9am Mass 

OPPORTUNITIES FOR RECONCILIATION

This year the following opportunities are available for Reconciliation (in addition to our normal times): 

Saturday 1 April – Additional session of 1st Rite of Reconciliation from 11am-12noon in the church; 

Extended session of 1st Rite of Reconciliation from 4.30pm to 5.30pm in the Church 

Wednesday 5 April – 2nd Rite of Reconciliation at All Saints Church, Shellharbour at 7pm 

Good Friday – 1st Rite of Reconciliation after both the Stations of the Cross and the Passion Service

PASCHAL PRECEPT

Each of the faithful is obliged to receive Holy Communion at least once a year. This is to be done between Ash Wednesday (17 February) and Trinity Sunday (30 May) unless for a good reason it is done at another time during the year. All the faithful are obliged to confess their grave sins at least once a year. Just a reminder - Good Friday is a day of abstinence from meat for everyone, as well as a day of fast for those bound to fast.

PARISH SACRAMENTAL PROGRAMS

CONFIRMATION, RECONCILIATION AND FIRST COMMUNION IN 2023

Dear Parents and Carers of Catholic Children in Years 3 to 6 in 2023.

If you wish for your child to receive the sacraments of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion in 2023, please check the St Paul's Parish website (www.st paul's parish.org.au) for information on dates and expectations of the parish for each of these sacraments.

Thank you,

Therese McQuade

Coordinator, Sacramental Programme

St Paul's Parish

Mrs Jodi Marsh

Religious Education Coordinator

In Term 2, our staff will continue to work alongside Bridgeen Pritchard for CEDoW to develop teacher knowledge in Mathematics to support our school’s AIP goal.

Improve teacher and student mathematical understanding through key evidence-based strategies in teaching concepts in number. 

Next term, during staff meetings and collaborative planning sessions, the staff will engage in the latest research around student knowledge in Place Value to help determine our next steps in teaching and learning.

The teachers have been building their skills and knowledge by participating in regular professional around some of the big ideas aligned with research:

1. Trusting the count
2. Place Value
3. Multiplicative Thinking 

Staff have been collaboratively designing tasks with our colleagues related to meeting the needs within our classes so that students deepen mathematical strategies to solve problems in flexible ways. We are working towards students representing their thinking in different ways by describing the way they are thinking both verbally and in written form. 

Please see some attached tips for parents to help your child in Mathematics in Whole Number.

Mathematics Tips for Parents K-2 

Mathematics Tips for Parents 3-6  

Mrs Belinda Evans

The new K-2 Curriculum implemented in NSW aims to provide a more engaging and relevant learning experience for young students. The updated curriculum emphasises foundational skills in literacy and numeracy, as well as focusing on critical and creative thinking, personal development and social skills. 

Here is a snapshot of some of the learning that has been happening in our K-2 classrooms. 

Kindergarten students have been working hard to hear and record the sounds in words, and are beginning to blend the sounds in words together.

Year 2 students have been learning about how authors use words to describe characters. Students have worked to identify the features and traits of characters so they can compare and contrast characters within a text, and across a range of texts. They have co-construct anchor charts that students can refer back to when writing their own character descriptions.

In Mathematics, students have been using a range of concrete materials to consolidate the key mathematical concept; Place Value. This is a K-2 focus. Students have had the opportunity to work with peers to develop mathematical communication, reasoning and share their thinking across multiple strands of mathematics. Students have learnt to apply their knowledge of shape to sort shapes according to attributes, and to think creatively to solve problems.

Ongoing Professional Development

Throughout the term, the K-2 staff have engaged in a range of external and school based professional development opportunities to develop a deep understanding of the new English and Mathematics Curriculum, reflect on Term 1 teaching and learning programs, and work collaboratively to plan English and Mathematics programs for Term 2. Here are our Year 1 teachers in action this week! 

Mrs Alexandra Hingston

Over the past two weeks, parents and teachers have had the opportunity to meet and discuss support in place for students with diverse learning needs. Through collaborative opportunities such as these, we are able to develop individualised teaching and learning programs that meet the needs of each student. Thank you for making time to attend these meetings.

Mrs Alexandra Hingston

Over the past few weeks, Stage 3 students have been participating in an Ultimate Frisbee program as part of our Term 1 Sporting Schools grant. Coach Kate from NSW Ultimate has helped students develop their skills and techniques to be able to participate and excel in a range of games and activities in Ultimate Frisbee. Both students and Mrs Lyons have enjoyed learning a new sport and seeing their skills improve throughout the program. 

Running Club

This term, Mrs Lyons has been facilitating a student Running Club, which takes place every Wednesday at recess time. Student involvement and enthusiasm has been outstanding, with the same group of students committing and participating every week regardless of the weather. Various fitness activities, which help to develop students’ speed and endurance have been incorporated. Students have really enjoyed seeing their fitness skills improve, with many students reaching Personal Best scores on the most recent Multi-Stage Fitness Test. 

New Playground Equipment

St Paul’s has recently updated the playground equipment for students to use during break times. As well as equipment for general student use, Mrs Lyons has put together some K-2 playground bags with equipment appropriate for the younger students to enjoy. 

Mrs Amy Lyons

Swimming News

We would like to wish all the best to Jacob Mackiewicz who will be representing the Wollongong Diocese Primary Swimming Team in the 2023 Mackillop trails at Homebush this coming Thursday. We know you will be amazing and we are already so proud of your achievements.

Miss Eliza Treble

Mrs Katie Colquhoun

Term 1 Week 10

Congratulations to Kinder Blue who had ZERO contamination in their recycling bin this week. They will be receiving a Zooper Dooper and the opportunity to display the prestigious Laudato Si’ Plaque in their classroom for the week. 

Mrs Katie Colquhoun

Thursday 22 June 2023 - Winter Uniform

Maggie Dent has become one of Australiaʼs favourite parenting authors and educators, with a particular interest in the early years, adolescence and resilience. She has written seven major books including the bestselling Mothering Our Boys and her 2020 release, From Boys to Men. Maggie is host of the ABC podcast, Parental As Anything. She is the mother of four sons and a very grateful grandmother. See the article below written by Maggie outlining how to tackle uncertainty with children.

Please see below for School Holiday care.