Week 7, Term 2

Welcome to the Week 7 Newsletter. I hope everyone enjoyed the long weekend. This Wednesday 14th June, David Fairlie from the RAA will visit the school to talk to all classes about road rules and road safety. He will highlight key safety information for children to take note of. We look forward his visit tomorrow.

Teachers are busy writing student reports during the next few weeks. Our student reports will look slightly different from now on. CESA Schools are now using a program called SEQTA for student reports. Reports will include a cover page, an explanatory letter about reports, grades for every subject, extra curricular activities that your child has taken part in and ratings according to our 5Cs of Care, Courtesy, Consideration, Cooperation and Communication. Student reports will finish with a written comment, which will include references to effort and behaviour, learning progress in Religious Education, English and Maths and goals for future learning.

Students from Year 1 to 6 will be graded on an A – E scale for each of the eight Australian Curriculum learning areas, as well as Religious Education, on their achievement against the achievement standard for their year level. In some cases, students may be assessed against an alternative achievement standard if they have been identified with diverse learning needs. The A – E grading scale are as follows:

Students in Reception will not receive A – E grading, rather their achievements will be assessed and reported on as Working Towards Achievement Standard, Working at Achievement Standard, or Working Beyond Achievement Standard.

After the reporting cycle, parents can ask the school to provide information that clearly shows your child’s achievement in the subject studied in comparison to that of other children in the same peer group at the school. This information will show the number of students achieving in each of the achievement levels A – E for a specified subject.

If you have any questions about our new reporting format please speak to your child’s classroom teacher or a member of the Leadership Team. Reports will be sent home as paper copies on the last day of Term 2, Thursday 6th July.

Reconciliation Week

In Week 6, the Year 5/6 class led a special liturgy about Reconciliation Week. It was an opportunity for students to stop and reflect on what Reconciliation week is all about, and what role they can play for the future. This years theme was, ‘Act today for a reconciled tomorrow’.

Reconciliation must live in the hearts, minds and actions of all Australians as we move forward, creating a nation strengthened by respectful relationships between the wider Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Sacred Heart of Jesus

This Friday 16th of June, we celebrated the most Sacred Heart of Jesus. On this day we remember Jesus’ love for us and his Sacred Heart shows us how to love others.

Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

O most holy heart of Jesus,

fountain of every blessing,

I adore you, I love you,

and with lively sorrow for my sins I offer you this poor heart of mine.

Make me humble, patient, pure and wholly obedient to your will.

Grant, Good Jesus,

That I may live in you and for you.

Protect me in the midst of danger.

Comfort me in my afflictions.

Give me health of body,

assistance in my temporal needs,

your blessing on all that I do,

and the grace of a holy death. Amen

Mini Vinnies

We have an enthusiastic group of students who have jumped straight into action for Mini Vinnies this term. Last week, the committee started cooking some soup to put in our community freezer. These students are continually coming up with some great ideas to assist our local and wider community, and we look forward to implementing some of these as the year progresses. Don’t hesitate to let us know if you see a need in our local area and think our Mini Vinnies group can assist. They would only be too happy to help.

Year 3/4 Mass

The Year 3/4 Class will be leading a Mass on Friday, 30th June in the Church at 9:30am. All parents and grandparents are most welcome to join us.

Funeral Catering

St James P&F are catering for the funeral of Parishioner Mrs Margaret Kelly on Friday 16th June. Please find the food donation list outlining your families contribution attached to the eNewsletter email. All food should be delivered to the Learning Centre kitchen by 9am Friday morning. Many thanks for your continued support.

Our prayers and thoughts go to the Kelly / Stacey families, at the recent passing of Margaret Kelly, Grandmother to Chris and Ellie Stacey and Great Grandma to Harriet, Teddy and Wilson Stacey.

Year 6 visit to St Mark's College Pt Pirie

The Year 6 students will visit St. Mark’s College this Friday for a Year 7 Pathways Visit. The day is designed to provide Year 6 students with a taste of life in a secondary college. They will take part in activities, such as, cooking, STEM, Agriculture and Sport.

Master Mind Games

On the 18th August, all Year 5/6 students will visit Jamestown Community School for a “Master Mind Games Day.”

Mid Year Transition Students

Next week on Thursday 22nd June we will welcome three Mid-Year Intake Reception students for their first of three transition visits, with each visit increasing in time. We can’t wait to see them here.

Gymnastics Excursion

This Thursday, 15th June, all students from Reception to Year 6 will be travelling across to Port Pirie to participate in a Gymnastics session at the Port Pirie Leisure Centre. An Operoo Permission Note was sent out last week. Please make sure this has been signed online. 

Year 3 & 4 Camp

The students and staff in the Year 3/4 Class are excited about the upcoming camp to Glenhaven Adventure Park, which is located near Stockport. It is an overnight camp on Thursday 22nd and Friday 23rd June. Earlier this term, this camp was rescheduled from Week 4 to 8. Students will take part in activities, such as, bush skills, archery, tower challenge and a giant swing. All information was sent out to the parents of the Year 3/4 students via our online parent permission app, Operoo. We look forward to hearing about their tales of adventure.

Year 5/6 East of Ranges Choir Rehearsals

The Year 5/6 Class will continue their rehearsals with the East of the Ranges Combined Schools Choir. The next rehearsals will be on Friday 30th June. The final rehearsals will be next term on Friday 11th August. The Year 5/6 Class will perform at the Keith Michell Theatre on 13th September.

Food Group Lunch Orders

There are two weeks left for the Year 5/6 Food Group Lunch Orders. The Year 5/6s will have a break this week from cooking. The next order day is;

Week 8 – Friday 23rd June – Sausages by Ellie, Jorja, Archer and Ethan
Week 9 – Thursday 29th June – Spaghetti Bolognaise by Hazel, Alayla and Eddie

Order forms will be sent home next week.

School Closure Day

The next school closure day will take place on the last day of Term 2, Friday 7th July.

Parents Satisfaction Survey

This week, each family will receive an email from Operoo containing a parent satisfaction survey, which forms part of the school’s ongoing improvement agenda. Each family is invited to provide positive feedback or suggestions for improvement. I ask that each family completes the three minute survey by Friday 23rd June.

SAPSASA Cross Country

Last Thursday, Ethan McC and Hugh S travelled to Oakbank to compete in the SAPSASA Cross Country competition. Both students did a fantastic job representing the North Eastern region. Well done boys!

This week’s presentation from the Resilience Project focuses on Gratitude. 
Gratitude is paying attention to the things that we have right now, and not worrying about what we don’t have. We practice this by noticing the positives that exist around us.

Research shows that practicing gratitude rewires our brains to overcome the negativity bias (which can lead to anxiety and depression) and see the world for what we are thankful for. Grattitude is also shown to broaden thinking, and increase physical health through improved sleep and attitude to exercise.

View Part 2 of the series here:
Part 2 - Gratitude: https://theresilienceproject.com.au/2023-parent-carer-hub-inspire-martin/

There are many ways in which you can practise gratitude, including starting a gratitude journal. You can simply use a notebook to list three things that went well for you each day, or use a more comprehensive Wellbeing Journal, like those created by The Resilience Project.

Source: Psychology Today