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- Principal's Report
- RE Week 8 - Be still and know that I am God
- Mass is back on!
- Awards Week 8
- Welcome to our new school counsellor Maddison Kennedy
- Seasons for Growth Progam
- Library News
- June Birthdays
- Helmets On Please!
- Kinder Teddy Bear's Picnic
- Reconciliation Artwork Year 2
- Yr 56B artwork - Protractors
- TeamKids Winter School Holiday program
- Holiday Happenings July 2020
Dear Parents/Carers,
Parent Teacher Interviews
Thank you for your high take up over the past three weeks of engaging in Parent Teacher Interviews via zoom. Remote learning has given many parents and carers the opportunity to see up close, their child as a learner and many of the discussions have involved your insights about the knowledge they attained, and the skills they developed as a remote learner. It was a chance also to look at some of the Learning Assets we are working on developing across the school, especially the Self-management asset. These learning Assets benefit our students in all areas of learning and for life.
Following these in-depth conversations between teachers, parents and carers, a printed report will come home in Week 10. The report will address students' engagement with learning skills - thinking, communication, responsibility and collaboration - and have grades for Religion, English and Maths.
School hours and supervision
Please remember that school supervision hours are from 8:30am and 3:30pm. This means that children should not be arriving at school before 8:30am and should be picked up by 3:30pm. Lately, we have had children arrive as early as 8am and others not being picked up until 4pm. If you need care for your children outside of these supervised times, please enrol them in our excellent Out of School Hours Care Program, run by TeamKids. All the information for this is on the school website (please click on the following link TeamKids)
School Improvement Plan
This week at our Professional Learning Meeting the teachers focused on Maths; where we are in student improvement and where we want to go next in Term 3. We revisited our Vision for Mathematics at St Thomas’ and reflected on how each of us as teachers are bringing that to fruition in our classrooms. This is our Vision.
Mathematics Vision
At St Thomas the Apostle Primary School, all Mathematics learners will be challenged in Mathematics. Being challenged means that differentiated lessons, effective feedback and assessment will be planned in all our classrooms. Differentiation allows for Mathematics to be accessible to all students.
We believe that Mathematics is making sense of patterns. Therefore, Mathematics learning will be presented in an authentic and engaging manner so that students can be creative and make sense of the world in which they live.
Inquiry planning encourages students who are curious, problem solvers and critical thinkers. They see themselves as successful learners.
We believe that Mathematics success takes time, is about learning not performing, and depth not speed.
Developing a growth mindset in all learners will drive the desire to be challenged, take risks and celebrate productive struggle. Collaborative learning in classrooms will provide the very best opportunity for learners to grow in knowledge, skills and attitudes (dispositions).
We believe in high expectations for learning, effective questioning from both teachers and students, explicit teaching strategies, reasoning and justifying answers through the use of manipulatives. This allows for Mathematics learning to be visible and collaborative and create an exciting and stimulating learning environment for our students.
- From here, teachers will work in their year level groups to plan SMART Goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely) for the first five weeks of term three and they will set Success Criteria so they know whether these goals have been achieved.
We continue to be supported in our Maths journey of student improvement with Madonna Pianegonda from Numeracy Plus. She is here at St Thomas’ working with the teachers and the students one day a week.
With only two weeks to go of this very unusual school term, we are hoping, praying and trusting that Term 3 will begin with a resumption of our morning school community assembly and being able to welcome our extended adult family members back into the school buildings and onto the school grounds.
May God bless you and your family,
Ursula Jamieson
Principal
RE Week 8 - Be still and know that I am God
Friday 3 July (Week 10), our last day of school, is the Feast Day of St Thomas the Apostle. What a wonderful way to celebrate the end of term! The children will wear their sport uniform tracksuit pants and a t-Shirt/jumper in their house colour. Thank you to all families who have returned the form to contribute to Morning Tea.
Just a reminder that we would appreciate donations of new adult-sized socks and beanies and pre-loved blankets and coats. Your donations will be collected on the day by the St Vincent de Paul Night Patrol van. Items can be dropped at school any time between now and Friday 3rd July.
Our community is always so generous and I thank you in advance for this.
REC
This weekend we are finally given the opportunity to attend Mass after many months of On-line Mass participation. As the 100 people restriction applies from Saturday, you will need to book to attend a particular Mass as explained below:
Masses are due to restart this weekend Saturday 20th June 2020
Normal Mass Time are: Saturday Evening at 6pm & Sunday Mornings at 8:30am & 10 am
Bookings will be essential and will close at 12pm Fridays
We will be taking bookings via
Email: Kambah@cg.org.au
Phone: 02 6231 9219
Writing: Add you name to the lists in the Church. (This will be cleared after Friday morning mass).
If you do not book you can turn up but please be aware we cannot let more than 100 people into the Church so you may miss out.
So please book and arrive early.
We need to record all mass attendees to ensure contact traceability.
If you pre-book please have your name checked off the list that will be in the foyer when you arrive.
To speed up the process of entering mass please bring with you a piece of paper with the following details on it.
Date:
Name:
Contact Number:
Number of People attending:
Mass Attending:
Time if not at Mass:
Printed Slips available in the Church from today.
We also will need volunteers to count people as they enter the Church, record details and clean the Church after Masses.
If you are available to help please email me in the office and I will add you to the roster.
Normal rosters for Readers, Acolytes, Altar Servers, Weekly Cleaning & Music will be sent out in the next few days.
Health and Safety
Please ensure that you read, understand and follow the following protocols when visiting St Thomas the Apostle Church.
These are in addition to any guidance from the Archdiocese which we will also follow:
1. Stay at home and please DO NOT attend Mass if you are unwell or have any symptoms
(Cough, fever, sore throat, shortness of breath)
2. Do Not exceed the maximum number of permitted persons in the Church at any time
(Due to the size of St Thomas the Apostle Church this is a maximum of 100 persons)
3. Ensure physical distancing of 1.5 metres at all times
(Immediate family members from same household excepted)
4. Maintain good hand, cough, sneeze hygiene
(Please wash your hands or use hand sanitiser before entering and upon leaving the premises)
5. Ensure good cleaning practices
(Use antibacterial wipes provided to wipe all contact surfaces in you use the Church for private prayer)
(The Church will be cleaned before and after masses)
6. Ensure good Record Keeping. Please fill in the register or place details card into boxes provided
(During weekend services there may be someone to do this for you)
(Please DO NOT enter the building without providing your details)
7. Recommend: That all Parishioners download the COVIDSafe App to assist with contact tracing
8. Care: these protocols are for the safety of everyone
Things will be constantly changing and we will update information as we have it.
If we all work together we can do this.
Remember Stay Warm, Stay Safe, Stay Well & Stay Connected
St Thomas the Apostle Parish
this week in their classrooms.
Photos will be included in next week's newsletter.
Kinder | Aluel Deng, Archie King Tilly Bellato, Noah Anrath |
Year 1 |
Gabrielle Hanna, Felix Walker |
Year 2 |
Raya Vinco, Lewis Rice |
Year 3/4 |
Caitlin Penny, Logan Shingles |
Year 5/6 |
Violet Blair, Sienna Devow |
Cultural Awards |
Ethan Marcelja |
Principal's Special Award |
Olivia Grellman |
Welcome to our new school counsellor Maddison Kennedy
I am pleased to be joining St Thomas the Apostle as the school counsellor in 2020. My name is Maddison Kennedy, and I am an experienced social worker with years of experience working with children and families. I can work with children in a variety of therapeutic ways including play based therapy, CBT and emotional regulation. I will be working at St Thomas the Apostle every Friday.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact the school or to email me at Maddison.Kennedy@catholiccare.cg.org.au and if you are interested in a referral for your child to see me, please contact the school or your child’s teachers. As I will be at St Thomas the Apostle for one day a week, I will be able to offer fortnightly sessions for children.
I am excited to begin working with the students and families at St Thomas the Apostle,
Maddison Kennedy
Just one more week for the Reading Challenge! It is so great to see so many people reading and returning their forms!
Next week notes will go home for any overdue books. It is very helpful if we can have all books returned before the end of term.
Just a reminder that all students should have a library bag to transport books to and from school in order to keep them well protected.
Penny Vanzwol
Happy Birthday to the following students/staff who are celebrating a birthday this week
Thomas Fisher | Benjamin Lowes | Lucy O'Brien |
A reminder to all students that helmets must be worn to and from school
when riding bikes, skateboards and scooters.
As part of our learning on angles, the students from Yr 5/6 have been creating artwork using protractors.
TeamKids Winter School Holiday program
TeamKids are using QR CODES. QR Codes are an efficient way to direct parents/carers to your venue’s holiday program online.
How to… All you need to do is hover your phone camera over the QR Code then press ‘OPEN/ALLOW’ then ‘OK’ in their internet browser (e.g. Safari). For older phones you will need to download a free QR Code Reader App. TeamKids holiday posters are currently displayed in the window of YR 5/6R classroom (closest to the school entry gates). The school's unique QR Code is printed on our posters.
The Holiday Happenings booklet for the July school holidays will be in digital format.
To view the digital booklet click on following link Holiday Happenings Online Booklet