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COLOUR RUN
What an amazing day today with our Colour Run! Our students have been so excited leading up to the day and they weren’t disappointed. Lots of colour flying everywhere, lots of laughter and smiles and lots of families joining us for the experience.
We need to thank in a big way our P&F core group who worked to make it all happen, as without those hands doing the work it would not have been a success. Thanks to all parents and friends who helped in the lead up by giving their time to bottling and bagging the powder, setting up the course and providing donations or resources. We thank the staff at school for their preparation of the students, course and resources, especially our amazing Matt and Darren who always work so hard behind the scenes to make sure everything on the course is prepared.
We are pleased to let you know that our aim in raising funds is to purchase new shade tents for our sports colour houses to be used at school events. Our goal is $12,000 for these resources, help us reach it!
YEAR 6 DEBATING
Our Year 6 students have been engaged in a debating experience with other local schools this term. They completed their last debate on Tuesday this week, where four students travelled to Laurieton and vice versa. It was a great experience to see our students putting together arguments for the affirmative and positive points of each debate, practice speaking in front of an audience, and receiving feedback from the adjudicator. Thanks go to the Year 6 teachers for organising this for our students, to the other schools involved for making it possible and to our students who prepared and presented at each debate.
GLASSHOUSE PERFORMANCE
Our performance is quickly approaching …. just under 2 weeks to go! Practices at school continue and we remind families to please carefully check the note that went home for requirements on costumes and props.
ILLNESS
We have had a large number of students sick over this winter, with illnesses ranging from colds to flu and gastro. I would like to thank you as parents and carers for working with us to reduce the amount of possible viruses spreading, by keeping children home when they are sick. It is appreciated by the school in managing illness as well as other families who are impacted by the spread of these. We understand it is difficult when you need to be at work, so we know this is challenging. When children can rest early in their illness, their recovery can be quicker and they are able to return to school able to learn. We are hopeful that with spring now with us, we will see wellness return to all of you and your families.
SCHOOL UNIFORMS
In observing students’ uniforms recently, we have noticed quite a few things that do not follow our uniform code. I have included the link to our uniform requirements and ask that you take some time to read through and check that these are being followed. Please pay particular attention to shoes and accessories that are also part of the list, as these are often overlooked. Staff remind students regularly of expectations, and while we encourage students to become independent in wearing and taking pride in their uniform, we need parents to help them. Our summer uniform comes back in on Monday 14th October (Day 1 of Term 4). Please take the time from now until then to ensure that the items your child/ren are wearing are correct. We will send reminder notes home next term for items that need adjusting and ask for your support to follow these up.
As you are already aware, St Agnes’ Parish Education announced a review of its school uniforms across both Primary and Secondary schools which will look at whether there will be some changes in the next few years, but until such time, the requirements remain unchanged. The review committee are seeking community feedback on the current uniforms. Please see a link to the survey in the Parish News Article of this newsletter.
COMPUTERS FOR SALE
Rob Walker, who works in Technology support across a number of schools, has been able to offer to our school families, some ex school refurbished computers, which would otherwise have gone to landfill. These are not from our school, but have been offered to us to support families who may be looking for a home computer that is much more affordable than from stores. This is not a school project, so any interest or enquiries need to go through the Google form below.
HP 800 G1 All in One Computer - Ex School Computers
Fantastic for home and homework for students
Fast and reliable
No Warranty
Includes: mouse, keyboard, cables and Windows 10
Specs:
500Gb HD
256gb SSD (Solid State Drive) - Upgrade option $70
8gb RAM
i5 Processor
Wifi
Please complete the form below:
THANK YOU FROM THE SUSTAINABILITY TEAM
Tess Koning
Principal
- Domino's Pizza Lighthouse Beach
- National Australia Bank
- Computer Capers
- Hastings Auto Electrical & Air Conditioning
- Kenny Little's Fruit & Veg
- Saltwater Wine
- St Joseph's Regional College
for their support of our Colour Run today. Donations like these go a long way to making a great day brilliant!
St Joseph's Primary School P&F Committee
MINI VINNIES - SERVICE TO THE NEEDY AND TO EACH OTHER
Love your neighbour as yourself (Matthew 22:39)
This week our band of Mini Vinnies workers held a successful Soup Day as part of their acts of service to the school and wider community.
To be Jesus’s follower involves a commitment of service to others, where we show love and kindness to everyone, even to those who do not treat us well. We can serve others in many ways, and we should ensure that we use every opportunity that we can, even if we are in Primary School.
Mini Vinnies empowers primary school students to become advocates within their school and local community by putting their values into action. They meet regularly to learn about social justice issues, develop leadership skills and engage with the wider St Vincent de Paul Society.
Great work Mrs Rennes and our Mini Vinnies students - service leadership in action.
CONFIRMATION WORKSHOP ST JOSEPH'S
Thank you to the families who have completed the first step of the St Agnes’ Parish Confirmation Program by attending the registration evening this week.
As part of the process, families are asked to register for a workshop that a parent/guardian attends with their child.
St Joseph’s Workshop will be next Thursday, 12th September 3:30-4:30 pm at St Joseph’s School. If you can’t make this time, please ensure you attend another workshop.
STAGE MASS
Next Friday, 13th September at 11:45 am, Stage 2 and 3 will be celebrating Mass at school. We look forward to this celebration. Please feel free to join us.
Ann Thurgate
Assistant Principal Mission
THE POWER OF MISTAKES AND STRUGGLE - FOSTERING A GROWTH MINDSET FOR LEARNING
Carol Dweck’s research over these last two decades highlights the importance of making mistakes as we struggle with intriguing and challenging problems in our learning. Learners with a growth mindset – a personal approach to learning and life that can be taught and developed – relish opportunities to grapple with challenges, to review and re-try when mistakes are made, to bring innovative and creative approaches to problem-solving.
This extract from ‘Mathematical Mindsets’ (2016, Jo Boaler, Stanford Maths Professor) is one brief example of contemporary research and writing in this area:
‘Every time a student makes a mistake they grow a synapse.’ This quote from Dweck focuses on the significance of mistakes and struggle for brain development – for learners of all ages, but especially for younger learners. Widespread research over the last two decades has reinforced the message that students’ brains react with much more electrical activity when they make mistakes than when their answers are correct. Importantly, this activity is even greater for individuals with a growth mindset than for individuals with a fixed mindset.’
Learners with a growth mindset have a greater awareness of errors than those with a fixed mindset, so they are more likely to go back and correct errors. All learners respond with a brain spark – a synapse – when they make mistakes. Having a growth mindset means that the brain is more likely to spark again, showing awareness that a mistake has been made.
As teachers and parents, our efforts to guide and lead growth mindset development, along with equipping young learners to view mistakes as key learning opportunities and times to persevere and persist, are high on the list of the more important things we can do in preparing them for the limitless opportunities that the future holds for them.
DEVELOPING A GROWTH MINDSET - CAROL DWECK
Things you can do at home to foster a Growth Mindset
- Pay attention and verbally praise kids for skills that don’t sound predetermined: hard work, persistence, rising to a challenge, learning from mistakes, etc.. rather than being “smart”, “brilliant” or “gifted”.
- Be a growth mindset role model. Be honest: how often do you say “I can’t (cook / sing / balance my bank account)” or “I’m terrible at (sports / spelling / public speaking)”. Make sure you’re sending the right message – maybe even take on something new!
- Encourage your child to forget taking the easy route and instead embrace challenges. A sheet full of questions he/she already knows the answers to won’t “grow the brain” like one deeper problem to solve (even if he/she doesn’t get the correct answer).
- Remember growth mindset isn’t just academic; it applies to many areas of life (athletic, musical, social). Having trouble getting the basketball into the net? Keep making mistakes on a guitar chord? Tried to initiate play with someone but it didn’t go well? Discuss the next step for improvement.
- Discourage envy of peers, and talk to your child about what he or she can learn from others who appear more successful. While skills may come more easily to some, most often there’s a (possibly unseen) element of practice, persistence, and hard work which leads to achievement.
Embracing a growth mindset isn’t always easy, but can have a huge impact on your child…and perhaps on you, too!
Assistant Principal Learning and Teaching
SUMMER SPORT TRIALS (YEARS 3, 4 AND 5)
Summer Sports Trial nominations are fast approaching. Please keep a lookout in your emails. This year we will require a nomination form from your current coach, supporting your child’s ability and validity to trial for summer sports.
Yours in Sport
Laura Hatherly
DEBATING - ST JOSEPH'S PORT MACQUARIE VS ST JOSEPH'S LAURIETON
Sports Stars - Heroes or Misleading Idols?
Archie Robinson's experience...
Bodhi Parsons, Kate Ainsworth, Jasmine Lacey and Archie Robinson travelled to Laurieton on Tuesday to debate that ‘Sports heroes are misleading Idols'. It resulted in an unfortunate loss by two points. The four students returned to school full of resilience and surprisingly brighter minds. Treasuring the experience of the debate.
Byron Alchin's experience...
When I got up to speak I was nervous but halfway through the speech I got calmer and I started to slow down and speak clearer. The other team was a bit confusing because when I was speaking they were shaking their heads. My team Marty Fisher, Keanu Smeich, Lily Maher and myself lost by 6 points against St Joseph's Laurieton but we tried. I got 22 out of 25. I felt proud of myself. The other team was pretty good.
Marty Fisher's experience...
When I got up to speak, I hoped that it would all go well and I could rebuttal perfectly except that all my cards were mixed up and I had to make things up. When I finished a sigh of relief was rushing through my body thanking that it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. After all this, I was proud of my score and my team but think I would like to improve and become a better debater.
ST AGNES' PARISH EDUCATION - UNIFORM REVIEW
As you are already aware, St Agnes’ Parish Education announced a review of its school uniforms across both Primary and Secondary schools. The review includes summer, winter and sports uniforms. At this stage, sport representative uniforms or formal representative and special uniforms will be exempt from this review.
The process commenced with the creation of a Uniform Review Advisory Committee made up of parent representatives from all schools, as well as staff and members of the Education Council for all our schools in consultation with the community.
On behalf of the committee we are seeking your feedback and would appreciate you taking the time to fill in the survey via the link below by Friday 13th September.
Uniform survey link - https://forms.gle/sJbM6srLSfYLnx6T9
We look forward to updating you on the progress of the committee as it comes to us.
YOUTH AND FAMILY MASS
JOHN HENRY INSTITUE - FIRST AID COURSE
Don't forget you can order online by 8:30am- it's so easy!!
- Go to www.flexischools.com.au
- Click “Register Now” to create account
- Top-up your balance
- Start ordering immediately
If you have a spare morning a month please volunteer at the Canteen - more helpers are always needed. Your children will love having you help at school and the rest of us will really appreciate it also!
Our Volunteers for Week 8 Term 3
Monday | You are welcome to join us |
Tuesday | You are welcome to join us |
Wednesday | You are welcome to join us |
Thursday | You are welcome to join us |
Friday | You are welcome to join us |
We ask that if you are unable to attend on your rostered day it would be very much appreciated if you could organise your replacement and let me know. This would really assist me enormously. Thank you.
Annemaree Tonkin
Canteen Coordinator
K Gold | Sonny Hancock, Livana Lijo, Rafael D'Souza |
K Green | Marcus Cramp, Tilly Scott, Elsie Steadman |
1 Green | Isabella Carney, Jack Armitage, Lilly Chapman |
2 Green | Xavier Mat, Jesse Johnstone, Misty-Lee Bennett |
2 Gold | Bryce Tickle, Finlay Toole, Luna Tyson |
3 Gold | Ruby Cramp, Millahni Moore, Siya Modi |
4 Green | Matthew Kelly, Jesse Steinhour, Keely Newton |
5 Gold | Erin Little, Amelia Dowd, Cruz Rebecchi |
5 Green | Laura Sturrock, Ella Carroll, Ansh Singh |
6 Gold | Bodhi Parsons, Jasmine Lacey, Archie Robinson |
6 Green | Tully Dwyer, Kiara Hawkins, Mia Lawrence |
Tournament of Minds
The Tournament of Minds competition was a great opportunity to practice our teamwork, impromptu thinking, creativity and acting skills. We all benefited from the chance to compete in this amazing day in Coffs Harbour at Southern Cross University and loved working together to create the final product. Thank you so much for this incredible chance, all the fantastically dedicated teachers who helped us! We really appreciate your hard work and effort.
By Milly McGrath and Kate Ainsworth
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Please note these dates can change from time to time due to unforeseen circumstances and we will endeavour to advise you of any changes at the earliest possible opportunity. Our school Google calendar can be accessed via this link for additional advanced dates -
For your convenience school term dates are located on our website. Click on the words “TERM DATES” on the home page.
STAFF DEVELOPMENT DAYS 2019
As we are aware that parents and carers need to know about Staff Development Days so they can forward plan work arrangements, our remaining days (pupil free) are:
- Friday 27th September (Term 3, Week 10)
- Monday 4th November (Term, 4, Week 4)
For each of these days we will offer limited child minding places. For child minding for Friday 27th September please contact the Office Aunties or email us at sjpport@lism.catholic.edu.au by Friday 20th September to book in your child/children. Closer to Monday 4th November we will advise on how to register for the childminding if you require it.
Dance Eisteddfod 2019 - final details
Uniform Survey
Dyslexia Support Mid North Coast are excited to be hosting SPELD NSW Executive Officer, Georgina Perry, in August and September to conduct a series of workshops.
PARENT WORKSHOP 2 - UNDERSTANDING LEARNING DIFFICULTIES
with Georgina Perry, Executive Officer SPELD NSW
Wednesday 11th September, 2019 at 6:00 – 7:30pm
Venue: Port Macquarie - venue to be advised.
Cost: $10
This workshop will help parents to understand:
- What are the specific learning difficulties in reading (dyslexia), writing (dysgraphia) and maths (dyscalculia).
- What are the signs that a child may have a specific learning difficulty?
- What are evidence based interventions and how they help children to read and spell.
- What instructions and adjustments can support your child in the classroom.
This workshop is suited to parents and carers of children struggling with reading, writing, spelling and/or maths. Teachers, learning support and education professionals also welcome.
Please register via this link: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/understanding-learning-difficulties-tickets-66741103437
MID COAST FUTSAL JUNIOR SUMMER COMPS = 2019/20
Presented by MID COAST FUTSAL INC
Starts Wednesday 16th October
Team or Individuals (CO-ED)
(VENUES -Westport/St Pauls Campus)
* WED 4 to 7yrs (Beginners) = skills/games
* WED U 8’s - (6/7/8yrs), U 14 - (12/13/14yrs)
* FRI U 11’s – (9/10/11yrs)
Regos 12mths, U7yrs $60, 8 to 14yrs $70. (Game Fee $10 p/player)
* Active Kids $100 Vouchers, (sport.nsw.gov.au/activekids)
Contact Alison 0412 191923 or 0411 501 744
Email alison@midcoastfutsal.com Website www.midcoastfutsal.com