Filter Content
- Prayer Focus
- The Principal's Report
- Celebrating Our Faith
- Learning Together
- Tune in to Mental Health Month
- Sharing Our Learning - Year 1
- Bebras Challenge 2020
- Parish News
- Sunshine Cafe
- Sport Spotlight
- Creative Corner
- University of Newcastle Digital Technologies Partnership
- Student Awards
- What's On Next Week ...
- Advance Dates for Your Diary
- This Week's Notes
- Billboard
Hi everyone,
We have reached the end of this big busy term and seeing the tired faces this week, I think all of our students are ready for a break and hopefully some sleep-ins! We realised this week that this is the first full uninterrupted term of 10 weeks for our students, with all of the changes occurring in this unusual year.
As we wrap up Term 3, I would like to personally thank you for all of the support throughout the period of time since COVID-19 started affecting us. We continue to work with guidelines across the rest of the year. The Premier has updated restrictions, which gladly seem to be loosening restrictions for schools, with a further guide to how this impacts on us expected through the holiday period, so we will share these with you at the time that we are able.
As a school we are planning for some of the regular events that occur in Term 4, with the phrase around it “if possible with the guidelines at the time”. We will continue to keep you informed and appreciate your understanding of the circumstances.
Staff Development Day - Pupil Free
The first day of Term 4, Monday 12th October is a staff development day and is pupil free. We look forward to welcoming all students back on Tuesday 13th October.
Term 3 Highlights…..
There were a number of things that we were able to enjoy and achieve in Term 3, we are grateful for the opportunities afforded to our students in these highlights ….
Whole school prayer and assembly gatherings each Monday (virtual); PBS Reward Play; Year 5 Drumming workshops; Martial Arts; Year 4 Accendere; ICAS Competitions; Sydney Sixers virtual visit; Christian Meditation across the Diocese; Future Think Virtual Youth Summit and celebration of work and class projects across the school. There will be many more things that were celebrated and achieved, these are just some. I am very much looking forward to seeing the learning that takes place in Term 4.
Good luck Mrs McKinnon
We wish our beautiful Kindergarten teacher Mrs Sarah McKinnon and her husband the best as they await the arrival of their already much loved baby. KM have been so excited to share in the journey to here, that we know this little baby will be very much loved at school as well. We will share the happy news when Baby McKinnon arrives!
Transition to school - Kindergarten 2021
The Premier’s update yesterday gave us great hope that we will be able to start on site transition with our Kinders for 2021 sooner than expected. We are also working through some resources and ideas to share with families, so that we can build connections in as many ways as possible. We look forward to sharing our school with children and their families during Term 4 in a variety of ways.
Challenge for the holidays … let’s see who reads the newsletter …
Thank you to the students and their families who joined in the fun with me this week, submitting answers to the Rebus challenge! I have enjoyed reading through the answers and cross checking with my answers. There was a prize awarded today to three families who were able to correctly answer our 40 question rebus challenge. Each of the students who submitted entries also were given a reward for joining in the fun.
Below is another one you can have some fun with in the holidays, please submit via email, only one response per family. All answers must be submitted by 5:00pm Friday 9th October so the winner can be decided and awarded their prize in the first week of school.
I wish you all a safe and happy holiday break, whether you are working, travelling or relaxing at home. We have one more big busy term to go, so we will return refreshed to enjoy the things that we will be able to experience to move through to the end of 2020.
Year 4 have been learning all about the Creation story. Inspired by the picture book illustrations, the Year 4 students have made their own creation pictures using natural materials and the effect is stunning.
Celebrating Term 3
Our SRC students wrapped up the term with a beautiful whole school prayer. Many thanks to Erin Little who created a video showing some of the great moments from Term 3 from each grade.
Nathan Porter
Assistant Principal Mission
UNSW ICAS Results
Some of our Primary students recently participated in the UNSW Global International Competitions and Assessment for Schools (ICAS). ICAS Assessments are designed to recognise academic excellence, students are assessed on their ability to apply classroom learning to new contexts using higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills.
This week we would like to congratulate the following students for their achievement in Science and English:-
Science |
Gene Smith (Year 4) and Erin Little (Year 6) awarded a Distinction |
Murphy Maher (Year 4), Aaron Biju (Year 5) and Amara Crutcher (Year 5), awarded a Merit |
English |
Lilliana Anderson (Year 3) awarded a Distinction |
Aislinn Suveesh (Year 3) and Murphy Maher (Year 4) awarded a Credit |
Kiara Tattersall (Year 6) awarded a Merit |
Jeannine Ucdereli
Assistant Principal Learning and Teaching
Tune in to Mental Health Month
Walk for Mental Health Month
Wow, what a term it has been! It has been fantastic to be back at school with our friends and school family for a full term. Year 1 has been very busy this term really focusing on improving our English and Maths skills and all our hard work is really starting to pay off. We have been clearing our minds and filling our hearts with positive thoughts through Christian Meditation. Year 1 has been having fun and learning a lot through Martial Arts, Science Week, the athletics carnival and digital learning. Just to name a few things. We have been working hard creating some amazing work and sharing it with our parents on Seesaw.
The results are in and once again we have had some amazing results from our extremely talented students.
About Bebras
The Bebras Australia Computational Thinking Challenge started in Australia in 2014 and is now run through CSIRO Digital Careers. Bebras was founded in 2004 by Professor Valentina Dagiene from the University of Vilnius, Lithuania. Bebras began with 3470 student participants from 146 schools and has now grown to almost 60 countries with over 1.6 million students participating each year!
The goal of the Bebras Challenge is to promote computational thinking skills in a way that highlights student abilities.
- The challenge is made up of 15 questions ranging in difficulty.
- Students in Year 3 and 4 have 60 minutes and students in Year 5 to 12 have 45 minutes to complete the challenge.
- The challenge is open twice a year for 2 weeks.
- Students complete the challenge in one sitting at any time within the 2 week challenge period.
We are proud to share our results here with you:
Best in School:
Erin Little 6H
High Distinction:
Erin Little 6H
Eva Francis 5G
Tahlia Van Den Boom 6H
Distinction:
Isla Dalton 6MH
Jackson Coleman 4F
Sheridan Barker 6MH
We also had 12 students receive Credits and 29 students receive Merits.
Some amazing results! I would like to thank all the students who participated and tried their hardest to achieve these amazing results.
Sarah Blundell
Leader of Digital Pedagogies/STEM
NEW MASS SCHEDULE AND BOOKING SYSTEM
Our new Mass schedule began on Tuesday 1st September. The new schedule includes Masses at St Agnes' Church, Lake Cathie, St Francis of Assisi, Christ the King and St Bernard’s at Telegraph Point. Please refer to the Parish website or the Parish bulletin for details of times and locations.
It is great to have St Agnes' Church in Hay Street back in action after the completion of maintenance works (see progress photo).
As per the Government's COVID guidelines we are still required to keep a record of the contact details of anyone who attends a Mass service. If you would like to attend Mass there are a number of ways you can book in to do so:
- Phone the Presbytery on 6583 1024.
- Book online via the Parish Website (go to Mass Times then click on the 'Book into Mass here' button and follow the prompts).
If you are vulnerable, unwell or unable to attend Mass in person, don't forget that each Sunday at 8:00am, Bishop Greg Homeming celebrates Mass at the Carmelite Monestary in Goonellabah, which is live streamed via the Lismore Diocese YouTube channel (click here to view the site).
Introducing Birthday Buckets! - Starting Term 4
What are they?
Birthday Buckets are a great way for your child to celebrate their birthday at school and share a treat with their classmates. Each bucket will contain a Quelch ice block for every student in the class (and may be even the teacher!)
Quelch ice blocks are 99% fruit juice which means they are great for children with allergies so everyone in the class can enjoy them.
How much do they cost?
Just $10.00 per bucket.
The bucket will be decorated for your child’s birthday and collected during the day as directed by the teacher to share with their class. The buckets are reusable and will need to be returned to the canteen.
How do you order them?
They can be ordered via Flexischools on the day you would like your child to share them or can be ordered in advance. Alternatively, if you don’t use Flexischools, you can call the school office to order directly from the Canteen.
When will they be available?
Birthday Buckets are available every day starting from the first day of Term 4, Tuesday, 13th October.
Kim Goldie
Canteen Coordinator
Sports Star of the Week
Congratulations to Archie Holloway in 2S!
Archie has been patiently teaching the Kinder and Year 1 students how to shoot baskets into their new mini Basketball hoop. He’s been seen showing them how to pass the ball to the next student in line and then go to the end of the line. What excellent leadership Archie!
Congratulations to 3D
3D received a special mention from our Martial Arts instructors, for always being sweet, kind and so respectful during lessons each week. We are so proud!
Surf Life Saving
On Thursday of Week 1, Years 2, 4 and 6 will participate in a Surf Life Saving education program. We look forward to these Years sharing their learning with us.
Yours in Sport
Leah Toole
Shining Star of the Week
And the Oscar goes to…... Erin Little in 6H!
Erin wrote her own adaptation of the script ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’. It is so well written, the after school drama group is going to perform it.
I decided to rewrite Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on a rainy day, I wanted to do something that would make 2020 memorable for our Saints Youth Drama Group, as this year drama has been very scarce with lots of lessons missed and no eisteddfods or exams. At the end of the year, normally Saints Youth Drama does a play to show to parents and the school, it’s always very fun to do and everyone works together to make the play amazing. With Charlie I loved taking parts of the story from the book, the movies, my own imagination and our school so that it was original to us. Mrs T has helped me lots in adding ideas from all of her drama experience and making the play easier to understand from an audience's perspective. I’ve loved writing the play, now I love practicing it with the drama group and can’t wait too see what the end play will look like with the amazing Mrs T’s help. - Erin Little Year 6
Performing Arts in 2T
This year our Infants were booked in to see the stage show of Alison Lester’s ‘The Magic Beach’ at the Glasshouse. As we weren’t able to see it, Year 2 decided to do their own adaptation of ‘The Magic Beach’. On Thursday they performed it for a small audience and had lots of fun being on stage.
University of Newcastle Digital Technologies Partnership
Workshop Guide
Our 2020 Year 2 to 5 Tech Experts
Lucas Single | Gene Smith | Emily Smith | Matilda Coleman |
Toby Smurthwaite | Peyton Berry | Eden Pope | Matilda Beresford |
Jade Hanks | Jaxon Smurthwaite | Lily-Rose Francis | Felicity Goldstein |
Hayley Ylias | Harmony Amanatidis | Advik Thapa | Isabelle Moane |
Lucas Lynch | Eva Francis | Emmett Van den Boom | Matilda Kos |
Hudson Alexander | Tori McGrath | Violet Richardson | Riley Robinson |
Oscar Peirce | Jesse Steinhour | Sebastian Bennett-Tonkin | Luke Davies |
Lailah Watson | Charlee Webber | Lilliana Anderson | Bailey Elphick |
Leader of Digital Pedagogies/STEM
KM | Grace Gluckstern-Hill | Blake Yewdall | Hudson Bruen |
KS | Mia Moss | Logan Reilly | Jack Rock |
1B | Elsie Steadman | Isla Grant | Marco Grech |
1R | Nevaeh Fletcher | Heidi Lawrence | Emelia Stoner |
2S | Ameiley Ervine | Lucas Single | Emily Smith |
2T | Ruby Gilbert | Jacob Gluckstern-Hill | Poppi-Lee McGeoch |
3BH | Liam Jones | Bailey Parker | Chloe Widdison |
3D | Finlay Toole | Jesse Johnstone | Anabel Shijo |
4B | Zali Roberts | Samuel Cummins | |
4F | Willa Corless-Brown | Chelsea Meehan | William Richer-Water |
Miley Ashcroft | |||
5H | Phoenix Kitching | Savanna Cunneen | Bailey Elphick |
6H | Kobi Dixon | Grace Chuwen | Archie Eshman |
6MH | Lachlan Burns | Isla Dalton | Jhed Monckton |
Week 1 - Term 4 2020 |
|
Monday |
|
Tuesday |
|
Wednesday |
|
Thursday 15th October |
|
Friday 16th October |
|
Week 2 - Term 4 2020 |
|
Monday |
|
Tuesday |
|
Wednesday |
|
Thursday 22nd October |
|
Friday 23rd October |
|
Week 3 - Term 4 2020 |
|
Monday |
|
Tuesday |
|
Wednesday |
|
Thursday 29th October |
|
Friday 30th October |
|
Week 4 - Term 4 2020 |
|
Tuesday |
|
Wednesday |
|
Thursday 5th November |
|
Friday 6th November |
|
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.
Chickenpox Alert
KM Letter of Introduction from Mrs Currall
Refund of missed Gymnastics lessons - Term 1 2020
Year 5 and 6 - The Sixth Sense workshop
Kinder 2020 Term 4 Overview
Year 1 2020 Term 4 Overview
Year 2 2020 Term 4 Overview
Year 3 2020 Term 4 Overview
Year 4 2020 Term 4 Overview
Year 5 2020 Term 4 Overview
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER SCHOOL HOLIDAY TENNIS CAMPS
Camp 1 - Monday 28th September to 30th September
Camp 2 - Monday 7th October to Friday 9th October
Time 8:30am to 10:00 Mini or 8:30am to 11:30 am Full morning
Cost Mini 3 days $55, Full morning 3 days $85
You can do 1 ,2 or 3 mornings.
To enrol please text or phone Greg on 0427 466 760 or email pmtc@bestit.net.au
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER HOLIDAY PROGRAM
The Program will run from the 28th September – 9th October (excluding weekends, and the Public Holiday on Monday 5th October)
Times: 8:30am-5:00pm
Cost: $30 per child
For all other information and requirements
please go to our webpage to find the Registration Form!