What a lovely start to Term 3, with the teachers and students returning refreshed from a lovely break.  Going around the classes, the students are excited to be back with their friends and enthusiastic about the new content they will be introduced to this term.  

Staff Development Day 

To maintain teacher accreditation, our teachers are required to participate in professional learning which builds and improves their professional knowledge, practice and engagement across priority areas.  The priority areas identified by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) are:

• delivery and assessment of the NSW Curriculum/Early Years Learning Framework 
• student/child mental health
• students/children with disability
• Aboriginal education and supporting Aboriginal students/children

Our teachers ended Term 2 and started Term 3 with professional learning on student/child mental health with a focus on wellbeing. One day was presented by a wellbeing facilitator, Jacqui Jones and identified practical strategies that teachers can do with their students to promote student wellbeing.  The second day was an introductory course for ‘Rock and Water’, a program - which provides students with “a pathway to self-awareness, increased self-confidence and social functioning”.  You can see some of the photos of teachers participating in ‘Rock and Water’ on our Facebook page. 

Book Week

Reminder - Book week is coming soon so have a think about Book week costumes ready for our parade on Friday 25th August.  We will also have a ‘Book Fair’ from 21- 25 August, Book Week competitions and a Book Week Performance incursion on Tuesday 5th September.  

Parent Teacher Conferences

Our Parent Teacher Conferences will be held next week to give you the opportunity to discuss your child’s academic report and learning goals for Semester 2.  Please book a time with your child's teacher using Compass Conferences. 

NAPLAN

The individual reports for parents of Year 3 and Year 5 students are expected this week and we will send them home as soon as received.  From 2023, NAPLAN results are reported using proficiency standards, rather than numerical bands.  Students’ results are measured against 4 levels of proficiency:

• Exceeding
• Strong
• Developing
• Needs additional support

ICAS Assessments

In 2022, Sacred Heart Mosman offered parents the option of having their child complete an ICAS assessment  in Science, Mathematics or Spelling for students in Year 2 or above.  We will offer the choice of this assessment again in 2023 with Mrs Luscombe supervising any students completing the test. Should you wish your child to participate, please choose the tests you wish your child to do and pay directly to ICAS by the end of July, following the instructions sent via Compass.

Please note this is an optional activity and only a small number of children participated last year.  When deciding whether or not your child should participate, please consider the following:

• The assessment is provided solely by an external provider and many Sydney Catholic Schools do not offer this assessment 
• The test is not aligned with the teaching of our curriculum and we have no control over whether or not your child has learnt the content needed to answer the questions.  
• The assessment is designed as a ‘competition’ so is often aimed at higher levels and may be difficult for your child to complete
• Children sit the test at the allocated time (in line with ICAS dates) which means they will not do their normal class learning during that time and may miss sport, art, music lessons 
• The assessment is not connected to school reports or NAPLAN results and teachers cannot provide feedback on the assessment as it is an external company
• Students are provided with a certificate of achievement

Reminder - Attendance

In line with Sydney Catholic schools policy and procedures for Attendance, we now require an extended leave application for any leave of 5 days or more.  Parents or carers may seek permission for extended leave for their child to travel during school term. Extended leave is considered to be 5 or more days during the school term for the purpose of a family holiday, family business, bereavement or other reasons.  Parents or carers should complete and submit the Application for Extended Leave prior to commencing leave.  If the leave is approved by Miss Meehan, parents should keep the approval with them when travelling.  You can find the application on the quick links section of the newsletter.

Reminder - Permissions

All notes for excursions and sporting events are entered into Compass as an event.  Compass event notifications are emailed automatically to parents when the event is published. Events are set up this way as it connects to the roll to ensure student attendance is marked correctly. Please  regularly check Compass for events and complete permissions as only students with permission for events/ excursions are able to attend. If at any time you have difficulties with Compass, please email the office and Mrs Imlach can assist you.  

Wishing you God’s Blessings, 

Jane Taylor

Assistant Principal