13th September 2019

Dear Parents and Carers

With the implementation of new school expectations there are some wonderful rewards (congratulations to 3 Gold who had the most PAWS tokens the last two weeks.) One of the key messages that PBL (Positive Behaviour for Learning) has for teachers and parents is consistency of behaviour expectations. Not accepting  a behavior one day and then letting it go the next or dad and mum having different behavioural expectations, or teachers in class and on the playground having different behavioural expectations. We are striving to be consistent with our expectations for all teachers, in all settings at the school. This gives children a greater sense of stability and safety when they know exactly what to expect if they fulfil behaviour expectations and when they don’t. The consistency message was in a good article on parenting I read during the week. linked here  It also reminded us that we can’t all be perfect parents!

Congratulations to our Netballers who attended the Catholic Netball Gala day in Penrith this week. Thank you to Mr de Villiers who arranged the trip in association with our Netball Club. At Wednesday’s assembly the Club awarded the final trophies and thanked all the volunteer managers and coaches for their help during the season. A very big thank you to Andrea Agar and Cathy Davis who will step down from their positions as netball administrators for the sports club.

Thank you to the members of the P and F who attended the meeting this week. We discussed fundraising options and plans for 2020 and met our new Canteen provider Anastasia Mirinova from Cafe Cammeray. In our next newsletter we will provide the new menu available from Term 4. The Flexischools App will still be used to order lunches.  

Thanks to the teachers and staff members who organsied the ICAS and Naplan Readiness tests this week. The ICAS tests went online this year and that placed an extra burden of work on the organisers within the school. Many thanks to Mrs Kelly for her work in ensuring students were able to sit for the papers they chose. We have given feedback to ICAS that the increased workload is an unacceptable burden for such a very small part of our work. 

Year 3 and 5 students  sat an online test provided by NESA to see if our technological capabilities were up to standard for Naplan to go online. Thank you to Mr Brierley, Sam our ICT technician and the Year 3 and 5 teachers who dealt with this task

Repeated Advice:  as some of our classes have up to 10 children away sick per day as well as a large number of teachers who have been and are ill.

There have been a number of cases of Influenza A and B in the school as well as a large number of children with the stomach “bug”. Please keep children home if they are showing any of these symptoms. It helps a great deal if we have all parents contact details up to date at all times. Please encourage good hand washing hygiene with your children. Infection rates and fact sheet link.

Congratulations to our students who will make their First Holy Communion this weekend. Thank you to the teachers, parents and the parish leaders who have walked with you on this journey.

The next newsletter will be sent out on Wednesday the 25th September. In 4th Term we will trial sending the newsletter out on Wednesdays in the hope of getting better readership and coverage for our events. 

Upcoming dates:

• Blue Awards  - Friday 20th September at 8.40am - coffee cart is back!
• Kinder Excursion - Monday 23rd September
• Year 5 excursion - Tuesday 24th September
• Sports Club Meeting - Wednesday 25th September at 7.00pm
• Ice block Friday - Friday 20th and Friday 27th September - Remember Gold Coin donation
• Teddy Bears Picnic - Friday 27th September - Remember Gold Coin donation for Sports Fundraiser

Pop-Up Uniform Shop by Cowan and Lewis will take place for Summer Uniforms on Tuesday 17th September from 8.00am till 9.30am in the Undercroft.
They will have Eftpos facilities.

Student's last day at school for Term 3 is Friday 27th September. Please note that Monday 14th October is a pupil free day and student's first day of Term 4 is Tuesday 15th October.  

Regards

Julie Caldwell