newsletter term 1 week 2 february 12 2015 prinipals … · st paul’s primary school, mt lawley -...

ST PAUL’S PRIMARY SCHOOL, MT LAWLEY - FROM DARKNESS INTO LIGHT - 1

NEWSLETTER TERM 1 WEEK 2 February 12 2015

PRINCIPAL’S PERSPECTIVE

Dear Members of the St Paul’s Community P&F Welcoming Sundowner You are all invited to the P&F Family Sundowner at St Paul’s on Sunday 15 February from 4.00-6.00pm, to welcome all families to the new school year. Come along and enjoy a Sausage Sizzle and disco dancing, with music provided by a DJ, while getting to know the other families in the school community. (Please note, that this event has been rescheduled from Friday 13 February to Sunday the 15th, as the Parish is using the Barbier Hall for Masses every weekday and weekends for the next 4 to 6 weeks, while the Church roof is being replaced). P&F Meeting The first P&F meeting this year will take place tomorrow, Friday 13 February at 9.30am, after the school assembly in the Barbier Hall. All parents, both new and old, are warmly invited to attend. Please come along, meet other parents and get involved in the many worthwhile projects around the school. Parent Information Night The Parent Information Night will be held next Tuesday 17 February, commencing at 6.45pm in the Barbier Hall, with a general address and introduction to the staff. We will then break into class groups and the teachers will run two identical 30-minute sessions in their classrooms, so that parents with more than one child can attend two different class sessions. (Parents with more than two children may need to schedule another time to meet with the class teacher). It is most important that at least one parent from each family attends these meetings, as it is an ideal time to meet the teacher and set expectations for the rest of your child’s year at school. St Paul’s / Mulberry Tree After School Care Centre This year we are continuing the arrangement with Mulberry Tree to run after school day care each school day after school until 6.00pm in the Barbier Hall. Despite having this facility in operation for a year now, we still find that some children are left sitting on the bench outside the office waiting for their parents to pick them up well after 3.30pm. Please note that children who are regularly left at school after 3.30pm will be taken to the after school care area to be looked after by the Mulberry Tree staff and parents will be charged fees for that day. Condolences Our thoughts and prayers are with the Myles family, Helen and Luke, Georgina (PP) Emma and William on the recent loss of Helen’s father. May happy memories give you some comfort at this sad time. Have a happy Valentine’s Day on Saturday!

Joanna Noonan PRINCIPAL

St Paul’s Primary School is committed to Christ-centred education, inspired by the vision of the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions and the teachings of St Paul, empow-ering us to seek the truth and grow in knowledge from darkness into the light of Christ.

OUR VISION STATEMENT

Valentine Prayer

REFLECTION


FEBRUARY

Fri 13 Assembly Yr 5

P&F meeting 9:30am

Sun 15 P&F Welcome Sundowner

4-6pm

Tue 17 Class Prayer Yr 5

Parent Info night 6:45pm PP-Yr6

Wed 18 Mass 3-6 Ash Wednesday

10am

Thur 19 All Sacraments Parent Meeting 6:45pm

WEEK AT A GLANCE

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Happy Birthday to the following students who celebrate their birthdays this week . April Cue

Daniel MacRae

Patrick Townsend

Marcus Muccilli

Ash Wednesday Mass

The students from Year 3-6 will attend Mass at 10.00am in the Barbier Hall on

Wednesday 18 February to celebrate the beginning of Lent. This is a Holy Day of

Obligation and also a day of abstinence. Ashes will be distributed to the students in

Years 1 & 2 at 11:20am and Kindy & Pre Primary at 11:40am. It would be wonderful to

see many parents come along and be part of this special day.

SACRAMENTAL PROGRAMME

St Paul’s Parish ‘All Sacraments’ Parent Information Meeting

Fr Timothy Deeter will be presenting St Paul’s Parish ‘All Sacraments’ Parent

Information Meeting next Thursday 19 February, at 6.45pm in the Barbier Hall. Please

remember that it is compulsory for parents of children in Years 3, 4 and 6 preparing to

receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation, Eucharist and Confirmation to attend this

parish sacramental meeting.

St Paul’s Parish ‘All Sacraments’ Commitment Masses

On Saturday 21 February at 6.00pm and Sunday 22 February at 8.00am and 9.30am,

there will be the Sacramental Commitment Masses. The Masses will be held in the

school’s Barbier Hall, as the Church is closed for renovations. Parents and Candidates

receiving one of the sacraments must attend one of the Masses at the above times.

This is a commitment in preparing for the sacrament during the year and also an

opportunity for the community to pray for these students and their families. The

children love signing the Commitment Register on the altar during these special

Masses.

Parish / School Mass

On Sunday 15 February, our Year 5 students and parents will be hosting the 9:30am

Mass (Barbier Hall) and morning tea. These Masses are always a happy occasion and all

are warmly invited to attend.

UPCOMING EVENTS Monday 16 February 8.45am Prayer Assembly Years 1-6 (Yr 3)

Tuesday 17 February 9.00am Class Prayer (Year 2)

Wednesday 18 February 10.00am Ash Wednesday Mass (Year 3-6)

Distribution of Ashes 11:20am Yrs 1 & 2

Distribution of Ashes 11:40am Kindy & Pre Primary

Thursday 19 February 6.45pm All Sacraments Parent Meeting

Saturday/Sunday 21-22 February Sacramental Commitment Masses

Mac Callisto and Jesse Yock ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS

RELIGION NEWS

HONOUR CERTIFICATES

Yr 1 Charlotte Loader

Jacob Borck

Yr 2 Zachariah Dechan

Anna Salfinger

Yr 3 Jessica Bruining

Bella Huby

Yr 4 Imogen Giumelli

Aidan Sack

Yr 5 Alexander Dowling

Sophie Gregory

Yr 6 Isabella Bruining

Jonathan Slater


ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL NEWS

School Fees—Health Care Card 2015 School fee accounts will be issued shortly. I remind families wishing to claim the Health Care or concession card discount that they need to call in at the office to complete the appropriate form and produce a current card.

Please note a new form must be completed at the start of the year. Details must be received by Monday 16 February 2015 to obtain the discount. Please contact the Bursar, Mrs Virginia Thomas on 9271 8593 if you have any questions.

SMART WORDS SPELLING PROGRAM - PARENT INFORMATION SESSION The Smart Words Word Study Program Parent Information Session will be held on the 25th February at

6.45pm in the Barbier Hall. Facilitator, Julie Bradley, will introduce this universal program that teaches the

knowledge and strategies needed to spell quickly and accurately at the child's level. It incorporates under-

standing morphology, spelling rules and grammar. Smart Words is a multi-faceted approach to spelling

that recognises the reasoning of sound representations in words. Strong auditory, visual and motor skills

are emphasised throughout the program. Students are grouped to work at their level of understanding.

Julie will share with us the tips and tricks to make spelling easy. Be surprised at how much you can improve

your own spelling in one hour and find out how you can help your child.

“Testimonial:

“These books are fantastic. My son worked on Books C D E F last year. He has improved so much. He was recently tested at school and was put on book H so something is sticking. Can't thank you enough. It's a truly great way for kids to improve.” Kylie Bone, 3 February, 2015 (Parent)

PARENT INFORMATION NIGHT Pre Primary –Year 6

Don’t forget that the Parent Information Night will be held next Tuesday, 17 February, commencing at

6.45pm in the Barbier Hall, with a general address and introduction to the staff. We will then break into

class groups and the teachers will run two identical 30-minute sessions in their classrooms, so that parents

with more than one child can attend two different class sessions. (Parents with more than two children will

need to make another time to meet with their class teacher).

Mac Callisto and Jesse Yock

ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS

OFFICE NEWS


PARISH NEWS

ST PAUL’S PARISH ALTAR SERVER ROSTER

14 & 15 FEBRUARY 2015

6pm Mass 8am Mass 9:30am Mass

H Fletcher M Yozzi N Campagna

J Fletcher N Yozzi S Solitario

N Panton T Yozzi C Solitario

P & F NEWS

LUNCH ORDER NEWS

LUNCH ORDER ROSTER FOR NEXT WEEK:

Monday Feb 16 Suzanne Woods

Wednesday Feb 18 Lina Coletti

Friday Feb 20 Kylie Taylor


IT NEWS

WELCOME TO THE I.T ZONE!

This week staff received professional development on the new Google Apps for Education (GAFE).

With each class setting up their own interactive class communication page, parents will be able to

keep up-to-date with what’s happening in their child’s classroom. Google Apps has already begun to

be implemented in the upper years teaching and learning programs and promises to be an exciting

and engaging way for students to further their learning. Ipads are also being assigned and handed out

to classes with the new ‘Meraki’ program allowing teachers to select what apps they want and having

them virtually imported onto each class ipad. Sounds cool right? Stay tuned for

weekly updates and information in the new I.T. Zone.

Mr Jesse Yock

HEALTH NEWS

Welcome back to the new School Year. I hope you all enjoyed a safe and restful holiday. My name is Sally

Steffanoni and I am St Paul’s P.S. Community Nurse. The School Health Service aims to promote healthy

development and wellbeing so students may reach their full potential. All children are offered a health

assessment before the end of their first year of Primary School but preferably during their Kindergarten

Year. This includes a vision and hearing screen and if needed speech, language and a general developmental

assessment. I am also able to do health assessments, vision and hearing on any other student that parents

are concerned about. Parents will need to fill in a consent form available from administration.

I also work with teachers to support health education sessions. I am available to provide information and

support to students (and their families) to help them make informed decisions about their health, wellbeing

and development and if required refer students to another health professional.

As I am the Community Nurse for several Schools I don’t have a consistent day I will be on site at St Paul’s

Primary School. However I can be contacted on 93457132 or via email on

[email protected]. I am available on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays. Please don’t

hesitate to contact me with any request for information or concerns.

Sally Steffanoni

COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSE

LIBRARY NEWS

Scholastic Book Club will go home with your children tomorrow.

All orders are due in NEXT FRIDAY 20th FEBRUARY BEFORE 9 AM.

No late orders will be accepted.

mailto:[email protected]


CLASS NEWS

KINDY

This term in Kindy our theme is ‘All About Me’ and ‘Under The Sea’. We will explore how we are different and unique,

whilst also learning about all our body parts and how they work. The other theme we will explore is all about the sea. We

will see what lives under the sea and find out more about the sea animals and plants who live there. We will integrate

both of these themes with all the learning areas, such as Religion, English, Numeracy, Arts, Science, History and Health.

We will learn songs using our body parts and also learn some dances. Some of the games we will play will help teach us

to share with others and take turns. We will work together in our Kindy as a team and learn to cooperate and follow

routines. Kindy will be lots of fun!!!!

PRE-PRIMARY

Welcome to a FUN-FILLED Term in Pre-Primary. We feel as if we are BIG KIDS this year as we are at Pre-Primary every day

and we are wearing a uniform.

We are going to be doing wonderful activities based around the theme of ME. This theme is also covered in our Religious

Education topics of ‘Special Me’ and ‘Me and My Body’. We will be looking at ‘Senses ‘and an integration of colour using

primary and secondary colours.

In LITERACY, our focus will be on concepts of print, rhyme, oral stories, alphabet, visual/auditory discrimination, printing

of our name and alphabet.

In NUMERACY, our focus will be numbers 0-10. This will involve: number recognition, 1:1 correspondence, counting,

sequencing, number printing,SHAPES-2D and making patterns.

Please come on roster and be part of our EXCITING LEARNING JOURNEY!

YEAR ONE

What an adventure we are having here in Year One! The children are all looking super smart in their uniforms and they

have settled quickly in the ‘big school’ routine.

On the first day of school, we read ‘The Kissing Hand’ by Audrey Penn. In this story, Chester Raccoon is nervous about his

first day of school. To comfort him, Mrs. Raccoon kisses the palm of Chester’s hand, telling him that he can always hold

onto her kiss, even when they are apart. We made special handprints for our parents to help ease the nerves about

starting Year One!

We have lots of learning to cover this term. In Religious Education, we have begun to explore how Jesus’ story teaches

people about new life and we are looking at ways people can live as friends, loving and caring for each other. In English,

we have started our daily writing and we are looking forward to watching our writing improve. As part of our number and

place value work, we are counting each day until we get to 100 days of school. We are going to celebrate our hundredth

day at school by doing lots of fun learning activities and we can’t wait!

While we are enjoying playing ‘olden days’ in the hall, we are very much looking forward to moving into our new

classroom. It is going to be so exciting to make it our own!


CLASS NEWS

YEAR TWO

Hi everyone and welcome back to the new school year. I hope you had a fantastic holiday and that you are well

rested for an exciting year ahead. This will be a positive year for your child as we build on the past successes and learn

new things in Year 2.We are so blessed to have Mrs Miller as our Education Assistant this year and she is very excited to

work with you.

Our theme for this term is The Ocean. As you know the Year 2’s are very talented so you will see many beautiful

art pieces based on our theme throughout the classroom. We will be working closely with the Year 1 class in Technology

and Enterprise, where we will be creating sculptures just like they do in the Sculptures by the Sea event in Cottesloe,

HOW EXCITING! Towards the end of the term we hopefully will be going on a wonderful excursion with the Year 1 class

based on our theme but I’ll keep that as a secret for now.

Spelling will be taught every morning for 20 minutes with our new Smart Words program. Literacy groups will

commence next week with parent helpers from Tues-Friday, where we will be focusing on comprehension, editing skills,

reading and writing. During this term our writing focus is on recounts and narratives. Our emphasis in Maths will be

numbers to 100, addition, subtraction and time. We are covering two units in RE which are ‘Gathered Together’ and ‘Just

Like Jesus’ and I hope you will attend the Year 2 class prayer so that the children can demonstrate their learnings. I hope

that your child enjoys the new challenges and approaches to learning that Year 2 has to offer!

YEAR THREE

Greetings! We are all so excited to be back at school in Year 3 after a wonderful holiday and we hope that you had a

fantastic holiday too. We are also very excited about our new classroom filled with beautiful, new furniture so make sure

you all come and visit us sometime!

Now let us tell you a little bit about our exciting term to come. This term we will all be reaching for the stars by learning

lots of different things like ‘Speaking from the Heart’ in Religion, National and International Celebrations in History,

interesting ways of using numbers in Maths, learning how to write out-of-this-world narratives in English, and the list

goes on!

Make sure you stay tuned on our Year 3 Webpage for the next edition of our classroom news, which we can assure you

will be a beauty! We hope you all have a terrific week.

YEAR FOUR

Welcome to Year 4. I hope you've had a lovely restful break and are refreshed and recharged to tackle the new school

year.

Our class theme for the term will be linked closely to our History and Geography unit entitled, “First Contacts” which is

about Australian Colonies and Settlers and is aligned with the National Curriculum. We will be learning about Indigenous

cultures and history, and later on, about explorers and navigators.

In Literacy, our writing focuses will be on persuasive texts and letter writing. In Spelling, we will be using the SMART

Words program which is being implemented across the school, and our daily Literacy rotations will be based on

comprehension, reading, language conventions and handwriting. In Mathematics, our focus will be on times tables, basic

operations, measurement and place value.

In Religion, we will be completing the two of the CEO’s Units of Work: “The Spirit Who Strengthens” and "All Powerful

God". The former begins with discovering and identifying different kinds of emotions, and working out if what emotions

tell us is true. It then explores how Jesus expressed his emotions in loving ways, and further, that he promised the Holy

Spirit to help his followers love like him. The children will describe how the world would be different if all people believed

and could draw on the strength of the Holy Spirit to love like Jesus. "All Powerful God" is about appreciating God the

creator of all life and things. The children learn to respect all life and peoples, and wonder about all of God's creations.

We're looking forward to a great term!


CLASS NEWS

YEAR FIVE

What an amazing start we have had to the new school year. We may be small in numbers but the students have already

demonstrated huge amounts of initiative, positive energy, inquiry and motivation.

Over the course of this term our Year 5:

Theological scholars will complete two units on Lent / Easter and the Church.

Writers will have an opportunity grow and blossom, with a focus on narrative and persuasive writing.

Readers will expand their minds and comprehension skills through group reading activities in our learning pod.

Mathematicians will discover new patterns, concepts and problem solving strategies in place value, common and

equivalent fractions, solving algorithms, time, measurement of length, weight and area, 2D shapes, and chance events.

Historians will focus their attention on colonial Australia in the 1800’s.

Scientist will learning about how light from a source forms shadows and can be absorbed, reflected and refracted.

Artists will enjoy working with a variety of medium to express their ideas.

Computing engineers will use technology to create new works and ideas.

The students will work individually, collaboratively in groups and cooperatively with our Year 4 and 6 students. Our

classroom is a hive of students who are discovering the joys and wonders of words, number and information.

Over the next few weeks the students will be given the opportunity to shine by hosting the following events: Masses,

Assembly and Class Prayer. We look forward to seeing as many family and friends joining us for these celebrations.

YEAR SIX

Welcome back to what is shaping up to be a very busy term in Year 6! We’re all eagerly counting down the days until

Camp in Week 8, where we will challenge ourselves and create memories that will stay with us forever. Term 1 will also

see us preparing ourselves to receive the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit through the Sacrament of Confirmation.

During our Numeracy Dedicated Time our focus is on Orders of Operations and Mental Computation, while our Literacy

focus continues to include the new Smart Words program, Grammar and Recount Writing. We are also examining what

it means to be a leader at St Paul’s by examining the qualities of famous leaders and comparing them to our own. Get

ready for an exciting year.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

This term the Kindy and Pre Primary students will be working on their fundamental movement skills. They will explore

movement within games and along to music. As they get used to working safely with equipment on their own, they will

progress to working with a partner and in small groups.

The Year One and Two students will apply their movement and object control skills within group games and small team

challenges. They will familiarise themselves with a range of equipment and be allowed many opportunities to practise a

range of object and body control skills.

The Year Three and Four students will play a range of team games including sofcrosse and cricket. They will practise the

skills within these games in a range of fun activities and then apply them within modified games.

The Year Five and Six students will focus on modified sports including tee-ball and Ultimate Frisbee. They will examine

the importance of rules within sport and be encouraged to modify these sports to ensure maximum participation and

enjoyment for all players.

LIBRARY

This term we will be running “The Great Picture Book Challenge”. Please encourage your children to take part in this

wonderful opportunity to be creative as they write and illustrate their own picture books. There are many prizes to be

won! See the flyer attached and if you have any further questions please see me in the Library.

Entries must be handed in to the library and close Friday 6th March. Winners will be announced at the assembly on

Friday 13 March.


PE NEWS

SWIMMING TRAINING

We will commence Swimming Club for children in Years 3-6 next week, Thursday 19 February at Beatty Park Pool between 7:30am and 8am. The dates for Swimming Club will be: Thursday 19 February, Thursday 26 February, Thursday 5 March, Thursday 19 March, and Thursday 26 April. There will be a cost of $4:50 per training session, to be paid at the gate. Parents will need to wait or come back for their children to take them to school. Everyone is welcome to attend these sessions. Children who make the interschool squad are strongly encouraged to attend the final two training sessions to practise starts and relay changeovers prior to the interschool carnival. I will require confirmation of attendance to ensure we have enough supervision at the pool. Any help from parents would be much appreciated. We are required to have a minimum of 10 participants to be granted lane allocation at the pool. My email address is [email protected] St Paul’s Swimming Carnival will be held at Belmont Oasis Pool on Wednesday 11 March 2015 10am-2pm The Interschool Swimming Carnival will be held at Challenge Stadium on Monday 30 March 2015 A letter will be coming home soon where children can nominate for events for the Faction Swimming Carnival. Please look carefully at the form to make sure your child is capable of the events nominated. Rebecca Menzies PHYSICAL EDUCATION SPECIALIST

COMMUNITY NEWS

Keyed Up Music will be running guitar, piano, violin, flute and clarinet lessons after school at St Paul’s in term 1. Prices start from $15.45 plus gst for a group lesson. To enrol, go to www.keyedupmusic.com.au/enrolments.html or ring Therese on 1300 366 243 with any queries.

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.keyedupmusic.com.au/enrolments.html


CLASS NEWS

Year 4-6 Parents

The Primary School Challenge is open to students in NSW, VIC, QLD, SA and WA in years 4-7 or aged 9-13

years. Students are asked to watch Australia: The Story of Us on Sunday nights starting 15 February 8.30pm,

then answer the week’s corresponding quiz questions at school during the week. Any students who miss the

episode will have the chance to watch it again in class. There will be 10 student questions each week, either

multiple choice or True/False, plus a bonus question.

St Paul’s Primary School has chosen to participate in this worthwhile competition and we ask that parents

sign up with their children at the following web address: https://au.tv.yahoo.com/the-story-of-us/quiz/

• Students will register their school to start the quiz. A parent/guardian must register and consent at the

same time

• The more students from the eligible grades who participate, the more chance the school has of qualifying

for the $10,000 grant

• Schools will accumulate points based on student engagement as well as correct answers.

• Finalist schools will be contacted by mid April 2015 and the Principal or an elected school representative

will be asked to submit a short response outlining how the school would use the $10,000 grant.

The Primary School Challenge starts 15 February at 8.30pm. Get excited! Please see your child’s class teacher should you require any further information.

Kind regards,

Year 4-6 Teachers

https://au.tv.yahoo.com/the-story-of-us/quiz/


LIBRARY NEWS


ST PAUL’S PRIMARY SCHOOL | TERM ONE 2015 PARENT CALENDAR

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SAT/SUN

Jan 26-Feb 1

26

27

28

29

Teachers commence

30

31/1

1

Feb 2-8

2

Students commence

Prayer Assembly 8:45am

3

4

5

Whole School Opening Mass 9:15am

Kindy Information night 5:45pm

6

7/8

2

Feb 9-15

9


10

Class Prayer 9:00am Year 4

11

12

Mass 9:15am

13

Assembly Year 5

P&F Meeting 9.30am

Barbier Hall

14/15

Valentine’s Day

P&F Family

Welcoming Sundowner 4-6pm

3

Feb 16-22

16


17


2015 Parent Infor-mation Night 6:45pm

Pre Primary – Year 6

18

Ash Wednesday Mass 10:00am (Year 3-6)

11:20 Distribution of Ashes (Year 1-2)

11:40 Distribution of Ashes (Kindy & Pre Primary)

19

No Mass

All Sacraments parent meeting 6:45pm

20

21/22

Sacramental Commitment Masses

Parish Mass 9:30am

Year 5

4

Feb 23-Mar

1

23


24 Class Prayer 9:00am Year 3

School Nurse visit for Kindy parents 9am

Board Meeting 6.30pm

25

Spelling ‘Smart Words’ Parent Information Night 6.45pm-7.30pm

26

Mass 9:15am

27

Assembly Year 2

28/1

5

Mar 2-8

2

Public holiday

3


4

5

Mass 9:15am

6

7/8

6

Mar 9-15

9


10


11 School Swimming

Carnival 10am-2pm

Belmont Oasis

12

Communal

Reconciliation

13 Assembly Year 6

P&F Meeting 9.30am

Barbier Hall

14/15

7

Mar 16-22

16


17

St Patrick’s Day


18 19

Mass 9:15am

20

Harmony Day

21/22

Parish Mass

9:30am

Year 6

8

Mar 23-29

23


24

Class Prayer 9:00am

Pre-Primary

Board Meeting 6.30pm

25

YEAR 6 CAMP

26

Annunciation Mass 9:15am

YEAR 6 CAMP

27

Assembly Year 1

YEAR 6 CAMP

28/29

Palm Sunday

9

Mar 30-Apr

5

Holy Week

30


Interschool Swimming Carnival

(Challenge Stadium)

Parent Teacher Inter-views 3:30-6:30pm

31

Holy Week Reflection Palm Sunday


1

Holy Week Reflection

Holy Thursday


2

Holy Thursday

Stations of the Cross and Benediction

Year 1-6

Term 1 concludes

3

Good Friday

4/5

newsletter term 1 week 2 february 12 2015 prinipals … · st paul’s primary school, mt lawley -...

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