Week 4 - Term 2 Newsletter 2022

Principal's Message

Dear Parents, 

Thankyou for another week of learning, whilst the current weather conditions continue to place implications on our outdoor options, I do need to commend our students and staff for their resilience and tolerance during this constant period of wet weather. Next week Year 5 & 6 head off for their Stage 3 Camp at Tyalgum Ridge & no doubt will be eager to explore and being active regardless of the weather forecast.

Principal Appraisal - rescheduled

Please be advised that unfortunately due to the impact of the recent floods, my Principals Appraisal which was originally scheduled in Term 1 was postponed.  This appraisal conducted by a panel from the Catholic Schools Office will now occur on Wednesday 8th June (Week 7).

This process which is part of my professional development and my contract of employment, is an important part of my leadership and I encourage as many families as possible to fill in the surveys that should have been re-shared last week as the feedback ascertained allows me to continue growing and developing as a school leader.

The panel would also like to interview a number of parents if possible on this date. If you are interested in being involved in this process please contact Mrs Bailey who is organising the schedule of the day on my behalf.

NAPLAN

I just wanted to acknowledge and thank our Year 3 and 5 students for their diligent approach last week as they completed their NAPLAN assessments. I, and their classroom teachers, made it clear to the students that these tests were merely an opportunity to showcase what they know and can demonstrate and what they can improve on. All students gave their best effort, which is all we ask, and handled the online format with ease. Due to being online we now seem to receive their results in a much more timely fashion and to use this data to further inform our teaching & learning in the classrooms.

Staffing Announcement

Please be advised that Mrs Kylie Johnson, who has been on leave this semester has decided to continue on leave for Term 3 & 4, with the intent to retire at the conclusion of the school year. Kylie has been a valuable and long serving staff member at St Joseph's and to say that she will be sorely missed is a massive understatement.

She has always put our students, staff and the whole school community first and her departure will leave a massive hole in our community. Towards the end of the year we will formally acknowledge Kylie for her service, passion and dedication to our school.

Mrs Amelia Bell who has being covering this position more recently, will continue at the Front Desk for the remainder of the School Year & I welcome her inclusion onto our school staff in a more permanent capacity.

NCCD - What is this?

Each year our school takes part in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). At the moment our school and classroom teachers are currently moderating and collaboratively working together to clarify what adjustments are being provided for our students. The NCCD is a collection that counts:

• the number of school students receiving an adjustment or ‘help’ due to disability
• the level of adjustment they are receiving to access education on the same basis as other students.

Students are counted in the NCCD if they receive ongoing adjustments at school due to disability. This ‘help’ allows them to access education on the same basis as a child without disability. The NCCD uses the definition of disability in the Disability Discrimination Act 1992.  In early August this information is provided to both the Catholic Schools Office and Catholic Schools NSW.  Please find attached below a Fact Sheet that explains this process in more detail. 

Have a lovely weekend.

Dale

Leaders of Learning

Learning in the Early Years

Each year, staff use student data to choose a focus for Professional Learning to improve student outcomes. In 2022, spelling is at the heart of our school improvement. All classes are using a commercial program called Sound Waves Spelling.  This is a whole-school systematic word study program that supports teachers in their whole-class spelling lessons. A significant portion of the instruction is dedicated to systematic synthetic phonics. So what is synthetic phonics? Synthetic phonics is a method of teaching where words are broken up into the smallest units of sound (phonemes). In the early years, we focus heavily on phonemic awareness (the ability to identify and manipulate individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken word) and gradually build in work on morphology (the study of words and their parts. Morphemes, like prefixes, suffixes and base words, are defined as the smallest meaningful units of meaning) and etymology (the study of the origin of words). 

What does this look like in class?

Kindergarten learn to identify sounds through the use of chants and actions. They begin to blend individual sounds together to create simple words. eg. bat, sam. They practise writing (encoding) and reading (decoding) sounds and words. Their understanding of how words work is developed through the reading of rich texts and this week they learnt that the word ‘fearless’, is made up of the base word ‘fear’ and the suffix -less, meaning without, meaning fearless means without fear.

Stage 1 - learn about vowel diagraphs, blends, plurals, compound words and homophones, just to mention a few! This week  Year 1 learnt that adding the suffix -ed to a word makes the word past tense, e.g. look, looked. Year 2 learnt that contractions are two words turned into one and that an apostrophe shows where the letter or letters have been left out, e.g. it and is = it’s, she and is = she’s, who has = who’s.

Mrs Bailey

Spelling in Primary

This year we are using Sound Waves Spelling resources to support our teaching of spelling across the whole school. Sound Waves Spelling covers the Australian Curriculum and aligns with current scientific evidence on how children best learn to spell and read.
In Sound Waves Spelling, children are gradually taught a range of skills and strategies that promote a deeper understanding of words and how they work. At the core of Sound Waves Spelling, children learn about speech sounds (phonemes) and the different letters (graphemes) that represent these sounds in writing. For example, children learn that the same sound is used at the start of the words cat, king and chemist, but that the sound can be represented in different ways (c, k or ch). As part of this learning, children are also taught to break words into individual sounds (a prerequisite for spelling) and blend sounds together to form words (a prerequisite for reading).
In addition, Sound Waves Spelling helps children understand the meaningful parts of words, such as prefixes, suffixes and roots. For example, they learn that the prefix re: means again in words such as replay, reheat and recycle.
Upper primary students also learn about where words come from to help them understand and remember unusual or complex words. For example, they learn that the words architect and orchestra originate from Greek. This layered and comprehensive approach sets students up for spelling success.
Each week your child will focus on one or two of the 43 sounds of Australian English known as ‘focus sounds’.  This week we have a photo of Kayla who managed to solve the spelling puzzle which proved to be quite a challenge for many students, but with great persistance, Kayla completed the task.

Mission & Values

Sacramental Program

Over the next few weeks, Caide Schylder will complete his first sacrament of Baptism. We wish Caide all the best and pray for him as he prepares for this Sacrament.

I would also like to wish Caide together with Marlie Cook, Jack Kirkland, Jacob McIntrye and Olivia McIntrye all the best as they prepare for their second sacrament of Confirmation. The candidates will be confirmed by Bishop Greg on Thursday, 30th June at St Mary’s Church, Maclean.

Retreats

The Year 6 Incitare retreat has been rescheduled for Week 6, Wednesday 1st June at McAuley Catholic College in Grafton. Students will need to bring lunch, snacks, water and wear their sports uniform or Year 6 shirt, hat and joggers.  Miss Zietsch will be supervising the students on the day. Students will travel by bus with students from St James, Yamba.

Mercy Value - Courage

To act with courage takes strength, resilience and often the right words. (Institute Mercy Ethos Office – Forming a Mercy Culture for the sake of God’s Mission)

Upstanders/Bystanders (Definition) - a person who speaks or acts in support of an individual or cause, particularly someone who intervenes on behalf of a person being attacked or bullied.

Last week, Stage 2 was learning about being an ‘Upstander’.  The students viewed some videos with tips and information and then they role-played what to do. They were sensational actors and have a clear understanding of what to do and say in 4 simple steps;

1. Be a buddy
2. Interrupt
3. Speak out
4. Tell an adult

Being an upstander definitely calls upon our Mercy Value of Courage and is recognised as one of the gifts given to us by the Holy Spirit.

Mrs Mullins

Class Awards

Our Principal's Award winners this week are:

• Kindy - Kingston Thoms
• Stage 1 -  Blake Hausler
• Stage 2 - Lily Hancock
• Year 5 -  Dayla Chapman
• Year 6 - Ethan McLean

Our Class Award winners this week are: 

Class News - Stage 1

In Stage 1 this term, we have been working hard!

In English, we have been exploring different types of texts and how they are written for certain purposes. We have been looking at the similarities and differences between fiction and non-fiction texts. We think it’s amazing how authors can hide facts in fiction texts! We have also been writing some amazing sentences, making sure we include all the essential parts of a sentence.

In Maths, we have been doing a lot of work on addition and subtraction and exploring different strategies. We have found our favourite strategies and are looking at quick and efficient ways to solve problems. We are realising that even though sometimes problems can look tricky, different strategies can help us solve them easily.

Miss Moore

School Sport

NSW Schools Cup and Netball Gala Day

Stage 2 and Stage 3 ventured down to the Maclean netball courts on Thursday 12th May to participate in the Lower Clarence Netball Gala Day (Stage 2) and NSW Schools Cup (Stage 3). The focus of the day was on participation and even the Stage 3 teams were in a competitive draw, students continued to play throughout the day regardless of results. The teams were split into pools and they played a round robin format with a switch over game with the corresponding team from the other pool at the end of the day. This ensured all students were on court throughout the whole day. 

It was great to see all of the students getting in there and doing their best regardless if they had played before or not. It was obvious that as the day went on students were developing their passing, communicating and team work skills. 

In the School State Cup we had two teams progress to the semi finals with one progressing to play Maclean Public School in the Final. Mr Randall reported, “We were in front for much of the game, until they scored a goal in the final seconds to pip us on the hooter.” Despite going down in the dying stages in the final, our team has progressed to the next level which will see them travel to Casino on 10th August to compete in the Far North Coast Regional Final Day. I would like to congratulate all students and staff for making this such a successful and enjoyable day for all. I would also like to wish our team good luck as they progress in the competition.

School Sport

Last Friday was the last day of our school basketball program and are now moving into our football (soccer) program for the rest of the term. A development officer from Football Australia will be attending the school to implement the program that will develop their skills and promote engagement in physical activity. Football has been very popular in the past and I am sure students will have a blast.

Mr Hitchings

Pastoral Care - School Counselor

BENEFITS OF BREATHING EXERCISES FOR KIDS

Breathing exercises are a coping tool to support relaxation and regulation.

WHAT IS DIAPHRAGMATIC BREATHING?

Diaphragmatic breathing, or belly breathing, are breathing exercises for reducing stress and anxiety and increasing positive thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. Diaphragmatic breathing triggers the parasympathetic nervous system to engage and respond. The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for calming you down. It opposes the “fight, flight or freeze” response of the sympathetic nervous system. 

How to use diaphragmatic breathing

• Start by taking a deep breath in through your nose and try to fill your lower belly with air. Think of pushing the belly button out. 

• The diaphragm muscle contracts when you breathe, but when you purposefully use your belly on your inhalation, the air can move deeper into the body. This increases the length of the diaphragm and the efficiency of respiration. 

• More carbon dioxide is released into the bloodstream, which is great for all parts of the body that thrive on CO2. 

• Full, deep breaths turn on the parasympathetic nervous system, which tells many parts of the body to calm down. 

• Because of its effects on the parasympathetic nervous system, diaphragmatic breathing stabilizes body temperature, heartbeat and blood pressure, and relaxes tense muscles.

• Now that you are calm, you are more able to regulate your emotions, attend to difficult tasks, and be more present.

Visit https://www.theottoolbox.com/breathing-exercises-for-kids/ to find the above exercise and many more stress and anxiety reduction techniques.

Kate Naylor – School Counsellor & Art Therapist

Parent Forum

Parent Forum News

The Parent Forum met on the 10th of May in the school library. It was lovely to have some new faces along and special guest Skye Pullen attend. Skye is the Family Connect Worker and is a valuable resource to have at our school. Skye can connect families with a wide range of services in the broader community. Skye has a wealth of knowledge regarding parenting skills and strategies and the Parent Forum will be working with Skye to provide opportunities for workshops later in the year.

Due to the Chairperson role of the Parent Forum becoming vacant nominations for the Chairperson were sought at the meeting. Lauren Kirkland was nominated and accepted the role of Chairperson. Lauren had previously been Secretary and Rebecca Upston was nominated and accepted the role of Secretary.

The Parish Representative and Parent Assembly roles are still vacant on the committee, if you are interested or would like more information about these roles please contact Dale.

The Parent Forum aims to provide a social event to get parents in our school together once per term. We hope that everyone enjoyed the Silent Disco last term! 

We are looking to host a Paint and Sip evening in Term two. The children will be involved in an Art Show at the end of the term and we figure that they shouldn't get to have all the fun! 

We are seeking Expressions of Interest for this event so that we can gauge how many parents would like to attend. There will be a survey sent out via compass next Monday, so please register your interest if you think you would like to attend.

Lastly, please don't hesitate to get in touch with your year level representative if you would like anything raised at the next meeting. Perhaps you have some amazing ideas for us but can't attend the meetings. You can contact Lauren Kirkland, Chairperson, via email on lozzacdk@gmail.com 

The next Parent Forum meeting will be held on Tuesday 2nd August at 5pm in the library- all parents are welcome to attend.

The Parent Forum Team

Library News

Next week we will celebrate National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) in the library. This is an Australia-wide group reading and literacy event where schools, libraries and other institutions gather school-aged children together to read the same chosen picture book at the same time. Now in its 22nd year, the NSS promotes Australian authors and publishers. This year's book is The Family Tree by Josh Pike and Ronojoy Ghosh, and students are invited to eat their lunch in the library on Wednesday to partake in this year's event. We’ll also have a bag of popcorn each for the kids to enjoy. 

Issue 4 Book Club was sent home with students this afternoon. Scholastic Book Club operates twice a term and ordering is easy via the LOOP platform for parents or the LOOP app. I would like to say a big thanks to families purchasing books through Book Club, as each order helps earn free books and teaching materials for our library and classrooms, however there is never any obligation to order. 

If you don’t like to read, you haven't found the right book. J.K Rowling 

Mrs Waghorn

Community Notices