2024 Newsletter #08 May 8
Principal News
Dear St Paul’s families,
Welcome to this week’s news. We have been blessed with unusually warm days, however, the mornings and evenings are much cooler. It’s good to see the children wearing their jumpers and we often remind them to put them in their bags when they take them off. Unfortunately, that does not always happen, and the lost property box fills up quickly. It is so much easier to return lost property when the children have their clothing labelled. Please check to make sure their names are clearly visible.
As usual, schools are busy places, and this week is no exception.
WELCOME: A special St Paul’s welcome to Amber Thompson who is completing a 3rd year placement with us in F17. I am sure she will learn a lot of new skills and develop a better understanding of what is involved in teaching Foundation children.
GRIP LEADERSHIP: Today, our school leaders attended the student leadership conference at the Grand Hotel. It’s always a great day for the children to meet other primary school children who are leaders in their own schools and learn from each other. The children learn more about what it means to be a leader and how to lead.
MOTHERS’ DAY: This weekend is a very special weekend for our mums, grandmas, aunties and every woman who plays an important part in our children’s lives. We begin our Mothers’ Day celebrations with a special breakfast this Friday morning in the hall at 7.30am. This is followed by our whole school liturgy at 9.15am in the hall. You are all most welcome to attend and make this a special day.
GREAT MOSCOW EXTREME CIRCUS 17th - 26th May 2024 : This week I received some free passes for students to go to the circus. They will be handed out as extra prizes at this week’s assembly and one lucky student will win a family pass. Children must be present to receive the passes. Please note: All vouchers MUST be presented to the ticket office 48 hours prior to the performance.
DIOCESAN LEADERSHIP GATHERING: Tomorrow the principals across the Ballarat Diocese are meeting in Horsham to continue their work together on enhancing Catholic Education. Every term we meet and discuss, plan and focus on how we can make Catholic Education better for everyone.
ENROLMENTS: Enrolments are still open for 2025 and will close on 31st May 2024. Please make sure you have filled in the online application on our school website. Every year is different and enrolment numbers play a big part in our decision making when planning classes etc for the following year.
GOTCHA AWARDS- Congratulations to this week’s milestone achievers for following our school norms: Be Safe, Be Respectful and Be Your Best!
Bee Milestones - Luca McDonald, Joe Lloyd, Jeremiah Jayan, Oliver Angwin, Penelope Doecke, Will Buffon, Eternity Conquest, Jasper Trinh, Bruce Ratcliffe, Charlie Smith, Riley O’Callaghan, Jessica Allieu, Ava Fidura, Laura Cifra, Fletcher Carmichael, Olly Morton, Ella Garland, Max Millsteed, Lilly Hector, Archer Barlow, Clinton Rose, Hayden Rowe, Vincent Cricelli, Esta Pascale, Phillip Abucha, Amalia Roccisano, Kevin Norton, Alirah Jones, Lizbeth Mathew, Sophie McGregor, Aaliyah Windahl, Lilah Golding, Aeliyah Tabinas, Rosie Midgley, Sophia Crabtree, James Nadalo, Julian Thai, Taanuush Paul, Dhyan Sreeraj Nair, Baine Hateley, Gabb Yandan, Mason Roccisano, Jaren Echanes, Brayan Moolayil, Victoria Finocchiaro, Cohen Hateley, Harvey Heagerty, Angela Harris, Ky Ky Philp, Ellie Sexton, Asena Akkus, Fleur Gorringe, Angela Nguyen, Enrique Cinco, Alia Lijo, TJ Pham, Eseta Toutai, Mansirat Kaur, Jack Vea, Baran Rona, Mehar Atwal, Marley Lopez Bertalli, Yana Alofi, Lottie Moyle, Layla Powell, Francis Chan Za Hmung, Kimberly Dong, Addison Welsh, Liv Mackay, Fletcher Divola, Siena-Rose Sbaglia, Charlie Robinson, Yindi Lopez Bertalli, Samuel Laiju, Levi Hickey, Ira Janssen, Matthew Read, Reuben Allford, Aria Yates & Louis Nguyen
Hive Milestones - Jenny Tran, Zalee Le Poidevin, Faye Ratcliffe, Ariah Tickle, Harriet Gibson, Elih Groenen, Sylvia-Jade Simmons, Erica Ram, Lam Nguyen, Dan Boby, Treeza Jessil & Hayley Rowe
I hope you all have a great week and enjoy Mother's Day this weekend.
As always,
Keep the Faith
Vince Muscatello
Religious Education News
Mother's Day Mass
This Friday 10th May, we will be celebrating our special mothers, grandmothers and all special women in our lives with a Whole School Mass at 9.15am in our School Hall, following our Mother's Day Breakfast.
Thank-you to all families who have shared a lovely photograph of their child / children with their mother, grandmother or mother figure in their lives to be included in our photo reflection. Just a friendly reminder, if you haven't already done so, to please send your photo through to Mrs Blagus via email - mblagus@spmildura.catholic.edu.au by end of day today. It is greatly appreciated!
We look forward to celebrating just how loved and special you all are!
Attendance Update
School is about being part of a community, it is about supporting others and likewise, being supported. We all have an equal part to play – and no one can play our part like we do. Every student, every teacher and every parent. Whilst being at school is important for learning, it is so much more than this. Learning is not isolated to the classroom. It extends to every aspect and every interaction throughout the day.
Being at school on time and ready, helps to instill life-long patterns of responsibility that lead all the way into working life, well after school has finished.
When we appreciate that we are an integral part of the whole, in other words, we are all very needed – then the purpose of school, of being at school and of being ready and on time takes on a whole new meaning. It becomes more than just ticking a box!
- Did you know that poor attendance makes it difficult for students to form positive friendships with their peers?
- Did you know there is a direct link between attendance and achievement?
- Did you know missing one day of school each week adds up to 2 months missed over a year?
- When a student is late, they miss instructions and information and important learning situations.
- Being late can generate feelings of unsettlement and unhappiness for the rest of the day.
If we notice patterns of lateness or absence, we will be in touch to see how we can support and work together to ensure your child is getting the most out of their experience at school.
Congratulations to these students who have 100% attendance as at the end of April - Kyden Noble - F15, George Thomas - F15, Harry Traeger - F15, Jassi Benipal - F16, Olivia Smith - F16, Fletcher Carmichael - F17, Wernix Teoh - F17, Chimdindu Ilozue - J4, Aubree Carmichael -J5, Nicholas Cross - J5, Daisy Gibson - J5, Angela Nguyen - J5, Alirah Jones - J7, Rosie Midgley - J7, Esta Pascale - J8, Ashton McDonald - M1, Walter Divola - M2, Hannah Davies - M9, Darius Davis - M9, Mischa Pascale - M9, Asena Akkus - M10, Cienna Pascale - M10, Fletcher Divola - S11 & Jacob Echanes - S14
Senior Unit News
Assembly - S12 Presenting This Friday, S12 will be presenting an item at assembly. Please join us at 2:45pm in the Hall if you are able.
Chromebooks
A reminder that Chromebooks are to be charged every night ready to be used each day at school. Please ensure Chromebooks are packed in school bags ready to bring to school.
Interschool Sports - Senior Unit
Interschool Sports are kicking off this term in Weeks 5 and 7. Sports include Aussie Rules, Netball and Soccer. Teams have been selected. Please ensure you have given consent for these events on SIMON Everywhere APP.
A reminder that there is an Interschool Sport Player Conduct which must be met by students participating. This will be made available when teams are confirmed.
Foundation Unit News
Welcome to Week 4!
You may have noticed on the St Paul's Facebook page the children singing a "Tapping Song". The Foundation Unit have been implementing EFT - Emotional Freedom Techniques. EFT tapping focusses on tapping on the nine meridian points of the body to relieve symptoms of negative experience or emotion. It helps to restore balance to your body as well as to calm and regulate the central nervous system.
Tapping can be used when you are having a negative experience eg. feeling sad, angry, upset, frustrated, scared, worried, lonely. It can also be used to set yourself up for a positive day, by using positive words. Each morning the children begin the day with a tapping song that is specific for the day. The children have been enjoying beginning the day with a positive song about loving yourself and being kind and free.
We have also read some books about tapping. Hopefully children will be able to use their tapping skills they have learnt at school, to help with negative situations that may arise when they are not at school. So if you see your child "tapping" at home, that is a great opportunity to have a chat with them to find out more about it.
Junior Unit News
Inquisitive Unit: We have been busy learning all about Physical Sciences focusing on forces and energy. We commenced our learning by first understanding the difference between a push and pull. The students then began investigating the push and pull movements of everyday objects. The students have learned that pushes and pulls are called forces and that an object that is sitting still will stay still unless a force acts upon it. The students work scientifically by participating in a guided investigation using a force to move various objects and recording their results.
We need your help! In week 6, the Junior Unit students will be participating in a ‘Stem based’ activity. We are seeking recycled materials, eg: cardboard boxes, bottles, milk cartons etc. If you have any materials laying around, we would really appreciate it if you could bring it in to school. Thank you!
ANZAC Day Activity: On Wednesday the 24th of April, the students participated in an ANZAC Day activity. We started off by reading the book ‘My Grandad Marches on ANZAC Day’. From this, students sketched out a design of a soldier from the book. Using black charcoal, the students added extra details such as outlines and shading. They turned out absolutely fantastic!
Technology News
Term 2 got off to an energetic start in the Tech Room. Following the holidays, students quickly readapted to the familiar routines of our Tech space and have been highly engaged in their learning activities.
The Foundation students have been having a blast exploring patterns in data and expressing their discoveries through drawings, symbols, and diagrams. Lately, they've been showcasing their artistic talents by drawing pictures of their family members. Some even added a fun twist by incorporating their loved ones' hobbies and interests. For example, Kyden drew a lovely picture of his mom enjoying her time in the garden, and Nicholas depicted his dad flying a kite with gusto! 🪁🏡 #familydata
The Junior class has also been diving into data and information this week. They’ve used their fresh insights on numerical data representation to craft unique data bracelets. I wish I could share more, but let's just say there will be some delighted moms and special ladies come Sunday! 📊🎁💖 #MothersDaySurprise #DataArt
Did you know the Technologies subject is not just about working with and creating content for digital devices? There is a whole other side to the subject for students to develop knowledge and confidence to critically analyse and respond creatively to design challenges. The Design and Technologies strand of the curriculum teaches students how technologies can play a crucial role in both enriching and transforming societies, and in the management of natural and constructed environments.
The Middle Unit is venturing into the world of Design and Technology, starting with mastering some crucial vocabulary. They've been learning all about 'Materials,' 'Components,' 'Tools and Equipment,' and 'Systems.' Their latest challenge? Working in teams to match images with their functions or definitions. 🛠️🔧📚 #DesignTechExplorers #LearningIsFun
Like the middle unit, this term, the senior unit are learning from the Design and Technologies strand of the curriculum in Technologies.
Recently, students in 5/6 have been learning about sustainable farming practices and how technologies have played a role in increasing the sustainability of wool and cotton farming. One aspect of this was to analysing different soil types enabling students to determine which best retains moisture to reduce the water required to farm cotton. Students have then used that soil to plant, and fingers crossed, grow a cotton seed. Stay tuned for updates. We will let you know if we successfully grow some cotton! 🌱🌱 #sustainablefarming #farmingisfun
Hands Up Mallee
With the cooler weather now upon us, the UV rays are also dropping, which means that as of this coming Monday 13th May hats will become optional for students to wear. During these cooler months it is a great opportunity for students to get their required amount of vitamin D in a safe manner while the sun's UV rays are not too strong.
St Paul's History- The Early Years Ch.8
Chapter 8 - 1978
In March 1978, the teachers and parents were able to attend an in-service activity conducted by Dr Maurice Balson from Monash University. When speaking to the parents he gave some insights into reasons for children’s behaviour and strategies to eliminate misbehaviour. His message to the teachers could be summed up as:
“Every child can learn, every child will learn, but at a different rate”.
Following this, programs were investigated and later introduced on the language, mathematics, and perception skills areas, for which the children were tested and, depending on their results, were placed in teaching groups. The staff felt that this type of program could successfully meet the learning needs of the children and would utilize the open plan as it should be- children can assemble, be placed in groups, and go to a designated spot to work, easily and quickly. It was also felt that the children had reached the stage of psychological maturity that could cope with changes of teachers, without the behaviour problems that arose when this method of teaching was tried earlier in the school’s history.
In 1978, Stephen Seagrave accepted a position in a Melbourne school. This could have meant that the audio-visual program he initiated would not continue., but the staff decided that it should, though in a modified form. Subsequently, instruction was given to children in Grades 4 and 5 in the use of cassette recorders, overhead projectors, individual projects, and large projects with the aim of issuing “licences” as skills were learnt. Class lessons were taken with the junior grades to develop an awareness of the functions of the equipment. An innovations Grant of $1,000 was received to facilitate this work.
During the latter part of 1978, plans were drawn up for a further extension to the school, this time at the eastern end. This was financed by the Sacred Heart Parish and is a very valuable addition to the school. It is used as a resource room and a teaching area as required.
At the end of 1978, when the staff evaluated the year, it was thought that the school had achieved many of the aims it had set for the year and had developed an atmosphere of co-operation, consistency, acceptance and encouragement and it was a happy place to be in. Behaviour problems were less and the teamwork, security, and pride in the school, which had been lacking, were now in evidence. It was thought however that, in general, children were too reliant on teachers, and it was hoped that more independence could be encouraged.
Upcoming Event - Free Online Webinar
🌟 You won't want to miss this opportunity! If you're navigating the challenges of parenting in the digital age, with kids who use devices and the internet, we understand the struggle of managing their screen time and content. That’s why we’re excited to host Marty and Carley McGauran, a dynamic sibling duo and experts in their fields, who will guide you through the complexities of digital parenting.
Join us for a FREE webinar to gain valuable insights! Check out the details below to register.
📅 Can't make the live event? No worries! Register anyway, and you'll be sent an exclusive link to the recording afterward, so you can watch it at your convenience.
Parent Noticeboard
COMING UP- St Paul's Pyjama Day More info to come......
