Newsletter #22 August 4
Principal's News
Dear St Paul's families,
Welcome to this week's news. I was looking at our school calendar this morning and I was wondering if 2021 will be remembered as the year of postponement. At the moment it seems that is what we have been doing on a regular basis. Hopefully, our circumstances can change sooner rather than later and we have the opportunity to participate in our school based events more regularly.
FLYING START: We were hoping to host the Flying Start program for our 2022 Foundation enrolments. Once the restrictions have eased we will be in a better position to look at what we can offer.
BABY NEWS: Although some things can be postponed , others can definitely not. I am very excited to share the wonderful news that Mrs Powell from J5 has delivered two beautiful little boys last week. Edwin and Albert are doing very well and both Ms Jess and her husband, Chris, are over the moon! But wait, there's more! Congratulations to Mrs Bec Stevenson, in J4, who has announced that her family is growing again. Yes, you heard that right, another staff baby on the way. I think that is staff baby number 30 since I began at St Paul's. I've lost count.
MARY MACKILLOP: This Friday, we celebrate the feast day of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop. The children will be celebrating via a virtual liturgy in their classrooms. Saint Mary is our first patron saint of Australia. Mary founded the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart (the Josephites) and established a number of schools and welfare institutions across Australia and New Zealand, with an emphasis on education for the rural poor.
WORK PLACEMENT: Welcome to Kirrily Parfrey who will be completing a placement in F15 as a part of her studies over the next three weeks. I am sure she will enjoy her time in Foundation and will gain valuable insights into teaching and learning at St Paul's.
Congratulations to this week's milestone achievers for following our norms.
BEE MILESTONE: Ruby Slimmon, Harry Williams, Denim Humphrey, Jett Johnson, Amir Al Kragoli, Hasan Al Kragoli, Niro Arden, Lilliana Bush, Hannah Davies, Gianluca Dimasi,
HIVE MILESTONE: Jett Yates, Naomi Havea, Mike Hogan, Christian Hunt, Fetongi Latukefu, Charlene Lion, Jacob Metcalf, Jontae Moraitis, Faye Ratcliffe, Felix Blanchard, Harrison Burns, Eternity Conquest, Ava Gemits
Please remember, if you are entering the school buildings, you must sign in using the QR Code provided and wear a mask. There are regulations in place that are mandatory for schools to follow. Please support us in this.
As always,
Keep the Faith
Vince Muscatello
Foundation Unit News
New take home books
We are super excited to have the new decodable texts ready to go home for the children to read to their parents each night. They are wonderful books that your child will be able to read by decoding the text inside. We ask that you please take the time to listen to your child read every night to help develop their reading ability and their love of reading.
The books are designed to match your child's developing knowledge of phonics (the sounds letters make). The decodable readers have been carefully designed to incorporate the development of phonemic awareness, phonics, comprehension, vocabulary and fluency. Children will love getting to know Nat and her Aussie pals as they travel and explore Australia.
Below are images of what the books look like. Inside the front cover are some ideas to do before your child reads the text. It also has a list of the phonemes and the sight words that will appear in the book. The phonemes and sight words will also appear on the back cover. It is very beneficial to go through these first to ensure your child is familiar with all of the sounds and tricky words they will encounter in the book before trying to read it. On the inside back cover are some comprehension questions you can ask your child after reading the text to see if they are understanding what they are reading.
If you would like some more information about decodable texts and their place in the curriculum, please see your child's teacher for an information brochure from Decodable Readers Australia.
Junior Unit News
Hi Junior Unit families, welcome to Week 4!
Last Thursday, the students came together to celebrate our unit Liturgy. Our focus for our Liturgy celebration was 'footsteps'. Father Matt read us the Parable of the Mustard Seed and we spoke about how our small actions and deeds can have a big impact on those around us. The students were asked to consider whose footsteps they follow in their lives and how they too can be role models leaving footsteps for others to follow.
Last Friday afternoon, the school celebrated NAIDOC Day. As a unit, we gathered together to join our virtual Naidoc Liturgy. We then enjoyed reading the book 'Hello and Welcome' by Gregg Dreise and explored the importance of an Acknowledgement to Country. Each class worked together to create their own Acknowledgement of Country which are on display in each room. After recess, we listened to the story 'The Art in Country' by Bronwyn Bancroft. Each class participated in a yarning circle as we shared what Country means to each of us.
In Maths, we have been learning how to tell the time on both analogue and digital clocks. We have been learning how to tell the time on the hour, half past the hour and quarter-past and to the hour (Grade 2). We encourage you to please support your child at home by discussing time and practicing reading time on both analogue and digital clocks.
Our Mini Olympics is fast approaching! The students have enjoyed spending their sport lessons practicing different track and field events. On Monday afternoon, the students practiced vortex throw, discus, 50 metre sprint and hurdles. We are all very excited to compete in Week 6!
Today, some students may have brought home a different type of reader and some information about decodable text. If you have any questions about how to support your child when reading each night, please speak to your child's teacher. Every child is given a St Paul's Libray Bag when they begin school. They are strong & robust and it is an expectation that they will use it all the way through school. It would be wonderful to see students taking their readers home each night in a library bag. This ensures the books are kept in a safe and clean place.
MIDDLE UNIT NEWS
Last week in the Middle Unit we celebrated our Liturgy. While it was disappointing that due to the restrictions, we were unable to have our families celebrating with us in person we have included lots of photos and a video so that you are able to view the celebration. Fr Matt was able to engage in some great discussion with our students about how our journey in faith can lead to considerable growth in who we are as people.
Unit Liturgy
On Friday students participated in activities to celebrate NAIDOC day. Below are some photos of the activities.
NAIDOC DAY
In Numeracy we are continuing to learn about division. The students have been engaging in a range of different activities at their level to assist them in further developing their understanding of how to solve division problems. Students have also been exploring the connection between multiplication and division and how when students know their multiplication they are able to more readily solve division problems. We really encourage students to practice their multiplication tables at home.
In Sport students have been practicing the events for the Mini Olympics. It has been great to see students use persistence and perseverance when trying new things.
It has been fantastic to see our students back at school. We all have our fingers crossed it remains this way and can’t wait to get into some great learning.
SENIOR UNIT NEWS
Last week we finally got to celebrate NAIDOC week after lockdown number 5! The students were engaged in the discussions that we had on the importance of NAIDOC week to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. As part of these activities we were able to create this wonderful display to show our learning.
Life in the Senior Unit after Lockdown!
Finn - The best thing that has happened this term is coming back from remote learning and seeing my friends
Jett - The best thing that has happened this term is seeing all the teachers after lockdown, especially Mrs Courtney!
Ruby - After lockdown I loved seeing all my friends and teachers
Ava -The best thing about being back to school after lock down doing is doing actual work
Nicola - The best thing about the senior unit is that there are lots of different things to learn
Tanveer - The best thing about the senior unit is the different equipment to work with, like compasses for maths and lots of posters around the room
Alexis - The best thing about coming to school is seeing my teacher and helping friends
Eliza - I like the senior unit as the students are much mature compared with the middle unit
Arani - In the senior unit I like being able to be with all the teachers and hang out with all my friends
Sports News
Mini Olympics - Postponed
Mini Olympics this Friday 6th August has been postponed due to current restrictions. It will now be held @St Paul’s on Friday 20th August. The events will be modified but hopefully, being onsite, it will go ahead as planned.
Unfortunately due to COVID restrictions we are unable to have parents on site during this event.
All the students are doing an amazing effort and trying their hardest when practicing their skills in PE, especially considering the cold and windy conditions we are experiencing at the moment.
School will keep you updated if things change.
Technology News
It's great to be back and able to share the learning happening in the Technology Room!
In a flashback to week 1, foundation students began coding lessons by exploring how to follow and describe a sequence of steps to complete a task. Not just any task though, the very important task of making fairy bread and of course, the last step is always eating the fairy bread.
Yesterday, senior students had the chance to begin coding with the BBC Micro:Bit; a pocket-sized computer with an LED display. Students created a variety of algorithms and learned to transfer them from the coding software to the microbit hardware.
Lastly, a massive shout out to Finn Droffelaar and his dad, Andrew, who gave their time and expertise to repair one of the battery packs for our Micro:Bits. You are legends.
Until next week remember, code is like humour; if it's good, you don't have to explain it!
Ms Simms
Arts News
All of our children have been looking deeply into Indigenous artwork following our NAIDOC week celebrations during the school holidays. The Foundation students learnt about different hunting tools and decorated a boomerang using some symbols found in Aboriginal art. The Juniors worked together to create a collaborative Rainbow Serpent after learning about the significance of Dreamtime stories to Indigenous people.
Our Seniors learnt about the importance of the sky in Aboriginal culture and how the people have been using it as a survival tool for thousands of years. We looked at some Aboriginal astrology art pieces for inspiration and they created their own artwork.
These are on display in the walkway to staff room and look AMAZING!
Languages - Italian News
Congratulations and well done to all our participating students in the recent Mildura Eisteddfod - Italian Poetry Recitation Section.
St Paul's students have done exceptionally well, with the following Eisteddfod results:-
SECTION: 501 - 12 years and under Dante Alighieri Poetry - Recitation In Italian Solo
- 1st Eliza Campbell
- 2nd Nicola De Maria
- Honourable Mention - Lyla Ovenden & Livinia Fitzgerald
Eliza Campell was also selected to receive the Dante Alighieri Speech and Drama Award for 2021 by the Eisteddfod Adjudicator. Special congratulations goes to Eliza, who will also receive a personally engraved commemorative plaque from the Dante Alighieri Society of Mildura.
- Dante Alighieri Speech & Drama Award Winner: Eliza Campbell
What wonderful news for our participating students and the St Paul's school community. I look forward to presenting the Dante Alighieri plaque, certificates and prize money at an upcoming School Assembly.
Congratulazioni da Signora Ghidinelli.
Hands Up Mallee
SMECC’s Community Food Hub
The Community Food Relief project is aimed at supporting distribution of local and interstate fruit and vegetables that are provided to local school breakfast programs, soup kitchens and welfare agencies that pass on to the districts needy. SMECC (Sunraysia Mallee Ethnic Community Council) works closely with Foodbank Victoria and South Australia, who provide significant support from their facilities.
SMECC have been supporting the local CALD (Culturally and Linguistically Diverse) community for the past 42 years and have recently received funds to provide food relief to the broader community. They are currently expanding their services to include Food Relief throughout the region. This includes anyone in our local community being able to access a Food Parcel for pick up or delivery right to your front door. Food parcels can be ordered by anyone or for anyone by completing the online order form. Please allow up to 24 hours for delivery. Order a food parcel here: https://smecc.org.au/community-food-relief/
As a school community we are very fortunate to have a wonderful connection with SMECC as they assist with the co-ordination and storage for our fruit supplies along with Foodbank SA.
Parent Noticeboard
