10 June 2021, Week 8 Term 2
Principal's Message
We are about to embark on quite a few changes to the organisation and management systems at school. You would have realised given the current climate many things have moved online, this will be the same for most of our processes from the beginning of Term 3. The Catholic Schools Office for the Diocese of Lismore is rolling out Compass across all the schools and we are in the second group of schools in the rollout process.
We will move to Compass from the very beginning of Term 3. What does this mean for parents....... It will mean you can make payments and give consent at the push of a button through the Compass App. For example events such as camp will simply mean you need to jump on the app approve the event for your child and make a payment all in the one place. You will also be able to order and pay for canteen.
To assist with the change we will hold a parent Compass Training session on Wednesday 14th July from 8am-8:45am. For now please watch the video included in this newsletter. Although no need to download the app just yet, more info to come on that.
Uniform shopping will aslo move online next Term (date to be confirmed) but you will be able to make your unifrom orders from the comfort of home through the School Locker website and have them delivered to home or school. Second hand items will still be available from school and we will have a set of stock for sizing when needed. Otherwise you can go directly to School Locker in Ballina and purchase uniforms directly 7 days per week.
Kindergarten 2022 Enrolments We are now taking bookings for Kindergarten Enrolment Interviews and Tours for 2022. Please pass this information on to any one you know who is planning on enrolling in Kindergarten next year. We are also hosting a Kinder Information Night on Tuesday 22nd June at 6pm in the Kindergarten room.
Playground You may well be very aware that our current playground is unfit for use. We have been granted funds from the Catholic Schools Office Diocese of Lismore to purchase a new playground. An image is attached of the proposed playground at this point in time. It will have a couple of changes and is not the exact colour. However, the removal of the exisiting play equipment and construction of the new playground is designated to happen on the September holidays.
Building Project We have been fortunate to received a grant from the Capital Building Grants Authority and also subsidised by the Catholic Schools Office Diocese of Lismore to replace the existing Kinder/Stage 1 block with a new building.
School Fees Please note that Term 1 & 2 fees are overdue, if you have outstanding fees we ask that you address this as soon as possible.
Email Breach Notification -please see important information attached below the Principal's Message. These letters are for your information as we are not aware of any students accessing this breach.
Principal Awards Week 6
Principal Awards Week 7
Assistant Principal's Message
Action from Day One of Stage 3 Coffs Coast Camp Stage three have started off their much anticipated Coffs Coast Camp in great fashion with the Wednesday afternoon challenges including the aptly named MEGA DROP and the at times, extremely muddy team challenge, known locally as the Commando Course! The camp is all about building resilience and growing skills and confidence through individual and team challenges. Many of the challenges are seriously daunting, however the camp operates on a ‘choose your own challenge’ philosophy such that each child can take each challenge to the level they feel comfortable with.
Some Highlights from Stage 3 Camp
Our School Veggie Garden is Thriving
Due primarily to the hard work of Stacy Facchino (with some great help from Don Facchino, Mike and Maxine Shea) our school veggie garden is in great shape. A new raised garden has been added and now we have three beds all planted out with salad greens, herbs and veggies selected in consultation with Jacki our fabulous tuckshop manager. The produce from the garden is destined for the tuckshop and eventually will be consumed by the children in their delicious lunches each Monday and Friday. Stacey has been coming in each week and she has been joined by some eager garden volunteers from Stage 2: Colt (good to see Colt helping Mum) Joey, Quinn and Aliza who help out with planting, mulching and the important job of watering.
We extend a huge thank you on behalf of the whole school to Stacy for her work which has transformed the veggie patch. Thank you Stacy.
Teaching & Learning
Teaching Writing from the Ground Up! Teaching students to write is a gradual process. It starts with teachers modelling how they write and ‘thinking aloud’ as they do this. Students then hear and see what good writers do. The next phase involves joint construction or shared writing where students are involved in the process by supplying ideas, providing better word choices, organising the sequence of ideas or helping with punctuation, spelling or grammar.
This term Kindergarten has been using a form of shared writing called Interactive Writing.
What is Interactive Writing? Interactive writing is a collaborative approach in which teacher and students jointly compose and write texts. Not only do they share the decision about what they are going to write, they also share the duties of the scribe. The teacher uses the interactive writing session to model reading and writing strategies as he or she engages children in creating texts.
Why is this process so worthwhile?
Interactive writing allows students to:
- Work together cooperatively, learning from each other, while being supported by the teacher.
- Develop and practise phonemic awareness skills by recording sounds in sequence.
- Practice writing left to write and putting in finger spaces
- See the connections between what we write and read
- Practise rereading their writing in order to develop it further
- Practise use of high frequency words
- Learn story structure and components, beginning, middle, end, characters, plot and setting
- Start with talking and drawing BEFORE moving to writing
Kindergarten love sharing the pen with Mrs Bailey and are on their way to becoming great writers. At all ages and stages of learning, it is important that the responsibility for writing is gradually released to the students. All teachers move through a process of modelled, shared, guided and independent writing. The topics and complexity of the writing changes throughout the primary years but the process stays pretty much the same.
RE NEWS
SPORT NEWS -
ATHLETICS CARNIVAL
Our Athletics Carnival will be held on Tuesday, 15th June at the Cavanbah Sports complex in Byron Bay. The carnival will start at 9.45am and finish approximately 1.00pm. The cost of the bus will be $6.00.
Children wear their sports uniform and are required to bring a school hat, water bottle or two, sunscreen, recess and lunch. Please pack a school jumper or jacket and a spray jacket/raincoat in case of inclement weather.
Pre-ordered lunch will be available on the day, order forms were sent home on Monday. If you child wants the canteen order, please ensure that you return the child’s lunch pre-order by Friday the 11th.
Students must travel to the carnival by bus but may travel home with a parent. Please inform your child’s teacher before you leave.
It would be greatly appreciated if you can assist on the day. Please contact Greg via email; greg.flint@lism.catholic.edu.au or approach me on the day
We’d really love to see you there!
Kindergarten News
Investigations
Provocations week 7:
Who will you rescue today?
Can you build a dog using recycled materials?
How will you design your marble run?
Maths Outside
In week 6 Kinder took their learning outside and learnt how to describe Volume and Capacity.
Multiplication and Division
This fortnight Kinder has been learning how to group, share and count collections of objects.
"Kinder students created some beautiful artwork inspired by Australian artist, Margaret Olley. They drew and painted fruit bowls in true Margaret Olley Style."
CANTEEN NEWS
Canteen has been busy this term, with a variety of tasty, fresh options available.
Thanks to the wonderful volunteers who come and help out, it means more fresh, homemade options for our students and getting lunches out on time!
If you would like to volunteer please see myself or let Tundra know in the office.
Winter specials will be available at playtime for purchase, such as warm savoury muffins and potato wedges.
Nachos are still available to order for lunch on Mondays and Sushi on Fridays.
Pesto pasta with bolognase is a healthy, homemade option for a warm lunch- made with organic, grass fed beef.
We can look forward to having fresh produce grown from our own garden, used in our canteen soon. Thank you to Stacy for getting our veggie garden going again!
Stay healthy,
Jacki
REMINDERS
Tuesday 15 June - Athletics Carnival
Tuesday 22 June - Kinder Info night
Thursday 24 June - Last day of Term 2
Friday 25 June - Pupil Free Day
Monday 12 July - Pupil Free Day
NEWS
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Our birthday people
Eva, Mrs Loane & Mrs East
Lost Property
Please check that your child has their own jumper and hat. Lots of missing hats, jumpers and drink bottles at the present time.
Please make sure that your child's property is clearly labelled with their name.
COMMUNITY NEWS
