Term 4, Week 8, 1 December 2022

Principal Message

As the term is winding down the busyness isn't letting up. We have had a great couple of weeks and the next couple are going to be even better!

Last week we sat down with some Senior Leaders from the Lismore Catholic School office to review our School Improvement Plan from 2022 (please find below). This was a great opportunity to look at our successes for this year and areas in which to work further on for next year. Looking at our actions and measures of success, we were able to identify that thereis A LOT for us to celebrate this year! We achieved all the actions that we set out to achieve and we also achieved all of the goals. Our Mission Mini Fete next week will be a great opportunity for us to celebrate these successes. 

Thank you to the parents who joined us for the Day on the Green event. It was a fantastic little gathering with a great vibe, great food and plenty of laughs. this great event wouldnt have heppened without our Parent Forum group and volunteers putting in the long hours and hard work to make it happen. On behalf of the community, THANK YOU - Anastasia Weber, Chiron Weber, Bruce Butcher, Chantelle Butcher, Dorothee Schammelt, Maxine Shea, Nikki Fisher, Josh Fisher, Nicole Boshoff, Anna Armstong, Anthony Armstong. 

Please dont miss out on our other opportunities to gather before the end of the year:

• Mission Mini Fete on Tuesday 6th Decemeber 9am-11am
• End of Year concert on Wednesday 7th December 5pm-6pm including sausage sizzle afterwards!
• End of Year Mass on Wednesday 14th December 9:30am. 

Key Dates for Term 4

Please find below key dates for Term 4 at this stage. Any additional dates will be communicated as they arise during the term.

• Tuesday 6th Decemeber 9am-11am - Mission Mini Fete on 
  
• Wednesday 7th December - End of Year Concert
• Tuesday 13th December - Report Cards released to parents 
• Tuesday 13th December 3-4:30pm - Parent Forum AGM
• Wednesday 14th December 9:30am - End of Year Mass
• Thursday 15th December - Last Day of Term 4

Staffing 2023 Update

Congratulations to Naomi O'Dwyer who has been appointed Acting Assistant Principal for 2023 replacing Greg. Naomi brings with her a wealth of experience as a teacher and leader, so we congratulate Naomi on this senior leadership position!

Staffing as of 1st December

Admin

• Tundra Snape
• Karyn McEvoy (Thur 12-3pm - Tundra Finance release)

Learning Support Aides

• Bernie Woodhouse
• Pauline East 
• Felicitiy Guinea
• Indigenous Education Worker - TBA  (currently advertised)

Teachers

• Kindergarten - Ellie Bailey
• Stage 1 - Myree Loane
• Stage 1 - Louie McEvoy
• Stage 2 - TBA (currently advertised - will be announced next week)
• Stage 3 - Amanda Bottle
• Specialist - Lisa Russell
• Specialist - TBA (currently advertised - will be announced next week)
• Support Teacher K-2 - TBA (currently advertised - will be announced next week)

Auxillery

• Grounds - Josef Kaufmann
• Tuckshop - Nicole Boshoff

Leadership

• Principal - Dave Bermingham
• Assistant Principal (Teaching and Learning) - Naomi O'Dwyer
• Leader of Mission - TBA (currently advertised - will be announced next week)
• Leader of Pastoral Care and Student Wellbeing - Greg Flint
• Leader of Sport - Louie McEvoy

Kind Regards, 

Dave Bermingham

Assistant Principal Message

Yesterday the Year Four and Five students had their second transition to 2023 support session with myself and Mrs Bottle. These sessions involve lots of fun challenges and games which enable the children to reconnect in a positive way before starting out in Stage Three next year.

In the last two sessions the main focus has been on identifying and celebrating interpersonal strengths: our own strengths and the strengths of others. The skill set we focussed on is outlined below.

• Look at and listen to others when communicating

• Share my ideas and recognise good ideas from other people

• Be a problem solver & help others

• Ask questions of others

• Give other people compliments- be affirming

• Manage respectfully when someone makes a mistake

All of the children have participated positively and the sessions have been really successful in reconnecting the two classes. Next week we will work putting together some words which describe the kind of class the children want to have next year.

Stage 3 Preparing for 2023

Are you a good emotion coach?

Recently I’ve been working on emotion coaching some Stage Two children. Two highly regarded Psychologists Joan Rosenburg and Dan Goldberg have written extensively about children developing the ability manage their emotions over time as they grow.

Both of them have similar advice:

• Firstly identify or name the emotion as clearly as possible
• Secondly track the emotion (studies have shown that feelings generally last about 90 seconds then they begin to subside. Like the tide washing in and out on a beach)
• Once we have done the two steps above we can begin to manage our emotions. Such as take ten deep breaths or grab a drink of water if we are feeling angry.

The process above takes time to learn and children need lots of coaching in the space. Significant adults in their lives, parents and teachers are the key coaches who can help children develop the skill set to manage and work with feelings in a positive, healthy way. 

Without this skill set children can fall prey to emotional reasoning and let negative emotions dominate their thinking and decision making. They can get stuck in an all or nothing or catastrophising mindset (where one problem can completely unravel them and we hear phrases like…I can’t do this or I hate this or it all sucks).

The emotion chart below is by no means comprehensive. It is however a good starting point for step one: identify and name emotions clearly. Be specific. Adults are really pivotal here because we have the language to describe emotions and we can model that to the childre. 

TEACHING & LEARNING

AROUND THE STAGES -

Mission Mini Fete 

This Term in Religion Stage Two students have been learning about how Catholics respond to the gift of God during Advent and Christmas. As part of their learning, they have come up with the idea of running a Mission Mini Fete to raise money for the St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal. 

To help with the running of the fete they are seeking the following donations 

Cakes and slices (to be brought to the school canteen on Tuesday the 6th of December before 9 am) 

Water guns and water balloons

Packets of chocolates eg freddos 

If you are able to donate the above items could you please send them to school with your child. 

Many thanks            Stage 2 and Miss Wells 

Stage 1 Swimming

SCHOOL INFORMATION

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU"

Our birthday people

Evan, Bray, Harper,                                                                                      Nicole, Mrs O,  Mrs Bailey & Mr Bermingham 

Piano Lessons

Piano lessons are available at St John’s, during school hours and after school.
Enquiries please call Daniel Holland 0401 071 667

MULLUM HIGH END of Year Community BBQ

Mullum High are celebrating the year thats been with students, staff families and community members. All the local Primary schools  have been invited to come along for fun filled afternoon.