Newsletter 29 October 2021
- Principal's Message
- Faith and Mission News
- 2021 Upcoming Events
- Sport News - K-2 Carnival & Zone Summer Sports
- Canteen Roster
- LARC News
- Socktober - Many thanks for your support!
- Year 3 National Parks Day
- Colour-Thon - Friday 5 November
- Group Chats and Online Communication
- Amber Lockdown
- Parenting Ideas
- Community Notices
Principal's Message
Socktober
K-2 Athletics Carnival
Hail Storm
Friday 29 October 2021 - Term 4 Week 4
Dear Parents and Carers,
In Peter’s absence this week, our Assistant Principal’s have written the following report:
Naomi Loader Assistant Principal - Mission
As I am sure you know, many of our students communicate outside of school via group chats. Quite often, the repercussions of these chats are felt here in the classroom and on the playground. Whilst our students communicating online outside of school can be very positive, the cyber safety training company Safe on Social has an excellent article on setting boundaries around group chats and how to help your child navigate communicating in the online world. I thought you might like to have a read. Take a look at the tab - Group Chats and Online Communication.
A huge thank you to everyone who has so enthusiastically gotten involved with our Colour-Thon fundraising. It has been an overwhelming response, and we are incredibly grateful for the tremendous support of our St Augustine’s community far and wide and the Parent Forum for this initiative. The Colour-Thon in Week 5 will be an excellent way for the students to have a lot of fun, keep healthy and play their part in contributing to improving the school’s facilities. Later in the Term, we will also hold our annual school Fete. Like last year this will be an in-school event and a ton of fun! We will keep you posted on the fabulous afternoon we have planned for our students.
Michelle Scott Assistant Principal - Learning and Teaching
We know that reading is important and the amount of reading children engage in varies enormously. Research suggests that the most voracious readers among 10 years olds read more than 4 million words per year. That is nearly 100 times the amount of other readers the same age (Such, 2021.) This extra experience contributes to the cycle of stronger readers reading more words, and in turn, reading more words makes them a stronger reader. More importantly, the amount of independent reading a child undertakes has an impact on not only their reading level but their oral language too. So how can we motivate our children to read? Here are some ideas to think about.
- Read aloud to your children. Having a book read to your child sends a powerful message about the enjoyment that can be gained from reading.
- Have books available for your children to read. Borrowing from the local library is a great option, or a trip to the local book store. Each of these gives the children the power of choice.
- Check in to see if you are reading yourself. We are models for our children.
- Find any excuse to talk with your children about reading and the value it has. Explain that sometimes it can be a struggle to find something you really want to read but in the end it's worth it.
- Prioritise reading at home. Think about habits that will work for your family in making reading something important and valuable, something we all do each day.
My favourite picture book is 'Giraffes Can’t Dance' by Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees. What books do your children love having read to them? I’d love to know what book you are currently reading, please email me a list of your favourite books:
michelle.scott@lism.catholic.edu.au
I’m reading The Happiest Man on Earth: The Beautiful Life of an Auschwitz Survivor by Eddie Jaku.
Faith and Mission News
The Rosary is a powerful spiritual tool for meditation. The rosary is simple, but the gentle repetition of its prayers makes it an excellent means to move into deeper meditation. It gives us an opportunity to open ourselves to God’s word, to refine our interior gaze by turning our minds to the life of Christ.
Last week, classes had the opportunity to pray the Rosary and experience the power of prayer.
The Rosary before the storm
November 1 is marked annually in the Catholic liturgical calendar as a day to remember and venerate saints from around the world and throughout history– not only those known and canonised, but also all unknown as well.
All Saints’ Day is an opportune time to consider the example saints offer us today and to reflect on how we can imitate their holiness. As Pope Benedict XVI remarked in 2011, All Saints’ Day calls us “to see the Church… as Christ wanted it, that is, as the communion of saints”.
All Souls’ Day follows All Saints’ Day on November 2, when Catholics remember, pray and offer Mass for the souls in Purgatory, that they may be purified and attain the Beatific Vision.”
While no longer Holy Days of Obligation in Australia, All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day mark two very special celebrations for Catholics.
Prayer for All Saints Day
Dear God, thank you for the example of the Saints.
I desire to join in their company, worshiping you forever in Heaven.
Please help me follow their footsteps, and yours, Jesus Christ.
Please help me to conform myself to Your image, seeking Your will in all things, as the Saints did.
Please help me to devote myself, and all that I do, to Your glory, and to the service of my neighbors.
Amen.
St Augustine’s Parish Mass
On Sunday 21 November, the St Augustine’s School community will be responsible for the ministries at the 8am Mass. We are inviting our families to be involved in the Mass.
Please complete the attached Google Form to express your family’s interest
Naomi Loader- Assistant Principal Mission
Dominique Montford - Leader of School Catechesis
Maria Woods - Leader of School Evangelisation
2021 Upcoming Events
November 2021
| 3 | 2022 Kindergarten Orientation |
| 5 | Colour-Thon |
| 5 | Sausage Sizzle Day - Whole School |
| 10 | 2022 Kindergarten Orientation |
| 12 | Years K-6 Assembly |
| 17 | 2022 Kindergarten Orientation |
| 17 | Year 6 Transition Day SJPC |
| 26 | School Fete |
December 2021
| 13 | Annual Speech/Awards Day |
| 13 | Year 6 Graduation (evening) |
| 15 | Last day Term 4 for students |
| 16-17 | Staff Development Days (No students) |
Sport News - K-2 Carnival & Zone Summer Sports
K-2 Athletics Carnival
After two weeks of postponement due to wet weather, we were finally able to run our Year K-2 Athletics Carnival.
The sun was shining and our school field was filled with colours of GREEN, GOLD, BLUE and RED.
Students enjoyed the field events of javelin, discus, shot put and long jump and the track was graced with sprinters and relay fun.
Congratulations to GREEN house who won the point score of the day!
Shane Podesta - Sports Coordinator
Sione George - Sports Administrator
[ Click on any image to enlarge & view the gallery - see our Facebook page for more photos ]
K-2 Athletics Carnival
Zone Summer Sports
Nominations are open for the 2021 Zone Summer Sports in Basketball and Tennis involving students from Year 4 and Year 5. Nominations for Cricket, Softball and Touch Football will be called for in Term 1, 2022. Please note that this is a high standard representative trial with extensive travel required at later stages. If your child is interested in nominating and fits the criteria required, forms can be picked up from the office. They are to be returned by November 5.
Canteen Roster
Week beginning 1 November
- Monday - C Williams
- Tuesday - M Black, M Mainey
- Wednesday - C Jones
- Thursday - C Hyde
- Friday - P Duffy, W McLean, C Rose, D McNeill
Week beginning 8 November
- Monday - C Hyde, V Wall
- Tuesday - M Black
- Wednesday - P Duffy, B Symons
- Thursday - L Rowthorne, K Allen
- Friday - G Dodd, W McLean, L Knight, E Sainsbury
Week beginning 15 November
- Monday - L Seccombe
- Tuesday - C Williams, M Black
- Wednesday - J Martin, M Chau
- Thursday - S Crawford
- Friday - P Duffy, W McLean, C Rose, R Finlayson
Week beginning 22 November
- Monday - M Mainey
- Tuesday - M Black
- Wednesday - C Jones, A McCann
- Thursday - J Martin - Help Needed !!
- Friday - W McLean, G Franklin, C Evans, L Lawler, C Blackett
Canteen News
Canteen helpers are always required, especially on Wednesdays as this is our sushi day, and on Fridays. Help is needed for three hours from 9:00 am until 12:00 noon once every four weeks. Grandparents are very welcome also. If you are able to help in the Canteen on any day please call us on 6652 1204.
Alicia Betland & Rosa Thomas - Canteen Managers
LARC News
A blast from the past!
During rotations this week, Kindergarten were very keen to investigate a not-so-new addition to the LARC - the Remington CONCORD Sperry Rand Typewriter.
Apparently they were used "in old times to write stories" ( Circa early 1970's ). Kinder delighted in the challenge of loading a sheet of paper and were amazed to find that there wasn't "a button to remove a letter" when you make a mistake.
Overdue Notices
Next week over dues will be sent out as a reminder of the books students may have out in their name. This is a good time for Year 6 to begin to locate and return their library books as we near the end of the last term here at St Augustine’s Primary.
Mrs Tracey Catling
LARC & Digital Technology
Socktober - Many thanks for your support!
October marks World Mission Month, a celebration of the global work of the Church and the dedication of missionaries, both religious and lay, as they reach out and support children and communities in need around the world.
On Friday 22 October, St Augustine’s students participated in ‘Socktober’ to support ‘Catholic Mission Australia’ in helping the needy in Thailand and around the world. Socktober encourages our students to engage with mission by using our heads to enquire about the reality of the world around us, using our hearts to feel empathy for those in situations of great need, and using our hands to take action for them in whatever way we are able.
Thank you to all those in our school community who helped raise awareness by wearing crazy socks and donating to this very important cause. Your involvement will help aid children and communities in need around the world.
Socktober 2021
Year 3 National Parks Day
As part of their HSIE Geography unit, Year 3 enjoyed a 'National Parks Day' here at school today. Students explored a range of activities that you might engage in when you visit a National Park including observing animals & their tracks (native and introduced species), orienteering, field skills and the all important First Aid. Ranger Matthew Flanders from the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service visited Year 3 during the morning to talk about Indigenous Culture and totems as well as the flora and fauna in our local National Parks. In the afternoon students created 'shelters' from sticks and natural materials. We also had a team building race between putting up a tent and constructing a structure from natural materials.
Colour-Thon - Friday 5 November
Group Chats and Online Communication
Amber Lockdown
Dear Parents and Carers
In the event that we have a positive COVID case at school, we have a plan for the immediate closing of the school, followed by deep cleaning, as directed by NSW Health. If we receive notice of any child or staff member testing positive we will place the school in an Amber Lockdown (Students will remain in their current classroom and will continue class until the safe and smooth exit of students takes place) and will ask you to come and pick up your child from school. This will be communicated via text message, Facebook and email. Staff will bring your child to your car as you line up, just like in the afternoons. The difference is that if your surname begins with A-K, you will be picked up at Gordon St drive-through and L-Z at Albany St drive-through. This will be indicated in the message sent at the time. If siblings have different surnames, go with the eldest. Similar to an evacuation drill we will also practice this at school next week (wet weather prevented the drill from happening yesterday) so that staff and students are aware of the procedure. The welfare and safety of your children are at the forefront of this planning process and although it is quite unlikely that it will happen, we need to be prepared.
Naomi Loader
Assistant Principal Mission
Parenting Ideas
Community Notices
Students who need a travel pass for 2022 can apply now. A new application will need to be submitted if they are applying for a school travel pass for the first time, or if they are requesting an additional travel entitlement as a result of a new shared parental responsibility situation (e.g. joint custody). Please see below.
