Newsletter 25 August 2023

Principal's Message

Friday 25 August 2023 - Term 3 Week 6

Dear Parents and Carers,

A wonderful week here at school this week with our Book Parade and St Augustine’s Day/Colour-Thon. I am on leave this week, so I have unfortunately missed all the action but am sure everyone has enjoyed the events, and I look forward to hearing all about them on Monday!

I would like to share the Tell Them From Me Survey results with you. Our staff have worked to collate and discern the data.  From this, we will provide feedback to students what they, as a collective, have said and what we, as a staff group, will do to support them. That will involve having some deeper conversations about what this means or looks like for students. 

We also have some feedback from parents and carers that we have collated and grouped together.

The following attachments outline this feedback. 

Kind regards,

Naomi Loader

Acting Principal 

Faith and Mission News

First Eucharist

This week has been busy for our First Eucharist Candidates as they made their final preparations before their special day this weekend. They had a practice in the church and yesterday participated in a ‘First Eucharist Retreat’ at the Curran Centre along with the candidates from St Francis Xavier school in Woolgoolga. They explored the scripture 'I am the vine and you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you; you will bear much fruit'. The children recognised the 'fruits' such as love, joy, forgiveness, kindness, and gentleness that they can show as followers of Jesus. They also explored how we are all connected in 'communion' to each other through God's love, including the saints and those who have gone before us. Lastly, the children experienced a very special form of prayer called ‘Eucharistic Adoration’. They visited the chapel and prayed before the Blessed Sacrament that was in a special holder called a monstrance. They then made ‘monstrance’ pew ends with their name on them for their special day. Fr Joe administered the 3rd Rite of Reconciliation so the children are ready to receive Jesus in Holy Communion. He also blessed the children and the special gifts that will be given to them after their First Eucharist.  Please keep these children and their families in your prayers.

First Eucharist Retreat Day 2023

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Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

On Wednesday 15 August we were scheduled to have a whole school Mass in the church to celebrate this special feast day, but as Fr Joe was ill, we held a liturgy at school instead.

The feast of Mary's Assumption is a preview of what our lives will be. At the end of her earthly life, Mary was assumed, or taken up, into heaven body and soul. She did not have to wait for the end of the world, as we do. God granted her this special privilege because of her sinlessness and her fullness of grace. On this day, we honour Mary as a wonderful disciple of Christ Jesus and we ask her to intercede for us. 

St Augustine’s Feast Day

This morning our whole school came together to celebrate the Feast Day of our patron saint, Saint Augustine. Through Saint Augustine’s experience we learn that ‘Our hearts are restless until they rest in You (God)’. We hear his wise words in the hymn ‘One Heart, One Mind’ that the children sang so beautifully. The Year 2 children shared their learnings about St Augustine and showed us some of the posters they had made. After the liturgy, many classes explored the words of the lovely prayer that St Augustine wrote to the Holy Spirit….

 Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, That my thoughts may all be holy. 

Act in me, O Holy Spirit, That my work, too, may be holy. 

Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, That I love but what is holy.

Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, To defend all that is holy. 

Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, That I always may be holy.

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RE Spotlight 

Here are just a sample of the wonderful posters about St Augustine made by Year 2 students. Thank you for sharing your great work, Year 2!!

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Reconciliation Times in our Parish are as follows:

Coffs Harbour, St Augustine’s Church : Saturday 9:30am-10:30am and 4:30pm -5:30pm

Woolgoolga, St Francis Xavier’s Church : Sunday 8:15am - 8:45am

Dominique Montford - Acting Assistant Principal Mission
Maria Woods - Leader of School Evangelisation

Learning and Teaching

Year 6 Speech Competition

Amazing speeches from our Year 6 Speech Competition finalists on Monday 21 August. The finalists had to prepare a three minute speech on the topic 'If I could change one thing.......' This was followed by an impromptu one minute speech with just 1 minute to prepare!! After the scores were added for both speeches, judges Aaron Dewhurst and Michelle Scott awared the winning shield to Eric and the runner up prize to Aisha. Both students will go on to represent Year 6 in the Regional Catholic Schools Speech Competition later this term. 

Book Week Celebrations

Thank you to all of our families who helped their children create amazing costumes for the Book Parade on Wednesday. The children had a wonderful day celebrating their love of books. The winners of the Children's Book Council of Australia Awards were announced on the morning. 

Book Week Parade

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LARC Book Cover Competition

Congratulations to our winners in the LARC book cover competition. Students had to choose their favouite book, draw the cover and write a short reason why they loved the book so much. The quality of entries was impressive and everyone who entered is to be congratulated.

Here are our overall cohort winners:

• Kyanne Horne (1B) for amazing character drawing
• Olive Tyacke (2G) for your intricate use of lines
• Bella Noble (3G) for creating a totally unique cover for your chosen book
• Zoey Holder (4Y) for your great use of colour and adding a 3-dimensional element
• Grace Davis (5Y) for an excelent recreation of the front cover
• Leyna Munro (6R) for using a different medium to showcase your book cover

Highly Commendable:

• Matilda McMahon (2G) for giving a fantastic reason for why this book is your favourite
• Louis Davis (2R) for showcasing your ability to use lines effectively to draw your cover
• Oscar Schulz (3G) for your use of shading to show depth and shadows
• Violet Wong (3R) for sharing a great explanation for why you love this book series
• Lucy O’Halloran (4Y) for your line detail and use of proportions
• Marlena Baynes-Rock (4Y) for recreating a unique book cover for your chosen book series
• Reuben Wong (5G) for conveying your love of books through your reasoning
• Sophie Williams (5G) for drawing a detailed list of character information
• Ella Vu (5Y) for an amazing recreation of the front cover of her favourite book 
• Matilda Noble (6G) for great use of dark lines and colour in her drawing

Learning Together: Conversations That Matter at Home and School

Lyn Sharratt's research shows that teachers use these questions during Learning Walks and Talks to improve learning environments. Parents can also use these questions at home to have important conversations with their children, gaining insights into their learning experiences and connecting school with home.

What are you learning?

• Encourage your child to share what they're currently working on in class or something that has interested them at school. This question helps you stay informed about their interests and progress in school or other activities. It can also spark conversations about their passions and future goals. Eg: Book Week activities, a club they may have attended during lunch, something they are learning in Mathematics

How are you doing?

• This question goes beyond just asking about academic performance. It's an opportunity to inquire about your child's emotional well-being, social interactions, and overall happiness. Encourage open communication and provide a safe space for them to express their feelings. Eg: What made you feel happy today? What games did you play? What things do you find easy/ hard to do at the moment? 

How do you know?

• When your child shares something they've learned or an opinion they hold, ask them how they arrived at that understanding. This promotes critical thinking and helps them reflect on their sources of information. It also encourages them to support their ideas with evidence. Eg: What work are you most proud of today and why? What feedback did you get or give about your work today? 

How can you improve?

• This question fosters a growth mindset by encouraging your child to identify areas where they can enhance their skills or knowledge. It's important to frame it positively, emphasising that improvement is a natural part of learning. Offer suggestions for growth and help them set achievable goals. Eg: praise work that they have done and ask if there was one thing they could do to improve it, what would that be? Set small but important goals ie reading each night.

Where do you go for help?

• Teach your child that seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Encourage them to identify what they can do when they encounter challenges. Eg teachers, peers, online resources, books, or you as a parent. Creating a support network helps them navigate difficulties more effectively.

Remember, the tone and context in which you ask these questions matter. Approach them with genuine interest, respect, and non-judgmental curiosity. Also, adapt the questions to your child's age, personality, and the topics they're engaged in. By incorporating these questions into your conversations, you'll not only stay connected to your child's educational journey but also nurture their cognitive, emotional, and social development.

K-2 Parent Storytelling Dates Term 3 & 4

Save the Dates: K-2 Parent Storytelling dates for Term 3 and Term 4

Click on the Google Form  to let us know you will be there.

FATHER'S DAY - Friday 1 September

Dear Fathers and Father like figures in our lives,

You are invited to celebrate Father’s Day at St Augustine’s School on Friday, 1 September 2023. We will begin with breakfast (sausage sanga) and cuppa supplied by the school from 7:30-8:30am, followed by a whole school liturgy at 9am. The breakfast BBQ will be outside the canteen area, and the liturgy will be in our top undercover area. For those Fathers who can stay for both, you are most welcome to join in and play with your child/ren from 8:30-8:50 am, visit the LARC and read or sit and chat until the liturgy begins.

Mini Vinnies will be holding a FATHER'S DAY RAFFLE at the breakfast. There are three handy gift cards to be won - BUNNINGS, BCF & AUTOBARN. Simply select your ‘lucky’ number on the Father’s Day Raffle Board for $5 each (CASH ONLY PLEASE). The winners will be drawn at recess Friday, 1 September. All funds raised will go towards the Christmas Appeal.

Once you, our special guests, have departed after the liturgy, the students will have the opportunity to purchase a gift for you from the Parent Forum Father’s Day Stall (gifts are $5 each CASH ONLY PLEASE).

Everyone is invited to dress in their favourite sports attire for the day. Students need to bring a hat and wear suitable shoes.

We can’t wait to celebrate this special day with you!

Sport News & Sport Calendar

 SPORT EVENTS CALENDAR - TERM 3

SAPS Rugby Finals

Congratulations to our SAPS Rugby students! Last Friday, we had seven St Augustine’s sides from U8’s to U12’s playing at the C.ex Stadium in front of a huge crowd of excited families, friends and teachers. We were very lucky to have a team in the Grand Final for every age group. The U9’s, U10’s, U11’s all came away with a Grand Final win! Our 12’s played their best game of the season finishing as runner’s up. A big thank you to all of our coaches and managers who gave their time at the games and training over the season.

NSWCPS Rugby 10’s (Chris Gangemi Cup)

A big congratulations to our students who travelled to Sydney for the NSWCPS Rugby 10s. The team  finished third in a very competitive field of teams from across NSW.

Well done to Hamish Armstrong, William Backhouse, Preston Burbridge, Max Crowley, Arlo Dent, Tanner Gillespie, Oliver Hammond, Jack Hammond, Zack Harris, Noah Keshk, Willem Rowbotham, Braxton Sharpley, Albie Webb, Luke Welsh, Luke Wilson.

Thank you to coaches Chris Webb and Matt Rowbotham for their experienced coaching.

Lismore Diocese Athletics Carnival 

A great day of track and field was had last week at the Lismore Diocese Athletics Carnival. Congratulations to the Senior Girls Relay Team for their convincing win to take out the gold and to Nate Butcher (Jnr Boy Runner Up Age Champion) and Tillie Reibelt (11 Yr Girl Age Champion).

Well done to the following students who have qualified for the NSWCPS Athletics Championships to be held in Homebush next term.

Nate Butcher, Grace Duede, London Lacey, Riley O’Brien, Tillie Reibelt, Harlow Smith, Ruby Smith.

NSWPSSA Girls Football Championships

Last week, Hannah Burton and Pippa Dodd travelled to Nelsons Bay to compete in the NSWPSSA Girls Football Championships. The Polding side finished 3rd in their pool of 7 (won 4 games from 6) and then had a playoff against 3rd place in the other pool but were unfortunately defeated. The team finished 6th overall from 14 teams.  They put in a great effort and there were some very close games. Pippa and Hannah had a lot of fun getting to know all the girls in their team. Congratulations girls on making it to such a high level in football! 

Barney Barselaar Football Cup 

Last Friday 16 excited Year 5 and 6 footballers travelled to Woolgoolga to play in the Barney Barselaar Cup. This tournament is held in memory every year by the family of Barney Barselaar, an ex-student of St Francis Xavier who loved his football. The skills on display from all teams were outstanding. Unfortunately it wasn’t St Augustine’s year to make the finals, but the students had a fantastic time and showed excellent sportsmanship both on and off the field. A big thank you to Todd Crowley and Sam Mackay for coaching the team on the day. 

2023 School Sport Australian Swimming Championships

We wish our super fish, Coco Becker, all the very best of luck as she competes at the Australian Swimming Championships at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre from Sunday. Coco is competing in a number of events including 100m Backstroke, 100m Breaststroke, 200m Individual Medley, 100m Butterfly, 50m Freestyle and NSW Team relay.  Go Coco!

Canteen News

Canteen Roster

Week beginning 28 August

• Monday - L Seccombe, S Forbes
• Tuesday -  C Williams
• Wednesday - HELP NEEDED
• Thursday - J Ward, 
• Friday -  W McLean, K Cochran, HELP NEEDED

Week beginning  4 September

• Monday - D Budden
• Tuesday - E Taylor
• Wednesday -  C Jones, N Oakland
• Thursday - C Williams
• Friday - L Knight, W McLean, L Lawler, K Cochran

Notices

HICCUP!
FRIDAY 1 SEPTEMBER AT 4:15PM
SATURDAY 2 SEPTEMBER AT 10AM
On a perfect, balmy night, the clear outback sky lit up with thousands of stars, a sleep-deprived
camper, a cheeky quokka and an emu with a penchant for creating wild inventions, awake to
discover that a koala has come down with a stubborn and ear-shatteringly loud case of the hiccups.
Hiccup! is a hilarious theatrical experience for the whole family blending left-of-field humour with
psychedelic rock that speaks to Australian children about our unique home and the incredible
animals which inhabit it. The non-stop jokes and engaging easy-to-follow plot will keep kids on the
edge of their seats, while essential lessons on friendship and trying your best are seamlessly mixed
in. Our likable protagonist Eddie (played by Adelaide stage fav Nathan O’Keefe) is supported by
inventive puppetry, beautiful lighting design and a dreamscape set in vivid colours and exaggerated
proportions.
Inspired by a trip to the Muppets Museum on a New York holiday, writers/directors Jude Henshall
and Ellen Steele decided to create a show that pays homage to the technicolour silliness of the
classic children's production with a distinctive Australian twist. Also, on board as composer is Ross
McHenry, award-winning bassist and one of the founding members of Shoalin Afronauts. Ross
recorded all the super catchy songs for Hiccup on a 2” tape to give it an authentic 70’s sound. It’s
certainly a departure from the usual saccharine sweet flavour of kids' music, a welcome reprieve for
parents and a great chance to broaden the horizon for the kids.
Hiccup is best suited for kids aged 4-8
To book please click on the below link.