Week 2

“They left everything and followed him.”

Luke 5:11

From the Gospel of the 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C

Dear Families,

Welcome to the 2022 School year. We are very much looking forward to the year ahead regardless of what challenges may be thrown at us as we enter our third year of the pandemic. I would like to welcome all our families back to school and especially our new families that are joining our school community. On Tuesday 8 Feb Kindergarten will join us as a whole group. This is an exciting day and a wonderful time for families. We are very excited to see you all in your uniforms ready to start your school journey.

On Friday and Monday we gathered as staff to prepare for this year. We spent some time thinking about our school rules - Code 5; Respect Yourself, Respect Others, Respect Learning, Respect the Environment and Be a Mission Star and what each of these rules means for us as individuals, teachers and colleagues. The gospel reading this coming Sunday is a perfect example of what it means to be a Mission Star. Being a Mission Star is to trust in Jesus and follow his example. The disciples left everything they had behind and followed Jesus, learning from him and supporting him in his teaching.

We also spent time learning about Social and Emotional learning skills. We focused particularly on Self Awareness and Self Management. Being self aware is being able to recognise one's own emotions. This is vital for being able to respect yourself. When we are in tune with our emotions we can make informed decisions about what we will do as a result of those emotions. This leads into self management, being able to manage one's emotions and make good choices. This is vital for respecting others. As a community we must be aware that every individual person is unique and made in the image and likeness of God. We each have different backgrounds, experiences and life journeys and no two are the same. These experiences inform who we are and the choices we make. These choices will be different for different people and we must respect that we will at times have differing opinions. Regardless of another person's or family's decisions or opinions, respecting others means being kind. Let us be kind to each other as a community placing Jesus at the centre of everything we do.

Teachers will be focusing on Code 5 with the children over the year and looking deeply into what it means when we talk about respecting yourself and respecting others through a deepened understanding of social and emotional learning skills. I encourage you to ask your children what they are learning about in regards to our school rules and social and emotional learning skills. We will, throughout the year, talk about the focus areas in the newsletter so you know what it is the school is focusing on. 

Staff 2022

I would like to welcome Mr Simon Farrugia as the Assistant Principal. Simon’s role will be to support the stage three classes initially as well as Diverse Learning Needs, Behaviour support and many other day to day tasks that are required for us to ensure our school runs effectively.

I would also like to welcome Mrs Jocylen Ponticello in Year 2 and Mrs Lisa Evans in Year 3. Both ladies have a wealth of teaching experience and bring a fresh perspective to St Paul’s. 

I would also like to welcome Mrs Catherine Curcuruto. Cathie will be providing support to Year 1 on Thursday each even week as part of the large class support allocation. Cathie will also join the Diverse Learning needs team in a few weeks running MiniLit and Reading Tutor program.

I would like to thank the community for the way in which you have supported the school as we have managed the ongoing challenges we have faced in dealing with the pandemic. As we learn information we will pass it onto you through Compass. If you need help with accessing the Compass App then please contact the office.

Please note: this year the newsletter will be published once a fortnight on even weeks. The awards will be sent out through compass each week. We will begin awards in Week 3 and we will begin assemblies once Covid Safe Measures are eased and allow for whole school gatherings. If you would like to refer to the Covid Safe measures you can access them on the link.

Wishing each and every member of our community all the best for the year ahead. I am looking forward to working with you in the education of your children both spiritually and academically. When we work in partnership we achieve the best outcomes possible for your children.

God bless,

Katie Browne

Principal

Term Overviews

The class overviews for the term will be published on the parent portal on Monday and sent out through Compass. These overviews will have information about what the children will be learning this term along with other key information relevant to each grade. Please take some time to look at them.

The link to the parent portal is here. I encourage you to bookmark it as it is a great place to refer back regularly for information about St Paul’s. It supports the School website. 

The focus for PB4L this week is classroom routines and the Social and Emotional learning focus is on how we greet others. When we greet others we look at the person, use a pleasant voice and say “Hi” or “Hello”.

The focus for week three will be on how to ask for help.

Parents and Friends

The P&F AGM is on Tuesday 8 February in the Hall from 7pm. If you would like to nominate for an executive position please complete the nomination form and return it to the principal, marked confidential, prior to the AGM. All families are welcome to attend and encouraged. The Parents and Friends Association is a great way to be involved in our school community with the aim of organising and holding social functions and fundraising events in order to raise funds for much needed resources for the school. If you would like to be a part of the Parents and Friends then please come along to the meetings. You do not have to be an executive member to attend the meetings. Meetings are held on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7pm during the school terms.

Sacramental Program Information Meeting - Thursday 10 Feb.

For families who have a child that is ready to receive the sacraments of Reconciliation, Eucharist or Confirmation there is a meeting in the school Hall from 6:30pm on Thursday 10th February. You are encouraged to attend as information on what you will be required to do for your child to receive their sacrament will be explained and dates confirmed.

First Reconciliation (3 weeks): Friday 1st April.
Enrolments: 14th February - 4th March
Classes held on Sunday 13th, 20th & 27th March

iPad onboarding meeting

We are not able to confirm the date for the iPad onboarding meeting for our Year 3 students and new families at this point in time. Covid has impacted supply and delivery dates and the diocese is currently working to ensure the iPads will be ready soon. We will let you know as soon as we know when we will be able to hold this meeting and organise the collection of your iPads.

Swimming Carnival

The School Swimming Carnival will take place at Moss Vale Aquatic Centre on 16th February.  All students in Years 2 - 6 will be attending.  Information will be sent out via the compass app shortly.  Parents need to register their child in advance to participate in the swimming races prior to 11th February.  Parents can attend and will be required to check in via the Service NSW App, pay a spectator fee and adhere to the covid regulations as set out by the pool.  Parent are not permitted to sit in the grandstand area or near the pool deck.  

Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 information evening - Thursday 3 March 6:00pm

We will be holding an information evening for parents and carers of children in Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 Thursday 3 March from 6:00pm. At this meeting we will discuss the reading process and introduce our new programs - PreLit and InitiLit. We will also talk through some everyday school routines and where you can access information. Should Covid safe measures not allow for face to face meetings at this time we will make alternate arrangements closer to the date.  Teachers will begin sending readers home, however, we will explain the home reader process at the Information Evening.

Listening Interviews Week 7 (Monday 7 Mar to Thursday 10 Mar).

We will hold our Listening interviews for parents and carers in Week 7 for Kindergarten to Year 6. A booking schedule will open in Compass in Week 6 where you can book an appointment to come and speak with your child/ren’s teachers. These interviews are designed for you to be able to talk about your child while the teacher listens.  You know your child better than anyone and we want to know all about your child. These brief ten minute meetings are vital in establishing the home and school relationship. Things we encourage you to talk about with the teacher are your child’s strengths and challenges, their interests, and social and emotional skills. If your child has a medical condition the teacher will check in with you for any updates in their needs. Kindergarten and Year 1 teachers will hold listening interviews over 2 weeks

We are hopeful that Covid Safe Measures will allow us to hold the meetings at school. We will keep you updated as the term progresses.

MORNING PROCEDURES

Staff supervision of students begins at 8:20am. No student should be arriving at school before this time without prior approval from the principal.

When students arrive at school by bus they leave the bus and walk up the path along the side of the school. Students must come into the school immediately after departing the bus.

Students that arrive by car may be dropped in the 2 min drop off zone. Parents are not able to leave the car in this zone and come into the school. Students must immediately walk into school via the side path. Please discuss the importance of going immediately into school with your child. Sometimes children like to wait for their friends. It is much safer for children to wait for their friends inside on the playground.

Do not leave your car in the drop off zone. The ranger and police do monitor the area.

AFTERNOON PROCEDURES

Buses: Children line up in bus lines and are escorted by the duty teachers to the buses on Garrett St from 3pm. Bus drivers are asking the children to have their bus passes ready for them to see. If your child has not yet received their bus pass in the mail then please contact Berrima Buslines for further information.

Walkers and riders: Leave from the Garrett Street exit after the first three buses have left. If you are going to be walking with your child, we ask that you wait out the front and once the buses have left you may leave with your child. No student should be leaving by car from this exit unless previous arrangements have been made with the principal. There are circumstances where a parent or carer may need to collect a student from the front entrance. This is arranged with the family and often occurs after the buses have left for safety reasons.

Cars: If you are picking a child up by car then you must pick up from Innes Road unless an agreed arrangement has been put in place with the principal to collect your child from the front entrance. We deliberately keep cars and buses separated to ensure everyone’s safety. Children are walked in colour house groups by the duty teachers down the egress to the yellow painted line. We ask parents to wait inside the gate and behind the yellow line. Once the children have arrived they may walk to their parents and then leave via the exit gate. Children must hold an adult’s hand when crossing the road. Children are not permitted to walk out the gate to meet you. Parents must come inside the gate. This is to ensure everyone's safety and that no child can get through the gate without an adult.

Teachers wait until 3:10pm before walking back into the school. Children who have not been collected by this time are taken to the office. We ask parents to please be prompt in collecting your children. Your children are not supervised by a teacher after the pick up times. Colour house order for arrival at the Innes Rd exit is Blue, Red and then Gold house.

Changes to pick up arrangements: Please notify the office by 2:30pm. It is very difficult for messages to be delivered after this time and can result in confusion. Children are not to go home with another family unless the school has been notified of the change. Please contact the school if there is a change to your child’s pick up arrangements. For younger children it can be helpful for parents to make a small card the same size as a bus pass that says what the arrangements are each day if they are not the same everyday.

We appreciate and thank you for your support with these arrangements as it ensures everyone is safe when going home.

Gym on Fridays for all classes 

We have engaged a specialist sports company, Gymnastrix, to conduct gymnastics lessons with all classes on Fridays. The company provides qualified teachers, who deliver the program and assess the children against NESA syllabus outcomes. They also provide all the necessary gym equipment for the program. The cost of this program is included as part of your school fees. All children will need to wear their sport uniform on Fridays for Term 1.

Sport Uniforms

Sport uniforms are to be worn on the following days for each class:

Kindergarten - Wednesday & Friday

Year 1 - Thursday & Friday

Year 2 - Tuesday & Friday

Year 3 - Wednesday & Friday

Year 4 - Monday & Friday

Year 5 - Tuesday & Friday

Year 6 - Wednesday & Friday