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Dear Parents & Carers,
The focus of this week's newsletter was always going to be 'wellbeing' because in Week 6 every term, we pause to consider the importance of wellbeing. We pause our meetings before and after school, and the homework for students, to give us the time to think about our wellbeing and implement some strategies to look after ourselves. In regular times, we also look for ways we can nourish our wellbeing and the wellbeing of our students.
Especially during these COVID and Home Learning times, our wellbeing can be challenged by the changing circumstances and restrictions in place to keep us safe. The current situation affects people differently and we need to keep our eye out for signs that someone we know is not travelling well. The following webinar series provided by the Blackdog Institute is worth a look.
Black Dog Institute resource - Settling the Mind: Mental Health & Coronavirus Webinar Series
Our staff here at Holy Name hope that everyone is going okay in lockdown. Please reach out if we can support you in any way.
Home Learning
I would like to thank our community of staff and parents, who have once again risen to the challenge to ensure the continuation of education for our students. Our recent survey and the data collected this week, tells us that at least 87% of our students have the technology at home to access the learning platforms used by our staff during home learning. This saves the staff an enormous amount of additional administrative copying of work, saves the environment, provides the access to video lessons with their teacher or through online programmes, and supports continued communication and feedback between the students and their teachers.
The teachers have streamlined the process in K-Yr 4, using the See-Saw platform to share the learning programme. After our experience in 2020, the staff made a decision to invest in this tool to support our community should we need it in the future, purchasing an account for every student in the school. The Year 5 and 6 teachers are using Microsoft Teams to communicate the learning programme as our Stage 3 students are able to navigate using this platform to access their learning. Our Teacher Librarian and Music teacher have access to either See-Saw or Teams so they can share their activities with students as well.
It is great to see the support programmes continue with our English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EALD) teacher, our Learning Support Teacher, our Aboriginal Teacher and our support staff all using this time to continue intervention either face-face or via zoom.
I think the professional response of our staff is further evidence of their commitment to the learning outcomes for our students, your children. They just don't want our students to lose out in any way.
Last week, we received the NAPLAN results for students in Years 3 & 5. This has been an anxious wait for our team, who have been specifically targeting areas for improvement across the school and like to use the NAPLAN results to measure the impact of the changes we have made in our teaching. Based on previous data, in 2020, we set the following goals for our students in Literacy and Numeracy. Due to COVID-19, NAPLAN 2020 didn't go ahead and so we were keen to see, even with the disruption to learning in 2020, whether our student results reflected the impact of our work. We were really excited by the success of our staff team in achieving the goals we set. There was a real buzz of excitement in the staffroom when we worked out the achievement across the school.
OUR LITERACY GOAL was...
80% of Yr 3 & Yr 5 students above the National Minimum Standard in Reading
(In 2019, Yr 3 had 70% and Yr 5 71% above the NMS)
In 2021, 82% of Year 3 and 90% of Year 5 were above the NMS in Reading.
OUR NUMERACY GOAL
80% of Yr 3 at or above Band 3 and 80% of Yr 5 students at or above Band 5 in Numeracy
(This is 1 Band above NMS, currently 66.7% and 62.2% respectively)
In 2021, 86.4%, of Year 3 were Band 3 or above and 88% of Year 5 students were Band 5 or above in Numeracy.
Success breeds success and this reinforces our belief that every student can achieve high standards given the right time and support. This is a massive achievement at every level of our staff and for your children.
We are looking forward to conducting a deeper analysis of the data to review it from different perspectives and to identify areas to focus on this year and next.
We are also looking forward to sharing some of the work we are doing at Holy Name with our parents and invite you to check out this short film showing some of what we have been up to.
Week 6 again! Our Well Being Week certainly looks a bit different at school this term! It is probably a good reminder as we are in lock down that we really must look after our own mental health and well being, as well as those of our children. Take some time, while forced to be home, to spend sometime outside, cook a meal with your kids or do some gardening. Getting enough sleep and eating a balanced diet are also priorities as are limiting screen time and having some time out each day.
ICAS
ICAS Testing began last week at Holy Name. After some technical difficulties, we were able to get the Digital Technologies test done last Thursday. I have contacted ICAS and they are now offering another test window in October due to the NSW lockdown. The tests will occur during Weeks 1-3 in Term 4.
COSI
Each year, all schools in the Maitland Newcastle diocese undergo a continuum of school improvement cycle known as COSI. There are several components to this process, with one being the checking of school policies and programs. As well as being a compliance check, the Curriculum Focus Days of COSI are wonderful learning days for staff. We get to look at programming documents, timetables, resources etc. with another school and a facilitator to note positives and also areas to work on. This year the focus is on Mathematics and PDHPE programs. Due to lockdown, the Curriculum Focus Days are not face to face in 2021, however, the process gives us a chance to ensure all our school documentation is compliant and up to date.
SRC/Garden
Our school garden is looking magnificent!
We have supplied our parish community Kitchen this term with rocket, lettuce, heaps of pak choy and bok choy and some herbs. Our chooks are back laying again, so we have been able to take over some lovely fresh eggs and we even have paw paws on our tree. Our peas and beans are starting to flower and won’t be long off – as long as the kids (and teachers) don’t eat them all off the plants!
This week we will pot some summer seeds such as tomatoes, zucchini, pumpkin, beetroot, radish and corn.
Garden Club operates during the second lunch break from 1pm and our SRC Environment group also take a role in maintaining the garden.
Holy Name School Maths and Spelling Bees
Last week, the classes at Holy Name all participated in a Spelling and Maths Bee. It was amazing to witness so many children across the school demonstrate a ‘have a go’ attitude and step out of their comfort zone. The energy in the classrooms across the school was fantastic. Congratulations to the top 2 students in each class who qualified for the Stage finals last Friday.
Spelling Bee Finalists
Kinder |
Samuel Martin |
Mac Lambkin |
Kinder |
Dylan McCarthy |
Matthew Jajo |
1W |
Brabham Cooper |
Zara Rahman |
1M |
Charlotte Allan |
Amelia Moelker |
2G |
Felix Yeates |
Eamonn Donegan |
2S |
Reuban Cassar |
Dakota Bowen |
3M |
Marcus Kim |
Sophia Whitehouse-Miotto |
3/4H |
Oscar Yeates |
Marley Donegan |
4M |
Shayd Maisey |
Ashton Robertson |
5N |
Ashley Allan |
Jaxon Zabell |
5/6P |
Tara Isbel |
Levi Van Haren |
6L |
Cooper Emmerton |
Mia Hamilton |
Maths Bee Finalists
Kinder |
Matthew Jajo |
Dylan McCarthy |
Kinder |
Anna Brooks |
Samuel Martin |
1W |
Zara Rahman |
Chloe Feng |
1M |
Arlo Haywood |
Olivia Sleiman |
2G |
Rachel Feng |
Eden Simon |
2S |
Reuben Cassar |
Skye Brennan /Nanma |
3M |
Marcus Kim |
Max Isbel |
3/4H |
Matthew Goodin |
Marley Donegan |
4M |
Ashton Robertson |
Jackson Paine |
5N |
Jordan Smith |
Zee Tulio |
5/6P |
Baran Zanjani |
Ronan O’Riley |
6L |
Nash Syron |
Mia Hamilton |
Congratulations to the following students who won their Stage Finals and are the school champions for this year:
Kinder Spelling – Mac Lambkin
Kinder Maths – Matthew Jajo
Stage 1 Spelling – Zara Rahman
Stage 1 Maths – Reuben Cassar
Stage 2 Spelling – Marley Donegan
Stage 2 Maths – Marley Donegan
Stage 3 Spelling – Tara Isbel
Stage 3 Maths – Zee Tulio
A big Thank You to Mr Pomplun for organising this event and to all the children who participated.
National Child Protection Week
Week 9 is National Child Protection Week across Australia. Protecting our kids from harm is one of our core tasks here at Holy Name and the children will spend time during that week teaching the children about how to stay safe in their communities and also how to stay safe online.
The Allanah and Madeline Foundation https://www.esmart.org.au/ and the Daniel Morcombe Foundation https://danielmorcombe.com.au/ have some great resources to look at with your children and to gain valuable knowledge about cybersafety.
Wellbeing Week
Each term during Week 6 we stop for the 5 days, take a breath, and take on self-care practices that are truly beneficial to our wellbeing. I have added links to a reflective meditation for yourself and one for your child.
Social Justice in Action
The garden club have been very committed this Term to growing produce that can be harvested and donated to Forster Community Kitchen. This week we sent to the kitchen eggs, tomatoes, sweet peas and snow peas, a variety of lettuce, leafy greens, and fresh herbs. Michelle Robinson was in contact with our school thanking us for the continued support for the Forster Community Kitchen. Below is what they served from our produce.
Once again, we ask for your support of our garden. Donations of tomato plants, stakes for planting the tomatoes, any herb, Asian greens, and lettuce seedlings would be appreciated.
Confirmation
Students at Holy Name who registered with the parish to be part of the Eucharist Sacramental program are so close now to receiving their First Holy Communion. During this time of lockdown children in the program are advised to continue to work through their book. I have attached a Parts of the Mass PDF staple-less, tapeless book with the instructions and template that your child might like to make this weekend.
Prayers for Afghanistan
Father Greg Barker, Parish Priest of Boolaroo-Warners Bay has had a beautiful suggestion for a small gesture of solidarity with the people of Afghanistan and those who have served there.
This maybe something you personally do with your family, it has been shared with our staff and our students will be part of a prayer ritual in their classroom next week. Also the ACBC Office for Justice, Ecology and Peace in collaboration with the Loreto Justice Network has prepared a Prayer Service in response to what is happening in Afghanistan and other parts of the world right now. Please feel free to use it.
I will share Fr Greg’s letter of invitation with you.
Kind regards,
Genevieve
Religious Education Coordinator
Fr Greg's invitation
Dear Parish Family,
I don't really know what to do about Afghanistan and the humanitarian crisis I see there or how to respond to the veterans who sacrificed so much there in the last 20 years.
But this is what I am going to do for now:
This Thursday night (19 August) at 6 pm, I will light a candle in the darkness for the women and girls there - a light in the dark for what may lay ahead for them. For centuries, families have lit candles in their windows to show travellers the way home. This act demonstrated that there was still hope, as small as it might be when all seemed lost. So I am going to place my light on the steps of the Boolaroo Church.
And then, Friday night (20 August), I will do the same at 6 pm for those veterans among us who might be feeling that their service there, and the sacrifices that were made, were for nothing. The light will symbolise that nothing we do for others, freedom or peace, is ever wasted.
On Saturday night (21 August), I will light a candle for all the Christians and people of other faiths in Afghanistan, who will now be in dire circumstances as the militants sweep through.
After that, I'm not sure. You might like to light a candle at the same time and join with me in a few moments of prayerful silence or prayerful non-silence if you want to pray a few prayers. Take a picture of your candle, and I will share it around. You can be in the picture or not. It means something, either way, ? . One light or a thousand it won't matter - it's the solidarity in prayer that matters. And for our veterans, maybe that they and their service matter to us.
Kind regards,
Greg
Parish Priest
At Holy Name this week we are celebrating all of the wonderful things that promote our wellbeing. Considering we have joined the rest of the state in lockdown which resulted in the relaunch of home learning, our wellbeing has never been so important.
Mrs Banham has been running art club at 1st lunch for the students that are attending school and ensuring students have the opportunity to take some time out to engage in quiet and calm creative activities. A favourite art club activity has been stitching embroideries and their ‘make to give’ Kindness Hearts. The kindness hearts were handed out to teachers by Mini Vinnies students on Monday and definitely made us all smile!
Mrs Banham has continued a Wellbeing Week tradition and painted a giant rainbow with a sign above that says, “Stand here and think of someone that makes you smile….”. Students have been taking turns standing under the rainbow & the smiles from the photos certainly show that it’s working.
Meditation is an important way we can calm our minds and bodies and a great way to promote a sense of wellbeing. Mrs Banham will be visiting classes this week to run meditation sessions and help our students find a sense of calm. Yoga and dancing are also great wellbeing activities and will be on offer for students to take part in during second lunch. Teachers will be adding meditation ideas and other wellbeing activities to their online learning plans for students working from home. I know teachers would love to know if any of our students working at home are taking time out to dance or do yoga. We would love to see your ‘wellbeing at home’ photos’.
Enjoy your wellbeing week wherever you are!
Mrs Monks
Primary Coordintor
NOTICES RE LOCKDOWN, HOME LEARNING AND SCHOOL EVENTS
Today we were informed that the lockdown would continue for next week as well. I think we all thought this was a distinct possibility, however now that it is a reality, we will have to make some changes to events in our calendar as well as continuing the home learning for students.
This time around, we have been asked to make sure that we only have the students at school of our essential workers and those students who are not able to access the learning at home. Teachers can organise for hardcopies of learning programmes for students and I encourage anyone who is not already doing this, to make sure you do so this week. On Monday, I will be checking in with teachers to see who among our students is not accessing the learning and making contact with these families if the teacher has not already been in communication with the family.
Parents are advised that they are not to come onsite unless it is an emergency. Please phone at the front gate and a staff meeting will get you what you need.
Next week:
1. Home Learning will continue online or hardcopy.
2. The Book Week Parade postponed - more details will come about an alternate plan for this event, possibly Week 8.
3. The Regional Spelling and Maths Bees, as well as the Regional Debating completitions have been cancelled.
4. The Rugby Gala Day is cancelled.
5. The ICAS competitions have been postponed to later dates.
6. Cricket Gala Day is cancelled.
7. Playgroup is cancelled.
8. P&F Meeting will be online via Zoom at 6pm Tuesday. Invitations will be forwarded to everyone on the list in the office. Please phone to add your name.