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Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome back to the new term, it is hard to fathom that it is May already and we are heading into our winter months. Thank you to those families who have managed to change students over to the winter uniform - we appreciate your support. This term we welcome Miss Flannery to our teaching staff on Monday, Tuesday and Friday each week to take the 4H class on a Tuesday and to support a more consistent approach to replacing staff on leave on the other days. Miss Flannery comes to us from St Michael's Primary school in Baulkham Hills and has been warmly welcomed into our community, and the community of St Joseph's Primary School Wingham where she will work on a Wednesday and Thursday. It is great to have Mrs Loring back on board and teaching in the Learning Hub while Mrs Arrow is on maternity leave. In a few weeks, Mrs Kelso will head off on maternity leave as well, and Mr Kelso will take paternity leave. We will welcome Miss Frost to Holy Name to replace Mrs Kelso as the Thursday/Friday teacher for Year 2S. There are already plans being made to ensure a smooth transition of teachers for the class.
Mrs Whitlam is expecting her first child and will take leave during Term 3 for the remainder of the year. As soon as we know her last day, we will advertise for a Yr 5 teacher for the remainder of the year.
Last week, it was great to share a meal and a learning day with all of the Priests and Principals from across our Diocese, sharing ideas and otpions on how to build real connections between our Catholic Identity here at school and our shared vision for the graduating students of our Catholic primary and high schools. It is so refreshing to be able to speak openly and honestly with the clergy about how to achieve our mutual goals and to start a plan for the future.
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT
This term we have started working with teachers to look closely at the assessment information we have in reading and writing, and how we can adjust our lessons to target whole class, small group or the individual needs of students in classes. We have excellent systems in place to support our teachers to achieve this goal with their students and look forward to celebrating their successes through the positive outcomes for students as the year progresses.
STUDENT REPORTS
Another area of engagement with families that is going through review at a Diocesan level is the Student Reporting system. The Report Review Committee is ready to present a draft model to the Catholic Schools Office Leadership team and hope that if endorsed, will bring improved engagement for parents and a more practical approach to reporting for teachers.
Although the Student Report for this semester is not yet the new version, we are looking forward to presenting parents with the Semester 1 Student Reports based on the learning of students during Terms 1 and 2. There have been slight changes to the layout of the report that we are hoping parents appreciate. The descriptors within the Key Learning Areas provide more information for parents and we have maintained the inclusion of two areas of strength and one area for development in Religion, English and Mathematics.
NAPLAN
NAPLAN Test are planned over the next fortnight at school. Students in Years 3 and 5 will sit one test on 4 separate days beginning with Writing, Reading, Language Conventions and then Numeracy. Parents can support students to show what they are capable of by making sure they have early evenings during this time and have a good breakfast to make sure their brains are turned on and ready to fire. The tests will commence at 9.00am each day except Friday when it will be at 9.30am. It is important that students are at school on time so they don't miss out on the tests. Teachers will do their best to ensure catch-up opportunities are available for students who are absent on the day of testing.
MONDAY 9TH | TUESDAY 10TH | WEDNESDAY 11TH | THURSDAY 12TH | FRIDAY 13TH |
NO TESTS |
Year 3 Writing Yr 5 Writing |
Year 3 Reading | Year 5 Reading | Year 3 Language Conventions |
MONDAY 16TH | TUESDAY 17TH | WEDNESDAY 18TH | THURSDAY 19TH | FRIDAY 20TH |
Year 5 Language Conventions |
Year 3 Numeracy | Year 5 Numeracy | CATCH-UP DAY | CATCH-UP DAY |
PARENTS & FRIENDS MEETING
Next Tuesday evening at 6pm we will hold our first P&F Meeting for Term 2. At our last meeting, we walked through the parent responses to the Tell Them From Me Surveys that teachers, parents and students in Years 4,5 and 6 participate in each year. The survey commenced in 2020 and is a valuable tool to capture the thoughts and ideas of all members of our community. This week, we will look at the student survey results from 2021. We will also look at planning the workshops for parents based on your preferences and share the draft plans for the upcoming refurbishment of classroom spaces at school. This week, we received the first draft and were very impressed with the architects design based on what our school felt would work well and fit in with the effective teaching strategies used by teachers in the 2020's. Please come along to the meeting in the Learning Hub if you are able, or join online by sending your request for an invitation to our administration office.
MOTHER'S DAY celebration
It was lovely to welcome mothers, grandmothers and family members to our Mother's Day Liturgy and picnic today. Mrs Williamson did an awesome job of preparing for the day and we look forward to sharing many more opportunities like this to connect with our community.
I wish all our mothers and grandmothers a wonderful day on Sunday and pray that the weather will be kind to us to enjoy a special day with our families.
Best wishes,
Mrs Stephens
It has been wonderful being back at school this Term! I love working at Holy Name School and being part of such a wonderful community. I would like to thank all the staff, students and families for their support and prayers during the last 6 months while I looked after then lost my husband, Barry. It’s been a tough road, but the road keeps going forward and so will I.
A special thankyou to our school leadership team for their unending support and to Genevieve Williamson for stepping into the AP role in my absence.
For the remainder of 2022, I will be working as the Teacher Librarian in Mrs Arrow’s absence. This is a great space to work, and I am hoping to introduce some new initiatives over the next 3 Terms. I also return as the Assistant Principal and CILS coordinator.
It has been a busy start to the Term with the students already taking part in Dio Cross Country, a “Let’s Stamp out Bullying” Presentation, the Mother’s Day Stall and today’s lovely Mother’s Day Liturgy and picnic lunch.
PBL
Our PBL focus for the next fortnight will be Caring for the Environment. The staff will be looking for children doing the right thing in caring for our school environment. We have 3 types of bins at school for the children to use and our Environmental leaders will remind the children of how to use these bins next week.
Upcoming focuses will be “Listening to Others” and “Safe Hands.”
Sport
The following students travelled to Newcastle this week for the Diocesan Cross Country: Nate Barnett, Kannika Broadbent, Chase Brooks, Storm Cooke, Adele Whitehouse-Miotto, Sophia Whitehouse- Miotto, Sienna Cooper, Charles Dixon, Aston Hodges, Eli Lea, Mya McCarthy, Layla Price, Bryce Quillan, Mac Randall and Zac Teraki-Pitfield. All the students ran their very best over a tough course – Well Done!
Isabel Allport represented our Dicoese at the Polding Hockey trials last week in Bathurst. Isabel played with a team from another Dicoese and even scored a goal! Well done Isabel for achieving such a high level in your chosen sport - we are very proud of you!
Our school captain, Charlie Gibson, attended the Polding Soccer Trials last week in Bathurst. Charlie played in the Hunter side and has been selected to participate in the State trials in Griffith in August., Congratulations Charlie!
Our school Athletics carnival is coming up on May 26th. Notes will come out this week with all the information you need.
Mother's Day Liturgy and Picnic Celebrations
It was wonderful to celebrate Mother's Day with so many mothers, grandmothers, mother's to be and mother figures in our school hall today. Our community is richer when we come together to celebrate in prayer and song. Led by 5/6R, our students gave a blessing to these most important women who play a major role in shaping the people we are today and who we will be in the future. Like God, the love they give us is unconditional. Mother's day celebrations continued with a picnic lunch of chicken and salad. Much of the salad served today came from our school garden.
Holy Name Vegetable Garden and Community Kitchen
Since our last planting, lettuce, kale, beans, sweet peas, carrots, celery, capsican, tomatoes and herbs have grown and are now being harvested for our Mother's Day salads and the Community Kitchen. Students are at this time unable to serve meals from the community kitchen. Community kitchen volunteers are needed to prepare and serve meals on any of the following days Monday-Thursday. You may like to prepare meals between 9- 11am or serve meals between 12-1pm from the parish hall. If you are interseted please call Michelle Robinson, from Catholic Care on 65546401.
Sacrament of Reconciliation
Last Sunday 14 students began preparing for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The children were presented to the Forster Tuncurry parish at the 10am Mass and then afterwards particiapted in a Reconciiation workshop in the parish hall with Mr MacKay and myself. During this preparation time, the students will come to know more about our forgiving Father. Leading up to receiving the sacrament in two weeks, the children will also take part in a Reconciliation retreat at Holy Name. Our students are wearing a miraculous medal with a white and purple ribbon. This is a symbol that identifies their sacramental journey, white representing Baptism, and purple representing Reconciliation.
Parish Weekend Mass Times
As COVID restrictions have eased, QR coding in and wearing masks are no longer required, and rituals such as singing have returned as we celebrate mass. Fr Peter Street, warmly welcomes Holy Name families to join us to celebrate the blessed sacrament of Eucharist at any of the following weekend masses:Saturday 5:00pm, Sunday 8am and 10am.
Genevieve Williamson
Religious Education Coordinator
Primary Coordinator's Report
It was wonderful to see all of the students return from their holidays with bright smiles and a readiness to learn. It has been pleasing to see that most have students have returned to school in their correct Winter uniform and wearing black leather jogger type school shoes. We will continue to monitor that students are taking pride in their uniform and wearing the approprioate items. We thank parents for their continued suppoort in this area.
Geo Warriors 2022
As part of their work in improving this space, they have planted sweet pea seeds to add some colour along the fence near the eating area. These are growing taller each day and the Geo Warriors are looking forward to seeing how they look over the coming months.
Our Postive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) focus for next fortnight will be 'I can show respect for the school environment' and I know Kinder will be all over this as they love to do their part in keeping our areas clean and tidy.
I hope all of the Mothers, Grandmothers and carers have a wonderful Mother's Day on Sunday!
Mrs Suzie Monks
Primary Coordinator
It is great that most of our students wear the correct uniform and follow the School Uniform Policy. The areas that we would like to focus a little more attention on include:
- Shoes and socks
- Black joggers that are able to be polished
- Black crew socks without any branding or labels
- Hair
- Hair is to be clean, neat and well groomed. Long hair (below the collar) must be secured back from the face for Work, Health and Safety.
- Ribbons, scrunchies and scarves etc must be either maroon or gold or in material to match the summer skort or winter culottes.
- Extremes of style or the colouring of hair are unacceptable.
- The recent inclusion of the 'mullet' hairstyle was accepted toward the end of last year when it was introduced as a fundraising concept for Mental Health awareness. Please support our school policy by discouraging students from shaping their hair into a mullet. Thank you.
- Makeup and jewellery
- Makeup and nail polish are not allowed.
- Jewellery is not part of the school uniform. Wristwatches may be worn. Children with pierced ears may wear one pair of studs. Sleepers are not to be worn for safety reasons.
Please come & enjoy a presentation by Dr Ray Hodgson on his book 'Heartbreak in the Himalayas' and work in remote Nepal.
Date: Saturday 28th May 2022
Time: 2pm
Venue: Forster Catholic Parish Hall
33 Lake St , Forster
Cost: By donation- please be generous
Dr Hodgson’s book will be available for sale & signing. All funds raised will go to the construction of Mothers and Babies Hospital in remote Nepal.
Event arranged by FOGLLS- Friends of Great Lakes Library Service
Bookings : Helen Bryan 0448261095 or Helen Duggan 6554 7781
Seating may be limited due to covid requirements .