Dear Parents and Carers,

The 3rd-9th September is National Child Protection Week, where we are all invited to play our part in promoting the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. At Holy Name, St Nicholas OOSH students created a banner for the Diocesan 'Decorate your Gate' competition and this has been hanging on our Carawa Street fence this week. In classrooms, teachers have been provided with resources to promote safeguarding in the classrooms. There are many ways that our parents can also play a role in the promotion of safeguarding and we plan to include regular updates for parents like the one a little later in this newsletter about safeguarding to support you in this important area of parenting.

It is also great timing to introduce a new wellbeing initiative called 'School TV' to our parents. We would like you to have access to up to date information on common themes that will support you in your role as parents to navigate some of the challenges faced by children of all ages. Our team here at Holy Name will promote different topics in School TV that we hope will help you to connect with this resource when you need. The first one, called 'The Wellbeing Barometer' is included below.

SPECIAL REPORT: The Wellbeing Barometer 2023

Because parenting doesn’t come with instructions, sometimes you may feel overwhelmed, stressed or struggling with the challenges of raising happy, well, and resilient young people. Parenting is a learning journey, and it's not always easy. But you don't have to do it alone.

Introducing SchoolTV - a comprehensive wellbeing resource designed to support you in your parenting journey. With mental health concerns on the rise, it's more important than ever to have access to the latest research, advice and support to help your child thrive.

At our school, we are committed to providing families with the tools they need to support their children's wellbeing. That's why we've implemented SchoolTV, a valuable resource that provides practical guidance and information from leading specialists and key organisations on a range of topics related to parenting, mental health and wellbeing.

But we need your help. In this Special Report, we are seeking your participation through a short survey to help us better understand the state of student wellbeing within our community. Your feedback will help us to determine how best we can support families in the months ahead.

Together we can continue to build relationships, foster connections and enable understanding as we navigate a pathway towards better mental health and wellbeing for all students. So, we encourage you to take a few moments to complete the survey and reflect on the information offered in this Special Report. Responses remain anonymous and will only be reported on an aggregated basis. You are asked to base your responses on observations made in the last 12 months.

Parents and caregivers play a vital role in providing the guidance needed to support children, so it's okay to ask for help along the way. If this report raises any concerns for you or your child, please reach out to the school or seek professional medical advice. Let's work together to support the wellbeing of all young people and ensure they feel equipped with the skills to become citizens of tomorrow.

Click on this link to view the Special Report https://forster.catholic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-wellbeing-barometer-2023-au

I hope you enjoy the report and resource.

Regards,

Brooke Stephens 

All Families are invited to our OPEN AFTERNOON on Tuesday, September 19th, from 3.30 to 6pm.

Positive Behaviour for Learning

Our PBL focus for the past fortnight has been I Can Sit Calmly and Quietly.

The following students received their class awards for receiving the most surfbord tokens in the past two weeks:

These students received Principal's Awards for attaining 20 or 40 surfboards:

The PBL focus for the remaining two weeks of term will be Using Kind Words.

Safety

Thank you to all the families who are choosing to use the Kiss and Ride area to drop their children at school in the mornings. The more families that choose this option the better as there will be less congestion on Lake Street, which is extremely busy at school pick up and drop off times.

We also encorage families to collect their children from the back gate of the school, again for safety reasons.

Public Speaking

Chase Brooks (5F), Nanma Joy (4H), Anna Brooks (2S) and Rudy Bergagnin (KM) travelled South this week to compete in the Diocesan Public Speaking Finals. The children did themselves and Holy Name School proud with the standard of their speeches. Congratulations to all four students with a special mention to Anna Brooks for acheiving 2nd place in the Stage 1 section and Rudy Bergagnin for acheiving 3rd place in the ES1 section.

ICAS

The ICAS assessments for 2023 have now finished. Student results will be available for parents on the ICAS portal.

Hello!

Last week we farewelled our wonderful REC, Genevieve Williamson, until next year as she enjoys some well-earned long service leave and embarks on an amazing trip, touring Italy with her husband John. For the remainder of the year I will be stepping into her shoes and operating as the Acting Religious Education Co-ordinator until her return. For those families unfamiliar with myself, I have been teaching at Holy Name since 2018, and have been teaching Year 1 for the past few years. I previously stepped into this position in an acting capacity at the start of 2021, and I am excited to follow in Gen’s footsteps and work with Father Peter and the Parish, as well as the school’s Leadership team once again. Genevieve has set a very high standard in this role and developed a strong reputation amongst the Diocese for Holy Name’s religious education. I look forward to continuing on her good work.

Father’s Day Breakfast

Last week’s Father’s Day Breakfast was a wonderful success. We wish to thank all the dads were able to come along, and enjoy and bacon and egg roll with their children before participating in a reflection, giving thanks for the role these fathers play in their lives. As each month passes the days of COVID shutting down gatherings seems more and more distant, and the Breakfast was one of the best attended events within the school for a long time. We hope to see the numbers of families joining us to celebrate as a community continue to grow as we move forward. The joy of the children as they dragged their dads around, showing off their classrooms, teachers and friends reminded us all of the power and impact of a close relationship between families and school.

Religious Literacy Test

This week Year 6 sat their Religious Literacy Test. I want to thank Ms McKinnon and Mrs Russell for the stellar job the did in preparing their students for this event, as well as the students themselves for the tremendous effort they put in. This Year was the first year that the test was delivered online, and thankfully it did so without any technical issues. I look forward to sharing their success with you in the future.

Mission and Justice

In these times of hardship for many, Holy Name is supporting the Catholic Care Food Program. When many are going hungry, any help we can offer is significant and Catholic Care is deeply appreciative of any food donations from our school community.

We have a collection point in the school’s front office, should you be able to donate. These food items will be used in meals or packages as hampers for the vulnerable in our local community.

As for types of donations we are requesting pantry items, those that can be stored on a shelf instead of perishable foods with a limited storage life. Canned or dried goods are ideal. Once more, we thank those in a position to help for living the words of our school motto, and showing ‘Concern for Others”.

Mr Fin MacKay

Acting Religious Education Co-ordinator

Wonderful Things Happening in Year Five!

Each fortnight we like to put a spotlight on the great learning happening in a particular grade in our school. In this report the spotlight is on 5F.

In English, the Year Five students have been focusing on Narrative texts such as Rowan of Rin to gain an understanding of language features such as characterisation and the author’s purpose. Students are continuing to enjoy their weekly book club meeting where they take on their roles to discuss different elements of their group’s chosen text.

The Year 5 students are very excited about the prospect of getting a Kindergarten buddy next year. They have had a number of opportunities to attend playgroup on a Thursday morning to get to know the preschool kids that will be coming to Kinder in 2024. During these visits the students have been planning for a picture book that they are creating for each of their future buddies. The Year 5 students asked the preschoolers what characters they like, what kind of stories they like to hear, what illustrations they like to see. Here are some photos are the Yr 5 students creating their picture books. In order to ensure that Year 5 produce picture books of a high standard they use self, peer and teacher feedback to improve their buddy stories.

In Maths, Year Five are focusing on problem solving, in particular word problems that involve multiplication and division. The students have been learning to use the BODMAS rule for the orders of operations when solving problems which stands for Brackets, Order, Division, Multiplication, Addition, Subtraction. The students have been in ‘the learning pit’ while solving this problems. This basically means that it has really challenged some of the students and they have had show resilience with their approaches through trial and error.

In Science the have students have been learning about the difference between contact and non-contact forces. Students have been provided with the opportunity to investigate how forces are used to transfer energy from one item to another. Students have also been given time to work scientifically and utilise the skills and knowledge gained throughout the unit to predict, plan and evaluate experiments in relation to the concepts of force.

In Sport, Year Five have been developing their Tennis skills with the rest of stage 3. They have been practising the correct techniques for forehand, backhand and volley shots! The students are looking forward to putting these skills in action for doubles and singles games over the next 2 weeks.

Well done Year Five students and Miss Flannery, keep up the awesome work!

Mrs Suzie Monks

Primary Coordinator

Playgroup

At our playgroup, we cherish the moments of togetherness as we engage in playtime, creative arts, captivating stories, rhythmic dances, and enjoy some healthy fruit snacks. We've also had the pleasure of hosting visits from our Year 5 students, who are eager to become buddies with our playgroup friends next year. It's heartening to witness these children forming meaningful connections with one another.

In the past weeks, we've welcomed numerous young learners who joined us for Thursday mornings, accompanied by parents, grandparents, aunts, and friends. Playgroup serves as a gentle introduction for families to acquaint themselves with the Holy Name community. If you or someone you know has preschool-aged children, we extend a warm invitation to join us for a relaxing cup of tea.

Not only does playgroup offer a delightful way for little ones to ease into the school environment, but it also provides a beautiful opportunity for parents, caregivers, and grandparents to forge new connections and friendships. Everyone is wholeheartedly welcome, and it's a joyous way to kickstart your Thursdays from 9 to 10 AM in our school hall.

Art Club

Art Club is a quieter space for students to still enjoy outside time in a creative environment. We have been working together on some large posters to brighten our space in Art Club. The students have enjoyed using our paint sticks the create vibrant works of art with inspiring words. 

Wellbeing 

R U OK? Day Thursday September 14 “I’m hear to hear” 

R U OK? is a charity dedicated to promoting public health by fostering connections and initiating conversations that provide support during challenging times. Their primary focus is on empowering individuals to become effective help-givers, enabling them to engage in meaningful conversations with those facing difficulties in life.

This organisation plays a crucial role in suicide prevention by urging people to invest in their personal relationships and equipping informal support networks, including friends, family, and colleagues, to be vigilant for signs of distress or hardship. By intervening early and connecting individuals to suitable support, R U OK? aims to prevent crises from occurring. Next Thursday is National R U OK? Day, let’s all check in with someone we know, start a conversation, and lend an ear to hear. 

Stockland Education Week Promotion

Thanks you to everyone who voted for our skateboards on display at Stockland, we appreciate you taking the time to vote. Congratulations to Nabiac Primary School who won the $200 gift card, well done! Thank you to Stockland Shopping Centres who continue to provide opportunities for community engagement and school participation in collaborative projects. We look forward to participating in future collaborations.  

Kristie Banham

Pastoral Care Worker 

From the 3rd to the 9th September, 'Child Protection Week', our nation highlgihts the importance of protecting children from risk of harm in all sorts of forums. There are many resources available for parents and teachers to assist children in developing good practices in regard to protecting themselves from harm. Last week via Compass, we sent out a booklet with activities for children that is a good option for parents to use when talking with their children. 

In this week's newsletter, we would like to highlight some other resources that will support you as our parents and carers to acces information and resources that will support you in keeping your children safe.

eSafety webinars for parents and carers