Term 2 Week 10 Newsletter 2024

Dear Parents, Friends, Staff and Students of St Catherine’s,  

It is such an exciting time welcoming our new Reception students to St Catherine's. We recently held two transition visits where our Mid-year Receptions visited and spent time with their teacher and new classmates. We look forward to Edison, Ellie, Grace, Baxter, Georgia, Lily, Alexander, Sofia, Vivi, Spencer, Olivia and Harriet joining the St Catherine's community next term to begin their learning journey at school.  

Our Year 5 and 6 choir students have been busy learning their repertoire of songs and actions ready to perform as part of the Catholic Schools Music Festival at the Adelaide Festival Theatre at the end of next term and they recently joined other school choirs at St Joseph's School, Tranmere for a combined rehearsal. Information regarding ticket sales for this performance will be shared early next term.   

Debating 

Last week our students enjoyed their last debate for Term 2. Our Year 6 team won their debate against a Year 7 team and our Year 5 orange team won against our Year 5 yellow team by a narrow margin of 0.3 of a point! Congratulations to Matisse who won best speaker on the night. Congratulations also to all our debating students for dedicating their time and effort to extend their learning through this extra-curricular activity. 

Semester 1 Student Achievement reports  

Student reports were made available via SEQTA for the first time this semester. The information contained in this report is a summary of your child’s achievement this year. Reports are provided twice per year and are one of a number of ways that the school communicates your child’s achievement and approach to learning. Reporting provides an opportunity for students, parents, and teachers to maintain authentic conversations and partnerships focussed on learning. 

I encourage parents to talk through the report with their child and highlight their strengths. You may find it helpful to discuss one or two areas to work on in the second half of the year and the following are suggested questions that can guide these conversations. 

     What are you most proud of? 
     What did you struggle with but managed to work through? 
     What goal/s might you have for the remainder of the year? 

Should you wish to discuss any element of your child's progress, please make a time to meet with your child's teacher. Our next formal parent learning conversations are scheduled for Term 3, week 8 and will be an opportunity to talk with your child's teacher about their ongoing progress throughout Semester 2. 

Student Leaders 

As Semester 1 draws to a close I would like to thank all our student leaders who have represented their classes with a sense of responsibility and pride. Mrs Dawe and I have been extremely impressed with the engagement and confidence the students have shown through sharing their points of views on a range of different topics as well as using problem solving skills to ensure our school is a safe and happy environment, caring for the common good. Our commitment to opportunities for student voice and agency remains a strong focus and we are certain that the development which occurs in these situations provides a great foundation for students to become effective advocates for a socially just and equitable world. 

Term 3 

As communicated earlier this week, I am taking up a temporary role at Catholic Education as School Performance Leader for Central and North Schools for Term 3. I am very much looking forward to the new challenge and the opportunity to broadening my leadership experience during this time. I am sure you will make Mark Simpson very welcome in his role as Acting Principal during my absence. Mark is an experienced school leader having worked in Independent and Catholic schools for many years. I look forward to seeing you all again on my return in Term 4. 

Finally, a reminder of our Pupil Free Days in Term 3. 

• Monday 22nd July (Staff are attending an East Region Catholic Schools conference focused on Student Agency and Learning). 
• Friday 27th September (Staff First Aid training) 

(Camp Australia OSHC will be available 8am-4pm on these days) 

Students return to school on Tuesday 23rd July. 

Have a safe and happy holiday break. 

Warm regards, 

John 
Together in Faith, Learning and Community  

Vinnie's Winter Appeal - Supporting the Adelaide Hills Community 

I am thrilled to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our incredible school community for the overwhelming support shown during our Winter Appeal. Your generosity and spirit of giving have truly made a difference. 

Through your donations of groceries, we have been able to provide essential items to those in need within our community. Your contributions ensure that families struggling during these colder months have access to nutritious food and basic necessities. 

Additionally, our Olympics-themed casual day was a tremendous success, raising over $880! The enthusiasm and participation from students and families alike were truly inspiring. The funds raised will go a long way in supporting our ongoing efforts to assist those less fortunate. 

The spirit of unity and compassion demonstrated by our school community is heartwarming and a testament to the values we hold dear. Thank you for coming together to support such a worthy cause. 

Sacrament of Confirmation 

We are thrilled to share the joyous news that several of our students have recently received the Sacrament of Confirmation at St Matthew's Church in a service officiated by Archbishop O'Regan. Our Choir Club also added to the celebration through their beautiful musical contributions. This significant milestone in their spiritual journey marks a deeper commitment to their faith and the strengthening of their bond with the Holy Spirit. 

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Mary, Orlando, Antonio, and Jack for embracing this important sacrament with dedication and reverence. Their commitment and preparation have been inspiring to witness, and we are immensely proud of each of them. 

We would like to express our deepest gratitude to the entire school community for keeping these students in your prayers. A special thank you also goes out to their families for their guidance, love, and support which have been instrumental in preparing these candidates for this sacrament. Thank you also to the Adelaide Hills Parish for their warm hospitality throughout the sacramental journey. Your welcoming environment and spiritual guidance have made this experience truly memorable for our students and their families. 

Dominican Leadership - Bread Tag Collection 

As part of the Dominican Leadership program, the Year 6 students have been collecting bread tags for Aussie Bread Tags for Wheelchairs. Not only are we saving plastic bread tags from landfill, the bread tags are recycled into items such as door knobs, boards, bowls, pens and even lazy Susans! The money raised goes towards wheelchairs for people who are disadvantaged, particularly in South Africa.  

Absent from the Table Survey 

The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference is undertaking a research project aimed at investigating why some Catholics do not participate in regular weekly Sunday Mass (Sunday Mass includes the Saturday Vigil). You are invited to complete this survey with the opportunity being available until Tuesday August 20th. The survey can be accessed through the link below. Please note that all participants need to be 18 years or older. 

https://acu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2soKeAtFMEYGf0W 

Warm regards, 

Krystina Dawe, 
Assistant Principal, Religious Identity and Mission 
kdawe@stcaths.catholic.edu.au 

RB

We began the term with a very exciting trip to the Monarto Zoo to support our Science classroom learning. We enjoyed seeing many of the Asian and African animals, with a particular highlight being the safari tour on the bus. We have enjoyed spending a lot of time with our buddies this term. This has included Nature Play earlier in the term where we made nature names using natural resources in the environment. We shared in National Simultaneous story time together and shared many lunches on the courts together which we have thoroughly enjoyed. In Mathematics we have been writing addition equations and learning all the friends of 10. It’s great to see the children fostering a love for Math. 

R1B/P

In R1B we have been writing persuasive texts to share our points of view. We read books and shared our personal views, and written about them. We looked at words to help to strengthen our arguments. The Year 1s presented their argument about whether or not they should always eat their peas! These skills will certainly be helpful in years to come!  We have continued our unit of work on animals and their habitats. The excursion to Monarto Zoo helped us to reflect on what animals need to survive and how animals require different types of shelter and food. We have created posters of a chosen animal to share what we learnt on our excursion. 

1/2C

This term in Year 1/2C, we have been extremely busy looking at our beautiful world, the living and non-living things and outer space. We are creating our dioramas and have been researching some facts to include in our creations. We have been looking at local places and what has been constructed, man-made and natural as well as the different states and territories in our country. We also hosted our Liturgy in Week 5 that acknowledged Our Mother, Mary and the role she plays in our day to day lives. 

2/3F

We celebrated National Reconciliation Week where we participated in a range of engaging activities that highlighted Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and history. We learnt about inspirational Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people such as David Unaipon and Gurrumul and participated in lessons linked to their talents. We are learning how to care for Tadpoles which links with the science content of lifecycles and living things. We are looking forward to seeing our tadpoles' produce legs.

3/4W

We have had oral presentations over the past few weeks. Our topic was on sharing a book we have read at home and that we would like to motivate others in our class to read. We have heard from everyone, and boy did our book lists grow! The presentations were on Power Point, Canva, Key Note plus using flashcards and our own book creations. 

4/5B

4/5B are in the final stages of completing our persuasive summative. The Year 4’s are writing a persuasive speech arguing “School uniforms should be compulsory.” And Year 5’s a persuasive letter arguing for or against “Renewable vs non-renewable energy.” In Maths, we have wrapped up our Fractions unit, which has seen the students develop their understanding and application of this abstract concept resulting in learning success across the class. We have represented fractions in 100’s charts all the way to adding mixed and improper fractions using multiplication and division.

5/6O

In Maths at the moment, we are learning about patterns and algebra. The students have been able to identify the differences between repeating, linear and growing patterns both visually and numerically. They have also been able to solve complex problems and synthesise the algebraic equation. In Literacy, students are writing informative reports, using strategies such as incorporating language of comparison, cause and effect statements and strong vocabulary.  In Science, we are investigating how the survival of living things is impacted by physical conditions such as water and sunlight. We have conducted a range of experiments to support our investigation. 

Specialist Subjects

Music

The students in Years 5 and 6 have been busy getting ready for the school musical which will occupy most of their time next term. They have been learning performance techniques and researching the musical which they are going to perform. The junior students have been busy playing a variety of songs on the boomwhackers during music and improvising characters in drama.

Sport

The students have been learning about Netball this term focusing on passing, catching, shooting and game play. The year 4-6 students enjoyed the Cross Country Carnival at Woodside with over 30 students competing on the day running either 2km or 3km distances. The after school Basketball program was again popular for R-2 students on a Monday after school.

Italian

In reception the students are learning the names for farm animals in Italian. They are also learning the sounds that they make and how it is different to English. They are also learning colours and numbers on a fun game platform called languages online. 

Next term, as part of our Dominican Leadership program, our Year 6 students will be collecting shoes through the Tread Lightly initiative who recycle old shoes into gym flooring. We would love if you could please bring in any old sneakers/runners, thongs & slides, boots, leather school shoes, football boots, and hiking boots. There will be a collection box set up before & after school. For more information, please visit the Tread Lightly website: https://treadlightly.asga.com.au/ 

Any questions, please email Miss O'Connell loconnell@stcaths.catholic.edu.au  

Firstly, I would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to all the wonderful volunteers who help to make the P&F such a fantastic group to be a part of. Just 1 hour of your time is all it takes to make a huge impact on our school and our children reap the rewards!

Thanks to the fundraising efforts from the 2023 P&F we were able to purchase new soccer goals for the oval and “block out” blinds for the hall – which have come in handy for the annual disco and the (future) 3&4 Sleepover.

Mother’s Day Stall was a HUGE success with 202 Tokens purchased.

Father’s Day Tokens will be on QKR for purchase next Term – Stall will be open to students on 30th August just in time to purchase a gift for someone special in their lives.

St Helen’s Cottages has a great offer in place for St Cath’s families – please see Audiri for more info.

Italian Day is locked in for 29th August – Signora has a fantastic day planned and yummy food will be available for pre-order via QKR – keep your eyes on Audiri for more info.

That's all from me, for now!

Wishing everyone a safe and relaxing break.

Lucia and P&F Team

Children's University  

St Catherine's School’s allocated graduation date is Thursday,14th November 2024.   

Graduates will need to arrive by 9:45am in readiness for the ceremony to commence sharply at 10:30am and conclude by approximately 12:00pm. Official invites for the graduation will be distributed in Term 3, however you may like to take note of this date. Arrangements for attending the graduation will be confirmed next term, however please note only two guests per graduating student will be able to attend. 

For those looking to boost their learning hours, you might like to consider the Winter Holiday Challenge Activities. The school holidays are a great time to get stuck into some of the learning activities.  

Student Reports 

On Wednesday this week you received your child's academic report for Semester 1 via the SEQTA Engage platform. This is a summary of your child's achievement so far this year. There will be an opportunity to have a discussion with your child's teacher during our scheduled Learning Conversation next term. Until then, the following table may provide additional insight into your child's achievements this semester.  

NAIDOC WEEK  

NAIDOC Week is a special time where we celebrate the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This year, NAIDOC Week is held from 7 – 14 July 2024. It's a time for us to learn about the rich traditions and contributions of Indigenous Australians. 

This year’s NAIDOC Week theme reminds us of the ongoing connection Indigenous Australians have with their land and the importance of caring for our environment. During NAIDOC Week, we had the opportunity to participate in various activities and learn more about Aboriginal culture. Pictured are the Miss Barolo's, Mrs Brines and Mrs Williams students with examples of their learning.  

The story of Mad Magpie taught us about caring for each other.  

The story Big Rain Coming taught us about our environment.  

The Year 3/4 students helped their younger buddies to make NAIDOC Week bracelets using beads.  

Book Week 

Need a project for the children in the school holidays? This may be an ideal time for children to think about what they would like to dress up for our Book Week celebration next term. 

The theme for this years Book Week is 'Reading is Magic'. We are looking forward to celebrating book characters during Week 5 of next term. You may also like to sharpen up your magic skills for our school Magic SHOW! 

Kind Regards,  

Narelle Brine and Krystina Dawe 
Leaders of Learning – Curriculum and Assessment

Stronger Families: A Positive Parenting Conference 

Presented by Catholic School Parents South Australia 
 
This one-day event is tailored for parents and professionals involved with youth, offering a platform where prominent parenting experts from Australia come together to share invaluable insights on modern-day challenges affecting children and teenagers 

Program 

Featured Speakers  
 
Maggie Dent: "Help Me Help My Teen".  

This seminar, based on Maggie’s latest book, is a reassuring, practical guide for parents to help teenagers navigate adolescence and grow into confident, capable adults. Adolescence has always been a time of huge transformation, but today's teens deal with challenges that parents may never have imagined.  

An increasingly digital world filled with social media, gaming and harmful content, along with changing cultural norms, has intensified the pressure to excel and 'fit in' – leading to heightened levels of stress, anxiety and depression.  

Paul Dillon: "Teens, Parties, Alcohol, and Vapes: What Parents Need to Know".  

Adolescence is a challenging time for all concerned, with many parents feeling as though they are not adequately prepared, particularly in areas such as alcohol and other drugs. 

 Every family is different and there are a range of different circumstances that will dictate how a parent responds to problems that may arise in this area. Having good quality, accurate information is vital. 

Madhavi Nawana Parker: "Maintaining Calm Amidst Parenting Challenges".  

This workshop, based on Madhavi Nawana Parker's books on social emotional wellbeing, resilience, confidence and happiness, will bring parents of pre adolescents and adolescents, evidence based tools to help you confidently navigate the inevitable (and very real) ups and downs of life with a teenager.  

Madhavi will teach simple and practical ways to regulate your own stress and emotions, while building in daily happiness and wellbeing habits, that will help strengthen your family's lifelong connection with each other. 

Seating is general admission and light lunch is provided. 

For more information contact trish.jarvis@cspsa.catholic.edu.au 

Growing with Gratitude - AFL Max Leadership excursion 

The Student Representative Council and Eco Reps from Years 3-6 were invited by Ash Manuel at Growing with Gratitude to come along to a leadership and teamwork capacity building workshop at AFL Max on Friday, Week 7! 

We had a fun time exploring the many different activities there that took us out of our comfort zone. We learnt about the C.A.R analogy when it comes to communicating with each other, standing for clear, appropriate and regular! We hope to bring this back into our future meetings together.  

Kids in Adelaide 

Looking for something fun to do together this holidays? 

Kids in Adelaide have rounded up some amazing ideas for you to look in to. Click the link to find out more: https://kidsinadelaide.com.au/adelaide-school-holidays-july/ 

Genevieve Jong 
Leader of Learning – Wellbeing and Inclusion