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Acknowledgement of Country:
Good Samaritan Catholic Primary School Fairy Meadow acknowledges and pays respect to the Dharawal and Gweagal people past and present, the traditional custodians of the lands on which our school is built.
Dear Parents and Carers of Good Samaritan,
Mothers Day
As we approach Mother's Day, I would like to take a moment to reflect on the importance of mothers in our lives. Mothers are the first teachers, caregivers, and nurturers of their children, and their love and influence shape our lives in countless ways. At Good Samaritan, we recognize and celebrate the integral role that mothers play in the formation and growth of their children, not just in the physical and emotional sense, but also in the spiritual sense. As we honour and celebrate all mothers this Mother's Day, let us also pray for them and thank them for their selfless love and devotion.
Annual Improvement Plan
At Good Samaritan we are committed to providing the highest quality education for our students. As part of this commitment, we have set a goal to improve reading success for all our students by the end of 2023 through the consistent application of evidence-based teaching practices.
To achieve this goal, our teachers will be using research-based strategies to improve reading instruction. These strategies include explicit instruction in phonics, vocabulary instruction, comprehension strategies, independent reading, collaborative learning, technology-based instruction, and data-driven instruction. By implementing these strategies, our teachers will be able to provide targeted instruction to meet the needs of all our learners and help them reach their full potential.
We believe that a strong foundation in reading is critical for academic success and lifelong learning. We encourage you to support your child's reading development by reading with them at home, providing access to books, and discussing what they are reading. Together, we can ensure that every student at Good Samaritan has the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in reading and beyond. Thank you for your continued support of our school community.
Mrs Catherine Hailstone
Acting Principal
Welcome back to Mrs Sillis
Welcome back to Mrs Sillis as she returns this week from her long service leave and Mrs Hailstone and myself return to our “normal” duties. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful staff at Good Samaritan and the parents that I have been involved with as they welcomed Mrs Hailstone and myself and supported us as we kept the ship afloat in Mrs Sillis' absence. Thank you 6 Gold for your flexibility and positive mindset during my time off class. I have missed you and look forward to jumping back into the classroom next week.
Mrs Shelley
Chewing Gum
A friendly reminder that chewing gum is BANNED from school. Please talk with your child about the importance of not bringing it in their bags as it is very tempting for them and their peers and this leads to it being shared. We need to consider that not only is this a school rule but that sharing of foods is discouraged due to allergies.
ANZAC GUEST SPEAKER
We welcomed a guest speaker to our ANZAC Liturgy on Thursday 4 May. Mr Derek Howard served in the NAVY from 1965- 1977. How blessed our children are to have people such as Derek in our community willing to give his time to educate us about the past. Many thanks to Derek and we thank you for your service to our great country.
National Families Week
Each year, thousands of people and hundreds of organisations around the country come together for Australia’s annual celebration of families National Families Week (15-21 May).
National Families Week is a time to celebrate with your family, connect with your extended family and friends, and share in the enjoyment of family activities within the wider community. No matter where you live – in our major cities or a remote community in the country – all Australians, including community organisations, schools, councils, companies and individuals are invited to participate in National Families Week each year.
The aim of National Families Week is to not only celebrate the vital role that families play in Australian society, but to also reflect on the critical role that families play in teaching, supporting and nurturing children as they grow.
National Families Week coincides with the United Nations International Day of Families on 15 May. This day is observed by the United Nations to mark the importance that the international community places on families as the most fundamental units of society, as well as to show concern about their situation in many parts of the world.
National Walk to School Safely Day- Friday 19 May
Primary school aged children across Australia will make those important steps towards a healthier future by participating in National Walk Safely to School Day on Friday 19 May 2023. National Walk Safely to School Day is a community initiative that aims to raise awareness of the health, road safety, transport and environmental benefits that regular walking (especially to and from school) can provide for the long term well-being of our children. Now in its 24th year, the annual event encourages parents and teachers to teach road safety skills and support the importance of regular walking, not just on 19 May, but every day.
PARISH CONTACT DETAILS:
General enquiries
Lumen Christi Catholic Parish, Wollongong
Diocese of Wollongong
PO Box 874 (36 Harbour Street)
Wollongong NSW 2500 Australia
Ph: (02) 42 110500
Email: wollongong@dow.org.au
Office hours: Monday to Friday (9:00am–1:00pm)
News from Year 3 Classrooms
Year 3 has had an excellent start to Term Two. The students started the term learning about the significance of ANZAC Day and it was very informative and an honour to listen to Mr Derek Howard speak. This term in English we are focusing on informative texts and we are learning about the structure of paragraphs. We have written an information report on ANZAC Day. Year 3 also created ANZAC Day artworks using chalk pastels.
News from Year 4 Classrooms
4Blue
4 Blue have started Term Two modeling, comparing and representing fractions. Students have investigated equivalent fractions in a variety of contexts and have modelled equivalent fractions using concrete material. Additionally, they have used number lines and pictorial representations to help confirm their understanding of equivalent fractions with different denominators.
4 Gold
The students in 4 Gold have been busy exploring the role of ‘people and technology in the mass-production of toys’. They will use their knowledge of properties of materials to design and produce a toy following a design brief and criteria for success. The students will have the opportunity to reflect on how they would improve their toy and think critically about the advantages and disadvantages of robots manufacturing toys.
Canteen will be open Wednesday,Thursday and Fridays.
ANAPHYLAXIS
We have several children in the school who are allergic to nuts. Their allergies are life threatening, therefore, we ask all parents to refrain from sending their children to school with peanuts, peanut butter and peanut products.
Book Club
Gala Day Information
Every year the Diocese of Wollongong (CEDoW) conducts several Gala Days for a variety of sports. These days have been designed for students to have fun participating, and “have a go” at sporting activities in a non-competitive environment. Some sporting associations also hold gala days where it may be competitive, students may be selected for these days based on experience.
As each gala day has a limited number of teams each school can send, we are unable to send all nominated students and a selection process will be undertaken, with students in Year 4 and Year 6 having first priority across a Stage (Stage 3 = Year 5 + Year 6, Stage 2 = Year 3 + Year 4). Students will not be able to attend every gala day.
All Gala Days have a small cost involved (not covered in school fees) and require parent transport to and from the venue.
Gala Days run by CEDoW include: Netball, Soccer, Basketball and Cricket.
The Principal reserves the right to withdraw students from representing the school at sporting events or gala days should their behaviour, attitude and conduct not be in keeping with the school’s expectations.
Year 6 will recieve a nomination form via Compass.
The first gala Day for 2023 is Netball on Tuesday 20 June at Berkeley.
Whole School Expectation - Weekly Focus for Students
Gaining the Attention of the Teacher in the Classroom
This week our whole school focus is how to gain the attention of the teacher when in the classroom. This is an important skill for both school life and life beyond the school gates. Our students are 1 or 20-30 students when in a classroom environment, and need to learn appropriate ways for asking for assistance. This can include raising their hand, using a sign on their desk or coming up and saying “Excuse me Mr/Mrs…” and waiting for a response.
Gaining the attention of your teacher is not about seeking attention for its own sake, but about being an engaged and active learner.
Seasons for Growth
Seasons for Growth is a program which helps children learn to cope with grief, loss, and change. It aims to foster resilience and wellbeing in children.
The program is delivered over 4-8 weeks and uses the symbolism of the seasons to explore the issues of change and loss. This would be held during school time in small groups.
If you are interested in this program for your child please contact the school office via email or phone to find out more.
Mother's Day Stall
Thank you to our P & F Committee who have ordered gifts that can be purchased at the school Mother’s day Stall on Friday. Gifts range from $1.00- $7.00.
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DATE: |
REMINDER: |
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Wednesday 10 May |
Da Vinci Decathlon |
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Thursday 11 May |
Welcome Back Mrs Sillis |
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Friday 12 May |
Mother’s Day Breakfast 8:15am Mother’s Day Liturgy 9:15am Mother’s Day Stall - after Liturgy |
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Sunday 14 May |
Happy Mother’s Day |
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Monday 15 May |
All Students to wear Winter Uniform |
Congratulations to the following students receiving a Principal's Award last Friday :
Bailey T, Jonas D, Lily W, Ashton W, Leo P, William D, Matilda P,
Darcy R, Taylah O, Henry F, Nicholas P, Leo T, Kage M
Da Vinci Decathlon
Today 16 students represented Good Samaritan at the Da Vinci Decathlon at the Illawarra Christian School.
This is an awesome experience where students complete in teams using critical thinking to resolve challenges in 10 different categories. Regardless of the outcome, I know the students will enjoy the challenge and experience.
Rock Fishing Safety & Schools Day - Shellharbour
You can read more about these events here: Gone Fishing Sessions - Beach Safety Hub
Our next event is being held at Shellharbour on Saturday the 13th of May and will be a vital event to bring attention to drowning prevention.
Some e-newsletter snippets from NSW Health.
Weblink: https://greenarrow.health.nsw.gov.au/ga/webviews/4-0-432-13591-14809-0-g2066fa4b0