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.

Behaviour Management & Pastoral Care

At Good Samaritan, we prioritise pastoral care, valuing the dignity of every individual and their role within our school community. We use the Positive Behaviours for Learning (PB4L) framework, grounded in international research, to foster respectful relationships and boost student engagement. This proactive approach, adopted by all Wollongong Diocesan Primary schools, creates positive teaching and learning environments through well-established practices and systems.

Our school-wide management framework aligns with our mission ‘We are committed to creating an inclusive and compassionate community where faith and learning are nurtured. We live by the core Benedictine values of Stewardship, Hospitality, Community and Love of Christ and Neighbour.’

This is achieved by establishing school-wide management practices which:

• clearly define outcomes that relate to academic and social behaviour
• are supported by the understanding that “Adults matter”. Clear, consistent and durable systems support the work of the adults that matter to the lives of children – staff and parents
• has effective and efficient teaching practices that support student success
• uses relevant school data to guide decision making.

We also adhere to the CEDoW 'Life to the Full' Framework, which guides our approach to building respectful relationships, child safety, and human sexuality education within a Catholic context. This framework underpins our pastoral care and wellbeing initiatives and aligns with Social and Emotional Learning across the curriculum.

Key CEDoW policies and frameworks that support behaviour and pastoral care at Good Samaritan can be accessed on the CEDoW website, including:

Student Pastoral Care and Wellbeing Policy

Positive Behaviours For Learning Framework

CEDoW Path to Life Framework for Pastoral Care and Wellbeing

Suspension, Expulsion and Exclusion of Students Policy (currently being updated)

CEDoW 'Life to the Full' Framework

This term we have incorporated Berry Street Education Model strategies in classroom practices. This model provides teachers with strategies to increase engagement of students and to successfully improve all students' self-regulation, relationships, wellbeing, growth and academic achievement. 

The model provides many opportunities for teachers to understand the students they’re working with and how they best learn. The strategies that have been implemented this term include: 

• Welcome Circle or Morning Circle
• Christian Mediation
• Closing Circle. 

We encourage you to discuss these practices with your child. This welcome circle poster can help with discussions of the morning circle. 

Bullying No Way

This term all classes will be taking part in a unit on Respectful Relationships. During these lessons we will be engaging students in meaningful discussions and activities aimed at promoting empathy, understanding, and respect for diversity. We encourage parents and carers to take this opportunity to have open and honest conversations with their children about the impact of bullying and what they can do if they need support. You can visit the Bullying No Way website for tips around how to have this discussion.

Mrs Catherine Hailstone 

Assistant Principal

First Holy Communion Retreat Day

Year 3 students participated in their retreat day on Friday 9 August. The retreat day is a day of prayer, fun, spiritual reflection and a chance for the whole grade to come together as a final preparation for the sacrament. The students were so well behaved and enjoyed their Domino's Pizza.

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PARISH HOSPITALITY

On the first Sunday of every month, after the 8:30am Sunday Mass at St John Vianney, the parish puts on Hospitality (Morning Tea), for the parishioners and we would like to extend that invitation to families of the school. It is a beautiful opportunity to gather and catch-up with one another as family groups.

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

Web: www.lumenchristi.org.au

Office hours: Monday to Friday (9:00am–1:00pm)

Click here to view the Parish Mass Times

MASS AND PRAYER INTENTIONS

All parishioners and visitors are very welcome to ask one of our priests to offer Mass for them and their loved ones. Intentions can include thanksgiving for a blessing received from God, to help a relative or friend in need, to celebrate an anniversary, to ask God to strengthen and heal the sick, or to pray that someone who has died will rest in God’s peace. If you wish to offer a Mass & Prayer Intention go to our website: lumenchristi.org.au/intentions or fill in a Mass Intention envelope or contact the parish office.

Fun Fluency Fact

How do we develop students’ reading fluency at school?

Each day, students engage in repeated reading of the same passage, which is a simple and powerful tool for developing student’s fluency, comprehension and confidence. Students work in Fluency Pairs to build their fluency over the week. Fluency pairs is a 10 - 15 minute routine during which the teacher will model fluent reading of a carefully selected passage, students will choral or echo read the passage and will then read the same passage with their partner. Students in Years 3 - 6 have set goals to improve their reading fluency and are reflecting on the improvement of their goal. Students in K-2 will begin to set goals for their reading fluency throughout this term.

How can you develop your child’s reading fluency at home?

Parents and Carers can engage in a similar process with their child at home using a short passage from their selected reading material. This may be a text provided by the class teacher or a book that the child has selected from home or school. Allow your child to read the same passage each day for 1 - 2 minutes. Focus on appropriate pace, accuracy and expression and praise your child for their increasingly fluent reading!

Congratulations to the Week 2 Awards Receipients 

Congratulations to the Week 3 Awards Receipients 

South Coast Athletics Carnival:

The Olympics may be over but these young Aussie athletes are still bringing in the medals!

Phenomenal results at the Diocesan South Coast Athletics Carnival on Tuesday with GSFM winning Overall School, Girls Overall Points and 2nd Boys Overall Points!!!

Congratulations to every one of our students who represented our school so beautifully. Special congratulations to the following students who received major awards and those going through to the Diocesan Athletic Trials:

Maddi T - Junior Girls Champion

Milla E - 11 yrs Girls Champion

Jacob D - 11 yrs Boys Champion

Chase WM - 2nd Multi-Class Boys Champion

Flynn C - 11 yrs Boys Champion

Good Luck:

Good luck to our students in the Diocesan Selection Trials next week:

Evelyn B, Lucy B, Evie E, Milla E, Aaliah G, Elizabelle P, Maddy S, Ayla S, Maddi T, Piper R, Angus B, Flynn C, Phoenix D, Jacob D, Harlan J, Archer V, Ashton W, Summer P

Thank you to Mrs Olima, Miss Dunne and Mrs Luck who supported the team.

Athletics Presentation Assembly:

Representative Sport:

Congratulations to Harlan J who competed in the Catholic Schools NSW Golf tournament. Harlan showcased an impressive display of skill and determination on the golf course. Well done Harlan!

Book Week will occur in Term 3, Week 5.

The parade will be on Monday, 19th August.

This year's theme is READING IS MAGIC

Important Information 

Parent and Carer Evening with Dr Justin Coulson at 

St John's Catholic Parish Primary School, Dapto

The St John's Catholic Parish Primary School Dapto Parents and Friends Association are excited to announce they are hosting a parent and carer information session with Dr Justin Coulson on Wednesday, 28th August 2024 at 6:30pm.

Dr Justin Coulson is the co-host and parenting expert on Channel Nine’s “Parental Guidance” and the founder of happyfamilies.com.au and is considered one of Australia’s most trusted parenting experts.
The parent session will focus on the topic of Resilience. In this session parents will learn the psychological secrets that build their child’s sense of identity, strengths, and growth mindset in order to perform better, be happier, and build resilience.

Tickets can be purchased using this link https://events.humanitix.com/resilience-with-dr-justin-coulson-parental-guidance-workshop

The live session runs from 7:00pm-8:30pm and refreshments will be provided from 6:30pm on the night.

FREE WEBINAR FOR PARENTS AND CARERS

Consent and online boundaries: how to support your primary-aged child

Tuesday 20 August 2024 7.30pm - 8pm

The eSafety Commissioner are hosting a free cybersafety talk for parents and carers.

As children begin to navigate the online world, they need to know how to make decisions around consent and boundaries. This 30-minute webinar will outline strategies for parents and carers, as well as support those hard-to-have conversations.

Please register here:

https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/1244428795787444059

AUGUST:

Friday 16 August: Science Fair Day 

Monday -Friday 19-23 August: Reading is Magic Book Week 

Monday 19 August: Book Week Parade

Friday August 23: Assembly 

Wednesday- 28 August: School Photos (Full Winter School Uniform)

Wednesday-28 August: Father's Day Stall 

SEPTEMBER:

Monday 2 September: Father's Day breakfast 7:00am/Liturgy 9:15am

Monday 2 September: Full Summer Uniform 

Friday 6 September: Principal Awards & Assembly

Friday 13 September- GSFM Trivia Night 

Friday 20 September: Assembly 

Thursday 26 september- School Disco 

Friday 27 September: GSFM Awards Liturgy

Friday 27 September: Last Day Term 3