Thank You!

To all parents who organised for cards, small gifts and biscuits to be given to our teachers last week for World Teachers’ Day!

Your thoughtfulness was very much appreciated.

Many students have been playing the game Among Us. This game is one of social deduction and like many online and social media games becomes quickly addictive. The concern with this particular game is the online chat feature which has been reviewed as containing highly inappropriate language. In addition, the game itself can involve bullying behaviours where players are ‘bumped’ out of the game.

As with all social media and gaming parents need to be vigilant with supervision. I  recently have had conversations with parents about the overuse and addictive nature of technology. One parent highlighted that even whilst her children were playing games in the kitchen, with both parents present, inappropriate language within the chat feature was being presented. This presents as a real concern for parents and educators. Why? Because these types of behaviours are making their way into real time relationships between students and students and between students and adults. 

Schools and parents have always worked together to manage many concerns - we need to do so now, within this space of social media and gaming, more than ever. 

Please continue to update yourself with information from the e-Safety Commissioner’s website.

https://www.esafety.gov.au/

Attached below is a Fact Sheet from the e-Safety Commissioner Screen Time for Your Child - 7 Tips.

As we approach the end of the school year, we need to take time to reflect on the good that the year has brought to our school community. Below is a video that recaps many of the Good Sam Moments. Take some time to view the video. I would appreciate some feedback about our school year and ask that you complete a short survey. Click here to access the survey. 

The survey will close on Friday 13 December.

If your child rides his or her bike to school I ask that you remind them of the importance of road safety particularly when crossing the road to enter or exit the school. Students must dismount from their bike, look to the right and to the left and, when safe, cross the road.

This term our teachers have been focusing on improving the writing skills of students from Kindergarten to Year 6. It is always a delight to read the students’ work and to see how well they are progressing. This week in Year 5 students were given a picture stimulus of a book called Mirror by Jeannie Baker. Take a read of Mikayla Gaudiosi’s work in Year 5 and feel yourself being transported to the Moroccan Marketplace….

Crunch! It was like I was stepping on bones. As I stepped into the marketplace for the first time, the smell of spices hit me like a bullet. My eyes were stinging, water streaming down my face. I was so thirsty that I had to lick it so I wouldn’t get dehydrated. As I had recovered from the spices I went deeper into the market hearing shouting and overlapping chatter, chickens, goats and animal noises. I felt the gravel sneak into my thongs, piercing my  feet. I had to hop on one foot to get the gravel out but it  kept on coming back in, so I left my thong there.

I looked up.  I noticed a man selling rugs. I was curious so I went to go and touch it but   before I could touch  the fabric, the man slapped my hand to keep me away. I ran away, fearing that he would do it again.

As I walked around I  saw  a  little boy playing with a stick in  the dirt. Yet again, being curious,  I went to have a look. I then saw he was drawing something. It looked like some sort of castle but whatever it was he had put in  every detail down to the windows and doors. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. But no matter how badly I wanted to stay and watch in awe, I had to keep going, on through the marketplace.

Attached to the newsletter this week is the Formation of Classes Policy and Procedure. This policy is used to direct the process of class formation each year. This is a lengthy process that works towards ensuring that every child’s needs are considered. The process begins throughout Term 4. It is important that parents are aware that the teachers know the students within the school - classroom and playground - environment exceptionally well and always put the best interests of every child first.

Please take time to read the policy. This will give you some indication of the process. Whilst parental requests are considered, there is never a guarantee that they will be granted. If you plan to make a request, particularly about your child being placed within a friendship group, please be aware that there may be circumstances surrounding such requests that prevent it from being granted. 

Often there can be experiences where children are placed in classes with friends upon parental requests. The children have then encountered difficulties with the friendship causing awkward situations for all involved that could possibly have been avoided. In addition, parents have requested that their child not be with a particular child/ren and the concern rests more with the adults than the child/ren involved. 

Please remember that, first and foremost, Good Samaritan is a place of learning. Learning involves academic achievement as well as learning how to work effectively with a range of people including peers, teachers and school support officers.

As this term progresses the children will become excited about the approaching Christmas season. It is very important that the children remain focused and settled throughout Term 4. When the children begin to bring Christmas cards, candy canes and the like to school too early they tend to ‘tune out’. It is for this reason, and the fact that waiting is a part of our Catholic Christian tradition with the season of Advent, that the children may begin to bring Christmas cards, candy canes etc for their classmates from the end of Week 9 – Friday 11 December. 

Please begin to speak to your children about appreciating the card,  gift or candy cane that they receive no matter who it is from and that when they give something they shouldn’t always expect something in return.

Transport NSW has a complete set of Guidelines for managing school students behaviour on buses. These guidelines unpack the Code of Conduct responsibilities of students, parents and school principals in relation to bus behaviour. The guidelines also indicate the consequences for a breach of the Code of Conduct. 

For your information, the following is taken from section 2 of the Guidelines - Student Code of Conduct.

CODE OF CONDUCT FOR SCHOOL STUDENTS ON BUSES 

It is every student's responsibility to behave in a manner that ensures the safety and comfort of passengers and drivers. This includes: 

Behaviour on buses: 

• Use appropriate language not offensive or racist language 
• Fighting, spitting, feet on seats, throwing things in or from the bus is not permitted 
• No eating or drinking (other than water) — unless for medical reasons or the bus operator gives written permission 
• Offer seats to adults including people with a disability, elderly or expectant mothers 
• Do not touch, push or shove other people 
• Do not bully or harass other passengers or the driver. This includes photographing, making lewd or suggestive comments, acting in a manner or participating in activities that may be deemed inappropriate or of a sexual nature. 
• Avoid attracting the attention of the driver except in the case of emergency 
• Do not play music at such volume that it may distract the bus driver or other passengers. 

Parent Action: If your child/ren  catches a bus to or from school please familiarise yourself with these guidelines and speak to your child/ren about their responsibilities on the buses.

PRAYER FOR CONFIRMATION CANDIDATES:

Lord, you send out Your Spirit to touch the hearts of all people, so that they may believe in You and in Jesus whom You sent. Look kindly on all candidates for Confirmation as they listen to Your voice. Open their hearts to Your Spirit and bring to fulfilment the good work that You have begun in them. As we prepare these children for Confirmation, make each of us an instrument of Your love. Teach us to appreciate what is holy in others, and to be patient with what we do not understand. Deepen our faith in the Gospel and help us to pass it on by our example. We pray that You will continue to guide us and sustain us. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION: We wish all the Confirmation candidates from the school and the parish all the best for the upcoming Sacrament this Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The children have been well prepared and I'm sure it will be a beautiful celebration. 

Stage Three 2020 Public Speaking Competition

Congratulations to the following five Stage Three students who competed in the Public Speaking Finals on the 29th October, 2020. 

Sienna Hampson Year 6

Tom McRobert  Year 6

Samantha Ecroyd Year 5

Rosalie Van Stralendorff Year 5

Christian Lopresti Year 5

All students are to be commended on their performance. Our two finalists were

Sienna Hampson Year 6 and Samantha Ecroyd Year 5.

VINNIES CHRISTMAS APPEAL 2020

This year, Christmas will be like no other. With more families facing uncertainty, no one knows what to expect for Christmas day. Family feasts, presents and festive gatherings with loved ones will all look incredibly different for many people this year as we celebrate Christmas. We are asking our school community to commit to donating the following non-perishable items to make Christmas a time to renew hope. To uphold the dignity of those receiving the goods, please ensure that all food items are not due to expire for 6 months and are non-perishable.

Kindergarten- Jam, Custard (long life)

Year 1- Pasta, Lollies

Year 2- Pasta sauce, Sweet biscuits

Year 3- Christmas Cake, Vegemite

Year 4- Long life milk, Christmas Pudding

Year 5 -Pancake mix, Cereal

Year 6- Tea/coffee, Savoury Biscuits

Amaroo/LSC- Milo, Candy canes

God Bless,

Natalie Shelley

Religious Education Coordinator

Everyday Maths Hub:

Maths is used every day in almost everything we do. Parents and carers can support their child's mathematical skills and understanding with the fun, practical and creative activities that can be found following this link.

TERM 4

Canteen is only open on Wednesdays,Thursdays and Fridays.

 

In order to manage the physical distancing requirements, parents will continue to make appointments at the uniform shop to purchase uniforms.

This can be done through the Compass. 

If you would like to place an order with the uniform shop an order form has been added to the school website under parents/uniform. Please complete the form and return with payment to the school office. 

Thursday 5 November 

• Confirmation Ceremonies

Friday 6 November

• Confirmation Ceremonies 

Saturday 7 November 

• Confirmation Ceremonies 

Wednesday 18 November 

• St Mary's Star of the Sea Year 7 Orientation Day 

Thursday 12 November

• Year 5 Leadership Day 

Friday 20 November 

• TOPS Day Trip (Year 6)

Wednesday 25 November 

• Ready Set High School Workshop Day

Friday 27 November 

• Activate Fire (Year 6)

Friday 11 December 

• Reports available to Parents via Compass 

• Students may bring Christmas cards to share with friends 

•  Monday 14 December 

• 9.30am Year 6 Farewell Liturgy (students only)

• Year 6 Farewell (Fraternity Club 6.30pm)

 Wednesday 16 December

• Last Day Term 4