Term 3 Week 6 Newsletter 2023

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

Our annual Book Week Parade last Friday was amazing and it was wonderful to see so many parents and friends attend. We were blessed with beautiful weather for the second year running and the children had a great time sharing their costumes with one another and the gathered audience. It was a great way to conclude our celebration of Book Week.  

Instrumental Night 

We are so fortunate to have the music tutors we do at St Catherine's. Willian Qyerioz (guitar), Anne Maree Higgins (voice), Lucy Ho (piano) and Lucy Macourt (violin) work each week with students and it was fantastic to see these students perform on Wednesday night. Thank you to all the parents and friends who came to be audience members for these young musicians. 

First Holy Communion  

As a Catholic Parish Primary school, we work in partnership with the Adelaide Hills Catholic Parish to support young people and their families who participate in the annual Sacramental Program. Congratulations to Patrick, Joseph, Charlie, Vea, James, Sylvie, Liam, Charles and Kiyan, our students who celebrated the Sacrament of First Holy Communion at St Matthew's Church last weekend. It was wonderful to join with them and their families to acknowledge and recognise their next step in faith and I thank Fr Fred and Cathie Oswald from the Parish and Krystina Dawe and Kelly-Ann Kirby from the school who journey with these children throughout the year.  

Debating 

Congratulations to our debating teams who recently concluded this year's debating competitions.  

Well done Sylvie, Xanthe, Xavier & Ivy who were our year 5 team and to Ellie, Clara & Lucia and Lucas, Lucinda & Nate who were our two year 6 teams. We are very proud of how you participated, developed confidence and improved each week. 

2024 Year 5 and 6 Leaders Lab Programs 

We are looking forward to sharing our 2024 Year 5 and 6 'Leaders Lab' Programs with families  next Tuesday evening. We have an incredible program designed to support our senior students develop and refine their skills as confident and capable learners, providing a balance of academic, social and spiritual programs throughout their journey in year 5 and 6.  

The parent information session starts at 6pm next Tuesday and is open to all parents who will have children in year 5 and/or 6 next year. We look forward to seeing you there. 

Catholic Schools Music Festival 

Preparation is well underway for this year's Catholic Schools Music Festival. The choir students have been busy learning songs and actions each week and today gathered with other 'performance night' schools at Loreto College for a combined rehearsal. St Catherine's choir students will be performing as part of the Music Festival at the Adelaide Festival Theatre on Friday 29th September.  

Enrolment Intentions for 2024.  

Whilst 2024 may seem some time away, we start the process of planning staffing and class structures now. We work hard to balance class sizes and new enrolment requests and therefore it is important that you let us know your enrolment intentions for 2024 before the end of this term. A 2024 enrolment intention eForm will be sent to all families via Audiri at the end of next week. Please ensure this form is completed by the end of term.  

Student Attendance 

There is significant research around school attendance and future life outcomes. Children and young people who do not attend school regularly miss out on planned learning experiences, sequences of instruction and class participation and the impact of this loss is compounded with each absence. Attending school every day improves a child’s future life outcomes and it supports their learning and wellbeing. Our reporting mechanisms on student attendance classify 5 - 9 days absent a term as 'Habitual' and 10 or more days a term as 'Chronic' absenteeism, which are indications that a child's learning progress is compromised. As always, we understand that children become unwell from time to time and ask that children that are unwell, do not attend school. Mindful, however of the impact several days away from school each term can have, I ask families to consider carefully ways to minimise absenteeism.  

Father's Day Community Prayer and Stall 

It was great to see so many dad's and significant mentors join our community prayer and morning tea this morning. Thank you for coming along and joining this community celebration. I wish all our dads a happy Father's day on Sunday and hope you are able to spend quality time with your loved ones. 

Remember that Monday September 4 is a Pupil Free Day and we look forward to seeing children back next Tuesday.

Warm regards, 

John Low 
Principal 

St Dominic's Week 

This term our Dominican school community came together to celebrate the Feast of St. Dominic, the founder of the Dominican Order. This revered saint's legacy extends beyond his religious contributions; it has left an indelible mark on education, shaping the foundations of Dominican schooling for centuries. 

Within these settings students are not only encouraged to excel academically but also to cultivate a strong moral compass and a deep sense of social responsibility. This holistic approach to education reflects St Dominic's belief that knowledge should be used for the betterment of society and the service of others. As we celebrated the Feast of St. Dominic, we remembered the lasting impact he has had on education.  

Through a range of activities students were able to foster both intellectual and spiritual growth, striving to carry forward his legacy in the classrooms, communities, and lives of those to whom we outreach. Students were able to create thank you letters to emergency services and express their gratitude for the which they selflessly undertake. We also explored Auslan and the way in which this can be used to communicate with each other. Students worked to learn how to say the 'Our Father' prayer as well as how to sign their names. The finale of the week was a talent show where students were able to share their unique gifts with the school and it was such a joy to see students stepping out of their comfort zone in front of a supportive audience. 

  . 

Sacramental Program 

This year a number of our students from years 4 and 5 completed their Sacraments of Initiation. Throughout the year they have been journeying together, with the support of their families, preparing to undertake this significant milestone and to receive communion for the first time. It is indeed a very exciting part of their faith journey. The sacraments of Reconciliation, Confirmation and First Holy Communion are more than just rituals; they are moments of profound spiritual significance that bring our students closer to God and the Catholic community. Through these sacraments, our students have embraced their faith and committed themselves to a life guided by Christian values, love, and service. Thank you to the Adelaide Hills Catholic Parish for welcoming these children and for keeping them within their prayers throughout the preparations.  

Once again, congratulations to our these remarkable people within our school. May your faith journey continue to be blessed with love, compassion, and spiritual growth.  

Catholic Charities 

This term our fundraising focus is in partnership with Catholic Charities. Our community plays a vital role in their ability to carry out their work, supporting a number of community groups. Each year we continue to be proud of the way in which students engage with this cause and are looking forward to seeing what event our school captains come up with this year. A summary of our previous fundraising initiatives can be found at the me4u website. There are also some fundraising envelopes available for families at our school front office. Further information about our fundraising event will be shared with families over coming weeks.  

https://www.me4u.org.au/schools/st-catherine-s-school 

Mass at St Matthew's Church 

Students in Years 3 and 4 took part in Mass at St Matthew's Church as an experience to enhance students experience of Catholic faith, liturgy, culture and tradition. It was a lovely opportunity to visit the Church and hear about the significant symbols within the Church as well as reflect on the importance of being able to gather in such a space. Students from across the classes participated in a variety of responsibilities and represented our school proudly in front of family and friends. Thank you to Fr Fred, Cathie Oswald and the Adelaide Hills Catholic Parish for their hospitality and for providing the students with some delicious morning tea.

Season of Creation 

The Season of Creation is the annual Christian celebration to pray and respond together to the cry of Creation: the ecumenical family around the world unites to listen and care for our common home. The Season “Celebration” begins 1 September, the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, and ends 4 October, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology. This year we will unite around the theme, “Let Justice and Peace Flow.” While there will be a number of different ways that students engage with this celebration, families and friends are invited to contribute to a prayer tree. This is set up in our school entrance and will remain in this space until October 4. During this time, please feel most welcome to take one of the pieces of string and add it to the prayer tree. As you do so, you are encouraged to take a moment to spend time in prayer. Over time we will build a collection of prayers from throughout our community and while they may not have been said out loud, this symbol will become our shared community prayer. 

Religious Literacy Assessment Tool (ReLAT) 

Our school will be participating in an assessment in Religious Education for all Year 4 students in South Australia Catholic Schools. This annual assessment has been developed by the Catholic Education Office and will take place during Week 8 of Term 3, 2023 (11 September – 15 September). 

Religious Education (RE) is a core Learning Area in all Catholic schools. It is a foundation for all learning and is integrated into the life of the school through prayer, liturgy and social justice programs. ReLAT will focus on knowledge content which is core to the Year 3/ 4 Crossways Religious Education curriculum.  Students in Year 4 in 2023 have been engaging in the new Religious Education curriculum for two years. As a basic knowledge test, ReLAT complements the continuous, fuller, and deeper assessment of learning that occurs in the RE classroom. 

Please note that the assessment is not a measure of a child’s faith nor their participation in the broader life of the Catholic community.  It is important to draw upon a variety of assessment strategies to develop a comprehensive picture of a child’s progress and understanding in Religious Education. 

The data from the ReLAT assessment will be collated and used by the school to inform whole-of-school professional learning needs and the continuous improvement of teaching in Religious Education.  Individual results will be made available to your child’s teacher.  An individual ReLAT report for parents, will be provided to you, to complement the school report. If you have any questions regarding the Religious Literacy Assessment Tool (ReLAT) please contact Krystina Dawe. 

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

RB

Over the last term, we have been busy learning to recount the events from our own lives. We have begun writing simple sentences and have been working hard on our letter formation. In Mathematics, we learned all about patterns. We enjoyed whole class sharing about the patterns in our homes and around our school. We spent a lot of time outside in Religion and talked about God’s creation and where we feel most connected and present with God.

R1B/P

In R/1BP we have welcomed 4 new Receptions Willow, Charlee, Airlie and Lilly who have settled in well. We began our term with an inquiry about how things have changed over time. We explored some technology from the past and discussed how they were used. In Maths we have explored how to divide groups of objects up into equal groups. In Religion we have explore different versions of The Bible and discovered they all have an old and new testament. 

1/2F

Daniel Spick has planned and been teaching a full load in 1/2F this Term. The children have learnt multiplication and division strategies using hands on materials such as playdough and building blocks. In writing, the children have learnt how to write engaging recounts using correct text structures and vocabulary. The focus in Art this Term is ‘Art through the Ages’. The children have learnt the difference between Media arts and Visual arts. Looking into the past, the children explored the artist Leonardo da Vinci and created a painting of the Mona Lisa.

2CW

In 2CW, We have had a good start to the term learning about sound in Science, exploring how to make sounds and feeling the vibration of some sounds. For History we are learning how technology has changed over the years and recognising differences in technology such as phones and computers. Finally, in Art, students are learning about the famous artwork from Leonardo Da Vinci. They are working on their own Da Vinci inspired art and enjoying the process.

3W

Our Visual Art focus this term is Abstract Art. So far, we have examined the amazing of work of Wassily Kandinsky. He had a condition called synthesthesia....this effected how he viewed colours, saw sounds and heard music. We listened to pieces of music and drew what we heard. It was fascinating to try his style and wonderful as everyone created different works of art!

4S

In Geography we are looking at vegetation zones around the world. In Maths we are understanding that shapes are categorised by their geometric properties and identify geometric properties of 2D and 3D shapes. We are comparing angles and classifying them as equal to, greater than or less than a right angle. We are also using scale, legends and directions to interpret information contained in basic maps. In Science we are explaining the roles and interactions of consumers, producers and decomposers within a habitat and how food chains represent feeding relationships.

4/5KL

In the Year4/5 class this term we have been focusing on Visual Literacy in English and this will be an integrated unit that will include the use of photography to demonstrate the students' knowledge and understanding of the grammar of visual texts. Our RE unit will look at the life of St Mary MacKillop and the work she did to help the poor and needy in her society and reflect on what this means for Catholic communities today. Science is exciting, with the main theme being Classification for the Year 4's and Adaptations of living things for the Year 5's, both of which will lead to some great creative constructions. In Geography, the students are exploring natural disasters.

6O

We are beginning Level 2 of Arch D Radio podcasting this term. The students are looking forward to working in groups to write a podcast, record it, and post it on Spotify! Our Dominican Leadership program has involved working with students in younger year levels, organising and running Community Prayers, managing recycling programs, and organising lunch time activities for students. In HASS we are learning about the Federation of Australia. We are exploring the key events that led to Australia becoming a nation, the development of colonies, and the reasons for becoming a nation.

Music

This term in Performing Arts the junior school students are lucky enough to have two lessons a week. In Drama the R-2 students have been brushing up on their acting skills. We have been working as a whole class to perform plays such as The Gingerbread Man and The Billy Goats Gruff together. In music these students have continued to sing and dance every lesson as well as using boomwhackers and other percussion instruments to accompany their singing.

The Year 3-6 students have started experimenting with music and technology. They have been experimenting on chrome music lab to see what sort of sounds they can combine together in their own compositions. The Festival Choir continues to work hard in the lead up to their performance at the end of this term. Our performance night is Friday September 29th where the choirs will finally come together for their performance.

Sport

This Term the students are learning about Basketball and Basketball skills during their PE lessons. The Year 3-6 students are also preparing for their Cross Country Carnival which will be held in week 3, Thursday 10th march in the parklands. Students have been training every Monday and Tuesday at lunch with a record number of 51 students participating this year!

The R-2 students also began their Netball program after school on Tuesday with the program continuing for the rest of Term.

Year 3/4 have been looking at a variety of Abstract artists and styles this term. Here we are creating our own Piet Mondrian pictures. They are all different but simple as Mondrian liked his artwork to be!

Last week the Debating Team had their last debating competition for the year, and they finished on a high! 

Year 5s (Sylvie, Xanthe, Xavier & Ivy)

Won their debate, Ivy had her first debate as first speaker, and even won best speaker! 

Overall, they finished 5th (out of 46 teams) with 431.5 points. 

Year 6s (Ellie, Clara & Lucia)

Won their debate & Lucia won best speaker! 

Overall, they finished 18th (out of 130 teams) with 442.5 points. 

Year 6s (Lucas, Lucinda & Nate)

Lost their debate (only by a bit) against a very good team.

Overall, they finished 102nd with 430.17 points. Last week they got 0 points due to one being absent. However, they were told that they would've won had they had their 3rd speaker! I'm thinking that if they had won that round, they would've finished closer to the girls in 18th place. 

I'm so proud of the students, and how hard they've worked throughout the season! 

Kind regards, 

Laura O'Connell

Year 6 Teacher

SAPSASA Soccer Carnival

Archie Lolicato and Olivia Beltrame represented St Catherine’s and the Hills District at the SAPSASA Soccer carnival. Both teams were in division one! The boys team finished 5th, and the girls finished 7th. We are so proud of Archie and Olivia!

Catholic Schools Cross Country Carnival

Congratulations to the 48 students that competed at the Cross Country Carnival this year on Thursday 10th July. In the South Parklands. s. All competitors ran a total distance of 2km in each race with an average of 150 students in each race.

 All students completed two training sessions a week in preparation for the Carnival running around St Catherine's Oval during their lunch times.

Special thanks to our generous parent helpers Mrs Jane McCaffrey, Mrs Anna Novy who officiated and assisted with supervision on the day. Also, a big thank you to all the teachers that assisted Mrs Dawe, Mrs Williams, Ms Starling and Ms O’Connell for helping supervise and get the students ready for their races.

Some commendable results included:

• Jasper – 1st – Year 6 Boys – Division B
• Sylvie – 2nd – Year 5 Girls – Division B
• Holly – 3rd – Year 3 Girls – Divison B
• Harper – 4th – Year 3 Girls – Division B
• Flynn – 11th – Year 6 - Division A
• Chloe – 20th – Year 3 Girls – Division C
• Lina – 21st – Year 3 Girls – Division C
• Hayley – 27th – Year 3 Girls – Division B
• Leo – 26th – Year 3 Boys – Division B
• Mary – 29th – Year 3 Girls – Division B

This was our highest participation number in many years so well done St Catherine’s - great to see so many students having a go!!

Mr De Giovanniello (Physical Education Teacher/Sports Coordinator)

Book Week 

On Friday we were blessed with perfect weather for our Book Week dress up parade. It was wonderful to see so many children dressed up as their favourite book characters. A big thank you to our Year 6 leaders for leading such an exciting parade and to our families for joining us. It was obvious that this is one of the highlights on our school calendar given the amount of anticipation from both students and their families. 

We also held our annual Book Swap where students collected used books from home and brought them to school to swap with their peers. There was a lot of excitement as all students were able to take home a new book/s to read, while being ecologically aware and sustainable to our environment. 

Science Week 

We recently celebrated National Science Week by gathering as a whole school community for an afternoon of science fun. Students had a range of activities which they could choose from.  It was a fun afternoon with many highlights: 

.  

" I liked working in the Year 5 class to make my pictures float on water" Bonnie in Reception

" It was really fun working in Miss Barolo's class making rainbow patterns with the skittles and helping the younger children" Holly Year 6 

"We learnt how to make a bridge structure using only pop sticks and rubber bands" Jack in Reception 

"The rainbow bubbles were really fun and we created our own bubble wands" Willow in Year 1 

NAPLAN Summary 

NAPLAN is a nationwide assessment conducted annually for students in Years 3, 5, 7, and 9. It evaluates students' skills in key areas of literacy and numeracy, providing valuable information about their strengths and areas for improvement. This assessment allows us to identify trends, tailor our teaching approaches, and support each student's individual needs effectively.  

At St Catherine's School, we strive to develop thriving individuals, capable learners, and leaders for the world God desires.  We achieve this through a holistic education that encompasses academic achievements, personal growth, social skills, and a lifelong love of learning.  Recognising that while NAPLAN is an important assessment, it is just one of the many tools we use to evaluate your child's progress. More information including a video on how to read your students report can be found at nap.edu.au. 

Below you will find a summary of our cohort achievement. 

Year 3 

Year 5 

ICAS Summary 

Over the last few weeks we have had 14 students from years 2-6 undertake the International Competitions and Assessments for Schools (ICAS). These student participated in Spelling Bee, Writing, English, Mathematics, Design and Technologies and Science. Results for these assessments will be released over the coming weeks and we are excited to see how each of these students performed. More than anything though we are proud of their achievements and their commitment towards their learning.  

Children's University 

The Children’s Book Council of Australia’s Book Week is back again from Saturday 19 August to Friday 25 August 2023. Using the theme ‘Read, Grow, Inspire’ choose a book and share your thoughts with this book review activity.

Get ready for an exhilarating Scavenger Hunt that will take you on a journey filled with interactive delights, adorable farmyard animals, heart-pounding stunts, and captivating performances! Follow the steps on the activity sheet and embark on an unforgettable adventure! 

Celebrating Science Week! The 2023 schools’ theme is INNOVATION: Powering Future Industries, so in honour of this, we have created over 10 hours of Projects where you will get a chance to develop solutions to make our future a brighter one! And of course, it’s a chance to put your inventors cap on! Complete as many tasks as you can. 

In May we asked students to create a challenge for other members to complete in August. This month’s challenge has been created by Aidan who is in year 2, and is tasking you to find an ornament or item around your home and trace its shadow. The taller the object the better and if it can stand up by itself it also helps. You will be surprised to see how well you can draw. 

Did you attend Out of School Hours Care this year and want to collect hours? Answer the questions below to earn ten hours in your Passport to Learning. Each response should be around 50 words long. 

As always, if you are having difficulty locating the appropriate activities to complete, please let me know. I am more than happy to assist. 

Scholastic Book Club 

We continue to offer families the opportunity to purchase reading materials through Scholastic Book Club. Across the year students bring home a catalogue and families are invited to place their orders through the LOOP app on their mobile device. Already a number of families have taken advantage of this and one of the benefits for the school is that with every purchase made, rewards are earned for our school. So far this year over $460 has been raised which will go towards new resources for our  borrowing collections in the Library.  

Kind Regards,  

Narelle Brine and Krystina Dawe 

Leaders of Learning – Curriculum and Assessment  

School Support Staff Appreciation 

This week the teaching staff and children showed their appreciation for the people who help make our school the amazing place that it is to work and learn – our support staff! Teachers helped celebrate with a morning tea everyday (never mind the few extra kgs) and the children helped to decorate a special present for all of the support staff to take home. 

Some of the children reflected on what they love about our support staff; 

• Xavier - "Miss K is really trying to get us to be the best that we can be." 
• Spencer - "Every morning, Mrs Fischle always welcomes me in the library and that makes me feel really comfortable." 
• Leni - "Mrs Worthington helps me when I'm stuck." 

Although we should aim to show our appreciation every day, we know that sometimes these words get lost in the busy-ness of life. We hope that our wonderful support staff know how meaningful their work is and how much they are valued. 

PULSE 

For the past fortnight, teachers and children have been taking part in the termly Wellbeing PULSE check-in. The PULSE survey helps us determine how we can improve the children's enjoyment of school and deepen their sense of belonging to St Catherine's and the wider community. After the survey closes, teacher analyse the data during our Professional Learning Community meetings, identify trends across the school and work on ways in which we can improve overall wellbeing. 

Catholic School Parents SA – Madhavi Nawana Parker 

Last week, we had a very successful evening with Madhavi Nawan Parker on Technology and Family Wellbeing. One of the key takeaways was approaching the children with empathy and encouraging open dialogue to talk about the fears and challenges of growing up in today's world. 

If you missed out or would love to hear more from Madhavi, Catholic Schools Parents SA are hosting another workshop on September 20 at St Mary's College on 'Helping children and teenagers respond to friendship difficulties and bullying.'  

Register via this link; https://registrationcentre.cesa.catholic.edu.au/event-5309077 

Institute of Positive Education – Dinner Conversation Cards 

Good communication is key when it comes to positive relationships. It’s also a skill, which is great news because it means that it’s something we can learn and develop. We all have a strong desire to be meaningfully connected with others and have a sense of belonging. Research shows that positive social interactions can increase our wellbeing and provide greater life satisfaction.  

One way to foster positive interactions with our children at home is around is the conversations around the dinner table. The Institute of Positive Education have a great resource to turn this in to a fun and engaging time with some conversation cards. Some questions include;  

• What are you most grateful for this year? 
• Name something you admire about the person to your right and explain why. 

Click here for the free download. 

Gen Jong 
Leader of Learning (R-6) – Wellbeing and Inclusion  
gjong@stcaths.catholic.edu.au 

Nikki:

As the school Speech Pathologist I have been supporting teachers at the school with all things speech and language support, including vocabulary development. Did you know that a strong vocabulary at school entry is a strong indicator for early reading success?

As parents, you play a significant role in supporting your child's vocabulary development. Here are some practical strategies you can implement at home to support your child’s development of vocabulary.

• Read together: Reading aloud with your child regularly is one of the most effective ways to expose them to new words. Choose age-appropriate books with rich language and engage in discussions about the story and the meaning of unfamiliar words.
• Word of the day: Introduce a "Word of the Day" ritual at home. Explore the meaning, usage, and synonyms of the chosen word, encouraging your child to incorporate it into their conversations throughout the day. Put the written word in a visible location – maybe you can have ‘Fridge words’!
• Context clues: Encourage your child to use context clues when they encounter unfamiliar words while reading. Help them infer the meaning of such words based on the surrounding text. Link new words to experiences your child may already have had – for example linking the word ‘celebration’ to their last birthday party.
• Word games and puzzles: Engage in word games like Scrabble, crossword puzzles, and word searches to make learning new vocabulary an enjoyable and interactive experience.
• Real-life experiences: Expose your child to a variety of experiences, such as visits to museums, nature walks, or cultural events. These experiences introduce them to new concepts and vocabulary beyond the classroom.

I look forward to continuing to share in the learning experiences of the students at St Catherine’s school.

Nikki Snell, Speech Pathologist

Ebony:

My name is Ebony Jenkins, and I am an Occupational Therapist who has been privileged to be part of the St Catherine’s School community for the last 12 weeks. I’ve been working closely with classroom teachers to support the learning and engagement of all students. We have been taking a focus upon sensory processing and integration and how this can impact upon learning. So I thought it would be timely to share some sensational facts about sensory processing:

1. There are 8 sensory systems including: visual, gustatory, tactile, hearing (auditory), smell (olfactory), balance (vestibular), movement (proprioceptive) and interoceptive (internal).
2. Sensory processing impacts how we understand and interact with the world around us
3. People can be under-responsive or over-responsive to sensory information, but this is context specific.
4. Children with sensory processing challenges can experience difficulties in maintaining their attention and arousal, managing their behaviours and communicating effectively in their learning environment.
5. Classroom adjustments to support optimal sensory processing can improve school performance.

I look forward to continuing to support the wonderful teachers of St Catherine’s School, as well all of the learning potential and possibilities that lie ahead for your children.

Ebony Jenkins, Occupational Therapist